Kaietuer News

GasplantcontractordrainingUS$70K fromGuyanaweeklyonluxuryflights

By Davina Bagot

While Guyanese citizens

endure back-to-back

b l a c k o u t s a n d t h e government scrambles to rent emergency generators, executives of Lindsayca- the

Gas-to-Energy (GTE) contractor- travels in luxury,

flying weekly out of Georgetown on a private jet, costingGuyanaUS$70,000.

T h e f i n a n c i a l extravagance was recently brought to the attention of Kaieteur News, by an unnamed source, who provided proof of the luxury

travel for Lindsayca executives Perhaps more disrespectful to Guyana, is the fact that the contractor is not only misusing project

funds to fly its top executives, but also source materials for the project at muchhigherfreightcosts.

Sources confirmed, “Since October 2022, top executives have utilized privatejetstoflyonaweekly basis from Houston, Texas, refueling in Puerto Rico, before touching down in Georgetown. A conservative calculation of this weekly c o m m u t e e x p o s e s a staggering drain on project resources.”

By breaking down the flightroutes,thetruescaleof this extravagance becomes clear Seetableforflightcost formula.

To put this gross misuse offundsintoperspective:the President of Guyana routinely flies commercial airlines around the world to

conduct the nation’s business and attend international summits Yet, foreign contractors hired to deliver affordable energy to a developing nation are treating its sovereign wealth like a limitless expense account for private luxury It is a severe insult to the G u y a n e s e taxpayer millions of dollars evaporating into the atmosphere while the people on the ground remain in the dark.

L

utilizing these same private luxuryjetstoimportboxesof construction parts and equipment for the GTE project. Rather than utilizing standard, cost-effective commercial air freight or m a r i t i m e s h i p p i n g routes as is standard industry practice for billiondollar infrastructure builds the consortium is flyingindustrialcomponents into the Ogle Airport via privatecharter

A source said, “This practice is the definition of gross mismanagement Ferrying metal parts and construction materials in the cabin of a high-end jet astronomically inflates the freight cost, passing the ultimate burden of this logisticalincompetenceonto the Guyanese project budget.”

Bleeding Guyana Dry: Ballooning project cost with a Task Force Cover-Up

Thisblatantdisregardfor project funds is part of a broader, systemic pattern of financial extortion The original US$759 million price tag was supposed to be a firm commitment. Instead, L i n d s a y c a - C H 4 h a s weaponizeditsowndelaysto extractmorecapital.

Beyondtheinitialproject cost Kaieteur News was told that ExxonMobil- the

Persons on board known to be suffering from illness other than airsickness or the effects of accidents, as well as those cases of illness disembarked during the flight:

Any other condition on board which may lead to the spread of disease: Details of each disinserting or sanitary treatment (place, date, time, method) during the flight. If no disinserting has been carried out during the flight give details of most recent disinserting:

Signed, if required (Sign in ink)

I declare that statements and particulars contained in this GENERAL DECLARATION, and in any supplementary forms required to be presented with this General Declaration are complete, exact and true to the best of my knowledge and all thought passengers will continue and continued the flight.

t Passenger Declaration for Lindsayca Hawker Aircraft during the Week of Guyana Energy Conference 2026 for the Return Trip Ogle to Florida, carrying executives of Lindsayca, KBR, and Fulcrum LNG. A CH4-affiliated private jet (Registration N27VQ) sits on the tarmac at Ogle Airport in Georgetown. A twin-engine plane (Venezuelan Registration YV1643) associated with Lindsayca, also photographed at Ogle Airport.

The Cargo JetAbsurdity

The financial bleeding does not stop at executive joyrides Official customs declarations and flight manifests recently obtained by this publication expose a logistical practice so grossly wasteful it defies basic engineeringeconomics.

pipeline contractor- paid Lindsayca an additional US$50M to complete the GTEsite.

F u r t h e r m o r e , t h e consortium dragged the Government of Guyana

b e f o r e a D i s p u t e AdjudicationBoardoversite

handoverdisputesandminor projects surrounding the GTE Despite failing to deliver the power plant on time,theconsortiumwonthe dispute, walking away with an additional US$82 million awarded in liquidated damages due to government

presumably, their private jets. During the meeting, the Task Force reportedly argued that while the US250 million demanded by the contractor,thattheybelieved a figure of 170 million “shoulddothejob.”

This proposition deeply alarmed several individuals intheclosedroom.

The source argued, “Why is the body entrusted with safeguarding Guyana’s energyfuturevolunteeringto write a blank check? The public deserves to know: Why is the Gas-to-Energy Task Force continually running interference and covering up for Lindsayca’s gross incompetence? And why are they so adamant about rewarding a failing, f i n a n c i a l l y o p a q u e consortium with extra time, reduced risk, and hundreds of millions in additional taxpayermoney?”

The Silence at the Top:A Government Cover-Up?

delays—a massive windfall strictly to the benefit of Lindsayca.

Yet, even after these massive cash injections, the consortium’s coffers are supposedly empty again They are now actively negotiating a staggering U S $ 2 5 0 m i l l i o n i n additional funds to finish the job, which they were contractedtodo.

More interesting is the oversight mechanisms meant to protect Guyana are failing—or worse, actively colluding. Sources indicate that in February of this year, a closed-door progress and schedule audit took place at ExxonMobil headquarters at Ogle During this highly sensitive meeting, members of Guyana’s Gas-to-Energy Task Force presented an alarming proposal to ExxonMobil executives: allowing Lindsayca to finish the project on an “openbook,cost-plusbasis.”

A cost-plus contract effectively removes all financial risk from the contractor, guaranteeing them a profit margin on top of whatever exorbitant e x p e n s e s t h e y i n c u r i n c l u d i n g ,

The most damning aspect of this scandal may not be the extravagance itself, but the silence surrounding it Sources speaking exclusively to this outlet confirm that the highest lev

e Guyanese government are fully aware of LindsaycaCH4’s continuous private jet use at both the Eugene F CorreiaInternationalAirport (Ogle) and the Cheddi Jagan InternationalAirport(CJIA).

Dossiers containing detailed flight manifests, timestamped photographs of the aircraft, and copies of executive passports have been provided to us by unnamed sources deeply familiar with on-the-ground airport authorities This indisputable ev

exactly how project funds arebeingburned.

This begs the ultimate question: If the government has the manifests and knows millions are being wasted on private jets and chartered cargo, why have they not made this gross misuse of taxpayer funds public? Who are they protecting, and at what cost to the Guyanese people?

The Flight of the Cabal of Guyana Power Brokers

The cozy relationship betweenthecontractorsand Continued on page 18

KaieteurNews

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EDITORIAL

Investors come first

“Sends a terrible signal”, and “a very bad idea”, that wouldnotbewell-receivedbyinvestorsallovertheworld. In those words, USAmbassador, NicoleTheriot, made the position of the US government clear relative to the 2016 Production Sharing Agreement (PSA) that Guyana signed withExxonMobil. Acountrythatseekstorenegotiateaterrible deal,averybadoilcontract,isbeinginfluencedintoaspecific direction Above all else, it must consider the interests of investorsfirst,andabandontheinterestsandaspirationsofits ownpeople Investorsmustcomefirst,beforetheinterestsofa country’sowncitizens APSAwassignedwithaUSoilgiant that held all the cards, monopolized all the related oil information,andusedthosetopushGuyanaintoacontractual relationshipthatbindsitinastateofservitude. ForGuyanato renegotiatethatrottenExxonMobilPSAwouldsenda“terrible signal”totheinvestorsaroundtheworld. Inotherwords,suckit up, live with it, and let it be, for fear of interfering, however marginally,withtheprofitsoftheglobalinvestmentcommunity

The global investment community, or the profits of US multinationals, of which ExxonMobil is a leader? We at this publicationwonderwhattunetheUSAmbassadorwouldhave beensingingifitwerenon-UScompanies,investors,andtheir interests involved When other countries find that they have concernswithChineseinvestmentinitiatives,andtheymoveto takebackcontroloftheirassets,whatwasnegotiatedbefore,the US has not had a history of being hotly against such a development

Forexample,inAfrica,Kenya,Uganda,andGhanahave begun proceedings to cancel contracts with Chinese investors,orhavealreadycancelledthemoutright. InAsia, AfghanistanrescindedaUS$540Moilcontractsealedwitha Chinesemultinational. Wedidn’thearanysoundfromthe US of the priority of investor rights in those situations. In this hemisphere, Panama has made moves to end two port contractsgrantedtoaChinese(HongKong-based)company WherehastheUSbeenwithitsconcernsabouttheparamountcy of investor interests, considering that the Panama Canal is in CentralAmerica,andahighlysensitivestrategicgatewayforthe US? Once investor interests are given the super footing that Ambassador Theriot places them on, then the US shouldn’t engage in cherry-picking, as it is doing with the ExxonMobil PSA Contracts are inviolable, and there is no recourse, regardlessofwhichcountriesthecompaniesoriginate What goesforonegroupofcompaniesandtheirinvestmentpartners, thatmustbethestandardthatappliesuniversally

The Africans and Afghans have cancelled their contracts withChinesecompaniesforavarietyofreasons Thosehave covered from poor execution to lack of transparency to poor terms and conditions for the countries that have extensive mineral wealth We have been tirelessly sounding the alarm about some of those issues for which there have been little resolution Firstly,GuyanaisforcedtocoexistwithaPSAthat deliversahorriblycheapandinsulting2%royalty Secondly, ExxonMobilhasbeentrickywithdisclosuresaboutthenumber ofbarrelsofnewoildiscovered,andwhatisthecurrenttotalof Guyana’sprovenreserves Thirdly,theUS$214Mreportedin findingsfromoneauditingreporthavebeenpushedaroundlike ayoyoforyears Fourthly,viasomehigh-levelcollusion,the US$214M in audit findings plunged to US$3M, with ExxonMobil moving quickly and smartly to distance from what reekedofacrookedarrangement,andletresponsibilityforthatfall elsewhere Fifthly,the2016PSAprovidesfor75%costrecovery before the half and half profit sharing between Guyana and ExxonMobiliscalculated Yet,whenthecallfromthispaperisfor thosebillionsinUSdollarsofexpensestobedisclosedintheinterests oftransparency,thereisstubbornresistancefromthecompany Controversyandlackoftransparencyhaveundermined thecredibilityoftheExxonMobilPSA. TheUSambassador mentioned tangible benefits, which are really pittances, when compared to the hauls that the company grabs from Guyana’s wealth. This lopsided PSA that devastates Guyana’sinterestsmustberenegotiated,andtheremustbe other Guyanese who think similarly, notwithstanding US government‘signals.’

DEAREDITOR

For the past month our neighbour, Suriname has started to play the Iran of South America by blocking Guyanesevesselsfromusing the Corentyne River by applyingUS$$2,500pertoll totransittheriver

Now, Guyanese people are a very peaceful people butwedon’tlike‘eyepass’.

The Guyana-Suriname Chamber of Commerce needs to assess how much money that Suriname

companies are making here in Guyana by operating and getting equal access under the Local Content Act as if they are equally Guyanese company

For example, one company from Suriname in Guyana is Assuria. It gets equal access to supply of insurance policies to the Government of Guyana This is equivalent to over three billion dollars in income from Guyana’s oil and gas money The reason

whyIamsayingitisoiland gasmoneyisbecausetheoil and gas money funds the different ministry for the building of schools, roads, sea defence and other infrastructures.

Yet the government of Guyana accepts Assuria Insurance policies over the locally-owned insurance companies, in breach of the localcontentlaw

So,when‘eyepass’starts from one breach by the government of the local

content law, then foreign governments will start to do the same to Guyanese businesses.

Acompleteboycottofall Suriname products in Guyana is what is needed, untilSurinameprivatesector gets their act together and putpressureontheSuriname government to open up the

Corentyne River for Guyanese vessels to pass freely

Regards

NameProvided

Suriname ‘eye pass’and the charging of river fees From Chokepoints to Crossroads: Turning Constraint into Cooperation

DEAREDITOR, “In an era where transactional diplomacy is becoming the global norm, Guyana must respond with pragmatism, foresight, and the courage to see opportunityinadversity”

President Irfaan Ali’s formal protest against Suriname’s decision to imposefeesonvesselsusing the Corentyne River has sparked heated debate on bothsidesoftheborder The

immediate concern is the impact on Guyanese timber and quarry operators now facing new costs to conduct routinecross-bordertrade.

Beneath the surface, however, lies something of deeper consequence — a revealing moment in how smallstatesnavigateaworld increasingly defined by transactionalpolicymaking.

Across the globe, we are witnessing a new mode of governance, one in which

access and geography are being transformed into instruments of economic leverage. From canal transit dues to airport surcharges anddigitalgateways,nations everywhere are learning to monetize their competitive advantages. Suriname’s assertion of its “legal right” to impose fees on the Corentyne River must therefore be understood withinthiswiderpattern—it islessanactofhostilityand

more an attempt to capture valuewherevalueflows.

But acknowledging the logic behind such actions does not mean accepting their inequities. Guyana’s interestmustbetosecureits

men

. The Corentyne River is not simply a line on a map; it is an artery of commerce, a bridgebetween (Continuedonpage06)

Trump’sApril threat of ‘hell will rain down’contradicts his January message of ‘help is on its way’

DEAREDITOR

Continuing my letter in KNonSunday,April5,“The road to war is often paved withgoodintentions,butthe first casualty is truth,” I am still hoping for the best outcomeinawarthathasthe potential for WWIII and its impactontheworld.

Some wars can have limited or isolated impacts, but a war that significantly affects oil production and supplytomanynationsisnot in the world’s best interest. Yes, besides the security component of global peace, there is the worry about the economic component of rising fuel prices at the gas s t a t i o n s a n d t h e concommitant impact on cost-of-living and job security

No one following this conflict can take comfort in its shifting contours that highlight extraordinary militarytacticsononehand,

but no crafted war plan that points to end game, on the otherhand.Andthelackofa war plan with and end game is why I strongly believed thiswarwasavoidable.

But besides the lack of a gameplanorendgameisthe trustfactorinthewordsofthe principalpowerhousewarrior: America Back in January, whileIranianswereoutonthe streets protesting Ayatollah Khamenei’s regime, over 30,000werereportedlykilled, andtheTrumpadministration sentapowerfulmessagetothe protesters,“HELPISONITS WAY,” Reuters, January 13, 2026

AfterIsraelandtheUnited States launched their joint, targeted military attacks that killedKhameneiandsomeof his top political and military lieutenants, the White House putoutacallforIranianstorise up,taketothestreetsandtake backtheirgovernment

That did not happen, for

reasons best known to Iranians, but when we contrast the ‘help is on its way’ promise with the ‘all hell will rain down’on Iran threat(“Trumpthreatenshell for Iran over Hormuz Strait as deadline approaches,” KN, April 6, 2026) that specifically targets bridges and energy infrastructures, this would not only negatively impact Iranian people more than their government; it would also constitute war crimes Trump truly appears at this pointthathe’sangrythewar is not going his way, and which may well be confirmed in his expletiveladen Truth Social message onEasternSundaymorning. If there’s a ray of hope left for Trump, he has to be advisedtostoptalking.Heed the advice of France

President Emmanuel Macron. He just cannot go from promising Iranians in

January that help is on the waytothreateninginAprilto rainhellonIraniansbecause thatshiftinmessagecouldbe a huge humanitarian sign he isconcedingthewarislost. It also didn’t help that on Thursday, April 2, he said America produces its own oil and was not relying on the Strait of Hormuz, but since other nations relied on the Strait of Hormuz for oil they should come together and providemilitaryhelptodefend the Strait And then on Easter Sundaymorninghethreatened all hell will rain down on Iranians

Clearly, the war has no plan and this explains the mixture of promises and threats based on shifting narratives.Ifothercountries havetoendthiswarAmerica has lost it, but is this a political hill on which Americawantstodie?

Sincerely EmileMervin

Reminiscing about late Dr. Jagan

DEAREDITOR, As I re-visit Port Mourant, my home village, memories harp back on Dr Cheddi Jagan. I had many encounters with, observing, engaging and interviewing Dr Cheddi Jagan in USA andinGuyana.Heremained a committed democratic

socialist, never an opportunist.

C h e d d i w a s a charismatic socialist leader, a formidable statesman, a

t r u e l e g e n d , w h o erroneously (my analysis) was allied with the Soviet bloc, Cuba, and other left

( r e v o l u t i o n a r y )

g o v e r n m e n t s a n d movements in the Caribbean. His political life was characterised by antiimperialistic stances and socialdemocraticprinciples.

T h o s e p r i n c i p l e d characteristics hurt Guyana in the long run as is well arguedincountlessarticles. He was known for advocating universal education and healthcare and workers’ rights, but these are not considered as positives by the west. He

was a staunch critic of (hostiletowards)theU.Sand theWest(capitalistcountries considered a terrible mistake given that every Guyanesewantedtomigrate to USA. He was known for his passionate rhetoric on communist philosophy and desire to unite worker, drawing the ire of

Washington socialist rhetoric and close ties with communist countries. The US and Britain toppled his left-wing government in 1953 and again in 1964; US perceived Jagan (and PPP) asathreattoitsandtheWest interestsduetohiscloseness with USSR and Cuba, especially during the heightenedColdWareraand tensionintheCaribbean.But Cheddi harbored no authoritarian tendencies, supporting participatory democracy,anditwouldnot have been practical to turn Guyanaintoabeachheadfor USSRthewayCubawas. He visited New York several times, and I had the opportunity to meet and or engage and interview him there and in Guyana for

several media articles when hewasOppositionLeaderas well as later as President.

Jagan discussed his opposition to imperialism and exploitative capitalism, what he thought (was) the superiorityofsocialism,and the non-aligned movement for which he expressed enthusiastic support. In his talks,hewasunequivocalof views of USAand theWest, viewingthemasexploitative of the poor and the working class. There were always rapturous responses among his (left wing) audience, giving an insight into how thismessagewasreceived.

He was a guest at City College when I was a student: I was elected to the student government (late 1970s and early 1980s) serving in various positions.

Jagan’s lectures and seminars were organised by Chuck Mohan; Arjune Karshan and Mel Carpen also played a role in organising his programmes at CCNY and generally in NY; Karshan always accompanied Cheddi. Janet Jagan also spoke at CCNY

several times. Prof. Mathias facilitated the classrooms. The student government of which I was an elected officer, often sponsored the lectures. I attended several of their talks. Cheddi also spoke at other locations including in Little Guyana duringthelate1980sandjust before he was elected President in October 1992. In August 1989, he was a guest at the weeklong GOPIO Convention in Manhattan where he interacted almost daily At GOPIO, he pled for help to convinceWashingtonthathe was not a threat to their interests. In 1991, he stayed for a week in Jamaica, Queens, compliments of the late Ramesh Kalicharran, allowing for extensive engagement. Meetings were arranged with American politicians and influential media houses. He also met withArthurSchlesingerwho was my professor in three courses. Cheddi always spoke pleasantly about people he knew in USA. He spoke of his love, respect, andadmirationofthoseofus

in America who fought for free and fair elections. As non-ACG activists, my colleagues and I did a lot of unpaidlobbyingforGuyana. He expressed appreciation forourwork.

After my visit to East Germany and the Soviet Union, we met at Freedom Housetodiscussstrategieson free and fair elections; he spoke highly of the German model of housing development convinced it couldbeemulatedinGuyana He even asked me to study it andconsiderworkinginsucha project when he forms the government; he was convinced if victory

Apparently, he had not visited the USSR, East Germany, and the East bloc for a long time because he askedmehowthingswerein those countries. He stated there should be substantial improvement in social and economiclifeofworkersand the poor and that small businesses should be given preference over larger ones. In his speeches before he became President, Cheddi gave revolutionary orations, praising socialism and condemning American actions in Cuba, Chile, and Nicaragua and elsewhere. Healsowascriticalofthe

(Continuedonpage16)

Enough is enough

DEAREDITOR

The public comments madebyRamnareshSarwan and members of the board regarding Kevlon Sinclair a r e c o m p l e t e l y unacceptable.

To go after a young, talented player in such a personal and public manner is not leadership—it is a failureofleadership.Ifthere are concerns about Sinclair, those matters should be handled privately, with

professionalism, care, and a genuine commitment to his development. Instead,what we witnessed was an unnecessary airing of personal issues that does nothing to help the player and only serves to damage his confidence, reputation, andfuture.

You cannot claim a player needs support while publicly exposing and criticising him That is contradictory and harmful.

Theroleofanycricketboard is to protect, guide, and develop its players, not to publiclytearthemdown.An immediate and unreserved apology is warranted—not foraddressingconcerns,but for the reckless and deeply inappropriate way in which this was handled. Young players deserve better West Indies cricket deserves better

Regards RawleBlackman

Abuse of dogs across Guyana

DEAREDITOR

,

I am writing to express mydeepdisgustandsadness at the continued, callous abuse of dogs across Guyana.

Almost daily, one hears storiesorwitnessesfirsthand thebrutalbeatingofanimals, particularly dogs, on our streets and within our communities.

We must seek out the assistance of the best in drainage and water management

DEAREDITOR, We are living in

awoundrequiringsurgery

May I suggest that we seek the assistance of the best in drainage and water m a n a g e m e n t , t h e

Netherlands They were previouslyourcolonisersbut we must put aside hubris to requesttheirservices.Asthe fastest growing economy in the world, let us move with alacrityandconfidence.

TheAnimal WelfareAct of 2018 exists to protect animals, yet there seems to bealackofenforcement.

IurgetheGuyanaPolice

Guyana is a nation that pridesitselfonprogressand hospitality,yetthetreatment of our voiceless, faithful companionsinmanyareasis atotalcontradiction. It is inhumane and unacceptable to see dogs beatenwithsticks,stoned,or neglected to the point of skeletal emaciation We should stop pretend this is normal.

Force to take reports of animalcrueltyseriously,and fortherelevantauthoritiesto prosecutethosewhocommit these heinous acts Furthermore, I call on my fellowGuyanesetotreatour animals with compassion. Animal abuse is often a precursor to wider violence, and a civilized society must protect its vulnerable creatures.

Yoursfaithfully, V.Persaud

challenging times in Guyana. Nothing is being done about a national crisis that has been affecting our populace before the beginning of this century The2005floodwasawakeup call but successive governments have unashamedly slept on Twenty-one years later, we havejustexperiencedsevere flooding in densely populated districts and throughout Guyana, even in the heart of Georgetown. Almostinstantly,welearned that the government will usurp the Mayor and City Councillors (M&CC)’ role by taking control of 57 streets. This is obviously intended to be a panacea for the flooding, being presented to a dim-witted populace, hence, Guyanese are being underrated. It merelyservesasaplasterfor

From

Frompage04

Let us not recruit from Israelandleavethemtofight their war The Dutch are masterful in overall water management.

Focusing on building, repairing and displaying buildings, roads and bridges is insufficient as a sign of progress. We need a cabinet of technocrats such as Dr Vincent Adams. We have a plethora of these in the diaspora who still maintain and feel a cultural and emotional bond with their homeland. I could suggest a few They could be

encouraged to return to serve, if provided with the enhancedsafetyofahomein awell-rungatedcommunity, the appropriate emoluments and good schools for their children, to name those things which come to mind. An efficient and effective police force will also be essential.Hereagain,afancy building which is now their headquarters, will be a wasteful investment unless its staff are commensurate withitsquality

Flooding severely impairs the health of our citizens due to a poor sewerage and water system. Ill-equipped denizens, wading through the floods, createabreedinggroundfor diseases The piles of garbage throughout Guyana contribute monumentally to thisandserveasneglectand chaos.

Sincerely ConradBarrrow

ChokepointstoCrossroads...

communities, and a shared economic space with enormous potential. When onepartnerclampsdownon that space, both nations lose in trade, trust, and opportunity

That is why any call for retaliation, even the suggestion of halting the planned Corentyne Bridge, risks draining this region of what little optimism it still commands.

Protectionism may flatter patriotic sentiment in theshortrunbutundermines national development in the long term.Trade wars never end where they begin: they metastasizeintoresentment, disrupt investment flows, andimpoverishcooperation. Instead, the true test of leadership in such moments is to seize crisis as catalyst — to craft solutions that transform adversity into

advantage Pragmatism, after all, is not capitulation; it is courage refined by reason. It means meeting a challenge not with outrage, butwithintelligence.

It means negotiating a binding, transparent riveraccess agreement that respects Suriname’s sovereign rights while guaranteeing nondiscriminatory passage for Guyanese operators It

means recognising temporary hardship and cushioning it through state support or subsidies for affected industries, preventing job losses and dislocation until a fair accordisreached.

And yes, it also means thinking ahead. The

Government’s planned road and bridge linking both banks of the Corentyne should not be casualties of discord but symbols of

shared destiny Once completed, they will allow Guyana its own leverage — not as vengeance, but as balance Introducing mutually agreed tolls or service charges at that stage would represent reciprocity within partnership, not rivalry

True statecraft is birthed in precisely these moments of tension — when leaders must choose between the expedience of outrage and the endurance of reason. Guyana’s future cannot be shaped by reactive nationalism; it demands the audacity of hope: the ability toseebeyondtheturbulence of the present toward the possibilityofsharedgrowth. The easy paths of indignation will tempt us; the harder path of wisdom willrewardus.

Yourstruly, Hemdutt

Kumar

— Human Services minister urges parents to take responsibility 11 children missing in two months

Analarmingwave

o f c h i l d disappearances has gripped Guyana, with at least 11 children reported missing in just two months, prompting urgent concern and renewed calls for accountability Minister of Human Services Dr

Vindhya Persaud says the government is now moving to strengthen its response, announcing new initiatives aimed specifically at tacklingthegrowingcrisis.

In a video message on Sunday posted on her Facebook page, Dr Persaud said: “We have a missing children policy at the ministry We will also be working to roll out a few more programmes to deal with missing children. You will be hearing about that,” she informed, adding, “But wecan’tdothisalone.”

Shestressedthatparents, guardians and caregivers have a responsibility to take account of their children’s whereabouts. “I am seeing a lot of children are going missing…Youneedtoknow where your children are

Minister of Human Services and Social Security Dr. Vindhya Persaud during her video.

Parents and caregivers can be charged for negligence,” she expressed. “Everyone looksforsomeonetoblame, but at the end of the day, these children have parents andguardianswhomusttake responsibility,” she continued.

Persaud explained that parents and other adults can be charged if they have knowledge of what the children are doing but are remaining silent. “They can bechargediftheyknowthat

their child is going with big men, adults; sleeping out, having a relationship with older people,” she said, adding, “You really need to pay attention because too often, we see these girls going missing. They dress, theygotoschool,butareyou paying attention? There is a lawoutthereandthelawcan beenforced.”

As for the perpetrators, sheremindedthatanysexual activitywithachildunder16 constitutes statutory rape

“Once that child speaks up and does the forensic interview and calls you out, you will get yourself in trouble; you could get yourself jailed.” When a childgoesmissing,shesaid, the Guyana Police Force takes the lead in the investigation, while the Childcare and Protection Agency works alongside them to provide support and follow-up.

She encouraged parents andguardianstobuildstrong

relationships with teachers, headteachers, and welfare officers in schools so they canstayinformedandensure their children are attending school. Persaud’s comments came a couple of days after APNU Parliamentarian Terrence Campbell raised the issue of a growing crisis

i

nd highlighting the number of cases of missing children lately “Neverinmylifetime have I ever seen so many cases of missing children in such a short time,” he expressed, noting that these cases underscore the urgent need for stronger child p

, community awareness, and coordinatedaction.

He observed that there have been no visible reports

persons reports are frequently made public, there is often little to no follow-up information. He stressed that the public should be informed when eachandeverymissingchild isfound.

Based on information he presented, around 1st February, Unita Girdharie, 16, of Enterprise, was reported missing. Just two days later, on 3rd February, Kevin James, 13, was also reportedmissing.

Fifteen-year-old Durga Singh went missing from a child protection agency, raising serious concerns about the safety and oversight within institutions meant to protect vulnerable children.

nd enforcement of the law

While the Ministry of Hum

s had announcedtheestablishment of a rapid response team to address child abuse and neglect, he noted that the country is now facing what he described as an epidemic ofmissingchildren.

Campbell emphasised the need for a dedicated response team specifically focused on cases of missing children, along with the vigorous prosecution of perpetrators involved in abuse and exploitation. He alsocalledforthecreationof a national missing persons databasetoimprovetracking and coordination Additionally, he expressed concern that while missing

Also in February, 14year-old Aleena Preetam died just one month after giving birth, drawing attentiontoissuesonteenage pregnancy and access to maternal care for young girls On 24th February, Tianna Chapman, 15, was stabbed more than 25 times allegedlybythefatherofher child.

On 10th March, Runica Gittens, 16, from Linden, was reported missing; on 17thMarch,JadaAdrian,13, was reported missing, followed by Jasmine Mahadeo, 12, on 18th March.

By22ndMarch,JaniaDe Costa, 13, had also been reported missing 24th Marchsawaclusterofcases: Romia Moore, 14; Aniah Stuart, 15; and Akelia George,15,wereallreported missing. The following day, 25th March, Shellon Allen, 13, of Kuru Kuru, was also reportedmissing.

TheroadsofGeorgetownarenot ownedbytheGeorgetownCityCouncil

There is a peculiar habit in public life It is the tendencytomistakecustody for ownership. It is a small confusion, almost innocent atfirstglance,butlikemany small confusions it grows i n t o a l a r g e misunderstanding.

R e c e n t l y , t h e Government, in designating

fifty-seven roads in Georgetownaspublicroads, has executed what the Georgetown City Council has labelled as a “hostile takeover” of City property But the truth, as is often the c a s e , i s n o t s o straightforward.

T h e r o a d s o f Georgetown are not owned by the Georgetown City Council. They never were. Theyare,intheplainestlegal s e n s e , p u b l i c thoroughfares arteries throughwhichthelifeofthe city flows. These roads do not belong to the Council. The Municipal and District Councils Act, which serves as the charter of municipal authority, is careful in its wording. It grants councils the power “to construct, maintain, repair, protect and carry out works for the betterment of Council roads… and to regulate and control traffic thereon ”

Theseareimportantpowers, certainly They are the tools of stewardship. But they do notconstituteownership. Ownership confers title, dominion, and the right to exclude. The Act does none of these. It does not say the Council owns the roads. It does not place the soil, the parapets, or the drains in its possession Instead, it entrusts the Council with duties—practical,necessary, and often neglected duties—over infrastructure that remains, in essence and inlaw,public.

And so, when the Government moves to designate certain roads as publicroadsundertheRoads Act,itisnotseizinganything fromtheCouncil,forthereis nothing there to seize. One cannot confiscate what another does not own. The phrase“hostiletakeover,”so dramaticandsosatisfyingto the ear, collapses under the mildest scrutiny It is a metaphorinsearchofafact. This is not to say that the Council is without grievance.Thereis,perhaps, a case to be made about consultation.Theabsenceof consultation, on this issue, may well offend the sensibilities of municipal governance, and rightly so. But offence is not the same

as dispossession, and discourtesyisnotequivalent toexpropriation. It would be comforting, inaway,ifthisweremerelya misunderstanding a simplemix-upoflegalterms thatcouldbeclearedupwith a patient reading of the statute. But the matter is complicated by the uneasy relationship between central government and local authorities. The PPPC has long exhibited a certain impatience with local government It prefers directionoverdelegation.Its historyismarkedbyperiods in which local democratic organs were not so much supported as supplanted They were replaced, at times, by Interim Management Committees (IMCs), bodies more agreeable to central control. Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDCs) that might havebeenstrengthenedwere instead bypassed, their functions absorbed by the IMCs.

The PPPC prefers to build community roads, rather than give the resourcestotheNDCstodo so. It prefers to centralise much of the responsibilities for drainage and irrigation, outside of the towns, to the National Drainage and

DEM BOYS SEH

When kite string tie up more than just breeze

Dem boys seh Easter come and gone, but plenty people still trying to recover—not from cross buns and Easter eggs – but from the price tag that nearly crucify them before GoodFridayevenreach.

Is a strange thing, you know? In the “hardtimes”—andwehadmorehardtimes than mango season—people still used to find a way to buy a proper kite. Not them flimsy, fold-up, breeze-and-gone contraption. No sir! We talking ‘bout the good old star-point, wooden-framed, singingenginekitethatdoeshumsosweet, you would think is a mosquito choir with a PhD.

Now? That same kite cost like it applying for a bank loan. G$6000 just so—and that is before you even talk ‘bout stringandtail.Bythetimeyoufinishdress upthekite,youreachG$8000.Foronekite! Dem boys seh at that price, the kite shouldn’tjustsing—itshouldpaylightbill too.

Now imagine a family with three pickney ThatisG$24,000justtosendthem outsidetofightbreeze.Isnowonderplenty children end up flying them so-called

Irrigation Authority, rather than build capacity at the locallevel.

Central government domination contributes to thepovertyoflocalcapacity Itteacheslocalauthoritiesto wait rather than to act, to requestratherthantoplan.It produces, over time, a culture of dependence, one in which councils stand, metaphorically, hat in hand, h

xt allocation. Over the past fifty years, it is difficult to identify

eaders who consistently demonstrated a c

distinction belongs to Mr DavidGranger.Longbefore assuming the presidency, he

governmentelections.When he did become President, he restored local government electionsaftertheyhadbeen withheld from the population for 22 years

under the People’s Progressive Party/Civic administration.

But the holding of local

government elections has not created a properly devolved and empowered systemoflocalgovernment. This is why there is a practical irony to the government’s decision to designate 57 roads, in the city, as public roads. The Government’s decision may be driven by a desire to improveinfrastructureinthe capital, to make the city

more hospitable to investment and tourism, i n c l u d i n g b y t h e government’scloseallies.

Yet in stepping in so decisively, the Government risks raising an awkward question in other towns: Why not here? Why not

A n n a R e g i n a , o r Corriverton, or Bartica, or New Amsterdam? A policy that appears bold in Georgetown may appear selective elsewhere And selectivity has a way of breeding dissatisfaction None of this absolves the City Council of its own failings. The condition of Georgetown did not arrive overnight It is the cumulativeresultofyearsof

mismanagement, neglect, andaninabilitytoadapt.The Council has been given powers. Those powers are limited,yes,butsufficientto make a difference. And the Councilhasnotalwaysused themwell.

In the end, the roads of Georgetown remain what they have always been: publicways,belongingtono single authority but to the commonlifeofthecity

The Government may regulate them, the Council may maintain them, and the citizensmaycomplainabout them, but none can claim themasprivateproperty o speak of a “hostile takeover” is to mistake a c h a n g e i n r o a d s ’ administration for a change intheirownership.

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

“Chinese-made” kites. Cheap, yes—but them things does fly like they ‘fraid a heights. No backbone. Even the political parties step in and share out kites—but not many were the singing kind. More like “whispering engine.” The children smile, yes—butyouknowdeepdown,theywoulda prefer the real thing. But preference does bowtopocket,andpocketrightnowfeeling likeemptypromises. Andisnotjustkites,youknow Gointhe market or supermarket and watch people facewhenthecashiercallthetotal.Someof themspendingsomuchjusttoeat,theycan’t evenaffordanewspaperafter Imaginethat! A country where information now competingwithbreadandsardine. Backintheday,evenmaninthepitatthe cinema—after watching cowboy beat up villain—stillhadlilchangefuhbuyapaper Now?Ifyoubuythepaper,youmighthave to read it on an empty stomach. Dem boys seh the real “cost-of-living” ain’t just numbers it’s when simple joys turn luxury Andwhilesomepeopleflyinghigh, plentyotherscan’tevenaffordthestringfuh holdon. Talkhalf.Leffhalf.

H@RD TRUTHS

Guyana now the land of doubt, cynicism, skepticism

Ever hear about

Doubting Thomas? Those who didn’t should consult with their Bibles. Guyana has tons of Doubting Thomases and should be in the Guiness Book of World Records three times. Once as a land trapped in endless doubt. Twice, as a country warped by chronic skepticism. Thrice, as a place now choking on cynicism. And, for good measure, a nation that, fourth, disbelieves even what it believes, has no use forthecredible.

When governments and leaders live a lie, an endless seriesofthem,thatcascades down to the lower, smaller people. Deceivingbecomes

culture, then national religion Promise everything that could be thought of, found pleasing bylisteners,delivernothing. When allowed to get away with that, do it again. For those who make such a living, it’s a good one Allowmetopullupthefiles, innoparticularorder

Under fire Opposition

Leader, and premier extradition exhibition, Mr Azruddin Mohamed, is felled by dengue fever, granted sick leave. Can’t attend court Trouble

Means he can’t report to the police, pursuant to court orders as a condition of his freedom. Moretrouble. His medical is questioned. His

doctor is probed. His lab visit is scrutinized. Is this not the same citizen, which n

protocols nor radars could have detected for years? Can Pres. Ali or Attorney General Nandlall weigh-in on those times, shed some light? What was going on then? What is happening now? His police reporting

scrutineer unavailable to answerquestionsincourt. A seniorForeignAffairspublic servant’s correspondence log has prompted polite enquiries about chronology, and if some entries are after the fact. In other words, a large circle forced into a

smaller square Doubt, doubts,andmoredoubts.

Before the man affectionatelyknownasMo, there were more damaging doubts. The police again, then autopsy results Autopsy results have been the runaway winner for skepticism and acute cynicism. Due to the odors emanating, PresAli again is inthehotspot:sincethereis such powerful talk about t

a n s p a r e n c y a n d accountability, why is it that evenautopsyresultsaretorn up and thrown in the toilet?

From Cotton Tree, West Coast Berbice (Henry youngsters)toTuschen,East Bank Essequibo (Adriana Younge), the doubts simply

takeoff on a trajectory of their own, never to come backdowntoearth. Isitthe government that is mucking upmatterssobadly? Orisit the people (critics and skeptics) that are so wrong? Who has it right in this country? Is this a country? More questions are now published.

Have elections to run in Guyana? Call in Interpol (EU), the FBI (Americans) and the RCMP (Canadians) to help get the job done in some fashion. Know any Guyanese, from the president at the top to the streetcrawlersatthebottom, who can say elections are credible, and they are believed? Worse yet, they were won fair and square, and that’s universally accepted? It is either that Guyanaisasadstateorasick one.

Doubt, bias, prejudice, partiality, all breed skepticism, and with only onedockyardleft:cynicism. Which Guyanese believes that their premier elections entity,GECOM,iscleanand true to its calling? Or their nationalpoliceapparatusisa model of professionalism and standards? Or their Oil Fundoversightiswithsound

minds,insafehands? When someleadersaretheepitome of the untrustworthy, then who is there to give the precious trust left? There is parliament, and some Guyanese view the Speaker as a paragon of something (whatever that is). Others take a contrasting position (however described). Who has hit the nail on the head, and who took a blow to the head,outforagoldenduck?

Here is a question that qualifies as profound: when Guyanese are unable or unready see the credible in anything, what is there that remainstobebelieved? The judgements of courts are doubted. Then,anapproved medical practitioner is pricked and probed without anesthetic Next a preliminary report on a national census is doused in caustic soda. Over and again, the list lengthens Chronic doubt Acute skepticism Pathological cynicism. Sorry,everybody It’seitherGuyanaisinabad place, or it is a very bad place.

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

Old Harbour Bridge to help build new ones in Region Nine

President Irfaan Ali has announced that sections of the old Demerara Harbour Bridgewillberepurposedto upgrade critical crossings in Region Nine, an initiative pitched as a quick fix for long-standing infrastructure gapsintheRupununi.

The president made the announcement while engaging residents of Rukumutu and satellite villages, the head-of-state acknowledged that several key areas remain in poor condition, hampering economicactivityacrossthe region.Amongthoseflagged for urgent repair are: Sand Creek Bridge across the Rupununi River, the bridge at Karaudarnau Village, Yakarita Bridge, Katoka BridgeandParabaraBridge.

“Andwhatwewilldoto kick-start things, sections of the Demerara Bridge, we willbringtoRegionNineso that we could have those bridges completed where

possible as quickly as possible,”hetoldresidents.

Notingthatverysoonthe bridges will be addressed, the head-of-state disclosed thathehasaskedMinisterof Public Works, Juan Edghill to lead a team in the region and they would complete an assessment within the next threeweeksofwhatitwould take to have those major bridgescompleted.

The Demerara Harbour Bridge, which has already outlived its lifespan by over 40yearswasreplacedbythe new four-lane high-span Demerara River Bridge in October2025.

Since announcing plans that the old bridge will be replaced, the government has outlined several areas theyintendedtousepartsof the bridge for Some of the areas which were identified are the links between Sand Hills and Timehri, and the LeguantoWakenaamlink.

MinisterEdghillhadtold

Man found dead behind stall in Kitty

The area where Gregory’s body was found, behind the stall.

ThebodyofanelderlymanwasdiscoveredonMonday afternoon, face down behind a stall at the intersection of ShellRoadandAlexanderStreet,Kitty,Georgetown. The deceased has been identified only as Gregory, commonly known in the area as “Buck Man,” of Kitty, Georgetown.

According to an eyewitness, the body was discovered around 16:00hrs lying motionless behind the stall. The matterwassubsequentlyreported,andranksoftheGuyana PoliceForcerespondedtothescene.

Residents who are familiar with Gregory said he was believed to be over 65 years old and known as a daily drinker They recalled seeing him earlier in the morning consumingalcohol,priortothediscoveryofhisbody

Hisbodywaslaterremovedfromthescenebythepolice, and investigations into the circumstances surrounding his deathareongoing.

workers of the old bridge that a group of them will be responsibleforoperationsat the Sand Hills to Timehri Bridge, where components of the existing Demerara Harbour Bridge structure willberelocatedtosupporta new alignment Another team will be assigned to work on the Leguan to Wakenaam link He had statedbeforetoothattheold harbourbridge“willnotbea scrap iron; it will be part of enhancing Guyana’s development.”

China’s world-renowned acrobats to tour Guyana in April

Avisiting Chinese acrobatic

troupe is set to perform across Guyana later this month as part of activities marking the country’s 60th IndependenceAnniversary

The performances, which are free to the public, will take place at multiple venues th rd nationwide between 19 April and 23 April, according to information posted on the Facebook page of the Chinese Embassy in Guyana.

th The tour will begin at 6:00 p.m. on 19 April at the Leonora Track and Field Stadium, West Coast Demerara, and the troupe will then perform at the National Cultural Centre in Georgetown at 7:00 p.m. th on20 April.

Banditsescapeaspolice openfireoninnocentteens

The perpetrators of

afternoon, while police focused their fire and force on two teenagers who maintain they were merely passingthroughthearea.

The troupe will perform between th19 April and rd23 April.

(Photo: Chinese Embassy in Guyana)

(Photo: Chinese

Ticketswillberequiredforthisshowonly and can be uplifted from the venue’s box th officefrom8 April.

Subsequent performances are scheduled st for 21 April at 6:00 p.m. at the Albion nd StadiuminRegionSix,22 Aprilat7:00p.m. at the McKenzie Stadium in Region 10, and rd23 April at 1:00 p.m. at the Anna Regina StadiuminRegionTwo.

The tour is being co-hosted by the Chinese Embassy in Guyana and the Government of Guyana, with sponsorship fromCNOOCPetroleumGuyanaLimited

Thevisitingtroupeisexpectedtodeliver a series of performances showcasing acrobaticskill,balance,andartisticprecision aspartoftheanniversarycelebrations.

The incident, which occurred near Garnett Street around 3:00 PM, left 17year-old Rushad Joseph and 19-year-old Chris Chand with injuries after they were allegedly targeted by plainclothes officers who ignored radio dispatches confirming they were pursuingthewrongsuspects. Efforts made to contact Regional Commander, Assistant Commissioner Simon McBean for a commentprovedfutile.

K

confrontation began when a man dressed in civilian clothing,blacktopandblack pants, stepped into the middle of the road and leveled a firearm at the two youths as they rode a motorcycle According to Joseph’s sister, Kyanna Joseph Webster, the teenagers panicked because the individual was not in uniform and did not identify himselfasalawenforcement officer The man reportedly openedfireonthepair,while asecondindividual“lashed” them off the moving bike with his arm, sending them crashing to the pavement. The fall caused Joseph to suffer deep abrasions across his legs, hips, toes, and elbows, requiring him to receive multiple stitches for a severe ankle wound later thatevening.

As the teenagers laid on the ground, the situation

One of the injuries Joseph sustained after being thrown from his bike.

escalated further Family members claim that while the boys questioned why theywerebeingdetained,the officers refused to provide names or badge numbers, allegedlytellingthem,“Y’all play y’all is thief... y’all gonna learn today.” In a particularly harrowing moment, Kaieteur News understands that one officer reportedlystoodoverChand and discharged a firearm near his head. While the bullet did not hit him, the proximityoftheblastcaused trauma and bruising to the side of his face. During the assault, Joseph managed to videocallhismothertoshow her his injuries, but the call was cut short when officers threatened to tase him if he didnothangupimmediately Joseph-Webster reported thatherbrothercouldclearly heartheradioonanofficer’s waistbroadcastingmessages fromotherunitswhowerein pursuit of the actual robbers in a different area. These units reportedly warned the officers on Garnett Street multiple times that they had

the wrong men and that the truesuspectswereheadingin adifferentdirection.Despite this,theofficersonthescene allegedly ignored the information, discarded the boys’motorcycleinacorner, and threw the injured teenagers into a police van for transport to the Kitty PoliceStation.

Once at the station, after Joseph’s mother arrived and statementswererecorded,an officer reportedly told the family it was “just unfortunate” that the teens were in the “wrong place at the wrong time.” The police claimed they were acting on information that the boys matched a description of the suspects, yet no specific details of that description have been shared with the family Ultimately, the distraction caused by the detention of Joseph and Chand allowed the real banditstorideaway,leaving the two innocent youths to seek medical treatment for their injuries and accountability for the use of forceusedagainstthem.

EasterdayscenesfromacrossGeorgetown

Families on Monday took

fulladvantageofthebright, favourable weather

conditions to celebrate Easter at the usualpopularspotsinthecity

Some gathered in the Botanical Gardens, while others lined Vlissengen Road, from the Kitty roundabout westward to the Seawall Bandstand, extending even further to the area behind the Marriott Hotel in

Kingston.

The National Park also lit up for familypicnicsandkiteflying.Aheartwarming recurring scene was that of very young children being helped by their parents to send their kites up. Vendorswereoutinfullforce,adding tothefestiveatmosphere,whilemusic filled the air from all directions, creating a lively and unmistakable GuyaneseEaster

City Hall eyes Parking Meters comeback

…as

Govt. takes control of revenue-rich streets

Mayor of Georgetown, Alfred Mentore

Georgetown Mayor Alfred Mentore has warned that City Hall could revive the controversial parking meter system as a fallback revenue measure, following central government’ssweepingtakeoverofkeycity streets- a move he says threatens to cripple themunicipality’sfinanciallifeline.

Speaking during an interview on the NewsSource’s programme - Sources on Sunday,Mentoresaidthemovetoreclassify roads as public infrastructure under central government control threaten key income streams traditionally managed by the municipality. He explained that many of the affected streets host businesses and other assets that currently contribute rates and taxestothecouncil.Accordingtothemayor, itmayonlybeamatteroftimebeforecentral government begins collecting those revenues,effectivelycuttingtheM&CCout.

“Next thing you hear, we start talking about our markets, or where we have those

markets,” he noted, warning that the implications could extend beyond roads to othermunicipalresponsibilities.

Healsopointedtothepotentialimpacton national events such as Mashramani, reminding that the council has always managed the allocation of vending spots, sanitation, and overall upkeep of event spaces.“So,thereareanumberofissueswe have to think about. We also have to understand the issue of Mashramani itself, where, if you have the Mashramani event these have always been our responsibility of the council to deal with the Mashramani, the marking of the spots, the treating of it, and the cleaning up of the generalplace,”hesaid.

Mentore further raised concerns about billboards located along the affected roadways, questioning what will happen to therevenuecurrentlycollectedbythecity He argued that the government’s actions appear to be economically motivated and aimed at undermining the municipality’s financial base. “This is an economic activity… to affectourabilitytoearn,”themayorasserted.

Parkingmeters

Addressing future revenue plans, Mentorereferredtothestalledparkingmeter project, which is currently in arbitration due to previous contractual challenges. He said once resolved, the council intends to revisit parking meter implementation in central Georgetown to address congestion and generateincome.

However,themayormadeitclearthathe isunwillingtonegotiatewithcentral

Continued on page 16

Family loses $60M in Sophia blaze

...MPslamslateresponsebyfireservice

Afamily-ownedhomeandbusiness,S& L Supermarket at 563 ‘D’ Field Sophia, Georgetown was destroyed by fire on Easter Monday, with all occupants escaping safely, but suffering losses estimated at about $60 million.

Residents said the blaze spread quickly, prompting an immediate response from neighbourswhoformedbucketbrigadesinan attempttocontainit.

Charlene Lindie, one of the proprietors, recountedthat“everybodystartrunningwith buckets,everybodystartedputtingbucketsof wateronthefire,”whilesherushedtocutthe electricity, explaining, “I run in back the house to turn off the main switch.” She also confirmed that all occupants, including her motherwhoisrecoveringfromastroke,were safelyevacuated.

However, Lindie said response from the Guyana Fire Service was delayed by more thananhour Sheclaimedthatwhenthreefire

tenders eventually arrived, they initially did nothavewatertocombattheblaze.

Meanwhile, Shadow Home Affairs Minister,ToshanaFamey-CorletteoftheWe Invest in Nationhood party said the reports emerging from Sophia regarding the fire are alarmingandunacceptable.

“A family has lost their home and business, with the damage estimated at over $60million.Whilewearerelievedthatnolife was lost, the concerns surrounding the emergencyresponsecannotbeignored.”

The MP said residents were left to fight thefirethemselves,formingbucketbrigades while waiting more than an hour for assistance.Shesaidevenmoredisturbingare claims that when the fire tenders eventually arrived,theywerenotequippedwithwaterto respondimmediately

“This is a serious failure. With $6.304 billionallocatedtotheGuyanaFireServicein Continued on page 16

‘Rice industry nearing collapse’

- MP raises high costs, corruption concerns

ThericesectorinGuyana is teetering on the brink of collapse, according to We InvestinNationhood(WIN) MP Gobin Harbhajan, who has raised concerns over soaring production costs, shrinking markets, alleged corruption and questionable decision-making.

He identified several contributingfactors,amajor concernbeingthatmorethan 70% of land under rice cultivation is reportedly owned by individuals residingoverseasandrented tolocalfarmersathighrates. The rental income is often

converted to foreign currency and remitted

abroad, limiting the availability of funds for reinvestment in the sector, including the purchase of machinery and agricultural inputs.

“This high cost has a crushing impact on the farmers’ profit margin and, by extension, the entire industry,” Harbhajan said in a recent press statement. He noted that farmers also face high operational costs, particularly for irrigation as significant expenses are incurred to pump water multiple times during crop cycles. This persists despite

substantial financial allocations to the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) under the MinistryofAgriculture,with concerns raised about the effectiveness of measures to reduce production costs Additionally, he said labour

and machinery costs continue to place heavy financial pressure on farmers, making it difficult to maintain profitability and stablelivelihoods.

Harbhajan said these combined expenses have driven production costs to levels that reduce Guyana’s competitiveness on the global market. While major rice-producing countries such as India, Thailand, Bangladesh, and Vietnam are able to sell rice at approximately US$350 per metricton,heobservedhow Guyana’s production costs makeitdifficulttosellbelow US$500 per metric ton, limiting its attractiveness to buyers.

Harbhajan further pointed out that the industry hasalsoseenasharpdecline in rice milling operations.

“In1996,therewereover72 rice milling operations in Guyana. Today that number

WIN Member of Parliament, Gobin Harbhajan

has shrunk dramatically to just 12 active rice mills across the nation. In fact, some millers are unable to paythericefarmersbecause thereislimitedmarkettosell the rice to bring an income for the millers to make paymentstothefarmers,”he said, adding, “This bleak situation is clearly a vociferous public call for instant remedy And to rescue the industry from greater calamity, nothing other than a complete overhaul of the system with allitsofficialsismandatory.”

Harbhajancontinuedthat Guyana has also lost a significant export market in Europe, which previously accountedforalargeshareof riceexports.Thisdeclinehas beenlinkedtoconcernsover food safety standards, particularly the presence of chemicalresiduesassociated with the pesticide imidacloprid, which has been banned. Despite these challenges, he said concerns have been raised about the continueduseorimportation ofsuchchemicals.

Alternativemarketshave not fully compensated for these losses, he said, and whileCubaremainsabuyer, its capacity to make timely payments is limited, and Caribbean countries import relatively small quantities, often sourcing rice from more competitively priced suppliers.

The situation, he observed, has raised concerns about the longterm stability of the rice industryanditsimpactonthe economy He called for urgent and comprehensive reforms, with emphasis on governmentresponsibilityto implement effective policies, support farmers, and ensure the sector remains viable and competitive.

VACANCY WANTED

Sales Rep needed, ages 1830 years. Knowledge of vehicle model will be an asset. Contact: 619-1237.

Security guards to work in Georgetown,must have a sound primary education.Call: 223-5273/4.

Able Bodied Security Guard to work in Geogetown. Tele # 624-7436.

Wanted house lot to buy and land with unfinished building call 216-0671/ 6928464 or WhatsApp 622-0267.

SERVICES

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ACCOMMODATIONS

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VEHICLES FOR SALE

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

FOR SALE

T RUCK TIRES 295 / 75R22.5 $40K EACH. FOR MORE INFORMATION CALL / WHATSAPP:+592-6883201.

Pure breed German Shepherd puppies for sale-Call Whatsapp : 648-0111.

PROPERTY FOR SALE

Seaforth street,Subryanville,Barr st. Kitty,La Penitence public rd,Charlestown,Melanie E.C.D.Contact Ray's Realty 627-9685.

Mon-Repos E.C.D Land size 45x137.Contact: 645-9805.

ENTERTAINMENT

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

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

Maid for East Bank area call 615-9132.

Tiler to lay small numbers of tiles call -615-9132

Vacancies exist for bulldozer operators,TM truck drivers,excavator operators & cook to work in interior.Contact: 223-5273/ 4,621-5907.

LAND FOR LEASE

Wales Public Road, W.B.D, Parcel 21 (0.467 acres) 20,342 sq ft. Available Long term 20-25 years. Sign on property. Phone/Whatsapp: 615-2270/628-8619.

Wales Public Road, W.B.D, Parcel 25 (0.494 acres) 21,388 sq ft. Available Long term 2025 years. Sign on property. Phone/Whatsapp: 615-2270/ 628-8619.

Malgre Tout, W.B.D, (South of Masjid)-Lot "C" (1.347 acres) 58675 sq ft. Available Long term 20-25 years. Sign on property. Phone/ Whatsapp: 615-2270/6288619.

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LAND FOR SALE

La-Grange W.B.D road to river,Silver Hill 20 acres,Craig (9 acres) Spring Gardens (Dora) 20 acres,Long creek & Tucan Drive.Contact Ray's Realty 627-9685.

FOR RENT

V/Hoop Empty, lot 1 New Road,public road,W.C.D.1 Acre rental investments for prime businesses Tel#2274377.

V/Hoop front lot building and land next to KFC . Lot 8 New Road,W.C.D.Investment for businesses Tel#2274377.

Reg. 1 to spend $114M to build three new primary schools

The Regional Demo cratic Council (RDC) of Region One is currently inviting bids for the construction of three new primary schools in the communities of Five Star, Big Creek and Eye Lash.

This is according to a recent tender notice issued by the regional administration which states that bids are expected to open on April 29, 2026 at the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB) office.

According to the tender notice, each school project is estimated to cost $38,011,719. This brings the total amount to $114,035,157 that the region has set aside for the new schools.

Kaieteur News understands that the projects will form part of the Region’s $9.1 billion budgetary allocation at which $4.6 billion was allot-

ted for education delivery.

During the consideration of budget estimates back in February, Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, Priya Manickchand disclosed that these communities earmarked for primary school, never before had schools for its children.

She noted that these were mining areas where people have settled in and now the government is moving to establish these schools so children can pursue their education.

In addition to these three new primary schools, the RDC is seeking bids for the extension of Port Kaituma Primary to include a SEN classroom and the construction of a SEN Centre at Moruca at which $37,429,313 is estimated for each project.

The regional administration plans to spend another

$38,011,719 to extend the Canal Bank Primary School.

Also, the region will be constructing three new

teacher’s living quarters to compliment the new primary schools and each is estimated to cost $14,419,512.

City Hall eyes Parking Meters comeback...

From page 14 government for control of spaces traditionally managed by the council.

“I’m not prepared to do that. The roads have been with us. They will remain with us. We will work through the courts and our legal team to have these orders removed and ensure the matter is dealt with fairly.” His comments come amid escalating tensions between

City Hall and the government over the reclassification of major roadways. On March 31, it was reported that government had expanded its takeover by gazetting an additional 35 streets on March 24, adding to the 22 already brought under its control earlier in the month.

Those newly listed roads include Fourth Street (Alberttown), Durban Street, Homestretch Avenue, Inde-

pendence Boulevard, Main Street, Water Street, Quamina Street, and the Avenue of the Republic, among others.

Earlier, a March 21, 2026 gazette order signed by Minister of Public Works Juan Edghill transferred several major commercial corridors including Regent Street, Robb Street, Camp Street, and Lamaha Street into central government control.

These areas are widely

considered critical to the city’s revenue base. The M&CC has strongly condemned the move, describing it as an act of “bullyism” intended to financially weaken the municipality. In a prior statement, Mentore said the decision represents “a calculated act of political intimidation and overreach, designed to destabilise the municipality and silence the voices of the people of Georgetown.”

Family loses $60M in Sophia blaze...

From page 14

the 2026 budget, the public is entitled to a system that is prepared, responsive, and fully operational. There can be no justification for multiple fire tenders arriving at an active fire without the basic capacity to act,” the MP said.

She argues that the incident raises urgent questions about response time, readiness, coordination, and accountability.

“We, the people of this nation, demand a full and transparent report on this matter, including exact response timelines, the condition and deployment of equipment, and why firefighters were unable to immediately engage the blaze.”

Reminiscing about late Dr. Jagan...

From page 05 hypocrisy of Western nations in supporting apartheid in South Africa, racism in Rhodesia and Namibia, dispossession in Palestine, and the then dictatorship in South Korea and other countries, among other matters.a

When he became President, we met in early 1993 in Guyana where he offered me a position that I politely declined.

He also asked me if I could take up a position at UG and help his government: I also declined that offer as I was deeply entrenched into teaching in NY; my interest at the time was in diplomacy and international trade. Cheddi and I met again during my school breaks in 1993 and in September in Queens

when he came to address the UN. We met several times thereafter in 1994, 1995, and 1996; we didn’t get to meet when he visited Delhi.

When he was stricken with a massive heart attack, I was leaving for my study sabbatical to the Philippines.

But when he passed away, I returned from Manila to NY, spoke tearfully at two ‘wake’ events in Queens in tribute to him and then flew to Guyana to arrive on the morning of the state tribute at the outside of Parliament Building where Desmond Hoyte, Rupert Roopnarine, Feroze Mohamed, etc.

spoke glowingly of Cheddi; Feroze reminded listeners of Cheddi’s socialist ideology. Many New Yorkers, members of the ACG, also flew

down for the funeral.

I traveled in a bus slowly going behind the funeral cortege to Corentyne.

Along the way, the truck carrying the casket stopped at Buxton and at Enmore; thousands came out on the streets to pay their final respects to the man who fought valiantly and honestly for their freedom from colonial rule and exploitation.

I visited the house where Cheddi was born and raised and where many gathered for “a wake”, as is the custom in the country, that included card and domino playing and the singing of bhajans.

Thousands gathered at the Albion Cricket ground daily to catch a glimpse of Cheddi in the casket; the funeral was delayed by a day

because of the long lines waiting for a view of their hero.

I also attended the cremation site at Babu Jahan; there Ralph Ramkarran gave one of the finest tributes on Cheddi before the pandits performed rituals.

Joey and his sister Nadira lit the pyre with ‘a masall’. Everywhere in Georgetown and at Albion and Port Mourant, everyone spoke favourably of Cheddi.

Political differences were set aside; he was a great leader.

We had our differences over ideology and on strategy on how to win over USA to force the dictatorship to hold free and fair elections.

Yours truly, Vishnu Bisram

US$1.5MpaybackbeginsinGOALscholarshipscandal

ByKhadidjaBa

Government has begun recovering US$1.5 million tied to the controversial GOAL scholarship fiasco, with Minister of Public Service Zulfikar Ally confirming that repayments from the International Skill Development Corporation (ISDC)arenowunderway

“I know they have been repaying,Idon’tknowifthe full amount has been repaid…they have started repaying”. This comes after the collapse of a fraudulent scholarship arrangement thatlefthundredsofstudents inacademiclimbolastyear

Ally had assured the National Assembly in February 2026 that efforts are underway to recover funds paid in connection with a controversial scholarship arrangement afteritemergedthatstudents enrolled in a programme purportedly offered through Staffordshire University werenotofficiallyregistered with that institution. During consideration of the budget estimates in the National Assembly at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre, Liliendaal, APNU Member of Parliament Terrence Campbell questioned Ally, who has oversight responsibility for the scholarship programme, about what steps had been taken to recoup monies paid toaprivateintermediary,the International Skill Development Corporation (ISDC),afteritbecameclear that the courses were not formally affiliated with

StaffordshireUniversity CampbelltoldtheHouse that throughout 2025, the issue had become known publicly and asked whether the ministry had initiated action to recover monies paidforstudentregistrations under the disputed arrangement. In response, Ally said he had been in constant engagement with thePermanentSecretaryand the Head of the Guyana Online Academy of Learning(GOAL),aswellas withotherrepresentativesof GOAL, to address the matter He disclosed then that approximately US$1.5 million is expected to be refunded to government accounts.

The controversy surrounding the GOALISDC arrangement first gained national attention following a series of reports in Stabroek News detailing student complaints and correspondence from Staffordshire University denying any formal partnership with GOAL or ISDC.

Staffordshire University had stated it had no agreement with GOAL or ISDC for the programmes beingmarketedtoGuyanese students.Theuniversitysaid courses advertised in association with ISDC were not authorised by Staffordshire. The disclosure tri

d uncertainty for hundreds of scholarship recipients who believedthey were pursuing accreditedUKdegrees.

Followingtherevelation,

Public Service Minister Zulfikar Ally (centre) responding to questions about GOAL last Friday (Parliament of Guyana photo)

StaffordshireUniversitywas removed as an option for GOAL scholarship awardees.Studentswhohad already commenced programmes were left uncertain about the status of their studies, with many expressing confusion over emails,coursematerialsand online platforms that had referenced the UK institution.

GOAL Director Jacob Opadeyi subsequently acknowledgeddifficultiesin the arrangement and apologised to affected students. He said there had been a breakdown in the relationship between ISDC andStaffordshireUniversity and later announced that GOALhadseveredtieswith ISDCamidthecontroversy GOAL also indicated that it would seek to protect students’ interests by

facilitatingtransferstoother partner universities. Virtual meetings were held with affected students, and alternative pathways were explored to allow them to continue their studies without losing academic progress.

The matter had drawn sharp criticism from opposition parties and sectionsofcivilsociety

TheAllianceForChange (AFC) called for an independent probe into GOAL’s dealings with Staffordshire and ISDC, describing the situation as a serious lapse in oversight.

Opposition figures question

d what due diligence had been undertaken before public funds were disbursed and demanded full disclosure of the sums paid and the contractual terms governing

thepartnership.

The government declinedtoreleasedetailsof the agreements signed with ISDC and would not state publicly the total amount of taxpayers’funds paid to the intermediary Opposition estimates hadsuggestedthatbillionsof Guyanese dollars may have been channelledthrough the programme to various partners, with a significant portion potentially going to ISDC. Students affected by the disruption told sections of the media that they had enrolled in programmes believingtheywouldreceive qualifications from Staffordshire University S o m e r e p o r t e d inconsistencies in course delivery and concerns about whethertheirdegreeswould ultimatelyberecognised.

lands top border patrol job

Guyanese in the GOAL programme had found themselves caught up in growing questions surrounding ISDC and its role in the GOAL programme which started in 2021. Opadeyi defended the partnership with ISDC, explaining that “ISDC has a relationship with over 20 universities in the UK, and we have been dealing with them for the last three years for other programmes.They are not a stranger to us, and theyhavefulfilledalloftheir other obligations with other programmesthatweranwith them.”

When questioned about the decision to work with a third-party provider instead of approaching universities directly, Opadeyi justified the move, saying that such arrangements with educational agencies are now standard practice, e n a b l i n g “ v o l u m e discounts”ontuitionfees.

Opadeyifurtherrevealed thatGOALpaystuitionfees toISDC,whichthendivides the funds with the various universities, but when pressed on how much the governmenthadalreadypaid to ISDC, Opadeyi declined todisclosetheamount.

He did assure students that, should the programme with the University of Staffordshirefailtocontinue as planned, the government would be refunded any moneyalreadypaidtoISDC. However, despite these assurances, many were left questioning the legitimacy ofthearrangement.

ByShaniaWilliams

The newly launched border patrol unit is set to take aim at smuggling, human trafficking and other cross-border crimes as Guyana moves to strengthen security along its vast and vulnerablefrontiers.

President IrfaanAli on Sunday announced the rollout of the initiative in Region Nine, describing it as a critical step in protecting the country’s territorial integrity and curbing illegal activities.

Theunitwillbecoordinatedby Daniel Seeram and will work in close collaboration with senior securityofficialsincludingDeputy Police Commissioner Ravindradat Budhram and Colonel Sheldon HowelloftheNationalIntelligence and Security Agency to bring full operational capacity to border regions.

Seeram, a former PNCR executive who defected to the PPP/C in the run up to last year’s general and regional elections, is alsoaformercaptainoftheGuyana Defence Force. He also served as ChairmanofRegionFour

Meanwhile, the border patrol initiative is expected to bolster protection along Guyana’s porous borders amid growing security concerns. As part of the rollout, Community Policing Groups will be expanded from 30 to 40 members across Rukumutu, Yurong Paru and Tipuru, with stipends and all-terrain vehicles (ATVs)beingprovidedtoaidpatrol activities.

Speaking with Kaieteur News on Monday, Seeram revealed that discussions surrounding his appointment had been ongoing for

some time. “I am very excited to lead such a unit. In this time in Guyana,itisverymuchneededfor aborderpatrollingunit.Aswehave noticed, over the years, issues concerning our borders have becomeatopicalissue,”hesaid.He added, “I was in discussions with His Excellency about this appointment since last year as we ironed out matters of the appointment, I must say that there arealotofthingstoputinplacein suchaunitandIfinditveryfitting for His Excellency to decide to do the official launching for this new agency within Region Nine and within three villages, which make upsomeoftheborderingvillages.”

Outlining the mandate of the newly established unit, Seeram said it is intended to provide comprehensive oversight of Guyana’sbordersandclampdown

onawiderangeofillegalactivities.

“Theborderpatrolunitisaunitthat wasestablishedbythegovernment to look over all bordering issues. Ourprimarymandateatthistimeis to detect, detour, and dismantle all transnational smuggling operations, which include human trafficking, narcotics trafficking, arms and ammunition trafficking, traffickingofournaturalresources and any other illicit trade on our borders,”hesaid.

He noted that the unit’s operations will not be limited to Region Nine but will extend to all of Guyana’s borders, including both land and riverine areas, as authorities intensify efforts to combatcross-bordercrime.

National Coordinator of the Guyana Border Patrol Unit, Daniel Seeram

Seeram noted that recruitment is expected to begin shortly, starting with persons already involved in community policing groups. “We will be looking for able bodied portions to come and work for the unit and work for the government of Ghana through this unit to provide the services which we will advertise in the coming months,” he said. Seeram added, “we will be looking at the community policing groups first within those bordering villages to haveourfirstintakeofpersonnelto provide services to the border patrol unit and then thereafter we willbebuildingoutthecorepartof the unit in terms of operations, logistics, administration, training, andotherarmsoftheunitthatwill come to fruition as the months go by.”

Iran rejects ceasefire as Trump says entire country can be ‘taken out’

(Reuters) - Iran said on Monday it wanted a lasting end to thewarwiththeU.S.andIsrael,and pushed back against pressure to reopen the Strait of Hormuz while U.S. President Donald Trump warnedthecountrycouldbe“taken out” if it did not meet his Tuesday nightdeadlinetoreachadeal.

Responding to a U.S. proposal through mediator Pakistan, Tehran rejected a ceasefire said a permanent end to the war was necessary, the official IRNA news agencyreported.

The Iranian response consisted of 10 clauses, including an end to conflicts in the region, a protocol for safe passage through the Strait ofHormuz,liftingofsanctionsand reconstruction,theagencyadded.

Trump, who has threatened to rain “hell” on Tehran if it did not makeadealby8p.m.EDTTuesday (midnightGMT) to open the Strait of Hormuz, a vital route for global energy supplies, rejected the Iranian response and said his deadlinewasfinal.

At a news conference, Trump said Iran could be “taken out” in one night “and that night might be tomorrow night,” referring to Tuesday He vowed to destroy Iranian power plants and bridges, brushing off concerns that such actions would be a war crime or alienateIran’s93millionpeople.

Without an agreement with Tehran,Trumpsaid,“Everybridge in Iran will be decimated” by midnight EDT (0400 GMT) on Wednesdayand“everypowerplant in Iran will be out `of business, burning,exploding,andnevertobe usedagain.”

After the U S and Israel

attacked on February 28, Iran effectively closed Hormuz, a conduit for about a fifth of the world’s oil and natural gas supply Thewaterway’sstrangleholdonthe global economy has proved a powerful bargaining chip, and Tehran is reluctant to relinquish it too easily. The Pakistani-brokered framework for ending the war proposed an immediate ceasefire, followed by talks on a broader peace settlement to be concluded within15to20days,asourceaware oftheproposalssaid.

Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei saidTehran’sdemands“shouldnot be interpreted as a sign of compromise, but rather as a reflection of its confidence in defending its positions.” He added thatearlierU.S.demands,suchasa 15-point plan, were rejected as “excessive.”

RESCUEMISSION

Atthenewsconference,Trump and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth praised the successful weekend retrieval from Iran of a U.S. airman whose jet was shot downonFriday Hegseth, who has faced scrutiny for outspokenly blending his evangelical religious faith with military operations, described the rescueinexplicitlyChristianterms, comparing it to the resurrection of Jesus Christ. “Shot down on a Friday, Good Friday, hidden in a cave,acrevice,allofSaturdayand rescued on Sunday, flown out of IranasthesunwasrisingonEaster Sunday, a pilot reborn. All home and accounted for a nation rejoicing. God is good,” Hegseth said. The rescue mission came

A man wearing a high-visibility vest carries a child’s bicycle at an impact site, following a barrage of missiles

amid rising concern about the nearly six-week-long war’s effect ontheglobaleconomy,includinga sharp rise in fuel prices. The conflict has alsoTrump’s approval ‘ratings and intensified anxiety among Republicans about November’smidtermelections.

Brent crude futures LCOc1, opensnewtabwereupabout1%to $110abarrel.

VOWSTODESTROY INFRASTRUCTURE

Fresh aerial strikes were reported across the region on Monday Hegseth said Monday would have the most strikes since the start of the war, and Tuesday wouldseeevenmore.

Iranian state media said the RevolutionaryGuards’intelligence chief, Majid Khademi, had died. Israelclaimedresponsibilityforhis death. Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz threatened to destroy Iran’sinfrastructureandhuntdown

itsleaders“onebyone.”TheIsraeli military also said it had targeted Iran’s air force through a series of strikes on the Bahram, Mehrabad, andAzmayeshairports.

Iran said two of its petrochemical complexes were attacked Emergency and firefighting teams brought a blaze under control at the South Pars complex in Asaluyeh, Iran’s National Petrochemical Company said.Nocasualtieswerereported.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ‘said the strikeonthepetrochemicalfacility in southern Iran was part of dismantling Iran’s Revolutionary Guards“moneymachine”.

“IranisnolongerthesameIran, and Israel is no longer the same Israel. Israel is stronger than ever, and the terrorist regime in Iran is weakerthanever,”Netanyahusaid inastatement.

Experts have said strikes on

civilian infrastructure such as power plants and bridges would constitute war crimes. Trump said Iranians are “willing to suffer that in order to have freedom,” saying that the U.S. has intercepted messages asking for bombings. “They’re saying, ‘Please come back,’”hesaid.

FIGHTING

BACK Iranian weekend ‘strikes on petrochemical facilities and an Israeli-linked vessel in Kuwait, Bahrain and the UAE underscored the country’s ability to fight back despiteTrump’srepeatedclaimsto have knocked out its missile and dronecapabilities.

Israelsawaheavydayofrocket volleys on Monday, with the sounds of sirens and missile interception booms ringing out across the country throughout the day Israel’s military told Reuters therehadbeen20missilelaunches from Lebanon and five from Iran during the day Several attacks resulted in impacts. A missile hit Haifa overnight, ‘killing four.This raised the war’s death toll in Israel to 23, according to Israel’s ambulance service. Yemen’s Iranaligned Houthis said on Monday that they also carried out missile anddroneattacksagainstIsrael.

Thousandsofpeoplehavebeen killedacrosstheMiddleEastinthe Iran war, including 3,546 in Iran, U.S.-based rights group HRANA said,andnearly1,500inLebanon. Israel has invaded southern LebanonandstruckBeirutinafight against Iran-backed Hezbollah militantsthathasbecomethewar’s mostviolentspillover

Thirteen U.S. service members havedied.

Gas plant contractor draining US$70M from Guyana...

Frompage3 thedecision-makersextends far beyond closed-door boardroom meetings The most chilling evidence of this deep-seated collusion was captured on a flight manifestdatedFebruary21, 2026 just after the conclusion of the Guyana EnergyExpo.

Accordingtodocuments provided by sources, a Lindsayca private jet a Hawker registered as N17TV departed from OgleAirport (SYCJ) bound for Opa Locka, Miami (KOPF).Aboard this single luxuryflightwasaveritable cabal of energy power brokers:

J

su

Fulcrum LNG Until his r

,

Broncha

o w

s the Commercial Vice President of ExxonMobil Guyana, reporting directly to PresidentAlistairRoutledge and the Houston Board

Almost immediately after leaving Exxon, Bronchalo incorporated Fulcrum LNG in the US as a virtual “oneman show,” which the Guyanese government controversially hired to develop the national Gas PlansforBerbice.

Hector Fuentes: The VenezuelanCEOandowner of Lindsayca, the very companycurrentlybleeding the Wales Gas-to-Energy projectdry Nelson Drake: The

Chairman of the GTE project since its inception, and the man who has repeatedly promised the deliveryofGTEPhaseI.

Joaquin Vazquez Higuera: Program Director from KBR. His presence is no coincidence KBR is currently bidding alongside Lindsayca for the lucrative GuyanaAmmoniaandUrea Plant (GAUP) slated for Wales. What ties this highflying group together?

Fulcrum LNG (Berbice Gas), Lindsayca (GTE Wales), and KBR (GAUP Wales) are all executing or biddingonthenation’smost critical infrastructure projects And all of them answer directly to the Gas-

to-EnergyTaskForce,ledby consultant Winston Brassington under the Ministry of Natural Resources.

This singular flight exposes a terrifying reality: the supposedly independent bids and separate energy projects shaping Guyana’s futurearebeingcoordinated byatight-knitcirclesharing the same cabin How big will this cabal get, and will the Gas-to-Energy Task Force effectively hand over the sovereign wealth and energy independence of an entirenationtoahandfulof men operating out of a privatejet?

The Revolving Door: WilltheCabalInheritPhase II?

light—the millions burned onprivatejets,thelogistical absurdityofcharteredcargo, the astronomical cost overruns, and the secret b o a r d r o o m negotiations one glaring question remains. Will the Gas-to-Energy Task Force

Lindsayca to participate in, letalonewin,PhaseIIofthe Gas-to-Energy project (GTEII)?

Public records already s

submitted a bid to design, construct, and operate the second phase of the project, aiming to secure another

massive payout. Given the sheer scale of the ongoing financial hemorrhage and the deeply entrenched cabal operating out of shared luxury cabins, the public must demand answers Is there a revolving door between these foreign contractors and the very government officials meant toregulatethem? R

s consortiumwithyetanother mu

ti-million-dollar contract after such gross mismanagement and delays wouldnotjustbeafailureof oversight;itwouldbeaclear signal that the system is entirely compromised, handing over the nation’s energy sovereignty to the highestflyers.

BLUNT BLUNT BLUNT BLUNT

Cheaperbidsrejected

In Guyana, the pattern is becoming painfully familiar: cheaper bids appear, and somehow, they vanish into the graveyard of “rejections,” while the costlier option survives and thrives.

The latest revelation—published by this newspaper on Monday that three lower Chinese bids were tossed aside for the Wales gas project raises more questions than answers. On what grounds were these bids dismissed? Who benefits from the higher price tag?

The administration of Irfaan Ali and Bharrat Jagdeo owes this nation clarity, not convenience. At over US$2B and counting, this project is no small undertaking; it is a generational burden. Transparency cannot be promised tomorrow, it must be delivered today.When taxpayers are forced to pay more, silence is not governance; it is complicity.

NBAroundup:RocketsedgeWarriors tospoilStephenCurry’sreturn

Reuters-StephenCurry returned from a two-month absence with 29 points, but Alperen Sengun capped a 24-pointperformancewitha go-ahead interior hoop with 11.1 seconds remaining, lifting the Houston Rockets toa117-116victoryoverthe Golden State Warriors on Sunday night in San

Francisco. In his first return to San Francisco as a member of the Rockets, Kevin Durant poured in a game-high 31 points for Houston (49-29), which moved within one game of the LosAngeles Lakers and Denver Nuggets in their three-team duel for third place in the Western C

Podziemski backed Curry with 18 points for the Warriors (36-42), who virtuallyassuredthemselves of the 10th seed in the Westernplay-intournament.

Curry, who had missed 27 straight games since a Jan. 30 injury against Detroit, played 26 minutes,

duringwhichhehit11ofhis 21 shots. The Warriors had gone9-18inhis27absences as he recovered from a sore rightknee.

Tuesday April 07, 2026

ARIES

You'll find that things are slipping nicely into place for you today, Aries. Your persuasivemannerandgentle nudges are just enough to get peoplewhereyouwantthem.

TAURUS

When faced with ten entrees onthemenu,itmightbehard for you to choose just one. Feelfreetoordertwoormore, Ta u r u s D o n ' t l e t indecisiveness slow you down.Atthesametime.

GEMINIS

Your dreams won't come true unless you believe in and act onthem,Gemini.Nooneelse is going to do it for you. Unless you have a fairy godmother, you need to take mattersintoyourownhands.

CANCER

If people hassle you or give you a hard time about your appearance today, pay them nomind,Cancer Youhavethe righttoliveyourlifeanyway youwantto.

LEO

Reachforthepotofgoldatthe end of the rainbow, Leo. It's closerthanyouthink.Indeed, your dreams are completely within your reach, and there are huge forces at work helping you achieve your goals.

VIRGO

Today is your day to dream and dream big, Virgo. Think aboutwhatitisthatyouwant most out of life. Aim your arrow to the stars and pull back your bow as far as possible. There's no limit to howfaryoucango.

LIBRA

Expand your mind to its furthest reaches today, Libra. There's an incredible opportunity opening up for you in which you can make great strides in a creative realm.Followthemusic.

SCORPIO

Your mind may seem rather cloudy today, Scorpio, but don't let this hinder you. In fact, you'll find that you can use this feeling of fantasy to your advantage. Try to bring moremagicintoyourlife.

SAGITTARIUS

Today is an excellent day for you,oneinwhichyou'llfinda great deal of strength in your emotions, Sagittarius Trust that your instincts are serving youwell.

CAPRICORN

Things might get a bit confusing for you today, Capricorn. Don't feel like you needtomakesenseofitall.In fact, this task may be impossible. Just be yourself. Let your creative nature shine through.

AQUARIUS

Mix your reality with a bit of fantasytoday,Aquarius.Allow your feet to come off the ground for a little while. Give yourselfarest.Takesometime to meditate and clear your mindofyourdailyworries.

PISCES

Let yourself go into high creative mode and drift into a whole other world, Pisces. Escape your present reality and explore your fantasies through any sort of artistic endeavor Dreamasbigasyour mindallows.

GuiSantosfinishedwith 15 points and Payton 14 for the Warriors, who saw Kristaps Porzingis foul out with just nine points and a team-high eight rebounds after 23 minutes. Draymond Greencollectedagame-high 12 assists to go with seven points. Celtics 115, Raptors 101JaylenBrowntossedina game-high 26 points and Jayson Tatum added 23 points, 13 rebounds and seven assists to lead Boston to a victory over visiting

Toronto The Celtics received18pointsandseven rebounds from Neemias Queta, 17 points from Payton Pritchard and 10 from Derrick White Boston’s Nikola Vucevic playedinagameforthefirst time since he fractured his rightringfingerMarch6and had four points and four rebounds.

Boston has won its last nine home games against Toronto The Raptors haven’twoninBostonsince 2021. Boston has won 21 of its last 24 regular-season games against Toronto overall. Ja’Kobe Walter led Toronto with 16 points Brandon Ingram and RJ Barretteachscored15.

Mavericks 134, Lakers 128

CooperFlaggfolloweda h i s t o r i c 5 1 - p o i n t performance with another sensationalouting,goingfor 45 points, nine assists and eight rebounds to ‘lead host Dallas over short-handed LosAngeles.

Dallas built a lead as largeas22pointsbehindP.J. Washington’s15points,Naji Marshall and Brandon Williams each scoring 13 and Klay Thompson knocking down three 3pointers on the way to 11 pointstosupportFlagg.

LeBron James (30 points, 15 assists and nine rebounds)didwhathecould to pick up the slack as Los Angeles was without its top two scorers in Luka Doncic andAustinReaves,whowill both miss at least the remainder of the regular season Luke Kennard notched his first career triple-doublewith15points,

16reboundsand11assists.

Suns120,Bulls110 Devin Booker scored 30 points,JalenGreenadded25 and Dillon Brooks sank a pair of clutch baskets down the stretch to help Phoenix getpasthostChicago.

All five Phoenix starters scored in double figures, as Mark Williams shot 6-of-8 fromtheflooronthewayto 14 points and grabbed eight rebounds, while Jordan Goodwinadded12pointson 5-of-5 shooting and seven boards.Tre Jones scored 29 points on 12-of-20 shooting from the floor to lead Chicago Collin Sexton posted a double-double, scoring 18 points and nine rebounds. Leonard Miller had a game-high 10 rebounds and shot 7-of-14 from the field on the way to 17points.

Cavaliers117,Pacers18

Donovan Mitchell scored 38 points and James Harden had 28 points and

seven assists as playoffbound Cleveland overcame aslowstartinavictoryover visiting Indiana Thomas Bryant posted 14 points and 10 rebounds for Cleveland, whichdidnotleadinthefirst half before rallying for its eighth win in the last 10 games.TheCavaliersareon the verge of locking up fourth place in the Eastern Conference, which would give them home-court advantageinthefirstround.

Micah Potter and Obi Toppinscored21pointsapiece for Indiana, which only dressed nine players and has thesecond-worstrecordinthe league JalenSlawsonscoreda career-high 19 , and Quenton Jackson‘had15points Inotherresults: H o r n e t s 1 2 2 , Timberwolves108 Magic112,Pelicans108 Clippers138Kings109 Bucks131,Grizzlies115 Nets121,Wizards115 (FieldLevelMedia)

Guyana to host IMC Over-40s Masters World Cup; experienced squad named

Guyana is set to take center stage in international masters’ cricket when it hosts the Over-40s Masters Cricket World Cup from October 17 to 31, 2026. Matches will be played at first-class venues acrossthecountry,markingamajor milestoneformasters’cricketinthe region.

Since securing the hosting rights in November 2025, the Cricket West Indies Masters Association has moved quickly to establish a robust planning framework. Up to 16 nations are expected to compete, including major Test-playing countries such as Australia, England, India, Pakistan,SriLanka,NewZealand, SouthAfrica,alongsidehostsWest Indies.

Manager Daniel Sadeo has announced a 29-man provisional squad designed to take full advantageofhomeconditions.The group combines former international players with proven regional performers, reflecting a clear strategy centered on

experience,spinbowling,andlocal knowledge.

Amajorstrengthofthesquadis its tournament pedigree. Several playerswerepartoftheWestIndies side that reached the final of the previous Masters Global Cup in Pakistan Among the standout performers were Lawrence Farnum, the team’s leading runscorer, Narsingh Deonarine and Randy Thomas, both of whom earnedselectionintheTeamofthe Tournament, with Thomas also recognizedasthecompetition’stop wicketkeeper Devi Maharaj, one of only three West Indian centurions in the event, and allrounder Devon Clements also add significantdepthandpedigree.

Spin bowling is expected to be the squad’s primary weapon

Former West Indies leg-spinner Devendra Bishoo headlines a formidable spin attack that also includes Neil McGarrell, Sunil Dhaniram, Antonnel Atwell, Rakesh Maharaj, and Deonarine. Additional variety comes from Imran Khan of Guyana and Imran

- Veteran firepower meets Guyanese conditions

KhanofTrinidad&Tobago,giving the selectors multiple slowbowling options capable of exploiting Guyana’s traditionally low,turningpitches.

The batting unit is equally experienced, led by former internationals Ramnaresh Sarwan, Sewnarine Chattergoon, Sunil Dhaniram and Lendl Simmons. Former West Indies wicketkeeper Dinesh Ramdin and Rayad Emrit add further stability with both bat, ballandgloves.

Beyonditsfrontlinenames,the provisionalsquadoffersusefulallrounddepth.PlayerssuchasLarry Babb, Rudy Hinds, and Trevon Garraway provide seam-bowling support, while additional batting and spin resources give selectors flexibility as they work toward a finalsquadof16to18players.

There are, however, a few obvious questions around balance. The pace attack appears relatively thin, which could become an issue on surfaces offering bounce or carry Fieldingandoverallmobility may also be tested, particularly

against younger and more athletic opposition capable of turning ones into twos and applying pressure in the field. There is also a heavy reliance on spin, which could becomeaweaknessifconditionsdo notfavorturn,especiallyonflatter pitches such as those sometimes seenatProvidenceStadium.

On traditional Guyanese wickets, the hosts are expected to be highly competitive. Bowlers such as Bishoo, Imran Khan, M

M

Deonarine could play a decisive role in controlling the tempo of matches and makingWest Indies a dangerousteamonhomesoil.

Sadeo is confident the squad has been selected with the right balanceinmind.

“We’ve selected experience with a plan Guyana rewards disciplineandspin;wehavethatin abundance Fitness will be managed, but cricket IQ is paramount.Thissquadknowshow towinonthesetracks.”

Much may depend on the form of Sarwan, whose experience and

technical quality could prove c

tournament is played on slow, demandingsurfaces.

Overall, the squad appears well-suited to local conditions and capable of mounting a serious challenge.WhetherWestIndiescan goallthewaymaydependonhow the pitches play, but on spinfriendly tracks, they should be amongtheteamstobeat.

ProvisionalSquad:

Denesh Ramdin, Narsingh Deonarine,RayadEmrit,Devendra Bishoo, Sewnarine Chattergoon, Hemnarine Chattergoon,Antonnel Atwell, Lawrence Farnum, Larry Babb, Devon Clements, Sunil Dhaniram, Lendl Simmons, S

o Mittleholtzer, Dale Richards, Imran Khan (Guyana), Neil McGarrell, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Devi Maharaj, Asif Chan, Randy Thomas, Imran Khan (Trinidad & Tobago), Vic Mahabeer, Randy Ramanan, Ryan Nurse, Rakesh Maharaj, Jieunick Mingo, Rudy Hinds,TrevonGarraway

“Facility Management - Observations and Information”

Former West Indies and Guyana fast bowler Colin Croft shared his thoughts followingtherecentdeathof acyclist,ColinWilson,inan Easter event inTrinidad and Tobago He highlighted

facility management, sharinghisobservationsand additionalinformation.

(1)Itisreallysadtohear of the death of Trinidad & Tobago Masters Cyclist ColinWilsonwhileridingat the recent Easter 2026 international cycling event inT&T

I had met him, in the early 2000s, when I had taken my Schwinn road cycle, to be fine-tuned at T&T cycle champion Gene Samuels’cyclingbusiness.

I suspect that Colin Wilson’s carotid artery, to the head, was badly cut by that field fencing as he fell.

Thus, the extensive bleeding, and death from loss of so much blood Those arteries run directly fromtheheart,onbothsides oftheneck,tothebrain.

Interestingly, when a karate chop is administered, in competition, or for real violence, the hardened edge of the palm / hand actually temporarily smashes onto those same carotid arteries, thus causing an instant stoppage of the blood from the heart to the brain, to

effect an instant moment of unconciousness. It happens much in boxingtoo.

Re: Champion Boxer Mike Tyson’s demolition of Trevor Berbick in 1986

Thustherestofthebodyfalls like a very heavy collapsing tent. (2) This cycling incident, sad as it has been, suggests VERY POOR

Facility Management overall.

Because I have both muchtrainingatairlinesand extensive experiences at UWI SPEC Sports, and Caribbean Airlines, and DeltaAirlines,IthinkIknow a bit about Facility Management.

I am betting that no-one even thought of those old corrugatedfencesatSkinner Park as being “deadly weapons”.

NOTE: Proper“bounceoff” paddings, around the complete, entire arena, should ALWAYS be used where especially excessive speedispresent.

Doyouevernoticethose “bounce-off” barricades in indoors athletics and indoor cycling events, in real professionalsettings,around theworld?

Formula1carracingand NASCAR car racing probably do it best, to date, and yet, they TOO

occasionally have very bad accidents and sometimes deaths.

Re: Dale Earnhardt Sr high speed accident / death in2001,attheDaytona500.

You might remember, ages ago, I suggested that many sports, including tennis and soccer, were “too open” , and that any disgruntledfancouldsimply jump over a short fence, to attack a player whom the attackerthoughttobe“nota favorite”.

That thought was aired oncricketcommentaryback in 1993, just before Monica Sales was attacked in Germany

FacilityManagementisa very specific arm of MechanicalEngineering.

Most people take the practice of Facility Management for granted, but specific Facility Managers MUST ALWAYS beappointedtofullyinspect, and if / when / where necessary, CHANGE the status quo, for PROPER personnelsafety

ALWAYS people wonder about costs. There are no costs where life is concerned.Allittakesisone deathtounderstandrealities.

A big part of my portfolios at DAL was to make sure that all airplane parking gates were SAFE

Letter to the Sports Editor

Was Kevin Sinclair valuable enough to keep then but not important enough to save now

DearSportsEditor,

I am not against the actions taken by the West Indies and Guyana Cricket Boards against Guyanese all-rounder Kevin Sinclair for acts of indiscipline behavior The question I want these two prestigious organisations to answer though, was there any counselling programmes offered to Mr Kevin Sinclair, who was charged with several acts of indisciplineconduct,orwas he pardoned and forgiven becauseofhisnaturallatent. WICB and GCB was

Kevin Sinclair valuable enoughtokeepthen,butnot enoughtosavenow?

The West Indies and the Guyana Cricket Board must understand where Kevin Sinclair came from, not geographically, but psychologically

Please don’t let Kevin Sinclair become another Linden Joseph, a talent ruined Guyana Cricket Board,don’ttellmethatthe iconic Shivna

C

a n d Ramnaresh Sarwan were academics at the beginning oftheircareer

FORUSE.

It takes about two hours, at 03:00am, at MCO, to complete that, every morning, for the “Gate Walks” - actually driving a tug with massive underside “magnet bars”, and walking the gates / airplane parking spaces too, checking out EVERYTHING, picking up even very small metal objects, over the twelve gatesthatDALusesatMCO.

Canyoureallyimaginea two-inch nail being lifted andpropelledbyajetengine blast? That nail then becomes a very high speed projectile that could, and have,inthepast,kill.

Thatsafetycheckwasan on-going practice for EVERY hour of daily operationsatMCO.

Mashramani in Guyana, and Carnival in T&T, and everywhere else, are very good,orbad,examplestoo.

Almost every year one hearsofmusictruckshitting /killingrevellers,patronsor lookers-on.

Nobody cares enough to spend the money to use the RIGHT professionals, to institute the correct, SAFE practices.

(3) InmyveryfirstTest game in Australia in 197980,Iranintothefenceatthe Wooloon Gabba - “The Gabba” - early in WI’s 1st innings bowling, and, putting down my hands to save me propelling over the fence, trying to save a boundary at the backward square leg position, I badly cutthepalmofmyrighthand

on that surrounding corrugatedfencing.

Thatcutprobablyshould havetakenafewstitches.No time for that back then though.

Fortunately for all, our Australian trainer, Dennis Waight, was sufficiently trained and experienced enough, to properly strap that injury, to allow me to bowl relatively properly (match figures: 53 overs, 9 maidens, 186 runs, 4 wickets) in that drawn 1st Test.

“The Gabba” back then the best “batting” track in Australia.

If you ever see a video / photographofmebowlingin that 1st Test AUS v WI in 1979-80 at Brisbane, you wouldseethatmyrighthand / palm is very heavily strapped.

The fences at the cricket grounds do not come that much into play anymore, since most cricket grounds now have a “buffer” spaceabout10to15feet-between the boundary ropes and the actual fencing, which are also mostly padded nowadaysanyway

That is very good foresight and Facility Management.

Back in 1979-1980, the boundary was the fence itself.

Have you ever seen a vehiclestuck,withoneofits wheels down inside a manhole or culvert, in a parking lot, perhaps just outsideabankingbusiness?

Thatisasaresultofvery poor planning, Civil / MechanicalEngineeringand FacilityManagement.

Facility Management is an aspect of sports, and in life generally, that is badly underestimated.

ItshouldbenotedKevin Sinclair was never accused ofrape. TheWICBandthe Guyana Cricket Board must have programmes for when talent arrives with struggle, ifnot,Egostakeover Did institutional tolerance play a part in Kevin’s decay? This debacle was never brought before any disciplinary committee and was ever sanctioned. Ofnote,several Guyana players were accusedofballtamperingin the past and they are still playingforGuyana.

CharwayneWalker

American sprinter Richardson wins Stawell Gift from scratch

(Reuters) - American

Richardson powered to victory from the back of the fieldatAustralia’soldestand richest handicap footrace, theStawellGift,onMonday

Theannual,whichoffers a prize of A$40,000 ($27,628), is run on a 120m uphill grass track with athletes handicapped according to ability and previous performances in sprints.

Richardson, who won silver in the 100m at the Paris Olympics and was on ‘the gold medal-winning U.S. 4x100 relay team, crossed the finish line with an adjusted time of 13.15 seconds,aheadofAustralian teenagerCharlotteNielsen.

Nielsenhadanine-metre headstartonthe26-year-old Richardson, who qualified forthesix-womanfinalafter aphotofinishinthesemis.

“Thank you. The love, the support, the true enjoyment that I had on the track, I know everybody’s `here.

I had a great time,” RichardsontoldChannel7.

Richardson became the third athlete to win the women’s Gift from scratch since it was introduced in 1989, after Bree Rizzo in 2025andMelissa‘Breenin 2012

In the men’s event,

Upper

BYSAMUELWHYTE

The Upper Corentyne Cricket Association (UCCA) has organised the Manoj Rajram aka Luxury Memorial 100 Balls Cricket Competition.

T h e i n a u g u r a l competition is for teams in the Upper Corentyne area, including Black Bush. The tournament, which is being sponsored by Manoj Rajram’s children, saw registration from some 24 team’swhichisbeingplayed onaknockoutbasis.

First round matches got onthewayrecentlywiththe

Richardson’s boyfriend and 2019 world 100m

champion Christian Coleman failed to advance from the semi-finals, with Australia’s Olufemi ‘Komolafe winning the final

Theracehasbeenrunin

thesmallVictoriantownof Stawell every Easter weekend since 1878 ‘except for four years duringWorldWarTwo and in 2020, when the COVID pandemic forced its cancellation

($1 = 1.4478 Australian

Alcaraz ready to get his socks dirty with return to clay

(Reuters) - Carlos Alcarazsaidhewaseagerto get his socks dirty on clay again as the world number onereturnedtohispreferred surfaceinMonacothisweek to build momentum for FrenchOpentitledefence.

Alcaraz won his fifth GrandSlamtitlebybeating Jannik Sinner in an epic final at Roland Garros last June, adding to his 2025 clay court triumphs in MonteCarloandRomeand a runner-up finish in Barcelona

“This is probably one of thebest`timesoftheseason for me,” Alcaraz told reporters in Monaco on Sunday

“I miss clay every time

the clay season is over It’s been a long time since RolandGarrosthatIhaven’t touchedclay

In my first practices, I saidtomyteamthatit’stime togetthesocksdirtyagain.It feels amazing to be back on clay.”

Alcaraz,whomissedlast year’s Madrid Open due to injury, hoped to play a full schedule before Garros, ‘wherethemaindrawbegins onMay24.

“ M o n t e C a r l o , Barcelona,Madrid,Rome that’s the plan,” said the 22year-old.

“It’s very demanding physicallyandmentally The week in Barcelona is perhaps when I should rest,

but Barcelona is a very important tournament for me.

“My`planistotakecare of my body as much as possibleduringmatchesand tournaments.”

The seven-times Grand Slam champion said winning the Monte Carlo title proved to be ‘a turning pointlastseason.

“After the feeling that I gothere,Ijustgotbetterand better,”headded.

“I understood and I realised how I `should play afterthisweek.That’swhyI didanexceptionalyear.” Alcaraz will open his campaignagainsteitherStan WawrinkaorSebastianBaez inthesecondround.

inclement weather affecting someofthegames. Resultsofsomematches played are - No. 73 Young Warriors defeated No. 69 RedRoseby86runs. Batting first No 73 Young Warriors made 156 with Lutesh Singh 39 and LakramLathman37. Kiran Chaitram took 4 wickets bowling for No 69

Red Rose who were dismissed for 70 Tariq Chaitram 25 and Matthew Douglas20. Bowling for No 73 Young Warriors - Ganesh Singh took 3 wickets while

AzadMohamedpickedup2. Sk

Community Centre by 39 runs. Skeldon Jaguars -158 with Mahendra Chaitnarine 31 and Sarwan Chaitnarine 21.

Bowling for Skeldon Community Centre- Fazim Kalamodeen and Basil Gobin picked up two wicketseach.

Skeldon Community Centre -119 with Quacy Burnett 65 and Denny George 25 Bowling for Skeldon Jaguars Trishan Ramsarran picked up three

wickets Yakusari Caribs defeated No. 43 Scorpions under the Duckworth Lewis system Yakusari Caribs scored120-6withWVernon 38andL.Paltu35.Bowling forNo43Scorpions-Andesh Dhanroop snared 3 wickets while Joel Samaroo picked up2.

No. 43 Scorpions were 83-9 off 66 deliveries with Andesh Dhanroop 27and PatrickTrotman22. Bowling for Yakusari

Caribs - W Vernon took 3 wickets and Ramesh Ayana 2. M o l e s o n C r e e k

Unstoppable defeated No. 70 Spartan by 7 wickets. In reply No. 70 Spartan were dismissedfor56.

Bowling for Molsen Creek Unstoppable - Ravin Boodwah 3 wickets and NavinBoodwah2.

M

Unstoppable in reply cruise to 57 for 3 with Navin Boodwah 19 and Ravin Boodwah16.GibranYacoob pickedup2wicketsbowling forSpartans.

Grill Masters Avengers defeated Yakusari Horizon by 8 wickets Yakusari Horizon67-AsifOwen23. B

G

l Masters - Adult Ali and Charran Singh took 3 and 2 wicketsrespectively

G

Avengers replied with 70-2 with Trevon Sukhu 36 The UCCA extended their gratitude to the

Four gold, one record

...Guyana ends CARIFTA Games campaign with six medals

BYRAWLETONEY

Guyana concluded its campaign at the 53rd CARIFTA Games in St George’s, Grenada, with an impressive haul of six medals(fourgold,onesilver, and one bronze) highlighted by a record-breaking performance in the Mixed 4x400m relay and standout individual displays from its youngstars.

Represented by a 24member team under the guidance of the Athletics Association of Guyana

(AAG), the Golden Arrowhead nation delivered moments of brilliance across the three-day championships at the Kirani James Stadium, firmly establishing itself amongtheregion’stopjunior athleticsprogrammes

Leading the charge were Olivia Solomon, Tianna Springer,MalachiAustin,and theMixed4x400mrelayteam, all of whom struck gold in commanding fashion

Guyana’s most emphatic statement came in the Mixed 4x400mrelay,whereTishawn Easton, Akeela Dover, Malachi Austin, and Tianna Springer combined for a sensational run of 3:2079

Thequartetnotonlywongold but also shattered Guyana’s previous CARIFTArecord of 3:2351,setin2024

On the individual front, Tianna Springer once again demonstrated her class, storming to victory in the GirlsU20400min52.47s,as the18-year-oldUniversityof Georgia extended her remarkable unbeaten streak inthe400mattheCARIFTA Games Springer’s win

800mfinalin2:01.67.

In the field events, Jarel Campbell came close to the podium in the Boys Long Jump, with Omari Welch finishing eighth in the same event. Guyana’s campaign began on a high note, with five medals on the opening day, setting expectations for

adominantshowing.

However, the team experiencedamedaldrought on day two before rebounding with Solomon’s golden performance on the finalday

Director of Sport Steve Ninvalle, who attended the Games alongside National

Campbell,praisedtheteam’s overallperformance.

He highlighted the significance of the record-

commended the athletes for

cappedastellarjuniorcareer that includes U17 gold in 2023andmultipleU20titles.

Malachi Austin also deliveredafittingfarewellto the CARIFTA stage, poweringtogoldintheBoys U20 400m in 46.01s as the LSUfreshmanpickeduphis second CARIFTA gold medal, improving on last year’s silver and solidifying hisstatusasoneofGuyana’s premierquarter-milers.

The final gold medal came courtesy of Olivia Solomon,whoseelectrifying performance in the Girls U17 800m brought the curtains down on Guyana’s medalcampaign.Competing on the final day, Solomon producedacommandingrun to stop the clock at 2:10.76, finishing well ahead of Grenada’s Annalisa Brown (2:14.40) and Haiti’s Aisha Wajid(2:14.96).

Her victory not only secured Guyana’s fourth goldmedalbutalsoprovided athrillingfinalethatbrought thehomecrowdtoitsfeet.

Guyana’s medal tally was further bolstered by Jermaine Shepherd, who captured silver in the Boys U17 1500m, and Javon Roberts,whosecuredbronze intheBoysU201500m. Roberts was also in contention for another podium finish in the Boys U20 800m but narrowly missed out, finishing fourth in1:52.13.

Elsewhere, Tishawn Easton clocked 21 00 seconds to finish fifth in the Boys U20 200m, while Bryson Anderson placed seventh in the Boys U17

narrowly missed out on podiumfinishes.

Guyana’s six-medal performance, Ninvalle noted, reflects the continued growth of its athletics programme and signals a brightfutureforthenation’s emerging talents on the regionalstage.

Tianna Springer (L) and MalachiAustin won gold in the U20 400m in their final CARIFTAGames. (Photo compliments: Run It)