Hamilton Green warns of ‘crumbs’ for citizens, pushes national unity to protect oil wealth
EPA did not greenlight financial study on impact of oil spill
- Exxon consultant
Gunman opens fire on cops at Vryheid’s Lust; shot, held under guard
Residents of Aubrey
Road are expressing outrage over the poor quality of the roadway, just days after the $6 billion thoroughfare was commissioned.
With 10 Canadian firms advancing gold projects across Guyana’s mining districts, collectively controlling millions of ounces across various stages of development –anotherCanadianfirmisheadingtoGuyana’s mineraldistrict.
To establish a presence in Guyana’s miningsector,FortunaMiningCorp.haspaid a Guyanese firm US$5 million as part of a dealthatcouldseeitacquiringuptoa70per centinterestinamajorgoldprojectlocatedin thecountry’sinterior
Fortuna recently announced that it has entered into an earn-in agreement with Guyanese company Qstone Inc. for the Quartzstone Project, a 73,143-acre concession situated in the gold-rich Guyana Shield,approximately120kilometreswestof Georgetown.
Upon signing the agreement, Fortuna paid Qstone a non-refundable US$5 million cash option premium, marking its entry into Guyana’s mining sector As per the agreement,thecompanycanearnaninitial51 per cent stake by funding exploration and completing 60,000 metres of drilling within fouryears,andmayincreaseitsinterestto70 percentbysolelyfundingafeasibilitystudy within three years of exercising the first optionandcontinuingtopayalllicensefees.
President and Chief Executive Officer, Jorge A. Ganoza, said, “We are excited to establish a presence in the Guyana Shield, a highly prospective region with a strong history of gold discoveries ” Ganoza continued, “The Quartzstone Project, where historical drilling has identified multiple high-grade zones of near-surface gold mineralisation, is located in a prolific exploration camp, and this transaction providesFortunawithastagedpathtounlock its potential through systematic exploration anddrilling.”
The Quartzstone Project lies within a greenstone belt and hosts an orogenic gold system, a geological setting associated with major gold deposits that are controlled by Canadianfirms.
Figure 1: Location of Quartzstone Project, Guyana
Drilling to date has tested only approximately 5 kilometers of the 26kilometer shear zone within the concession area. Several geochemical anomalies along northeast-southwest trending crossstructures also remain untested and will be prioritisedbytheexplorationprogramme.
Historical drilling between 2010 and 2017 identified several high-grade gold zonesalongafive-kilometrecorridor
Fortuna’s initial exploration programme, budgeted at approximately US$5.5 million, will focus on advancing priority targets
already defined at Quartzstone, while generatingadditionaltargetsalongthehighly prospective 26-kilometer main shear zone.
Planned work includes airborne magnetic surveys to develop a detailed structural framework, supported by high-resolution satellite imagery and digital elevation modelling. Field programmes will include infill geochemical sampling, auger drilling, anddetailedgeologicalandregolithmapping over prospective geophysical targets and knownanomalousareas.
An initial 5,000-meter diamond drilling
BryanDiscovery
OkoNW
OkoMain Ghanie OkoWest
SouthOko
programme is planned to test historical targets and workings, as well as priority structural corridors along the main contact and northeast-trending intersections In additiontoroyaltiespayabletotheState,the projectisalsosubjectedtoa4.5percentnet smelterreturnsroyaltypayabletoaprevious owner
Fortuna operates mining assets across LatinAmerica andWestAfrica, and said the agreement represents a strategic expansion into the Guiana Shield, one of the world’s mostprospectivegold-producingregions.
Police are investigating a dramatic shooting incident at Vryheid’s Lust, East CoastDemerara,onSaturdaynightthatlefta 27-year-old man nursing a gunshot wound andunderpoliceguard.
According to reports, ranks in Regional Division#4‘C’respondedaround21:00hrsto information about a man allegedly seen walking in the area with a firearm. Upon arriving at the scene, officers made contact withthesuspect,aresidentofBetterHope.
Policesaidthatuponseeingtheranks,the man allegedly pulled out a handgun and discharged several rounds in their direction,
promptingofficerstoreturnfire.Thesuspect then fled south, scaling several fences as ranks gave chase before eventually apprehendinghiminanearbyyard.
Asearch conducted on the suspect led to thediscoveryofablack.32CZfirearmonhis person. He was arrested and taken to the Sparendaam Police Station, where his hands wereswabbedforgunpowderresidue.
The suspect was later escorted to the GeorgetownPublicHospitalCorporationfor treatmentaftersustainingagunshotinjuryto his right leg. He remains under police guard asinvestigationscontinue.
Acorn International, the American Consultancy firm hired by ExxonMobil to conduct an impact study for its eighth project said Guyana’s Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) did not require the company to conduct a financial study to assess the level of financial destruction a possible oil spill from the eighthprojectcouldhave.
Kaieteur News attended a public consultation at the UmanaYana,inGeorgetown last week and raised concerns about its questions not being addressed in the study carried out by the consultant.
During public scoping meetings held last year, this publication had specifically asked ExxonMobil whether a financial study would be conducted to determine the likely cost a spill, given that adischargethatoccursatthe Longtailproject,couldaffect GuyanaandsisterCaribbean nations.
At that time, Exxon’s Projects Environmental and Regulatory Manager, Mariya Skocik explained that the company would comply with the mandate given by the EPA regarding thescopeofthestudy
TheEPAhoweverseems uninterested in such an assessment,astheconsultant has said it received no such instruction from the EPA to studythelikelycostofanoil spill.
When asked about the absence of this crucial information in the EIA, Project Manager for Acorn international, Kristy Bellows explained, “What I cantellyouisthatourimpact assessment was done in accordance with the EPA in terms of reference. We also usedthingslikeIAIA,which is International Association of Impact Assessors, those types of things for guidance.”
She added, “We got informed stakeholders from offshore projects and did
benchmarking studies. So, we’re confident with what wasincludedinthereport.”
Meanwhile, this newspaper spoke with an officer from the EPA who made it clear that there was no requirement for the regulator to approve questions raised by the public so they can be addressed in the EIA
Further, he encouraged Kaieteur News to resubmit questionsinawrittenformat that will be addressed in the revisedLongtailEIA.
“The questions don’t have to be approved by us…thereisanemailaddress youcaneitherdropitintoour officeoremailittousaswell and right here as well, each questionthatisraisedateach desk, they take your name and they document your questionandthosequestions form part of the comments on the EIA. The questions will be submitted, they will haveachancetoreviewand update the EIA as well. All the questions will be answered. It’s tabulated into a big data sheet and submitted and will be answered,” Michael (only namegiven)noted.
The possible cost of an oil spill has never been studied in Guyana, although
ExxonMobil, through its consultant has run multiple tests to determine the distancehydrocarbonscould travel in both wet and dry seasons. The EIA for the Longtail project states that an oil spill could devastate neighbouring Trinidad and Tobago(T&T).
The study said the twin island could be hit the hardest,potentiallyaffecting sensitive resources such as mangroves, manatee habitats, beaches, and forest reserves.
Acorn International
outlines a detailed description of the possible transboundary impacts from the proposed development, warning that a dozen other Caribbeanislandscouldalso be affected including: Grenada,St.Vincentandthe Grenadines, Barbados, St. Lucia, Martinique, Dominica, Guadeloupe, Montserrat, Antigua and Barbuda,St.KittsandNevis, St. Barthélemy, Saba, and UnitedStatesVirginIslands. Presently, ExxonMobil
isbeforetheCourtofAppeal in Guyana fighting against citizens who previously secured a ruling from the HighCourtwhichorderedan unlimited parent company guarantee document be signed by the oil giant to protect Guyana from any additional oil spill costs not covered by the limited insurance.
Currently, the company has a U.S.$600M oil spill insurancepolicyinplaceper event and a U S $2B guarantee to cover costs above the insurance. Two citizens through their lawyers, headed by internatio
MelindaJankiarguethatthe company must pay for all damagescausedbyaspill.In the absence of the unlimited parent company guarantee, they say Guyana will be left to pay for damages not coveredbytheUS$2.6B.
The Longtail project is expectedtoproduce250,000 barrelsofcondensateperday (bpd) with a gas production capacity of 1,200 million standard cubic feet per day (MMscf/day) BlackRock Midstream describes condensate as extremely lightoil.
The FPSO is being specially designed to
accommodate future gas exportcapabilities.
The EIA explains, “The FPSO will be designed to separate the recovered reservoir fluids into water and gas phases The condensatewillbetreatedto remove impurities (e g , sulphateandothersalts)and then sent to storage tanks in thehull.”
Exxon plans to drill approximately 24 to 60 development wells, with development well drilling scheduled to begin in 2027 and possibly extending as lateas2031andbeyond.
The company said installation of subsea components is slated to commence in 2028 with installation of the Floating Production Storage and Offloading vessel (FPSO), commissioning and startup planned to occur from2028 to2031.
Longtail is expected to continueforatleast30years according to the project schedule. Unlike previous developments focused primarily on oil, Longtail willfocusongasproduction.
It will produce hydrocarbons from the nonassociated gas fields and potentialproximalresources accordingtotheEIA.
PrintedandPublishedbyNationalMedia& PublishingCompanyLtd. 24SaffonStreet, Charlestown,Georgetown,Guyana.
Publisher:GLENNLALL-TEL:624-6456
Editor:NIGELWILLIAMS
Tel:225-8465,225-8491. Fax:225-8473,226-8210
Guyana marked Labour Day on Friday with the usual marches,speeches,andtributestothestrugglesthatbuiltthis nation'sdemocraticfoundation.Yetbeyondthebannersand rhetoric,aharshertruthpersists:formanyworkers,thereis little to celebrate. The gap between economic growth and lived reality remains wide, and the labour movement, once the backbone of national progress appears increasingly fractured and ineffective at a time when unity is most needed.
Theironyisdifficulttoignore.Guyanaisnowoneofthe fastest-growing economies in the world, buoyed by oil revenues and rapid expansion in construction and infrastructure. New roads, bridges, and buildings stand as visible markers of progress. But for thousands of workers, these developments feel distant, even irrelevant, to their dailystruggles.Wagesremaininadequate,thecost-of-living continues to rise, and access to basic necessities such as housingremainselusive.
Consider the experience of 27-year-old Annesia Nedd, whotoldthisnewspaperlastFridayduringtheLabourDay March that despite steady employment, she lives from paycheck to paycheck. Her rent consumes a significant portionofherincome,andwithoutoccasionalovertime,she isuncertainhowshewouldmanage.
Hersituationisnotunique;itreflectsabroaderrealityfor manyyoungworkerstryingtobuildafutureinaneconomy that seems to be advancing without them. When she says, “Weareoutheresurviving.Whoknows,knows,”itcaptures aquietdesperationthatnoamountofofficialoptimismcan mask.
This disconnection between growth and fairness underscores a deeper problem, one that Labour Day speeches acknowledged but did not resolve. Workers are being asked to celebrate progress while they struggle to benefit from it. Rising prices for food, transportation, and utilities continue to erode purchasing power, leaving many familiesinaconstantstateoffinancialstrain.Thepromiseof a “dignified life,” often invoked by union leaders, remains outofreachfortoomany
At the same time, the trade union movement itself is strugglingtofinditsfooting.Rivalries,politicalalignments, and internal divisions have weakened what should be a unified force advocating for workers' rights. Instead of presentingacohesivefront,unionsoftenappearfragmented, diminishingtheirinfluenceatacriticalmomentinGuyana's development. A divided movement cannot effectively challengeinequitiesornegotiatemeaningfulimprovements foritsmembers.
Thisrealitystandsinstarkcontrasttothelegacyinvoked during Labour Day commemorations The historical contributions of Hubert Nathaniel Critchlow and the early labour movement are undeniable. Long before political parties took shape, it was organised labour that fought for fundamental rights, fair wages, safer working conditions, and ultimately, the democratic freedoms Guyanese now enjoy The struggle for “one man, one vote” was not an abstract ideal; it was rooted in the lived experiences of workersdemandingdignityandrepresentation.
That legacy carries an obligation. If labour was instrumental in building the nation's political and social framework, it must also play a central role in shaping its economicfuture.Yetthatcanonlyhappenifthemovement rediscoversitscoreprinciples:solidarity,independence,and a clear sense of purpose. Without these, Labour Day risks becoming a ceremonial exercise rather than a meaningful platformforchange.
On Labour Day itself, union leaders raised valid concerns.Callsforarealisticminimumwage,strongerprice monitoring, improved access to affordable housing, and greatertransparencyinthemanagementofoilrevenuesare notunreasonable.Theyare,infact,essentialifthebenefitsof growtharetobesharedmoreequitably Butadvocacyalone
Delcy Rodríguez has been wearing her brooch consistently for quite sometime
DearEditor,
The claim that the brooch worn by Venezuela’s Interim President, Delcy Rodríguez, during her recent visits to Barbados and Grenada was a provocative gesture does not withstand evenminimalscrutiny
AsimpleGoogleImagessearchwill showthatPresidentRodríguezhasbeen wearing that very same brooch
time at home in Venezuela, in her country’s National Assembly,
and during official engagements abroad.
Therearenumerousphotographsof herwearingitinmeetingswithheadsof state, including the President of Colombia, and even in international media appearances such as interviews withCNN.
This is not a one-off accessory chosenforaparticularvisit;itispartof herregularattire.
While some have interpreted the brooch as a deliberate signal in the
context of the ongoing Essequibo controversy, it is important to note that Venezuelan officials have long worn symbols which included the so-called Zonaenreclamación?
To portray the brooch used during recent Caribbean visits as provocative ignores this broader and welldocumentedpattern. It risks attributing intent where theremaysimplybecontinuity Yoursfaithfully RoopnauthHardyal
Once upon a time: Diplomacy in the image of our times
DearEditor,
In watching recent regional and international events, I pondered whether political discourse, and diplomacymorespecifically, isindeclineorbeingremade in the image of the times. This is a question that I am certain concerns not only seasoned career diplomats but average citizens To avoidanymisunderstanding, I use ‘diplomacy’ here to mean specifically the conduct of international i n t e r a c t i o n s a n d communications between states.
Traditionally, diplomacy was conducted through couriers who travelled long distances to deliver written communications As
technological innovation tookhold,inventionssuchas telegraphs, telephones, and fax machines emerged, enabling more effective and efficient diplomatic communication. The arrival of the internet has enabled today’s politicians to use s o c i a l m e d i a t o communicate,negotiate,and share information Remarkably,notonlyhasthe method of undertaking diplomacy changed, but the way it is practised has changed as well. This piece explores how it was, is, and should be practised by those representing nations, while addressing the decline of traditionaldiplomacy
WhatWas
Once upon a time,
is not enough. What is required is sustained, unified pressure—somethingthatiscurrentlylacking.
Equally important is the role of government and political leadership.Engagementwithlabourmustgobeyondsymbolic gestures and occasional meetings. Genuine consultation, as outlinedintheConstitution,isnotoptional;itisfundamentalto inclusive governance. Policies that ignore or marginalise workers'voicesriskdeepeninginequalityanderodingtrust.
Theprivatesector,too,cannotbeabsolvedofresponsibility Economic expansion should not be built on the backs of underpaid workers or precarious employment conditions. If Guyana's growth is to be sustainable, it must be inclusive, ensuring that those who contribute to the nation's prosperity shareinitsrewards.
Labour Day should serve as a reminder, not just of past struggles, but of present responsibilities.Theachievements of previous generations were not handed down freely; they were won through sacrifice, organisation, and unwavering commitment. Today's challenges may be different, but they demandthesamelevelofresolve.
Ifthelabourmovementistoremainrelevant,itmustadapt without losing sight of its mission. It must educate, organise, andmobilise—notinisolation,butinunity Workers,too,have a role to play The strength of any movement lies in the participationandvigilanceofitsmembers.
Guyana stands at a pivotal moment in its history The resourcesexisttotransformlives,reduceinequality,andbuilda more just society But that transformation will not happen automatically It requires deliberate action, honest dialogue, andarecommitmenttotheprinciplesthathavelongguidedthe labourmovement.
Otherwise, Labour Day will continue to be marked by speeches and slogans, while the realities faced by workers remainunchanged.Andthatisacontradictionthenationcanill afford.
diplomacy was marked by themysteryofdiscretionand secrecy Therewasadisplay of intellectual qualities and social and practical skills. Disputes between states wereresolved,ornot,behind closed doors or through official channels. Eloquence and the command of languageinbothwrittenand oral persuasions were admired qualities As a student of diplomacy, my lecturer taught me the f a m o u s s e n t i m e n t commonly attributed to former British Prime Minister Sir Winston Churchillontact:Ishouldbe abletotellsomeonetogoto hell in a way that would make them believe the ride wouldbeenjoyable.Further, when and where meant something, time and place mattered.Therewasatimeto speakandatimeforsilence. This is not to suggest that therewereneverinstancesof deviation from such norms, but today it is at an unprecedented level, even amongthoseinhighoffice.
WhatIs
Digital diplomacy is 21st-century statecraft for international relations, facilitating real-time communication, knowledge, a n d i n f o r m a t i o n management through the internet. Apart from negotiation and official communication with other states, many foreign offices use it to connect with nationalsoverseas,engagein cultural penetration, and influencethepublicsofother nations. With the advent of social media, many statesmen and women, e m b a s s i e s , a n d n o n g o v e r n m e n t a l organisations have begun to utilise various platforms Withjusttheclickofafinger, communication and interactions take place on applications such as X
(formerly Twitter), Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.
Negative trends are steadily unfolding in the realm of digital diplomacy Whatexiststodayisthevery opposite of discretion, eloquence and a standard that reflects traditional diplomatic norms and practices Today, social media is flooded with a new type of diplomacy, with leaders using expletives and derogatory language that degrades other leaders and nations. Examples of this include the Easter Day Message targeted at the Iranian government via X (formerly Twitter) and the name-calling practised by the Argentine president to describe other leaders Disagreementsareevidentin back-and-forth exchanges akin to high school fallouts. Foreign policy articulations are made via tweets Regional and international issues that ought to be resolvedbehindcloseddoors are thrust into the public domain, with real consequences. The consequences of such actions extend beyond mere trivialisation. The war in the Middle East is being reduced to memes and comical videos while innocent lives are lost. Businesses and consumers feel the real effects of tariff decisions announced in the public theatre of social media,withthelikelihoodof reduced demand for businessesandhigherprices forconsumers.
Thereisindeedashiftin the standard of diplomacy Thewaysomeleadersutilise digitaldiplomacydismantles years of trust-building and shapes perceptions in a negative light Political leaders author and share content that fuels disunity (Continuedonpage6)
DearEditor,
(Indian) Arrival Day in Guyana, celebrated annually onMay5,commemoratesthe firstarrival(1838)ofIndians to the South American Britishcolonyandthosethat came after and their (and their descendants) contributions to the colony and to or in the post independent (1966) nation.
The granting of this annual holidayfrom2004involveda longstrugglebyIndianrights activists including this write and cultural organisations; Desmond Hoyte gave a one off holiday in 1988. The demand was for Indian
Arrival Day, but the governmentnameditArrival Day Although not a holiday, theday,May5,wasobserved with cultural programmes and lectures going back to 1938, the centenary of the arrival of Indians to Guiana. Indians celebrated the day, Rama Khan Day, as their holiday amidst opposition from the colonial authorities andsubsequentlybythepost independent government Gandhi Youths and other groups were in the forefront of the celebrations and championing recognition But it was denied by the g o v e r n m e n t I A D celebrations throughout Guyana and in the diaspora have contributed to the resurgenceofIndianculture.
The Indian activists like this writer wanted a holiday, an official acceptance and recognition,bythesuccessor
government to the British colonial government, of the persecution and oppression of Indians during the indenture period and to celebrate their achievements as well as their overcoming colonial hardships and culturalmarginalisation.
The activists wanted the Indian national identity and t
contributions to the nation and colony to be officially
contributions of the 240,000 indentured Indians and their
historically overlooked
Unlike Indians, Africans were honoured for their sacrifices during slavery and
h Emancipation Day that has been celebrated annually on August 1 for decades Throughout the globe, a people’s persecution and or their contributions to society havebeenrecognised.Rights activists have sought a similar recognition for Indians in Guyana They modeled their activism like what took place in Trinidad that led to the granting of IAD.Initially,theAfricanled government proclaimed the holiday, May 30, as Arrival Day in 1994, the first time it was granted But Basdeo Panday added Indian to it in 1995 Several Guyanese, including this writer, contributedtothatstrugglein Trinidad to have IAD become law The Indian (Continued on page 6)
DearEditor,
DelcyRodríguez’slatest pronouncements on the Essequibo controversy are not merely diplomatic posturing they are calculated provocations dressed up as historical conviction.
To stand before an audience and declare Venezuela’s claim to Guyana’ssovereignterritory is “irrefutable,” while quite literally wearing that claim on a brooch across regional platforms,isnotaninnocent expressionofheritage.
I t i s p o l i t i c a l theatre—deliberate, staged, and aimed at normalising a fictionthroughrepetition.
And it must be called exactlywhatitis.
The Essequibo is not Venezuela’s to reclaim, reinterpret, or rebrand through symbolism. It is Guyana’s settled by the 1899ArbitralAward,upheld ininternationallaw,andnow properly before the International Court of Justice for final affirmation. There is nothing ambiguous about that legal reality, regardless of how many times Caracas attempts to blur it with appeals to “history.”
Rodríguez’s rhetorical flourish questioning whetherVenezuela’s history books should now be “burned”—is a distraction. History, in this case, is not being erased. It is being testedagainstlaw,evidence,
and binding international processes And that is preciselywhereVenezuela’s claimcontinuestofalter
More troubling, however,isthestrategicuse of regional diplomacy as a stage for this narrative. By wearing a map that absorbs Essequibo into Venezuela during official visits to CARICOM states , Rodríguez is not simply making a personal s t a t e m e n t s h e i s attempting to manufacture a senseofquietacceptance.
President Irfaan Ali is therefore correct to sound thealarm.
CARICOM cannot afford to treat such acts as harmless symbolism In geopolitics, symbols are signals and Venezuela’s signals are unmistakable They are designed to probe the region’s resolve, to test whether silence might be mistakenforconsent,andto incrementally legitimise a claim that remains legally baseless.
This is not a cultural disagreement It is a territorial controversy with serious implications for sovereignty, regional stability, and international order
And it is unfolding at a time when the geopolitical t
he Caribbean is already rising. WithincreasedU.S.military presence in the region and explicit warnings against (Continuedonpage6)
Yván Gil’s dismissal of Guyana’s concerns as “drama”onlyreinforcesthis pattern of deflection. When challenged on substance, Caracas retreats into mockery and nationalist slogans. “Venezuela’s sun rises in the Essequibo,” he proclaims an evocative phrase, but one that carries noweightinacourtoflaw
TheofficeofthePresidentshouldutilise locally made furniture to furnish State House, the official residence of the Prime Minister, the Ministries, our schools, the various conference centres, and other government owned buildings. It is a sector that should be booming during this transformational period, but most of the business has gone to imported products.We havesomeofthebesttropicalwoodsthatare considered luxurious around the world. Our furniture sector should be growing in the premiumandsuperpremiumsegmentsofthe marketwithitbeingshowcasedinthehighest offices and institutions around the country, while also being integrated into the hotels andresortsbeingbuilttosupporttheTourism sector
The size of the global market for luxury wood furniture is approximately US$13B with a forecasted CAGR of over 15%, with thelargerwoodfurnituremarketestimatedin the $100s of billions USD Guyanese furniture manufacturers should be
dominating the domestic market, and the growth opportunities in the local hospitality sector Thegovernmentshouldbefocusedon ensuring that local manufacturers get preference in the purchasing process.Anod to local content that helps elevate the reputation of the Guyanese brand within the premium and super premium furniture segments Furthermore, the government shouldbeassistingwithexportopportunities via key long term supply contracts to the MiddleEast,Europe,andtheU.S. Our nation’s opportunity in the high-end sustainable wood furniture segment is tremendousandneedstobeamajorbusiness focus going forward We must not underestimate the value of the products we canproduce.
Purchasing of beautiful hand-crafted wood furniture is primarily driven by highnet-worth individuals and luxurious hospitality brands. We must use the current increase in international exposure to showcase the luxurious high quality
(Continued on page 6)
DearEditor, Minister within the OfficeofthePrimeMinister, Kwame McCoy, with major responsibilities in Public AffairsManagement,forthe People’s Progressive Party/Civic Government, rightfully denounced the latest RSF Report, saying that“Ihavetakennoteofthe recent ‘false assertions’ made by Reporters Without Borders, regarding the state of media freedom in Guyana, and unequivocally reject the report in its entirety as ‘deeply flawed, misleading, and rooted in outdated and unsupported assumptions.”Thismademe stop and think, as, after readingthereport,Irealised quicklythattheMinisterwas ‘well within’ his right to ‘broadside the whole thing, the document, as well as those involved in presenting it.
First, I have a few
comments regarding RSF (the French abbreviation really), as this body has questionable integrity, if not foritsmethodology,forsure, at least one of its leading personnel For example, going back to July 2020, turmoil erupted over FounderRobertMénard,the current mayor of Béziers. This ‘character’ is wellknown for his highly q u e s t i o n a b l e a n d controversial, ‘securityfocused’ policies and for using the town, Béziers, as whatiscalleda“laboratory” forfar-rightinitiatives.Iask readerstogetagraspofwhat are ‘far-right’initiatives and toseewhy,whenweusedthe ‘white supremacist,’ tag for Ménard, it aptly fits. It is well-established that he has been fined for ‘inciting hatred regarding comments on Muslim children in schools and has faced criticism for policies on
immigrants. Some of his actions included arming the municipal police, launching controversial poster campaigns, and challenging localschooldemographics.
This biased man is congenitally flawed and I cannotassociateanythingof integrity and veracity with him.
Let me add a word now on the WPFI (World Press FreedomIndex),asthistable seekstoassessthe‘degreeof freedom’ available to j o u r n a l i s t s , n e w s organisations, and netizens in each country, along with the extent of governmental effortstorespectanduphold thisfreedom.
However, it specifically ‘focuses on press freedom’ and does not evaluate the quality of journalism or broader human rights conditions in the countries assessed.
I emphatically declare
Frompage4 and hate, undermining positive relations betweenstates.
We are witnessing the redefining of diplomacy, not so much by practitioners trained and educated in the field, but by leaderswhoaresupposedtoberolemodels for citizens and, more importantly, future generations An extraterrestrial being visiting our planet might very well not be able to tell the difference between a leader and a social media influencer based on behavioursexhibitedtoday
WhatShouldBe
The question that naturally follows is: what is to be done?As citizens, we are not powerless and ought to demand that our leadersbehaveprofessionally
Atelectiontime,weoftenseethetraitsof politicalhopefuls,andourvotecantherefore serveasacheckonthetypesofleaderswho arelikelytocontributetothedecline,based ontheirexpressedbehaviours.
Attheinternationallevel,thereshouldbe codesofconductfordigitaldiplomacywith prescribed norms for engagement of membersofmultilateralinstitutionssuchas
the United Nations. Certainly, these are not unreasonablesuggestionsordemands.
The world is experiencing many events over which human beings have no direct control. How leaders engage with one another and how they influence and shape perceptions are not entirely uncontrollable. A level of sophistication is needed that fosters smooth dialogue, reduces unnecessaryfriction,andguardsagainstthe kind of miscalculation that breeds conflict. Protocolandmeasuredlanguagewillalways have their place in interactions, whether in personoronsocialmedia.Diplomacy,aswe once knew it, is in decline, and it is being remade for the current time, where respect for international law has dwindled, multilateral systems and institutions are in upheaval, and there exists a situation explained by the ancient historian Thucydides, where the strong do what they can, and the weak suffer what they must to survive.Inkeepingwiththediplomaticsignoff of a renowned leader on Twitter, thank youforyourattentiontothismatter!
Regards
VanessaMason
Frompage5 communityisdeservingofthehonourjustas theydoinGuyana.
In Guyana, a parliamentary committee recommended the holiday as IAD. But the parliamentchangedittoAD.May5applies onlytoIndians;notothergroupsislinkedto this date. Thus, it should receive its right nomenclature of IAD as championed by a handfulofusandpopularlysupportedbyall ethnic groups. Several of the activists, including Ravi Dev, Rhyaan Shah, Swami Aksharananda, Baytoram Ramharack, VassanRamracha,thiswriter,amongothers, had also advocated for a UG campus in Berbice and Essequibo After initial opposition, the former was established in Port Mourant by President Jagdeo. A UG campusinEssequiboisyettobeestablished.
that there is no fear in Guyana, even when a supposed news outlet is in perpetual anti-governmental fabricationmode.Soindeed, Mr McCoy was right when hetooknoteof“…therecent false assertions made by Reporters Without Borders regarding the state of media freedominGuyanaand(thus he) unequivocally rejected the report in its entirety, as deeply flawed, misleading, and rooted in outdated and unsupportedassumptions.”
Editor, let me comment briefly on what is termed ‘Judicial Harassment’ since the RSF and the GPA (Guyana Press Association) have highlighted the use of m
lawsuits,suchasaGYD600 million suit against ‘journalist’ Leroy Smith, that they describe as a “chilling”tactic.
Face facts, since ‘fact finding’is the essence here. If Leroy has ever been ‘qualified’ as a journalistic or academic, he knows that he must corroborate his utterances. Then how about in mid-2016, when then Minister of State, Joseph Harmon slapped Kaieteur News with a letter for its coverage of stories relating to his China trip and role in the matter between the Guyana Revenue Authority and the BaiShanLin. The newspaper was given a 24hour ultimatum within
which it had to apologise, offer a retraction of the stories,payastipulatedsum toanidentifiedorganisation, orfacealibelsuit. I can go on and on interminably, but suffice to say,Guyana,evenifahostile debateunfolds,remainsfearfree when issues unfold, amidst even when the most propagandistic ‘supposed’ pursueroftruthisatwork,as in the case of another quasi journalist,TravisChase.
Travis Chase was most cordially accommodated by Attorney General, Anil Nandlall, when the People’s Progressive Party/C was in opposition. This was during the ‘attempted stealing’ of (Continuedonpage16)
DearEditor,
Oursixtiethindependenceanniversaryis just a few weeks away I am very sad that what was the first independence monument to observe this momentous milestone in our country’shistoryislefttoruin.
I refer to the Independence Arch on Brickdam. I ask myself so often how can thoseinauthorityletthishappen.ThisArch, an Independence gift in 1966 (made from aluminum I believe) from the Demerara Bauxite Company to the people of Guyana, belefttoruin.Thelightshaven’tworkedfor manyyearsnowandwhatisworse,vagrants
havetakenupresidencethere.Allaroundthe base of theArch can be seen looking like a garbagedump.Nooneinauthorityseemsto haveanyinterestinthebeautificationofthis area.Myappealisforurgentattentiontothis significantindependencemonumentnotonly fortheMay26thanniversarybutpermanent maintenanceofit.Nicelyplanted,keptclean, no vagrants and maintenance of the special lightingofthethreearches,whicharemeant to represent – Demerara, Essequibo and Berbice.
Regards FrancisCanzius
Frompage5
Venezuelan aggression, the margin for miscalculation is narrowing Reckless rhetoric, even when cloaked in symbolism, carriesconsequences.
Rodríguez’s attempt to reassert Venezuela’s claim while simultaneously engaging the international community on more cooperative terms reveals a contradictionattheheartofCaracas’current posture. One cannot speak the language of diplomacy while performing acts of quiet annexation whether through maps, legislation,orsymbolicdisplay
Guyana, for its part, must remain steady but unyielding. The strength of its position lies not in spectacle, but in law The ICJ process is the appropriate arena for resolution, and every effort must be made to ensure that it is respected, untainted by politicaltheatricsorregionalambiguity
CARICOM must move beyond statements of support and ensure that its platforms are not exploited even inadvertently—to advance a member state’s territorialclaimagainstanother Neutrality,in this context, risks being interpreted as tolerance.
Thelinemustbeclearlydrawn.
Becauseifabroochtodayisdismissedas a harmless expression, tomorrow it becomes a precedent. And in territorial disputes, precedent—no matter how small—can be dangerouslyconsequential.
Essequibo is not a symbol. It is not a narrative to be reshaped. And it is certainly not an accessory to be worn on the lapel of geopoliticalambition.
ItisGuyana’ssovereignterritory
Andnoamountoftheatrecanchangethat.
Sincerely
Some critics argued that Indian Arrival should not be celebrated but memorialised because of the exploitation, abuse, and trauma that Indians suffered during indentureship (1838-1920). One should not celebrate the enslavement of the indentured Indians.
Contrary to what others believe, contemporaryIndiansarenotcelebratingthe nearslavelikeconditionsoftheirpioneering ancestors but their ability to overcome serious hardship and racism and of their immense contributions to the society The indenturedIndiansaredeservingofaholiday torecognisetheirsurvivalagainstadversity, their achievements, and their contributions tothenation.
Yourstruly, VishnuBisram
ButGuyanacannotstandaloneinthis.
Frompage5 sustainable wood furniture thatGuyanahastooffer One of the key steps to enabling thesector’ssuccessisforthe government to aid in the certification of sustainable w o o d f u r n i t u r e manufacturers. Currently, the FSC (Forest Stewardship Council)
certification is well recognisedinthesustainable furniture industry and
HemduttKumar
provides added credibility for manufacturers using responsiblysourcedwood.
CRG recommends using this approach to elevate and grow our nation’s luxury wood furniture sector It aligns with our ecotourism strategy, our premium plus rum sector, and will bolster and reinforce our brand recognitioninthehospitality andtourismsector
Whenforeigndignitaries
visitourcountry,theyshould find themselves easily immersedinanenvironment thatshowcasestheluxurywe havetoofferinthefurniture sector
An opportunity which every administration should beabletoleverageforfuture business agreements that willhelpthesectorgrowfor generationstocome.
Bestregards, Mr.JamilChanglee
C a n a d i a n g o l d exploration company
Lighthouse Gold Corp
which is focused on advancing high-potential assetsinGuyana,hasmoved from acquisition to active explorationatitsAuroraNW gold project located in RegionSeven.
The company confirmed thatithaslauncheditsphase one exploration programme at theAurora project, which consists of four prospecting permitstotalling4,799acres in the Cuyuni–Mazaruni district.
TheAuroraNWproperty is located within the Cuyuni greenstonebeltoftheGuiana Shield, an area considered prospective for gold mineralisation It lies approximately three kilometres from the Aurora Gold Mine concessions and aboutsevenkilometresfrom the Aurora mine itself, the largest active gold mine in Guyana,whichisownedand operated by Chinese statecompany Zijin Mining GroupCorporation.
Lighthouse cautioned that mineralisation on adjacent properties is not necessarily indicative of mineralisation on Aurora NWproperty
In February this year, Lighthouse entered into a definitive option agreement to acquire 100% interest in the Aurora project, comprising of associated mineral rights, permits and claims. The deal includes US$100,000 in cash paymentsandtheissuanceof twomillioncommonshares, alongside a Net Smelter Royalty(NSR)tiedtoannual productionlevels,asdefined under the Guyanese Mining Act and its applicable regulations. The company also retains the option to repurchase that royalty for US$500,000.
Since finalising the agreement,thecompanyhas been preparing the ground for exploration, including assembling a local operational team and logistical support to execute fieldactivities.
Lighthouse is now executing Phase I of the exploration programme designed to rapidly generate
drill targets The drill programme is aimed at identifying mineralised corridors and generating drill-ready targets Work includesthecompilationand reinterpretation of historical data, geological mapping, structural analysis, and geochemical sampling through rock, stream, and soilsurveys.
Initial trenching and drilling are expected later in the exploration season, depending on results. The company said the approach is designed to be costefficientwhileallowingitto make technically informed decisions during the option period.
The company is also evaluating potential additionalacquisitionsinthe surrounding area to consolidate prospective ground within the fertile Guyanesegreenstonebelt.
LighthouseinterimChief Executive Officer (CEO) Will Rascan noted, “Our priority is simple: determine whether structural controls and key lithologies from Aurora extend onto our groundanddefinetargetswe candrillthisseason.”
Further, the company recently announced the appointment of Guyanese geologistReshudMcLennan as Exploration Manager McLennan was part of the discovery team at Reunion Gold’s Oko West Project, one of the more significant recent gold finds in the region, and has previously led exploration programmes for other operators in Guyana.
The company said his experience in drill programme execution, structural interpretation, and advancing projects from earlyexplorationtoresource definition would be key as Aurora NW moves toward potentialdrilling.
Lighthouse Gold was formerlynamedAlerioGold Corp. as of December 2025. UponitsarrivalinJune2021, Alerio Gold entered into a deal with Goldeneye, to purchase two of the three gold fields first; the Tassawinni and the Harpy gold projects, located in CuyuniMazaruni.
It would not be unusual for it to be discovered that students sitting CSEC and CAPE examinations are using Artificial Intelligence (AI) to complete their School Based Assessments (SBAs). Technology is now a normal part of students' lives. Many students have access to smartphones, computers, and the internet. AItoolsarebecomingeasier touse.
They can generate essays, summaries, and answersinseconds.Because of this, it is reasonable to expectthatsomestudentsare using these tools to assist withtheirSBAs.
This is not just
s p e c u l a t i o n O n e government official has already admitted that students are usingAI in this way whether or not educators want to say so. Thatadmissiongivesweight to the concern. Students often look for ways to improve their grades and reduce their workload. AI offers both It can help students produce work that appears polished and well structured However, this raises serious questions
about fairness and authenticity
Itiswellknownthatonce astudentperformsverywell on their SBAs, they are almost guaranteed a passing grade. The SBA component carries significant weight in the final score. A student who earns high marks in their SBAs would have to perform disastrously in the final written examination to
actuallyfailthesubject.This meansthatSBAscanheavily influencethefinaloutcome.
Because of this, students are under strong pressure to do well in their SBAs. They mayseekhelpfromteachers, parents,ortutors.Now,they mayalsoturntoAItools.The problemisthatwhenoutside assistance becomes too significant, it becomes difficult to measure the student's true ability If a student submits work that is partlycreatedbyAI,thenthe grade awarded may not reflect the student's own knowledgeorskills.
This creates uncertainty abouttheeffectivenessofthe examination system
Examinations are supposed to measure what students have learned. They should reflect individual effort and understanding. However, if SBAs can be heavily influenced by outside help, thentheymaynotbereliable indicators of student performance The line between genuine work and assisted work becomes blurred.
TheuseofAImakesthis problem even more serious. AI can produce responses that sound intelligent and well developed Teachers mayfinditdifficulttodetect whetherapieceofworkwas created by a student or generatedbyamachine.This makes it harder to ensure fairnessacrossthesystem.
Asaresult,wecannotbe fully confident that SBAs and final examinations togetherprovideanaccurate measureofstudentability If
a large portion of a student's grade comes from work that may not be entirely their own, then the final result may be misleading. This underminesthecredibilityof the entire assessment process.
Given these concerns, the Caribbean Examinations Council should seriously considerabolishingtheSBA c o m p o n e n t o f i t s examinations Written examinations could serve as a more controlled and fair method of assessment Exams are completed under supervision. This removes the chances of outside assistance. It ensures that each student is tested based ontheirownknowledgeand skills.
There is another strong reasontoconsiderremoving SBAs,evenifAIwerenotan issue. The number of SBAs that students are required to complete is often very high. Students may have to complete SBAs for several subjects at the same time. EachSBArequiresresearch, writing, and preparation This creates a heavy workload.
This workload can place students under tremendous physical and mental pressure Many students spend long hours trying to complete their assignments. Theymaysacrificesleepand rest in order to meet deadlines. This can lead to stress, fatigue, and anxiety In some cases, it can even affecttheirhealth.
Education should not come at the cost of a child's
DemboyssehGuyananowgotaspecial kindofmathematics—onewherefourdoes equaltwo.Andifyoudon'tbelieveit,tekalil drivedownAubreyBarkerRoad.
Now leh we be fair Government cut ribbon,smilewide,andtelleverybodyhow dembuildabig,shinyfour-laneroad.Plenty speeches, plenty cameras, and plenty big talkaboutdevelopment.
The road even stretch out nice-nice and link up to the Ogle-Eccles bypass. Is progress,demboysseh.Realprogress.
Buthereiswherethecomedystart.
Soonastheribbondonecutandthelast photograph take, the road transform like magic. Not into six lanes, not into highway standard—nosir Itturnrightbackintotwo lanes. Because the other two? Dem get convert into parking space faster than you couldsay“billionsofdollars.”
OnesidegotcarsparkuplikeisaSunday lime. Other side got some – not all –business people decide that the road frontage is for their customers. If you lookingfuhalanetoactuallydrive,yougot tonegotiatelikeyouinamarket.
well-being. Students need time to rest, to think, and to truly understand what they are learning. When they are overwhelmed with assignments, their ability to learn may actually decrease. They may focus more on finishing tasks than on understandingthematerial. ThepressurefromSBAs can also reduce the time available for exam preparation. Students may
feel stretched in too many directions. This can affect their overall performance. Instead of supporting learning, the system may be creatingunnecessarystrain.
Dem boys seh is the only place where traffic jam does happen on a brand-new four-lane road with the same ease as a villagedam.
Now leh we reason. If you building a four-lane road and then allow business to spring up right on the edge without proper parking, what you expectgon happen?You thinkpeoplegonparkinthesky?Ormaybe hoverlikehelicopter?
Government build four lanes, but planningbuilttwo.Thatistherealequation.
Demboyssehnextprojectmightaswell bea“two-laneroadwithambition,”because thatiswhatthisoneturnouttobe.
Alljokesasidethough,somebodygotto explain how you spend big money fuh expansion,onlytoenduprightbackwhere youstart.
Because if every four-lane road gon becomeaparkinglot,thenGuyanamightbe the first country to invent reversible development.
Andthat,demboysseh,isprogress—in reversegear Talkhalf.Leffhalf.
Intheinterestofstudents' healthandfairness,itmaybe better to simplify the assessment system. Written examinations, while not perfect, offer a clearer measure of individual performance They are conducted under the same conditions for all students. Thishelpstoensurefairness andconsistency
(The views expressed in this article are those of the a u t h o r a n d d o n o t necessarily reflect the opinionsofthisnewspaper.)
A living standard -what is that animal? What does a livable income in Guyana look like? Whatdoesitallow? HowdoGuyanese manage?
Ibeginwiththisbasicdefinition:alivable income is what affords sufficient food daily, with enough left for nonfood bills. To minimise, there’s this concession: no allowanceforsavings.
ThetableIlayforGuyanesetoday,onthis day for existing and retired workers, is simple,straightforward. Onedailymealonly for a family of two children, two adults. It doesn’tgetmoredown-to-earth,moremicro thanthis.
Rice–apintandahalf —— ($300)
Oil–aquarterpint————($200)
Chicken–apound——— ($600)
Kero–apint——————($300)
Bora–twobundles——— ($1000)
Tomatopaste-acan———($100)
TotalforONEMEAL=$2500.
Note what’s excluded: salt, cooking gas ($5000 a cylinder -not enough money), onion, garlic, other seasonings. Bland and barebones, and the total is $2500 for a maximum of one meal daily in oil-rich Guyana. GuyanawiththemostrobustGDP universally Now for some points on what tens of thousands of Guyanese exist on as a livablewage. Permitanaside.
Awhile back, Prof. Clive Thomas wrote thattheGuyana’sthenminimumwagemeant that local recipients were eating less
nutritionally than plantation slaves during their nightmarish era of captivity With pricesforbasicfooditemsinbreakoutmodes today, less has to be bought, leading to a probably worse situation (even much less nutritionally)thanslavesforGuyaneseatthe bottom of pay scales. State benefits count separately
Next,anon-NISseniorcitizenpensioner receives$46,000monthlyfromtheState. At $3000 (rounded up) for one daily meal, or $90,000 a month, how do public pensioners survive?
With no other income, it’s a miracle that many haven’t starved to death, more homeless. Abiggermiracleisreachingnext month’spensiondate. Adisabilityrecipient gets$25,000monthly,sohisorherfamilyhas resources for one daily meal for almost two weeks.
What after that, with two weeks in the monthstillahead? Theplightofthedisabled (physical, otherwise) often makes them unemployable or underemployed. They struggle with $25000 monthly, are stranded aftermidmonth,hangbyathreadthereafter.
Then,thereistheminimumwageworker at $60,147 (private sector) close to three years. Heorshecanaffordonedaily$2500 meal for their family, and it’s over Money finished. Real people. Real circumstances. Realtorturedexistence. Now comparehow wageandsalaryupsideswork.
When public servants receive an 8% or
10% raise, it’s inclusive. A junior clerk, worker, collects around $10,000 more monthly But a minister’s increase approaches $100,000. The disparity is the realityofvastlydifferentpaylevels. Itisalso evidenceofwhohasitgood,andwhodoesn’t knowwheretheyaregoingday-to-day
Probably hundreds of thousands of Guyanese workers would gladly accept a minister’spackageofmonthlyallowancesin lieuoftheirwages.
Few are the workers who wouldn’t exchange their $60,000 - $100,000 pittance for a minister’s $200,000 allowances alone. AreflectiononLabourDayofwhocanafford to celebrate, and who lives in a state of perpetual crisis. Shortages. No solutions. Neithertop-upnorbackfill.
Considering pensioners, single-income workers, single earner families, minimum wage workers, citizens with challenges, the dollars they receive are distressing. Food prices are distressing. Then there are those other searing distresses, about which I still haven’t said one word. Shelter. Clothing.
Medicines Fruits and vegetables Transportation. Light bill. Water bill. Communicationsbills.
And that big, old granddaddy - the rent bill. Food alone has already swallowed all incoming monies, with not a cent left for ordinariesandemergencies. FoodatanOle MotherHubbardcupboardlevel. Thisishow many Guyanese live. Living provisions. Living conditions. Life’s inspirations, deteriorations.
Last Friday was Labour Day here. It should be every day in Guyana. To expose, emphasize, how the richest citizens globally manage with life’s demands and degradations.
(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflecttheopinionsofthisnewspaper.)
Commissioner of Police Clifton Hicken saidseriouscrimeinGuyanahasdeclinedby 10 per cent, with significant reductions recordedacrossmajoroffencecategories,as the Guyana Police Force (GPF) intensifies intelligence-ledoperationsnationwide.
Speaking on Sunday’s episode of Police Round-up, Hicken said murders have decreasedby18percent,rapeby49percent, and break-and-enter and larceny by 15 per cent.
Robberyhasalsoseenareduction,while law enforcement has removed 51 illegal firearmsfromcirculation.
Thegainscomeamidacoordinatedpush across multiple divisions, combining targeted investigations, increased patrols, andrapidresponsestrategies.
TheCommissionersaidtheseeffortsare being guided by a strategic plan aimed at sustaining reductions in crime and improvingoverallpublicsafety
A major driver behind the improved outcomesistheexpandeduseoftechnology, particularlycommandcentresequippedwith surveillancesystems.
These have enhanced the Force’s ability to detect and respond to criminal activity in real time, including robbery prevention in Georgetown through live camera monitoring.
“Forthosepersonswhoareinclinedtodo the wrong thing, the cameras will find you. Wearegoingtofindyou,andyou’regoingto
becharged,andyou’regoingtogobeforethe court,”theCommissioneraffirmed.
Theinitiativeispartofabroadernational shift from a “safe city” model to a “safe country” approach, with plans to establish commandcentresinallregions.
Community partnership also remains central to the force’s strategy The Top Cop highlighted the decentralisation of the community relations department, placing officers directly within communities to strengthen trust and improve information sharing.
Additional outreach is being supported through sports development programmes aimedatengagingyoungpeople.
Commissioner Hicken underscored that public cooperation continues to play a critical role in crime prevention,notingthattimely reporting of suspicious activity has helped to disrupt criminal acts and support investigations.
The Commissioner of Police said the combined focus on intelligence, technology, and community engagementispositioningthe Force to achieve even greater reductions in crime in the comingmonths.
Minister of Agriculture and Chairman of the CARICOM Agriculture Ministers Task Force, ZulfikarMustapha,hascalled for stronger regional collaboration and decisive actiontotransformCaribbean agriculture, as he delivered remarks as the guest speaker attheopeningoftheNational Agriculture and Trade Show 2026inBelize
In his address, Minister Mustapha spoke directly to the role agriculture plays in the lives of Caribbean people, grounding his message in the everyday realitiesoffarmersandrural communities. He stressed that farmers must be recognised as central to the region’sdevelopment.
Atthesametime,hewas clear about the challenges ahead.Hepointedtoclimate variability, rising input costs, global supply chain disruptions, and increasing competition as real and growing pressures on the sector,addingthatstructural issuessuchaslimitedarable land, gaps in financing, praedial larceny, and transportation constraints continue to affect productivity across the region.
Minister Mustapha, however, said that even though there were challenges, there were also opportunities to modernise thesector
“Within these challenges lies tremendous opportunity to modernise our production s y s t e m s , e m b r a c e technology,strengthenvalueadded industries, and build a more resilient and foodsecureCaribbean,”hesaid
He reaffirmed the region’s commitment to the CARICOM food security agenda, which aims to
“We must reposition agriculture as a modern, profitable, and rewarding career path,” he said, pointing to the need for greater investment in education,entrepreneurship, and access to land and financing.
On the issue of climate change, Minister Mustapha notedthatCaribbeanfarmers remain on the frontlines and require continued support Building resilience, he said, will depend on sustained
investment in adaptation strategies, disaster risk management,andsustainable landandwateruse
“Agriculture is not an isolated sector It is deeply interconnected with trade, health, tourism, and overall economic development. A stronger agricultural sector means improved food security, reduced import dependence, greater economicstability,andmore resilient communities,” he said.
reduce the regional food importbillby25percentand buildamoreself-reliantand sustainable agricultural system According to Minister Mustapha, the region is already seeing encouraging progress, with countrieslikeBelizeplaying aleadingrole.
He highlighted Belize’s efforts under the expanded “25 by 2025 +5” initiative, n o t i n g i t s s t r o n g performance and ambitious targets for food import replacement. Investments in key commodities and supportforsmallfarmers,he said, are helping to reshape the country’s agricultural l a n d s c a p e w h i l e contributing to regional goals.
Minister Mustapha also po
G
Understanding focused on areas such as climate-smart a
ock development, fisheries, and technologytransfer
“Each of our countries has unique strengths. By aligning these strengths, we can build a more efficient and balanced regional food system. Our approach is not one of competition; it is one of complementarity,” he explained.
He outlined key priorities for the region, including modernising
production systems, expanding agro-processing
and value addition, removing barriers to intraregional trade, and embracing innovation and digitaltechnologies.Healso underscored the importance of bringing young people intothesector
Minister of Agriculture Zulfikar Mustapha addressing the opening of the National Agriculture and Trade Show 2026 in Belize.
Wayne Vieira on the ground in Tassawini
ByKhadidjaBa
Reports have surfaced that mining activities have officially resumed within the Chinese Landing area, allegedly bypassing established protocols for communityengagement.
Speaking to Kaieteur News, Chinese Landing Toshao Nikita Miller confirmed that operations havebeenactiveforapproximately one month. However, the village leadership maintains that the operators failed to present themselves to the community or seek formal recognition before accessingthelands.BothMinisters ofAmerindianAffairs and Natural Resources have not responded to requestsforcomments.
While the specific identities of the individual miners remain unclear to the Village Council, the Toshao pointed to a direct connection with the Vieira estate. “We don’t know exactly who are the individual miners, but Vieira knew about these operations,” the Toshaostated.
Accordingtothevillageleader, StephenVieira, acting as power of attorney for Wayne Vieira, is currently on the ground managing the worksites. The resumption of mining follows a recent visit by Wayne Vieira, who reportedly arrivedviatheTassawiniairstripon March20.Itisallegedthatthevisit was intended to secure local supportfortheongoingworks.
Reports indicate that Vieira sought signatures for a proposed labour agreement The Toshao notedthatwhilenineresidentsand two non-residents reportedly signed the document, the broader community remains concerned about the lack of official consultation with the village administration.
The legal battle for Chinese Landing remains mired in
procedural delays. As of May 9, 2024,theCourtofAppealisyetto make a decision regarding the community’s claims. The Toshao noted that a previous case was thrown out by the High Court without a hearing, leaving the villageinastateofprolongedlegal limbo while mining activities continue on their titled lands. The community has expressed deep frustration, noting that they were “shut out” of past proceedings between the GGMC and Vieira, with no arguments made to the court regarding their constitutionally protected land rights.
The IACHR resolution provides a chilling itemisation of the systemic dangers confronting the Carib community, moving beyond general village-wide threats to document specific, harrowingincidents.
These accounts serve as the primary evidence for the claim of “serious and urgent risk,” highlighting a pattern of targeted aggression For instance, the documentation notes that in 2018, SelwynMillerandhisfamilywere reportedly forced from their home underdirectthreatbyofficersfrom the Tactical Services Unit and the mine’sgeneralmanager
This atmosphere of intimidation is further exacerbated by reported physical assaults and invasive security measures In August 2021, a 19-year-old was allegedlyslappedandpursuedbya minesecurityofficerarmedwithan iron, while numerous other residents have reported being subjectedtounjustifiedsearchesat gunpointbybothpoliceandmining personnel. These escalations often involve lethal displays of force; in one documented case, a manager allegedly fired six warning shots over a villager’s head to forcibly remove them from a mining
concession,illustratingtheextreme lengths used to assert control over thearea.
The government’s “factfinding” mission in August 2023 was met with sharp criticism from the Village Council. Leading the team was MP Alister Charlie, but the Council noted the conspicuous
absence of the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs, the body constitutionally mandated to representindigenousinterests.
Village leaders described the mission as a “delaying tactic”.
During the meetings, GGMC officers reportedly claimed they could not issue new Cease Work
Orders because they did not “physically see” the miners operating,despitethecommunity’s insistencethatminerssimplypause theirworkwhengovernmentteams arrive. The Council countered this by citing Section 98 of the Mining Regulations,whichallowsofficers Continued on page 16
There are a number of indicators that the resource curse has taken root in Guyana with democracy and accountability decaying rapidly in the country, accordingtoattorneyandchartered accountant,ChristopherRam.
In his column published on Sunday by Kaieteur News, the advocate for good governance pointed to the collapse in functioning of institutions and bodies geared towards improving oversight,especiallyatatimewhen oilrevenuesandpublicexpenditure balloon.
The columnist anchored his argument on the failure of this government to properly convene
parliament, which has only met on threeoccasionsforbusiness.
“The 13th Parliament of Guyana, elected on 1st September 2025, has held three business sessions in eight months.And that figure is generous. It includes the budget and two formalities,” Ram said.
Consequently, the lawyer pointedoutthatthe13thParliament has transacted one piece of real legislative business since the country went to the polls in September2025,thelowestlevelof parliamentary activity in Guyana since1966.
According to the columnist, “PresidentAli, in his second term,
hasmadehistoryofakindnohead of government should want. The slide is dangerous-for democracy, foraccountability,andforeveryone exceptthepresidenthimself.”
Inrapidlydevelopingcountries like Guyana, Ram pointed to two phenomena that often occurs - the Dutch disease and the resource curse.
While he believes that the Dutch disease has been contained, Ramarguedthattheresourcecurse hasbefallenthisnation.
The resource curse, commonly referredtoastheparadoxofplenty, occurs in countries with abundant non-renewable natural resources suchasoil,gasandminerals.They
experience lower economic growth,lessdemocracy,andworse development outcomes than countries with fewer resources. It often causes authoritarianism, corruption, conflict, and economic volatilityincountries.
Between the gap of visible macroeconomic stability and invisible institutional decay, Ram told readers, “The resource curse hastakenroot.”
He explained, “The evidence sits in the National Assembly.
Chartered Accountant and Attorney, Christopher Ram
Shifting his attention to President Irfaan Ali, the lawyer argued that the Head-of-State has effecti
deliberative function of the legislature at the precise moment when oil revenues and public expenditureareaccelerating,and
Successive Parliaments since Independence have, in the eight months following each general election,satmanytimesmorethan theThirteenth–byfactorsranging up to six times. Even during our most constrained transitions, post1992 and post-1997, the National Assemblymetseveraltimesmore.”
Continued on page 16
ByKhadijahBa
The PPP/C led government, which boasts about its record with freedom of information and openness with the free press, maintains a culture of silence as pressure mounts over the destruction of Fort Zeelandia to accommodate Independence Day celebration.
While the administration preparestoraiseaflaginthename
of sovereignty, the very foundations of Guyana’s history are being bulldozed into the Essequibo. There is a deafening silence from the Ministry of Culture Youth and Sport, led by Charles Ramson Jr, as heavy machinery uproots 25-year-old mangroves and smother 18thcentury masonry in river sand, a celebration that critics argue looks more like a state-sanctioned demolition of national patrimony Despite repeated inquiries
regarding the environmental and structuralimpactofongoingworks at Fort Island, authorities have remainedtight-lippedashistorians, heritage advocates, and political leaders decry what they term the “wanton, reckless and perversely idiotic desecration” of one of Guyana’s oldest national monuments.
ThecontroversycentersonFort Zeelandia, a 1749 Dutch fortification and gazetted national monument. In preparation for the 60th Independence Flag-Raising ceremony, heavy machinery has been deployed to the small EssequiboRiverisland,resultingin the removal of decades-old mangroves and the dumping of riversandoverancientramparts.
The Guyana Heritage Society, ledbypatronMajorGeneralJoseph G.Singh(Ret’d),issuedablistering press release expressing “extremelydeepconcern”overthe site preparation “It is with
extremely deep concern that the Guyana Heritage Society learnt of the recent cutting of protective mangrovesandbulldozing,aswell as preparation for helicopters to land,aroundthefragile1749siteof Fort Zeelandia the practical ramifications and dangers of holdingsuchaneventonanoldand fragile historic site seem to have been overlooked.” The Society questioned whether any experts or the National Trust were consulted before the bulldozers arrived, notingthat“bettermoneylostthan thefort.”
Noted academic and heritage preservation expert Dr Allyson Stoll took to social media to document what she describes as “government-sponsored destruction.” Stoll highlighted that the fort, built by the hands of enslaved artisans known as Winkels, is being subjected to pressuresits277-year-oldmasonry wasneverdesignedtowithstand.
“The 25-year old green protective riverside mangrove barrierisdecimated,riversandhas been dumped and spread by bulldozer across the earthen ramparts Today, it has been completely desecrated by ignorant jackasses with bulldozers. This is NOTpreservation.This is wanton, reckless and perversely idiotic desecration of a national monument.”
Stoll further warned of the technical dangers of the current works: “Ifsandusedforbackfillis heavierandmoresaturatedthanthe surrounding earth, it can exert greater lateral (sideways) pressure onabrickwall,potentiallycausing ittolean,crack,orcollapse.”
The leader of the opposition, Azruddin Mohamed, joined the chorusofcondemnationfollowinga recent visit to the site, accusing the administration of prioritising “optics” over national patrimony “PresidentAliwantstohostthe60th
Independence Flag-Raising here but today, it is facing its greatest threat: a government that values a photo-op more than our national heritage You cannot celebrate our ‘DiamondJubilee’bydestroyingthe verysoilthatholdsourhistory” Mohamed noted that the National Trust Act strictly forbids the disturbance of national monuments,adding,“Idon’tknow whoadvisesthepresidentwithsuch grandiosity of nonsense, but as leader of the opposition, I want to humbly suggest that the PPP administration reconsider the venue.”
Under the National Trust Act 20:03, any person who “disturbs, removes,undermines,defacesorin any manner damages” a national monument without written permission faces legal penalties. Critics argue the State is currently actingindirectcontraventionofits ownlaws.
Continued on page 16
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From page 14 majorfiscalcommitmentsare being announced by executivedeclaration. While the Standing Orders provide for about a dozen committees in the National Assembly, none have been appointed to date as Parliament has not properly convened, according to him.
To this end, the lawyer said, “There is no accountability or democracy in any sense.
This is not an oversight. It is by presidential design. Even those bodies that exist are dysfunctional.”
Ram pointed out that Constitutional Reform Commission has been silent and theCommissionerofInformationremainsinplace“because a do-nothing post is what the President seems comfortable with”.
Additionally, the Chartered Accountant explained that the Public Accounts Committee,chairedbyamember of the main Opposition, has not been appointed and cannot meet.
As such, the body is unable to examine years ofAuditorGeneralreportscovering public expenditure in the range US$4 billion to US$5 billionbetween2020and2025.
It is also unable to examine whether the current Auditor Generalisbeyondthelegally permissibleagefortheoffice, Ramadded.
Causing deeper worry is a structural problem at the apexofthepublicfinancesystem.
The lawyer pointed out, “The Office of the Auditor Generalisconstitutionallyrequired to audit every ministry, department and government-owned or controlled entity,includingtheMinistry of Finance. It is a matter of public knowledge that there is spousal overlap. The conflict is not theoretical. It is structural,permanent,anddeliberate.”
The situation is compoundedbyboardsacrossthe stake stacked with “yes-men and yes-women under carefully choreographed chairs” according to the lawyer Ram said, “None of this wouldbesustainablewithout external acquiescence. It has been granted in full.
TheBritishandtheCanadians, vocal monitors of Guyana’s electoral standards only months ago, have convenientlyforgottentheruling party’s abuse of State resources to secure President Ali his second term. The
From page 12 to halt work whenever it appears “absolutely necessary” for public peace or the protection of private persons. The conflict has also sparked a war of words between the government and the AmerindianPeoplesAssociation (APA). The Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance(MPAG)accused theAPAof being “disingenuous” and “divisive”.
In a public statement, the government challenged the APA’s transparency, citing overUS$5millioninfunding theassociationreceivedfrom the Land Tenure Facility between2019and2026.
The government further alleged that the APA attemptedtosuspendGuyana’s carbon credit payments, a claim theAPAdenies, stating they only advocate for the
Aracari Hotel Renovated rooms,A/C,TV,Restaurant, Bar,Pool,Gym.Stay7nights, 1FREE!Call:264-2946.
Americanshavegonefurther
TheUnitedStatesAmbassadorispubliclypressingthe country to abandon its decades-oldrelationshipswith Cuba and China, while a representative of that same government refers to Guyana as occupying America’s backyard.”
The lawyer argued that where Western capitals and domestic professionals once raisedinstitutionalstandards, they now have other priorities with oil, gold, forestry and money far better choices than democracy
Ram explained, “To confirm the resource curse, the president goes solo – speakingoneverytopicandforevery minister. His advisory Cabinet has been reduced to anaudienceofconvenience.”
The lawyer opined that policy is announced before Cabinet gives approval. To this end he warned, “This is how the resource curse arrives – whether in Hungary or in some poorly led countries.
Not by leaps, but by gradual steps. Until one day, you wake up and it’s gone.”
The PPP/C’s broken promises of...
From page 14
APNU’sMP,NimaFlue-Bess,inareflectivepieceonthecrisis, posed a fundamental question to the nation: “Fort Zeelandiadeservesmorethantobeabackdropforceremony, it deserves protection, respect, and careful stewardship. In the end, the question remains: will we safeguard our history forfuturegenerations,orwillweallowittobegraduallyeroded in the name of progress?”
Asthe“cultureofsilence”fromofficialgovernmentchannels continues, the mangroves remain cleared, the sand remainspiledagainsttheancientbrickwork,andthecountdown to the 60th Anniversary proceeds, on a foundation that expertsfeariscrumbling.
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sections, Music & food.W.B.D.Call:264-29469.
respect of Indigenous rights and land titling. The APA maintains that it has supported Chinese Landing for decades,especiallywhenthe community was pressured into“poorminingdeals”that others ignored.
The IACHR reaffirmed that“survival”forthepeople of Chinese Landing signifies muchmorethanphysicalexistence. It encompasses the ability to “preserve, protect and guarantee the special relationship” the community has with its territory
From page 6 the 2020 Guyana Elections. Hewentwiththeexpresspurpose of defending the then Granger Administration, and being obsessed with his loyalty and pursuit, he was not attuned to the reality that the matter was beyond his kenthe happenings, legal procedures, etc. and thus, was schooledbythenowAG,Anil Nandlall who exposed Chased, who apparently is immune to embarrassment. Hence the AG did a number of him via his superior intellect, general acumen, economyofwordsandtaking the issues into the recondite and abstruse. Chase, after being debunked, was left in a state of mesmeric stupor Shocked am I that RSF
speaks to the likes of Chase and Smith. By the way, Kaieteur News has an outstanding record of ‘backing down’ and ‘apologies.’ So, without rehashing the Minister’s eloquent and ‘crystal clear’ response and his debunking of the latest report, I too call on RSF to ‘cleanup’andensurethat“… analyses are balanced, factbased, and reflective of current realities, rather than shaped by selective narratives that do not withstand scrutiny.”Guyanadoesstand firm in its commitment to a free, independent, and responsible media. PPP/C is leading the way and this will continue to be its mantra.
Yours truly, Raymond Anderson
In a searing critique of the country's current trajectory, former Prime Minister and Mayor Hamilton Green has warned that the dreams of independence are being dismantled by a leadership that lacks the "gravitas" to protect the nation's vast naturalwealth.
Speaking on the state of the nation 60 years after independence with journalist Antonio Dey, the veteran statesman described the current economic landscape as a "direct contradiction" of the aspirations held by the founding fathers At the heart of his concern is the managementofthecountry's burgeoning oil and gold sectors, which he claims are being exploited by foreign interests while citizens receive a "small slice of the cake,ifnotcrumbsfromthe table."
Green expressed particular alarm over the extraction of gold and oil,
suggesting that the current pace of extraction serves foreign operators more than future generations of Guyanese.
"Weareallowingforeign people to extract our minerals or oil," Green stated "I contended that instead of giving out these massive gold reserves to foreigners...weshouldleave that gold. Gold don't rust."
Invoking the words of former Trinidadian Prime MinisterEricWilliams,who famously noted that "oil don't spoil," Green argued for a strategic slowdown.
"Leave it for the younger generation to develop the technology and resources to harvest that gold for the benefitofourdescendants."
He also raised concerns regardingoversight,alleging alackoftransparencyinthe declaration of minerals.
"There's no evidence that when they declare 50 ounces, it is not 50 hundred ounces," he remarked, describing the situation as a
"scandal" and a "disgrace."
The former mayor did not mince words regarding the relationship between the central government and the city of Georgetown He
attempts to take control of municipal streets and functions as a philosophical echo of history's most notoriousautocrats.
"It is a disease, a belief, an attitude that carries all of the world's dictators, Mussolini,Hitler,Stalin,that they need to control their capital and the main centers of human activity," Green said.
He accused the administration of "starving" the city of funds to justify a takeover, describing the strategy as throwing a man overboard with his hands tied and then jumping in to "save" him for the sake of publicoptics.
Recalling his own tenure, Green detailed how previous initiatives, such as
a proposed city lottery to raise funds and the creation of a trained "warden corps" to maintain the city, were allegedly dismantled or coopted by the Central Government.
"Every initiative it took to give the city agency was rebuffed," Green noted, reacting to the President's recent assertions about managing Georgetown. "I suspect we wanted to work contracts with friends and
put more money in the basket that is not filling, in spite of the billions we get everyday."
Despite his grim assessment of current governance, Green remains optimistic about the potential of the Guyanese people, provided there is a return to the motto of "One People, One Nation, One Destiny."
He pointed to the legacy of Forbes Burnham, whom
he noted introduced free educationfromkindergarten to university without the benefit of oil wealth. Green arguedthattoday'sresources should be used to build "human infrastructure" rather than just "nice contractsforfriends."
"With fewer than a million people, there's no reason why Guyanese could not be the happiest and the richestpeopleonthisearth," Greensaid.
"We are truly blessed... no floods, no hurricanes, no earthquakes Our only inhibition is governance." Green called for a return to the political cooperation once attempted by Burnham and Jagan to work out the "modalities of what nationhood ought to be." "If we stand tall as a united people, we can face the vulgarities of life," he concluded. "We can tell those who come to plunder our resources that we want not a small size, but a big sliceofthiscakewehave.”
Police in Regional Divisions #4 'A' and 'C'successfullyremovedtwoillegalfirearms from the streets in separate operations conductedonSaturdayevening,May2,2026. Theseoperationsresultedinthearrestofthree menwhocurrentlyremaininpolicecustody At approximately 18:30hrs, ranks patrolling theBeterverwagtingPublicRoadintercepted a 30-year-old motorcyclist from the SparendaamSquattingArea.
Although his documentation was valid, theman,whoclaimedtobeasecurityofficer, informed police that a firearm was in the possession of a colleague at a nearby business. Ranks escorted the man to the location, where they encountered a 34-yearoldsecurityofficer
BeterverwagtingPoliceStation.
Later that night, at approximately 20:00hrs, a mobile patrol in Georgetown acted on intelligence regarding a man armed attheintersectionofRegentandLightStreets. Upon being intercepted, the suspect, a 26year-old Venezuelan national, reportedly attempted to draw an object from his waistband.
Officersquicklydisarmedtheindividual, recoveringa.38revolver Aninspectionofthe weapon revealed five spent shells in the chamber
The suspect admitted he did not have a valid licence and was escorted to the AlberttownPoliceStation.Investigationsinto both matters are ongoing, with authorities workingtodetermineifthespentshellsfrom theGeorgetownarrestarelinkedtoanyrecent reportsofgunfireinthecapital.
Thesecondsuspectledofficerstoafenced areaonthepremises,retrievinga9mmTaurus pistol and a magazine containing ten live rounds hidden under lumber and a tarpaulin. Neithermencouldproduceasecurityprecept or a firearm licence. Both were arrested and
Police in Regional Division#9haveinitiatedan investigation following the discovery of a quantity of suspected cannabis during an operation in Surama Village,NorthRupununi,on Saturday evening The exercise, which was conducted at approximately 19:00hrs on May 2, 2026, led to the apprehension of a 20-year-old resident of the area According to police reports, ranks acting on intelligence intercepted the young man and conducted a search of his person and a side bag, which he was carrying at the time. During the search, officers discovered 17 transparent Ziploc plastic bags containing a quantity of seeds, leaves, and stems suspected to be cannabis concealedwithinthebag.
The suspect was immediately arrested and escorted to theAnnai Police Station. In his presence, the illicit substance was
Police Find 34 Grams of Suspected Cannabis during Operation at Surama, North
weighed, amounting to a total of 34 grams The suspected narcotics have since been lodged as evidence pending further legalaction.
The suspect remains in police custody as investigators continue their inquiriesintothematter No charges have been officially laidatthistime.
(Reuters) - OPEC+ agreed on Sunday a modest oil output hike for June, an increase that will remain largely on paper as long as the Iran war continues to disrupt Gulf oil supplies through the Strait of Hormuz.
Seven OPEC+ countries will raise oil output targets by188,000barrelsperdayin June, the third consecutive monthly increase, OPEC+ said in a statement after an onlinemeeting.Theincrease isthesameasthatagreedfor May minus the share of the UnitedArabEmirates,which onMay1.
The move is designed to show the group is ready to raise supplies once the war stops and signals that OPEC+ispressingonwitha business-as-usual approach despite the departure of the UAE from OPEC+, OPEC+ sourcesandanalystssaid.
“OPEC+ is sending a
two-layer message to the market: continuity despite the UAE's exit, and control despite limited physical impact,"saidJorgeLeon,an analystatRystadandformer OPECofficial.
“While output is increasing on paper, the real impact on physical supply remains very limited given the Strait of Hormuz
constraints.Thisislessabout adding barrels and more about signaling that OPEC+ stillcallstheshots.”
Top OPEC+ producer SaudiArabia'squotawillrise to10.291millionbpdinJune under the agreement, far aboveactualproduction.The kingdom reported actual production of 7.76 million bpdtoinMarch.
Thesevenmemberswho met on Sunday were Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Kuwait, Algeria, Kazakhstan, Russia, and Oman. With the UAE leaving, OPEC+ includes 21 members including Iran. But in recent years only the seven nations plus the UAE have been involved in monthly productiondecisions.
HIKEREMAINS LARGELYSYMBOLIC UNTILHORMUZREOPENS
The Iran war, which began on February 28, and the resulting closure of the Hormuz strait have throttled exports from OPEC+ members SaudiArabia, Iraq and Kuwait, as well as from theUAE.Beforetheconflict,
these producers were the only countries in the group abletoraiseproduction.
Even when shipping throughtheStraitofHormuz reopens, it will take several weeks if not months for flows to normalise, oil executivesfromtheGulfand globaloiltradershavesaid.
The supply disruption has propelled oil prices to a four-year high above $125 per barrel as analysts begin topredictwidespreadjetfuel shortages in one to two monthsandaspikeinglobal inflation.
Crudeoiloutputfromall OPEC+ members averaged 35.06 million bpd in March, down 7.70 million bpd from February, OPEC said in a report last month, with Iraq andSaudiArabiamakingthe biggest cuts due to constrainedexports.
The seven OPEC+ members will meet again on June7,thestatementsaid.
(AL-JAZEERA) Iran's government spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei says the United States has responded to its 14-point plan to find a permanent end to the war, and that it is reviewing that response.
According to Iranian media reports, Tehran's new proposalcameinresponseto a Washington-backed ninepoint peace proposal, which primarily sought a twomonthceasefire.
However, in its latest peace proposal, Iran said it wantstofocusonendingthe warinsteadofextendingthe truce and wants all issues resolvedwithin30days.
The new proposal calls forguaranteesagainstfuture attacks, a withdrawal of US forces from around Iran, the release of frozen Iranian assets worth billions of dollars and the lifting of sanctions, war reparations, ending all hostilities, includinginLebanon,and“a new mechanism for the StraitofHormuz”.
Iran, which was also attackedbytheUSandIsrael last June, wants a guarantee against future aggression Israel has previously targeted Iranian nuclear scientistsandruncampaigns tosabotageitsnuclearsites.
Tehran also wants its right to uranium enrichment guaranteed as a signatory to the Non-Proliferation of NuclearWeapons(NPT),but Trumphasmadethenuclear
issuea“redline”.Iranwants decades of sanctions, which havedevastateditseconomy, to be lifted as part of any deal.Thenavigationthrough the strait and demands for war reparations are other stickingpointsinthetalks.
According to a report by Iranian state broadcaster IRIB, after delivering the proposal, Deputy Foreign M i n i s t e r K a z e m Gharibabadi said, “Now the ball is in the United States' court to choose the path of d i p l o m a c y o r t h e
continuation of a confrontationalapproach.”
Paul Musgrave, an associate professor of government at Georgetown UniversityinQatar,saidIran
has “slightly softened” its proposal.
“The news reports on it indicate that there is a slight softening in the proposal, or ratherarun-uptodiscussing theproposal,namelythatthe Iranian side may have given up its precondition that the USceaseitsdistantblockade ofIraniantraffic[intheStrait of Hormuz],” he told Al Jazeera.
“Beyond that, though, a lot of the things that are reportedly in the proposal include maintaining Iran's sovereign ability to enrich uranium, its nuclear programme and, of course, whatitdelicatelyreferstoas a 'control mechanism' over shipping in the Strait of
Musgrave said on the two biggest issues –enrichment of uranium and transferring its highly enriched uranium – the US andIranremain“farapart”.
“President Trump has been unyielding that Iran must surrender its nuclear capability,”hesaid.
Iranian officials have been speaking about the 14point plan to make a clear stance.
They said that “we are, rightnow,focusingonlyand exclusively on ending the waronallfronts.”
Also, they have cut speculation about any negotiations or any points about more difficult points,
suchasthenuclearfile.
EsmaeilBaghaei,instate media, made it clear that there are two conditions right now – [that] “we are focusing on ending the war, but it's time-framed and redefined for how this 14point plan is going to be implemented within 30 days.”
He also cut out speculationaboutadeadline or an ultimatum when it comes to negotiating with the United States, and he said, 'We will not negotiate under pressure, we will not negotiate under deadline', but these 30 days are about howtoreachadealorhowto implementadealwithinthis timeframe.
The diplomatic push comes amid a fragile threeweek truce that has put a pause on the US-Israel war on Iran, which began in late February
Despitetheceasefire,the Islamic Revolutionary GuardCorps(IRGC)saidon Saturday that it remains on “fullstandby”forareturnto hostilities, citing the US's lack of commitment to previoustreaties.
Tensions have been further stoked by Trump's recentcharacterisationofthe USnavalblockadeasa“very profitablebusiness”.
Tehran's Ministry of ForeignAffairsseizedonthe remarks, labelling them a “damning admission of piracy”.
The impasse is further complicated by technical obstacles to reopening the Strait of Hormuz, including the presence of Iranian sea mines, and a growing rift with NATO allies following Trump's decision to withdraw 5,000 US troops fromGermany FederalReserveBankof Minneapolis President Neel Kashkari warned that the longerthewarcontinues,the greater the risks of higher inflation and economic damage.
Kashkari told US media that he was “very focused” ontheIranwaranditsimpact on inflation and economic demand amid the ongoing closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
With the risks and the uncertaintyaboutallaspects of the war continuing, Kashkari said the Fed may evenhavetoraiserates.
“I don't feel comfortable signallingthataratecutisin the cards. You know, we mightbeinworsescenarios, wemighthavetogotheother direction,”hesaid.
“ItalkedtotheCEOofa g l o b a l c o m p a n y headquartered in Minnesota that has supply chains all around the world just last week, and they have estimated that even if the strait reopened today, it probably takes six months for their supply chains to return to something like normal,”Kashkarisaid.
Saint Stanislaus College claimed the girls title in the NationalSportsCommission, MinistryofCulture,Youth& Sport 11th edition Janet & Cheddi Jagan Windball Cricket champion trophy, Georgetown zone organised by Sport OfficerA. Munroe, attheNationalGymnasium.
In the girls final, which liveduptoexpectation,Saint Roses High School won the tossandchosetobatinanight whichsawthesupportofalot of parents and supporters which were very vocal, they made 63-2, with Tanuja Singh 25 not out. Natalya Stoll took 1-4 and Kishana Thorn 1-6 bowling for Saint
StanislausCollege.
StStanislausinreplywon the game off 4.4 overs, with Deondra Benjamin left unbeaten on 30, Evagelina Singh not out 22, Darshini Lallbeharry was caught for 10.ReyaSookrajtookforthe losers1-10.
Gratitude is extended to the Parents, students, schools, officials of ASTP Francina Green, Clavon
Monchoir and most important the NSC MCYS for once again giving this opportunity in allowing the Guyaneseyouthtoshowcase theirskills.
Meanwhile,intheCheddi Jaganboys:Anewchampion will be crowned after
Monday May 04, 2026
ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19
A number of visitors could come to your home today, Aries, and a number of fascinating subjects could comeupinthecourseofyour conversation.
TAURUS(Apr.20–May20)
Some short trips in your neighborhood and contact with neighbors or visitors to your community could bring some interestinginformation yourway,Taurus.
GEMINI(May21–June20)
Today might be largely devoted to household tasks, Gemini Itisn'texactlythemost glamorous assignment, but you take a certain pleasure in attending to daily necessities
CANCER(June21–July22)
Spiritual and intellectual mattersmaybeverymuchon your mind, Cancer A lot of ideas could have come your way, although until now they maynothavebeenveryfocused
LEO(July23–Aug.22)
Although your mind may have been a bit clouded over the past few days, today the fog should clear and you'll feelmorefocused.
VIRGO(Aug.23–Sept.22)
Stimulation that you could receive today from group activitiesmightopendoorsto a wealth of rich experiences, Virgo Yourinnateorganizing talents may be called upon Discussionswithothers
LIBRA(Sept.23–Oct.22)
Un c e r t a i n t y a b o u t professionalmatterscanlead toanincreaseddetermination to get ahead, Libra, despite confusionastohowtodoitexactly
SCORPIO(Oct.23–Nov.21)
The opportunity to travel, perhaps with friends or a group you belong to, could comeyourwaytoday,Scorpio Discussions with others could lead to the confirmation of practicalarrangements
SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21)
Anincreasedfocus,clarityof mind, and sense of concentration could lead to successincareermattersand inc
Sagittarius.
CAPRI(Dec.22–Jan.19)
Invitations to attend social events, perhaps business r
, c
uld bring surprisingresults,Capricorn. You might meet more than one person who shares some ofyourinterests.
AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18)
Whileyoumaynothavebeen feeling quite your usual self over the past day or two, Aquarius,todayyou'relikelytobe feeling mentally and physically strongerandmorefocused
PISCES(Feb.19–Mar.20)
A date with a significant other could bring up discussions about plans for thefuture,Pisces.Talkcould run the gamut of all your concerns.
defending champions Saint Roses High School failed to reachthefinal.
Roses won the toss and invited Brickdam Secondary totakefirststrike,theymade 89-2, with Garren Newton 48, Prosper Jacobus 26. JorrynPaynetook2-10.
Saint Roses turn in the middletheywererestrictedto 32-1, with Zeeshawn Mahdeo 18 and Derick Hing 12leftnotout.
BrickdamSecondarywill now await the results between Houston Secondary & Saint Stanislaus College that game is under protest. Thefinalswillnowbeplayed onMay5.
Today,MondayMay4th, action moves to Region 6 Corentyne at the John Port Mourant Community Centre Groundfrom9am.
TuesdayMay5thRegion 4 at the Gymnasium from 10am.
Frompage24
trophy for his outstanding bowling performance, while Persaud was chosen as the best-batterandskipperTrevis Simon for being the bestfielder after taking two pulsating catches Both players collected a trophy eachfortheireffort.
Meanwhile, Guyanese boys, who are making their maiden trip to Trinidad and Tobago,willbebackinaction on Saturday (2026-05-02) to clash with Transbrokerage X1 in Couva in another T20 fixture.
They will then wrap-up their tour on Monday at the famous Brian Lara Cricket Academy ground where they are set meet up with Cosmos CricketClub.
The highly successful relationship between the Rose Hall Town Youth and SportsClubandtheNational MillingCompanyofGuyana [NAMILCO] was renewed for the seventh consecutive year on Wednesday last. The renewal was done at the company head office in A
presentationwasattendedby Club Secretary Hilbert Foster, Cricket Manager Robby Kissoonlall and cricketers Matthew Pottaya, Nicholas Cameron and Leon Reddy Kissoonlallstatedthatthe milling company in 2019 cameonboardastheofficial sponsor of the club first division team and later on adopted the under 23 team. TheRoseHallTownNamilco Thunderbolt Flour over the years has won over a dozen titles, while the under 23 are the current defending championsforthatagegroup intheancientcounty Thelast
Cricket
titlewonbythefirstdivision teamwastheBCBTwoDays Tournamentearlierthisyear Kissoonlallstatedthatthe teamshaveproducedtwotest
sponsorship in Kevin
Anderson while others like Junior Sinclair, Sylus
Pestano, Jeremy Sandia, Matthew Pottaya, Jayden
Mckenzie,RamzanKoobeer, Sohil Mckenzie and Reon Reddy have represented Guyana at different levels over the last seven years. Additionally, a total of thirty six players have played for Berbice during the same periodatalllevels. Reddy was recently namedthebestbowlerforthe CWI bilateral under16
tournament versus Barbados while Ganpat won a similar award at the under13 level against the same opposition. The cricket manager disclosed that the Rose Hall Town Namilco Thunderbolt Flour under 23 team would
be led by Jonathan Rampersaud with Matthew Pottaya as his deputy Veteran former national player Clinton Pestano would lead the first division
Georgetown champions of Guinness 'Greatest of the Streets', Leopold St. collects their prize.
teamwithRampersaudashis deputy ThestrongRoseHall Town team in 2026 would i n c l u d e P e s t a n o , Rampersaud, Eon Hooper, Jason Sinclair, Keith Simpson, Anderson, Kevin Sinclair, Junior Sinclair, Javed Kar
Bharrat, Junior Babb, Tyndall, Jayden Ganpat and KeonSinclairamongothers.
Club Secretary Hilbert Foster stated that the two teams would continue to uphold their high standards on and off the cricket field.
The long serving cricket administrator noted that since its formation in 1990, the club has won a total of 132crickettournamentsatall levels and has produced 133 Berbice players, seventy six
for Guyana while ten have gone on to play at the international level. He also disclosed that the two teams under the sponsorship over the next twelve months would undertake close to
communityprogrammes.
They would include the
Mothers, Tribute to Fathers, Annual Cricket Academy, Grade Six Summer Camp, Basil Butcher Trust Fund, ChristmasVillage,Christmas Charity Project and Tribute to Medical personnel. The former Berbice Cricket Board President also stated that the team would be conducting a wide series of coaching clinics for its (Continuedonpage23)
Nathan Persaud receives his trophy.
Leopold St. beat Bent St. to be crowned Georgetown champions of Guinness
Leopold Street stamped their authority on the Georgetown leg of the Guinness 'Greatest of the Streets' tournament on Friday, steam rolling BentStreet'B'4-1inadominantdisplay to claim the title and a berth in the upcomingNationalChampionship.
Before a capacity crowd at the Cultural Centre tarmac, Leopold Street's experience proved the difference. While the atmosphere was electric and Bent Street entered the match with high hopes, they were ultimatelyunabletocounterthetactical disciplineandclinicalfinishingoftheir opponents. Leopold Street's championship run was defined by a relentless, militant defence and a shooting accuracy that consistently left the opposition, and their supporters stunned. By the final whistle, the 4-1 scoreline served as a clear testament to their superiority, earning the victors a cool $1 million cash prize and a spot in the National Championship,slatedforMay8.
Earlierintheevening,theundercard matches provided high drama. In the Platefinal,GoldisMoneyandFestival City battled to a 1-1 deadlock in regulation time, with Festival City eventually prevailing 5-4 in a tense penalty shootout to claim the honours and a $200,000 prize, leaving the fourth-placedfinisherswith$100,000.
For Bent Street, the result was a bitter pill, but their efforts throughout the tournament were rewarded with $400,000fortheirsecond-placefinish.
With the Georgetown zone now concluded, the focus shifts to the National Championship on May 8, where Leopold Street will face off against the top regional squads for the nationalcrown.
Reliance Hustlers Sports Club began their three-match tourofTrinidadandTobagowithanexhilarating,1-runwin onFridayagainsthost-teamMunroeSportsClub.
The Essequibo Coast-based team is in the twin-island republicfortwoT20sanda30-overgame.
After winning the toss and opted to take first knock, Reliance Hustlers reached a challenging 123-7 at the expirationofthe20-overs.
Thehome-teamwasalloutfor123inexactly20-overs.
Jason,onlynamegiven,hitatop-scoreof30forMunroe SportsClubasright-armseamerMarkGonsalvesgrabbed211fromhismaximumfourovers.Hewasablysupportedby another medium-pacer and former Guyana youth player Rovin Parasram who took 2-15 off two tidy overs.Earlier, Hustlers struggled for momentum after wickets kept falling regularly However,ex-GuyanayouthplayerNathanPersaud helpedstabilizethingswithasolid30,aninningscomprised of two fours and a six.Gonsalves proved his all-round capabilitybyhittingauseful19notout.Gonsalvesreceiveda (Continuedonpage23)
ARMCO C.E.O Armand Ramdial hands over sponsorship to DR. Cecil Beharry, B.C.B President in the presence of Angela Haniff, Rosaline Haniff and Anand Ramdial.
board
under the leadership of DR. Cecil Beharry on Friday, May 1st launched anintermediate40overstournamentat the Area 'H' ground with the sponsorship support from ARMCO Construction Company Chief Executive Officer of the ARMCO, MR.ArmandRamdialhandedoverthe sponsorship cheque to DR. Beharry after a short official ceremony in the presence of Balram Samaroo, Junior Selection Chairman and Angela Haniff,BCBAdministrator
DR.BeharrystatedthattheBerbice Cricket Board was very pleased to obtain the sponsorship fromARMCO Construction Company as part of its cricket developmental programme for 2026. The intermediate tournament is the second highest level in Berbice after first division and Beharry announced that a total of about forty teamsareexpectedtoparticipateinthe ARMCO Construction Company 40 overstournament.
AmongtheteamswouldbeAlbion, Port Mourant, Rose Hall Town Pepsi, Tucker Park, Rose Hall Canje, Cotton Tree Die Hard, Mt. Sinai, Edinburgh, Skeldon, Achievers, Bush Lot Sports
The BCB President stated that his administration intends to organize cricket at all levels in 2026 with sponsorshipbeingobtainedforseveral tournaments at the Under 13, 14, 15, 17, 19, 21 and 23 levels along with a female 40 overs and two at the first divisionlevels.
Beharry also disclosed that his board is also seeking to obtain sponsorship for school cricketers for both male and female at the Under 19 level. Special emphasis would also be placed in the Berbice Riverain area while several cricketing development programmes would also be hosted duringtheyear
Oneofthemainemphasiswouldbe the re-printing of several hundreds of the BCB historic Coaching Manual whichwasfirstpublishedin2022.The manuals would be distributed free of costtoyouthplayersacrossthecounty
TheBCB,DR.Beharryhopes,will hostitsannualcricketacademyduring the August holidays for dozens of youth cricketers across the county
ChairmanoftheBCBJuniorSelection Committee, Balram Samaroo, hailed the importance of the tournament and
wouldworkhardtomakeitasuccess. He called on cricketers to take advantageofthedifferenttournaments organized by the BCB to showcase theirindividualcricketingtalent.
MR.ArmandRamdialstatedthatit was a privilege to sponsor the tournament as he wants the youth playerstohaveanavenuetofollowin the footsteps of Rohan Kanhai, John Trim, Basil Butcher and Alvin Kallicharran.
He also announced that next year, he was willing to sponsor a first division tournament in addition to the intermediateone.
Among the exciting talents expected to participate in the tournament are Adrian Hetmyer, Richard Ramdeholl, Rafel McKenzie, Tameshwar Deonandan, Vishal Williams, Nathaneal Ramsammy, Feeaz Baksh, Justin Doobay and JaydenGanpat.
TheArmcoConstructionCompany islocatedatLot6B,KildonanVillage and was founded in 2017 by Armand Ramdial. The company is involved in the construction of roads, bridges and buildings.
Frompage27
Youth Games in 2026, we are witnessing the continuation of greatness. Lindenhasalwaysproduced champions.Ourlegendslaid the foundation across every sport imaginable and today our athletes carry the same flameburningwithpassion, pride and determination.As we celebrate 56 years as a town, we celebrate our athletes who embody the futureofLinden.”
Member of Parliament SharmaSolomonremarked: “We are grateful that we have the facilities that can
movethesportandathletics to a different direction. but a s t h e s c h o o l s ' championship are no longer inter division and inter regional,Iwanttomakethis point quite clear, that every secondary school in this country, must have their own facility, so we can really develop the sport and athleticsineveryschool…It is our individuals, our people, our boys, our girls ourathletes,whohavedone Linden proud, and have placed Linden on the map and as commemorate 56 years, it was only fitting for
the Mayor and Town
C o u n c i l a n d a l s o Department of Education and us all in Linden, to commemorate 56 years Lindenasatown.”
District Education Officer (Secondary), with responsibility for sports in the region, Ms Dawn McCammon-Barkertoldthe youths: “You have carried the torch of excellence, and through your efforts, you continuetolighttheoathfor others to follow Your commitment ensures that opportunities like this continuetothrive.”
They came and conquered last year, that's President's College, but returned with the heart of a championtoholdtheirnerves toemergewith69points,and once more push out home team New Silvercity Secondary into second positionwith57points,while Sub-Region Two in Region 10, Kwakwani Secondary, improved from placing fifth lastyeartotakethirdplaceon 44points.
Regional Education
Officer (REDO) Ms. Lashanna Anderson made the point: “You have shown usthatgreatnessisnotjusta dream,itissomethingthatis built, step by step, through perseverance and belief And as you continue your journey, remember that the Olympicstageisnotbeyond yourreach.
What you are doing today is preparing you for tomorrow'sglobalvictories, and know that the Department of Education, Region 10 stands behind youeverystepoftheway.”
The action was the ExxonMobil Guyana Regional Schools Kayaking championship which was once again organised by the Elite Kayaking and Nature Tours led by Dr. Deon Anderson, and held last Friday on the waters of the Demerara River, alongside the Watooka Guest House's Landing where eleven schools tried unsuccessfully to unseat the defending champions President's College.
For starters, President's College began ominously when the pair of Shane Johnson and Chelsea Lyte romped home winners in the Under14 Mixed short distancerace.
Theywouldbefeaturedin other races won by the PC side where Shane Johnson andNaliniLaRosewouldwin the Under16 Mixed short
College.
distance event and Lyte took first in the Under16 Female Singlesrace.
N e w S i l v e r c i t y Secondary for their 5 points had wins in the Male Long distance race with Prince Alexander, Zidane John and Keifer Young being the kayakers as Nadia Williams, Princess Fletchman and Andrella France the combination which won the Female long distance race, while Keifer Young and Andrella France would take honours in the Open Mixed shortdistancerace.
Kwakwani Secondary would have a winner in the Open female singles race when Chelsea Rodney took first position and they tallied 52points.
Leonora Secondary then stepped into fourth position, as Colin Williams won the Male Open Single race, and they accumulated 52 points. They finished ahead of Linden Foundation Secondary and ended in fifth spot even though Chelsea RodneywontheOpenfemale Singlesrace.
The other schools were Mackenzie High on 30 points, Hururu Secondary on 27, Harmony Secondary 21, Christianburg Wismar Secondary 11, Wisburg Secondary two and Queens College still to trouble the scores.
The Classic Ball Blasters (CBB) clinched another commanding victory over the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) as volleyball action continues to gain momentumfollowingsomeintense showdowns this past week at the NationalGymnasium.
The4thgameofthetournament was headlined by a sterling performance from Dua Grant who poweredtheBlasterswith11points and 1 block, showcasing his dominance at the net and inspiring his team's winning, relentless attack and sharp defence which keptthemomentumintheirfavour throughoutthebattle.
MicahChichesteraddedcrucial firepower with 7 points and 1 ace serve, further reinforcing Grant's starperformanceastheywonthree setsontheirwaytovictory
GDF fought hard, led by Alex Fung-Fook who had 7 points with helpfromStephonNorahwhohad 6points,neverthelessshowinggrit anddeterminationinaloss.
Meanwhile, Premier Eagles Volleyball Club also maintained their win streak after handing VanguardVolleyballClubalossby winning 3 sets. Senior player, Ian
commandingperformance,leading with 10 points and an ace serve as histeamexertedtheirdominance.
Meanwhile, the DVF will be hosting their Independence tournament, hosted in partnership
withtheMinistryofCultureYouth & Sports on Saturday May 23; as part of the country's Independence JubileeCelebration.Bothmaleand femalecompetitorswillplayforthe first place prize of GYD $100K: with 4 male and 4 female first division teams set to put on an intense show The finals will be played under a best of 3 format, with action teeing off from 9:00h andissettobringdowncurtainsat 19:00h;followedbyapresentation ceremony
The Rose Hall Town
Pepsi A team on Saturday last defeated theBushLotUnitedClubbyseven wickets to advance to the semifinals of the Berbice Cricket
Ramdewar was trapped LBW by fellownationalUnder16teammate Leon Reddy for eight in the fourth over Afraz Ali joined Hemraj but wassoonsentpackingbythepacy RaffelMckenzie,bowledforoneat
Board Smalta under19 cricket tournament for 2026. The victory markedthe20thtimethattheteam has reached the BCB semifinals at the Under19 level since Pepsi has been sponsoring them since 2004. This year they will be aiming for theirseventhoveralltitle. PlayingattheBushLotUnited Ground in West Berbice, the visitors won the toss and inserted the home team to bat in brilliant sunshine.OpenersLakerajHemraj and Akash Ramdewar added 22 runs in four overs before
22 for 2 in the fifth over National under16allrounderAltazAlijoined Hemrajandtookthescoreto58for 2 in the 11th over before Ali was bowledbynationalleftarmspinner JaydenGanpatfor15.Hemrajwas then stumped by Tameshwar Deonanan for 21[2 x 4] as the visiting team spinners spun webs around the home team batters. None of the remaining batsmen reacheddoublefiguresasBushLot werebowledoutfor74in19overs.
Berbice under19 leg spinner AsifMarimuthootookfourwickets
for nine runs from four impressive overs, while skipper Kumalchand Ramnarace took three wickets for no runs from one over with his off spin Rafeal Mckenzie, Leon ReddyandJaydenGanpattookone wicket apiece for 12, 17 and 10 respectively
Needing to score 75 runs from theirallotted50overstoadvanceto their 20th semifinals under the Pepsi brand, the visitors lost JonathanHicksandRamzamearly to be 20 for 2 in the fourth over Hicks was trappedLBWbyAkash Ramdewar, while Ramzam Koobeerwascaughtintheslipsoff thehardworkingRamdewarforsix to give the home team some hope.
Tameshwar Deonanan joined MatthewPerrieraandtogetherthey added48forthethirdwicketbefore Deonananwasrunfor12at68for3 inthe14thover MatthewPerrierawasunbeaten on a well-played 40 with one six and four boundaries when victory wasachievedinthe15thover Leon Reddy was the other unbeaten batsmanononenotout.Ramdewar wastheonlysuccessfulbowlerfor the home team with 2 for 21 from fourovers.
The Rose Hall Town Pepsi under19 team is sponsored by the DemeraraDistillersLtdsince2004 under the international soft drink brand,Pepsi.
Following what was an annual Torch Run and Victory Walk staged from across at Wismar over the Mackenzie/WismarBridgeto theLindenGeorgetownMini Bus Park to mark the 56th anniversary of Linden becoming a town, a special committee held a ceremony tohonoursomeofthemining town's most promising
s
Compatriot Ebo McNeil, tookanotherBronzeMedalin the South American 1,500m andlastyeartooktheBronze Medal at the CARIFTA Gamesinthe3,000mrace.
Another South American Youth Games teammate Gordon Thompson captured Silver in the 100m South AmericanGames,alongwith Gold Medal in the 4 x 100m relay, and a Bronze Medal in
Dequan Farrell collecting his token from Ms Dawn McCammon Barker.
The awardees and officials on stage at the event.
Wednesday
The activity was incidentally on the day that Linden was named a town, April 29, 1970 and was put togetherbytheLindenMayor and Town Council in
association with the Department of Education, Region10.
Recently crowned record breaking South American Youth Games 200m Gold Medal winner Dequan Farrell, was among those athletes who were recognized.
In the process, Farrell obliterated the previous South American Youth Games 200m record by winning in a time of 21.18s and also copped a Gold Medal in the 4 x 100m relay team and a Bronze Medal in the 4 x 400m relay
the4x400mrelay
The other athletes who were justly given tokens of appreciation were sprinters Tessianna Harris and Angel Jeffrey, middle distance athleteKaidonPersaud,field event specialist Rodell Greene, and high and triple jumperKemalGuishard.
Athletics Coaches Moses Pantlitz of the Christianburg Wismar Secondary School Track Club and Johnny Gravesande of Upper Demerara Track Club were also recognised for their contributions to track and fieldinthetown.
Speakingattheceremony Mayor of Linden Dominic Blair noted, “Today our youths proudly represent us at the CARIFTA Games and the Junior South American (Continuedonpage25)
