Chinese acrobatic troupe to light up Guyana with multiregion tour
Omai Gold Mines 22% increase to 8M ozs contained sends stock to record high
MARAD engages speedboat operators on safety, operating guidelines
Forum on People of African Descent Guyana calls for stronger climate justice, global support at UN
with
Teacher among 4 charged for dangerous driving, other traffic offences
the banks” – Region 5 Councillor urges
The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Friday, April 17 –16:35h-18:05h and Saturday, April 18 – 17:10h–18:40h.
Parika and Supenaam departure times – 05:00h, 10:00h-12:00h, 16:00h, 18:30h daily.
Light to thundery showers expected during the day with sunshine in the late-afternoon hours. Partlycloudy skies are expected at night. Temperatures are expected to range between 23 degrees Celsius and 29 degrees Celsius.
Winds: North-Easterly to East North-Easterly between 3.58 metres and 5.36 metres.
High Tide: 16:42h reaching a maximum height of 2.83 metres.
Low Tide: 10:14h and 22:30h reaching minimum heights of 0.29 metre and 0.43 metre.
“If you’re doing anything illegal, put yourself in order” – Bharrat warns miners …as over 200 mining blocks to be allocated to small operators
s the Guyana Government continues with efforts to crack down on illegal mining activities, Natural Resources Minister, Vickram Bharrat is cautioning miners, especially foreign operators, to ensure they have their affairs in order or face consequences.
“We are dealing with all illegal activities in the mining sector on a zero-tolerance basis... Recently, we seized a number of equipment - excavators, dredges and generators - all that equipment because of illegal mining and we will continue to do that. So, if you’re doing anything illegal, put yourself in order. That’s all I’m asking. We are not here to put anybody out of the sector; we are not there to stop mining. We are not there to take bread out of anybody’s mouth. We are here to ensure that you comply with the laws of our country, that’s all,” the minister told miners during an engagement at the Region One sub-district of Matarkai.
Addressing foreign operators, Bharrat reiterated the government’s zero-tolerance campaign to curb illegal mining, saying “If we have foreigners coming here and do that we will not tolerate it...and I say to anyone here, if you have information, please share it with us.”
The Natural Resources Minister further used the opportunity to urge miners to sell gold through the Guyana Gold Board, which has an office in the Matarkai sub-district, or to legitimate buyers. In fact, with offices in other major mining communities like Bartica and Puruni in Region Seven, Mahdia in Region Eight, and Merudi in Region Nine, Bharrat says the Gold Board has never been more accessible with efforts to further enhance its presence.
“We are starting mobile purchasing by the Guyana Gold Board very soon. So the Guyana Gold Board is accessible and available to min-
ers today more than ever so there is no excuse not to sell your gold legitimately and more particular to the Guyana Gold Board because when you sell to the Guyana Gold Board,there are enough of incentives and benefits that are attached to that.”
Those incentives, the minister explained, ranges from duty free on excavator parts, among other benefits.
Bharrat said there are several incentives for miners who sell their gold to the Guyana Gold Board, noting that sellers receive a legitimate receipt and their production and sales are officially recorded.
He explained, “we have a record of your production and your sales so when you come in at the end of the
year or the starting of a new year to renew your dredge license or your permits, then we will check your declaration,” adding that the system has been in place for some time.
The minister further stated that authorities have taken action against some individuals in the sector.
“As a matter of fact, we have blocked a number of persons from the mining sector especially Brazilians... There is a list at the Lethem crossing that has blacklisted a number of Brazilians from coming into Guyana,” he said.
According to Bharrat, the decision is based on discrepancies in reporting. “Why?
Because they were mining last year and the declaration is zero so if you are mining and your declaration is zero, we are doing you a favour because you are wasting time,” he said.
He also made it clear that miners who fail to declare their production or report low figures risk losing access to permits. “So, we are not going to renew persons or miners’ permits for the dredges if your declaration is low or is nothing at all,” the minister said, noting that several miners have already been unable to renew their permits this year.
Responsible mining & environmental protection
Another area the Natural Resources Minister addressed was responsible mining and priortising environmental protection.
“With gold prices almost a million Guyana dollars an ounce, please look at these other technologies that are
available that are mercury-free and that will increase your recovery rate, thereby your profitability.”
Wednesday’s engagement in Matarkai was to launch a series of the Guyana Government’s lotteries for small miners - an initiative being undertaken by the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) that will see more than 200 mining blocks set to be allocated over the next two weeks. Lotteries for small miners began on Wednesday and will run until April 24 across Regions One, Seven and Eight.
In fact, Minister Bharrat announced that 75 miners from the Matarkai sub-region will benefit from 50acre plots each.
“Further to that, we will have an additional 30-odd small miners from Region One benefiting from land allocation at another lottery next week, Thursday in Matarkai sub-district.
Editor: Tusika Martin
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Apersistent paradox is unfolding within the labour market; widespread complaints of unemployment exist alongside a growing number of unfilled vacancies. This contradiction demands careful examination, particularly as the country experiences rapid economic expansion and structural transformation. Remarks by Parliamentary Affairs and Governance Minister Gail Teixeira, over the weekend, in Bartica bring this issue into sharp focus and underscore the urgency of recalibrating attitudes towards work, training, and opportunity.
At the heart of the matter lies a disconnect between job availability and job uptake. Opportunities are being created across multiple sectors, driven by public investment, private enterprise, and the diversification of the economy. Yet, many of these positions remain vacant, not due to a lack of demand from employers, but because of insufficient applications or reluctance among job seekers to engage with available roles. This gap cannot be ignored, particularly at a time when labour shortages threaten to constrain productivity and slow national development.
The Minister s call for young people to embrace existing opportunities is necessary as the notion that suitable employment must align perfectly with personal preference or long-term ambition has contributed to a narrowing of acceptable entry points into the workforce. Such an outlook is increasingly untenable in a dynamic economy where adaptability, skill acquisition, and experience are essential. Entry-level or transitional roles often serve as critical stepping stones, offering practical exposure and financial independence while laying the foundation for future advancement.
Equally significant is the expansion of training and educational programmes designed to equip citizens with relevant skills. Initiatives such as the Guyana Online Academy of Learning (GOAL) and the Board of Industrial Training (BIT) represent substantial investments in human capital. These programmes provide accessible pathways for upskilling and reskilling, enabling individuals to align their capabilities with emerging industry demands. However, the effectiveness of these initiatives depends not only on their availability but also on the willingness of individuals to participate actively and consistently.
Traditional job definitions, particularly within the public service, are increasingly outdated in the face of technological advancement and sectoral shifts. New industries and roles are emerging at a pace that challenges conventional frameworks. As such, a modern workforce must be prepared to navigate change, acquire new competencies, and adapt to roles that may not have existed just a few years ago. This transformation requires a mindset that values continuous learning and embraces uncertainty as an opportunity rather than a deterrent.
Societal perceptions of certain types of work can influence career choices and limit participation in critical sectors. Technical and vocational fields, for instance, remain essential to infrastructure development and industrial growth, yet often struggle to attract sufficient interest. Addressing this imbalance requires a shift in how such careers are perceived and promoted, ensuring that they are recognised as viable, respectable, and rewarding options.
Importantly, the emphasis on gaining experience cannot be overstated. Early engagement in the workforce fosters discipline, resilience, and practical knowledge that formal education alone cannot provide. It also enhances employability, as employers increasingly value demonstrated competence and adaptability. By contrast, prolonged disengagement from available opportunities can erode skills and diminish long-term prospects.
The Minister s perspective also highlights the role of personal initiative and sacrifice in achieving progress. While systemic support and Government programmes are vital, individual effort remains a decisive factor. The willingness to start in less-thanideal circumstances, to explore unfamiliar fields, and to persist despite setbacks is often what distinguishes those who advance from those who remain stagnant.
Ultimately, the challenge is ensuring that the workforce is prepared, willing, and able to meet the demands of a changing economy. Bridging this gap requires coordinated action from policymakers, educators, employers, and job seekers alike. Greater awareness of available opportunities, improved career guidance, and a cultural shift towards valuing all forms of honest work will be essential components of this effort.
In supporting the call for greater engagement among young people, it becomes clear that the path forward lies in embracing opportunity in its many forms. The current moment presents an unprecedented chance to build skills, gain experience, and contribute meaningfully to national development.
By Tom Harris
It is not yet known why Peter Mandelson failed his security vetting to be Britain’s Ambassador to the United States. It is a standard part of the process that is required for appointments to such sensitive public positions.
But fail it Mandelson did, and the appointment only progressed because someone, somewhere overruled what should have signalled an end to the former Business Secretary’s ambitions.
The Mandelson affair created a crisis in Keir Starmer’s premiership following the Prime Minister’s decision to appoint him to the nation’s most prestigious diplomatic post despite his known close association with the infamous paedophile and late financier Jeffrey Epstein. Mandelson was forced to resign less than a year later when further details of the two men’s friendship became public. Mandelson has since surrendered his membership of the House of Lords and has been removed from the Privy Council.
At the time, Starmer defended his decision to appoint Mandelson, who, he claimed in the House of Commons, had been through “a due diligence” exercise. “And then there was security vetting by the security services,” he told the Commons on February 4 this year. But the Prime Minister failed to inform Members of Parliament (MPs) that Mandelson had failed that vetting. By merely stating that “there was” such a process, the country was being invited to believe that Mandelson had been approved. We were not told that the Foreign Office had invoked a rarely-used power to override the Security Service’s recommendations.
We are being asked to believe, therefore, either that the Prime Minister was unaware of the failure of his nominee to pass security vetting or that he didn’t feel the fact was important enough to report to the Commons. This is a scarcely-credible position to take. Even if Starmer was unaware of Mandelson’s failure to pass muster with the security services, the fact that he subsequently implied to the House – and the country – that Mandelson had been vetted, with the implication that he had passed such vetting, means that he conveyed information that has now been proved wrong. There is solid precedent for Ministers falling on their swords for inadvertently misleading the House, and we do not need to go all the way back to the 1954 Crichel Down affair to find it. When Amber Rudd, the Home Secretary under Theresa May, turned out to have misled the home affairs committee over government targets for the repatriation of illegal immigrants, she resigned, despite the broadly-accepted view that she had not knowingly lied.
In Starmer’s case, the Mandelson controversy has metamorphosed into a crisis entirely thanks to his own poor judgments. He acknowledged publicly that Mandelson’s association with Epstein was known when the decision was taken to appoint him as Ambassador. But even this did not seem, to Starmer, enough to change his mind about the appointment.
The great unanswered question now is: had Starmer known about Mandelson’s failure to pass security vetting, would he have proceeded with the nomination? After all, his (Mandelson’s) admitted friendship with
Epstein, who took his own life while waiting to go on trial for rape and child trafficking, seemed not to be enough to dissuade Starmer from his plans to appoint Mandelson to Washington.
And who took the decision to override the reservations of the security agencies?
Given later revelations that Mandelson, while he was Business Secretary in Gordon Brown’s Government, leaked sensitive market information to Epstein, it’s clear that our security services were the one part of the appointments process that was doing its job. So who overruled them, and what was their justification, other than the fact that Mandelson’s appointment had already been publicly announced (which is no justification at all)?
And is it really credible that an official at the Foreign Office, or even the Foreign Secretary himself (at the time the post was occupied by David Lammy), would have taken such a controversial and sensitive decision without informing the Prime Minister first? Or at least very soon afterwards?
It has also emerged that senior Government officials had been, until the latest revelations, considering whether to withhold from Parliament the fact of Mandelson’s failure to pass security vetting, an act that would have been in breach of the parliamentary motion that mandated the release of all papers relating to Mandelson’s appointment.
Again, is this something that Starmer knew about and did he countenance such a contempt of Parliament?
Or are we to believe that such important decisions are made or considered without the Prime Minister even needing to be informed?
The attempt by Starmer to sprinkle a little New
Labour stardust on his administration by promoting Mandelson to ambassadorial level must have seemed like a good idea at the time. Urged on by his then chiefof-staff, Morgan McSweeney, who was thought to have been Mandelson’s biggest cheerleader in Number 10, Starmer might have hoped to be seen to emulate his most successful predecessor as Labour Prime Minister, Tony Blair.
Instead Starmer has revealed an ineptitude and lack of grip which is rare in government, even in these turbulent times. He has lost not only an ambassador, but his chief of staff and most important adviser. More importantly, he has lost the trust of the public and many of his MPs. Until now, the reluctance of the parliamentary Labour Party to initiate a full-scale leadership election, or at least to send Starmer the message that it is time to go, has been explained by the absence of an obvious successor.
If Starmer cannot produce reasonable and convincing answers to the many questions raised by the latest developments in the Mandelson scandal, there will be no such reticence after polling day in the local and devolved elections. Starmer will have no option but to resign. (The Telegraph)
(Tom Harris is a former Labour MP and transport minister who left the party after 34 years in protest at the anti-Semitism that had been allowed to fester under Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership. After he lost his seat at the 2015 general election, Tom founded Third Avenue Public Affairs Ltd as well as returned to journalism, in which capacity he had originally worked before entering Parliament)
Two new recreational parks at Bush Lot and Waterloo Bath, West Coast Berbice, Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice), are set to be commissioned today under the First Lady’s National Beautification Programme.
“This is a significant milestone in Region Five… just the cusp of what Her Excellency will be doing in the region,” Phillips said, adding that such investments are critical to shaping the country’s future.
He stressed that providing recreational opportunities for young people remains essential to their growth and development.
Region Five Chairman Ricardo Phillips described the initiative as a major step forward for the region, noting that it reflects a growing focus on youth development and community enhancement.
“Children must have fun, they must have recreational activities during their development,” he noted, adding that the initiative will enhance their self-esteem and ability to interact positively with their peers.
Phillips further linked the development to broader national efforts under President Irfaan Ali, emphasising that the focus on youth is central to the country’s long-term progress.
“Under His Excellency, we have been investing significantly in the future of Guyana, which is our children,” he said.
The newly constructed facilities feature modern playground equipment, including slides, tunnels and climbing structures, complemented by brightly coloured safety flooring designed to reduce injuries. The parks also include gazebos, seating areas with concrete benches
“If you’re doing anything illegal...
So this week and next week alone, we will be allocating over 110 plots or mining concessions to small miners, Guyanese miners because one of the main criteria for being eligible for this lottery is that you must be Guyanese.”
“Our people are interested”
Additionally, Bharrat indicated that this particular lottery is limited to Guyanese who have never had any mining concession, claims or blocks. “We have attracted 128 applications for today’s [Thursday] activity. It shows that our people are interested and you want to get into the sector... And I’m further happy to say that I was advised by the staff that majority if not all of the 128 applicants are from Region One.”
In the same breath, he explained that any miner who fails to strike gold on their land will have the option to relinquish the property and be allocated a new one.
“When you sign the agreement you would see that part of the agreement states that if you go and prospect the property or if you go on the property in other words and there is no real sign of mineralization, you come back to GGMC andyou relinquish.
FROM PAGE 3
and picnic-style tables, and open spaces that encourage both active play and relaxation. A canteen area has also been incorporated to provide refreshments for visitors, enhancing the parks’ appeal as family-friendly environments.
Regional Councillor Tanuja Singh said the parks are expected to serve as more than just recreational spaces, describing them as important social assets for communities across the region.
“This play park will be a social hub, a community builder and a health booster for families and children,” Singh said, noting that the facilities will provide a space for residents to unwind and connect.
“After a hard day of work, you can go and unwind… relax and bond with members
of your community,” she added, describing the initiative as a welcome addition to Region Five.
Meanwhile, Regional Councillor Cindy Sealy emphasised the importance of creating safe environments where children can freely engage and interact.
“The play parks will be safe spaces where children can relax, have a great time and just be kids,” she said, noting that such spaces are essential for positive social development.
She added that there is already a push within local communities to expand similar projects.
“We have highlighted across Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDCs) the need for more of these safe spaces in Region Five,” Sealy stated.
Invested nearly $2 billion
Meanwhile, also there during the recent engagement at Matarkai was Housing Minister Collin Croal, who revealed that the Government has invested nearly $2 billion in enhancing communities near
You give up that plot of land and they now will allocate you another plot of 50 acres or if you are working the land and you are satisfied that you work out the land and that there is no more gold here to mine anymore, then you come back to GGMC again and you say to them that they’ve worked out this land I’m ready to relinquish it, and I’m seeking an alternative and they will give you... So, the intention is to keep those 75 persons in mining one way or the other.”
the Mathews Ridge township, including the upgrade of roads and the airstrip to improve access for residents, including miners.
Croal also called for miners to grow their own food and stop taking up space on aircraft flying into the region.
“One of the areas that we want to see much more happening, and you as miners should be interested in this, is the expansion of agriculture. We need to do much more on this front because every time, those of you who have camps...have basic vegetables coming on the plane which can be grown right here,” he noted.
According to Croal, one community in the Region
One sub-district, Minab, has already expanded its agriculture programme and is now a supplier in the region - something which the miners can also do.
“They’re helping to supply the school feeding programme. And so we want to see much more in this regard. We don’t really want to see basic things that can be grown here are coming on the plane. So, that’s an area we have to work collectively on...and as leaders we have to encourages, whether its shade house programmes etc.,” Croal stated.
Given that B ={even numbers from 3 to 1 0}.
1. Which of the statements below is correct?
2. Which of the following pairs of sets below are equivalent?
(A) {Even numbers between 8 and 20} and {Odd numbers between 9 and 20}
(B) {Odd numbers between 9 and 20} and {Composite numbers from 10 to 20}
(C) {Odd numbers between 9 and 20} and {Prime numbers between 10 and 20}
(D) {Composite numbers from 10 to 20} and {Prime numbers between 10 and 20}
3. What number completes the number pattern below?
4. Which of the following statements are true about the diagram?
CStep 1: Remove top of the ornament and place upright in the cup holder.
I. It has 3 curves and 6 straight lines.
II. The number of curves is 2 times the number of straight lines.
Ill. The number of straight lines is 2 times the number of curves.
(A) I and II only
(B) I and Ill only
(C) II and Ill only (D) I, II and Ill
5. A piece of wire of length 140 cm, was cut into 2 pieces in the ratio 8:6. The shorter piece was bent to form a square. What is the length of the square?
(A) 8cm
(B) 14cm
(C) 15cm
(D) 60cm
6. (i) Find the area of the shape below.
(ii)
Step 4: Pick up ornament and rotate to coat the sides.
Step 5: Repeat Steps 2-4 with different paint colours to create marbleised effects.
Step 6: Set ornament upside down in cup to allow excess paint to drip out. Dry overnight.
Step 7: Create the basket of the hot air balloon by sticking four toothpicks firmly into a cork.
Step 8: Replace top of the ornament. Place ornament upside-down on top of the
Step 9: Place hot air balloon in front of a window to create a suncatching effect! (Adapted from crayola.com)
On my last day, we came back after a late lunch, the stone pavers of the promenade cutting a straight line between rows of midcentury glass condos, until a misjudged wall blocked the vista above the sea, unless you knew to enter the unassuming stairwell to the left, as you did, pressing your hand into my back as we rose to that spot you had shown me years before: the breakers beyond the wall, the cliff formations on either side, the sea folded into a Fibonacci shell of green scarab and lapis lazuli, the sun descending to its midsummer curtain of centered fire. It was there you told me the news—and the waves fell away, and a panel of scabbed concrete rose in their place, partly rendered in gray spray paint over red graffito and black graffito, a languid palimpsest whose translation into human meaning I would never complete. I had crumpled to the steps, and the world had bleared, and you granted me a reckoning with what others would learn a year later, after you’d gone, and then you raised me up to look at the sea again, sunset now, and nothing jeweled, just a stanched bleeding of revenant light, but I understood, and leaned against you, and knew the wisdom of the beetling waves and the lucid way you stood dry-eyed beside me in my tears, motioning to something falling from the sky.
(Source: Poetry [April 2026])
Regulatory officials are urging affected persons to file official reports with the Guyana Police Force or retain legal representation after Caripay Inc, a financial company that was offering payment services through the Be! Payment (Be!) platform, has now apparently closed operations, leaving customers without any refunds.
In February 2025, Be! Payment, which had described itself as a Bank of Guyana-licenced payment service provider, had rolled out a service that saw dozens of automated teller machines (ATMs) being set up across the country, allowing holders of a specially-issued card to have a convenient way of accessing cash.
It was reported at the time that the ATMs will be placed in heavily-trafficked locations such as supermar-
kets, malls, gas stations, hospitals, and police stations. Be! was responsible for replenishing the cash in the ATMs, which were compatible with cards belonging to international networks of Amex, Visa, MasterCard, PIX and UPI.
However, customers are now complaining that they cannot access their money deposited into their account with Be! Payment, which operated under Caripay Inc.
Guyana Times reached out to several senior government officials, and at least one banking official, who advised that the Bank of Guyana be contacted on the issue. Efforts by this newspaper to get a comment from the Governor of the Bank of Guyana, Dr Gobind Ganga, who is currently overseas alongside Senior Minister with Responsibility for Finance Dr Ashni Singh on official business, were fu-
tile.
Nevertheless, these officials have advised that individuals affected by the discontinuation of services by Caripay Inc should file formal police reports to initiate an investigation into the matter.
Not issuing any refunds
Meanwhile, Demerara Bank Limited has since distanced itself from the controversy surrounding the issue, informing customers that the bank is not issuing refunds on behalf of the company.
This publication understands that the principal of Caripay had an account with Demerara Bank, and persons have been turning up in hopes of recovering their money deposited into Be! Payment.
In a notice on Wednesday, Demerara Bank clarified
that those ties with Caripay have been terminated.
“Demerara Bank Limited is not issuing any refunds on behalf of, or in connection with, Caripay Inc., and has received no instructions or directives from Caripay Inc or any regulatory authority to do so. Further, the Bank confirms that its relationship with Caripay Inc. was terminated in January 2026,” the bank noted.
It went on to add, however, “That relationship was strictly between Caripay Inc and Demerara Bank Limited, and did not extend to, nor create any relationship with, customers or users of Caripay Inc’s services... Demerara Bank Limited remains committed to maintaining transparency and to ensuring that accurate information is provided to the public.”
To this end, the Bank is urging persons to contact
Caripay Inc directly in relation to any queries or requests for refunds.
Bbased on information reaching this newspaper, no one has been able to contact the company or its representatives. It is unclear at this time how many customers are affected by the discontinuation of the payment service and the amount of money lost by customers. When this newspaper contacted the company’s public relations officer, she informed that she is no longer employed with Caripay Inc.
Guyana reiterated its call for stronger international action on climate justice, equitable health governance, and greater representation of affected communities in global decision-making at the Fifth Session of the Permanent Forum on People of African Descent.
Delivering a statement at Panel 4, Minister within the Housing Ministry, Vanessa Benn, thanked organisers for including youth participation in the forum’s agenda and commended young experts for their contributions, describing them as key rights holders and agents of change.
Guyana aligned itself with the position of the Caribbean Community
(CARICOM), as presented by Youth Ambassador C. Parris-Campbell, and renewed its appeal for concrete support for countries and communities disproportionately affected by climate change. The statement noted that people of African descent contribute least to global emissions but face heightened vulnerability to its impacts.
The minister also raised concern over the treatment of migrants of African descent displaced by climate-related disasters, internal conflicts, and other crises, calling for more equitable approaches in international responses.
On global health governance, Guyana highlighted ongoing negotiations under the World Health
Organization (WHO) on a Pathogen Access and Benefit Sharing framework. The statement stressed that access to pathogen samples and genetic resources should be linked to meaningful and fair benefit-sharing arrangements, particularly for countries in the Global South.
Guyana further urged the Permanent Forum on People of African Descent to increase its engagement in climate negotiations under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), stating that climate justice is a human right and that representation in such spaces is es -
sential.
The country reaffirmed its commitment to advancing the social and economic empowerment of people of African descent, including African-Guyanese communities, through targeted policies aimed at long-term economic security and self-determination.
It also called for stron -
ger international support to enable the Permanent Forum to fully implement the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action (DDPA), noting that sustained commitment is necessary for the Second International Decade for People of African Descent to achieve meaningful impact.
Agriculture Minister, Zulfikar Mustapha, on Wednesday, engaged a high-level delegation from the Presidential Commission for GuyanaDominican Republic Initiatives to advance discussions on collaborative efforts aimed at strengthening Guyana’s fruit production sector.
The delegation comprised former President of the Dominican Republic, Hipólito Mejía, Ambassador Tulio Rodríguez, along with two agronomic specialists and other senior officials from the Embassy of the Dominican Republic.
During the meeting, key areas of cooperation were explored under the Mango Cultivation Project. It was disclosed that the Dominican Republic will support the initiative by providing planting material for fifteen high-yielding, disease-free mango varieties, with each variety expected to be cultivated on one hectare of land to facil -
itate the establishment of parent stock.
Additionally, discussions were held on the implementation of an Avocado Cultivation Project, which will see the importation of planting material for approximately ten high-yielding avocado varieties.
This initiative is aimed
at boosting Guyana’s avocado production capacity, while diversifying the country’s fruit crop base and supporting export opportunities.
Both projects are expected to commence in July, following the importation of planting materials in June.
Also present at the meeting were Director General of the Agriculture Ministry, Dhaneshwar Deonarine, Chief Executive Officer of the National Agriculture Research and Extension Institute (NAREI), Jagnarine Singh, and other officials from NAREI.
Your Eyewitness had commented earlier about T&T’s PM Kamla Persad-Bissessar’s condemnation of the “surreptitious and odious process” used by Caricom leaders to reappoint Carla Barnett as SG of the regional grouping. In effect, she said she’d been constructively “disinvited” when she wasn’t asked to stay behind after the formal Heads of Government (HOG) meeting for a special “caucus”!! And she wasn’t gonna go along with no decision cooked up to deliver a fait accompli in her absence!!
At the time, your Eyewitness thought the leaders who did show up at the caucus didn’t want Kamla around ‘cause she’d shown them up in her fervent support of the Donroe Doctrine!! This – not so incidentally – resulted in the spiriting away of Mad Maduro to face some special music in Florida!! The same locale Kamla (and Pres Ali) met by special invitation with Pres Trump to participate in his “Shield of the Americas” initiative!! The implied ‘sour grapes’ on being excluded by Trump seemed to explain Kamla’s snub!!
But with the matter just not going away – and the repercussions spreading like ripples in our Caribbean Sea and washing up on the several islands – it’s clear that there’s more in this mortar than the pestle in this “he she, she seh” story being peddled. To wit, that while the HOG Caucus is usually for HOGs only but they could be represented by their Foreign Ministers, Kamla’s FM said he was told he couldn’t substitute!! And most pertinently this was because Secretary General Barnett had SPECIFICALLY mandated only PMs and Presidents invited!! This was followed by fervent denials and just as fervent avowals that has left a pretty bitter taste in the mouths of most!!
Kamla suggested another rationale for the snubs – there were three other HOGs who hadn’t attended, including Antigua and the Bahamas – that it was all a plot to reappoint Barnett!! As the controversy escalated, she vowed to bring an end to “the hiring of friends, party hacks, relatives of politicians and affiliates of regional sister parties at the Caricom Secretariat to maintain the old boys club order.”
She concluded truculently: “Therefore, this matter will continue to be ruthlessly and relentlessly, publicly escalated and prosecuted until persons are held accountable for their odious actions and proper reforms are made to the organisation to ensure fairness, accountability, effective management and non-interference in the domestic politics of Caricom members”!!
Regional heavyweight Antigua’s Rep to US, Sir Ronald Sanders just weighed in to suggest that Barnett should hand in her resignation – since the goal of Caricom is to foster unity and Kamla won’t be showing up if she remains in the position.
Your Eyewitness thinks this is an eminently sensible suggestion!!
…the Mid-East stand-off
As the standoff in the Mid-East continues, the effects are being felt in our local aviation sector as operators begin hiking their prices to offset higher fuel prices. And we know unlike their craft, these increases ain’t ever coming down!! So, more reasons to follow the goings-on over there!! The latest is that America’s Secretary of War weighed in to assure Iran that his military resources are being buttressed to hit them as never before!! Their blockade designed to end Iran’s blockade continues – even as it appears there might be another round of “talks” mediated by Pakistan in the offing!!
Meanwhile, with Trump’s meeting with China’s Xi coming up, the vexed matter (to the Yanks!) of whether the latter’s been supplying Iran with war materiel and information is in the air. It’s widely thought that the Chinese supplied Iran with satellite pics to assist them in targeting the US sites they bombed in the Gulf States!!
President Trump, however, predicted Xi will give him a “big hug”!!
…the status quo
A day after signalling we’re considering refining some of our crude in T&T’s idle refineries, Pressie announced we’re also reconsidering the DR offer to set up a refinery of our own right here!!
The man’s trying heroically!!
“It’s
In the blink of an eye, the under-construction building at Atlantic Gardens, East Coast Demerara (ECD), came crashing down, trapping eight workers beneath the rubble. One of those workers, 46-yearold carpenter Radish Domingo of Mon Repos, ECD, was killed, while the others sustained injuries about their bodies. The incident occurred on Wednesday evening at around 19:10h, as the men were working on the roof of the two-storey structure. Now, one family is left mourning the loss of a loved one. Speaking with this publication, Radish Domingo’s niece, Madeena Domingo, who, her voice trembled as she remembered her uncle, described him as nothing short of a devoted provider. “… he was a hardworking man. He has one daughter that he loved, she’s about to write CXC sometime this month or next month. He used to work, he used to provide for his daughter. He was a hardworking man,” Madeena shared. She added that beyond his role as a provider, he was full of life. “He loved going out. He loved his friends. He was always energetic. So losing him… it’s something really big. It takes a big toll on all of us, but we’re trying to cope.” Skipping work was never an option for Domingo, as he remained committed to his trade daily. “He never wanted to skip a day from work. He was always there on time, no matter what,” she said. The matter is currently under investigation by the police and the Labour Ministry. According to the police, preliminary investigations revealed that the men were employees of a construction firm and were in the process of completing work on the roof when the structure collapsed.
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TAssociation of Guyana has endorsed recent warnings issued by the Guyana Fire Service regarding the safe storage of fuel, as officials continue to address unsafe practices linked to recent supply disruptions.
On Thursday in a statement, the Association urged members of the public to avoid using non-approved containers such as drink bottles and other unsuitable vessels for fuel storage. It warned that such practices pose significant risks, including fires and explosions, which could result in damage to property, injury, or loss of life.
The Association also reminded policyholders that compliance with established safety standards, including those set by the Fire Service, may influence the outcome of insurance claims. It stressed that adherence
to proper storage guidelines forms part of responsible risk management.
The advisory comes as the Guyana Energy Agency and the Fire Service have intensified public warnings following reports of unsafe fuel handling during a recent shortage. Authorities had observed an increase in the use of improper containers amid panic buying, with some individuals storing fuel in plastic bottles, glass jars, and other unsuitable vessels.
The Energy Agency has since instructed fuel service providers to dispense petroleum products only into approved containers. It noted that unapproved containers may leak, rupture, or generate static electricity, creating hazards for both customers and service station operators.
In addition, the Fire Service has reiterated that fuel should be stored only in
certified containers, such as metal safety cans with flame arresters or approved plastic containers designed for petroleum use. Households have also been advised not to store more than five gallons, or approximately 20 litres, of fuel without written approval from the Fire Prevention Department.
Officials have further outlined safety measures, including storing fuel in cool, well-ventilated areas away
from heat sources, avoiding storage inside homes or vehicles, and ensuring that spills are promptly addressed.
The Association is encouraging households and businesses to comply fully with these guidelines to reduce risks and protect lives and property. It emphasised that preventative measures remain critical in avoiding accidents and limiting potential losses.
0Police in Regional Division 4 ‘B’ are investigating a robbery under arms that occurred on Wednesday at Diamond Housing Scheme, East Bank Demerara.
The incident which occurred at about 19:00h involved a 53-year-old housewife and a 24-year-old woman from the same address.
Preliminary investigations indicate that the victims had left their home and were returning when they approached the door and were confronted by two masked men, both reportedly armed with what appeared to be handguns.
The suspects took a cellular phone from the 24-year-
old woman. The 53-yearold woman was reportedly struck on her forehead with one of the weapons and relieved of a purse containing a cellular phone and $20,000.
Further enquiries revealed that the suspects then entered the lower flat of the property, where they confronted the 53-year-old woman’s young daughter and younger siblings. They allegedly took a tablet computer and a cellular phone from them.
The suspects reportedly fled the scene after joining two riders on separate black XR motorcycles, escaping in a northern direction.
Police said investigations are ongoing.
The Guyana Police Force (GPF) and the Guyana Fire Service (GFS) were summoned, and emergency personnel assisted in transporting the injured workers to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) and a private medical facility.
Domingo, however, was pinned beneath the debris. When his body was eventually recovered and taken to GPHC, he was pronounced dead on arrival. He had been employed with the
contractor for approximately 14 years and was the sole breadwinner for his wife and daughter.
Only a week ago, Labour Minister, Keoma Griffith, reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to ensuring the safety, health and well-being of all workers, while announcing the launch of a national campaign aimed at strengthening workplace standards. He emphasised that workplace safety must never be treated as optional.
Two thousand bags of onions cultivated in Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo) are being transported to Georgetown, according to Vice President (VP) Bharrat Jagdeo, who shared the update on social media on Thursday. The onions were grown in the Rupununi by a private farmer with support from the Agriculture Ministry.
According to the post made by the VP, the shipment reflects increased agricultural output in the region and forms part of efforts to expand local food production. The development follows earlier updates from President Dr Irfaan Ali, who highlighted progress in onion cultivation in Region Nine. On March 23, the President reported the first pre-harvest from a five-acre on -
ion pilot project in Manari, Rupununi. The initiative is being carried out through a partnership between the Agriculture Ministry and farmer Christopher Moses. According to the President, the project is expected to produce approximately 70 tonnes per hectare, with the first full harvest beginning in the second week of April. On April 5, he also noted the
successful trial cultivation of onions in the region.
In January, this publication had reported that the National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute (NAREI) partnered with farmer Christopher Moses to cultivate five acres of onions in Lethem. Initial estimates suggested the acreage could yield about 250,000 pounds of onions, surpassing earlier projections for Regions Nine and Eight.
The onion project is part of a national strategy aimed at strengthening food security and reducing reliance on imports. Government has identified Region Nine and other hinterland areas as key contributors to expanding both traditional and non-traditional crops. Production targets outlined by the Agriculture Ministry include citrus, carrots, peanuts and onions, along with livestock outputs. These targets
are supported by coordination with the Guyana Marketing Corporation to improve market access and distribution. The administration has also linked agricultural expansion to infrastructure development. Investments in transport networks, including upgrades to airstrips and airport facilities in the hinterland, are intended to improve the movement of goods and support farmers’ access to markets.
Patrons will be on the edge of their seats as a world-renowned acrobatic troupe from China prepares to stage a series of performances across Guyana this April, as part of activities marking the country’s 60th Independence Anniversary. The shows,
which are open to the public, will feature displays of agility, artistry and high-level acrobatics, with performances scheduled across Regions Two, Three, Four, Six and Ten.
The tour begins on Sunday at the Leonora Track and Field Stadium at 18:00h, followed by a Georgetown
performance on Monday at the National Cultural Centre at 19:00h. The organising committee has noted that performance for Friday, April 22, Region 10 McKenzie Stadium has been changed to Bayroc Stadium whereas events carded for Thursday, April 23, Region Two Anna
Regina Stadium has been changed to Anna Regina Car Park. Speaking at the press conference on Thursday, Director of the troupe, Li Ming, highlighted the longstanding relationship between Guyana and China, noting that the event serves as a contribution to strengthening cultural ties. “In 1981, our troupe made its first visit to Guyana, and acrobatics has always been an important bond between the two countries. This year marks the 60th anniversary of Guyana’s independence and the 50th anniversary of our troupe.”
Li Ming, also said the group is honoured to be in Guyana, strengthening cultural ties through artistic exchange. “We are in-
vited to return to the beautiful Guyana again, which is not only a sincere continuation of the traditional China-Guyana friendship, but also a vivid practice of enhancing people-to-people bonds and deepening mutual learning between
robatic displays. He added, “These celebrations make this visit even more special. We are delighted to return to beautiful Guyana. This tour is not only a great contribution to Guyana but also an opportunity to enhance peo-
civilisations,” the director noted. The performances in Guyana will feature award-winning acts, including lion dance, group contortion, chair balancing, umbrella juggling and traditional Chinese ac-
ple-to-people connections and deepen mutual learning between our civilisations. The performances will feature a collection of award-winning artistes,” Li Ming said.
Acall for pensioners to open bank accounts to facilitate direct payment of their monthly benefits was made during Thursday’s Regional Democratic Council meeting in Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice).
This call comes as concerns were raised over the poor state of post offices, particularly at Weldaad, where elderly recipients are often forced to endure long lines and inadequate facilities, including a lack of seating, prompting officials to advocate for a change toward the banking system.
The issue was raised from the opposition side of the council, with members highlighting the condition of several post offices across the region and the inconvenience faced by pensioners who rely on these facilities to collect their payments. Specific reference was made to the Weldaad Post Office, where the lack of proper accommodation, including seating, continues to pose challeng-
lining up at post offices and so on,” Persaud said.
He added that greater emphasis must now be placed on encouraging pensioners to adopt the system.
“That’s something we need to look at so we can give the education and courage to others,” he noted.
The move toward direct bank payments, however, requires pensioners to first open accounts and submit their banking information to the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security, after which their monthly pensions can be deposited directly, eliminating the need to visit post offices.
is a lot of money that will be put into the region… and will make meaningful contributions to the lives and livelihoods of pensioners,” Phillips said.
He added that the increase in pension payments forms part of broader national efforts under President Irfaan Ali to improve the welfare of citizens.
es for elderly persons who must often stand for extended periods while waiting to be served.
Against this backdrop, government councillor and former educator and cricket commentator Inderjeet Persaud urged a transition toward the use of the banking system, noting that the necessary mechanisms are already in place to facilitate direct payments.
“A bank account is very essential so that there will come a time when the pensions can be transferred right into the bank account. It will ease people from going and
Meanwhile, Regional Chairman Ricardo Phillips underscored the scale of government support to pensioners, noting that significant financial resources are being injected into the region through pension payments.
“There are just over 6,900 pensioners in Region Five, and the annual bill will be about $455.5 million. This
“Let us continue to work together to bring development to the citizenry of Region Number Five… the people have voted for us to represent them and it is our duty to do so meaningfully,” Lindey said. He emphasised that development must be a shared responsibility, with all councillors actively engaging residents to better understand and respond to their concerns.
Vice Chairman Kleon Lindey, in his remarks, called on councillors to work collectively in addressing issues affecting residents, urging greater engagement at the community level.
Teacher among 4 charged for dangerous driving,
Four residents of Essequibo Coast, Region Two (PomeroonSupenaam) appeared before the Anna Regina Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday on separate road traffic-related charges, ranging from dangerous driving to refusal to provide breath specimens.
The matters were heard before Magistrate Ravindra Mohabir.
Eighteen-year-old Priya France, a teacher of Coffee Grove, Essequibo Coast, was charged with dangerous driving contrary to Section 36 of the Motor Vehicle and Road Traffic Act, Chapter 51:02.
It is alleged that on March 19 at Danielstown Public Road, she drove in a manner dangerous to the public, resulting in an incident involving 21-year-old miner, Ricky Thakurdin of Kayman Dam, Hampton, Essequibo Coast.
After the charge was read to her France was granted $50,000 bail. The case will continue on May 6.
In a separate matter, 42-year-old barber Trevor Ramana of Knight & Gale Street, Essequibo Coast, was charged with refusing to provide a breath specimen for a breath alcohol test, contrary to Section 39B (5) of the Motor Vehicle and Road Traffic Act.
The offence occurred on April 6 at Anna Regina Public Road.
Ramana initially indicated a guilty plea; however, after clarification, a not guilty plea was entered. He was released $200,000 bail and the case will continue on September 2.
In an unrelated case, 32-year-old labourer Reyon Benn of Bushlot, Essequibo Coast, also faced a charge of refusing to provide a breath specimen.
The offence occurred on November 22, 2025, at Anna Regina Public Road. Benn pleaded guilty when the matter was called. He was fined $20,000, in default of which he will serve three months’ imprisonment.
Meanwhile, 51-year-old carpenter Randoph Banarse of Lima, Essequibo Coast, was also charged under Section 39B(5) of the Motor Vehicle and Road Traffic Act for allegedly refusing to provide a breath specimen.
The offence is said to have occurred on April 11 at La Belle Alliance Public Road.
He pleaded guilty; however, after explanation, a not guilty plea was recorded. He was granted bail in the sum of $200,000. The matter was adjourned to September 2.
Members of the Bartica and Supenaam to Parika Speedboat Association met with senior officials from the Maritime Administration Department (MARAD) to discuss operational challenges and regulatory compliance within the sector.
The meeting was held with Director of Maritime Safety, Captain Courtney McDonald; Registrar of Ships, Gale Culley-Greene; Legal Officer, Tiffany Hohenkirk; Ship Inspector, Captain Alex Hinds; and Marine Superintendent and Surveyor of Ships, Captain Christopher Bailey.
Discussions focused on challenges faced by speedboat operators, as well as operating policies aligned with MARAD guidelines. The engagement also addressed conduct within the industry and highlighted key areas of mutual concern between regulators and operators.
According to MARAD, the session formed part of ongoing efforts to strengthen compliance and improve
safety and operational standards within the inland and river transport
sector. The Maritime Administration Department Guyana said continued dialogue with stakeholders remains important in ensuring safe and efficient marine transport services.
A30-year-old miner of Three Miles, Bartica, Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni) is in police custody following the of cannabis during an intelligence-led operation on Wednesday, at
He added that the troupe, founded in 1976 in what is known as the hometown of Chinese acrobatics, has remained dedicated to integrating the art form and has won more than 60 major awards locally and internationally, while completing more than 200 visits across 80 countries and various regions, showcasing its cultural excellence.
Strengthening bilateral relations
Meanwhile, Chargé d’Affaires of the Chinese Embassy in Georgetown, Huang Rui, highlighted the significance of the tour in strengthening bilateral re-
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lations. “This is not only a fulfilment of bilateral ties but also a fulfilment of multilateral commitments. This tour will promote cultural exchange to new heights,” Huang Rui said. Tickets are required for the performance at the National Cultural Centre. Patrons are asked to uplift tickets from the Centre’s box office in advance. Tickets have been available since April 8, and persons are encouraged to call ahead to confirm availability before visiting. The event is co-hosted by the Chinese Embassy in Guyana and the Government of Guyana and is sponsored by CNOOC Petroleum Guyana Limited.
Fourth Avenue, Bartica.
Police in Regional Division Seven said that the raid was conducted between 16:20h and 16:50h.
During the operation, ranks visited a shop at the location where a 30-yearold miner from Three Miles, Bartica was contacted. A search was conducted on his person, resulting in the discovery of one transparent plastic bag containing five zip-lock bags with a quantity of leaves, seeds, and stems suspected to be cannabis.
Further searches were carried out within the shop, during which ranks found another transparent plastic bag containing 21 zip-lock bags with similar quantities of leaves, seeds, and stems suspected to be cannabis.
The suspect and the narcotics were escorted to the Bartica Police Station, where the substance was weighed in his presence and amounted to 18 grams
The man remains in custody pending charges.
Omai Gold Mines has lifted its contained gold by about 22% at its eponymous project in Guyana while upgrading about half the resource into stronger categories. The shares jumped.
“The update is positive,” National Bank Financial analyst Rabi Nizami wrote in a note on Tuesday. “Total resources increased to 8 million oz. (from 6.5 million oz.), the higher-confidence indicated component of total resources at Wenot was improved, and additional inferred resources have been added.”
Shares in Omai Gold Mines rose 10% to an alltime high of C$2.34 apiece in Toronto on Tuesday, valuing the company at C$1.58 billion ($1.14 billion).
Omai, in central Guyana, is one of South America’s largest past-producing gold mines, having yielded more than 3.7
million oz. between 1993 and 2005. The country has emerged as a fast-growing gold jurisdiction in recent years, drawing investment with its stable mining regime, improving infrastructure and a wave of discoveries that have positioned it as a new exploration
hotspot alongside neighbours Suriname and Brazil.
Study due
The revised resource will support a preliminary economic assessment (PEA) expected within two to three months, which analysts say could outline a
larger, longer-life operation combining open-pit and underground mining.
“We expect the potential for about 250,000-300,000 per year production with a larger mill and combined open pit and underground operations, materially larger and longer mine life than the now outdated 2024 preliminary economic assessment,” Nizami wrote.
The updated resource outlines 38.1 million indicated tonnes grading 2.04 grams gold per tonne for 2.5 million oz. contained metal, and 106.6 million inferred tonnes at 1.59 grams for 5.5 million oz. That com-
pares with the August 2025 resource of about 20.7 million indicated tonnes grading 1.46 grams for 970,000 oz. and 83 million inferred tonnes at 1.7 grams for 4.5 million oz., according to company data and analyst estimates.
The increase reflects both expansion and conversion, with analysts highlighting that a portion of higher-grade inferred ounces were moved into the indicated category through infill drilling and updated modelling.
“Evidently, high-grade inferred ounces were converted to Indicated, with a rise in Indicated grade relative to Inferred grade,” Nizami wrote. “We are encouraged to see good conversion/additions coming from a portion of the highgrade dyke corridor.”
At Wenot, the project’s core open-pit deposit, indicated resources rose to about 1.45 million oz. grading 1.59 grams gold, up from 969,000 oz. at 1.46 grams previously, while inferred resources increased to about 3.9 million oz. at 1.33 grams as new material was added at lower grades.
The Gilt Creek underground deposit also expanded, with total resources growing to about 2.5 million oz. grading 3.26
grams gold from roughly 1.8 million oz. previously, maintaining grade while increasing tonnage through reinterpretation and limited new drilling.
Omai is being repositioned as a large-scale redevelopment opportunity. The previous 2024 study envisioned an open-pit-only operation producing about 142,000 oz. annually over 13 years, leaving room for expansion through the addition of underground resources and further drilling.
The company has completed about 18,000 metres of drilling since the last estimate and is now running a 50,000-metre campaign aimed at expanding the resource and upgrading inferred material ahead of future feasibility work.
Analysts also pointed to the project’s infrastructure and permitting advantages in Guyana, along with its growing scale, as factors that could attract interest from larger producers.
“We expect Omai to immediately commence work on a prefeasibility study to follow, and more exploration drilling to also remain on the agenda to test new targets,” Nizami said. “The scale potential is attractive for senior and intermediate M&A.” (mining.com)
St Elizabeth police have activated a high alert for a British sixyear-old girl whose mother says she was abducted by her other parent and taken to Jamaica, over a year ago.
Black River police on Thursday issued an alert for Tau Kleio RodriguezFairplay of Walthamstow, London, who they say was reported missing on Thursday, April 9, 2026.
Reports are that Tau Kleio was transported to Jamaica by a relative.
The child’s mother, London School of Economics lecturer Samar Rodriguez, has been appealing for her return for several months, speaking to both local and international media.
Rodriguez told United Kingdom (UK) newspaper The Guardian that she believes her ex-partner, Athena Belle-Fairplay, also known as Natalie BartlettFoster, with whom the lecturer had a shared custody agreement, has taken the child to Black River in St Elizabeth, Jamaica.
The report said that in February 2025, Belle-
Tau Kleio Rodriguez-Fairplay of Walthamstow, London
Fairplay failed to drop off the child at a London train station where she had agreed to meet Rodriguez.
The Guardian said UK authorities confirmed that Belle Fairplay flew to Jamaica with the child despite court orders forbidding the child’s removal from the country without court permission.
Despite coming to Jamaica and enlisting a private investigator, Rodriguez has been unable to locate either her ex-wife or daughter.
Rodriguez also expressed frustration with the Jamaican Central Authority, which is responsible for facilitating the country’s trea-
ty obligations, including the Hague Convention for child abduction.
Local attorneys told The Guardian that “the case has been hampered by delays by the JCA and the authority’s insistence that it was Rodriquez’s responsibility to locate their ex-spouse and daughter”. At the same time, the JCA said in a statement that the case was “heavily hampered by the absence of a proper address to locate the child”.
As the child is with her mother, issues with designating the child as missing also reportedly arose, the report said.
Black River police say Tau Kleio was last seen wearing a pink coat with butterflies, and she is of brown complexion, medium build and about 104 centimetres (three feet six inches) tall.
Anyone knowing the whereabouts of Tau Kleio Rodriguez-Fairplay is asked to contact the Black River police at 876-965-2232, the police emergency 119 number or the nearest police station.
Nearly six million people in Haiti are expected to face acute food insecurity in the coming months, underscoring how gang violence, mass displacement and economic strain are keeping the Caribbean nation in the grip of a deepening humanitarian crisis, according to a new assessment published on Thursday.
About 5.8 million Haitians – more than half the population – are facing acute food insecurity, the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) said, with more than 1.8 million of them in the emergency phase and in urgent need of food assistance.
The crisis has been fuelled by worsening insecurity, economic shocks, and repeated disruption to markets and farming, the report said.
Armed groups have expanded their control in parts of the country, while more than 1.4 million people have been displaced, straining food supplies and pushing vulnerable households deeper into hunger.
The latest IPC projection is slightly below an earlier estimate of 5.91 million people facing acute food insecurity, and the number in the emergency category has also edged lower, improvements that agencies have linked in part to food assistance, eas-
ing inflation and better harvest conditions in some areas.
The World Food Programme (WFP) has said sustained food aid helped about 200,000 Haitians move out of emergency levels of hunger since last year, yet aid groups said some recent gains were fragile.
“Fighting hunger is essential to restoring stability in Haiti. We cannot build peace if families cannot feed their children,” WFP Haiti Country Director Wanja Kaaria said in a statement.
Humanitarian agencies warned conditions could deteriorate again without more support, citing the spike in global fuel prices caused by the Iran war which has fur-
ther strained transportation and agricultural production costs.
Meanwhile, the US House of Representatives offered a rare challenge to President Donald Trump’s immigration enforcement agenda on Thursday as a handful of Republicans joined Democrats to vote to extend temporary protections for 350,000 Haitians living in the United States.
The House voted 224-204 in favour of legislation allowing Haitians to remain eligible for Temporary Protected Status for three years after the US Department of Homeland Security terminated the humanitarian protections they had been granted. (Excerpts from Reuters)
Barbados advanced US$80M to secure its water
“Being able to resolve these issues, with ageing infrastructure and recognising that there are technological gains to be made as well, means that we need the investment. I do not call it loans, but rather an investment in water to make us resilient,” Mottley said. (Excerpt from Nation News)
The Government of Barbados is making a US$80 million investment in modernising its water infrastructure, marking another significant step in addressing one of the most persistent challenges facing households, communities, and businesses across the island.
A press release from the Prime Minister’s Office stated the initiative speaks directly to the reality Barbadians have lived with for years: inconsistent supply, ageing mains, significant losses within the system, and the strain that these issues place on daily life and economic activity. In a country where water security is inseparable from public health, development, productivity and climate re-
silience, the programme has been framed by Government not as a routine borrowing exercise, but as a strategic investment in the future of Barbados, the release said.
Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley stressed that water must be treated as central to the nation’s development agenda, noting that Barbados is among the most water-scarce countries in the world and continues to contend with a high degree of non-revenue water.
“For us, water is at the centre of Barbados’ future economic development. We do not always look it, but we are one of the 15 most water-scarce countries in the world, and for every gallon that is pumped, 40 to 50 per cent can be lost before it reaches anybody’s house.
Panama
‘line-jumping’ auction
amid higher traffic
The Panama Canal Authority on Thursday downplayed a report that an LPG vessel paid US$4 million to jump the transit queue, saying the result reflected temporary market conditions rather than a fee set by the waterway, as the Iran war drives more traffic to the canal.
“The recent outcome of an auction awarded to an LPG vessel reflects temporary market shifts and is not the result of a rate set by the Panama Canal,” the authority said in a statement, without confirming how much was paid out in the auction.
It said auction values are driven by factors including
customers’ urgency, commercial priorities, freight rates, bunker prices, and broader global supply-and-demand conditions.
The authority added that auctions are only one of several mechanisms available to secure a transit slot and are used mainly by customers seeking last-minute certainty.
The statement followed a Bloomberg News report on Thursday that one vessel had paid US$4 million in a recent auction to secure faster passage as congestion worsened along the waterway.
Traffic through the canal has increased as the Iran
war disrupts trade flows and forces buyers to seek alternative supplies, boosting shipments from the United States to Asia and elsewhere.
The Canal Authority said it was continuing to operate reliably despite volatility in global trade and geopolitical tensions.
The authority also said its wait-time data can overstate actual delays because the system counts ships that arrive before their reserved transit window as waiting, even if they arrive early.
As of Thursday, 102 vessels had reservations to transit the canal, while 25 were waiting without booked slots. (Excerpt from Reuters)
CMiguel Diaz-Canel has said that his country does not seek conflict with the United States, but is prepared to fight if necessary, as Cuba marks the anniversary of its socialist revolutionary character amid the threat of US attacks.
Diaz-Canel struck a defiant tone on Thursday in remarks before a crowd marking the 65th anniversary of Fidel Castro’s declaration of the socialist nature of the Cuban Revolution and the failed invasion at the Bay of Pigs by forces aligned with the US the day after.
“The moment is extremely challenging and calls upon us once again, as on April 16, 1961, to be ready to confront serious threats, including military aggression,” Diaz-Canel said. “We do not want it, but it is our duty to prepare to avoid it and, if it becomes inevitable, to defeat it.”
President Donald Trump
has threatened that the US could overthrow the Cuban Government, a longtime source of ire for Washington, and has ratcheted up energy restrictions meant to squeeze the island’s economy.
“We may stop by Cuba after we finish with this,” Trump said earlier this week, stating that his attention could turn to Cuba after the end of the US-Israel war on Iran. (Excerpt fromReuters)
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank on Thursday each said they had resumed dealings with Venezuela, which had been paused since 2019 owing to Government recognition issues.
The move paves the way for a full IMF assessment of Venezuela’s economy for the first time in some 20 years and could eventually unlock billions of dollars in funding via frozen special drawing rights.
IMF Managing Director
Kristalina Georgieva said in a statement that the Fund, guided by the views of a majority of its members, was now dealing with Venezuela’s Government under the Administration of the South American nation’s interim President Delcy Rodríguez.
The World Bank Group also issued a statement announcing it was resuming dealings with Venezuela’s Government under Rodríguez. Its last loan, the statement said, was in 2005.
Neither Venezuela’s Information Ministry nor its central bank immediately responded to requests for comment.
The resumption of a formal relationship comes after US President Donald Trump’s Administration in January ousted President Nicolás Maduro in a raid on Caracas. Since then, Washington has been working with Rodríguez and is looking to expand the US presence in Venezuela’s oil and mining sectors.
JPMorgan has estimat-
ed that Venezuela’s special drawing rights, assets that are available to countries with engagement with the IMF, are worth US$5 billion.
Investors have bet big on Venezuela’s bonds in hopes that the change in government can enable a debt restructuring. Analysts estimate that Venezuela has about US$60 billion of defaulted bonds outstanding, but total external debt is pegged at roughly US$150 billion to US$170 billion.
(Excerpt from Reuters)
Oil prices fell in early trade today on optimism the Middle East conflict could be nearing an end after a 10-day ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel took effect and President Donald Trump said the United States and Iran may meet for talks on the weekend.
Brent crude futures declined by US$1.34, or 1.35 per cent, to US$98.05 a barrel at 0021 GMT. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures fell US$1.65, or 1.74 per cent, to US$93.40 a barrel, trimming gains from the previous session.
Addressing a key sticking point in talks to end the Iran war, which has closed the Strait of Hormuz for seven weeks and choked off roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil supply, Trump said Tehran had offered not to possess nuclear weapons for more than 20 years.
“We’re going to see what happens. But I think we’re very close to making a deal with Iran,” Trump told reporters outside the White House on Thursday.
Oil prices climbed 50 per cent in March in a record run and have only recently fallen below the US$100 per barrel mark, but have stayed within the $90 range for the week.
Israel’s campaign in Lebanon has been a major obstacle to securing a peace deal sought by Trump to end the war on Iran he launched with Israel in late February.
US and Iranian negotiators have scaled back their expectations for a comprehensive peace deal and are instead seeking a temporary memorandum to prevent a return to conflict, two Iranian sources told Reuters on Thursday.
Analysts from ING estimate that roughly 13 million barrels per day of oil flow has been disrupted by the closure of the Strait. (Reuters)
G7 finance chiefs say it is urgent to limit Middle East war’s cost to global economy
Finance chiefs of the Group of Seven nations on Thursday said it was urgent to limit the cost to the global economy of an enduring Middle East war and “reaffirmed the pressing need to move toward a lasting peace”.
The war was among three key topics of discussion among the Finance Ministers and central bank governors on the sidelines of the spring meet -
ings of the International Monetary Fund and World Bank Group that are underway in Washington. They also discussed securing supply chains for critical minerals and supporting Ukraine in the face of continuing Russian aggression, according to a statement issued by the Finance Ministry of France, which holds this year’s G7 presidency. (Reuters)
A10-day ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel went into effect on Thursday and President Donald Trump said the next meeting between the United States and Iran may take place over the weekend, adding to optimism that the Iran war could be nearing an end.
Trump said Iran had offered not to possess nuclear weapons for more than 20 years. Tehran’s nuclear ambitions were a sticking point at talks in Islamabad last weekend.
“We’re going to see what happens. But I think we’re very close to making a deal with Iran,” he told reporters outside the White House.
Hours later at an event in Las Vegas, Nevada, Trump went further, saying the war “should be ending
pretty soon”.
The war with Iran, which began on February 28 with a US-Israeli attack, has killed thousands and sent oil prices surging, creating a major political headache for the US President.
If the Lebanon ceasefire clears the way for a broader peace deal with Iran, it would be a significant win for the Trump administration, which has struggled so far to reopen the strategically-important Strait of
Joyful crowds turned out to welcome the Pope as he delivered his message of peace to areas raged by a separatist insurgency
Pope Leo XIV has criticised foreigners who exploit the wealth of Africa for profit during his visit to a conflict-hit region of Cameroon.
It is one of several forthright remarks he has made over the last day, including blasting those who spend billions on wars and telling Cameroon’s Government to root out corruption for peace to prevail.
He has spent the day in Bamenda, a city at the
Hormuz and block Iran’s path to a nuclear weapon.
Celebratory gunfire rang out across parts of Beirut as the clock struck midnight on Thursday, the time the ceasefire was set to go into effect. For around half an hour, the sound of explosions from rockets fired in celebration could also be heard, witnesses said. But the pause in hostilities remained fragile. The Lebanese Army said early on today that Israel committed violations of the ceasefire after it took effect, including the intermittent shelling of several southern Lebanese villages. There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military, which had said earlier that its forces remained deployed in the area. (Excerpt from Reuters)
centre of Cameroon’s brutal and long-running separatist rebellion.
Internal problems were exacerbated by outsiders who “in the name of profit,
continue to lay their hands on the African continent to exploit and plunder it”, he told an estimated 20,000 worshippers at a Mass at Bamenda Airport.
Earlier, joyful crowds sang, drummed and waved flags to welcome the leader of the Catholic Church, who arrived under military escort in a bullet-proof white vehicle.
Ahead of his visit, separatists had announced a period of “safe travel passage”.
The Pope’s first stop was at a peace meeting in Bamenda held at Saint Joseph’s Cathedral about the nearly 10-year insurgency in Cameroon’s two English-speaking regions that has left at least 6000 persons dead and many more forced from their homes. (Excerpt from BBC News)
Russia unleashed its deadliest attack so far this year on the Ukrainian capital Kyiv and other cities overnight, killing at least 17 persons, including a 12-year-old child, and wounding scores, in drone and missile strikes, officials said on Thursday.
Netflix
Netflix Chairman Reed Hastings is leaving the streaming service he cofounded 29 years ago as the company regains its footing after it lost a US$72 billion deal for Warner Bros Discovery to Paramount Skydance.
In a letter to investors released on Thursday, Netflix said Hastings will
In Russia, a major Ukrainian drone attack on the Black Sea port of Tuapse killed two persons, including a 14-yearold girl, injured seven, and sparked a large fire, Russian officials and media reported. The port is home to a major oil refinery as well as an export hub for oil, coal, and fertiliser.
Overnight in Kyiv, fires in several different places sent black smoke billowing into the sky.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the night had proven that Russia did not deserve any easing of global policy or lifting of sanctions, with 100 persons wounded alongside those killed.
(Excerpt from Reuters)
not stand for re-election at its annual meeting in June and plans to focus on philanthropy and other pursuits.
The company’s stock plunged about eight per cent on the news of Hastings’s departure. The cofounder is credited with helping to revolutionise how movies and television shows are de -
livered in homes, upending Hollywood’s business model.
“Netflix is growing revenues double-digits, expanding margins in 2026 and gushing free cash flow,” said LightShed Partners media analyst Richard Greenfield. “While the Q1 was uneventful financially, the departure of Reed Hastings has
spooked investors.” Netflix reaffirmed in a 14-page shareholder letter that its mission remains “ambitious and unchanged” – to entertain the world, providing movies and series for many tastes, cultures and languages. The company’s full-year outlook remained unchanged. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)
Take the high road. Look beyond what’s unfolding in front of you and map out a plan that will help you prevent setbacks and interference. A physical or mental change will boost your confidence.
Listen more and say less. Keep your personal life to yourself and work diligently to maintain the status quo. Take care of institutional, legal, medical or financial matters.
Set the record straight, lighten your emotional load and stop worrying about matters that you cannot change. Attend a reunion, and someone special will reenter your life.
Beware of emotional manipulation and traps that can jeopardize your reputation or position. Be on guard and ready to do whatever it takes to maintain balance and integrity.
Weigh the pros and cons before making a move. You have plenty to think about, so take the time to figure out proper protocol and find information to ensure you get the best results.
Interacting with others will bring out the best in you. A shift in how you feel about someone will make or break your relationship. Express your thoughts and implement your intentions.
Set your pace and move forward with enthusiasm. How you treat others will factor into what you get in return. A partnership will encourage taking a unique approach to life, love and achieving happiness.
Talks will lead to a change of heart. Embrace what makes you feel good about yourself. Sharing your interests and intentions with loved ones will help you decipher what’s best for you.
Get your house in order and the changes you desire behind you. Creating a space that you find uplifting and convenient will encourage you to spend more time at home and to entertain more often.
Put a halt to everything. Rethink your motives, the cost of the changes you want to make and who you trust to give you an honest appraisal. Implement a healthy lifestyle.
Set up interviews, make cold calls and head in a direction that offers financial freedom. An interesting position will give you something to look forward to while you update your resume, skills and prospects.
Engage in pastimes that get you out and about. Interacting with like-minded people will help you gather the information necessary to make a move or adjust your lifestyle.
Quinton de Kock’s hundred on his comeback to the Mumbai Indians (MI) XI was overshadowed by Prabhsimran Singh and Shreyas Iyer’s demolition of the chase of 196 with 21 balls to spare to keep Punjab Kings unbeaten five games into the season. Arshdeep Singh swung the new ball, reversed the old one, and bowled a quiet over in the middle to lead PBKS’ strangle job on MI, who suffered their fourth successive defeat.
An injury to Rohit Sharma opened the door for de Kock to play his first match of this season and become only the third batter to score a century for three different Indian Premier
League (IPL) teams. He scored 112 off 60 balls; Naman Dhir was promoted to number four and scored 50 off 31, but the rest of the MI innings never got going.
Allah Ghazanfar briefly threatened to scupper a typically boisterous PBKS chase with two wickets in the power play, but Prabhsimran and Iyer never let MI back in. Like Dhir and de Kock before him, Prabhsimran enjoyed a reprieve on 11, and finished unbeaten on 80 off 39 to take his sensational IPL 2026 tally to 211 runs in 122 balls. It was the first time he stayed unbeaten in a successful chase in the IPL.
Iyer scored an equally-important 66 off 35, his third consecutive half-century, starting with a four first ball when MI had taken two quick wickets.
Arshdeep sets the tone
Arshdeep came into the match with two wickets and an economy rate of 10.6 in four games this season. Two left-hand openers were the ideal setting for him to improve his performance. The new ball swung in the air
and moved off the surface, and Arshdeep kept taking it away from Ryan Rickelton. He beat the bat three times in the first over. In his second, he bowled a wobble-seam ball that ended up on the pads, but Rickelton found deep square leg to perfection.
Arshdeep backed Suryakumar Yadav to walk out expecting movement from left to right, but he angled the seam away, drew a thick edge and doubled his season’s wickets tally in two balls, and also went past 100 IPL wickets.
De Kock, Dhir rescue MI
Even before those two wickets, de Kock signalled dangerous intent with a silken, aerial extra-cover drive first ball off fellow South African Marco Jansen. In Jansen’s next over, Yuzvendra Chahal lost the ball in the lights and missed a sitter from Dhir. In the last over of the power play, de Kock gave up on making his ground, but Iyer missed the stumps from mid-off.
That drop was not the last error Chahal made. He started his spell by searching and frequently over-pitching and ended up conceding five sixes in his three overs for 45. Dhir hit two of those, the one over extra cover the highlight of his innings.
By the time de Kock got to fifty, MI looked set for a total in excess of 200. From 97 for 2 in 10 overs, de Kock went up a gear even as Dhir caught up with him. At 125 for 2 in 12 overs, PBKS were looking at a challenging target.
PBKS bowlers fight back
The comeback for PBKS began with Jansen conceding just seven in the 13th over, but like in the game against Sunrisers Hyderabad, the lack of pace from Shashank Singh once again produced a game-changing wicket. In his 31-ball 50, Dhir evoked a lot of Hardik Pandya with a compact bat swing and shots that looked quite like the MI Captain’s. Pandya himself, though, hardly got anything out of the middle of the bat. He eventually fell for 14 off 12 to what could well end up as the catch of the tournament.
Iyer did not even get his name on the scoreboard for this effort at long on: he went full length as he leaped
to rein the ball in, caught it in his left hand while airborne, transferred it to his right even as he came down over the boundary, and managed to throw it to Xavier Bartlett before he touched ground.
With the ball reversing, Jansen and Arshdeep bowled excellent yorkers, going for eight and nine in overs 18 and 19. Sherfane Rutherford got four tailing pinpoint yorkers during his five-ball stay for one run. Only 70 came in the last eight, prompting Dhir to say during the innings break that MI were 20 runs short.
Ghazanfar gives MI hope
The way Priyansh Arya and Prabhsimran tucked into some buffet bowling from Deepak Chahar, it looked like 195 was not 20 short but 40. However, led by Jasprit Bumrah who bowled four straight dots to Arya, Ghazanfar ended up with two wickets in the power play: Arya caught at midwicket and Cooper Connolly caught behind.
Prabhsimran, Iyer kill the chase
There was a time when MI had strung together 10 balls for one run and a wicket across the second and third overs of the chase. Prabhsimran cut the 11th for a regulation catch to backward point, but Bumrah, wicketless in six straight IPL matches now, dropped it.
When Connolly fell, MI were still hopeful of a comeback. Iyer, though, brought a sense of calm, playing Ghazanfar’s mystery spin like you would offspin. He cover-drove the first ball he faced for four, and PBKS never looked back.
Prabhsimran faced just six balls in the first five overs, which means he did most of the damage with the field spread out. It started when Chahar came back to bowl the eighth over. Prabhsimran charged at him to hit a 90-metre six over wide long-off before tucking one off the hip for four.
Now Prabhsimran began to dominate the strike and the scoring, bringing up his fifty with successive fours off Shardul Thakur in just 23 balls.
Bumrah might be wicketless, but his bowling has been good throughout the season. However, when Iyer
pulled him for a disdainful six in the 13th over, it was all over for MI. If there were any doubts remaining with 50 needed off the last seven overs, Prabhsimran dis-
A22-member English rifle team arrived in Guyana on Monday evening as guests of the Guyana National Rifle Association (GNRA), marking the start of a goodwill tour and competitive exchange between the two nations.
Speaking at the official welcome function, Team
Captain Phil Chapman-Sheath noted that he and several teammates had previously toured Guyana in 2017 and were eager to return with a full squad. He emphasised that the current tour served as vital preparation for the upcoming West Indies Fullbore Shooting Championship, scheduled for April 26 to May 2, 2026, in Antigua and Barbuda. During the ceremony, a Demerara Cup was formally presented to Brigadier Omar Khan, President of
Stephen Curry put the Golden State Warriors ahead with a deep three in the final minute and Draymond Green slammed the door on the defensive end, delivering a vintage combo performance from the leftover figures of a fading dynasty and keeping their teetering season alive for at least two more days.
The Warriors, down by as many as 13 points with under 10 minutes left, roared back the moment Curry re-entered the game. He scored 11 of his game-high 35 points in the final 9:27, stunning the LA Clippers 126-121 on Wednesday to advance in the NBA’s playin tournament.
The Warriors will travel to face the Phoenix Suns on Friday night in another elimination game. The winner gets the eight seed in the Western Conference and a first-round date with the defending champions Oklahoma City Thunder.
“This is why Steph came back,” Warriors Coach Steve Kerr said. “Everyone out there who thought Steph should take the rest of the year off – this is what he does. This is who he is.”
Curry’s right knee swelled in late January, and the problem worsened over the next month. He missed 27 consecutive games and contemplated shutting it down for the season on a few instances.
“Most people would quit,” Green said. “Especially when you’re in a position like that -- you leave [the line-up] in the seventh spot and you come back and we’re in 10th. Locked in 10th. Most people would get themselves right and do it again next year.”
The Warriors went 9-18 in Curry’s absence, stumbling to the bottom of the Western Conference play-
in bracket. He returned to get a rhythm for four April games, knowing that his 37-45 Warriors would at least get a crack at two road elimination games as a path to the playoffs.
The Warriors lost their starting wings, Jimmy Butler III and Moses Moody, to season-ending knee injuries. They were five-point underdogs against the Clippers. They fell down 12-2, and Curry said afterward that it felt like they were in a double-digit hole the majority of the game.
But Curry shook off a difficult first half and found his shot in the third quarter, making three 3s and scoring 16 points in a 10-minute stretch. Kristaps Porzingis, the Warriors’ big trade deadline acquisition, also helped to keep them close. Al Horford, the soonto-be 40-year-old, made four fourth-quarter 3s.
“We came back every single time they made a run,” Kerr said. “An incredible display of guts and competitiveness and connection. Then obviously Steph and Dray took over down the stretch. Draymond is the best defender I’ve ever seen in my life.”
In the lead-up to
Wednesday night’s matchup, Warriors coaches rewatched an early March game against the Clippers where they felt Green had guarded Kawhi Leonard well. They installed him as Leonard’s primary defender and it paid dividends.
Leonard was held to a modest 21 points on 8-of-17 shooting, including eight fourth-quarter minutes where he attempted only two shots, zero of them when guarded by Green.
“Draymond, Hall of Fame defender,” Leonard said. “It was hard to even get shots up.”
Green then capped the heroics with a pair of steals in the final 49 seconds.
After a Curry 3 put the Warriors up three with 50 seconds left, Green denied Leonard on the ensuing inbound and then leaped to knock away an errant pass to Brandin Podziemski, leading to a transition layup.
On the following possession, Green had Leonard in isolation and picked his dribble clean, diving on the floor for the loose ball and essentially sealing the win.
“The people who say I’ve lost a step say I never had a stop,” a defiant Green, 36, said afterward.
(ESPN)
the GNRA. The trophy will be contested between visiting English teams and Guyanese teams in future engagements.
The championship officially opened on Wednesday at the Timehri Rifle Ranges, with Brigadier Khan delivering remarks and firing the ceremonial first shot from the 300-yard range. He expressed appreciation to the visiting team for selecting Guyana as a preparatory venue and highlighted the benefits of international competition in assessing local shooters readiness. He also noted that the challenging Timehri conditions provide valuable experience for all competitors.
Day One of competition featured shooting at the 300-, 500-, and 600-yard ranges under testing condi-
tions, including rainfall and shifting winds.
At 300 yards, Edward Feast led the field with a score of 50.5, followed by Aleksandr Radkovskil (49.4) and Christopher Crabtree (49.3). Guyana s top performers included Vice Captain Leo Romalho (49.4), Captain Dylan Fields (49.2), and Lennox Braithwaite (48.6).
At 500 yards, Matthew Blythe and Rupert Knight both scored 49.2, with Blythe securing first place on countback, followed by Knight and Jason Curd. Romalho (46.3) and Braithwaite (46.1) led the Guyanese effort.
At 600 yards, Feast continued his strong performance with a perfect 50.4 to claim top honours. Chapman-Sheath and
Knight both recorded 47.5 to place second and third respectively, while Fields (47.4) and Braithwaite (45.2) were Guyana s leading shooters. At the end of Day One, Feast leads the aggregate standings with 147.14. He is followed by Christopher Radkovskil (143.11) and Aleksandre Radkovskil (143.9). Fields remains Guyana s top contender with 142.7, while Braithwaite stands on 139.9. Notably, former Guyana Captain Mahendra Persaud returned to competition after an absence due to illness.
The individual championship concludes today with the 900- and 1000-yard events, where challenging wind conditions are expected to play a decisive role.
The Demerara
Volleyball Association
(DVA) has issued an open invitation to male and female players across the region to participate in its regular training sessions, as the Association intensifies efforts to strengthen and expand the sport throughout its zone.
Training sessions are scheduled to be held every Friday and Saturday at 20:00h at the National Gymnasium, Mandela Avenue, Georgetown. Male players are scheduled to train on Fridays, while female players will take the court on Saturdays.
According to the
Association, the programme is designed to accommodate both experienced athletes and newcomers who are eager to learn and develop their volleyball skills. The initiative forms part of the DVA’s broader mission to build a stronger talent pool, foster discipline and teamwork, and enhance competitive readiness across Demerara.
These sessions can serve as a great platform especially for the male players, as the Male Volleyball League 2026 draws closer. The league is set to officially commence on Monday, April 27, 2026, with the first series of matches. The
competition is open to all male teams in and around Demerara.
Organisers are encouraging interested teams to complete their registration early to secure participation in what is expected to be a highly-competitive and well-supported tournament. The league aims to showcase local talent while promoting greater community involvement in the sport.
The DVA continues to call on players, teams, and supporters to take advantage of the training opportunities and to play an active role in the continued growth and development of volleyball in Guyana.
Findings of the Amateur Football Environment Report for Guyana were this week unveiled and discussed with stakeholders, as the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) embarks on working alongside FIFA to enhance the local football landscape.
The report is a comprehensive multi-year assessment, aimed at strengthening the country’s amateur football ecosystem.
During the second day of engagements surrounding the report on Thursday,
at the National Racquet Centre, Woolford Avenue, FIFA Regional Technical Consultant for the Caribbean Ian Greenwood shared an overview of the report and its objectives.
Greenwood explained,
“This is a global project. It was detailed and comprehensive analysis of all of the member associations in global football to really understand amateur football, what is happening on the ground. So, the process took 2-3 years to complete, within that we’ve collected over 425 data points globally. From the data, we then convert that into insights and then actionable items. The actionable items are key recommendations for the GFF to implement on the ground in Guyana.
“The idea is that over
the next four years, the next World Cup cycle, the GFF, along with its external stakeholders, will implement these key recommendations to ensure that in all regions of Guyana, there’s access to football at all ages, whether that be grassroots programmes, domestic competitions, coach education or referee development. We’re really looking for this to be the catalyst to start that process over the next four years.”
Greenwood went on to highlight some key areas which he believes will captivate the local Federation’s attention, in the near future.
“Within the report, there’s nine clear chapters and each chapter has a set of different recommendations but we have five key calls to action for the GFF. One of those being to improve the status of participant registration and players tracking, second one is to ensure
Ethat we’re expanding amateur football competitions and grassroots programmes in all of the regions. We’re also focusing on improving the standards of coach education and access to coach education at all levels,” the FIFA Technical Consultant revealed.
Greenwood went on to share, “Not just talking about the licences, we’re talking about child-friendly and child-specific workshops. We’re also looking at ensuring that there’s a robust framework and organisational structure for amateur football. The key one for the GFF is to ensure that they can start to collaborate with the external stakeholders and work closer –Government, private organisations, potential sponsors, regional associations. So that would be the five key calls to action for the GFF over the next four years.”
The former GFF Technical Director lat-
er chimed in on the Federation’s receptiveness to the report’s findings.
The FIFA Technical Consultant opined, “I think yesterday [Wednesday] was fantastic. We had the Executive Committee members, we had the [GFF] President in the room, today [Thursday] we’ve got some key external stakeholders. I think they’ve been very receptive so far, but it’s always going to be in the implementation. We can have the presentation, the reports, the data, but it’s now to the GFF to ensure they work towards implementing these.”
“We know it can’t happen overnight. It’s up to them to prioritise what needs to be done today, what needs to be done tomorrow, next month. Within the recommendations, there’s some that can be developed very quickly; other things are going to take a little bit longer, such as infrastructure,”
Batting first, Essequibo posted 142 all out in 35.3 overs, anchored by Romario Bholo, who struck 27 from 59 deliveries, and Jathniel Nurse, who added 20 from 34 balls, including three boundaries. The Select XI attack was led by Joshua Budhram, who impressed with figures of 4 for 29, while Gibran Yacoob and Roupie Rajaram chipped in with two wickets each.
However, Essequibo’s bowlers held their nerve, with Shazim Mohamed producing a match-winning spell of 4 for 18 and Darwin Joseph supporting well with 3 for 29 as the Select XI were bowled out for 134 in 36.2 overs.
spell from Gilbert Griffith, who claimed 4 for 17, and Feaz Baksh, who supported with 3 for 13.
Greenwood further enlightened. Meanwhile, GFF President Wayne Forde spoke to the usefulness of the Amateur Football Environment report.
“We can be able to really figure out particular needs for particular demographics. If we have a large percentage of young people in one area, then maybe having just one playable facility in that area may not be adequate to meet those needs. This is what this report does, it puts at our fingertips, useful data that can help us to make good decisions,” the GFF boss articulated.
Greenwood, alongside fellow Regional Technical Consultant David Abdul, conducted sessions with Federation Committee members, and other stakeholders on the implementation of the report’s findings.
ssequibo produced a spirited all-round performance to secure their first victory of the tournament, edging the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) Select XI by eight runs in a tense encounter at the Lusignan Community Centre Ground, as the final round of the GCB Under-19 Inter-County 50-Overs Championship was staged on Thursday.
In reply, the GCB Select XI made a promising start, racing to 77 for 2 before losing momentum with the dismissal of Yannick Newton, who top-scored with a blistering 47 off 31 balls, decorated with 11 fours.
At the Police Sports Club Ground, Berbice booked their place in the final with a commanding performance against unbeaten Demerara. Demerara, choosing to bat first, were restricted to 121 all out in 38 overs. Dhanesh Persaud top-scored with 26 off 86 balls, including two sixes, while Parmeshwar Ram made 21 and Shamar Apple contributed 16. The Berbice attack was spearheaded by a devastating
he Guinness
T“Greatest of the Streets” Georgetown Championship got off to a pulsating start, with an ac-
Game 1
tion-packed opening night that featured goals, tight contests, and dramatic penalty shootouts.
The opening encounter
In response, Berbice chased down the target with ease, reaching 122 for 3 in just 22.2 overs. Razam Koobir led the way with an unbeaten 62 off 74 balls, smashing eight fours and three sixes, while Adrian Hetmyer provided valuable support with 22 runs.
The championship match is now set, with Berbice scheduled to face Demerara on Sunday, April 19, 2026, at Rose Hall, Canje, Berbice, in what promises to be a highly-anticipated clash for Under-19 supremacy.
between Alexander Village and Island All-Stars ended 2-2 in regulation time, with Island All-Stars holding their composure to secure a 3-2 win on penalty kicks.
derlined their attacking strength.
Alexander Village 2 v Island All-Stars 2
Island All-Stars won 3-2 on penalty kicks
Game 2
Tiger Bay 3 v Rising Stars 1
Game 3
Make It Happen 1 v East Coast All-Stars 1 East Coast won 2-1 on penalty kicks
Game 4
Team Immaculate 1 v California Square 0
Game 5
Festival City 3 v Sophia All-Stars 0 Game 6
Gold is Money 5 v Stevedore 0 Game 7
Sparta Boss 0 v East Bank Ballers 0 Sparta won 1-0 on penalty kicks Complete Results
Tiger Bay followed with an impressive 3-1 victory over Rising Stars, displaying sharp attacking play and control throughout. In Game Three, Make It Happen and East Coast All-Stars battled to a 1-1 draw, but East Coast AllStars prevailed 2-1 on penalties to move forward.
Team Immaculate edged California Square 1-0 in a closely-contested affair, while Festival City delivered a commanding 3-0 win over Sophia All-Stars in one of the more dominant performances of the night.
Gold is Money then produced the most emphatic result of the evening, dismantling Stevedore 5-0 in a clinical display that un-
The final game saw Sparta Boss and East Bank Ballers locked in a tense, scoreless battle. Sparta Boss eventually emerged 1-0 winners on penalty kicks to bring the night’s proceedings to a close.
Attention now shifts to the Round of 32 fixtures on Friday, April 17, with several intriguing match-ups on the cards. Bent Street B will face Unity Ballers at 19:00h, followed by Corinthians against Team Cruel at 19:30h.
Gaza Squad take on
Laing Avenue at 20:00h, while North Ruimveldt oppose Z-Tekk at 20:30h. Albouystown meet Young Stars at 21:00h, before North East La Penitence clash with K-town AllStars at 21:30h.
Leopold and Kingston will do battle at 22:00h, and the evening concludes with National All-Stars facing Team Madrid at 22:30h.
With an exciting opening night in the books, the stage is set for another thrilling round of street football action in Georgetown.
Day 2 Fixtures (Round of 32) April 17
(9) Bent St B v Unity Ballers – 19:00h
(10) Corinthians v Team Cruel – 19:30h
(11) Gaza Squad v Laing Avenue – 20:00h
(12) North Ruimveldt v Z-Tekk – 20:30h
(13) Albouystown v Young Stars – 21:00h
(14) North East La Penitence v K-town All-Stars – 21:30h
(15) Leopold v Kingston – 22:00h
(16) National All-Stars v Team Madrid – 22:30h
ENet has officially signed on as a premier partner of the ExxonMobil Guyana Global Super League (GSL), reinforcing its commitment to the continued development of cricket in Guyana and across the region.
Under a multi-year agreement, ENet will serve as the exclusive telecommunications and broadband partner of the GSL for the next three seasons. According to the GSL, this landmark partnership highlights ENet’s growing role in supporting major sporting initiatives while strengthening national connectivity and community engagement.
“ENet is proud to partner with the Global Super League and support the continued growth of cricket in Guyana,” said Robert Hiscock, ENet’s Head of Mobile Networks. “This partnership forms part of our commitment to investing holistically in local cricket, supporting the development of young and emerging
players, connecting communities, and showcasing Guyana on a global stage.”
The GSL noted, as Guyana’s only locally-owned and operated telecommunications company, ENet continues to play a pivotal role in advancing both digital infrastructure and national development through sport. Beyond its presence in the GSL, ENet will also support a range of peripheral initiatives aimed at nurturing local talent and deepening fan engagement.
These initiatives will include contributions to national competitions and grassroots programmes, ensuring that young and emerging cricketers benefit from increased oppor-
tunities and exposure. The partnership further underscores ENet’s long-term vision of fostering sustainable growth in cricket while enhancing the overall fan experience.
Sir Clive Lloyd, Chairman of the Global Super League, welcomed the partnership, stating: “We are delighted to have ENet come on board as a partner. Their commitment to cricket development and community engagement aligns perfectly with the vision of the Global Super League. Partnerships like this are critical to elevating the game in Guyana and ensuring that our players and fans benefit from world-class opportunities.”
Last week at Olympic House, Liliendaal, Ken Harvey boldly stated that he would return to the Land of Many Waters with a medal, after competing in the fourth South American Youth Cames.
On Wednesday evening, the teenager ensured his statement would become reality, winning his quarterfinal bout, thus moving on to the medal rounds at the Games in Panama City, Panama.
Harvey, fighting out of the blue corner, took on Paraguay’s Edgar Miranda in the quarterfinal of the 60kg weight class.
It took the Guyanese only two rounds and several lusty blows to his opponent’s head and body to destabilise him. Harvey’s dominance caused
the referee to intervene with two counts in the first round and another early in the second round.
Following that count, just 24 seconds into the second round, the referee stopped the bout thus granting Harvey a win by the RSC route.
When looking at the judges’ cards, all five officials had scored 10-8 in the Guyanese’s favour for the first of what should have been a three-round contest. The Judges included Consulting Washington (USA); Celina Ortiz (Mexico); Maria Coto (Costa Rica); Omar Lorenzo Walker (Panama) and Julio Pizzaro (Puerto Rico).
cured at least a bronze medal. It’s what we expected and we do hope that in his next fight on Friday, that he can come out victorious also.”
The ExxonMobil Guyana Global Super League is quickly emerging as a premier cricketing event, bringing international attention
to Guyana and providing a platform for elite competition and local talent development.
With ENet’s support, the
league is poised to deliver an even-more connected, engaging, and impactful experience for players and fans alike.
Guyana’s mixed table tennis team at the ongoing fourth South American Youth Games put up a valiant effort in the teams competition, but fell short on Wednesday and Thursday, going down to Bolivia and Peru, respectively.
On Wednesday afternoon, Guyana embarked on their second Group B fixture, taking on Bolivia.
Malachi Moore got the Guyanese off to a stellar start, coming from behind to defeat Sergio Ressini 3-2 in the first men’s singles match. Ressini took the first two sets 18-16 and 114; however, Moore turned the tides on his Bolivian counterpart, winning the remaining sets 11-9, 11-6 and 14-12.
Luciana Cruz and Sergio Ressini took set one 11-6, but the Guyanese returned to claim three sets on the trot 5-11, 5-11, 9-11 for the win.
Bolivia’s Alan Duran managed to level things up in game four, getting the better of Guyana’s Kayden Meusa 3-0 (11-7, 11-7, 11-9).
In the decisive match, Billingy took a strong lead against Luciana Cruz, winning the first two sets 11-6, 11-5, but Cruz roared back, storming to victory with three straight sets 6-11, 5-11, 12-10 for the 2-3 win.
Then on Wednesday, Peru dominated the Guyanese team 3-0.
“His victory and bronze medal have ushered in some new energy into the sport and I personally want to applaud his efforts. It again underlines the importance of us focusing on our nursery of boxing,” the GBA boss added about the long-standing investments in youth boxing.
An ecstatic Guyana Boxing Association (GBA) President Steve Ninvalle praised Harvey’s efforts thus far, describing his achievement as a testament to their emphasis on Guyana’s boxing nursery. Ninvalle said about Harvey’s achievement, “Well, we’re very happy that Ken Harvey could’ve se-
As Harvey moves on to the semifinals, he is already guaranteed at least a bronze medal as is the custom in the sport. However, a win in the semis will see him moving up to challenge for the gold.
The 60kg semifinals are scheduled for 17:00h today, Friday, April 17. There, Harvey will battle Maicon Dos Santos of Brazil with the hope of progressing to the event’s final.
Match two saw Guyana’s Samara Sukhai going down to Luciel Antequera 6-11, 7-11, 6-11 in a 0-3 loss. With the scores level at 1-1, Guyana’s mixed doubles team of Moore and Jasmine Billingy gave their teammates the upper hand with a 3-1 victory.
The Bolivian pair of
Moore stepped up to the plate first against Samuel Duffoo, but went down 7-11, 4-11 and 8-11. Billingy suffered a similar fate in Game
Two, unable to capitalise on an initial lead against Luciana Granados in set one, 11-9. The Peruvian player turned the tables on the Guyanese, claiming three back-to-back sets 6-11, 4-11 and 5-11 for a 1-3 win.
For the mixed doubles, Peru’s Natzumi Aquije and Keiji Takeda sealed their triumph with a 3-0 victory. The Peruvians defeated the pair of Moore and Billingy in three sets, 11-7, 11-6, 11-1. The loss is likely to end Guyana’s campaign in the mixed team event at the South American Youth Games, after a spirited effort from the young Guyanese team.
