Guyana Times - Friday, May 15, 2026

Couple busted with ganja in bedroom Lethem teen slapped with 15 traffic charges

Guyana-Venezuela border controversy Caricom reaffirms full support for Guyana ahead of ICJ ruling

The Caribbean Community (Caricom) has reaffirmed its unwavering support for Guyana’s territorial integrity and the judicial process before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) as a ruling in the border controversy with Venezuela looms.

This position was conveyed by Caricom’s Assistant Secretary General Elizabeth Solomon on Thursday during the opening ceremony of the Centre for International and Border Studies Conference in Georgetown.

“Sovereignty is not a static achievement but a continuous work of diplomacy, intellectual rigour and national resilience. Within this context, I reiterate the unwavering position of the Community regarding the Guyana-Venezuela border controversy. Caricom remains firm in its support for the judicial process before the International Court of Justice and continues to advocate for a peaceful, legal resolution that respects Guyana’s territorial integrity and maintains our region as a zone of peace,” she expressed.

Guyana approached the ICJ in 2018 to obtain a final and binding legal affirmation of the 1899 Arbitral Award, which establishes the land boundary between Guyana and Venezuela. The World Court will likely deliver a ruling by yearend or early 2027, having concluded both written and oral phases of the proceedings.

Guyana has already maintained that it will abide by the judgement, noting that it is waiting with patience, decorum, dignity, and optimism.

Venezuela, on the other hand, insists that it will ignore the ruling and continues to reject the ICJ’s jurisdiction to resolve the matter – even though it participated in the proceedings.

In fact, Venezuela’s interim President Delcy Rodríguez, told the World Court on the final day of oral hearings on Monday that “this Court was created to resolve conflicts, not to encourage them. Only a political and negotiated solution to the territorial dispute can lay a solid and stable foundation for good neighbourliness, cooperation, shared economic development, and the promotion of secure investment in the region.”

However, Guyana has since urged respect for the World Court’s ruling, noting that the international community would not allow Venezuela “to defy the most fundamental rules of international law, which demand a world order based on the rule of law”.

Moreover, Guyana noted that it will continue to address Venezuela “in a spirit of peace, cooperation and friendship and as sover-

eign equals. We will respect Venezuela’s sovereignty, as we have always done, and insist that Venezuela refrain from trespassing on, or threatening, Guyana’s sovereignty.”

US support

Only recently, United States Under Secretary of State for Economic Affairs Jacob Helberg said Washington continues to monitor the border controversy case before the ICJ

while also pursuing private diplomatic engagements on the matter amid continued threats from Venezuela.

He told a news briefing in Guyana on Wednesday that “we’re monitoring that event at the ICJ very, very closely”. We understand and agree that security is a precondition for prosperity, and ultimately a lot of those conversations right now will be private, and we believe that we can make progress through private

conversations.”

His comments come on the heels of United States Congresswoman Maria Elvira Salazar, Chair of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Western Hemisphere Affairs, issuing a statement sharply criticising Venezuela’s interim President Rodríguez, over continued threats to Guyana’s territorial sovereignty.

BRIDGE OPENING

FRIDAY, MAY 15, 2026

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Friday, May 15 –15:35h–17:05h and Saturday, May 16 – 16:25h–17:55h

FERRY SCHEDULE

Parika and Supenaam departure times – 05:00h, 10:00h-12:00h, 16:00h, 18:30h daily.

WEATHER TODAY

Thundery showers are expected during the day and at night. Temperatures are expected to range between 24 degrees Celsius and 29 degrees Celsius.

Winds: East-North-Easterly to Easterly between 3.57 metres and 4.91 metres.

High Tide: 15:34h reaching a maximum height of 2.69 metres.

Low Tide: 09:06h and 21:22h reaching minimum heights of 0.41 metre and 0.55 metre.

Guyana, DR deepen energy ties, eye joint oil & gas development in Berbice Block

TGovernments of Guyana and the Dominican Republic are continuing efforts to strengthen bilateral cooperation under a 2023 Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) focused on energy, agriculture, tourism, petrochemicals and oil refinery development.

In a joint statement issued on Thursday, the two Governments said several initiatives have been progressing steadily through both Government-level engagement and increased Private Sector collaboration.

The statement said the Government of the Dominican Republic, through Refineria Dominicana de Petróleo S A, is continuing discussions aimed at expanding cooperation and exploring strategic investment opportunities in Guyana’s oil and gas sector.

Among the areas being examined is investment interest linked to the Berbice Block, which was previously held by On Energy. Discussions are also focused on regional energy security and future opportunities for collaboration between the two countries.

According to the statement, the engagements are in keeping with the Government of Guyana’s long-term strategy to strengthen national and regional energy security while positioning the country as a key energy partner within the Caribbean.

The two Governments also welcomed growing cooperation among Private Sector entities in both countries, including efforts to establish partnerships and consortia in agriculture, en-

ergy and petrochemicals.

Both sides expressed satisfaction with the progress made under the MoUs signed in 2023 and reaffirmed their commitment to advancing initiatives aimed at deepening economic ties and creating opportunities for citizens of Guyana and the Dominican Republic.

Meanwhile, the media in the Dominican Republic reported that the Governments of the Dominican Republic and Guyana signed an agreement Thursday to jointly explore and potentially de-

velop oil and natural gas resources in the onshore Berbice block, marking a major step in their expanding energy partnership.

Dominican Today news entity reported that under the deal, the Dominican Petroleum Refinery will represent the Dominican State and receive a 10 per cent stake in the project without requiring an upfront capital investment. According to the Dominican Today news report if commercially viable reserves are discovered, the Dominican Republic would gain access to crude oil or

natural gas under preferential terms, strengthening the country’s long-term energy security.

President of the Dominican Republic, Luis Abinader Corona, arrived in Guyana on Wednesday evening. President Abinader is in Guyana for a two-day visit.

Relations between the Dominican Republic and Guyana have become closer in recent years, especially as both countries see opportunities in trade, energy, food production, and regional cooperation.

Editor: Tusika Martin

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Email: news@guyanatimesgy.com, marketing@guyanatimesgy.com

Towards zero tolerance & strengthening protections

The Government’s efforts to strengthen protections against harassment are an important step in Guyana’s social and institutional development. The approach outlined on Thursday by Human Services and Social Security Minister Dr Vindhya Persaud reflects an understanding that harassment is a workplace and societal issue that demands legal, institutional and cultural responses.

For many years, harassment in workplaces and public spaces has remained underreported, poorly addressed, and in some cases normalised. Victims often avoid reporting incidents because of fear of retaliation, concerns about confidentiality, uncertainty about available remedies, or lack of confidence in existing systems. In environments where power imbalances are pronounced, silence frequently becomes the safest option for those affected. This reality has long highlighted the need for stronger safeguards and clearer accountability structures.

The Government’s decision to continue consultations on harassment legislation before finalising a draft bill is therefore a prudent course of action rather than a sign of delay. Laws that govern sensitive and far-reaching issues such as harassment must be carefully constructed to ensure fairness, clarity and enforceability. Stakeholder engagement is particularly important because the issue affects workers, employers, trade unions, professional organisations, educators and vulnerable groups in different ways. Comprehensive consultation also reduces the likelihood of loopholes, ambiguity or unintended consequences once legislation is enacted.

Importantly, the current approach recognises that legislation alone cannot solve the problem. Too often, countries adopt laws that appear progressive on paper but remain ineffective because institutions are unprepared to implement them or workplaces fail to establish practical reporting and enforcement systems. The emphasis being placed on workplace accountability measures alongside the proposed legislation is therefore both timely and strategic.

The introduction of the gender equality and empowerment seal initiative demonstrates an understanding that prevention and institutional reform must occur simultaneously. Training employers, establishing reporting mechanisms, improving monitoring systems and creating structured procedures for addressing complaints are essential components of meaningful workplace reform. In many organisations, harassment complaints are mishandled because there are no established policies, no trained personnel, and no clear process for investigations or disciplinary action. The result is often confusion, distrust and further victimisation.

Workplaces are among the most common environments where harassment occurs, yet many businesses still lack comprehensive internal policies to address misconduct. Encouraging companies to adopt structured anti-harassment frameworks can help establish standards that promote professionalism, accountability and employee confidence. Businesses also stand to benefit directly from safer workplace cultures through improved productivity, staff retention and public reputation.

Equally important is the planned expansion of the initiative into the public service, as Government institutions must set the standard for professional conduct and workplace protection. Public confidence in anti-harassment measures will depend heavily on whether state agencies demonstrate transparency, consistency and fairness in handling complaints. If effectively implemented, such reforms can contribute to broader cultural change across the country.

Harassment often persists because many individuals do not fully understand what constitutes inappropriate conduct or because workplace cultures discourage open discussion of these issues. Awareness programmes can help employees recognise unacceptable behaviour, understand reporting procedures and appreciate the importance of respectful professional relationships. Such efforts are especially important in societies where victims have historically been reluctant to come forward.

At the same time, accountability must remain a defining feature of the reform agenda, as policies without enforcement quickly lose credibility. Workers must be assured that complaints will be handled confidentially, fairly and without intimidation. Employers must also understand that failure to address harassment can no longer be treated as a secondary administrative matter. Strong reporting systems, independent investigations and appropriate sanctions are critical to ensuring that reforms produce real change rather than symbolic compliance.

Stronger protections against harassment contribute to national development by helping to create environments where individuals can participate fully and safely in economic and social life. A workforce that feels protected is more likely to be productive, engaged and confident. In this regard, workplace safety and equality are not separate from development goals but closely connected to them.

On oil spill liability, EPA permit strengthening & broader regulatory framework

Dear Editor,

The debate on oil-spill liability is being framed too narrowly. The issue is not whether Guyana is protected only by an unlimited parent company guarantee; the issue is whether the country now has a broader legal, regulatory and operational framework that allocates liability, compels prevention, strengthens response capacity, and preserves the state’s enforcement leverage. In a small, open, oil-producing economy, that distinction is not semantic. It determines how environmental risk is transmitted into fiscal risk, reputational risk, and wider balance-of-payments exposure. Taken together, the Petroleum Activities Act 2023, the Oil Pollution Prevention, Preparedness, Response and Responsibility Act 2025, and the strengthened EPA permit regime indicate that the architecture is materially stronger than the one that existed before.

The prevailing view misses the central point. An unlimited guarantee, by itself, is not the full liability regime. It is one financial assurance mechanism within a wider system of statutory obligations, permit conditions, operational controls, indemnities, insurance requirements, and ministerial enforcement powers. This author has argued previously that the legal and accounting treatment of environmental contingent liabilities must be assessed within that broader framework, not through a politically convenient but analytically incomplete narrative. The narrow interpretation fails to account for how modern petroleum governance actually works: prevention reduces probability, containment reduces scale, enforceable obligations reduce moral hazard, and a layered framework reduces residual exposure to the State.

In this regard, the Petroleum Activities Act 2023 materially strengthened the State’s position. Part XIII establishes the statutory framework for safety, risk management and emergency preparedness. Sections 73 to 76 are

especially relevant. They provide for safety requirements and standards, require facilities and infrastructure to be maintained in a safe condition, empower the Minister to require remedial action or discontinuance of operations where there is an unacceptable risk of pollution or major damage, require risk assessments and safety management systems, and require emergency preparedness and response measures aligned with national or regional spill-response plans, with regular testing of those measures. Sections 87 and 93 are also critical, since they preserve ministerial monitoring and inspection powers and require the licensee to keep the state indemnified against claims and demands arising from the exercise of petroleum rights, while maintaining insurance as required by law.

The Act also goes beyond spill response in the narrow sense by creating an end-to-end environmental liability framework across the life cycle of petroleum operations. Part IX requires decommissioning plans and budgets, establishes a decommissioning fund, provides for post-decommissioning verification, and makes clear that failure to submit a decommissioning plan or meet decommissioning obligations does not relieve a licensee of liability for those costs. That is not a minor detail.

It shows that environmental liability in Guyana is no longer being treated as an afterthought at the point of incident; it is being embedded into the economics and governance of the project from production through abandonment. The broader framework shows that liability is being internalised ex ante, not merely debated ex post.

More importantly, Guyana has now enacted a bespoke oil-spill statute: the Oil Pollution Prevention, Preparedness, Response and Responsibility Act 2025. The significance of that enactment should not be understated. A dedicated oil-pollution law moves the country beyond reliance on fragmented permit

language and general environmental principles alone. It provides a specialised legislative basis for prevention, preparedness, response, responsibility and cost recovery in relation to oil pollution events. In other words, the legal architecture has been widened and deepened. That is the opposite of a regulatory retreat.

The regulatory instruments have also improved materially, and the documentary comparison is decisive. The renewed EPA permits introduced substantive clauses that were absent from the earlier permits, including a project community grievance mechanism; mandatory recording and reporting of environmental grievances; tighter air-quality requirements tied to specified American Petroleum Institute standards; explicit restrictions on flaring, including approval thresholds and time limits; a carbon charge of US$50 per tonne of carbon dioxide equivalent for flaring above stipulated periods; stronger hazardous-waste controls; faster compliance deadlines for well safety case submissions; a requirement to maintain access to a capping-stack subscription service capable of mobilisation within nine days or less; express application of the polluter pays principle; NEBA and SIMA requirements for spill-response decisions; and entirely new sections on chemical handling, marine ecosystems management, production operations and safety, emergency shutdown systems, gas detection, fire detection, and firewater systems.

The sections on financial assurance and liability for pollution damage and on institutional authority were also expanded. The issue must be examined relative to enforceability. Better permit drafting reduces ambiguity, shortens regulatory response time, strengthens compliance leverage, and improves the state’s capacity to intervene before an incident compounds into a materially larger environmental and fiscal liability.

Guyana does have a Data Protection Act

Dear Editor,

I read with interest the letter published on May 13, 2026, in the media, authored by Mr Rawle A Small. His concerns are timely, well-articulated, and frankly representative of questions this office has been hearing from many quarters. I therefore take this opportunity to respond to Mr Small directly, while also addressing the broader public concerns that his letter so clearly reflects.

Guyana does, in fact, have a Data Protection Act (DPA). This legislation is not a proposal or a future ambition – it is the law of the land. My mandate as Data Protection Commissioner flows directly from that Act, and at this very moment, we are actively engaged in the process of formally establishing the Data Protection Office, the institutional body responsible for enforcing its provisions, educating the public, and holding both Government agencies and private entities accountable for how they handle personal information.

Mr Small raises several specific concerns that I want to speak to directly. He is right that when citizens register for digital services, a great deal of sensitive information – medical records, financial data, family details, and identification numbers – can be collected, stored, and potentially shared. The Data Protection Act addresses precisely this. It establishes principles governing the lawful basis for

collecting data, places obligations on data controllers to ensure information is stored securely, limits the purposes for which data can be used, and grants citizens’ rights over their own information – including the right to know what is being held about them and to request corrections or deletions.

His concern about third-party access is equally well-founded. Whether it is a private contractor supporting a Government health system or a technology vendor managing police records, the Act does not permit organisations to sidestep their obligations simply because they are not Government entities. Data processors operating on behalf of public bodies carry legal responsibilities of their own.

On the question of cybersecurity and encryption, I agree entirely that technical safeguards must accompany legal ones. No piece of legislation, however well-drafted, substitutes for properly secured systems. This is why the work of establishing the Data Protection Office includes developing guidance and standards that agencies must meet before deploying systems that handle personal information. We are not simply building a complaints desk – we are building a framework of accountability that begins before systems go live, not after breaches occur.

I also want to address directly the concern that has been raised in various

quarters about the Digital Identity Card Act of 2023 being in force while the Data Protection Act has not yet been fully operationalised. This is a fair observation and one I take seriously. But I want Guyanese citizens to understand what the Digital Identity Card Act (DICA) actually says – and what was built-in from the outset.

The two pieces of legislation – Act No. 18 and Act No. 19 of 2023 – were passed together by the National Assembly on the same day and assented to by His Excellency, the President on the same date. They were always designed to function as companion laws.

This is not accidental. The Digital Identity Card Act itself mandates several preconditions before the system could be launched, and among those preconditions is the appointment of a Data Protection Commissioner. The DICA did not sidestep data protection – it required it. A Data Protection Commissioner had to be appointed before the Act could come into force. That was not optional, and that condition has been met. Furthermore, the Act stipulates that the Digital Identity Card Registry shall be administered by the Data Protection Commissioner, who is exclusively authorised to issue the cards.

As Commissioner, I am not a bystander to the Registry – I am its administrator. The protection of the data collected through

that system is a responsibility that sits directly with this office, not in some other ministry or department. That is a meaningful structural safeguard, and it is written into the law itself. Regarding what data is actually being collected at this stage: both the Prime Minister and Attorney General have confirmed that only basic personal information already held by state agencies is being collected – the same type of data currently held by GECOM, the Guyana Revenue Authority, and the National Insurance Scheme.

The Government has been unambiguous on this point: more sensitive personal information will only be collected once the country’s data protection framework is fully in place. I have further clarified publicly that no tax records, health data, or financial information is stored on or within the card itself. The card carries what is necessary to establish identity –nothing more at this stage.

On the technical side, the system is not built on good intentions alone. The cards meet international ICAO [International Civil Aviation Organization] biometric security standards –the same standards governing passports and identity documents worldwide. They are laser-engraved in polycarbonate material to resist forgery or alteration and PKI (Public Key Infrastructure)enabled for secure digital signatures and authenti-

On oil spill liability, EPA permit strengthening...

That is not a cosmetic permit revision; it is institutional risk reduction.

Then there is the operational dimension, which is often underweighted in public commentary. Liability is only one side of risk management; containment capacity is the other. The strengthened permit framework now requires access to a capping-stack mobilisation service within nine calendar days or less of an uncontrolled event, alongside broader spill-response obligations grounded in the polluter pays principle, remediation, monitoring, and agency approval for higher-risk response techniques such as in-situ burning and chemical dispersants. The causation chain is straightforward: stronger ex ante controls reduce the probability of a major event; faster intervention reduces the duration of uncontrolled discharge; shorter discharge duration reduces the scale of marine and coastal contamination; and lower contamination reduces remediation costs, compensation claims, and wider economic disruption. This must be assessed within the context of a small, open economy where a major

spill is not merely an environmental issue but a fisheries, tourism, trade and fiscal-risk issue.

Accordingly, the claim that Guyana is inadequately protected unless the debate is resolved solely through an unlimited parent company guarantee is not a complete reading of the present framework.

The country now has a layered system comprising statute, materially strengthened permit conditions, emergency-response obligations, indemnity and insurance requirements, ministerial enforcement authority, and operational spill-containment measures. The determining factor is not whether one instrument can be rhetorically elevated above all others, but whether the total system is stronger, more enforceable, and more capable of reducing both the probability and the cost of environmental harm. On that test, the current framework is materially more robust. This is not merely a legal drafting issue; it is a question of sovereign risk management, environmental resilience, and national economic protection. In light

of the foregoing, the proper test is not theoretical absolutes but whether Guyana’s current framework materially improves the state’s abili-

ty to prevent, contain, remediate, and recover. It does.

Yours faithfully, Joel Bhagwandin

cation. There is structured coordination between the Registry and the public bodies responsible for issuing official documents – including the General Register Office, the Commissioner of Registration, and the Immigration Support Service – for the purpose of authenticating documents and validating data in the central databases.

Are these safeguards identical to the full framework of the Data Protection Act? No – and I will not pretend otherwise.

Beyond the mechanics of the card itself, Mr Small raises a broader concern that deserves a direct answer – the risk of data being used for political profiling, commercial targeting, or surveillance. These are not paranoid concerns. The international record is clear: Governments and corporations have misused data at an enormous scale, and smaller nations are not immune. The protections against these abuses are built into the architecture of the act – purpose limitation, data minimisation, restrictions on automated decision-making, and independent oversight.

Where I must respectfully take issue is with the suggestion that legal protections are not yet part of this process. They are. What I acknowledge, honestly, is that public awareness of these protections remains limited – and that is a gap we take seriously. A law that citizens do not know about cannot protect them the way it should. Public education is very much a part of what the Data Protection Office is being built to deliver. Guyana’s digital future should be built on trust, and trust has to be earned through transparency, accountability, and genuine institutional capacity. That is exactly what we are working toward.

The DPA, once fully operational, will add a comprehensive layer of rights, enforcement powers, and oversight mechanisms that go significantly beyond what the DICA provides on its own. That work is underway, and it is my office’s primary mandate to see it through. The Government has stated that it is working to establish the necessary mechanisms to bring the DPA into full effect. I can tell you that this is not a distant aspiration – it is an active operational effort. What I would say to any citizen who has hesitated to apply for their digital ID card because of concerns about data protection: the system you are interacting with when you go to a regional enrolment office is one administered by this office, built to international security standards, limited in its current data collection to what the state already holds about you, and structured by two laws that Parliament passed with broad support precisely because they were designed to work together.

Yours sincerely, Aneal Giddings Data Protection Commissioner

Sign Off

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FRIDAY, MAY 15, 2026

Page Foundation

◄ CXC Questions

1. A ribbon, 7.62 m long, is cut into six equal pieces. What is the length, in metres (m), of each piece?

(A) 1.27

(B) 13.62

(C) 45.72

2. Which of the following sets of numbers is written in order of size, starting with the LARGEST?

(A) 0.7, 0.07, 0.007, 7 (B) 7, 0.07, 0.7, 0.007

(C) 7, 0.7, 0.07, 0.007

3. Given that 6.2 x 1.8 = 11.16, what is the value of 0.062 x 18?

(A) 1.116

(B) 11.16

(C) 111.6

4. Sammy got 3 out of 5 questions correct. The percentage he got correct was:

(A) 25%

(B) 40%

(C) 60%

5. If 20% of a number is 8, what is the number?

(A) 40 (B) 60 (C) 80

6. A shopkeeper bought a 20 pound box of salt fish which cost $160. He sold the salt fish at $10 a pound. His profit as a percentage of the cost price was

(A) 20%

(B) 25% (C) 80%

7. A school has 60 girls and 90 boys. The ratio of girls to boys is (A) 2:3

(B) 3:2

(C) 9:6

8. For every 3 votes that John received, Paula received 5. If Paula received 80 votes, how many votes did John receive? (A) 30

(B) 48

(C) 50

9. The length of a swimming pool is BEST measured in (A) metres

(B) kilometres (C) centimetres

Question 10 refers to the following diagram.

10. The length of ST, in cm, is (A) 3 (B) 4 (C) 9

Question 11 refers to the following diagram which shows two containers, P and Q.

11. Container P is to be filled with juice using container Q. How many of container Q will it take to fill container P? (A) 6 (B) 8 (C) 15

Question 12 refers to the following diagram which shows a field in the shape of a square.

12. The area of the field, in m2, is (A) 10 (B) 20 (C) 25

13. Jim can swim a distance of 100m in 6 minutes. If he swam 600m at the same average speed, how long did he take? (A) 36 minutes (B) 60 minutes (C) 106 minutes

14. The perimeter of a rectangle is 26cm. One side is 7cm. The lengths of the other three sides, in cm, are (A) 7, 6, 6 (B) 7, 7, 6 (C) 7, 8, 8

15. 500g of rice was used from a packet containing 2.5kg. What is the weight of the rice remaining in the packet? (A) 3 kg (B) 2 kg (C) 1.5 kg

By RICHARD WILBUR

As with the dapper terns, or that sole cloud

Which like a slow-evolving embryo

Moils in the sky, we make of this keen fish Whom fight and beauty have endeared to us

A mirror of our kind. Setting aside

His unreflectiveness, his flings in air, The aberration of his flocking swerve To spawning-grounds a hundred miles at sea, How clearly, musing to the engine's thrum, Do we conceive him as he waits below:

Blue in the water's blue, which is the shade

Of thought, and in that scintillating flux

Poised weightless, all attention, yet on edge

To lunge and seize with sure incisiveness, He is a type of coolest intellect, Or is so to the mind's blue eye until He strikes and runs unseen beneath the rip,

Yanking imagination back and down

Past recognition to the unlit deep

Of the glass sponges, of Chiasmodon,

Of the old darkness of Devonian dream, Phase of a meditation not our own, That long mélée where selves were not, that life Merciless, painless, sleepless, unaware, From which, in time, unthinkably we rose.

Write about a time when you or someone you know displayed courage.

WORD SEARCH

Guyana could become testing ground for Silicon Valley innovation – US official

The United States sees potential in Guyana to become a testing ground for Silicon Valley innovation, with American tech companies possibly using the country to pilot new technologies and explore opportunities to establish local operations.

This is according to US Under Secretary of State for Economic Affairs, Jacob Helberg following his meeting with President Dr Irfaan Ali at State House in Guyana on Wednesday.

Helberg told a subsequent press briefing at the US Embassy that there are tremendous opportunities for collaboration between Silicon Valley and Guyana.

“President Ali is very interested in promoting entrepreneurship, and through that we discuss a fair bit [of] opportunities of collaboration between Silicon Valley and Guyana in all sectors, including in the agricultural and food technology sector. We think that there is

a lot of room that can be explored to actually materialise those opportunities and make Guyana potentially an incredible place for Silicon Valley companies to come test new technologies and potentially set up shop here. So, we were very encouraged about that,” the US official noted.

According to Helberg, President Ali has a great vision of modernising Guyana and bringing technology to the country.

“I’m sure it hasn’t escaped all of you that we’re currently living through an incredibly transformative time in the technology sector, particularly with respect to the artificial intelligence revolution, which is really poised to be a huge tailwind for economic growth in the years ahead, as well as an opportunity for countries around the world to leapfrog a lot of the old infrastructure and the old way of doing things. President Ali is totally committed to ensuring that Guyana plays

an important part in that technological revolution,” he noted.

In April 2025, President Ali visited Silicon Valley, California, to engage with major technology companies and explore collaborations to accelerate Guyana’s digital transformation.

Among the major technology companies Ali visited was IBM, one of the world’s oldest and largest technology firms, known for its leadership in IT consulting, computer technology and innovation. During his visit to IBM’s headquarters in Silicon Valley, President Ali met with Director Jeff Welser and members of his team. Discussions focused on advancements in quantum computing and data management, including technologies aimed at building more resilient and secure systems.

IBM has been behind several major technological innovations over the decades, including the development of ATM technology and magnetic stripe cards. According to information released following the meeting, the company also expressed interest in collaborating with Guyana on innovative solutions tailored to the country’s development needs.

Another company that President Ali toured was Microsoft’s Silicon Valley campus. Microsoft is another multinational technology corporation known for its software, services, devices and solutions, including the Windows operating system and the Office suite.

President Ali also paid a visit to the innovation offices of Google X – the birthplace of many innovative startups in Silicon Valley. While there, he met with Chief

Caricom reaffirms full...

In the statement via X on Tuesday evening, Salazar said, “Delcy thinks she can trick President Trump the same way she and Maduro tricked and destroyed Venezuela. But President Trump knows exactly who she is: another member of Ali Baba and the 40 thieves. You don’t deal with him through secret letters while trying to steal territory from a free and sovereign nation like Guyana. Unlike the Maduro regime, Guyana didn’t rob its people. They managed their oil wealth re-

sponsibly, created a sovereign wealth fund, and saw GDP per capita quadruple in just five years. Delcy should stop threatening Guyana and start learning from it.”

Salazar’s statement came one day after Rodríguez told the World Court during oral hearings that Venezuela will ignore its ruling on the border case.

On Thursday, US Congress Representative Gregory Meeks of New York, Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and the

Chamber’s Senior Democrat on Foreign Policy, issued a direct call to the Trump Administration this week, urging it to stand firmly behind Guyana.

“Any attempt by Venezuela’s interim Government - whose party lost the 2024 elections - to unilaterally claim authority over Essequibo is unacceptable. The Trump Administration should make it clear that the United States stands with our democratic partner, Guyana,” he posted on X.

Executive Officer (CEO) Dr Astro Teller and his team, and they discussed potential solutions and future collaboration between Guyana and Google X.

Additionally, President Ali met with a team of top executives from the hardware giant Nvidia at its headquarters in Silicon Valley. While there, the Nvidia team presented the company’s vision for sovereign nation artificial intelligence to the Guyanese delegation.

Nvidia is traditional-

ly a graphics and hardware technology company that has gained momentum in other business streams, including the build-out of AI factories and upskilling of the workforce, as well as the video game industry, where its graphics cards are known for their powerful performance in gaming, enabling high frame rates.

President Ali is aggressively driving Guyana’s digital agenda, centred on AI, modernised digital infrastructure, and fully digitised Government services.

By mid-2026, it is expected that most Government services will be digitised. The Government is also rolling out its electronic identification card initiative (EID) and has launched a system to monitor public projects across the country in real-time.

AI is also being implemented in the healthcare sector, while new technologies are being rolled out to improve traffic management and support crime-fighting and national security efforts.

Lethem teen slapped with 15 traffic charges

…fined $347,500, ordered to do

Nineteen-year-old Joel Darrel from Lethem, Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo), was on Tuesday slapped with 15 traffic-related charges when he appeared before Magistrate Omadatt Chandan at the Lethem Magistrate’s Court.

Police stated that on April 24, 2026, along the Tabatinga Public Road, Lethem, Central Rupununi, the teen was driving without being the holder of a valid licence; driving an unlicensed motor vehicle;

driving an uninsured motor vehicle; driving an uncertified motor vehicle; driving a vehicle with obscured identification marks on the rear; failing to conform to a sign; making a loud and continuous noise; and failing to report an accident.

In addition, he was further charged in connection with several traffic and other offences committed on Tuesday, April 28, 2026.

These include failing to have an identification mark on the front of a motor ve-

community service

hicle; driving an uncertified motor vehicle; driving an unlighted motor vehicle at the front; driving an unlicensed motor vehicle; making a loud and continuous noise; failing to have an identification mark on the front of a motor vehicle; and driving an uninsured motor vehicle.

Meanwhile, during his court appearance on Tuesday, he pleaded guilty to all the charges and was fined $347,500, along with nine months of community service.

Joel Darrel

Securing…

…minerals for US

If we didn’t know it before now, the visit by US Under Secretary of Economic Affairs Jacob Helberg brought to the fore the US’s aggressive moves to take on the Chinks in securing mineral ores of all types across the globe! We’d heard about the rare earths in Ukraine – where Pres Trump insisted that if the US were given first dibs on those ores, the presence of US companies extracting them would provide “US security guarantees” vis-à-vis the big bad Russian bear!! We’ve also heard about Devious Delcy opening up the Venezuelan mining reserves to the US companies. But flying under the radar have been the US moves in Africa – which have been dubbed the “second colonisation”!! Where, for example, in Congo, on top of gold, they offered manganese, copper cobalt, and lithium assets to US investors under a minerals pact. A contract on cobalt was signed with one US firm on Wednesday!! Before all this, the Chinks had been having a field day shipping these ores to China!!

Helberg didn’t beat around the bush, stating quite upfront that his Government is eyeing our bauxite mining industry and to also survey mining lands to identify other minerals!! Referring to his discussions with Pressie, he revealed, “We talked about the opportunities around bauxite and expanding Guyana’s economic activities in the bauxite sector with additional private investment. We also talked about ways that infrastructure investments, especially in roads and potentially autonomous trucking technology, can actually be catalytic to get more Guyanese bauxite on the global market.”

Younger folks mightn’t realise it, but at one time in the sixties – with the Yanks (Reynolds in Berbice) and the Canuks (Alcan at Mackenzie) – we were the largest bauxite producer in the world!! Burnham destroyed all of that when he nationalised the industry in 1970 – after which production rose for a while – then sank into oblivion. The Ruskies stepped in (Rusal in Berbice), and the Chinks in Mackenzie (Bosai), but the former were pushed out by the bauxite unions, and the latter slowly consolidated!! With our production reaching an all-time high of 3.9 million tonnes – helped by a small US-funded operation over in Bonsika – it looks like the Chinks caught the eyes of the Yanks!!

Now there’s nothing wrong – and lots right! – about the Yanks going toe-to-toe with the Chinks over our bauxite!! It gives us leverage to bargain for greater revenues through royalties, taxes, employment, and indirect economic activity!! Let’s not do another Trotman!!

The low-hanging fruit would be for the Yanks to reopen the Berbice operations and use some of the gas to be brought ashore to run a power plant to convert their bauxite to alumina!!

Go get ‘em, Uncle Sam!!

…the gas to Berbice

The VP was asked – once again – about who’s paying for the gas that’s going to be brought ashore at Vreeden-Hoop and in Berbice. He replied quite pellucidly: “No, the gas to the power plant is free. You can quote me on that. Gas to the power plant is free. We negotiated that a long time.” As far as your Eyewitness can remember, the much-criticised oil contract stipulates that the oil operators can use the gas that’s brought up with the oil to reinject into the wells to force more oil up – and also to fuel the FPSO!

We then own the gas from the portal in the FPSO. The question, of course, is what can we do with it there?? We can bring it ashore and use it in whichever way we can – but that demands a pipeline!! Which Exxon informed it spent US$2 billion for the Vreed-enHoop one!!

Sounds like we gotta amortise that though putting a cost to the gas and its usage!!

…a path to GPHC!!

For the second time in many years, the vendors in front of GPHC are told they better move their operations – since a) it’s illegal and b) it can impact patients entering!!

What’s the problem??

Wales Gas-to-Energy Project

Project advances towards 2026 first power target – PM

The Government on Thursday said that the 300-megawatt Wales Gas-to-Energy project, the country’s largest infrastructure initiative, continues to advance, with construction works progressing and key contractual issues resolved.

In a statement issued by the Office of the Prime Minister on Thursday, Prime Minister Mark Phillips said the contractor has made progress in recent months and remains committed to delivering first power to the national grid by the end of 2026.

He described the project as a major step in Guyana’s energy transition and said the Government remains satisfied with the pace of implementation.

“The Wales Gas-to-Energy project represents a defining

moment for Guyana and for the energy future of every citizen of this nation,” Phillips said. “We are satisfied with the progress being made and remain fully committed to ensuring that Guyanese households and businesses benefit.”

The project, being developed by Lindsayca Guyana Inc, is intended to use natural gas to generate electricity and support the production of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). The Government has said the initiative is expected to reduce electricity costs by up to 50 per cent, improve reliability, and reduce fuel imports.

Electricity distribution will be handled through Guyana Power and Light Inc, with additional transmission and substation works being undertaken by Kalpataru Projects International Limited.

Essequibo teen nabbed with cocaine during Police operation

The cocaine that was found in the teen’s possession

A16-year-old boy was taken into custody following the discovery of a quantity of cocaine during a Police operation on Tuesday at Onderneeming Sand Pit Junction, Essequibo Coast, Region Two (PomeroonSupenaam).

Police stated that ranks were conducting the exercise when they stopped a motor car that was proceeding along the Essequibo Coast Public Road and turned onto the Onderneeming Access Road.

Reports revealed that the teenager, who was an oc-

cupant in the vehicle, was searched, and a transparent Ziplock plastic bag containing several whitish, creamish, rock-like substances suspected to be cocaine was found in his pants’ pocket.

He was escorted to the Suddie Police Station, where the suspected substance was weighed in his presence and amounted to 3.4 grams before being lodged.

His parents were contacted, and the Child Care and Protection Agency (CCPA) was also informed. Investigations are ongoing.

tingency allowance. It added that while a settlement with the contractor resulted in a 12.8 per cent adjustment to the original contract sum of US$759 million, the total projected expenditure for the wider energy programme remains within the US$1 billion budget envelope, with an additional contingency bringing the ceiling to about US$1.1 billion.

According to the statement, the overall project scope also includes a Natural Gas Liquids facility, transmission infrastructure, substations, high-voltage lines, and a new National Control Centre at Goedverwagting.

The Government said all major components remain within the approved financial framework, including a con-

The statement noted that Government and Lindsayca Guyana Inc reached an agreement on issues previously considered by the Dispute Avoidance/Adjudication Board, including soil stabilisation works and delay-related matters. The resolution removes the need for arbitration and allows construction to continue under revised terms. Both parties have also waived rights to historical liquidated damages.

Under the revised implementation schedule, the first turbine is expected to come online by the end of 2026, followed by full commissioning of

gas turbines by the first quarter of 2027 and combined cycle operations by June 2027. The agreement allows for the reinstatement of liquidated damages if milestones are not met.

Workforce increases significantly

The Government said workforce levels are expected to increase significantly as construction intensifies, reaching up to 1600 workers at peak activity in 2026. It added that local hiring will remain a priority.

Apart from electricity generation, officials say the project is expected to support wider

industrial development within the Wales Development Zone, including potential ammonia and urea production, LPG logistics facilities, and storage infrastructure.

The Government said these developments are intended to strengthen industrial capacity, reduce production costs across sectors, and support long-term economic diversification.

Officials maintain that the project remains central to efforts to improve energy security and reduce electricity costs for households and businesses across Guyana.

1 day after High Court order Vendors around GPHC served with removal notices by M&CC

One day after the High Court granted an Order of Mandamus to the Mayor and City Council (M&CC), the Council has officially served notices on all vendors operating in the vicinity of the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC).

These notices formally direct vendors to cease all trading activities and remove their structures from the designated hospital zones, specifically along New Market Street, East Street, Middle Street, and Lamaha Street in Georgetown.

They come as the M&CC seek to be in compliance with a High Court order issued on Tuesday, which mandated the removal of vendors and other obstructions from the surroundings of the GPHC after the hospital obtained an Order of Mandamus against the Town Clerk of the City of Georgetown.

The notice states, "Vendors plying their trade around the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation are hereby given notice to cease vending and remove all pallets, tables, trays, tents, caravans, etc, from around the environs

of the hospital on or before Wednesday, May 20, 2026.”

Further, the notice expresses that it is issued in accordance with Section 10 of the City Government By-laws of the Municipal and District Councils Act, Chapter 28:01, and is also a result of potential litigation against the Council in relation to the same.

The notice also mentioned that failure to comply will result in vendors paying hefty fines to retrieve their items once seized.

“Please note that failure to adhere to this notice will result in the Council removing the same. Resultantly, a storage fee of not less than twenty thousand dollars

($20,000.00) will be applied to all items removed by the Council,” the notice stated.

Items not retrieved after one month from the date of removal will be sold or disposed of by the Council.

The High Court order was issued by Justice Deborah Kumar-Chetty following a hearing in the High Court of the Supreme Court of Judicature.

The court ordered the Town Clerk, Candace Nelson, along with the Mayor and City Council’s servants and agents, to remove or cause to be removed food and beverage vendors, hucksters, mobile trucks, carts, and other encumbrances from areas sur-

rounding the hospital compound by May 31.

The affected areas include Lamaha Street between Thomas Street and East Street, East Street between Lamaha Street and New Market Street, New Market Street between Thomas Street and East Street, and Middle Street between Thomas Street and East Street.

The order also covers vehicles, pushcarts, drays, barrels, boxes, dustbins, pallets, structures, and other items left on parapets and pavements around the hospital.

The proceedings arose from a fixed-date application filed by the hospital on March 17, 2026, under the court’s judicial review jurisdiction. Attorneys-at-law Sase Gunraj and Jayaram Sanasie appeared for the applicant, while Everton

Singh-Lammy and Angel Stephens represented the respondent.

According to court documents previously reported by Guyana Times on March 18, the hospital argued that the presence of vendors and other encumbrances significantly obstructed access to the medical facility, affecting the movement of staff, patients, and emergency vehicles.

The hospital also raised concerns about sanitation, alleging that waste and debris were being left along pavements and roadways surrounding the institution.

In the application filed by Attorney-at-law Sase Gunraj, the hospital contended that the M&CC failed to fulfil its statutory duty under the Municipal and District Councils Act to keep streets and pavements clear.

Court documents stated that the hospital had written to the Council on April 30 and May 7, 2024, as well as January 5, 2026, requesting the removal of vendors and warning that legal action could follow if the matter were not addressed.

While the Council had reportedly indicated a willingness to resolve the issue, the hospital claimed that no effective action was taken.

Earlier this year, Town Clerk Candace Nelson told Guyana Times that some vendors appeared to be occupying the area during late afternoon, night-time, and weekend hours in an apparent effort to avoid enforcement.

In an interview published on January 7, Nelson said she observed only a few vendors in the area during morning inspections but noted that others operated during periods when the M&CC was not patrolling the vicinity.

The issue of unauthorised vending has also affected other businesses in Georgetown in recent years, with companies including Muneshwers Limited, Banks DIH Limited, and Yhip’s Bakery previously taking legal action to have vendors removed from outside their premises.

The court further ordered that there be no order as to costs.

NWD miner charged for stealing, discharging firearm

Twenty-four-yearold Basil Gonsalves of Red Hill Village, North West District (NWD), was granted bail on Thursday for the offences of larceny and discharging a loaded firearm, which reportedly occurred on May 8, 2026, at Koriabo Landing, NWD, Region One (BarimaWaini).

Police stated that on the day in question, a 31-yearold miner of Chinese Landing, NWD, was attempting to part a fight between two other men when his licensed .32 Taurus pistol, along with three matching rounds of ammunition, was allegedly taken from a holster on his waist.

Delivery driver robbed of motorcycle, cash by armed bandits

A30-year-old delivery driver from Prosperity, Mocha, East Bank Demerara (EBD), was on Tuesday robbed at gunpoint along Lamaha Street, Georgetown.

Based on reports received, the victim was riding his motorcycle along Lamaha Street, Georgetown, when he was intercepted by four men on two motorcycles.

The pillion rider on one of the motorcycles then dismounted, pulled out a

handgun, pointed it in the victim's direction, and allegedly relieved him of one white motorcycle bearing registration number CL 6761, one cellular phone, and an undisclosed sum of cash.

The suspects then made good their escape. The matter was reported, and investigations are reviewing CCTV footage collected from the area.

Up to Thursday morning, no arrests had been made as Police continued their investigations.

Businessman shot in Kitty drive-by attack, gunmen escape

A32-year-old businessman from Campbellville, Georgetown, is now nursing a gunshot injury following a shooting incident on Tuesday at Dowding Street, Kitty, Georgetown.

Preliminary investigations revealed that the victim and another man were in a motor car when they were reportedly approached by two males on a dark-coloured motorcycle.

The victim alleged that one of the males, who was

armed with a handgun, discharged a round in the direction of the motor car, which struck him in the abdomen.

The injured businessman was taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital, where he was treated and admitted as a patient. His condition is listed as stable.

The area is being canvassed for CCTV footage, and several persons have been questioned. Police stated that the suspects have not yet been arrested.

The matter was reported, and Gonsalves was arrested, with the firearm subsequently recovered during searches conducted at Koriabo Landing, Barima.

Meanwhile, he made a virtual appearance before Acting Chief Magistrate Faith McGusty at the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court, where the charges were read to him. He pleaded not guilty to both offences and was granted $200,000 for stealing the firearm and ammunition and $150,000 for discharging the firearm in public.

He will return to court on June 3, 2026.

One of the men, later identified as Gonsalves, reportedly collected the firearm and ammunition, and while leaving the scene, he discharged three rounds into the air.

Linden driver on $410,000 bail over Rupununi fatal crash

An Amelia’s Ward, Linden minibus driver was on Thursday granted bail in the sum of $410,000 for causing the death of Orin Davis during an incident along the Toka Trail Road, North Rupununi, Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo), on Monday.

He was also slapped with other traffic-related charges.

Police stated that Lester Baker, 54, was driving minibus BAL 8894 in a dangerous manner, thereby causing the death of Davis, who was, at the time, driving motorcycle CP 3638.

At the time of the accident, Police stated that the minibus was uninsured, and Baker refused to consent to a breathalyser test.

However, he appeared before Magistrate Omadatt Chandan at the Lethem Magistrate’s Court, where the charges were read to him. He pleaded not guilty to the charges of causing death by dangerous driving and operating an uninsured motor vehicle and was granted $410,000 bail.

Charged: Lester Baker

In addition, he pleaded guilty to refusing to take a breathalyser test and was fined $20,000. The matters were adjourned to July 13, 2026. As a condition of bail, Baker is required to report every Friday to the Police until the determination of the matter.

Police stated that on May 11, 2026, at about 20:00h, Baker collided with the motorcyclist along the Toka Trail, North Rupununi.

As a result of the collision, Davis sustained injuries and was subsequently pronounced dead. A 34-yearold female of Annai Village, North Rupununi, who was the pillion rider, also sustained injuries but remains in stable condition.

Random quality audits to be conducted to improve healthcare delivery – Dr Anthony

As the Government continues to place strong emphasis on patient care, the Ministry of Health will introduce random quality audits across public healthcare institutions to strengthen service delivery and ensure higher standards of care.

This was revealed by Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony during the Starting Point podcast on Sunday.

“So, let’s say somebody’s diabetic and they go to a health centre; they’re getting care, but maybe their blood sugar is not controlled. And you need to move from maybe first-level medication to another level of medication, but that has not been happening for several months. Now, we have developed guidelines of how to care for patients. So, let’s say in diabetic care, we have these protocols, but maybe

somebody at a health centre is not following the protocol. Therefore, there’s a mismatch between how they’re treating this patient and what should be the established protocol. So, our internal audit or quality audit, clinical audit – they would go out, pull random charts,

check the charts, and see whether or not the patient has been receiving the care that they should be receiving,” he explained.

“And if there’s a gap, then they would point that out to the physician and the nurses and so forth. And they’ll give them a cou-

ple of months to get these things corrected. And if, in some cases, the committee believes that these persons need additional training, then they’ll recommend additional training,” he added.

Anthony was optimistic that this new initiative would result in improved patient care at public health facilities.

“We are very confident that this is going to make a difference. So, once you have people checking, I think doctors and nurses would have to make sure that they’re compliant with what these protocols are,” he expressed.

He added that “sometimes people train maybe 20 years ago; they’re not reading the new protocols, then you can have that gap in terms of treatment. And that’s what we want to prevent. So, you’ll start seeing a qualitative change in

how our patients are being managed because everybody would be monitored.”

In another effort to improve service delivery in the sector, the Ministry of Health last year launched a Patient Care Assistant (PCA) Training Programme to train individuals to support nurses and other medical professionals. The comprehensive programme includes theoretical instruction and practical clinical

training. It covers basic aspects like patient care, infection prevention, medical ethics, and emergency response.

Meanwhile, last year, President Dr Irfaan Ali had announced that all new hospitals will have customer service desks where patients can report poor service, with those complaints influencing staff evaluations, benefits, promotions, and disciplinary actions.

Couple busted with ganja in bedroom

Acouple was taken into custody following the discovery of 680 grams (g) of cannabis during an operation conducted by the Customs AntiNarcotic Unit (CANU) on Wednesday at Kuru Kuru, Linden-Soesdyke Highway.

CANU stated that during the operation, sev-

ed to CANU Headquarters along with the suspected narcotics.

At CANU Headquarters, the substance tested positive for cannabis and weighed approximately 680g. Investigations are ongoing. CANU continues to intensify its efforts against

eral individuals were observed sitting under a shop adjacent to a residence; as such, its officers requested to conduct searches.

A male and a female who were present during the operation informed officers that they resided at the adjacent property.

A subsequent search of their residence led to the discovery of a quantity of cannabis concealed inside a small haversack in a bedroom occupied by the couple.

Twenty-three-year-old Alvin Heralall, a labourer, and Natasha Boodhoo, 21, were arrested and escort-

micro-level drug trafficking through targeted intelligence-led operations aimed at disrupting the retail distribution of narcotics within communities.

The unit recognises that small-scale trafficking contributes significantly to wider criminal activity, youth exposure, and community harm.

As such, CANU remains committed to proactive enforcement, strengthened surveillance, and collaborative action to dismantle local drug distribution networks and maintain public safety across Guyana.

Guyana looks to leverage British engineering expertise to support large-scale projects

…aims to integrate sustainable practices into upcoming civil works

The Guyanese Government is looking to leverage British engineering expertise to support large-scale projects here.

This is according to a statement from the Public Works Ministry following a meeting between subject Minister Juan Edghill and newly appointed British High Commissioner to Guyana Joseph Guy Fisher.

According to the Ministry, Edghill “steered the discussion in the direction of leveraging British engineering expertise to support large-scale projects, integrating green technologies and sustainable practices into upcoming civil works, and exploring opportunities for knowledge sharing and technical training between British firms and Guyanese counterparts.”

The statement did not detail which projects are under consideration, but the Guyanese Government is currently pursuing an aggressive transformational agenda to modernise infrastructure and diversify the economy beyond oil and gas.

In fact, during the meeting, Minister Edghill highlighted the Government’s plans, noting that “international partnership is a cornerstone of the nation’s strategy to modernise its landscape.”

According to the Ministry, the meeting, which

was held at the Minister’s office, served as a pivotal platform for deepening the bilateral relationship between Guyana and the United Kingdom, specifically within the realm of national infrastructure development.

“The dialogue underscored a shared vision for high-quality, transparent, and efficient project delivery – values that align with the Government of Guyana’s commitment to providing value for money and worldclass facilities for its citizens,” the statement noted.

According to the missive, High Commissioner Fisher reaffirmed the United Kingdom's commitment to supporting Guyana’s growth.

“As Guyana approaches its milestone 60th independence anniversary, this meeting signals a continued era of international cooperation aimed at ensuring the nation’s infrastructure keeps pace with its rapid economic trajectory,” the press release further highlighted.

Earlier this year, President Dr Irfaan Ali met with the chief executive officer of the United Kingdom Export Finance (UKEF), Tim Read, in London, where they discussed key infrastructure projects in Guyana.

A brief statement from the Office of the President noted that key issues discussed included current pipeline projects such as

the CJIA terminal expansion and the expansion of UKEF’s portfolio in Guyana.

It was also noted that teams from the Guyana Government and UKEF would have follow-up meetings to further advance these discussions.

The UKEF is the UK’s official export credit agency, which aids countries and private companies across the world to access the financial support they need to procure from the UK, thus unlocking the potential of the UK supply chain by making their bids more competitive.

Last October, it was announced that UKEF raised its financing capacity from £2.1 billion to £3 billion for both the Guyanese Government and the local private sector to tap into.

At the time of the announcement, President Ali had set out his priorities for possible UKEF collaboration over the next five years, including the second phase of the Linden to Lethem Road Expansion Project, from Mabura Hill to Lethem, as well as the deep-water port facility in Berbice and the modernisation of the country’s electricity transmission system.

Currently, the ongoing construction of a second terminal at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) – Guyana’s main port of entry – is being financed in part by the UKEF.

Henry cousins murder trial

Investigator faces questions over multiple theories, key witness role in probe

Cross-examination of a senior Police Investigator dominated proceedings on Thursday as the trial for the murder of cousins Isaiah and Joel Henry continued at the Berbice High Court. The court heard that Police investigated several theories during the probe and followed information provided by key prosecution witness Akash Singh.

As the murder trial of cousins continued, a senior Police Investigator came under intense cross-examination over several aspects of the investigation, including multiple theories explored by Police and questions surrounding the alleged primary crime scene.

Superintendent Rodwell Sarrabo continued his testimony under cross-examination by defence attorney Dexter Todd.

The trial is being heard before Justice Simone Morris at the Berbice High Court.

On trial are Anil Sancharra, also known as “Dan Pole” and “Rasta”, and Vinod Gopaul, called “Magga”.

The State’s case is being led by prosecutor Marisa Edwards, while Gopaul is represented by attorney Chandra Sohan.

During cross-examination, the senior Investigator told the court that Police pursued several theories during the investigation into the murders of the two teenagers.

He said many of those theories came from relatives of the Henry cousins and residents of West Coast Berbice.

According to the witness, statements were taken from several persons as investigators sought to determine what led to the brutal killings.

Sarrabo told the court that he personally arrested some persons during the course of the investigation and said those arrests were made from September 2020 onwards.

The Investigator further explained that all statements obtained by Police were placed into the investigation file and forwarded to the Director of Public Prosecutions.

However, under cross-examination, he said he could not say who may have removed statements considered irrelevant to the case now before the court.

The witness also told the court that external forensic agencies were involved in aspects of the investigation.

The trial stems from the September 2020 murders of cousins Isaiah and Joel Henry, whose mutilated bodies were discovered in the Number Three Village backdam, West Coast Berbice, one day after they went missing. The killings sparked widespread protests and unrest across the country.

Questions were also raised about the crime scene linked to the murders.

Sarrabo said there was

no record establishing what investigators considered to be the primary and secondary crime scenes, explaining that crime scene Investigators handled that aspect of the probe.

The court heard that investigators initially viewed the area where the bodies were discovered as the primary crime scene.

However, the superintendent said he personally be-

lieved it was not the primary scene.

He told the court that key prosecution witness Akash Singh later directed Investigators to another location.

According to Sarrabo, investigators travelled from the Berbice Bridge area before Singh instructed them where to stop.

The witness said Singh was not prompted and only

instructed Police where to stop.

Sarrabo further testified that investigators searched the area for cutlasses allegedly disposed of there, but none were recovered.

The superintendent also told the court that the two accused were arrested based on information allegedly provided by Akash Singh.

He further stated that no promises were made to

Singh and said he was unaware of any statement by Singh alleging he had been beaten by Police.

Akash Singh earlier this week told the court in his testimony that the cousins were killed over the destruction of a ganja farm.

Meanwhile, the prosecution also recalled Sheldon Harvey, who previously presented video evidence to the court.

However, the video, which was of poor quality, had earlier been discontinued after approximately 15 minutes because of the poor quality of the audio.

Harvey, on Thursday, told the court he was a photographer attached to the crime-scene investigation.

He also testified that Superintendent Nedd from CID Headquarters was in charge of the investigation.

The prosecution also called Leon King, the brother-in-law of Joel Henry.

King told the court that he joined searches in the back dam on September 6, 2020, and later identified the bodies days later.

Meanwhile, prosecutors said the state still intends to call two additional witnesses, including one who is currently overseas. So far, the prosecution has called 15 witnesses in the trial before Justice Simone Morris at the Berbice High Court. The trial continues on Monday.

Guyana, Canada move to strengthen bilateral cooperation

Guyana and Canada have agreed to strengthen bilateral relations following meetings between senior officials from both countries focused on trade, investment, and security cooperation.

Guyana’s Foreign Secretary Robert Persaud

met with Director General for Central America and the Caribbean at Global Affairs Canada, Mark Richardson, who was accompanied by Canada’s High Commissioner to Guyana, Sébastien Sigouin.

The visit by Richardson followed President Dr Irfaan Ali’s recent engage-

ment with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney in Canada last week.

Persaud said the discussions were productive and focused on expanding cooperation between the two countries.

“We committed to expand our trade relations, scale up investment oppor-

tunities, and strengthen security cooperation. I reiterated the appreciation of the Guyana Government for Canada’s continued support in defence of Guyana’s sovereignty and territorial integrity,” Persaud said.

He added that Canada remains a reliable partner for Guyana, noting that the relationship is “rooted in shared values, principles and mutual respect”.

Separately, Finance

Minister Dr Ashni Singh also met with Richardson and High Commissioner Sigouin at the Ministry of Finance.

Singh said the timing of the visit was significant, coming shortly after the meeting between President Ali and Prime Minister Carney, which he said reinforced strong bilateral ties.

He noted that discussions highlighted long-standing diplomatic,

economic, and cultural relations between Guyana and Canada, as well as opportunities to expand Canadian investment in Guyana across multiple sectors.

Singh also pointed to Guyana’s position as one of Canada’s leading trading partners in the Caribbean Community (Caricom), and both sides discussed ways to further enhance trade and investment flows.

Outdated 1981 Weights and Measures Act under review to modernise trade standards

Guyana’s 1981 Weights and Measures Act is currently under review as efforts are being made to modernise and refine the legislation to better align with current trade practices and standards.

The announcement that the Weights and Measures Act is being reviewed was made by Shailendra Rai, Head of Legal Metrology, during the Guyana National Bureau of Standards’ hosting of the SIM (Sistema Interamericano de Metrologia/Inter-American Metrology System) MidTerm Council and Quality System Task Force (QSTF) meetings in Guyana from May 11-15, 2026.

The announcement also came ahead of World Metrology Day, which will be observed on May 20, under the theme “Metrology: Building Trust in Policy Making”.

cover the wide range of responsibilities and functions currently undertaken by the Guyana National Bureau of Standards.

“So basically, the 1981 Weights and Measures Act is pretty old, as you can realise. We deem it outdated because it does not cover all the activities that the GNBS currently performs or the services that we offer. So that’s the reason why it is currently being reviewed— to bring it more in line with what we’re currently doing at the GNBS.”

the Act would be changed. It would not be the Weights and Measures Act; it would be metrology, because ‘metrology’ is new terminology. That’s just one example.”

Meanwhile, he explained that several terminologies and definitions contained in the Weights and Measures Act will be revised and updated as part of the review process.

would be changed and so forth. And when has the move to continue any act happened? The logistical arrangement started in late 2025. However, the actual revision process would have started this year. So far, we have had one meeting. There is a team that is revising, consisting of technical representatives from the GNBS and legal representatives from AG Chambers.”

While speaking to this newscast, Rai underscored the importance of updating the act.

According to him, the 1981 Act is now outdated and does not adequately

The Weights and Measures Act outlines the laws and regulations governing measurements in Guyana and serves as the framework for how measurement-related activities are carried out across the country.

He also noted that basic elements are missing from the outdated Act, which creates a gap in today’s metrology systems in Guyana.

“And also, to include all the developments that are taking place in metrology, from basic things like terminologies and so forth. For example, the name of

According to him, logistical arrangements for the revision began in late 2025, while the actual revision process commenced this year. He noted that the review is being carried out by a team comprising technical representatives from the Guyana National Bureau of Standards and legal representatives from the Attorney General’s Chambers.

“The other terminology that is in the Act itself would be changed. Definitions

Currently the GNBS is actively enforcing the 1981 Weights and Measures Act, with 2026 initiatives focusing on the mandatory twice-yearly verification of devices used in trade to ensure metric accuracy. Key updates include strict 15-tonne axle regulations for trucks and ongoing device inspections in the market.

He foresees the act being updated by 2027.

Hururu man jailed for 18 years for chopping friend to death

Aman, who admitted to chopping his friend to death during a drinking spree at Hururu Mission, Upper Berbice River, was sentenced to 18 years in prison by Justice Simone Morris at the Berbice High Court on Thursday.

Maxton Walker is expected to spend the next 18 years in prison for the murder of 36-year-old Marcus Adrian at Hururu Mission, Upper Berbice River, which

occurred in March 2024.

In handing down the sentence at the Berbice High Court, Justice Morris said the killing was senseless and noted that the two men had reportedly been drinking together moments before the attack. The court heard that the sentence began at 27 years.

However, Walker was granted a one-third reduction because of his guilty plea, reducing the sentence to 18 years of imprison-

ment.

Justice Morris said the aggravating and mitigating factors were balanced and, therefore, no further adjustment to the sentence was warranted. Walker will, however, become eligible for parole after serving 15 years.

During the sentencing hearing, prosecutor Marisa Edwards told the court that Adrian suffered 23 incised wounds, including 13 to the neck area above the

Adam’s apple. She argued that a dangerous weapon was used and described the killing as intentional and unwarranted.

Defence attorney Charlyn Artiga, nonetheless, asked the court to show leniency, noting that Walker had accepted responsibility for the killing while acknowledging the seriousness of the offence.

The court also heard evidence from probation and psychiatric officials.

Probation and Welfare Officer Shellita Murray told the court that Walker left school in Grade seven and later worked with his father in the logging industry before moving into mechanical work.

The probation officer said some residents of Hururu described Walker as easy-going, while others claimed he was known for threatening behaviour.

According to the report, some villagers alleged that days before the killing,

Walker had been walking around the community with a cutlass, saying that someone had to die.

Murray also told the court that family members claimed Walker had previously displayed signs of mental difficulties and had once been sent to Georgetown for treatment. However, she said there were no records to verify that claim.

Meanwhile, forensic psychiatrist Dr Meenawattie Rajkumar told the court there were no signs of psychiatric illness or psycho-

logical disorder affecting Walker.

The psychiatrist said Walker denied any family history of mental illness but admitted that he had once suffered what he described as a nervous breakdown.

The court also heard that Walker admitted to using marijuana and accepted responsibility for the killing.

In her ruling, Justice Morris said the victim’s parents continued to experience profound grief following the death of their son.

Region 2 educational institutions receive new Boards of Governors

Several educators, stakeholders and community representatives were on Thursday officially sworn in as members of the Boards of Governors for three educational institutions in Region Two during a ceremony hosted at the auditorium of the Essequibo Technical Institute, Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam).

The reconstitution exer-

cise saw new boards being appointed for Anna Regina Secondary School, Abram Zuil Secondary School and the Essequibo Technical Institute.

Bholaram Mohan will serve as Chairman of the Anna Regina Secondary School Board. Other members are Devika Hoomale, Tageanindra Kishore, Rihana Parker, Veronica

members of the new Boards of Governors

Jones, Dhanraj Singhy, Lorraine English, Chaitram Harrypersaud, Oneka Walcott, Lokesh Lall, Devin Mohan, Bavita Persaud, Lovern Corbin, Melrose Henry, Darshanand Ramlall, Boudnarine Harrinarine, Terrence Farley and Thakurdeen Durga. Headteacher Lalljeet Ruplall, along with Marcia Jack and Sanita Singh, will

CAL named official airline for Guyana Diamond Jubilee Festival

Caribbean Airlines has been named the Official Airline of the Guyana Festival as part of celebrations marking Guyana’s 60th Independence anniversary.

The airline’s partnership supports the Guyana Festival, which will take place from May 15 to 17, 2026. The festival forms part of a wider national programme of events leading up to Guyana’s Independence Day on May 26, under the Guyana Diamond Jubilee theme.

As official airline partner, Caribbean Airlines will run a ticket giveaway promotion during the festival. Six airline tickets will be awarded over the three-day event,

with one pair of tickets given out each night. Patrons can enter by purchasing a Guyana Festival Passport, completing the Caribbean Airlines entry page, and submitting it into designated boxes at the event.

In a statement on Thursday, CAL said that acting Chief Executive Officer of Caribbean Airlines, Varma Khillawan, said the company was pleased to support the national celebrations in Guyana and highlighted the country’s importance within the airline’s network. He said the airline is supporting the festival as part of its engagement with regional travel and cultural events.

Tourism, Industry and Commerce Minister Susan

Rodrigues welcomed the partnership, noting that the festival is intended to celebrate Guyana’s culture and encourage participation from the diaspora. She said the collaboration supports regional connectivity and adds incentives for public participation through the ticket giveaways.

Caribbean Airlines also confirmed that its 60-pound checked baggage promotion, introduced for Guyana’s Diamond Jubilee year, will remain available until September 29, 2026.

The airline said it continues to support regional initiatives that promote cultural engagement and connectivity across the Caribbean.

serve as ex-officio members. At Abram Zuil Secondary School, Tiwari Ramkellawan was named Chairman of the Board of Governors. The board also includes Shondel Hercules, Arnold Adams, Terrence Farley, Juliet Coonjah, Radika Narine, Hansoloutie Ramkellawan, Shaleena Jaigobin, Wayne Ralph, Dudley Stephens, Lokesh Lall, Andy Ramnarine, Roxanne Christiani, Manoj Singh, and Muneera Reedon.

Meanwhile, Toolsie Narine was appointed Chairman of the Board of Governors for the Essequibo Technical Institute. Other members are Dennis Bhagwandeen,

Bryan Christiani, Gaydayal Ramnauth, Indrawattie Natram, Tagebrittie Singh, Desiree Vanlewin, Chandrashekar Sharma, Yougeeta Oodit, Aloma Lawrie, Zamal Mohamed, Arnold Adams, Dennis Jaikaran, and Chivraj Boodram. Acting Headteacher Shivnarine Jasodra and Acting Deputy Headteacher Muneshwar Jagnernauth will function as ex officio members.

During the ceremony, the Director of the School Boards Secretariat urged members to work together in the interest of students and the wider community while carrying out their responsibilities with commit-

ment and integrity. She noted that school boards play an essential role in supporting the growth and management of educational institutions and reminded the appointees that their service is voluntary but important to the continued advancement of education in the region.

Speaking on behalf of the Anna Regina Secondary School Board, Chairman Bholaram Mohan thanked officials for the confidence placed in the board members and pledged to work collectively for the continued development of the institution.

2025 voting process was “smoothest” ever observed in Guyana – Carter Center’s final report

…flags voter disengagement with Opposition, as strongholds saw decline in turnout

The Carter Center has described Guyana’s 2025 General and Regional Elections (GRE) as the “smoothest” voting process it has ever observed in the country, while concluding that the revised tabulation system was “more transparent and verifiable than in 2020, contributing to greater confidence in the announced results”.

In its final report on Guyana’s September 1 elections, released on Thursday, the Center described the elections as “an important demonstration of its democratic resilience” following the deeply divisive and traumatic 2020 polls. The report commended Guyanese for maintaining peace throughout the campaign and voting period.

“While the campaign was at times fractious, the Guyanese people showed that they can have lively rallies and impassioned debate while maintaining a peaceful election environment,” the report noted.

“On election day, the voting process itself was the smoothest the Carter Center has observed in Guyana… Carter Center observers rated the conduct of procedures positively at every station

visited, with no significant irregularities reported… The Center congratulated the people of Guyana for the calm and quiet dignity with which they exercised their right to choose their leaders on election day.”

This was the sixth time that the Cater Centre has been present as an observer for national elections in Guyana; the report notes that this is “the most we’ve

observed in any country”.

For election day, the Center deployed a team of 43 international observers from 21 countries across all 10 regions of Guyana. These observers visited 17 per cent of polling places on Election Day and observed post-election processes at regional offices through the tabulation phase.

The report highlighted both major improvements in

Govt committed to strengthening GNBS, expanding quality services – PS

The Tourism Ministry has committed to continuing supporting the Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS) through ongoing budgetary allocations aimed at strengthening its capacity, expanding its services, and further modernising its operations across various subsectors, according to Permanent Secretary in the Tourism Ministry, Roger Rogers.

This was disclosed by Permanent Secretary Roger Rogers on Thursday during the Guyana National Bureau of Standards’ hosting of the SIM (Sistema Interamericano de Metrologia/InterAmerican Metrology System) Mid-Term Council and Quality System Task Force (QSTF) meetings in Guyana, held from May 11–15, 2026.

The engagements convene regional and international stakeholders in metrology to strengthen collaboration, enhance quality systems, and advance measurement standards across the Americas.

According to him, the Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS) within the last five years has been a primary beneficiary of these investments, having gained a complete accommodation facility equipped with modern laboratories. This, he said, allows the institution to not only improve but also expand metrology services both na-

tionally and beyond.

“Recognising this, the Government of Guyana will continue, in its budgetary allocation, to support the national standards body in acquiring needed equipment to improve services, enhance quality, and expand the reach of those services across subsectors. This growth in services and quality is equally important to the continued national development and transformation taking place in our country,” Rogers said.

He said that at the policy level, metrics are key to the effectiveness of policy, and for any policy to be effective, it must rely on empirical data. He explained that metrology forms part of that key input framework by providing the empirical foundation needed to assess policy effectiveness.

He further noted that this reinforces the importance of the sector and underscores why the Ministry remains committed to supporting the growth of metrology and its related services.

He also highlighted the importance of the activity being held in observance of World Metrology Day.

“Today’s activity is very important for all stakeholders, whether consumers, producers, or those operating within the regulatory framework. From the consumer end, metrology is key, as it

allows for the determination of value in purchase transactions. Consumers are able to ascertain with confidence that they are receiving what they have paid for,” he said.

Addressing the regulatory perspective, he added that a credible infrastructure is necessary to ensure confidence in the entire system.

From the Ministry’s standpoint, he said that as the Ministry with policy oversight for the sector, they welcome all discussions and initiatives that contribute to the improvement of key metrology infrastructure. He noted that strengthened systems make it easier for countries to participate in global trade and commerce by improving predictability and safety in the exchange of goods and services.

In closing, he commended the organisation, stating that they have demonstrated strong custodianship over the years in supervising the country’s national standards infrastructure. He added that the Ministry remains ready to continue its support.

He further noted that, on behalf of the Ministry of Industry, Tourism, Industry and Commerce, and the Minister, who was unavoidably absent, as well as the Government of Guyana, he welcomed all participants to the event.

the administration of elections and lingering structural weaknesses that continue to undermine confidence in the electoral system.

“Overall, the legislative changes made to the tabulation process were positive and contributed to a more efficient and transparent tabulation process that better ensures that the announced results reflect the will of the people as expressed on election day,” the report said.

“The 2025 election was the first since the traumatic experiences of 2020, and the nation faced important choices about its future and the use of its newfound economic wealth… The 2025 elections were competitive, and Guyana must now strive to respect the will of the people in its politically diverse parliament and political institutions.”

The foreword to the report was written by Jason Carter, who led the observation mission and is the grandson of former US President Jimmy Carter.

Praised reforms to the tabulation process

The Center also praised reforms made to the tabulation process following the 2020 electoral crisis. It said legislative changes introduced in 2022 contributed to “a more efficient and transparent tabulation process” that better ensures that the announced results reflect the will of the people as expressed on election day.

The report stated that tabulation in 2025 “was gen-

erally conducted in a ‘reasonable’ or ‘very good’ manner across all 17 tabulation centres, with improved transparency through the public posting of SoPs [Statements of Poll] at polling stations and their timely upload to GECOM’s website for public scrutiny.”

Although the new procedures, particularly the requirement to upload all SoPs before tabulation, caused some delays, the Carter Center said the system functioned efficiently with few technical issues and allowed observers and the public to closely follow the process.

The Center observed that the elections were held in an environment of “entrenched political divisions and low public trust in political parties and institutions”. The report noted that the elections significantly altered Guyana’s political landscape, pointing to the collapse of the APNU coalition, stating that the results “signalled the fracture of the longstanding opposition coalition led by the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) and a substantial loss of support.”

It added that “APNU suffered a historic collapse” when the newcomer We Invest in Nationhood (WIN) party emerged as the leading opposition force. The report also highlighted that for the first time in 19 years, the AFC failed to win a parliamentary seat.

Constitutional & electoral reform

The Carter Center said the 2025 elections underscored the urgent need for constitutional and electoral reform, particularly to address what it described as Guyana’s “winner-take-all electoral system”.

The report also raised concerns about campaign finance, the use of state resources, media imbalance, the politically divided composition of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), and the need for voter rights for prisoners and other incarcerated persons.

The Carter Center reiterated its longstanding recommendation that Guyana reform GECOM “to increase its independence, effectiveness, and professionalism”.

Among its key recommendations was an independent audit of the voters’ list to address persistent concerns over the integrity and accuracy of the register.

The report noted that for the 2025 elections, turnout declined, with fewer Guyanese voting than in the 2020 elections, despite an increase in the population.

“Fewer voters turned out in 2025, down 15% from 2020, with the sharpest drops in traditionally opposition-leaning districts, suggesting voter disengagement amid opposition fragmentation…. This development deserves further examination and reflection,” the report noted.

“This is the first time in Guyana’s history that neither the PPP/C nor the PNCR (or a coalition it led) will be the major opposition party and serve as leader of the opposition,” the report stated.

Cuba hit by blackouts, protests amid power outages

Cuba has been hit by worsening power outages after the island’s communist Government said fuel reserves had run out, as rare protests erupted in neighbourhoods around Havana.

Large parts of eastern Cuba were plunged into darkness on Thursday in the latest round of nationwide electricity shutdowns, while demonstrations over the blackouts broke out in western areas near Havana.

“We have absolutely no fuel, no oil, and absolutely no diesel,” Energy Minister Vicente de la O Levy said during a late Wednesday news conference.

“The only thing we have is gas from our own wells, whose production has increased, and domestic crude oil, whose production is also rising,” he said, adding that Cuba was struggling to secure fuel imports.

The island, home to about 10 million people, is relying on limited domestic

fuel production and solar energy to keep parts of the grid operating, but the electrical system has become increasingly fragile.

“The situation of the national electric system has become particularly tense in recent days,” Diaz-Canel said in a statement on Wednesday, saying that the country was expected to face a deficit of more than 2000 megawatts during the eve-

ning’s peak demand hours.

Diaz-Canel also said about 1100 megawatts of power generation had already been lost on Wednesday due to fuel shortages, which he described as the result of a “genocidal energy blockade” imposed by the US and threats of tariffs against countries supplying fuel to Cuba. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

ITA to spend J$58M to repair Hurricane Melissa-ravaged depots

The Island Traffic Authority’s (ITA’s) Falmouth Service Hub in Trelawny is expected to reopen soon, easing some of the inconvenience now faced by residents who have to travel outside the parish to get vehicles certified as roadworthy or do driving tests.

According to the ITA, its Falmouth examination depot was badly damaged by the category 5 storm, but re-

pairs are almost completed, and they will reopen soon.

The ITA said it will cost a combined total of approximately $58 million to repair both damaged locations, with Black River expected to take longer to get back up and running. That is because that depot suffered more extensive damage and required a more detailed assessment process to guide restoration efforts.

St Elizabeth,

Westmoreland, Hanover, Trelawny, and St James were among the parishes most severely impacted by Hurricane Melissa. The catastrophic storm claimed at least 45 lives in Jamaica and caused an estimated $1.952 trillion (US$12.2 billion) in damage and losses –equivalent to 56.7 per cent of the country’s gross domestic product for 2023. (Excerpt from Jamaica Observer)

Barbados opens its 1st resident embassy in Ireland

Barbados has officially established its first resident embassy in Ireland, a move aimed at strengthening diplomatic, trade, tourism and cultural ties between the two island nations.

Prime Minister (PM) Mia Mottley formally opened the chancery in Dublin earlier this week as Barbados and Ireland marked 25 years of diplomatic relations.

“Today truly is a moment where we deliberately and by choice formalise that relationship through an active presence,” Mottley said during the opening ceremony.

The Barbadian leader said the relationship between the two countries extends beyond diplomacy, pointing to shared historical experiences involving Irish indentured servants and enslaved Africans in Barbados during the 1600s.

She added that both na-

tions had built resilience through their respective struggles for independence from British rule.

The embassy will be led by Barbados’ first resident ambassador to Ireland, Cleviston Haynes, and is expected to support expanded cooperation in trade, tourism, investment, education, climate resilience and cultural exchange.

Mottley was joined at

the ceremony by the Senior Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Christopher Sinckler; Irish officials; members of the Barbadian diaspora; and supporters of Barbados living in Ireland.

The opening of the embassy comes as Barbados prepares to celebrate 60 years of independence and five years as a republic. (Excerpt from Nation News)

Saint Lucian students try out new flexible CXC exam system

Saint Lucia has held the first Caribbean Targeted Education Certificate (C-Tech) exams, which could change how students across the region take secondary-level assessments.

The initiative, which began on Tuesday, offers a modular pathway to the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC). Instead of taking all subjects at once, students can now complete the syllabus in stages and work toward full certification over time.

Registrar of Examinations Patterson Abraham said the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) chose to start the first module with Mathematics, a subject that has often been difficult for students across the Caribbean.

With the C-Tech system, students who successfully complete three modules will earn a full CSEC pass. This offers a more flexible and less overwhelming way to get certified.

Abraham called the initiative an important step for education in the region. He said he is confident it will help students improve their academic performance in the long run. (Excerpt from St Lucia Times)

He pointed out that with the modular system, “the number of areas that they have to cover is less than the CSEC programme”. This means students “can focus on a few topics at a time and be able to do as well as they can on just one module, and then build onto the next module”.

Bolivian miners clash with Police in La Paz, demanding President’s resignation

Explosions were heard during violent clashes in La Paz on Thursday, as mining groups took to the streets, calling for the resignation of centrist President Rodrigo Paz.

Demonstrators confronted Police as they tried to enter Plaza Murillo, the city’s central square, throwing what appeared to be dynamite sticks, according to a Reuters witness.

Local miners are demanding greater access to explosives and fuel, as well as revisions to contracts and the implementation of mining regulations.

Some demonstrators called for the President’s resignation just six months after he was sworn into office. The centrist Paz won a resounding electoral victory last year, promising market friendly reforms to pull the country out of its worst economic crisis in a generation.

Shortly before Thursday’s clashes, a delegation of

about 20 miners entered the Presidential Palace in the main square for a meeting with the President, who had convened several Ministers for emergency talks on the miners’ demands, according to a source familiar with the matter.

As part of the protests, roadblocks have been set up in recent days, leading to

shortages of food, medical supplies and oxygen for hospitals, according to reports by Reuters TV, which witnessed thousands of trucks stuck on highways.

Government officials have blamed the opposition and former leftist President Evo Morales for stoking the demonstrations. (Excerpt from Reuters)

Spirit shutdown sparks crowdfunding frenzy, scepticism to buy Haitian airline

The collapse of Spirit Airlines has triggered a wave of speculation, hope and scepticism among Haitians in the diaspora after a shadowy entrepreneur launched a $25 million fundraising campaign calling on the diaspora to help create a Haitian-owned airline.

South Florida-based entrepreneur Jhonson Napoléon – long associated with fraudulent scandals, enshrouded business dealings and risk-taking zeal – began urging Haitians to rally behind what he described as an opportunity to build “an airline for the diaspora, by the diaspora”. His goal is to raise $25 million through public contributions to either purchase or lease aircraft assets going out of use from the airline’s bankruptcy.

“This is bigger than aviation,” Napoléon said in a

video, urging support for the project. “This is about ownership, dignity, accountability, and believing Haitians can build major institutions together.”

Napoléon’s suggestion went viral in Haitian online spaces, where supporters celebrated it as a rare opportunity for Haitians abroad to collectively invest in a major business venture tied to national pride and access to air travel.

While interest is high, so is deep scepticism around the community.

Haitian diaspora airline schemes aren’t new –over the years, several diaspora-led projects such as Haïti Trans Air, Haiti Aviation, and FOCUS have repeatedly failed or collapsed.

The repeated failures have left many Haitians wary of ambitious projects

marketed through nationalism and emotional appeals to diaspora solidarity.

Many Haitians online questioned both the financial feasibility of the proposal and Napoléon’s credibility. In a widely shared Reddit discussion, one user was blunt.

“This is obviously going to be a scam,” the commenter wrote.

Others noted outright that Napoléon is not trustworthy to them.

Several Haitians also accused Napoléon of simply adapting a viral American crowdfunding idea launched by a TikToker for a Haitian audience.

Napoléon, a native of southern Haiti, has not yet responded to a Haitian Times request for comment. (Excerpt from The Haitian Times)

OIL NEWS

Oil settles lower on US rate hike fears; investors watch Trump-Xi meeting

Oil prices settled lower on Wednesday as investors worried about possible US interest rate hikes and awaited updates on a high-stakes summit in Beijing between US President Donald Trump and China’s Xi Jinping.

Brent crude futures closed down US$2.14, or two per cent, to US$105.63 a barrel. US West Texas Intermediate futures fell US$1.16, or 1.14 per cent, to US$101.02.

Boston Federal Reserve President Susan Collins said on Wednesday the US central bank may need to raise interest rates if inflation pressures do not abate, a sign that the war has begun to weigh on the US economy. Higher oil prices have pushed up fuel costs, and economists expect to see effects in the months ⁠ahead.

US producer prices in April posted their biggest increase in four years, boosted by soaring costs for goods and services, the latest sign of accelerating inflation during the war with Iran. In April, US consumer prices rose sharply for a second straight month, producing the largest annual increase in inflation in nearly three years.

Higher interest rates increase borrowing costs for businesses and consumers, which could slow economic growth and reduce oil demand.

Trump landed in Beijing on Wednesday, a day after saying he did not think he would need China’s help to end the war, even as prospects for a lasting peace deal weakened and Tehran tightened its grip over the Strait of Hormuz. (Excerpt from Reuters)

China’s Xi warns Trump about “conflicts” if Taiwan isn’t “handled properly”

hinese President Xi

CJinping had stern words for President Trump on Taiwan as they met in Beijing on Thursday, warning of potential “clashes and even conflicts” if the issue isn’t “handled properly”, according to Chinese state media.

During their summit, the two leaders are aiming to stabilise their trading relationship after last year’s trade war. They’re also grappling with uncertainty over the United States’ war with Iran. But China made it clear that Taiwan is a top priority in the US-China relationship.

The closed-door session lasted roughly two hours and 15 minutes. The White House characterised the meeting as “good”. At a state banquet later, Trump said he was inviting Xi and his wife for a reciprocal visit at the White

House on September 24.

Trump told Fox News’ Sean Hannity that Xi told him he would like to help open the Strait of Hormuz and claimed that Xi said he’s not going to give Iran any military equipment, which Trump called a “big statement”.

The White House said that several American business leaders joined for a portion of the larger bilateral meeting, with Chinese media indicating Trump introduced each one individually.

After the meeting, Trump and Xi visited Beijing’s historic Temple of Heaven and then headed to a state banquet.

Reporters asked Trump how the talks went, and he said they were “great”, adding that China is a beautiful, incredible place. (Excerpt from CBS News)

Around the World

“Floating armoury” ship reportedly seized by Iran

Avessel reportedly operating as a ”floating armoury” in the Gulf of Oman has been seized by Iranian military personnel, according to the maritime risk management company Vanguard.

The ship is now ”bound for Iranian territorial waters”, the UK’s Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) organisation said.

BBC Verify has checked ship-tracking data from MarineTraffic which shows the vessel – identified by Vanguard as the Hondurasflagged Hui Chuan – last broadcast its location 70 km north-east of Fujairah in the UAE on Wednesday.

Hui Chuan’s operators told Vanguard it was operating as a floating armoury which stores weapons for security firms

that protect ships at sea from attack by pirates.

BBC Verify cannot confirm what was on the ship or who it was used by.

The apparent seizure of

Hui Chuan comes after an Indian-flagged vessel was attacked off the coast of Oman on Wednesday, according to Indian officials.

The Haji Ali reportedly

”sank” off the coast of Oman, following a suspected explosion believed to have been caused by a ”drone or missile”, according to Vanguard.

”All Indian crew on board are safe, and we thank the Omani authorities for rescuing them,” Indian authorities said on Thursday.

The ship was carrying livestock ”when a fire reportedly broke out onboard, forcing the crew to abandon ship before the vessel sank”, Vanguard said.

Fourteen crew members were transferred by Oman Coast Guard units to the country’s Diba Port, according to Indian officials.

India’s Ministry of External Affairs called the attack ”unacceptable”. (Excerpt from BBC News)

Ukraine hit by 2nd day of large-scale Russian missile and drone strikes

Russian missiles and drones are pounding Ukraine for a second day, as almost continuous heavy attacks hit the country, with Kyiv bearing the brunt of an assault that has killed at least eight persons, including a 13-year-old, and injured 44 in the capital.

The overnight attacks followed heavy daylight raids with missiles and drones across the country on Wednesday, one of the longest single attacks of the war.

“As of now, already five people have been reported killed in Kyiv as a result of last night’s Russian attack,” the Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, wrote

in a statement on social media.

“There must be a just res-

ponse to all these strikes,” he added, saying he had ordered Ukraine’s armed forces to pre-

pare options for retaliation. The assault began at 03:00h on Thursday with hundreds of drones and dozens of missiles fired by Moscow, with the sound of explosions echoing through Kyiv. Water and power supplies were disrupted in the east of the city.

Ukraine’s air force said the latest attack involved 56 missiles of various types and almost 700 drones. Separately, Ukraine reported that Russian drones on Thursday had struck a UN vehicle in the southern city of Kherson. The attacks came as Ukraine’s battlefield prospects appeared to have been improving in recent months. (Excerpt from The Guardian)

Palestinian President Abbas pledges elections, reform at Fatah conference

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has pledged to reform the Palestinian Authority (PA) at a Fatah party conference in the occupied West Bank, pledging to hold long-delayed Presidential and Parliamentary elections.

Fatah kicked off the threeday 8th General Conference in Ramallah on Thursday to elect a new central committee, its highest leadership body, for the first time in 10 years as it faces existen-

tial challenges in the wake of Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza.

“We renew our full commitment to continuing work on implementing all the reform measures we pledged,” Abbas said in an address. He also pledged to hold new elections, though he did not provide a timeline.

Late on Thursday, Abbas was unanimously re-elected as leader of the Fatah movement and, by extension, will remain head of the cent-

ral committee, according to the Palestinian news agency Wafa. Fatah is the main party within the Palestinian Authority.

Abbas and the Palestinian Authority are under mounting pressure from the United States, the European Union and Arab states to implement reforms and hold elections, amid widespread accusations of corruption and political stagnation, as well as the body’s declining legitimacy among Palestinians.

central committee is expected to play a key role in the post-Abbas era.

Key figures competing to replace Abbas include Jibril Rajoub, the committee’s Secretary-General, and PA Deputy Hussein al-Sheikh. The conference comes as the Palestinian national movement faces some of its “most serious challenges in our struggle”. Rajoub told the AFP news agency in advance of the congress. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

US scraps deployment of 4000 troops to Poland

The Pentagon has cancelled plans to temporarily deploy 4000 US-based troops to Poland, two US officials said, a surprise decision that renews questions about President Donald Trump’s expected troop cuts in Europe.

A Pentagon spokesperson declined comment; a lawmaker said the decision had not yet been notified to Congress,

and no formal announcement has been made.

The decision, first reported by Army Times, came just two weeks after the Pentagon announced it was withdrawing 5000 troops from NATO ally Germany, in part due to a widening rift over the Iran war between President Trump and Europe.

One US official, who spo-

ke to Reuters on condition of anonymity, suggested the Poland decision was part of a near-term solution to ultimately allow for the previously announced drawdown in Germany, which hosts 35,000 US forces. That would suggest that the troops that were meant to temporarily deploy to Poland might come from elsewhere.

Still, the US has been reviewing its troop presence in Europe and has long been expected to scale it back, following demands from Trump that NATO take a larger role in the defence of Europe. The Pentagon has not yet detailed how it envisions future troop laydowns across the continent. (Excerpt from Reuters)

HOROSCOPES

Walk away from emotionally explosive situations before they have a chance to erupt. Direct your energy into something that makes a difference, serves a purpose or brings about positive change. Control your feelings, and use your intelligence, knowledge and experience to get things done.

Charm, understanding and optimism will guide you to the winner’s circle. How you respond to those closest to you will unveil what you get in return. Put your energy toward getting along, and erase any anger brewing in the background. Sharing concerns and feelings and finding common ground will encourage better relationships. Romance is on the rise.

Push for change. Do the groundwork, and don’t overestimate or underestimate what others will do to get in your way. Pay attention to how you look and feel, and say no to temptation. Focus on being kind, considerate and taking better care of yourself. Don’t give in to demands that disrupt your beliefs.

Take a moment to study your options, and dedicate more time to what’s important to you. Trying to cram too much into your day will contribute to falling short of your expectations. A pep talk will help you find capable individuals to tend to the small jobs you don’t care to do, allowing you to excel.

Dig in, learn all you can, build momentum and initiate plans. Seeing something through from beginning to end will satisfy your soul and put you in a position to further your plans. Partnering with someone will lower your overhead and offer you the freedom necessary to turn your ideas into something tangible. Enthusiasm plus charisma harnesses positive results.

Sign up for something that offers insight into new possibilities. Finding unique ways to apply your skills will open a window of opportunity to engage in a project that’s new and exciting. Test the water, share your vision and be quick to participate in using your experience to collaborate on something you find exciting.

Connect and collaborate with people who share your interests, skills and plans. Look to the source of what’s possible, and stretch your imagination. These days, you must be innovative, selective and constantly searching to find ways to use and market your experience to accelerate what’s trending. Self-improvement, educational pursuits and partnerships are on the rise.

Pay attention to detail. Taking on too much will leave you vulnerable. Look for opportunities involving people you already know and trust. Put your energy into development, offering handson help and letting your creativity shine through. Personal or professional contracts, commitments and partnerships will fortify your position and what you can achieve. Romance is in the stars.

Indulge in something you enjoy doing with people who bring out the best in you. How you use your space at home, or the social places you frequent, will set the stage for a unique experience. Pay attention to and nurture meaningful relationships. A change to how or where you live will lead to a better lifestyle.

Don’t put yourself on display or give others a reason to talk. Lie low, engage in self-improvement projects or sign up for activities or events that give you a chance to meet people who share the same likes and dislikes. Question information that sounds too good to be true. Rely on your resources and intuition, not gossip.

Self-improvement will be uplifting. Participate in activities that help you look and feel your best. Explore friendships, and reunite with people you lost touch with and miss. You can gain confidence if you challenge yourself or compete with someone who shares common interests. It’s time to grow.

Be honest with yourself and those close to you regarding how you feel and the changes you want to pursue. Be aware of how your decisions will affect others, and offer compensation or a way to include them. Talks will lead to solutions, but acting without concern for others will lead to regret.

Punjab Kings’ (PBKS) playoff chances took a serious beating after they lost their fifth game in a row, this time going down to Mumbai Indians (MI) by six wickets in Dharamsala. They remain fourth on the table with 13 points from 12 games, while the two teams just below them, Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals, have 12 points each with a game in hand.

MI were without their regular captain Hardik Pandya, who is still recovering from back spasms, and stand-in captain Suryakumar Yadav, who missed out due to personal reasons. In their absence, Jasprit Bumrah led them for the first time in the IPL and put PBKS in after winning the toss. The hosts rode on Prabhsimran Singh’s chancey 57 off 32 to reach 100 in 11 overs before Shardul Thakur’s four-for de-railed them. They were 140 for seven in

Punjab Kings (20 ovs maximum)

Priyansh Arya b Chahar 22

Prabhsimran Singh †c Bosch

b Thakur 57

Cooper Connolly b Bawa 21

Shreyas Iyer (c) b Thakur 4

Suryansh Shedge c Bawa

b Thakur 8

Shashank Singh lbw b Bosch 2 Azmatullah Omarzai c Jacks b Chahar 38 Marco Jansen b Thakur 2 Vishnu Vinod not out 15

Xavier Bartlett not out 18

Extras (b 5, lb 1, w 7) 13

Total 20 Ov (RR: 10.00) 200/8

Fall of wickets: 1-50 (Priyansh Arya, 5.3 ov), 2-107 (Prabhsimran Singh, 11.2 ov), 3-111 (Shreyas Iyer, 11.4 ov), 4-111 (Cooper Connolly, 12.3 ov), 5-123 (Suryansh Shedge, 13.2 ov), 6-135 (Shashank Singh, 14.4 ov), 7-140 (Marco Jansen, 16.2 ov), 8-166 (Azmatullah Omarzai, 17.6 ov) Bowling O-M-R-W

Deepak Chahar 4-0-36-2

Jasprit Bumrah 4-0-35-0

Shardul Thakur 4-0-39-4

balls to lift them to 200 for eight.

Ryan Rickelton set up the chase for MI with his 23-ball 48. But it was Tilak Varma who played the piv-otal role with his unbeaten 75 off 33. With 50 needed from three overs, he, with the help of Will Jacks, took MI over the line on the penulti mate ball of the match.

A six-less powerplay

Priyansh Arya opened his ac count with a second-ball four off Deepak Chahar, and Prabhsimran picked up two fours off Bumrah in the following over. In all, the two combined to hit ten fours in the pow er-play, but there were plenty of dot balls and not a single six. To make things worse for PBKS, Chahar bowled Arya with a knuckleball in the final over of the powerplay, af

Corbin Bosch 4-0-42-1 Raghu Sharma 2-0-22-0 Will Jacks 1-0-9-0 Raj

1-0-11-1 (T: 201 runs from 20 ovs)

b Chahal 25 Ryan Rickelton †c Arya b Azmatullah Omarzai 48 Naman Dhir c Arshdeep Singh b Jansen 9 Tilak Varma not out 75 Sherfane Rutherford c Bartlett b Azmatullah Omarzai 20 Will Jacks not out 25 Extras (w 3) 3 Total 19.5 Ov (RR: 10.33) 205/4 Fall of wickets: 1-61 (Ryan Rickelton,

Azmatullah Omarzai 4-0-36-2 Marco Jansen 4-0-55-1 Xavier Bartlett 3.5-0-53-0 Yuzvendra Chahal 4-0-32-1

Indian Premier League

Tilak Varma, Shardul Thakur

hand PBKS 5th successive defeat

got another cross-seam delivery to straighten and ping Shreyas Iyer’s off stump. From the other end, Raj Bawa bowled Cooper Connolly for 21 off 22 in the next over. A little later, Shardul removed Suryansh Shedge and Marco Jansen, leaving PBKS on 140 for seven in 16.2 overs.

Varma during his innings

and Bartlett (18 not out off seven) added 34 off just 12 in an unbroken stand for the ninth wicket to take the side to 200.

Rickelton gives MI flying start

Arshdeep Singh started the chase with a tworun over, after which Rickelton took over. He showed a preference for the leg side; 34 of his 48 runs and all four sixes came on that side of the wicket. Of the 59 runs MI scored in the powerplay, 47 came from Rickelton’s bat, while Rohit Sharma was struggling on 12 off

PBKS bounce back

PBKS made a comeback after the power -

play. Omarzai removed Rickelton, Dhir fell to Jansen, and Yuzvendra Chahal bowled Rohit to leave them 89 for three after ten overs. While Tilak kept finding boundaries and moved to 22 off 11 balls, PBKS kept Sherfane Rutherford qui-et. Jansen conceded just five singles in the 14th over, and Arshdeep gave away only eight in the 15th, leaving MI with 72 to get from the last five.

Tilak, Jacks take MI home Iyer’s gamble of bowling Chahal against two left-hand batters backfired. Tilak and Rutherford hit him for a six each in a 20-run over. However, Omarzai bowled an excellent 17th over, dismissing Ruther-ford and giving away just two runs. With 50 required from three overs, PBKS were the favourites, but their bowlers failed to close it off.

Jacks and Tilak hit Jansen for two sixes and two fours in the 18th over. Arshdeep left Bartlett with 14 to defend in the final over, but he started with a full toss, which Jacks hit over long-off for a six. A sin-gle and a dot brought it down to eight required from three. Tilak showed no nerves and smashed the next two balls for sixes to seal the win. (ESPNcricinfo)

50+ youths benefit from chess training in Region 3

More than 50 young players gathered at the National Track and Field Centre (NTFC), Leonora, West Coast Demerara (WCD) last weekend for a comprehensive two-day youth chess workshop. Sponsored by International Import and Supplies and the Guyana Chess Federation (GCF), the workshop successfully initiated the federation’s expansion programme within Region Three.

According to a correspondence, the programme drew a diverse crowd of students and teachers from nine local schools, offering tailored instruction for every skill level. Absolute beginners learnt the fundamentals, from piece movement to essential checkmating patterns, while intermediate players sharpened their tactics through complex puzzles and opening theory.

The five-hour sessions saw high engagement from all participants, including a strong showing of 23 female players. Beyond the board, the initiative provided complimentary meals and refreshments, ensuring students could focus entirely on developing their crit-

skills.

To sustain this momentum, the GCF awarded chess sets to the schools with the most attendance to help launch their internal chess clubs. Leonora Secondary, West Demerara Secondary, Qayyim Academy, and De Willem Secondary had the most attendance. Other participating schools were Leonora Primary, Stewartville Secondary, Zeeburg Secondary, Cornelia Ida Primary and Modern Foundation Academy.

The workshop welcomed a mix of new faces and returning players, including several young women and teachers who had attended the previous week’s Girls’ Chess Workshop. This continuity allowed students to transition seamlessly from theory to practice.

On Sunday, forty eager participants put their new skills to the test in a competitive mini-tournament. For many, this was their first experience playing with chess clocks under formal tournament conditions. After six rounds of intense play, trophies and chess sets were awarded to the top six finishers and the best female performer,

Another bout of exhilarating youth boxing action is scheduled for this Saturday at the Andrew “Six Head” Lewis Gym in Albouystown as the Guyana Boxing Association (GBA) continues its aggressive youth development programme.

The event is expected to

while other participants received prizes to commemorate their progress.

The top six performers of the tournament were Deandre Mohammed from Qayyim Academy, Kemari Peters from West Demerara Secondary, Jaquan Browne from Stewartville Secondary, Christian Campbell from Qayyim Academy, Jairam Thackurdeen from West Demerara, and Samuel George from Qayyim Academy. The Best Female prize went to Zafirah Bremner from Qayyim Academy.

The GCF, in collaboration with the Ministry of Education and the Unit of Allied Arts, spearheaded the training to foster awareness among primary and secondary level students. GCF chess coaches CM Taffin Khan, Nellisha Johnson and Marcia Lee headed the training sessions for the students, while John Lee assisted with the tournament.

GCF President Anand Raghunauth noted the significance of the turnout, emphasising that chess is now a reality for several schools across the West Coast of Demerara (WCD). He reaffirmed the Federation’s commitment to supporting these institutions, noting that the GCF will maintain active engagement with school administrations to ensure chess becomes a permanent fixture in their extracurricular development.

The GCF extended gratitude to the National Sports Commission (NSC) for providing a comfortable venue for the training. Gratitude to International Import and Supplies for their commitment and continuous support of the GCF.

Youth Basketball…

Tutorial, St Stanislaus, St Rose’s secure convincing victories

Fans gathered at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall (CASH) on Homestretch Avenue for an exciting Day 8 of the Youth Basketball League’s Geo City Regional competition on May 13, as three teams secured convincing victories to strengthen their positions heading into the latter stages of the tournament.

Tutorial High overpower St Joseph High

Tutorial High produced the most commanding performance of the evening, defeating St Joseph High 57-7 in a one-sided contest.

Leading the charge was Player of the Game Keon Lynch, who delivered an outstanding all-around performance with 23 points, 18 re-

North Georgetown.

Josiah Lee earned Player of the Game honours after tallying 17 points, six rebounds and seven steals in a commanding display on both ends of the court.

Omari White contributed 11 points and five rebounds to solidify the win.

North Georgetown was led by Breanne Ritchie, who scored nine points and grabbed four rebounds in the loss.

St Rose’s High claim victory over Chase’s Academic Foundation

St Rose’s High capped the evening with a 45-18 tri umph over Chase’s Academic Foundation.

Shaquan Callendar was named Player of the Game af ter scoring 13 points and col

bounds, nine steals and four assists. Julian Charles provided strong support with 20 points and six steals, while Xavier Scott recorded a double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds.

For St Joseph High, Adoniah Langhorne finished with five points and five rebounds in a challenging outing for his team.

St Stanislaus College cruise past North Georgetown

In the second matchup, St Stanislaus College secured a comfortable 36-15 victory over

Commission, the Ministry of Education (MoE) and Banks DIH Ltd. With several teams gaining momentum and others seeking adjustments, the competition continues to unfold as the league progresses toward its decisive stages.

lecting six rebounds. He received support from Jeremy Chung, who added 11 points and four rebounds, while Christian Williams and Juyen Paul chipped in eight points each.

Despite the defeat, Chase’s Academy saw a strong individual performance from Sirr Sampson, who recorded 15 points and 10 rebounds.

Meanwhile, games scheduled for Region Six, Region 10, the East Coast, and the East Bank were rained out and will be rescheduled.

The Geo City Regional is

GBA continues youth push with developmental tournament on Saturday

showcase some of the country’s most promising young and emerging boxing talent, as the GBA remains committed to nurturing the next generation of fighters capable of excelling on both the regional and international stages. Over the years, the association’s developmental programme has proved to be one of the most productive systems in local sport, producing several of the Caribbean and South America’s top young boxers who continue to climb the ranks while establishing names for themselves in the

amateur circuit.

Saturday’s tournament is expected to attract participation from several of Guyana’s leading gyms, including Harpy Eagle Boxing Gym, Pace & Power, New Amsterdam Boxing Academy (NABA), and the Andrew Lewis Gym (ALG), all of which have played critical roles in strengthening the local boxing landscape.

Particular attention continues to be placed on the resurgence of the Harpy Eagle Boxing Gym under the guidance of Coach James Walcott. Since the gym’s return, there has been a noticeable boost in the local amateur boxing scene, especially at the youth

level, with several young fighters displaying impressive technical growth and discipline inside the ring.

National Coach Lennox Daniels believes the consistent staging of developmental competitions has contributed significantly to the steady improvement being seen among Guyana’s young fighters.

According to Daniels, opportunities for local boxers to represent Guyana at regional and international competitions have become more frequent, making regular competitive exposure at home increasingly important.

At the previous Developmental Tournament, Harpy Eagle Boxing Gym

emerged as the standout force of the day, underlining the depth of grassroots talent currently being cultivated across the country’s top gyms.

Several standout performers were also recognised for their performances at the conclusion of the event.

Abu Barker of Harpy Eagle Boxing Gym captured the best school-age boxer award after an impressive display of skill and composure.

The Best Junior Boxer accolade went to Itavius Vanderstoop, while Jofes Jackson walked away with the Best Youth Boxer award following another dominant performance in the ring.

West Indies Championships…

Confidence boost ahead of final as Nandu, Van Lange lead batting charge

The Guyana Harpy Eagles (GHE) completed a crushing innings and 21-run victory over the West Indies Academy in their West Indies Championship encounter at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium earlier this week, but the story of the contest revolved firmly around two standout knocks; a maiden First-Class double century from Matthew Nandu and a scintillating 133 on debut from Jonathan Van Lange.

Nandu was the bedrock of the Harpy Eagles’ dominance, constructing a magnificent double hun-

dred through method rather than flash. Reflecting on the marathon effort, he said his mindset was deliberately simple.

“It was just to take it one ball at a time and put away the bad balls as much as I could and try and rotate as much as I could as well,” Nandu explained. “The main objective was to just get past the first thing, score, and try and push through and dig in as deep as I could. It feels good to get a double hundred.”

Even amid celebration, the young batsman remained firmly grounded.

“Going into the finals, it’ll

do my confidence well, but coming to the next game, I start back from zero, so I’ve got to go through the same process,” the 22-year-old explained.

While Nandu anchored the innings with authority, Van Lange brought flair and emotion to the occasion. Handing his first-class debut, he marked it in style with a fluent 133, embracing the opportunity he had long envisioned.

The 19-year-old shared, “Yeah, it was definitely something I was looking forward to. I was actually hoping to be in a team from the inception. But I guess God

Bent Street outfits, Sparta Boss through to quarter-finals in Stars Among Stars Futsal

Thas his timing and everything. So yeah, I was pret ty elated to have the call-up and make a debut, receiving a cap from Coach Ned. Growing up with him and just coming from his school basically, yeah, it’s definitely special to me.”

Preparation and belief guided his approach after assessing conditions.

“After seeing how the pitch played the first innings and how Dejan and Andrew started yesterday, last night

was just basically thinking about just batting as long as I possibly could. Knowing my ability, I’m backing my ability to score runs once I spend time in the crease,” Van Lange went on to express.

The commanding victory sends the Harpy

Jamieson signs IFBB World Champion Rosanna Fung as Guyana Brand Ambassador

nal stage following dominant victories.

Bent Street B produced one of the biggest wins of the night, thrashing Leopold Street 8-2 to comfortably secure their place in the next round.

Back Circle was equally ruthless in their encounter, dismantling Kingston 8-1 in a one-sided affair to move into the quarter-finals.

Bent Street also enjoyed a commanding outing, blanking Laing Avenue 6-0 in another comprehensive display.

Meanwhile, Sparta completed the list of advancing teams after defeating East Coast All-Stars 5-2.

The tournament is set to continue at the National Gymnasium with the remaining Round of 16 fixtures as teams battle for spots in the quarter-final round.

International Fitness and Bodybuilding Federation (IFBB) World Champion Rosanna Fung has officially signed with Jamieson as the brand’s newest ambassador in Guyana, in a partnership aimed at promoting health, wellness and active living across the country.

Jamieson, which is distributed locally by BPI Guyana, announced the collaboration on Tuesday, May 12, describing it as a significant step in its mis-

sion to inspire healthier lifestyles through wellness and empowerment.

Fung, an internationally recognised bodybuilder and wellness advocate, will now play a key role in the company’s wellness campaigns and health-focused initiatives. According to the release, the partnership is expected to strengthen Jamieson’s efforts to encourage Guyanese consumers to prioritise their well-being and embrace healthier habits.

BPI Guyana Health said Fung’s accomplishments and approach to wellness made her an ideal representative for the brand.

“Rosanna Fung embodies world-class excellence and empowered wellness,” the company stated. “Her dedication to health and performance aligns perfectly with Jamieson’s values, and we are proud to welcome her to the Jamieson family as we continue building a stronger, healthier Guyana –Powered by Jamieson.”

Fung, who has established herself as one of Guyana’s leading fitness personalities, said the partnership was meaningful because she had already been using Jamieson products before becoming an ambassador.

“I am honoured to join Jamieson as a brand ambassador,” Fung said. “I already feel very connected to this brand because I’ve genuinely been using their products long before this partnership.”

She added that both sides share a common vision centred on health, wellness and striving for excellence.

“As a high-performing athlete, quality and attention to detail are extremely important to me, and I feel that Jamieson represents those values exceptionally well,” Fung noted.

Through its partnership with Fung, the company hopes to further expand its wellness message within Guyana.

Ishow”

“World-class

promised

as Guyana Grand Prix officially launched

n just under two months’ time, the South Dakota Circuit at Timehri will be almost unrecognisable, transformed into an international-standard track as Guyana prepares to make its debut in the GT Challenge de las Americas.

Dubbed the Guyana Grand Prix, the 3rd leg of the series will be hosted at South Dakota on July 11 and 12.

During the launch at State House on Wednesday evening, President Irfaan Ali described the event as much more than racing, highlighting its economic potential.

“This is not only about racing; this is about economics. We’re building out infrastructure; the hotels and sport tourism is an important part about what we’re building for. So, this event is part of that holistic vision to situate the investments from the Private Sector with investments from the Public Sector. It takes a lot of resources; we’re spending a lot of money at South Dakota, and we’re not spending this money without understanding the linkage to the economic spin-off that it will bring. Massive economic spin-off,” President Ali emphasised.

He added, “For a matter of fact, at the end of this investment we’ll be Level 3, and then we will be continuously be making investment be-

cause our next goal is first to continue this series here and then move towards E1 races.”

The Head of State went on to opine that Guyana can push to become the home of motorsport in the region.

President Ali posited, “We should aspire to become the unchallenged home of motor racing in the Caribbean, and why not Guyana? We already possess one of the strongest motorsport cultures in the region; we already have passionate fans, already attract regional competitors, already have skilled mechanics, engineers, tuners, drivers and promoters and, most importantly, we already possess something priceless: history. The South Dakota Circuit is not merely a track; it is part of Guyana’s sporting heritage.”

Meanwhile, GT Challenge de las Americas Marketing and communication lead Silvia Bermudez hailed Guyana’s inclusion in this year’s series as a milestone.

Bermudez noted, “The inclusion of Guyana in our calendar is a milestone that reflects the growth of the modern sports in the world. At the GT Challenge organisation, we’re pleased to be part of Guyana’s history and to share the Government’s vision for the potential of motor sports in the country. Mr President, thank you for making us part of your national pride.”

“For our part, we are committed to bringing a world-class show an to make this event the most important held in Guyana every year,” she further stated.

On the local front, Guyana Motor Racing and Sports Club (GMR&SC) President Mohamad Shairaz Roshandin expressed their commitment to the growth of the sport.

“From racing on the sands of 63 Beach 70 years ago to international standards, we are not just focused on developing our sport, but our main objective is to create a tourism product that can benefit all of us. We are taking bold steps to lead the charge in this region,”

Roshandin shared.

The GMR&SC boss continued, “GMRSC’s momentum will now accelerate and shift into high gear with the track development, safety requirements, meeting international standards; we can now seek to host more series and off-season testing at our facility. Guyana is on the stepping stone to greatness, and we at GMRSC will be side by side at every positive action.”

According to organisers, six Lamborghinis, one Mercedes GT3, one Renault, one McLaren, and four Porsches are amongst the line-up of luxury cars for the event in July.