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for obtaining money by false pretence
charged for falsely confessing to murder, taking blame for wanted man Platoon sergeants are backbone of the Army – Lieutenant Col highlights leadership role at graduation
The High Court has dismissed an application challenging President Dr Irfaan Ali’s appointment of seven members of the Teaching Service Commission (TSC), ruling that the appointments were lawful despite the absence of a Leader of the Opposition at the time.
Justice Damone Younge handed down the decision in a judicial review matter brought by A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) Terrence Campbell, who had sought declarations that the President
breached the Constitution by appointing members of the TSC without first consulting with a leader of the opposition. Campbell, through attorneys-at-law Khemraj Ramjattan and Christopher Ram, argued that three members of the Commission could only be appointed following meaningful consultation with the Opposition Leader under Article 207(2)(d) of the Constitution. He contended that the appointments made on December 31, 2025, were unlawful because no opposi-
tion leader was in office at the time. The Attorney General (AG) of Guyana was named as the respondent in the proceedings. In January 2026, Doodmattie Singh, Shafiran Bhajan, Joan Davis-Monkhouse, Lancelot Baptiste, Satti Jaisieriisingh, Mayda Persaud, and Saddam Hussain were sworn in as members of the new TSC for the next three years.
Meanwhile, in defending the appointments, the AG argued that the President’s constitutional power to make appointments was not extinguished by a vacancy in another constitutional office. It was further submitted that the obligation to consult is mandatory only where consultation is capable of being undertaken and that the law does not require the performance of an impossibility. The AG also contended that the President acted reasonably and in the public interest to avoid a vacuum in the Teaching Service Commission and to prevent disruption to the administration of the education sector. Additionally, it was argued that the court
should decline to grant the reliefs sought, given the public interest considerations and the discretionary nature of judicial review remedies. The state’s case relied in part on previous local judicial decisions, including the 2022 ruling of then Chief Justice Roxane George SC in Aubrey Norton v Attorney General of Guyana and Clifton Hicken. In that matter, the court upheld President Ali’s appointment of Clifton Hicken to act as Commissioner
of Police during a period when there was no opposition leader in office. Justice Younge adopted similar reasoning in the present case, noting that the absence of a leader of the opposition at the time of the appointments was not due to any action or omission on the part of the President.
In her ruling, the judge emphasised the importance of maintaining the continuity of essential constitutional institutions, particularly those connected to the administration of education. “The administration of education in Guyana remains a vital pillar of national life. To leave the system without a functioning commission would have exposed it to uncertainty and disruption, thereby imperilling the orderly governance of the sector.”
The court found that the absence of an elected opposition leader made meaningful consultation impossible within the meaning of Article 207(2) (d) of the Constitution, and therefore there could be no breach of that constitutional requirement.
Justice Younge further ruled that the lack of consultation did not invalidate the President’s exercise of his constitutional authority to appoint members of the commission. The court concluded that the President’s decision to appoint the members of the TSC on December 31, 2025, was neither unlawful nor unconstitutional. AG and Legal Affairs Minister Mohabir Anil Nandlall SC MP appeared in person for the respondent, alongside Shoshanna Lall, Prithima Kissoon, Ronetta Sargent-Prince and Sabira Ali Hydaralie.
SATURDAY, JUNE 20, 2026
The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Friday, June 19 – 07:10h–08:40h and Saturday, June 20 –07:55h–09:25h
Parika and Supenaam departure times – 05:00h, 10:00h-12:00h, 16:00h, 18:30h daily.
Thundery showers are expected during the day, followed by light showers at night. Temperatures are expected to range between 23 degrees Celsius and 29 degrees Celsius.
Winds: North-Easterly to South-Easterly between 1.78 metres and 3.57 metres.
High Tide: 07:35h and 20:11h reaching maximum heights of 2.54 metres and 2.40 metres.
Low Tide: 13:41h reaching a minimum height of 0.69 metre.
In a move to drive financial inclusion among citizens, President Dr Irfaan Ali has unveiled plans for the establishment of a national mining company to take up large-scale opportunities in Guyana.
He made this announcement on Friday at the opening of the Citizens Bank Guyana Inc’s new branch in the mining town of Bartica, Region Seven (CuyuniMazaruni).
According to the Head of State, this national mining company will see the inclusion of small, medium and large Guyanese miners.
“We’re going to come together, create a consortium, buy the best technology, do all of the technical work and move towards creating a world-class mining company owned by Guyanese, built by Guyanese, in which every citizen [within the mining sector is involved],” Ali stated.
This, the President explained, will broaden financial participation and access to various mechanisms for many Guyanese, thus enabling financial inclusion at every level. He added that it will also ensure that Guyanese retain ownership of the opportunities within the local mining sector.
“Instead of having large miners from around the world taking up the largescale opportunity, we’re going to come together…[and develop the] national mining company that involves all of the large, medium, smallsized miners and every Guyanese family,” he stated.
For years, foreign companies from around the world have been coming to Guyana and taking up large-scale mining.
In Region Seven – one of the country’s main mining districts – Aurora Gold Mine (AGM) Inc, which is the only large-scale operating gold mine in Guyana, has been acquired by China-based Zijin Mining.
Across the CuyuniMazaruni region, there are currently some 2524 active mining properties. In 2025, small- and medium-sized miners declared approximately 94,000 ounces of gold. This is in addition to the 165,000-ounce declaration made by the Chineseowned large-scale gold operator.
Currently, the Oko West Gold Project in Region Seven is being built out by a Canadian-based gold mining company, G Mining Ventures (GMIN). The Oko West Gold Project is currently in its construction phase, with the company aiming to complete these works by the third quarter of 2027 before transitioning into full-scale operations with a production
target of 350,000 ounces of gold annually.
However, the introduction of the national mining company in Guyana could see local stakeholders being actively involved in similar large-scale operations.
Local consortium for large-scale operations
Previously, the Guyana Government had approached the Guyana Gold and Diamond Miners Association (GGDMA) for them to explore putting together a local consortium to take over the abandoned Troy Resources large-scale operations in Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni).
The Australian-based mining company had ceased operations here in 2023, and the Government subsequently terminated their licence, taking over ownership of the abandoned mining property.
With the closure of the Troy Resources operation, a portion of the previously licensed area was subdivided into 27-acre parcels and allocated to local small miners under a structured arrangement. Nearly 100 small miners are currently operating in that area.
The Natural Resources Ministry had planned to extend a similar model in Regions One (Barima-Waini) and Eight (Potaro-Siparuni). The intention is to make at least 75 parcels available in these regions, totalling approximately 225 allocations for small Guyanese miners.
Importantly, the parcel
size will increase from 27 acres to 50 acres per miner.
Beneficiaries will retain the option to relinquish their allocation once mined out and apply for another 50-acre parcel.
Wider transformation underway
Meanwhile, President Ali on Friday linked this proposed national mining company to a wider transformation underway in Guyana’s financial architecture aimed at increasing public participation in investment opportunities and strengthening financial access across communities.
Among the initiatives under consideration are the development of a junior stock exchange, the launch of a Guyana Development Bank, investment opportunities linked to agriculture, infrastructure and industrial projects, and closer integration between Government and commercial banks.
President Ali said the Government has been work-
ing closely with the banking sector over the past year to create systems that support broader financial participation.
He further underscored that financial inclusion goes beyond access to banking and must create pathways for citizens to invest, build wealth and participate directly in national development.
“Financial independence is not only financial access; it is the independence to invest in your own idea, support your own idea and embrace your own idea,” he told the gathering at Friday’s opening of the Citizens Bank branch in Bartica.
According to President Ali, the long-term objective is to create new investment vehicles and opportunities that allow Guyanese families to become shareholders in sectors traditionally reserved for larger investors while expanding economic participation across the country.
Editor: Tusika Martin
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Guyana’s economic transformation has, in recent years, been largely associated with developments in the oil and gas sector.
Yet, the long-term strength of any economy lies in its ability to diversify, create opportunities across multiple industries, and ensure that growth reaches communities in meaningful and sustainable ways. Against this backdrop, the government’s intensified focus on developing the orange economy is a strategic investment in its people, culture, and creativity.
The inaugural Orange Economy Stakeholders Consultation hosted by the Culture, Youth and Sport Ministry shows an important shift in national development thinking. It reflects growing recognition that culture and creativity are not merely social or recreational pursuits, but economic resources capable of generating employment, attracting investment, stimulating entrepreneurship, and enhancing Guyana’s global profile.
Around the world, countries have demonstrated the transformative power of creative industries. Film, music, fashion, visual arts, cultural tourism, media production, festivals, and entertainment have evolved into major contributors to economic output and exports. Nations that successfully nurtured these sectors have created thousands of jobs while preserving and promoting their unique cultural identities. The lesson is clear: creativity can be a powerful economic engine when supported by sound policies, strategic investment, and market access.
Guyana possesses many of the ingredients necessary for success in this area, as the country’s rich cultural diversity, vibrant traditions, breath-taking landscapes, emerging talent pool, and growing international visibility provide a strong foundation upon which a competitive orange economy can be built. Recent national celebrations and cultural programmes have already demonstrated the depth of local creative talent and the public appetite for cultural engagement.
Importantly, the conversation surrounding the Orange Economy extends far beyond artistic expression. It is fundamentally about economic opportunity. Every successful film production creates employment for actors, technicians, caterers, transportation providers, accommodation services, designers, and numerous supporting industries. Every major festival generates business for vendors, entertainers, hospitality operators, and tourism stakeholders. Every investment in music, fashion, media, or cultural tourism creates pathways for entrepreneurship and income generation.
This is particularly significant for young people, as Guyana continues to experience rapid economic growth; there is a growing need to create diverse career opportunities that align with the interests, skills, and aspirations of younger generations. The creative industries offer precisely such opportunities. They provide avenues for innovation, self-employment, digital entrepreneurship, and global market participation while encouraging the development of valuable technical and professional skills.
The global film industry generates billions of dollars annually and has proven capable of transforming local economies. Countries that successfully positioned themselves as filming destinations have benefited not only from direct spending by production companies but also from expanded tourism and international exposure. Guyana’s natural environment, cultural heritage, and relatively untapped locations provide a unique competitive advantage in this regard.
The planned collaboration with the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) is an encouraging step forward. Participation in one of the world’s most respected film festivals offers Guyanese creatives access to international audiences, industry professionals, investors, and collaborative opportunities. More importantly, it places Guyana on a global platform where local stories, perspectives, and talent can gain recognition beyond national borders.
The connection between tourism and the Orange Economy also warrants continued attention. Modern travellers increasingly seek authentic cultural experiences that allow them to connect with the history, traditions, cuisine, music, and artistic expressions of the destinations they visit. A strong creative sector enriches the tourism product, encourages longer visitor stays, and increases spending throughout local economies. In turn, tourism creates larger markets for creative products and services, establishing a mutually beneficial relationship that supports broader economic growth.
Encouragingly, the current approach appears focused on implementation rather than discussion alone. This distinction is important. The success of any national strategy ultimately depends on computable outcomes, including job creation, business growth, export development, and increased participation across creative industries.
The orange economy offers Guyana an opportunity to build an economy that is prosperous as well as reflective of its identity. It presents a pathway for preserving cultural heritage while embracing innovation and modern enterprise. Most importantly, it creates opportunities that are inclusive, sustainable, and capable of reaching communities across the country.
Dear Editor,
Please allow me to share some information and to remind my brothers and sisters of what occurred within the sugar industry.
I won’t go back to the yesteryears, but deal with the reality of what the people – especially young people – need to know about the industry, especially since all sugar workers were fooled in 2015 by the PNC and AFC (APNU is the PNC).
Leading up to the 2015 elections, we all are aware that sugar workers and their families were promised a good life and that if elected, they are going to make sugar profitable again.
Moses Nagamootoo led that charge, shouting at the top of his throat that the PPP don’t care about sugar workers’ welfare, and if given the opportunity then he will ensure they have a good life.
Many echoed the same
sentiments during the campaign trail, including myself, not knowing that AFC and PNC had a plan to give the workers and their families a good bad life.
Sugar workers during the PNC rule of 2015-2020 were sent home. Thousands lost their jobs in the industry. Hardship entrenched the lives of their families.
Jobs were hard to get, and starvation was the thing of the day for many of the workers and their children.
Families were displaced all because PNC lied to the workers and their families. They didn’t care about the welfare of the workers and their families, but that of their own.
Under this PPP Government, however, workers were rehired, estates were reopened, and the good life started to bloom for the families of those workers.
No one says that there wouldn’t be issues in the industry, and as a leading industry, it will have prob-
lems. Many of those problems cannot be solved overnight, as the present main opposition party is saying.
Between 2015 and 2020 the workers couldn’t have raised their voices to say anything, and no Minister with the then Government, the PM, or President had wanted anything to do with sugar workers.
Under this Government we have a Minister who listens to their concerns and tries his utmost to look into their matters. We cannot blame the Minister for everything; management must be held accountable too, because there are some who don’t care about the workers’ welfare but just for their salaries.
Today, we see the main opposition party trying the same stunt that AFC and PNC tried with the sugar workers. We saw the target of the industry again, Gobin Harbhajan of the WIN party, who knows nothing about management or the sugar indus-
try.
Harbhajan took his leader to the recent strike in Berbice and used the same strategy as the AFC and PNC in trying to brainwash the sugar workers, but the workers won’t be fooled again by the promise of a “good life”.
The main opposition party spokesman on agriculture is very silent on issues pertaining to the industry because he is on record as one of the people that tried to kill the sugar industry.
Today, they want to lecture the PPP on bad management when they caused the run-down of the industry.
Yes, I was also badmouthing the PPP and tackling their Agriculture Ministers, but after what took place between 2015 and 2020, I had to look at what leadership is and who cares for the sugar workers and their industry.
What I saw from 2020 to now is a man at the helm
of the Agriculture Ministry who knows of the struggle of the working class, especially the sugar workers. A man that wants to see the good life for the workers and their families. A man who listens to the workers’ issues, not like the former deadweight Minister Holder.
Under Mustapha’s leadership we see better management of the industry, and yes, the issue of not reaching production targets lies solely with the management of GuySuCo, and I know that the Minister is working around the clock to ensure that the targets are achieved.
Harbhajan and his cable heard that the Ministry will be announcing the retroactive payment to the workers and used the opportunity to gain publicity by spreading the false narrative that no money is there for their retroactive payments and they won’t get it.
But those who know
Gobin also know that’s what he does best: lie again about points and publicity. It’s a shame that he has the face to go back to the workers when he himself was in agreement to fire those workers and close the estates.
Brothers and sisters in the industry, don’t be fooled again. Look at what took place between 2015 and 2020 and try to see who really cares. And yes, you have all authority to strike for betterment, but don’t be used to strike for the opposition’s gains. My brothers and sisters in the industry, your time for a good life for you and your family is under this PPP Government. Think about your future, your children’s future, and mostly about a better life, and if you’re thinking correctly, then I ask you not to allow the opposition to use you for their selfish political purposes and gains. Yours respectfully, Abel Seetaram
Dear Editor,
In 2015 the APNU-led coalition went into office after winning that General Election, and great was their celebration on that accession to office. The triumphalism in their enthusiastic supporters led the APNU Permanent Secretary into then-Minister Irfaan Ali’s Ministry to vociferously tell him to get out! He did not mince words when he issued that edict; it was an authoritarian shout to the then Minister to remove himself from office before his APNU bulldogs physically root him out of office. You see, Ali lingered a little while longer in the anticipation of a recount, but that never materialised; therefore, he had to take his marching orders with haste. Irfaan Ali did not protest, nor did he delay his moving but calmly removed himself to make way for the incoming regime.
The point that was clear here is that a person, or any political party for that matter, must readily ac-
cept defeat and do the honourable thing and demit office. The PNC are not from that school of thought; they are of the view that you remain in office as long as their rigging minds dictate, but the reality of the situation says otherwise. It began in the psyche of their founder leader, Burnham, who believed that he could have fraudulently beaten the system and remained in office for life. That idea or dogma of his met its end at his death, and so it has been ever since with that party; they do not know, or do not want to know, the time of their expiration.
Fast forward to 2026 when the call was made by GECOM’s Chairwoman Claudette Singh for USindicated and sanctioned Azruddin Mohamed to appoint commissioners to this electoral body, and in the midst of formalising this request, the three fossilised relics of the PNC are standing in the way. That request was issued by a former judge who knows the law to the opposition
leader; however, the obstinate PNC/APNU commissioners want to hang on. Aren’t they aware of the fact that they are not the opposition? Hasn’t it dawned on them that they have lost the election and are relegated to a distant minority position? No more can they lay claim to any position on statutory bod-
ies, seeing they have lost that position of power and position?
The PNC were beaten so badly by a premature party they have helped into that place that they have been left dumbfounded and distraught at the thought of them being in that position for a very long time to come. The stark reality is
yet to sink in. That notion that they are still “in control” needs to be wiped clean out of their minds; it is time to move on into the future.
Could somebody tell
Vincent and, by extension, his party, that the cabal have reached their expiry date?
Yours respectfully, Neil Adams
85% of 243 = 194.4 + 12.15 = 206.55
In order to decrease a value by a percentage:
1.Calculate the given percentage of the value
2.Subtract it from the original number
Example 1
Method 1 (Without a calculator)
Decrease £80 by 30%.
To do this without a calculator, the easiest way is to calculate 10% (by dividing by 10) and then multiply by 3 to get 30%.
Calculate 10% of £80.
10% of £80 = £8
Calculate 30% of £80.
30% of £80 = £8 × 3 = £24
Subtract it from the initial value.
£80 – £24 = £56
30% of £80 = £56
Example 2
Decrease 7500m by 20%.
10% of 7500m = 750m
20% of 7500m = 750m × 2 = 1500m
7500m – 1500m = 6000m
Method 2 (Without a calculator)
We can build up to an answer using smaller percentages.
Example 1
Decrease 250km by 45%.
10% of 250km = 25km
40% of 250km = 25km × 4 = 100km
5% of 250km = 12.5km
45% of 250km = 112.5km
250 – 112.5 = 137.5km
Example 2
Decrease 243 by 82%.
10% of 243 = 24.3
80% of 243 = 24.3 × 8 = 194.4
5% of 243 = 12.15
Plants are vital to life on Earth. They provide food for people and animals. They also make the oxygen that other living things breathe.
Most plants have several things in common. They need sunshine, water, and air to grow. They are not able to move around. Their cells have stiff walls made of a tough material called cellulose. All green plants use the Sun’s energy, water, and a gas called carbon dioxide to make their own food. This process is called photosynthesis
Plants grow nearly everywhere on Earth. Most plants grow in soil. They get the water and nutrients they need from the soil. But some plants do not need soil. Plants called epiphytes grow on hard surfaces, such as other plants or rocks. They get most of the water and nutrients they need from rain and the air. Still other plants float in water. A few species of plant live on and get their nutrients from other
plants.
243 – 206.55 = 36.45
Method 3 (With a calculator)
This time we are going to use a calculator. When using a calculator, we divide the value by 100 to find 1% and then multiply by the percentage that we want. Decrease 760 by 39%.
Example 1
760 ÷ 100 = 7.6
7.6 × 39 = 296.4
760 – 296.4 = 463.6
To decrease a value by a percentage using a percentage multiplier:
1.Subtract the percentage we are decreasing by from 100%
2.Convert to a decimal
3. Multiply the original amount by the decimal
Example 1
Decrease 84m by 46%.
Subtract the percentage we are decreasing by from 100%.
100% – 46% = 54%
Find the decimal multiplier.
54% = 0.54
Multiply the original amount by the decimal.
84m × 0.54 = 45.36m
Example 2
Daniel has £3600. He spends 27.5% of his money. How much does he have left?
100% – 27.5% = 72.5%
72.5% = 0.725
3600 × 0.725 = £2610
Daniel has £2610 left.
Most plants reproduce either by seeds or spores. Seeds and spores are small structures that develop on plants and then fall off. They then may grow into new plants. Seeds are larger and more complex than spores.
Sometimes plants can reproduce without spores or seeds. Stems, leaves, or other parts of a plant may grow into new plants. For instance, strawberry plants grow runners, or stems that creep along the ground. These stems may form roots and grow into new plants. This process is called vegetative reproduction.
Other plants may drop a branch or another part, and that may grow into a new plant. These are natural processes, but people can also help plants reproduce. They may take part of a plant and put it in water to grow new roots. They may also take part of one plant and add it to another plant. That is called grafting.
(Britannica Kids)
By May Sarton
Love, fall as lightly on his lids as sleep. Come softly to his heart—lest he should tell The thief who steals into his citadel To ravish treasure from the inmost keep, Love, come upon him warily and deep. For if he startle first it were as well To bind a fox’s throat with a gold bell As hold him when it is his will to leap. Let him believe it is himself who chooses To leave that crag for a more human bed; Oh, let him think it is his will that looses Feet of an antelope to lay his head Upon my knee—and may he never know That it was love itself who willed it so.
(Source: Poetry [October 1933])
Write about a place where everyone can only speak in metaphors. How does this impact communication and relationships? Describe a day in this place.
Vice President (VP) Dr Bharrat Jagdeo has announced that nearly 11,000 house lots will be made available to residents of Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara) by the end of next year. He made the announcement during his Public Day at the National Track and Field Centre in Leonora, West Coast Demerara (WCD), on Friday. Addressing scores of residents gathered at the event, Jagdeo said that nearly 11,000 people in Region Three who are awaiting house lots will be allocated land by the end of next year. He noted that the administration remains committed to clearing the housing backlog across the country, except in Region Four, where the volume of applications is too high to be addressed within the same timeframe.
In Region Four, allocations have only reached applicants who applied in 2020
and 2021, meaning newer applicants may still face a wait of three to four years. Region Three alone has close to 11,000 persons waiting for house lots, Jagdeo said, with the main obstacle being the shortage of available state lands. Much of the new housing development is being concentrated in Wales, where house lots have already been distributed. Jagdeo explained that it costs between $5 million and $7 million to develop a single housing block because the land involved consists of former cane fields that must be excavated, drained and connected by roads. He said developing the outstanding 11,000 house lots by the end of next year will cost billions of dollars, but assured residents that the investment will be made.
Better understanding of housing allocation process
In an interview with this
publication, Housing Minister Collin Croal expanded on the announcement. “For Region Three, we’re working over the next two years to clear all the pending applicants for 2025 and prior. We have to start somewhere, and so obviously the rest of this year will focus on the earlier years, and then next year to bring on par, as we said, over 11,000 pending applicants for Region Three.” He explained that the outreach would allow pending applicants to gain a better understanding of the housing allocation process, including when they may expect to receive their land. According to him, the initiative is intended to help residents understand the Government’s overall vision for the housing programme and housing sector, while also outlining the plans targeted for Region Three. However, he noted that the pace of allocations is dependent on the availability of land. “So a lot of applicants, are on the West Coast of Demerara, but we have competing interests for the West Coast of Demerara. Most of our allocations have been within the Wales area on the West Bank, and that’s also because the land became available from GuySuCo. But here on the West Coast, we still have active farming and sugarcane cultivation taking place. So we have not been able to get the amount of land we would have wanted because much of the other land
is privately owned. So most of the persons will have to be allocated that way and some of the persons who are allocated, we wanted to know if they can come this way to switch, etc. But we’re developing Wales.” He said the Wales area is expected to become a major hub for employment, with factories and industries creating significant job opportunities for residents. He noted that substantial investments are being made in infrastructure, including the expansion of the four-lane highway to Parika and the development of an additional road network along the West Bank corridor to complement the existing roadway. According to him, Region Three is poised for major investments that will benefit residents as both the national and regional populations continue to grow. He added that increased vehicle ownership has contributed to traffic congestion, particularly along the West Coast corridor. He pointed out that commuters travelling through the area would have observed the heavy volume of traffic and emphasised that the Government is addressing the issue through road expansion projects and the construction of interconnecting roads alongside the main four-lane highway network.
Individual concerns, assistance
Meanwhile, during the outreach, Cabinet Ministers were engaged in addressing a number of issues raised by residents. This publication also spoke with Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha, who outlined the number of persons he had engaged and highlighted the importance of such outreach events. “You could see there are a number of persons here and various agencies are dealing with is-
sues that people have. I think this is a very good way of allowing people to deal directly and interact directly with officials. Here, I would have already spoken individually with more than 100 persons. People raised issues and personal concerns, and almost 95
and around their surroundings. They need help with cash-crop farming, they need planting materials and they need shade houses. Those are individual requests, and those are most of the things we were able to help with. So generally, we haven’t had
per cent of those issues were resolved right here this morning.” Meanwhile, he detailed some of the matters that were brought to the Government’s attention for resolution.
“Well, people came with individual concerns. Things like they need livestock assistance, they need drainage in their communities
any major concerns regarding community projects because here we have a very robust programme involving farm-to-market roads, the rehabilitation of canals, the construction of bridges and sluices, and the repair of pumps, among other works.”
A36-year-old Albouystown, Georgetown labourer has been charged with attempting to obstruct the course of justice after allegedly falsely implicating himself in an ongoing murder investigation.
Junior Callender of Hogg Street, Albouystown, appeared before Magistrate Orintha Schmidt at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court on Thursday, charged with attempting to obstruct the course of justice contrary to Section 330 of the Criminal Law (Offences) Act, Chapter 8:01.
The charge stems from Police investigations into the murder of Danier Vegas Infante, which occurred on May 10 at Forshaw Street, Alberttown.
According to Police, Callender allegedly attempted to obstruct the course of justice by falsely claiming responsibility in connection with the matter. Investigators contend that the alleged act was intended to take responsibility for a wanted person linked to the murder probe.
Callender was arrested Thursday and formally charged on Friday.
When the charge was read to him in court, he was not required to enter a plea.
Magistrate Schmidt granted him bail in the sum
of $175,000 and ordered that he report to the Police every Friday at 09:00h. The matter was adjourned to July 3.
On May 10, Infante was killed at the business place on Foreshaw Street, Queenstown, Georgetown.
A37-year-old gold miner of Lima Sands, Essequibo Coast has been sentenced to more than three years in prison after pleading guilty to a charge of obtaining money by false pretence. Alex DaGuair was arrested on Thursday and charged on Friday with obtaining money by false pretence, contrary to Section 194 of the Criminal Law (Offences) Act, Chapter 8:01.
DaGuair appeared before Magistrate Teriq Mohamed at the Bartica Magistrate’s Court on Friday, where the charge was read to him. He pleaded guilty to the offence.
Jailed: Alex DaGuair
Following his guilty plea, Magistrate Mohamed sentenced him to three years and five months’ imprisonment.
The 23-year-old was employed as a janitor at the workplace.
Preliminary investiga-
tions had indicated that Infante was at the business place at about 05:45h when four males arrived in the
area. Reports are that one of the suspects, who was armed with a handgun, approached two men who were seated outside the establishment and engaged them in conversation.
It is alleged that Infante later exited the building and approached the group, at which point the armed suspect discharged a round in his direction. Infante was struck and fell to the ground.
The suspect then entered a motor vehicle and fled the scene along Foreshaw Street. The other suspects also escaped in separate vehicles. A doctor pronounced Infante dead at the scene.
Following the shooting, Police issued wanted bulle-
tins for 21-year-old Baraka Garnett, 26-year-old Makhail Mario Joseph, and Nicholas Daby.
A32-year-old security guard of the Pomona Housing Scheme, Essequibo Coast, Region Two (PomeroonSupenaam), has been charged with unlawful wounding.
Rohan Cornelius appeared before Magistrate Ravindra Mohabir at the Anna Regina Magistrate’s Court on Thursday, where he was charged with the offence of unlawful wounding, contrary to section 50 of the Criminal Law (Offences) Act, Chapter 8:01.
The charge alleges that Cornelius unlawfully wounded Lloyd Narine during an incident at Pomona Housing Scheme on June 14.
When the charge was read to him, Cornelius pleaded not guilty. The court granted $100,000 bail, and the case was adjourned to July 3.
Most Cubans would probably resonate today with Sam Cooke’s 1954 classic, “A change is gonna come”! Sam surveyed the dread situation of American Blacks – almost a century after slavery was supposed to’ve ended. “I was born by the river in a little tent/Oh, and just like the river, I’ve been running ever since/ It’s been a long, a long time coming/ But I know a change gonna come, oh yes it will/It’s been too hard living, but I’m afraid to die/Cause I don’t know what’s up there beyond the sky/It’s been a long, long time coming/But I know a change gonna come, oh yes, it will.”
Most poor Cubans were quite ecstatic when Fidel and Che staged their revolution back in 1959 to kick out the dictator Batista – who’d received the support of the Yanks – and the Mafia to use Cuba as their playground!! Their lives would be improved beyond belief as Castro’s Communist promise of “From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs” would kick in after he kicked out the “rapacious capitalists”!! Thousands and thousands of the rich and qualified classes fled across the narrow 90-mile strait to the USA!! Sadly, the promise never materialised for those who remained. Sure, there was greater equality – but it was to be equally poor – even as most social services like education and medical care were provided free!! Many – including the UN – have rightly criticised the Yanks’ economic blockade of the island since 1960!! And believe this contributed to the dire economic straits experienced by Cubans ever since. But as the experience of most communist countries across the world – but especially in Eastern Europe – has shown, the fault Dear Readers, wasn’t just because of the sanctions!! It also stemmed from the premises of Communism itself – that folks would be willing to work as hard as they could because everybody would get the same benefits!!
Sam Cooke had experienced the fallacy of this premise back in 1954 – “Then I go to my brother/And I say, ‘Brother, help me, please!’/But he winds up knockin’ me/Back down on my knees.”!! Fact of the matter is that we’re a selfish species – evolved to look out for Numero Uno!! China, which was also communist, recognised this – and accepted the capitalist economic system – even as they kept the political control!! And are now rich!
Well, the latest intensification of US sanctions – after their Venezuelan incursion – has made the Cuban Government finally accept the need for market incentives to get their economy going!!
It’ll allow each man, woman or child to earn as much as they want to – based on their own effort!!
Pressie seems to’ve reached the end of his patience with the sugar industry’s continued dismal performance. Incredibly declining production where we can’t even reach a 50,000-tonne target – when we once produced 350,000 tonnes under the White Man!! He made the suggestion that maybe the sugar worker union – GAWU – quit blaming “management” and take over running an estate.
But your Eyewitness thinks this ain’t gonna really change anything fundamentally – as far as providing incentives for workers to really produce more. We’d just be adding another “stakeholder” to the management strata!! What should be done – based on the premise that we all look out for number one – is to divvy up the land on each estate and give the individual workers ownership!
They’d get paid for the cane they produce – after deducting for all expenses, of course!! Cane production is the main constraint right now – and it’s been shown that a typical 15-acre farm run by a family is the most efficient as far as increased production!!
…in drainage strategy
The Minister of Agriculture – under which “Drainage and Irrigation” (D&I) falls – amazingly announced that the FIRST published strategy for D&I has been made!! What have they been working from up to now?? Notes from their back pockets??
Platoon Sergeants play a central role in maintaining discipline, translating command intent into action, and ensuring operational effectiveness at the unit level, according to Lieutenant Colonel Jamie Castello, Director of the Senior Command and Staff Course 20 of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF).
His remarks were delivered during the graduation ceremony for 41 ranks, including one member of the Antigua and Barbuda Defence Force, who successfully completed the GDF’s 13-week Platoon Sergeant Course conducted by the Training Corps. He pointed out that Senior NonCommissioned Officers are
the backbone of the Army.
The programme prepared participants to lead and administer infantry platoons during peacetime operations and limited warfare. Over the duration of the course, ranks were trained in skill-at-arms, drill, minor staff duties, close country warfare, internal security operations, force method of instruction, leadership studies, military law, physical training, history of the GDF, administration, military ethics, information technology, and communication skills.
The GDF, in a social media post, said the curriculum was designed to strengthen both tactical and administrative competencies while
preparing soldiers for leadership responsibilities associated with the Platoon Sergeant appointment.
Several ranks were recognised for outstanding performance during the course. Sergeant Rod Jeffery was named Best Graduating Student, while Petty Officer Alwin Hibbert placed as Runnerup Student. Sergeant Jamal Williams received Best Military Knowledge, Sergeant Courtney Johnson was awarded Best Shot, Sergeant Melisa JhaluLivan earned Best Drill Student, and Sergeant Jushaine Ferrier was named Best Fitness Student.
The graduates now join the cadre of Senior Non-
Commissioned Officers responsible for supporting operational readiness and shaping junior ranks within the force as the GDF continues its focus on professional military development.
Chairman of the Private Sector Commission (PSC) in Guyana, Gerald Gouveia Jr, is encouraging Guyanese businesses to prepare themselves so that they can tap into the billions of dollars of foreign capital that are available out there. He made these remarks at the Global Growth and Commerce Summit held on Thursday at World Trade Centre (WTC) in Georgetown. According to Gouveia Jr, Guyana needs
and they’re all telling us the same thing: 'We want to invest in Guyana; take our money’.” Gouveia Jr noted. Presently, there is some £3 billion in funding available under the United Kingdom Export Finance (UKEF), which is available for both the Guyanese Government and private sector to tap into.
Similarly, the United States Export-Import (EXIM) Bank has made up to US$2 million in financing available
more capital. Currently, private sector credit within the local banking sector has grown to an impressive 20.4 per cent year-on-year average, with less than two per cent non-performing loans. However, the PSC head explained that local investors have already exhausted all the financial options within the banking sector.
“Our banks are not able to provide enough money fast enough to continue the pace of growth. So, we’re engaging with foreign venture capital funds. We’re engaged with foreign financial institutions,
to Guyana, of which at least US$1.5 billion is still accessible for both public and private projects. Additionally, agencies like the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) are also offering a number of products through its private sector arm, IDB Invest, to local businesses. Only back in April, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of IDB Invest, James Scriven, was in Georgetown, where he had a series of engagements with both the Government and local private sector, from which he had indicated there are new opportunities north
of US$300 million in Guyana. At the time, Senior Minister with Responsibility for Finance Ashni Singh had urged the local private sector to take advantage of these financial offerings – something which the PSC Chairman recently reiterated. But with these billions of dollars available for the taking, Gouveia Jr emphasised that Guyanese businesses need to put themselves in order to access these resources.
“So, we have all of this billions of dollars waiting, begging to come to Guyana, but… if you don’t have a business plan, you’re not ready to play. If you don’t have a financial feasibility study, you’re not ready to play. If you don’t have audited financials, you’re not ready to play. If you’re not pursuing some sort of international certification, ISO or one of those, you’re not ready to play. And you will never get access to this money,” he declared. According to the PSC Head, there are multiple resources locally that businesses can utilise to get
themselves ready for these opportunities. In fact, at nearly at the business chambers in the country, there are services available at no cost to assist local companies to get investment ready. “We will help you for free to do these things, and you don’t even need to be a member. So, don’t do yourself a disservice. Start preparing to become investable and you will get access to…capital that we need to grow to this country,” Gouveia Jr stated.
Capital, resources and expertise
Similar sentiments were shared by Head of Diaspora Affairs Unit at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Rosalinda Rasul, who also delivered remarks at Thursday’s summit. She called on foreign investors, including those in the diaspora, to take advantage of the opportunities available in Guyana, bringing their capital, resources and expertise. However, Rasul, who usually engages diaspora members looking to invest in Guyana, explained that
oftentimes persons are fed information that do not clearly reflect the situation on the ground in Guyana. To this end, she encouraged potential investors to engage the right people in order to get accurate information and be prepared when they come to invest here. “You need to have right authority in the room that would give you deeper information, accurate information about what you can do in Guyana, understand the opportunities for growth, and then that takes to right
concept, the right people, the right investors or financiers. There are not many things that’s going on in Guyana. It’s not just your traditional sectors, basically; that’s growing. There are the non-traditional sectors – AI, blockchain… But you need people with the ideas, and you need people to develop those ideas. Guyana needs new investments. It needs new people with new skillsets that will run with these ideas… and you need people with the credibility to fund it,” Rasul posited.
The Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) on Friday hosted its 2026 Business Breakfast Seminar at the Guyana Marriott Hotel, focusing on how micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) can position themselves to access financing through the proposed Small and Mediumsized Enterprise (SME) Development Bank of Guyana. According to information shared by the Chamber on social media, the seminar brought together entrepreneurs, business leaders and key stakeholders for a morning of presentations, discussion and networking aimed at strengthening understanding of the bank’s structure and opportunities.
GCCI President Kathy Smith, speaking at the event, said the initiative reflects Government efforts to expand access to capital for small businesses and to support enterprise development across the country. She said MSMEs play a critical role in economic growth and job creation and must be supported through targeted financial instruments. Smith noted that the establishment of the SME Development Bank is intended to address long-standing calls from the private sector for improved access to financing. She stressed that while opportunities are expanding, businesses must ensure they are properly prepared to access available support. According to Smith, bankability and compliance remain key requirements for entrepreneurs seeking financing. She urged business owners to maintain proper records, strengthen governance structures and ensure that their operations meet basic financial standards in order to qualify for loans.
She also encouraged entrepreneurs to take advantage of platforms provided by the GCCI and other institutions to improve their readiness, noting that access to finance depends not only on the availability of funding but also on the preparedness of applicants.
Delivering feature remarks, Senior Minister in the Office of the President with Responsibility for Finance Dr Ashni Singh reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to supporting private sector development and expanding financial inclusion. Dr Singh said the administration views the private sector as a key partner in achieving national economic growth objectives, noting that both Government and business share an interest in expanding income generation
and wealth creation. He highlighted that the country is experiencing expanding business opportunities across several sectors, including areas that were previously less developed. He pointed to the growing presence of enterprises in sectors such as services, manufacturing and small-scale production as evidence of this shift.
The Finance Minister explained that the SME Development Bank is intended to provide accessible financing to entrepreneurs with viable business ideas. He reiterated that the proposed facility will offer loans of up to GY$3 million on a collateral-free and interest-free basis. He further stated that approximately GY$40 billion is expected to be disbursed through the institution over the next two years, with 50 per cent of the funding already allocated in the 2026 national budget. He added that the enabling legislation is currently before the National Assembly and is expected to be considered at the next sitting. Singh also outlined that the bank will include a structured process for evaluating applications, including the assessment of business proposals and repayment capacity. He said a Board of Directors will oversee key decisions, including the vetting of applications and repayment arrangements.
Starting point
He stressed that access to financing will depend on the quality of business proposals and the viability of projects submitted by applicants. He encouraged entrepreneurs to carefully assess their chosen sectors and ensure that their plans are realistic and sustainable. The SME Development Bank, he noted, is not intended to be the final stage of business financing, but rather a starting point for small enterprises to establish themselves and grow. He said the goal is for successful borrowers to transition into the formal financial system and eventually access larger loans from commercial banks. He further emphasised the importance of financial inclusion, noting
that broader participation in the banking system is essential for long-term economic development. He referenced the importance of individuals building relationships with financial institutions, maintaining savings and using assets such as land to support future borrowing. The seminar also
featured a panel discussion with representatives from various business support and development organisations. Panelists included the Founder of Guyana Payroll Solutions Inc, Marlon George; Programme Lead at the Centre for Local Business Development, Ron Glasgow; Deputy Chief
Executive Officer (DCEO) at the Small Business Bureau (SBB), Simon Pollard; Managing Director of Opulent Consultancy Inc, Shaleeza Shaw; and Senior Vice President (VP) of the GCCI, Gavin Ramsoondar.
Panellists provided guidance on developing viable business proposals,
strengthening business operations, and navigating access to financing opportunities. The session also included a question-and-answer segment where members of the business community engaged speakers on issues related to business development and financing readiness.
This was announced by Culture, Youth and Sport Minister Charles Ramson Jr, during a consultation on the Orange Economy held on Thursday at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC), Liliendaal, Georgetown.
“Guyana will be participating for the first time in the Toronto International Film Festival. So, this is a big opportunity for us,” Minister Ramson told the gathering of creatives who were part of the consultation. The 51st edition of the Toronto International Film Festival will be held September 10–20, 2026. The festival is one of the most anticipated and largely attended Film
Festival in the in the world. Meanwhile, while Guyana’s film industry is now budding, there are opportunities for growth. He noted, according to a Department of Public Information (DPI) report, that the young population will be the ones who will mostly benefit from the development of the sector.
“This is our area of opportunity. Look at where the countries that have benefitted, look at where persons who have benefitted from the sector,15-24 years old…A lot of the countries are countries that are similar in background like us… young population, not necessarily coming from very rich countries, but large
young populations. They are the ones that are benefitting from the employment in the sector,” Ramson is quoted as saying in the DPI report. He was referring to countries like Trinidad and Tobago, Nigeria and other countries who have successfully tapped into the film industry. “We have big opportunities, but Guyana is getting there,” Minister Ramson noted. He noted the that local Film maker Alex Arjoon was instrumental in providing the local set up for filming the series “Full Circle,” a series produced in the United States (US). This process took six months with filming only taking three days
to complete the filming locally. “They came in maybe a week in advance and then hardcore filming day and night for about 3 days $,500,000 US dollars, just on this one operation alone that was filmed right
outside on the wharf of Stabroek market,” Minister Ramson stated. He visited the filming set and is confident in the capability of Guyanese in the industry. “It is a very sophisticated opera-
tion, but it’s nothing that Guyanese are incapable of learning. In fact, I would say that we did so well, that there were other opportunities that would have been created as a result of this engagement.
Citizens Bank Guyana
Inc has joined in the competition of making homeownership easier for Guyanese by reducing its interest rate to 4.6 per cent for loans of up to $30 million.
This was announced by the bank’s Managing Director, Eton Chester, during the opening of a new branch location at Bartica, Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni), on Friday.
“Currently, for loans up to $30 million, Citizen Bank charges a rate of interest of 4.95 per cent. From today…a decision has been taken to reduce that rate to 4.6 per cent – the lowest in the market,” the Managing Director stated.
Citizens Bank’s interest rates for other housing loans include 3.5 per cent for up to $10 million, 3.7 per cent up to $20 million, 5.0 per cent for up to $50 million, and a “competitive rate” for loans over $50 million.
The current Administration has been pursuing an aggressive housing drive to advance homeownership across Guyana. It has been working with the local banking sector to reduce interest rates to encourage more
persons to build their homes. Nearly all the local commercial banks have slashed their rates of interest over the past year.
According to Chester, Citizens Bank has been partnering with the Guyana Government since the late 1900s when it entered into an agreement for the granting of low-income housing loans to
Conducive business environment
In addition to the further reduction in its rate of interest, the bank also took a decision to remove legal fees for customers.
“We know the challenges that some of the small bor-
rowers would face when it comes to meeting their legal fees, payment to the registrar… I want to say that effective from today [Friday], Citizens Bank will be putting in place a system where these homeowners, these borrowers, will no longer be required to pay the fees,” the Managing Director also revealed.
He credited these interventions to the conducive business environment that the Guyana Government has created, especially for the banking sector.
“I’ve said it many times that banking in Guyana is sustainable, and it operates in an enabling environment. And I’m also going to say that the growth and development of the banking system in Guyana, or in any country, is always reflective of the growth and development of the country,” Chester posited, while lauding the Government “… for creating that environment
to allow financial institutions to grow, to develop, and to support the well-being, the financial well-being, of all persons in Guyana.”
Friday’s commissioning ceremony was for the relocation of Citizens Bank’s branch to lot 1423 First Street and Third Avenue in Bartica, expanding and upgrading its services across the CuyuniMazaruni region. The new state-of-the-art facility replace the older location at lot 16 First Avenue, Bartica, which was first opened in April 2000.
Over the past 26 years, the bank has disbursed more than $5.5 billion in loans to support housing, businesses, transportation, equipment purchases and other productive investments. Of that amount, approximately $1.8 billion was approved within the last five years alone.
Today, the branch serves approximately 7000 customers throughout Region Seven.
According to the Managing Director, the new branch office is a renewed commitment to service, partnership, and progress between the bank and the people of Region Seven.
Meanwhile, President Dr Irfaan Ali joined bank officials, regional leaders and residents for Friday’s opening ceremony, describing the investment as a signal of confidence in the region’s future and Guyana’s continued economic growth.
“This bank has established its footprint in Region Seven. And I expect, given the dynamic leadership of Citizens Bank and their proactive approach to service, to see a strategic plan laid out for Region Seven – how we can
drive financial inclusion in all of the villages and communities across Region Seven,” he said in his feature address.
In fact, with the aim of adequately serving persons across the Cuyuni-Mazaruni region, the Head of State invited the bank to establish a presence at the planned Government Service Centre that is slated for Kamarang to extend services to Upper and Middle Mazaruni communities.
Additionally, he also revealed that discussions are already underway with the leadership for Citizens Bank to set up a Development Bank desk and an electronic ID card desk to support residents in the region to access these key Government services.
Nevertheless, President Ali went onto welcome the investment and said his Government looks forward to continued collaboration with the banking sector to deepen financial inclusion and improve service delivery across Region Seven.
“The greatest measure of any banking system is confidence. Do people trust it? Do businesses trust it? Do investors trust it? The answer is clear. Public confidence in our banking system remains high,” he stated.
The Guyanese leader added that investments such as the Bartica branch reflect confidence in both the region and the country’s long-term prospects.
“This new facility can only enhance the quality of service provided not only to the people of Bartica but also to surrounding communities. It signals confidence in the future of this region and confidence in the future of Guyana,” President Ali stated.
The Guyana Gold and Diamond
Miners Association (GGDMA) has expressed concern over the impact of ongoing heavy rainfall on mining operations across the country, stating that widespread flooding and damaged infrastructure are disrupting production. In a statement issued on Friday, the Association said persistent inclement weather has flooded several mining areas and damaged key access roads within mining districts, making it increasingly difficult for miners to reach work sites. According to the GGDMA, the conditions have forced some operators to temporarily shut down camps as extensive flooding has rendered several areas inaccessible and unsuitable for mining activities. The association pointed to con -
ditions along the Puruni River as an example of the severity of the situation. It reported that the river has overflowed its banks to the extent that the natural channel is no longer clearly distinguishable from the surrounding landscape. The resulting strong currents and expanded waterway have led to the suspension of pontoon crossings, further restricting movement and access to mining operations. Managing Director of the GGDMA Avalon Jagnandan described the situation in the mining districts as serious, noting that miners are facing major challenges at a time when gold prices are at record highs.
He said the association is calling on the relevant
Ministries and authorities to expedite repairs to damaged road infrastructure to improve access to mining areas and support continued production. Jagnandan also raised concerns about an increase in criminal activity in some hinterland locations, stating that the situation is creating additional difficulties for miners operating in vulnerable areas. The GGDMA urged miners who continue to work during the adverse weather conditions to exercise heightened caution, noting that saturated ground conditions can increase safety risks. The association reminded miners to adhere to all safety protocols and to follow guidance issued by the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC). It also encouraged miners to continue selling gold through the
Guyana Gold Board (GGB) or licensed buyers and to maintain proper records of their transactions. The association said it will continue to monitor conditions in the mining districts and engage relevant stakeholders on measures aimed at addressing the challenges facing the sector.
Heavy-duty trucks damaging
The call by the GGDMA comes about a week after South Rupununi District Council (SRDC) raised concerns that continued use
of the roads by heavy-duty trucks was causing significant damage to transportation links connecting communities to schools, health facilities, businesses and other essential services in Region Nine.
The issue escalated after residents confronted truck operators in an effort to draw attention to the deteriorating condition of the roads. On June 10, the SRDC announced that heavy-duty vehicles would not be permitted to use the affected roads temporarily, following an urgent meeting in -
volving Natural Resources Minister Vickram Bharrat, regional officials, representatives of the Regional Democratic Council (RDC), the GGMC, the Rupununi Miners Association, and SRDC Chairman Nicholas Fredericks. It was agreed among the parties that the Rupununi Miners Association (RMA), with support from the region, will assist in fixing some sections of the damaged roads. Efforts to restore sections of the road network have since commenced.
Anew GuyaneseCanadian partnership aimed at providing advanced drone inspection services to the energy sector was officially launched on Thursday with the signing of a joint venture agreement between Dragonfly Solutions Group Inc of Guyana and Canadian company ALTOMAXX Offshore. The joint venture, Energy Services Solutions, was launched during a ceremony at Herdmanston Lodge and is expected to combine ALTOMAXX’s internationally certified expertise with Dragonfly’s growing local capacity to deliver inspection services using advanced drone technology. Speaking at the launch, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Dragonfly Solutions Group Brian Smith said the partnership will significantly strengthen the company’s technical capabilities and certifications. “By partnering with this company, Dragonfly is able to gain technical skills that the company possesses. From being able to qualify to inspect vessels with ABS (American Bureau of Shipping) certification, being ISO (International Organisation for Standardisation) certified for demand operations. The only Guyanese company able to achieve those certificates through the joint venture,” Smith said. Also addressing the gathering was ALTOMAXX Offshore Co-Founder and Chief Operations Officer (COO) Steve Priestley, who explained that Dragonfly’s commitment to education and development was a major factor in the Canadian firm’s
decision to partner with the Guyanese company.
“We saw something special right away. Our company, ALTOMAXX, started in a similar way that Brian did. We’ve now done work in close to 30 countries: Europe, Australia, Africa, South America. One of the things that attracted us to working with Dragonfly is their passion for education and growth. One of the things that our pilots do, we’re spending our time in school when we’re not flying drones, advocating for STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics),” Priestley said. President of the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) Kathy Smith also delivered remarks on collaboration and entrepreneurship in Guyana’s emerging economy. Meanwhile, Labour and Manpower Planning Minister Keoma Griffith described the partnership as an example of how entrepreneurial vision can be transformed into meaningful business opportunities.
“This initiative real -
ly demonstrates how you take a passion and turn it into partnership, which is the encouragement I keep giving to all Guyanese every day when I’m able to speak to a room of people, especially young people,” Griffith said. He noted that Dragonfly’s growth since 2020 demonstrates the opportunities available to Guyanese entrepreneurs amid the country’s rapid economic expansion.
“Brian took an idea and turned it into a passion. And six years later, that passion has now turned into partnership. And so it demonstrates to all of us here today what we can do with just an interest, with just an idea,” the Minister said. Griffith said the joint venture comes at a time when Guyana is experiencing unprecedented economic growth and transformation across multiple sectors, creating demand for new skills and technologies. “Technology, innovation and specialised skills will increasingly shape the jobs of the future, and our people must be equipped to seize those opportunities,”
he said. The Minister highlighted the potential applications of drone technology in Guyana, including agriculture, environmental monitoring, infrastructure development, disaster response and workplace health and safety inspections. “Drone technology has the ability to assist us in our health and safety inspections. Of course, when we consider the kind of terrain that Guyana has, and the high risks that our people are venturing every day to ensure the health and safety and well-being
of our workers, this is an opportunity for us to improve efficiency with the use of technology,” Griffith said. According to Griffith, partnerships such as the one between Dragonfly and ALTOMAXX are critical to workforce development because they combine local entrepreneurship with international expertise. “When local entrepreneurship and innovation are combined with international expertise and experience, opportunities are created not only for business growth,
but for knowledge transfer, skills enhancement and workforce development,” he stated. Griffith also praised Dragonfly’s youth-focused initiatives, including Drone Girls and Drone Kids, which seek to expose young people to emerging technologies and future-orientated careers. “These initiatives help to inspire ambition, build confidence and broaden horizons. They remind us that workforce development begins long before an individual enters the labour market,” he said.
Several motorists were fined after pleading guilty to a series of traffic-related offences when their matters were heard recently at the Anna Regina Magistrate’s Court before Magistrate Ravindra Mohabir.
Romeez Abdool Hakh, a 31-year-old drone pilot of Plot ‘C’ Perseverance, Essequibo Coast, was charged with obscuring the identification mark on the front of a motor vehicle. The offence was committed on June 4, 2026, at Anna Regina Public Road and was laid under Section 13 of the Motor Vehicle and Road Traffic Act, Chapter 51:02.
The matter was heard on Tuesday and Hakh pleaded guilty, He was fined $100,000. In default
of payment, he will serve three months’ imprisonment. Meanwhile, Ram Naitram, a 36-year-old mason of Friendship, East Coast Demerara (ECD), was charged with refusing to provide a breath specimen for a breath alcohol test. The offence occurred on June 7 at Lima Access Road, Essequibo Coast and was laid under Section 39B(5) of the Motor Vehicle and Road Traffic Act, Chapter 51:02.
Naitram appeared before the court on Wednesday, where he pleaded guilty. He was fined $25,000 or, in default, will serve two months’ imprisonment. Also appearing before the court was Kristoff Sankar, a 24-year-old self-employed bodywork techni -
cian of Charity Extension Scheme, Essequibo Coast. Sankar was charged with breaching the conditions
an illuminated indicator in breach of traffic regulations. The offences were committed on June 12
of a general dealer’s permit, operating a tinted motor vehicle, and having
at Reliance Public Road, Essequibo Coast. On Wednesday, Sankar
pleaded guilty to all three charges. He was fined $150,000 for breaching the conditions of a general dealer’s permit, with a default sentence of three months’ imprisonment. For the tinted motor vehicle offence, he was fined $30,000 or three months’ imprisonment in default, while the illuminated indicator offence attracted a fine of $10,000 or two months’ imprisonment in default.
In a separate matter, Samuel Munroe, a 30-yearold labourer of Richmond, Essequibo Coast, was charged with obscuring the identification mark on the front of a motor vehicle, driving without a licence, operating an uninsured motor vehicle, and operating an unlicensed
appeared before the
Regina Magistrate’s Court on June 17 and pleaded guilty to all charges. He was fined $100,000 for obscuring the identification mark on the vehicle, with a default sentence of three months’ imprisonment. He was also fined $30,000 for driving without a licence, $30,000 for operating an uninsured vehicle, and $10,000 for operating an unlicensed vehicle. The respective default sentences are three months’ imprisonment for each of the first two offences and two weeks’ imprisonment for the unlicensed vehicle offence.
Cuban lawmakers unanimously approved sweeping reforms backed by the Communist Party and former leader Raul Castro that would privatise a vast swath of the country’s socialist economy in a bid to survive punishing US sanctions.
The measures, if implemented as passed, would represent the single largest change to Cuba’s socialist model since former leader Fidel Castro’s 1959 revolution and a major shift towards a market economy.
The reforms open the door to private real estate development on the
Caribbean island, propose to transform state-owned businesses into private commercial ventures with shares and equity stakes and would allow private banks to enter Cuba’s once state-dominated finance sector.
They would also allow the “sale of state-owned properties to national and foreign legal entities and individuals, including Cubans residing abroad”, according to a televised presentation to lawmakers – a major change in a country where the state has long held control over land and industry.
Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel, in a speech just
prior to Thursday’s vote, told lawmakers to keep the faith in Cuba’s socialist past.
The list of upwards of 175 measures, presented in a nearly two-hour-long speech to lawmakers by the Prime Minister, received a unanimous rubber-stamp vote late on Thursday afternoon of the National Assembly.
It was not immediately clear how quickly – nor via what mechanisms – the vast array of new measures would be implemented, leaving many unanswered questions following the legislative vote. (Excerpt from Reuters)
An Ecuadorean man, who Police accuse of leading a faction of one of the country’s most feared criminal gangs, has been shot dead as he was leaving the José Joaquín de Olmedo International Airport in Ecuador’s largest city, Guayaquil.
Security footage shows two young men waiting outside the arrivals terminal holding stuffed toys and flowers before one of them approaches the victim, pulls his gun from behind a teddy and shoots him point-blank.
Police have detained two teenagers in connection with the crime, the latest in a widespread wave of gang violence.
This latest deadly shooting came just a day after Ecuador’s President declared a fresh state of emergency in 10 provinces, including Guayas, where the attack unfolded.
Ecuador’s Interior Minister, John Reimberg, identified the victim of Wednesday’s attack as
39-year-old Carlos Alberto Suástegui Villanueva, who he said was the leader of the Los Águilas gang in El Triunfo, a region east of Guayaquil.
Los Águilas, which was designated as a “terrorist organisation” by Ecuador’s President Daniel Noboa in 2024, is accused of being heavily involved in drug trafficking and extortion.
It is one of several gangs whose criminal activities have turned Ecuador from a relatively safe haven to a crime hotspot with one of
the highest murder rates in the Western Hemisphere over recent years.
President Noboa has been trying to quell the gang violence by declaring states of emergency, which give the security forces extra powers such as being able to search homes without a search warrant provided they have reasonable grounds to suspect illicit activity.
Despite these measures, the murder rate reached a record high in 2025. (Excerpt from BBC News)
Nearly five years after data-protection legislation took effect in the Virgin Islands, the Government has appointed its first information commissioner to oversee compliance and enforcement.
Attorney Melissa Brewley was appointed to the role effective May 11, the Government announced.
The Data Protection Act 2021 – which was passed by the House of Assembly in March 2021 and came into force that July – establishes the legal framework governing the collection, processing, storage and sharing of personal data by public and private bodies in the territory.
As information commis-
sioner, Ms Brewley will monitor and enforce compliance with the act, as well as investigate complaints about alleged breaches of data-protection rules, according to the Government.
The act grants her wide-ranging powers to probe such complaints, carry out assessments, and serve enforcement notices.
Individuals can be fined up to $5000 and imprisoned for six months for offences such as unlawful disclosure, collection, storage or disposal of personal information.
Corporate bodies, meanwhile, can be fined up to $500,000.
Ms Brewley has more than five years of experience in le-
Barbados’s Prime Minister, Mia Mottley, has announced a new manifesto from Caribbean leaders asserting the “moral, ethical and legal case” for reparations over damage caused by hundreds of years of enslavement.
Mottley was speaking at a “historic” conference in Ghana to advance the push for reparatory justice after the United Nations adopted a landmark resolution declaring the trafficking of enslaved Africans as the gravest crime against humanity.
The manifesto, which she distributed at the conference, is an update of the Caribbean Community (Caricom) 10-point plan for reparations from former colonial powers. It introduces new issues, including the disproportionate impact of slavery on girls and women.
The plan includes a new specific call for
compensation for gender-based violence, referencing data that suggests “women represented approximately 30 per cent of the estimated 20 million Africans forcefully transported across the Atlantic Ocean”. It also mentions estimates that at least 1.2 million enslaved women experienced sexual violence. Highlighting the update, Mottley said that “the compensation for gender-based violence and assault on family” is “no different from the compensation that has been awarded to other nationalities, such as the Japanese”. (Excerpt from The Guardian)
Astepmother has been sentenced to 12 years in prison for killing a five-yearold girl by scalding her in a hot bath nearly half a century ago. Janice Nix, 67, was convicted of manslaughter for the death of Andrea Bernard in Thornton Heath, south London, in 1978.
The sentencing at Isleworth Crown Court on Friday marks the conclusion of a case that was only reopened after Andrea’s older brother, Desmond Bernard, went to Police in 2022 with a new account of what happened. The death had been treated as an accident for 44 years.
became furious after Andrea ignored instructions not to leave the house and to help clean instead. Nix, then in her late teens and in a relationship with the children’s father, shouted at Andrea before beating her.
bath is too hot, Mummy.’” In a victim impact statement read in court, Desmond Bernard said the abuse he and his sister suffered led to Andrea’s death and left him “broken”. The abuse included beatings with a belt and being forced to eat cat food.
gal, regulatory-compliance and international-tax-cooperation matters in the territory, the Government said.
Most recently, she served as in-house counsel at the International Tax Authority. Before that, she worked as a crown counsel in the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions.
Earlier in her career, she served as a junior corporate incorporator administrator at Trident Trust BVI Limited.
Ms Brewley holds a Bachelor of Laws from Cardiff University in Wales and a legal professional training postgraduate diploma from City Law School in London, according to the Government. (Excerpt from BVI Beacon)
Nix, a retired probation officer, was also sentenced for cruelty against Desmond Bernard between October 1975 and June 1978, when he was seven to nine years old.
On June 6, 1978, Nix
Desmond Bernard testified he later heard the bath running. He told the court: “I could hear Janice shouting, ‘Get in the bath,’ and I could hear Andrea saying, ‘The
“The last memories I have of my sister’s life are piercing screams and lying about her death to survive,” he said. (Excerpt from Antigua Newsroom)
Residents of Aberdeen in northern St Elizabeth are in shock following a horrific scene in a remote area of the community where a torso was found Thursday night.
Preliminary reports are that about 21:00h residents stumbled on the torso along a track in bushes and called the Police.
Councillor Audie
Myers (People’s National Party, Siloah division) told Observer Online that the incident is concerning and has left residents stunned.
“Because we are in an area where there is very low crime… it is really troubling, it is distasteful and the residents are concerned, and we don’t know who it is as yet,” he said in reference to the unidentified body.
“We are trying to find out if there is anyone who went missing from the area, but there is no report about anybody being missing from any close proximity area,” he added.
“I hope the Police get to the bottom of this thing. I am deeply concerned, and I hope the perpetrator will be held,” said Myers. (Jamaica Observer)
Brent crude ticked higher on Friday but stayed set for a weekly fall of around 8 per cent after Israel and Hezbollah agreed on a ceasefire in Lebanon, but Iran set conditions for using the vital Strait of Hormuz.
Brent crude futures were up 66 cents, or 0.53 per cent, at US$80.38 a barrel by 13:30h ET, while US West Texas Intermediate crude was up 94 cents, or 1.23 per cent, at US$77.54 per barrel.
Trading volumes were light due to a US federal holiday.
Gulf producers were preparing to raise exports after Israel and Hezbollah agreed to a ceasefire which began at 16:00h local time on Friday. At least four tankers carrying crude, oil products and liquefied petroleum gas entered the Strait of Hormuz on Friday, heading for Iraqi Gulf ports, MarineTraffic data showed.
Despite the uptick in activity, however, Iran signalled tighter control over shipping, with state TV reporting that vessels must coordinate transit with the Revolutionary Guards navy.
In an undated advisory circulated to the maritime industry in the last 24 hours and seen by Reuters, Iran’s Persian Gulf Strait Authority said “no vessel is permitted to pass through the Strait of Hormuz without a valid passage permit issued by the PGSA”. (Excerpt from Reuters)
The US military attacked a boat accused of smuggling drugs in the eastern Pacific Ocean on Thursday, killing three people, as the Trump Administration wages a monthslong campaign against alleged traffickers in Latin America.
The latest attack brings the number of people who have been killed in boat strikes by the US military to at least 211 since the Trump Administration began targeting those it calls “narcoterrorists” in early September. As with most of the military’s statements on strikes in the eastern Pacific Ocean and
Caribbean Sea, US Southern Command said in a social media post the boat was “transiting along known narco-trafficking routes”. The military did not provide evidence that the vessel was ferrying drugs.
The military said the boat was operated by “Designated Terrorist Organisations”. It did not name the specific organisation, but the Trump Administration has designated several Latin American gangs and drug cartels as terror groups.
A video posted on X showed a boat speeding through the water before being struck and bursting into flames.
The US Government says it will stop funding programmes in South Africa intended to tackle the spread of HIV and Aids, linking the decision to the Government’s alleged failure to protect the white-minority Afrikaner community.
South Africa’s Health Ministry responded by saying that though it had not been informed of this decision, it had “long been working on a self-reliance plan”.
More than eight million South Africans are living with HIV – the highest number of any country in the world.
Until 2025, the US was supporting South Africa’s efforts to deal with the virus with an es-
timated $400m a year through the President’s Emergency Fund for Aids Relief (Pepfar).
But since the inauguration of President Donald Trump, re-
lations between the two countries have increasingly soured.
Shortly after he came into office, Trump issued an executive order alleging that “count-
less” South African policies dismantled equal opportunities and fuelled violence “against racially disfavoured landowners”.
The White House said that given these “unjust and immoral practices”, further aid to South Africa would not be provided.
Trump has also falsely alleged that there is a “white genocide” taking place in South Africa, which has led to the administration setting up a refugee programme for Afrikaners – descendants of western Europeans who settled in southern Africa in the 17th century. They are now just about the only refugees being allowed into the US. (Excerpt from BBC News)
Severe thunderstorms swept across the Balkans last week, bringing widespread destruction to parts of the region. The storms developed as unstable hot air lingered over the Adriatic Sea while a cold front plunged south-eastward.
The front began its journey on June 10 in Slovenia, where the Slovenian Environment Agency recorded 65mph gusts at Ljubljana airport. Heavy rain also fell widely across the region, with 23mm reported in Kranj.
Alongside heavy rain, hail the size of golf balls plummeted from the sky as the
front edged south-eastwards towards Croatia. One of the worst affected areas was the
Komenda municipality, where the local fire department reported damage to more than
100 buildings. Some homes lost their roofs in the violent winds.
In the early hours of June 11, the storm edged south-eastwards into Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina before reaching Greece on June 12. Similar conditions have been observed on the opposite side of Eurasia. The Hong Kong Observatory issued a black rainstorm warning on Thursday. When a black warning is issued, outdoor workers are expected to take shelter until it is safe, and schools are closed. (Excerpt from The Guardian)
Israel and Hezbollah agreed to a ceasefire in Lebanon on Friday after an escalation in fighting there jeopardised the chances of an interim agreement on ending the war in Iran turning into a lasting Middle East peace deal.
US-Iran talks in Switzerland planned for Friday were cancelled as fighting flared in Lebanon, creating new uncertainty about the timing of negotiations vital to ensure the reopening of
the Strait of Hormuz to global shipping.
US President Donald Trump later told NBC News that he had spoken with Israel and asked it to agree to the ceasefire.
“You just have to calm down sometimes and use your head,” Trump was quoted as saying by an NBC reporter on X, who added that the President had declined to specify whether he spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu directly.
A senior US official said the ceasefire came into effect around 16:00h Lebanon time following an exchange of fire, adding that negotiators for the US and Qataris had worked out the agreement with help from Iran.
Two sources from Iranaligned Hezbollah and a senior Israeli official confirmed the ceasefire to Reuters.
“If Hezbollah does not attack us, then for us it is not a time of war,” the Israeli official said, adding that Israel
would keep its forces in southern Lebanon, where it has occupied an area along Israel’s northern border.
Two Lebanese security sources said Israel had carried out a dozen airstrikes in the first hour of the ceasefire, but none were recorded after 17:00h.
The conflict in Lebanon could weigh on negotiations because ending fighting there is a condition for the broader US-Iran accord. (Excerpt from Reuters)
Adiplomatic row between United States
President Donald Trump and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has escalated, with Italy’s top diplomat cancelling an upcoming visit to the US.
At issue is Trump’s claim that Meloni “begged” him for a photograph during the Group of Seven (G7) meeting in France earlier in the week.
“She’s probably happy I talked to her. I didn’t have to talk to her,” Trump reportedly told the Italian La7 network. The broadcaster only published a dubbed Italian version of the interview, not the original English version.
“She begged me to take a
picture with her. She wanted a picture with me so badly. I wouldn’t have taken it, but I felt sorry for her.”
On Friday, Meloni posted a video answering Trump’s statement, saying that “certain things deserve an imme-
diate response”.
“Donald Trump’s statements are completely fabricated. I am frankly stunned,” she said. “I don’t know why the President of the United States behaves this way toward his own allies. After all, this isn’t the first time this has happened.”
The head of a far-right party who campaigned on an anti-immigrant platform, Meloni had long been seen as one of Trump’s most supportive counterparts in Europe.
She had met with Trump at his Mar-a-Lago estate following his 2024 election victory and attended his inauguration in January 2025. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)
Creativity and discipline go together. Venture out and participate in something that excites you. You are overdue for a change of scenery and direction. Consider what makes you feel good about who you are and what you can do. Restructuring your life to ensure you are fulfilled emotionally, physically and financially is possible.
Use your energy to rearrange your home to accommodate your needs. Implementing an efficient, convenient and comfortable space to relax and to execute your plans will offer peace of mind and insight into the possibilities. Don’t take a risk with your health or physical well-being. Protect yourself against injury and illness. Choose calm over chaos.
Breathe, relax, separate yourself from drama and do what makes you feel comfortable. Distance yourself from those who play mind games or try to take advantage of your generosity. Put your money and your time behind the creative endeavors that you find gratifying. A decision someone close to you makes will determine your next move.
Getting money, approving contracts and making your way forward will require patience and precision to ensure you avoid interference. Verify the information you receive, and get what you want in writing to protect your reputation, position and financial needs. Overthinking or overreacting will cost you. Address discrepancies before you participate. Abide by the rules, and set boundaries where necessary.
Learn, and gain experience by doing. Volunteer or take on responsibilities that will educate others and help you head in an interesting direction. A physical change will enhance your persona and encourage you to be outgoing and to go after what you want with courage. Travel, romance and sharing space with someone you love will encourage new beginnings.
You’ll have plenty of emotional energy to gather momentum and pursue your dreams if you don’t let your overthinking spin out of control, creating havoc and trouble at a personal level. Observe, and put your pent-up energy into selfimprovement, gathering facts and protecting your interests. Put safety and finding solutions first.
Go where the action is, and do something that elates you. Take control of your life and your happiness by following your heart and letting go of what no longer serves you. Initiate change, and put your time, effort and energy into how and where you live and who you spend your downtime with. Romance is in the stars.
Consider your objective, and look at the broad scope of what you are dealing with. Engage in discussions that can help you manage your responsibilities. Having a plan in place is half the battle and will ease the tension your schedule has put on you personally and physically. Stifle anyone putting demands on you instead of offering handson help.
Concentrate on home, your personal responsibilities and what you can do to increase your income. Look inward, and ignore those trying to lead you astray or use emotional blackmail to take advantage of your skills, assets or resources. Pay attention to how you look and feel, and put more thought into self-improvement and looking your best.
Find your bliss, but don’t stretch the truth or take on more than you can handle. Be vocal; let others know how you feel and what you want, and find out what they want in return. Getting your facts straight will ensure smooth transactions and peace of mind. Create opportunities instead of waiting for them to come to you.
Push for what you want. Come up with solutions, and present what you have to offer with a friendly demeanor, and you’ll make progress. Put a routine together that helps you get back to basics mentally, physically and financially and points you in a direction that offers personal growth and generates additional income. Romance is on the rise.
Honesty and integrity are essential when trying to sort out differences. Take a conversation to the next level. Speak your mind, and generate a dialogue that will help you understand the needs and wants of others. Don’t make premature alterations that might upset someone you want and need on your team. Get clearance first, and help will follow.
Acomeback century from Henry Nicholls and a 161-run partnership with Rachin Ravindra gave New Zealand complete control after three days of The Oval Test, the visiting side leading by 352 with seven wickets still standing in their bid to level the series.
New Zealand had missed one chance to shut the door on England, as Matt Fisher’s maiden Test half-century helped add 53 for the last wicket during the morning session. That was followed by the early loss of both openers in New Zealand’s second innings, with Ravindra put down by wicketkeeper James Rew shortly afterwards. If the catch had stuck this time, New Zealand would have been 48 for three, leading by 148.
Instead, the third-wicket pair advanced New Zealand towards a position of dominance as the sun blazed
ball as it over his right shoul -
der.
down over south London. Ravindra showed regular glimpses of his class on the way to a first significant score of the series (76), and although he fell during the evening session, lbw to Jacob Bethell despite a review, Nicholls marked his return to the side by going on to an 11th Test hundred, brought up from his 136th ball with his 14th four.
Nicholls had been restored to the XI for this match after the sudden retirement of Kane Williamson between Tests but bedded in nicely to produce a first 50-plus knock at No. 3. He was also missed by Rew when gloving a pull at Jofra Archer shortly after tea when on 42 but otherwise went smoothly up and down the gears to steer New Zealand’s innings in a Williamson-approved manner.
England’s frustrations were summed up by the anguished response of Archer as Rew failed to get a hand
Nicholls went to fifty when steering Fisher through the point soon after and then raised the hundred stand with a cover-driven four off the same bowler. Ravindra’s half-century came during a Tongue over that he filleted for boundaries through cover, point and midwicket.
Joe Root’s attack plugged away on a sweltering afternoon but struggled to create chances on a pitch that continued to flatten out –and may encourage fighting talk of a chase, particularly in light of last year’s near miss after England were set 374 by India. Nicholls flicked Tongue just short of leg slip, the ball taken on the half-volley by Gay, who could not then get to a batpad chance off Ravindra after Bethell’s left-arm spin had belatedly been introduced.
Bethell eventually induced a mistake from Ravindra, who was pinned on the front pad attempting to sweep – Adrian Holdstock’s decision was upheld by DRS on the umpire’s call – but Daryl Mitchell took up the cudgels to advance briskly to 32 during another half-century stand.
England had been
buoyed at the lunch break by Fisher’s efforts with the bat from No. 9, despite conceding a 100-run first-innings deficit, and the mood around the ground lifted further straight after the interval, as Archer struck with his seventh delivery: Tom Latham feeling for one that bounced and left him to be caught behind.
Roared at by the crowd, Archer pushed the speed gun up to 91mph, hitting Nicholls on the body with his second ball and then beating an attempted forward defensive in the channel. He could not conjure a second breakthrough, but there was no respite when Tongue replaced Archer after four overs from the Pavilion End, as his first ball drew a loose drive from Devon Conway that flew straight off the edge to second slip.
Tongue almost had another when Ravindra, on seven, stabbed at a full delivery that took the outside edge, only for Rew to drop a flying one-handed effort low to his left. In an eventful over, Ravindra clipped his next ball wide of mid-on for a boundary and was then lucky to survive a shooter that fizzed past his off stump.
Ravindra regained his poise with business-like clips to the fence off Sonny Baker and Tongue, the latter also driven down the ground past a tumbling
Archer. Root brought himself on to bowl in the 18th over and twice saw lbw appeals against Nicholls turned down - one sliding past leg, the other involving an inside edge. But Nicholls countered by jumping out to loft straight and then punch through the covers for backto-back boundaries to bring up the fifty stand.
New Zealand had strengthened their grip on the Test during the morning session, although their advantage would have been greater but for the filibustering from Fisher. Matt Henry took three of the four wickets to fall, finishing with figures of five for 80 – his seventh Test five-for and first in 11 appearances against England.
After being sub-par in all departments on day two, England returned looking to one of their three debutants to try and narrow the deficit, which stood at 169 overnight. Jordan Cox had played neatly in his maiden Test innings but home hopes that he could build a substantial score in the company of the tail were shortlived.
Cox added only a single and a boundary to his overnight score before an uppish flick off Henry was snapped
West Indies all-rounder Chinelle Henry has praised the composure and resilience of her teammates after they secured a second consecutive victory at the International Cricket Council (ICC) Women’s T20 World Cup, defeating Scotland by seven runs in a tense contest at Headingley Carnegie.
While pleased with the result, Henry emphasised that the Caribbean side remains focused on continuous improvement as they prepare for their next Group B encounter against Sri Lanka on Sunday.
Reflecting on the team’s batting performance, Henry revealed that the players believed a score in the region of 160 would have been a par total on a pitch that offered assistance to the bowlers early on.
“Having been out there batting, we had a discussion that the wicket played a little bit slow up front, so we felt maybe 160 would have been par on that surface,” Henry explained.
West Indies eventually posted 153 for six, thanks largely to a stunning late assault from veteran batter Stafanie Taylor, who blasted an unbeaten 47 from just 19 deliveries to transform the innings.
“When I went out there, the idea was to get as many runs as possible, but I think Stefanie, the way she played today, was really amazing,” said Henry. “The position we were in, she did a really good job finishing the innings for us, and in the end it was enough to bring us over the line.”
Scotland threatened to pull off an upset after a strong start to their chase, but West Indies held their nerve to defend the target and maintain their unbeaten start to
the tournament.
Henry acknowledged that no match at a World Cup can be taken lightly, regardless of the opposition.
“This is a World Cup, and no team is here just to make up numbers. Everybody is here to compete,” she said. “We can’t take anyone lightly in this competition.”
The all-rounder admitted Scotland’s aggressive approach during the power play put the West Indies under pressure but praised the team’s ability to remain calm during crucial moments.
“The way they started their innings, we knew they were coming at us really hard, especially in those first six overs. As a team, it was about staying as calm as possible and trusting our skills. Even with the start they got, the score we had was enough to get us over the line.”
With victories over New Zealand and Scotland, the West Indies have positioned themselves strongly in Group B, but Henry insists the focus remains firmly on the next challenge.
“Winning our first two games is always a plus, and it puts us in a really good spot in the group,” she said. “But there are no easy games in this tournament.”
Looking ahead to Sunday’s clash with Sri Lanka, Henry believes the team must address its bowling in the powerplay while continuing to trust the process that has delivered two important victories.
“We have to go back to the drawing board and assess those first six overs as a bowling group and see what we can do better. The group has been doing really well, and we’ve just
got to keep backing our skills and trusting each other.” West Indies Women will face Sri Lanka Women on Sunday at 17:30h Caribbean time, aiming to extend their winning streak and strengthen their push for a place in the semi-finals.
up by the diving Latham at short mid-wicket. A score of 235 for six swiftly became 238 for nine as Henry claimed his fourth and fifth: Archer was smartly held by Tom Blundell standing up the stumps; Tongue then tried and failed to clear midon, Nathan Smith plucking the ball in his right hand as he fell backwards, after dropping the initial overhead chance. It should have been 242 all out when Fisher, batting alongside another debutant in Baker, called for a non-existent two to deep backward point. Blundell was unable to gather cleanly, though, with Fisher diving for his ground and Baker belatedly realising the need to scramble up the other end. New Zealand were left to regret squandering that chance, as Fisher showcased some uncomplicated hitting – not to mention bravery, having been hit on his helmet grille by a Will O’Rourke short ball. The only halfchance he gave was an under-edge off Ravindra that Blundell couldn’t lay glove on as he reached 50 for only the third time in first-class cricket, celebrated with a look to the skies and a kiss of the bat in tribute to his late father. (ESPNcricinfo)
Dinesh Chandimal struck a patient half-century to keep Sri Lanka’s first innings on track after the West Indies Select XI claimed three important wickets on a rain-affected second day of their warm-up match at the Coolidge Cricket Ground.
Resuming on 38 for one, Sri Lanka faced a delayed start due to bad weather but recovered well to reach 173 for four in 44 overs at stumps, trailing the West
Indies Select XI’s first-innings total of 205 by just 32 runs with six wickets in hand.
Nishan Madushka, who resumed unbeaten overnight, continued his positive approach and looked set for
The Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club (RHTYSC) and its 10 cricket teams are busy finalising plans for the hosting of their 36th annual Cricket Academy and the 18th edition of the Republic Bank Grade Six Summer Camp. The two programmes will be held at the popular Area H Ground from Monday, July 13, and will be organised by the Poonai Pharmacy Under-11 and U13, Farfan and Mendes U15, Bakewell U17 and second division, Pepsi U19 and Intermediate, Metro Females, NAMILCO Thunderbolt Flour U23, and First Division teams.
The academy will cater to one hundred youths between the ages of eight and nineteen years, with
household items, kitchen utensils and designer clothing.
The Republic Bank Summer Camp’s main objective is to properly prepare Grade Six students to make
the main objectives being to properly prepare the youths to play the game at the highest level, to correct any technical problems in their game and to get them educated about the history and tradition of the game.
Level three coach Winston Smith will spearhead the academy with support from Coaches Eon Hooper, Floyd Benjamin, Ryan Algu and Balram Samaroo.
The RHTYSC will be providing all the necessary cricket equipment and gear, while participants will be provided with lunch on a daily basis.
The “Cricketer of the Academy”, selected by the coaches, will take home over $500,000 worth of prizes, including an electric bike, a personal laptop computer, a West Indian gold medallion, a collection of cricket gear,
a successful entrance into secondary school. The camp will engage 100 students, covering five subject areas, namely, Mathematics, English A, Science, History, and basic Spanish. The organisers will provide each child with educational materials for the four-week camp, while the top student will also take home a whopping $500,000 worth of prizes, including a $100,000 cash prize, a laptop computer, an electric bike, an electronic tablet, a Comfort Sleep mattress, designer clothing, and others.
In addition, the RHTYSC will be distributing over $1,000,000 worth of educational materials to every participant of the cricket academy and summer camp, including school bags, hardcover exercise books, pens and pencils.
a half-century before Keemo Paul provided the break through. The all-rounder trapped Madushka leg be fore wicket for 46 from 49 deliveries, an innings that helped lay a solid platform for the visitors.
Paul struck again short ly afterwards when Pasindu Sooriyabandara was bowled for 14, shifting the momen tum back in favour of the hosts.
The West Indies Select XI bowlers continued to apply pressure and were reward ed with another key wick et when Alzarri Joseph removed Sri Lankan captain Dhananjaya de Silva for 34. The skip per’s innings came from just 40 balls and includ ed four boundaries and a six before he was dismissed with Sri Lanka still short of the hosts’ total.
However, the experi enced Chandimal ensured there would be no further col lapse. Displaying patience and composure, the righthander reached an unbeat en 54 from 116 deliveries to guide Sri Lanka through the remainder of the day. He was well supported by Sonal Dinusha, who closed
On the sponsorship front, former national cricketer Lennox Cush and his company Star Party Rental donated $200,000 worth of school bags towards the event last Friday, along with a large number of trophies. Cush stated that he was delighted to assist the club, which has produced a total of 133 Berbice players, 76 for Guyana and thirteen at the international level.
Managing Director of Trim Construction Company of New Amsterdam, Jermaine Bagot, also offered support by handing over a financial scholarship for the top student of the summer camp.
Speaker of the National Assembly Manzoor Nadir supported it with educational materials. Other sponsors on board include Jamie McDonald of Fitness Express, John Lewis of John Lewis Styles, Carol Trim Bagot, Guyana National Newspaper Ltd, JR Engineering Inc, Ramdeo Kumar of Beacon Cafe, SD&L Accounting, Bounty Farm Ltd, National Hardware Ltd, Comfort Sleep and several overseas friends of the club.
The Director of the two events, Robby Kissoonlall, and Club Secretary Hilbert Foster both expressed thanks to all the donors. Kissoonlall reassured all of the donors that both programmes will be well-organised and achieve all of their objectives. Interested parents are urged to visit the RHTYSC Office at the Area H Ground during working hours for application forms or to call 337 4562 for more information.
Matches in the Guyana Football Federation (GFF)/ Upper Demerara Football Association (UDFA) run Boys Under 13 and 15 tournaments will continue today (Saturday) with matches at the Bayrock National Stadium in the mining town of Linden.
Following last weekend’s matches, the Young Men Christian Association (YMCA) and Net Rockers led the points table, with the YMCA at the top of the Under 13 competition, while Net Rockers were ahead in the Under 15 category.
YMCA are leading in the Under 13 championship, as they have nine points after four played games, with three victories and one de-
feat, as Net Rockers are second on seven points after two wins, one draw and a defeat. Next are Dainty Academy with six points after two victories and a similar amount of losses, as Fearless are at the bottom with one point after a draw and three defeats.
Playing in the Under 15 tournament, Net Rockers are leading with six points with two wins and a loss after completing three games.
Next are Kwakwani Strikers on four points after a win and a draw; YMCA are next on three points after one win, followed by Fearless with one point from a draw and a defeat, as Dainty Academy are at the cellar spot with no points so far after suffering two defeats.
Last Saturday in the under-13 championship, YMCA hammered Dainty Academy 6-1, as Net Rockers whipped Bamia 4-1. In the Under 15 category Net Rockers overcame Dainty Academy 5-2, and the Kwakwani Strikers and Bamia match ended in a 0-0 stalemate.
This morning the under-13 competition matches YMCA versus Net Rockers and the other Dainty Academy against Fearless both start at 10:00h.
In the Under 15 tournament Kwakwani Strikers are up against YMCA in the first game from 11:00h, with Fearless facing Dainty Academy from 12:00h in the second.
uyana and West Indies fast-bowler Shamar
Joseph has the need for speed. He continues to bowl in excess of 145 km/h, and his next aim is to break the 150 km/h barrier on a consistent
Joseph is fresh from a player of the series performance where he claimed 11 wickets in the three-match series against Sri Lanka, and he is aiming to extend his wicket-taking form in the upcoming Test series against the same opponent next Thursday.
Joseph credited West Indies bowling coach Ravi Rampaul for his consistency.
“I just think it’s all about the consistency and the work that the analyst and Ravi (Rampaul) put in. Ravi played a big part in this series for us. The preparation that he gave to us, bowling yorkers, stick to your basics. And I think we went about well doing it,” Joseph said.
“I think my job basically is to just come at the back end, to finish well with the Yorkers. I think it’s all about muscle memory. And I enjoy it. I take it one day at a time. continue to do the work and get my body ready for the series.”
“I just think bowling quick is natural for me. I spoke to Avi [Avenesh Seetaram, team analyst] before; I said, ‘I want to get back up here. I want to get back to bowling 150 consistently.’ Seeing that tonight, it actually encouraged me to continue to put in the hard work and continue to bowl fast as possible,” the fast bowler explained. West Indies and Sri Lanka will be in action at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua from Thursday, June 25, from 10:00h local time. This will be the start of the first of two Test matches.
Football fan’s World Cup dream comes true through iBet Supreme promotion
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New Zealand (NZ) had another poor day in the field and were nearly embarrassed by Ireland on a glorious sunny day in Southampton before the defending champions held their nerve and kept their semi-final chances alive with their first win of the tournament. It was far from a convincing day for NZ, who were reduced to 10 for three and 110 for five before the middle-order lifted them to 140. Ireland also kept NZ sweating for much of the 20 overs in the chase until the magic arm of Melie Kerr broke the century stand between Orla Prendergast and Gaby Lewis to bring the equation to 25 needed from 12. Ireland needed 18 from eight balls once Lewis fell in the penultimate over, and the two new batters found it much tougher to nail the big shots. Louise Little and Leah Paul brought it down to 15 off the last over that was given to Suzie Bates, who was playing her first game of this World Cup, having replaced Sophie Devine, who fell sick just before the game. The lack of pace from Bates meant Paul and Little couldn’t find a boundary, and they fell short by four runs when they needed six off the last ball.
Now fourth in Group Two, NZ will know better than anyone that they will need far better performances to make the knockouts, as their last league game
will be against England after they meet Scotland next.
At the helm for Ireland was Prendergast, who first dented NZ with her newball burst before her 45-ball half-century took Ireland agonisingly close, only three days after they gave England a scare too. NZ’s hero also turned out to be their all-rounder Melie, who first pulled them out of a hole and picked two crucial wickets in the end.
Blast from Prendergast
New Zealand were in deep trouble early, and lots had to do with Prendergast, who kept going for the top of middle stump and was rewarded twice. Isabella Gaze fell first when she missed a scoop on the first ball of the second over for just one. That she fell the very next delivery after Georgia
Plimmer had handed a catch straight to mid-off made the score six for two.
Maddy Green had eaten up five dots, and when she charged against Prendergast at the start of the third over, New Zealand had slipped to 10 for three. Prendergast was, however, taken off after two overs that fetched her figures of two for six with eight dot balls. It was Melie who rescued them along with Brooke Halliday as the captain stepped out against the spinners regularly to rotate the strike and find boundaries while also scooping and cutting Arlene Kelly for back-to-back boundaries in the last over of the powerplay to lift the scoring rate.
Halliday, Sharp, Bates lift NZ Halliday was largely kept quiet at the start as Ireland bowled smartly to
their fields. But Melie perished too, holing out to deep midwicket for 30 off 24 as the Ireland spinners took the pace off considerably to make hitting a lot tougher. While Halliday largely anchored, Isabella Sharp started to find the gaps more frequently as at last one boundary was hit from overs 10 to 13 to lift the run rate from under six to 6.61. But Ireland fought back and dried up the boundaries for the next 35 balls while also removing the set batters. Halliday had just received some medical treatment and swept one straight to short fine leg for 34 in the 17th over before Sharp holed out to long off for 36 off 28. Bates, batting at No. 7 for the first time in T20Is in her 19-year career, finally broke the boundary drought with a reverse lap and also
ended the innings with a desperate six pulled from way outside off after exposing her stumps.
Prendergast and Lewis nearly pull it off Left-arm quick Bree Illing gave New Zealand’s defence a fiery start with her pace close to 120 kph and her height making things uncomfortable for Ireland’s top order. She nailed an in-swinging yorker to remove Amy Hunter for two before Prendergast and Lewis saw through her remaining three overs, which were bowled on the trot.
The rest of the attack didn’t look as threatening, which the duo of Prendergast and Lewis capitalised on, especially by stepping out and making room to find the gaps. Prendergast also got a life when a leaping Nensi Patel got a hand to a slice at point but only got fingertips. The pressure on New Zealand was visible as the runs kept coming and wickets eluded them by fine margins.
Lewis survived a loud LBW appeal on 25 off Melie in the ninth over, and NZ lost a review as ball-tracking showed the ball was missing leg stump. Prendergast was given out lbw off Jess Kerr three overs later, but a review saved her as ball-tracking again showed the ball going down leg. The duo picked a boundary each off Nensi in the next over to re-
duce the equation to 59 from 42. With only five bowlers at their disposal, the match was slipping out of NZ’s hands.
Melie snatches the match Melie had two overs left, and she brought herself back for the 14th, and Prendergast’s six off her on the leg side made it 50 from 36. That soon became 34 from 24, but Melie’s last attempt in the 18th over finally worked for New Zealand. She had Prendergast hole out to deep midwicket while Rebecca Stokell hit one to cover two balls later. The four-run over had turned the tables on Ireland. With 25 to get from 12, Lewis took charge as the set batter, but she skied one to cover after a boundary, and the match was now New Zealand’s to lose. Bates came on for the finishing touches with the ball too, and only a streak of singles and doubles off her bowling found Ireland short.
(ESPNcricinfo)
After thrilling action in Demerara and Berbice, the Future Warriors Tapeball for Primary Schools, powered by ExxonMobil Guyana, lands at the Anna Regina National Stadium from today, with CV Nunes Primary firmly under the spotlight as they look to defend their Essequibo Zone crown.
They enter the 16-team knockout bracket not just as participants, but as the team with a target on their backs, carrying the hopes of the Anna Regina faithful who expect nothing less than a clinical display on home soil.
Already, West Ruimveldt have locked up the Demerara title, while St Therese
Primary flexed its muscles to claim the honours in Berbice.
The team that emerges from the Essequibo crucible this weekend will complete the trio, progressing to the coveted Champion of Champions national finals slated for August or September.
“The action in the previous zones was exceptional, and we have witnessed some exceptionally good cricket from these young players,” Tournament Director John Ramsingh said ahead of the weekend’s blockbuster schedule.
“We expect the energy and talent in Essequibo to match, if not exceed,
what we have seen across Demerara and Berbice. We must also extend our sincere thanks to the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport for lending support in terms of once again giving access to a top-class facility, especially in this rainy season.”
In keeping with the tournament’s focus on grassroots development, the rewards extend far beyond the silverware.
The top four schools from the zone will take home comprehensive equipment bags, agility kits, and electronic scoring tablets – the latter of which is a forward-thinking initiative to introduce these young cricketers to the data-driven mechanics of the
The United States advanced to the World Cup knockout stage with a dominant performance against Australia on Friday, an early own goal and an Alex Freeman header giving the co-hosts a comfortable 2-0 win despite missing talisman Christian Pulisic.
Just as they had in their 4-1 victory over Paraguay, the US forced an own goal to open the scoring, with Cameron Burgess the unfortunate defender.
Freeman nodded in the simplest of headers just before the break, the goal initially ruled out for offside but given on review, prompting the US bench to flood the pitch in celebration.
“It was surreal ... obviously at first it was disallowed, so I was kind of anxious when it went to VAR,” Freeman said. “It was so emotional for me because you dream of this moment.”
Australia coach Tony Popovic dropped both goal-scorers, Nestory Irankunda and Connor Metcalfe, from the Socceroos’ 2-0 win over Turkey and brought them on at halftime to try to turn the tide.
Australia improved but rarely looked like getting back into the match in a second half which became increasingly fractious and lacked quality.
“I don’t know if it was the
occasion, but we looked sluggish, heavy-legged,” Popovic said. “I think the players showed how good they are in the second half, but obviously at this level you can’t give away that much in the first.”
The US moved on to six points and into the last 32 before their last game against Turkey on Thursday in Los Angeles, when coach Mauricio Pochettino hopes to have Pulisic available.
“But if we want to win the competition, we need the whole team. And all the players need to be important,” he said.
The US will top Group D if Turkey do not beat Paraguay later on Friday. Australia remain second on three points and next face Paraguay in San Francisco.
US into last-32 with a game to spare
The US started slightly nervously in front of a raucous full house but quickly settled into the match, with Weston McKennie particularly influential, and took a well-earned lead in the 11th minute.
Folarin Balogun tore down the left flank and played the ball towards Ricardo Pepi, replacing Pulisic, and the covering Burgess sent the ball into his own net.
Australia struggled to get out of their own half as the US maintained control, with Australia’s best mo-
modern game.
Furthermore, to ensure no school leaves empty-handed, all 16 participating institutions will receive baseline fitness equipment to foster long-term athletic development.
The tournament gets underway on Saturday morning in a rapid-fire sequence across four simultaneous pitches.
The marquee opening session at 10:30h sees title favourites CV Nunes
Primary launch their campaign against 8th of May Primary on Pitch Four.
Simultaneously, Riverstown Primary faces Taymouth Manor Primary (Pitch One), Hampton Court Primary clashes with Lima Sands Primary (Pitch Two), and Good Hope Primary squares off against Sparta Primary (Pitch Three).
The second wave of first-round fixtures bowls off at 11:30h, featuring: Huis T’ Dieren Primary
v Mainstay Lake Primary (Pitch One)
Onderneeming Primary v Fisher Primary (Pitch Two)
Charity Primary v Friendship Primary (Pitch Three)
Capoey Primary v Suddie Primary (Pitch Four)
Admission to the Anna Regina National Stadium is entirely free, and members of the public are encouraged to come out and support the future stars of Guyanese cricket.
ment of the first half coming just before the hydration break when Freeman blocked Mathew Leckie’s threatening cross.
The US finally got the second goal their dominance deserved in the 43rd minute: a free kick was played to Sergino Dest on the edge of the area, and his shot was blocked but looped into the air with goalkeeper Patrick Beach on the floor to give Freeman an easy finish.
Freeman said securing the win without Pulisic showed the depth the US could rely upon.
“It says that we have a really strong roster, and it says that whichever players we’re going to put on the field we’re going to execute and be 100 per cent and get a result,” Freeman said. “Christian is such a vital part of this team, but if he’s not available, someone else is going to have to step in.”
The second half was low on incident, with the US content to protect their lead and conserve energy, though Australia’s Harry Souttar missed a golden opportunity with five minutes left which could have set up a tense finale.
“We had opportunities to score; we had chances,” Souttar said. “I could say a lot of things I don’t want to say just because it’s so raw.”
(Reuters)
The official opening and march-past ceremony of the Beharry Holdings Under-19 T20 Cricket tournament will be held today at the Uitvlugt Community Centre Ground, beginning at 10:00h.
Following the ceremony, three matches are scheduled to be played at the venue. Tuschen will face Essequibo Island from 10:30h, while New Central will come up against St Stanislaus College at 14:00h. The final match of the day will see West Demerara taking on Westminster Secondary from 17:30h.
The competition got underway last week in Essequibo, where Charity Secondary and Abram Zuil Secondary secured victories in the opening Zone One quarter-finals.
At the Joe Jagmohan Ground, Charity Secondary defeated Anna Regina Secondary by three wickets in a closely contested match. Batting first after winning the toss, Anna Regina were bowled out for 89 in 18 overs. Captain Darius Pearson led the way with 24 from 15 balls, while Jonathan Barry made 18 and Jamari Rose added 11.
Charity’s bowlers kept the pressure on throughout the innings, with Javon Ramdunhar taking 3-14 from four overs.
Jeral Gildharie, Brandon Perreira and Ranveer Kewall each picked up two wickets as Anna Regina failed to bat their full quota of overs.
In reply, Charity reached 90-7 in 16.2 overs.
Donald Peters top-scored with 21 from 23 balls, while Gildharie added 19, and Perreira finished unbeaten on 14 to see his team over the line. Anna Regina fought hard with the ball, with Pearson and Tyrese Stephney taking two wickets each, but 22 wides proved costly during Charity’s chase.
In the other Zone One quarter-final, Abram Zuil Secondary produced a dominant 10-wicket win over Cotton Field Secondary. After choosing to bowl first, Abram Zuil dismissed Cotton Field for just 19 runs in seven overs.
Ravid Fredericks was the standout performer, claiming 7-14 from four overs in a decisive spell. Eshwar Tilak also took one wicket, while two run-outs added to Cotton Field’s collapse.
Abram Zuil then completed the chase in only 1.2 overs without losing a wicket. Marc Anthony Obermuller struck an unbeaten nine from three balls, while Fredericks returned with the bat to finish not out on six.
The results sent Charity Secondary and Abram Zuil Secondary into the next round of the Zone One competition, while Anna Regina Secondary and Cotton Field Secondary were eliminated.
