“Build
GECOM boat used without approval crashes in Region 1
Food and Drug Dept working to approve Mounjaro weight loss drug in Guyana
$150,000 fine, jail time for driving unregistered vehicles – Police warn
27 applications received for Vice Chancellor’s post – UG
4 arrested for robbing Chinese business in Mon Repos
The oral hearings in the border controversy case against Venezuela at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) are set to begin on Monday, May 4, and are expected to last for at least one week, with the possibility of being extending further depending on the court’s schedule.
Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister Anil Nandlall made the disclosure during the latest episode of his online programme “Issues in the News” on Tuesday. He explained that the hearings will continue daily throughout the week and could spill over into the following week if necessary.
Nandlall also confirmed that he will be part of Guyana’s legal team appearing before the World Court, representing the country’s interests during the proceedings.
“Will come on for hearing on Monday, 4 May 2026, and the hearings will continue each and every day of that week and are likely to go over to the following week should the court decide it necessary to do so. Yours truly will join our team of international lawyers and will be appearing for and representing the interest of Guyana at that important hearing,” Nandlall noted.
The case, which was filed by Guyana in March 2018, seeks a final and binding settlement regarding the validity of the 1899 Arbitral Award that established the boundary between Guyana and Venezuela.
Venezuela, however, continues to lay claim to more than two-thirds of Guyana’s territory, including the entire Essequibo region and portions of Guyana’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). The offshore area has
gained significant international attention following the discovery of over 11 bil-
lion barrels of oil equivalent, with ongoing production and exploration activities.
The ICJ had previously affirmed its jurisdiction to hear the case in December 2020, clearing the way for the matter to proceed to the merits stage. The written phase concluded in 2025, with both Guyana and Venezuela submitting two rounds of pleadings, the most recent from Venezuela being filed in August of that year.
During the upcoming hearings, both countries will present oral arguments outlining their respective positions. Following this phase, the court will deliberate before issuing a final judgement, which will be legally binding on both parties under international law.
Guyana has consistently maintained its commitment to a peaceful resolution of the controversy through the ICJ process, in accordance with international law and
the United Nations framework.
Meanwhile, earlier this year Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Minister Hugh Todd had expressed confidence in Guyana’s case, noting the strength and preparedness of the country’s legal team. He indicated that while caution remains important, the Government is optimistic about securing a favourable ruling, which is anticipated later this year.
Venezuela has been heightening its aggressive tactics towards Guyana over the years. Just over a year ago on March 1, 2025, there was an incursion into Guyana’s waters by Venezuelan naval vessels which threatened several oil vessels operating there, something which was widely condemned by the international community, including the United States.
However, there was a belief that the January 3 capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife in Caracas by US troops to face criminal indictments in New York would have seen an ease in aggression from the Spanish-speaking neighbour. But just last month, Guyana had to reaffirm the country’s sovereignty over its maritime jurisdiction, telling Caracas that it has no legal rights to the waters off Guyana’s coast.
This was after Venezuela had raised objections to a decision made by the Guyana Government to advance a three-dimensional multi-client seismic exploration to gather data from a 25,000 square kilometre offshore area within Guyana’s EEZ.
The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Thursday, April 23 –08:20h–9:50h and Friday, April 24 – 09:40h–11:10h.
Parika and Supenaam departure times – 05:00h, 10:00h-12:00h, 16:00h, 18:30h daily.
Thundery showers are expected during the day and at night. Temperatures are expected to range between 23 degrees Celsius and 30 degrees Celsius.
Winds: East-North-Easterly to Easterly between 1.34 metres and 3.57 metres.
High Tide: 08:48h and 21:47h reaching maximum heights of 2.31 metres and 2.11 metres.
Low Tide: 15:06h reaching a minimum height of 0.92 metre.
resident Dr Irfaan Ali continues to stress the importance of building regional resilience, urging stakeholders in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) to work together and produce more of what the region consumes in order to safeguard against global shocks.
The Guyanese leader made this call on Wednesday while delivering the feature address at the opening of the 52nd Ordinary Meeting of the South American Commission for the fight against Foot-and-Mouth Disease (COSALFA) in Georgetown, where he high-
foot-and-mouth disease-free zone, is home to approximately 590 million susceptible animals, including 390 million cattle, 190 million sheep and goats, and 80 million pigs – all managed by nearly five million farmers, producing over 16.5 million metric tonnes of beef annually as of 2024.
According to President Ali, this livestock ecosystem in the region is at risk, with a single outbreak of the disease having the potential to devastate food security, rural livelihoods, and trade across Latin America and the Caribbean. To this end, he noted that being vigilant
lighted the impact of geopolitical events such as the Middle East war on food security within the LAC region.
“International shipping networks are facing disruption, fertiliser supplies are being constrained, grain shipments are delayed, and livestock trade logistics have become increasingly uncertain. For our region, we still import far too much of what we consume. This is not a distant crisis. It is a present reality – higher costs, delayed deliveries, and mounting food insecurity are our daily challenges,” the President noted.
It is for this reason the Head of State argued that regional self-reliance, animal health security and production reliance are critical to both national and regional survival.
“We must build resilience against global shocks, including the Middle East supply chain disruptions, by producing more of what we consume within…this region. We must trade more among ourselves, and the only way we can do that is if we build trusted systems and trusted markets,” he posited.
The LAC region, which is currently designated a
alone, though important, is insufficient.
“We must build systems that are proactive, interconnected, and resilient to shocks, both biological and geopolitical. The systems
we build today must be innovative, creative, built on technologies that allow the optimal use of AI, digitisation, and integrated record-keeping so that we build a system in which we
support each other, in which we allow each other to grow and expand with trust and confidence,” he stated.
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The preservation of Guyana’s disease-free status has emerged as a matter of strategic national and regional importance, extending far beyond the boundaries of veterinary science. At stake is the stability of food systems, the resilience of rural economies, and the credibility of trade across Latin America and the Caribbean.
Foot-and-mouth disease remains one of the most disruptive threats to agricultural production globally. Its highly contagious nature makes even a single outbreak capable of triggering widespread economic and social consequences. For a country positioned as a key agricultural contributor within the Caribbean Community, the implications are particularly significant. Maintaining a status free of the disease without reliance on vaccines represents a critical advantage, reinforcing confidence among trading partners and safeguarding access to regional and international markets.
The regional context underscores the urgency of sustained vigilance as Caribbean economies continue to rely heavily on food imports, particularly meat and poultry products. This dependency exposes the region to external shocks, fluctuating prices, and supply chain vulnerabilities. Efforts to reduce this reliance are essential to long-term economic stability and food sovereignty. The target of significantly lowering food imports by the end of the decade echoes a shared recognition that regional production must be strengthened in both scale and resilience.
Within this framework, Guyana occupies an important role, as expanding agricultural output is not only a national development priority but also a regional obligation. Investments in livestock production, including meat, dairy, and small ruminants, signal a deliberate shift toward building a more robust and self-sufficient agrifood sector. These initiatives are designed to increase supply, create employment, and support rural livelihoods, while contributing to the broader goal of regional food security.
However, such determinations are inherently vulnerable to biological threats, as an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease would have immediate and far-reaching consequences, including the closure of export markets, loss of livestock, and disruption of supply chains. Rural communities, which depend heavily on livestock for income and sustenance, would bear a disproportionate share of the impact. Moreover, the ripple effects would extend across borders, undermining collective efforts to build a more integrated and competitive agricultural economy.
This reality highlights the necessity of strong institutional frameworks and regional cooperation. Disease prevention and control cannot be approached in isolation. Cross-border coordination, information sharing, and adherence to international standards are essential components of an effective response. The review of existing strategies and the development of a new action plan for the period 2026 to 2030 provide an opportunity to address gaps, strengthen surveillance systems, and enhance preparedness for emerging threats.
Equally important is the integration of disease management into broader agricultural and economic planning. Protecting livestock health must be seen as a foundational element of food security policy. Investments in infrastructure, research, and technical capacity are required to sustain progress and adapt to evolving risks. Climate change, shifting trade patterns, and increased movement of goods and people all contribute to a more complex risk environment, necessitating a proactive and coordinated approach.
The economic rationale for maintaining a disease-free status is clear, as access to export markets depends heavily on compliance with sanitary and phytosanitary standards. Any lapse in disease control could result in immediate trade restrictions, eroding competitiveness and deterring investment. Conversely, a strong record of disease prevention enhances credibility and positions Guyana as a reliable supplier within the region and beyond.
Reliable access to affordable and nutritious food remains a fundamental concern for many Caribbean nations. Strengthening regional production capacity reduces dependence on imports and enhances the ability to respond to external shocks. In this context, safeguarding livestock health becomes a cornerstone of a wider strategy aimed at building resilience and sustainability.
The path forward requires sustained commitment at both the national and regional levels. Policy alignment, adequate resource allocation, and continuous monitoring are essential to maintaining progress. The transition to a new strategic cycle offers an opportunity to reinforce these commitments and to ensure that disease prevention remains a central priority.
Preserving Guyana’s current status demands ongoing vigilance, investment, and collaboration. The stakes are high, but so too are the potential rewards. A secure, disease-free livestock sector can serve as a foundation for expanded production, increased trade, and a more resilient regional food system.
I was wrong about the danger of smartphones in schools. It’s far, far worse than I thought
B y L o L a o ko L osie
It seems unbelievable now, but a decade ago we were debating the potential positive merits of mobile phones in schools. Back then, some private school headteachers insisted these mini-computers were a “powerful resource” teachers should “harness” rather than fear. To counter what I can now only call a fantasy, in these pages I argued the opposite case. To introduce them into classrooms would widen the attainment gap between rich and poor students. It would also heap more pressure, I wrote, on children whose parents could not afford the eye-watering costs of the latest smartphone. Looking back, both the defence of phones in schools and my rebuttal of it appear painfully naive.
Phones have proved far worse than either side of the debate could have conceived. Schools know all too well the threat phones pose to pupils’ attention. But it’s more serious than just classroom disruption. Smartphones, and their symbiotic relationship with social media apps, have proved themselves the tobacco of our age. The Government’s announcement on Monday that it would turn its existing guidance in England on phones in schools into a statutory ban sounds less like a bold intervention
and more like a simple recognition of reality.
Smartphones expose young people to a range of harms, from sleep loss due to doom scrolling and crippling feelings of inadequacy driven by the compulsion to “compare and despair”, to radicalisation by the manosphere and easy access to violent pornography. The list goes on. Schools have already concluded that unless pupils are safeguarded from the dangers of smartphones, teachers cannot adequately teach.
Schools also know that enforcing such a ban is anything but straightforward. In February, research by Birmingham University found that staff at English schools with “restrictive” smartphone policies – those that require pupils to turn phones off and place them in a bag or hand devices in – spent more than 100 hours a week enforcing those rules. That’s the equivalent of a week’s working hours for three full-time members of staff. Researchers concluded that at a potential cost of £94 per pupil, enforcement was a “huge drain” on already stretched resources. The question then is, will the Government increase school funding, considering this reality?
Given that the Government has proposed a 6.5 per cent pay rise for teachers over three years
without funding it, meaning schools themselves must absorb the cost, the answer is probably no.
The problem of enforcement will not magically disappear. Some teachers, too scared or tired of the disruption that will come when they ask for a pupil’s phone, will continue to “tactically ignore” the ping of WhatsApp notifications.
A head of year working at a school with a “restrictive” smartphone policy told me of the typical reactions of pupils caught with their phones: “denial and resistance”, “verbal abuse” and “serious hostility”. They spoke of one colleague who was forced to “lock themselves in their office” when confronted by a raging student demanding the return of their phone. They described some pupils who happily opt for a day out from the routine of the normal school day rather than hand over their devices.
Then there were the students who carried multiple phones so that when challenged by a teacher, they could offer up a decoy and appear compliant with school rules. One student’s complete dependency on their phone resulted, the head of year recounted, in a total “meltdown” at their parent’s attempt to place boundaries on their usage. They ransacked their home like an addict desperate for a fix.
In another school, an
assistant head recently told me that a parent, furious at the school’s confiscation of their child’s mobile, called the Police. That example speaks to the complexity at hand.
A Smart Schools study published in the Lancet Regional Health – Europe found no evidence that restrictive phone policies in schools resulted in better mental health. Or, crucially, that they lower phone or social media use overall. While schools can curb the use of phones during the day, they are powerless to enforce those boundaries beyond the school gates. Pupils compensate for their daytime sobriety with heavier phone use at home.
So, yes, a mobile phone ban is necessary and welcome. But schools are allowed to ask what support they will be given to manage the transition period. The solution must include families, Government and, most importantly, the social media companies themselves, which can do more to build safeguards against teens’ misuse of platforms. Teachers can confiscate a handset, but they cannot, on their own, cancel out childhoods shaped by addiction to “infinitely scrollable” feeds. Pretending that they can would be painfully naive. (The Guardian) (Lola Okolosie is an English teacher and writer)
Dear Editor,
On the opening of the newly-completed Aubrey Barker Road, the President was vociferous in his intentions for Georgetown; his vision and goals for the city mirror the wishes of many Guyanese, and credit must be given to this Administration for the exceptional work they have been doing. Their long-term vision is becoming more visible on the horizon, and it is inevitably clear that Georgetown is next and will become a jewel of the Caribbean. Unfortunately, that idea is being trampled upon and regarded as a threat to the APNU, who have since been using every tool at their disposal to STOP such progress from reaching the city, and you might be surprised because the intention behind such shameless acts ties more into their own survival rather than the development of the city.
The APNU has been losing their influence in the district of Georgetown for the longest while; every single election we saw how their margins got thinner. Mind you, Georgetown has ALWAYS been the backbone of support for the
SURVIVAL of the APNU. For decades they have instilled fear & racism to brainwash their supporters AGAINST using their own conscience and critical thinking, essentially hoping that it would provoke them to “lash out” with extreme emotional undertones, i.e. (act then think). Just ask any APNU supporter residing in Georgetown, and they will tell you, “The PPP don’t do nothing for us.” Where do you think that concept came from? Who installed that idea in their minds? Now that the Government is embarking on making the city into something EVERYONE could enjoy, we suddenly have the APNU and their minions at the M&CC saying things like “sinister” & “hostile takeover” without even providing a SHRED of solid evidence to support this. (Remember the winning SoPs?) Personally, I feel like APNU thinks they own the “land title” to Georgetown; their delusions persist in a reality vastly different from anything sane or sensible to the common man, particularly because outside of claiming racial per-
secution, they have no other track record that they can proudly speak on. Their entire political founding was to attack any opposition from rising beyond their relevance, like the “Kim dynasty” of North Korea. And this delusion extends into the town council, which argues that the Government is acting on its own, but a little introspection of the M&CC of Georgetown tells you exactly why:
The People’s National Congress (PNC) controlled the Mayor and City Council (M&CC) of Georgetown for 59 years. This control spanned from 1965 until the early 2020s, with accusations of corruption, mismanagement, and overinflated property rates to maintain control during their tenure. The last fully completed, comprehensive audit of the Georgetown Mayor and City Council (M&CC) was for the year 2004. While statements were submitted for later years, they often lacked sufficient data for a full audit or were not submitted at all, with major backlogs and “disclaimers” regarding accuracy frequently noted by the Audit Office of
Guyana.
Financial statements were not submitted for many years, including 2006, 2008–2011, and 2017–2019. Audits of specific records (like 2022) have shown “significant deficiencies” and “material weaknesses”, including issues with tracking revenue/managing financial controls and While the M&CC continues to present annual budgets, including a $5.69B plan for 2026, properly audited financial statements for the past two decades remain outstanding. The council is alleged to have neglected collection of a reported $6.7 billion in taxes, with over $6 billion allegedly owed by the PNC/R itself. The Council was criticised for leasing prime road-front property to the PNC for approximately $20,000 per year for 99 years.
To top it off, all the fancy “European-styled” infrastructure reminiscent of colonial times still exists under the PNC-controlled town council, accommodating traffic beyond its capacity, notably, IGNORED and left to crumble because of fears of invalidation as cultural/ Traditional support
Dear Editor,
It reminds me of the days of yore when cricket was a highly segregated sport in British Guiana.
There was a saying that if one could get selected for the GCC (Georgetown Cricket Club), one could be selected for B.G.
However, not all the eleven players selected to represent B.G. were from the GCC; they selected a couple from other Georgetown Cricket Clubs.
It was not until the great Barbadian cricketer Clyde Walcott was hired as a coach by Sir Jock Campbell (then head of Bookers Sugar Estates) that “country boys” such as the great Rohan Kanhai, Basil Butcher, Joe Solomon, Ivan Madray, and the likes were given an equal opportunity to play for B.G., and the rest is history. Rohan Kanhai is said to have put B.G. on the map with his exploits on the cricket field in foreign lands.
Today, our country is well-off, and tons of money are allocated in each
annual budget for sports, but who benefits? Not the countryside folks. Mainly the players in or around Greater Georgetown benefit the most. There is not a level playing field, to use that proverbial term.
When I look at two sports in particular, I find that the Government funding is not being permeated to the rural part of our country, just as it happened prior to the Walcott/Kanhai era.
For squash, all I see are rich people from some select families from the city and surrounding perimeter playing in these tournaments. Some don ‘t even look like they should be on a squash court. Is there a fitness level that they have to achieve?
For badminton, two siblings have represented the country for the longest time. Of course, these two would always be selected because they are probably the best, but the best out of which competition?
What is their world ranking? When last did either one has an Olympic qualify-
ing ranking?
The Sports Minister and the Director of Sports need to consider shedding those expensive suits, rolling up their sleeves, and accounting for the massive spending of the taxpayer dollars allocated in the annual budget.
Do we need to find new visionaries such as Sir
Clyde Walcott and Sir Jock Campbell to bring us back to a level playing field?
Let us have equity in sports. No player should be left behind because of where they live or because they are poor.
Sincerely,
Sham Rahman Mohammed
will shift away from them if they are not in power to claim credit for it. Their stance against the development of Georgetown transcends any concerns or representation of what the people want and has more to do with what they will lose out on.
To the hard-line supporters of the APNU and those that are told to support them, stop and ask yourself:
1. Is it sensible that the party you are supporting is actively trying to undermine the development of Georgetown?
2. Why would the APNU want the city to remain as is when opportunities to modernise it are coming on stream?
The indicators are clear! APNU fully knows that should the PPP/C Government enter and start improving Georgetown, it would signal the END of their political life and their decades-old agenda of racial division for survival. Based on their actions, it seems as if they want YOU, the residents of Georgetown, to remain in the same deplorable environment so they can continue to use
your plights as their “artificial campaign portfolio” to show the world that they are “advocating for something” when in reality they just need the residents of Georgetown to support them to keep their relevance in modern politics alive.
The Aubrey Barker Road was a litmus test in my opinion because the APNU surely must’ve seen the several videos of residents in that area (their own traditional support base) praising the Government. This is sounding the alarm bells at Congress Place because they know they can no longer fool their supporters and are finding it difficult to spread their message of race in the typical vague fashion within those same communities. That’s why you see them on social media running around with their latest claims of Guyana becoming an “Indian State” all the while failing to provide any solid evidence to prove this, i.e., an attempt to drive fear into communities that are shifting away from their toxic agendas.
Kind regards, Dev Harry
3.
Questions 4 to 6 refer to the chart below.
4. What was the least popular flavour? (A) Vanilla (B) Chocolate (C) Strawberry (D) Butterscotch
5. Which of the following tally marks would correctly complete the chart for chocolate-flavoured ice cream? (A) IIII IIII (B) IIII IIII (C) IIII IIII
(D)
6. How much more vanilla-flavoured ice cream cones must be sold in order to equal the total sale of strawberry and butterscotch flavours? (A) 8 (B) 10 (C) 16 (D) 20
Question 7 refers to the pictures below.
7. The school’s cricket club bought 5 bats, 4 pairs of pads and 2 pairs of gloves for $69000. What is the price of one pair of gloves? (A) $4500 (B) $6000 (C) $7500 (D) $9000
Materials
• 2 cups cornflour
• 1 cup water
• Food colouring
• A mixing bowl
• A spoon • A measuring cup
Instructions
1. Start by measuring out about 2 cups of cornflour and pouring it into your mixing bowl.
2. Next, grab your water and add a few drops of food colouring. Stir the water gently until the food colouring is fully dissolved. (This step is optional.)
3. Slowly pour the water into the
bowl of cornflour. Do this a little at a time while mixing with a spoon. As you mix, you’ll notice the texture start to change. It might look a little lumpy at first, but keep stirring.
4. Once the mixture starts to come together, use your hands to knead and mix. You’ll want the consistency to be just right: solid when you press it but liquid when you release it. If it’s too thick, add a tiny bit more water. If it’s too runny, add more cornflour.
5. Now for the fun part! Try different experiments: squeeze it, poke it, roll it into a ball, or tap it quickly. Observe the reactions.
By JARED CARTER
What’s happening?
A non-Newtonian fluid is a fluid that does not follow Newton's law of viscosity. In nonNewtonian fluids, viscosity can change when under force to become either more liquid or more solid. Ketchup, for example, becomes runnier when shaken and is thus a nonNewtonian fluid.
The explanation for the strange behaviour lies in the shape of cornflour particles, which are long and thin. When cornflour mixes with water, the starch does not dissolve but remains in suspension. Move the mixture slowly, and the particles slide past each other. Move it quickly, and the particles tangle with each other so that the mixture hardens. (scienceworld.ca)
(Adapted from weareteachers.com)
To improvise, first let your fingers stray across the keys like travelers in snow: each time you start, expect to lose your way. You’ll find no staff to lean on, none to play among the drifts the wind has left in rows. To improvise, first let your fingers stray beyond the path. Give up the need to say which way is right, or what the dark stones show; they will show nothing till you lose your way. And what the stillness keeps, do not betray: the one who listens is the one who knows. To improvise, let all your fingers stray; out over emptiness is where things weigh the least. Go there, believe a current flows each time you start: expect to lose your way. Risk is the pilgrimage that cannot stay; the keys grow silent in their smooth repose. To improvise, first let your fingers stray. Each time you start, expect to lose your way.
(Source: Poetry [October/ November 1987])
Write a story where everything your character writes comes true, just not in the way they intended.
President Dr Irfaan Ali on Wednesday announced that Guyana stands ready to assist the Caribbean in the areas of telemedicine and the implementation of artificial intelligence (AI) in healthcare delivery.
He made the remarks whilst addressing the opening ceremony of the 70th Annual CARPHA Health Research Conference at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre in Guyana.
“Today, in Guyana, we’ve embraced telemedicine because of our geographic layout, and we’ve already seen great success; we’ve seen lives saved, we’ve seen the need for medical evacuation reduced, and we’ve seen greater support by specialist staff to others in hinterland and remote areas. I think, per capita, we may have the highest telemedicine reach maybe globally but definitely in this region, and we’re ready to deploy this invest-
ment for the rest of the region,” the Head of State noted.
Launched in 2022, Guyana’s telemedicine programme connects remote hinterland and riverine communities with specialists, rapidly expanding to roughly 130 sites by early 2026. The initiative uses real-time video, audio, and diagnostic tools to improve healthcare access, supported by a dig-
ital health records system and training for local health workers.
The Government plans to develop 50 more sites this year.
According to President Ali, his Government is ready to work with the rest of the region in rolling out this initiative, with Guyana as a hub.
“We’re ready to partner with the rest of the region
in creating a telemedicine hub here in Guyana to support the rest of the region, whether it’s for clinical care, research or educational purposes,” he said.
President Ali also spoke about his Government’s investment in utilising artificial intelligence in healthcare, specifically in diagnostics. He noted that Guyana is also willing to share its experience in this area with the rest of the region.
He explained that, historically, “maybe it took us a day to organise a scan and then a day to read the scan. Today, we can get that scan done and get it read and evaluated within three minutes with AI. We have bought into that technology that allows us to do that here in Guyana, and we’re ready to scale that up with the rest of the region. We’ve already implemented it in four of our facilities, and we would love to share that ex-
perience with you”.
One of the locations where this technology is being utilised is at the Enmore Regional Hospital on the East Coast of Demerara (ECD).
Speaking during the opening of the Enmore Regional Hospital in July, President Ali had spoken about the need to deploy advanced technology in healthcare. “Guyana will emerge as a regional leader in smart care health services through a bold and forward-thinking health agenda. The country is rapidly integrating digital technology into public health infrastructure. We’re ushering in an era where data-driven decisions, telemedicine, electronic health records and AI-assisted diagnostics are no longer futuristic ideas but everyday realities,” he had posited.
President Ali had previously announced that this year, Guyana will break new medical ground with
the nation’s first robotic-assisted surgery. The breakthrough will see highly specialised surgeons based in the United States performing procedures in Guyana using advanced robotic technology.
Training Meanwhile, addressing the CARPHA Conference, President Ali also announced that the country is working on a platform to assist the region in training healthcare professionals.
“We’re intensifying the training of health professionals, including through the use of hybrid training programmes. And, I want to say that we’re building up our nursing programme and our hybrid programme to be available to all of the region soon,” the Guyanese leader noted as he reminded us of his commitment that Guyana’s prosperity “must lead to regional prosperity and regional development.”
“Build resilience against global shocks...
Meat supplier
Citing Guyana’s leading role in food security within the Caribbean Community (Caricom), Ali went on to note that as a foot-andmouth disease-free country, Guyana is now opened up to valuable export opportunities and further positioned the country as a dependable supplier of meat and dairy products in the region.
“At a time when the region is seeking to reduce its dependence on imported food, Guyana’s disease-free status enhances confidence in our agricultural systems, supports investments, and serves as an important line of biosecurity protection for neighbouring states. In this sense, it is a pillar of economic resilience and regional food security. That resilience has become even more vi-
tal in an era when external shocks can rapidly disrupt access to food, inputs, and markets beyond our shores,” he emphasised.
Guyana’s Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice) is being transformed into a national and Caricom livestock capital. Efforts are also ongoing to further solidify the country as a regional feed producer, with expected growth in corn and soybean production. Additionally, infrastructure and silo construction have also enhanced post-harvest handling. These will be bolstered with plans over the next five years to strengthen the national breeding programme, achieve self-sufficiency in hatching eggs, construct modular and mini-abattoirs, and promote precision livestock farming.
“Our financial commit-
ment to expanding and financing the livestock sector has been steady and growing. And our traceability system, combined with advances in diagnostics, positions Guyana as a regional reference point for modern evidence-based animal health management,” the President posited.
Under the 25 by 2025 plus 5 initiatives, Caricom is looking to reduce food imports by some 4.6 million tonnes by 2030, with meat and dairy products being a key priority.
At present, Caricom imports approximately 66,308 metric tonnes of meat, valued at US$312.3 million, and 204,000 metric tonnes of poultry and eggs, valued close to US$4,000,000. The region is looking to slash these figures significantly with the
production of 78,000 tonnes of meat, 261,000 tonnes of poultry and eggs, and 620 tonnes of dairy – something which President Ali, who is leading the Caricom food security initiative, is confident can be achieved.
However, the Guyanese leader underscored the importance of a disease-free zone in order to get to this milestone, telling regional stakeholders who gath-
ered in Georgetown to craft a new action plan for the coming years during the twoday COSALFA meeting that Caricom has even made reforms to reduce barriers to inter-regional livestock trade and improve market access.
“As we scale up production of meat, poultry, dairy, and small ruminant sectors, with over US$650 million in investment opportunities, we rely on the
assurance that our region remains protected from transboundary animal diseases. It is hoped that a 2026-2030 action plan to be implemented will give us that assurance.”
“Guyana stands ready to lead, ready to partner, and ready to advance a future where food production, animal health, and public trust go hand in hand,” President Ali declared.
Say what you will… But you can’t say the PPP ain’t bold!! At least the PPP of President Mohamed Irfan Ali!! After announcing – while he was declaring the 4-lane Aubrey Barker Highway linking South GT to the Ogle Motorway – that his Government was taking over some FIFTY-SEVEN major GT streets, he explained where he was going. Taking his cue from another Muhammed Ali – who used to fly like a butterfly and sting like a bee and win all his bouts!! – He announced alliteratively, “…we’re not playing politics with potholes; we’re not campaigning with congestion. We’re not grandstanding with gridlock – we are governing!! And governance requires responsibility!!”
Now how about them apples!! The man was expressing the most fundamental law of governance – whether of a business or of a country: Your span of responsibility MUST match your span of authority!! You can’t be held responsible for the functioning of something if you don’t have the authority to fix that something – when something ain’t going right, can you??!! But the Mayor and City Council (M&CC) and the entire Opposition – who consider themselves to have a transport over the citizens of our not-so-fair capital – keep on blaming the PPP Govt at the centre for whatever ails THEIR city at any time – even though the latter doesn’t have the AUTHORITY to take care of the capital!!
The Central Govt is named “CENTRAL” – because it has its constitutionally defined tasks to perform on behalf of the people of the ENTIRE country!! And similarly, the M&CC are named as such because they have their constitutionally defined tasks to perform on behalf of the residents of the MUNICIPALITY of Georgetown!! They’re each elected by their constituencies to do their jobs – and both collect SEPARATE taxes to pay for doing it!! So, it’s now clear that Pressie has had it up to his throat with all the blame thrown his way!!
Taking control of the major streets – by pointing out they’re PUBLIC thoroughfares – is his opening salvo in showing the GTers how a basic service like keeping the city clean can be done!! But Pressie went further this time: he’s so convinced that the GTers themselves must be fed up with all the BS of the Opposition-controlled M&CC that he announced that he feels the PPP can win enough seats on the latter body in the upcoming municipal elections to control it – and FINALLY have authority over the entire city!! He figures that since the Opposition-controlled M&CC thinks he’s got the responsibility for the city – he might as well take the authority!!
Now this sounds eminently sensible – not to mention doable on account of the split Opposition and Pressie’s indefatigable political style!!
Like that other Ali, innit??
Lots of folks think the Chinks have the Yanks on the run on the economic front because of their successes in that area!! But your Eyewitness is old enough to remember in the 70s and 80s, then there was that same fear: the Japs would pip them!! First, it was their cars that did the unthinkable – pip the giant Detroit auto giants!! Then came all the cool, futuristic Japanese gadgets that everyone wanted: the Walkman, compact discs, the VHS, home video game consoles – even the first viable laptop computer, the Toshiba T1100!
Americans began to worry that the Japanese were more disciplined and dedicated to world economic and technological domination and that Americans themselves had become layabout fat cats who could no longer compete with zaibatsu corporate ninjas. Sounds familiar – if you substitute Chinese products, doesn’t it?? But the Japs faltered and faded – and history may just repeat itself!!
It’s now a FINANCED world – and the Yanks have its institutions – like THE reserve currency – locked off!!
…at deportees
We received 12 deportees a couple of days ago!! Now when Pres Trump announced his push in this area, we calculated THOUSANDS were due!!
Two were “criminals” – any pattern on the other 10??
Some 12 Guyanese were sent back from the United States (US) on Tuesday after being charged with and convicted of criminal offences in that country.
The Guyana Police Force (GPF) stated that upon their arrival at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA), they were escorted to the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) Headquarters, where they were interviewed and profiled by the relevant authorities.
Following the processing exercise, 10 of the deportees
were released into the care and custody of their relatives, with the understanding that they are to return on a later date.
Meanwhile, two men, a 42-year-old and a 35-yearold, are presently in Police custody in relation to the offences of murder and domestic violence, respectively, for which they were deported.
The GPF stated that the matter was handled in keeping with established procedures.
Back in June 2025, seven Guyanese nationals were deported from the United States, each implicated in a
range of criminal offences.
The offences include grand larceny, assault, sexual assault, aggravated assault, illegal entry, and domestic violence. According to the Ministry, the specific charges are as follows: one case each of grand larceny, assault, aggravated assault, illegal entry, and assault involving domestic violence, along with two cases of sexual assault.
The Home Affairs Ministry reminds all Guyanese citizens of the grave consequences of unlawful conduct and violations of immigration laws
while living abroad.
It also warned that involvement in criminal activity or any attempt to enter or remain in a foreign country illegally may lead to arrest, imprisonment, and eventual deportation.
Reaffirming its commitment to public safety and national security, the Ministry stated that it continues to collaborate with international partners to manage migration and enforce laws in the best interest of Guyana and its people.
United States Ambassador to Guyana, Nicole Theriot, reported that
routine deportations will continue as normal when pressed by a local journalist about the possibility of a mass deportation in light of President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown.
“We’ve always had routine deportations of citizens all over the Caribbean and all over the world, and
that’s not something new. But you won’t be seeing something like you’ve seen for Colombia or some of the other countries with large groups; that’s not something that would be happening for Guyana. It would just be a routine process that’s been going on for decades,” the US diplomat explained.
The Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) has confirmed that one of its vessels involved in an accident in the Barima River, Region One (Barima–Waini), on Sunday, was being operated without authorisation and was not engaged in official duties at the time.
According to the Commission, preliminary internal investigations revealed that the vessel was being used outside of its
approved scope when the incident occurred. GECOM is currently assisting the Guyana Police Force (GPF) with ongoing investigations into the circumstances surrounding the accident.
The Captain of the vessel, who is employed by GECOM, is in Police custody and is cooperating with authorities.
Reports indicate that the vessel collided with a sandbank near Morawhanna,
resulting in several persons on board sustaining injuries. GECOM clarified that none of the passengers were employees of or affiliated with the Commission.
The injured individuals were rescued by the Guyana Defence Force Coast Guard, which responded to the incident. The vessel was later destroyed by a fire of unknown origin.
GECOM expressed appreciation to the Coast
Guard for its response, noting that their actions ensured the safety of those on board and helped prevent more serious injury or loss of life.
The Commission also extended wishes for a full recovery to those injured.
GECOM also stated that it will continue to cooperate fully with the GPF as investigations proceed and will await the outcome before determining further action.
Four persons are now in Police custody and are being interrogated in connection with an armed robbery at a business establishment on Mon Repos Public Road, East Coast Demerara (ECD), on Tuesday evening.
Police stated that at about 20:48h on the day in question, the victims – two Chinese nationals – were in the process of closing their business when four males arrived on two motorcycles. The pillion riders, one armed with a firearm and the other with a knife, dismounted and entered the premises.
The suspects allegedly
pushed one of the victims to the ground and relieved him of a cell phone and a suitcase containing clothing, while the other victim was held at knifepoint and robbed of an undisclosed sum of cash, along with cash from the register.
The suspects then made good their escape.
However, Police patrols responded and went in pursuit of the men, but they managed to evade the lawmen. Nevertheless, during the pursuit, a mobile phone belonging to one of the victims was reportedly dropped by the suspects and later recovered by a Community Policing Group member,
who handed it over to the Police.
Acting on intelligence received and in coordination with the Guyana Police Force Command Centre, Police ranks conducted an operation at Robb Street, Georgetown, where a 21-year-old security guard, a 22-year-old construction worker from Robb Street, and a 25-year-old mason from Werk-en-Rust, Georgetown, were contacted and arrested.
A search was conducted at the premises where two 9mm pistols with 18 matching rounds of ammunition, one toy gun, three knives, and two XR mo-
torcycles were discovered. A sum of cash was also found on one of the suspects. Furthermore, Police acting on information received went to the home of a 19-year-old construc-
tion worker, where he was contacted and arrested. A search was conducted at the premises during which a quantity of cash and two cell phones were found.
The four suspects are
presently in Police custody assisting with investigations. CCTV cameras were observed at the business establishment and are being reviewed as part of the ongoing investigation.
The Government is aiming to have full health data coverage for all primary and secondary schoolchildren by the end of the year, President Dr Irfaan Ali revealed on Wednesday.
The initiative is being implemented by the Health Ministry in collaboration with the Education Ministry, with support from Mount Sinai. The aim of the programme is to ensure that the nation’s children are offered preventative care and opportunities for a healthy lifestyle through early detection of any health-related issues.
Under the programme, students benefit from comprehensive health checkups, comprising dental checks, vision screening, hearing exams, physical examination, growth and development monitoring, nutritional assessments, and body mass index and mental health screening, with the permission of their parents/ guardians.
If a child is found to have a health issue requiring further care, they are referred for additional medical assis-
$150,000 fine, jail time for driving unregistered vehicles – Police warn
Assistant Superintendent of Police Sherwin Henry issued a warning to motorists across Guyana on Wednesday, reminding them that driving unregistered vehicles is a direct breach of the law and carries both financial penalties and possible imprisonment.
Speaking on a recent Traffic Watch broadcast aired on another section of the media, Henry, who is stationed at Traffic Headquarters, pointed to Section 11 of the Motor Vehicle and Road Traffic Act, which prohibits the use of any unregistered vehicle on public roadways.
According to him, it is the responsibility of vehicle owners to ensure their vehicles are properly registered before being driven, and liability extends to anyone who permits the unlawful use of such vehicles.
the court, and you’re liable to a fine of $150,000 or three months in prison,” he added.
Police have been ramping up public awareness on traffic violations as part of ongoing efforts to improve road safety and ensure compliance with motor vehicle laws.
tance. The programme was launched in 2023 for nursery school students and has been expanded to include primary and secondary schools.
Speaking briefly about the initiative during the opening ceremony of the 70th Annual CARPHA Health Research Conference at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre in Guyana, President Ali noted that authorities were able to screen more than 80,000 pupils in the primary school system.
“Now we're going to the secondary school system. So, by the end of this year, we should have full data on all of our children in the primary and secondary school system so we can better align our public health care policy. But that took time,” President Ali noted, emphasising the importance of building public trust in the rollout of this initiative.
“We did that in collaboration with the parents, the teachers, and the community. Consent forms were developed that had to be signed… We had to build trust. We had to cre-
ate awareness. We had to let the parents and the children understand that this is part of the future,” he explained. In this regard, he emphasised the importance of involving the religious community.
“We have to get our pastors, our imams, and the pandits to include aspects of public health in their sermons every time they speak to the congregation, and then we have to integrate our public health into their congregation because this is a captive audience that can allow us to drive change at a faster pace. We have to get into the churches, the temples, the mosques, and the community centres; that is where public health matters, and that is where structural changes can occur,” President Ali outlined.
Earlier this year, the head of state had announced that the Guyanese Government would partner with the various religious communities across the country on a major initiative to address a series of public health issues and to help promote healthier lifestyles among citizens.
27 applications received for Vice Chancellor’s post – UG
The University of Guyana has received 27 applications for the position of Vice Chancellor and principal, following an international recruitment exercise conducted by a council-appointed search committee.
Over the past few years, the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) noted that it has observed with concern the increase in the number of unregistered motor vehicles traversing the public roadways. It has reminded importers, investors, and owners of unregistered vehicles of the terms and conditions of the release of these vehicles from the city wharves, which restrict their use until after registration.
The announcement was made by Chancellor Sir Ronald Sanders, who confirmed that the application period closed on April 18. The Search Committee will now move to the next phase of the process, which involves reviewing submissions and shortlisting candidates.
He further stressed that all vehicles must display the required registration plates, noting that failure to comply will result in prosecution.
“You, the drivers, have the responsibility to ensure that the vehicle is carrying the relevant authority and has the same registered… Failing to do so… you will be charged and placed before
“No vehicle is to be driven on the road while it’s not registered. It is the owner’s responsibility to ensure that his vehicle or her vehicle is registered, and anyone who permits anyone to drive or is the owner of that said vehicle who fails to comply with the act shall be liable to a conviction of an offence of $150,000 or three months in prison,” Henry stated.
Persons have 14 days to take corrective actions and engage the customs, excise, and trade operations and licence revenue office to have those motor vehicles duly entered and registered.
Failure to comply will result in the GRA and the Police collaborating to have such vehicles detained.
The current Vice Chancellor, Professor Dr Paloma Mohamed-Martin's, tenure is scheduled to end in July 2026, marking seven years in office.
According to the University Council, the same procedures used in the previous selection process will be applied in the current round to ensure consistency, fairness, and adherence to established governance standards.
Sir Ronald noted that the appointment comes at
a time of significant national change. He pointed to Guyana’s ongoing economic expansion, including developments in the energy sector, infrastructure upgrades, economic diversification, and increased international engagement.
“In these circumstances, the University of Guyana must play a leading role in developing advanced human capital, strengthening research capacity, fostering innovation, and contributing independent expertise to national and regional development,” the Chancellor stated in a release to the media on Wednesday.
He added that the Council is seeking a transformational academic leader capable of positioning the university as a centre for research, professional training, and regional influence within a rapidly changing environment.
According to the release, the Chancellor further stated that the council remains committed to transparency throughout the process. He indicated that the public will be kept informed of key developments, including the announcement of shortlisted candidates and the scheduling of public lectures, which will form part of the evaluation process.
With South America achieving significant progress towards full eradication of the foot-and-mouth disease (FMD), officials are warning against complacency and the risks the region faces in the event of an outbreak.
Stakeholders from the Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) region are currently gathered in Georgetown for the 52nd Ordinary Meeting of the South American Commission for the Fight against Foot-and-Mouth Disease (COSALFA).
With the exception of Venezuela, all countries in South America are closer to eradicating foot-and-mouth disease, while subregions such as Central America, North America and the Caribbean are considered free of foot-and-mouth disease without vaccination.
According to Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha, this extraordinary progress was built on strong surveillance systems, coordinated vaccination strategies, and
the tireless work of veterinary services backed by decades of investments across the region.
Despite this achievement, however, Minister Mustapha warns that the job is not finished.
“The reality is this, the closer we get to full eradication, the higher the stakes become. One breach, one lapse in crossborder coordination, one weakness in early detection can undo years of effort,” the Minister posited.
Cautioned against complacency
Similarly, Director of the Pan American Footand-Mouth Disease and Veterinary Public Health Center (PANAFTOSA/ VPH), Manuel Sánchez Vázquez, also highlighted the region’s gains in its sanitary stability but cautioned against being complacent.
“This success, however, should not lead to overconfidence. While progress toward eradication has not
advanced at the same pace globally, the risk profile for the Americas has evolved, shifting from primarily regional concerns to increasing exposure to global dynamics,” Vázquez stated.
In the LAC region, there have been no intraregional introductions since 2018, and for several decades no incursions from outside the region have been recorded.
The PANAFTOSA director pointed to reports of outbreaks in countries across Europe, Asia and Africa that were previously recognised as FMD-free without vacci-
nation, highlighting that the disease continues to pose a global risk and underscoring the need for robust prevention frameworks and timely operational preparedness.
To this end, Vázquez noted that COSALFA, a 13-member-country body, remains essential as a space for dialogue, shared situational awareness, and coordinated regional action. The two-day meeting will
see stakeholders review the Hemispheric Program for the Eradication of Foot-andMouth Disease (PHEFA) Action Plan 2021–2025 and discuss the strategic direction of the 2026–2039 cycle.
2026-2030 action plan
Mustapha told the regional stakeholders that the 2026-2030 action plan must ensure sharper tools, a stronger system, and a clearer understanding of the
risk ahead. This includes examining the technical indicators that defined the progress thus far: the robustness of postvaccination monitoring; the performance of diagnostic laboratories; the integrity of traceability and animal movement controls; the readiness of emergency response mechanisms, and the emerging pressures from climate variability to increased trade flows that demand new approaches.
“For Guyana, hosting COSALFA 52 is part of our broader commitment to strengthening veterinary governance, expanding diagnostic capacity, and improving our national surveillance architecture. We see this meeting as an opportunity to deepen collaboration, accelerate technology adoption, and ensure that every country, large or small, has the systems needed to protect its livestock sector,” he posited.
Guyana is among the 13 countries in South America and Panama that form the South American Commission for the Fight Against FootandMouth Disease. COSALFA consists of 26 representatives from these member countries, including a delegate from the public sector – the director of the Official Veterinary Service – and a delegate from the private sector, representing the principal national livestock association of each country.
COSALFA 52, which concludes today, was organised by the Guyana Livestock Development Authority (GLDA) and PANAFTOSA.
The Agriculture Minister added, “This is not a routine meeting. It is a moment to sharpen our collective resolve. The region has come too far, invested too much, and built too strong a foundation to allow complacency to creep in. So, let us use this platform to push harder, think bigger, and act faster. Let us ensure that the next action plan positions our hemisphere not only to maintain FMDfree status but also to strengthen resilience across the entire animal health ecosystem.”
The Government Analyst-Food and Drug Department (GA-FDD) in Guyana is working on approving the use of Mounjaro, a once-weekly, self-injectable medication for managing Type 2 diabetes and chronic weight management in adults.
This was revealed by President Dr Irfaan Ali on Wednesday during the 70th Annual CARPHA Health Research Conference at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre, where he highlighted the disconnect between health innovation and regulatory frameworks.
According to President Ali, while “everybody is using it”, regulatory authorities are still working on approving the drug.
“Health innovation is ad-
vancing at a pace that far exceeds the ability of many regulatory systems to assess, approve, and monitor.
I’ll give you a simple example. I spoke to our Minister of Health recently. Our regulators at the Food and Drug Administration are still trying to approve Mounjaro, and everybody is [already] using it,” he pointed out.
“If the solution runs too far ahead of the regulator because of their ineffectiveness, or the ineffectiveness of the system to respond quickly, then the population will be ahead of you. The population will be ahead of you, and that is the complete collapse of a healthcare system,” the president outlined.
In fact, he contended that if the population is ready to accept a treatment or a new technology, while the reg-
ulators are lagging behind, “it’s a major problem”.
Against this backdrop, President Ali issued a call for the region to collectively address this issue.
“With the political will, we can fix this in a day. The models are all there. We can gather all of the best law-
yers in the region and parliamentary counsels and match them with regulators and come up with one master piece of legislation that the region can implement as a whole. Are we willing to do it?”
Apart from the weight loss drug, President Ali ex-
plained that artificial intelligence, digital therapeutics, and rapidly developed medical products are entering the market faster than governance frameworks can evolve.
This, he noted, creates tension between speed and safety.
“The challenge is now even sharper with generative AI and adaptive algorithms where questions of transparency, accountability, and post-market surveillance remain unresolved. Without regulatory innovation, technological innovation risks outpacing public trust. And this conference must be able to do that. You have to find that balance. If we don’t find that balance, then public trust will be eroded,” the president stated.
Ozempic-equivalent drugs
Meanwhile, last year, Minister of Health Dr Frank Anthony had announced that Guyana is in discussions with several international pharmaceutical companies interested in partnering to produce biosimilar medicines locally, including alternatives to popular drugs like Ozempic. He made the announcement during a White Coat graduation ceremony.
“These partnerships will open doors for industrial pharmacy and local pharmaceutical manufacturing. We are laying the groundwork for a future where Guyana not only delivers high-quality healthcare but also contributes to global pharmaceutical innovation,” Dr Anthony had stated.
As countries in the Caribbean continue to place emphasis on food security and building resilience and economies of scale to combat their vulnerabilities to climate shocks, Guyana’s senior Minister with responsibility for finance, Dr Ashni Singh, has called on regional leaders to redouble efforts to ensure that the historical impediments affecting the free movement of goods and people across the region are removed.
He made this plea on Tuesday at the One Caribbean Ministerial Dialogue forum convened by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) Group themed “Building Resilience through Regional Collaboration” in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago (T&T).
At the time, the Guyanese Minister was leading an open-floor discussion on “Building Food Resilience”, which he pointed out is being hindered by the inability to freely move goods across and within the region.
“There are still, in some of our jurisdictions, some remaining regulations that impede free and easy trade in food products, in agricultural food products, and I think there needs to be a redoubled effort within our region to remove these barriers,” Dr Singh posited.
Currently, Caribbean Community (Caricom) leaders have adopted the objective of reducing the region’s food import bill by 25 per cent by 2025, which has now been extended to 2030 largely due to the shocks suffered over the last five years, with a clear mandate to reduce food imports in the region by an estimated 4.6 million tonnes by 2030 to build a resilient, competitive and
climate-smart resilient agri-food system, which many countries have been focused on.
Internal impediments
But according to Dr Singh, there are still some remaining internal impediments, including sanitary and phytosanitary barriers to intra-regional trade. However, he noted that some countries have taken steps to address some of the barriers while also enhancing their own food systems.
“In each of our respective countries, each of us has been investing in one aspect or another in pursuit of the objective of the realisation of our objectives in relation to food security. In the Bahamas investments are being made in the area of climate-smart agriculture and the deployment of solar-powered and hydroponic farms. In Belize, financial support is being provided for small farmers and projects targeting sugar, rice, maize and soyabean. Jamaica is making significant investments in cold storage and the supply chain and in areas like water management and crop shifting,” Minister Singh outlined.
He also highlighted that in Guyana heavy investments are being made in more climate-resilient agriculture and, in particular, drainage and irrigation infrastructure for better water resources management and a more climate-resilient agricultural sector, and therefore, the food security agenda is foremost amongst the priorities in Guyana and across the Caribbean, with the objectives being to ramp up production and productive capacity.
“In Guyana’s case, this includes transport infrastructure to open up more
productive land, building out farm-to-market roads to be able to bring our production more efficiently to markets, building out agro-processing capabilities so that we are no longer an exporter of primary agricultural produce but that we produce more value-added output and, in particular, unlocking the opportunities that lie in more intra-regional trade in agricultural products,” he added.
The Minister noted, however, that herein lies the issue in relation to transport infrastructure, especially the movement of goods across and within the region.
Dr Singh emphasised that food security is not only a humanitarian necessity but also a fundamental economic pillar for the Caribbean. He further explained that notwithstanding the region’s competitive agriculture advantages, there still remain significant vulnerabilities, including climate shocks.
The finance Minister went on to express deep appreciation for the IDB’s efforts through the One Caribbean initiative, noting that the bank’s support is vital for both public infrastructure and private sector growth in achieving long-term economic resilience.
“Agriculture and agribusiness are an important aspect of our productive economy and an important contributor to job creation and the creation and enhancement and improvement and enhancement of livelihoods for young people in the region,” Minister Singh concluded.
Bemoan restrictions
Dr Singh’s call comes as the Guyanese private sector continues to bemoan the restrictions that hin-
der free trade with some Caribbean nations, especially T&T.
In recent years, local businesses have encountered issues with products such as honey and diary items that were blocked during transhipment through the Twin-Island Republic due to phytosanitary restrictions.
However, just two weeks ago, President Dr Irfaan Ali and Prime Minister of T&T Kamla Persad-Bissessar discussed and agreed on a development, trade and economic agenda aimed at deepening bilateral relations between the two nations.
The two leaders discussed key areas, including food security and investment opportunities,
energy integration, technology exchange, human capital development, and strengthening security. They also agreed to establish a working group to remove trade barriers and improve competitiveness.
This meeting was held in Port-of-Spain, where President Ali had travelled to deliver the feature address at the T&T Chamber of Industry and Commerce Annual Meeting on April 10.
Bureaucratic issues
In fact, the Guyanese leader, during his address at the T&T Chamber’s Business Meeting, called for the two countries to come together for a 72hour period to iron out the bureaucratic issues that
pose hindrances to a strong economic partnership.
“If we care about partnership, if we care about building consortiums. If we care about building a joint economic front between Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago, then we must care about fixing the problem, and let’s get in that room, lock ourselves up for 72 hours and fix the damn problem,” the Head of State declared.
President Ali, questioned by reporters in Trinidad following his remarks, declared that he and the Guyanese government are ready to sit down and fix these issues.
“It is needed. We all know it is needed. It is critically needed,” he emphasised.
Afirearm and several rounds of ammunition were discovered during a Police operation at Red Road, Sophia, Greater Georgetown, on Tuesday evening, leading to the arrest of two persons.
The discovery was made around 17:45h during a mobile patrol in the area by ranks of Regional Division 4 A, according to Police. Information revealed that ranks were on patrol when they observed a white Toyota Allion motor car proceeding in the opposite direction in a manner described as “suspicious”.
The vehicle was signalled to stop by Police; however, the driver reportedly failed to comply and continued driving, prompting a pursuit. The motor car was subsequently intercepted further north on Red Road, Sophia, where the driver, a 32-year-old vendor of D Field, Sophia, and a 40-year-old female passenger of D’Urban Street, Lodge, were seen.
The driver was immediately arrested and escorted, along with the vehicle, to the Turkeyen Police Station.
A search conducted on
the motorcar in his presence led to the discovery of a black ski mask containing a silver and black. 380 Lorcin pistol, along with seven rounds of .380 ammunition.
The firearm and ammunition were seized and lodged as investigators continued their probe. The female passenger initially left the scene as a crowd gathered but was later contacted by investigators and subsequently arrested.
Both suspects remain in custody, assisting with investigations.
Senior Minister with Responsibility for Finance, Dr Ashni Singh, has revealed that the Government has processed a total of 241,614 cash grants to citizens across the country.
In his recent update on the cash grant distribution exercise, the Minister explained on Wednesday evening that of this figure, some 218,227 persons have received their $100,000 cash grant directly into bank accounts via commercial banks and the New Building Society (NBS).
Previously, NBS accountholders were unable to receive payments directly into their bank accounts as a result of some technological issues that are peculiar to that institution. But the Minister revealed that those issues have since been sorted out.
“We listened to the concerns that were expressed, and we were able to put in place a workaround solution that has now enabled us to include the New Building Society on the portal. So, persons with bank accounts at the NBS can now register on the portal to receive their cash grants into their NBS accounts,” he noted.
In fact, so far, approximately 1388 persons have since been able to receive their cash grants directly into their NBS accounts.
Apart from the 218,227 persons who have received direct deposits of their cash grant into their commercial bank accounts or NBS accounts, the Government has also implemented a special solution for persons living in hinterland areas and remote communities. This saw personnel travelling to these locations, resulting in approximately 23,387 persons with limited access to bank-
ing services receiving their cash grants directly.
“As a result of those special arrangements, a grand total of 241,614 persons have now received their cash grants, of which 218,227 persons got their cash grants directly into their accounts without having to leave their home and without having to join a line to register anywhere, to uplift a cheque, and/or to deposit a cheque or to cash their cheque,” the Minister stated.
Dr Singh used the opportunity to encourage more persons, who have not as yet, to utilise the online portal at cashgrant.gov.gy to register and get their $100,000 cash grant deposited directly into their bank account, describing it as the most efficient way to receive payments directly into bank accounts.
The Government rolled out this latest tranche of cash grant distribution earlier this year with some 48,858 central Government employees, whose banking information is already available, receiving the first set of direct transfers.
Home-based registration
The Government has also announced that they will
Aquantity of cannabis was discovered during a Police patrol at Minab, Matthews Ridge, Region One (Barima-Waini), on Monday night.
The discovery led to the arrest of a 40-year-old truck driver.
According to Police, the find was made around 21:00h during a routine patrol conducted by ranks in the area. During the exercise, a motorcycle being ridden by the suspect, of Station Street, Matthews Ridge, was stopped after ranks conducted checks in the area.
A search was carried out on both the motorcycle and the rider, during which a small transparent plastic bag containing leaves, seeds, and stems suspected to be cannabis was allegedly found in the man’s left front pants pocket.
ganja that
He was arrested and escorted to the Matthews Ridge Police Station along with the suspected narcotics. The substance was weighed in his presence and amount-
ed to 11.8 grams before being lodged as evidence.
The suspect remains in custody.
also commence home-based registration support for shut-ins, including elderly and incapacitated persons, using data from old age pension and National Insurance Scheme (NIS) records.
Additionally, help desks will be established nationwide to assist citizens who have been unable to complete the online registration process.
The cash grant programme is open to Guyanese
citizens aged 18 and older.
While bank account details are required for direct deposits, the Finance Minister had previously assured that persons without bank accounts will still receive their payments through alternative arrangements.
During the previous national cash grant initiative, in late 2024 into 2025, more than $60 billion of disposable income was transferred into the pockets of over
600,000 Guyanese. Another $60 billion is expected to be transferred in this second round of distribution.
These two cash distribution exercises come on the heels of the first National Cash Grant of $25,000 per household that was paid when the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) resumed office in 2020 in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.
President Dr Irfaan Ali on Wednesday accepted the Letters of Credence from the newly-appointed British High Commissioner to Guyana, Joseph Guy Fisher, at the Office of the President.
In a statement shared on his social media page, the head of state said discussions following the accreditation ceremony focused on strengthening bilateral relations between Guyana and the United Kingdom. Key areas identified for collaboration include healthcare, education, security, climate change, biodiversity, environmental services, tourism and infrastructure.
Fisher’s appointment was previously announced by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) in March 2026. He assumed duties in April, succeeding Jane Miller, who concluded her tenure in January after
serving since July 2021.
In addition to his role in Guyana, Fisher will also serve as non-resident ambassador to Suriname and as the United Kingdom’s ambassador to the Caribbean Community (Caricom).
According to the FCDO, Fisher brings extensive diplomatic and national security experience to the position. He most recently served as private secretary to the United Kingdom’s national security adviser at Number 10 between 2024 and 2025. Prior to that, he completed the Higher Command and Staff Course at the Defence Academy in 2024.
Between 2022 and 2024, he held the post of deputy principal private secretary to the foreign secretary within the FCDO. His earlier roles include service in the Cabinet Office’s National Security Secretariat, where
he advanced from Team Leader to Deputy Head of Department from 2020 to 2022.
Fisher also has overseas experience, including a posting in Yangon, where he served as acting deputy head of mission in 2020 and earlier as second secretary responsible for political and press matters from 2011 to 2014. From 2014 to 2017, he worked as an international development liaison officer in the office of Aung San Suu Kyi.
Earlier in his career, he served in Afghanistan’s Helmand Province as a second secretary with a provincial reconstruction team and held roles within the Foreign and Commonwealth Office’s EU Directorate, Information Technology Department, and the joint FCO-DFID Sudan Unit. Fisher joined the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in 2007.
Crime in Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni) has declined by 30 per cent between January and April 2026, as a sweeping expansion of Police infrastructure across the hinterland begins to show measurable results in security delivery and law enforcement performance.
This is according to the Home Affairs Ministry, which in a statement on its social media page said that the reduction in serious crime comes alongside a sharp improvement in investigative outcomes, with Regional Division Seven recording a 157.1 per cent clear-up rate for the period under review.
In a release, the Ministry said that the figures reflect both the resolution of current cases and the clearance of older matters previously outstanding within the division.
The improvement in crime statistics follows a broader $2 billion security expansion programme across Region Seven, which
includes the construction and rehabilitation of several Police stations, expansion of marine policing capacity, and upgrades to operational infrastructure.
The programme includes the reconstruction of stations at Imbaimadai, Kamarang, and Kurupung alongside the establishment of a new Divisional Headquarters and enhanced marine assets in Bartica.
In relation to the Police officers’ living quarters in Kamarang, valued at $97.2 million, Home Affairs Minister Oneidge Waldron, while visiting the area, emphasised the importance of investing in the welfare of ranks serving in remote locations.
“When officers are properly accommodated, they are better able to serve. And when they serve better, communities grow stronger, safer, and more secure,” she said.
In Bartica, the Government has also strengthened marine policing capabilities through the
construction of a new boathouse at a cost of $34 million. This facility includes a watchtower, ramp, and a fixed walkway, all designed to support safer and more efficient deployment of Police vessels along key riverain routes.
“This is development with purpose. This is infrastructure designed not merely to exist but to function,” Walrond stated.
New Ekereku Police Station
On Tuesday, the Government of Guyana com-
missioned the new Ekereku Police Station, a $62.5 million facility described by officials as part of a deliberate strategy to strengthen state presence in remote communities. The facility is expected to improve response times and strengthen day-to-day
policing operations in the Upper Mazaruni corridor.
Delivering the feature address at the commissioning, Minister of Home Affairs Oneidge Walrond said the investments reflect a broader governance approach aimed at addressing long-standing disparities in development between the coast and hinterland.
She said the infrastructure rollout shows a shift in how development is delivered across the country, particularly in communities that have historically faced limited access to state services.
Minister Walrond contrasted the current approach with previous development models, describing the ongoing expansion as evidence of delivery-focused governance.
“This is the difference between talk and transformation. While others debate, we deliver. While others critique, we build. And the people of this country are seeing and benefiting from that difference every single day.”
In a landmark achievement for Caribbean public health, the World Health Organization (WHO), together with the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), congratulates The Bahamas for becoming the latest Caribbean nation to be certified as having eliminated the mother-to-child transmission of HIV.
“I congratulate the Bahamas on this outstanding achievement, which solidifies years of political commitment, and the dedication of health workers,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. “By ensuring that children are born free of HIV, we are securing a healthier, brighter future for the next generation.”
“This achievement reflects sustained political commitment and strong national leadership, alongside the dedication and compassion of the health
workforce,” said Dr. Jarbas Barbosa, PAHO Director and WHO Regional Director for the Americas. “As we look ahead, this milestone is not only a moment of national pride but also an opportunity to build on this success,” advancing efforts to end HIV and other communicable diseases as public health threats across the Caribbean and the Americas, he added.
The Bahamas achieved this milestone by pioneering a comprehensive and inclusive healthcare model. Key to this success has been the provision of universal antenatal care to all pregnant women, regardless of nationality or legal status, across both public and private facilities. This approach is supported by a strong, integrated laboratory network and a rigorous testing protocol that screens women at their first antenatal appointment and again
in the third trimester.
Elimination of mother-to-child transmission (EMTCT) interventions in the Bahamas are fully integrated into antenatal care standards and norms and implemented under the Maternal and Child Health (MCH) programme. MCH coordinates with the National Infectious Disease Programme, which oversees the prevention and treatment of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STI). This includes the introduction of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for HIV prevention, also offered to pregnant women. To ensure continuity of care, the health system maintains adequate monitoring for HIV-positive mothers and exposed infants, provides multi-month dispensing of antiretroviral medicines, and offers STI treatment and family planning services free of charge.
“For years, The Bahamas have been working very
hard to address the situation of HIV Aids,” said Dr Michael Darville, Minister of Health and Wellness of The Bahamas. “A lot of people have been involved in us achieving this great milestone – our nurses in our public health system, our nurses and doctors in our tertiary healthcare system and, by extension, all of the clinics spread throughout our archipelago.”
From Cuba, the first country in the world to be certified, and Brazil-certified last year, The Bahamas now joins a prestigious group of 12 countries and territories in the Region of the Americas at the forefront of the EMTCT movement. The Bahamas will continue efforts to sustain these standards through integrated primary care and continuous surveillance.
The road to elimination
To receive WHO certification, countries must prove they have sustained the fol-
lowing: reducing the mother-to-child transmission rate of HIV to less than 2%; Achieving fewer than 5 new pediatric HIV infections per 1000 live births, and maintaining 95% or higher coverage for antenatal care, HIV testing, and treatment for pregnant women.
“Latin America and the Caribbean has long been a beacon of progress in this global effort. From Cuba –the first country in the world to be certified – to Brazil’s certification last year, and now to The Bahamas, the region continues to lead with ambition and determination. Today, more than half of all countries and territories that have achieved elimination are from this region. This is a legacy of leadership that inspires the world,” said Anurita Bains, Global Associate Director for HIV/AIDS at UNICEF.
“The Bahamas are showing that eliminating motherto-child transmission HIV and other sexually trans-
mitted infections is possible,” said Winnie Byanyima, UNAIDS Executive Director. “This achievement reflects political will for steady investment in primary health care and the work of health teams and people living with and most affected by HIV. When women can test early in pregnancy, start treatment quickly, and stay in care, every child has a better chance of being born free of HIV and other STIs.”
The Bahamas’ success is part of the broader EMTCT Plus Initiative, which aims to eliminate mother-to-child transmission of HIV, syphilis, hepatitis B, and congenital Chagas disease. Implemented in collaboration with UNICEF and UNAIDS, the initiative is embedded within PAHO’s Elimination Initiative, a regional effort to eliminate more than 30 communicable diseases and related conditions in the Americas by 2030. (PAHO/WHO)
AColombian man, who is linked to a woman convicted for the murder of Colombian senator and Presidential hopeful Miguel Uribe, was arrested in Argentina, Argentine authorities said on Wednesday.
Uribe was seeking his party’s nomination for this year’s Presidential election but died in August 2025 from gunshot wounds to the head sustained during an attack two months earlier while campaigning in the Colombian capital Bogota.
The attack was Colombia’s most serious case of political violence in decades.
The suspect, identified as Brayan Ferney Cruz
Castillo, will be extradited to Colombia, the Argentine Prosecutor General’s Office said on its website.
Although Argentina’s Attorney General’s office and Police initially identified Cruz as a participant in the attack on Uribe, a source from the Colombian Attorney General’s office clarified that the detainee is not directly linked to the case but was the romantic partner of Katherine Andrea Martinez, who was convicted of participating in the politician’s murder.
Martinez was sentenced to 21 years and two months in prison for the attempted aggravated homicide, arms trafficking, and using mi-
nors to commit crimes.
Argentine Police reported that Cruz entered the country through an “unauthorised border crossing” and that he was arrested when he appeared at a courthouse where he was due to report every 15 days on a charge of “vehicle theft”.
In March, the Colombian Attorney General’s office had issued arrest warrants for seven leaders of the Segunda Marquetalia, a splinter group of the former Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia –People’s Army (FARC) guerrilla group, for their alleged roles in Uribe’s assassination. (Reuters)
Two elderly persons were rescued from a car after it went over a precipice off the Spur Tree Hill main road in Manchester on Wednesday morning.
Firefighters were called to the scene at 07:26h. On their arrival, an elderly man and woman, were seen suffering from injuries. Firefighters administered C-collars on both, and they were subsequently transported to hospital.
Passers-by say the vehicle involved in the crash was not visible from the main road. Up to 08:00h, firefighters also said they were yet to ascertain details on the crash. Police have since been deployed to the scene to conduct an investigation.
The Spur Tree main road links Mandeville and its environs to St Elizabeth and points west. Heavily laden, slow-moving trucks often hinder traffic on the steep, difficult hill, and there
have been a number of fatal crashes involving trucks and cars over the years.
Haiti and the Dominican Republic (DR) have agreed to reopen their airspace starting in May, allowing flights between their countries for the first time in more than two years.
The decision, announced April 17 in a joint statement released by the Haitian Government, clears the way for connections between three Dominican airports and one Cap-Haïtien in northern Haiti.
The countries share the same Caribbean island, called Hispaniola.
In March 2024, the Dominican Republic closed its airspace with Haiti for commercial flights, citing
the high levels of insecurity in the neighbouring nation after the assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moïse in 2021. It only permitted humanitarian flights.
In the months before the airspace closure, bilateral relations had been severely strained due to the conflict sparked by the construction of an irrigation canal in Haiti fed by the Massacre River, which runs through both countries. The Dominican Republic opposed the project, arguing that the construction would have negative environmental impacts and harm agricultural producers in both nations.
The authorities in Mexico are still piecing together how a typical morning at the ancient pyramid complex of Teotihuacán, one of the country’s foremost tourist destinations, descended into terrifying gun violence on Monday.
The video footage is disturbing. A gunman stands atop the imposing Pyramid of the Moon and opens fire on the tourists around him, who cower for cover among the pre-Hispanic stone structures.
After the ordeal, a 32-yearold Canadian woman had been killed, and the gunman had died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Tourists from several nations, including Russia, Colombia and Brazil, were treated for their injuries in local hospitals.
The fact that visitors from overseas were targeted poses trouble for the Government just weeks before Mexico cohosts the men’s football World Cup.
The shooting came less than two months after masked gunmen from the Jalisco New Generation Cartel unleashed a wave of violence, sowing fear across the country following
the killing of their leader “El Mencho” by the security forces.
But this incident was very different.
Mexican authorities say the Teotihuacán gunman acted alone and there was no apparent link to Mexico’s widespread cartel violence.
He has been identified as 27-year-old Julio César Jasso Ramírez, a Mexican citizen who lived in Mexico City.
Among the gunman’s belongings, officials found a handgun, a bag of cartridges and a tactical knife.
While guns are not as available over the counter or online with the same ease as in the United States, weapons can be readily obtained on the black market.
Most of those guns have been smuggled into the country from the US.
But, Attorney General of Mexico State José Luis Cervantes Martínez added, they also found “literature, images, manuscripts apparently related to acts of violence which are known may have occurred in the United States”. (Excerpt from BBC News)
Antiua and Barbuda (A&B)’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has taken note of a statement circulating in the public domain suggesting that the visa of the Honourable Prime Minister (PM) of Antigua and Barbuda has been revoked by the Government of the United States.
In a statement released on Wednesday, the Ministry wished to state unequivocally that these claims are false and entirely without foundation.
The Embassy of the United States in Barbados, which has responsibility for A&B, has indicated that there is no basis whatsoever
Friday’s decision followed bilateral talks focused primarily on border control and surveillance, migration and trade.
“This measure seeks to facilitate mobility, boost economic ties and strengthen relations between both countries,” according to the joint statement issued after a meeting between foreign ministers Roberto Álvarez of the Dominican Republic and Raina Forbin of Haiti.
The statement also thanked the international community, particularly the United Nations, for supporting Haitian authorities in their efforts to pacify the country. (The Haitian Times)
for the suggestion that the PM’s visa has been revoked.
The Ministry regards the circulation of this claim as
political mischief, intended to mislead the public and to create unnecessary concern during the current election period.
The Government of Antigua and Barbuda and the Government of the United States continue to maintain a constructive and collaborative working relationship, including on matters related to visas and consular affairs, as well as on broader issues of mutual interest.
The Ministry urges all concerned to exercise responsibility in public discourse and to refrain from disseminating unfounded and misleading information. (Antigua Newsroom)
Instructions have been given to charge a colleague of murdered San Fernando Municipal Police Corporal Anusha Eversley in connection with her killing and the theft of a large quantity of firearms and ammunition.
The 28-year-old Claxton Bay constable is facing charges of murder, robbery with violence, trafficking in firearms and possession of ammunition.
Hours ago, Director of Public Prosecutions Roger Gaspard, SC, instructed investigators to lay the charges during a meeting with senior homicide officers and the legal officer of the Homicide Bureau, Region Three.
The accused officer, who was arrested on Sunday, hours after the killing, is being held at the Mon Repos Police Station. Nine other suspects, aged between 16 and 33, are also in custody.
A Police source said more than 120 firearms were stolen. So far, the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) has recovered 43 firearms and over 900 rounds of ammunition.
An autopsy revealed that Eversley was strangled, beaten and stabbed and suffered sharp-force traumatic injuries, including stab and chop wounds.
Eversley, 42, was found dead at the Municipal Police
Headquarters on Lady Hailes Avenue at 04:40h on Sunday, and the weapons were missing from the armoury. She was the mother of three children, aged 18, 15 and seven, and had more than 19 years of service.
In a media release issued Wednesday, the TTPS said a 28-year-old municipal Police officer is expected to be charged for Eversley’s murder, which occurred on Sunday at the San Fernando Municipal Police Station, King’s Wharf. The TTPS said the charges follow advice received from the Director of Public Prosecutions on Tuesday. (Excerpt from Trinidad Guardian)
Oil prices settled up by more than US$3 on Wednesday after a surprise gasoline and distillate stock draw in the US and on reports of gunfire attacks on at least three container ships in the Strait of Hormuz amid a lack of progress in peace talks between the US and Iran.
Brent crude futures settled up US$3.43, or 3.48 per cent, at US$101.91 a barrel. West Texas Intermediate futures settled up US$3.29, or 3.67 per cent, to US$92.96. Both benchmarks climbed about three per cent on Tuesday.
At the session high, US crude futures were up by more than US$4 a barrel.
US crude stocks rose while gasoline and distillate inventories posted surprise draws in the week ended April 17, the Energy Information Administration said.
Crude inventories rose by 1.9 million barrels to 465.7 million barrels, while US gasoline stocks fell by 4.6 million barrels to 228.4 million barrels compared with analysts’ expectations in a Reuters poll for a 1.5-million-barrel draw.
Distillate stockpiles dropped by 3.4 million barrels in the week to 108.1 million barrels, versus expectations for a 2.5-million-barrel drop, the EIA data showed. (Excerpt from Reuters)
Türkiye is making efforts to revive negotiations between Russia and Ukraine and bring together the leaders of the warring sides, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has told NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte.
Ankara has maintained good ties with both sides since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Erdogan and Rutte met in the Turkish capital Ankara, the Turkish presidency said on Wednesday.
“Erdogan said we were engaged, as Türkiye, for the Ukraine–Russia war to end with peace and that we are working to revive negotiations and start talks at leaders’ level,” the presidency said in a readout of the meeting.
The Turkish President also told Rutte that maintaining transatlantic ties was “indispensable”, but that Ankara expected European
NATO allies to take more responsibility for transatlantic security, the presidency said.
Separately, Erdogan had a phone call with German Chancellor Frank-Walter Steinmeier on Wednesday, informing him of Ankara’s efforts to achieve a lasting peace through talks in Ukraine, the presidency said.
Erdogan told the German leader that the USIran war was “starting to weaken Europe” and that the damage from the conflict would increase if world powers failed to intervene with ”peace-orientated approaches”.
“Erdogan said Türkiye was working to end the Ukraine-Russia war through negotiations and reach lasting peace, just as it is trying with regard to Iran,” the presidency said in a statement after the phone call. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)
The European Union issued preliminary approval on a $106 billion loan for Ukraine on Wednesday, after Hungary lifted its months-long veto on the funds.
Most of the funding will go toward Ukraine’s defence sector, which officials in Kyiv say is central to Europe’s long-term security. The move may also signal a more constructive relationship with the
bloc following the ouster of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán earlier this month.
The loan, originally introduced in December, had been held up by a dispute between Hungary and Ukraine over an oil pipeline that runs through Ukrainian territory. Orbán vetoed the funds in February, accusing Ukraine of shutting down the Druzhba Pipeline, which
delivers Russian oil through Ukraine to Hungary and Slovakia.
But on April 12, Orbán lost Hungary’s parliamentary elections to centre-right challenger Peter Magyar, who took a more supportive stance toward Ukraine during the campaign. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says that the Druzhba Pipeline is now repaired and that Russian oil flows to
Hungary and Slovakia have resumed.
The loan must still be officially approved by the EU after the EU ambassadors issued preliminary approval during a meeting on Wednesday, but with Hungary’s veto dropped, no serious roadblocks remain. Ukrainian officials say that a majority of the funds will go toward military production. (Excerpt from CBS News)
After months of speculation and delays, officials have announced that the teen girl found in the trunk of singer D4vd’s car died from ”multiple penetrating injuries”.
The Los Angeles County medical examiner’s office on Wednesday announced that they’d ruled Celeste Rivas Hernandez’s death a homicide, noting that the 14-yearold died of injuries caused by an undisclosed object or objects.
She was found dead in the front boot of a Tesla registered to TikTok star D4vd, 21, in September. The singer is facing several charges in her death, including
murder.
D4vd, whose real name is David Anthony Burke, has pleaded not guilty.
Investigators at the
medical examiner’s office had examined Rivas Hernandez’s body shortly after she was found in September and determin-
ed the cause and manner of death on December 9, but were barred from releasing it publicly as Police investigated the case.
”After several months, I am grateful this information can now be released, not only to the public, but also to the grieving family enduring loss,” Chief Medical Examiner Dr Odey Ukpo said in a statement.
Her parents had reported her missing in April, but it wasn’t until September when she was found dead. More than seven months passed after that before Police arrested the singer in Los Angeles last week. (Excerpt from BBC News)
ABritish woman who was scammed out of up to £1m in a string of fraud deals died in a road crash after travelling to West Africa to try to recoup some of her lost fortune.
Janet Fordham was cheated of her life savings and her home over a period of five years by fraudsters apparently based in the UK, Germany, the US and Ghana.
Fordham’s daughter-inlaw Melanie Fordham said she had begun using online dating websites in 2017 and met a man claiming to be a
Janet Fordham
British army sergeant major working in Syria who needed her help to get gold bars to the UK.
“I remember saying to her that it all seemed a little unbelievable, and the next thing he would be asking for money. I told her categorically not to send him any.”
But Fordham is believed to have handed over about £150,000.
She was contacted by a man in Ghana known as Kofi who claimed he was a doctor and had found out she was being scammed when he came across her details while working part-time in a phone shop. Kofi told her he would help her get her money back, and she flew to
Accra in October 2022. The relationship with Kofi appeared to develop into a romance, and Fordham agreed to marry him. On Valentine’s Day in 2023 he was driving her to meet a family member to discuss the marriage when the car swerved and flipped on to its roof. Fordham was not wearing a seatbelt and was fatally injured. Devon and Cornwall Police concluded no third party was involved in the crash. The man admitted a driving offence. (Excerpt from The Guardian)
Iran seized two ships in the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday, tightening its grip on the strategic waterway after US President Donald Trump called off attacks with no sign of peace talks restarting.
Trump maintained the US Navy blockade of Iran’s trade by sea, and Iran’s parliament speaker and top negotiator Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf said a full ceasefire only made sense if it was lifted. Reopening the strait was impossible with such a ”fla-
grant breach of the ceasefire”, Qalibaf said in a post on X.
”You did not achieve your goals through military aggression, and you will not achieve them by bullying either. The only way is recognising the Iranian people’s rights,” he said in his first response to Trump’s ceasefire extension.
Trump has backed away from recent threats to bomb critical Iranian infrastructure, but little progress has been made in resolving issues key to ending the war that started with joint US-Israeli stri-
kes on February 28. That leaves the two sides in a holding pattern with the crucial Strait of Hormuz still effectively shut, stranding about onefifth of the world’s oil and gas supplies, straining economies across the world.
Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency earlier said the Revolutionary Guards had seized two vessels for maritime violations and escorted them to Iranian shores. It was the first time Iran has seized ships since the war began at the end of February.
The Revolutionary Guards also warned that any disruption to order and safety in the strait would be considered a ”red line”, Tasnim said. Brent, the international crude oil benchmark, closed above $100 a barrel for the first time in two weeks. The ongoing blockade of the strait is driving up costs for businesses while major economies run down reserves and restrict consumption with millions of oil barrels cut off from key markets. (Excerpt from Reuters)
Be the bright light everyone wants to follow. Stand tall, speak with confidence, and give back what you can to those looking for hope and justification. Stick to the truth, as exaggerated rhetoric will cause confusion and mistrust. Be the real deal, and you’ll create a following that gives you the momentum you need to succeed.
Don’t share too much, only enough to warrant interest, not takeover. Use your strengths, poise, and courtesy, and let your charm and kind gestures captivate attention and encourage others to spread your message. A slow, methodical path forward will help you build a bright future on solid ground. Pursue exercise and a proper diet to look your best.
Plan your actions strategically. Use your connections to get ahead. Play to win, and you’ll gain the respect and help from those who believe in you. Positive change is within reach; all you must do is promote who you are and what you can do. Initiate talks, meetings, and a path that leads to a brighter future.
Keep situations in perspective. Refuse to let conflict prevail. Excess will rock the boat and force you to rethink your prerogative. Your best alternative is to work on yourself instead of complaining or criticizing others. Consider how you look and feel, and what you can change that will boost your ego and appreciation of yourself and others.
Investigate what’s available to you regarding updating your skills and addressing your goals, and take the necessary actions to point you in a profitable direction. Consider how you can improve your relationships with those you have an emotional connection to, and you will feel better about yourself and your choices moving forward. Romance is in the stars.
Just do it. Stop procrastinating and do whatever it takes to reach your goals. Push for positive change, pay attention to detail, and initiate what makes you happy and content with life, love, and your journey forward. A social event, date, or reconnecting with someone from your past will encourage new beginnings. Make love your objective.
Move forward with trepidation. You can’t force issues or change the dynamics of a situation without confronting the demons in the room. Choose to be articulate, empathetic, and wise in handling situations that are explosive. Keeping the peace while getting things done on time will impress even your worst critic. Trust and believe in you.
Broaden your horizons, expand your mind, your skills, and your connections. Take time to engage in talks that can offer insight into something that can help you advance. Keep up with technology and incorporate what’s available to you into your daily routine. Control your emotions when dealing with your personal or professional responsibilities and focus on getting ahead.
Home is your haven. Take good care of your environment. Refuse to overreact or overspend when dealing with issues that can influence your wealth, health, or meaningful relationships. Preach harmony, compromise, and compassion to those you deal with through your actions, words, and kind gestures, and it will change the dynamics of your relationships.
Take a back seat and observe. The more information you gather, the easier it is to reframe how to protect your prospects. Expect someone to mislead or distract you. Ask direct questions, and you’ll get valid insight into the truth and the possibilities. Don’t hesitate to sidestep whoever tries to get in your way. Romance is favored.
Take good care of yourself, your home, and loved ones. Search for alternative ways to earn more. Be true to yourself and stick to the truth and facts when dealing with others. A positive change to your environment will boost your ego and encourage you to explore new relationships or friendships, or reconnect with someone from your past.
Take pride in how you look and engage in talks that help expand your social circle. An opportunity will surface if you talk to the right people or participate in something that intrigues or satisfies your soul. A chance to explore new people, places, or pastimes will be a healthy experience that eases stress and encourages new beginnings.
It wasn’t the high-scoring spectacle that people might have expected, especially with Vaibhav Sooryavanshi in the house, but that didn’t make the contest any less compelling. Rajasthan Royals (RR) defended 159 to consign Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) to their fourth straight loss of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 and their third in a row at home.
RR owed their batting lift to Ravindra Jadeja, who top scored with 43 not out off of 29. His unbeaten 49-run stand with Impact Player Shubham Dubey, whose entry in the 16th over left RR without an extra bowler, pushed their total up to 159 – 40 too many for LSG.
The win meant RR snapped their two-match losing streak to jump to No. 2 on the points table. LSG, meanwhile, were ninth, having the same number of points as Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings, both of whom have a game in hand.
Mohsin v Sooryavanshi: wicket maiden
For the first time in his young IPL career, Sooryavanshi was searching for answers. He began with two fours off his first two deliveries but didn’t score another run in his next eight. This included a sequence of five dots from left-arm seamer Mohsin Khan.
Hard lengths pinned Sooryavanshi back. Then Mohsin bowled deliver-
ies that kissed the surface and darted away late, with some lift. Off the sixth ball, the pressure got to Sooryavanshi, and a hoick across the line ended with Digvesh Rathi running back from extra cover to take a well-judged catch. RR had gone from 32 for 0 to 32 for three after four overs.
The first two blows were struck by Mohammed Shami, who overturned a sequence of three consecutive boundaries from Yashasvi Jaiswal by having him glove a sharp bumper to a leaping Rishabh Pant. Then he had Dhruv Jurel nicking a perfect outswinger for a golden duck.
Welcome back, Mayank
Brought on in the seventh over for his first game
aries, but Jadeja found his range at the end, ransacking 20 off Mayank’s final over to take the score to 159. He was helped by a cameo from Dubey, who was brought in for his first game this season. The last two overs produced 32.
kicking on after enduring a horror start to the season. There was a sumptuous flick, two backto-back fours off Brijesh Sharma, but Jadeja defied the match-up odds and had him caught at long-on for a 25-ball 22.
after nearly a year on the side-lines due to a stress fracture, Mayank Yadav bowled at speeds in excess
hands, while
of 140kph four times in his opening over. His speeds didn’t translate into effectiveness, though, with Shimron Hetmyer flicking a 150 kph delivery in his second over for six over deep square. Both Hetmyer and Riyan Parag looked in decent nick until they fell in quick succession, leaving RR 77 for five in the 11th.
Hetmyer was dismissed by the canny Prince Yadav, whose slower ball had him mis-time one to mid-off.
Jadeja checks in It wasn’t the most fluent innings, nor was it a huge struggle. This was Jadeja batting with a revised total in mind, and he didn’t take a
LSG collapse like RR Jofra Archer didn’t take a first-ball wicket for a fourth consecutive game, but he didn’t have to wait too long. In his second over, he delivered a vicious bumper that hurried Aiden Markram into a mistimed pull and a top edge to the wicketkeeper Jurel.
Between Archer’s first two overs, Nandre Burger also had Rishabh Pant caught behind off a bottom edge. LSG were sinking at 11 for three, with Ayush Badoni the first wicket via a run-out. Pooran survived a probing short-ball examination from Archer and showed
Rajasthan Royals (20 ovs maximum)
Yashasvi Jaiswal c †Pant
b Mohammed Shami 22
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi c Rathi
b Mohsin Khan 8
Dhruv Jurel † c †Pant
b Mohammed Shami 0
Riyan Parag (c) c Pooran
b Prince Yadav 20
Shimron Hetmyer c Prince Yadav
b Mohsin Khan 22
Ravindra Jadeja not out 43
Donovan Ferreira c Mohsin Khan
b Prince Yadav 20
Shubham Dubey not out 19
Extras (lb 1, w 4) 5
Total 20 Ov (RR: 7.95) 159/6
Did not bat: Jofra Archer, Nandre
Burger, Brijesh Sharma, Ravi Bishnoi
Fall of wickets: 1-32 (Yashasvi
Jaiswal, 2.5 ov), 2-32 (Dhruv Jurel, 2.6 ov), 3-32 (Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, 3.6 ov), 4-62 (Riyan Parag, 8.6 ov), 5-77 (Shimron Hetmyer, 10.2 ov), 6-110 (Donovan Ferreira, 15.5 ov)
Bowling O-M-R-W
Mohammed Shami 4-0-30-2
Prince Yadav 4-0-29-2
Mohsin Khan 4-1-17-2
Mayank Yadav 4-0-56-0
Digvesh Rathi 4-0-26-0
Marsh goes down fighting Amid the chaos, Mitchell Marsh played himself in. Every time he looked to accelerate, wickets kept falling. Yet, he was quick to pounce on anything short from Ravi Bishnoi and Jadeja, bringing up a measured half-century even as the asking rate rose past 10. His dismissal by Burger in the 16th over with LSG needing 55 off 27 was the end of the contest, with Brijesh and Archer sealing victory in 18 overs. Brijesh finished with two for 18, while Archer took three for 20. (ESPNcricinfo)
Following a scintillating quarter-final round on Sunday last, the final four teams of the Massy Distribution Under-18 Schools’ football competition have been decided.
The first semi-final will see 2025 runners-up Chase’s Academic Foundation going up against Charlestown Secondary after booking their spots for the next round in contrasting fashion.
The Howes Street Georgetown outfit was the first to secure its spot in the next stage via a tense penalty shootout. However, according to player Malachi Gowen, they were ready for anything.
“In the first half, we
played with good composure, but in the second half, we came out and
played good, but we had some deep holes to come out of, but we thank God for this victory,” Gowen told this publication following their quarter-final.
Gowen continued, “We always prepared for anything in the long run. Reached down to a penalty shootout; thank God for our keeper Shawn Luke. Never doubt him, and he did his work as the goalkeeper.”
On the other hand, it was smooth sailing as usual for the Parade Street side, who overcame their opponents 9–2.
Player Shaquan David discussed the resistance they got from Three Miles Secondary in that game.
David related to Guyana Times Sport,
“Well, it was a good game, but Three Miles came out, and they put in the work at first. They had us on the back foot, but at the end, we still came out victorious.”
“It’s very important for the more experienced to step up because big players step up at big moments. So, I personally think our bigger players did that,” the Chase player said about overcoming the tough moments in that quarter-final game.
Quizzed on their expectations for the semi-final matchup, David expressed an air of confidence, while Gowen had a warning for their opponents.
“We’re very confident that we’re taking this one here,” David shared.
He added about what he thinks they need to work on ahead of the semis, “Not really, no, I don’t think we have to work on anything really.”
On the other hand, Gowen explained, “Yeah, we are finishing; we got a little slackness in the defence, but we will work on that.
The Charlestown player went on to send a warning to his opponents, stating, “We know that the opposition is Chase’s Academic Foundation, and we know that it’s a really tough team, but back to the
drawing board, back to the training sessions. Thanks, Coach and Miss, for giving us this hard work to reach so far. See Chase soon.”
Chase and Charlestown will meet in the Massy Distribution semi-final at
Fresh from a dominant win against the Windward Islands Volcanoes on Tuesday, the Guyana Harpy Eagles (GHE) batsmen are still to get a century after two rounds of play.
Matthew Nandu, Tagenarine Chanderpaul, Tevin Imlach, Kemol Savory and Kevlon Anderson are the top batters in the side, all of whom had starts but failed to move on to the acclaimed triple figures.
As such, the Head Coach of the GHE, Ryan Hercules, is calling for batsmen to convert those starts and score centuries. This has been a worrying sign for the coach.
“[The] guys need to capi-
talise and score big. I spoke to [the] guys about not converting starts and not getting centuries. That’s still a worrying sign for me,” Hercules said.
The coach gave full credit to the bowlers and lauded the improved effort, especially from the new-ball bowlers, who set the tone in the second round.
“We did ask for our bowlers to make adjustments from the last game. Taking early wickets is one of the main things from our fast bowlers. We would have seen that with Nial Smith, Shamar Joseph and Keemo Paul.”
“It was a smaller ground, but nevertheless, it was
The Guyana Boxing Association (GBA) is celebrating a significant milestone after rising talent Ken Harvey secured a bronze medal at the fourth edition of the South American Youth Games in Panama City.
Harvey, who represents the Andrew Lewis Gym in Albouystown, delivered a string of impressive performances to earn Guyana’s first medal at the prestigious regional event.
In fact, it is Guyana’s first medal since the 2017 Games in Chile, after the country failed to reach the podium at the 2022 edition in Argentina.
Competing in the highly competitive 60kg division, the young Caribbean champion announced his arrival on the continental stage with authority. His path to the podium includ-
“Greatest
The Round of 16 of the Guinness “Greatest of the Streets” Georgetown Championship is set to kick off today, Thursday (April 23), with organisers closely monitoring weather conditions ahead of the scheduled matches.
According to information from sources close to the tournament, while inclement weather is forecast to persist until April 25, the tarmac playing surface at the National Cultural Centre is expected to allow matches to proceed once there is no pro-
The Round of 16 fixtures are as follows:
Bay Ballers v Team Cruel – 20:00h
All-Stars v Broad Street – 20:30h
City v North East La Penitence – 21:00h
All-Stars v Team Immaculate – 21:30h
22:00h
ed a dominant stoppage victory over Paraguay’s Edgar Miranda in the quarter-finals.
That win propelled Harvey into the semi-finals, where he faced Brazil’s Dos Santos Maicon in a closely contested bout for a place in the gold medal match.
Despite a spirited showing, Harvey was narrowly edged on the judges’ scorecards, losing 2–3 in a decision that highlighted the fine margins at elite-level competition. In boxing, both losing semi-finalists are awarded bronze medals.
Nevertheless, his performance drew high praise from GBA President Steve Ninvalle, who lauded the boxer’s composure and technical growth.
According to Ninvalle, “The fight was close, and even though we would’ve loved for him to advance to fight for the gold medal, we are extremely proud of his performance and
longed rainfall on the day. As such, the organisers are maintaining plans to continue the competition as scheduled.
The knockout phase will see the eight winners from Thursday night’s fixtures advancing to the quarter-finals, which are set for Friday. Teams that fail to progress from the Round of 16 will not be eliminated entirely, as they will automatically move into the Plate section of the tournament, ensuring continued participation. Similarly, teams losing at the quarter-final stage will also drop into the Plate competition.
With significant prize money on offer, teams will be
how he represented Guyana and the work we’ve been doing at the boxing association.”
“He has shown that he can compete with the best in South America, and he has now positioned himself as one of the best,” Ninvalle added.
The GBA President also highlighted the association’s structured youth development programme, which focuses on identifying promising talent and gradually exposing them to regional and international competition.
According to Ninvalle, Harvey’s success reflects not only his individual dedication but also the collective effort of his coaches at both the national level and within his Berbice-based gym.
As Guyana continues to invest in its boxing future, Ninvalle said Harvey’s bronze medal stands as a proud achievement and a strong signal of greater success on the international stage.
16:00h on Sunday, April 26, at the Ministry of Education (MoE) Ground, Carifesta Avenue. The second semi-final will see Santa Rosa and West Ruimveldt Secondary butting heads from 18:00h.
to
a
the semi-finals, where they are guaranteed a share of the purse. The tournament winner will receive $1 mil-
a good effort to restrict the Windward Islands,” Hercules said. GHE will play the thirdround fixture on Sunday, April 26, at Coolidge Cricket Ground.
The National Sports Commission (NSC) has successfully concluded its first-ofits-kind nationwide First Aid and Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) training workshops, marking a significant milestone in its ongoing drive to strengthen safety across Guyana’s waterways and sporting environments.
The initiative, executed in collaboration with the Guyana Lifesaving Society (GLSS) and the Lifesaving Society of Canada, brought together participants from across the country in a comprehensive, week-long programme designed to build lifesaving capacity at both the community and organisational levels.
With the exception of Region Five, the programme attracted representation from every administrative region in Guyana.
Region Four led the way with 38 participants, followed by Region Two with 18, contributing significantly to the total of 75 attendees.
The strong turnout, according to director of sport Steve Ninvalle, underscored the nationwide demand for structured safety training and highlighted the NSC’s expanding reach.
Ninvalle described the programme as one
of the Commission’s largest training undertakings to date, expressing satisfaction with both its scale and impact.
“The NSC is delighted to have hosted this initiative. It represents one of our most extensive training programmes, and the level of participation from across the country is very encouraging,” Ninvalle stated during the closing segment at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall (CASH).
The workshops featured a range of certification and recertification courses, including National Lifeguard Pool Recertification and Waterfront training, led by experienced Canadian instructors Sarah Newton and Patrick D’Almada.
Emergency first aid training was also delivered by D’Almada, alongside local instructors Kenita Mahaica and Cleveland King, providing participants with well-rounded, practical knowledge essential for emergency response situations.
The final segment of the programme saw more than 50 participants, primarily coaches and sports administrators, converging at the CASH.
However, one of the standout achievements was the certification of 13 waterfront lifeguards following an intensive three-day course at Lake Mainstay. The location provided an ideal setting for simulating real-world open water conditions, equip- ping trainees
with hands-on experience in dynamic environments.
Ninvalle highlighted the NSC’s broader commitment to capacity building, referencing last year’s achievements, which included the recertification of 15 lifeguards; the awarding of three examiner certifications; 41 Emergency First
Aid certifications; as well as 32 Bronze Medallion and 28 Bronze Cross certifications.
The director of sport also urged participants to share their newly acquired knowledge within their communities and organisations, reinforcing the programme’s long-term impact.
Meanwhile, Ninvalle
noted that with the successful conclusion of the landmark initiative, the NSC has taken a decisive step toward building a safer sporting and recreational landscape, ensuring that more Guyanese are equipped with the skills needed to prevent emergencies and save lives.
Veteran Veerasammy
Permaul was instrumental with bat and ball in the second round of the ongoing West Indies Championships.
Permaul struck an unbeaten 82 and claimed four wickets in the Guyana Harpy Eagles’ (GHE) recent triumph. He credited the entire team for a complete effort after the Guyanese men scripted an innings and 141-run win.
“I think we played some good cricket overall. From the first innings, our fast bowlers did a good job. We picked up early wickets.”
“With the batting we had some good starts, and then we capitalised and built partnerships. Even the last pair we had a 50-run partnership, so I think that grind Windward Islands out of the game,” Permaul said.
GHE posted 491 all out and wrapped up the Windward Islands Volcanoes for 151 and 199 inside three days.
According to Permaul, Guyana batted the opposition out of the four-day game.
“Once you get a team fielding a day and a half, it’s harder for them to come
and bat a full day,” Permaul explained.
GHE will play the Volcanoes again from Sunday, April 26, at the Coolidge Cricket Ground in Antigua.
The Guyana Rugby Football Union (GRFU) has named a 30-man provisional squad ahead of its upcoming international 15s fixture against Bermuda, following several weeks of preparation which concluded with an intra-squad trial match at the National Park rugby field last weekend.
Veteran tight-head prop Rondel “Bull” McArthur has been appointed Captain with Godfrey Broomes, another experienced player, as his Vice Captain.
GRFU President Ryan Gonsalves confirmed that the squad will be reduced to a final 22-man team on Friday as the selectors finalise their combinations for the encounter. The “Green Machine” is scheduled to face Bermuda on Saturday from 15:00h at the Rugby Field, National Park, in what is expected to be a key ers, with McArthur and Broomes in leadership roles. Among the forwards listed are Makayah Smith, Devon Charles, James Osborne, Phoibian Joseph, Shawn David, Christian Klass, and Sebastian Manifile, while the backs include Osie McKenzie, Broomes, Owen Adonis, Odida Douglas, Rickford Cummings, Godfrey Polloydore, and Lionel Holder.
and
The team will be guided by Head
Butts, with support from assistant coaches
Additional players named in the extended squad include Ryan Skinner, Quason Butters, Kelvin Grant, Renaldo Niles, Osbert Robertson,
Chase and Ryan Hinckson. Off the field, the management team includes Gonsalves and Roger Perrier, while medical support will be provided by team doctor Patrick Lindo and physiotherapist Kelly Coonjah.
PSL’s Lahore Qalandars, Big Bash’s Perth Scorchers XI, ITLT20’s Desert Vipers, and MLC’s San Francisco Unicorns, all competing in a fast-paced round-robin format leading into knockout finals.
The tournament will conclude with the final on Saturday, August 1, where the top-ranked team will face the Qualifier winner for the coveted GSL title.
All matches will be played at the
The action gets underway on Thursday, July 23, with Lahore Qalandars against Perth Scorchers uled for Friday, July 31, with the winners advancing to the championship match.
iconic Providence Stadium, promising an electrifying atmosphere for cricket fans in Guyana and around the world.
In addition, the ExxonMobil GSL has advised that tickets for the GSL will be available to buy online from Monday, April 27 at 09:00h ECT from www.gslt20.com.
ExxonMobil Guyana GSL T20 complete fixtures: Date
Guyana opened its athletics campaign at the South American Youth Games 2026 in Panama City on a positive note on Wednesday, with middle-distance runner Ebo McNeil securing the country’s first track and field medal of the Games.
Tue July 28 – 19:00h: Desert Vipers v Perth Scorchers XI Wed July 29 – 10:00h Lahore Qalandars v San Francisco Unicorns Wed July 29 – 19:00h: Guyana Amazon Warriors v Perth Scorchers XI Fri July 31 – 19:00h: Qualifier – Second Place v Third Place Sat August 1 – 19:00h: Final – First Place v Winner of Qualifier
Jeffrey, failed to advance after finishing fourth in her semi-final with a time of 12.48 seconds.
McNeil delivered a determined run to claim bronze in the Boys’ Under-20 1500m, stopping the clock at 4 minutes 07.03 seconds. Peru’s Thiago Carnero won gold in 4:01.86, while Ecuador’s Leymer Pacheco took silver in 4:03.46. McNeil’s 1500m bronze adds to Guyana’s only other medal at the games, also a bronze, won by boxer Ken Harvey. Guyana came close to another podium finish in the men’s long jump, where David Williams placed fourth with a best leap of 6.89m. His series included jumps of 6.85m, 6.81m, 6.89m, 6.84m and 6.77m. Argentina’s Pedro Olmos secured gold with 7.30m, Brazil’s Joao De Souza claimed silver with 7.03m and Chile’s Nicolas Holmes took bronze with 6.94m. On the track, Guyana’s sprinters produced encouraging performances in the Boys’ Under-20 100m semi-finals. Gordon Thompson clocked 10.74 seconds to win semi-final one and secure automatic qualification, while Ezekiel Millington was even more impressive, posting the fastest overall qualifying time of 10.60 seconds to win semi-final two and book his place in Today’s final.
The lone female representative in the event, Angel
In the 400m events, Guyana secured two finalists. Ade Sealy ran 49.07 seconds to finish second in his heat behind Colombia’s Serjio Rojas (48.12s), while Akeela Dover advanced in the women’s division after clocking 55.85 seconds to place second to Colombia’s Laura Martinez (55.60s). Joanna Anthon narrowly missed qualification after finishing fifth at 1:01.06, just outside the fastest-loser spot. The distance events proved more challenging for Guyana’s female contingent, with Adanya Glen finishing 10th in the women’s 1500m in 5:23.16. The race was won by Chile’s Valentina Troncoso in 4:26.84, ahead of Argentina’s Zoe Gorski and Brazil’s Nicole Faria. Guyana’s mixed 4x400m relay team of Deuquan Farrell, Jeffrey, Dover and Sealy placed fifth in 3:37.84. Colombia won the event in 3:26.75, with Ecuador
second in 3:26.82 and Venezuela third in 3:30.34. The Guyanese campaign continues today with strong medal prospects in the Boys’ 100m final and both the Boys’ and Girls’ 400m finals. Attention will also shift to other disciplines, with Guyana’s 3x3 basketball team, comprising Stephan Duke, Daniel Chisholm, Kadeem Beckles and Jaden Simon under Coach Sileena Arjune, set to begin competition. Meanwhile, the chess duo of Italy Tonne-Chung and Candidate Master Sachin Pitamber, guided by FIDE Master Anthony Drayton, will also open their tournament.