Guyana Times - Thursday, June 25, 2026

Govt condemns cont’d use of map showing Guyana’s New River Triangle as Surinamese territory

…Private Sector says action undermines good neighbourliness, business confidence

More than 120 roofs damaged as freak storm batters Essequibo

…teacher injured at Riverstown Primary School during storm …earth tremor from earthquake near T&T, Venezuela felt across parts of Guyana ...2 fishermen missing after boat capsizes during heavy winds, high waves

Fire contained at Westminster Secondary School canteen

Caribbean Airlines launches digital gift cards NIS expands pension access with MMG, Bill Express, MoneyGram

Collision protection system completed at BJ Demerara River Bridge

Taxi driver busted with 14kg ganja, illegal gun in Berbice

$106.8M worth of ganja destroyed in Region 10

BRIDGE OPENING

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Thursday, June 25 –13:15h-14:45h and Friday, June 26 – 14:10h–15:40h.

FERRY SCHEDULE

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

WEATHER TODAY

Thundery to light rain showers are expected during the morning to early-afternoon hours and at night, interrupted by mid-late afternoon sunshine. Temperatures are expected to range between 24 degrees Celsius and 30 degrees Celsius.

Winds: North-Easterly to East North-Easterly between 2.68 metres and 5.81 metres.

High Tide: 13:15h reaching a maximum height of 2.20 metres.

Low Tide: 06:46h and 19:03h reaching minimum heights of 0.93 metre and 1.01 metres.

Govt condemns cont’d use of map showing Guyana’s New River Triangle as Surinamese territory

…Private Sector says action undermines good neighbourliness, business confidence

For the second time within two years, the Guyanese Government is condemning the use of a map depicting the New River Triangle in Guyana’s territory as part of Suriname, a practice that is being seen by the local Private Sector as the Dutchspeaking nation’s continued disrespect of Guyana’s sovereignty.

During the opening ceremony of the Suriname Energy, Oil and Gas Summit (SEOGS) 2026 held in Paramaribo on Tuesday, a map was used depicting the New River Triangle in Guyana as part of Suriname’s territory.

This display was shown

by event organiser Staatsolie – Suriname’s State-run energy agency and was done in the presence of Guyanese officials including Natural Resources Minister Vickram Bharrat, who attended the event and even appeared on a ministerial panel discussion.

Bharrat told Guyanese online news agency OilNow on Tuesday that Guyana’s Ambassador to Suriname, Virjanand Depoo, would initiate a formal protest to the Suriname Government.

When contacted on Wednesday, Foreign Secretary Robert Persaud told Guyana Times that Guyana has already formally written the Surinamese authorities about this latest act of disrespect.

This is not the first time Surinamese event organisers have used an incorrect map with the inclusion of the New River Triangle – which is internationally-recognised and has been settled since 1936 as Guyanese territory – as part of Suriname.

At the International Business Conference in

February 2025, a map showing Guyana’s New River Triangle as part of Suriname was used as the official map distributed to all attendees –something which had attracted widespread condemnation from stakeholders in Guyana. In fact, Guyana then had also filed a protest with the Surinamese Government. But according to Persaud, there was no response. Nevertheless, the Foreign Secretary noted that Guyana has always and will continue to speak out against this practice.

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Reliable engine of national advancement

The address delivered at the Queen’s College Graduating Class of 2026 by Education Minister Sonia Parag emphasises a central truth confronting Guyana at a moment in its modern development: long-term national prosperity will be secured by both extractive wealth as well as by the depth of its human capital. In a period where global attention increasingly focuses on the country’s expanding oil and gas sector, the Minister’s emphasis on education, discipline and character formation offers a necessary counterbalance to resource-driven optimism.

Guyana’s rapid economic transformation has generated heightened expectations, with comparisons often drawn to global development models such as Singapore and Dubai. Yet such comparisons, while aspirational, risk oversimplifying the complex foundations upon which sustainable growth is built. The Minister’s argument is grounded in a more durable premise, economies mature and stabilise only when supported by a skilled, adaptable and ethically-grounded population capable of sustaining innovation beyond finite natural resources.

At the heart of the address is a reaffirmation of education as the most reliable engine of national advancement. The emphasis placed on the 233 graduates of Queen’s College, including 83 sixthform students and 150 from Grade 11, situates this cohort within a national pipeline of talent formation. Institutions such as Queen’s College Georgetown continue to occupy a symbolic and practical role in shaping leadership capacity, having historically produced individuals who have contributed across public service, private enterprise, and academia. The school’s legacy reinforces the argument that educational environments remain central to sustaining national competitiveness.

The Minister’s observation regarding Guyana’s expanding access to tertiary education further strengthens this narrative. The recent graduation of 3876 students from the Guyana Online Academy of Learning reflects a widening democratisation of learning opportunities, particularly through digital platforms that extend reach beyond traditional academic centres. In parallel, the graduation of approximately 3600 students from the University of Guyana represents the institution’s largest graduating cohort in its history, signalling a strengthening of domestic higher education capacity at a time when demand for skilled labour is intensifying.

However, the Minister’s message extends far beyond academic attainment to the qualitative dimensions of development. The distinction between qualifications and character formation emerges as a central theme. While academic credentials open doors, it is integrity, discipline, and responsibility that determine how those opportunities are utilised. In societies experiencing rapid economic change, this distinction becomes increasingly critical, as the pace of opportunity often outstrips the maturity of institutional and personal frameworks required to manage it effectively.

The caution against premature transition into adulthood, presented in a light and relatable manner, reflects an underlying policy concern: the need to preserve intellectual curiosity and moral grounding among young people navigating heightened economic expectations. In economies experiencing accelerated expansion, youth are often drawn prematurely into high-pressure environments where decision-making capacity may not yet be fully developed. The emphasis on patience, self-development, and personal integrity, therefore, aligns with broader national development priorities.

Guyana’s evolving labour market, particularly in engineering, technology, logistics, agriculture, health care and finance, demands a workforce that is not only technically competent but also adaptable to global standards. The Minister’s call for graduates to position themselves within these sectors aligns with the structural requirements of an economy in transition. As new industries emerge and existing sectors modernise, the demand for multidisciplinary skill sets will intensify, reinforcing the importance of forward-looking educational planning.

Equally significant is the recognition of educators and parents as foundational contributors to national development. The sustainability of educational outcomes depends heavily on the strength of institutional leadership and the continuity of supportive learning environments. The acknowledgement of school leadership at Queen’s College reflects an understanding that academic success is rarely individual; it is the product of sustained institutional commitment.

From a policy perspective, the address articulates a coherent development philosophy: natural resource wealth can accelerate progress, but it cannot substitute for the deliberate cultivation of human capability. The true measure of national advancement lies in the ability of citizens to translate opportunity into innovation, productivity, and civic responsibility. This framing is particularly relevant as Guyana navigates the complexities of managing resource revenues while avoiding the structural pitfalls experienced by other resource-rich economies.

In essence, the Minister’s remarks serve as both reflection and directive.

Keir Starmer couldn’t beat the curse of Brexit – a politics poisoned by nationalism

By Rafael BehR

Britain is not ungovernable, but the chalice of high office has been spiked with unusually fast-acting poison. Six Prime Ministers down in a decade. The spectacle of the lectern planted outside No 10 for a resignation speech has acquired the familiarity of ritual.

Since the Brexit referendum, the average tenure in Downing Street has been less than two years. That ballot isn’t directly responsible for ending Keir Starmer’s reign. He brought deficiencies to the job that have nothing to do with the EU. He took power without a clear sense of what he wanted it for and resented the expectation that he explain himself better. But those weaknesses were more cruelly exposed in our parched post-Brexit climate, a decade into the goodwill drought.

Governing is harder when resources are squandered on an exercise in self-harming statecraft. Disentangling the UK from the single market and building new systems to impede trade were processes that burned through reserves of diplomatic capital and economic credibility. The cost in foregone growth – the measure of how much richer Britain would have been on the pre-referendum trajectory – is estimated to be in the range of four per cent to eight per cent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

That number doesn’t include the emotional toll: the coarsening of debate; radicalisation and polarisation; the toxification of political culture by a movement that sold immiseration as liberation and, when it all went wrong, blamed the losing side for refusing to indulge the delusions of the winners.

Britain is not the only democracy to experience the economic imbalances and social dislocation that incubate populism. Historians will situate

Brexit in the wider context of a pan-European and transatlantic nationalist backlash against the complacent style of liberal globalisation that thought it had already won its final ideological battle when the Soviet Union collapsed.

The syndrome is not unique to any one country, but there are local idiosyncrasies. Its manifestation through a referendum is a complicating factor for Britain. There is clarity of intent when a radical party or demagogic candidate surges in an ordinary election and also a built-in recognition that the result is conditional on performance. Voters can change their minds next time. A rival electoral coalition might get its act together, as eventually happened in Hungary this year to oust Viktor Orbán after 16 years. A plebiscite contains no promise of next time. On the contrary, the supposed finality of the mandate was the leave side’s trump card. No volume of evidence to indicate that Brexit was a mistake could puncture the assertion that living with the decision forever, regardless of the consequences, equated to non-negotiable fulfilment of popular will.

The scale of those consequences was also obscured by the question on the ballot paper and barely elucidated during the campaign. None of the grievances that mobilised the leave vote were ever going to be satisfied by the loss of EU membership. Making the country poorer and surrendering a seat on the continental steering committees that enhance UK power in the world was not the way to “take back control”.

That misdirection has ugly consequences. The rhetoric of a national liberation struggle against an imagined colonial oppressor in Brussels turned Brexit into a competition to define patriotic purpose. When realisation of the winners’ stated goal led to a deadend, they needed new enemies to sustain the cause. It is an

old story. When revolutions fail to fulfil their promises, it must be the fault of saboteurs, traitors, “enemies of the people”. The longer the disappointment, the more aggressive the hunt for scapegoats. Nigel Farage is not luxuriating in the long afterglow of his visionary achievement 10 years ago, but busily exploring ever more vindictive ways to cast immigration as the cause of the nation’s misfortunes. Racial animus that was implicit in the Brexit campaign – not subtle but coded with a certain deniability – is now unambiguous. Reform UK housing policy promises to reverse “anti-white” bias in the system, revoking the settled immigration status of hundreds of thousands of people, making many of them eligible for eviction and then deportation. It is a blueprint for freeing up social housing stock by means of ethnic cleansing.

Starmer’s inability to grapple with that radicalisation will be the sorriest part of his legacy. In Opposition, he internalised the taboo on questioning the wisdom of Brexit, on the grounds that voters in former Labour electoral strongholds had been captured by the leave side in a culture war and could only be addressed in those terms. In Government, that assumption fuelled creeping Faragism at the Home Office. The Prime Minister replicated the doomed Tory strategy of trying to win voters back from Reform UK by amplifying and validating the arguments of its leader. It would be unfair to say Starmer did nothing to push back against the normalisation of far-right rhetoric. But, as so often, he found the right path by exploring the wrong one first. Only after he had provoked fury and despair in his own party, sounding like Enoch Powell when warning that Britain risked becoming an “island of strangers”, did he change the tone. His speech at last year’s Labour conference

was packed with corrective intent. He spoke of a patriotism rooted in “love and pride [that is] about serving an interest that is more than yourself”. He contrasted this with the Farage model of relentless negativity, fomenting hatred because his ambition relies on the suppression of mutual understanding.

But Starmer’s voice didn’t carry beyond the auditorium, and he had no idea how to project it with sustained emotional resonance. On that score, Andy Burnham, assuming he is the successor, starts with the advantage of a more natural storytelling manner. Of course it will take more than narrative proficiency to drain the nationalist venom coursing through the body politic. Communications failure starts with ill-designed policy. Authenticity flows from surety of purpose. It is hard to sell something with sincere passion when you don’t really know what it’s for. Burnham could still get that wrong. But it helps that he knows who he is against. His parliamentary licence just to be a candidate for the top job, his mini-mandate, was earned in combat with Reform UK in Makerfield.

Starmer came to power thinking he could put Brexit behind him. He didn’t see it as a competition between modes of national identity. He didn’t see how the real sequel to the referendum struggle was not an argument about the UK’s relationship with the EU, but a battle to reclaim patriotism from the ideological movement that defines it with rage and racial segregation. It is a fight Burnham can win in a country where most people don’t want to deport their friends and neighbours. It is a fight he has to win if he wants to beat the Brexit curse and stay in Downing Street long enough to achieve anything else. (The Guardian) (Rafael Behr is a Guardian columnist)

GOGEC condemns map depicting New River Triangle as part of Suriname

The President of the Guyana Oil and Gas Energy Chamber (GOGEC), Manniram Prashad, has expressed strong concern and condemned the display of a map at the Suriname Energy, Oil and Gas Summit (SEOGS) 2026 that depicted the New River Triangle as part of Suriname.

The New River Triangle, a territory located within the sovereign borders of Guyana, was shown in the presentation materials as belonging to

Suriname, a representation GOGEC has described as inaccurate and misleading.

GOGEC stated that international conferences, investment forums, and industry gatherings are expected to maintain accuracy and respect for internationally-recognised borders and sovereign territories. The Chamber emphasised that the New River Triangle remains an integral part of Guyana’s territory, as established through internationally-recognised legal and his-

torical processes.

The organisation noted that this was not the first instance in which territorial inaccuracies have appeared in public or professional forums. It referenced previous concerns raised regarding similar depictions and reiterated its position that Guyana’s territorial integrity must be respected consistently.

While acknowledging the importance of growing cooperation between Guyana and Suriname, particularly as both countries expand their

roles in the global energy sector, GOGEC stressed that such engagement must be grounded in mutual respect for sovereignty and accurate representation of territorial boundaries.

The Chamber reaffirmed its commitment to supporting constructive bilateral relations between the two countries, highlighting opportunities for collaboration in energy, trade, investment, education, and Private Sector development.

GOGEC further stat-

ed that it stands with the Government and people of Guyana in safeguarding national interests and territorial integrity. It has urged organisers and participants of international events to ensure that all materials and presentations accurately reflect recognised borders.

The Chamber said it will continue to advocate for the protection of Guyana’s interests while promoting regional partnerships aimed at sustainable development within the energy sector.

Fire contained at Westminster Secondary School canteen

The Education Ministry has confirmed that a small fire occurred earlier Wednesday evening at the Westminster Secondary School, West Bank Demerara (WBD), following adverse weather conditions across parts of the country.

According to the Ministry, power fluctuations linked to the ongoing weather system caused a freezer in the school’s canteen to spark, resulting in the fire.

Officers from the Parfaite Harmonie Police Station responded and used two fire extinguisher balls previously supplied by the Guyana Fire Service to extinguish the flames. The fire was quickly brought under control.

Govt condemns cont’d use of map...

“We have always protested vehemently at events as well as formally through diplomatic channels the use of what we consider an illegitimate map that Suriname authorities have time to time displayed… We continue to protest. We will continue to object because that map they’re using is not recognised…by the UN (United Nations). So, they’re using an illegitimate map not only from Guyana’s perspective but from the rest of the world,” Persaud posited.

Undermining

Meanwhile, the Private Sector in Guyana has also condemned this incident saying that it could affect cooperation between the two neighbouring countries, especially at a time when the two nations should be strengthening business ties.

In a statement on Wednesday, the Private Sector Commission (PSC) said, “…while the PSC has consistently advocated for stronger trade and business relations between our two countries, incidents such as these continue to undermine confidence and goodwill among the Guyanese business community”.

According to the

Commission, it firmly believes that the Private Sectors of both countries stand to benefit from closer collaboration, increased trade, joint investment opportunities, and deeper economic partnerships. But these objectives, it pointed out, can only be advanced in an environment of mutual respect and good faith.

“The PSC remains committed to dialogue and engagement. However, meaningful cooperation requires reciprocity and respect. The Guyanese Private Sector cannot be expected to participate in forums designed to promote partnership while Guyana’s sovereignty is repeatedly disregarded,” it stated.

The umbrella Private Sector body went on to note that the recent imposition of fees on Guyanese operators in the Corentyne River, coupled with the use of the inaccurate map, has unfortunately created the perception of a troubling pattern that is inconsistent with the principles of good neighbourly cooperation.

“We urge our neighbours in Suriname to work with Guyana in a manner that strengthens trust, promotes mutual respect, and advances the shared eco-

nomic interests of both nations. The future of GuyanaSuriname relations should be built on partnership and cooperation – not recurring incidents that unnecessarily strain relations between our peoples and businesses,” the PSC stated.

Continued disrespect

Similarly, the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) strongly condemned the continued disrespect of Guyana’s sovereignty by event organisers in Suriname, calling out them out for depicting a trend of incivility. The Chamber further described this most recent incident as blatant contempt of Guyana’s sovereignty especially in the presence of Guyanese officials and companies present at the event.

“These incidents cannot be allowed to continue unchecked, and the Chamber urges both the Government of Guyana and businesses operating in Guyana to reject these actions by impenitent individuals. Furthermore, the Chamber encourages Guyanese and the business community to not support events that depict such disrespect of our

FROM PAGE 3

country,” the GCCI stated.

Meanwhile, the Guyana Youth Entrepreneurship Chamber (GYEC), which is also participating in the SEOGS 2026 in Paramaribo, has joined in strongly condemning the misrepresentation of Guyana’s territory during the event’s opening ceremony.

“As an organisation representing Guyana’s next generation of entrepreneurs and business leaders, the GYEC categorically rejects any attempt to misrepresent the country’s internationally-recognised borders… While reaffirming its commitment to strong relations between Guyana and Suriname, the GYEC firmly believes that mutual respect and good neighbourly relations must be grounded in honesty, accuracy, and respect for internationally-recognised territorial boundaries,” the youth body stated.

Moreover, all of these Guyanese Private Sector bodies have called on the organisers of SEOGS 2026 as well as other relevant stakeholders to formally apologise for the use of the incorrect map and provide assurances that future conferences and official presentations will accurately reflect Guyana’s territorial boundaries.

The Ministry confirmed that there were no injuries and no structural damage to the school building.

The Guyana Fire Service responded to the incident, conducting a full sweep of the premises to ensure the area was safe.

The Education Ministry said it continues to monitor the situation nationwide as reports of weather-related disruptions are received. It added that it is working closely with regional authorities, school administrators, emergency services, and utility providers to ensure the safety of students and staff.

THURSDAY,

TVG Music Break 12:00 Movie - Lenny the Wonder Dog (2005) 13:30 WT20 WC - SA vs NED (Willow)

Proportion cont’d

In order to answer general proportion maths problems:

Identify if the relationship between the variables in the question is

(1) directly proportional or inversely proportional

(2) By using division, find the constant or by using multiplication, find the constant.

(3) Multiply the constant by the required value of one variable to find the answer for the other variable or divide the constant by the required value of one variable to find the answer for the other variable.

Example 1: worded problem

If 5 biscuits cost $80 find the cost of 7 biscuits.

1. Identify if the relationship between the variables in the question is directly proportional or inversely proportional.

As the number of biscuits increases the cost will also increase. Therefore the variables are directly proportional.

2. By using division, find the constant or by using multiplication, find the constant.

80÷5=16 biscuit will cost $16

3. Multiply the constant by the required value of one variable to find the answer for the other variable or divide the constant by the required value of one variable to find the answer for the other variable.

16×7=112

7 biscuits will cost $112.

You can also visualise these steps in a table.

Learn how to make a fun and easy super sound popper in this sound science experiment.

Materials:

Cardboard tube

Balloon

Scissors

Masking tape

Instructions:

Tie a knot in the neck of the balloon

Example 2: worded problem

If 6 bags of flour weigh 15kg find the weight of 17 bags of flour.

Identify if the relationship between the variables in the question is directly proportional or inversely proportional.

As the number of bags of flour increases the weight will also increase. Therefore the variables are directly proportional.

By using division, find the constant or by using multiplication, find the constant.

15÷6=2.5

1 bag of flour will weigh 2.5kg.

Multiply the constant by the required value of one variable to find the answer for the other variable or divide the constant by the required value of one variable to find the answer for the other variable.

2.5×17=42.5

17 bags of flour will weigh 42.5kg.

You can also visualise these steps in a table.

as if you were trying to keep air inside.

Use the scissors to snip the other end off of the balloon.

Stretch the balloon over one end of the cardboard tube. Center the knot over the opening in the cardboard tube. Use the masking tape to secure the balloon in place.

Pull back the knot and release to use your Super Sound Popper.

How it works:

The balloon is elastic. When pulled

back and released, it will return to its original shape. While doing so, this makes a popping noise that is amplified (made louder) by the cardboard tube.

Make this a science project:

Do different-sized balloons or other elastic material change the volume or sound created by the Super Sound Popper? Do different-sized tubes change the volume or sound? Does the length of the tube change the sound in any way? (sciencefun.org)

By AhmAd AlmAllAh

Human history lags behind all its zeros. Palestinians are extra numbers, and this gray cloud of summer and genocide keeps deflecting a shadow of our unknown beauty. The world counts: we are “more or less” but the quantities outside the count are the secret number. They keep pushing us toward the center of a mass grave. Is there “a finished feeling” for us anywhere?

These scraps, I carry around wherever I be. What are they? Parrots repeating the chatter of my past?

A deck of cards to pass the time? Tarots, a glimpse of the future? If they are anything at all, something outside of myself must decipher the message they carry. And I remain stuck in two forms of madness: one by choice and the other by circumstance. Could there be yet another madness I can apply to these wounds?

Let’s leave it to the headless wind! I wasn’t nothing when I was born. Do you have to hide me as soon as you think you’ve discovered me— in the mist of insignificance?

The unfinished business of creating—is me?

Page Foundation WORD SEARCH

The only thing that remains is never an object. Words are turned into a book, or carved on marble to make statements about our cherished “humanity” and “history” and “civilization” ... etc. “Art” as my mother’s lips defined it—when she saw us eating her creations, the labor of her hands— “Art,” she said, “leaves a taste, not a mark.”

Maybe the flowers we leave inside a book are our first step into murder: why not let the thing die and wither on its own. Between pages, its dying is prolonged, suspended, mad with the fantasy of butterflies ... Doesn’t “art” require—after all— violent hands?

(Source: Poetry [June 2026])

Your character wakes up from a dream with a long-awaited solution.

More than 120 roofs damaged as freak storm batters Essequibo Coast

…teacher injured at Riverstown Primary School during storm …earth tremor from earthquake near T&T, Venezuela felt across parts of Guyana

President Dr Irfaan Ali on Wednesday visited the Essequibo Coast, where he received a detailed briefing from regional officials and other agencies after a freak storm caused widespread damage across Region Two (PomeroonSupenaam).

Emergency response & relief efforts

President Ali said emergency response teams, including the army, Police, the Civil Defence Commission, engineers, Men on Mission and regional officials, have been deployed to provide immediate assistance. Temporary roofing solutions (for example tarpaulins) have already been distributed, with more supplies being transported to affected communities.

The freak storm, which brought heavy winds and rainfall, affected several communities along the Essequibo Coast, damaging homes, schools, public buildings and utility infrastructure. Regional officials reported that more than 120 roofs were damaged with both extensive and moderate impacts recorded across affected areas.

Residents described the winds as the strongest they had experienced, with President Ali noting that while conditions were not classified as hurricane force, the impact on the ground was significant.

“The damage on the surface seems not elaborate, but when you go into the communities, we have more than 120 roofs already reported in the system,”

President Ali said. “We have extensive to moderate damage across homes and public infrastructure.”

A section of a stand at the local stadium was also affected, while some concrete structures were reportedly brought down by the force of the winds. At least one teacher was injured after a structural collapse and is receiving medical attention.

The Culture, Youth and Sport Ministry confirmed that the newly-constructed Anna Regina Stadium sustained damage when strong winds tore sections of roofing material from the structure.

He said several public facilities, including schools, and the Anna Regina Stadium, police station, and fire station, sustained varying levels of damage.

Officials said no injuries were reported at the

site. Emergency repair teams have been mobilised, and engineers are assessing whether additional reinforcement is required before the facility’s scheduled commissioning.

Taxi driver busted with 14kg ganja, illegal gun in Berbice

A38-year-old taxi driver is in Police custody after ranks allegedly discovered more than 14 kilograms of cannabis, an unlicensed revolver and ammunition during a search of his New Amsterdam home.

Police said the operation was conducted at about 11:45h on Tuesday at the man’s residence at Shoe Lane, New

Amsterdam, Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) after ranks acted on information received.

According to investigators, during the search, Police found several parcels wrapped in transparent plastic containing leaves, seeds and stems suspected to be cannabis concealed inside two blue plastic barrels.

Police alleged that the man

admitted ownership of the suspected cannabis after being cautioned.

A further search of the house led to the discovery of a silver-coloured .38 Special revolver, bearing serial number UA852487, along with six matching rounds of ammunition hidden inside a wooden chest of drawers.

The suspect was arrest-

ed after being cautioned about the alleged offences of unlawful possession of a firearm and unlawful possession of ammunition without a licence.

He was escorted to the Central Police Station, where the cannabis was weighed in his presence and amounted to 14.650 kilograms.

The suspect remained in custody pending charges.

$106.8M worth of ganja destroyed in Region 10 drug bust

Police have destroyed an estimated $106.8 million worth of cannabis during a large-scale eradication exercise conducted in the Upper Berbice River, Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice).

The operation was carried out on Wednesday at Kimba Creek, Sand Hill and Wiruni, where ranks uncovered an extensive cannabis cultiva-

tion operation spread across approximately five acres of land.

According to Police, the exercise resulted in the discovery of about 5000 suspected cannabis sativa plants, ranging from two to six feet in height, along with approximately 40,000 cannabis seedlings housed in nursery trays.

Ranks also found 245 pounds of dried canna-

bis, 10 pounds of dried cannabis seeds, three makeshift camps, and a quantity of farming tools believed to have been used in the cultivation and processing of the illegal crop.

Photographs released by the Guyana Police Force showed a sprawling cannabis field carved out of the forested areas, nursery beds containing thousands of seed-

lings, and makeshift camps erected to support the cultivation operation.

Police said all of the suspected cannabis plants, dried cannabis, seeds, farming equipment and camps were destroyed by fire at the scene.

The Force estimated the total street value of the narcotics destroyed at $106,793,036.

No arrests were reported.

Increasing…

…brain power?

If the recently-released figures of the Guyana Online Academy of Learning (GOAL) programme are anything to go by – as far as becoming “educated” – we Guyanese have come a looong way, baby!!! Imagine over 55,000 have enrolled – 14,000 this year alone! – for the various levels of educational goals in the last five years!! Originally, the Govt had talked about 20,000 scholarships but your Eyewitness can infer from the latest enrolment numbers that the demand just kept rising!!

The GOAL offerings range from the “Certificate & GROW Programmes” that don’t ask for ANY prior formal education but prepare folks for entry into those that do – Vocational/ Skills Training, Bachelors, Masters and PhD programmes!! At the impressive graduation ceremony the other day, there were 3800+ certificates and bachelor degrees awarded along with 836 Masters and 35 PhDs!! Yep, we graduated the first batch of academic doctors from the programme!!

And on top of this, of course, is our UG that churned out 3600 graduates last year – and 80,000 over the last sixtytwo years!! Now for a country with just around 500,000 adults, does this mean that one out of five of them is a graduate??? Well, not exactly – since more than 80 per cent of UG graduates have decamped to greener pastures!! And this brings us to your Eyewitness’s major concern – that the new brain trust being produced don’t also head for foreign!!

The GOAL programme, of course, wasn’t just intended for us to all address each other as “Doctor” – but to prepare us to better participate in creating and enjoying the opportunities of our oil-fuelled development!! So, in your Eyewitness’s estimate, the key to keeping our newly-minted, parchment-equipped class at home is to ensure that the job opportunities – with appropriate pay – become available!! And on that note, your Eyewitness is pleased one Govt official emphasised that locals must get the same pay as furriners for doing the same job!! But sadly, he gotta confess that many locals are still infatuated with the lure of furrin – even though they’re not only being called dog-eaters when they get there – but treated worse than stray dogs!!

One interesting factoid from the recent statistics on GOAL graduates was that more than half – 2558 of 3800 –of the graduates were women!! Now while that’s good for women, that’s a troubling figure overall!! We now have a population of young men who don’t want to upgrade their skills AND refuse to take up the burgeoning unskilled jobs in the construction industry!! There the Venezuelans rule the roost!

So, all in all, while the GOAL programme is a worthwhile govt initiative, its success gonna ultimately depend on we the people taking advantage of opportunities.

Including using the free loans available to start our own businesses!!

…colonies

Oh…how sweet it is – the ironies of history, that is!! Britain – which insisted we address it as “Great” Britain!! – had ruled its roost of colonies on which the “sun never set” – for centuries!! But it’s now in the final stages of being colonised by one of its former colonies, the USA!! How else can you adjudge the latest move by US Pres Trump ordering UK PM Starmer to STEP DOWN – and have it promptly done??!!

This is the inevitable end game of what had started in WWII – when the Brits conceded they had to play second fiddle to the Yanks. For a while, they kept face by claiming a “special relationship” with the Yanks – but glossed over they were invariably number two in a relationship of subservience. But what’s happening right now is ironic for another reason.

The US is fighting off the rise of China – and the colonisation of Britain is more to pre-empt the Chinks than any intrinsic value in ole Blighty!!

…quaffing

It’s the end of a glorious era!! Peter D’Aguiar had founded Banks Breweries in 1955 – but the elixir of the gods reaching parched Guyanese throats in 1956. For 70 years we’ve been quaffing “Banks” from bottles – and now cans!!

Cop confesses to shooting Cuban woman, dumping body in bushes

APoliceman on Wednesday night confessed to fatally shooting his Cuban national girlfriend, who had gone missing a week ago and dumping her body in a clump of bushes on the East Coast of Demerara.

Based on reports, 26-year-old Dailen Paneque Gómez had left her Lot 92 Mon Repos North, East Coast Demerara (ECD) home on Thursday last to head to work at the Enmore Regional Hospital, where she was employed as a cleaner.

“Paneque Gómez was reported missing after she was last seen during the early morning hours of Thursday June 18, 2026, while reportedly on her way to work,” the Guyana Police Force (GPF) said in a statement on Wednesday evening.

After the missing per-

son’s report was filed one day after the woman’s disappearance, an investigation was launched. The probe saw the involvement of detectives from the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) Headquarters, who subsequently recovered Paneque Gómez’s body in a decomposed state at around 19:50h on Wednesday.

Guyana Times was told that investigations had led to the arrest of a Police Constable, with whom the woman had shared a relationship. The suspect then took detectives to the ECD location where the victim’s body was found in a clump of bushes.

“He was arrested prior to leading to investigators to the location, where he disposed of the victim’s body,” Head of CID, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Wendell Blanhum related to this newspaper.

The Crime Chief also confirmed that the suspect has confessed how he killed the woman before dumping her body.

“The Policeman confessed that he shot the victim,” Blanhum indicated.

The Police Constable remains in custody and is assisting with the ongoing in-

vestigation.

Paneque Gómez’s disappearance had sparked concerns within the Cuban community in Guyana as many of her acquaintances took to social media to plead for information on the woman’s whereabouts.

They reported that the woman was last seen in an

orange short and black bottoms when she left home in the early-morning hours a week ago.

“This event has generated profound concern among Cuban citizens residing in Guyana, as well as among their families, friends, and all those who continue to follow with hope the efforts aimed at clarifying her situation and determining her whereabouts,” a statement from the Cuban community residing in Guyana detailed.

There were also pleas from her family in Cuba, who said the young woman emigrated to Guyana seeking a better economic future for her one-year-old daughter and her ailing mother back home.

Calls were made to President Dr Irfaan Ali, Home Affairs Minister Oneidge Walrond and Police Commissioner Clifton Hicken to strengthen the search for the woman.

According to the Cuban community residing in Guyana, thousands of Cuban citizens come to this country driven by the legitimate desire to work, prosper and build a better future for their families.

“Many of us have found in this nation a land of opportunity, a welcoming people, and a growing society that has allowed us to contribute our effort, our knowledge, and our willingness to work to the country’s economic and social development. Cubans residing in Guyana are part of various productive and service sectors. We contribute daily to the economic dynamism of this nation, we respect its laws, we value its institutions, and we are deeply grateful for the hospitality we have received. It is precisely because of this trust and gratitude that we come to you,” the community stated.

New baggage system will simplify passenger departures at CJIA – CEO

…body cameras for baggage screeners, law enforcement officers

Works are progressing on the installation of a new baggage handling system at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA), with completion expected next month, according to the airport’s Chief Executive Officer, Ramesh Ghir.

The new system is expected to change the way departing passengers process their checked luggage by allowing bags to be dropped off directly at airline counters, where screening will be conducted remotely. New baggage scanners are also being installed as part of the upgrade.

Ghir said the project will simplify the departure process for passengers by removing the need for travelers to manually transport checked luggage to a sepa-

rate scanning area after checking in.

“This upgrade represents a major shift in how we process depar-

tures,” Ghir stated. “Passengers will no longer be required to manually take their checked luggage to a separate scanner after checking in, making the journey through our airport significantly smoother.”

The airport’s CEO said the new baggage handling system is also expected to improve operational efficiency for airlines while strengthening the integrity of the check-in process. As part of the security enhancements, additional cameras are being installed to provide continuous CCTV coverage from the point a bag is checked in until it is loaded onto an aircraft. The airport is also introducing body-worn cameras for baggage screeners and law enforcement personnel

involved in the baggage handling process.

According to Ghir, the measures are aimed at improving accountability and transparency throughout the system.

“We are introducing multiple layers of accountability,” he said. “The integration of advanced CCTV coverage alongside bodyworn cameras for our screeners and law enforcement personnel ensures total transparency, reinforces safety, and secures the integrity of our entire baggage handling operation.”

The airport administration said the project is part of ongoing efforts to modernize operations and enhance the travel experience at Guyana’s main international gateway.

Quick response saves Goedverwagting home from destruction

Residents of Third Street, Goedverwagting, East Coast Demerara, have commended the Guyana Fire Service (GFS) for its swift response to a reported house fire on Tuesday morning.

According to the Guyana Fire Service, a report of a house on fire was received at approximately 09:30h and firefighters responded. However, upon arrival, firefighters discovered that the fire had already been extinguished by residents and other public-spirited individuals in the community.

The Guyana Fire Service expressed gratitude to those who took immediate action to contain the fire before emergency responders arrived.

In a statement, the Fire Service thanked the individuals involved for their swift intervention, noting that their efforts helped protect the affected property as well as neighbouring homes.

Collision protection system completed at BJ Demerara River Bridge

…as more than 4300 vessels transit river crossing since opening

The Public Works Ministry has announced that the installation of the collision protection system at the Bharrat Jagdeo Demerara River Bridge was completed by the CRCCI-CRCCCLCRBG Joint Venture.

According to the ministry, the collision protection system has been installed around the main tower pile caps within the Demerara River. The system is designed to safeguard the bridge’s critical substructure from accidental vessel impacts by absorbing and reducing collision forces before they reach the main tower pile caps and other supporting components.

The ministry said the completed installation, which was done last week, is part of the bridge’s per -

manent safety and protection infrastructure. It is intended to enhance the resilience of the crossing, support safer navigation near the bridge’s main span, and contribute to the long-term operation of the country’s newest river crossing.

It noted that the Demerara River remains an active navigation corridor, with 4,323 vessels having passed safely beneath the bridge since it opened to traffic.

The ministry stated that the collision protection system plays a key role in protecting the bridge while facilitating the safe and orderly movement of marine traffic along the river.

The Bharrat Jagdeo Demerara River Bridge was officially commissioned and opened to commuters on October 5, 2025.

Caribbean Airlines launches digital gift cards

Caribbean Airlines has introduced a new Digital Gift Card programme, offering customers an additional payment and gifting option for travel across its network.

According to a statement from the airline, the digital gift cards became available on June 24, 2026, and can be purchased through the airline’s dedicated gift card platform. The cards may be redeemed toward the purchase of eligible Caribbean Airlines tickets as well as other services, including extra baggage, pre-order meals and preferred seating.

The airline said the initiative forms part of its efforts to enhance customer convenience and provide greater flexibility in how passengers plan, manage and pay for travel.

Caribbean Airlines Chief Executive Officer (Ag.), Varma Khillawan, said the company continues to explore ways to improve the customer experience.

“We are continuously looking for ways to enhance customer experience and make travel more convenient. The introduction of digital gift cards provides customers with a practical and flexible way to support travel for themselves or others, whether for special occasions, family visits, business travel or future

travel planning,” Khillawan stated.

The digital gift cards are delivered electronically via email and can be redeemed online, through the airline’s Reservations Call Centre and at Airport and City Ticket Offices.

Customers will also have access to a digital wallet feature that allows them to store and manage multiple gift cards and travel vouchers.

Caribbean Airlines said the gift cards will be available throughout the year and can be used for a variety of purposes, including personal gifts, corporate incentives and special occasions.

The airline noted that additional information, including terms and conditions, card denominations and redemption details, is available through its gift card platform.

NIS expands pension access with MMG, Bill Express, MoneyGram

…4779 new cash-out locations added

The National Insurance Scheme (NIS) has now added three new payment options for pensioners to encash their vouchers directly into their Mobile Money Guyana (MMG) account or at any Bill Express or MoneyGram location across the country.

Delivering the feature address in the presence of NIS officials and Board Members as well as the various payment provider agency officials during the launch ceremony held at Herdmanston Lodge on Wednesday, Senior Minister with Responsibility for Finance Dr Ashni Singh said this move demonstrates the Guyana Government’s continued efforts to improve the delivery of services to pensioners and NIS contributors countrywide.

In fact, he pointed out that with the introduction of these three new payment options, pensioners will now have a total of 4,779 locations nationwide to encash their NIS vouchers.

“So, between these three partners alone, we have now added 4,779 locations where NIS pensioners can now receive their NIS pensions. And that’s a very staggering number,” the finance minister posited.

While physical pension vouchers can be taken to any MoneyGram, operated by Massy Group, or Bill Express, operated by Western Union, location to be encashed, those wanting to receive their pension payments through MMG would need to set up an account, if they do not already have

one, and provide that number to NIS so that the money can be directly deposited there – a process similar to using bank accounts. The beneficiaries would then need to go to any of more than 4,600 authorised MMG agents nationwide to cash out their money, if needed.

“So, between these three new partners, we have, of course, the Mobile Money option, which means that once you have an MMG wallet in your phone, you can now receive your NIS pension directly into your MMG wallet and spend directly from the MMG wallet. But if you chose to withdraw cash from your MMG account, you have 4,672 locations countrywide where you can do that,” Dr Singh pointed out.

Meanwhile, the finance minister went onto note that the number of pensioners receiving pension directly into their bank accounts has more than doubled to 24,415, moving from 11,932 in 2020. Against this backdrop, he urged the remaining 39,052 beneficiaries who are receiving their pensions via a pension book to exercise the option of getting their NIS pensions paid directly into their bank account.

“President [Dr Irfaan] Ali was very deliberate as he was leading the preparation

of our manifesto for the 2025 elections. He instructed that a special chapter be written on what he described as financial inclusion and financial literacy, and that was not by accident because he recognized that in this period of modernization and transformation in our country, we cannot have a population that is not financially included-meaning part of the formal financial system. If you have a bank account, you are interacting with the formal banking system, you have access to loans and to credit, you are using some of the modern instruments of the financial system,” Minister Singh underscored.

Notwithstanding this, the minister pointed out that government continues to focus on improving the delivery of services to all pensioners including those who do not have bank accounts, thus the launch today of the three new payment options

for pensioners to encash their payment vouchers.

“Prior to the concluding of these arrangements with these three new partners, persons who had an NIS book of vouchers could have encashed those vouchers only at the following locations: at any one of the NIS’, and in addition, we had entered arrangements with the commercial banks that persons could have encashed their vouchers at all but one commercial bank,” he pointed out.

Dr Singh also elaborated on the country’s vastly expanding economy and the reason why more persons are joining the NIS as contributors as they see the many benefits the institution serves.

Also delivering remarks at Wednesday’s launch following the NIS’s 600th Board meeting to date, was Chairman of the NIS Board Ramesh Persaud, who said

More than 120 roofs damaged as freak storm...

He noted that priority is being given to vulnerable groups, including the elderly, persons with disabilities and single-parent households, as well as public infrastructure.

More than 120 tarpaulins have already been deployed, with additional materials expected to be installed over the coming days as part of ongoing recovery efforts. The government has

set a target to restore basic roofing support to affected households within 48 hours, while larger structural repairs, including schools and public buildings, may take longer.

Injured teacher & damaged schools

The Education Ministry confirmed that several schools sustained struc-

tural damage, particularly in Region Two. The Anna Regina Multilateral School and Rivertown Primary School were among the most affected.

A teacher from Riverstown Primary School was injured during the storm and has been hospitalised at the Lima Regional Hospital. She was injured after a wall collapsed at Riverstown Primary School

during the heavy winds and rain on the Essequibo Coast.

On Wednesday evening, President Dr Irfaan Ali visited the teacher in the hospital.

Meanwhile, the ministry said assessments are ongoing and that it is working with regional authorities to prioritise repairs and ensure safe resumption of classes.

Power disruptions

The Guyana Power and Light Inc reported significant damage to its transmission and distribution

the agency has vastly improved its services over the last years with processing of claims moving from an average of two and a half months to two weeks.

Delivering welcome remarks at the launch, General Manager of NIS, Holly Greaves, expressed appreciation to government, other stakeholders, pensioners and other contributors for the support the entity has received as it continues to improve its services to the public. Upon returning to office in 2020, the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) administration has placed specific focus on ensuring that the NIS remains a viable National Insurance Scheme for the benefit of citizens across the country and the senior minister has led various outreaches countrywide to address the concerns of thousands of pensioners and contributors.

7

network across the Essequibo Islands, Essequibo Coast and parts of Demerara. The damage was largely caused by fallen trees, zinc sheets and debris striking power lines.

Earth tremors

In a separate development, residents in several parts of Guyana reported feeling earth tremors following seismic activity in the wider Caribbean and northern South America region.

The University of

the West Indies Seismic Research Centre reported a magnitude 4.1 earthquake at approximately 16:19h near Trinidad and Tobago, at a depth of 13 kilometres. The epicentre was located northwest of Port of Spain. The United States Geological Survey (USGS) also recorded a separate 7.1 magnitude earthquake in Venezuela later in the day. No immediate damage reports have been confirmed in Guyana related to the seismic activity.

2020 election fraud case adjourned to Sept 15

The trial in the 2020 election fraud case was on Wednesday adjourned until September 15, after the prosecution was unable to provide any witnesses for the remaining trial days this week.

The trial was expected to continue on Wednesday morning at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts before acting Chief Magistrate Faith McGusty; however, the prosecution indicated that the witness for the day was unavailable due to an emergency.

While the trial was expected to run for the rest of the week, it was decided that due to the unavailability of the witnesses and a number of other mitigating factors, it was

2 fishermen missing after boat capsizes during heavy winds, high waves

Two fishermen are missing after the fishing vessel they were travelling in reportedly sank amid heavy winds and rough sea conditions off the coast of Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) on Wednesday.

According to initial reports, the boat encountered high waves and turbulent weather, causing it to capsize and forcing the occupants into the water. One fisherman managed to swim safely to shore after abandoning the ves -

best to adjourn the trial until September. When it resumes the trial will run from September 15-18 and then September 21-25, then September 28-30 before entering another adjournment.

Wednesday’s adjournment came just two days after the last witness that the prosecution was intending to present was

unable to be present in court due to being out of the jurisdiction. The witness, former Deputy Chief Elections Officer (DCEO), Aneal Giddings, attempted to give his testimony virtually, however, this was objected to by Defence Attorney Nigel Hughes.

The prosecution indicated that it was uncertain when Giddings

would be returning. Prior to Giddings’ virtual appearance, the last witness in the case was Supreme Court Registrar Sueann Lovell. During her testimony, the Statement of Polls (SoPs) and Statements of Recount (SoRs) from the March 2, 2020 General and Regional Elections (GRE) were entered into evidence.

Nine persons are currently before the court charged with conspiracy to commit electoral fraud in relation to the tabulation of votes for Region Four in the 2020 GRE.

Those charged include former Chief Elections Officer Keith Lowenfield, former Deputy CEO Roxanne Myers, former Region Four Returning Officer Clairmont Mingo, former A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) Minister Volda Lawrence, former APNU+AFC Chief Scrutineer Carol SmithJoseph, and former Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) employees Enrique Livan, Sheffern February, Michelle Miller, and Denise BobbCummings.

Man acquitted in Berbice High Court rape retrial

ABerbice High Court jury on Wednesday found Krishna Tulapersaud not guilty of one count of sexual activity with a child family member after Justice Simone Morris had earlier directed jurors to return a formal not guilty verdict on a second count.

The verdict brought to an end Tulapersaud’s retrial, which was the final matter from the February

Following legal submissions by the prosecution and defence, Justice Morris ruled that there was insufficient evidence for one of the charges to be left to the jury and instructed jurors to return a formal verdict of not guilty on that count.

The remaining count was then left for the jury’s consideration. After deliberating, jurors returned

with a unanimous verdict of not guilty.

Tulapersaud, who had denied both allegations, was subsequently discharged.

The retrial stemmed from a decision of the Court of Appeal, which quashed Tulapersaud’s earlier conviction and 14-year prison sentence and ordered that the matter be heard afresh before a new judge and jury.

State Counsel Marisa Edwards prosecuted the case on behalf of the State, while Attorney-at-Law Arudranauth Gossai appeared for the defence.

The indictments had alleged that the offences occurred during February 2013 and February 2014. Tulapersaud had pleaded not guilty to both charges when the retrial commenced before Justice Morris.

Buildings collapse as quakes rock Venezuela, “high casualties” likely

Strong earthquakes struck west of Venezuela’s capital on Wednesday afternoon, damaging buildings in Caracas and prompting scientists to warn of potentially-heavy casualties and widespread destruction across the South American country.

A magnitude 7.2 earthquake hit about 160 kilometres (100 miles) west of Caracas, followed less than a minute later by a magnitude 7.5 tremor, according to the US Geological Survey (USGS).

“High casualties and extensive damage are probable and the disaster is likely widespread,” the USGS said, initially estimating the death toll would most likely range from 10,000 to 100,000.

Authorities did not immediately provide official estimates for deaths or injuries.

“We have buildings, homes and houses which have collapsed and we are taking care of things with everything we have avail-

able in terms of security, civil assistance,” Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello said on State television. “The fire department, Police all have been activated.”

Video footage showed emergency workers climbing through the ruins of a collapsed building in the capital as night fell and distraught relatives seek help for loved ones.

Residents rush into the streets

Many Venezuelans were at home when the quakes struck during a public holiday marking an 1821 military victory that helped secure the country’s independence from Spain.

“As soon as it started, we began hearing people screaming,” said Astrid Ramirez, a 41-year-old publicist in western Caracas. “Everyone was running down the stairs.”

Residents across Caracas, which was also hit by a deadly magnitude 6.3 earthquake in 1967, rushed to evacuate as buildings shook.

“There was a very loud crash. Things fell in the house, jugs inside the refrigerator. I’ve never experienced anything like it,” said Coro Martinez, 56, who lives in eastern Caracas.

Maria Romero, an 80-year-old pensioner in southern Caracas, said Police helped her get out of her home. “This earthquake was horrible, even worse than the one in 1967,” she said.

Brazil Senator, Lula ally Wagner resigns from leadership amid corruption probe

Brazilian Senator Jaques Wagner, a close ally of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, stepped down as the Government’s leader in the Senate on Wednesday, becoming another high-profile casualty of a widening corruption investigation and posing new risks for Lula ahead of October’s elections.

Brazilian authorities announced last week that Wagner was under investigation as part of the probe into allegations that Daniel Vorcaro, owner of the now-defunct Banco Master, used his money and influence to cultivate support

among prominent politicians.

“I just had a great meeting with President Lula — a conversation among friends — and we decided, by mutual agreement, that I will step down from my leadership role in the Federal Senate,” Wagner said in a post on X.

He added that his priority was to prove his innocence and dedicate himself to Lula’s presidential re-election and to his own re-election to the Senate.

Wagner is the first member of Lula’s inner circle to be ensnared by the Banco Master investigation, which

has touched figures across Brazil’s political spectrum and is creating a fresh political headache for the President as he seeks to defend his coalition during his bid for a fourth term in office.

Speculation had gripped Brasilia for days over whether Lula would ask Wagner, an ally and friend of over 40 years, to resign from the leadership post. Wagner is a former governor and a power broker from the northeastern state of Bahia, a bastion of support for Lula’s Workers Party and critical for October. (Excerpt from Reuters)

Jamaica leads OAS push to strengthen emergency aid for disaster-affected States

Jamaica has led a major initiative within the Organisation of American States (OAS) to strengthen the hemisphere’s emergency aid mechanism and improve the organisation’s capacity to support Member States affected by natural disasters.

Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Senator Kamina Johnson Smith, highlighted the initiative during her delivery of Jamaica’s national statement at the 56th Regular Session of the OAS General Assembly in Panama City, where Member States are meeting from June 22 to 24. The resolution, titled “Strengthening the Effectiveness and Impact

of the Inter-American Emergency Aid from the Emergency Fund (FONDEM), was spearheaded by Jamaica, together with The Bahamas and the United States of America. It seeks to encourage greater voluntary contributions to FONDEM and better position the OAS to provide timely emergency support to Member States in need.

“When disaster strikes, the test of multilateralism is not the strength of our statements, but the speed and substance of our response. Through this resolution, Jamaica is helping to move FONDEM from a modest emergency tool to a more credible mechanism for hemispheric solidari-

ty. For small and vulnerable States, this is not abstract diplomacy. It is about whether help can reach people, communities and economies when they need it most,” Johnson Smith explained.

The Minister linked Jamaica’s leadership on the resolution to the growing urgency of climate resilience and disaster response across the hemisphere. She recalled the devastating impact of Hurricane Melissa last October, which claimed lives and caused extensive damage to critical infrastructure, homes, livelihoods, agriculture, and other productive sectors.

(Excerpt from Jamaica Observer)

Another resident, a 41-year-old office worker who declined to be named, said she received an earthquake alert on her phone just before the shaking intensified.

“It was a normal afternoon, and suddenly my phone sounded an earthquake alert,” she said. “As I picked it up and started lis-

tening to what it was saying, I first felt light shaking. Then, in less than two seconds, everything started moving.”

Damage in, around the capital

Fire trucks were seen on the streets of Caracas, where some buildings suffered significant facade damage.

Video filmed at the Hospital de Clinicas Caracas showed a darkened hallway with ceiling panels hanging by cables and pieces of plaster scattered across the floor.

Other videos on social media appeared to show significant damage at Venezuela’s main airport, while residents reported collapsed buildings in La Guaira, a coastal city near Caracas. Reuters could not immediately verify the footage from the airport and La Guaira.

The National Assembly said in a message to lawmakers that it had cancelled

today’s session. On Wednesday night, State television aired backto-back promotional spots for its own programming for more than an hour, breaking only for comments from Cabello, who called in.

Tsunami alert withdrawn

The US Tsunami Warning System issued a tsunami threat for Puerto Rico and the US and British Virgin Islands after the earthquake, and said hazardous waves could also affect Aruba, Curaçao and Bonaire. The warning was withdrawn about an hour later.

Venezuela lies in a seismically-active zone where the Caribbean Plate meets the South American Plate. An estimated 30,000 persons were killed when a quake caused widespread destruction in the cities of Merida and Caracas in March 1812, according to the USGS. (Reuters)

Keiko Fujimori’s expected victory returns divisive dynasty to Peru

Keiko Fujimori’s victory in her fourth bid for Peru’s presidency returns a polarising political dynasty to power, reviving deep divisions that have long split the South American country.

Conservative Fujimori, 51, narrowly defeated leftist Congressman Roberto Sanchez in one of the closest elections in Peru’s modern history, winning a razor-thin June runoff that took weeks to determine.

The contest unfolded amid queried ballots and a prolonged vote count, though international observers said both rounds proceeded normally. With 98.86 per cent of the vote counted, Fujimori

garnered an unbeatable lead late on Tuesday.

Sanchez has claimed fraud and said he will refuse to recognise Fujimori’s victory. Peru’s ONPE electoral authority will officially announce the winner in mid-July.

She is set to assume office on July 28 for a five-year term as Peru’s copper-exporting economy grapples with rising crime, corruption and political instability — no Peruvian President has completed a full term in the past decade.

Fujimori will become Peru’s first elected female president. Her win follows three previous failed bids -- in 2011, 2016 and 2021 --

each decided by narrow margins and shaped in part by a persistent “anti-Fujimori” vote that has defined the country’s elections for years. Analysts say her resilience underscores the enduring strength of “Fujimorismo”, the movement built around her late father, former President Alberto Fujimori. A divisive figure who governed from 1990 to 2000, he was credited for bringing stability to the country, but condemned by critics as authoritarian. He spent 16 years in prison for human rights abuses committed when he was in power and died in 2024 after his release. (Excerpt from Reuters)

UK flags T&T gangs

International relations lecturer at the University of the West Indies, Dr Michal Pawinski, believes the latest report from the United Kingdom on gangs in Trinidad and Tobago places the country in a negative light.

Pawinski said that this report, coupled with last year’s visa restrictions imposed on the country after the number of asylum seekers to the UK grew exponentially, does not help the country’s image.

The report was published on June 5 by UK Visas and Immigration as part of its Country Policy and Information Note series and was designed primarily to assist British officials in evaluating asylum applications.

According to the report, criminal gangs remain heavily concentrated in economically-disadvantaged urban communities, particularly in and around Port-of-Spain and along the East-West Corridor. The assessment estimates that approximately 186 gangs were operating in T&T as of 2023, with a combined membership of around 1750 members. It linked those organised criminal groups to roughly onethird of all murders and involvement in a wide range of criminal activities, including kidnappings, armed robberies, extortion, human trafficking, and the illegal firearms trade.

Among the most influential groups identified were the Muslims and Rasta City gangs, which the report said

serve as major power centres around which smaller gangs often align.

Asked how this latest update may impact the country’s image, Pawinski said: “There is connection between the gang activity in Trinidad and how other countries are deciding on imposing further restrictions, which is negatively impacting the image of Trinidad as a potentially unstable country that is unable to manage their internal security.”

Even with the ongoing State of Emergency (SoE), which the country has been under with less than a month’s break in between since July last year, specifically called to address gang violence, Pawinski says that may not be enough. (Excerpt from Trinidad Guardian)

Around the World

OIL NEWS

Oil flows through Hormuz Strait close to normal, US Energy Secretary says

Crude oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz are similar to what they were before the start of the Iran war, as tankers exit the key waterway with the help of military escorts, US Energy Secretary Chris Wright said on Wednesday.

Wright said some 20 million barrels of crude oil exited the Strait in the last 24 hours, amounting to around a fifth of world consumption, and similar to levels in recent days following an initial US-Iran agreement to end the conflict.

“I could say roughly 72 ships in the last 24 hours, and 20 million barrels of oil,” Wright told the Reuters Global Energy Forum in New York. “We have normal flows today.”

He added that even if the initial deal reached this month to end the conflict did not hold, oil would continue to flow.

“Iran will not have the ability to close the Strait of Hormuz going forward. That’s a critical thing, that’s their key leverage, and we’re taking that leverage away from them,” he added, saying that Iran’s military was depleted.

Benchmark oil prices fell more than US$3 on Wednesday to their lowest level since before the start of the Iran war in February as supply concerns eased with more stranded oil tankers exiting the strait.

Shipments through the narrow waterway bordering Iran had been curtailed for months by the conflict.

Wright said many of the vessels exiting the strait were avoiding the main channel due to fear of mines, and instead passing close to the Iranian coast or along the southern route near Oman, with military escorts. The number of ships is lower than usual, but many are bigger, he said.

He said normal navigation could be delayed by the mines.

“To return to complete normalcy takes a demining of the Strait, probably a few weeks’ effort,” he said.

Wright also said Venezuela’s oil exports, which the United States has administered since US forces captured former leader Nicolás Maduro in January, are rising and could double from current levels to around two million barrels per day by the end of President Donald Trump’s Administration in 2029.

(Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

Wins by Mamdani-backed candidates deal blow to pro-Israel camp in US

Over the past two years, pro-Palestine protesters at Columbia University have faced a security crackdown, academic sanctions, attacks by politicians from both major parties, and a deportation campaign.

Now, large parts of the school’s New York City campus will likely be represented in the United States Congress by an activist who helped organise the protests against Israel’s war on Gaza.

When Darializa Avila Chevalier, draped in a keffiyeh, first announced her candidacy in November of last year, few outside her immediate circle knew her name.

But her message was clear: she presented herself as an organiser working to unite families torn apart by the immigration system and against “what we all know is a genocide in Palestine”.

On Tuesday, Avila Chevalier – who was

Rubio meets Gulf leaders, pledges security amid Iran deal doubts

nited States

USecretary of State Marco Rubio met the leaders of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Kuwait on Wednesday, vowing not to undermine their security as he sought to reassure Gulf allies sceptical of a proposed deal to end the US-Israeli war with Iran.

The US-Iran accord reached last week – the ‌first signed by American and Iranian Presidents since Iran’s 1979 Islamic Revolution – includes a proposed $300 billion fund and the waiver of some sanctions for Tehran.

Arriving in the UAE capital Abu Dhabi late on Tuesday for a three-day tour of the oil-rich Gulf, Rubio is undertaking his first high-level diplomatic mission on the agreement to end the four-month-old war with Iran.

fought two of the world’s most powerful militaries and took effective control of the Strait of Hormuz, where commercial shipping of oil and gas was heavily disrupted, rattling energy markets and the world economy.

backed by New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani – won the race to unseat veteran Congressman Adriano Espaillat, securing the Democratic nomination in one of the biggest upsets of the election cycle.

The victory of Avila Chevalier and other candidates endorsed by the democratic socialist Mayor shows the waning popularity of pro-Israel politics in Democratic circles, advocates say.

“Last night was a political earthquake in New York City, and the Democratic establishment has been put on notice,” said Beth Miller, the political director at the advocacy group Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP) Action.

“What we’ve shown is that unapologetic support for Palestinian freedom is not just the moral position, it is the path to victory for progressive candidates.”

(Excerpt from BBC News)

President Donald Trump was scheduled to kick off weeks of festivities celebrating America’s 250th birthday with a rally on the National Mall in the nation’s capital on Wednesday evening.

The event is expected to feature a flyover by “some of the nation’s most iconic fighter jets and stealth bombers”, military bands, a performance by God Bless the USA singer Lee Greenwood, and a speech from the president.

“It’s going to be essentially a rally, but we’ll call it a rally to America, we’re honouring the 250th, and

“We’re not going to do anything that undermines the security of our allies, our longstanding allies in the region,” he told reporters in Kuwait, his second stop on the tour.

Rubio held a working lunch in the UAE capital Abu Dhabi with President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and other senior figures, including National Security Adviser Sheikh Tahnoun bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan. Rubio then went to Kuwait and will later head to Bahrain. All three nations host strategic American military bases and were hit by an onslaught of Iranian missiles in the conflict, resulting in civilian deaths.

(Excerpt from Reuters)

During the war Tehran

Trump set to launch America250 festivities with a rally on National Mall

it’s going to be something very, very special,” Trump said in a video posted on social media.

Trump announced his plans to be the event head-

liner after several musicians cancelled their performances because of concerns that the celebrations had been politicised.

A range of events have

been planned to celebrate America’s 250th birthday, including the rally on Wednesday tied to “The Great American State Fair” on the National Mall in Washington DC. Organisers say these festivities are to commemorate the anniversary, but certain events, including those funded by a body that supports Trump, are leading to questions around whether the celebrations could become politicised.

Congress has reportedly allocated US$150 million in federal funds for the birthday celebration.

(Excerpt from BBC News)

France, UK and Spain see record temperatures as heatwave grips western Europe

Aheatwave gripping western Europe has led to a series of unprecedented temperature highs, with France experiencing its hottest day ever, the United Kingdom seeing record heat for June and Spain reaching its highest daily average since 1950.

Tens of millions of people are grappling with punishing temperatures, which hit almost 41 degrees Celsius in Paris and have led to red heat alerts across swathes of the continent. France’s national temperature indicator – an average of day and night temperatures across dozens of loca-

tions – hit 30C on Wednesday, the hottest day since records began in 1947. More than half the country remains under a red heat alert, with tens of thousands of homes in the west without power.

(Excerpt from BBC News)

South Korea arrests Shincheonji church leader for meddling in politics – media report

ASouth Korean court ordered the arrest of Lee Man-hee, the founder of the Shincheonji Church of Jesus, over allegations he orchestrated an illegal scheme for followers to join a political party, news reports said.

Lee, 95, is accused of violating the Political

Parties Act, which bans religious groups from involvement in politics, and obstruction, for directing tens of thousands of followers to join the conservative People Power Party ahead of major elections.

The court late on Wednesday cited the risk

of evidence destruction by Lee, according to reports.

Officials at the Seoul Central District Court could not immediately be reached for comment early on Thursday. In court earlier on Wednesday for a warrant hearing, appearing frail and supported by aides,

Lee did not answer questions about the charges against him.

The self-proclaimed messiah Lee founded Shincheonji in the 1980s. Many mainstream Christian groups have described it as a “brainwashing cult”.

(Excerpt from Reuters)

SUDOKU

You’ll be tempted to exaggerate. Stick to the truth or be ready to explain your assumptions. Don’t try to change others when your efforts will offer better results if you focus on self-improvement.

Note your feelings before you engage in something that puts your well-being at risk. A change to your living arrangements will help you sort through any differences you have with associates or family members.

You’ll be quick to respond. Choose your words wisely, and take the time to process the information you receive prior to blurting out what you think. Your best returns will come from what you learn.

You may have to step outside your comfort zone when dealing with associates or authority figures. Listen carefully and respond honestly to ensure you understand what others want from you.

An open mind and heart will redefine who you are and what you share. Volunteering, donating and reaching out with compassion will have an infectious effect on those you encounter.

Don’t let what others do stop you from pursuing what matters to you. What you do to make a difference to yourself, your community or a cause you feel passionate about will give you hope for a better future.

Size up situations before you indulge in rhetoric that can cost you. Discipline and ingenuity are necessary if you want to navigate your way through a stormy situation.

Size up and sort through differences. How you engage in talks and work alongside others will determine how far you get. By choosing intellect over a force play, you’ll gain respect.

Have faith in yourself and your resources. Focus on fixing up your space. A work-related opportunity will enhance your earning potential. Look over paperwork, and choose what makes you feel comfortable.

Reach out to experts and get the lowdown on what you can do to contribute to something purposeful. Walk away from people and situations that are dishonest or cause despair.

Personal improvements show promising results. Engage in fixing up your life and surroundings, and the rewards will shine through in how you treat yourself and others moving forward.

Money and emotions won’t gel. Avoid scams and purchases making unreasonable claims. Pay more attention to running your home efficiently and putting money aside for something special.

Bernie’s Pharmacy, The Laundry Chute partner with One Guyana T10 Tapeball

Bernie’s Pharmacy and The Laundry Chute have officially joined forces with the upcoming fourth season of the One Guyana T10 Tapeball Blast.

The two entities have secured the exclusive title rights partnership for the tournament’s “Most Runs” award, adding further prestige to what is shaping up to be an unprecedented season of domestic tapeball cricket.

Located at the bustling intersection of Middle and East Streets in Georgetown, Bernie’s Pharmacy has been a cornerstone of the local community for over a decade.

“We have been serving this busy hospital area for over 10 years,” a spokesperson for Bernie’s Pharmacy and The Laundry Chute stated.

“You can come to us for all your prescription filling and consultation, sugar and pressure testing. We also have a wide range of health and wellness supplements, and as MMG agents, you can pay all your bills here and make deposits and with-

drawals from your account.

“We are huge fans of cricket and especially this T10 tournament, so we did not hesitate to come on board to support the young talent.”

This year, the batsman who tops the runs chart will take home a $100,000 cash prize alongside a brand-new television set.

John Ramsingh, speaking on behalf of tournament organiser FL Sport, expressed immense gratitude for the corporate backing as the tournament prepares for its biggest iteration yet:

“To have established, community-minded brands recognise the value of the One Guyana T10 Blast is fantastic.

“It is partnerships like this that allow us to elevate the tournament every single year and give our raw, local talent the platform and incentives they truly deserve.”

The financial rewards for the 2026 edition are groundbreaking for domestic tapeball in Guyana, with payouts beginning early in the competition to benefit teams

at every level.

Losing teams at the zonal quarter-finals are assured a payout of $25,000, while a losing semi-finalist at the zone level pockets $50,000.

The rewards scale progressively to $200,000 for the losing finalist, culminating in a $500,000 prize for the respective zonal champions before they even transition into the national bracket.

The stakes reach their peak in the national playoffs, where the eventual national champions will secure a massive $2,000,000 purse, while the runners-up will pocket $1,000,000.

The two losing national semi-finalists will each receive $500,000.

Beyond the cash rewards, the top four national finalists will earn qualification berths to represent Guyana at a proposed Global T10 Tapeball Blast.

Registration forms can be accessed through the tournament’s official social media handles or by contacting the organisers on WhatsApp at +592-635-2235.

Sport tourism gets boost as Guyana prepares to welcome 16 teams for O40s World Cup

Guyana is set to strengthen its growing Sports Tourism profile when it hosts the 2026 IMC Over-40s ODI World Cup from October 17 to November 1, 2026.

The tournament will mark the first time a Masters Cricket World Cup is being staged in the Caribbean, placing Guyana at the centre of another major international sporting event.

Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, Hon. Charles Ramson MP, and Minister within the Ministry, Hon. Steven Jacobs MP, recently received a briefing from Chairman of Cricket West Indies Masters Association, Raj Singh, on preparations

for the tournament, which is expected to attract players, officials, supporters and visitors from across the world.

Sixteen teams are expected to compete in the event. The participating sides include Australia, Canada, Colombia, England, India, Namibia, New Zealand, Pakistan, Rest of the World, Scotland, Sri Lanka, South Africa, the United States, the United Arab Emirates, Wales and the West Indies.

Matches will be played at several venues across Guyana, including the Anna Regina Stadium, Mackenzie Sports Club Ground, Albion Community Centre Ground and other approved facilities.

The staging of matches in

different parts of the country is expected to spread the economic and tourism benefits of the tournament to several communities, while giving visiting teams and supporters a wider experience of Guyana.

The tournament is also expected to feature several former international cricketers. Among the names listed are Ramnaresh Sarwan, Narsingh Deonarine, Devendra Bishoo, Sewnarine Chattergoon, Lendl Simmons, Denesh Ramdin, Rayad Emrit and Jason Mohamed.

Guyana’s hosting of the 2026 edition follows successful tournaments in South Africa in 2024 and Pakistan in 2025.

Guyana strengthens archery presence at World Archery Americas General Assembly

Archery Guyana Inc has strengthened the country’s presence in the continental archery community following its participation at the World Archery Americas General Assembly in Tlaxcala, Mexico.

The General Assembly, held on Monday, June 22, 2026, brought together representatives from across the Americas under the continental body responsible for the promotion and development of archery in the region. Guyana was represented by Archery Guyana President Vidushi PersaudMcKinnon and Executive Board Member and Assistant Treasurer Saeed Karim.

A major focus of Guyana’s participation was the country’s upcoming hosting of two regional events in October 2026. PersaudMcKinnon delivered a presentation on Guyana’s role in promoting sport and sport tourism through the staging of the inaugural Caribbean Archery Championship and the eighth edition of the Caribbean Development Championships.

Both events are scheduled to be held at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence. The presentation drew strong interest from member associations, with several countries indicating their intention to attend and support the championships.

The congress included 32 member associations and two associate members, and Guyana’s participation was noted as part of the country’s growing role within the international archery community.

As part of the presentation, a special video message from Director of Sport Steve Ninvalle was shared with delegates. Speaking on behalf of the National Sports Commission; the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport; and the Government of Guyana, Ninvalle welcomed the archery community to Guyana and highlighted the Government’s commitment to sport development, regional cooperation, and future growth.

World Archery President Greg Easton was also in attendance, along with delegates from North, Central and South America and several Caribbean nations.

The Guyanese delegation also used the opportunity to promote the country as a tourism and sport destination. Delegates received promotional packages that included Explore Guyana

magazines, pens, keyrings and samples of Guyanese honey, giving them an introduction to Guyana’s culture, hospitality, and tourism offerings.

During the Assembly’s main proceedings, elections and constitutional matters were conducted. Karim was appointed as one of three scrutineers responsible for overseeing the process and ensuring that the values and validity of the World Archery Americas Constitution were upheld.

Maria Emma Gaviria was re-elected as President of World Archery Americas. Following her re-election, she announced the appointment of Sergio Font as Secretary General for the next four-year term.

Guyana also secured representation on key committees within the continental organisation.

Persaud-McKinnon received the highest number of votes among candidates for the Gender Equity and Inclusion Committee and was elected to serve on that body.

Her election was described as a reflection of the confidence placed in her leadership and her commitment to promoting inclusion, participation and opportunity within the sport. In addition, Archery Guyana Board Member and Assistant Secretary Ryan McKinnon was appointed to serve on the World Archery Americas Marketing Committee.

Reflecting on the experience, Persaud-McKinnon said attending her first World Archery Americas General Assembly in person was an important moment.

“Attending my first World Archery Americas General Assembly in person was truly an incredible experience. I was extremely impressed by the professionalism displayed throughout the Congress and grateful for the opportunity to meet so many colleagues from

across the continent with whom I had previously only communicated virtually,” she said.

“The Assembly provided an excellent platform for collaboration, learning and relationship-building that will undoubtedly benefit archery development in Guyana and throughout the Caribbean,” she added.

Persaud-McKinnon further noted that the support shown for Guyana’s upcoming championships demonstrated the confidence the international archery community has in the country’s ability to organise and host quality competitions and development initiatives.

Archery Guyana expressed appreciation to the Guyana Tourism Authority and the Tourism and Hospitality Association of Guyana for supporting the promotional materials used during the Assembly. The Federation also thanked the Guyana Olympic Association and its executive for their continued support of archery as an Olympic sport.

The federation also extended gratitude to Culture, Youth and Sport Minister Charles Ramson Jr; Minister within the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport, Steven Jacobs; and the National Sports Commission for their support of its international engagement and development programmes.

Archery Guyana also thanked World Archery Mexico and its President, Gabriel Ramos Rodríguez, for the organisation and hospitality provided during the General Assembly and related activities in Tlaxcala.

The Federation said it remained committed to strengthening the governance and development of archery locally, regionally and internationally, while looking forward to welcoming archers from across the Americas to Guyana in October 2026.

Wyatt-Hodge, Knight and bowlers power England into semi-finals

England became the first team to reach the Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 semi-finals with a 38-run victory over West Indies built on a gutsy half-century from Danni Wyatt-Hodge in challenging conditions.

On a scorching evening at Lord’s, where temperatures hit 34 degrees Celsius just before the toss, WyattHodge scored a 42-ball 65 and was well supported by Heather Knight’s 43 off 26 deliveries.

In their defence, England’s bowlers tied West

Indies down, with spinners Charlie Dean, Sophie Ecclestone and Linsey Smith sharing four wickets between them. For West Indies, Chinelle Henry and Jahzara Claxton resisted stubbornly in a 63-run stand for the fifth wicket, with Henry remaining unbeaten on 51.

Earlier, there was controversy when Hayley Matthews, West Indies’ Captain and key player, was given out caught behind for 14 on an England review with one camera angle showing an apparent

West Indies Women (T: 187 runs from 20 ovs) Hayley Matthews (c) c †Jones b Smith 14

Deandra Dottin c Capsey b Dean 19

Shemaine Campbelle † b Ecclestone 20 Jannillea Glasgow b Dean 6 Jahzara Claxton c Smith b Bell 21 Chinelle Henry not out 51 Aaliyah Alleyne not out 2 Extras (b 4, lb 3, nb 1, w 7) 15 Total 20 Ov (RR: 7.40) 148/5 Did not bat: Stafanie Taylor, Afy Fletcher, Karishma Ramharack, Ashmini Munisar Fall of wickets: 1-21 (Hayley Matthews, 3.4 ov), 2-46 (Deandra Dottin, 5.6 ov), 3-64 (Shemaine Campbelle, 8.3 ov), 4-69 (Jannillea Glasgow, 10.1 ov), 5-132 (Jahzara Claxton, 18.5 ov)

Knight, 18.6 ov), 7-182 (Dani Gibson, 19.5 ov)

4-0-27-0

Aaliyah Alleyne

Afy Fletcher

4-0-34-0 Karishma Ramharack 2-0-23-1

mismatch between the vision and UltraEdge. That prompted Matthews to argue her case animatedly with the umpires on and off the field. While her efforts, and those of her team, were in vain, her side remains in contention for the knockouts.

West Indies strike early

Henry let out an almighty roar when she struck with the fifth ball of the match. It was a fuller one outside off stump with a hint of away swing which lured a drive from Amy Jones and found the edge, looping to Afy Fletcher at short third. But Henry conceded 17 runs off her next over as Wyatt-Hodge settled in with a pull through midwicket and a top edge which beat Fletcher.

Off-spinner Ashmini Munisar entered the attack and responded to Sophia Dunkley’s reverse sweep for four with a fuller ball next – too full for Dunkley’s attempted sweep as she was pinned lbw. Despite the early falls of wicket, though, Wyatt-Hodge and Alice Capsey managed to outfox the field and take England to their best powerplay of the tournament so far at 57 for 2.

Wyatt-Hodge does it again

Wyatt-Hodge jumped to the top of the tournament run-scoring charts by backing up her century on the opening night with anoth-

er pivotal score, having endured two lean innings in between. She punished some short bowling early, and then peppered the off side with some classic and lofted drives. Wyatt-Hodge brought up her fifty off 32 balls with a back-footed flick off the pads to cover.

Capsey, meanwhile, unfurled a lovely reverse for four off Karishma Ramharack, but then advanced to a length ball two deliveries later and lobbed it to Henry at long-on, thus ending a 65-run stand with Wyatt-Hodge for the third wicket. Wyatt-Hodge and Knight put on 40 more, but when they ran on Knight’s cut straight to the cover fielder, Wyatt-Hodge did not have the legs in the sapping heat to make it to the other end.

No late fireworks for England

There was to be no reprise of the high-powered union between Freya Kemp and Dani Gibson which blew Scotland away at Headingley on Saturday night when Matthews bowled Kemp attempting to sweep. Knight was eventually run out after surviving a couple of near misses. Gibson too fell cheaply on the penultimate ball of the innings, but by then, the home side had plenty on the board.

Matthews’ Ashes moment Matthews was nonplussed when England man-

aged to overturn a not-out decision for caught behind as she attempted a cut off Linsey Smith in the fourth over. Matthews was ada mant she had not made con tact with the ball, and one angle on the replay showed a gap between bat and ball while UltraEdge indicated a spike.

TV umpire Nimali Perera ruled that Matthews was out, but the West

Indies Captain spent a good deal of time making her case to the on-field umpires.

Matthews watched more replays in the West Indies dugout and continued to disagree with the decision in conversation with the fourth umpire on the sidelines. It was reminiscent of last year’s Ashes Snicko controversy when TV umpire Chris Gaffaney upheld a not-out decision for Australia’s Alex Carey when a clear spike appeared several frames before the ball had passed the bat. But, in this instance, the scorecard showed Matthews out for 14.

West Indies spun out

In the last over of the power play, Deandra Dottin helped herself to 15 runs off Dean’s first four balls, including back-to-back fours fol-

lowed by a thumping six over long-on. But Dean’s riposte on the last ball was to toss one up on middle and leg as Dottin looked to clear long-on once more. She did not connect fully, and found Capsey just inside the boundary. West Indies were 46 for 2 after six overs, and some frugal bowling by Ecclestone, followed by Dean’s second wicket in as many balls when she had Jannillea Glasgow chopping on with the first ball of her next over, kept England in control. The last time these sides met at a T20 World Cup, in 2024, a rash of fielding errors cost England the match and the chance to progress to the knockout phase. While they are a vastly improved side, the hosts missed two chances in three balls as Claxton and Henry dug in. (ESPNcricinfo)

Physical tickets now on sale for Guyana Grand Prix

Physical tickets for the highly-anticipated Guyana Grand Prix are now available as the Guyana Motor Racing and Sports Club (GMR&SC) moves closer to hosting what is expected to be one of the biggest motorsport events ever staged in Guyana.

The GMR&SC announced that printed tickets officially went on sale on Wednesday, June 24, adding to the online sales already available through the GuyanaGo. org platform. The physical tickets can be purchased at all Lyft Gym locations and at the GMR&SC office at Thomas Lands and Albert Street in Georgetown.

The Guyana Grand Prix is scheduled for July 11-12 at the South Dakota Circuit, Timehri, where regional and international competitors are expected to gather for a major weekend of racing, entertainment, and fan experiences.

General admission tickets are available for both days, with Saturday’s ticket priced at $4000, while Sunday race-day admission starts at $9000.

A GMR&SC representative said the printed tickets arrived this week and were distributed after the club added its official security markings.

“We got the tickets in our hands this week. We just needed to add our signature security marking and then distribute,” the spokesperson said. “Fans will be pleased to know that they can now get those tickets in their hands.”

The club has also introduced premium options for fans who want a more exclusive experience. The Sunday VIP Experience is priced at $50,000 and includes access to a premium hospitality suite with lunch, snacks, an open bar with dedicated service, private air-conditioned restroom facilities, dedicated VIP parking and panoramic views of the South Dakota circuit.

According to the GMR&SC, interest in the VIP package has been strong, with only a final allocation of tickets remaining.

“We’re excited to officially launch physical ticket sales and welcome fans from across Guyana and the region to what promises to be the biggest motor racing event yet,” the spokesperson said. “We’ve carefully planned spectator access to make arriving at the circuit as efficient as possible, and we encourage everyone to use the designated entrances for their ticket category.”

The spokesperson added that the response to the VIP experience has exceeded expectations and urged fans who are considering that option not to wait, as the package is close to being sold out.

Fans seeking an even closer view of the action can purchase the Sunday Paddock Club Pass for $100,000. That package includes all VIP benefits, along with pit lane access, closer interaction with the GT cars, exclusive driver photo opportunities, and access to the pre-race grid walk and cultural festivities.

The club said the Paddock Club package is a limited opportunity for fans who want to experience the event from the closest possible vantage point.

In addition to race tickets, official GT Challenge de las Américas merchandise is also available, including event shirts priced at $8000.

New faces highlight Slingerz squad as Club Shield prep continues

Less than a month to go before coming up against the best football clubs in the Caribbean region, Slingerz Football Club is working relentlessly to prepare for the Caribbean Football Union’s Club Shield competition.

The Club Shield will see 22 teams from across the region vying for two available spots in the CONCACAF Caribbean Cup.

So committed is the camp to the preparation, the team has been training at 13:30h, the exact time of their first match.

Discussing their preparations, Head Coach Jamaal Shabazz noted his contentment with the competitiveness he has seen in the squad thus far.

“Training just over a month and I think the attitude and effort in the training have been good. We still could do with a couple more players putting their mind in the frame that ‘look, we’re going to play at a higher level’. So, the intensity needs to be great,” Shabazz told Guyana Times Sport exclusively.

He added, “But in saying that, the majority of the players have shown that competitiveness and so far, I’m happy where we are, four to five weeks away from the first game.”

As one would expect, Slingerz has brought in a number of new faces, not just in the player department but also in the coaching staff.

The gaffer divulged the

reason behind the acquisitions, “Well, we recognise when we look at the strength of the teams – Mount Pleasant from Jamaica, Robin from Suriname, Prisons FC from Trinidad and Tobago and the team from Turks and Caicos, they all have overseas-based players and in Guyana, the best players, make no mistake, are divided between four clubs – GDF, Western, Police and Slingerz – and then the best young players are with Santos.”

“So, we saw what happened with GDF for the last two seasons, not that we think we’re not capable, but if we have the opportunity to strengthen the team we do and we brought in three players from Africa who have fit in well, we have one player who was playing in the Jamaican league from Colombia,” he further explained.

Among the acquisitions are goalkeepers Akel Clarke and Jamal Cumberbatch on loan while striker Neron Barrow has also joined the outfit. Additionally, the ser-

vices of Coach Vurlon Mills have also been snapped up on loan.

Focusing on Mills, their temporary coaching acquisition, a former Golden Jaguars and Slingerz player turned Coach, Shabazz talked up his abilities.

“Vurlon is easily one of the top young Coaches and the future of Guyana’s football. I would personally like to see, at the end of August, Vurlon take up this thing and run with it, because my time is coming or has come. I think this tournament gives him the opportunity to work at a higher level, because one of the problems in Guyana football is that the young coaches need to get the first-hand experience on the pitch,” Shabazz opined.

“It’s one thing for us to say they don’t have the experience, but how do they get the experience if they’re not able to get the job? I think that he has brought a lot of enthusiasm, good knowledge especially in the technical/tactical sessions and it’s a joy to see him work. He reminds me so much of

Optimistic Chase seeking 1st Test win as Captain

The first of two Test matches between hosts West Indies and visitors Sri Lanka will take centre stage at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, Antigua and Barbuda today, running until Monday, June 29.

Since revamping their squad last year, the West Indies have not had the best record, losing back-to-back series against Australia (0-3), India (0-2) and New Zealand (0-2).

As Captain Roston Chase prepares for his fourth series at the helm of the team, he is focused on bringing home their first win.

“Well, firstly, I would like to get the first win on the table for the West Indies team. We’ve played a number of matches already, but we haven’t quite gotten over that hurdle, in winning a game as a team. So, that’s the first goal that I would like to see us achieve and then to win the series as well,” an optimistic Chase told CWI media.

Quizzed on what could be the Windies’ biggest asset in this series, Chase pointed to familiarity with conditions being a strength they can capitalise on.

on fire and they really utilised the Caribbean wickets that we have to offer. So, I think that’s where our strength lies and we’re looking to utilise that as much as possible.”

Happy to have his frontline pacers fit and back in the squad, the skipper had high words of praise for Shamar and Alzarri Joseph. He noted, “Both Josephs, they are mainly the spearhead of the attack, especially Shamar, having an outstanding season against Australia. So, to have him back is a plus and also, to have Alzarri back in his home conditions, I think this is a place where he enjoys bowling, so, to have both of those guys back is a big plus for us.”

Chase also discussed

working with Samuel Cox. He’s taken a lot of weight off my shoulders.”

Quizzed about his approach to the competition, the gaffer disclosed his intention to ‘cut down big trees’.

He declared, “I have a lot of respect for the opponents because they’re playing in superior leagues, but how often has a small army defeated a big army. In my career with Guyana, we’ve seen this all the time, we’ve been punching over our weight and this is our intention going into the Shield.”

The CFU Club Shield is set for Trinidad and Tobago from July 23 to August 2. Slingerz FC will first battle SWA Sharks FC out of Turks and Caicos Islands in the first round of the competition, a win in which will

see them advancing to the Round of 16 to face Prison Service out of Trinidad and Tobago. Other potential oppositions in the tournament for the Guyanese team include Suriname’s

KFC National School Basketball Festival tips off Sunday

The 19th edition of the KFC National School Basketball Festival will tip off on Sunday, June 28, with more than a week of school basketball action scheduled for Georgetown.

St Rose’s High among the schools listed in the early fixtures.

the Caribbean side’s batting, expressing hopes to see more consistency this series.

He mused, “I just want to see a bit more consistency. As you said, we got five centuries, so, it shows that guys have been putting up their hand, but I just think we need to do it a bit more as a collective unit so we could get bigger scores.

“I think once we’re able to consistently put 280300 on the board, I think we’ll be a force to be reckoned with as a Test-playing nation,” the Windies Test skipper added.

Day One’s action will bowl off at 10:00h local time today. Meanwhile, the second and final Test match is scheduled for July 3-7.

The tournament will run from June 28 to July 5, with matches set for the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall (CASH), Homestretch Avenue and the National Gymnasium, Mandela Avenue. The opening ceremony is scheduled for Sunday at 13:00h, while the daily start time for the festival is also listed as 13:00h.

This year’s competition will feature four divisions: Girls, Under-14, Under-16 and Under-18. The tournament is expected to showcase some of the top young basketball players from schools across the country as teams compete for national honours.

Action on the opening day will feature Girls and Under-16 matches, with President’s College, Queen’s College, Marian Academy, JC Chandisingh Secondary, Tutorial Academy, Hururu Secondary, Berbice High, The Bishops’ High, Mackenzie High, St Stanislaus College and

The Girls’ division will be contested in two groups. Group A includes President’s College, Marian Academy and JC Chandisingh Secondary, while Group B features Queen’s College, Tutorial Academy and Hururu Secondary.

The tournament will continue with quarter-finals and preliminary games from June 29 to July 2, before the festival shifts focus to its High School All-Star showcase on July 3. The All-Star programme will include a Junior All-Star Game, Girls All-Star Game and Senior All-Star Game.

The semi-finals are scheduled for July 4, with matches across the Girls, Under-14, Under-16 and Under-18 divisions. The festival will conclude on July 5 with the four finals, beginning with the Under-14 championship game at 16:00h.

The Girls’ final will follow at 17:15h, while the Under-16 final is set for 18:30h. The tournament will close with the Under-18 final at 20:00h.

The National School

B Beharry and Company Limited as title sponsor. G-Boats Guyana is also listed among the sponsors, while the event is being held in partnership with the Ministry of Education and supported by the Ministry of Culture, Youth, and Sport.

Rossouw replaces Green in Desert Vipers squad for ExxonMobil GSL

South African top-order batter Rilee Rossouw, one of only 20 men to have scored over 10,000 runs in Twenty20 cricket, has joined the Desert Vipers as a replacement for the injured Chris Green in the ExxonMobil Guyana Global Super League (GSL).

Rossouw steps into the squad in the wake of Green suffering a hand injury during a stint playing county cricket in England and he brings a wealth of experience and quality with him.

The left-hander has represented South Africa in 36 One-Day Internationals (ODIs) and 29 Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is), scoring five white-ball hundreds for the Proteas.

But as significant as Rossouw’s international pedigree is his vast body of work in franchise cricket all around the world including in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL); South Africa’s SA20; the Bangladesh Premier League; the Sri Lanka Premier League; the Indian Premier League (IPL); the T20 Blast and The Hundred in the UK; the Pakistan Super League (PSL); Major League Cricket (MLC) in the United States of America and the Big Bash League in Australia.

With that background, the player is well-qualified to pass judgement on what it takes for any franchise side to come together and gel quickly, and he gave his views to the Vipers Voices podcast after arriving in the USA for anoth -

er round of MLC, with the Texas SuperKings.

“Because of the modern-day age in which we play the game, you have to open yourself up to a little bit of vulnerability from other players around you,” he said. “That is the quickest way for people to get to know you. I think that is one thing where I feel a coach like Stephen Fleming does superbly well.

“He gets the guys to gel really, really quickly with certain little exercises that he does with the guys. It really opens you up for people to get to know you. That is how you are supposed to do things now in the modern-day age of gelling with each other, because there are no more big rivalries anymore.

“You cannot abuse a guy because maybe next week you are playing with

that guy. Yes, there is ob viously competition on the cricket field, but I feel like changed with the mod ern game, where you have to be mates with the guys, if that makes sense.”

That need to gel quickly is sig nificant, because the Vipers play ers are due to ar rive in Guyana on July 20, just four days before the side’s opening match of the Global Super League, against Lahore Qalanders.

And Rossouw said he expected the process of the squad getting to know each other to be a smooth one from his perspective.

guys that I probably do know that I am going to get along well with at the Vipers,” he said.

“I feel like my personality when it comes to that is pretty easy-going. I am a pretty relaxed person, so that also does help in that situation. It is a quick turnaround, but I am pretty sure it will be easy.”

Rossouw was a late hire for the Desert Vipers, and he said his long-time connection with Vipers Director of Cricket Tom Moody was the key to his recruitment.

“Myself and Tom Moody really go way back,” he said. “So, out of the blue, Tom just messaged me and asked me if I was keen to come to the Desert Vipers.

ter a successful season in the PSL with the Quetta Gladiators in which he topped that side’s run aggregates by scoring 317 runs at a strike rate of over 140, including four half-centuries.

“I was coming off an injury from the SA20, where I also thought I was in good nick,” he said.

“I am always a lit tle bit sceptical coming back into a tournament af ter an injury, but I went through that (PSL) tournament fairly well and did score some runs

one. So, I was very happy and I told him I was very interested to be joining.”

“There are a lot of

The 36-year-old said he felt in good touch, af -

“At the end of the day, you want to win trophies and it was a bit unfortunate we did not. But yes, I am very pleased with where I am this year with my cricket and how well I am striking the ball.

And I am just really looking to stay on top of

Prior Caribbean experience could well be crucial in shaping success or failure for sides in the GSL and Rossouw, having previously lined up in the CPL, said he knew what to expect from conditions.

“Conditions are definitely different,” he said. “There are some places in the Caribbean that are very nice to bat on, but in Guyana it is probably

a bit of a different story. The ball is turning and it keeps low and it is slow.

“So, we are going to have to adapt to conditions when it comes to that. Hopefully, we have some good cricket that is being played. I am pretty sure there will be.”

The Desert Vipers squad for the ExxonMobil Guyana Global Super League reads: Rilee Rossouw (SA)Replacement for Chris Green; Daryl Mitchell (NZ); Bevon Jacobs (NZ); Kyle Jamieson (NZ); Shadab Khan (PAK); Vriitya Aravind (UAE); Khuzaima Bin Tanveer (UAE); Matiullah Khan (UAE); Sanjay Pahal (UAE); Andries Gous (USA); Kyle Mayers (WI); Khary Pierre (WI); Ramon Simmonds (WI) and Zachary Carter (WI).

Raging winds, heavy rain damage new Anna Regina Stadium roof …no injuries reported; repair team mobilised

As a brief period of strong winds and rain caused structural damage to properties, both public and private, across the coast on Wednesday afternoon, one sport facility was not spared the wrath of the inclement weather.

The new Anna Regina Stadium on the Essequibo Coast sustained damage to roofing in one stand, which has since been described as ‘minor’ by the Ministry of Culture, Youth, and Sport.

The Ministry shared in a social media post, “According to preliminary reports, strong gusts associated with the weather system ripped off sections of the roofing material at the facility, which is currently in its final stages of preparation ahead of its scheduled opening next month.

Despite the visible damage, authorities have confirmed that no injuries were reported at the site during or after the incident.

Officials connected to the project indicated that emergency repair teams have already been mobilised and are expected to begin restoration works immediately.

Engineers are also assessing the structure to determine whether additional reinforcement is required before the venue is officially commissioned.

The adverse weather conditions affected several communities across the Essequibo Coast, and other parts of Guyana, with re-

ports of fallen branches and temporary power disruptions in some areas.

The Anna Regina stadium is expected to serve as a key sporting hub for the region, and its upcoming inauguration has been highly anticipated as part of efforts to expand sport infrastructure in Region Two.

Meteorological officials are continuing to monitor weather patterns as intermittent rainfall and wind gusts are forecast to persist over the coming days. Residents are being urged to remain alert and take necessary precautions. Authorities say further updates will be

provided as repair work progresses and assessments continue at the stadium.”

The Anna Regina Stadium was set for a July 3, 2026 opening. It has not yet been confirmed whether or not Wednesday’s damage will set back that commissioning date.

It’s been the World Cup of stars – Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappé, Erling Haaland and Cristiano Ronaldo, among others.

But one notable name was missing.

Neymar Jr.

But that’s no longer the case, as the Brazilian icon made his first appearance of the 2026 tournament Thursday in a 3-0 win versus Scotland in Miami.

The 34-year-old Neymar came on as a substitute in the 76th minute after missing the first two games versus Morocco and Haiti due to an injury.

Brazil have mostly been fine without him so far, especially in this game. Vinicius Jr (7th, 45th+3), the next star up for the nation, logged a brace to take his tournament tally up to four goals while Matheus Cunha (60th) scored his third. Cunha had a brace versus Haiti in his first start in place of Igor Thiago.

But the headlines will be Neymar’s availability for the