Guyana Times - Tuesday, April 21, 2026

Bar fight turns deadly among cousins at Golden Grove Guyana delegation attends UN

Forum on health Traffic Chief warns drivers against aggression towards cops

BRIDGE OPENING

APRIL

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Tuesday, April 21 –06:25h-07:55h and Wednesday, April 22 – 07:15h–08:45h.

FERRY SCHEDULE

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

WEATHER TODAY

Light to thundery showers are expected during the day and into the night. Temperatures are expected to range between 23 degrees Celsius and 29 degrees Celsius.

Winds: North-Easterly to East North-Easterly between 2.23 metres and 4.47 metres.

High Tide: 06:56h and 19:34h reaching maximum heights of 2.69 metres and 2.42 metres.

Low Tide: 13:04h reaching a minimum height of 0.55 metre.

“We’re not playing politics” – Ali asserts city streets takeover is about progress …as $6B Aubrey Barker Road commissioned

President Dr Irfaan Ali on Monday underscored that the newly expanded $6 billion Aubrey Barker Road is part of a “deliberate national transformation plan,” as he defended the government’s decision to designate several city streets as public roads under central management, insisting that “we’re not playing politics.”

The Head of State was at the time delivering the feature address at the official opening of the newly upgraded four-lane Aubrey Barker Road. First commencing in November 2022, the project was executed by the government under the Public Works Ministry in several lots.

move is about governance not politics.

on sinking sand,” the president declared.

He noted that move to designate more than 50 roads in Georgetown as public road is a move aimed at accelerating modernization and ensuring consistent maintenance.

“If Georgetown is to become the finest city in the Caribbean, then its infrastructure must match that ambition: a modern city cannot run unbroken roads. A growing economy cannot move on yesterday’s infrastructure,” the President said.

The president described the development as a strategic investment in Guyana’s future and a key component of a wider national transport master plan.

“Let me set the record straight. We are not taking roads for politics. We are designating roads as public roads in the cause of progress. We have no political interest in dispossessing any entity. We are not playing politics for potholes. We’re not campaigning with congestions, grandstanding with gridlock. We are governing and governance requires responsibility. It requires decisions. It requires standing on firm ground, and I don’t have the time to shift

“This is not an isolated project. It is a strategic project…It is not a local upgrade. It is part of a national upgrade of the road transport system,” President Ali said, he added that

“It forms part of our broader road master plan. A plan designed to connect connectivity better integrate Communities improved travel time on new land stimulate commerce and modernize Guyana’s transport Infrastructure. Roads do more than carry vehicles. Roads carry workers, roads carry goods, roads carry opportunities.”

As he spoke passionately about the government’s plans to modernise Guyana’s roadways and improve the city, the President took the opportunity to address concerns about Central Government assuming control of several city streets as public roads, to bring their management under the central government.

Governance not politics

He emphasized that the

The president reinforced that infrastructure development is the backbone of Guyana’s rapid economic growth, declaring that roads are not merely symbols of development but drivers of it.

“Connectivity is the foundation on which economic growth is built. We are not building roads to show that development is taking place in Ghana. We are building roads because this is what drives development,” he said.

He argued that improved connectivity supports agriculture, industry, and commerce, while reducing travel time and increasing productivity.

Increased property values Ali also pointed to the dramatic wealth creation being created through the increased property values along developing corridors, linking them directly to government investments.

Editor: Tusika Martin

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Comply first, contest later

Rising hostility during roadside encounters between motorists and traffic ranks is a troubling development that demands firm and immediate attention. The caution issued by Traffic Chief, Assistant Commissioner of Police Mahendra Singh, shows a growing concern within law enforcement that routine traffic stops are increasingly being met with confrontation rather than cooperation. Such behaviour undermines the rule of law as well as erodes the framework of order necessary for safe and functional roadways.

At the core of this issue is a fundamental misunderstanding, or, in some cases, disregard, of lawful authority and due process. Traffic ranks operate within clearly-defined legal parameters. When a vehicle is stopped, it is not an arbitrary act but rather one guided by observation and the requirements of the law. The expectation, therefore, is not blind submission, but measured compliance followed by recourse through established legal channels if disagreement arises. The roadside is not a courtroom, nor should it become a stage for disputes that can and should be addressed through proper institutional mechanisms.

The Traffic Chief s position is both reasonable and necessary as a system exists to ensure fairness where alleged offences are reviewed at the station level, supervisors are engaged, and ultimately, the courts serve as the final arbiter. This layered process is designed to protect both the rights of the motorist and the integrity of law enforcement. When motorists choose confrontation over compliance, they effectively bypass this system, replacing order with volatility and reason with impulsiveness.

Several public incidents with attacks on traffic ranks have illustrated the dangers of such behaviour. There have been multiple instances captured and circulated on social media and in the local press in which traffic ranks were verbally abused, physically threatened, and in some cases, assaulted while executing their duties. In one notable case, an individual was brought before the courts and sentenced to imprisonment after attacking a traffic officer during a roadside interaction. That outcome served as a clear reminder that aggression towards law enforcement carries serious legal consequences. It also underscored the Judiciary s recognition of the need to protect officers who operate on the front lines of public safety.

Discipline on the nation s roadways must be regarded as a shared responsibility and law enforcement agencies are tasked with upholding regulations, but motorists are equally responsible for adhering to them. This balance cannot be achieved in an environment where hostility becomes the default response to enforcement. Respect for authority, even when challenged, is a cornerstone of any orderly society. It is not incompatible with the right to question or contest; rather, it provides the structure within which those rights can be exercised effectively.

The issue of compliance is particularly relevant in areas where repeated leniency has already been extended. Traffic enforcement campaigns often include grace periods, public advisories, and opportunities for voluntary correction, especially in matters such as vehicle tint regulations and documentation compliance. When these opportunities are ignored, enforcement becomes not only justified but necessary. To then respond with aggression when the law is applied is to disregard both the warning and the law itself.

It must also be recognised that escalating confrontations place all parties at risk. Traffic stops occur in dynamic environments, busy roadways, unpredictable traffic conditions, and varying public settings. Any escalation can quickly lead to unintended consequences, including injury to officers, motorists, or bystanders. De-escalation, therefore, is a matter of safety.

The path forward requires a recommitment to discipline, respect, and lawful conduct. Public education campaigns must continue to emphasise the correct procedures for addressing grievances, while enforcement must remain consistent and impartial. Equally, there must be zero tolerance for assaults against traffic ranks. Strong and visible consequences for such actions are essential to deterring future incidents and reinforcing the seriousness of the offence.

When routine interactions between motorists and law enforcement devolve into conflict, it shows an erosion of civic responsibility. The message from the Traffic Chief is therefore necessary comply first, contest later. In that simple principle lies the foundation for safer roads and a more disciplined society.

wholesalers send the

on

Today, it fell to Parliament to hold Keir Starmer to account for the Mandelson scandal. It largely failed

By ToBy Helm

Around the time of Peter Mandelson’s appointment as the UK’s Ambassador to Washington in late 2024, Nigel Farage, our possible next Prime Minister, said that while he “might disagree with Mandelson on his politics”, he was “a very intelligent man”, who would be a good choice for the job. If the Tories raised objections at the time, they are not exactly seared to this day on the collective memory. As one senior Labour figure put it to me on Sunday: “They all thought it was a very smart political move back then. Now they are all full of this righteous indignation.”

Certainly, in the MPs’ defence, we know much more now than we did then about Mandelson’s enduring links with Jeffery Epstein. And thanks to the Guardian’s extraordinary revelation last week, which rekindled this crisis and turned it into one about the entire workings of government, we discovered that Mandelson actually failed the official Foreign Office vetting job for the job, but was appointed nonetheless.

One takeaway from the staggering Mandelson debacle, so far, is that journalists, not politicians, deserve the plaudits for plugging away and getting nearer to the truth. In 2023, the Financial Times’s Jim Pickard reported that Mandelson, who had twice resigned from Labour cabinets, had stayed at

Epstein’s lavish townhouse in Manhattan while the financier was in prison for soliciting prostitution from a minor.

The executive and legislative arms of government had, for many years, known more than enough to understand the dangers of slotting this man into a role at the pinnacle, with access to much of the most sensitive information held anywhere in government. But the prevailing political view was, in late 2024, that Mandelson, the devious tactical genius who had helped propel Tony Blair and New Labour to power, was somehow worth the risk. The thinking was that one so brilliantly calculating in his every thought and utterance was a clever choice to represent British interests in Washington and handle the impossible Donald Trump. Mandelson, meanwhile, span his own impending appointment in late 2024 to those in the media who would listen, and treated others in the media who in any way questioned it with contempt. On one occasion, reacting to the FT as it pursued him over his stay in Epstein’s house, Mandelson told the paper to “f*** off” with its obsession over him and Epstein.

On Monday afternoon, our parliament, and our prime minister, united in belated outrage at the way the appointment had come about. In so doing its members merely highlighted their prior complicity, and culpability. Starmer danced on the head of a pin, blam-

ing Foreign Office officials for failing to tell him that his choice for Washington had failed security clearance, and dumping on officials. He admitted that he had not only been wrong to do so but also, for the first time, that his judgment had been flawed.

Kemi Badenoch dug deep into the weeds with six forensic questions about process, but for some reason did not directly demand Starmer’s resignation. Badenoch had given Starmer sight of her questions beforehand, so he was able to swerve them with some ease. She might have done better to go for a grander approach, blending the forensic with a simple inquisition into why on earth Mandelson had ever crossed his mind. Ed Davey, for the Liberal Democrats, failed to rise to the moment, lamely borrowing Norman Lamont’s bitter phrase about John Major from 1993 that he gave the impression of being in “office not in power”. Farage was nowhere, aware perhaps that his support for Mandelson’s appointment would not be a good look.

On an occasion that invited a great parliamentary speech, even a great phrase that captured the moment – think Tony Blair and his “weak, weak, weak” verdict on John Major, or David Cameron about Blair: “He was the future once” – there was nothing. It was left to Diane Abbott to see the key point of all this and to rise to the moment with devastating clarity. Reeling back the

years, she simply recapped the reasons for Mandelson’s departures from Cabinet. “Peter Mandelson has a history,” she told the House, drawing laughter. It was so obvious. In so doing, she was also questioning why Starmer had placed faith in New Labour types from the opposite wing of the party to her, when he had posed as of the left.

Abbott’s short speech was a reminder of the innate problem with Starmer as a politician and as a Labour Prime Minister. He lacks any ideological spine or consistency. He thought it was pragmatic to look left when wanting to be Labour leader, then right to the likes of Mandelson and Morgan McSweeney when he became Prime Minister. He has always lacked a clarity of purpose. “It has a tragic element, a decent man but lacking substance,” said a senior Labour figure in despair. “He travels so light because there is nothing there.”

The great 19th-century constitutional theorist Walter Bagehot said that one of Parliament’s roles in our democracy was to express through its MPs the outrage of the people. Well, the people are outraged, but throughout this entire fiasco – and even on Monday, when they had their chance to deliver on their duty to those they serve – the truth is that they largely failed. (The Guardian)

(Toby Helm is a political commentator and former political editor of the Observer)

After successful pilot project

$15M onion harvest fuels Guyana’s push towards export market …as

200 acres of onion production now being targeted

minister stated.

The government is taking steps to increase onion production after a successful pilot project in Region Nine (Upper Takutu -Upper Essequibo) and is now set-

Meanwhile, markets for the onions have already been secured in Lethem and across the country.

The short-term goal is to make Guyana self-suffi-

so all these things we are doing in the agriculture sector. And besides this, we are looking into other crops, things like beet and dragon fruit; all those things we are going into in

ting its sights on entering the export market.

Last week, more than $15 million worth of onions were harvested from farms in Region Nine as part of a pilot project that was launched by the government.

Approximately 2600 bags of onions have been harvested to date from the cultivation, which began on December 27, 2025. The produce is being sold at $6000 per bag.

On Monday to mark this milestone, Agriculture Minister, Zulfikar Mustapha explained that the government is now moving to expand the project, with the eventual goal of exporting the produce.

Mustapha noted too that farmers from other parts of the country are interested in getting involved in the project.

“The next crop, I am hoping that we can go into about 200 acres. This was just a pilot project of four acres when we started out. We are hoping that the next crop we can go into over 200 acres of onion cultivation because we are seeing interest around the country.”

“Since these onions were harvested, and since the President [Dr Irfaan Ali] was there and he did part of the harvesting, now other people in places like Region Two, Region Six, and Region Five are coming forward and they want to get involved also,” the

cient, with the long-term goal of exporting the produce.

“I have instructed NAREI to go around and partner with these people…so they also will set aside part of their farmland to start the process…I am hoping that if we could cultivate 200 acres of onion, we can be self-sufficient in producing all our needs in Guyana. I am hoping that at the end of that, we can go far beyond 200 acres, then we can export to the region.”

Guyana is aggressively reducing food imports, aiming to cut its import bill by 25% by 2025 through increased local production of crops like corn, soy, and livestock.

In fact, Guyana has already gained self-sufficiency with its corn and soybean project, which was piloted in 2021 and is now, for the first time ever, exporting the crops to Barbados.

Mustapha emphasized that this initiative reflects the government’s broader push to diversify the agriculture sector with a vast range of other crops.

“Besides this, we went into high-value crops, things like broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, and lettuce. We went into corn and soya; I am hoping that very shortly we will be self-sufficient in producing all our soy needs so that we will not import 40 million US dollars annually

the agriculture sector.”

He expressed hope that by the next harvest, additional dealers and distributors across the country would begin purchasing the produce and ensuring

wider distribution to supermarkets nationwide.

Success in prawns’ production

Apart from crops, the government has seen successes in its prawn production, with the commodity already reaching markets in Barbados and Trinidad.

He stated that the brackish water shrimp industry in Region Six has already been developed to a value exceeding $2.6 billion.

He added that plans are underway to expand the initiative, noting that he is scheduled to visit Essequibo on Wednesday to officially launch a similar project in Region Two. He also highlighted the Vannamei project in Region Five, through which prawns are now being exported to Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago. Additionally, he noted that locally packaged Guyanese prawns are available in supermarkets across the country under the Guyana Coast brand.

“These prawns have been sold in Massy

Supermarket and other major supermarkets across the country. So that shows our resilience and our increase in various crops, new crops in the agriculture sector. Besides that, in the traditional area, we have been moving to increase production. Meanwhile, we have seen rice production increase to 810,000 tons last year.”

In January, this publication had reported that the National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute (NAREI) partnered with farmer Christopher Moses to cultivate five acres of onions in Lethem. Initial estimates suggested the acreage could yield about 250,000

pounds of onions, surpassing earlier projections for Regions Nine and Eight. The onion project is part of a national strategy aimed at strengthening food security and reducing reliance on imports. Government has identified Region Nine and other hinterland areas as key contributors to expanding both traditional and non-traditional crops. Production targets outlined by the Agriculture Ministry include citrus, carrots, peanuts and onions, along with livestock outputs. These targets are supported by coordination with the Guyana Marketing Corporation to improve market access and distribution.

NGSA Questions

Make this colourful coffee filter flower craft, then give the DIY flower arrangement to someone or display it at home.

Supplies/tools

Paintbrush

Scissors

Washable markers

Chenille stems

Coffee filter(s)

Glass jar

Paper towels

Water

Directions

Step 1: To make a flower, use markers to colour coffee filter.

Step 2: Fold coffee filter in half 3 times to create triangle shape.

Step 3: Place folded coffee filter, tip down, in a small amount of water. Let water wick through filter.

Step 4: Place wet coffee filter on paper towels. Dry 1-2 hours.

Step 5: To make tie dye

flower, place coffee filter on top of paper towels, colour with markers, then paint over with water. Dry 1-2 hours.

Step 6: For both flower types, trim coloured paper towels to same width as coloured coffee filters.

Step 7: Place paper towel on top of filter. Fold in half twice. Twist bottom to make flower shape.

Step 8: Wrap the end of flower with chenille stem.

Step 9: Bunch flowers together and wrap chenille stem around flower stems to create a bouquet.

Step 10: Give as a gift or put on display! (Adapted from crayola.com)

By Luis Muñoz

Translated from the Spanish

Not one thing or the other. Not equal nor different.

Given that he had spent the night removing the dots over his i’s and was swimming in a sea so choppy and slippery, made solely of those dots— they were elated to collide— he was relieved to opt out of being something certain.

(Source: Poetry [April 2026])

Include the words “Happy Anniversary” in your story.

2020 election fraud trial

“I would stomp you in your chest” – witness testifies to hearing threats against candidate

Trial in the 2020 election fraud case continued on Monday morning at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts before acting Chief Magistrate Faith McGusty with the continuation of the testimony from People’s Progressive Party (PPP) elections agent, Sasenarine Singh, who testified to having witnessed threats against A New and United Guyana (ANUG) party representative, Jonathan Yearwood. During his cross examination by Defence Attorney Nigel Hughes, Singh acknowledged that he was present at the GECOM Office on March 13, 2020 when there was an altercation between Yearwood and A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) Chief Scrutineer, Carol Smith Joseph, during the Region Four Statement of Polls (SOP) tabulation.

During the tabulation Yearwood was among those present who objected to the procedure being used to tabulate the Region Four SOPs. The court hears that during the procedure several persons had complained of the numbers being displayed by the former Returning Officer (RO) Clairmont Mingo, being different from the numbers on copies of the SOPs that elections agents had in their possession.

According to reports, during the situation SmithJoseph was noted to be harassing persons who objected, and would eventually get into a physical altercation with Yearwood. Video from the altercation had allegedly shown Yearwood pushing Smith-Joseph. Yearwood was later arrested by the police. According to Singh, just preceding the physical altercation he heard Smith-Joseph threatening Yearwood.

“She said I would stomp you in your chest,” Singh noted as he gave testimony under oath. Pressed by the defence, Singh admitted to not having heard what was said by Yearwood prior to the threat from Smith-Joseph. He noted that Smith-Joseph was very loud which is why her words were overheard very clearly. Smith-Joseph and Mingo are among nine persons currently charged with conspiracy to commit electoral fraud in relation to the tabulation of votes for Region Four in the 2020 GRE. They include former Chief Elections Officer (CEO) Keith Lowefield, former Deputy CEO Roxanne Myers, former A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance for Change (APNU+AFC) Minister Volda Lawrence and former Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) employees Enrique Livan,

Sheffern February, Michelle Miller, and Denise BobbCummings. Among the offences these defendants are accused of committing are: misconduct while holding public office; presenting falsified documentation; and planning to manipulate Guyana’s voters by presenting an inaccurate vote total. These charges stem from attempts to rig the 2020 Elections in favour of the then-ruling APNU/AFC. As the case continued on Monday the defence also began cross examination of Singh, beginning

with cross examination by Attorney Nigel Hughes. Singh had last testified in February when the case was adjourned. During Singh’s testimony on Monday several videos which he had recorded during his time at the GECOM Ashmin’s Building office were played and Singh explained what took place during the videos. During his cross-examination Singh was questioned about the chain of command of the copies of the SOPs that the PPP polling agents received from the respective Presiding

Officers during the March 2, 2020 General and Regional Elections.

Singh recalled that he made notes about the details of the SOP that he received, but noted that he could not recall off hand what those details were. He said that he handed his notes over to a clerk at the party’s Freedom House Headquarters and signed a document acknowledging receipt of the document. Singh was also cross examined by Attorney Eusi Anderson, where he was questioned about posts he

has held since the PPP assumed office in 2020. Singh’s cross examination is expected to continued when the trial resumes on Friday. On Monday the prosecution also noted that they will be making submissions in the voir dires. The trial currently has five voir dires, where the admissibility of several pieces of evidence is being determined. The prosecution noted that they are expected to file at least two of the submissions in the voir dires by Friday.

Traffic Chief warns drivers against aggression towards cops

Motorists are being urged to remain calm and avoid confrontations with traffic ranks during roadside interactions, as authorities raise concerns over a growing trend of aggressive behaviour by drivers. Traffic Chief, Assistant Commissioner of Police, Mahendra Singh made the call during a recent edition of “Traffic Watch”, which is aired on another section of the media, warning that hostility towards law enforcement is undermining road safety efforts and due process.

“What we are seeing in the public domain also is that when drivers would have committed themselves in the view of a policeman in the traffic department and he or she is stopped lawfully by that police rank, they seem to want to become aggressive and question the logic when they are already told… what they were stopped for, why they were stopped,” Singh stated. He stressed that motorists have a right to challenge alleged offences, but this must be done through established legal channels rather than roadside disputes. “Herein I’m encouraging a driver when it is said by the police that an offence is committed. You will not comply alone but there is a process or procedure to follow, wherefore you will contest what they are saying,” he explained. Singh cautioned that interactions between drivers and police should not escalate into conflict, emphasising that enforcement is not adversarial.

“It’s not to get into a situation where there will be conflict or it will be you against us or us against you. That’s not necessary,” he said. According to the traffic chief, once an offence is detected, a structured process is followed which allows for fairness and review before any matter reaches the courts. “For it to reach even the court, it has to be taken to a station level, it has to be brought to the attention of the supervisor in charge of the traffic department there, where both parties can be heard,” he noted, adding that the process is not influenced by bias. He further addressed concerns about enforcement consistency, particularly in relation to motor vehicle tint regulations, pointing out that motorists are given opportunities to comply before charges are instituted. “When you stop a driver presently for any motor vehicle and tint after testing is not in keeping with what the regulation… speak to. What next? You

have to be charged,” Singh said.

“Though opportunities were given significantly for you to correct the tint… and you have not done anything, you can’t expect… such biases would be exercised now to cause us not to prosecute.” Singh maintained that traffic ranks are guid-

ed by the law and are required to act without prejudice, while motorists also retain the right to question enforcement actions through proper channels.

“So as much and everything that you do, the police have the right to exercise their judgement based on what is lawful without a bias and the driver must also question the logic as to why he was stopped… Procedures are established to ensure fairness in the process either before trial or at trial in a court of law,” he added. The traffic chief’s remarks come amid ongoing efforts to improve road safety and ensure compliance with traffic laws across the country.

Developing… …piggeries

Your Eyewitness is so impressed with the Government for creating opportunities for Guyanese to make it big – as far as money is concerned – in our fastest growing economy in the world. The latest that jumped out at him was pig rearing and processing!! Now pig rearing’s been with us from the very beginning – even before we became Guyana!! Didn’t we learn in school that one of the reasons Damon staged his rebellion over in Essequibo – back in 1834 after “Emancipation” – was because the Planters killed the pigs of the enslaved – in an effort to have them continue working!! Slaves had been allowed to rear pigs to supplement their diet – and this continued during the Village Movement!!

The Indians – brought in as indentured labourers – were never big on pig farming!! The Muslims saw it as “haram” –forbidden – and the Hindus saw it as unclean and practised by the lowest of the low castes!! Pig farming continued into the modern period in African villages and when Burnham launched his drive for self-sufficiency in the 1970s, Govtowned pig farming on a larger scale was introduced in all the National Services camps – as well as at Garden of Eden on the EBD. They were supposed to also produce feed –like corn – for the pigs. But we all know – like with all his grandiose ideas – pig farming failed because he insisted on putting party loyalists in charge – rather than the best managers and agriculturalists!!

Anyhow, the PPP’s been trying valiantly since they entered office in 1992 to improve the conditions in the livestock sector – including pigs. However, rather than continuing with the PNC’s large Govt-run farms, they’ve focused more on institutional support for farmers. For example, they launched the more technical and farmeroriented Guyana Livestock Development Authority (GLDA) that provides training, veterinary services, breeding advice, and extension support to pig farmers. They’ve introduced genetic improvement programmes – to produce better breeds of pigs – as well as collecting data and monitoring production. They also announced a plan to launch an abattoir at Garden of Eden.

But with all that effort, no farmer – or group of farmers under the PNC’s vaunted “co-ops” – have taken the entrepreneurial step to emulate the vertically-integrated mega pig farms like in the USA. So finally, the Government has invited one of the latter to conduct a study as to what it’s gonna take for them to do what it takes to get us there!! It’ll be a two-step plan – first to deal with the local market –then scale it upwards to handle the Caricom market!!

Your Eyewitness can already hear the shrieks from the Opposition racists that the Government’s selling out “African” pig farming!!

No wonder they’re dwindling!!

…capacitation??

Your Eyewitness’s eye was caught by a Chronic editorial referencing a “Capacitation Conclave survey” done by UG. It showed that Guyanese “youths see work as a way to support their changing life goals, placing importance on flexibility, creativity, and personal control”. Referencing Govt’s job creation, UG’s VC Paloma Mohamed Martin concluded, “simply creating jobs isn’t enough if those jobs do not meet the changing expectations. Young people are increasingly doubting strict job requirements, especially when they come with low starting wages.”

In other words, employers in our growing economy mustn’t expect young hirees to fit in with their businesses job requirements, but must tailor the jobs to satisfy the whims and fancies of our youths!!! All your Eyewitness could think after he closed his gaping jaw was, “What the f***?”!!! He immediately googled UG’s release on their Capacitation Conclave – which announced it was curated by “Vice Chancellor of UG, Prof Paloma Mohamed Martin, A FUTURIST OF GLOBAL REPUTE”!!

So, she sees Guyana’s future in the hands of a bunch of goof-offs??

…mediocrity

Evidently, the highlight of the Capacitation Conclave was the signing of a MoU with a Florida (Catholic) Saint Leo University. According to Wiki, “In February 2023, it closed some of its satellite locations, eliminated 111 faculty/staff positions, cut three degree programs, facing continuing enrollment declines and financial issues.”

Deadly gas station bombing 2 accused freed after Magistrate upholds no-case submission

Two of the seven persons charged in relation to the deadly explosion at the Mobil Service Station on Regent Street, Georgetown, were on Monday freed after the Leonora Magistrate’s Court upheld a no-case submission. Principal Magistrate Alisha George discharged Ramesh Pramdeo and Wayne Correia after accepting arguments advanced by Defence Attorney Bernard DaSilva, who contended that the prosecution had failed to establish a prima facie case against the two accused.

DaSilva submitted that the evidence presented did not directly implicate

Pramdeo and Correia in the alleged offence and further argued that they should not have been treated as co-accused persons. According to the defence, both men ought to have been considered witnesses rather than individuals, who aided and abetted an act of terrorism. During the proceedings, the prosecution disclosed an extensive body of material, including 244 witness statements, 39 exhibits, 61 discs, three sets of photographs, and one flash drive. However, the court was told that the case against Pramdeo and Correia rested on a limited portion of evidence specifically linked to them. After reviewing the submissions, Magistrate George ruled that the prosecution had not met the evidentiary threshold required to sustain the charge against the two men and ac-

cordingly, ordered their discharge from the proceedings.

Committed to stand trial

A third accused, Venezuelan national Jennifer Rodrigues, 33, who faced the same charge of aiding and abetting terrorism was however committed to stand trial at the High Court. The matter stems from the October 26, 2025, explosion at the Mobil Service Station, which resulted in the tragic death of six-year-old Soraya Bourne. The child was seated in a vehicle with family members when the explosive device detonated at the busy fuel station. Among the seven persons charged were three Guyanese and four Venezuelans. The Guyanese are 44-year-old Wayne Corriea, 51-yearold Ramesh Pramdeo, and

33-year-old Krystal LaCruz. Among the Venezuelans is the prime suspect, 33-yearold Daniel Alexander Ramirez Poedemo, who admitted to committing the crime after he was arrested. The others were 33-yearold Jennifer Rodriguez, 27-year-old Johnny Boodram, and 44-year-old Alexander Bettancourt.

Solely responsible In another development in the case before the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts on Monday, further legal arguments unfolded in relation to the main accused, Daniel Alexander

Ramirez Poedemo, who has repeatedly admitted to being solely responsible for the attack. Poedemo is currently on trial alongside co-accused Alexander Bettencourt, Johnny Boodram, and Krystal La Cruz. The matter was adjourned to May 20, 2026. During Monday’s hearing, Poedemo’s Attorney Shellon Boyce requested an additional two weeks to finalise a formal proposal to be submitted to the prosecution, following her client’s admission of guilt. Boyce told the court that discussions with her client had advanced and that the matter was

progressing, but additional time was required to complete the documentation. Police Prosecutor Mandel Moore did not object to the application but requested that strict timelines be set for the filing and review of the proposal. He indicated that the prosecution would also require approximately two weeks to examine any submission from the defence. Acting Chief Magistrate Faith McGusty granted the request, setting May 4, 2026, for the defence to submit its proposal and May 20, 2026, for report.

Bar fight turns deadly among cousins at Golden Grove

A55-year-old fisherman lost his life late Sunday night after a violent altercation at a bar along the Golden Grove Public Road, East Coast Demerara.

Dead is Elton Lilly, called “Daddy,” of Golden Grove, East Coast Demerara. The fatal incident occurred at about 23:05h on Sunday, at a bar in the community where Lilly and the 49-year-old suspect were reportedly imbibing alcohol.

Reports are that the two men, who were known to each other and are believed by some community sources to be cousins, became involved in an altercation inside the establishment.

During the confrontation, it is alleged that the suspect armed himself with a knife and stabbed

Lilly multiple times about his body. Lilly collapsed at the scene and was later found lying in a pool of blood with visible wounds when ranks arrived.

A knife, suspected to be the murder weapon, was recovered in the vicinity of the bar and has since been taken by police as evidence. Emergency Medical Technicians responded to the scene, but Lilly was pronounced dead.

His body was later identified by a male relative and transported to the Memorial Gardens Funeral Home, where it awaits a post-mortem examination.

The suspect, a 49-yearold security guard of South Haslington, East Coast Demerara, was arrested shortly after the incident and remains in police custody as investigations continue.

Restraining

order

While a clear motive for the killing has not yet been shared with the media, it was reported that the two men had a history of disputes prior to Sunday night’s fatal confrontation, and the suspect had recently taken out a restraining order against Lilly.

Court reports indicate that Lilly had previously been before the courts in relation to a fatal stabbing that occurred in 2014

in Berbice. In that matter, he was charged following the death of 52-year-old Lakeram Singh after an altercation while both were drinking alcohol.

It was reported that the men knew each other and were drinking at a shop near the Fish Port Complex at No. 66 Village, Corentyne, when an argument ensued. Singh subsequently armed himself with a cutlass and reportedly chopped Lilly on his hand.

Lilly in turn, grabbed a knife and allegedly stabbed Singh about his body. The man was stabbed to his face, head and back. Singh collapsed and was picked up and rushed to the Skeldon hospital where he succumbed while receiving medical attention.

Lilly had escaped from the scene but was arrested and remanded to prison.

A post mortem examination that was performed on Singh’s body concluded that he died from shock and haemorrhage due to stab wounds.

Five years after the incident, Lilly pleaded guilty to the lesser count of manslaughter and was sentenced to 13 years in prison. The time he spent on remand was deducted, and he was recently freed from prison.

Investigations into Sunday night’s killing are ongoing.

5 in custody after ECD operations uncover gun, ammo

Five persons are currently in police custody following two separate operations along the East Coast Demerara (ECD) on Sunday, during which ranks uncovered ammunition, a firearm, and an air rifle.

In one operation conducted at about 22:30h to 23:00h at Hope Estate, ECD, police acting on intelligence carried out a search at the home of a 55-year-old farmer.

According to investigations, the farmer and a 51-year-old woman were at home when ranks arrived and conducted a search of the premises. During the exercise, a black bag was discovered concealed in a drawer inside a bedroom belonging to the farmer’s 26-year-old son.

The bag reportedly contained six live 12-gauge cartridges, 40 live 9mm rounds of ammunition, and one air rifle.

While the search was ongoing, the 26-year-old man and his 23-year-old female companion arrived at the property. All four individuals were arrested.

They were escorted to the Cove and John Police Station, where the ammunition and

The firearms and ammunition that were found during the operations

air rifle were lodged as investigations continue.

In a separate incident earlier on Sunday at about 18:30h, a 19-year-old Venezuelan national was ar-

rested at Lusignan, ECD, after being found with a firearm and ammunition.

APRIL

World Bank joins Guyana-led Global Biodiversity Alliance

The Government of Guyana has welcomed the inclusion of the International Development Association of the World Bank Group as a formal partner in the Global Biodiversity Alliance, following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding Friday.

The agreement establishes cooperation to strengthen global efforts on the conservation, protection, restoration, and sustainable use of biodiversity through the Global Biodiversity Alliance, an initiative launched by Guyana to expand international collaboration on environmental protection and financing.

The MOU was signed by Senior Minister in the Office of the President with responsibility for Finance, Dr Ashni Singh, on behalf of the Government of Guyana, and by World Bank Group Director for Environment, Dr Valerie Hickey, representing the IDA. The Government said the partnership reflects

continued international engagement with Guyana’s environmental and devel-

opment agenda, which has been advanced under the leadership of President Dr

Irfaan Ali. It also noted that the initiative builds on Guyana’s Low Carbon Development Strategy 2030 and its forest climate services approach, which links forest conservation with economic value and development outcomes.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, Dr Singh said the participation of the World Bank strengthens global cooperation on biodiversity.

He said the partnership will help expand financing and international coordination for biodiversity protection and sustainable development, and noted that Guyana has demonstrated that natural capital can support development while maintaining ecosystems.

According to the Finance Ministry, collaboration under the agreement will focus on knowledge sharing, joint initiatives, research, stakeholder engagement, and mobilising financing for biodiversity-related programmes.

The Global Biodiversity Alliance is intended to complement existing international frameworks, including the Convention on Biological Diversity and the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. It seeks to increase awareness of biodiversity loss and improve access to financing for conservation and sustainable use initiatives.

Guyana and the World Bank have maintained a longstanding partnership in areas including climate resilience, forest conservation, and institutional strengthening. The Government said this new phase of cooperation will further support efforts to scale biodiversity financing and expand sustainable development opportunities.

The Government of Guyana said it looks forward to continued collaboration with the World Bank and other partners as the Alliance advances its objectives.

Port Kaituma gets new 940 kVA generator

The new 940 kVA generator that was delivered to the Port Kaituma Power & Light Inc

Port Kaituma Power & Light Inc, Region One (Barima-Waini) on Monday announced the arrival of a new 940 kVA generator, a significant step forward in its ongoing efforts to meet the community’s growing demand for reliable electricity.

The new unit will boost the company’s total generation capacity and enhance

service stability for 1078 households and businesses.

The arrival of the generator comes in response to increased electricity consumption driven by recent commercial and residential growth in Port Kaituma and surrounding areas. By adding this new unit to its power generation fleet will be better positioned to handle peak demand periods, re-

duce the risk of outages, and improve overall supply reliability.

The generator is scheduled to undergo final inspections and integration into the company’s power generation system over the coming weeks. Residents and businesses can expect to see the benefits of the increased capacity beginning by early May 2026.

10-15 mango varieties, land earmarked for major DR partnership – Agri Minister

Land has been earmarked by the Agriculture Ministry in partnership with the Dominican Republic for the large-scale cultivation of mangoes and avocados.

The minister made these remarks on the sidelines of a recent event on Monday afternoon.

According to the minister, on April 16, he engaged a high-level delegation from the Presidential Commission for Guyana–Dominican Republic Initiatives to advance discussions on collaborative efforts aimed at strengthening Guyana’s fruit production sector.

The delegation comprised former President of the Dominican Republic, Mr. Hipólito Mejía, Ambassador Tulio Rodríguez, along with two agronomic specialists and other senior officials from the Embassy of the Dominican Republic.

During the meeting, key areas of cooperation were explored under the Mango Cultivation Project. It was disclosed that the

Dominican Republic will support the initiative by providing planting material for 15 high-yielding, disease-free mango varieties, with each variety expected to be cultivated on one hectare of land to facilitate the establishment of parent stock.

Additionally, discussions were held on the implementation of an Avocado Cultivation Project, which will see the importation of planting material for approximately 10 high-yielding avocado varieties.

This initiative is aimed at boosting Guyana’s avocado production capacity, while diversifying the country’s fruit crop base and supporting export opportunities.

Both projects are expected to commence in July, following the importation of planting materials in June.

“So we have already earmarked a set of land, and the team that came from Dominica, including the former president who headed that team, visited the land. I myself might visit Dominica

shortly. But we have decided that we will do between 10 to 15 varieties of mangoes in Guyana—mangoes that are commercially viable,” the minister stated.

Meanwhile, he highlighted how prosperous the initiative could be.

“Because mango is a very lucrative crop, and there is high demand for mangoes, especially those from the Dominican Republic. So we will be getting the seedlings from Dominica to start the cultivation, and we are hoping that, as we started with aquaculture and prawns, we can also launch a mango industry.”

Only last month Dominican Republic (DR)based Rizek Cacao, one of the world’s largest producers of organic cocoa, is looking to work with the Guyana Government and local farmers to establish a cocoa industry here.

President Dr Irfaan Ali met with a high-level team from Rizek Cacao, which was led by the ambassador of the DR to Guyana, Ernesto Torres Pereyra.

“We’re not playing politics...

He cited an example of land in the South Ruimveldt area which purchased for $5 million in 2021 and sold for $38 million in 2026, and another case where a property bought for $23 million in 2017 was sold for $112 million in 2026.

“These are real families, real individuals, real Guyanese who saw their net asset grow by more than 500% in just five years. Name any economy in the world where your asset is going up even by 10% every year,” he noted

The president also took the opportunity to signal his People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPPC) government’s clear political intention regarding the governance of the capital city, expressing a desire to see the PPPC take control of 30 seat Georgetown’s City Council. His delcarations comes as Guyana prepares for Local Government Elections later this year.

“My intentions are clear and the intentions of the PPP Civic are clear as ever. We want a chance to run

this city because the city deserves better than what it has today and it is time that we will rise up and give the PPPC that opportunity to lead the city and continue to lead the city in progress, prosperity, and to deliver good governance for the people of Georgetown.

Do not second-guess,” the President said

Project Manager for the road project Kester Hinds, gave an overview of the project. He noted that the Aubrey Barker Road project spans approximately 4.4 kilometres and includes a 1.6-kilometre extension from the Blaka Canal to Ogle Road.

Works included full reconstruction and widening to four lanes, installation of asphalt pavement, construction of concrete drains and culverts, bridges, road markings, bicycle lanes, and utility relocation. Hinds described the undertaking as a complex, multi-phase development aimed at improving access between Georgetown, the East Coast, and surrounding communities.

“This project represents a substantial investment in road infrastructure and forms part of wider efforts to modernize Guyana’s transport network,” Hinds said.

Meanwhile, Public Works Minister, Juan Edghill highlighted the transformation of the roadway, urging critics to acknowledge the improvements.

“You posted the pictures when the holes were there, now post the new pictures,” he said, adding that development efforts will continue despite opposition.

Meanwhile, Minister within the Public Works Ministry, Mandalall Ramraj underscored the human impact of the project, stating that it will reduce travel time, ease congestion, and improve daily life.

“This is development you can drive on, progress you can feel,” he said. “We are delivering relief, restoring time, improving safety, and strengthening families.”

2 charged with Corentyne gun bust released on $600,000 bail

…men were in wrong place at the wrong time –

Two men arrested during last week’s gun bust at Dukestown, Corriverton, were on Monday granted $300,000 bail each when they appeared at the Whim Magistrate’s Court charged with unlawful possession of arms and ammunition.

Umeer Parks and Mard Matthews, appeared before Magistrate Tuanna Hardy, with their attorney Vinay Punwa, who successfully applied for bail, saying that they were in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Punwa told the court that his clients were never in possession of the firearm and ammunition, contending that ranks had observed the weapons in the hands of individuals aboard a boat that had arrived from Suriname. He maintained that Parks and Matthews were present at the location when the operation unfolded, insisting that they had been wrongfully implicated.

In support of his bail application, the attorney also presented medical documents indicating that Parks suffers from a heart condition. He further noted that

5

defence claims

the family was prepared to lodge his passport as part of bail conditions.

The attorney also raised concerns about the manner in which the two men were handled following their arrest, alleging that they were taken into the custody of Customs Anti-Narcotic Unit (CANU), detained for approximately one hour before being transported to the police station.

The matter has since been adjourned to May 14 and transferred to the Springlands Magistrate’s Court.

The charges stem from

an operation conducted last Thursday at the Dukestown seawall, where ranks acting on intelligence observed a wooden boat along the Corentyne River with four male occupants, while two men were seen onshore, each holding a black box. As officers approached and identified themselves, the two men reportedly dropped the boxes and attempted to flee, while the boat sped away.

The men were apprehended shortly after, and the boxes, when opened, were found to contain two black ZORAKI 9mm pistols and one round of ammunition.

in custody after ECD...

Police reported that ranks were in the vicinity of a business establishment along the Railway Embankment when they observed the teen acting suspiciously with what appeared to be a bulky object in the waistband of his pants.

Upon approaching him, the ranks reportedly saw the suspect remove a black object resembling a handgun and discard it on the roadway. The object was retrieved and identified as a suspected 9mm pistol fitted with a magazine containing eight live matching rounds of ammunition.

Saint Lucia delegation examines Guyana’s progress in special needs education

The Education Ministry on Monday said that it has welcomed a high-level delegation from the Education, Youth Development, Sports and Digital Transformation Ministry of Saint Lucia, who are in Guyana for an official visit from April

FROM PAGE 11

The suspect was arrested and taken to the Vigilance Police Station, where the firearm and ammunition were lodged.

All five individuals remain in police custody as investigations into both incidents continue.

2 accused freed after Magistrate...

FROM PAGE 10

The Magistrate cautioned that if no progress is made by that date, the matter will proceed without further delay. Speaking through an interpreter, Poedemo reiterated his earlier position before the court, insisting that he acted alone in carrying out the explosion and that the other accused persons were not involved. “At the end of the day, they were not involved in anything;

it was only me,” he told the court via his interpreter. However, Magistrate McGusty reminded the accused that his admission does not automatically determine the outcome of the cases against the other defendants, stressing that the matter must follow due legal process and is subject to review by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).

“The DPP has to review the evidence against

them,” the Magistrate stated, adding that responsibility for determining the continuation or withdrawal of charges lies with the prosecuting authority.

Poedemo, who was arrested days after the explosion, was captured on surveillance footage allegedly leaving a bag in the vicinity of the blast site shortly before the incident occurred.

Planning Officer Miskcha White-Griffith, and Assistant Chief Education Officer Dr. Keon Cheong.

According to the ministry, discussions centred on developments in SEND education in both countries, with emphasis on progress made, ongoing challeng-

proved specialised services. Officials said these efforts are intended to ensure broader access to quality education for all students.

During their visit, the Saint Lucian delegation is scheduled to tour several SEND facilities across

19 to 25. The visit focuses on examining Guyana’s practices and progress in Special Education Needs and Disabilities (SEND).

The delegation met on Monday with Education Minister, Sonia Parag, alongside senior ministry officials including Permanent Secretary Shannielle Hoosein-Outar, Chief Education Officer Saddam Hussain, Chief

es, and future policy directions. The ministry said that the exchange provided an opportunity for both sides to share experiences on strengthening inclusive education systems.

It also noted that Guyana continues to invest in expanding access to education for learners with special needs through policy reforms, infrastructure development, and im-

Guyana. These site visits are expected to provide practical insight into the country’s approaches to inclusive education and support services.

The Education Ministry also said the engagement reflects ongoing regional cooperation in education and Guyana’s continued focus on strengthening its inclusive education framework.

ERC engages Moraikobai residents on ethnic relations

The Ethnic Relations Commission (ERC) on Saturday conducted a stakeholder engagement in Moraikobai Village, Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice) bringing together residents and village leaders to discuss issues affecting ethnic relations and community development.

The meeting, held at the Moraikobai Benab, is part the Commission’s ongoing outreaches to promote harmony and good relations among all Guyanese. According to ERC, the outreach provided a platform for residents to engage directly with the commission on concerns related to social cohesion and development

within the community.

The ERC delegation was led by Commissioners Ashton Simon, Ras Khafra (Deon Dick), Chandrowtie

Sarran, and Norris Witter, along with Chief Executive Officer Gomin Camacho.

The team outlined the Commission’s mandate and

structure before inviting participants to share their perspectives.

Toshao of Moraikobai, Derrick John, welcomed the team and noted that it was the first visit by the ERC to the village.

Addressing concerns raised during the engagement, Commissioner Ras Khafra, underscored the importance of such consultations in guiding the Commission’s constitutional responsibilities. He noted that indigenous communities often experience increased migration from neighbouring countries, which can heighten challenges related to social integration and, in some cases,

tensions.

He also stressed the need for skills development and training to strengthen local capacity, enabling residents to take part in projects within their communities. He added that the Commission can make recommendations to relevant authorities to support greater involvement of indigenous residents in development initiatives.

Commissioner Sarran indicated that the ERC will engage relevant ministries and agencies on issues affecting the development of Moraikobai. She also met with women in the community to discuss the formation of a women’s group

aimed at identifying concerns and creating opportunities for support. Feedback from the group is expected to be channelled through the Village Council.

The outreach began on Friday evening with a community film screening at the Benab. Residents viewed a selection of locally produced short films from the Commission’s 2025 Film Competition, which focused on themes of ethnic tolerance, peace, and mutual understanding.

The ERC said it remains committed to ensuring that the voices of all communities are heard as it continues to promote harmony and good relations across the country.

Guyana delegation attends UN Indigenous Forum on health

Amerindian Affairs Minister, SarahBrowne-Shadeek is leading a delegation at the 25th Session of the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, being held from April 20 to May 1, 2026. The forum, convened by

the United Nations, is being held under the theme “Ensuring Indigenous Peoples’ health, including in the context of conflict.”

According to the ministry, the delegation comprises Minister within the Local Government and Regional Development

Ministry with responsibility for hinterland communities; Pauline Sukhai, Sonia Latchman, Director General of the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs; Toshao Shane Cornelius, Executive Member of the National Toshaos Council; Dr Orin Lewis, Indigenous

Affairs Minister Sarah-Browne-Shadeek, along with Local Government and

Representative at the Health Ministry; Miriam Andrew-Ming, Ministerial Planning Officer; and Dave Jeffrey, Technical Officer.

Also included are representatives from Guyana’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations,

also Amerindian Affairs Ministers

Permanent Representative Carolyn RodriguesBirkett, who was also a former Amerindian Affairs Minister and Second Secretary Abosede Hazlewood.

The Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues is a high-level advisory body to the United Nations Economic and Social Council. Established in 2000, its mandate includes addressing Indigenous issues related to economic and social development, culture, environment, education, health and human rights.

Cuba confirms recent talks with visiting US delegation

IMF warning for tourismdependent countries

Asenior Cuban diplomat on Monday confirmed recent talks in Havana with United States officials, as the communist-led island faces a deep crisis over President Donald Trump’s pressure campaign.

“I can confirm that a meeting between delegations from Cuba and the United States was recently held here in Cuba,” Alejandro Garcia, the Foreign Ministry’s Director of Cuba-US affairs, told the Communist Party newspaper Granma.

Garcia said that the negotiators included Assistant Secretaries from the US State Department and Cuba’s Deputy Foreign Minister.

On Friday, the US online news outlet Axios reported that Trump Administration officials had held multiple meetings in Havana on April 10 with Cuban officials, including Raul Guillermo Rodriguez Castro, grandson of former President Raul Castro.

The US negotiators laid out several conditions for negotiations with Cuba to continue, including the release of prominent political prisoners, according to Axios, which cited a State Department official.

“During the meeting, neither side set deadlines or made any threatening statements, as has been reported by the US press. The entire exchange was respectful and professional,” he said.

He emphasised that ending the US oil blockade of the island was “a top priority” for the Cuban Government in the talks, which he described as “sensitive”.

The Trump Administration began implementing a policy of maximum pressure on Cuba after its January 3 overthrow of Venezuela’s socialist president, Nicolás Maduro, Cuba’s foremost backer.

(Excerpt from AFP)

Gunman kills Canadian woman, injures 6 at Mexico’s Teotihuacan pyramids

Agunman has fatally shot a Canadian woman and injured six others at Mexico’s Teotihuacan pyramids, a popular tourist and archaeological site outside of Mexico City, authorities say.

The perpetrator later died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound on Monday, local officials said. The State of Mexico said four of the injured victims were shot and two others suffered from falls.

“Care is being provided to the people who were affected, and the presence of elements from the state Secretariat of Security will be maintained,” Governor Delfina Gomez Alvarez wrote on X.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said she was closely monitoring the situation, and her Government was in contact with the Canadian embassy.

“I have instructed the Security Cabinet to thoroughly investigate these events and provide all necessary support,” Sheinbaum wrote on X.

“Personnel from the Secretariat of the Interior and Culture are already heading to the site to provide assistance and accompaniment, along with local authorities.”

The pre-Hispanic city was one of the most important cultural centres in Mesoamerica.

The incident comes less than two months from the

start of the FIFA World Cup, which Mexico will co-host with the United States and Canada.

Concerns over the security situation in Mexico came to the forefront in February after violence erupted across parts of the country, following the killing of Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, also known as “El Mencho”. (Al Jazeera)

3 dead in Barbados shooting

Three men have been identified follow-

ing a fatal shooting at Thunder Bay, Lower Carlton, St James on Sunday night which left three people dead and another injured.

The deceased are Jamar Leron Edwards, 34 years, of 4th Avenue, Lower Carlton, St James; Lyle Anderson Robinson, 33 years, of 1st Avenue, Lower Carlton,

St James; and Jamar Kareem Ramsay, 33 years, of Brownes Gap, Sargeants Village, Christ Church.

Police said the incident occurred around 20:42h when gunshots were reported in the area. Investigations indicate that a number of persons were gathered on the beach near a business establishment when three men exited a silver-coloured vehicle and

opened fire, striking four males.

One man was pronounced dead at the scene by a medical doctor, while three others were transported by private vehicles for urgent medical attention. Two of those injured later succumbed to their injuries.

Investigations are ongoing.

(Excerpt from Nation News)

The Director of the Western Hemisphere Department at the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Nigel Chalk, says the Washington is “very concerned that tourism-dependent Caribbean economies are likely to be the hardest hit” as a result of the ongoing conflict in the Middle East that has so far resulted in high oil prices.

“Their debt is high, their fiscal space is small, and they’re quite large net-energy importers, despite investments that have been made in these countries in shifting towards renewables.

“We also don’t know what the potential impact of this war and the shifts in energy prices may have on flights and on tourism. And so, that’s another thing that we’re keeping an eye on,” said Chalk.

Last Friday, the IMF said that Caribbean Community (Caricom) countries will

register mixed economic growth over the next two years, ranging from 3.1 per cent among the tourism-dependent countries of the region to 19.1 per cent among the Region’s commodity exporters.

The IMF said that the region overall will register average growth of 5.7 and 8.6 per cent for the years 2026 and 2027, while Caribbean tourism-dependent countries will register growth of 0.9 and 2.5 per cent over the next two years.

The non-dependent tourism countries will have growth of 7.9 and 11. 3 per cent over the 2026 and 2027 period, according to the IMF projections. Among the tourism-dependent countries of the Caribbean, Jamaica is expected to register minus 1.2 per cent growth this year, increasing to 3.1 per cent in 2027, the same as Grenada, which is expected to register the same percentage this year. (Excerpt from Nation News)

“Internal betrayal” – T&T PM on killing of Police Corporal

Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar says there is no need for a curfew following the killing of a municipal Police Officer at the San Fernando City Corporation Municipal Police Station on King’s Wharf.

In a statement Sunday, Persad-Bissessar said she had been advised that the incident at the station was not an external attack on the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) or other national security agencies. Instead, she said it was an “internal betrayal” within the Trinidad and Tobago Municipal Police Service

(TTMPS).

She stressed that the TTPS is a separate entity from the TTMPS and said TTPS officers were not involved in the incident.

The Prime Minister said the Ministry of Homeland Security and the TTPS would provide full support to the municipal police service, San Fernando Mayor Robert Parris and the San Fernando City Corporation to investigate the matter, recover the stolen items and bring the situation to closure.

The body of acting Cpl Anusha Eversley, 42, was discovered at the Municipal Police Headquarters,

Lady Hailes Avenue, San Fernando, around 04:40h on Sunday. Some 62 guns and 4000 rounds of ammunition were also stolen from the station’s armoury. The mother of three children, aged 18, 15 and seven, had been fatally shot in the upper body. Eversley had over 19 years of service.

The killing has sparked concern among members of the public, with calls in some quarters for stronger emergency measures. However, Persad-Bissessar said such measures were not necessary at this time. (Excerpt from Trinidad Guardian)

Chad to send 1500 troops to Haiti, 400 already deployed

Chad plans to send 1500 personnel to Haiti, its presidential office said in a letter to lawmakers distributed on Monday, as part of its contribution to a United Nations-backed security force that aims to be 5500-strong by this summer.

Some 400 Chadian personnel are already in Haiti, the letter said, after a group deployed on April 1 alongside a new leader of the force, which was restructured late last year.

Chad plans to send two battalions of 750 personnel each ⁠for a period of 12 months from April, the letter added.

Around 1000 troops had previously deployed, mostly

Police from Kenya but also smaller numbers of personnel from a handful of countries in Central America and the Caribbean. Although the volunteer-based force reached just 40 per cent of its initial planned size of 2500, last October this goal was expanded, to 5500. Some troops have begun withdrawing.

Officials from Mongolia and Sri Lanka met with Haitian Police last week, but did not confirm ⁠numbers.

The UN Security Council first approved backing a multinational security force to help Haitian Police fight gangs in October 2023, but this reached just a fraction of its planned size, lacked funds

and achieved limited results. Since then, the number of Haitians displaced by the conflict has surged to more than 1.4 million from 133,600, and thousands of people have been killed while gangs expanded to rural areas around the capital, which remains largely under the control of a gang alliance known as Viv Ansanm. Haitian officials have repeatedly delayed elections due to the insecurity. The country’s last election was a decade ago.

Some members of the UN-backed force have been implicated in sexual abuse cases, according to a UN report. (Reuters)

Around the World

OIL NEWS

Oil falls on expectations US-Iran talks likely to proceed, opening supply

Oil prices fell today, reversing gains in the previous session, on expectations peace talks between the United States and Iran will take place this week and allow more supply to flow from the key Middle East producing region.

Brent futures declined 95 cents, or one per cent, at US$94.53, as of 0003 GMT. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures for May fell US$1.54, or 1.72 per cent, to US$88.07. The May contract expires today and the more-active June contract was down US$1.09, or 1.3 per cent, at US$86.37.

Both benchmarks surged on Monday, with Brent up 5.6 per cent and WTI up 6.9 per cent, after Iran again shut the Strait of Hormuz, closing ⁠the key oil transport artery, and the US seized an Iranian cargo ship as part of its blockade of the country’s ports.

Still, investors are focusing on the likelihood talks this week will result in the extension of the existing ceasefire or a final agreement, though the chance of further conflict and disruptions to oil flows remains.

Iran is weighing participation in the peace talks in Pakistan, a senior Iranian official told Reuters on Monday, following Islamabad’s efforts to end the US blockade.

The blockade has posed a major hurdle to Tehran rejoining peace efforts, with the current two-week ceasefire set to expire this week.

“We continue to lean toward an MoU being signed and/ or the ceasefire being extended this week, potentially evolving into a broader agreement,” ⁠analysts at Citi said in a note. “That said, we remain prepared to pivot toward a more protracted disruption scenario should negotiations falter this week.”

Underscoring the uncertainty around the talks, the Iranian official stressed that no decision has been made to attend, as Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said “continued violations of the ceasefire” by the US is a hindrance to further negotiations.

Separately, Iran’s top negotiator and ⁠parliament speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf reiterated that Tehran would not negotiate under threats.

Shipping activity through the Strait of Hormuz, an essential corridor for about one-fifth of the world’s oil supply, remained limited on Monday.

If disruptions to the Strait persist for another month, total losses could ⁠rise to about 1.3 billion barrels, with prices likely near US$110 a barrel in the second quarter of 2026, Citi said.

Kuwait declared force majeure on oil shipments due to the Strait’s blockade, Bloomberg News reported.

The higher prices caused by the ⁠closure of the Strait have cut oil demand by about three per cent so far, analysts at Societe Generale said in a client note.

The risk is “skewed toward larger losses the longer normalisation is delayed,” it said, adding it expects “full normalisation” to supply only by late 2026. (Reuters)

Officials deliberately withheld Mandelson vetting result from me, Starmer says

Sir Keir Starmer has accused officials in the Foreign Office of deliberately and repeatedly withholding the fact Lord Mandelson initially failed security vetting for the role of US Ambassador.

Giving a statement to MPs, the Prime Minister said if he had known, he would not have gone ahead with the appointment.

Sir Keir found out last Tuesday the Foreign Office had gone against the recommendation of the security vetting agency and cleared Lord Mandelson for the job.

Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has called for the PM to resign, saying he had “thrown his staff and officials

under the bus” rather than “taking responsibility”.

She accused Sir Keir of misleading the House of Commons when he previously told MPs “full due process” was followed during the appointment and said he should have corrected the record last week “at the earliest opportunity”.

The PM insisted he did not mislead the Commons.

The Ministerial Code states that ministers who knowingly mislead Parliament are expected to resign, while any inadvertent error should be corrected “at the earliest opportunity”.

(Excerpt from BBC News)

Fate of Iran peace talks uncertain as deadline approaches for end of ceasefire

Iran is considering attending peace talks with the United States in Pakistan, a senior Iranian official told Reuters on Monday, following moves by Islamabad to end a US blockade of Iran’s ports, a significant obstacle to Tehran rejoining peace efforts as the end of a two-week ceasefire approaches.

However, the official stressed that no decision had been made and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said that “continued violations of the ceasefire” by the US are a major obstacle to continuing the diplomatic process.

Araqchi told his Pakistani counterpart Ishaq Dar in a telephone call that Iran, while taking all aspects of the matter into account, had yet to decide how

The US will not lift its blockade on Iranian ports until a deal has been reached with Tehran, US President Donald Trump has said, amid continuing uncertainty

to proceed further.

On Monday night, Iran’s top negotiator Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf accused US President Donald Trump on X of increasing pressure on Tehran through the blockade and ceasefire violations, saying Iran rejects negotiations under threat.

The two-week ceasefire in a conflict that has killed thousands and roiled the global economy, particularly energy markets, is set to expire this week.

It had appeared to be in jeopardy after the US said it had seized an Iranian cargo ship that tried to run its

blockade and Tehran vowed to retaliate.

In the Islamabad talks, Trump is eager for a deal that would help avoid another surge in oil prices and plunge in stock markets. Iran hopes to leverage its control of the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial shipping channel for global energy supplies, to get an agreement that prevents a resumption of the war, and allows financial relief from long-running sanctions and some breathing room for its nuclear programme.

Adding to the uncertainty, Vice President JD Vance remained in the United States on Monday, a separate source told Reuters, contrary to reports he was already on his way to talks.

(Excerpt from Reuters)

EU eyes Ukraine loan, Israeli settler sanctions, after Hungarian election

European Union officials have said they expect progress this week on key dossiers regarding Ukraine and Israel after Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, whose Government had blocked the initiatives, was voted out of office.

Orban’s forthcoming departure opens the way for the bloc to release a 90-billion-euro (US$106 billion) loan to Ukraine and levy sanctions on violent Israeli settlers, of-

ficials said on Monday.

The loan to Ukraine, desperately needed by Kyiv to maintain its defence against Russia’s invasion, should be agreed on at a meeting on Wednesday, according to Cyprus, which holds the EU’s rotating presidency.

“The last element needed to allow for the disbursement of the 90-billion-euro loan for Ukraine” will be on the agenda, said a spokesperson cited by the AFP news agency, in an apparent reference to

the change of government in Hungary.

A meeting of diplomats on Wednesday will seek consensus on the necessary amendment to the bloc’s budget before a written procedure is launched for final adoption of the loan. The process is expected to move quickly as Hungary’s new leader, Peter Magyar, prepares to take power.

Orban, widely known as the EU’s main spoiler, had held up the money as lever-

age in a feud with Kyiv over the suspension of Russian oil supplies over Ukrainian territory through the Druzhba pipeline. Ukraine has said the pipeline was shut due to a Russian attack. But Orban’s departure appears to have opened up opportunities on all sides. Magyar has said that he is ready to work constructively with the EU. He called on Monday for the reopening of Druzhba. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

Apple names new chief executive to replace Tim Cook

Apple has named John Ternus as its new chief executive to replace Tim Cook who is stepping down after 15 years of leading the technology giant.

Ternus, currently the head of hardware engineering who has been at Apple for 25 years, will take over on September 1 and Cook will become executive chairman.

Cook has been chief executive of Apple since 2011 after co-founder Steve Jobs

resigned for health reasons, shortly before his death.

Cook will stay as chief executive through the summer to work with Ternus on the transition after which he will “assist with certain aspects of the company, including engaging with policymakers around the world”.

Cook’s decision to step away from the chief executive role follows months of speculation that Apple was looking for a successor.

He described the job

as “the greatest privilege of my life” and during his tenure he led the company to become one of the most valuable in the world.

In 2018, Apple became the first public company to be valued at US$1 trillion. It is now worth US$4 trillion.

Cook described Ternus as a “visionary” executive with “the mind of an engineer, the soul of an innovator and the heart to lead with integrity and honour”.

(Excerpt from BBC News)

FBI Director files US$250M lawsuit against The Atlantic

FBI Director Kash Patel has filed a US$250 million defamation lawsuit against The Atlantic, accusing the magazine of publishing false and damaging claims about his conduct in office.

Patel alleges that the magazine published harmful claims, including accusations of excessive drinking and unexplained absences from duty.

The article, citing sources, also alleged that Patel’s conduct created a risk to public safety and national security.

The Atlantic has defend-

ed its reporting. To win a defamation suit in the US, public officials must demonstrate that a publisher acted with actual malice.

“We stand by our reporting on Kash Patel, and we will vigorously defend The Atlantic and our Journalists against this meritless law-

suit,” the magazine said in a statement.

Patel appeared on Fox News on Sunday to respond to the report, and vowed he would file a lawsuit.

The lawsuit stated that the story included “false and obviously fabricated allegations designed to destroy Director Patel’s reputation and drive him from office”.

It lists a number of excerpts from the article that it alleges are “false and defamatory statements of fact”.

(Excerpt from BBC News)

SUDOKU

Put greater emphasis on actions. Negotiation will count for nothing without follow-through. Mixed emotions will get you in trouble. Physical action will make a difference.

21-April 19)

20-May 20)

Stick to the truth and proper protocol no matter what you are dealing with, and you will overcome any adversity you encounter. A physical workout will ease stress.

21-June 20)

21-July 22)

23-Aug. 22)

23-Oct. 23)

24-Nov. 22)

Refrain from jumping into something without all the facts and figures. An emotional decision will lead to regret. Ask questions and do more research.

The more exposure you get, the wiser you’ll be. Branch out and incorporate what you enjoy doing most into your everyday routine. A physical change will boost your morale.

Do some investigation before you start something new. Spend more time investing in yourself and discovering what you enjoy doing most. Put emotions aside and do what’s best for you.

Update your appearance; pick a style that makes you feel good about how you look and represents who you are. Monitor what things cost and set your budget to reflect what you want.

Unique individuals or activities will draw your attention. Consider what fits into your budget and schedule before committing to something that isn’t practical. Say no to temptation.

Avoid rowdy crowds. Expand your mind and express your feelings with unfiltered truth and compassion. How you deal with others will determine the outcome.

23-Dec. 21)

Concentrate on home, family and taking care of unfinished business. Financial matters and shared expenses will require monitoring to avoid stress and tension.

Do not start something you cannot finish. Choose your words wisely to avoid backlash. Someone will grab your attention; take a moment to mingle and find out more.

Put your effort into work and money management. Refuse to let what others choose to do disrupt your plans. Be innovative and original, and believe in yourself and your ability to reach your goals.

Kindness and empathy can curtail emotional mayhem. Be polite and open to suggestions. Attend meetings or events that can lead to opportunity. Be a good listener.

Bumrah after he had gone six Indian Premier League (IPL) games wicketless, and the Gujarat Titans (GT) wickets just kept tumbling, ending MI’s four-match losing streak. It was so dramatic in the end that GT ended one short of Tilak’s 101, losing by 99 runs.

The 82 runs that Tilak scored in the last six overs is the most anyone has scored in that period of an IPL innings, resulting in the joint-quickest century for MI, level with Sanath Jayasuriya’s effort in 45 balls in the inaugural IPL season. Sensationally, Tilak did so after not having hit a boundary in his first 20 balls, making this the highest IPL score after such a start.

Without taking anything away from Tilak, Naman Dhir arguably scored the tougher runs when the GT bowlers were red-hot: 45 off 32 from number three, when MI had slipped to 44 for 3. Tilak was offered some gifts by bowlers failing to stick to their plans, but his re-

to do so, be cause their bowlers regularly give them low scores to chase. For the second match in a row, they had their Test bowlers Mohammed Siraj and Kagiso Rabada bowl like they would in a Test match, running through the power play with three overs each.

Siraj was excellent with three overs for 15 runs, but the wickets went to Rabada, who was di rect with his attack, bowl ing full, straight and fast. He ripped out Danish Malewar, Quinton de Kock and Suryakumar Yadav in this spell, the latter two with balls timed at 150 and 152 kilometres per hour (kmph).

Dhir keeps MI fighting Led by Rashid Khan, GT kept the bat ters honest in the middle overs. Encouraged by the turn on of fer for Rashid, Shubman Gill went

Tilak ends MI’s losing streak with 45-ball century

to Washington Sundar in the 11th over. Tilak, still struggling for fluency, turned the strike over to Dhir, who took down Washington like a medium-pacer. And Washington did bowl like a medium-pacer, firing the ball at upwards of 100kmph and getting step-hit for six and

bring some order to proceedings, ending with figures of 4 for 33. Rashid, though, did not enjoy a similar end. He overpitched and underpitched the first two balls of the 17th over, and Tilak was now in an irresistible flow, hitting him for four and six.

The biggest over was the 18th, when Tilak outdid Ashok Sharma, who actually followed his plans. The first ball was a wide slower bouncer with the bigger boundary on the off side, but he still upper-cut it for a six. The second ball was a hard length outside off, but he still managed it just short fine. Now the young fast bowler begun ter, and molished the rest of the over

However, Prasidh Krishna soon got the bowled).

Tilak demolishes GT Which is what makes what followed all the more inexplicable. When he started the 15th over, Prasidh had the field set for the short ball, but proceeded to bowl one full ball after another. One can be a bluff, two can be errors, but four in a row is hard to explain. Tilak was ruthless, taking 16 off these balls. Rabada came back to

on umpire’s call with the ball projected to just clip the top of leg stump. Gill then played a nothing pull, neither rolling his wrists over nor trying to hit a six, to make it the first time in 21 matches that GT had lost all of their big three in the power play.

Ashwani, Santner continue to run through GT

The power plays cancelled each other out with GT scoring 45 for 3 to MI’s 46 for 3. Any hopes of a similar fightback to MI were dashed when

aaa

Siraj bowled a good 19th, getting the wicket of Hardik Pandya and ending

ed the 20th over with a full ball. When he eventually went short, Tilak pulled him for a six, but only just cleared the sweeper. A high full-toss flew over long leg for a huge six, and the last ball was pulled away for four to bring up

The last time Bumrah took a wicket in the IPL was in the Eliminator last year, incidentally against GT. He had gone six IPL matches without a wicket since then without bowling badly at all. He took the brand-new ball for the first time this season, and had a wicket first up with an unremarkable full ball, which B Sai Sudharsan sliced to cover point.

That MI’s luck was turning was evident in how Pandya got Jos Buttler lbw

Mumbai Indians (20 ovs maximum)

Quinton de Kock † c & b Rabada 13

Danish Malewar lbw

b Rabada 2

Naman Dhir c Rabada

b Prasidh Krishna 45

Suryakumar Yadav

b Rabada 15

Tilak Varma not out 101

Hardik Pandya (c) c Phillips

b Mohammed Siraj 15

Sherfane Rutherford not out 1

Extras (b 1, lb 4, w 2) 7

Total 20 Ov (RR: 9.95) 199/5

Did not bat: Mitchell Santner, Krish Bhagat, Jasprit Bumrah, AM Ghazanfar, Ashwani Kumar

Fall of wickets: 1-10 (Danish Malewar, 1.5 ov), 2-25

(Quinton de Kock, 3.3 ov), 3-44 (Suryakumar Yadav, 5.5 ov), 4-96 (Naman Dhir, 12.3 ov), 5-177 (Hardik Pandya, 18.5 ov)

Bowling O-M-R-W

Mohammed Siraj 4-0-25-1

Kagiso Rabada 4-0-33-3

Ashok Sharma 3-0-38-0

Rashid Khan 4-0-31-0

Prasidh Krishna 4-0-54-1

Washington Sundar 1-0-13-0

Gujarat Titans (T: 200 runs from 20 ovs)

Sai Sudharsan c Krish Bhagat

b Bumrah 0

Shubman Gill (c) c Naman Dhir

Mitchell Santner took out Washington and Glenn Phillips in the same over, Washington to an excellent boundary catch by Dhir. Ashwani Kumar was then at the receiving end of pressure-induced gifts on three occasions as GT continued to slide. Mystery spinner AM Ghazanfar wrapped up the tail with the wickets of Siraj and Rabada in the same over, making it the first time that an MI batter had outscored the entire opposition. (ESPNcricinfo)

b Ashwani Kumar 14

Jos Buttler † lbw b Pandya 5 Washington Sundar c Naman Dhir b Santner 26 Glenn Phillips c & b Santner 6 Rahul Tewatia c †de Kock

b Ashwani Kumar 8 M Shahrukh Khan c Naman Dhir b Ashwani Kumar 17

Rashid Khan c sub (RA Bawa) b Ashwani Kumar 4 Kagiso Rabada st †de Kock b Ghazanfar 12 Ashok Sharma not out 1 Mohammed Siraj lbw b Ghazanfar 0 Extras (w 7) 7 Total 15.5 Ov (RR: 6.31) 100 Fall of

Competitive football to return to Linden this weekend

Linden is gearing up for an exciting revival of competitive football as the Linden Town Week Inter-Ward Tournament is set to launch on April 24, 2026.

Organised by the Kashif and Shanghai Organisation, along with the Upper Demerara Football Association (UDFA), this tournament promises to be a thrilling showcase for the local community at the Bayrock Stadium. Six wards will compete in two groups for a substan-

Malteenoes Sports Club (MSC) Warriors continued their impressive unbeaten streak on Saturday at the MSC Ground in Georgetown with a commanding 26-run victory over Everest Cricket Club (ECC), handing their rivals their first defeat in the Sherwin Williams SecondDivision T20 Cup in an exciting encounter.

Batting first after winning the toss, MSC Warriors posted a competitive 141-9 from their allotted 20 overs. The innings was built on valuable contributions throughout the order, with late fireworks ensuring the total stretched beyond Everest’s reach.

Scheme tackling Central and South Mackenzie/ Mines from 19:00h, with the main attraction between Blueberry Hill/ Christianburg/Alleys Valleys and Silvertown/ West Watooka/Canvas City from 21:30h.

Friday’s opening will also see the contesting wards participating in the march-past and official opening ahead of the opening double-header at the Bayrock Stadium, which will be hosting its first competitive tournament since the official opening on January 31, 2026.

29, culminating in the grand finale on May 1. The victorious team will be awarded $1 million, while second place will receive $400,000. Additional prizes will be distributed to the third- and fourth-place teams, ensuring a competitive spirit throughout the event. The tournament format will see the teams competing within the groups, with the respective group winners advancing to the final, while two second-placed teams will contest the third-place match. The tournament

tial prize pool totalling two million dollars and other enticing rewards.

Group A features teams from Amelia’s Ward, Central and South Mackenzie, and Half Mile, while Group B includes participants from Block 22, Blueberry Hill, and Silvertown. To bolster team spirit and ensure a level playing field, each ward has been furnished with equipment and uniforms, which the UDFA will retain for future use.

Mars, Barrington star as MSC defeat Everest

Adrian Hinds set the tone early with 18 off 17 balls, while Shaquille Moseley chipped in with 18 from 21 deliveries. Vishwanauth Ramlakhan added a steady 19, but it was Cordell Mars, who provided the late surge, smashing 23 off just 14 balls, including three towering sixes. Colis Rimple also played a crucial unbeaten knock of 19 to push MSC to a defendable total.

Everest’s bowling effort was led by Nityanand Mathura, who claimed 3-24 from his three overs. Narindra Persaud and Bhashkar Yadram supported well with two wickets each, but MSC’s lower order ensured momentum remained with the Warriors heading into the break.

Chasing 142 for victory, Everest CC started brightly. Varun Mangla blasted 23 from just 10 balls, and Yadram launched a fierce

counterattack with a blistering 48 off 20 deliveries, striking five fours and four sixes to briefly swing the momentum Everest’s way.

However, once Yadram fell at 94-4 in the ninth over, the innings unravelled dramatically. MSC’s bowlers tightened their grip, triggering a collapse that saw Everest lose their remaining six wickets for just 21 runs.

Mars starred with the ball, producing a match-winning spell of 4-20 in 3.4 overs to dismantle the lower order. Shemroy Barrington was equally effective, claiming 3-22, while Nichosie Barker chipped in with 2-14 to seal the victory as Everest were bowled out for 115 in 17.4 overs.

The result keeps MSC Warriors firmly atop the standings and maintains their unbeaten run in the tournament, while Everest will look to regroup quickly after suffering their first setback of the campaign.

With momentum on their side and contributions coming from across the team, MSC Warriors continue to look like the side to beat as the competition intensifies.

The opening fixture will see Half Mile/One Mile/

matches scheduled for April 27 and April

by

the Ministry of Culture, Youth, and Sport.

St Rose’s High, Marian Academy record wins in YBG City Regionals

St Rose’s High and Marian Academy secured convincing wins when the Youth Basketball Guyana (YBG) City Regional Conference continued on Sunday at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall (CASH).

In the opening game, St Rose’s High continued their winning form by defeating The Bishops’ High A 46-27, producing a balanced team performance on both ends of the court. Nathan Williams led the effort with 11 points, eight rebounds, and five assists to earn Player-of-the-

Game honours. He was supported by Christian Williams, who contributed nine points and four rebounds, while Jeremy Young added eight points and three rebounds. Brad Cush also chipped in with seven points and four rebounds to complete a steady all-round showing.

Despite the loss, The Bishops’ High A had individual efforts from Brentnol Archer, who finished with eight points and four steals, and Malik Williams, who added seven points.

In the second match-up,

Marian Academy recorded a dominant 23-8 victory over The Bishops’ High B. Lucas Pinol was named Player of the Game after tallying 10 points, along with three rebounds and three assists. Nyhl George supported with five points and five rebounds as Marian controlled the contest throughout.

For The Bishops’ High B, Jermaine Forte led their scoring with five points in a low-scoring outing. The City Regionals are set to continue on Wednesday at the same venue.

Ram, Persaud lead Demerara to U19 Inter-County title

It was an upset for the ages at the Rose Hall, Canje Ground in Berbice on Sunday as visitors Demerara produced a composed allround performance to whip hosts Berbice in the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) Male Inter-County 50-Over final.

It seemed as though revenge was on the minds of the visitors, who had been defeated by Berbice just a few days prior in the final preliminary match of the tournament.

Demerara turned the tables after their opponents won the toss and opted to bat, going on to rout them for 134 in 44.5 overs.

Vishal Williams (20) and Nathaniel Ramsammy (13) tried to compensate for the early wicket as Razam Koobir

had to depart for a duck after having his stumps shattered by Shane Prince. It was not to be as several of the Berbician

batters got starts but were unable to press on.

Adrian Hetmyer ended as the hosts’ highest scorer, hitting 31 from 73 deliveries, inclusive of one six and one four. Richard Ramdeholl pitched in with 23 off 45 and Thierry Henry contributed 16, to cap off all the double-figure scores on Berbice’s scorecard.

Dhanesh Persaud ran riot over the Berbician batters, claiming 4-24 from 10 overs while Parmeshwar Ram picked up 2-11 from 5 overs.

Ram’s fine form with the ball carried over to his innings with the bat, as he slammed a brilliant half-century, punctu-

ated by three fours and three sixes, to give Demerara a solid start to the chase. His opening partner, Kishawn Silas, unfortunately, missed out on the milestone, getting to 48 off 104 balls, in what was an 86-run opening stand for Demerara.

Emmanuel Lewis later hit an unbeaten 27 off 48 balls to lead Demerara over the line to the title. The eventual champions raced to 135-2 in 37.2 overs, with eight wickets left to spare. Feaz Baksh was the lone wicket-taker for Berbice with figures of 1-22 from 7 overs.

“It was a wonderful tournament for us. We did well,

MCYS/East Bank Inter Village Football…

Quarterfinal dye cast as Grove, Timehri pull off wins

After losing their opening match to Kaneville, Timehri found themselves on the verge of being ousted from the competition, but instead pulled off a brilliant victory, trouncing Friendship to end as the winners of Group D and seal their spot in the quarter-finals of the inaugural Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport (MCYS) East Bank Inter-Village Football Tournament organised by Sports Extra.

The win for Timehri, at the Eccles EE Ground, crafted by a double from teenage sensation Nyron Barrow saw goal difference deciding which two teams from the group advanced. Going into the game, Timehri were bottom of the group and without a point, but that changed for the better by the end of full time.

It was total disappointment for Friendship, which did not bring their A game to the pitch like they did against Kaneville. For that, they were punished twice by young Barrow, who netted on either side of play, in the 23rd and 48th minute. Friendship could not even penetrate the Timehri defenders as a single goal would have resulted in

different fortunes for them.

The final game of the group stage in the 12-team tournament saw Grove continuing their dominance as they notched their second win in as many matches, easing past Upper Soesdyke, 2-0.

Their Captain, former national forward Domini Garnett was again on target for his team scoring the opening goal in the 20th minute, his fourth of the tournament to follow up his hat-trick against Circuitville in their 7-2 rout.

Garnett has taken back the lead as

the tournament’s leading goalscorer with four, one more than Swan’s Abraham Webb.

Grove’s other goal was netted by Kevin Padmore Jr in the 22nd minute, his second goal of the tournament.

The eight villages through to the knockout round which will commence this weekend are Kuru Kururu and Agricola, who finished as the number one and two from Group A. Swan and Herstelling from Group B, Grove and Upper Soesdyke from Group C with Timehri and Kaneville from Group D.

Leaving after the group stage were Mocha, Lower Soesdyke, Circuitville and

Friendship. The tournament –which has at stake a top prize of $1 million, and $500,000, $250,000 and $150,000 for second to fourth place, along with cash incentives for the Most Valuable Player (MVP), Highest Goal Scorer and Best Goalkeeper – is made possible through the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport; Office of the Prime Minister; Ministry of Housing; National Sports Commission; Bounty Farm Ltd; Fitness Express; Star Rentals; Trophy Stall; NAMILCO and Republic Bank.

we got what we came after. We had planned to bowl first so, we get what we wanted,” Demerara Captain Dave Mohabir said about his team’s triumph following the match.

For the individual accolades, Ram was both the tournament’s best batsman, racking up 127 runs and Most Valuable Player (MVP), after adding eight wickets to his personal tally. Berbice’s Gilbert Griffith was the best bowler with 10 wickets, including a six-for. Shamar Apple and Henry shared the wicketkeeper’s prize, both pulling off six dismissals in the tournament.

Burnham Park upgrade on track for year-end completion – Ramson Jr

The long-anticipated redevelopment of Burnham Park, New Amsterdam is progressing steadily and remains on track for completion by the end of the year, according to Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport

Charles Ramson Jr, who says the Government is actively monitoring contractors to ensure deadlines are met.

Ramson Jr made the disclosure during a recent interview, where he outlined ongoing efforts to keep the project on schedule while addressing challenges that arise during construction.

“We are here every two weeks mainly to deal with issues that have arisen with the number of contractors that we can resolve,” the Minister explained.

“Sometimes it has to do with decisions, but also it has to do with just making deci-

sions on resolutions on how the advancing of various contracts and works in those contracts can be accommodated simultaneously,” he added, noting that the overarching objective is to ensure that all components of the project move forward in a coordinated manner, reducing delays and

avoiding bottlenecks.

“The real issue or the objective is so that the time, we are hitting our deadline,” Ramson Jr added, emphasising that the Government remained focused on delivering the upgraded facility within the stipulated timeframe.

The Burnham Park proj-

ect forms part of a broader national push to modernise sport infrastructure across Guyana, with a focus on creating safe, accessible and high-quality spaces for athletes and the wider community.

Meanwhile, Minister within the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport, Steven Jacobs also highlighted the importance of such investments, noting that improved facilities were critical to nurturing talent and expanding participation in sports, particularly among young people.

Jacobs, who spoke at a recent engagement tied to sports development initiatives, said projects like the Burnham Park upgrade were essential to building a stronger sporting culture and providing opportunities for youths to develop their skills in structured environments.

The redevelopment is ex-

pected to significantly enhance the park’s amenities, positioning it as a modern recreational and sporting hub capable of hosting a range of activities and events.

Government has, in recent years, ramped up investment in sport infrastructure, including the construction and rehabilitation of grounds and stadiums across the country. The Burnham Park project is seen as a key component of that strategy, aimed at expanding access and improving the overall standard of facilities available to communities.

With works advancing and regular oversight in place, authorities remain confident that the upgraded Burnham Park will be

on schedule, providing a renewed space for sports, recreation, and community engagement.

(G-4)

The Guyana Lifesaving Society, in collaboration with the National Sports Commission (NSC), has engaged the Canadian Lifesaving Society to provide First Aid and Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) training to scores of local Coaches and sport administrators.

The workshop began on Monday morning at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall (CASH), Homestretch Avenue, with almost every sport discipline represented.

There, Guyana Lifesaving Society President Paul Mahaica Sr outlined

Coaches, administrators to benefit from First Aid, CPR training

the objectives of the initiative, while praising Director of Sport, Steve Ninvalle for his involvement.

“This programme is an initiative of our Director of Sport, who wants the sportsmen and women to be equipped, not only in their sports as a Coach but also be able to render first aid,” Mahaica enlightened the gathering of sport officials.

He continued, “I am so proud to see so many persons turned out; that shows the need for such a programme like this and I want to thank the Director of Sports for this wonderful programme.”

Ninvalle shared similar sentiments in his remarks, underscoring the importance of safety in sport.

He said, “For me, this is a very proud moment. I’m very, very excited with the numbers that we’re seeing here. This is a journey that would’ve started sometime back and even though Paul would’ve said thanks to me, I would have to say thanks to him, because he has been relentless in us trying to foster better relationships with the Canadian Lifesaving Society and this is exactly what we have done. It shows

Guyanese racquet athletes suffer early exits at South American Youth Games

Guyana’s badminton and tennis players endured a difficult start to their campaigns on Monday at the South American Youth Games in Panama, suffering a series of early defeats on the opening day of racquet sports competition.

In badminton, Guyana’s Christopher Jordan was eliminated in the men’s singles second round after going down 2-0 to Paraguay’s Marcos Rotela. Rotela secured the win comfortably with set scores of 21-13 and 21-7, ending Jordan’s run in the event.

Jordan’s teammate, Mishka Beharry, also exited the competition after losing her women’s singles encounter in straight sets. She was defeated by Colombia’s Juliana Castano, who claimed a 21-5, 21-9 victory.

The pair later combined in the mixed doubles category, but were unable to advance. They lost 0-2 to Venezuela’s Fabricio Rodriguez and Barbara Lamas, with the Venezuelan duo recording a 21-4, 21-9 win in the first round.

In tennis, Guyana’s Paula

Kalekyezi suffered a firstround loss in the women’s singles, going down 1-6, 0-6 to Panama’s Isabella Leurck. Similarly, Nathan DeNobrega was beaten in his men’s singles opening match, losing 0-6, 0-6 to Peru’s Alessandro Rubini.

Despite the setbacks, Kalekyezi and DeNobrega are scheduled to return to action in the mixed doubles, where they will face Panama’s Gabriella Leurck and Juan Fondevila in their first-round match today.

Meanwhile, Guyana’s athletics contingent has arrived in Panama and has begun acclimatising ahead of their competition, which is set to commence on Wednesday.

The track and field athletes are expected to begin their campaign as Guyana look to improve their overall showing at the Games.

Additionally, Guyana’s chess players and 3x3 basketballers are all set to head into action as the Games move closer to their conclusion.

Guyana’s track and field athletes: Ezekiel Millington, Dequan Farrell, Gordon Thompson, David Williams, Ade Sealy, Ebo McNeil, Angel Jeffrey, Adanya Glen, Joanna Anthon, Akeela Dover, Jaral Campbell, Keimal Gishard, Nathaniel Samaroo, and Courtney Haynes.

Coaches: Glenton Pantlitz, Johny Gravesande, and Dillian Leitch-Crandon.

that when we collaborate, what we can achieve.

“What it says is that the Ministry of Culture, Youth

er person. So, let us share the information that we would’ve learnt in this seminar,” the Director of Sport

said over the next four years, that we can do more first aid instructor programmes and I would like to see some of

and Sport, National Sports Commission and by extension, the Government of Guyana, sees the safety of sportsmen, women, administrators, and every Guyanese as something very important.”

“Each one of us can be an unofficial certifier o anoth-

further articulated.

In addition, Caribbean Development Coordinator at the Canada Lifesaving Society, Patrick D’Almada expressed a desire to see the skill being passed on over the next few years.

“And I would love to see in the future, as the Director

you in that programme. As he said, you become the one now that can unofficially go out and teach more people and first aid is a life skill,” D’Almada opined.

As such, the Director of Sport indicated that the programme would become an annual one.

Drayton dethrones Khan to lift GCF

National Blitz Chess Championship

FIDE Master (FM)

Anthony Drayton produced a strong overall performance to win the Guyana Chess Federation (GCF) 2026 National Blitz Championship, dethroning Candidate Master (CM) Taffin Khan when the tournament wrapped up on Sunday at the Pegasus Corporate Suites in Kingston.

Competing in an 11-round Swiss-system event played under a three-minute plus two-second increment format, Drayton finished with 10 points from a possible 11 to secure the title from among a field of 23 players. His campaign included key victories over Khan and second-place finisher Kyle Couchman. Drayton recovered from his only loss in the third round against national champion CM Sachin Pitamber to close the event with consecutive wins.

Couchman also ended on 10 points, but placed second on tie-break, while Pitamber finished third with 9.5 points after a consistent showing across the tournament.

Defending champion Khan, who entered the event with the highest rating in the field, placed fourth on 7.5 points. His challenge was affected by losses in the middle rounds, including defeats to Drayton and Pitamber.

The tournament featured a competitive lineup that also included Keron Sandiford, Jessica Callender, and Kataleya Sam. Sandiford finished with six points, while

ficiated by Chief Arbiter John Lee.

The ExxonMobil Guyana Global Super League (GSL) on Monday announced that NAGICO Insurances will be an official partner for the upcoming T20 tournament.

According to the GSL, this partnership marks an exciting collaboration between one of the Caribbean’s leading insurance providers and Guyana’s flagship cricket event.

The GSL noted that it continued to position itself as a premier platform for elite cricketing talent, bringing together players from across Guyana, the Caribbean, and beyond. NAGICO’s support reinforces the tourna-

ment’s mission to deliver world-class cricket while fostering regional unity and development through sport.

“We are delighted to have NAGICO Insurances join the Global Super League family. Their deep-rooted commitment to Caribbean communities and cricket aligns perfectly with the vision of the GSL. Together, we aim to elevate the tournament, inspire the next generation of players, and deliver a world-class experience for fans in Guyana and beyond,” GSL Chairman, Sir Clive Lloyd said, welcoming the part- nership.

NAGICO Insurances Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Kyria Ali commented, “At our core, we, NAGICO Insurances, invest in the communities where we operate, we plant our roots where we serve. As we prepare to enter Guyana this year, partnering with the GSL, the country’s premier cricket tournament, is a natural fit, as cricket unites the Caribbean and provides a powerful platform for talent development, showcasing excellence and entertainment.”

NAGICO Insurances Executive Chairman Imran McSood Amjad added, “As a lifelong

cricket enthusiast and of proud Guyanese origin, it brings me great joy to see our company continue its decades-long tradition of supporting cricket by becoming a partner of the GSL. It is truly our pleasure to support a tournament that represents the very best of Guyanese and Caribbean sport.”

This partnership comes at a pivotal time as the GSL continues to grow its reputation as a must-watch T20 competition, delivering high-quality cricket and entertainment while contributing to the development of the sport in Guyana and the wider Caribbean.

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