Guyana Times - Wednesday, July 8, 2026

Government pursues

Better enforcement of Govt contracts will improve quality of public works – GAICO CEO Caricom Heads agree to seek CCJ advisory opinion on SG’s reappointment

$20,000 travel allowance No need to rush – Persaud to senior citizens as distribution begins today

Boat captain crushed as vessels collide in Berbice River Guyana opens NELA to Barbados, offers

Caricom Heads agree to seek CCJ advisory opinion on SG’s reappointment

…status quo to remain while regional court considers request

The Caribbean Community (Caricom) will seek an advisory opinion from the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) on the process used in the reappointment of the Community’s Secretary General (SG) after the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago maintained its objection to the procedure. The decision was announced in a statement issued on Tuesday following the retreat of Caricom Heads of Government held on Monday. According to the

statement, Trinidad and Tobago reiterated its objection to the process used in the reappointment of the SG, Dr Carla Barnett, and requested that the matter be referred to the CCJ for an advisory opinion. To facilitate that request, Caricom agreed to commence proceedings under Article 212 of the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas to obtain the court’s interpretation of the matter. The Community said the CCJ was established to serve as the treaty interpretation body for Caricom and that

referring the issue to the court was consistent with that role.

Status quo

Heads of Government also agreed that the status quo regarding the reappointment of the SG would remain in place unless and until the Community con-

siders the advisory opinion issued by the CCJ. According to the statement, the agreed approach allows the matter to be resolved in an amicable manner without affecting the Community’s ability to continue conducting its affairs. The Heads of Government further re-

affirmed that the ongoing review of Caricom’s governance architecture is part of a mandate agreed at the previous conference in St Kitts and Nevis to strengthen the governance of the Community and enhance its effectiveness.

The statement stressed that the review process does not impugn the integrity of any Member State or individual but reflects the Community’s collective commitment to continuous institutional improvement and the highest standards of good governance.

The regional leaders also reaffirmed their commitment to the ideals and objectives of the Caribbean Community, stating that they will continue to work in unity to advance the interests of the region while addressing the challenges currently facing Caricom.

Controversy

Dr Barnett was reappointed to serve a second term as Caricom SG during the 50th Regular Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government in St Kitts and Nevis in February 2026. The deci-

sion, announced by then Caricom Chairman, St Kitts and Nevis Prime Minister (PM) Dr Terrance Drew, stated that Barnett had secured the required majority of support from Member States. Her second term is scheduled to commence in August 2026. The reappointment subsequently became the subject of controversy after Trinidad and Tobago challenged the process through which the decision was made. The twin-island republic argued that the matter was decided during a Heads of Government retreat rather than through the formal conference process and maintained that its representatives were excluded from the discussions. While several Caricom leaders, including Guyana’s President Dr Irfaan Ali, defended the procedure as consistent with previous appointments, Trinidad and Tobago continued to press for an independent legal interpretation, leading to the decision to seek an advisory opinion from the Caribbean Court of Justice.

BRIDGE OPENING

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Wednesday, July 8 –10:05h–11:35h and Thursday, July 9 – 11:25h–12:55h

Parika

FERRY SCHEDULE

Over $201M in subsidies for 560 Region 3 rice farmers …as Government pursues new export markets

and 23:02h reaching maximum heights of 2.34 metres and 2.40 metres.

Low Tide: 16:30h reaching a minimum height of 0.88 metre.

Hundreds of rice farmers from Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara) on

“…We started this programme last Saturday in Region Two. His Excellency, the President, was there

Two. In Region Three over the next few hours, the staff will be here throughout the day so that people who

Tuesday received their subsidy from the Government at the National Track and Field Centre in Leonora. The Region Three distribution is part of a nationwide $3 billion subsidy programme for rice farmers. This initiative is in keeping with a commitment made by President Dr Irfaan Ali in April following consultations with farmers across the country.

From those consultations, it was agreed that rice farmers cultivating 50 acres or less will receive $15,000 per acre, while those cultivating more than 50 acres will receive $10,000 per acre. More than 5100 rice farmers cultivating over 235,000 acres of rice across Guyana are set to benefit. The initiative was introduced as a targeted intervention to support rice producers as the industry continues to face increasing global challenges affecting agricultural production, input costs and international markets. In Region Three, 560 rice farmers cultivating a combined 15,636 acres are expected to benefit from more than $201 million in relief.

Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha said the Government had already commenced the distribution in Region Two, where more than 1300 farmers benefited.

himself, and we rolled out the programme where approximately 1301 farmers benefited, and we paid out $403,149,360 in Region

come late can collect their cheques. We have 560 farmers listed who cultivated 15,636 acres of land during the last crop, and we will be

paying out $201,696,055 in Region Three.” According to the Minister, the total cost of the programme is $2.763 billion.

“That is direct cash to you, the farmers, which you can utilise. As the Minister within the Ministry said earlier, those cultivating 50 acres or less will receive $15,000 per acre, while those cultivating more than 50 acres will receive $10,000 per acre,” he said, adding that the initiative will help reduce farmers’ production costs while providing them with additional disposable income.

He pointed out that farmers also have a role to play in lowering production costs, noting that land rental and drainage and irrigation (D&I) charges remain among the industry’s major expenses. He said the Government reversed the increases in those charges after taking office in 2020, restoring them to their previous rates.

Editor: Tusika Martin

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Modern laws for a modern workplace

The modernisation of Guyana’s occupational health and safety framework is an overdue reform that deserves support. As the country’s economy expands, industries evolve and workplaces become increasingly sophisticated, the legal and regulatory systems responsible for protecting workers and the public must evolve at the same pace. A framework designed for the realities of decades past cannot be expected to effectively govern the complexities of today’s economy.

The announcement that the Government is reviewing and updating the nation’s health and safety regulations indicates an important recognition that legislation must remain relevant if it is to serve its intended purpose. Laws are expected to respond to changing technologies, emerging industries, new methods of work and evolving risks. When they fail to do so, the consequences extend beyond administrative inefficiency. They can expose workers, employers and members of the public to unnecessary danger while creating uncertainty for businesses seeking to operate responsibly.

Guyana’s economic landscape has changed dramatically within a relatively short period. Large-scale infrastructure projects, an expanding oil and gas industry, rapid urban development, growth and increasing Private Sector investment have transformed the country’s workplace environment. The machinery, equipment, engineering techniques and specialised operations now commonplace in many sectors would have been unimaginable when many existing regulations were drafted.

This transformation has created new occupational hazards that require modern standards of risk assessment, accident prevention, emergency response, environmental protection and worker training. It has also introduced new categories of employment and contracting arrangements that demand clear legal guidance regarding duties, responsibilities and accountability.

Outdated legislation often fails to address emerging technologies, overlook modern safety practices or leave significant gaps in enforcement. In some cases, regulations become so disconnected from current operations that compliance becomes difficult to interpret or inconsistently applied. Such uncertainty benefits no one.

A modern health and safety regime should provide clarity rather than confusion, as employers require practical, enforceable standards that reflect contemporary workplace conditions.

Importantly, modernisation should not be viewed solely as a response to industrial expansion. Every sector stands to benefit from updated standards. Construction sites may capture public attention because of their visibility and scale, but health and safety concerns extend equally to manufacturing facilities, agriculture, transportation, healthcare institutions, commercial enterprises, public offices and countless other workplaces. Each sector presents unique risks that require regulations capable of adapting to changing operational realities.

The pace of technological advancement alone makes periodic legislative review indispensable. Automation, digital monitoring systems, advanced lifting equipment, specialised industrial machinery and increasingly complex engineering processes continue to reshape workplaces worldwide. At the same time, international best practices continue to evolve as research identifies better methods of reducing workplace injuries and occupational illnesses. Countries seeking to remain competitive cannot afford regulatory systems that remain frozen in time while industries continue moving forward.

Modern legislation also contributes to economic confidence as investors increasingly evaluate regulatory certainty alongside infrastructure, market opportunities and workforce availability. A credible occupational health and safety framework helps reduce costly workplace accidents, minimise operational disruptions and encourage greater professionalism across industries.

However, legislative reform must be accompanied by effective implementation. Updated laws will achieve little without adequate enforcement capacity, regular inspections, technical expertise and ongoing education. Employers must understand new obligations, workers must receive proper training and regulators must possess the resources necessary to ensure compliance. Modern legislation should be supported by practical guidance, stakeholder engagement and continuous review to ensure it remains responsive as industries continue to evolve.

The process should also recognise that reform is not a one-time exercise, as economic development, technological innovation and workplace practices will continue changing long after new regulations are enacted. Establishing mechanisms for periodic review will help prevent the regulatory framework from once again becoming outdated. Continuous evaluation should become a permanent feature of governance rather than an occasional response to mounting deficiencies.

Guyana stands at a stage of development where modern institutions are just as important as modern infrastructure. The decision to overhaul the country’s occupational health and safety regulations is necessary. Modern economies require modern laws, and legislation must evolve alongside the industries it regulates.

Tracking

B y D r D avi D B ratt

Up here in Europe, I’ve bounced up a new and apparently rapidly increasing disease. For now, it’s being called “optimisation culture”. It does appear to be endemic to certain groups, mainly the rich and the spoilt, but I suspect, as it spreads, it may soon be classified as another dreaded epidemic with potential to go pandemic among the masses. We must be aware of this new disorder before it does that, or our government, which is showing a decided tendency to be authoritarian, may lock down the country for a couple of years in another useless attempt to stop spread.

The disease is characterised by decided changes in lifestyle behaviour. It begins with the sudden appearance of obsessive thinking where almost all aspects of life, body, mood, productivity, etc, are seen as performance problems to be fixed and upgraded. These require constant self-monitoring and tweaking, with the expectation that regular “good” is not enough and must be continually improved, or the person affected feels like a failure.

It is best observed in the area of health and the desire to get “fit”. Suddenly, the person, who may have

always been seen as a bit “neurotic” or “perfectionist”, becomes super-impressed with the need to become healthier. Why health? Well, we live in a culture where youth and beauty are worshipped, especially if those features are enclosed in money. Our heroes are movie actors, entertainers, influencers, TV presenters and recently, for obvious reasons, football players of the soccer variety. They look so good on TV, why shouldn’t we be impressed? Even the referees look sexy, my female friends tell me. Oops, almost forgot, there are now female referees! They looking good too.

So a “smartwatch” is bought to “get fitter”. Exercise is the name of the game. Quickly, all hell breaks loose. The ability to “relax” is soon gone. “Tracking” has begun. Everything is constantly tracked with the new watch, heart rate, steps, sleep, weight, calories, ECG, everything! Anxiety is the immediate result. If the daily steps goal is not reached by dinner, steps must be made up before sleep can be had. A low sleep score means something is wrong, an incipient illness perhaps. The high heart rate from little sleep now might be cardiac disease.

The illness goes through characteristic phases.

This first period of anxiety is followed by a temporary phase of self-reassurance lasting about four to six weeks. Then the “checking”, the “tracking” again takes over. Social life becomes inhibited if it interferes with fitness routines. This stage is characterised by intense preoccupation with the body and its excretory functions.

Google gets involved. Here are the “16 most common causes of constipation.” Here are the “27 most common causes of a rapid pulse.” Smart watches do not appear as causes of worry though. Not enough has been written about them for AI to detect incipient warnings from minor authors. Other symptoms turn up. A mild headache becomes a possible brain tumour. The heart rate goes higher. Cardiac failure! Sleep becomes rarer. Mental disturbance! More time is spent in the gym in a desperate attempt to improve health. Friends abandon the patient, a sign that the disease may be infectious. Weight loss ensues. A doctor is consulted. Lab tests are indicated. Anxiety reaches an all-time high. Nothing is found. Anti-anxiety medications are prescribed in a useless attempt to regain confidence.

What happens next depends on friends and family. All variations are in

play here. Alcoholism. Suicide. Or life on medication. All because of a personality predisposed to perfectionism, an environment of body worship and the appearance of tech toys which attract us like monkeys to brightly-coloured gadgets, gizmos and the like.

Some poor persons are walking time-bombs, monitoring blood oxygen levels or blood sugar levels, noting everything down, getting worried for nothing but reacting to it like crazy. In fact, it is crazy. No one, except a professional athlete or sick person, needs to make these technological observations and attempt to correct.

What’s the use of all of this technology except to make us lose common sense and worry to death? The glamour industry has the answer. Why exercise when there are mysterious products created by nature and in the lab that will do the work of improving your health, as you relax in front of the TV or enjoy a good TikTok session with your smartphone?

Really, the best thing is to buy some “Korean Beauty Wonderbalm –the all-purpose balm,” or better yet, the Sol De Janeiro “Brazilian Bum Bum cream”. You couldn’t make up this nonsense if you tried! (Trinidad Guardian)

Inconsistency is difficult to ignore

Dear Editor,

In one of his latest opinion pieces, GHK Lall calls for “foreign experts” to examine President Dr Irfaan Ali’s assets in light of corruption allegations made by Opposition Leader Azruddin Mohamed concerning the President’s farm. If that is the standard GHK Lall wishes to promote, then it should be ap-

plied consistently. What about the individual making the accusations? Azruddin Mohamed and his father have been using every available legal avenue to avoid being held criminally accountable in the United States, where they have been indicted following investigations conducted by the very kind of “foreign experts” Mr Lall now ap-

pears eager to invoke. Yet there has been no comparable call from GHK Lall for the Mohameds to submit themselves to the judicial process or to cease employing repeated legal tactics aimed at delaying extradition.

The inconsistency is difficult to ignore.

Why is GHK Lall unwilling to apply the same standard to Azruddin

Mohamed that he seeks to apply to the President? As the holder of the constitutional office of Opposition Leader, Mr Mohamed presents himself as an alternative national leader. That office carries with it an expectation of accountability and transparency.

Azruddin Mohamed has been sanctioned by the US Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC)

and indicted by a federal grand jury in Miami on 11 counts, including allegations of money laundering, wire fraud, and mail fraud. Those charges stem from an investigation conducted by US law enforcement authorities – the same “foreign experts” Mr Lall appears to place such confidence in when it suits his argument.

If foreign scrutiny is to

be accepted as the benchmark, then it cannot be selectively embraced only when politically convenient.

Principles mean little if they are applied to one individual while another is shielded from the very same level of examination.

Yours faithfully, Cedric Lord

US-sanctioned and indicted Azruddin Mohamed should not be trusted

Dear Editor,

I would like the public to know that I am not writing this letter on behalf of the President of Guyana, Dr Irfaan Ali, against the false and pernicious allegations made by the United States-sanctioned and indicted leader of the opposition, Mr Azruddin Mohamed, because His Excellency is very much capable of defending himself, and he did so publicly by saying that he will not succumb to blackmail from the Mohameds whose agenda is to stop the ongoing extraditions against them. Instead, what I would like the people of Guyana to know is that I am fully aware that the President had obtained the land and established the farm long before he ascended to the Presidency in

August 2020. Furthermore, the farm was developed by President Al’s father, and on weekends, even before President Dr Irfaan Ali became a Minister in the Government, he and friends would spend long hours on weekends to fill bags with sand to retain water for the plants. He would also refit used, condemned school buses for his office and for sleeping purposes. Therefore, Mohamed’s recent postings of pictures of the President’s farm on the Linden-Soesdyke highway are totally false and fabricated, and I would urge him to do his research before issuing statements that are utterly incorrect.

I am therefore calling on the leader of the opposition to cease and desist from making such erroneous, con-

tentious and bogus accusations against President Dr Ali. The Mohameds should refrain from such deceitful and mendacious comments and should adhere to the century-old phrase “Engage your brain before opening your mouth.” The people ought to know that he is incapable and inept at adhering to the phrase, because if he had checked with the Integrity Commission, he would have known that all of President Ali’s assets, including his recent Facebook posting of the farm, were declared to the Commission prior to him becoming

President. But the opposition leader does not dwell on facts only on fictitious rumours, contrived innuendos and baseless information to gain points and recognition from the public. He has become a public nuisance with phoney and fake information which will further damage and destroy his already poor character and reputation. The truth is Azruddin Mohamed is dishonest and untrustworthy, and not only has he disparaged the title as the leader of the opposition, but he has also disrespected his role as the lead-

er of the opposition and has caused great harm to the esteemed position. The time has come for the Mohameds to rethink their hopeless strategy because it will not do them any good or take the focus away from the US sanctions and indictment and the ongoing extradition proceedings. Time is not on their side if they are trying to gain sympathy from the people for their evil deeds.

The Bible warned against evildoers and told the people to avoid their company, resist their influence and reject their lies and that they

will ultimately face divine justice. Simply put, given the fact that the Mohameds have defrauded our beloved Guyana and its people of more than US$50 million in taxes, it is enough proof that they should not be trusted. They have robbed the people of Guyana. But as the saying goes, if you do the crime, then you should be prepared to do the time when caught, given a fair trial and found guilty by a court of law.

Yours sincerely, Ray Isaacs

WEDNESDAY, JULY 8, 2026

Page Foundation

Units of Measurement con’td

For example,

1inch ≈ 2.5cm

1foot

1mile ≈ 1.6km

If necessary, we can convert from imperial units to metric units.

Let’s look at converting between inches (imperial units) and centimetres (metric units).

We can see from this ruler that 1 inch is approximately equal to 2.5 centimetres.

This is our conversion factor.

If we go from inches to centimetres we multiply by the conversion factor.

If we go from centimetres to inches we divide by the conversion factor.

Example Convert 14 inches to cm.

As we know, the conversion factor is 2.5.

14 × 2.5 = 35

So, 14in ≈ 35cm.

Note: we use the ≈ symbol which means “approximately equal to”.

We can convert units of volume, density, mass, currency, time, distance, and area

We can convert between units of volume using the conversion factors below:

An ecosystem is made up of all of the living and non-living things in an area. This includes all of the plants, animals, and other living things that make up the communities of life in an area. An ecosystem also includes non-living materials –for example, water, rocks, soil, and sand. A swamp, a prairie, an ocean, and a forest are examples of ecosystems.

An ecosystem usually contains many different kinds of life. A grassland, for example, is an ecosystem that contains more than just grass. It includes other plants, mammals, insects, earthworms, and many tiny living things in the soil.

Each living thing in an ecosystem has a role to play – as a producer, a consumer, or a decomposer. Green plants are producers. They make their own food through a process called photosynthesis. Animals, including humans, are consumers. They eat, or consume, plants or other animals. Bacteria and other living things that cause decay are decomposers. Decomposers break down the waste products and dead tissue of plants and animals. They return nutrients to the soil, where new plants grow.

The main source of energy in almost all ecosystems is the Sun’s energy. As energy moves through the ecosystem, much of it is lost at each feeding level as

Example

Convert 25,000cm3 into m3 1m3 = 1,000,000cm3

25,000cm3 = m3 = 0.025cm3

Work out how many American dollars £200 is worth.

By Lawrence raaB

We can convert units of mass using the conversion factors below: The most commonly used units for density are grams per cubic centimetre (g/cm3). We can also express it as kilograms per cubic metre kg/m3

Example The density of gold is 19.3 g/cm3. Convert this into kg/m3 1 m3 = 1,000,000 cm3 So, 19.3 g/cm3 = 19, 300,000 g/m3 1000g = 1kg So 19, 300,000g/m3 = 19,300kg/m3

Different countries use different currencies. How currencies are linked are known as the exchange rate

Example The exchange rate is: £1 = $1.27

Ecosystems

heat. This is the main reason why few food chains have more than five feeding levels. Diagrams called energy pyramids are used to show the flow of energy from one feeding level to the next in a food chain. Most ecosystems have more than one food chain. Food chains overlap and connect to form a food web. Water, carbon, nitrogen, and other elements constantly circulate through an ecosystem. Carbon and oxygen from carbon dioxide as well as nutrients from soil enter into plant tissues. When consumers eat the plants, the nutrients enter the consumers’ tissues. Consumers that are eaten transfer the nutrients on to the predator at the next feeding level. Consumers that are not eaten die and transfer nutrients in their decaying tissues to the decomposers that feed on them. The decomposers recycle these nutrients back into the ecosystem. They transfer the nutrients back into the soil and air, where the nutrients become available to producers. An ecosystem’s health depends on a delicate balance among all its members and the environment. If something disturbs the balance, the ecosystem and all its members may suffer. Natural things that can disturb ecosystems include a changing climate and natural disasters. Human activities that can disturb ecosystems include polluting and clearing land for

We would use the conversion factor 1.27 200 × 1.27 = 254 So, £200 is worth $254.

We can convert units of time by remembering the most common unit conversions: We can convert units of lengths by remembering the most common metric unit conversions:

Here is the strict, abstract light of winter. From a bare branch a crow takes flight, rising heavily, overcoming the impossible. Snow sifts from its branch. A white shawl. Thousands of separate flakes. The bird has moved to another tree, cawing harshly, though I can barely hear it, with the windows locked in place against the cold. So the mind remains at a distance from its concerns, its uncertain desires— nothing to think of, or to say, nothing truly seen until later.

(Source: Poetry [October 1988])

Taxes evaded by US-sanctioned Mohameds can build over 2000 homes with water & electricity – McCoy

…exposes US-sanctioned Opposition Leader’s “political theatre”

Minister within the Office of the Prime Minister (PM) Kwame McCoy has pushed back against United States (US)-sanctioned Opposition Leader Azruddin Mohamed over his continued misinformation campaign about the Government’s development agenda, arguing that the businessman-turned-politician is attempting to deflect attention from his own legal troubles.

In a video message released on Tuesday, McCoy responded to Mohamed’s allegations of residents at Long Creek on the Soesdyke-Linden Highway being without electricity and potable water for years. McCoy described the claims as “one of the worst forms of mischaracterisation and misdirection” on the work being pursued by the Government on the highway corridor. He highlighted that while a significant portion of the area in question includes informal settlements, where persons are squatting on both private and state lands, the Government has not ignored them.

“Four housing schemes are already being pursued along the highway with the aim of regularising the situation, bringing communities into conformity with proper housing standards and giving people access to better, safer and more formal living conditions. That means order, that means planning, that means ownership doc-

such as Moblissa, Banakari, Long Creek, Yarrowkabra, Samsville, Kuru Kururu and now into Laluni.

uments, that means dignity, and beyond those four schemes, the search for additional lands is continuing so that more families can be moved into organised communities with proper services and security of tenure,” McCoy outlined. “But Mohamed does not tell people that,” he added. “He does not explain the plan. He does not acknowledge the work. He does not respect the process.” Instead, McCoy posited, Mohamed “shows up after listening to Government’s plans, visits communities, riles up people and tries to create the false impression that his political noise is what forced action.”

The Minister described these actions as “dishonest”.

Moreover, he highlighted that electricity expansion has already been outlined along the highway corridor, including areas

“Work has already commenced on the electricity power station at Kuru Kururu, and the same applies to water. Just a few weeks ago, in my interactions with residents of Long Creek, I spoke of the plans for more wells to be developed. So, Mohamed is not exposing neglect. He is seeking to exploit the process already in motion by using a dangerous cocktail of misinformation and disinformation,” McCoy posited.

Do not be fooled

McCoy is urging Guyanese to not be fooled by these actions, cautioning that “the same people who now pretend to care about water and electricity are associated with serious allegations involving tax evasion, gold smuggling and money laundering”. He posited that these allegations speak directly to resources that should have benefited the people of Guyana.

“Those resources could have supported development. Those resources could have strengthened services. Those resources could have helped communities. The $191 billion in tax evaded by the Mohameds when calculated can build over 2000 homes with water and electricity on the highway,” McCoy contended.

The $191 billion he re-

fers to is the tax claim by the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) against the businessman and his family. The claim was made in October 2025 following an audit that found the company, Mohamed’s Enterprise, understated its income by over $34 billion for the years 2019-2023. However, those charges were withdrawn following the US request for extradition. The US Government, in early November, requested the extradition of Mohamed and his father, who have been indicted by a grand jury in the US District Court for the Southern District of Florida on 11 criminal charges ranging

from wire fraud, mail fraud and money laundering, primarily connected to the export of gold to the US by their company, Mohamed’s Enterprises, between 2017 and June 11, 2024.

“Remake his image”

According to McCoy, Mohamed is simply trying to “remake his image” in the face of these indictments.

“In Mohamed’s futile masquerade across the country, his vengeful agenda unfolds to suggest corruption exists in every quarter of society. His main accomplishment on this trail is to divide communities, skew a barrage of lies and disinformation, all with the

aim of distracting from the serious trouble he faces as the United States pursues his extradition. He offers no serious plan, no sensible policy and no rational perspective on Guyana’s development,” he asserted.

But McCoy said Mohamed “can continue with his noises” as a sensible Guyanese under the difference between genuine development and manufactured outrage. “The work is already being done and is on the way. And no amount of political theatre from Mohamed and his cabal will erase the truth. Development is happening. Do not be misled,” McCoy expressed.

Boat captain crushed as vessels collide along Berbice River

Aof Jeep Landing, Kwakwani Village has led to the death of 60-year-old

boat Captain Alvin Adams from New Amsterdam, Berbice.

Police stated that on the day in question, a barge used for the transportation of timber was reportedly drifting downstream due to the strong river current when a tugboat went to render assistance. As the tugboat approached the drifting barge, the two vessels collided. Due to the collision, Adams, who was on the tugboat at the time, became trapped between the two vessels and sustained severe injuries.

He was pulled from the wreckage and taken to the Kwakwani Public Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. An investigation is underway.

JULY 8,

Miner shot to head during altercation with security guard

A32-year-old miner was reportedly shot dead by a security officer during an altercation at Sands Backdam, Cuyuni River, Region Seven, on Monday.

The deceased has been identified as Ceton Courtman of St Monica Village, Upper Pomeroon River, Region Two.

Based on preliminary investigations, the deceased and the 27-year-old suspect, who is attached to a private security firm, were involved in an altercation during which the suspect allegedly discharged a round

that struck the miner in the head.

The injured man was transported to the Aurora Gold Mines (AGM) Medical Centre, where he was pronounced dead on arrival. An inspection of the body revealed a gunshot wound to the centre of the head.

The suspect was subsequently arrested and is presently in police custody. Police stated that a Tacentre32 pistol, along with 12 matching live rounds of ammunition, was recovered as investigations continue.

Linden man found dead on road at Moblissa

The motionless body of 42-year-old Andries Allicock of Central Amelia’s Ward, Linden, was discovered last Saturday at Chiney Road West, Moblissa, Soesdyke/Linden Highway, with injuries to his body.

Reports stated that a resident was walking along the roadway when he observed the body of a man lying motionless in the area. The Police were immediate-

ly contacted, and upon arriving at the scene, they observed several injuries on the man’s body.

The body was taken to the G-Jetsco Funeral Home, where a post-mortem is scheduled.

Several persons were contacted and questioned as investigations continue to determine the circumstances surrounding the man’s death.

Reflecting on… …corruption

The news that the US sent only US$300 million in aid to Venezuela in the wake of their earthquake, which flattened whole sections of towns with fatalities over 3350 and counting, has raised criticism. Not only because over US$8 billion is sitting in US-controlled accounts from sales of Venezuelan oil – but because back in 2010, the comparable Haitian earthquake they’d sent in US$3 billion in aid – within US$13 billion overall commitments!! So why didn’t the Yanks do even comparably this time?? Was it just because they’ve cut back their USAID programme?? In your Eyewitness’s view, it’s more likely because of the rampant CORRUPTION that saw most of that money never reaching the intended beneficiaries – the Haitian people!! Surprisingly, the biggest culprits appear to be the Clintons – through whose “charitable” Trust, most of the money was funnelled!!

And that’s the thing about corruption: it infects everyone – high and low; rich and poor!! And sadly, the economic system we practice – “capitalism” – actually encourages this tendency since it comes with its own morality – where money is god and making money is the reason for our existence. By any means necessary. But even Karl Marx, who railed against capitalism’s tentacles, admitted it was the most efficient system even invented to produce more and more for less and less –pushed by greed!! So the item you’re selling is defective… do you tell the buyer? Heck no!! “Caveat emptor” is the rule – BUYER BEWARE!! But what about things BEFORE capitalism?? Were folks angels flitting around with halos hovering over their heads? Ha, ha, ha!! Using people as serfs and slaves to work their land wasn’t corruption –plus having the seignorial “right” to bed their wives and daughters??

One influential ole head back in the day threw up his hand in disgust and concluded we’re all created “out of this crooked timber”. It’s a good analogy – corruption’s from within, none of us are “straight” – we all got a price. The sooner we concede this, the sooner we’ll be able to deal with corruption. We gotta accept that any politician who denies there’s corruption at all levels of Government is either a fool or a vagabond!! Some time back, didn’t VP Jagdeo and then later Pressie, admit there’s corruption in the Government! They just don’t think it’s as prevalent as the Opposition claims!!

So what should Government leaders do?? Well, take a leaf from Singapore’s Lee Kwan Yew’s book (literally!!) and make Government workers less susceptible to bribes from the business class by educating and paying them so well they’re insulted when a bribe’s offered!! And coming to all the brouhaha being raised by the OFAC-sanctioned LOO, we should accept that politicians can also make investments!!

And not demand they wear sackcloth and ashes!!

…US World Cup ouster

While your Eyewitness is a cricket fanatic – he gotta admit that football is “the biggest name in sport”!! The viewership in FIFA’s World Cup – with 48 nations participating – reached 1.3 BILLION in a single game, Cape Verde vs Argentina!! For the longest while, the US had resisted the charms of football, of which they had their own variant!! But the lure of the big bucks proved too much, and back in 1975, they’d inveigled Pele, the then-iconic football player, to front a NY Club, Cosmos and launch them on the World stage.

They qualified starting in 1990 and hosted World Cup 1994 – where they advanced to the Group 16 stage and were knocked out by Brazil with Romario!! This year, however, while their team had noticeably improved, their Group 16 knockout match against Belgium was marked more by politics than football dexterity. Pres Trump had intervened to have a red-card disqualified player reinstated – earning the entire football world’s ire!!

Their 4-1 drubbing and elimination was unsurprisingly celebrated!!

…LOO’s barefacedness

Sanction Man has demanded Pressie’s resignation

based on his accusations about improprieties in the ownership of Pressie’s farm on the Linden Highway!

But what about HIS retention of the office of LOO –while being officially sanctioned by OFAC?!!

Over $201M in...

PAGE 3

“This will help to reduce production costs, and we are working with you. Farmers also have to play their part because, when we travel around the country, one of the main production costs is land rental and D&I charges. When we came into Government in 2020, we reversed all the increases that were imposed by the APNU+AFC Administration. We brought the charges back to where they were. For example, in the MMA Scheme, land rental and D&I charges were $3,500 per acre when we were previously in Government. When the APNU+AFC got into office, they increased it to $15,000.”

Growing agriculture industry

The outlook for Guyana’s rice industry is also promising, as Mustapha revealed that the Government is pursuing new export markets, including Mexico, Haiti, Cuba and other CARICOM countries.

“We have been talking to Mexico. We have been discussing opportunities with Haiti. There will be new opportunities in Cuba, and we are still looking within the CARICOM region so that we can secure more markets.”

He also announced a series of infrastructure projects for Region Three aimed at further supporting rice farm-

ers.

“In the coming months, you will see massive infrastructure development in Region Three. A number of new farm-to-market roads will be built. We know for a fact that we have to modernise the industry. We are also looking to introduce drone technology to help small-scale farmers because they are experiencing serious labour shortages. We want to modernise the sector by using drones to apply fertiliser. We are also encouraging farmers to set aside one or two acres of their land to diversify production so that we can work with them to create integrated farming systems.”

Guyana's UN Secretary General candidate outlines vision to Caricom Heads of Govt

Guyana's campaign to secure the position of United Nations Secretary General (UNSG) for Ambassador Carolyn RodriguesBirkett received a boost on Tuesday after several Caribbean Community (Caricom) member states endorsed her candidacy during the regional bloc's Heads of Government meeting in St Lucia.

President Dr Irfaan Ali, in a post on social media, said Rodrigues-Birkett addressed Caricom Heads of Government on her vision and candidacy for the top United Nations (UN) post. According to the President, the presentation was well received, with several member states expressing support for Guyana's nominee.

"Her presentation received strong support, with several Member States endorsing her nominationanother significant milestone as our campaign continues to gather regional momentum on the international stage," President Ali stated.

Meanwhile, the Permanent Mission of Guyana to the UN on it social media page said that Rodrigues-Birkett participated in the 51st Meeting of Heads of State and Government of Caricom, where she outlined her vision for the role of UN Secretary-General. The Mission said the former Foreign Affairs Minister was invited to address the regional leaders and used the opportunity to present her candidacy for the position. It added that Rodrigues-Birkett also thanked Caricom lead-

ers for their support and words of encouragement following her presentation.

Guyana officially launched RodriguesBirkett's candidacy in May as it seeks to secure broad international backing ahead of the selection process for the next UN Secretary-General. Five official candidates are running to succeed António Guterres as the next UNSG, whose five-year

term begins on January 1, 2027. According to the UN, the SecretaryGeneral (SG) is appointed by the 193-member General Assembly on the recommendation of the Security Council. While the 15-member Council, particularly its five permanent members who may veto any candidate, plays a decisive role in shaping the recommendation, the appointment

is ultimately made by the Assembly. In the 80 years since the founding of the UN, there have been nine SGs, but a woman has never held the post. If successful, Rodrigues-Birkett would make history as the first woman ever elected to serve as SG of the UN since the organisation was established in 1945. She would also be the first Caribbean national to hold the position. RodriguesBirkett has served as Guyana’s Permanent Representative to the UN since 2020. In that capacity, she led Guyana’s participation during its Security Council tenure and played a key role in advancing the country’s positions on issues relating to international peace and security. Prior to her current post, Rodrigues-Birkett served as director of the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) Liaison Office in Geneva from 2017 to 2020. She previously served as Guyana’s Minister of Foreign Affairs from 2008 to 2015 and as Minister of Amerindian Affairs from 2001 to 2008.

Panama-registered ship largest vessel to pass beneath BJ Demerara River Bridge

The MV Knidos M , the largest vessel to date to transit beneath the Bharrat Jagdeo Demerara River Bridge (BJDRB), successfully passed under the structure on Tuesday.

According to the Maritime Administration Department (MARAD), the Panama-registered Handymax bulk carrier completed the transit without incident, demonstrating the bridge’s ability to safely accommodate larger vessels navigating

the Demerara River.

The vessel stands 48 metres (m) high and has an air draft of 4m. It measures 186.45m in length overall (LOA), has a breadth of 30m, a gross tonnage of 25,327, and a deadweight capacity of 42,000 tonnes.

MARAD said the successful transit underscores the operational capacity of the BJDRB to facilitate the movement of larger commercial vessels while maintaining uninterrupted road connectivity between the East and West

Banks of the Demerara River.

The department added that the milestone reflects the bridge’s role in strengthening Guyana’s maritime infrastructure and supporting the country’s expanding trade and economic activities.

On June 24, the Public Works Ministry said that the Demerara River remains an active navigation corridor, with 4323 vessels having passed safely beneath the bridge since it opened to traffic.

Better enforcement of Govt contracts will improve quality of public works – GAICO CEO

...lauds infrastructure boom to support growing manufacturing, logistics sectors

As the Government continues to invest heavily in expanding and modernising the country’s infrastructure network, a veteran construction mogul has underscored the importance of stricter contract enforcement to help ensure the delivery of high-quality public works. This view was offered by Komal Singh, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of one of the country’s largest construction companies, GAICO.

“The contract document that you have – the quality control is very, very important in those documents.

I can understand that maybe because of the speed of which things are going, there is little oversight in terms of making sure the

contractors comply 100% to those quality control issues, but like I said, it’s a work in progress. We need to continuously get more people, more consultants, to oversee some of these projects to make sure that the contractors who are doing them comply with the terms and conditions that is in those contracts,” he explained during a recent episode of The Guyana Dialogue programme.

Additionally, Singh, who previously served as Chairman of the Private Sector Commission (PSC), pointed out that the Government often retains five per cent of the contract sum to cater to any remedial works on projects.

“Most Government projects is one year retention

they hold that money for. So, the defects liability on all Government projects is a minimum of a year, so if any failure takes place within a year, Government has the opportunity to go do it themselves and take the five per cent they have for you, or they make sure you get it done before you get your money,” he explained. In fact, he noted that there is often another layer to these contracts if failures are identified for fixing. “In the contract also, this is something many people don’t know. While I have one year liability on that contract, if six months after there’s a failure and I go and fix that failure, the client have the right to tell me that I have to give them one more year on that failure,” he outlined.

“So, there is remedy in the contract… and as long as those enforcements take place, I could tell you, you will see a lot more improvement in quality of our infrastructure that is being built out there,” he added.

Overhauling public procurement

The Government is actively overhauling public procurement laws and standard-form contracts to align with global International Federation of Consulting Engineers (FIDIC) models. Attorney General Anil Nandlall had noted that this review will address key areas, such as enforcement of performance bonds, effectiveness of remedies, notice requirements, and the overall efficiency of procurement systems.

“We will review the regime of remedies that flow when there is a breach, and we will strengthen the regime of remedies so as to offer the state greater protection when there is breaches or non-compliance,” Nandlall had explained.

The overhaul will also focus on greater accountability for engineers and consultants.

“These engineers and/or supervisors are paid huge sums of money to monitor and evaluate the performance of the contract for and on behalf of the State… They are supposed to police the contracts, monitor and evaluate the contracts and ensure that when there are breaches, these breaches are reported and are remedied under the terms of the contract,” the Attorney General had noted, acknowledging that many times, this does not take place.

He had pointed out that, “Unfortunately, invariably, these engineers and our supervisors tend to align their interests more with the contractor than the employer.”

“For example, instead of preventing and resisting attempts at variations in contracts that would inevitably result in an upward movement of the contract price, the engineers and our supervisors support the contractor’s request for an extension. Why? Well, I can’t say why, but the engineer and/ or supervisor are paid based upon that increase. Their remuneration package is tied to a variation that necessarily increases the contract price, and perhaps that is an incentive to give support. We have to ensure that that is reviewed, that state of affairs that I just outlined, a state of affairs that seems to reward rather than penalise a contractor for a variation,” Nandlall had outlined.

He had further emphasised that the responsibili-

ty of the engineer/supervisor is to prevent such variations from taking place, but instead, “the evidence will disclose that, invariably, they stand in support. And one can’t discount that one of the reasons that may be influencing that posture is a financial one, because when the variation is granted, the supervisor’s contract or the engineer’s contract is also extended.”

“That must be looked at,” Nandlall had affirmed.

Axle loads Singh further noted that another layer in the conversation on quality control has to do with adhering to axle limits.

“All over the world, roads are being designed to handle a certain amount of axle load…most of the place around the world goes between 10 and 12 tonne per axle. In Guyana, we did not have an axle load control law that prohibits trucks from carrying heavy load,” Singh outlined.

However, he recognised that the Government has been working to address this issue. In fact, Minister of Public Works Juan Edghill announced that the Government will start impounding trucks operating above the authorised weight limits. The Government has approved a 15-tonne per axle weight limit for trucks on all national roads and bridges to prevent severe infrastructure damage.

According to Singh, sometimes the infrastructure is being damaged quickly not because of poor quality. “Many of the roads are being damaged because trucks are being overloaded,” he posited.

“A truck that’s supposed to carry 30 gross tonne in some cases have 50 tonne of cargo inside of it. Those will have a definitively negative impact,” he added.

“An example others can follow” – Finance Minister on new hotel in Region 2

...as Pres Ali applauds investors’ confidence in Essequibo Coast

President Dr Irfaan Ali recently joined local businessman Roopan Ramotar and his family to commission their 43room Rooster International Hotel at Anna Regina, Essequibo Coast, Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam), which he noted is a welcomed addition to the rapidly growing hospitality in the county.

Speaking during the simple commissioning ceremony, President Ali highlighted the businessman’s continued investment in Region Two, noting that he has answered the Government’s call for greater private sector participation in the hospitality industry.

“This is a man that has planted 70,000 coconut trees, 400 acres of new coconut plantation in the last two years alone…and 100 acres of plantains. This is to tell you that we have in our country investors who are willing to partner with the Government in creating the opportunities we’re championing,” President Ali noted.

President Ali also commended Ramotar’s decision to diversify into hospitality, noting that the additional 43 rooms will help address the growing demand for accommodation in Region Two.

“Those of you who come to Essequibo a lot can attest to the growth in the traffic coming to Essequibo in the last four years. We put on more ferries; you need more space, and then some of you here who try to get a room in Essequibo, especially on weekends, know how difficult that can be, especially if it’s a holiday weekend or an event-filled weekend,” he ex-

plained.

Setting an example

Meanwhile, also delivering remarks during the ceremony, Senior Minister within the Office of the Prime Minister with responsibility for finance, Dr Ashni Singh, noted that this investment is reflective of President Ali’s vision that transformation must take place countrywide.

“Development, modernisation and the creation of economic opportunities must, by President Ali’s objectives, be experienced and enjoyed and be benefitted from in all of the regions in our country,” Dr Singh expressed.

He further highlighted the region’s potential to become not just an agricultural hub but a major tourist attraction, similarly noting that the businessman’s move to diversify into the sector sets an example for other investors to follow.

“I want to compliment you for responding to the favourable investment environment that President Ali has been creating under his visionary leadership. I want to compliment you for making these investments in region two, and I think in that regard, you’re setting an example that others will no doubt follow,” the Finance Minister outlined.

It was in March 2025 that President Ali had called for more hotel rooms to be developed in Region Two. He had noted that though many hoteliers on the Essequibo Coast have increased their capacity to accommodate more guests over the past four years, the region still

faces a shortage of rooms, especially on long weekends.

At the time, he had noted that the Ministry of Tourism was tasked with developing a special marketing plan to

encourage more persons to invest in the region.

Many families travel to Essequibo on long weekends to enjoy recreational activities at destinations includ-

ing the Mainstay Resort, Lake Capoey and more.

The influx of persons travelling to the region further increased with the additional ferry plying the

Parika – Supenaam route.

Across the country, there are several hotels which are being built to accommodate the increase in visitors to Guyana, the majority of them being situated in Region Four (DemeraraMahaica).

In fact, Guyana is on track to add over 1000 hotel rooms in 2026, boosting the total room stock to more than 5600 by the end of the year, Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce

Susan Rodrigues had revealed during the budget debates in February.

It was recently reported that Guyana recorded a whopping 40,149 visitor arrivals in May alone, marking a 20.6 per cent increase over May 2025 and the strongest May performance in the country’s tourism history.

88 containers of Guyana-Caricom-relief shipped to earthquake-hit Venezuela

Guyana and several Caricom Member States dispatched a ship carrying 88 containers of humanitarian relief supplies to earthquake-hit Venezuela on Tuesday.

The vessel departed from the BK Wharf at Kingston, Georgetown, under the supervision of Senior Minister in the Office of the President with responsibility for Finance, Dr Ashni Singh, who acted on behalf of President Dr Irfaan Ali.

The shipment includes food items, medical supplies and other essential equipment, along with 300 black water storage tanks and two pieces of heavy earth-moving equipment. The relief supplies were contributed by the Governments of Guyana, Belize, the Bahamas, St Lucia, Grenada, Jamaica, St Kitts and Nevis, St Vincent and the Grenadines, the local Private Sector, civil society organisations, citizens, and members of the Venezuelan community in Guyana.

Addressing those gathered before the vessel departed, Dr Singh said that the June 24 earthquake had caused widespread destruction, significant loss of life, and injuries across Venezuela.

He noted that immediately after the disaster, President Ali conveyed condolences to the Venezuelan people and mobilised a national and regional humanitarian response.

“Today’s [Tuesday] shipment is the result of that effort,” Dr Singh said, adding that the initiative received support from the Guyanese Government, the Private Sector, citizens, Venezuelans living in Guyana, and several Caricom Heads of Government.

He said the shipment reflects not only Guyana’s contributions but also the collective support of participating Caricom member states.

On behalf of President Ali, Dr Singh thanked the seven Caricom countries that contributed to the relief effort, as well as Guyanese businesses, citizens and members of the Venezuelan community in Guyana for their donations.

“Venezuela is our neighbour, the Venezuelan people are our neighbours, and so we consider this to be the least that we could do as a country in this moment of tragedy in support of our Venezuelan brothers and sisters,” he said.

The vessel is expected to arrive in Venezuela within four days.

Dr Singh also noted that the shipment is part of a

wider international humanitarian response. He said the Government remains in close contact with United States counterparts who are already on the ground in Venezuela.

According to the Minister, the relief supplies will be handed over to the US humanitarian team for consolidation with the broader international response before being distributed to those affected.

On June 24, the 7.2- and 7.5-magnitude earthquakes caused extensive damage in parts of Venezuela near the country’s capital.

Based on the latest reports coming out of Caracas, more than 3685 persons have died and another 16,740 were injured from last month’s twin quakes, while 17,907 are homeless.

Rescuers are still combing through collapsed buildings with the hopes of find-

ing survivors.

Nevertheless, this show of solidarity and support between Guyana and Venezuela comes as the two South American neighbours are embroiled in a decades-long border controversy. The matter is currently before the International Court of Justice (ICJ), which is expected to deliver a ruling sometime later this year or early next year.

Stabroek Market to be restored, expanded; Bourda set for complete rebuild

Local Government and Regional Development Minister Priya Manickchand has announced that the historic Stabroek Market will undergo extensive restoration and expansion over the next five years, while Bourda Market will be completely rebuilt.

Speaking at a recent meeting, the Minister said the restoration of Stabroek Market would be a complex undertaking due to the building’s historical significance.

“Restoration is very different from construction. I just got a report on the Stabroek Market for the next five years. The Stabroek Market is going to be restored and extended, and the Bourda Market is going to be rebuilt completely.” Manickchand explained that while the projects have been confirmed, the full plans are not yet available to the public, as the Government is still finalising the details.

“I can say that now. If you want to see a plan for that, you can’t see it now because we’re still in the process of getting the details of what restoration looks like when you’re talking about something built 100 years ago, and then how do you accommodate the people who can no longer fit in this restored building by an extension that does not take

away from its aesthetics?” She further explained that detailed planning is still underway, particularly for the restoration of the historic Stabroek Market, noting that preserving the building’s heritage while

proving market infrastructure.

In addition to creating better facilities for vendors and shoppers, the projects are expected to preserve one of Georgetown’s historic landmarks while expanding its capacity to meet modern demands. As of early 2026, works to enhance the capital city were planned to continue this year with some $2 billion set aside in Budget 2026 for the rehabilitation of the Stabroek Market and Bourda Green, as well as the enhancement of avenues throughout the city and other major locations. This sum was part of a $2.84 billion allocation towards the Georgetown Restoration Initiative that was approved by the Parliamentary Committee of Supply. During the consideration of the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development’s budget estimates ear-

modernising and expanding the facility requires careful planning and execution. Moreover, the Minister highlighted that the expansion of the market must carefully balance the need for additional space with preserving the landmark’s historic appearance. She also explained that authorities are working on how best to accommodate the growing number of vendors without compromising the building’s architectural integrity. Further, the planned reconstruction of Bourda Market and the restoration and expansion of Stabroek Market are significant investments in im -

lier this year, Minister Manickchand was grilled by opposition members on the budget allocations for the restoration project that seeks to return Georgetown to its former glory. Included in that sum is $100 million for further improvements to the Transport and Harbours’ old carriageway on Lamaha Street, $200 million for the enhancement of avenues within the city, another $150 million for the rehabilitation of the Municipal Training Council central area, and $35 million for the design and installation of street name signs in Georgetown.

Ramsammy’s Ruminations

Hypocrisy, dishonesty – Has Azruddin Mohamed declared his assets and wealth?

An open question to Azruddin Mohamed: Have you completed your declarations to the Integrity Commission yet? The Leader of the Opposition (LOO) has an obligation under the laws of Guyana to do so. Will the LOO tell the nation when he plans to meet this obligation? Will the Integrity Commission tell the nation if the LOO has fulfilled his obligations for 2025-2026?

Let us be clear: President Irfaan Ali has submitted his declarations to the Integrity Commission, as he is obligated to do under Guyana’s laws. We do not know whether the LOO has done so, although we are reasonably confident that he is intentionally violating the laws of Guyana to make his declarations. He is under indictment in the USA; President Irfaan Ali is not under indictment anywhere. The LOO has been indicted for evasion of taxes, although the indictment has been withdrawn for technical reasons to permit the USA to proceed with its extradition request. President Irfaan Ali has never been indicted for tax evasion. The LOO has been under suspicion for murder; President Ali has never been under suspicion for any kind of murder. President Ali has lived within the confines of the law; the LOO has lived precariously outside the law.

The President of Guyana, Dr Irfaan Ali, we know, has been up-todate with his Integrity Commission’s declarations for decades now. Azruddin Mohamed has an obligation under the law to declare his assets and his wealth to the Integrity Commission as a public duty. We know he owns valuable and massive amounts of properties, land and gold mines. We just do not know how much. We are simply asking him to tell the Commission, reminding him of his obligation. If he has not submitted his Integrity Commission’s declarations, it is sheer hypocrisy to question the wealth of others.

Guyanese have become numb to the disinformation, dishonesty and hypocrisy from the owner of the political party known as WIN. Azruddin Mohamed and his family are among the richest families in Guyana. They are among the biggest property owners, including land owners in the country. None of this is legacy wealth. They did not inherit it from parents and grandparents. Far from questioning how the Mohameds acquired so much wealth, we simply want to know whether Azruddin Mohamed has declared his wealth since that is a basic requirement for senior politicians. This has become even more critical since he is under indictment from the US for corruption and he is actively trying to avoid his extradition.

When Azruddin Mohamed decided to become a politician and formed his own party, when he nominated himself to take up a seat that was won by WIN, and when he made himself available to become the LOO, certain constitutional obligations came with those privileges and honours. This includes declaring to the Integrity Commission his assets and his wealth, including bank accounts and other financial wealth. We know that he has no bank account because banks consider him a danger to their businesses. Yet he splurges and “buys” favours. We do not know the source of the money that he so freely spends.

This week, Azruddin Mohamed did a video with pictures, illegally obtained, of a modern farm owned by President Irfaan Ali. The contention is that the farm is only possible because it was obtained through corruption. There was no evidence of any corruption, other than innuendoes. Azruddin Mohamed knows that he simply has to put a story out there without any evidence and that a certain section of the population will jump on it as “God’s” truth. Yet, as a leader, he has an obligation and responsibility to show people his evidence.

Making matters worse, President Ali has confirmed that Azruddin’s father contacted him prior to the release of the video. If it is true that the elder Mohamed communicated with the President, the question is why. It is the classical “shakedown”, a blackmail scheme.

We know that President Ali has faithfully declared his assets and wealth to the Integrity Commission, and he has been doing this for years. We know that he owned the farms since before 2020 and that this information was part of the declarations. He has never made this a secret. Countless persons can tell stories of Irfaan Ali’s agriculture investments and his dreams for his farm off the Linden Highway long before he became President. Ruminations, like the Integrity Commission, knows that President Ali, as an ordinary MP, before 2020, owned the farm. When he was Minister of Tourism, he started a small juice-bottling business using his own fruits. He also had vision of creating his own spice mixes using products from his farm. While he did come from a farming family, he himself became a farmer decades ago. These are well-known facts, and those who pretend they do not know are being dishonest.

President Ali has stated categorically that he has not used state funds for the modernisation of his farm. Nothing in the Auditor General reports comes close to suggesting this happened. When Azruddin Mohamed showed a video of the farm and accused President Ali of corruption, he had a duty to present evidence for the allegations. Ordinary citizens may get away with such irresponsible behaviour. This, however, is unacceptable for the LOO. A much higher standard is expected from the LOO.

But we come right back to the original question – has the LOO submitted his assets and wealth declarations? It is sheer hypocrisy for the LOO to accuse the President of corruption, without evidence, while he is desperately fighting extradition to the US, where he is facing serious criminal charges. This is not just hypocrisy and total dishonesty; it is audacity, arrogance and disrespect and disregard for the laws of Guyana.

Guyana opens NELA to Barbados, offers 3 leadership training seats

Guyana has offered three seats to Barbados in its National Educational Leadership Academy (NELA), a national institution dedicated to the professional development and training of education leaders across all levels of the system. The offer was made on Tuesday as Education Minister Sonia Parag welcomed a delegation from Barbados currently on a study tour of the NELA. According to a brief statement from the Ministry, the visit is part of ongoing efforts to strengthen educational leadership across the Caribbean, with the delegation observing the academy’s model as Barbados explores establishing a similar programme.

“In reaffirming Guyana’s commitment to regional collaboration, Minister Parag committed to have three seats made available to Barbados in the Academy’s second cohort, further fostering knowledge-sharing and capacity building among Caribbean education leaders,” the statement noted. The academy was launched in December 2025 by the Education Ministry, in partnership with the Global Partnership for Education (GPE), the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation’s (UNESCO) International Institute for Educational Planning (IIEP).

Anchored in Guyana’s

Education Sector Plan (2021–2025) and supported through a GPE System Transformation Grant, NELA is designed to strengthen instructional leadership, improve resource allocation, and reinforce accountability across Guyana’s decentralised education system from 2025 to 2029. The academy is also designed to address disparities across regions and learner groups by equipping school leaders, district leaders, and instructional leaders with the skills needed to translate policy into meaningful classroom practice. The programme places strong emphasis on equity, ethical leader-

ship, data-informed decision-making, collaboration, and accountability. During the launch, it was reported that the academy’s first cohort will participate in an 18-month blended learning programme, combining theory and practice, mentoring and applied leadership proj-

ects tailored to real school and district challenges. Participants will focus on improving teaching quality, strengthening school culture and expanding learning opportunities for all students, particularly those in hinterland and riverain communities.

“No

need to rush” – Persaud to senior citizens as distribution begins today …have until

November 1 to claim allowance

Human Services and Social Security Minister Dr Vindhya Persaud is urging senior citizens not to rush to collection points as the distribution of the Government’s $20,000 annual transportation allowance begins today, assuring that measures have been put in place to ensure a smooth process across the country.

In a video message on Tuesday, the Minister said all post offices nationwide

have been supplied with the necessary stamps, allowing pensioners to have their transportation allowance vouchers stamped and encashed at the same location.

“I’ve been listening to you, and we’ve been working hard over the last few days to make sure that we have a seamless process from tomorrow,” Persaud said.

She explained that pensioners can also have their vouchers stamped at any Ministry of Human Services

and Social Security office before encashing them.

The Minister stressed that beneficiaries do not need to visit on the first day, noting that the process will remain open from July 8 until November 1, 2026.

“It is an annual grant, so you don’t all have to go tomorrow [today]. The process starts tomorrow [today] and ends on the 1st of November 2026. Therefore, I don’t want you to line up, and I don’t want there to be

a lot of lines,” she said.

Persaud also reminded pensioners who receive their monthly old age pension through banks or MMG that the $20,000 transportation allowance will be deposited directly into their accounts, eliminating the need to visit a distribution point.

The Minister further outlined arrangements for elderly persons who are housebound or living with disabilities. She said those individuals can authorise someone to act on their behalf by signing the authorisation section at the back of the pension book and identifying the authorised person.

That individual must

present the pension book containing the voucher along with the pensioner’s identification card to have the voucher stamped and subsequently encashed.

“We are making sure that even if you’re at home, you can access your $20,000 transportation allowance easily,” Persaud said.

More than 90,000 senior citizens aged 65 and over are expected to benefit from the first-time annual transportation grant, representing an investment of approximately $1.9 billion by the Government. The travel allowance was announced as part of Budget 2026 and complements the increase in the

Old Age Pension to $46,000 per month, which took effect in January this year. Combined, the measures will see more than $54 billion being provided annually in financial support to pensioners nationwide.

Under the programme, pensioners who collect their benefits using the Old Age Pension Book are required to have a $20,000 value stamp affixed to the designated page in their 2026 pension book before the voucher can be encashed at post offices or other approved payment agencies. Those receiving their pensions through banks or MMG will receive the allowance electronically.

Father of 1 dies after being stabbed to neck during bar row

The wife of a 27-yearold labourer who was fatally stabbed during an alleged altercation at Haswell, Port Mourant, Corentyne, in the early hours of Tuesday is pleading for justice as she struggles to come to terms with the loss of her husband and the father of their threeyear-old daughter. Naresh Seecharran, called “Cat Man,” of Glasgow Housing Scheme, Greater New Amsterdam died after suffering a single stab wound to the neck. Police have since arrested a 20-yearold construction worker of Lochaber, East Canje, Berbice, who remains in custody as investigations continue. Sabrina Sinclair recalled speaking with her husband shortly after 19:00h on Monday after he had gone out with friends. “He called me after seven and we talked, and he said he would come home in the morning,” the 22-year-old woman recalled. Several hours later the family rushed out after learning that her husband had reportedly been injured and was being taken to hospital. In the confusion that followed, they travelled between the police station and the Port Mourant Public Hospital trying to determine what had happened. According to Sinclair, she was later told that her husband and another man had become involved in an argument while drinking. Police said preliminary investigations revealed that Seecharran and the suspect were among a group of persons imbibing alcohol and playing music at Haswell, Village, Corentyne when an argument erupted between the two men.

Investigators said the confrontation escalated into a scuffle during which the suspect allegedly dealt Seecharran a stab wound to the left side of his neck before fleeing on foot. The injured labourer was taken to the Port Mourant Public Hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival. Police said an examination of the body confirmed a stab wound to the left side of the neck. Acting on information received, investigators arrested the suspect later on Tuesday at Kendell Village, East Coast Berbice (Number19 Village). He was escorted to the Whim Police Station, where he remains in custody. Meanwhile, the body has since been taken to the Ramoo Funeral Home, where it is awaiting a Post-Mortem Examination (PME). An eyewitness, Sean Abraham, said that the men had been socialising, drinking and joking with each other.

“We was chilling, sitting on the side,” he recalled, explaining that the two men had been teasing each other as friends often do. “They was playing, you know, like

joking around, dancing and pulling on each other.” Then, in what he estimated was about 10 seconds, everything changed. Abraham said the men suddenly ran and moments later Seecharran emerged bleeding from his neck. “Thing happened in like 10 seconds,” he said. He recalled that the injured man managed to take only a couple of steps before collapsing. Friends immediately rushed to his assistance and attempted to summon medical help while the suspect allegedly discarded the knife.

Justice

Meanwhile, his wife, a teacher said she has now been left to raise their threeyear-old daughter alone. The couple had been together for almost seven years and had built their lives around their small family. Sinclair said her husband worked hard to provide for them, while she teaches. She became emotional as she spoke about their daughter, who is expected to begin school in September. “She got to start school in September, and he’s not here. He’s not going to see that,” Sinclair said.

As investigators continue their probe, Sinclair is hoping those responsible for uncovering the truth leave no stone unturned. She believes surveillance cameras in the area may help establish exactly what transpired before her husband’s death.

“I really hope the police find whoever did it. They got cameras opposite. I hope they would ask and see who exactly stabbed him. I mean, we get a little justice,” she added. Police have said the suspect remains in custody as investigations continue.

Cuba struggles to restore power following nationwide grid collapse

Cuba struggled on Tuesday to restore power after its national grid collapsed the day before, leaving millions still without electricity across the Caribbean island nation.

Authorities have yet to fully explain the cause of the Monday blackout – the third to affect the country this year – which left an already exhausted population ⁠of nearly 10 million people in the dark overnight.

The country’s grid operator said early on Tuesday it had reconnected central Cuba to the grid, from the western port of Mariel to Sancti Spiritus province, but that the eastern and western extremes of the island remained offline.

About one-third of the capital Havana had seen power restored on Tuesday morning, though large

swathes were still without electricity, and power was spotty even where it had been restored.

The latest grid collapse comes as the United States has vastly ratcheted up pressure on Cuba, cutting off the island’s fuel supply and applying severe sanc-

tions in a bid by the Trump administration to force a change in Cuba’s communist-run Government.

Cuba and the United Nations have called the Trump Administration measures illegal and a violation of the human rights of the island’s residents. (Reuters)

Venezuela earthquakes’ death toll jumps to more than 3500

More than 3500 persons have died after a pair of earthquakes struck Venezuela last week, while nearly 18,000 remain unhoused.

The death toll from Venezuela’s twin earthquakes now sits at 3685. The latest official tally showed 16,740 persons injured and 17,907 left without housing. At least 12,800 persons were staying in 80 shelters across Caracas and La Guaira, the coastal regions most directly impacted by the earthquake.

In La Guaira on Monday, witnesses told the Reuters news agency that they saw trucks and forensic workers transporting coffins while machinery dug trenches

in an open area marked by white crosses where authorities were burying bodies.

The June 24 earthquakes, which measured magnitudes 7.2 and 7.5, struck within seconds of each other in and around Caracas and La Guaira.

An estimated 60,000 buildings were damaged or destroyed.

Experts have also warned of a widening health crisis as thousands of displaced Venezuelans sleep in crowded temporary shelters or outside without access to clean water. Thousands have untreated injuries and infectious diseases, with the country’s healthcare system struggling to cope.

Frustration about the

Government’s rescue and recovery efforts has led to everyday citizens taking charge to find survivors and distribute aid.

Reports of health concerns are already on the rise.

Carolina Jimenez, the President of the Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA), a research and advocacy group, told Al Jazeera that the result has been growing anger towards the state.

“In a Government in any other country, the first responder should be the state,” she said last week.

“In the case of Venezuela, the state has been the last responder.” (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

Caribbean identifies US$17.6B in climate investment opportunities

More than US$17.5 billion in national and regional climate investment opportunities have been identified across the Caribbean following the 2026 Climate Smart Summit, with organisers now launching an 18-month initiative aimed at turning those proposals into tangible projects.

The Caribbean ClimateSmart Accelerator (CCSA) has released its official report, outlining the outcomes of the June meeting in Barbados and detailing plans to track partnerships, financing commitments and project implementation over the next year and a half.

The two-day summit brought together entrepreneurs, Governments, inves-

tors, development finance institutions, philanthropies, businesses and regional and international organisations to accelerate climate-smart investment throughout the Caribbean.

According to the report, participants identified US$11.5 million in entrepreneurial ventures seeking investment, US$17.574 billion in national and regional project opportunities, US$12.685 billion in development finance available for deployment and US$37 million in catalytic philanthropic funding.

Chief Executive Officer of the Caribbean ClimateSmart Accelerator, Racquel Moses, said the summit was designed to create lasting partnerships rather than end when delegates re-

Mexico investigating possible US violation in 2024 capture of infamous cartel leader

Mexico said Tuesday it is investigating whether its sovereignty was violated by the United States in the 2024 capture of drug lord Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada in the latest flare-up of diplomatic tensions over Washington’s war on cartels.

The inquiry comes after the FBI displayed in an exhibition the plane used to bring most-wanted Zambada, co-founder of the notorious Sinaloa cartel, to the United States.

Zambada was arrested in the United States in July 2024 alongside Joaquin Guzman Lopez, the son of Sinaloa cartel co-founder Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman, who is also imprisoned.

When Guzman Lopez

pleaded guilty to US narcotrafficking charges last December, he admitted to having kidnapped Zambada to bring him to the United States – a betray-

al meant to win favour with US authorities. According to details revealed in Guzman’s plea deal, Zambada was ambushed, loaded onto a plane, drugged and spirited across the border to the United States.

The US Embassy in Mexico said in 2024 that no US agency had participated in the operation, Mexican Government secretary Rosa Icela Rodriguez said at the morning news conference.

“The versions are contradictory. Someone lied,” she said.

“What agreements did that agency have, or who else participated with the criminal group?” Sheinbaum said, according to La Jornada. “In this case, everything seems to indicate that the ambassador lied.” (Excerpt from CBS News)

Northwest Haiti confronts climate threats as hurricane season begins

As the 2026 Atlantic hurricane season begins, Government officials, disaster response authorities and community leaders in Haiti’s Northwest Department are warning that stronger preparation – not emergency response after disasters strike – is essential to protect one of the country’s most climate-vulnerable regions.

The discussions took place in early June during a series of sectoral roundtables held in Port-de-Paix and several municipalities across the department. Representatives from the Ministry of the Environment, Civil Protection, local Governments, civil society organisations and technical partners met to assess cli-

mate risks, strengthen coordination and improve disaster preparedness ahead of the months-long hurricane season.

“We have already mobilised volunteers and trained them in disaster risk management to protect lives and property,” said Ifrène Monfort, Civil Protection director for the Northwest Department. “These volunteers will lead public awareness campaigns to help residents understand the precautions they should take throughout the hurricane season.”

The conversations come as Haiti continues to face increasingly destructive hurricanes, floods, droughts and landslides while struggling with weak infrastructure, widespread deforestation and

limited emergency response capacity. The Northwest Department is among the country’s most exposed regions because of its long coastline, degraded watersheds, recurring droughts and limited public infrastructure. Many communities lack reliable roads, drainage systems, early warning networks and emergency shelters, making evacuation and disaster response especially difficult when tropical storms or hurricanes strike. Local officials said reducing those vulnerabilities will require year-round investments in environmental protection, risk reduction, and community preparedness – not just emergency relief after disasters. (Excerpt from The Haitian Times)

Saint Lucia, Finland strengthen diplomatic ties as consulate reopens

The Honorary

turned home.

She said the organisation would spend the next 18 months working with project owners, Governments, investors and philanthropies to transform introductions into partnerships and investment into implementation, adding that this would be the measure of the summit’s success.

The CCSA said it will monitor the progress of projects and financing commitments that emerged from the summit while identifying barriers to implementation and encouraging continued collaboration between Governments, investors, philanthropies and the private sector. (Excerpt from Trinidad and Tobago Guardian)

Consulate of Finland in Saint Lucia has officially reopened, marking a renewed chapter in the longstanding diplomatic relationship between the two countries.

The occasion was commemorated with a cocktail reception last Friday, attended by Government officials, members of the diplomatic corps, business leaders and invited guests. Hosted under the patronage of His Excellency Pertti Ikonen, Ambassador of Finland to the Caribbean, the ceremony saw businessman and Chief Executive Officer of the JQ Group of Companies, Gordon Charles, officially introduced as Finland’s new honorary consul to Saint Lucia.

Accepting the appointment, Charles thanked the Government of Finland for

“placing their confidence” in him and expressed optimism about strengthening ties between the two nations through greater collaboration and trade.

As part of that vision, he encouraged Saint Lucians to make greater use of the EU-CARIFORUM Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA), which allows CARIFORUM coun-

tries, including Saint Lucia, to export goods to European Union member states duty-free and quota-free while creating new opportunities for trade, investment and economic growth.

“We look forward to these opportunities and the growth of our relationship between the two nations,” Charles said. (Excerpt from St Lucia Times)

Around the World

OIL NEWS

US reinstates sanctions on Iranian oil sales after LNG, oil tanker attacks

The United States on Tuesday re-imposed sanctions on Iranian oil as a US official warned that Iran’s attacks on vessels in the Strait of Hormuz were “wholly unacceptable” and would be met with consequences.

Oil prices were up more than five per cent following the announcement. The US Treasury had authorised last month Iran oil sales until August 21 as part of the fragile agreement between Tehran and Washington. Tuesday’s revocation cuts that wind-down period to an end date of July 17.

The US move came after three tankers reported being struck by unknown projectiles in and near the Strait of Hormuz in recent days, the British navy-affiliated agency UKMTO said in a report. There was no immediate comment from Tehran or any claim of responsibility.

The US official said negotiators continued to work in good faith toward a final agreement with Iran despite the latest escalation.

The attacks and the US response threaten to put the diplomatic understanding between Washington and Tehran on shaky ground, raising the risk that further retaliation could derail negotiations over a broader agreement.

Another US official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said initial indications were that Iran had fired at three commercial vessels. (Excerpt from Reuters)

Prince Harry loses legal battle against Daily Mail publisher

Britain’s Prince Harry has lost his long-running legal battle against the publisher of the Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday tabloid newspapers, according to court documents seen by CBS News on Tuesday. All claims were thrown out by the court in what is widely expected to be the last of the prince’s courtroom battles against British media outlets.

Harry, the Duke of Sussex, was among several claimants in the case –along with pop star Elton John and actor Elizabeth Hurley – who accused the publisher of the popular tabloids, Associated Newspapers (ANL), of unlawfully gathering information about them through methods such as phone tapping, intercepting voice -

Trump lashes out at NATO as 1st day of summit wraps in Türkiye

United States President Donald Trump has declared he is “very disappointed with NATO” on the first day of a summit of leaders of the mutual defence alliance in Türkiye that exposed tensions over European defence spending, the Russia-Ukraine war and the future of Greenland.

Trump arrived in Ankara on Tuesday for the summit along with other NATO leaders. The main session will be on Wednesday.

The summit comes at a fragile time for the 77-yearold alliance, which has seen Trump sow discord over Iran, Greenland and Washington’s commitment to protecting fellow members.

After criticising NATO allies during a news confer-

ence with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Trump said that if the summit “weren’t held in Türkiye, where my friend happens to be a very strong leader, a very strong person, it’s possible that I wouldn’t have attended”.

Trump also named European countries who he perceived as unsupportive during the US-Israel war on Iran, saying, “We weren’t treated well because we did something in Iran.”

The US President also reignited tensions over Greenland, telling reporters the territory “should be controlled by the United States, not by Denmark”.

Trump has insisted for months that taking control of the autonomous Danish territory was crucial to US security, causing tensions with Copenhagen and across Europe.

Speaking in Ankara after Trump’s remarks, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said she expects allies to respect Denmark’s sovereignty and accept that Greenland is not for sale.

There are no plans to discuss Greenland, the Arctic or the High North during the summit, she added. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

US launches new strikes on Iran over shipping attacks

The US military unleashed a new wave of strikes against Iran on Tuesday and revoked a licence allowing the country to sell oil after three tankers were hit by projectiles in the Strait of Hormuz, putting pressure on an already fragile ceasefire.

After a day in which huge crowds mourned Iran’s slain Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in the holy city of Qom, US Central Command an-

nounced that it had begun a series of strikes intended to impose what it called heavy costs. “Iran’s demonstrated aggression was unwarranted, dangerous, and a clear violation of the ceasefire,” CENTCOM said on X.

Iranian media reported explosions early Wednesday local time in the southern port city of Sirik, on Qeshm Island, and in Bandar Abbas. No civilian deaths were reported, but several people were injured by

shrapnel from an “enemy projectile” that hit a commercial pier in Sirik, according to an Iranian state TV reporter. The reports said strikes also hit fishing piers in Sirik and in Bandar Abbas, where several fishing boats were set ablaze.

A US official told Reuters that strikes targeted Iranian air defence systems, coastal surveillance systems, surface-to-air missiles, anti-ship cruise missiles and drone launch sites.

The incidents were only the latest threat to the ceasefire agreement the US and Iran struck last month, pausing the conflict that started in February with US and Israeli strikes across the Islamic Republic. In a potentially major blow to that agreement, Washington moved on Tuesday to withdraw a key concession that had allowed Iran to sell oil on international markets (Excerpt from Reuters)

5 charged in Liberia after more than 200kg of cocaine seized in drug bust

Authorities in Liberia have charged five suspects over one of the largest drug seizures in the country’s history, after Police found more than 200 kilograms (kg) of cocaine falsely declared as Maggi seasoning cubes.

mails and impersonating people to obtain personal information.

In its ruling on Tuesday, the UK High Court dismissed the claims, saying they could not be proven.

Lawyers for Harry and the other claimants said the alleged acts took place between 1993 and 2011 but that the behaviour continued into 2018.

ANL had previously denied wrongdoing by its journalists, calling the allegations “preposterous” and saying the 50 or so articles cited in the lawsuit were all based on information gathered lawfully through people close to the claimants. ANL had argued for the case to be thrown out because of the amount of time that had passed since the alleged transgressions.

(Excerpt from BBC News)

The shipment, with an estimated value of US$19 million, was discovered at the international airport in Monrovia on June 8, but the suspects were not named until a press briefing at the weekend.

“This was a serious transnational cocaine trafficking operation using Liberia’s aviation and logistics system as a channel for organised crime,” said Insp Gen Gregory Coleman late on Saturday. He added that his team had found evidence linking the shipment to a similar one processed in May.

News of the drug bust caused uproar in Liberia and prompted President Joseph Boakai to order a combined investigation by

the Police and national anti-drug agency. “Liberia will not be used as a safe haven, transit point, warehouse, financial centre or operational base by criminal networks engaged in narcotics trafficking,” he said at the time.

The key suspect, the operations manager of the firm, is now in custody in Monrovia. Coleman said arrest warrants would be issued in collaboration with Interpol for the others who remain at large. Another suspect, believed to be at-

tending an event in China at the time of the bust, has not been back to the country. Prosecutors also released the Dutch phone number of one UK-based suspect and his house address with a Birmingham postcode.

The bust has reinforced reports that West Africa, a region with porous land and sea borders, has become a major staging post for the movement of narcotics between South America and Europe. (Excerpt from The Guardian)

Coffin of slain Iranian supreme leader arrives in Iraq’s Najaf

The coffin of Iran’s slain Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei arrived in Iraq’s holy city of Najaf on Tuesday after funeral ceremonies in Iran, bringing a multi-day procession to one of Shi’ite Islam’s most sacred sites following the leader’s death in a February 28 US-Israeli strike.

Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi and senior Iraqi officials received the coffin at Najaf International

Airport ahead of funeral ceremonies and a mass public procession, state TV reported.

Najaf holds special significance for Shi’ites worldwide as the burial place of Imam Ali, the cousin and son-in-law of the Prophet Mohammad.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian also arrived in Najaf to participate in the ceremonies.

The official reception at the airport was attended by Iraqi political leaders and

Shi’ite religious figures before the coffin was carried through the city in public mourning events expected to draw large crowds on Wednesday. Iran’s state-organised funeral ceremonies, which began on Friday, have been designed as both a religious commemoration and a demonstration of continuity by the Islamic Republic following the death of the leader who ruled Iran for nearly four decades.

The procession moved

from Tehran to the Shi’ite seminary city of Qom before arriving in Iraq.

Iraqi authorities tightened security around Najaf ahead of the arrival as large numbers of mourners travelled from across Iraq and neighbouring countries.

The procession is due to continue to the Iraqi shrine city of Karbala before the coffin returns to Iran for burial in Mashhad later this week. (Excerpt from Reuters)

Keep your thoughts to yourself. Refuse to let your emotions take over and your words lead to trouble. Bide your time and work on selfpreservation and improvement. Personal growth and gains will far exceed the fallout from an argument. Use your energy to profit and excel. Positive change begins with doing what’s best for you.

Take care of small details, and invest more time and effort in exploring and expanding your interests. Activities that encourage you to use your physical and mental attributes will help you meet people who offer insight into how you can reach your goals. Opportunity begins when you participate and engage in events that support your beliefs and needs.

Draw on your insatiable thirst for knowledge and perfecting the pastimes and concerns that mean the most to you. Bringing about change will be simple if you use your strengths to consolidate your thoughts and charm your way into the hearts of those who can help you achieve your objective. Choose peace over discord.

Consider your options and what the pros and cons are. Let your emotions filter through consequences and what’s worth it to you and what isn’t. Stretch your imagination, and you’ll gain perspective and clarity regarding how you can make the most of whatever situation you face. Focus on reality, potential and your role.

Pay attention; retaining what you hear will be essential if you want to get ahead. Use your Leo charm to captivate your audience and to gather pertinent information regarding different lifestyles that can enhance your profile and reputation. Invest time and money into looking and feeling your best. A promise or commitment will enhance your love life.

Sit back, wait for the right moment and prepare to take a stance that positions you for success. Take care of financial, medical and legal matters with confidence. If you show signs of angst or emotional uncertainty, you’ll have difficulty getting what you want. Negotiate boldly, and success will follow. Leave nothing to chance or in someone else’s hands.

Put everything in its place, and avoid criticism. Reach out to someone who needs help or a cause that concerns you, and do your part to make a difference. Someone you meet will touch your heart and make you realize how much helping others also helps you. Love is favored, and a lifestyle change will lead to personal gains.

Engage in conversations, and invest more time in learning and personal growth. Consider how you can use your knowledge and reputation to teach others to make better decisions. Putting yourself mentally, physically and financially behind your beliefs and objectives will take you in a direction that exceeds your expectations.

You’ll be pulled in different directions by the people you have the most contact with. Surround yourself with those you trust and those who aren’t trying to separate you from your cash. Joint ventures require assurance and an ironclad document that puts your mind at ease. Make changes at home that offer comfort and convenience.

You may think you have everything in place, but continue to refine and define what you want and how you plan to make it happen. Trying to do the impossible or letting a talker or scammer intervene will set you back. A thorough, comprehensive push forward is your best option.

A vigilant approach to your work responsibilities will help you excel. Don’t trust anyone to do something for you that lives up to your standards. Focus on your responsibilities, and go above and beyond to ensure that those who put their trust in you make the right decision. A lifestyle change will boost your morale.

Choose to have fun. Distance yourself from those who put pressure on you or take advantage of you. Focus on conversations that give you hope for a brighter future. Don’t limit what’s possible with negativity; it’s up to you to build the lifestyle that makes you happy. Simplify your life, and make room for what and who brings you joy.

Archer, Tongue hand India their biggest T20I defeat

India’s slump in T20 form gathered pace in startling fashion at Trent Bridge as they hurtled to a record-breaking defeat in the third T20 International (T20I). Set a target of 202 after Phil Salt’s gritty 44-ball 70, India barely managed to score as many between them – 76, their second-lowest total in T20Is – as England’s 90mph new-ball pairing of Jofra Archer and Josh Tongue shared seven wickets.

The margin of defeat, a fourth in a row for the twotime reigning T20 world champions, was by far India’s heaviest in the format. Having arrived in Ireland 10 days ago with a record of 16 T20I series/tournaments in a row unbeaten, they must now win the next two games against England to avoid making it two consecutive series losses.

The evening had started positively. Shreyas Iyer again won the choice at the toss and this time opted for a chase –but the move backfired even more spectacularly than in Manchester. England patched together a total of 202 despite Salt rarely looking fluent and India puncturing their progress with regular wickets; Prince Yadav impressed with his variations and temperament to pick up two for 32, with the highest partnership of the innings 47 between Salt and Sam Curran, who ran hard for 41 off 24.

But any thought that India might be in the game was exploded in the first few

overs as they collapsed to 52 for five. The end was swift, as none of their batters managed to score more than 13, and the innings lasted barely half of the allotted overs.

India’s powerplay fumble

While England had – in relative terms – opted to come out of the blocks like Aesop’s tortoise, India were intent on haring after their target. But they only succeeded in run ning into trouble. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi slashed his second ball over the head of deep third and then struck his third into the crowd at deep midwicket, either side of Abhishek Sharma carving Tongue’s full toss over cover. India had hit three sixes in the first nine balls of the in nings; England at the same point had scored a single. But the risk inherent in playing such shots against the pace of Archer and Tongue soon became appar ent. Abhishek spooned a top edge to point – giving Tongue his maiden T20I wicket –then Sooryavanshi was hur ried by an Archer bouncer and gloved his fifth ball be hind. Ishan Kishan struck the fourth six of the innings in the next over – England didn’t hit as many until the 15th – but then pulled straight to deep backward square leg; one ball later, Shreya Iyer picked out the same fielder with a flick from the other end.

Axar Patel, up the order at No. 5, then went dot, four, six, out – nicked off for Archer’s

bails. Replays, however, showed that he just managed to hold it in his fingertips long enough for the dismissal to

too, thanks to a flying catch at backward point from Tom Banton, giving Tongue his best figures (four for 28) in T20s. Remarkably, despite being a Notts player, this was

but”

ing forward to his next outing.

England scored their first run from the ninth ball ofly playing out a maiden from Arshdeep. They were 7 for 0 off two before Buttler finally kickstarted things, crunching six boundaries from his next 14 balls to suggest this was a typically true Trent Bridge surface after all. Buttler

sented his best return in 11

tum was checked by Prince’s second intervention in the ninth, Harry Brook miscuing a pull, and Salt had puttered

dumped Axar over long-on for a third six. But he was gone next ball, just as he hoped to cash in on his hard work: Axar taking pace off to induce a top edge to point.

Princely returns Back on the side for Ravi Bishnoi as India’s one change from Old Trafford, and playing only his second T20I, Prince immediately proved himself to the manor born.

Asked to close out the powerplay, he served up the perfect leg-stump yorker first ball to

dispatch Buttler; in his second over, he struck second ball, following up a slower delivery that Brook had pumped over cover with a short one with extra mayo that caught the splice of the bat. His third was a little more expensive, featuring boundaries from Salt and Curran, but he returned to produce a brilliant 19th over, conceding just seven runs – though he missed out on a third wicket when Harshit put down a straightforward chance at deep midwicket. (ESPNcricinfo)

GCF building strong foundation for special needs chess – Raghunath

By Michelangelo JacoBus

The Guyana Chess Federation (GCF) is continuing to strengthen its Special Needs Chess Programme, with a focus on training teachers, staging tournaments, and expanding opportunities for students across several institutions.

The programme, which is supported by a dedicated Special Needs Committee, has been active over the last two to three years and includes work with institutions such as the David Rose Special School and the Ptolemy Reid Rehabilitation Centre. The GCF has also been working closely with the Deaf Association of Guyana as part of its wider effort to make chess more accessible.

Speaking to Guyana Times Sport on the sidelines of the ongoing National Junior Championship Qualifiers at Olympic House, Liliendaal, GCF President Anand Raghunath said the federation has been placing strong emphasis on building capacity among teachers who work with special needs children.

“We train teachers that

GCF continues to strengthen its Special Needs Chess Programme, focusing on training teachers, staging tournaments, and expanding opportunities for students

teach special needs children. We’ve been doing this for the last three to four years, and we’ve now built the capacity where the teachers can play chess,” Raghunath said.

He noted that the Federation has introduced training sessions and tournaments for teachers, which have helped to create more interest and involvement in the sport.

“Some of the teachers are now coming out to our tournaments,” he added.

the aim is to build a strong base for special needs chess

Guyana open Rising Stars campaign against Trinidad & Tobago

The Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) has officially unveiled the fixtures for Team Guyana at the upcoming Cricket West Indies (CWI) Rising Stars Under-19 Championship, with the young Jaguars preparing for a demanding schedule against some of the region’s strongest youth teams.

Guyana will begin its campaign on Friday, July 11, when it takes on Trinidad & Tobago in what prom-ises to be a keenly contested opening fixture. The match is scheduled to bowl off at 09:30hrs.

The team’s second outing comes just two days later on Sunday, July 13, against Jamaica, another tra-ditional regional powerhouse, also at 09:30h. Guyana will then face Barbados on Tuesday, July 15, be-fore meeting the Leeward Islands on Friday, July 18.

The preliminary round concludes on Sunday, July 20, when Guyana takes on the Windward Islands, with all matches scheduled to start at 09:30h.

With five matches in

just ten days, con sisten cy and resil ience will be key as Guyana aims to se cure a place among the tournament’s top contenders.

the squad is Captain Parmeshwar Ram, with Romario Ramdeholl serving as vice-captain. The re mainder of the squad comprises Shamar Apple, Adrian Hetmyer, Justin Dowlin, Yannick Newton, Dhanesh Persaud, Kush Seegobin, Joshua Budhram, Gilbert Griffith, Feaz Baksh, Micah Amsterdam, Jonathan Mentore, and Darwin Joseph.

by ensuring that both teachers and students are actively involved. He said several schools have been participating in tournaments, with students travelling to one central location whenever events are held.

“That is something that we visualise as building the base in special needs chess. We have many children participating; we have all the schools participating. No matter how far the school is, they come down to one cen-

coach.

ited GCF Director Sabine McIntosh, who heads the Federation’s special needs programme, for the progress made so far.

He shared, “We have a great person, Sabine McIntosh, who heads our special needs part of our programme. She is one of our directors, and I must give her credit for that. She has been doing a fantastic job.”

While the GCF has not yet been able to field a full special needs team for the Chess Olympiad, Raghunath said the federation remains committed to developing enough players to reach that stage.

“We are working continuously to build that part. We have not been able to get enough players to send an Olympiad team as yet, but we are building,” he stated.

Guyana has already had special needs representation at the Olympiad level. In 2022, Anaya Lall, who was 12 years old at the time, was part of Guyana’s Olympiad team that competed in India.

“One special needs person actually took part in our Olympiad team when she made the team to India four years ago, and she was playing on one of the boards,” Raghunath recalled. “She was just moving up so fast. She’s still contributing. She’s now overseas, but when she comes, she contributes to building Chess.”

Raghunath said the

Federation sees chess as an important tool in education and development, especially for special needs children, and will continue to push for growth in that area.

“We are building bases in that area, and it’s a real pleasure to really focus on chess in education for special needs children. We are going to have that sector grow as fast as we can,” he said.

Locals open FIBA AmeriCup pre-qualifiers against Turks and Caicos tonight

Guyana’s quest to advance to the next stage of the FIBA Caribbean AmeriCup 2029 pre-qualifiers begins tonight when the Golden Jaguars take on the Turks and Caicos Islands in their opening match of the five-day tournament at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall (CASH).

Playing on home court, Guyana will be eager to make a winning start when they tip off against the Turks and Caicos Islands from 20:00h in the fourth and final game of an action-packed opening day that will feature four matches.

The tournament, which runs from July 8-12, has attracted 10 Caribbean nations battling for the lone qualifying spot from each group.

Guyana have been drawn in Group A alongside Dominica, the Turks and Caicos Islands, Antigua and Barbuda, and Bermuda in what is expected to be a fiercely contested race for qualification.

Group B comprises Haiti, Grenada, the Cayman Islands, Barbados, and St Vincent and the Grenadines, completing the 10-team field.

20:00h.

Following weeks of intensive preparation under head coach Alan Walls, Guyana enter the tournament with confidence and a carefully assembled squad that combines experienced local players with overseas-based talent.

Leading the charge once again is captain Stanton Rose Jr, who famously guided Guyana to its historic maiden Caribbean men’s championship title in 2018.

team debut, is expected to add valuable size, physicality, and rebounding to the frontcourt, while Wiggins brings scoring ability, playmaking, and valuable experience to the backcourt.

Completing the 12-man squad is naturalised forward Umar Rashid.

Coach Walls will have Marlon Rodrigues and Clement Brush serving as his assistants.

The team will be managed by Nazeer Mohamed, with Kumar Bishundial serving as head coach and Antony Adams as assistant

As the countdown to the championship continues, Guyana’s talented youngsters will be looking to make a strong statement when they begin their regional campaign on July 11, carrying the hopes of the nation into one of the Caribbean’s premier youth cricket tournaments.

The competition will be played in a round-robin format, with each team facing every other team in its respective group once. At the conclusion of the preliminary stage, only the group winners will progress to the next phase of the FIBA AmeriCup 2029 Pre-Qualifiers, making every game crucial.

Action tips off at 12:30h with Barbados taking on the Cayman Islands before Grenada faces St Vincent and the Grenadines at 15:00h.

Bermuda and Antigua and Barbuda will then clash from 17:30h, setting the stage for the highly anticipated host nation showdown between Guyana and the Turks and Caicos Islands at

The local core includes guards Dominic Vincente, Nikolai Smith, Shelroy Thomas, and Domitre Rankin, whose ball-handling, speed, defensive intensity, and perimeter shooting will be critical throughout the tournament.

Supporting them is an athletic group of forwards comprising Akil Hughes, Kimol Grimmond, Hulman Bovell, Rose, and Brandon Bento, providing the team with versatility, rebounding strength, and the ability to impact both ends of the floor.

Guyana’s roster has also been significantly strengthened by the inclusion of United States-based players Kevin Mickle and Kevon Wiggins.

Mickle, a versatile forward/ centre making his national

Several members of the team have represented Guyana at previous international competitions and will be relied upon to provide composure in key moments, while the addition of overseas-based players has further strengthened expectations that the home side can emerge from one of the tournament’s most competitive groups.

With home support expected to fill the CASH and every victory carrying significant weight in the race for qualification, according to Coach Walls, there is little margin for error for the home team.

A winning start against the Turks and Caicos Islands would not only ignite the home crowd but also provide the perfect foundation for what Coach Walls hopes will be a successful march toward the next stage of the FIBA AmeriCup 2029 pre-qualifiers.

High-scoring draw gives West Indies rare series win

After 1408 runs and 28 wickets, and even some rain delays over five days, the result that had long been telegraphed finally came to pass as Sri Lanka and West Indies played out a draw in the second and final Test in North Sound.

The stalemate means it was a first Test series victory in 11 attempts for West Indies, their last coming in 2023, and for their last home Test series win, you would have to go back to June 2022.

And it was perhaps the significance – and rarity –of this achievement that informed the hosts’ approach over the course of this Test, which is also the first in 2026 to end in a draw. Following Sri Lanka’s imposing first-innings effort, West Indies’ response – on a good batting surface – never really appeared to be in search of a victory.

Setting a target of 302, John Campbell and Brandon King never threatened to take it on, but even so, both scoring fifties – Campbell for the second time this Test – will have given the pair and the West Indian dressing room cause for optimism after their recent batting travails in the longest format.

Moreover, with World Test Championship points of less importance, having already been eliminated from contention for a final berth,

the series win was all that mattered to the hosts. And in that context, it was incumbent on Sri Lanka to do the most of the running, though on a true surface that scarcely deteriorated over the course of the Test, the visiting bowlers were always facing an uphill challenge in picking up 20 wickets to win the game and level the series.

take on the bowling.

The West Indies, however, weren’t in any mood to make it easy, as they stuck to defensive fields and lines – stacking a 2-7 field to the seamers, while the spinners lived on leg-stump lines. Despite this, Sri Lanka galloped along at a scoring rate of 5.79 in the session, one where they struck 139 runs in 24 overs.

edge, looking to crash an offside length ball from Seales; Dhananjaya de Silva holed out to long-off, while both Dinesh Chandimal and Kusal Mendis carved chances straight to gully. Sonal Dinusha, meanwhile, was run out courtesy a direct hit from deep point as he strained to make it back for an ambitious second run, while Isitha Wijesundara missed a wild heave.

After days of obdurate Test cricket, this period resembled the later overs of a One-Day International as Sri Lanka scrambled desperately for every run on offer, but it was more batter errors than any demons in the surface.

At lunch, the lead had swelled to 281, and many speculated an imminent declaration, but Sri Lanka made the surprise call to continue batting. The target, it seems, was a lead of at least 300, and this was achieved in three overs after lunch, after which

West indies won the series 1-0

Even so, they came out on the final morning with a belief – however implausible – that they might be able to manifest a miracle. The first part of the plan was quick runs, and in that they excelled. Dinesh Chandimal and Kamindu Mendis were the overnight pair, and it was clear from the outset that they would look to

The risks they were forced to take also meant that six wickets fell in the first two hours of play – comfortably the most to fall in a single session of all tests. But a closer look at each made it clear why Sri Lanka was not totally at ease with a lunchtime declaration.

Kamindu spliced a top

West Indies to chase.

Despite some variable bounce around, Sri Lanka’s seamers – and Prabath Jayasuriya – were unable to cause much discomfort to the West Indies openers, who seemed in no hurry, moving to 65 after 23 overs at tea.

The closest Sri Lanka came to a breakthrough in this period was when Jayasuriya had King trapped lbw after the right-hander missed a sweep, only for the Decision Review System to show the ball bouncing over the top of the middle stump. An over later, Jayasuriya pinged King on the pads once again, but this time umpire Ahsan Raza was unmoved. King survived after the ball-tracking showed the umpire’s call on

hitting the stumps.

The inevitable draw was seemingly hastened by a teatime shower, but it was of the passing variety, and so play continued after a ten-minute delay. After the break, Jayasuriya continued to cause King trouble, threatening his outside edge and the stumps, but to no avail. Another rain break looked to have ended proceedings decisively, but good work from the ground staff ensured that there was a little more game time to get through.

Handshakes were offered and taken after the 40th over, as West Indies had moved to 109 for no loss, a fitting end to a game dominated by the bat. (ESPNcricinfo)

the declaration was promptly signalled.

Considering the relative ease with which Campbell and King proceeded for the remainder of the session –and the day – there was perhaps merit in padding the target – and in turn eating into roughly 25 minutes of play in the second session that would otherwise have been afforded

Switzerland beat Colombia in shootout

Switzerland beat Colombia 4-3 in a penalty shootout in Vancouver on Tuesday to reach the quarter-finals of the World Cup for the first time since 1954.

Colombia faltered when Davinson Sánchez smashed his spot-kick against the bar and Cucho Hernández had his effort saved by goalkeeper Gregor Kobel, before Rubén Vargas scored to book a quarter-final date with holders Argentina.

The two sides were tied 0-0 after extra time.

It is the first time Switzerland have won multiple knockout games in the same World Cup and their first time in the last eight since they hosted the tournament 72 years ago.

Colombia were looking to advance to the quarter-finals for the second time and first since 2014, when they fell to

hosts Brazil. They have now been eliminated on penalties in their last two World Cup appearances, after falling to England in the round of 16 in 2018. They failed to qualify for the last tournament in

Qatar four years ago. Colombia twice came close to winning the game in extra time. Jhon Lucumí sent a header against the crossbar before Jáminton Campaz shot over the bar with only

on Monday. The 20-year-old midfielder scored three goals and added two assists in Switzerland’s first four World Cup matches.

Vargas, who has scored two goals in the World Cup, also left Monday’s training early but was available off the bench and came on in stoppage time at the end of regulation before scoring the decisive penalty.

The Swiss reached the round of 16 at the past three World Cups but failed to advance with a smaller field of 32 teams.

Argentina now awaits in Kansas City, Missouri, on Saturday after the defending champions fought back to beat Egypt 3-2 in a dramatic finale earlier on Tuesday.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino was among those at BC Place, where the sell-out crowd was overwhelmingly clad in yellow in support of

as the National Men’s Basketball team be gins its FIBA Caribbean AmeriCup Pre-Qualifiers campaign today, July 8, at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall (CASH).

The Guyana Basketball Federation (GBF) named a 12-man squad yesterday to represent the Golden Arrowhead on home soil in the July 8-12 tour nament, with Guyana drawn in Group A along side Dominica, the Turks and Caicos Islands, Antigua and Barbuda, and Bermuda.

Rose, who led Guyana to its historic first Caribbean men’s bas ketball title in 2018, has again been entrusted with the leadership role. His ex perience will be important for a squad made up of lo cal players, overseas-based talent, and several play ers who have represented Guyana at previous inter national tournaments.

The competition will feature 10 teams split into two groups. Group B in cludes Haiti, Grenada, the Cayman Islands, Barbados, and St Vincent and the Grenadines. Each team will play the others in its group once in a round-robin format, with only the group

Rose to captain Guyana as FIBA Caribbean

AmeriCup pre-qualifiers bounce off today

winners advancing to the next stage of the FIBA AmeriCup 2029 Pre-Qualifiers.

Guyana’s local guard rotation includes Dominic Vincente, Nikolai Smith, Shelroy Thomas, and Domitre Rankin, who are expected to provide ball-handling, pace, and perimeter shooting.

make his debut, is expect ed to add size and physical ity in the frontcourt, while Wiggins brings scoring, playmaking, and experi ence to the backcourt.

Naturalised forward Umar Rashid completes the roster and is expected to play an important role in the paint on both offence and defence.

Guyana will be led by head coach Vannie Walls, with Marlon Rodrigues and Clement Brusch serving as assistant coaches. The coaching staff will be aim ing to use the team’s bal ance of youth, experience, and overseas-based talent to push Guyana into the next phase of quali

Guyana’s 12-man squad reads: Guards: Dominic Vincente, Nikolai Smith, Shelroy Thomas, Domitre Rankin, and Kevon Wiggins

Paul returns to Windies ODI squad as team named for Guyana leg

ment for Springer.

The squad otherwise retains the core group of players who featured in the recent ODI series against Sri Lanka in Jamaica.

Head Coach Daren Sammy says the series remains crucial for the team’s long-term preparations for the ICC 50-over World Cup in 2027.

“Every series we play from here on leading up to the 50-over World Cup, we view them as must-win scenarios. The matches against New Zealand provide the best opportunity for us to continue our improvement as an ODI unit while winning more matches for the people of the Caribbean,” Sammy said.

“The inclusion of Vitel Lawes is strategic as we continue our long-term vision of exposing players who can complement the team in conditions that best suit their skill sets,” he added. The team assembles in Guyana on July 8 following the completion of the test series against Sri Lanka in Antigua. As such, the West Indies ODI squad against New Zealand for the Guyana leg reads: Captain Shai Hope, Ackeem

Akil

Hughes, Kimol Grimmond, Hulman Bovell, Stanton Rose Jr, Brandon Bento,

Forward/Centre:

ing a green patch with both bat and ball.

Meanwhile, 19-year-old wrist spinner Vitel Lawes, who has been training with the senior team since the preparatory camp prior to the start of the home se-

Team Management Unit (TMU)

Head Coach: Daren Sammy

Manager: Rawl Lewis

Assistant Coach (Batting): Floyd Reifer

Assistant Coach (Bowling): Ravi Rampaul

Assistant Coach (Fielding): Rayon Griffith

Assistant Coach (Spin

Bowling): Nikita Miller

Physiotherapist: Dr Denis Byam

Strength & Conditioning

Coach: Darc Browne

Performance Analyst: Avenesh Seetaram Content & Media Officer:

Jerome Foster

Springer withdrew from selection following the passing of his mother. Cricket West Indies extends its deepest condolences to Springer and his family during this difficult time. As such, Paul has been included as the replace-

First ODI: July 11 – Guyana National Stadium in Providence, at 14:30h AST/13:30h in Jamaica.

Second ODI: July 13 – Guyana National Stadium in Providence, at 14:30h AST/13:30h in Jamaica.

Third ODI: July 16 – Guyana National Stadium in Providence, at 14:30h AST/13:30h in Jamaica.

Messi saves Argentina in historic World Cup rally past Egypt

Lionel Messi scored in a record sixth straight World Cup knockout match to help Argentina reach the quarter-finals with a stunning late comeback to beat Egypt 3-2 in Atlanta.

Egypt were leading the defending champions 2-0 heading into the closing stages before Messi provided an assist for Cristian Romero in the 79th minute and then a goal of his own four minutes later to tie the score.

Just when it seemed that extra time was in the cards, Enzo Fernández headed into the net in the second minute of stoppage time to complete a remarkable turnaround at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

It is the first time in World Cup history that a team has won a knockout match in regulation time after trailing by two goals in the 75th minute.

“This is a phenomenal group that never gives up,” Fernández said. “Four years have passed since Qatar, and we’ve come to enjoy another

World Cup – and we want to win it again. That’s what we’re aiming for.”

Argentina, who are bidding to become the first backto-back World Cup champions since Brazil in 1958 and 1962, will face either Colombia or Switzerland in the quarter-finals in Kansas City on Saturday.

“I’m so emotional,” Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni said. “What a group of players, brother.”

Egypt looked set to produce a stunning upset after Yasser Ibrahim’s 15th-minute goal was added to by Mostafa Zico’s close-range strike on the counterattack in the 67th minute.

The record seven-time African champions, who had already made history by advancing to the round of 16 for the first time, had earlier had a second goal ruled out following video review.

Messi missed a chance to equalise in the first half when

his penalty was saved by Egypt goalkeeper Mostafa Shobeir. Messi also hit the post when the score was 1-0.

But he delivered the goods once again late and has now scored in a record nine consecutive World Cup matches dating to Argentina’s title run in 2022. Tuesday’s goal marked his 13th in that span.

“Honestly, I’m just so happy we made it through and about the way we did it,” Messi said. “Things got tough at 2-0, so it was incredibly exciting to turn it around once again.

“We suffered a lot, but that’s the World Cup for you; every match is playing out the same way, and everything is so evenly matched... But as always, this group never gives up and keeps trying until the very end.”

His eight goals at this tournament put him one clear of France’s Kylian Mbappé and Norway’s Erling Haaland in the race for the Golden Boot.

The goal also gave Messi a two-goal lead over Mbappé on

the World Cup career leaderboard.

“Seeing him get emotional was moving, too,” teammate Lautaro Martínez said of Messi’s reaction at full time.

“I told him right there on the pitch to enjoy the moment because he deserved it and that we would keep giving our all for ourselves but above all for him since this is his last World Cup and he has given us so much.”

For much of the game, it looked as if it would be a painful exit for 39-year-old Messi in his sixth, and perhaps final, World Cup.

Egypt took a surprising lead in the 15th minute when Ibrahim got ahead of Lisandro Martínez to meet Marwan Attia’s cross and head the ball into the bottom corner.

Argentina were quickly given the chance to level the match when Haissem Hassan tripped Nicolás Tagliafico in the box moments later. Referee François Letexier pointed to the penalty spot, and Messi stepped up with an expectant

crowd waiting for him to score.

Shobeir had other ideas, diving to his left to block the shot for Messi’s second penalty miss of the 2026 tournament after also failing from the spot against Austria in the group stage.

Despite being the leading career scorer at World Cups, Messi has missed a record four of his eight penalty kicks at the tournament through the years.

After Messi hit the post later in the half, Shobeir pulled off another great save to stop Julián Álvarez from close range.

Egypt thought they had doubled their lead in the second half when Zico finished off a sweeping attack. But the wild celebrations were cut short when a foul earlier in the move was confirmed on video review and the goal was disallowed.

The second goal for Egypt came in the 67th from a similar break, and this time Zico’s effort counted. It just ended up not being enough. (ESPN)

GSL competition for local photographers launched

...winner to land internship via Laparkan

portant role photographers play in capturing the moments, emotions, and stories that define sport.

The overall winner will receive an exclusive GSL Sports Photography internship, providing hands-on experience during the GSL tournament and events using a spanking new Canon EOS R6 Mark III, compliments of Laparkan.

As a key partner, Laparkan will help bring the project to life through the support of Canon photography equipment, giving participants exposure to some of the industry’s most trusted imaging technology.

The collaboration highlights Laparkan’s commitment to youth development, creativity, and sports while introducing aspiring photographers to professional-grade Canon cameras and equipment used around the world.

TGlobal Super

The competition, which falls under the League’s “Super We” campaign, recognises the im-

The competition is open to young Guyanese photographers under the age of 30, including amateurs, students, and emerging professionals.

Applicants will be required to submit a photography portfolio, a personal pro-

file outlining their interest in photography and career goals, and a statement explaining why they wish to pursue sports photography.

The competition will run from July 7 to 11, 2026.

Entries will be evaluated by an independent panel comprising professional photographers, media and communications professionals, and representatives from the creative arts sector.

Judging will focus on technical proficiency, creativity, composition, storytelling ability, and overall portfolio quality.

The internship will offer practical training in sports photography, event coverage, photo editing, content management, media operations, and visual storytelling.

Through the partnership between GSL, Laparkan, and Canon, the initiative aims to create meaningful opportunities for young creatives while helping to strengthen the future of sports photography and visual storytelling in Guyana.

Interested persons can visit the GSLT20.com website for further instructions.

Limacol joins celebration of women as WCPL title sponsor

TBusiness Operations Director. “Having a brand as beloved and as deeply rooted in the region as Limacol join us as title sponsor is a tremendous vote of confidence in the growth of women’s cricket across the Caribbean.”

A representative for Limacol added, “Limacol is a deeply Caribbean brand, used for generations by families across the region. When we heard WCPL was without a title sponsor, we felt it was the right thing to get involved. Limacol is proud to have been the founding title sponsor of Men’s CPL, and we are now equally proud that the premier women’s event will be called the Limacol WCPL. The development of women’s sport in the region is important, and Limacol WCPL is the most ambitious women’s sports event attempted in the Caribbean. Enjoy the cricket and refresh with Limacol, the freshness of a breeze in a bottle.”

with matches broadcast across the Caribbean and to a growing global audience.

“This partnership reflects everything the WCPL stands for – pride, performance, and Caribbean excellence,” said Ravina Shankar, CPL’s

he Women’s Caribbean Premier League (WCPL) on Tuesday announced a landmark partnership with Limacol, one of the Caribbean’s most recognised consumer brands, which will serve as the tournament’s title sponsor beginning with the upcoming season as the premier women’s T20 tournament in the region continues to expand in significance. Under the new agreement, the tournament will be officially known as the Limacol WCPL, with the brand’s identity featured prominently across match broadcasts, stadium signage, player kits, and all official tournament communications.

The Limacol WCPL will once again bring together the region’s top franchises and international stars for a season of high-intensity competition,

The partnership also marks a full-circle moment for the brand: Limacol served as title sponsor of the Men’s Caribbean Premier League when the tournament launched in 2013, backing the competition through its first two seasons. More than a decade later, the brand returns to Caribbean cricket’s biggest stage as the title partner of the WCPL.