Issuu

Guyana seeks major airline to establish global hub at CJIA Terminal 2 P 14

Nationwide coverage from the best news team in Guyana guyanatimesgy.com

Issue No. 6592

THE BEACON OF TRUTH WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2026

PRICE $100 VAT INCLUDED

President Ali orders aviation laws review to close safety gaps, strengthen standards

WHAT'S INSIDE:

Page 3

US restricts visas for foreigners undermining democraticallyelected P17 governments

Predictable regulatory environment important for international businesses – US envoy See story on page 7

MV Barima tragedy

CoI invites survivors, families, witnesses to participate in inquiry

Truck torched, road blocked as cops moved to search ECD house for missing Surinamese men P9

See story on page 5

Dredge, vehicle, equipment seized; 3 detained in illegal mining crackdown Page 10

US extradition request for Mohameds

“This is not right” – Magistrate blasts social media posts with witness’s child …“I think it’s a tactic to make me afraid or intimidated” – cop tells court

See story on page 8

Driver dies, teen injured after car topples along Puruni trail P10

Corentyne P16 fisherman brutally chopped to death

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2026 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

NEWS

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2026 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

BRIDGE OPENING

BRIDGE OPENINGS

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:

Pres Ali orders aviation laws review to close safety gaps, strengthen standards

Wednesday, September 30 – 06:35h-08:05h and Thursday, October 1 – 07:20h-08:50h.

FERRY SCHEDULE

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

WEATHER TODAY Sunny conditions are expected during the day, interrupted by thundery rain showers in the morning and afternoon hours, followed by clear skies at night. Temperatures are expected to range between 24 degrees Celsius and 31 degrees Celsius. Winds: East North-Easterly to East South-Easterly between 2.23 metres and 4.92 metres.

High Tide: 06:36h and 18:46h reaching maximum heights of 2.68 metres and 2.74 metres. Low Tide: 12:22h reaching a minimum height of 0.61 metre.

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2026

LOTTERY NUMBERS B

16 20 24

FREE TICKET TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2026

27 Bonus Ball

DAILY MILLIONS

10 20

LUCKY 3

Afternoon Draw

Evening Draw

DRAW DE LINE

12 19 20

SUPER

PAY DAY

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2026

15 16 1

13 16 19

7 Afternoon Draw

FP Afternoon Draw

7 Evening Draw

2X Evening Draw

9554

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COMMODITIES Indicators Crude Oil

US$ $103.10/barrel

Rough Rice

$294.84/ton

London Sugar

$509.50/ton

Live Spot Gold

Change %

+0.50 -0.30 +1.07 USD Per Ounce

Low/High

$4179.20 $4112.80

$4181.20 $4188.60

Change

-2.00

-0.05%

Bid/Ask

President Dr Irfaan Ali alongside Director General of the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) Egbert Field

resident Dr Irfaan Ali on Tuesday revealed that he has ordered a review of the country’s aviation laws and regulations, in order to identify gaps and strengthen standards. He made the disclosure while delivering the feature address at the 3rd Global Regional Safety Oversight Organisations (RSOO) and Regional Accident and Investigation Organisation (RAIO) Forum for Aviation Safety in Georgetown. The Head of State underscored the importance of this review, noting that as the local aviation sector grows, so too must the country’s regulatory institutions. “Modern infrastructure and expanded services must therefore be accompanied by strong regulatory institutions, properly trained inspectors, rigorous certification, effective surveillance and a safety culture in which compliance is nonnegotiable. Aviation can grow only as safely as the regulatory framework that governs it. And I’ve asked the Civil Aviation Authority to look at all our laws, all our regulations, to identify the gaps and to ensure we are applying the highest standards and whatever we need to do to work backwards to reach those standards, we must invest in doing it so we are at that standard,” he said. In fact, President Ali underscored the importance of maintaining high standards in the industry, noting that it is a discipline that must be practiced daily. He stressed that “the moment an aviation system begins to believe that its good safety record makes it safe from complacency, it has begun to undermine the very culture that produced that record”. Moreover, Ali emphasised that the aviation sector does not operate in a vacuum, pointing out that it is critically integrated into national and international security, technology, artificial intelligence (AI) and even conflicts and

wars. He further expressed that aviation is an inherently international enterprise and that Guyana cannot afford to develop its safety standards in isolation. He noted that the country must draw on the expertise, experience and technical resources of international stakeholders. “These partnerships will help ensure that our aviation sector develops the capacity and credibility required to support Guyana’s transformation into a more connected, competitive and globally integrated economy,” Ali said. Additionally, he highlighted that aviation safety begins long before the aircraft even leaves the runway. “It begins in the factory, with the design and manufacture of every component that goes into an aircraft, it continues through rigorous testing, maintenance, assembly, inspec-

tion and certification before the aircraft carries its first passenger, it continues on the ground through properly equipped airports, reliable navigation and communication systems, control towers and highly trained air traffic controllers who manage the complex aspect of keeping the aircraft in the sky, it extends to trained pilots and cabin crews, disciplined operating procedures, emergency preparedness, weather monitoring and vigilant regulatory oversight. In other words, aviation safety is not a single measure taken before takeoff, it is an entire chain of safeguards,” the president outlined.

Maritime Safety

The review of the country’s aviation laws and regulations is taking place alongside an ongoing review of its maritime laws

and regulations. In July, President Ali had announced the establishment of a Safety and Compliance Audit Team to undertake a comprehensive review of the safety and compliance standards governing marine vessels operating in Guyana. The team comprises Dr Ivor English, former Director-General of the Maritime Administration Department (MARAD); Colonel Julius Skeete of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF); and Captain Joseph Lewis, Marine Officer and Surveyor of Ships. The team will examine compliance with applicable maritime safety requirements and make recommendations to strengthen oversight, improve enforcement and ensure that vessels, operators and regulatory systems meet the highest practicable standards of safety and accountability.

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2026

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Views Editor: Tusika Martin News Hotline: 231-8063 Editorial: 231-0544, 223-7230, 223-7231, 225-7761 Marketing: 231-8064 Accounts: 225-6707 Mailing address: Queens Atlantic Industrial Estate Industrial Site, Ruimveldt, Georgetown Email: news@guyanatimesgy.com, marketing@guyanatimesgy.com

Economic independence

he work being undertaken through the Centre for Equity, Opportunity and Innovation in Berbice is an important approach to ensuring that disability does not become a barrier to economic participation. As such economic inclusion requires practical opportunities that allow persons with disabilities to acquire skills, earn incomes, participate in productive activity and build greater independence. A recent practical session on product labelling, preparation and packaging, facilitated by the Guyana Marketing Corporation (GMC) under the Office of the First Lady’s InclusAbility initiative, highlighted an important aspect of entrepreneurship that is sometimes overlooked. Producing a quality item is only one part of establishing a viable business. Proper packaging, accurate labelling and clear consumer information are equally important in taking a product from a small-scale operation to a competitive commercial venture. Advice given to participants to use the training as a foundation for developing products, businesses and new income-earning opportunities is particularly relevant. Skills training must ultimately lead to opportunities for economic participation. Without that link, training programmes risk becoming exercises in certification rather than mechanisms for changing lives. The Centre’s focus on persons with disabilities in rural communities is significant, because economic opportunities are often concentrated in urban areas. Access to training, knowledge, and employment closer to home can reduce some of the barriers that persons with disabilities face in entering the workforce or establishing small businesses. Such opportunities can provide the foundation for greater financial independence while allowing participants to contribute directly to their communities. The experience of participants also demonstrates the value of an environment where skills development is accompanied by dignity and respect. For persons who have experienced exclusion or vulnerability because of a disability, a workplace that provides training and recognises their abilities can have benefits extending beyond income. Employment and entrepreneurship can strengthen confidence, decision-making and the ability to exercise greater control over personal economic circumstances. Guyana’s expanding economy presents opportunities for small producers to participate in supply chains and respond to growing demand for locally manufactured and processed products. Persons with disabilities should not be regarded solely as beneficiaries of economic programmes. With appropriate training, support and access to markets, they can become producers, entrepreneurs, employees and contributors to national economic activity. When persons with disabilities earn incomes, establish enterprises or secure employment, households can benefit from additional financial resources. Communities benefit from increased economic activity, while the economy gains from a larger and more diverse pool of people participating in productive work. There is also an important principle of independence at stake as sustainable inclusion should mean providing people with the tools and opportunities required to determine their own economic futures. That includes skills training, access to employment, entrepreneurship support, market information and assistance in meeting regulatory requirements. It also means creating conditions in which ability, rather than disability, becomes the principal consideration in determining economic opportunity. The next step should be to ensure that training is connected to continued support. Participants who develop viable products may require assistance with business registration, financing, branding, market access, production standards and distribution. Partnerships involving Government agencies, financial institutions, private businesses and organisations representing persons with disabilities could help transform training into sustainable enterprises. The Centre for Equity, Opportunity and Innovation, therefore, represents more than a venue for skills development. Its broader value lies in creating pathways through which persons with disabilities can gain knowledge, secure employment, develop businesses, and participate more fully in the economy. Skills training that is connected to markets, production standards and commercial opportunities gives persons with disabilities the means to build livelihoods, strengthen household incomes and participate meaningfully in the country’s economic transformation.

Cultural performances at the opening of the ICAO/EASA 3rd Global Regional Safety Oversight Organisations (RSOO) and Regional Accident and Incident Investigation Organisations (RAIO) Forum for Aviation Safety at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre on Monday (Prime Minister Mark Phillips/Facebook)

What creates collaborators? By Jason McKay

he word ‘Kapo’ in Jamaica may resonate as a cultural icon from our history. In World War II concentration camps it meant something different. Kapo were Jewish prisoners who were appointed to assist in prisoner management. Although not entirely, to a large degree, they were mostly affiliated with betrayal, sadism, and cruelty to their own kind. The Hipo corps was an auxiliary unit made up of Danish citizens in occupied Denmark. It was formed by the Gestapo and is known for hunting down Danish citizens believed to be enemies of the German occupation army, particularly the resistance movement. The Vichy was the authoritarian French Government formed during World War II to govern on behalf of the Germans. They are considered collaborators by the French, and are still considered traitors in any account of French history. Collaborators and collaboration with enemies of the people and of the State did not end with World War II. There have been many cases of people collaborating with the enemy Government of their own before and after World War II. Julius and Ethel Rosenberg, members of the Communist Party, were executed as spies in the United States during the communist purge for being agents of the Soviet Union post-World War II. It doesn’t stop, but what causes it? I have not been cursed to live in a country occupied by a foreign army. However, I have policed inner-city, gang-infested slums for most of my adult life. I have seen the gangs function like the Gestapo, destroying the fabric of the community they operate in, and have seen people who know of their wrongs

collaborating with them in every aspect of their evil. You may not think you know them if you are not exposed to the inner city, but they are the ones at the roadblock after a police operation, usually female and the most vocal. They know the suffering the gangs cause, and they continue. I recall rebuking one of them preventing me from arresting a gang member who had sexual relations with a 14-year-old girl. As she ‘traced’ me, she said, “Mi have baby when mi a 14 to and nuttin nuh do me.” The scientist in me wanted to evaluate this demon, but the cop in me just wanted to handcuff her. It is worth examining, though; often victims of crimes fail to feel victimised, or because they were victimised, they want others to suffer the same fate. Human rights activists are also staunch supporters of criminals operating in inner-city communities. I guess this is a form of collaboration too. However, it is their ignorance, largely, that causes this. They mostly come from uptown and operate like rebels without a cause. So forgive them, Lord; they know not what they do. Or do they? They see the news, they read the newspapers, and they see the videos. Are they ignorant or do they choose to be blind? Let’s assume they do. Why do they still offer support to the predators? Because that is their function. That is the answer; ask them. Their function is to target State abuses, so to hell with the victims of gang abuse. “I was just doing my job, or I was just following orders” was the most used term at the Nuremberg Trials. Now, back to the noisy ‘bleacher’ at the roadblock. She supports because of selfishness. This is the common factor in all of the collaborators. The Kapo, the Hipo, the Vichy,

and the gang collaborators do it because of their own self-preservation and selfishness. There is no feeling that we as a group have a common enemy and must stand together. There are benefits to the collaboration in some way, shape, or form. That is what creates collaborators. This will continue in theatres of war and in communities under the control of gangs. Once there is a benefit, there are people who will collaborate. The real solution to this is to remove the benefits. We cannot do much about war-torn zones invaded by foreign States, but we can do something to change the environments where treachery can reign because of the existence of gangs. Slowly, but surely, we are changing. Many pivotal gang figures have disappeared from the communities not only because they fear the Police, but because the stranglehold the gangs had has slipped. The families of their victims will kill them. The anti-gang legislation has devastated them. The Firearms Act has removed them from society, once charged. The walls are cracking. Extortion victims from the business community have refused to pay. One I know says he would prefer to lock the business rather than give money to killers to buy bullets to kill innocent people, so he locked it down. He should have been vested with the Order of Jamaica. What I know is that gangs can only be created where poverty exists. This is the disease. There is no gang in my community for a variety of reasons, one of which is that they would require collaborators. There is no need in my community, so no gangs. Eradicate need, make gangs redundant, and gangs and their collaborators could become a thing of the past. (Jamaica Observer)

NEWS

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2026 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

MV Barima tragedy

CoI invites survivors, families, witnesses to participate in inquiry

he Commission of Inquiry (CoI) into the capsizing and sinking of the MV Barima has invited survivors, relatives of victims, witnesses and other persons with relevant information to apply for standing in the proceedings. The Commission issued a public notice on Tuesday advising persons wishing to participate in the Inquiry to contact its Secretary, Javed Shaddick, at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC), Liliendaal, East

Coast Demerara (ECD). Applications will be considered by the Commission, which may grant standing to persons who meet specified criteria. According to the no-

tice, standing may be granted where an applicant played, or may have played, a direct and significant role in matters being investigated, or possesses relevant evidence or information. The Commission will also consider applications from persons with a substantial, personal or direct interest in the subject matter, including witnesses, survivors and family members of victims. Persons who may be subject to significant criticism during the proceed-

ings or in the Commission’s final report may also qualify for standing. Additionally, the Commission may grant standing where it determines that a person’s participation would assist it

in fulfilling its terms of reference. Persons wishing to apply have been asked to contact Shaddick at presidentialcommissiongy@gmail. com or 592-674-7473. The Commission’s invitation comes as preparations continue for the

commencement of public hearings into the July 18 sinking of the MV Barima. Guyana Times on September 3 reported that the Commission said it was working to commence the Inquiry later this month. The five-member Commission, appointed on July 30, is chaired by Belizean Justice Godfrey Phillip Smith and includes Captain Hamada Fouda of Jamaica, Trinidadian Attorney-at-Law Nyree Dawn Alfonso, Dr Andrzej Jasionowski of Poland and Rear Admiral (Retired) Hayden Pritchard of Trinidad and Tobago. Since their appointment, the Commissioners have conducted a preliminary in-person survey of the accident site, identified the ACCC as the venue for public hearings and

established a Secretariat to provide administrative, research and logistical support. The Commission has also been obtaining information from public institutions, including the Maritime Administration (MARAD), Transport and Harbours Department (THD) and Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Coast Guard. It has begun a preliminary analysis of documents concerning the vessel’s seaworthiness, the conditions under which it sailed and crew operations during the voyage. The Commission has also been compiling a list of potential witnesses and preparing a preliminary schedule for interviews. Rules of Procedure are being finalised to govern the conduct of the Inquiry, with the Commission stat-

ing that the rules are intended to ensure that the proceedings are open, transparent, orderly, fair and effective. The MV Barima left Port Georgetown on July 18 with about 179 persons onboard, bound for Port Kaituma, Region One, when it capsized and sank off the Essequibo Coast. Seventy-six persons survived, while 73 deaths have been confirmed and 30 people remain unaccounted for, according to information provided following the tragedy. Three crew members, including the captain, have been charged and remanded on 72 counts of murder. President Dr Irfaan Ali subsequently appointed the Commission to investigate the circumstances surrounding the tragedy and submit its findings, observations and recommendations to the Government. Meanwhile, the Government has been providing support to survivors and affected families through the Hope, Empathy, Aid, Resilience and Trust (HEART) initiative. Efforts are also underway to salvage the sunken vessel, with the Government having received several Expressions of Interest for the operation.

Teen nabbed with gun, ammo A

n 18-year-old man of Samaroo Dam, Pouderoyen, West Bank Demerara (WBD), was taken into custody after being found with a Glock 19 pistol and 13 live rounds of matching ammunition in his possession. Based on reports received, police were conducting a mobile patrol along Robb Street, Bourda, Georgetown, when they heard a loud explosion suspected to be a gunshot and observed a small gathering. However, as the ranks approached to investigate, they observed the teenager running south along Bourda Street. The ranks went in pursuit, and after a while, they apprehended him. A search of his person unearthed the Glock 19 pis-

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2026 0:00 Sign Off 6:00 Islam for Guyana 6:30 TVG Devotional Hour 7:00 Evening News (RB) 8:00 HGTV 9:00 Stop Suffering 10:00 Food Network 12:00 Movie - Marrying Mr. Darcy (2018) 13:30 Movie - Pup Star (2016) 15:00 Cartoons 16:00 Indian Soaps 17:00 The Young & The Restless 18:00 Documentary: Nat Geo Animals

The firearm and ammunition found in possession of the teenager

tol and matching ammuni-

tion. He was arrested as in-

vestigations continue.

19:00 The Evening News 20:00 Stop Suffering 20:30 Movie - Love Takes Flight (2019) 22:00 Movie - The Bourne Supremacy (2004)

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2026

Foundation ◄

Page

guyanatimesgy.com

Enumeration Enumeration is the act of counting or listing all possible items or combinations of items from a set or sets. This can be done using a sample space diagram or by using a method of systematic listing. To create a sample space diagram we need to think about the possible outcomes of a situation. For example, Let’s say we were to flip a fair coin and at the same time roll a fair six-sided die. The sample space for this situation could be written as a list of the possible combinations. (H,1), (H,2), (H,3), (H,4), (H,5), (H,6), (T,1), (T,2), (T,3), (T,4), (T,5), (T,6) The sample space for more complicated situations is often shown in a table. For example, If flipping the coin and rolling the die were part of a game and the side the coin shows changed the score of the die, we could show this in a sample space diagram. In this game, the coin showing heads adds 1to the value on the die. The coin showing tails doubles the value on the die. The sample space diagram shows all the possible outcomes for this game.

By Joy Harjo I. She Had Some Horses

We can see from the table that there are 4 scores more than

There are a total of 12 possible outcomes from this game. Using the theoretical probability formula, 4 = 1. "P (score more than 6)"= 12 3 The tables used for sample space diagrams can also be referred to as two-way tables. Remember to use a sample space diagram: 1. Use information provided to decide whether to write a list or create a table to find all possible outcomes. 2. Systematically write the list or fill in the table by either listing outcomes or performing operations with values. 3. Use the information from the list or table to find any probabilities required.

She had some horses. She had horses who were bodies of sand. She had horses who were maps drawn of blood. She had horses who were skins of ocean water. She had horses who were the blue air of sky. She had horses who were fur and teeth. She had horses who were clay and would break. She had horses who were splintered red cliff. She had some horses. She had horses with eyes of trains. She had horses with full, brown thighs. She had horses who laughed too much. She had horses who threw rocks at glass houses. She had horses who licked razor blades. She had some horses. She had horses who danced in their mothers' arms. She had horses who thought they were the sun and their bodies shone and burned like stars. She had horses who waltzed nightly on the moon. She had horses who were much too shy, and kept quiet in stalls of their own making. She had some horses. She had horses who liked Creek Stomp Dance songs. She had horses who cried in their beer. She had horses who spit at male queens who made them afraid of themselves. She had horses who said they weren't afraid. She had horses who lied. She had horses who told the truth, who were stripped bare of their tongues. She had some horses. She had horses who called themselves, "horse." She had horses who called themselves, "spirit," and kept their voices secret and to themselves. She had horses who had no names. She had horses who had books of names. She had some horses. She had horses who whispered in the dark, who were afraid to speak. She had horses who screamed out of fear of the silence, who carried knives to protect themselves from ghosts. She had horses who waited for destruction. She had horses who waited for resurrection.

We can use sample space diagrams to find probabilities. Jon plays the game and wants to know the probability of getting a score of more than 6.

She had some horses. She had horses who got down on their knees for any saviour. She had horses who thought their high price had saved them. She had horses who tried to save her, who climbed in her bed at night and prayed as they raped her. She had some horses. She had some horses she loved. She had some horses she hated. These were the same horses.

Materials 1 (or 2) bottles of water, soda, or juice 1. 2. 3. 4.

Instructions Put the bottle into the freezer for 45 minutes. Wait 45 minutes. Test to see if it is supercooled: put an ice cube in a glass and pour a little liquid out of the bottle. If it is supercooled, it will turn the consistency of a milkshake. If it is still completely liquid, put the bottle back into the freezer with the lid screwed on for 15 minutes.

Repeat steps 3 and 4 until you have a supercool treat. If your bottle freezes solid in the freezer, you can try the backup bottle (if you used two bottles) or run the frozen bottle under warm water until it thaws.

How does it work? Water freezes at 0 degrees Celsius (32 degrees Fahrenheit). It is possible to bring it below 0 degrees C, but usually only for a little while, and only if there are no ice crystals formed in the water yet. Once the supercool water forms a crystal or touches another piece of ice, it freezes in a hurry! (sciencefun.org)

End your story without answers, creating a whole new mystery.

WORD SEARCH

NEWS

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2026 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Predictable regulatory environment important for international businesses – US envoy … calls for modern tender system, streamlined GRA

hile recognising the Government’s ongoing efforts to digitise public services, United States (US) Ambassador to Guyana Nicole Theriot stressed the need for a modernised tendering process and a more streamlined revenue authority as more international companies seek to do business in Guyana. Ambassador Theriot made the remarks during the Energy Perspectives podcast on Monday, where she also highlighted the growing partnership between the private sectors of the two countries. “We are so proud to be Guyana’s top partner for everything from security to commerce to innovation. And I think it’s a testament to the Guyanese realising that when you pick a US partner, you’re going to get long-term quality. You’re going to get professional capacity building. You’re going to get safety and security. You’re going to get business ethics and standards that are worldclass. And that is just something that we’re so proud to bring to Guyana,” she expressed. “And it’s really interesting because I’ve seen it evolve and I’ve seen Guyanese businesses becoming so good at these things. And I think it’s just a testament to how we share our knowledge and expertise and how we’ve been able to share best practices. So, our companies are

better because they’re here working with the Guyanese companies,” the diplomat added. However, she noted that there are several areas that need improving to guarantee efficiency and cut out corruption in doing business in Guyana. “From the US and especially US private sector perspective that would be wonderful to see is a modernised tender process. That would be really great. Also seeing some of the elements of doing business here that are so important to international companies like the tax issue. So, to see GRA (Guyana Revenue Authority) streamlining its processes, for example, tax submission and tax refunds, that would be wonderful to see. A very predictable regulatory environment is so important for international businesses,” Ambassador Theriot noted. Nonetheless, she acknowledged that efforts are being made to make the processes and systems better, pointing to a serious commitment by President Dr Irfaan Ali. “I think Guyana is making strides in that area, but it’s just going to take a little bit more,” she expressed.

Streamlined GRA

The GRA has said it will put systems in place to facilitate online payments for taxes as well as motor vehicle licences before the end of the year. Already, GRA has been expanding access to online services for revenue

administration and through its eServices platform, with 85,465 tax returns filed in the first half of the year. This system will enable online payments through Mobile Money Guyana (MMG) and debit cards before the end of the year. Additionally, more than 84,000 persons are registered in the Padna Mobile App, which was updated in the first half of the year to improve the filing of individual income tax returns and notification of refunds. This App will be upgraded to facilitate payments for motor vehicle licence before the end of the year. Currently, over 70 public services are online, of which 11 were deployed in the first half of 2026 including services for the application and processing of cash grants, passports, work permits and environmental authorisations.

Modern tender process

The Government has also committed to rolling out a modern, electronic procurement system by the end of the year. The e-procurement system will have a digital bidder’s register, an e-tender lifecycle module, a national e-tender portal, and an e-marketplace. The National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB) already has a bidder register, but under the e-system, it will be expanded to include additional information for each contractor, supplier and consultant.

cies to procure the same from pre-qualified suppliers using standard specifications, published prices, framework segments, and electronic purchase orders. President Ali has already said this new system will ensure greater transparency in public procurement.

Minerals and port

US Ambassador to Guyana, Nicole Theriot

These include beneficial ownership, GRA and National Insurance Scheme (NIS) compliance status, contractor classification by size, past performance and any debarments or suspensions. The e-tender lifecycle module will digitise the full tender process end-toend, covering procurement planning, tender creation, publication, bid submission, evaluation, contract award, contract administration, variation, payment processing and real-time tracking. The module would automate routine checks; flag compliance; risk support evaluation teams with structured scoring tools; detect anomalies and potential red flags; and generate a dashboard for management oversight. The e-marketplace will be a catalogue-based marketplace for routine, low-to-medium-value goods and standard services that would allow procurement agen-

Meanwhile, Ambassador Theriot highlighted two major US projects taking place in Guyana in the areas of minerals and port development – noting that they could help set the stage for greater US investment and expanded economic cooperation between the two countries. The US has announced a US$150 million investment geared towards expanding bauxite mining in Guyana. The US Department of War’s Economic Defence Unit and Strategic Bauxite USA, LLC (SBX) are funding the project, which takes place primarily at the Bonasika Mine in Region Three. According to the US Ambassador, “what I really like about that project is that President Ali has been asking for international companies to help create in Guyana the value-added part of that. Don’t keep just taking our valuable natural resources and going away with them. In this country, create the opportunity and the facilities and the factories and the refineries that are able to add value to those minerals

and to those different natural resources. And that is exactly what this project is going to do.” Furthermore, she highlighted how US investments and partnerships are contributing to a massive port development in the Demerara River. “Just a few weeks ago, I toured TriStar Port…It’s actually a US$250 million investment. It’s a US-Guyanese owner. And they have the deepest port on the Demerara. It’s seven metres. And in the next few months, they’re actually going to be dredging to make it 12. They’ll eventually be 12 metres, which is much deeper than anything else. They are modernising. And they have been talking to the US Government’s Development Finance Corporation (DFC) about getting some additional financing to create a completely modern roll-on, rolloff terminal, one that will be able to take passengers and high-value vehicles. So, they are going to make this an absolutely state-ofthe-art modern port right there on the Demerara... So, it’s just a brilliant project. And I’m so proud that it’s both a US-funded, USbuilt. Case Engineering from Louisiana built it. Louisiana is my home state, so I had to say that. So, USbuilt, US-funded, and the US Government is looking at potentially helping them finance the expansion. So, a good news story all around,” she remarked.

CH&PA demolishes concrete slab after Houston Road reserve encroachment

Aerial view of encroachment taking place at Plot S18, Portion of SS, Houston, where a concrete slab was constructed on the road reserve (Housing Ministry photos)

ollowing the unauthorised occupation of a road and drainage reserve in Houston, Georgetown, the Housing Ministry through its Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA) has stepped up enforcement, warning citizens, businesses and property owners to comply with the country’s planning and development regulations.

On Monday, the Ministry was forced to take action at Plot S18, Portion of SS, Houston, where a concrete slab was constructed on the road reserve adjoining the property. Members of CH&PA’s Enforcement Team visited the location on several occasions and repeatedly warned the allottee against undertaking or continuing any development on the reserve.

The location was also signposted to clearly identify the restricted area. Despite these interventions and repeated warnings, the unauthorised occupation continued. Consequently, the Enforcement Team served the allottee with a Notice of Contravention, instructing the allottee, Wu Zhuhim, to immediately remove the concrete slab and all other encumbrances obstructing the

road reserve and drainage network. Following continued non-compliance, the Enforcement Team proceeded with enforcement action on Monday, resulting in the demolition and removal of the unauthorised concrete structure from the road reserve. The Ministry is once again sending a clear message to citizens, business-

es, developers and property owners: compliance with planning and development regulations is mandatory. Roads, drainage and other public reserves are established for specific public purposes and must remain free from unauthorised structures, materials and other encumbrances. Development and business operations must remain within legally established property bound-

aries and conform to applicable planning requirements. The Ministry said that it will continue to investigate illegal encroachments and take appropriate enforcement action wherever violations are identified. Persons who receive notices or instructions from the Enforcement Department are strongly advised to comply within the stipulated timeframe.

8 NEWS

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2026 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

US extradition request for Mohameds

“This is not right” – Magistrate blasts social media posts with witness’s child Replacing… …“I think it’s a tactic to make me afraid or intimidated” – Cop tells court

hief Magistrate Judy Latchman on Tuesday urged those involved in the ongoing extradition proceedings against United States (US)sanctioned and indicted Azruddin Mohamed and his father, Nazar Mohamed, to keep children and spouses away from social media exchanges surrounding the case. The warning followed Senior Superintendent of Police Prem Narine’s report to the court about Facebook posts featuring a photograph of Narine, President Dr Irfaan Ali, Narine’s wife and his 11-year-old son, accompanied by what he described as a derogatory comment. Narine, head of the Guyana Police Force’s (GPF) Special Branch Unit, said the post was brought to his attention during the lunch break while he was giving evidence in the proceedings. He told the court that the publication contained what he considered a derogatory comment and

Chief Magistrate Judy Latchman

circulated with his son’s face blocked, but that was not the case with the latest publication. The post was made from the “Hana Khamelia” Facebook account, which has been publicly associated with Hana Mohamed, the sister of US-sanctioned Azruddin Mohamed and daughter of Nazar Mohamed. A similar post was subsequently shared on a Facebook page bearing the name “Azruddin Mohamed, Leader of the Opposition -

Magistrate Latchman then made clear her concern was the involvement of innocent family members.

“This is not right”

She said, “These children have schools to go to, have classes to attend. This is not right to do that.” She added that social media posts could affect children and spouses, who should be kept out of the matter. “These are innocent people in this matter. So, whoever’s doing that needs to

Opposition Leader Azruddin Mohamed and his father, businessman Nazar Mohamed along with one of their lawyers at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts (foreground)

was intended to intimidate him because of his testimony. Narine said he was particularly troubled by the inclusion of his son, whose face was visible in the photograph. “I think it’s a tactic to make me afraid or intimidated, which I am somewhat intimidated because my 11-year-old is defenceless in the public. He goes to a public school,” he said. Narine said the photograph had previously been

Guyana.” When asked about the publication, Defence Attorney Siand Dhurjon said he had no knowledge of it. Dhurjon said it would be unfortunate for children or spouses to become involved in what he described as the political fray. He maintained, however, that any question of wrongdoing or liability arising from the post should be dealt with through the courts. Chief

stop it,” Latchman said. The Chief Magistrate has previously addressed social media activity connected to the extradition proceedings. She had previously warned Hana Mohamed against making posts concerning the case after Narine and Prosecutor Glenn Hanoman raised concerns about material posted from the “Hana Khamelia” account. Defence Attorney

Siand Dhurjon concluded his cross-examination of Narine on Tuesday, bringing his questioning of the Special Branch Unit head to an end after several days. Senior Counsel Roysdale Forde then took over the cross-examination and began questioning Narine on behalf of the defence. Narine’s cross-examination will continue when the extradition proceedings resume on October 21 at 13:30h, with the court scheduled to sit until approximately 16:30h to 16:45h. The hearing will resume the following day, October 22.

US indicted

The US-sanctioned Azruddin Mohamed and his father are facing extradition proceedings in Guyana after the US formally requested their surrender on October 30, 2025. A US federal grand jury in Florida indicted the two men on allegations including wire and mail fraud, money laundering, conspiracy and customs violations linked to an alleged US$50 million gold export and tax-evasion scheme. US prosecutors alleged that the men evaded taxes and royalties on more than 10,000 kilogrammes (kg) of gold through falsified customs declarations and reused export seals. The US indictment also alleges that Azruddin Mohamed evaded more than US$1 million in Guyanese taxes in connection with the Lamborghini’s importation. They have denied the allegations. The US is seeking their extradition so they can face prosecution. Pending the outcome of the extradition proceedings, the two men, who were arrested on October 31, 2025, were each granted $150,000 bail and ordered to surrender their passports and report to the Ruimveldt Police Station as directed by the court. Both Azruddin Mohamed and his father, Nazar Mohamed, were sanctioned by the US Department of the Treasury in June 2024 under the Global Magnitsky sanctions programme over alleged involvement in corruption.

…the woke class? or years, your Eyewitness\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ has observed a certain corner of the “creative class” enjoying a splendid snooty arrangement. They wrote the advertisements, reviewed films, snickered on the latter’s moral shortcomings – and then hosted a panel on why we the audience had misunderstood both!! Now AI can produce the advertisement, draft the review, and generate a panel’s worth of solemn talking points before the coffee arrives!! This has resulted in the American media, film and arts industries losing more than 200,000 jobs in four years!! Now, it ain’t all AI – there’s also Hollywood consolidation, offshoring and audiences drifting towards social media. But AI is the main culprit!! To your Eyewitness, this all has a wicked irony –- some of the most strident woke voices insisting every other industry must embrace AI disruption now face a machine that’s disrupting their own!! The clerk in the office was told to retrain…the doctor to bone up (no pun intended!); the factory worker was offered a seminar on resilience when his assembly line is automated – but now that the shoe’s on the other foot – and AI’s threatening jobs producing corporate purple prose about resilience – suddenly we must hold up pushing AI ‘cause civilisation itself hangs in the balance. Payback’s a bitch, innit?? Interestingly, the machine is alarmingly fluent in the language of fashionable, snooty virtue signalling!! Ask it for a statement about representation, an apology for insufficient representation, or a revised apology acknowledging the emotional labour occasioned by the first apology and it will oblige in seconds!! A high-paid consultant once needed a workshop, a slide deck and an invoice to achieve the same result – so now he’s outta here!! Now this doesn’t mean all artists and other creatives deserve to lose their livelihoods – after all, not every one of them think they belong to some imaginary woke club and they’re better than us slobs!! It just means the folks who turned moral vocabulary into a marketable product may soon discover their product is remarkably easy to imitate!! While a machine can’t have “Lived experience”, exercise judgment or make good art simply by predicting the next word – it can produce an infinite stream of polished, interchangeable language!! If that was the whole service, the competition’s gonna be fierce!! But perhaps the woke class – even those in Guyana! – will survive by doing what they’ve long recommended to everyone else – adapt!! They can do worse than begin by asking who owns the technology, who profits from it, and what happens to workers when their employers find a cheaper substitute!! Those would be excellent questions – the American factory worker in their rust belt has been asking them for years!! Let’s not follow suit!! …incitement Well, there’s been a confession from one of the killers of those poor two Henry boys – a gruesome incident that precipitated repercussions from West Berbice where the murder occurred all the way to the Corentyne Coast!! What could’ve caused this? It couldn’t have been Police indifference and sloth – since within days seven individuals had been arrested and the Crime Chief assured one and all that investigations were continuing and “no stone would be left unturned”!! But yet the protests morphed into civil unrest and lawlessness against all individuals seeking to traverse the Public Road – and Indian-Guyanese in particular. And all of these atrocities could be traced to the very public utterances of David Granger and Joseph Harmon who said the PPP was behind the murders – and the Police were “bought out”!! They were determined to continue their attempted heist of the reins of Government – assisted by Mingo and Co – and the murder of the Henry boys was the occasion, not the cause of the war!! …Cuban Government US Secretary of State Marco Rubio just said that Cuba has already “fallen” – while describing the island as a “failed state” with a dysfunctional economy and government. Guess we just gotta wait for the other foot to fall?? The views expressed in this column are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect Guyana Times’ editorial policy and stance

Readers are invited to send their comments by email to eye@guyanatimesgy.com

NEWS

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2026 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Truck torched, road blocked as cops moved to Pensioner busted search ECD house for missing Surinamese men with cocaine, ganja

truck belonging to a road construction crew was set on fire on Tuesday afternoon at Vigilance Public Road as a group of persons attempted to prevent Police from executing a search warrant at a home linked to United States-sanctioned Mark “Demon” Cromwell. Reports are that the Police went to the area to search the property as part of investigations into the disappearance of two Surinamese men, 28-yearold Van Dalen Siegiëllo Lorenzo and 29-year-old Derryl Danillo. Persons in the area ob-

operation. The circumstances surrounding the incident and whether any arrests were made were not immediately clear. The Police had issued an appeal on September 20 for information on the whereabouts of Lorenzo and Danillo, who have been missing since late August. According to the Guyana Police Force, both men left their respective residences on August 28 in a white Toyota Vitz and were reportedly heading towards Nickerie, Suriname. They were last seen on August 29 after reportedly exiting the

Missing: Derryl Danillo

Missing: Van Dalen Siegiëllo Lorenzo

structed the Police search and set debris alight on the roadway to prevent the ranks from carrying out the

vehicle at Clarasluis (Clara Sluice), Nickerie. Police said searches had been conducted and sever-

al persons questioned, but those efforts had not produced information on the men’s whereabouts. Reports emerging on Tuesday indicate that investigators are now examining a vehicle registered to a close relative of Cromwell. The two missing men were reportedly last seen entering that vehicle. Cromwell, a former Guyana Police Force (GPF) officer, was sanctioned by the United States Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) in June 2025. According to the US

Treasury, Cromwell was designated along with five other individuals in connection with alleged international cocaine trafficking activities. Treasury described him as a former GPF officer and an associate of Guyanese national Paul Daby Jr. The US sanctions were imposed following an investigation involving several US law enforcement agencies, including Homeland Security Investigations, US Customs and Border Protection and the Drug Enforcement Administration.

The cocaine and ganja found on the premises

65-year-old man was arrested following the discovery of 35 grams of cannabis and 4 grams of cocaine on Monday at High Wine Crack, Port Kaituma, North West District (NWD), Region One (Barima-Waini). Police stated that an intelligence operation led ranks to a premises where the 65-year-old businessman was contacted, and a subsequent search of the property revealed a bag in a bedroom containing two

transparent plastic bags. Police stated that one of the plastic bags contained a quantity of cannabis, while the other contained a whitish, rock-like substance suspected to be cocaine. The pensioner was arrested and escorted to the Port Kaituma Police Station, where the cannabis was weighed and amounted to 35 grams, while the cocaine amounted to 4 grams. He remains in custody pending further investigations and charges.

10 NEWS

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2026 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Dredge, vehicle, equipment seized; 3 detained in illegal mining crackdown

hree miners, including two non-nationals, have been detained in connection with illegal mining along the Siparuni Riverbank, Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni). The Guyana Geology and Mines Commission’s (GGMC) Enforcement Team found that machinery had been placed on the riverbank and a river dredge directed into it to extract minerals. The operation damaged the riverbank, and the team is assessing the extent of the damage. According to GGMC, its team seized the river dredge and associated equipment, including a motor vehicle. The matter has been handed over to the Guyana Police Force for further investigation. In a statement on Tuesday, GGMC said that the miner responsible for the

The dredge that was seized by GGMC during the illegal mining crackdown along the Siparuni Riverbank, Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni)

operation will be required to account for the gold mined in the area, as well as cover the reclamation costs for the damaged site. The ministry reiterated that mining must be con-

ducted in accordance with the required approvals and environmental safeguards. Operators will be held accountable for illegal activities and the rehabilitation of areas damaged by

their operations. Only on Tuesday, the Guyana Times reported that the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) had suspended the operations of a shop at Tamakay Landing in the Mazaruni Mining District, Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni), after it was found trading gold without the required approvals and licences. According to the Natural Resources Ministry, the GGMC Enforcement Team conducted the operation on Monday, during which a quantity of gold, equipment and cash were seized. Two persons were detained by the Guyana Police Force (GPF) as investigations continue. The ministry said the enforcement action is part of its ongoing efforts to clamp down on illegal mining and

related activities across the country’s mining districts. Two water dredges and a quantity of gold were seized following the discovery and dismantling of yet another illegal mining operation about a week ago, this time along the Puruni River in Region Seven (CuyuniMazaruni). The Natural Resources Ministry, in a statement on Saturday last, said the exercise was conducted by the Enforcement Department of the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC), with support from the Guyana Police Force (GPF), on Thursday. Illegal mining in Guyana is governed by the Mining Act (Cap. 65:01) and enforced through measures by the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Guyana Geology and Mines

Commission (GGMC). All miners and operators must secure official titles, permits and regulatory approval from the GGMC before starting any extraction or trade. Operating unlicensed gold shops or undocumented mining pits violates Guyana’s law. The ministry had reported that nine people were arrested, charged and prosecuted in January 2026 for breaches of Guyana’s mining laws. The cases were heard in the Bartica, Mahdia and Linden Magistrates’ Courts, where the accused pleaded guilty and were fined for offences including mining without licences or permits, operating licensed dredges without authorisation, and using unregistered or unlicensed dredges.

Driver dies, teen injured after car topples along Puruni trail

The wrecked car in the ditch along Puruni trail

21-year-old man was on Monday evening killed while a teenager was left hospitalised following an accident along the 35 kilometre (km) Puruni Trail, CuyuniMazaruni, Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni). The dead man has been identified as 21-year-old Anthony Allen of Mongrippa Hill, Bartica. At the time of the accident, the car was being driven by Allen with the teen as the other occupant. However, based on reports received, on the day in question at about 18:20h, the motorcar, PAR 6448,

was proceeding along the Puruni Trail and was negotiating a right bend when the driver reportedly lost control of the vehicle, thus causing it to topple several times before coming to a halt in a ditch. The two men were pulled from the wreckage and rushed to the Bartica Regional Hospital, where Allen was pronounced dead. The teen was treated for his injuries and admitted to the hospital in a stable condition. Allen’s body is at the Bartica Hospital Mortuary awaiting post mortem. An investigation is underway.

Only two days ago, 54-yearold Ronaldo Scalon and 50-year-old Rogerio Tolotti both Brazilian nationals were pronounced dead after the vehicle in which they were travelling in collided head-one with a minibus along the Mabura highway, Region 10. It was reported that Scalon was at the time driving a Brazilian-registered 4×4 pickup and ended up in the wrong, thus coming into the path of the minibus thus resulting in a head-on collision. The driver of the mini-bus sustained multiple injuries to his body.

NEWS

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2026 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Guyana seeks major airline to establish global hub at CJIA’s Terminal 2 …also pursuing int’l partnership to develop country into global aviation training hub

s Guyana’s aviation industry continues to expand, President Dr Irfaan Ali says his administration is seeking international partners to operate Terminal Two at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) and to co-invest in establishing Guyana as a global training hub for aviation professionals. He made the call on Tuesday while delivering the feature address at the opening of the 3rd Global Regional Safety Oversight Organisations (RSOO) and Regional Accident and Investigation Organisation (RAIO) Forum for Aviation Safety, a two-day event taking place at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC) in Georgetown. Ali informed the gathering of aviation leaders, experts, and high-level officials from nearly 60 countries that Guyana is looking for international partners to support the growth of its industry. He highlighted that the local aviation sector is un-

President Dr Irfaan Ali

dergoing significant transformation, with international passenger traffic growing by 121 per cent, international flights increasing by 180 per cent and international freight movement jumping by 76 per cent.

Terminal 2

In fact, the country’s main airport – the CJIA has outgrown its existing capacity, prompting the Government to invest in the construction of a second terminal, which is expected to become operation-

al in 2028. President Ali told the conference that Guyana is seeking partners to operate in this new terminal. “Now for those international players here, we’re looking now for a partner in Terminal Two, someone who will take terminal two as their global hub, so we have mandated the Ministry to begin negotiations with all the big players who would want to use Terminal Two as their hub, whether to West Africa, South America, connected to the Caribbean, we’re ready to

finalise those negotiations. I make that very clear, we have to ensure that we have a major player utilising Terminal Two as the hub, their hub, our hub,” the Head of State noted. Terminal Two is expected to be a game-changing addition to the airport, significantly enhancing the passenger experience through expanded concession areas, increased operational capacity, and modern amenities tailored to meet the country’s growing aviation needs. The modern 150,000-square-foot building will showcase Guyana’s natural and cultural beauty as well as feature duty-free zones, retail opportunities, rental offices, and lounges. With this new building, the CJIA will be able to dedicate separate buildings for arrivals and departures. The project is being financed in part by the United Kingdom Export Finance (UKEF), which has offered Guyana a credit loan ceiling of up to a whopping £3 billion. In Budget 2026, the Guyanese

Public Utilities and Aviation Minister Deodat Indar

Government had set aside some $3.2 billion to advance the construction.

Aviation Training

Meanwhile, President Ali noted that Guyana is also seeking international partners to help position the country as a global hub for aviation training. “We want to position Guyana as a human resource training and development hub for aviation globally. We’re looking for a partner to help us to position Guyana as a global hub for training, aviation development, human resource development, every aspect of aviation: safety, security, maintenance, pilot

training. We want to build an education, development and aviation hub here that deals with training comprehensively. And we’re going to put the infrastructure in but we’re looking for that international partner. We want to find a way in which we can build this ecosystem with an international partner and I’m looking for ideas, we’re looking for those who are ready to journey with,” Ali emphasised. The Head of State underscored the importance of this investment, highlighting the global mismatch in the demand and supply of human capital for the industry. CONTINUE ON PAGE 15

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2026 | G

MBER 30, 2026 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

14 NEWS

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2026|GUYANATIMESGY.COM

ICAO must address issues of unfair standards, AI inequity in regional aviation – Pres Ali …as 3rd Forum for Aviation Safety opens in Guyana

resident Dr Irfaan Ali has called on the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) to address disparities in airport standards and inequities in access to and use of artificial intelligence (AI), as part of efforts to build a more integrated aviation system and enhance safety across the industry. He made the call on Tuesday while delivering the feature address at the 3rd Global Regional Safety Oversight Organisations (RSOO) and Regional Accident and Investigation Organisation (RAIO) Forum for Aviation Safety taking place in Georgetown. The two-day event is being hosted by Guyana in partnership with the ICAO and the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA).

Artificial Intelligence

According to President Ali, the conference must deal with the matter of AI in aviation – something, which he noted, was not listed on the agenda. “We cannot meet today to discuss aviation safety

In this regard, he urged the establishment of an expert group to examine this matter with urgency.

Regional standards

Scenes from the 3rd Global Regional Safety Oversight Organisations (RSOO) and Regional Accident and Investigation Organisation (RAIO) Forum for Aviation Safety

and not have AI, the consequences of AI and the importance of AI on the agenda,” he remarked, adding that “it would not be correct, I think, given the global realities”. “Your agenda, I believe, must be able to lead your discussions towards an AI strategy for the aviation sector, especially as it relates to safety, issues of regulations, adaptability, equity and integration. Because if you don’t have equity in the buildout of AI in the aviation sector, especially for safety, then you will have disparity, you will

have unevenness, you will have different rules and you will have countries being left behind,” he explained. “So, it’s important that ICAO and all of the organisations, from this moment, adapt an AI strategy that is shared among all your membership, that identifies the opportunities, threats, possibilities, but importantly, start the conversation on the regulations that will govern AI and safety in this industry, I think this is critical, this is very, very important,” President Ali added.

President Ali also called on the ICAO to address the issue of uneven standards being applied to transiting passengers in various airports, particularly in the region. “ICAO, you need to do a lot of work also in dispelling some of what I think, it’s the false proposition out there, like the different standards in transit passenger. Every airport you go across the region, there are different standards…I mean you’re clearing security to go to US and you’re just going through a door to transit to another flight, in some jurisdiction, they take you back through the entire system and they say that’s the ICAO standard. We know that’s not true because we’ve tested it, but you have these different standards applied at different airports and you must take this into consideration because equity is important,” Ali stressed. “A passenger must not

believe that there are different standards for different airports in the same region. That is not going to build confidence in the system, that is allowing passengers to believe that the system is discriminatory in effect and these are tough conversations but they are necessary conversations,” he further emphasised. According to the Guyanese leader who emphasised that the ultimate goal should be safer travel, fewer hassles for passengers, greater equity, and more consistent standards and regulations across airports. In this regard, he encouraged collective effort to ensure, at least in the region, airports are operating at similar standards. “I saw a year ago, the issue of audits, airport audits, and a number of our airports

in the region having challenge in terms of meeting the audit standards and the minimum score. I believe that we should not look at this as a problem, but I believe that we should have a very frank discussion in this conference, put together a team because I believe in the region...we should put together a team, identify all of the gaps and have that team work in ensuring that we resolve all issues in relation to those gaps,” Ali said. “We don’t need to reinvent the wheel, we don’t need to do this in isolation. Some countries have done it already, let us put together a team that will help the region because if one of our airports in the region does not meet the standards, it affects all of us, because we’re interconnected,” he added.

NEWS

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2026 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Ramsammy’s 70,000+ tickets issued; over 32,000 Ruminations still unpaid through safe road system

Naysayers must say which infrastructure in Guyana since 2020 not needed?

aced with massive economic, social and physical infrastructure transformation in Guyana since 2020, the usual critics are in complete denial, insisting that “people cannot eat roads, highways, bridges, schools and hospitals”. No country’s path for development is smooth. This is true for both developed and developing countries. Certainly, Guyana’s development path has had many Dr Leslie Ramsammy ups and downs. But it would be dishonest for anyone to dispute that Guyana is experiencing massive transformation. Ruminations’ description is that Guyana is developing by leaps and bounds. Some might want to debate the “leaps and bounds” and be much more conservative. Still, none of us can objectively and honestly dispute that Guyana’s development has been on a steep upward trajectory. But there is a small group in Guyana, the naysayers, driven by political motivation and, maybe, by other motivations, who have tried desperately to spin the development trajectory to distract from the fact that Guyana’s overall development since 2020 has been on a positive, upward trajectory. These naysayers argue that the fact that Guyana is the country with the fastest growing GDP in the world six years in a row is meaningless because people do not eat GDP. They argue that the massive physical infrastructure transformations are meaningless because people do not eat highways, bridges, schools, hospitals, stadiums, etc. They insist that more than 50,000 house lots distributed and thousands of homes constructed and occupied mean nothing because people do not eat house lots or houses. They even argue that the 10,000 or more vehicles purchased by the citizens every other month is not development because people cannot eat cars and other vehicles. For every area of development, visible or not, the naysayers find something to “diss” the amazing development taking place in Guyana. The truth is that the naysayers face the massive problem – people living in Guyana and those visiting, see the massive transformation taking place. Still the naysayers keep screaming every chance they have that the massive infrastructure transformation that people see is a hoax because people cannot “eat roads, highways, bridges, schools, hospitals, etc.” The critics demand that the Government stop investment in physical infrastructure and give people cash handouts. Ruminations has one question to the naysayers: which infrastructure project should the Government not have undertaken? Was the Bharrat Jagdeo Demerara River Bridge not necessary? Was the Wismar Bridge across the Demerara River not important? Were the Linden, the East Bank Demerara, the East Coast Demerara, the Linden-Mabura Highways a waste of resources? Which school or hospital was a waste of money? Which community road or street was not much needed? For all those who insist that people cannot “eat roads, highways, bridges, schools, hospitals, etc” as their only reason to criticise the Government’s massive investment in infrastructure development, they need to be upfront and honest with the Guyanese people, they need to tell them which infrastructure investment was a waste of money. Clearly, the naysayers have bumped into an unreceptive public as their argument that people cannot eat infrastructure is shallow and easy for people to simply ignore. This has forced the naysayers to look for other avenues to create polarisation in the society. Since people outrightly rejected the naysayers’ cries that people “cannot eat infrastructure”, the naysayers tried an alternative criticism against the massive investment in physical infrastructure. They started to scream that the massive infrastructure investments were driven by greed and corruption. They tried convincing the public that the massive investment in physical infrastructure was motivated only by the Government’s desire to award their families and friends with big contracts. This is why we ask again: which of these big infrastructural investments was not really needed? Having failed with their whimsical arguments against massive infrastructure investments, the naysayers have now targeted President Irfaan Ali with their reprehensible misinformation campaign. They have made President Irfaan Ali their main target in their corruption propaganda. They started their wicked campaign by trying to link President Irfaan Ali’s farm which he has owned for a long time (at least before 2012) as obtained through illegal means. That attempt has now fallen flat since people now see through the wickedness. Undaunted, the naysayers tried to twist a legitimate action as the President converting State lands into his personal ownership. A few days ago, Kiskadee Watch, which has become an Opposition mouthpiece, carried a story asserting that President Irfaan Ali bought 182 acres of State land. They knew that they were misrepresenting the facts. It was barefaced, naked misinformation. When the Lands and Surveys Commission issued the truth that President Irfaan Ali had carried out his responsibility to sign over State lands for issuing titles to ordinary citizens, Kiskadee Watch did not apologise but insisted that it was a typological error where they used the word “bought” instead of the word “brought”. It was wicked dishonesty. What has happened is that Kiskadee Watch has joined other news outlets which have become nothing but shameless fronts for the Leader of the Opposition and the party he owns, WIN. Instead of truths, they trade in lies and misrepresentation. A good example is the Meet and Greet Meeting President Ali held in Queens, New York during his trip to the UN last week. The crowd that showed up was far larger than could be accommodated in the hall. The Opposition sycophants decided to spin the story that President Ali kept people out of the hall because he did not want people to confront him. It is insane that those who hate President Ali and the PPP rely totally on lies and misinformation. The views expressed in this column are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect Guyana Times’ editorial policy and stance

ore than 70,000 traffic tickets have been issued through Guyana’s Safe Road Intelligence System (SRIS) since its full rollout in April 2025, with more than 32,000 remaining unpaid to date. Speaking about the SRIS, which was implemented in April 2025, Traffic Chief and Assistant Commissioner of Police Mahendra Singh stated, “The Safe Road Intelligence System, which is based on an amendment of the law in 2024, the Motor Vehicle and Road Traffic Act, and its full rollout from April 7, 2025 until now, there are more than 70,000 tickets issued by that Safe Road Intelligence System. “There are more than 38,000 of those tickets paid already, amounting to millions of dollars. Now, unpaid tickets are drivers or owners who did not honour the obligation to pay the tickets. They are notified by means of an SMS, an electronic notice.” Further, he added that some 72,000 cases have been filed across Guyana’s magisterial districts, with approximately 51 per cent resulting in convictions this year, while the remaining matters are either still before the courts or

such as dangerous driving and speeding. According to Singh, some drivers have been suspended by the courts for periods ranging from six to 12 months.

Illegal sirens

Assistant Commissioner of Police, Mahendra Singh

have been dismissed due to insufficient evidence or procedural issues. “So, let me be very frank and tell you, about 72,000 cases have been filed across the country in each magisterial district. We have about a 51 per cent conviction rate of those cases. The remainder are before the courts now, presently still gaining their attention, and some of which were actually thrown out of the court for maybe lack of evidence or insufficient procedural attention.” Asked whether the 51 per cent conviction rate applied to this year alone, Singh said

the figure could be considered favourable. “It could be more. Naturally, it should be more because expectation is one thing as opposed to what actually reveals. We do have constraints that are beyond us. In some Magistrates’ courts, they have a rationing system in terms of how many matters they would hear per day - 25 - and cases per day made ranges in about 500.” He also disclosed that 37 drivers have had their licences suspended or revoked this year while attributing the action to the deployment of technology and the seriousness of offences

Meanwhile, Singh said authorities are still seeing private vehicles equipped with illegal sirens, despite repeated warnings that such equipment is prohibited by law. “I know we have spoken about this many times, on multiple occasions. The President, the Vice President (VP)- private vehicles should not have sirens. We’re still seeing it, though.” Asked how the police are clamping down on the practice, Singh said technology is playing a key role in identifying offenders. “I’ll tell you how. The issue exists, and it’s contrary to law. We have utilised the technology, that is to say, the Safe City, Safe Country cameras and the SRIS cameras. “We have vehicles that we see with the lights. Naturally, we have the tendency to believe that they have the sirens. Through observation by members of the public, through the Road Watch application, those reports come in to us.”

$1.3M cash stolen in Corentyne break-in …computers, phones left untouched

through the window and that whoever entered the premises subsequently left

through the western door. Police are continuing their investigation.

Guyana seeks major...

FROM PAGE 11

Target Logistic Inc at Williamsburg, Corentyne

olice are investigating the disappearance of $1.326 million from Target Logistic Inc at Williamsburg, Corentyne, after the money was reportedly left in a ‘cash tin’ on a counter when the business closed on Saturday. The discovery was made when the business reopened on Monday morning, with investigators finding signs of forced entry. However, computers, brand-new cellphones and other items of value were left behind, according to the report. Police were told that a 21-year-old customer service representative was left in charge of the business on Saturday while the supervisor, attended a meeting in Georgetown. The customer service representative reportedly handled the day’s

cash transactions while other employees assisted with dispatching packages to customers. By the end of the working day, sales amounted to $1,326,000. According to the information provided to investigators, the money was placed in a grey ‘cash tin’ and left it on a counter, and not secured it in the company’s safe. The business was closed shortly after 14:00h on Saturday and remained closed until Monday morning. On Monday morning it was discovered that three louvre panes had been removed from a window and part of the steel grill protecting it had been pried open. A door at the western side of the building was also found open. The ‘cash tin’ was nowhere to be found. Investigators believe entry was gained

“If we don’t have enough pilots and pilots are not having the required rests, if we don’t have enough assets and assets are stretched in terms of utilisation, all of this have impact on safety, so we have to have a full understanding of the comprehensive ecosystem and how we’re going to address each component of this ecosystem,” he expressed. Guyana’s Civil Aviation Training School has already achieved prestigious International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) TRAINAIR PLUS Gold Standard accreditation, marking a significant advancement in its global ranking. It certifies that Civil Aviation Training School (CATS) delivers training programmes that fully meet and exceed internationally recognised aviation standards, qualifying the institution to develop new and offer ICAO-approved courses to aviation professionals in Guyana and internationally. In fact, the school has already trained students from Guyana, Suriname, Barbados, The Bahamas, Cayman Islands and St Lucia, both in person and

virtually since attaining the accreditation.

First movers

Meanwhile, also delivering brief remarks at the event was Minister of Public Utilities and Aviation, Deodat Indar, who underscored the importance of interested players making their investments in Guyana now. Indar explained, “it is easier to come now, if you wait later, the cost will be more and it will be a little more difficult. So, first movers’ advantage is something key and I know we have a lot of air operators in the conference, I know Airbus is here, Air France, and a whole host of other people are here, first movers’ advantage is key.” The two-day aviation safety summit is being hosted by Guyana in partnership with the ICAO and the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). Civil aviation authorities from about 60 countries are attending. The conference is themed “Optimising Resources through Coordination and Cooperation” and is the first global aviation event of its kind hosted in Guyana.

16 NEWS

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2026 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Death of King of Calypso

A prayerful stillness has fallen over the Caribbean – leaders S

linger Francisco also known as the Mighty Sparrow has passed at the age of 91. The legendary singer who gave us “Jean and Dinah,” “Congo Man,” “Mr Walker,” “Ten to One Is Murder,” and a treasury of unforgettable hits no longer rises in song. Following the news of his death, President Irfaan Ali expressed deep condolences to the family, friends and fans of the calypso legend. “The Mighty Sparrow’s music will endure as it has for decades. His compositions-insightful, witty, and at times mischievous-became the soundtrack of generations, their lyrics etched with wit, rhythm, and fearless social commentary-mirrors held up to the Caribbean’s character, its contradictions, its unbroken spirit.” He added that the legend brought recognition to Caribbean civilisation through the means of his melodies and lyrics, which sailed far beyond the region’s shores. He posited that Sparrow lifted calypso from mere entertainment into an art form. He was the peerless virtuoso of double entendre and picong, turning sly

The Mighty Sparrow

innuendo and biting mockery into unforgettable craft. However, his history lives on. “And though now the Mighty Sparrow has taken his final bow, the curtain never truly falls. His music, his wit, and his legacy live on in the pulse of the people of our region. On behalf of the Government and people of Guyana, I extend heartfelt condolences to his family, the people of Trinidad and Tobago, and the legions of his fans in the Caribbean and around the world.”

Grenada

Directly from his home-

land, those feeling the loss most deeply are Grenadians, with Prime Minister (PM) Dickon Mitchell also sending his thoughts and prayers to the grieving family and all those who mourn his passing. “From his birthplace, which is feeling the pain, Grenada gave him his roots. Trinidad and Tobago nurtured his gift. Mighty Sparrow gave the Caribbean a voice the world came to know. Through his calypso, Slinger Francisco captured our humour, our struggles and our changing times. His songs will continue to remind us of the extraordinary creativity this region can produce.” In addition, PM of Barbados, Mia Mottley also chimed in with condolences, acknowledging Sparrow’s years in the craft and saying that he has been woven into our Caribbean civilisation. “Listen to his recordings and you hear our history. Calypso gave the ordinary West Indian a voice. Sparrow carried it to the world with incomparable genius. Born in Grenada and raised in Trinidad, he belonged to all of us. Just months after losing our beloved Sir Garry, whose

greatness Sparrow celebrated in song, we must now say goodbye to him too. Two extraordinary sons who made this Caribbean stand taller. To his family and the people of Grenada and Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados stands with you in sorrow and gratitude.” She called on the younger generation to remember his contribution. “Let our children hear him. Let them know that this brilliance came from among us. Even now, his words still echo. ‘Sparrow, take over now. You did, Birdie. You took your place in the heart of a civilisation, and there you will remain.’” Further, feeling the pain on a very deep level are Trinidadians, with the PM of Trinidad and Tobago Kamla Persad-Bissessar also paying tribute. “Today, our nation mourns the loss of an icon whose legacy will forever

live in the hearts of all citizens of Trinidad and Tobago. Sparrow was a true patriot and revered ambassador of Trinidad and Tobago’s culture. Through his music, his wit, and his unmatched contribution to culture, he carried the spirit and stories of our people across the world. For decades, Sparrow has been part of the soundtrack of Trinidad and Tobago.

His music made us laugh, made us think, and made us proud of who we are. On behalf of the Government and people of Trinidad and Tobago, I extend my deepest condolences to his family and loved ones.” Meanwhile, Jamaica’s PM Andrew Holness took to social media to express his condolences and pay tribute to Sparrow. “Slinger Francisco, ORTT, CM, OBE, known to the world as The Mighty Sparrow, was a true Caribbean music icon and legend. “Growing up, I enjoyed his music, humor, and sharp social commentary. His songs became part of the soundtrack of Caribbean life and culture, beloved by generations of Jamaicans and people across the region. I extend my condolences to his family, the people of Trinidad and Tobago, and the people of Grenada, where he was born.”

Corentyne fisherman brutally chopped to death

Friendship, Corentyne family is questioning whether the killing of their 23-year-old relative could have been prevented, claiming that police had been alerted to an earlier confrontation involving people they believe were connected to Monday night’s deadly attack. The family said on Tuesday that police were informed before 23-year-old Chittesh Sukhai was chopped to death at Friendship Village, Corentyne, Region Six The final moments of Sukhai’s life unfolded just a short distance from his Friendship Village home late Monday night. He was taken to the Port Mourant Public Hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries while receiving treatment. In a release the police said two cutlasses suspected to have been used during the incident were recovered in the vicinity. Police subsequently apprehended two males, ages 27 and 23, of Friendship and Limlair Villages, Corentyne, respectively, in connection with the incident. Sukhai’s mother Geeta Davi called “Sabrina” in an interview with the media said that she witnessed four persons pursuing her son but a blackout, she recalled, plunged the area into darkness. When she eventually located him, he was lying on the grass in another yard. “Last night (Monday night) my son was in the kitchen with me and he told me he was going over by the neighbour. So, I told him alright and I will wait for him by the window. I was watch-

Dead: Chittesh Sukhai called “Rohan” and “Marsho”

ing them from the window when I heard the neighbour tell him that he is going and sleep. I told my son to come over now. He said he would come through the hole in the fence,” the woman recalled. Police on Tuesday said that Sukhai, called “Rohan” and “Marsho”, was involved in an argument with a female relative shortly before several males reportedly arrived at the location armed with cutlasses. His father, Dianand Sukhai, saw his son afterwards. “His head was open, his back was open, his throat, his jaw had a chop and you seeing the jaw bone, his neck had a chop. I just couldn’t see him anymore… The chop was too much… The chop was too much, his brain split out of his head, his head was open.” They claim an earlier confrontation had already led them to seek police intervention. Sukhai’s sister, Roshanie,

said the family made a report and was told officers would visit and issue a warning if the situation continued. She alleges that never happened. “August 31… he came out the road and he was waiting for the food and while he was waiting, he walked into the supermarket and saw her [the same female relative with whom he had the argument with on Monday night] there, she went to the supermarket too. And she walked up to him and she slapped him and he slapped her back…They threatened him and we go to the station and make a report that dem boys threatening him to kill him and the police say that they will come and give them the warning, and if they don’t stop it and the police are never to come back, they never to tell them or come and inform or tell them anything,” Roshanie said. Police have since launched an investigation.

NEWS

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2026 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

US restricts visas for foreigners undermining democratically-elected Governments T

he United States (US) has announced visa restrictions against foreign nationals and their immediate family members accused of undermining democratically elected Governments through corruption or narcotrafficking activities in the Western Hemisphere. The US Department of State said Monday that the new policy is being implemented under Section 212(a) (3)(C) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), which allows the US to bar entry to individuals whose entry or proposed activities could have potentially serious adverse foreign policy consequences for the country. The restrictions are being imposed initially on nationals of Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru, all participants in the US-led Shield of the Americas ini-

tiative. According to the State Department, the policy is intended to support democratic governance, the rule of law and security in the hemisphere and allows Washington to impose visa restrictions as evidence develops. In Bolivia, the US has taken steps to impose restrictions on 12 nationals and their families, with existing visas revoked for several individuals, including senior prosecutors, judges, a former Justice Minister, a Constitutional Magistrate, a former National Customs Official, a Bolivian police colonel and a private businessman. Nine other Bolivian nationals who do not currently hold US visas were rendered generally ineligible to receive visas, along with their families. The targeted Colombian nationals are businessman Euclides Antonio Torres

Romero, who owns a conglomerate operating primarily in the energy, traffic-signal and public-lighting sectors, and Senator Martha Isabel Peralta Epieyu, who is affiliated with the Historic Pact and the Alternative Indigenous and Social Movement. In Ecuador, visa

restrictions were imposed on two nationals, with their visas revoked. The State Department did not publicly identify the individuals in its statement. In Peru, restrictions were imposed on Lima First Circuit Constitutional Court Judge Juan Carlos Nunez

Matos and his family, with his existing visa revoked. The State Department also announced the public designation of Bolivia’s Attorney General (AG) Roger Mariaca over what it described as significant corruption. The designation makes Mariaca and his immediate family members generally ineligible for entry into the US. The department alleged that Mariaca, who was elected AG in 2024 for a six-year term, abused his public positions by soliciting and accepting bribes to facilitate narcotrafficking and helping violent criminals evade justice. The US action against Mariaca was taken under Section 7031(c) of the National Security, Department of State, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 2026. The State Department said

the provision allows the Secretary of State to publicly or privately designate foreign officials and their immediate family members when there is credible information of their involvement in significant corruption or gross violations of human rights. The latest measures follow commitments made at the Doral Summit and reaffirmed in a September 22 Shield of the Americas leaders’ statement concerning coordinated sanctions, designations and financial measures against individuals accused of threatening security, the rule of law and democratic institutions. The State Department said the new visa policy provides a mechanism for the US to act quickly, including in coordination with regional partners, as information concerning corruption and narcotrafficking develops.

US tightens sanctions on Cuba T&T Senate President casts deciding vote to break stalemate on Public Procurement Bill

enate President Wade Mark again cast his deciding vote in a chaotic ending to secure passage of the Government’s Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Property Amendment Bill. This was amid a 15-15 tie of Government votes for the bill and combined 15 Opposition and Independent votes against it. Opposition Senators called for Mark’s reasons – but he stood by what he had said last Thursday when he had also cast his vote to as-

In this file photo, residents carry containers while queuing for potable water from a water tanker in a neighbourhood of Matanzas, Cuba, on August 6, 2026. Recurring water shortages and power outages have forced many residents of Matanzas to rely on water deliveries and public water distribution points (AFP)

he United States announced Tuesday a tightening of sanctions against Cuba, clamping down on certain financial transactions and travel by US citizens to the Communist island. The sanctions, announced by the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), prohibit indirect financial transactions with sanctioned Cuban entities, particularly those linked to the security apparatus and to Gaesa, the Cuban military’s economic conglomerate. OFAC has banned socalled U-Turn transactions, which allowed US banks to process dollar payments related to Cuba provided that the origin and destination were outside the United States and did not involve American citizens. The new regulations remove authorisation for US banks “to open and maintain accounts solely in the name of a Cuban national who is an

independent Private Sector entrepreneur”. Access to the US banking system for private entrepreneurs had been authorised during Democrat Joe Biden’s 2021-2025 presidency as part of measures aimed at supporting Cuba’s nascent Private Sector. The new regulations also limit categories of travel that were permitted for US citizens under President Barack Obama (2009–2017). Cultural exchange or “people-to-people” trips as well as business conferences and meetings will now require au-

thorisation. Relations between Washington and Havana have worsened since President Donald Trump returned to power in January 2025. The Republican leader says Cuba, located just 150 kilometres (93 miles) from Florida, represents an extraordinary threat to the United States. Since January, Washington has imposed a de facto oil embargo on the island of 9.4 million persons, plunging the country into a deep economic and energy crisis. (AFP)

sist passage of Government’s Special Operations Bill amid a 15-15 tie there also. Monday night, the repeat arose in the Senate just before 21:00h when the vote was taken on the Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Property Amendment Bill 2026. All 15 Government Senators voted for the bill. All six Opposition Senators voted against it. As did all nine Independent Senators. When the tie was announced, Mark announced

there was an equality of votes. “Under Section 50 (4) of the Constitution and 59 of the Constitution 54 of the Standing Orders, if I have those sections correctly, I’m required to exercise a casting vote,” he told the chamber. “I exercise the casting vote in favour of the Ayes. So we’re now 16 for and 15 against – the bill is passed,” he declared to Government desk-thumping approval. (Excerpt from Trinidad Guardian)

Jamaica welcomes UN Security Council renewal of Haiti Gang Suppression Force mandate

amaica has welcomed Tuesday’s decision by the United Nations Security Council to extend the mandate of the Gang Suppression Force (GSF) in Haiti and is urging the international community to back the renewal with the personnel, financing and equipment needed to make the force more effective for the next six months. The council’s decision follows sustained advocacy by world leaders and Foreign Ministers from across the region and the globe for continued international support to Haiti. Foreign Minister Senator Kamina Johnson Smith had reiterated Jamaica’s call for renewal of the GSF mandate during the delivery of the country’s national statement to the 81st Session of the United Nations (UN) General Assembly on Saturday, September 26. Jamaica’s

Jamaica’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Senator Kamina Johnson Smith, during the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly

Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Brian Wallace also delivered the Caribbean Community (Caricom) statement to the UNSC Tuesday morning as part of the debate before the vote. The GSF is mandated to

neutralise armed gangs, protect critical infrastructure and support humanitarian access, working alongside the Haitian National Police. Jamaica has contributed personnel to the force and is a member of the Standing Group of Partners, which provides strategic direction and helps mobilise personnel and resources. “Nowhere in our region is the challenge of criminal gangs more devastating than in our Caricom sister nation of Haiti. Jamaica stands firmly with the Haitian people. We urge sustained international support for the Gang Suppression Force, the Haitian National Police and its armed forces. This support must include the financial, logistical and operational resources necessary to restore security,” the Minister told the General Assembly. (Excerpt from Jamaica Observer)

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2026

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Around the World

Qatari mediators press peace OILNEWS OIL NEWS deal between US and Iran Q Oil’s new normal

atar said on Tuesday it hopes that shuttle diplomacy between Iran and the United States can lead to a breakthrough despite US President Donald Trump’s denial of media r‌ eports that he was willing to ease sanctions and release frozen funds in exchange for Iranian concessions on its nuclear programme. “We are exchanging messages between the parties, and we’re working towards establishing a common ground in order to get into a deal that would save all of us from the repercussions of the conflict,” Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesper-

Qatar said it hopes that shuttle diplomacy between Iran and the United States can lead to a breakthrough

son Majed al-Ansari told reporters. The US and Iran have failed to find an off-ramp from their war, now in its eighth month. Negotiations

appeared to intensify during last week’s United Nations General Assembly meeting in New York, but have so far not yielded any agreement to reopen the Strait of

Hormuz. Doha once again has emerged as would-be peacemaker after previously playing a supporting role in producing the June Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that led to a brief ceasefire. US and Iranian officials spoke separately with Qatari mediators on Monday. It was unclear if another exchange took place on Tuesday. Trump repeated his position that Iran must not obtain a nuclear weapon and that the war would be over soon. (Excerpt from Reuters)

Trump, top tech firms sign accord to “self-police” AI development

nited States President Donald Trump and top tech executives have signed an accord to “self-police” artificial intelligence, as calls grow for more guardrails to mitigate risks associated with the technology’s rapid growth. Trump announced the accord on Tuesday after meeting with a large group of AI company leaders at the White House. Executives at the meeting included OpenAI’s Greg

Brockman, Anthropic’s Dario Amodei, Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg, Google’s Sundar Pichai, and Nvidia’s Jensen Huang. The accord – which Trump posted on his Truth Social platform – said the companies would implement “robust internal controls”, partner with an “independent external auditor” to assess whether the controls were working, and set up a committee among each company’s board of directors to eval-

uate reports from internal and external auditors. The companies also said they would work to ensure their AI tools do not “hack or access technical systems in unintended ways”. “Over time, it may make sense to codify these steps into laws and regulations,” the accord said. The accord comes as the Trump Administration faces increasing scrutiny over risks posed by advanced AI, after OpenAI and Anthropic reported that

their AI agents had gone rogue and hacked into other companies’ systems. Speaking to reporters at an impromptu news conference outside the West Wing of the White House, Trump described the accord as “almost like a constitution”. “And the biggest people in the world signed that, and I signed it as President. And it really is a form of protection,” he said. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

televised address her appointment was “truly historic”. “For the first time in our country’s history, a woman is taking on the responsibility of leading the government,” she said. “This is a source of pride not only for me but for all Moroccan women.” The appointment came four days after the results of last week’s elections were announced, with El Mansouri’s monarchy-aligned Authenticity and Modernity Party (PAM) winning the most votes to secure 97 of the 395 seats in the House of Representatives, Morocco’s lower house of parliament. PAM fell well short of the 198 seats needed for an outright majority and will need to build a coalition in order to govern, which will be El Mansouri’s first task. PAM, founded in 2008 by Fouad Ali El Himma, a friend of the king, has expressed its willingness to work with all parties. But some, including the Justice and Development Party (PJD) and Federation of Democratic Left, have an-

nounced they will remain in the opposition. This governing coalition will decide allocations for billions of dollars in investments ahead of the 2030 FIFA World Cup, scheduled to be primarily hosted by Morocco, Portugal, and

Spain. El Mansouri is the second woman to serve as Prime Minister in the Arab world after Najla Bouden’s tenure in Tunisia from October 2021 to August 2023. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

is higher prices

il prices fell as Middle East exports recovered, with regional crude flows reaching 15.5 million barrels per day (bpd) and Saudi exports more than doubling in September. Standard Chartered sharply raised its oil forecasts, arguing persistent Middle East instability and thin supply buffers will keep prices elevated through 2027. Diesel and European gas remain key pressure points, with Washington weighing fuel-market interventions while Europe confronts winter supply risks. Oil prices pulled back on Tuesday, reversing recent gains as investors weighed signs of export recovery by Middle Eastern producers against uncertainty surrounding the fate of the Iran war. Brent crude for November delivery fell 1.5 per cent to trade at US$103.72 per barrel at 13:10h ET, while West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude for October delivery declined 2.2 per cent to change hands at US$90.62/bbl. Crude exports from the region climbed to 15.5 million barrels per day in September, good for more than 80 per cent of prewar levels and the highest level since the conflict began seven months ago. Saudi Arabia spearheaded the recovery, more than doubling its crude exports from 2.45 million bpd in August to roughly 5.4 million bpd in September after bringing back online parts of the damaged East-West pipeline. And now commodity analysts at Standard Chartered have hiked their oil price forecasts amid stalled diplomacy efforts and regional escalation beyond Iran and Hormuz. StanChart has raised its average Brent crude forecast for 2026 to US$92.00/bbl from its previous forecast at US$85.50/bbl, while WTI crude is now expected to average US$86.00/bbl, up from US$80.25/ bbl. StanChart has also hiked its 2027 oil price forecasts, and now sees Brent averaging US$89.50/bbl from US$77.50/bbl, while WTI crude rises to US$89.50/bbl from US$77.50/bbl. According to StanChart, the global energy market is now confronting a more persistent deterioration in the Middle East security environment, with little prospect of a return to the preconflict status quo and no real pathway to a settlement visible yet. The conflict continues to spill over into a wider regional security problem, with the Houthi/Saudi escalation adding a second front and Saudi Arabia being drawn in deeper. (Excerpt from Oilprice.com)

Spain announces ban on evictions after protests over 87-year-old woman’s “Truly historic”: Morocco’s king appoints 1st woman prime minister removal from flat

Newly-appointed Prime Minister Fatima Ezzahra El Mansouri has served as an urban planning minister and the Mayor of Marrakesh [Jalal Morchidi/EPA]

orocco’s King Mohammed VI has named Fatima Ezzahra El Mansouri as the country’s first female Prime Minister and the second woman ever in the Arab world to serve in the position. The royal palace said in a statement on Tuesday that El Mansouri, a 50-year-old urban planning minister and the Mayor of Marrakesh, was tasked with forming a new government. El Mansouri said in a

US forces exit Iraq

S forces withdrew from their remaining bases in Iraq on Wednesday, raising fears they will leave behind a security vacuum, further embolden Iranian-backed militias and give the resurgent Islamic State group an opening to regroup. The departure, c‌elebrated as a victory by Tehran and its allies, was agreed in 2024 under President Joe Biden and carried out by Donald Trump’s Administration even as it wages war against Iran, which wields influence in Iraq through proxies. It comes 23 years after US-led forces toppled dictator Saddam Hussein, then triggered upheaval and chaos, culminating with the rise of Islamic State.

While the departure of US forces is broadly popular among Iraqis, some worry that security forces trained and funded by the United States still cannot protect the country, where 4500 American forces died in more than 20 years of war. “The lesson from the past two decades is that security vacuums can be extremely dangerous,” said Jassim al-Bahadli, an Iraqi analyst who advises the security forces. Iran, which says its ultimate aim is to force American forces to leave the entire Middle East, casts the US withdrawal from Iraq as a triumph for its “axis of resistance” of allied armed groups across the region. (Excerpt from Reuters)

Protests have taken place in Madrid, Barcelona, Seville, Malaga, and Cadiz in response to the housing crisis [Europa Press via Getty Images]

pain’s coalition government has approved new housing measures following protests over the country’s housing crisis, sparked by the eviction of an 87-year-old woman from her home in Madrid last week. Ministers met on Tuesday to discuss the proposals, which include a ban on evictions until 2030. Announcing the measures, Health Minister Mónica García said they would bring relief to more than five million people – but Opposition politician Míriam Nogueras said the agreement left “small landlords out in the cold”. The proposals – which

have been presented in the form of two decrees – come into effect immediately, but must be approved by Congress within a month, although the Government hopes to hold the vote as soon as this Friday. Pedro Sánchez’s leftist coalition government lacks a majority in parliament and has struggled to get right-leaning parties to approve previous decrees. “It is time to intervene in the speculative housing market and start striking a balance between ordinary citizens and vulture funds,” García said. (Excerpt from BBC News)

guyanatimesgy.com

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2026

ARCHIE

DAILY HOROSCOPES

(March 21-April 19)

Trust your instincts, and put your ego and temper aside. You’ll gain the most if you channel your energy into self-improvement, fitness and helping others. Focus on meaningful relationships. Align yourself with positive people and situations. Staying on top of what’s happening and what’s possible will help ward off any negativity that tries to trickle into your orbit.

PICKLES

(April 20-May 20) You’ll shine as you outmaneuver whoever wants to engage in a battle of wits. When someone lets anger take over, you know you’ve won and can move on to more challenging encounters.

(May 21-June 20) Focus inward. Structure your day around self-improvement, activities that push you to look and feel your best, and spending time with someone who likes you the way you are.

PEANUTS (June 21-July 22)

Put a lid on your emotions until you have the facts. An overactive imagination needs creative direction to benefit you. Keep your thoughts to yourself. Bide your time.

(July 23-Aug. 22) Express your thoughts carefully, with detail, and be willing to consider what others want and need to meet you in the middle. Getting along is the path to better days ahead.

CALVIN AND HOBBES (Aug. 23-Sept. 22)

Don’t let anger take over when your energy will bring higher returns if you focus on professional and domestic adjustments that ease stress through additional security and stability.

(Sept. 23-Oct. 23)

SUDOKU

The less you share, the easier it will be to get things done. Put your energy into physical achievements that set you apart from anyone who wants to compete with you.

(Oct. 24-Nov. 22)

(Nov. 23-Dec. 21)

Having an open mind and plenty of energy will drive you forward. A passionate attitude as well as support from friends, family and associates will give you the courage to let your actions carry your plans through to completion. Precision is necessary in every aspect of your life. Offer only what’s possible. Choose to use both intellect and physical skills to ensure you give your very best to whatever you pursue.

SOLUTION FOR LAST PUBLISHED PUZZLE

(Dec. 22-Jan. 19)

Spending an emotional moment with someone special will help you recognize how you can cut your overhead and bring in more cash. Keep the momentum flowing, let go of the past and embrace new beginnings.

(Jan. 20-Feb. 19) Rethink your strategy before you make a move. Make sure you have your paperwork up to date and your finances in order before dealing with institutions or agencies.

(Feb. 20-March 20)

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2026

Raheem crowned Overall Champion at Essequibo Classic

Athletes at the Essequibo Classic

ssequibo was transformed into a showcase of strength, discipline and athletic excellence as bodybuilding athletes from across Guyana converged for the One Guyana Essequibo Classic, staged with the support of the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport (MCYS). Eighteen competitors took to the stage, each displaying months of dedication, conditioning and preparation before an enthusiastic audience. The

event was further enhanced by the presence of special guests, including reigning Mr Guyana Colin Chesney, Guyana’s newest Pro Card holder Roley Chandler and current Wellness Champion Melitha Anderson. Viji Raheem emerged as the Overall Champion, while Qurian Spellen captured the Miss Essequibo title and Emmerson Bert was crowned Mr Essequibo. Romelton Siland also entertained the audience with a brief fitness and fit-mod-

el showcase, drawing attention with his impressive physique and stage presence. The novelty events added another dimension to the programme, with one participant completing 103 push-ups in one minute, while the deadlift challenge reached an impressive 558 pounds. The female squat competition was equally competitive, with the eventual winner completing 59 repetitions in one minute. President Videsh

Deodat switches sides as Tucber Park beat Blairmont

Nigel Deodat is now a Tucber Park player

ormer Guyana youth cricketer Nigel Deodat is now a Tucber Park player. Deodat stroked a stellar 77 against his former home club, Blairmont as the visiting Tucber Park side recorded a comprehensive 166-run win in the Berbice Cricket Board (BCB) FirstDivision tournament. At the Blairmont

Community Centre Ground, Tucber Park batted first and posted a strong total of 274 for 8 from 42 overs, setting Blairmont a challenging target of 275. Deodat led the charge with an impressive 77 from 62 balls, dropping anchor in the innings. Berbice senior all-rounder Kwesi Mickle

provided valuable support with 56 from 57 balls, while Garfield Benjamin added a brisk 36 from just 21 deliveries to accelerate the scoring. The home team had few answers for Tucber Park’s well-stacked bowling lineup. Blairmont were bowled out for just 108 in 24.2 overs, falling short of the target. Talented and disciplined Guyana Under-19 left-arm spinner Gilbert Griffith was the standout bowler, claiming an excellent 4 for 26. Senior national player Zeynul Ramsammy also impressed with 4 for 35 with his leg-spin, while Mickle completed the bowling effort with 1 for 0. Blairmont’s resistance was led by Antonio Depaul, who top-scored with 16, while Kelston Kisten made 14 and Emanuel Lett contributed 9.

Sookram served as master of ceremonies and guided the programme with energy and purpose. The event also benefited from seamless musical entertainment, while the judging panel of Mr Best, Mrs Ramsammy and Mrs Sookram was commended for its professionalism and fairness. Medals and trophies were presented by Bikini Champions Sabita Stevenson and Errol Teekaram, along with Intiaz Satar, a member of the executive body, and Erik Satar, who played an important

Viji Raheem emerged as the Overall Champion

role in stage management and coordination. The Essequibo Classic ultimately proved to be more than a bodybuilding competition, bringing together athletes, supporters, and members of the wider community in a celebration of discipline, determination and national pride. With continued support from the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport, the event highlighted the potential for sporting talent to emerge from every region of Guyana through consistency, dedication, and hard work.

Man City guilty of “sham” contracts and misleading accounts

anchester City arranged “sham contracts” with a number of commercial partners as part of a scheme to disguise secret funding of more than £830 million, the Premier League says. The League confirmed that City have been found guilty of all charges related to breaches of Premier League financial rules between the 2009-10 and 2017-18 seasons. An independent commission found that, during that time period, the club arranged the “sham contracts” as well as “relying on sham agreements to artificially inflate the club’s revenues and reduce its costs”. The club continue to deny any wrongdoing and have until October 2 to submit an appeal. News broke last week that City had been found guilty of breaking the majority of the 115 financial rules they were accused of breaching, but on Tuesday the Premier League published a redacted version of the commission’s report. The commission’s report said the charges “concerned well over 100 alleged individual breaches of Premier League rules across four broad charge categories”. It also found the club guilty of all charges except one relating to non-cooperation with the Premier League investigation and said that “a number of important club witnesses gave false evidence in key respects and that some knowingly gave untrue and dishonest evidence”. The sham commercial deals were described as being part of a “disguised funding scheme” to the scale of £830.69 million. City recorded £360 million in sponsor fees in the three seasons they won the Premier League – 2011-12, 2013-14,

and 2017-18. Only £43 million of it was legitimate – the rest came from their owners and was disguised. “The relevant sponsorship agreements were found to be shams, or at minimum did not reflect their economic substance,” the commission said. It also describes “deliberate or reckless conduct intended to circumvent the Premier League rules” and that the “sham” scheme devised by City allowed the club “to avoid recording what would otherwise have been the largest single-season loss in Premier League history in 2009-10”. The commission highlighted the scale of evidence it had to consider by pointing out that the index alone ran to more than 750 pages, while the core bundle of documents “ran to many tens of thousands of pages”. City are owned by the Abu Dhabi United Group, who took over the club in 2008 and are referred to as “ADUG” in the commission’s report. Richard Masters, chief executive of the Premier League, said: “The core decision establishes the facts of what happened at Manchester City during this period. It details how the club systematically broke Premier League rules for nearly a decade. “It also vindicates the Premier League’s decision to pursue this case against Manchester City. While the process to date has been both long and difficult, the League has remained determined that the facts be established independently. “It is a key responsibility of the Premier League to ensure that the rules, approved by the clubs themselves, are upheld to protect the integrity of the competition. It is paramount that the League remains competitive and fair for

all clubs and for the fans. We take that role extremely seriously.” The Premier League also said that City’s sanction “will be addressed separately in a further hearing with the independent commission”. League rules state that the hearing must remain private and confidential. Lisa Nandy, MP, the Culture, Media and Sport Secretary, told the BBC: “It’s incredibly serious, the Premier League report is incredibly stark. “This is causing a lot of concern for Man City fans and all fans of Premier League football.” David Bernstein, who was City Chairman between 1998 and 2003, said the “credibility of the Premier League is at stake” after the verdict. “It is damning beyond belief. They’ve [the Premier League] talked about producing false documentation and a panel of behaviour over a number of years which is quite unbelievable,” Bernstein said. “There’s always a school of thought with lawyers that you always deny, deny, deny, until the last, but this a football club that is part of a league, and the whole credibility of the Premier League and competition is at stake here. This is very serious and I wonder if the accusations are so, that whether some of these issues might need to be referred to authorities outside of the league. “The sanctions cannot just be financial. Money doesn’t mean much to the Abu Dhabi owners. If this all stands up and the appeal fails, Manchester City cannot stay in the Premier League – they have to suffer a serious penalty that takes them out of the Premier League and I say that as a supporter and fan of 70 years.” (BBC Sport)

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2026

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Downes claims Round 2 honours at NTFGL Tour #3 …as Promotech, Genuine Auto Spares and Tools continue support

he lush greens of the Lusignan Golf Club (LGC) provided the perfect setting on Sunday, September 27, as the National Top Flight Golf League (NTFGL) continued Tour #3 with an exciting Round 2, sponsored by Promotech and Genuine Auto Spares and Tools. Under bright sunshine and ideal playing conditions, golfers took to the course ea-

ger to test their skills, sharpen their games and build momentum as the tournament progresses. The course was in excellent condition, providing a challenging yet enjoyable test for the players, with the dedicated ground crew, led by Brian Hackett, receiving special thanks for their continued work in maintaining the playing surface. The competition produced

some impressive scores, with newcomer Oliver Downes emerging as the day’s top performer. Downes carded a net 71, including a net 32 on the back nine, to claim top honours and collect 10 valuable points. Another new member, George Bulkan, finished with a net 72, but endured two tiebreakers during the day. He first lost the front-nine tiebreaker to Joseph Szeplaki,

Flying Stars launches 3-race memorial cycling series for October-November

who secured two points with a net 35. Bulkan later faced another tiebreaker for second place after matching Mike Mangal’s net 72. Mangal prevailed to claim second place and five points, while Bulkan settled for third and three points. The battle for fourth and fifth was equally competitive, with Patrick Prashad and Ian Gouveia both posting net 74. Prashad’s net 35 on the back nine secured the tiebreaker and earned him two points, while Gouveia collected one point. With 10 players already earning points in the third round, the standings are beginning to take shape. Downes leads with 10 points, followed by Chet Bowling and Mangal on eight each, while Videsh Persaud has five. The excitement continues on Sunday, October 4, when golfers return to the lush fairways for the next round, with players expected to step up their practice and competition as Tour #3 intensifies.

Newcomer Oliver Downes is the latest winner in the Promotech, Genuine Auto Spares and Tools NTFGL Tour #3

GDF maul Riddim Squad as Isun O-40 Football continues

The Flying Stars Cycle Club has officially launched its 2026 Tri-Fector Criterium Memorial Series, with three races scheduled across Georgetown, Mahaicony, and Linden

he Flying Stars Cycle Club has officially launched its 2026 Tri-Fector Criterium Memorial Series, with three races scheduled across Georgetown, Mahaicony and Linden between October 24 and November 1. Club founder Victor Rutherford announced the programme during the launch of the club’s 2026 Cycling Memorial Activities, outlining a proposed schedule that begins on Saturday, October 24 at the Vlissengen Road Circuit in Georgetown. The second event is set for Saturday, October 31 in Mahaicony, while the series is expected to conclude on Sunday, November 1 in Linden. The memorial activities, now entering their fifth year, honour former members of the cycling fraternity Rudolph “Duckie” Singh, Aubrey Gordon, and Mark Conway. The initiative initially began as the Duckie Memorial in recognition of Singh, a former president

of the Flying Stars Cycle Club, before being expanded to remember Gordon and Conway. Rutherford said the races were intended to preserve the contributions of those who helped to shape cycling while also giving experienced and emerging cyclists opportunities to compete. He noted that while competition remains an important part of the events, the memorial series also serves to preserve the sport’s history, strengthen friendships within the cycling community and expose younger riders to the legacy of those who came before them. The Flying Stars Cycle Club was established in 1972 after Rutherford saw a need for stronger representation within the Cycling Federation of Guyana. More than five decades later, the organisation continues to play a role in the development of the sport. Among those who have served as presidents of the club are Neville Rutherford, Donald Robinson, Singh,

and Hector Edwards. The club has also been represented over the years by several notable cyclists, including Neville and Cyril Hunte, Errol McLean, Dennis Medford, and Randolph Toussaint. Rutherford used the launch to encourage younger cyclists to learn more about the history of the sport while urging experienced riders to share their knowledge with the next generation. He also expressed appreciation to the Office of the Prime Minister, National Sports Commission, Dr Rhonda Archer, Sara Parris, DaSilva Optical, Louis London Jr, Lorraine Darnley, the Rutherford family, Bernard Super Store, ANSA McAL, and the Singh family for supporting the memorial activities. The club is hoping the three events will once again attract cyclists, families, and supporters as it continues its annual tradition of remembering past contributors while providing competitive opportunities for present and future riders.

The GDF Masters team

he Isun-Health Conscious-sponsored “One Love” Masters Over-40 Football competition is set to continue on Thursday, October 1 following a series of exciting results at Parade Ground in Georgetown over the weekend. In the first match-up, Thomas United Football Club Masters suffered a 0-2 loss at the hands of Linden Masters. Then, the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) team drubbed Riddim Squad Masters mercilessly, sending eight unanswered goals past them. Beacon FC Masters nee-

dled East Coast Masters 1-0 while Linden Masters pulled off another win, defeating Thomas United 1-0. The O-40 Masters competition will continue tomorrow, Thursday at the Plaisance Ground on the East Coast of Demerara (ECD) with a double-header. The first match-up will see the Guyana Defence Force opposing Riddim Squad Masters again at 20:00h while Beacon and East Coast Masters do battle in their return fixture at 21:00h. The competition will head into the semi-final round this Saturday,

October 4, billed for Parade Ground at 13:00h. in addition, the third-place playoff and final are also scheduled for Saturday. The championship-winning team will cart off a $200,000 grand prize and trophy while the runners-up will have to settle for $100,000. The third-place finisher will pocket $60,000 while fourth place receive $40,000. Individual accolades such as Most Valuable Player (MVP), Highest Goal Scorer, Best Midfielder, Best Defender, Best Goalkeeper, and Best Coach will also be awarded.

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WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2026

est Indies Women will look to complete a One-Day International (ODI) series victory when they face Zimbabwe Women in the third and final match from 03:30h today, with the series locked at 1-1. The match comes on the heels of a significant milestone for veteran leg-spinner Afy Fletcher, who became the first player from Grenada to reach 100 Women’s ODI appearances with the second ODI. Fletcher described the achievement as both an

honour and a proud moment, particularly given the significance of representing her homeland on the international stage. “Well, I must say it’s really an honour and a huge accomplishment. I never expected it,” Fletcher said, “But to achieve that, to be the first Grenadian, I’m always proud representing my country. And also, an honour representing the Caribbean way in the maroon colours. So, it is indeed a proud moment.” The 39-year-old said her longevity has brought valu-

able lessons, including the importance of discipline, hard work, humility, and respect for the game. The spinner divulged, “I didn’t expect to play all those games and represent the country for this long or the Caribbean for this long. But I mean, through the journey, you know, you learn to be humble and respect the game. You learn, you make new friends, culture, you know, you learn to be disciplined, work hard and also put trust in the Most High for, you know, giving you this longevity in

…Surinamese pair rule women’s division

Velazquez, Harding capture End Game men’s title

Guyana’s Juan Velazquez and Vance Harding completed an unbeaten run to capture the men’s title at the End Game Beach Volleyball Tournament 2026

uyana’s Juan Velazquez and Vance Harding completed an unbeaten run to capture the men’s title at the End Game Beach Volleyball Tournament 2026, while Suriname’s Ketura Heijmans and Gianina Stewart claimed the women’s championship when the two-day competition concluded on Sunday. The tournament, organised by the Guyana Beach Volleyball Association (GBVA), was held on September 26 and 27 and featured players from Guyana, Suriname and the Cayman Islands. Local players also travelled from Linden and the Rupununi to compete alongside their Georgetown counterparts. Velazquez and Harding entered Sunday’s decisive stage following a dominant opening day in Group A, where they won all three of their matches without dropping a set. The Guyanese pair won all six sets and finished the preliminary stage with nine points before carrying that form into the knockout phase. They eventually secured the men’s championship ahead of Evgenii Titov and Daniel Joseph, who finished second. Kenneth Glidden and Andrea Tognazzo of the

Cayman Islands claimed third place. Group B had been tightly contested on the opening day, with Glidden and Tognazzo, Micah Chichester and Clarence Lucius, and Titov and Joseph each recording two wins and one loss to finish on five points. Glidden and Tognazzo led the group with five sets won, while Chichester and Lucius and Titov and Joseph each secured four. Ryan Reid and Antuan Stephen finished with three points, while Neyo Robinson and Fabio Philips completed the group. In Group A, Josua Jackson and Kauan Lima Do Nascimento finished behind Velazquez and Harding with six points, while Tayshaun Griffith and Anphany Fredericks recorded three. Kai James and Akon Holder completed the group. Meanwhile, Heijmans and Stewart were equally impressive in the women’s competition. The Surinamese pair went unbeaten in three opening-day matches, winning all six sets and collecting nine points before completing their campaign with the championship. Guyana’s Joyce Simon and June Lewis secured second place, while the Cayman Islands pair of Elise Marie

and Julissa Kelly took third. Simon and Lewis had ended the opening day on four points. Kim Chan-Bagot and Semira Greene, Kelly and Swaby, and Precia Griffith and Jamayfia Smith each recorded three points, while Sonia Agapchenko and Aliyah Blackman advanced with two points after winning four sets. The remaining teams returned on Sunday for the qualifiers before the competition moved into the semifinals and finals. The first-place teams in both divisions received $100,000, while second-place finishers collected $60,000 and third-place teams received $40,000. According to the GBVA, the tournament gave Guyanese players an opportunity to test themselves against regional opposition and different playing styles. The inclusion of players from Georgetown, Linden and the Rupununi also highlighted the expanding reach of beach volleyball locally. The GBVA said the response from players, supporters, and spectators contributed to the successful staging of the tournament and provided useful experience as the association continues efforts to develop the sport and create more opportunities for local and regional competition. The tournament received support from A+ Printing & Embroidery; Autopit Signs; Dagron Tours; Sagacity Inc; CinNex Inc; Kurt Gonsalves & Associates Architects and Building Consultants; Guyana Volleyball Federation; Guyana Tourism Authority; K&A Painting; Anil Lalsa Construction; Massy Distribution Guyana Inc; Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport; Sonic Business Services; James Variety Store; One Stop Realty Investment Inc; KS General Services and Star Party Rental. The GBVA also thanked officials, volunteers, supporters and the visiting players from Suriname and the Cayman Islands for contributing to the tournament.

West Indies Women and Afy Fletcher will be hoping to secure a series victory today

the journey.” Fletcher also acknowledged the support system that has helped sustain her international career. “And I must say, thanks to the support of everyone around you to make the journey possible,” she add-

ed.

With the series now evenly poised, Fletcher knows West Indies must improve in key areas, particularly after shortcomings with the bat in the second encounter. “I think that we had

some failures in the department, especially with the batting, but, you know, we can’t dwell on that,” Fletcher shared. “We just have to refocus, revisit where the mistakes happen and, you know, it’s important, it’s an important game tomorrow and it’s an important game for some points also for the qualifiers.” The veteran spinner called for a focused approach in the deciding contest, with West Indies needing to execute their skills and remain confident in their abilities. “I think that we just need to refocus and be ready and be prepared and be in the right frame of mind, you know, to come away and compete as we always do, and, you know, to give a good performance and, you know, believe in ourselves and our ability and our skills and trust the process.” The third ODI, therefore, carries added significance, with West Indies seeking to close out the series while also strengthening their position in the race for qualification points. For Fletcher, however, the occasion also provides another opportunity to add to a remarkable international journey that has already seen her become Grenada’s first woman to reach the 100-ODI milestone.

Spain extend unbeaten run to 40 with Yamal double

Spain players celebrate after scoring a goal against Croatia in the Nations League

amine Yamal fired a double as Spain cruised to a 4-1 win against Croatia in Seville on Tuesday to open up a threepoint lead at the top of their Nations League group. Yamal’s early opener was cancelled out by Dion Beljo and, after Marc Pubill notched his first goal for Spain, the Barcelona forward struck his second before Nico Williams’ late effort completed the scoring. Four days after beating England 3-2 at Wembley, world champions Spain eased to another victory and extended their record-breaking unbeaten run to 40 matches. Yamal scored inside two minutes in Spain’s 3-2 win against England on Saturday and did so again against Croatia, despatch-

ing a low shot into the bottom corner after being picked out by Álex Baena inside the box. Baena was then denied by Croatia goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic and in the 19th minute, Pau Cubarsi’s effort from outside the penalty area flew narrowly wide. Croatia had barely threatened before Beljo headed home Ivan Perisic’s cross to equalise in the 28th minute, but the visitors were not on level terms for long. Yamal this time turned provider as his cross following a corner was met by Pubill’s close-range header to put Spain 2-1 up in the 31st minute. Fermín López twice went close for Spain before the Barcelona forward’s shot

just before halftime struck a post. Croatia carried more of a threat after the restart, with Marco Pasalic and then Beljo having efforts blocked. But Spain doubled their lead shortly after the hourmark when Yamal combined with Barca teammate Pedri to arrow a left-footed shot from a tight angle into the bottom corner. Spain forward Víctor Muñoz headed inches wide and fellow substitute Williams was also off target before Croatia responded through Franjo Ivanovic’s angled effort. The Spaniards were still not finished though. Livakovic saved well to keep out Pedri’s shot before Williams lashed home their fourth goal from inside the penalty area in the 89th minute after being teed up by Mikel Merino. (ESPN)

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Sport Ministry, Lahore Qalandars ink MoU …high-performance cricket, athlete/coach development among key areas

uyana’s cricket is set to receive a major boost with the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport (MCYS) entering into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Lahore Qalandars of the Pakistan Super League (PSL). The Lahore Qalandars are the most successful team in PSL winning three PSL Championships (2022, 2023, and 2025). According to the Ministry, the MoU – signed by the Owner and Team Director of the Lahore Qalandars, Sameen Rana; Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, Charles Ramson, Jr; and Minister within the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport, Steven Jacobs – establishes a framework for cooperation in high-performance cricket, athlete and coach development, technical exchange, and interna-

Snapshots from the MoU signing between Lahore Qalandars Director Sameen Rana and Sport Ministers Charles Ramson Jr and Steven Jacobs

tional collaboration. Under the framework, the Guyana Cricket Board will serve as the Ministry’s principal technical partner, providing technical expertise and support in the development and implementation of cricket-related programmes and initiatives. The collaboration will

provide opportunities for player and coach exchanges, high-performance training, coaching education, talent identification, and the sharing of technical knowledge and expertise. It also provides for the potential establishment of joint cricket camps, coaching clinics, youth development programmes, women’s cricket

initiatives, and other activities aimed at strengthening cricket at all levels. A key focus of the partnership will be the exchange of technical expertise and international best practices. This will strengthen Guyana’s capacity to develop and sustain high-performance cricket pathways, while providing athletes and coaches with greater exposure to international standards, methodologies, and practice. The Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport noted that it will continue to pursue strategic international partnerships that advance talent development for Guyanese athletes and coaches, strengthen the country’s sporting systems, and contribute to the continued growth and international competitiveness of Guyana’s sport.

Maiden ODI ton, then GCF names 9-member squad for injury blow for Greaves Caribbean Elite and U23 Championships

West Indies’ men will be looking to level the series today

est Indies will return to action against India in the second One-Day International (ODI) today, but will do so without Justin Greaves, who has been ruled out after sustaining a calf injury during his maiden ODI century in the opening match of the series. The second ODI is scheduled for a 04:30h start at the ACA Stadium in Guwahati, with India holding a 1-0 lead after winning the first match by eight wickets. Greaves produced one of the highlights for the West Indies in the opening encounter, scoring his maiden ODI hundred as the visitors posted 295 for seven from their 50 overs. His innings formed part of a strong batting effort after West Indies had lost early wickets. Reflecting on his breakthrough century, Greaves attributed the performance to discipline and a clear understanding of his responsibilities at the top of the order. “I think it’s come down to a lot of hard work and a lot of discipline in terms of going out there, understanding my role as well in terms of opening the batting in white-ball cricket, to bat as long as possible, to bat as deep as possible and,

you know, to help the team get those big scores.” Greaves also acknowledged that the West Indies’ total ultimately fell short against India’s f o r midable batting line-up, which chased down the target with 50 balls remaining. T h e all-rounder, however, saw positives in the overall batting performance, highlighting the contributions of John Campbell, Amir Jangoo, and Roston Chase. “In terms of us as a group, I think we did some things really, really well today. Again, talking about the start between John Campbell and myself, we slowed a bit, but then I think Amir played a very, very good innings as well as Roston.”

Greaves said the experience was also important as the West Indies continue preparations for the International Cricket Council (ICC) 50-over World Cup qualification campaign. “It’s just understanding where we need to be in terms of going into the qualifiers and, you know, trying to get that momentum.” His absence now provides another opportunity for the West Indies squad to test its batting depth against an Indian side ranked number one in ODI cricket. Cricket West Indies (CWI) had already identified the series as an important opportunity to assess players in key roles ahead of the long-

WI centurion from the last game, Justin Greaves is set to miss today’s game through injury

term World Cup objective. T h e West Indies will, therefore, seek a stronger allround performance in Guwahati as they attempt to level the three-match series, with the third ODI scheduled for October 3 in New Chandigarh.

National Under-23 champion Ajani Cutting is among four riders selected in the U23 category

he Guyana Cycling Federation (GCF) has finalised a nine-member team to represent the country at the 2026 Caribbean Elite and Under-23 Road Cycling Championships in the Dominican Republic next month. Current national road race champion Briton John headlines the five-man Elite squad, while national Under-23 champion Ajani Cutting is among four riders selected in the younger category. John will be joined in the Elite division by Alex Mendes, Andre Greene, Segun Hubbard and Devendra Sahadeo. Cutting, meanwhile, will compete alongside Aaron Newton, Sidwell Sandy, and Mark Lewis in the Under-23 ranks.

The championships will run from October 9 to 12, with the Individual Time Trial (ITT) scheduled for Saturday, October 10, followed by the Individual Road Race (IRR) on Sunday, October 11. Guyana will enter the regional event with several riders carrying experience from previous championships, including John and Newton, who produced notable performances at the 2025 edition in Belize City, Belize. Newton delivered Guyana’s standout result at those championships when he captured the silver medal in the Men’s Under-23 Individual Time Trial. His return gives the national team a proven medal performer heading into this year’s competition. John was also among Guyana’s strongest per-

formers in Belize, producing top-10 finishes in both Elite events. He placed eighth overall in the Men’s Elite ITT before returning to finish 10th in the demanding 164.4-kilometre IRR. The national champion will again be expected to feature prominently as Guyana’s Elite riders test themselves against some of the Caribbean’s leading cyclists. Cutting will also enter the championships as one of Guyana’s leading Under-23 prospects after securing the national title in that division. The Caribbean Elite and U23 Championships will bring together cyclists from across the region, with Guyana seeking strong performances in both the time trial and road race disciplines.

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2026

Sport is no longer our game, it’s our business

Lahore Qalandars ink MoU

…high-performance cricket, athlete/coach development among key areas Pg 23

GCF names 9-member squad for Caribbean Elite Maiden ODI ton, and then injury blow U23 Championships for Greaves Pg 23

Current national road race champion Briton John headlines the five-man Elite squad

Pg 23

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