Israel kills more than 70 as dozens covered under the rubbles in Gaza yesterday
...Latest deadly attack at US-backed aid hub kills eight Palestinians seeking food on second day of Eid al-Adha
closeto$2 billioninnew imagingsuite
-togetfirstMRImachine inpublichealthsystem
U.S. hails relationship with Guyana to combat narcotics trafficking
Bodies of Palestinians at Gaza City's al-Shifa hospital, who were killed in Israeli strikes, on June 7, 2025 [Mahmoud Issa/Reuters]
No portion of Kaieteur Oil Block returned
To date,no portion of the Kaieteur Block has been relinquished.Theagreement for the block spanning 3.3 million acres was signed in April 2015 between Guyanese authorities and ExxonMobil Guyana Limited (EMGL), the previous operator of the block, which led a consortium consisting Hess Corporation, Ratio Energy Ltd. and Cataleya Energy Ltd.
Thoughsignedoffatthat time, Exxon and its partners were only allowed to conduct any works pertaining to the block in 2017. This approval was grantedontheconditionthat
only 40 percent of the block canbeexploredtosteerclear of aggressive tactics from Venezuela.
A 3D seismic survey acquired for the southern portion of the block covered 5,750km2 and provided the foundation for maturing a significant prospect inventoryontheblock.
A single prospect has been drilled to date, which resultedinasub-commercial oil discovery The ExxonMobil-operated Tanager-1 well, which was drilled in August 2020, encountered16metresofnet oil pay, a discovery of approximately 65 million barrels of oil in the prospect area, based on independent
Guyana
estimates by Netherland, Sewell & Associates Inc. (NSAI) However, this discovery was considered to be non-commercial as a standalonedevelopment.
However, in spite of a number of subsequent postponements, the operator at that time, ExxonMobil, had decided not to exercise its option to drill a second wellontheblock.
In September 2023, it was announced by Ratio Petroleum Energy Limited Partnership that both ExxonMobil and Hess had electedtowithdrawfromthe Kaieteur Block and return their participating interests to the original Kaieteur Licence holders, Ratio Guyana Limited (RGL) and Cataleya Energy Limited (CEL).
Ratio and Cataleya then soughtgovernmentapproval to reassign the participating interests, so that RGL and CEL will each retain a 50% participating interest, and to appointRGLastheoperator oftheblock.
Under the terms of the Kaieteur Petroleum Agreement, and upon submissionofanapplication toenterthesecondextension period, the participating interests on the block will have until February 2025 to commit to drilling a well, before having to relinquish 20percentoftheblock,orif it so wishes, the entire contractarea.
However, on November 17, 2024 Ratio Petroleum reported that a one-year extension,toFebruary2026, had been granted to the drilling decision date. An unofficial English t r a n s l a t i o n o f a n announcement by Ratio Petroleum states that a formal request was submitted to Guyana’s M
) in November 2024, seeking an
extension of the exploration period. It was stated that the extension was requested on the basis of technical and economic findings, according to the translated document.
Ratio, in the statement, said that the ministry confirmed receipt of the r e q u e s t , a d d i n g , “Accordingly,thepartnersin the block are expected to receive an update from the Guyanese authorities on whether additional explorationactivitieswillbe approved or whether the block (or part of it) will be relinquished, by February 2026.”
Kaieteur News had reportedthatattheendofthe firsttwoyears,bringingitto 2019,Exxonwasrequiredto “relinquish25percentofthe contract area and commit to work programme in phase two.”
This never happened. In the next 24 months that would follow, 2019 to 2021, Exxon was required to relinquish 20 percent of the block or the entire contract area. As a result of the COVID-19pandemic,which hadhittheseshoresinMarch 2020,Exxonhadapproached regulators for a one-year
extension, thereby taking its period of relinquishment to 2022.AcheckoftheMNR’s website shows that to date, no relinquishment has been made.
Despite the exit of ExxonMobilandHess,Ratio
and Cataleya remain committed to finding a new partner to help move exploration forward. Ratio
Petroleum has publicly stated its intention to farm downaportionofitsinterest andbringinanewdeepwater operator with the technical and financial capacity to pursue further drilling. The final decision by the Government of Guyana will becriticalindeterminingthe futureoftheKaieteurBlock.
The Kaieteur Block is locatedinthedeepwaterarea of Guyana’s offshore territory, part of the prolific Guyana-Suriname Basin
This region has gained global attention in recent years following over 20 major oil discoveries, many of which were made by ExxonMobil Guyana LimitedanditspartnersHess and CNOOC in the nearby StabroekBlock.
The Stabroek Block discoveries have placed Guyanaonthemapasoneof
the world’s most promising frontier oil provinces, with an estimated 11.6 billion barrels of recoverable resourcesalreadyconfirmed.
N o t a b l y , t h e relinquishmentof20%ofthe Stabroek Block is now nine monthspastthedeadline.An April 2025 statement issued by MNR noted that the requirementsareexpectedto be completed “shortly” without offering a specific timelineforcompletion. Under the terms of the 2016 Production Sharing Agreement (PSA), Exxon is required to return acreage where no commercial discoveries have been made in production, appraised or areaswherethereispotential commercialinterest.
Exxon was required to returnaportionoftheBlock to Guyana since October 2023; however, former PresidentDavidGrangerhad granted the company an extensionin2020toconduct further exploration activities.
This extended the deadline to October 2024. The most recent disclosure from the ministry reiterated that it is still finalising the r e v i e w o f t h e relinquishment.
Kaieteur News
Printed and Published by National Media & Publishing Company Ltd. 24 Saffon Street, Charlestown, Georgetown, Guyana.
Publisher: DR. GLENN LALL - TEL: 624-6456
Editor-In-Chief: NIGEL WILLIAMS
Tel: 225-8465, 225-8491. Fax: 225-8473, 226-8210
EDITORIAL
Oil governments
The people of Guyana have been failed by successive Guyana Governments In October, 2016, the APNU+AFC Coalition Government failed Guyanese with that oil contract thatitsignedwithExxonMobilrelativetotheStabroekBlock Guyanesearenowyokedtoanoilcontractthathaseffectively converted their great wealth to a state of almost perpetual economic slavery to ExxonMobil In June 2025, the PPPC Government,inessence,hungthespecterofbankruptcyonthe headsofGuyanese ThiscameaboutwhenPresidentIrfaanAli assented to the Oil Pollution Prevention, Preparedness, Response and Responsibility Bill making it part of Guyana's laws(OilPollutionLaw)
The Coalition Government-signed oil contract has the impregnable shield of “sanctity of contract”, according to President Ali, Vice President Jagdeo, and Attorney General Nandlall Thecontractissacred,whichmakesitinviolable The GuyanaGovernment,andGuyanaitself,therefore,hasnoroom tomaneuver. Now,asiftoone-upthedamaginghandiworkof the APNU+AFC Coalition, the PPPC Government came up withthisdangerousOilPollutionLaw.
TheCoalitionGovernmentledbyPresidentDavidGranger gaveupthemoneyfromoilthatshouldhavecometoGuyana, almost nine years ago Aweek ago, the PPPC Government underthepresidencyofDr IrfaanAligaveupthesecurityshield thatbelongstoallGuyana TheOilPollutionLawdoesnotgive Guyanathekindofcoveragethatitmayneed,shouldtherebea hugeoilspilloffshore,andthedevastationspreadstoneighbors intheregion Guyanamaybeabletogotothecourtsovertheoil contract,ifonlytotestitssanctity,buttheoddsofsucceedingare tall InrespectoftheOilPollutionLaw,Guyanaiseffectively barredfromapproachingtheExxonMobilparentcorporationto cover liabilities, should there be the kind of oil spill of such consequencethatsuchastepisdemanded
Onegovernmenthandedoverthebulkoftheoilmoneyto ExxonMobil, via that 2016 contract The other government handedtoExxonMobilparentcompany,alawthatindemnifies itfromfullliabilityintheeventofacatastrophicoilspill
Byanystandard,caneithertheAPNU+AFCorthePPPCbe thoughtofasnationalgovernmentsthatliveduptothatname, anddidtheirdutybytheirpeople? Weatthispublicationhave extremedifficultywithsuchathought,anysuchposture,andfor thebestofreasons Bothgovernments,andtheirleaders,have allowedthemselvestobeoutmaneuveredandoutgunnedbythe men of ExxonMobil The leaders of both governments have made themselves look like amateurs in the hands of ExxonMobil'sCEO,DarrenWoods,andExxonMobil'sGuyana CountryHead,AlistairRoutledge
The APNU+AFC Coalition Government did, and many Guyanesearelefthungrydespitedailyoilproductionstandingat over650,000barrels
What kind of national government upturns a judicial decision that calls for a full parent company guarantee in the event of a major offshore oil spill, by focusing on an anemic subsidiary, and not the wealthy parent company? The PPPC Governmentdidthat,andGuyananowdoesn'thavethefallback option of going after ExxonMobil itself if the worse were to occur The APNU+AFC Coalition and PPPC Governments havenotbeenoilgovernments,theyhaveoilgoofballs
Kaieteur M@ilbox
Comparing World Bank and Bank of Guyana employment statistics with PPP claims about new jobs
Dear
Editor,
In October 2023, Vice President Jagdeo claimed that the PPP had fulfilled a PPP Manifesto promise by creating 50,000 jobs [https://newsroom gy/wpcontent/uploads/2019/11/pd fresizercom-pdf-resize pdf ], in just over 3 years since returning to power, but without providing any evidence for his claim (https://wwwstabroeknews com/2023/10/12/news/guya na/govt-h
promise-by-creating-50000jobs-jagdeo/).
InMay2025,TaraSingh claimed the Government addedmorethan60,000jobs between 2020 and 2024, but providednoURLorcitation; (https://wwwstabroeknews com/2025/05/30/opinion/let t
In the table below, we assemble data on Guyana’s employment garnered from the World Bank country profile overview and the Bank of Guyana annual report for 2024, table 11-III. The World Bank uses a modelfromtheInternational Labour Organization (ILO) to estimate the number of unemployed as % of the labour force. We estimated the number of employed persons as (labour force x (100 – percentage unemployed) / 100). We extracted employment figures for 2020 and 2021 alsofromtheGuyanalabour force survey by the Bureau of Statistics (November 2021).
TheBureau’sfiguresof 251,000in2020and264,900 in 2021 match reasonably well our estimates of 265,600in2020and268,800 in2021.
In contrast, the Private Sector Commission’s (PSC) e s t i m a t e o f 4 7 % employment of the labour
force in December 2023 (= 149,000)differsgreatlyfrom (is only about half of) the ILO-basedestimate.
From our table above, employment may have increased 2020-2024 by 285,700 – 265,500 = 20,200 overthesefiveyears.
FromPressreports,we (Continueonpage5)
Kaieteur M@ilbox Kaieteur M@ilbox
Ms. Walton Desir possesses the qualifications necessary to serve as president
DearEditor, I wish to offer my commendation to the author ofthatlettertitled“WhyNot
Amanza” , dated and publishedonJune3,2025. Mr Rawle Blackman must be commended for
highlighting the importance of women assuming the leadership role in Guyana and not any woman but
Let's vote for change and a united Guyana
DearEditor, Guyana is currently navigating a pivotal and dynamic general election period, marked by fierce political rivalry among various parties vying for leadership. As the electoral landscapeunfolds,theruling incumbent party appears poised to implement robust strategies aimed at safeguarding its position
against an array of challengers. Central to this political discourse is the emerging Mohamed team, whichisbeingpresentedasa compelling alternative for thenation'sleadership.
Recent international casesservetohighlighthow political narratives can shift dramatically over time Take, for instance, Brazil’s former president, whose journey from imprisonment toreclaimingthepresidency underscores a powerful narrative of resilience
Likewise, in the United States, Donald Trump’s ability to navigate complex legal challenges and still emerge victorious illustrates a palpable public yearning for transformative change after enduring long-term governance by a singular party Themajorityofpeople in Guyana don’t want the PPP administration because it seeks to maintain power for an extended period, thereby fostering corruption andauthoritariancontrol. Amid this backdrop, dissatisfaction with the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) is beginning to swell, as citizens passionately express their grievances regardingthestarkeconomic divide between affluent allies and the everyday struggles faced by the general populace This discontent is particularly pronounced amid escalating living costs and the glaring
lack of job opportunities available to the nation’s y
W
government initiatives, such
garnered praise, a growing chorus of voices suggests that a shift in leadership mightbeimperativeafterthe party’sfour-yeartenure.
The current political climate indicates a keen desire among many citizens to explore alternatives to both the reigning PPP and the PNC/APNU coalition.A spotlight is shining on presidential hopeful Azruddin Mohamed, a figure known for his youthful energy and entrepreneurial spirit Recognized for his innovative ideals, Mr Mohamed champions fresh perspectives aimed at nurturingdevelopmentin (Continueonpage6)
Comparing World Bank and Bank...
can account for extra employment from three government schemes since 2020:15,283inthepart-time Pathwaysproject,G$40,000 p e r m o n t h ; 2 , 7 0 0 Amerindian Community Support Officers (CSOs); and 6,484 in the ENGAGE project; a total of 24,467. None of these three projects o f f e r s f u l l - t i m e employment.
We cannot account for P P P / C c l a i m s o f employment increases of 50,000 or 60,000 new jobs over2020-2024period.
WewonderwhetherTara Singhmightusehisaccessto thePPP/Cgovernmenttoget authorization for the release of employment data from 2021-2024 compiled by the
Bureau of Statistics. That would hopefully provide definitive answers It is natural for an incumbent government to issue glossy claimsinthemonthsbeforea national election But doubling the verifiable data, and including part-time, discretionary employment, suggests a government ruling by seat-of-pants and notbyevidence. When37% ofthenationalbudgetcomes from the pitiful gleanings from the crafty, not to say deceitful, oil consortium led by ExxonMobil (Chris Ram
inpart159ofhiscolumnThe Road to First Oil, Stabroek News, 06 June 2025), the citizens of Guyana need a more alert, analytical and evidence-based government than is shown by the exaggerated claims to have generated new jobs in the period2020-2024.
JanetteBulkan
AndreBrandli
AlfredBhulai
KenrickHunte
DarshanandKhusial
JoePersaud
On behalf of OGGN, www.OGGN.org
someone like Ms. Amanza Walton-Desirwhopossesses fervour, assertiveness, debonairandzeal.
Mr Blackman rightfully alluded to CARICOM countries such as Trinidad, Barbados and Suriname, which are along that trajectory of having Female headsofstate.
As far as I recalled, Guyana's only female President was Janet Rosenberg-Jagan, who served from December 19, 1997toAugust11,1999and afterwards no other female was given or offered the highest portfolio in the country Ms. Walton-Desir, on numerous occasions, has displayed competence and proactivity like other Opposition Members of Parliament as it relates to matters of importance, such as the government’s lackadaisical approach towardstheongoingGuyana /Venezuela border controversy Regarding diplomacy, Ms. Desir ad nauseumhasemphasizedthe necessityforthegovernment to uphold reliable connections throughout the ABCEcapitals,CARICOM, Africa, the Pacific, Brazil, Colombia, and India Although she acknowledges the growing power of China and Russia, she maintains that Guyana's foreign policy
must be based on national interest rather than ideologicalantiquity In our numerous conversations, we have developed a strong rapport. Notably, Ms. Walton-Desir h a s c o n s i s t e n t l y demonstratedhumilityanda keen sense of awareness when participating in meaningful discussions about youth development andempowermentonalocal level. Given the significant changes in our society, where many women are thriving in traditionally male-dominated fields like technology, engineering, aviation, and petroleum exploration,Isincerelyhope that the PNCR/APNU Opposition, to which Madam Walton-Desir belongs, will give her the chancetoflourishinthearea ofleadership.
I am thrilled that Dr SimonaBroomes,awomanI alsorespect,startedherown political party called the "Assembly For Liberty & Prosperity" (ALP) and is eager to assume leadership rolesinhernation.
This is a clear indication ofwomenwhoareinterested incomingtotheforefrontin leadership, but it is if they will be afforded such opportunities given our misogynisticsociety
However, misogyny
should no longer be an excuse, given our diverse population,butratherathing of the past, which continues tobeanimpedimenttothose who are competent in their expertise.
Article 29 of Guyana's Constitution reminds us that “Women’s participation in thevariousmanagementand decision-making processes, whether private, public or state, shall be encouraged and facilitated by laws enacted for that purpose or otherwise.”
There is still room for improvement, even though there are initiatives to put women in leadership positions, such as the Georgetown Chamber of CommerceandIndustryand Private Sector Commission, which recently elected its first female president, Ms. KathySmith.
Inlightofthis,Isincerely hope Ms. Walton-Desir is given the chance to occupy suchapositioninGuyana,as many people, including myself,wouldwelcomeher
We hear talks of gender equality, well, this means that our male counterparts should not be intimidated if this comes into fruition, but ratherbesupportive.
Jagdeo blames AFC for Guyana having lowest tax-to-GDP ratio
- says people have to decide whether it is good or bad
Kaieteur M@ilbox Kaieteur M@ilbox
Racial commentary has no place in the political arena of modern Guyana
DearEditor,
I have taken careful note of recent remarks made by David Hinds and Winston Jordan. It is time to remind bothgentlemen—andindeed all those in public life—that racial commentary has no placeinthepoliticalarenaof modernGuyana.
Our country has endured too much from the racial divisions sown during Britishcolonialrule,anditis irresponsible for any leader toperpetuatethosewounds.
We must remember that Linden Forbes Sampson Burnham, the founder and leader of the People’s
National Congress (PNC), sought to bridge the racial divide between AfroGuyanese and IndoGuyanese.While many may debate aspects of his governance, history will show that Burnham managed to bring support fromacrossethniclines.
He did not build his political legacy on racial division but rather on nationalunity
It is disappointing that many of today’s leaders in the PNC/R have failed to followthatexample.
Winston Jordan, in particular, should be
Let's vote for change and...
Frompage5 Guyana.
His vision seeks to harness the country’s burgeoning oil wealth and improve the management of its natural resources, to propel the n
d good accountabilityintoabrighter future.
Additionally, Mr Mohamed advocatesfortheintegration of modern technologies in
Intelligence(AI),aspiringto align Guyana with other developingnations.
Mr Mohamed’sbusiness acumen may endow him with essential skills in
collaboration across diverse
potentiallyshaping his leadership tactics should he attainelection.
humanitarianism and being among the downtrodden in society embodies a promise of opportunity for all in an oil-rich nation, besides bringing an end to the old rival parties, the PNC and PPP, that promoted racebasedvoting. Let'svoteforchangeand aunitedGuyana.
Vote for Azruddin Mr Mohamed!
Yourssincerely, Indigenousman.
especially reflective. During his tenure as Minister of Finance, his behaviour suggested a man more interested in control than in service There was little regard for empowering the party’s base, and many felt excluded and disregarded. For him to now speak with authority or attempt to call others out is, frankly, an insult to the legacy he failed to uphold. History may not rememberhimkindly
No election in Guyana has ever been won by appealing to a single ethnic group.
Those who believe they canbuildpoliticalcastleson suchnarrowfoundationsare deluded The Guyanese people are more aware now than ever Let those "blind mice" who are leading divisive campaigns take note division will only leadtoisolation.
We need leadership that unites,notdivides.
Weneedvisionarieswho see beyond race and politics andspeaktonationhoodand development. Let us not be dragged backwards The futureofGuyanadependson it. Racial Rhetoric Has No PlaceinGuyana’sFuture Pt.Ubraj Narine, JP, COA
F o r m e r S t a f f Sgt.(GDF),Mayor CityofGeorgetown
Neighbours affected by an oil spill can sue ExxonMobil for damages - VP Jagdeo
Intheeventofanoilspill offshore Guyana, nearby affected countries will have tosueExxonMobiltoobtain a remedy for damages, Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo toldreportersonThursday.
It was reported that as many as 14 island countries could be affected by an oil spillinGuyana.
Jagdeo, at his weekly press conference held at Freedom House on Robb Street, was asked by Kaieteur News whether the Oil Spill Law guarantees Guyana and its regional neighboursfullandadequate compensationintheeventof an oil spill that causes environmental or economic damages.
The Vice President said that with the new law in place,thenewpermitsbeing g r a n t e d b y t h e Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) would have to ensure that Exxon and its partners are responsible and that the financial assurances theyprovideareconsistent.
“They're responsible for all of the damages caused, thatis,thecleanupcostofthe damage caused from a potentialoilspillandtwofor consequential losses,” he said.
Asked whether the new law makes provision for Guyana's neighbours to be covered under the financial assurances, Jagdeo said, “Welegislateforthestateof Guyana They have to providefinancialassurances consistent with the new law or their liabilities under the new law So, the assurances they give must cover all of those liabilities, that's what
wewant.”
He continued: “So, I suspect if you're talking about like Trinidad and Tobago. I don't think they'll legislate for Guyana when they look at oil spills etc., they can sue the company too… they can sue the c o m p a n y ( t o b e compensated).”
There has been a lot of controversy surrounding the law even before President Ali assented to it.Anumber of experts and international organisations have pleaded with him not to sign off on the bill, citing it being contrary to international obligations, good governance and a violation oftheruleoflaw
On May 20, this publication reported that inte
Melinda Janki wrote to PresidentAli,askinghimnot tosignoffonthebill,dueto it being contrary to internationalobligations.
Contrarytoint'l obligations
In her letter to President Ali, Janki said: “The Bill was passed in the National Assembly on Friday, 16 May Itwillbesenttoyoufor your assent as President to enable it to become law under Article 170 of the Constitution You must withhold your assent because the Bill is contrary to Guyana's international legal obligations and is unconstitutional ” The lawyer pointed out that the drafteroftheBillclearlyhad no idea about Guyana's i n t e r n a t i o n a l l a w obligations.“TheBillatbest contains meaningless
Jagdeo blames AFC...
Frompage6
confirmshowrecklesslythe Peoples Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) has managed the oil economy He said it also confirms Guyana's oil delusion and paradox: the shameful distinction of having the lowest tax-toGDPratioinLatinAmerica, just 11.6%, while boasting ofbeinganoilpowerhouse.
“Before oil, even with thehighleveloftaxevasion, Guyana collected taxes at a more normal rate of around 24% of GDP With oil supposedly transforming our fortunes, the ratio has collapsed to 11.6%. Those who boast that we are all stupid do not want to admit thatourGDPisbloatedwith oil profits to Exxon and company and barely touching our Treasury,”
references to international law and does not meet the r e q u i r e m e n t s o f internationallawforGuyana toactwithduediligenceand to take steps to prevent transboundaryharm.”
She noted that Article 149J of the Constitution requires the State to take “reasonable legislative measures” to protect the environment, including preventing pollution and ecological degradation However, Janki said the bill attempts to: (i) lower or remove altogether (through the doctrine of implied repeal) the environmental p r o t e c t i o n a n d environmental rules and standards set out in the Environmental Protection Act or made under the authority of that act; (ii) to remove or make redundant thesystemofenvironmental management to protect the environment.
Additionally,shesaidthe Bill lacks the precautionary principle, which was d
scribed by Justice Winston Anderson, the future President of the Caribbean Court of Justice, as follows: “Precaution is emerging as a bedrock principle in Caribbean law relating to resource exploitation The clearest statement of the principle is to be found in the 1996 Environmental Protection ActofGuyana.”
revenue from oil for the wholeof2024isreportedas being US$2 57billion It would take Guyana more than 35 years of current income to pay for a Macondo-type spill if the 'responsible party' did not pay and if there was no effective and readily
enforceable unlimited uncapped parent company guarantee as is currently required by law,” Janki warned. She reminded President Ali that Justice Sandil Kissoonhadwarnedin2023 in the Collins and Whyte v EPA, ExxonMobil and
Attorney-General case that ifthereisanoilspill,“…the consequences will be devastating not only to the citizens of this land and the environment but to inhabitants of neighbouring states and territories as well.”Hefurtherwarned (Continueonpage50)
Ram,whoisanadvocatefor a better oil deal between Guyana and ExxonMobil, said.
He told this newspaper that with the “headlamps in their eyes, government has refused to modernise our economic base, continuing to measure prosperity using inflatedfiguresthatdisguise howlittlewereceive. Worse, the Government pays the taxes for the same oilcompaniesfromthelittle wereceive,issuingthemtax certificates to claim credits intheirhomecountrieseven as we pretend to collect revenue.
With a guaranteed recovery of all their costs, the companies make profits approaching 70%, higher thananyofthetechgiantsor otherbusinesses.”
Janki said that the bill gives the executive the power to forego obtaining financial assurance, such as the unlimited, uncapped parent company guarantee, which ExxonMobil Guyana Ltd. is currently required by law to provide in order to protect Guyana from financial liability as a result of Exxon's petroleum o p e r a t i o n s “ T h e Environmental Protection Act is the baseline. Under Article 149J, the State may improve environmental protection, but the State c a n n o t r e d u c e environmental protection The Bill is therefore not a reasonable legislative measure, violates Article 149J and is offensive to the Constitution,” Janki told PresidentAli.
Protectingforeign companies
ShealsosaidthattheBill seeks to protect foreign oil companies at the expense of Guyana. “The BP Macondo wellblowoutin2010costBP over US$65 billion, or around US$95billion in today's money. Guyana's
BLUNTNESS ON INDECENCIES!
In case you haven’t heard, please be informed that as part of our continued effort to channel positive changes in our country, our publisher, Dr. Glenn Lall, has dedicated our Page Seven to be “BLUNT” about on-going indecencies in our land that should matter, not only to us at this publication, but the entire nation.
Acting Chancellor Yonette Cummings-Edwards andChiefJustice(ag)Roxane George-Wiltshire have occupied their important judicial roles in an acting capacity for 13 and 9 years, respectively. A serious presidentwouldnotwantthat
dubious situation to last another day under his government
It has been close to five years since PresidentAli has held his vaunted title, and he is still working to find a
solution We think that the only obstacle to confirming the CoJ and CJ is the president himself, with his governmentinlockstep
Thatthiscountryhasbeen lackingasubstantiveCoJand CJforgoingonaquarterofa century and President Ali is still“examiningtheissue”as he claimed recently is a disgrace That the Leader of theOppositionhasthrownhis support for the appointment ofthetwoactingoccupiersof the posts, clearing all constitutional and other hurdles and President Ali claiming he is still in a b d i c a t i o n o f h i s responsibility
Guyana needs a substantive Chancellor and Chief Justice This must supersede all other visions, calculations The president should discontinue his farce aboutexaminingandproduce t w o s u b s t a
presidencycouldbebetterfor it; Guyana would be better off.
TUESDAY–JUNE03, 2025
Prezzyunderthecosh President Irfaan Ali is under the cosh His former buddy, Azruddin Mohamed has begun to release all the details of those sordid transactions We at this newspaper are aware of some MostGuyanesearenot surprised Corruption is the PPP's kryptonite. From Jagdeo's Su-gate, to now Irfaan's Mohamed-gate, this is the lifestyle of the Guyana Government
These allegations are of sufficient seriousness to qualify as felonies anywhere in the world, but in Guyana, the police and other authorities would not even askaquestioninanattemptto investigate ThePresidenthas come out with a statement, basically admitting to facilitatingtaxwaiverstothe young businessman on his luxurycar Inanelectionyear, thesecorruptdealsmatterto the electorate They are takingnote.
WEDNESDAY–JUNE04, 2025
GuardyourX
Theelectionscampaignis heating up and politicians in Guyana will make pretty speeches of how much good they have in mind for the Guyanesepeople,astheybeg foroursupport
But deep down in their hearts,iswheretherealtruths of their commitments given soeasilylies.
Tosupportistovotefor, and to vote for is to trust Every ballot cast with that simplest of letters from the alphabet, an X in the right place, is a deed of trust Do right, do good, do what is truthful, do what is wise and just and clean We ask our fellow Guyanese a simple question: what is it that citizenshavegotteninreturn for the last six decades for theirtrust?
Outside of leaders' inner circle of friends, family, and other favoured followers, what have leaders delivered inreturnforthepricelesstrust they received? Politicians in Guyana have long been liars
andfraudsanddeceiversand now with oil springing from below the sea is here, they have lost their minds They hide, they lie, they make up stories, and they mock Guyanese as they kick aside thetrustgiventothem.Some of the biggest betrayers and biggest robbers in Guyana are in government offices andpoliticalheadquarters.
FRIDAY–06,2025
Thecorruptioncurse
The corruption curse continues to haunt the government from top to bottom of the leadership scale
Likeacancer,corruption hasinfiltratedandthenspread acrossGuyana,sickeningthe entire society We are searching and waiting for a single admission, even an acknowledgement, that there is,indeed,aprobleminthisor that space, and that some curative work is necessary, and that it will be done. The PPPC Government is too arrogant, too contemptuous, toloweritselftosuchalevel, w h e r e o n l y s o m e genuineness is called for, a little sincerity of which it seemsutterlyincapable.
Acknowledgement of realityandadmissionofsome responsibility are solid first steps Political leaders may believethattheyhaveglossed over, and gotten away with, the costly culture that undermines this country's promise They fool themselves,formostcitizens, including their own, see through the gaps between whatispreachedandwhatis practised
Theneedtocastblamewhengriefcloudsreason
Grief has many faces. Sometimes, it weeps Sometimes, it rages. And sometimes,itreachesforthe inexplicable. For many, the loss of a loved one is too much to bear, especially whenthecauseofdeathfeels senseless, avoidable, or shameful In such cases, denial can take the form of superstition, blame, or conspiracy The mind, wounded by grief, seeks comfort not necessarily in truth, but in explanations thatpreservedignity,deflect guilt, and offer some semblance of control in an uncontrollablemoment.
Many years ago, a man was diagnosed with HIV/AIDS. But neither he nor his family could bring themselves to accept the diagnosis Instead, they created in their minds, and believed, a story that involved a neighbour
allegedly throwing something sinister into the yard an object, they claimed,imbuedwithanevil spirit. The man insisted that he stepped on this objected accidentally Heinsistedthat it was this spiritual attack that caused his wasting illness.The man went to his gravedenyinghehadAIDS. The family too rejected the medical explanation and held on tightly to their version. In their minds, it was not a virus that killed him, but malevolent interference.
Then there was the case ofagrievingfatherwholost his son in a motor vehicle accident. The son had been
speeding. There was clear evidence of this. Yet, the f a t h e r r e f u s e d t o acknowledge that his son’s recklessness caused his death. Instead, he latched ontoatalethathadlongbeen told in the area—of a ghost t h a t r o a m e d t h e neighbourhood The man claimed that the ghost appearedjust as his son was approaching the spot where the accident took place, and that it was this spirit that caused the crash.Again, we see a refusal to confront reality—replaced instead by supernaturalrationalization.
Then there is the case of another young man died while speeding—this time after test-driving a vehicle. His death broke the heart of his parents and his siblings, so much so that the parents were overwhelmed by grief thattheyinsisteditwasn’tan accidentatall.Thenarrative quicklyturnedtooneoffoul play sabotaged brakes, enemies lurking in the shadows. In this parent’s mind, the death could not have been the result of the son’s own carelessness. It hadtobemurder
There was a mother whoseteenagedaughterdied suddenly from a ruptured brainaneurysm.Thegirlhad complained of a headache the day before, but no one t h o u g h t m u c h o f it—headaches are common, they assumed. When she collapsedathomeandnever regained consciousness, the doctors explained it was an aneurysm, a silent and often undetectable killer But the
mother, burdened with guilt for not acting sooner, could not accept the explanation. Then, one night, she had a vivid dream in which her daughter appeared to her, smiling by a lake, saying, “Mummy, I didn’t die because something was wrong.Iheardmynameand followed the voice. It was mytime.”
The mother began to believe that her daughter’s death was not medical but spiritual—that she had been called away by forces beyond understanding Rejecting the clinical diagnosis, she clung to this dream as truth. It gave her comfortandabsolvedherof guilt.
These stories, while disturbing, are not unusual. When death strikes suddenly—especially when it involves young people or causes that carry stigma or the sting of personal responsibility those left behind often struggle to acceptwhatreallyhappened. Grief can blur facts Emotions can override evidence. The pain of loss, combinedwithshame,guilt, or shock, can compel the mind to search for explanations that deflect blame from the deceased or from oneself This is a natural psychological defencemechanism.
Psychologists refer to t h i s a s c o g n i t i v e dissonance—the discomfort that arises when reality clasheswithone’sbeliefsor desires.Foraparent,theidea that a beloved son was
DEM BOYS SEH
Dem rape yuh resources then slam de door in yuh face
Dem boys seh de West got a funny way of showing love. Fust dem come wid Book in one hand and bayonet in de next, telling people about salvation while emptying de treasury Dem colonize yuh, loot yuh gold, oil, sugar, and even yuh soul. Then, after tekking every coconut and mango tree and leaving yuh dry like salt fish, dem turn round and seh, “Y’all backward and poor Trydevelopyuhself!”
But wait!When yuh actually try to run fromdepovertydemcreateandknockpon demdoor,demslamitshut.
NowUncleTrumpcomebacklouderthan ever,decidingwhoshouldandshouldn’tcome in to de Land of Milk and Misery He tek a list twelve countries long and say, “No entry!” Like he is de new Moses, parting de borderwithexecutiveorders Andguesswho on de list? Haiti Poor Haiti De same Haiti Americamashup,invade,exploit,andoccupy likeitwasaWalmartclearancesale Demboys seh if Haiti had a frequent flyer card for Americantroops,itwouldareachplatinum longtime.TrumpsehheprotectingAmerica
reckless, or that a child had contracted a stigmatized disease, is almost unbearable The mind therefore creates alternate narratives that reduce this dissonance.Thesenarratives
may be irrational, implausible, or even fantastical.Buttheyservean important emotional function: they make the unbearablemorebearable.
B l a m i n g
others whether a neighbour, a ghost, or a saboteur is a way of coping. It’s easier to believe in evil spirits or human malice than to accept that someone you love made a fatal mistake, or that fate dealt a cruel hand. In this way,blamebecomesabalm. It externalizes the pain and shields the heart from truths tooharshtoface.
But this tendency to blame should not be condemned Rather, it shouldbeunderstoodaspart of the grieving process Peopleindeepmourningare not always rational. Their
anguish is real, and their need to make sense of what has happened is urgent. In such moments, what they need is not judgment but compassion.
It is easy, from a distance, to dismiss these stories as denial or ignorance.Butwhenviewed through the lens of grief,
t h e y b e c o m e
understandable The families in the stories mentioned above were not merely trying to deceive others—they were trying to shield themselves from emotionaldevastation.Their alternate explanations, however improbable, were born not out of malice but out of a profound need to survivetheunthinkable.
This does not mean that suchexplanationsshouldgo unchallenged.Itisimportant to guide grieving families toward truth, especially when lives could be saved through honesty and awareness—asinthecaseof AIDS, or when promoting road safety But that
guidance must be gentle. It must take into account the emotional terrain of the grievingheart.
In the end, what these three stories reveal is the immense complexity of grief People don’t just mourn the dead they mourn the circumstances of their death, the shame or guilt it might bring, and the emptyspacethatnowhaunts theirdays.Whenthetruthis too painful, they may reach for another story, one in which someone else is to blame.Andindoingso,they aresimplytrying,intheonly way they know how, to survivetheirsorrow
(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinionsofthisnewspaper.)
fromcriminalsandchaos.Buthowyuhgon ban Haitians when y’all help build de chaos? America was in Haiti more times thanabadboyfriend—come,useyuh,mash up de place, then ghost yuh. Dem even instigatefuhoverthrowdeelectedPresident of that country And de masterminds of de murder of de last president did living in USA.America’shandsarenotclean!
Now Haitians can’t even apply for a visa. Dem get de same treatment like somebody trying to return foods to a supermarket— “No refund, no entry, get out!”Demboyssehdatisliketekkingaman boat, sinking it, and then jailing him for swimming. But don’t worry History got a funny way of spinning round. One day de samepeopleyoulockoutmightbedesame ones you knocking on to get in.And when datdaycome,demHaitiansmightjustlook through de peephole and whisper, “Access denied.”
Dem boys seh colonizers got short memory, but de plundered got long patience.
Talkhalf.Leffhalf.
Elections – the meaning
Elections are
l o o k e d a t differently today Not from the perspective of who seems the betterleader, more trustworthy Not of which group is the lesser of two evils (or three). I think of the upcoming elections, through the eyes of the poor in Guyana. The working class, remember that force thatbecameaphantom,then
a leper? Those straddling thepovertyline,fromwhom faces are turned. And those who don't matter, save for when elections come. I think that the elections are bestviewed,throughthelens ofafewquestions. Fromthe mind of the poor, the ordinary, the man-in-thestreet,thedistressedwoman.
First, what does this much-talked about, great oil
mean? Specifically, what differencehasitmadeinmy life; my quality of life enhanced? Second,howhas my community benefited? Third, has anybody done well, and who are they?
Last, whose has not improved, why is that so, how can that be, when the newsisbrightandbeautiful? I think these questions get their greatest resonance,
derive the strongest passions, when they are blended into this one: am I better today than five years ago, when the first oil came gushing out from under the sea,likeoneofthoseworldfamousgeysersinNevadaor California, New Zealand or Iceland?
I will refrain today from knocking the heavy spending on infrastructure, with its wonderful cover story of preparing for the nextcentury Oritstwilight zone, where the hundreds of billions every year provide the numerous openings for self-help, aka corruption Noneofthatisvisitedtoday The focus is unwaveringly fixed on the regular family that could have purchased a loaf of bread daily, or have enoughflourforrotiweekly, or that amount of rice that lastedasitshould. Canthey dothesametodaywithsome degreeoffreedom? Or,isit now a matter of stretching a dollarthatissharplyshorter, hence having to settle for what is lesser on the family table? A few days ago, I reminded Guyanese of that truism: all politics is local. In place of the local, swap theindividual.
Again,ishe,isshe,amI, better off today with all this oil pumping than five year ago, when there was not a dropinthenews? Thereitis, Elections 101. Maybe, not as sophisticated as that, and more of Form 1 Civics, of which I heard something recently
From the poor family's standpointsingle mother, single earner, single pensioner, single source of income citizen-is this situation widespread,oruniquetous?
There's the village. It is not Bel Air Village. Nor the village of Republic Park. Certainly not that of PradoVille. Unlike the Guyanese resident in the villages just identified,hastheoilwealth, with all the great news of high-income classification (World Bank), world class GDP(Tom,Dick,andHarry) and annual record breaker budgets (government), carried me and my family, along on its powerful, unstoppable crests? Has it carried my larger family of neighbours upwards with its spiral? In a country that went from producing 278,000 barrels per day to 450,000 bpd, and now to 650,000bpd,thesequestions should not even have to be asked. Because to do so would amount to sedition, since Guyanese are living the kind of life that is powered by being the third highest oil-producing country per capita in the world. Unbelievable! Third highest per capita global producer, a GDP that reached as high as a monumental 62.3%, means YOU, and YOU, and YOU. With not a single Guyanese leftout,includingme. Hasit beenso? Thatwouldbethe beginning and end of any election right there, when
therearestatslikethose.
Thebeneficiaryfromthe oil, who is in the vicinity of the poor family, the struggling community, cannotbelimitedtooneman and his family, and their cronies. People see. The family that doesn't have enough studies and broods, overinequityandunfairness. The partisan interprets the discriminatory Those in agony summon that last spurt of energy to scream: damnittohell! Thisshould not be, never be. Abelated envelopeisgrabbed,butthat cannotbeall,doesnotgofar All the pavements in the world take me nowhere. I am still stuck, but with a difference. Theburdensfeel heavier, are more intolerable. Because they shouldn'tbe.
Not when those controlling the money take home as much as 50 times the man making the minimum. Or, at a lower governing title 30 times. If there is pain to be felt, then allshouldfeelit,fromtopto bottom In this time of elections, there's that stubborn question: am I better off today, my family managing comfortably? If not,thenwhyso?
(Theviewsexpressedin this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the o p i n i o n s o f t h i s newspaper.)
Israel kills more than 70 as dozens covered under the rubbles in Gaza yesterday
Latest deadly attack at US-backed aid hub kills eight Palestinians seeking food on second day of Eid al-Adha.
Aljazeera - Israeli raids across Gaza have killed at least 75 Palestinians, with rescuers scrambling to find dozens of bodies under the rubble after the bombingofaresidentialbuilding in Gaza City described by the enclave's civil defence as a “fullfledgedmassacre”.
Palestinian Civil Defence spokesperson Mahmoud Basel told Al Jazeera that the military gave “no warning, no alert” before Saturday's strike on the h o u s e i n t h e S a b r a neighbourhood of Gaza City that left at least 16 people dead, includingwomenandchildren.
“This is truly a full-fledged massacre a building full of civilians,” said Basel, who added that approximately 85 people werebelievedtobetrappedunder therubble.
“We woke up to the strikes, destruction,yelling,rockshitting us,” said Hamed Keheel, a displaced Palestinian at the site, noting that the attack had taken placeontheseconddayoftheEid al-Adhafestival.
“This is the occupation,” he said. “Instead of waking up to cheerourchildrenanddressthem up to enjoy Eid, we wake up to carry women and children's bodiesfromunderrubble.”
LocalresidentHassanAlkhor told Al Jazeera that the building belonged to the Abu Sharia family “MayGodholdtheIsraeli forces and [Israeli Prime M i n i s t e r ] N e t a n y a h u accountable,”hesaid.
The Israeli military said afterwards that it had killed Asaad Abu Sharia, the leader of the Mujahideen Brigades, who it
claimed had participated in the October 7 Hamas-led attack on Israel in 2023, according to a report in the Times of Israel publishedSaturday
Hamas confirmed the killing in a statement shared on Telegram, saying that Abu Sharia's brother, Ahmed Abu
Sharia, had also been assassinated in the attack, which it said was “part of a series of brutal massacres against civilians”.
'A handful of rice for our starvingchildren'
Also on Saturday, Israeli forces killed at least eight Palestinians waiting near an aid distribution site run by the USbacked Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) in southern Gaza'sRafah,thelatestinaseries of deadly incidents around the group's operations that have killed 118 people and left others missinginlessthantwoweeks.
Gaza resident Samir Abu Hadid told theAFP news agency that thousands of people had gathered at the al-Alam roundaboutneartheaidsite.
“Assoonassomepeopletried to advance towards the aid centre,theIsraeli[forces]opened fire from armoured vehicles stationed near the centre, firing into the air and then at civilians,” AbuHadidsaid.
One woman told Al Jazeera her husband had been killed in the attack after going to the aid point to get “a handful of rice for ourstarvingchildren”.
“He said he felt he was walking towards death, I begged him not to leave. He insisted to find anything to feed our
children,”shesaid.
The GHF, a shadowy United States-backed private group engagedbyIsraeltodistributeaid under the protection of its troops and security contractors, began operations in late May, replacing existing networks run by the United Nations and charities that haveworkedfordecades.
Criticssaythegroupdoesnot abide by humanitarian principles of neutrality, claiming that its
GHF said on Saturday that it was unable to distribute any humanitarian relief because Hamas issued “direct threats” against its operations. “These threats made it impossible to proceed today without putting innocent lives at risk,” it said in a statement Hamas told the Reuters news agency that it had no knowledge of these “alleged threats”.
The United Nations, which
young children suffering from acute malnutrition nearly tripling.
'Lostfuturegeneration'
AsIsraelcontinueditsattacks amid the looming famine, it emerged that health authorities had recorded more than 300 miscarriages over an 80-day periodintheenclave.
Expectant mothers face an increased risk of miscarriage and premature births, with basic
operations weaponise aid, serving Israel's stated aims of ethnically cleansing large swaths ofGazaandcontrollingtheentire enclave.
has refused to cooperate with the GHF, has warned that most of Gaza's 2.3 million population is atriskoffamineafteran11-week Israeli blockade, with the rate of
medical supplies such as iron supplements and prenatal vitaminsimpossibletoobtain.
Brenda Kelly, a consultant obstetricianatOxfordUniversity Hospital, told Al Jazeera that Gaza was “losing a future generation of children”, alluding to a “staggering rise” in stillbirths, miscarriages and pretermbirths.
“Whatwe'reseeingnowisthe direct fallout of Israel's weaponising of hunger in Gaza –impacting babies' growth and growth restriction is one of the leading causes of miscarriages andstillbirth,”shesaid.
Severe malnutrition among pregnant women is compounded b y s e v e r e s t r e s s a n d psychological trauma, as well as repeated displacement and a lack ofsafeshelter,shesaid.
Those babies that do survive faceheightenedhealthrisks.“We knowthatfamineexperiencedinutero has lifelong consequences for children who then go into adulthoodwithmuchhigherrisks of cardiovascular disease and diabetes, as well as mental health disorders,”shesaid.
A man carries the body of a Palestinian child killed in an Israeli strike, in Gaza City, June 7, 2025. REUTERS/Ebrahim Hajjaj
With grace and poise, the eloquent Shenia Mentis, a 17year-old aspiring lawyer and newly crowned Miss Linden “Queen of Hearts.”
A recent graduate of St. Rose’s High School and now a university student, Shenia is a true devotee of the performing arts. She enjoys singing, dancing, and poetry.
Her favourite quote is taken from Proverbs 31:25: “She is clothed with strength and dignity, and she laughs without fear of the future ”
Shenia Mentis
Nearly 20 years ago, when our children first became obsessed with a strange online platform called Roblox, I couldn't understand the appeal.They weren't asking for money, they were begging to do chores in exchange for “Roblox,”avirtualcurrency used only inside the game. The graphics looked basic, even clunky, and the experiences seemed random and chaotic to me. But they were hooked. What I didn't know then was that Roblox, first launched in 2006 by software engineers David Baszucki and Erik Cassel, had begun as a physicsbasededucationaltool.Over time, it evolved into a vast, user-generated 3D universe where anyone could build and play games, what the c o m p a n y c a l l s “experiences.” Fast forward totoday,Robloxboastsover 90milliondailyusersacross theglobe,withnearly40per centofthemundertheageof 1 3
In our STEMGuyana clubs, it's still the game of choice among our learners who are waiting for their parents to pickthemup.Italsoremains aglobalphenomenonwhere players don avatars (a customisable digital character that represents a player), enter digital worlds built by other users, and engage in everything from obstacle courses to fashion shows When my children were playing roblox, I was just a confused parent, skeptical of its value and unaware of the risks.Today, I'mmuchmorevigilant. That vigilance deepened after hearing about a recent harrowing incident in California where a 10-yearold girl was abducted by a manshemetthroughRoblox and Discord The news broke shortly after Roblox CEO David Baszucki had reiterated the company's zero-tolerance stance on exploitation and child endangerment The case exposed the sobering truth, even platforms that tout child safety can fall dangerously short Roblox condemned the act and pledged cooperation with
Advancing Education, Technology & Innovation in Guyana…
Roblox Isn't Just a Game—It's a World. And Parents Need to Understand the Risks
law enforcement, but the incident shattered many parents' trusts and forced us to confront a darker side of ourchildren'sfavoriteonline playground.
The warning signs were already there A recent investigation by UK-based digital behavior researchers Revealing Reality, reported b y T h e G u a r d i a n , highlighted the troubling ease with which children encounter inappropriate content on Roblox Their studyuseddummyaccounts registered to fictional users aged 5 to 13, and what they uncovered was alarming Young avatars could access sexuallysuggestiveroleplay rooms, overhear explicit voice chats, and even be approached by adult avatars asking for contact information in thinly coded language. Despite parental controls and AI filters, the system was clearly being manipulated, and children wereatrisk.
Robloxinsiststhatsafety is a top priority The company added more than 40 new safety features in 2024 alone, including AIdriven moderation of voice chat, better parental dashboards, and restrictions on who can message whom. Still, as Revealing Reality's report noted, these protectionsareonlypartially effective Age verification remains inconsistent, and many experiences on the platform are inaccurately described, making it nearly impossible for parents to determine what's safe and what isn't, especially in Guyana where digital literacy among parents is quitelow
Roblox has become a global phenomenon, a virtualworldwherechildren log on for creativity, community, and fun, but without guidance and supervision, they're logging intoaspacewherepredators, inappropriate content, and peer pressure also roam freely The platform offers genuine benefits, some childrenareevenlearningto code and build games, but these positives cannot overshadow the serious vulnerabilities.
So, what can be done? First, education Parents need to learn how platforms like Roblox work Know what Roblox is, what your childisplaying,whothey're chatting with, and what the safety settings are. Roblox's safety center allows you to restrict access to certain games,monitorinteractions, and get activity summaries. You can even disable chat functions entirely for younger users (advisable) Second, conversation Regularly talk to your children about their digital lives, what games they play, what friends they make, whatmessagestheyreceive. Let them know they can come to you with anything uncomfortable, no matter h o w s m a l l Roblox also supports new U.S. legislation like COPPA 2.0 and the Take It Down Act, which aim to make platformsmoreaccountable. While these are American laws, their spirit is global, acknowledging that tech companies must take proactive steps, not reactive ones, to protect minors Andfinally,participation.As Baszucki suggests, try
playing Roblox with your child. Yes, you might feel silly, but being present in theirworldisthebestwayto stay informed, build trust,
and spot red flags early Technology will continue to evolve, but the core challenge remains, keeping our children safe while
allowing them the freedom togrowandexplore.Roblox can be magical, but only if the magic doesn't come at thecostoftheirsafety
Being codependent meansyouremotionsdepend on someone else's actions
Instead of focusing on yourself, you think about them, as they are the source of your feelings. You feel extremely uncomfortable if that person doesn't text you or is busy Not hearing from them feels unbearable, but once they text, call, or do as you desire, everything changes. You give them the powertodeterminehowyou feel.
Youbelieveyouwillonly feelsecureiftheybehavethe wayyouwant Youconstantly seek reassurance, unable to makedecisionswithouttheir input For example, you mightdislikeaT-shirt,butif your partner loves it, it suddenly becomes your favorite. These individuals need their partner to say
good morning every morningtofeeltheyareina relationship. The absence of thispatterninonedaymakes the codependent feel abandoned and rejected and can easily conclude if their partner is distracted by another
Relationships with your partner should bring joy and not undermine self-esteem
However, we are driven by attachment styles, and only by understanding them can we start building healthy relationships.
Co-dependents are individuals struggling with anxious,avoidant,dismissive or dis-organised attachment styles,whichwerecultivated by poor parent-child relationships that lacked secure attachment and were filledwithemotionalneglect and emotional abuse. The adultco-demandantdepends on others for affirmation, acceptance, approval, attention and affection. At the same time, they have become helpless in giving themselves this nurturance to build and strengthen their identity and self-esteem, which creates selfconfidenceandself-value. Co-dependents need, above anything else, to take responsibility for their lives by addressing the impact of where they are still stuck: childhood. To be an adult in an adult body Where health relationships have now becomeapossibility Hope my confession helps I was co-dependent I
Towardsabetterlifewithyourpsychologist
The
interplay of dysfunctional parents and how it is ruining you and your relationship now
have been struggling since I was a teenager to get out of this behavioural condition until it took me one year of behaviour modification I got abnormal behaviour from my mom; she looked after everyone else and herselflast.Secondly,whenI demonstrateassertivenessto herrequestbutsayno,Iwas labelled selfish This psychological pain, I internalisedanditalteredmy b e h a v i o u r f r o m assertiveness to passive aggressiveness. Unable to saynotoothers,Isayyesto them and no to myself. This builds bitterness and resentment.IfIsaidno,Ifelt ashamedandguilty
About11yearsago,when Igottiredandfrustratedwith it,Iembarkedonbehavioural modification to overcome it and enjoy a healthy life. If you look at the list below, I haveallofthem.Today,Ido nothavenumber2ornumber 6; I still hate disappointing people. When I do, people say I am a beast and heartless Co-dependence
comes with serious consequences It's a life of serviceatyourownexpense, and in the end, you are unsatisfied If you are codependent, unless you identifyitandputboundaries in place, you will keep repeating the same mistakes inallofyourrelationships.
The biggest problem for co-dependents is putting themselves first. That comes with a feeling of guilt. This can get worse if you are in a relationship with a narcissistic person They will drink your blood, and you will give it willingly A person who is co-dependent does have low levels of narcissism, which is not goodenough.
The more you sacrifice for others to make them happy, those are the people who will do you the most significantdamage Yougive of yourself because that is who you are. But to keep giving, someone has to fuel you as well. And if you are doingyouandnooneelseis doing you. You know how youwillendup.
Here are a few more questionsthatyoucanuseas indicators to evaluate yourselfandyourrelationship and determine if you are codependent.
The following questions can serve as a guide to
determineifyourrelationship involvescodependency:
Does your sense of purpose involve making extreme sacrifices to satisfy yourpartner'sneeds?
Isitdifficulttosayno when your partner demands yourtimeandenergy?
Do you cover your partner's problems by unhealthymeans?
Do you constantly worry about others' opinions ofyou?
Doyoufeeltrappedin yourrelationship?
Do you keep quiet to avoidarguments?
Are you in a relationship that you seem powerlesstoexit?
Co-dependents tend to stay in relationships with narcissistsorindividualswith substance use disorder becauseoftheirtriggers.
Co-dependentsarepeople pleasers who are susceptible to the needs and feelings of others They were emotionally abused and neglectedasachild.Now,as adults, they want to please everyone and fix everything because it brings attention, acceptance, affirmation, approval, and affection they nevergotasachild.
The narcissist, who was also emotionally abused as a child, uses an alteredaggressively dominant personalitytosurviveandget from the co-dependent the attention, acceptance, affirmation, approval, and affection they never got as a child. This relationship is loaded with triggers for the co-dependent seeking to fix the narcissist, while the narcissist's source of "meal" istheco-dependent.
Are you in love or a codependent?
A co-dependent's relationship can look like love, but it isn't Love is predicated on the choice to support and care for another If you depend on another person for emotional security and welfare, the relationship is no longer based on love. Instead, it is based on need While empathy brings connection, understanding, and positive change, codependency can leave you empty, resentful, anddrained.
Codependentmen
The choice to stay in a toxicgrowth-lessrelationship canbebothanemotionalora logical decision One would
think that the most minor gender to remain in this relationship is men since menarerationalthinkers.
Whenwefindmenbeing people-pleasers, we will also see them sacrificing for their women, leaving themselves undone for her, and going beyondalmosteverytimefor her,allattheirownexpense.
The fundamental reason hecameupinasingle-parent home where his mother struggled and sacrificed yet made it, is that he sincerely appreciated her sacrifice for him. But he never got the chanceasachildtohelpher asheshouldorwanted.
Now as an adult, he will do for his woman what he wantedtodoforhismom He will be the man to her, what his father was not to his mother, even though his father was not around. Do youseetheproblemwiththe figmentofhisimaginationof whatmanhoodis?
He will go on to attempt tryingtofixher Hewillstay and keep trying even when therelationshiphasnohome To save her from all the hardship that his mother experienced. He will forever live in a bubble of bitterness andresentmentbecausesheis notreceptivetohim Shedoes not think she needs fixing. His behaviour enables her bad behaviour. She refused to takeresponsibilityfor her
growth and development. If sheisanarcissist,bingo,itis herwaytokeepmilkinghim.
He thinks he is mad in love, caring and loving his woman What all he is doing isbeingaco-dependent
Before you search for love, create the capacity to receiveit
Among other things, address:Howdidmyfather's absence affect my thinking, feelings,andbehaviour?
Howdidmysingle-parent mother shape my thinking, feelings, and behaviour romantically or relationshipwise?
Among other things, address:Howdidmyfather's absence affect my thinking, feelings,andbehaviour?
Howdidmysingle-parent mother shape my thinking, feelings, and behaviour romantically or relationshipwise? One of the most detrimental impacts of growingupinaco-dependent home is the way we learn to communicate Or, more accurately, we don't learn howtocommunicate.
These are some patterns to be aware of when there's conflictinyourrelationships
Ofcourse,wealldothese things to varying degrees, especiallyprojection thisis justhumanbehaviour.
But it's helpful to understand them, witness
when you engage in them, and practice breaking your habit of reacting to conflict #Selfhealers.
The keys to recovering fromco-dependencyare:
1 Patience with an intentional work plan to modify your behaviour You will not be an overcomer in one year or three years You will never get over it. But youcanputasysteminplace to protect you from falling back into this trap of life. Thisleadstopointnumber2.
2 Set boundaries When you know, you are codependent Othersknowas well They know you are an enabler,andtheycancometo you. Muster the courage to saynoandlivewithit.These days, I intentionally avoid tasksandcommittoothersto give myself that time and resources,too.
3.Giveyourselfwhatyou aresacrificiallyandwillingly giving to others: self-care, time,attention,andnurturing.
4 You can pray and fast about your conditions However, to overcome this, youmustalsoworkhardand seekprofessionalhelp
By Dr. Telford Layne Jr. PsyD, MSc. Postgrad, BSc. Clinical and Developmental Psychologist - Psychoanalyst Unwrapping Gift -Clinic
Despite attracting criticism from various stakeholders, locally and internationally, President IrfaanAlihasassentedtothe controversial Oil Pollution Prevention, Preparedness, ResponseandResponsibility Bill.
Thebillwastabledinthe NationalAssembly onApril 28 and approved through government’s one-seat majority in the House on May16.
AccordingtotheOfficial Gazette, the Head-of-State signed the Bill into law on May28.
His approval to the controversial legislation comes on the heels of numerous concerns raised about the provisions in the Law In fact, a number of Guyanese and international bodies had publicly urged thePresidentnottoassentto the legislation, citing violations to Guyana’s international legal obligations.
Twoofthemostpressing concerns raised so far about thelawrelatestoitsfailureto ensure Guyana secures an unlimitedguaranteefromthe parent companies of petroleum companies that operate locally and the fact that the law only provides oneyearforanaffectedparty to claim for compensation after the occurrence of a spill.
US-multibillion dollardamages
In a letter to President Ali, dated May 27, 2025, a group of 37 individuals and organizations from across the region urged the Headof-State not to assent to the Bill, in light of the controversy and its “legal defects”.
E u n i c e G r a h a m , Jamaican Canadian Association,Jamaica;Diana McCaulay- Jamaica EnvironmentTrust,Jamaica;
Emmanuel Williams, Coquenomade-fraternite, Martinique and Beverly Bain, Trinidad and Tobago were among the regional signatoriesoftheletter Guyanese citizens and organizations affiliated with Transparency Institute Guyana Inc (TIGI), Red Thread, Caribbean Labour
Organization of Indigenous Peoples (GOIP), The GreenheartMovement,Ram &McRaeandTheBreadfruit Collectivealsoattachedtheir signatures to the letter, amongothers.
In the document seen by this newspaper, they explained, “W
the undersigned are citizens of Guyana residing in Guyana or members of the Guyana diaspora or people of the Caribbean. We are deeply concerned that ExxonMobil Guyana Ltd.’s deepwater petroleum operations offshore Guyana are a danger to Guyana and the Caribbean.”
The citizens pointed out that Environmental Impact
Assessments (EIAs) conducted by ExxonMobil show that an oil spill in Guyana could hit Jamaica, withoveradozenCaribbean countries being negatively affected.
“ThiscouldresultinUS$ billions in harm to the economies, businesses, l i v e l i h o o d s a n d environmentsofGuyanaand theCaribbean0
, ” they noted as they shifted their attention to the OilPollutionBill,whichwas notassentedtoatthetimethe letterwassent.
The citizens informed thePresidentthattheBillhas been condemned by experts as unconstitutional and an attempt by the Guyana government to change the law in order to protect ExxonMobil Guyana Ltd.’s p a r e n t c o m p a n y , ExxonMobil Corporation, from having to pay for oil spill damage to Guyana and theCaribbean.
To this end, they argued t h a t E x x o n M o b i l Corporation (the parent company) should not be permitted to produce oil
Law of the Sea (UNCLOS)
Former Head of Environmental ProtectionAgency (EPA), Dr. VincentAdams
requires Guyana to cooperateonaregionalbasis with other states and competent international organisations to formulate rules, standards and recommended practices and procedures to protect and preserve the marine environment, taking into account characteristic regional features This is reflected in the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas
subsidiary) unless it can show that its operations are safe and the company will pay for all the damage done toenvironments,businesses, economies, communities, andlivelihoods.
Presidentignores
The President has not only ignored the calls made by local stakeholders but also regional bodies such as theCommonwealthLawyers Association (CLA) which previously urged him not to assenttotheBill.
The body, in a statement on Thursday, explained, “The Oil Pollution Bill has b e e n c r i t i c i s e d a s unconstitutional, contrary to Guyana’s international legal commitmentsandanattempt to reverse the impact of judicial rulings These are seriouscriticismswhich,asa matter of good governance based on the rule of law, oughttobeaddressedbefore any exercise of the President’sassent.”
Withelectionsscheduled to be held on September 1, the President is expected to issue a Proclamation dissolving Parliament The Commonwealth Lawyers Association, therefore, pointedoutthatthispresents an opportunity to ensure good governance by withholdingassenttotheBill and leaving these issues for the new Parliament to address “through a proper democratic process consistent with international standards, including public participation.”
With the Bill passed in lessthanthreeweekssinceit was first read in Parliament, the Association flagged the lackofproperconsultation,a breach of the Escazu AgreementtowhichGuyana isaparty Anobjectiveofthis Agreement is to guarantee public participation in environmental decisionmakingprocess.
Moreover , CLA noted thatArticle197oftheUnited Nations Convention on the
(PPP),thePeople’sNational Congress (PNC), and the Alliance For Change (AFC) on Saturday, accusing all three major political parties o f c a p i t u l a t i n g t o ExxonMobil and failing to implement ring-fencing provisions in the country’s oilcontracts.
ExxonMobil’s parent company from full liability in the event of an oil spill, callingit“disgraceful.”
which requires the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and its memberstatestocollaborate in “safeguarding their marine environment from pollutants and hazardous wastes.”
As such, theAssociation calledonGuyanatodevelop itsoilspillresponselawand systems in cooperation with CARICOM and the CaribbeanStates.
In addition to the CLA, international award-winning environmental lawyer, Melinda Janki, as well as attorney-at-law, Christopher Ram, highlighted a number of flaws in the legislation.
F o r m e r H e a d o f Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Dr Vincent Adams, also described the legislation as an attempt to undotheHighCourt’sruling for unlimited oil spill protection.
GlennLallurges Guyanesetodemandringfencingofoilprojects - accuses political parties of betraying nation
Publisher of Kaieteur News,Dr GlennLall,issued a rallying cry to the Guyanesepeopletowakeup to what he described as the “betrayal” of the nation’s interestsintheoilsector
Lall lambasted the People’s Progressive Party
According to him, this single policy change—ringf e n c i n g e a c h o i l project could transform Guyana “overnight” into a nation truly benefiting from itsoilwealth.
“There is no debate,” Lall asserted on his TikTok page. “If they ring-fence the oil projects today, Guyanese couldstartlivinglikeanoilrichnationtomorrow.”
He likened the current situation to a series of vivid analogies: buying feed for your chickens only to have the neighbor’s fowl eat it; planting rice and having someone else harvest and sell it, handing you back a pintofrice;orbakingacake with your own ingredients only to be tossed crumbs. In each case, Lall said, it illustrated how Guyana’s oil profits are being siphoned offbyExxonMobilwhilethe people are left with mere “crumbs” and “10-day parttimejobs.”
“Exxon is walking away with the whole cake,” he said “And our so-called leadersarelettingthem.”
He also decried the absence of basic safeguards and transparency in the sector, noting that Guyana has not installed a single independent meter to monitordailyoilproduction, has failed to employ qualified oil experts to oversee operations, and has passed legislation that allows ExxonMobil to pay notaxes.
Lall also criticised a recent law that shields
H e a c c u s e d t h e government of hiding critical audit reports and refusing to place caps on E x x o n ’ s i n t e r e s t charges financial decisions that he claimed resultinbillionsbeingbilled tothecountrywithoutproper oversight.
“ O u r neighbours Trinidad, Brazil, Suriname—they all ring-fence their oil projects to avoid being robbed,” Lall said, adding, “But not Guyana.”
With the prospect of a seventh oil project on the horizon,Lallwarnedthatthe country is again poised to forgo ring-fencing, potentially deepening the lossesforfuturegenerations. “This is our last chance,” he said,“tobecomethelandlord in our own country or a squatterinit.Thechoiceisin yourfingerandyourmouth.”
Appealing to Guyanese ahead of the upcoming elections on September 1, Lall urged voters to reconsider supporting the current political leadership, whom he accuses of selling outthecountry’sfuture.
“Are you really going to handthesesamepartiesyour fingeronSeptember1st?”he asked.“Areyoureallygoing to say yes to this sellout, to being used, lied to, and robbedagain?”
The message ended with aplea:“Ifthiswakesyouup, evenalittle—pleaseshareit. Becausethetruthmustreach every corner of this country beforeit’stoolate.”
Two Guyanese women, through their lawyer, Melinda Janki has urged the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) not to approved ExxonMobil’s 7th project using a “defective” study submitted by the company’s consultant, Environmental Resources Management(ERM).
In a letter addressed to theExecutiveDirectorofthe Agency,KemrajParsram,on May 30, Janki on behalf of JoyMarcusandWintress Continued on page 21
Kaieteur News Publisher, Glenn Lall
Frompage20 Morris highlighted that the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) excludes 90% of harm to the environment, since it failed to assess Scope Three emissions from the project, although there was a clear ruling from the Court requiring the consultant to includetheseimpacts.
The Lawyer told Parsram, “The Agency may
not use the current
H a m m e r h e a d E I A , (produced by the consultant ERM), to approve the Hammerhead Project or to grant an environmental permit to the developer ExxonMobil Guyana Ltd because the Hammerhead EIA does not comply with the ruling of Her Honour Madame Justice Morris in MorrisandMarcusvEPAor with section 11(4) of the Environmental Protection Act.”
The Lawyer reminded that the Court in its March 18, 2025 decision ruled, “Section11(4)oftheActhas been incorporated by reference into the TS [terms and scope] for the EIA and therefore requires the consultant to identify, describe and evaluate all impacts of the proposed project, including Scope 3 emissionswhich,ithasbeen established, are indirect impacts.”
Be that as it may, the Lawyer said she has been unable to find a single statementinthe4,232paged EIA which meets the requirements to identify, describe and evaluate the direct and indirect effects of theproposedproject.
J a n k i t h e r e f o r e concludedthatthedocument failed to meet the statutory requirements as she urged the Agency not to accept it. Additionally,theLawyerhas since requested the EPA to confirm its rejection of the study or provide its reasons forrefusingtodoso.“Ifyou believe that the EIA complies with the law then please also set out the relevant passages and sentences,”Jankiappealed.
In accordance with industry standards, the EIA must state the amount of greenhouse gas and other pollutants that will be produced when the amount ofoil/gasextractedunderthe HammerheadProjectisused for energy The pollution caused by these resources is sometimes referred to as scope3emissions.
In the absence of this information, the Agency would not be able to make a validdecision.
Notfeasible
Janki was keen to note that the EIA does not state the amount of oil/gas to be producedoverthelifeofthe proposedproject.Infact,she quotedasectionofthestudy where the consultant said it was not feasible to estimate scopethreeemissions.
“Whilethereareexisting a p p r o a c h e s a n d methodologies for quantifying indirect GHG emissions associated with theProject,estimatingScope 3emissionsbasedonreliable data is not always feasible for several reasons First, knowing the ultimate use of the extracted hydrocarbons is necessary to accurately estimate Scope 3 emissions (i e , knowing whether extracted hydrocarbons are processed as a fuel and will be combusted, or whether they are used for other noncombustion purposes, such as a feedstock in the petrochemical industry or for asphalt).” (Hammerhead EIA11.1.1.3)
Janki however argued that the consultant is legally requiredtoidentify,describe and evaluate the effects of Scope 3 emissions She therefore informed Parsram, “the EIA is defective and contrary to the requirements of national law TheAgency cannot legally accept or use the Hammerhead EIA to makeadecisiontoauthorise theHammerheadProject.”
Furthermore,theLawyer stated,“Basedontheoil/gas industry’sownstandardsand estimates, ERM’s inability or refusal to estimate the scope 3 emissions from the Hammerhead Project means thattheEIAexcludes90%of
the harm that would arise if ExxonMobil was allowed to move ahead with this project.”
She therefore urged the Agency to comply with its statutory duties by rejecting the EIAand removing same from the website, select a newconsultanttocarryouta new EIA and begin the Hammerhead EIA process anew and in line with the statutory and regulatory requirements.
‘Defianceanddisrespect’ Meanwhile,inaseparate statement to the media on Sunday, Joy Marcus and Wintress Morris, who took the EPA to Court to ensure the Terms of Reference (TOR) for the Hammerhead project meets the required standards, said they were shocked by the Consultant’s disobedience for the Court
ruling.
They argued, “We are shocked that ERM has disobeyed a judge of the High Court and ignored our Environmental Protection Act.Whetheryouwantoilor you don’t want oil, this is eye-pass. We cannot allow foreigners to come into Guyana and disrespect our laws and our judges We recently marked 59 years of independence. What kind of independence do we have whenaforeigncompanylike ERM can behave as if they areabovethelaw?”
Moreover, Marcus and Morris said they were appalledthattheEPAandits Executive Director have allowed such a farce to continue.
Meanwhile, the litigants pointed out that while ERM claims it is not feasible to
identify, describe and evaluatetheimpactsofscope
3 from ExxonMobil’s Hammerhead Project, outside of Guyana, the consultantislookingtomake money by advising companies on how they can make money from scope 3 emissionsreporting.
Theyexplained,“ERM’s website has a blog by Andrew Patrick Marsh the Technical Consulting Director and Riara Woodley on “Unlocking business value from Scope 3 emissions reporting”. ERM alsosetsoutsevencoresteps to develop a robust Scope 3 value creation strategy, underpinned by digital solutions.”
The citizens therefore pointed out that ERM can measure scope 3 emissions when it suits them, as they called on Guyanese to stand up against “this eye-pass”. Marcus and Morris argued thatERMisnotindependent, since the company admits “ERM partners with the top oilandgascompaniesinthe world to address their challenges across the entire value chain ” To this end, they urged that the Consultantbe“senthome”.
Guinea’s military-led governmenthasrevoked129 mining exploration permits as part of its wider effort to
tighten oversight of its natural resources and attract new investments This development was reported by Reuters, citing anonymoussources.
Themoveisalignedwith the country’s broader strategy to optimise its mineralsector,whichplaysa pivotal role in Guinea’s economy According to a senior Ministry of Mines official, the government has transitioned to a digital permit system to improve transparencyandcontrol.
“We’ve simplified the process by digitising the entire system, making it easier to monitor,” the official explained, although theimplicationsforongoing investments remain uncertain.
Asecondministrysource noted that most of the cancelled permits were linked to gold exploration, with those assets now revertingtostateownership.
This is not the first such action in recent months Earlier in May, authorities withdrew51mininglicences that had been underutilised or dormant. These included concessions involving bauxite, gold, diamonds, graphite,andiron.
Guinea, home to the world’s largest bauxite reservesandamajorsupplier to China, has been stepping up its scrutiny of mining licences.
The government had previously withdrawn bauxitepermitsfromKebo
Continued on page 22
International Lawyer, Melinda Janki
Executive Director of the EPA, Kemraj Parsram
Photo taken from Nigeria Mining
Frompage20
Energy and Emirates Global
Aluminium (EGA), according to a separate Reutersreport.
EGA, through its subsidiary Guinea Alumina Corporation (GAC), has faced severe setbacks,
having suspended its operations since December
2024 The company reportedly holds nearly two milliontonnesofbauxitethat remainunexportedduetothe ongoingdisruption.
One key reason for the licence scrutiny appears to
be unmet investment
commitments The government has warned that GAC risks losing its licence over its failure to build an alumina refinery a condition of its agreement withthestate.
Guinea’s Minister of Mines, Bouna Sylla, defended the government’s toughstance,insistingthatit seeks to ensure that all parties especially investors honour their contractualobligations.
“This process will be pursued rigorously, within the framework of the law, while safeguarding the legitimate interests of all parties, including Guinean stakeholders,” he said In response, GAC has rejected
accusations of noncompliance, stating it has c o m m u n i c a t e d t h e considerable economic, technical,andenvironmental challenges involved in constructing the alumina refinery to the Guinean authorities.
Guinea’sactionsreflecta
broader trend among military-led governments in West Africa—such as those in Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso—who are pushing to maximise returns from their mineralwealth.
Meanwhile, Guinea’s actions mirror those of Senegal Back in 2024 Senegalese Police with the support of its SubImmigration Support and RepressionGroup(GARSI), initiated measures to dismantle clandestine operations in that country’s gold fields, namely the, K é d o u g o u r e g i o n Predominantly managed by foreign nationals, p a r t i c u l a r l y f r o m neighbouring countries, these illicit gold panning sites often serve as hubs for various illicit activities includingtrafficking. Themovewasinkeeping with the promises of newly
elected Senegalese President, Bassirou
Diomaye Faye, who on taking office had vowed to clamp down on the skullduggeries taking place initsoilandgasandmining sectors. To this, end reports indicate that in pursuit of organizing and regulating the gold panning industry withintheKédougouregion, law enforcement officials, aided by GARSI targeted raids conducted in specific areas resulted in the closure ofmultipleclandestinesites. Notably, the operation conductedonSaturday,May 4th, in the village of Bagué, situated in the commune of MissirahSirimana,ledtothe seizure of several items including a generator, a motor pump, containers of gasoline, motorcycles, solar panels, a water pump, and a substantial quantity of narcotics. Law enforcement efforts remain ongoing across the Southeast zone.
According to reports, following the arrival of law enforcement personnel, illegal gold miners from BurkinaFasohastilyvacated the premises, abandoning their equipment, and fleeing across the Malian border to seekrefuge.
In a televised address to the Senegalese nation on his assumption of office Faye had immediately revealed plans for a comprehensive auditofthenation’soil,gas, andminingsectors,andtheir terms and conditions under which they were handed out byhispredecessor Inrecent years this publication has reported on a plethora of s h o r t c o m i n g s a n d
exploitation in the sector, including those enshrined in the many contracts inked overtheyears.
Tax revenues as a share of GDP in Guyana fell in 2023 and the country now hasthelowesttax-GDPratio for the Latin America and Caribbean region, a new reportbytheUnitedNations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) has said.
According to the report,
tax revenues in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) decreased as a share of GDP in 2023 amid a slowdown in economic activity in the region and a declineinglobalcommodity prices The report titled, Revenue Statistics in Latin America and the Caribbean 2025, released two weeks ago at the UN-ECLAC 37th Regional Fiscal Seminar in Santiago, Chile, shows that theaveragetax-to-GDPratio in the LAC region was 21.3%in2023.
This was 0.2 percentage points (p.p.) below the level in 2022 and slightly below thelevelpriortotheCOVID19 pandemic (21 4% in 2019). Tax-to-GDP ratios in theLACregion,accordingto the report ranged from 11.6%inGuyanato32.0%in
Brazil
3. By comparison,theaveragetaxto-GDP ratio in OECD countries was 33 9% in 2023.
Between2022and2023, the tax-to-GDP ratio fell in 14 of the 26 LAC countries included in the report. Chile andPeruobservedthelargest declines (of 3.2 p.p. and 2.1 p p respectively) In both cases,thiswasprimarilydue to lower income tax revenues, which resulted from the impact of lower commodity prices on the economy and high tax refunds and credits in 2023. Accordingtothenewreport, the overall decline in tax revenues as a share of GDP intheLACregionwasdueto a fall in revenues from income taxes, notably among some of the main hydrocarbon and mineral producers.
Inaninvitedcommenton the report, Chartered Accountant, Christopher Ram said that the report confirms how recklessly the PPP/C has managed an oil economy He said it also confirms Guyana’s oil delusion and paradox: the shameful distinction of having the lowest tax-toGDPratioinLatinAmerica–just11.6%,whileboastingof being an oil powerhouse. It makesuslookfoolish.
“Before oil, even with thehighleveloftaxevasion, Guyana collected taxes at a more normal rate of around 24% of GDP With oil supposedlytransformingour fortunes, the ratio has collapsed to 11.6%. Those who boast that we are all stupid do not want to admit
thatourGDPisbloatedwith oil profits to Exxon and company and barely touchingourTreasury,”Ram who is an advocate for a better oil deal between Guyana and ExxonMobil said. He told this newspaper that with the “headlamps in their eyes, government has refused to modernise our economic base, continuing to measure prosperity using inflatedfiguresthatdisguise howlittlewereceive.Worse, the Government pays the taxes for the same oil companiesfromthelittlewe receive, issuing them tax certificates to claim credits intheirhomecountrieseven as we pretend to collect revenue. With a guaranteed recovery of all their costs, the companies make profits approaching 70%, higher thananyofthetechgiantsor otherbusinesses.”
Robbery
Ram described the situationregardingGuyana’s taxcollectionas“thatrobber baron so well-known from our early school days –Walter Raleigh We remember that he sailed to theseshoressearchingforEl Dorado, finding nothing, whatever he told the people back home We freely surrender our offshore oil wealthtocorporateraidersin ways that dishonor the memory of theArawaks and Caribs, who never willingly gaveupwhatwastheirs.”
He bemoaned the fact that some of the country’s intellectuals defend the refusal to renegotiate the lopsided ExxonMobil contract as “sanctity of
contract.” This he said makes Raleigh looks like an amateur “At least he failed torobus.Ontheotherhand, wearebeingrobbedinbroad daylight, and our politicians aresoblindedthattheywant the country to be associated with their vessel – One Guyana. Walter Raleigh all overagain.”
Taxandearnings
F o r 2 0 2 3 , t h e Government of Guyana (GoG) had to pay the combined sum of $306 billion in income taxes for ExxonMobil Guyana Limited and its Stabroek Block partners, Hess and CNOOC according to the companies’auditedfinancial statements, while for the same period Guyana earned $336 billion from its oil Income tax revenues declinedby0.1%ofGDPon averagefromapeakof6.3% in 2022 Social security contributions increased by 0 1 p p in 2023 while revenues from taxes on goodsandservicesremained unchanged as a share of GDP
A decline in commodity pricesin2023draggeddown the LAC region’s revenues from non-renewable natural resources Hydrocarbonrelated revenues among the region’s ten biggest oil producers declined to 3.9% of GDP on average in 2023 (from4.4%ofGDPin2022) while mining revenues declined to 0.59% of GDP (from 0 74% of GDP in 2022). The report estimates that revenues from hydrocarbons and mining decreasedfurtherin2024,to Continued on page 36
Nomads Carnival returns to New York bigger and bolder for 2025
Amost successful, sold-out events. The reception was massive Thousands of masqueraders flooded the Brooklyn streets under the Guyana flag, backed by support from the One Guyana and the presence of top government ministers including Minister of Tourism, Oneidge Walrond andMinisterofHousingand Water,SusanRodrigues.
Now,in2025,Nomadshas evolved from a single-day roadmarchtoafullybranded Carnival weekend The official Nomads Carnival calendarrunsfromAugust29 toSeptember1;featuringfour signature events: MADD J’ouvert –August 29; Cooler Fete–August30,FriendsWith Benefits(FWB)–August31; NomadsMondayRoadMarch –September1
definitely brewing with masquerades traveling from across the U.S., Canada, the Caribbean,andevenGuyana to be part of the experience. And with registration now open, demand is already surging.
fter making an unforgettable launch on the Labour Day Carnival scene last year, Nomads Carnival is back, and this time, the Guyanese-owned brand is going even bigger Nomads is Guyanese-owned and
operated brand to make an
k on
Brooklyn’s iconic Labour Day Carnival, launched by Guyanese entertainment
M
l o n
m
“Freedom”Jacobs.Jacobsis a cultural visionary known for producing some of the
“Nomads is more than a costume band; it’s now a movement It’s about presence. It’s about energy It’s about putting Guyanese excellence on the global stage,”saidJacobs. In2025, the brand continues to collaboratewithhomegrown
designers to curate highimpact costumes and experiences that are not only visually stunning but rich in CaribbeanandGuyanesespirit Registration is now open, and soonpersonswillhaveaccessto costume packages and noncostume experiences available for those looking to be part of the action Iconic, the 2025 costume band will officially launch on July 4th at one of Marlon’s signature annual event- Drinks, Ice, Soca! Revellers will have a closeup look on the masterpieces createdfortheroad.
The long-term vision for Nomadsisbold:takethebrand global. Plans are already underway for future appearances at other major carnivals, including Miami, Notting Hill, and Guyana Carnival, creating a mobile Guyanese presence across internationalstages.
The excitement is
For now, all eyes are on
Brooklyn this Labour Day weekend, where the Nomads movement will once again transform the city into a wave of colour, culture, and Guyanesepride.
Kindly include this preregistrationlinkinyouronline mediacaptions: https://docs.google.com/ forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdkOb Qr8j7HTzhpnPeIRrXXM6p ACUMj9ANlfdVd7iIMhE Qlqw/viewform?usp=sharin g&ouid=111824236872160
100054Tolearnmoreabout NomadsCarnival2025,visit wwwfreedomfamilyent co m/nomads
Asection of the crowd at Nomads Carnival in NewYork
Guyanese entertainment promoter Marlon “Freedom” Jacobs cheers on the crowd at Nomads Carnival in NewYork
Tom Cruise is awarded Guinness World Record Tom with fiery ‘Mission: Impossible 8’ stunt
(CNN) - Tom Cruise is now a title-holder for a daring stunt he performed for the latest installment of the “Mission: Impossible” franchise.
According to the
Guinness Book of World Records, Cruise now holds the title for the “most burning parachute jumps by anindividual,”withhisjump countclockinginat16times.
“Tom doesn’t just play action heroes – he is an actionhero!”CraigGlenday, Editor-in-Chief of Guinness World Records, said in a statementThursday “Alarge
part of his success can be chalked up to his absolute focus on authenticity and pushing the boundaries of whataleadingmancando.”
Glenday added that it’s “an honour to be able to recognize his utter fearlessness with this new Guinness World Records title.” Cruise conducted the fiery jumps as a stunt while filming for “Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning,” the eighth film in the popular action franchise in which Cruise has starred since 1996. In this screenshot, actor Tom
Cruiseperformsastuntwith aparachutethatisonfirefor the film “Mission: Impossible: The Final Reckoning.”
In a video posted to the official YouTube page for Paramount Pictures, the studio behind the film, Cruise is seen discussing logistics for the stunt with stuntcoordinators,saying,“I amgoingtobedeploying.If this is twisted while it’s burning, I am going to be spinningandburnt.”
He later said in the clip that he wanted to be “real smart, I’m not saying be
risky,” adding with a smirk, “We don’t take risks obviously.”
The clip shows Cruise sky-diving out of the helicopter with his burning parachute all 16 times in rapid succession as the “Mission: Impossible” theme song plays in the background.
This latest stunt is far from the first daring feat Cruise has performed. In addition to his performance around the Olympic Games last summer, the actor is known for conducting his ownstuntsinhismovies.
Tom Cruise on the set of “Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning.” Keith Bernstein/Paramount Pictures
Queen’s College maintains national championship at SHOUT 3.0 on
From Left: Recover Guyana Founder Dr. Dave Lalltoo, Subrina Jadgeo, President’s College - third place winner; Anushka Singh of Queen’s College SHOUT 3.0 National Champion; nd Kuvina Singh, The Bishops’High School - 2 place winner.
World Environment Day
Anushka Singh of Queen’s College has emerged as the SHOUT 3 0 National Champion. Singh delivered an outstanding performance across all four phases and presentedacompellingvisionforsustainable transformation on June 5, World Environment Day, when Recover Guyana concludeditsSHOUT3.0competition.
This competition is founded on a search for Guyana’s premier youth environmental speaker, identifying its national champion and shining a spotlight on Guyana’s next generation of environmental leaders. Hosted at the Ramada Georgetown Princess Hotel,
the event marked the national finale of the four-phase competition which began in March, organised by Recover Guyana in collaborationwiththeMinistryofEducation andsupportedbyExxonMobilGuyana. KuvinaSingh,TheBishops’HighSchool earned second place for a well-balanced and emotionally resonant speech, while Subrina Jadgeo, President’s College secured third placewithathoughtfulandpassionatecallto action.Queen’sCollegewillreceiveaGYD1 million cash grant to implement an environmentalenhancementprojectinspired
Continued on page 47
Singh of Queen’s College SHOUT 3.0 National Champion flanked by students of several participating schools
ByAllyiahAllicock
If you are yet to find that jewellery store that offers quality pieces and have you looking elegantandclassyatthesametime, then‘AdornDeluxe’istheplacefor you.
For those not familiar with the business,‘AdornDeluxe’isasmall jewellery business proudly owned by 31-year-old Stacey Paul, an Agriculturist, youth advocate, and proudBuxtonian.
OfficiallylaunchedonMay14, 2021,Adorn Deluxe offers simple yet radiant jewellery of great quality, affordability, and uniqueness for every occasion. They have in store watches, jewellery storage, stainless steel pieces, 18k gold-plated items, and sterling silver jewellery It literally hasjustaboutanyjewellerytosuit yourstyle.
Sharingwiththispublicationof how it all started, Paul said at the beginningof2021,shewrotedown things she wanted to accomplish, one of which was starting a business.
“I wholeheartedly believed it would happen, even though I had no idea what my niche was at the time.So,Ibegantoanalyzemyself and ask questions like: ‘Stacey,whatdoyoulike?Whatis something you can see yourself doing and never get tired of?’ That’s when I realized: I love jewellery Not just any costume jewellery but jewellery I can wear that won’t tarnish overnight, jewellery with a classic, elegant look,andalittleedge,”sherecalled.
Just a glimpse of the jewellery collection ‘Adorn Deluxe’ has in store.
‘Adorn Deluxe’ for all elegant and great quality jewellery
“My niche had been with me my entire life. I was just too blindsided to see it earlier, or perhaps it wasn’t my timeyet,”sheadded.
After deciding it was a jewellery business she wanted to pursue, Paul
stated that throughout January 2021, she used her free time after work to do researchandeducateherself.
Upon deciding on a name, she said she wanted it to be simple yet exuded luxury “ADORN was the only word that stood out among the list I had created. But it needed something extra
to give it a kick. That’s when I added “Deluxe.” When I said it outloud,itfeltandsoundedright. I knew then: ADORN DELUXE would be the name,” she recollected.
After completing all the research and deciding on a name, Paulsaidthenextstepwasturning hervisionintoreality
“IknewexactlywhatIneeded to do, but fear and anxiety about startingmyownbusinessclouded my vision All the what-ifs floodedmymind.Iwentasfaras creatingasocialmediaprofilebut went cold turkey because I was too afraid to start posting or even ask people to follow my page,” sherecalled.
Not letting fear hold her back any further that is when she decided to officially start in May 2021,withtheloveandsupportof family,friendsandcolleagues.
Movingfromabusinessspace in her bedroom to now a storefront, Adorn Deluxe is located at Camp and Hadfield Street,insideKeishar’sbuilding.
It should be noted that apart from the jewellery pieces, the businessalsooffersgiftboxesthat allowyoutoselectandcustomize yourownjewellerycombinations.
For birthdays, the store offers 10% off purchases, and would frequently have giveaways and occasionalsalesaswell.
Proud of the growth from 2021tonow,Paulrelatedthatasa business owner, she faced challenges.
She detailed that her first major challengewasfindingtherightvendors anddealingwithshippingcosts.
“I remember my first jewellery purchase:Iselectedmultiplevendorsto Continued on page 50
Young Entrepreneur, Stacey Paul
offer.
Some of the classic watches ‘Adorn Deluxe’has to
GNBSINFOCUS:
WORLD ACCREDITATION DAY: GNBS HELPING GUYANESE BUSINESSES TO BUILD TRUST TO ACCESS NEW MARKETS
Many Small and M e d i u m
Enterprises (SMEs) face barriers in accessing international markets, demonstrating compliance, or gaining consumertrust.
Luckily, accreditation to internationalstandardshelps bridge these gaps by verifying the quality, safety, and sustainability of products, services, and processes, as well as staff
competence within businesses or organisations. With accreditation, SMEs can have access to new markets and opportunities forgrowth.
On Monday, June 9, 2025, accreditation and standardisation bodies, including the Guyana National Bureau of Standards(GNBS),willjoin in the observance of World AccreditationDayunderthe theme "Accreditation: Empowering Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs)."
This year's theme emphasises the crucial role
SMEs play in the global e c o n o m y, d r i v i n g innovation, generating employment, and fostering localcommunities.
In Guyana, the GNBS serves as the National Accreditation Focal Point (NAFP) and continues to work with numerous laboratories to achieve accreditation to two major international standards
These are the ISO 15189:2022, "Medical l a b o r a t o r i e s Requirements for quality and competence," and the ISO 17025:2017, "General requirements for the competence of testing and calibrationlaboratories."
Through our Technical Assistance(TA)programme, ourskilledtechnicalofficers have worked with several private and public laboratories to achieve accreditation, ensuring that thesefacilitiesarecompetent to deliver accurate and reliableresults.
The TA process commences with the filling out and submitting of an
application form available on the GNBS' website (gnbsgy.org), followed by a meeting with the client to outline the TA programme a n d f o r m u l a t e a n implementationplan.
This is followed by an awareness session, where the team is formally introduced,andthecompany begins learning about the management system it aims toimplement.Agapanalysis isthenconductedtoidentify the differences between the client's current situation and the desired future state so that the appropriate systems can be developed or modified.
Oncecompleted,areport on the gap analysis is compiled, and the findings are reviewed and discussed withthecompany
Thisprocessisfollowed by the development of an implementation plan which details how the TA programme will be carried out.
Notably, the GNBS provides training on under
a
requirementsofthestandard alongwithdocumentingand implementing the standard
it
s to the management system and internal auditing of the system.
This guarantees that employees can maintain the accreditation long after the technical assistance programmehasended.
Upon completion of the programme, these facilities can also enjoy greater efficiency, improved reputation, compliance
assuran
d business and the ability to savetimeandmoney
So far, the GNBS has
assistance for various agencies, including Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI), the Georgetown Public H
n (GPHC), the University of Guyana, and the Ministry of PublicWorks,amongothers.
In addition, the GNBS Industrial Metrology and Testing Labo
achievedaccreditationtothe International Standard ISO/IEC 17025:2017Generalrequirementsforthe competence of testing and calibration laboratories in 2023.Thismilestoneensures that the results emanating from the laboratories are accurateandreliable.
laboratories in Guyana include the laboratories of
Development Board Central Laboratory, Eureka Medical Laboratories Incorporated, the Government Analyst's Food and Drug Department, and the Dr Balwant Singh Hospital. T
stakeholders need to return toyourbusiness.Contactthe GNBS today to initiate technical assistance towards achieving accreditation. For further information, contact the GNBS on telephone numbers 219-0065 or 2190064 or visit its website: www.gnbsgy.org
Frompage20
3.2% of GDP and 0.5% of GDP, respectively For the firsttime,the2025editionof Revenue Statistics in Latin America and the Caribbean presentsharmoniseddataon non-tax revenues, such as rents and royalties, interest and dividends received by the government, and public salesofgoodsandservices.
The report shows that non-tax revenues at the centralgovernmentlevelfor 22 LAC countries averaged 3 1% of GDP in 2023, rangingfrom0.4%inPeruto 11 6% of GDP in Cuba Between 2019 and 2023, non-tax revenues declined by0.4p.p.onaverageacross the LAC region, albeit with strong year-on-year variations over this period, including a decline of 0.7 p.p.between2022and2023. Revenue Statistics in Latin America and the Caribbean 2025isajointpublicationby theInter-AmericanCenterof TaxAdministrations(CIAT),
the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB),
the United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (UN-ECLAC), and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Centre for Tax Policy and
Limited (EMGL), the operator of the Stabroek Block was flagged by the local audit team, VHE Consulting for misusing Guyana’soilmoneybetween 2018 and 2020 to pay for several persons to travel abroad for the naming
ceremony of the Liza Destiny Floating Production Storage and Offloading vessel(FPSO).
LizaDestinyisGuyana’s firstFPSO.Accordingtothe auditreportcompletedbythe consortium, the trip to Singapore included four government officials It would be recalled that the then First Lady, Sandra Granger, along with former Head of the Department of Energy, Dr Mark Bynoe attendedtheceremony They
Michael Ryan and former President of Exxon Guyana, RodneyHenson.
The report explains that during the period May and June2019,theoilgiantmade four separate claims for travel exp
Singapore, which amounted toatotalofUS$94,477.11or approximatelyGYD$19M.
In disputing the sum claimed by the oil company under the heading, ‘NonRecoverable Employee Expenses’, the auditors explained that “Section 2 of Annex C (Accounting Procedure) of the June 27, 2016, PetroleumAgreement (PA) allows as chargeable costs,allcosts,expensesand expenditures relating to the PetroleumOperations.”
Meanwhile, Petroleum Operations is defined as prospecting operations a n d / o r p r o d u c t i o n operations, as defined in the Act, conducted pursuant to theAgreement.
To this end, the auditors pointedout,“Acostmustbe carried out for, or in connection with, production operations for the cost to be recoverable These costs were not directly for Stabroek production operations, they are corporate expenses not recoverable.”
The second audit was conducted by the local c o n s o r t i u m V H E Consulting, a registered partnership comprising
Ramdihal & Haynes Inc., Eclisar Financial, and Vitality Accounting & Consultancy Inc The contract for this audit was valued at US$751,000 (GY$156 million) and awardedinMay2022.
It should be noted that following the naming ceremony of the Liza DestinyFPSO,thenewFirst Lady,AryaAlialsotravelled with a team to Singapore to a t t e n d t h e n a m i n g ceremoniesoftwoadditional FPSOs.
In June 2021, the ceremony for the second FPSO, Liza Unity was hosted at the Cara Lodge in Georgetown as the vessel prepared to set sail to Guyanafromtheshipyardin Singapore. It was facilitated locallyduetotheCOVID-19 pandemic.
The First Lady however flew to Singapore in February 2023 to attend the naming ceremony for the thirdFPSO‘Prosperity’.She againtravelledinApril2024 to tour the ‘One Guyana’ FPSOwhichwillproduceoil from the fourth project, Yellowtail The expenses related to her travel may be included in future audit reports, should ExxonMobil again bill these expenses to Guyana.
Corporation in 2024 recorded an operating profit before taxation of almost US$6B, the company’s AnnualReporthasrevealed.
On Tuesday, EMGL shared the document with membersofthemediaatthe company’s Duke Street, Kingston, Georgetown office.
Explaining the financial performance of the oil company was the newly appointedBusinessServices Manager, John Colling. He was keen to note that the increase in the company’s profits was primarily due to the startup of the third Floating Production Storage and Offloading vessel (FPSO), Prosperity, which commenced production activitiesinNovember2023 but reached maximum capacityinJanuary2024.
Colling noted, “In 2024, ExxonMobil Guyana Limited generated $1 7 trillion (GYD) in revenue, whichisupabout60%from the prior year and that’s really driven by the Prosperity FPSO coming onlineandhigherproduction volumes.”
Similarly, the Business Services Manager said the company’s net income also increased to $995B (GYD) in 2024, compared with $615B (GYD) recorded in 2023, as a result of the addition of the Prosperity vessel.
Additionally, the startup of the vessel also accounted foranincreaseinproduction costs in 2024 which totaled
significant and broad benefits to its citizens…We have consistently grown production year-over year since the first oil production milestone in 2019 As a result,Guyanaisnowoneof the largest oil producers per capita in the world, and it boasts the world’s fastestgrowingeconomy.”
Oppositionwalkout forcesabruptendto GECOMmeeting - critical matters missing from agenda
A scheduled meeting of the Guyana Elections Commission(GECOM)was abruptly adjourned on Tuesday after oppositionnominated commissioner, Desmond Trotman walked outinprotest.
$61.3B,comparedwithonly $41.1Bin2023.
Exxon reported a tax e x p e n s e o f $260,155,788,763 (GYD) and $995,144,810,603 (GYD) as its total comprehensive income for the year It is important to note that the company, in accordance with the provisions of the 2016 Production Sharing
Agreement (PSA) is exemptedfrompayingtaxes.
As such, it could be accurately concluded that thecompany’sprofitsforthe y e a r t o t a l e d $1,255,300,599,366.
The2024AnnualReport indicated that the exchange rateattheendofthefinancial period was US$1 = G$210, hence Exxon recorded US$5,977,621,901 as operating profit before taxation.
In 2024, ExxonMobil produced approximately 652,000 barrels per day (kbd) During the period, Liza Destiny produced approximately157kbd,Liza Unity 246 kbd and Prosperity249kbd.
President of EMGL, Alistair Routledge in the report said reflecting on 2024 fills him with both pride and gratitude for the collective efforts that have culminatedinwhathasbeen describedas“oneofthemost remarkable success stories” globally
He was keen to note, “Our journey in Guyana is just beginning, poised to furthertransformthecountry and its economy, bringing
The walkout came after commissioners were informedthatseveralcritical electoral issues raised in the previous meeting were not includedontheagenda.
This was confirmed by commissioner Vincent Alexander during a brief interview with Kaieteur Newsfollowingthemeeting at GECOM headquarters in Kingston,Georgetown.
According toAlexander, the meeting came to an abruptendduetothelackof a quorum after Trotman walked out the meeting Trotman’s walkout followed t h e c o m m i s s i o n ’s announcement that several concerns raised by opposition-nominated commissioners during the previous meeting, held last Thursday,werenotincluded ontheagenda.
“The chairperson started the meeting by saying, ‘let’s look at the minutes ’ I stopped and said, ‘madam chair, before you look at the minutes, this agenda of the meeting does not have the items they promised to check,’”Alexanderrecalled.
He continued, “She then responded saying because theAttorneyGeneralhadnot responded, that’s the reason why the matters are not on theagenda.”
Alexanderexplainedthat the issues expected to be addressed included: the stamping of the ballot, dual c i t i z e n s h i p f o r Commonwealthcitizens,the incarcerated being allowed to vote, underlining of overseas Guyanese on the voters’ list, provision for party polling staff to vote, andmethodologyfor Continued on page 37
Former First Lady, Sandra Granger (front left) takes a tour of the Liza Destiny FPSO during the naming ceremony of the vessel in June 2019.
Frompage20 flagging deceased persons onthelist.
“Thesemattersshouldbe ontheagendafordiscussion. They were not on the agenda,”heemphasised.
Alexander noted that the matters had been raised in writing several weeks ago, but to date, the Attorney General and Minister of LegalAffairs, MohabirAnil Nandlall, S C , has not providedaresponse.
According toAlexander,
GECOM Chairperson Justice (Ret’d) Claudette Singh, indicated that the exclusion of the issues from the agenda was due to the pending response from the attorneygeneral.“Shestated the reason they were not on theagendaisbecausetheAG had not responded to the matters,”hesaid.
However, Singh assured the commissioners that responses would be available by Thursday.
Despite that promise, tensions rose further when Trotman insisted the issues should have at least been included for reporting and preliminarydiscussion.
“CommissionerTrotman then said, even if you didn’t have the responses, you should have the matters on theagendaandreportonthe matters. Because she didn’t report on the matters, she was going to start on the discussions in the minutes.
I t ’s o n l y w h e n w e enquired…butthenshesaid let’s look at the minutes,” Alexanderrecounted.
“Trotman said you can’t dothis;themattersshouldat least be on the agenda. He saidthathe’snotpreparedto stay in a meeting where the issuesthatwerereportedare not included in the discussion. So, because he left,therewasnoquorum.”
Alexanderexplainedthat GECOM’s rules require a m i n i m u m o f t w o commissioners from each side to constitute a quorum. “In GECOM, you need two [commissioners] from each sidetoinstituteaquorum,so once he left, there was no quorum,” he clarified. As a result, the meeting was adjourned to Thursday, with acommitmentfromthechair that the outstanding matters would be included on the agenda.
During the last meeting, opposition-nominated commissioners eventually agreed to the September 1 election timeline, despite initially arguing that the
decision had been made unilaterallyanddidnotalign with GECOM’s internal planning Commissioners Alexander, Trotman, and Charles Corbin also contended that the commission would not be adequately prepared to hold electionsbythatdate.
However, while the new work plan was eventually discussed and agreed upon, Alexander emphasized that several key issues remain unresolved “The issues which were outstanding were stamping of the ballot, the number of dead persons on the list and those matters I contended are critical to a free and fair election, which have not been concluded,” he told KaieteurNews.
He said these matters were not included in the current plan but flagged by the opposition as essential, were supposed to be addressed in Tuesday’s meeting, an expectation that wasnotmet.
THURSDAY
Adrianatobelaid torestmonth-end-family confirms
After more than a month and two autopsies, 11-yearold Adriana Younge, whose body was mysteriously foundinaswimmingpoolat t h e D o u b l e D a y International Hotel, will finally be laid to rest by this month’send.
This was confirmed by her family on Wednesday during an appearance on ‘The Reset Talk Show’, hostedbyJr Giddings.
Adriana’s body was flowntotheUnitedStateson May26forasecondautopsy The procedure was conducted last Thursday by forensic pathologist, Dr. Carol Terry, Chief Medical Examiner of Gwinnett County, Georgia. However, the autopsy did not yield a definitive conclusion due to insufficient information provided to Dr Terry Despite this, the family has remained in the U.S., where they were honoured by members of the New York Community
During the programme, Adriana’s aunt, Ameka Lewis, who appeared alongside Adriana’s mother, Amecia Simon, confirmed that the family will return to Guyana next week to begin funeral preparations. Lewis stated that the funeral is
U.S.),andDr GlennRudner (Mount Sinai, U S ) The team concluded that the cause of death was drowning However, the teamcouldnotdeterminethe time of death or confirm whetherAdrianahadinhaled poolortapwater
expectedtotakeplacebythe end of June, although an officialdatehasnotyetbeen announced.
“We will be back home sometimenextweek,andwe are looking at June monthend for the funeral, which will be done in Guyana,” Lewis said. “Contrary to all that has been out there, saying that Adriana was cremated here (in the U.S.), we brought her for burial, that’s not true. Adriana will be buried in Guyana, that’s where she was born, that’s whereshelived.”
Adriana had recently written the National Grade Six Assessment when she was reported missing on April 23 during a family outing at the Double Day International Hotel and Bar in Tuschen, East Bank Essequibo Her body was discovered the next day — nearly20hourslater—inan uprightpositioninthehotel’s swimming pool, despite earlier searches of that same area.
Family members reported visible bruises and scratches on her knees, elbows, face, hands, and toes Strangely, her body showednosignsofbloating, a condition typically associated with drowning victims. These observations only deepened suspicions surroundingherdeath.
Before her body was found, police and hotel staff reportedly attempted to convince the family that she had been abducted from the premises. The discovery of herbodyinthepoolsparked national outrage, violent protests, and widespread callsforjustice.
The first post-mortem examination, conducted on April 28 by a three-member international forensic team, including Dr. Shubhakar Karra Paul (Barbados), Dr Gary Collins (Delaware,
Her funeral was initially scheduledforMay5,butwas postponed at the last minute after Adriana’s parents and close relatives expressed doubts over the findings of the first autopsy Feeling they still had many unanswered questions; the family chose not to proceed withtheburial.
Determined to get more clarity, they arranged for a second autopsy in the U.S. Her body was flown to Atlanta, Georgia, where Dr. Carol Terry conducted the procedure.
In an interview with journalist Travis Chase, Dr. Terrycalledthecase“highly suspicious” and emphasised that only a thorough investigation could determine whether Adriana drowned or was murdered. “At this time, drowning cannot be conclusively statedasthecauseofdeath,” shesaid.
Govt.borrows
US$350MmorefromIDB - funds to expand social protection programmes
The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB)
Board of Executive Directors has approved a US$350 million loan to Guyana, which it says underpins the country’s ongoingeffortstomodernise and expand its social protectionsystems.
In approving this second
and final operation in a programmatic series (the first of which was cofinancedwithGlobalAffairs Canada), the IDB said it recognises Guyana’s strong
c p
rf
m
nd its commitment to inclusive social reform. The loan will support the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security (MHSSS) in enhancingtheefficiencyand reachofitssocialsafetynet, with a focus on digital transformation, inclusion, a
vulnerable groups Key c
programmeinclude:
( 1 ) D
g i t a l Transformation of Social Services: Streamlining and d
(3)Expanded Public Assistance for Persons with Disabilities: Increasing the coverage of the Public Assistance program, which has already supported more than 6,000 individuals with disabilities.
(4)Growth of the Learning Lab: Scaling up trainingprogramsthatequip persons with disabilities with employability skills, adaptive living techniques, and tools for improved qualityoflife.
(5)Women’s Economic Empowerment: Expanding theWomen’sInnovationand InvestmentNetwork(WIIN) Business Clinic to provide
women with training in business management, legal literacy, and access to funding.
(6)Support for Survivors of Gender-Based Violence: Strengthening the Survivors Advocates program and the Counter Trafficking in Persons Unit to provide comprehensive support to survivors.
(7)National Action Plan Against Human Trafficking: Supporting the development of a coordinated, interinstitutional strategy to combathumantrafficking.
According to the bank, theseinitiatives,launchedin 2023, reflect a holistic approach to social protection, targeting the most disadvantaged and underserved populations in Guyana. The IDB loan features a 20-year amortisation period, a 5.5yeargraceperiod,aone-year disbursementwindow,anda SOFR-based interest rate
“This operation showcases the IDB’s commitment to supporting Guyana’s social development agenda that providesopportunitiesforall andbuildingamoreresilient society,” the bank said. The Government of Guyana (GoG) in 2024 spent a total of US$196M to service the country’sballooningdebt,of which US$80M went towards interest This is according to a report from Central Bank. According to t h e d o c u m e n t , approximately US$79 9M was paid in interest by the country on its total stock of external and domestic debt. Itisimportanttonotethatby the end of 2024, the country’s total debt stood at almostUS$6B,afterclosing Continued on page 38
Sent on leave, Senior Superintendent Himnauth Sawh
Frompage37 2023withatotalpublicdebt ofUS$4.5B.
Back in January 2023, theIDBhadreleasedareport cautioning Latin America
and Caribbean (LAC) countriesagainst‘excessive’
borrowing and urged governments to bring their debts down to more prudent levels In its report titled ‘Dealing with Debt – Less RiskforMoreGrowthinthe Latin America and the Caribbean’ , the IDB disclosed at that time that debt has risen and stands at some US$5.8 trillion, which is 117 percent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in the region. “Given the dangers of excessive debt, thecurrentsituationinLatin America and the Caribbean isworrisome,”theIDBsaid. IDBsaidpublicdebtservesa critical role for countries to pursue public investment projects,implementcounter-
cyclical policies, and
provide support to economies in the face of negative shocks. However, theIDBwarnedthatifpublic debt becomes too large or is not managed with sufficient caution, interest costs may balloon, growth prospects maysuffer,andinthelimit,a costly debt crisis may be provoked.
According to the report, governmentscanbringdown
their debt levels by improving spending efficiency,expandingthetax base, and seeking wider reforms to enhance fiscal balancesandboostgrowth.
The IDB said that there aremanyreasonswhypublic debt levels should be lower than they currently are, highlighting that there are several ways to reduce that debt.
FRIDAY
SeniorSuperintendent ofpoliceamongsix sanctionedbyU.S. fordrugtrafficking - Officer Sawh sent on leave
Senior Superintendent Himnauth Sawh has landed
on the United States Department of the Treasury Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctions list, along with three other G u y a n e s e a n d t w o Colombians for trafficking drugs to the United States throughGuyana.
In a statement on Thursday, the OFAC updated its Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons (SDN) list, naming the thirty-sevenyear-old senior officer of Cane Grove, as well as businessman Paul Daby Jr., 40, also known as “Daby Ramsuchit” , “Paul” , “Rondell” and “Randell” of Georgetown; Mark Cromwell, 43, known as “Demon”and“Diamond”of Lot40Vigilance,EastCoast Demerara, and Lot 10 Buxton, ECD; and 50-yearold Randolph Duncan for drugtrafficking.
Additionally, two Colombian nationals, Manuel Salazar Gutierrez, also known as “Manguera” and “Orejon” and Yeison AndresSanchezVallejo,also known as “Blacks” and “Andreas”, were listed as operating in drug trafficking throughGuyana. OFAC stated that for decades, Guyana has been a transhipment point for the movement of drugs from SouthAmericatotheUnited States and Europe “Drug traffickers exploit the rivers and jungles of South
America by transiting large quantities of cocaine, from Colombia and Venezuela, through the waters of Guyana and Suriname,” it was stated. OFAC outlined that Guyana’s proximity to the Caribbean, as well as reportedcorruptionalongits ports and borders, allows maritime vessels, also knownasnarco-submarines, to transit through its waters undetected.
It was stated that traffickers utilise these vessels to smuggle cocaine fromtheportsofGuyanaand Suriname, across the Atlantic, to the United States, Europe, and the Caribbean. OFAC said, too, that traffickers also coordinate the importation of cocaine loads from Colombia and Venezuela to Guyana via small aircraft, utilising illegal airstrips in Guyanaaslandingspots.
“C
discovere
ied in underground bunk
rs located on airstrips and in jung
itory, with Guyana’s Barima-Waini region as a prominent location Cocaine is then flown, via aircraft, to the United States, Europe, and theCaribbean,”itwasstated. FollowingaUS$188million drug bust on August 31st, thispublicationhadreported that a senior police officer was allegedly connected with the cocaine bust at Matthew’s Ridge, Region One. A Joint Services team, led by the CANU, on Saturday unearthed approximately 4 4 tons (4,400 kilos) of suspected cocaine,whichhasacurrent street value of US$188 million, at a nearby illegal airstrip at Matthew’s Ridge. Neatly stashed, the cocaine
was found buried in four hand-dug pits, each averaging five to six feet deep, and covered with tarpaulins, wood, and bushes.
Following allegations that a senior cop was involved in the drug bust, Senior Superintendent Sawh, who joined the GPF on June 3rd, 2008 and who was the Commander for RegionOne,wastransferred from the region to the Guyana Police Force Projects Office, where he wasondutyuptoThursday
Following the OFAC announcement of the sanctions on the senior officer,theMinisterofHome Affairssaid,“Initialactionis beingfinalised.”Hourslater, the GPF confirmed that SeniorSuperintendentSawh was sent on administrative leave.Inabriefstatement,it was said, “The Guyana Police Force has taken note ofaReporttodaybytheU.S.
Department of the Treasury’sOfficeofForeign Assets Control to sanction fourGuyanese,oneofwhom is Senior Superintendent HimnauthSawh.”
To this end, it was stated that in keeping with the Force’s Standard Operating P r o c e d u r e , S e n i o r Superintendent Sawh has been sent on administrative leave following his being sanctioned for drug trafficking by the United States In relation to Cromwell,in 2024, theGPF had issued a wanted bulletin for him in relation to the abduction of ex-cop Delon
Alexander, who was abductedonMay7,2024,on
Church of God Road, Buxton,ECD.
In a statement on Thursdaynight,theMinistry
of Home Affairs said the government, through the Attorney General’s Office, will request details from OFACviatheDepartmentof Justice, a Component of the UnitedStatesgovernment,to f a c i l i t a t e f u r t h e r investigations. The ministry said that the details will guide the actions of the Police Service Commission (PSC)andthegovernment.
Essequibotruckdriver diesintruckcrash
A 28-year-old truck driver was on Wednesday night killed after colliding withanexcavatortrack.
Dead is Kevin Bacchus of Queenstown, Essequibo Coast.
Reports are that the accident occurred at 21:25hrsontheRiversTown Public Road, Essequibo Coast.
According to a police report,theaccidentinvolved a truck bearing registration number GNN4987 which was owned and driven by Bacchus, a second truck bearing registration number GAJ 2185 which is owned and driven by 43-year-old Jairam Sukhu of Lot 43 Maria’s Lodged, Essequibo Coast,andathirdtruckwith trade plate number BMI-2 which was driven by 28year-oldYogeshwarPersaud of Lot 20 Columbia, EssequiboCoast.
“Enquiriesdisclosedthat lorry #GAJ 2185 was proceeding North on the Western drive lane of the road and was at the time transporting an excavator, followed by a motor lorry (Tradeplate#BMI-2)which was proceeding at the back. Bacchus’ vehicle (#GNN 4987) was proceeding in the
opposite direction at a fast rate, allegedly in a ‘zig-zag’ manner,”policesaid.
They further stated that “Onseeingthis,thedriverof motor lorry #GAJ 2185 claimedthathepulledtothe leftsideoftheroad,atwhich point Bacchus’ vehicle (#GNN 4987) slammed into the right side of the excavator track, which was on the low-bed trailer attached to lorry #GAJ 2185.”
As a result, Bacchus lost control of his vehicle and also collided with the right, rear portion of Persaud’s truck, which was behind the trailer. He sustained injuries tohisbodyandwastakento the Suddie Public Hospital by public-spirited persons where he was pronounced deadonarrival.
The body awaits a postmortem examination at the hospital’sMortuary Meanwhile, Sukhu and Persaud were arrested and placed in custody at the SuddiePoliceStation.
SATURDAY
SeniorSuptSawhensured safepassageofdrugs throughRegionOne – US Treasury Department
The United States Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has alleged that Senior Superintendent, Himnauth Sawh during his time as Commander of RegionOne(Barima-Waini) hadensuredthesafepassage ofdrugsthroughtheregion.
On Thursday, it was announced that the senior officer landed on the OFAC’ssanctionslist,along withthreeotherGuyanese Continued on page 39
Paul Daby Jr.
Randolph Duncan Mark Cromwell
Frompage38 and two Colombians for allegedly trafficking drugs from South America to the United States, Europe and other destinations through Guyana.
OFAC updated its
Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons (SDN) list, naming the 37-year-old senior officer of Cane Grove, as well as businessman Paul Daby Jr., 40, also known as “Daby Ramsuchit”, “Paul”, “Rondell” and “Randell” of Georgetown; Mark Cromwell, 43, known as “Demon”and“Diamond”of Lot40Vigilance,EastCoast Demerara, and Lot 10 Buxton, ECD; and 50-yearold Randolph Duncan for drugstrafficking.
Additionally, two
Colombian nationals, Manuel Salazar Gutierrez, also known as “Manguera” and “Orejon” and Yeison AndresSanchezVallejo,also known as “Blacks” and “Andreas”, were listed as operating in drug trafficking throughGuyana.
Inadetailedstatementon the drug trafficking operations,theU.S.Treasury Department alleged that DabyJr andDuncanoperate the largest drug trafficking organisationsinGuyanaand relyonmaritimevesselsand aircrafttoconcealandtraffic cocaine.
Itwasstatedthatthemen
also allegedly bribed
Guyanese officials to facilitate their drug trafficking operations TheU.S.agencyallegedthat Daby Jr traffics tonquantities of cocaine, coordinatingtheshipmentof loads from Colombia and Venezuela via aircraft, and utilising illegal airstrips in Guyana. It was alleged too thathereliesonanetworkof individuals to conceal and transportcocaineinshipping containers from the ports of GuyanaandSuriname.
“DabyJr isalsoinvolved in the transporting of illegal gold from Guyana via maritime vessels. Duncan trafficscocainefromGuyana toAfrica and the Caribbean, with Europe and the United States as the ultimate destinations,” it was further stated.
“ S a w h , a l a w enforcement officer of the GPF, has ensured safe passage to Colombian and Venezuelan traffickers through Region One,” the USagencystated.
Following a US$188
milliondrugbustreportedin September 2024, this publication had stated that a senior police officer was allegedlyconnectedwiththe cocaine bust at Matthew’s Ridge, Region One. A joint services team, led by the Customs-Anti Narcotic Unit (CANU) unearthed approximately 4 4 tons (4,400 kilos) of suspected cocaine, at a nearby illegal airstrip at Matthew’s Ridge, Region One. It was reported that the cocaine neatly stashed was found buried in four hand-dug pits, each averaging five to six feet deep, and covered with tarpaulins, wood, and b u s h e s
Following allegations that a senior cop was involved in the drug bust, Senior
Superintendent Sawh, who joined the GPF on June 3rd, 2008 and who was the commanderforRegionOne, was transferred from the region to the Guyana Police ForceProjectsOffice,where he was on duty up to Thursdaybeforehewassent on administrative leave followingthesanctions.
RegardingCromwell,the agencypointedoutthatheis a former member of the Guyana Police Force (GPF) who is “a violent drug trafficker and associate of Daby Jr.” It was also noted that he is wanted for his connection to the 2024 abduction of a former Guyanesepoliceofficer
Itwasstatedthatthetwo Colombian nationals were responsible for overseeing theclandestineairstripsused totransportton-quantitiesof cocaine via aircraft from ColombiatoGuyana.
OFAC designated Daby Jr , Duncan, Cromwell, Sawh, Sanchez, and Salazar for having engaged in, or attempted to engage in, activitiesortransactionsthat have materially contributed to, or pose a significant risk ofmateriallycontributingto, t h e i n t e r n a t i o n a l proliferation of illicit drugs ortheirmeansofproduction.
“Sanctions target drug traffickersutilisingboatsand narco-subs to traffic tonquantities of cocaine, along with an alleged corrupt Guyanese law enforcement official. The sanctions also target individuals that are operating covert airstrips to traffic drugs via aircraft,” it wasstated.
OFAC stated that for decades, Guyana has been a transshipment point for the movement of drugs from
SouthAmericatotheUnited States and Europe “Drug traffickers exploit the rivers and jungles of South America by transiting large quantities of cocaine, from Colombia and Venezuela, through the waters of Guyana and Suriname,” it was stated. OFAC outlined that Guyana’s proximity to the Caribbean, as well as reportedcorruptionalongits ports and borders, allows maritime vessels, also knownasnarco-submarines, to transit through its waters undetected.
It was stated that traffickers utilise these vessels to smuggle cocaine fromtheportsofGuyanaand Suriname, across the Atlantic, to the United States, Europe, and the Caribbean. OFAC said, too, that traffickers also coordinate the importation of cocaine loads from Colombia and Venezuela to Guyana via small aircraft, utilising illegal airstrips in Guyanaaslandingspots.
The implications of the sanctions are as follows all property and interests in propertyofthedesignatedor blocked persons described above that are in the United Statesorinthepossessionor control of U.S. persons are blocked and must be reported to OFAC In addition,anyentitiesthatare owned,directlyorindirectly, individually or in the aggregate, 50 per cent or morebyoneormoreblocked persons are also blocked Unless authorised by a general or specific license issuedbyOFAC,orexempt, OFAC’s regulations generally prohibit all transactionsbyU.S.persons or within (or transiting) the United States that involve any property or interests in propertyofblockedpersons. The agency warned that violations of U.S. sanctions
may result in the imposition of civil or criminal penalties onU.S.andforeignpersons. ItwasstatedthatOFACmay impose civil penalties for sanctions violations on a strictliabilitybasis.
Following the OFAC
announcement of the sanctions on the senior officer, in a statement on Thursdaynight,theMinistry of Home Affairs said the government, through the Attorney General’s Office, will request details from OFACviatheDepartmentof Justice, a component of the UnitedStatesgovernment,to f a c i l i t a t e f u r t h e r investigations. The ministry said that the details will guide the actions of the Police Service Commission (PSC)andthegovernment.
Leader of the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR),Aubrey Norton, on FridaysaidtherecentUnited States (U S ) sanctions a g a i n s t S e n i o r Superintendent Himnauth Sawh serve as confirmation of entrenched corruption at the highest levels of the GuyanaPoliceForce(GPF).
The United States Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets
Control (OFAC) on
Thursday updated its Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons (SDN) list, naming the 37-year-old senior officer of Cane Grove, as well as businessman Paul Daby Jr., 40, also known as “Daby Ramsuchit”, “Paul”, “Rondell” and “Randell” of Georgetown; Mark Cromwell, 43, known as “Demon”and“Diamond”of Lot40Vigilance,EastCoast Demerara, and Lot 10
Buxton, ECD; and 50-yearold Randolph Duncan for allegeddrugstrafficking.
Speaking at a PNCR pressconference,Nortonnot only said the sanctions expose the corruption in the GPF top brass but also accused the Peoples Progressive Party (PPP) government of shielding criminal enterprises He described the situation as a nationalembarrassment.
Norton then pointed to thelackofchargesorarrests following the 4 4-tonne cocaine bust in Matthews Ridge last September that was executed by the Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) and touted by the government as a major breakthrough.
“Let us recall that when theCANUseized4.4tonnes of cocaine in Matthews Ridge last September, the government made grand pronouncements that investigations were ongoing. It boasted about its commitment in tackling transnationalcrimes.Yet,no one has since been arrested, let alone charged,” Norton noted.
To this end, he accused the government of using the excuse of requesting additional information from theU.S.asasmokescreenfor inaction. Norton said, “The government’s oft-repeated statementthat it will request details from the U S Authorities to facilitate its own investigation has become a national embarrassmentandtrite.Itis anexcuseforinactionandan indicationofcomplicity.”
PNCR Leader also reiterated the PNCR’s longstandingcriticismofthe policeforce,assertingthatit is incapable of conducting legitimateinvestigationsdue to internal criminality “We have regularly said that the Guyana Police Force as presently constituted cannot investigate crime because it is itself a criminal enterprise,” he stated Meanwhile, at a separate press conference on Friday, Executive Member of the AllianceForChange(AFC), Dr. Shamir Ally, echoed similarsentimentsandurged internationalaction.
“The Alliance For ChangepartyurgestheUSA administration to implement visa restrictions on all corrupt persons with the evidence available at the U S Drug Enforcement
A g e n c y, t h e U S Department of Homeland
Security, the U S Department of Justice, and the U.S. Federal Bureau of I n v e s t i g a t i o n f o r kleptocracy,”Dr Allystated. For his part, AFC leader NigelHughessaid,“Nowwe are embarrassing ourselves not only domestically but internationallyitisclearthat our fiends particularly the United States has lost confidence in senior members of the Guyana PoliceForce.”
Hughes said the country is now at a stage where confidence in the GPF is “unacceptably low.” He noted that the Force cannot continue to “pretend” to discharge its constitutional mandate in the current m a n n e r ”It is clear that the Guyana Police Force is beyond reforming itself. It is clear that the leadership of the Guyana Police Force has absolutely no interest and pays no concern to the rapidly deteriorating lack of confidence…in the GPF as aninstitution.”
HethencalledforPolice Commissioner Clifton Hicken to retire and for the restructuring of the Force. This publication had reported that the U S Treasury Department has alleged that Senior SuperintendentSawhduring his time as Commander of RegionOne(Barima-Waini) hadensuredthesafepassage of drugs through the region. On Thursday, it was announced that the senior officer landed on the OFAC’ssanctionslist,along with three other Guyanese and two Colombians for allegedly trafficking drugs from South America to the United States, Europe and other destinations through Guyana Additionally, two Colombian nationals, Manuel Salazar Gutierrez, also known as “Manguera” and “Orejon” and Yeison AndresSanchezVallejo,also known as “Blacks” and “Andreas”, were listed as operating in drug trafficking throughGuyana. Inadetailedstatementon the drug trafficking operations,theU.S.Treasury Department alleged that DabyJr andDuncanoperate the largest drug trafficking organisationsinGuyanaand relyonmaritimevesselsand aircrafttoconcealandtraffic cocaine.Itwasstatedthatthe men also allegedly bribed Guyanese officials to facilitate their drug traffickingoperations.
AFC Leader Nigel Hughes
PNCR Leader Aubrey Norton
AladdinandtheMagicLamp
Once upon a time, in a busy city in Arabia, there lived a kind and curious boy named Aladdin.
Hewaspoorandlivedin a small house with his mother Even though they didn’t have much, Aladdin always dreamed of a better life.
One day, while Aladdin was playing in themarket,astrangeman came up to him “I’m your uncle,” the man said, smiling But he was lying
He was actually a mean sorcerer looking forsomethingspecial
The man told Aladdin about a secret treasure hidden in a cave and asked him for help Aladdin was excited and agreedtogo
They traveled far into the mountains, where the man moved a huge rock and opened the cave “Go inside and bring me the old lamp,” the man said “ B u t d o n ’t t o u c h anythingelse ”
Inside the cave, Aladdin saw piles of gold, shiny jewels, and treasures everywhere!
But he remembered the warning and walked past it all until he found the dusty, plain lamp sitting onasmalltable
He grabbed the lamp and came back to the entrance, but the sorcerer wanted the lamp before helping Aladdin out. Aladdinrefused.
Angry, the sorcerer trapped Aladdin inside thecaveandranaway
Aladdin sat in the darkandfeltscared
Herubbedthelampto clean it and POOF! A giant cloud of smoke
appeared A magical geniepoppedout!
“I am the Genie of the Lamp,” he said “You set mefree,soIwillgiveyou threewishes ” Aladdin’s eyes lit up “I wish to go home!” he said In a flash, he was backinhishouse
Aladdin told his mothereverything
They used the genie’s help to live more comfortably
For his second wish, Aladdin asked to become a prince because he had seen the beautiful
Princess Jasmine and wantedtomarryher
Dressed in shining clothes and riding a fancy horse, Aladdin visited the palace.
The Sultan liked him andagreedthatJasmineand Aladdin could marry. Jasmine liked that Aladdin was kind and brave not justrich.
But the sorcerer wasn’t done.HefoundoutAladdin hadthemagiclamp.
Hedisguisedhimselfas a peddler and tricked Princess Jasmine into tradingthelampforashiny
Surprise your dad this Father’s Day with a quirky, retro TV phone stand that combines nostalgia with functionality Crafted from popsticks,thisfunaccessory holds his mobile phone perfectly while he enjoys his favourite films or TV programmes.
Materials:
Woodencraftsticks
Gold and silver pipe cleaners
Miniwooden/foamletters
Wooden/foamcubes
newone.Shedidn’tknowit wasmagical!
Now holding the lamp, thesorcerertoldthegenieto take the palace, Jasmine, and all the treasure to a farawaydesert.
When Aladdin came home and saw the palace gone, he was heartbroken—but not for long.
He set off on a journey andusedhisclevermindto findthesorcerer
With courage and smarts, Aladdin got the lamp back He rubbed it andmadehisthirdandfinal wish: “Please bring my palace and Jasmine home, justastheywere.”
The genie nodded and granted the wish. The palace returned, and Aladdin and Jasmine weresafeagain.
Aladdin looked at the genie and smiled “You’re free now,” he said.
The genie was so happy
“ T h a n k y o u , Aladdin!” he said before flying off into the sky
Soon after, Aladdin and Jasmine were married in a big, joyful celebration.
Theyruledthekingdom with kindness and fairness, and Aladdin never forgot what he learned: being honest and brave is the greatesttreasureofall.
The End
F o l l o w - U p
Questions:
What would you wish for if you had a magic lamp?
Why do you think Aladdin set the genie free?
How did Aladdin stay brave even when he was trapped or tricked?
Wooden/foamstars
Acrylicpaint
White A4 cardstock (cut tosize)
Glue
Scissors
Brushes
HowtoMake 1 Measure a rectangle
10cms high by 17cms long and cut out, then glue craft sticks vertically across the card,fromlefttoright.
2.Glue1sticktothelefthandsidevertically Then,on the right-hand side, glue 1 horizontallyatthetopand1at thebottom.
3 . G l u e 1 s t i c k horizontally at the top and bottom,ontheleft-handside, withoneendoftheitontopof the stick that is glued vertically
4.Repeatstepsuntilitis8 craft sticks thick, not including the first layer on thecard.
Then, stick 3 craft sticks vertically to the left-hand sideandalsototheright.Add another layer of sticks to the right.
5. Glue 2 sticks together
side by side and glue them at thetophorizontally,thenglue 1atthebottom.Allowtodry
6.Whiletheglueisdrying, paint 4 wooden stars and the mini wooden letters to spell DAD’S TV (the apostrophe will be added later) in the colourofyourchoice
7.Glue2woodencubesto thebottomoftheTV,thenstick 2 cubes together and stick themtothebackoftheTVas an extra support and allow to dry.
8 Paint the TV and feet (the cubes) in the colours of yourchoiceandwhendry,glue onthelettersandstars Addan apostrophe with the paint in thesamecolourastheletters
9.Cutasilverpipecleaner in half, then bend it into aVshape and glue it to the back oftheTVAllowtodry
Utilise
some of your time during the coming weeks to develop Healthy Relationships with everyone
I am sure that the enjoyable things that happened to you in the past thatyoumostrememberare not the big ones, like the time you went on a trip, or the presents that you got at Christmas,oryourbirthday
Thethingsthatstickin yourmemory,andallowyou to go over them and enjoy them once again, are the times you connected with the members of your family andyourfriends. Theseare the times when you feel at one with them, that you are together whatever happens, when you felt the sense of belongingandbeingloved.
Thisprovesthatlifeis not about acquiring money and other stuff, or being a big shot, or even having a great career It is all about building relationships with others, especially those
closesttoyou. Hereareafewthings you can keep doing to d e v e l o p h e a l t h y relationshipswiththosewho meansomuchtoyou:-
Treatpeoplethewayyou wanttobetreated; Let people know you appreciate them and admire them for doing something
good; Express gratitude to those who share their lives withyou;
Rememberthatmanners can make the difference betweenalossandawin; Speak with love and respect;
Be kind to yourself and toothers;
react according to your conscience;
Ask for help when you feelsomethingisaboveyou; Tellthetruthalways,and be honest in all your dealings;
Trytogivesomeofyour time and energy towards yourcommunity;
When you make the special effort to develop relationships, you are sure to reap immense rewards for yourself.
Express your feelings to your parents, brothers and sisters, a friend, someone you trust, especially when your emotions seem out of balance;
Pay attention to what is going on around you, and
Live up to your principles irrespective of what others say or do Follow these rules and you will always be in control of yourlife,andtouchthelives of the people you meet in a meaningfulway
Fill in the squares so that each digit from 1 to 6 occurs exactly once in each row and column.
Greater-than and less-than signs indicate the relationship of the two adjacent squares. There is only one solution, and you can find it without guessing.
White-faced sakis (Pithecia pithecia) are primates located in Brazil, and remote parts of Venezuela.
Their range also encompassesmostofFrench Guiana, Guyana and Suriname. They live along the Cuyuni river basin, east of the Caroni River, and southoftheOrinocoRiver.
White-faced sakis are arboreal and live in both upland and lowland rainforests. Although they caninhabitverywetandvery dryforests,theypreferareas with an abundance of fruit trees and watering holes. Thisspeciesismostcommon atcanopyheightsof15to25 m.Theywillalsospendtime foragingonthegroundandat low levels in the understory foliage (3 to 15 m)
Overnight sleeping areas typically are larger trees in the canopy with a wealth of
foliageforcover
White-faced sakis
exhibit sexual dimorphism, withlargermales,andsexual dichromatism. Males have a blackcoatwithwhitefurthat
surroundstheirface.Female sakis have a shorter, brownishgreycoatwithtwo verticallinesfromtheireyes to their nose. Females may also have orange brown
colored fur that emerges around the chest area and continues down to their abdomen
Females sakis are the predominant caretakers Infants stay attached to their mother’s thigh from birth to 1 month. From age one to fourmonths,theyoungshift to a dorsal position where they can achieve greater mobility. The mothers carry their infants for the first 3 months. After the infant is around the age of 5 months, themotherwillstopcarrying it. They feed, protect, and nurture young until they are ready to be on their own. However, infants observe one birthing event prior to leavingtheirfamilygroup.
Reproduction
White-faced sakis are primates located in Brazil, Venezuela, French Guiana, and Guyana
Sakis are known to be monogamous in captivity (zooenvironments)although Waters (1995) indicates there have been exceptions in the wild. Anzelc (2009) suggests that monogamy in thewildislesscommonthan expected, and is less common when groups are largerthan2to3individuals. Groups of 4 to 6 are not
uncommon, and can include morethanoneadultbreeding male or female This suggests polygamous or polyandrous mating system, dependingonthebreakdown ofadultsinthegroup.
Jerries is Back!
Ahouseholdnamereturns toGuyana
Guyanese Businessman and founder of Jerries, Jerry Bacchus
Jerries, the once-popular restaurant and all night hangout spot founded in the1990sthatcloseditsdoorsin2015, hasofficiallymadeitsreturntoGuyana. This time, Jerries has reopened in Lethem,RegionNine.
TherevivalofJerriesmarksastory of resilience for its 68-year-old owner, Jerry Bacchus, who overcame numerous challenges during the early days of the business. Bacchus, who oncedeclaredhewouldneverreturnto Guyana after migrating to the United States, ultimately found his way back drivenbyadeeploveforhishomeland
“I made an oath to myself that I would never come back to Guyana to live nor to work, but Guyana was dear tomyheart,”Bacchussaid.
HUMBLEBEGINNINGS
The businessman, whose product became a household name, recalled he wasinhisearlytwentieswhenfinancial hardship pushed him to start selling pastries on the streets, a venture that would evolve into the iconic Jerries brand.
“I started baking pastries and
sellingthembytheoldwayofwalking andsellingin1981.Myauntwhotaught mewas84andIwas24atthetime,”he recalled in an interview with The Waterfalls Magazine “When I would sell on the road, I had to be cautious, cause if caught by the police, I could haveendedupindelockupsorpastries seized and confiscated. People forget those days when wheat flour was a restricteditem.”
From those modest beginnings, BacchusopenedhisfirstoutletinNew MarketStreet,Georgetown.Asthe
Continued on page 48
Fresh baked daily pastries done by Jerry Bacchus
The University of Guyana (UG), through its International Centre for Migration and Diaspora Studies (MiDiAS), has launched a Financial Inclusion Project in collaboration with Mobile Money Guyana (MMG) and OneCommunications.
The project, aimed at expanding access to essential financial services formigrantsandlow-income Guyanese citizens, was launched at the Education Lecture Theatre (ELT) at UG’sTurkeyenCampus.
In a statement, the university said that the initiative was created in
L-R: Dr. Coreen Jacobs-Chester, Director of UG’s International Centre for Migration and Diaspora Studies (MiDiAS); Mr. Richard Das, Director of Distribution, MMG; Ms Gillian Williams, Fellow, MiDiAS; Mr. Richard Stanton, Deputy CEO, One Communications Guyana; Mr. Mark Singh, CEO, MMG; and Mr. Carl Momplaisir, Partnership Program Office, One Communications Group.
project is about creating knowledge, building opportunity, and improving quality of life We are honoured to work with UG and MMG to help transform livesacrossGuyana.”
Mr Richard Das, Director of Distribution at MMG, highlighted the platform’s reach, with over 4,000 agents across Guyana, including hinterland and ruralareas.
aced by underbanked populations, particularly migrants, who often lack access to traditional banking services due to limited identification, financial literacy, and systemic barriers. By using mobilemoneyplatformsand community outreach, the project will enable users to s e c u
account. The initial rollout will focus on underserved communities in Georgetown and Linden, with planned expansionstootherregions.
payments, pay bills, and manage expenses without needing a conventional bank
At the launch event held at UG’s Turkeyen Campus, during Money Week 2025, Vice-Chancellor Professor Paloma Mohamed Martin
GPHC investing close to $2B in new imaging suite
-togetfirstMRImachineinpublichealthsystem
Director of Medical and Professional Services at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) and Acting Chief ExecutiveOfficer(CEO),Dr.Navindranauth Rambaran, said on Saturday that the hospital will soon have the first MRI machine in the public health system.He disclosed that the acquisitionispartofthe$2billionthehospital is investing in a new imaging and intervention suite.Dr Rambarran was at the time speaking at the 2025 Cardiology Symposium, a pivotal event aimed at advancing cardiovascular care in Guyana through dialogue, collaboration, and education, which was held at the Arthur ChungConferenceCentre.
“So let me give you just a few examples of what we can expect in the future. The Georgetown Public Hospital invested close to $2 billion in a new imaging and interventionsuite.We'llhavethefirstMRIin the public healthcare system along with a new CT scanner for GPHC and a brand-new Cath lab, again, this is an investment of close to $2 billion, and it's pretty unmatched for thingswehavedonebefore,”hesaid.
Dr Rambarran also said, “We have a great team to bring the services that we require to our patients. And that is not the icing on the cake. I believe the recent acceptance of our DM in cardiology at the UniversityofGuyanaisvery,veryimportant. Just imagine we'll be training our own cardiologistattheGPHCforGuyanese.”
TheDirectorofMedicalandProfessional Servicesnotedthatthesymposiumpositively impacts cardiac care on the spectrum of services that is needed. “We need the pillars of prevention, primary health care interventions, but we also need specialist cardiacservices,”herelated.
“And this has been, I believe, in the making for close to two decades with the return of our first cardiologist in Guyana, Dr (Mahendra) Carpen. A lot of things have happened since then to develop our services to ensure that Guyanese are benefiting from thebestspecialisedcardiaccare,”henoted.
Dr Rambarran said the Cardiology DepartmentatGPHC,whichisheadedbyDr Carpen, has been doing approximately 600 angioplasties a year. They have done over 3,000 echocardiograms while training persons in specialised cardiac services, including cardiac intensive care nursing, echocardiography, sonography, as well as trainingtechniciansinstresstesting.
Meanwhile,MinisterofHealth,Dr Frank Anthony,saidthesymposiumisimportantso that professionals can discuss advancements in the field.“In the area of medicine, almost everydaythingsarechangingandweneedto keep ourselves updated or we will be outdated, and that is very important because we need to make sure that we are updated so thatwecangiveourpatientsthebestcarethat is possible,” he stated.Dr Anthony disclosed that his ministry has introduced the World Health Organisation's (WHO) HEARTS programme.“HEARTS is, apart from giving more effective medication, it is also about lifestylechangeswherewehavetolookatthe person's diet, you have to encourage them to exercise and there is something now that is beingtoutedcalledlifestyleplus,soifweare able to introduce that successfully to our patients then we would be able to better managetheirconditions,”heexplained.
According to the minister, the HEARTS programme has been implemented at 221 health sites across Guyana, covering close to 44,000patients.“Weareseeingbettercontrol when we are using the HEARTS versus the regular treatment we have been giving to our patients. So hopefully we would be able to reducethecomplicationsofhypertensionand heart disease more at the primary care level so that we can reduce the burden that is cominguptothehospitals,”theministersaid.
The programme aims to assist health professionals in the prevention and early detectionofbothcardiovasculardiseasesand hypertension within the primary healthcare system.Further, the minister said that the HEARTS programme has been very successfulsinceitsintroduction.
described the initiative as “a path-breaking programme” that aligns with UG’s mission of inclusive development.“It supports not only UG’s work as a university of service and solution, but it directly benefits those among us, m i g r a n t s a n d t h e underbanked, who are often left behind. This is going to change the lives of many,” she said The ViceChancellor also commended t h e l o n g s t a n d i n g collaboration with UG and OneCommunications.
Representing MiDiAS, Fellow Ms. Gillian Williams shared that “Many migrants and informal workers are
locked out of the system. We ’ r e g o i n g i n t o communities to share practical,securetoolstohelp them access the financial system.”CEO of MMG, Mr. Mark Singh, stressed the importanceofmobilemoney platforms in closing gaps in financialaccess.
“MMG enables users, especially those without accesstotraditionalbanking, to manage transactions with ease,buildcredithistory,and participate in the economy securely,”heexplained.
Deputy CEO of One Communications Guyana, Mr RichardStanton,saidthe initiative is about more than just technology “This
“From salary payments toeverydaytransactions,our servicesaremobile,flexible, a n d i n c r e a s i n g l y inclusive—even without a traditionalbankaccount,”he noted.The project will roll out in phases and will include language-accessible features, community-based outreach, and digital literacy support.
It is designed to strengthen economic resilience and promote greater equity in access to financialservices.
The University of Guyana, through MiDiAS, remains committed to impactful, research-driven solutions that uplift vulnerable populations and s u p p o r t n a t i o n a l development.
Paralyzed by a ‘strange illness’, Berbice man turns to bench-making to eke out a living
By Francwa Fortune
Alittle over nine y e a r s a g o , D a r w i n
Pompey, 58, of Rosignol, West Bank Berbice, was just an ordinary citizen, working a regular job trying to keep hisfamilyafloat.
This was until, he was struck by what he describes as a mystery illness which left him paralyzed from the waist down and altered his qualityoflife.
Now, the father of one has turned to bench-making to eke out a decent living. Pompey told The Waterfalls that his journey has not been easy but he fights every day
to keep and stay motivated andgothroughlifeasnormal as he possibly can. To this end,hesharedthatoneofhis biggest motivations is making benches; a trade he turned to full-time after he became wheelchair bound after he was diagnosed by a strange illness called 'transmyelitis'in2016.
According to him, “as a person in a wheelchair, making benches helps to keep me active ” He explained that benchmakingwasskill,headopted from his father who was a joinerbytrade.
“I learn it from very small, from my father and whenIwasworking,Iwould
make stuff every now and then to sell… but after I becameparalysed,Iturntoit full-time to help myself cause I am getting an army pension and just lately started getting a disability assistance, so whatever comes in here, after I make and sell the benches and so onhelps,”Pompeystated.
He told this magazine that benches are made to order
“Sometimes people call me and say 'wheelchair man, I want you make two benchesformystall'Iwould finish within a week. I make benches for all different purpose for vendors in the market. People sometimes
Mr Pompey was a dedicated member of the GDF for 14 years
order for the bar for their houseandsoon.
Alltypesandsize,Imake t h e m , p a i n t e d a n d unpainted.”
He said too while he primarily makes benches, his craft is not limited to bench-making.
Pompey revealed that he can also make scrubbing boards and other types of joinery merchandise However, these are limited due to the fact that he does nothavetoolstocraftthem.
“I could the benches and so on and do them faster if I had the tools. I sometimes would do the scrubbing boards with people's names engraved but I need tools to dothattypeofjob.”
EX-SERVICEMAN
Before he became ill, Pompey was a member of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF). He served for 14 years. During his time in the Defence Force, he achieved quite a few promotions and even double promotions in
A wheelchair-bound Pompey finds ways to stay motivated
A few of the ‘made to order’ benches that Pompey has in his workspace
twoconsecutiveyearsdueto his work ethics and dedication. Pompey retired as a Substantive Sergeant in Februaryof2007.
“From time to time, I would get a lil fast promotion and I was looked at as a favourite because I tookprideinmywork.
I was a very disciplined and ambitious man. Certain years, I got double promotions moving from Acting Lance Corporal to Substantive Corporal and
Corporal then from Acting Sergeant straight to Substantive Sergeant,” Pompeytold The Waterfalls
He added that while being a Lance Corporal in the Force, he would always get the respect he needed from his juniors because of the way he would carry himself.
He further mentioned that he would collaborate with his seniors to gain guidancewhen (Continued on page 48 )
Pompey on his electric bike that was gifted by Azruddin Mohamed
The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has recognised Guyana as a key partner in t h e f i g h t a g a i n s t international narcotics trafficking but warned that corruption within the country remains a serious obstacletoongoingefforts.
On Thursday, it was announced that a senior officer of the Guyana Police Force (GPF) landed on OFAC’ssanctionslist,along with three other Guyanese and two Colombians, for allegedly trafficking drugs from South America to the United States, Europe and other destinations through Guyana.
OFAC updated its Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons (SDN) list, naming the 37-year-old Senior Superintendent Himnauth
The U.S.Treasury stated that for decades, drug traffickers, including Mexican cartels, have exploited Guyana as a transhipmentpoint,usingits geographic location and reported corruption at ports and borders to facilitate the flowofcocaine.
“Today’s action is a strong signal that this administration will continue totakethefighttothecartels, regardless of where they are located,” said Deputy Secretary Michael Faulkender
Headded,“Treasurywill continue to expose the criminalnetworksthatallow fordrugstobetraffickedinto the United States, and work closely with our law enforcement colleagues and the Government of Guyana to disrupt the cartels wherevertheyoperate.”
Despite growing cooperation with Guyana, the statement pointed to persistent challenges According to the 2025 U.S. S t a t e D e p a r t m e n t
S a w h , a s w e l l a s businessman Paul Daby Jr., 40, also known as “Daby Ramsuchit” , “Paul” , “Rondell” and “Randell” of Georgetown; Mark Cromwell, 43, known as “Demon”and“Diamond”of Lot40Vigilance,EastCoast Demerara, and Lot 10 Buxton, ECD; and 50-yearold Randolph Duncan for drugtrafficking. The agency said the individuals used aircraft, covert airstrips, boats, and narco-submarines to smuggle large shipments of cocaine.
OFAC’s depiction of how traffickers use Guyana as a cocaine transhipment point to the US, Europe and the Caribbean
OFAC stressed that the country’s location near major drug-producing nations like Colombia and Venezuela, and its porous
International Narcotics Control Strategy Report, while Guyana remains a close partner in combating narcotics trafficking, corruptioninGuyanaposesa significant obstacle to its efforts to combat drug trafficking.
bordersandjungles,provide ideal conditions for traffickers. Guyana’s rivers and coastline are also exploited by smugglers using so-called narcosubmarines, which often go undetected.OFACnotedthat traffickersarealsooperating clandestine airstrips in remote areas to move drugs byaircraft.
Inrecentyears,theU.S.
Continued on page 49
Queen’s College maintains national championship at SHOUT
3.0...
Frompage28 by the national champion’s proposal. The school will also benefit from one year of free fibre internet service provided by One Communications. Anushka Singh wasawardedGYD100,000incash, a laptop and one year of free One Fibreservice.
Prizes for second and thirdplace winners also included cash prizes, educational technology packages and learning-focused rewards Each national finalist receivedanawardrecognisingtheir outstanding participation and commitment to environmental advocacy
This year’s edition reaffirmed SHOUT’s status as the leading national platform for youth environmentaladvocacy,awarding over GYD 4 million in cash and prizes to participating schools Now in its third year, SHOUT empowersstudentsinGrades9and 10 to raise awareness on environmental sustainability through public speaking, research andaction.
Thecompetitionengagesyouth from all ten administrative regions of Guyana, providing capacitybuilding workshops, mentorship andnationalrecognitionaspartofa transformative experience in leadership and environmental responsibility Sinceitsinception,SHOUThas received international recognition from the Inter-American Development Bank, which named it one of the top ten regional initiatives under its Green Minds programme focused on environmentaleducation.
In 2023, Vasanna Persaud of Queen’s College launched a student-led water purification projectthatsavedmorethan30,000 plastic bottles from landfills. The initiative is now a national model implemented in schools through RecoverGuyana.
In 2024, GabriellaArjune, also of Queen’s College, introduced a
Special awards were also presented to Subrina Jagdeo, President’s College: the Most Influential Speech, Kristina Teekaram, Leguan Secondary School: Best Speaker Award: Environmental Impact Award, Anushka Singh, Queen’s College: the Go Green Awards, Kuvina Singh, The Bishops’High School, Kristina Teekaram, Leguan Secondary School, Justin De Santos, Diamond Secondary SchoolandRecognisingexcellence in communication, advocacy and innovativeenvironmentalthinking, champion speakers were awarded from each county including Demerara: Damian Martins, Hope Secondary School, Berbice: Amanda Sampson, Lower Corentyne Secondary School and Essequibo, Kristina Teekaram, LeguanSecondarySchool.
hydroponic kitchen garden system that promotes sustainable farming andprovidesnutritiousproducefor school meals This year’s competitionreceivedmorethan60 applications across 11 educational districts including hinterland regions. SHOUT 3.0 featured four challenging and engaging phases beginningwithaone-minutevideo submission,wherestudentspitched an original environmental project, which they would implement at theirschoolifawardedonemillion dollars. From these entries, 30 schools advanced to the national finalistsonSHOUTDay
Inthesecondphase,30finalists delivered 90-second prepared speeches addressing key environmental issues Selected schools progressed to the third round, which tested their ability to respond confidently and clearly to impromptu topics in under 60 seconds.
SHOUT Day concluded with the top three finalists advancing to the final phase, where they delivered a standard address tackling a comprehensive realworldenvironmentalchallenge.An expertselectionpanelcarriedouta transparent and fair assessment of each participant’s knowledge, creativity, environmental solutions andpresentationskills.
Dr Dave Lalltoo, Founder of Recover Guyana, praised the achievements of the young
participants, stating “These students have not only found their voices, but they have found purpose.SHOUT3.0isaboutmore thanspeeches.Itisaboutbuildinga culture of environmental leadership that begins in our schoolsandcommunities.”
Ryan Lowry, of ExxonMobil Guyana, reaffirmed the company’s commitment to environmental education and youth development. He expressed, “The fact that you arehere,thatyouareexploringreal, tangible ways to begin making changes, that you have thought throughhowyouareactuallygoing to execute your innovative ideas, shows you have the potential to continuedoinggreatthings.It’sone of the reasons why at EMGL we support youth empowerment, we support programmes that encouragecriticalthinking,andwe support STEM education - So that we can support building the capacity of young Guyanese, and we can really help make a difference in your lives and those aroundyou.”
SHOUT 3.0 is made possible through the generous support of corporate donors and partners, including the Ministry of Education, title sponsor ExxonMobil Guyana, Nand Persaud & Company Ltd ; Premium Green Sponsor, Flawless Dental GY, Camex Restaurants Inc., Scotiabank Guyana and EcoG r e e n S p o n s o r s , O n e Communications; ONE Fibre Sponsor, SEVA Marketing Inc., Ramada Georgetown Princess Georgetown Hotel, Macon Construction, 360 Professional Services., Trophy Stall, Anthony Indar Productions, M. Pro Media, Engage Media, Guyana Premier C
Productions, the Guyana Learning Channel, Book-A-Ride, Phoenix Oilfield Services and Engineering Inc., AN Pins’ & Gifts, and the GuyanaTourismAuthority. RecoverGuyanahasgrowninto a national leader in youth empowerment, environmental
continues to expand, it remains Recover Guyana’s flagship initiative, promoting awareness, civic responsibility and leadership amongyoungadvocatescommitted to building a sustainable future for Guyana.
Representing the Ministry of Education, Mr Granville, Senior Education Officer for English remarked,“Weareproudtopartner with Recover Guyana and ExxonMobil Guyana in this endeavour Through SHOUT, we see not only brilliant public speakers, but passionate environmental ambassadors who are already shaping the future of Guyana.”
Paralyzedbya‘strangeillness’,Berbicemanturnsto...
Frompage46 needed. Pompey also said that because of the way he would carry himself, it provided opportunities for him to travel and represent the GDF overseas and even after his retirement, he was asked to return buthedeclinedtheoffer
Pompeysaid,“itwasagoodone right through up until I retired as a “SubstantiveSergeant.”
TheformerGDFrankdescribed his life after retainer as ‘nice’ because after being away from his family and constantly at training sessions, he was now able to see whatlifehadinstoreforhimandto starthisnewchapter
“Iwasfeelingniceafterleaving thereyouknowafterhardtraining, younowgetaneasebecausewhen you’re being trained, you have to carry yourself at a very high standard but now you’re able to relax,gooutwithfriendsandhavea good time not having to worry about waking up early for training oranything,”Pompeynoted.
‘STRANGEILLNESS’
After Pompey retired from GDF, he returned to his first job at the Blairmont Estate where he worked for eight years attached to
the Other Crop Division (OCD) before venturing into many other fieldsofworkacrossGuyana.
Hewasnowonsecuritydutyat the estate but was not scheduled to work the day, he fell ill. Pompey said that he was asked by his superior to work on a special duty and because of his passion for his job,heagreed.
Pompey recalled while working, he needed to use the restroom and after relieving himself, he noticed how untidy the restroomwas,andheleft.
His shift later came to an end, and he turned home and was preparingtorelaxwhenhehearda strange sound by his spine and from that moment, his life changed
“I came home and was preparingtolookatTVaround6pm and all I heard was gurrddd by my spineandIstartedtofeelbad.And my wife came and stared to ask what happened to me,” Pompey said.
Hewentontosaythathestarted feelingpainsinhisstomachandhis lower back causing him to shout “ow gawd ah gon dead, ah gon dead”. He mentioned that at the
“Theambulancecome,andthey tookmetothehospitalandfrommy waist go right down paralyzed, dat not functioning anymore, it now moving by itself. So, I said I was dyingandthatistheendofmylife.I went to three different hospitals, andtheyalldiagnosedmewiththis ‘transmyelitis’ which means a separation of a spine or wire,” he said.
“Transverse myelitis, ” commonlycalled‘’transmyelitis’a neurological condition characterized by inflammation of thespinalcordthatcandamagethe myelin sheath and disrupt nerve communication.
Theterm“transverse”indicates that the inflammation affects both sides of the spinal cord across its width.
LIFEAFTER
‘TRANSMYELITIS’
Pompeytoldthismagazinethat adjusting was quite difficult becausehehadtodependonpeople toassisthimwitheverythingandif nobodywasthere,hewouldhaveto
sitandwaitonthem.
Hesaidthatthiswasespecially hard since he was always quite active and vigilant; it was hard to readjust.
However, Pompey began physiotherapywhichhelpedhimto start to rely once again on himself and now he can do many tasks on hisown.
He nevertheless faces with two majorchallengeswhere,duetohim being the wheelchair, it’s difficult for him to cross the road, to get water to bathe and to get into the bathroom.
Hesaid,“Iamnowabletomove onfrommybedtothewheelchair,I candoallmymaintenanceworkon my house and even move around the village. I can even go to the marketnowonmyown.”
Pompey stated that at the beginning of his new life, he had support from his family but not a lot. However, during the day, he would sit in his wheelchair alongsidetheroadandvillagesand passerby would stop and give him money or hampers as a form of assistance.
Given his limitations, Pompey was advised by a friend to contact
Jerries is Back!
Frompage43 business moved across several locations due to rental challenges, it expanded from a simple pastry shop to a full-fledged restaurant and bar
Eventually,Jerriesbecamea 24-hour hotspot renowned for its food, music, and vibrantnightlife.
“We started at New MarketStreetwhereweused tosellpastries.Thenin1994, I ran a canteen at Bishops [High School] and we became more popular,” Bacchusrecalled.
“Then we moved to Camp Street in 1996 where we started to do barbeque and beers. But during this time, we saw a decline in sales and I say I had to change the game. I decided to go late nights, and we became a very popular spot foreveryone.”
He added, “We stayed [on Camp Street] from 1996 to2007,whilethecanteenat The Bishops High School ran from 1994 until 2015. The business expanded when we moved once more, from Camp Street to Waterloo Street, and it became notorious because there was a bar, a snackette, and Jerries ran a hotel.Then we started to open other branches.Atatime,weused to have six branches functioning simultaneously from2013to2014.”
businessman, Azruddin Mohamed for assistance in acquiring a more comfortablelife.
Hesaidhemadecontact,andhe was gifted an electric bike which helps him to move around more effectively
“Iwrotealetterandafewweeks later, he came to visit me, and he givemeathree-wheelelectricbike which I am using now to make my lilspins,”hesaid.
Pompey further added that one day,hewenttothemarketandtolda woman that he makes benches and shemadeabigannouncementinthe marketandfromthatday,hestarted receiving endless orders for benchesofallsizesandshapes.
“I would have made a lot of benches, and I would paint some and leave some and when they come,theygottojustpickup.Ifeel sohappynowbecauseit’slikeajob IgoinganddobutIcan’tdoitright at home while I cook,” the man said.
According to him, motivation comes from being able to have something meaningful every day—make his benches. He said thatthetradegiveshimthecourage towakeupandkeepgoing.
A household name returns to Guyana
CLOSURE
Despite its success, the business faced mounting pressure.A2015curfewand repeatedpoliceinterventions disruptedoperations. Legal battles and public scrutiny followed, severely affecting the restaurant’s imageandcustomerbase.
“There are several reasons why I ended up closing, ” Bacchus explained.“Iwassummoned tocourtinJuly2013forloss of business name and noise nuisance. He [the plaintiff] was seeking $10 million on each count By January
2014, the case was thrown out.BythenIwaswinded.I wassodisgustedandtiredof it. Added to that, with the police coming to close us down, they would come in with guns and customers would get scared and don’t come back. Business started to drop with that, and added competition.Thecurfewthat was imposed in 2015 also killed the nightlife and the business.”
“I could have still been open if I wanted to,” he continued. “But I said to myself,it’seithereverything ornothing.Andso,Ipacked
everything up and migrated totheUS.”Nevertheless,the businessman said his return was inspired by community and family Bacchus said though Jerries was closed, Bacchus never gave up on thedream.Foryears,hewas urgedbyloyalcustomersand friends to reopen. With the strong support of his wife Paula, Bacchus returned to Guyana in November 2024, settlinginLethem.
“With the constant customers begging me to come back, my wife and I decided to give Lethem a chance,”Bacchussaid.
Together, the couple beganrebuildingJerriesinto a restaurant called Auntie EnidRestaurant,thistimein a new region. Bacchus said he was drawn to Lethem for itspotentialandsafety
“Lethem has huge potential once that road comes through. Two, my wifeisBrazilianandthefact Brazilians come over the bordertoshop,itisaplusfor us. Rents are much cheaper in Lethem than in Georgetown. Next, public safety is very important to me, and we found safety in Lethem,”henoted.
NEWCHALLENGES
Rebuilding the business hasn’t been without its obstacles Transporting supplies and fresh produce around the Lethem area remainalogisticalhurdle.
“Getting greens here is verytough.Youalwayshave to make some arrangements togetthegreensfromaround here.Moststuffcomesfrom across the border It also takessometimetogethere,” Bacchusexplained.
Nonetheless, after months of preparation, Jerriesofficiallyreopenedin May 2025. The restaurant currently offers breakfast andlunch,featuringpopular menu items like pepperpot, Jerrie’s signature strip chicken burgers, and beef burgers Looking forward, Bacchus now hopes to grow Jerries into a nationwide brand once more. “I would like to franchise the name Jerries, one day to keep the name going and the legacy going,”hesaid.
Throughout his journey, Bacchus credits his customers and his wife for keepingthedreamalive.
“Iwillalwaysbegrateful to my customers who keep encouraging me and supportingme.Ihearstories from them about their experiences at Jerries. My wife is my greatest support and sidekick. I couldn’t do thiswithouther.”
New Market Street 1994 where Jerries started out as a snackette
Labour Ministry probing death of Chinese national at Manganese Company
The Ministry of
Labour’s Occupational Safety and Health (OSH)
Departme
S
investigating the death of
Guyanese Manganese Incorporated in Matthew’s Ridge,RegionOne.
The incident occurred at approximately 1:45 PM on Thursday,June5,2025,and resulted in the death of Mr Siyuan Chen, an electrician employedatthefacility
“Preliminary findings indicate that Mr Chen was monitoring the conveyor beltsysteminthewashplant
when he became entangled in the machinery. The accident resulted in the loss of his right arm and ultimately claimed his life,” theministrysaid. Theinvestigation,which is being conducted by Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Officer Mr Chavez Daniels, along with Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) Environmental Officer Mr Sergio Phillander, aims to determine the root cause of the incident and to develop recommendationstoprevent similar accidents in the future.
U.S. hails relationship with Guyana...
Frompage47 hascollaboratedcloselywith Guyanese law enforcement inseveralmajorbusts.
In March 2025, a cargo vesseloriginatinginGuyana was discovered by police in the waters of Trinidad and Tobago with approximately 182 kilograms of cocaine. Cocaine packages stamped with the Toyota logo, a known trademark of the Sinaloa Cartel, were found on board the cargo vessel. It wasstatedthatMexicandrug cartelsareknownforhaving apresenceinGuyana.
On February 20, 2025, the State Department identified the Sinaloa Cartel as a Foreign Terrorist Organization(FTO)andasa SpeciallyDesignatedGlobal Terrorist (SDGT). Prior to its designation as an FTO, OFAC sanctioned the Sinaloa Cartel on April 15, 2009, pursuant to the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act (Kingpin Act)forplayingasignificant role in international narcotics trafficking. On December 15, 2021, OFAC
also designated the Sinaloa Cartel.
OnMarch21,2024,U.S. and Guyanese law enforcement seized 2,370 kilograms of cocaine in a self-propelled semisubmersible approximately 150 miles off the coast of Guyana.
In August 2024, Guyanese authorities, with support from the Drug EnforcementAdministration (DEA), and the U S Department of State’s DiplomaticSecurityService (DSS), discovered 4.4 tons of cocaine in a clandestine airfield in the northwest region of Guyana known as Barima-Waini, or Region One, which shares a border withVenezuela.Thecocaine was buried in underground bunkers about six feet deep.
Following this drug bust, Senior Superintendent Sawh,whowasCommander for Region One, was transferred from his post there.Hewasonthejobuntil June 5th, after the sanctions wereannounced,hewassent onadministrativeleave.
WANTED VACANCY
Driver for Canter truck and porters to work in warehouse, experience is an asset. Tele : 673-7373.
Job openings: Truck drivers, AC Technician & Health & safety officer. Apply via Whatsapp : 689-1111 / 6082114.
Wanted“One person skilled in Welding and Fabrication from 8:00am to 5:00pm. Training will be provided. Contact 621-7861 for more information
Wanted one sales person, age 20-30 years. Call : 6807402.
FOR RENT
Newly constructed two bedroom apt in a safe and healthy environment. Call 698-6496/ 737-0225.
SERVICES
VISA Application for USA, Canada, UK, ETA, ETC. Natrualisation guidance + application filling, ECT. Tel: 626-7040.
Elevate your brand with our professional Graphic design services. Call: 619-0007, 6295526.
FOR SALE
T RUCK TIRES 295/ 75R22.5 $40K EACH. CALL/WHATSAPP +592688-3201.
‘Adorn Deluxe’ for all elegant and great...
From page 30 ensure variety. Unfortunately, three of them sent poor-quality jewellery. I was deeply disappointed, but I knew what my vision was. I had to give them away; because that wasn’t the type of jewellery I wanted representing my brand. Yes, I lost money, but it was for the best,” she explained.
Vacancy at Dyna's Embroidery & Screenprints: We are hiring Factory Workers. Tel# 226-2621.
One clerk for TSI Eccles office English 1, Maths 2 call 615-9132 or email application to techserigy@yahoo.com
Driver must be able to assist in workshop at Eccles, age 23-50, Car/ Van licence Call 615-9132.
Maid for East Bank area call 615-9132.
One (1) Male cleaner for Eccles office call 615-9132.
One (1) Painter call 615-9132
Vacancy for one Sales person at Bourda Market $35,000 per week. 8am-5pm. Contact : 669-9258.
General Domestic ,Apply at Keyfood Mc Doom village next to the post office. 5 day work
One night watchman call: 731-2125
Males & Females to work at a wash bag in Campbellville, 8am-5pm. Shift available 10am-7pm. Call: 604-1980/ 669-4676.
Vacancy for Elderly Caregiver @ Republic Park. Please Call or WhatsApp: 656-1875/ 233-5160/6096952.
VEHICLES FOR SALE
One Unregistered Nissan X-Trail 2016 model, Mode Premiere. For more information Call : 649-0956.
1 Honda CRV, includes TV, music system, alarm, reverse camera, spoiler, low mileage PUTT Series (first owner). Call: 649-0956.
PROPERTY FOR SALE
3 Story building, Evan Street Charlestown, 2bedroom House on Long Creek Highway, Durban Street, 2 apartment Building. Contact : Ray's Realty 627-9685
LAND FOR SALE
40x100 ft(+10ft Reserve) in Cummings Lodge ideal for apartment building/bondPartial infrustructural work. Tel: 624-8694.
According to Paul, the business world is full of trial and error, but you cannot let that defeat you. “You must be strong when faced with challenges. Dust yourself off and regroup. If you’re passionate about something, you’ll find a way to get it done,” she expressed. Not letting the chal-
lenges defeat her, Paul mentioned that she has plans of expanding and enhancing the services she offers.
She shared that a shortterm goal for Adorn Deluxe is to launch a Charms and Trinkets Bar, where customers can visit the store and create their own necklaces and bracelets using charms. This is expected to launch on July 27, 2025. Her long-term goal however, is to move into a larger space and build the Adorn Deluxe Gift Shop. Not just any gift shop, she said but a luxury-on-a-budget space with a great ambiance, where customers can shop and unwind. She noted with Guyana being a growing
economy, businesses are on the rise, and that every day, new products or businesses emerge. With that being said, she noted to fellow young entrepreneurs that they should not feel intimidated. “Stay true to yourself and to what you started. There’s space for everyone. We are all uniquely different, and we each have a different story to tell,” she assured. When questioned what she thinks can be done to help small businesses grow in our society, Paul suggested for there to be systems in place to reduce taxes and duties on imported products. “It would help small businesses tremendously if systems were put in
place to reduce taxes and duties on imported products. Perhaps a quota system specifically for small businesses could work. As small business owners, we’re still in the growing and developing phase. It’s often difficult to stabilize product pricing when such a large percentage goes toward taxes, duties, and shipping,” she briefly explained. For persons interested in connecting with Adorn Deluxe, you can visit their social media platforms on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok or contact them on (+592) 620-6162. They are located on Camp and Hadfield Streets inside Keishar’s building, and note their opening hours are 9am to 5pm from Monday to Saturday.
From page 7 well blowout in 2010 cost BP over US$65 billion, or around US$95billion in today’s money. Guyana’s revenue from oil for the whole of 2024 is reported as being US$2.57billion. It would take Guyana more than 35 years of current income to pay for a Macondo-type spill if the ‘responsible party’ did not pay and if there was no effective and readily enforceable unlimited uncapped parent company guarantee as is currently required by law,” Janki warned.
She reminded President Ali that Justice Sandil Kissoon had warned in 2023 in the Collins and Whyte v EPA, ExxonMobil and Attorney-General case that if there is an oil spill, “…the consequences will be devastating not only to the citizens of this land and the environment but to inhabitants of neighbouring states and territories as well.” He further warned that in the absence of the unlimited uncapped parent company, “then the potential consequences are elevated and border on catastrophic.” “This massive potential liability as a result of harm to neighbouring sovereign states and their economies is well illustrated in ExxonMobil’s maps, Janki said, noting that, as is common and public knowledge, deep water drilling is a very dangerous exercise. According to the lawyer, ExxonMobil has admitted to using faulty equipment (the gas processor) and to operating above the limits set in its environmental impact assessments, thereby increasing the danger to Guyana financially and environmentally. “All MPs who voted for this Bill should now be required to provide ‘financial assurance’ to cover the increased financial risk to Guyana as a result of their reckless approval of this Bill. Should you decide to assent to this Bill, the people of Guyana will be entitled to demand that you also provide ‘financial assurance’ to them,” Janki told the President.
Silver hill (18 Acre), Craig (10 Acres), Friendship, East coast, East Rumveldt front road, Yarrow Kabra. Contact : Ray's Realty 627-9685
New Oil Spill...
2025 Ivanoff Vodka Nationwide Domino Tournament… Teams for National Playoffs to be decided on June 11
The Masters Domino Team, with Demerara Distillers Limited’s (DDL) IvanoffVodkaastheofficial title sponsor, launched and commenced the Ivanoff Vodka nationwide Domino Tournament, which got underwayonJune1.
This event features teams from across the country,comingtogetherfor a spirited showcase of skill, strategy and community pride.
Participants will compete for over two million dollars (G$2M) in cash prizes, trophies and hampers along with other exciting rewards, as the tournamentaimstocelebrate the cultural significance of dominoes and foster nationwidecamaraderie.
The 2025 edition of the Tournament will culminate onJune11,withpreliminary
teams being played across the country, with district clubs and teams vying for tophonorsintheirrespective zones.Thetopthreefinalists ineachzonewilladvanceto the national playoffs which will take place on June 1415, 2025 at the Demerara Cricket Club (DCC), GroundPavilion.
This tournament marks the largest domino event sponsorship of the year, and
the biggest Ivanoff Vodkabacked domino competition to-date.
This year’s winning team will take home $500,000andatrophy,while the second- and third-place teamswillreceive$250,000 and $125,000 respectively, along with trophies. The MVP of the finals will also be awarded $30,000. Each team that registered for the tournament received three bottlesofIvanoffVodka.
This year’s organisers also aim to encourage participation from
Sunday June 08, 2025
ARIES(Mar.21–Apr.19)
Something is currently compellingyoutobemoreof a world citizen than usual, Aries. You may find this somewhat disturbing You feel as though the roots of youridentity
TAURUS(Apr.20–May20)
Your surroundings are currently changing, Taurus. Perhapsyourcircleoffriends has already undergone a majorchange.Thefactisthat you no longer have so many prejudices about the people youmeet.
GEMINI(May21–June20)
Gemini, you're demystifying theconceptoftalent.Youused to look enviously at other peopleandthink,"IwishIhad anaturalabilitylikethat."
Being self-employed doesn't automatically mean you will have more freedom Of course, you will be your own boss.
LEO(July23–Aug.22)
Within the next few days, you'relikelytogainaccessto dimensionsofperceptionyou neversuspected,Leo.Perhaps you will become aware of certain energy phenomena, peakexperiences.
VIRGO(Aug.23–Sept.22)
Often fiery temperaments like yours are drawn to fight for great causes despite the better judgment of more down-to-Earth people. As a result, you have great leadership potential that may emergetoday
LIBRA(Sept.23–Oct.22)
Your optimism is likely to receive a little boost today, Libra.Amemorableemotional encountermaybethesourceof some extra zeal. Or you may derive great satisfaction from beingpartofagroup.
SCORPIO(Oct.23–Nov 21)
Perhaps you should suspend your inhibitions for the day, Scorpio, and let your dreams guide you. For instance, you mightimaginethattheneedto make any choices has vanished.
SAGIT(Nov 22–Dec.21)
This is the type of day you enjoy The climate is positive, and the energy is flowing. It's as though you have a magic wand.Yougiveitawaveandpresto - the day's tasks and chores are done! By this evening.
CAPRI(Dec.22–Jan.19)
If the world collapsed today, you wouldn't bat an eyelash. You're perfectly content sailing along on cloud nine! Thesourceofyourblisscould bethatnewpersoninyourlife.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20–Feb. 18) You may have had some emotional disappointments lately, but today will restore yourfaithinlove.Allyouneed to do is act. Your amazing lucidity and realism keep you from hoping for the impossible.
PISCES(Feb.19–Mar.20)
Put on your traveling shoes, Pisces. Fear of the unknown may have prompted you to postpone certain trips. You claimedyouweretoobusy,but noonereallybelievedthis.
this event, and it is a privilege to provide a stage for our participants to showcase their incredible talents.”
Ministries, public and private sector agencies, corporations, sports federationsandassociations, sports clubs, as well as everyday community members to join this nationwideevent.
“We are beyond excited to announce our partnership with DDL’s Ivanoff Vodka brand,” said Rodwell Phillips,CaptainofMasters.
“We deeply appreciate t h e i r u n w a v e r i n g commitmenttoelevatingthe sportofdominoes.Weaspire to bring that same passion anddedicationtoorganizing
He added, “DDL’s sponsorship through their Ivanoff Vodka brand aligns perfectly with our broader mission to promote dominoes both locally and internationally We feel incredibly fortunate to be part of this vibrant community of passionate and talented players, and we’re fired up for what is sure to be a fiercely contestedtournament.”
“Ivanoff Vodka is proud to be part of this nationwide dominocompetitionbecause itbringspeopletogetherand celebrates a cherished tradition in Guyana,” said LarryWills,BrandManager, Demerara Distillers Limited. “We believe in supporting events that unite communities and create memorableexperiences,and this tournament perfectly embodiesthosevalues.”
Through the years, Ivanoff Vodka has offered tremendous support and sponsorship to dominoes, reflecting our commitment t o e m p o w e r i n g participants—both men and women—throughthepower ofsports.
West Indies Women Tour of England 2025… England complete series sweep
(BBC Sport) - England sealedacomprehensiveoneday international series clean sweep over West Indies with a nine-wicket thrashing in a rain-affected
encounteratTaunton. Setatargetofjust106in a match reduced to 21 overs a side, England cruised to victory in 10.5 overs with captain Nat Sciver-Brunt
finishing unbeaten on 57 from33balls.
SophiaDunkleymade26 at the top of the order as England re-jigged their batting line-up, while Alice
Capseyfinishedunbeatenon 20 in another one-sided affair
West Indies, who were again without their star allrounder Hayley Matthews
becauseofashoulderinjury, hadslippedto4-3insidethe firstfouroversafterEngland chose to bowl first under gloomyskies.
Stand-in captain
Shemaine Campbelle and opener Qiana Joseph gradually rebuilt with a partnership of 39 before heavyrainledtoafive-hour delay after 12 3 overs had beenbowled.
Campbelle fell to
Charlie Dean from the first ball after the resumption as the tourists slumped further to 58-6, but they smacked 31fromthelasttwooversto post106-8.
Leg-spinner Sarah
Glenn was the pick of England’s bowlers with 321, while seamer EmArlott took2-15
England also won the preceding T20 series 3-0, andtheirsummercontinues with three T20s and three ODIsagainstIndia,starting atTrentBridgeon28June PoorWestIndiesbatters wiltagain
Without Matthews, West Indies’ batting hopes were already bleak and in bowler-friendly conditions, England dominatedasexpected
Wi t h p l e n t y o f movement on offer from the surface, Kate Cross had Realeanna Grimmond caught behind in the first over as the 20-year-old was unable to back up her promising half-century on debut at Leicester on Thursday
Em Arlott bowled Zaida James with a full delivery in the second over, and pinned veteran batter Stafanie Taylor lbw foroneinthefourth
Despite the rain looming, Campbelle and Joseph had to rebuild the inningsata50-overtempo whichleftthemneedingto attack from the outset onceplayresumed
Instead, the wickets tumbled Campbelle was stumped off Dean for 18, Shabika Gajnabi was bowled by Glenn for one and Jannillea Glasgow was caught at mid-on by Alice Davidson-Richards
offLaurenFiler Joseph’s 34 held the inningstogetherbutAaliyah Alleyne whacked five consecutive fours from the penultimate over bowled by Filertoprovidealateflurry, and Jahzara Claxton added 11 from four balls including anenormoussixoffGlennto eventually push them past 100.
Sciver-Bruntshinesas Englandimprovise
After two opening stands of more than 200 between Amy Jones and Tammy Beaumont to start the series, England understandably wanted their other batters to spend some time in the middle, with the three upcoming ODIs against India being their last in the format before the World Cup, which starts in late SeptemberinIndia.
Dunkley dominated the opening stand of 40 in five overs with her captain, scoring 26 from 21 balls before she was pinned lbw by spinner Karishma Ramharack
From there, SciverBrunt wanted the game done in a hurry as she took down the bowlers, clubbing the spinners efficiently down the ground as she struck nine fours in her destructiveknock
C a p s e y m a d e a quickfire 20 from 11 balls in their 69-run stand, as she attempted to strengthen her case for the ODI side in the absence of injured former captain Heather Knight
It would have been preferable for England’s batterstohaveeitheramore challengingtotaltochaseor more overs to bat, but the upcoming India series is likely to provide a far greater test of their abilities andachanceforEdwardsto see how her side steps up underpressure.
There was little West Indies could do with so few runs to defend, and would have been grateful for their miserabletourtocometoan endmorethan10oversearly
ExxonMobil Guyana recommits support to Future Warriors Tapeball...
Frompage54 the next stars of Guyana or WestIndiescricket,”Hoppie stated, expressing his hope that the children would leverage this opportunity to develop their talents and forgelifelongfriendships.
John Ramsingh, CoDirector of FL Sport, is
confident that the tournament will be another resoundingsuccess,building on the achievements of past editions.
He anticipates a rich display of raw talent and hopes the players can smoothly transition into established clubs or more
structured cricket programmesinthefuture.
The tournament format will feature eight overs per side, contested on a straight knockoutbasis.
Teams can field 11 players from their squad of 13. Aunique incentive sees the top four teams after day one outfitted with new jerseys before returning to playinthefinalsondaytwo.
Both match days will commenceat09:30h.
Organisersareproviding
bats,ballsandtransportation
free of cost to all participating schools, along with various meals and refreshments throughout the playing days, removing barrierstoparticipation.
The winning teams from each zone will be gifted a gear bag filled with tapeball cricketequipment.
Crucially, they will also secure a coveted spot in the upcoming ‘Champions of Champions’tournament.
The ultimate winner of this champions’playoff will g a i n a n e x c l u s i v e opportunity to be part of activities for ExxonMobil Guyana/Guyana Amazon Warriorsduringthehomeleg of the Caribbean Premier League(CPL)inSeptember, offering an unparalleled glimpse into professional cricket.
Furthermore, the Most ValuablePlayerfromeachof the three zones in June is expected to be part of the a c t i v i t i e s f o r t h e
ExxonMobilGuyanaGlobal Super League, which runs f r o m J u l y 1 0 - 1 8 Essequibo’s Huis
T’Dieren Primary are the defending champions of the ‘Champions of Champions’ title, setting the benchmark for this year’s aspiring teams. In Saturday’s quaterfinal fixtures, defending Demerara champions Stella Maris defeated Ketley Primaryby114runs.
ClydeJacobsproduceda stellar performance scoring 51notoutfrom18balls. His innings features five sixesandfourfours.
St. Pius got past School of the nations in a close contest.St.Piuswonbyeight runs with Jeremiah Norton taking 2-6. St. Pius scored 48-5 while Nation’s were contained to 40-3 before the eightoversexpired.
Meanwhile, West Ruimveldt hammered Providence Primary by nine wickets.
Eli Henry picked up 3-6 for the West Ruimveldt to restrict Providence to 23-6 from their allotted overs
West Ruimveldt then reached24-1in3.5overs.
In the last match of the quarterfinal,GrovePrimary defeatedCamille’sAcademy
by41runs.
Grove posted 52-6 but Camille’s were bundled out
for11.RolesMelvillepicked up6-7.
Stella Maris, Grove,
WestRuimveldtandSt.Pius Primary have progressed to thesemi-finalsonSunday
ExxonMobil Guyana is settocontinueitsinvestment in youth development through the third edition of theFutureWarriorsTapeball tournament for Primary Schools, an initiative aimed atexposinggrassrootstalent tocricketacrossthenation. The tournament, which hasgrownfromitsoriginsin Georgetown to encompass Berbice and Essequibo, will return with an expanded format this year The Demerara zone is scheduled for June 7-8 at the National Stadium, Providence, followed by the Berbice Zone from June 14-
15, and the Essequibo zone fromJune21-22. Thehighly anticipated ‘Champions of Champions’ leg will then culminate in September Thisyear’scompetitionsees an increase in participation, with 16 teams per zone, up from12inpreviouseditions. Organised by FL Sport,
the tournament allows schools the flexibility to f
s, incorporating both boys and girls at their discretion, fostering inclusivity from a young age. A key focus for this year’s tournament is comprehensive player development.
Participants will be exp
developmental mechanisms, includingnationalcricketers acting as team mentors d
Additionally, officers from theChildProtectionAgency will conduct sessions, underscoring a commitment
to the holistic well-being of the young athletes. Ryan H
Relations Supervisor, in a recent press engagement with FL Sport, encouraged the young participants to “dreambig.”“Youmightbe (Continuedonpage55)
2026FIFAWorldCupQualifiers…
Nicaragua ends Guyana’s chances of progression
...Jaguars play last match on Tuesday
Guyana’s Senior Men’s National Football team, the Golden Jaguars suffered a painstaking loss on Friday night against Nicaragua whenthetwosidesmetinthe 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers at the Nicaragua National Football Stadium, Managua.
Jaguars lost 1 – 0 to the home team in the 2nd round, GroupDbattle,whichfurther solidified Nicaragua’s chance
of progression while ultimately ending Guyana’s campaign,astheybothentered the showdown in must-win situations Jaime Moreno’s 41st-minute goal became the decideratregulationtime
Nicaragua leads with nine points from three consecutivewins,Panamais second with six points from two wins in as many matches, Guyana and Montserrat both have three points but the former is ahead on a superior goal difference while Belize is in the cellar after conceding threeconsecutivelosses.
The mighty Panamanian teamwasbilledtofaceBelize on Saturday evening – a shot
that can guarantee them the lead in the Group, with each teamleftwithamatchtoplay intheround Only the group winners move ontothefinal round of Concacaf qualifiers, where they’ll join the three lowest-rankedteamsfromthe Nations League A and the winnersofNationsLeagueB, vying for the region’s three automatic spots at the expanded 2026 FIFA World Cup Meanwhile, the Golden Jaguars,arescheduledtotake on Montserrat on Tuesday, June10atGuyana’sNational Track and Field Centre at Edinburgh, West Coast Demerara,from20:00hrs
Jags will indeed be looking to secure a victory after they opened their qualifiers with a 2 – 0 loss to regional heavyweights Panama at the Estadio RommelFernándezGutiérrez, reboundedbydefeatingBelize 3–1 at the Wildey Turf in Barbados and suffering their mostrecentdefeat
The 2026 FIFA World Cup, set to feature 48 teams for the first time in history, will be jointly hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, raising the stakes even higher for nations like Guyana looking to make their debut on football’s grandeststage.
Hururu’s Alicia Fredericks lead all scorers on night
When the battle for the top two spots in each group continued on Friday night last in the ‘One Guyana’ Kings and Queens of the SandFootballinLinden,the standout player was Hururu’s Alicia Fredericks who led her team to a comfortable 6-1 win over CircuitvilleStrikers.
With all the action unfolding at the People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP-C) Linden office ground,Fredericksfoundthe backofthenetsinthe8th,9th, 22nd, and 23rd, minute with her teammates, Candacy Robinson 15th, Kayana Cameron 21st, adding their names to the scoresheet in a dominating display Circuitville Strikers got their consolation goal from Camiza Jacobs in the 19th minute In male action, Speightland fired their way toa5-2winoverFearlesson account of a brace of goals each from Quincy Beaton (3rd, 5th) and Marvyn Jeffrey(19th,28th)withEarl Cornelius(19th)touchingin the other Fearless hit the targetthroughAndreMoffet
inthe14th,andDelvinGrant inthe22ndminute.
Turf President with strikes either side of play from Clinton Charles (9th, 21st)edgedAvacadoBallers 2-1inaclosetussle.Edgardo Herrera pulled one back for thelosersinthe29thminute.
Spaniards were in a dismissive mood in their encounter with Lil Ballers, winning 5-1. Leading the goal charge was Sigmund Cobena with a hat-trick, Mark Jacobs and Shaka Louistouchinginoneeach.
One Syde knocked five (5) pass Hard Knocks who could only find the back of the nets on three (3) occasions. For the winners, Kriston Lewis (5th, 17th) andRyanArthur(21st,22nd)
netted a doble each, LawrenceJosephinthe15th accounting for the other goal. Hard Knocks’ Omar Brewley (4th, 7th) and Kendolph Lewis 10th responded, but it was not enough.
The other match of the night ended in a 2-2 stalemate between Young Gunners and Foundation Family Young Gunners got their goals from Devonte Tappin and Tyrese Lewis while Foundation Family’s, Seon Barrat and Hussain Cambridgewereontarget.
Play was scheduled to continueSaturdaynightwith over four-million dollars in cash, trophies, and other incentives will be up for grabs.
Guyana will face Montserrat at the National Track and Field Centre at Edinburgh, WCD. (Photo: Concacaf)
The Queens that found the back of the net for Hururu
Nicaragua’s JuniorArteaga (r) contests a ball with Guyana’s Omari Glasgow (Photo: EFE/ STR)
Sophia Dunkley’s wicket was one of the few high point for West Indies Women. (Getty Images)
