Gov t . aiming to star t-up
Gov t . to take out $512.4B from oil account to Canadian company to for 4.5 million ounces gold project in Guyana -constructnewQikServ restaurant in Bartica,expandinfrastructure
…invitesbidsforoperationandmaintenanceofNGLplant
Gov t . placing heav y burden
Guyanese man shot dead in St . Maar ten new beer bottling plant this year fund 2025 budget on citizens shoulders with Banks DIH to build publish feasibilit y study gas project by
US$6 billion debt
By Shania Williams
Banks DIH has reported impressive financial results for the fiscal year 2024, reflecting a significant increase in profits and r
investments aimed at enhancing its position
operations. The beverage giant has also announced plans to build a new beer bottling plant this year as well as construct a new Qik Serv restaurant in Bartica.
These announcements were made at the Banks DIH Holdings Incorporated’s First
s headquarters at Thirst Park on Saturday S
nd Managing Director, Clifford Reis, said that the company had a notable 17% increase in Profit Before Tax (PBT), which surged to $16.979 billion, compared to $14.509 billion in 2023. Profit After Tax (PAT) attributable to shareholders of the parent company grew by 17.76%, from $8.970 billion to $10.563 billion. This strong financial performance underscores the company’s ability to deliver sustained growth despite challenging market conditions.
“This achievement is a testament to our commitment, dedication and the strategic initiatives we implemented in 2024. Our customer satisfaction programmes that were implemented during the year have also seen significant improvement, commitment to quality service and continuous improvement. It also reflects the trust our customers place in us and our unwavering focus on meeting their needs,” Reis stated.
For the fiscal year, Banks achieved total revenues of $48.844 billion, marking an 11% increase from $44.048 billion in 2023. The company’s performance was particularly strong during the latter half of the year, driven by both its core operations and subsidiary growth. Notably, the revenue for the period
from October 1, 2023, to July 18, 2024, stood at $39.079 billion, while the period from July 19, 2024, to September 30, 2024, contributed $9.765 billion to the total.
Additionally, new product introductions played a pivotal role in the company’s growth strategy in 2024. The company launched several new offerings, including XM Aged 25-Year-Old Caribbean Rum, Classic Beer, Minute Maid Fruit Cooler, and Kings’ Danish Pastry, all of which have been wellreceived by customers and have contributed positively to the company’s revenue.
Banks DIH’s performance was not limited to its core business operations The company also made substantial investments in capital expenditures to strengthen its manufacturing
Significant upgrades were made to both the No 1 and No 2 Soft Drink Plants to ensure compliance with Coca-Cola’s international
underwent an overhaul of critical systems, and substantial investments were made in new equipment for rum and wine production
“These innovations not only reinforce our position as industry leaders, but also pave the way for future growth opportunities. This has allowed us to reduce cost, while maintaining
Continued on page 17
The Government of Guyana (GoG) is hoping to start up the Gas-to-Energy (GTE) project- geared at slashing electricity costs by 50% - by mid-2025.
This is according to a Request For Proposals (RFP) issued by the Office of the Prime Minister on Sunday, where qualified firms have been invited to operate and maintain the Natural Gas Liquids (NGL) plant, associated with Phase One of the gas project
The NGL fractionation plant is designed to extract liquids (C3, C4, C5+) from 50 million standard cubic feet of gas per day (MMSCFD). Gas will be delivered to the plant via a pipeline running from the offshore Stabroek block to the onshore Integrated Plant Site (ISP) and operated by others.
Kaieteur News understands that the NGLs will be stored and/or dispatched from the Southern side of the Integrated Facilities 100-acre site, where short-term storage will be in place to allow delivery via road and pipeline to the medium-term Storage Facility
A medium-term Storage Facility will be built east of the Integrated Facility to provide for two-months storage and facilitate 2km shipments via road or river Additionally, the project will feature a 2KM pipeline “to connect to short-term and medium-term storage with the Demerara River and Materials Offloading Facility (MOF).”
OPM explained that the O&M contract does not include O&M of the 300 MW combined cycle power plant and auxiliary facilities. This will be performed by Siemen Energy SAS, which will have overall responsibility for coordination of the O&M for integrated facilities.
The NGL plant is located on a 100-acre integrated Plant Site located within the Wales Industrial Zone approximately 25 km inland on the West Bank of the Demerara River Additional storage will be located on land
east of the 100-acre site.
Interested bidders will be required to show O&M experience of at least three NGL plants, comparable to that being constructed in Guyana Firms must also have a strong Health, Safety and Environment (HSE) culture and demonstrate capabilities in workforce training, particularly focusing on local content, use of advanced technology for efficient operations and safety monitoring and the financial capacity to manage large-scale operations
According to the RFP, only firms (consortia) experienced in Operation and Maintenance of comparable facilities will be ranked; however, they will be required to list relevant experience and reference projects over the last 15 years, as well as provide a u d
evidence of financial strength.
Additionally, bidders will be expected to submit O&M fee structures from comparable projects, provide a template of projected O&M costs over each period; state expected profit margins or fees and state project guarantees related to availability and efficiency
Additionally, the RFP requires firms to, “Submit organizational chart (separating local vs foreign staff) and ramp-up assuming start-upmid-2025.”
The GOG said negotiations will take place with the highest ranked technical proposal with the objective of concluding an O&M Contract Responses to this RFP must be received by Chairman of the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB) by 2 PM on March 13, 2025 In the meantime, government has made it clear that it is not bound to accept any response to this RFP and reserves the right to select any Party for any specific element of the RFP and to annul the process at any time without further direction, without thereby incurring any liability to the affected interested parties
Printed and Published by National Media & Publishing Company Ltd 24 Saffon Street, Charlestown, Georgetown, Guyana.
Publisher: GLENN LALL - Tel: 624-6456
Editor-in-Chief: Nigel Williams
Tel: 225-8465, 225-8491. Fax: 225-8473, 226-8210
It must be acknowledged that not enough attention is paid to the deaths caused by or are the consequences of noncommunicable diseases here.
According to the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) kill at least 41 million people each year worldwide, equivalent to 71% of all deaths globally
According to the organisation, in the Region of the Americas, which includes Guyana, 5.5 million deaths are caused by NCDs.
Each year, 15 million people -2.2 million in the Region of the Americas - die from an NCD between the ages of 30 and 69 years. Over 85% of these “premature” deaths occur in low and middle-income countries. Cardiovascular diseases account for most NCD deaths, or 17.9 million people annually, followed by cancers (9.0 million), respiratory diseases (3.9million), and diabetes (1.6 million), globally
These four groups of diseases account for over 80% of all premature NCD deaths, the PAHO said. Tobacco use, physical inactivity, the harmful use of alcohol and unhealthy diets all increase the risk of dying from an NCD.
Deaths from NCDs are still seen as prevalent in the older generation, but this is not necessarily the complete picture. The statistics have shown that 15 million people between the ages of 30-67 die from NDCs each year in the Americas. However, for some unexplained reasons, many people still mistakenly believe that young people do not die from heart attacks or stroke. The only way the nation is going to relate to the fact that young people are at risk of dying from NCDs is if it is given prominence.
NCDs are not only occurring in Guyana or the Caribbean, they are a worldwide occurrence, and the death rates are just as high for the young as they are for the old. The WHO has stated that the four major risk factors that contribute to NCD deaths are unhealthy diets, physical inactivity, the harmful use of alcohol and the excessive use of tobacco. It is often said that good health is not just the absence of disease or illness, it is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, which means eating a balanced diet, getting regular exercise, avoiding tobacco and drugs and getting plenty of rest.
In this year ’s budget, $143.2 billion has been allocated for the health sector, which the government said will bring about a dramatic expansion and improvement in the coverage of the public healthcare system and place us well on our way to realising the modern world class system “we are building”.
Also in the budget, it was mentioned that screening for chronic diseases was done for over 90,000 persons in 2024, surpassing the total target of 70,000. The target for 2025 is 100,000 persons.
It is left to be seen how much of the $143B will be spent on tackling NDCs, not just from the standpoint of treatment and care, but also prevention, which must include a more robust education campaign that targets our youth.
It is difficult to get NCDs in the headlines or in the minds of people, that such diseases are a major cause of deaths among young and old in the country. It has been a struggle for health officials who, in spite of educating the people on the causes of NCDs, continue to see a high h u m a n t o l l f r o m t h e s e p r e v e n t a b l e i l l n e s s e s Hypertension, cancer, diabetes and other ailments are the major killers in Guyana, more than murders or traffic fatalities.
However, the prevalence of these deaths is not having much impact on society There are many persons, both young and old, who are at risk of dying from NDCs, but are walking around unaware of the existence of their conditions.
pr
the r ights of patients are fundamental to health and health tour ism in
I read an article in the Stabroek News on January 22, 2024, titled ‘GRA to probe leak of Terrence Campbell info - businessman threatens lawsuit, says being targeted over criticism of gov’t’.
Revenue Authority (GRA) yesterday said that it will probe the leak of tax
Campbell and the businessman has threatened legal action over the matter and says he is being targeted over his criticism of the government’. As I read the article, I was alarmed that this is a new level of violation of the rights of citizens and a serious breach of trust and c o n
y.
addressing the matter in the public domain and wondered what would happen if this spills over to the medical field and the medical records and information of patients is released into the public by medical institutions and medical personnel.
However, before I could have put pen to paper or fingers to keyboard, I read another article in the Stabroek News on January 24, 2025, titled ‘Brutus shuns summonses from PSC Tribunal - ordered to appear on Monday, doctor recalls medical excuse’. The
Police Commissioner Calvin Brutus has been summoned for a second time by the PSC [Police Service Commission] Tribunal to answer several charges after failing to show up to yesterday’s scheduled hearing and after tendering a n
deliberations’.
Additionally, in a Kaieteur News article published on January 24, 2025, and titled ‘Tribunal appointed to probe disciplinary charges against Brutus’
Tribunal reported that Brutus failed to attend the scheduled sessions On January 22, 2025, Brutus submitted a medical certificate claiming that he was suffering from back pain and muscle strain and would be incapable of work for 14 days. He requested that the hearing be rescheduled for a date after February 2, 2025 However, upon summoning the doctor who issued the certificate, the Tribunal was informed that the symptoms described by Brutus were not severe enough to prevent him from attending the hearing either in person or virtually’. The article, ‘In the recall letter dated January 23, 2025, the
doctor stated that upon appearing before the Tribunal, he realized that the medical certificate may have been used to avoid appearing at the inquiry “Mr Brutus’ current condition does not incapacitate him mentally or confine him to bed,” the doctor stated. He further explained that he was unaware that Brutus was scheduled to appear on January 22, 2025, when he issued the certificate’.
In the Ministry of Health Act No. 6 o
Minister, Article 4. states that ‘Subject to the generality of the list of duties assigned and gazetted, the Minister shall discharge the following functions – 4 (g) obtain information from the M
manner so as not to disclose the personal information of any person…’ Article 4 (o) states ‘facilitate the regulation of the health care professionals in a consistent and coordinated manner in the public interest, that appropriate standards of practice are developed and maintained, that individuals have access
Continued on page 5
Guyana’s economy will remain weak over the long ter m if improvements are not made
DEAR EDITOR,
The cost of a one-night stay at the Marriott Hotel is just over 100,000 Guyanese dollars on average, and can range between $80,000 and $140,000.
afford to spend one month’s salary to spend one night at the government owned Marriott Hotel.
The cost of a one-night stay at the Hotel also makes it clear that the one-off grant of $100,000 being provided to all Guyanese over 18 years of age is quite
requirements for the country The Marriott in Houston is a fraction of the price of that charged in Guyana and
Guyanese dollars. A clear indication that our location is considered premium.
The average monthly salary at the Marriott in the USA for housekeepers is
h allows a housekeeper to be able to spend at least 5 nights in the Hotel he or she cleans. If we take a similar approach to t
housekeepers would have to earn at a minimum $800,000 a month before taxes. If Guyana’s labour costs were to grow to this level our position would become less competitive, but the analysis does put into perspective how we should think about the minimum wage.
Even an equivalent rate to that which is in the USA of $288,000 would be welcomed in Guyana. Is it doable? Given the oil boom it is, but is it sustainable? The numbers on inflation
at the Ministry of Finance is at odds with t h o s e o f r e s p e c t e d I n t e r n a t i o n a l Organizations. A thorough analysis of what a liveable wage in Guyana should be and must be completed and put forward as a proposal to improve the standard of living of the populace. At a minimum, the government should provide a minimum wage that is equivalent to that of a housekeeper in the USA. If it is determined that it is not sustainable over the long term, then it should be provided to every citizen over 18 years of age in the form of oil income p a y m e n t s t h a t r e p r e s e n t e a c h individual’s share in the sector This is the equivalent of G$3 million a year
An amount which oil rich Guyana cannot afford. The current amounts g a i n e d i n t h e s e c t o r a l l o w f o r approximately 1 million Guyanese dollars a year for 500,000 Guyanese. Therefore, our wage bill cannot increase to the levels of the USA and our minimum wage has to reflect the reality of our economy
If we estimate that the government can afford to distribute 20% of the earnings from the sector the amount would be the equivalent of two cash grant payments of $100,000 each. Is this the direction we wish to go in? That’s a salary increase of just over $16,500 monthly or an hourly increase of approximately 100 Guyanese dollars per hour Goes to show that the wealth from the oil sector is not what we thought it was, and the economic realities of the average Guyanese is not able to keep pace with the increasing inflation as noted by non-governmental
organizations.
What’s the solution? Increased earnings and lower taxes? Improving the top line is definitely a necessity Reducing costs at the expense of government income has to be balanced with the projected economic growth that it will stimulate. The government must propose a stronger economic plan than will grow the economy in a way that is sustainable. The current plan is weak on e a
u c t i o n measures. Making it another year of projected difficulties for those who are s t r u g g l i n g t o m a k e e n d s m e e t Hopefully, the budget debate process will bring forth ideas that both sides can agree upon to improve the economic prospects of the country
One thing is certain, the aggressive spending of the funds in the National Resource Fund is not the best path f o r w a r d T h o s e f u n d s s h o u l d b e reinvested to ensure that it surpasses inflation and provides the earnings needed to better meet the needs of the nation. Maintaining the various benefits being put in place to increase disposable income and expanding upon the cash grant will require NRF growth beyond its current levels.
The current poor performance over the life of the fund should be sufficient grounds to make the necessary changes to how the fund is managed. Norway has done an excellent job with their fund. Why hasn’t Guyana been able to perform at a similar level?
With concern, Mr Jamil Changlee
Chairman
DEAR EDITOR,
‘Mr. Speaker, I rise to present to this House the biggest budget ever presented to any Legislature in B r i t i s h G u y a n a ’ ( P N C - U F Coalition Minister of Finance, Mr Peter D’Aguiar, 1965). Four and a half decades later: ‘Mr Speaker, the size of this budget is $128.9 billion, 8.1 per cent higher than last year ’s budget, making it Guyana’s largest
b u d g e t e v e r ’ ( P P P F i n a n c e Minister, Dr Ashni Singh, 2009). This chant has been around for years and here we are today with a humongous budget of $1.4 trillion
People’s Progressive Party’s (PPP) government, using the colonialist’s
, ’ squanders much of the wealth that the country has been fortuitously
population with infrastructure etc., of questionable quality.
Allow me to divert somewhat to
immediate important ramifications. Stabroek News reported that the chair of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), decided against biometrics at the upcoming p
arguments for and against the introduction of biometric systems, p
capture during voter registration and at polling stations. She noted that while there is no legal barrier to GECOM implementing a digital fingerprint system, the introduction of such a technology in time for the 2025 elections faces significant challenges.’ The important ones are, she s
consulting with the government
and parliament to put in place new
a r y equipment, the training of staff and public education (SN: 23/01/2025).
To m a k e t h e p r o c e s s o f i m p l e m e n t i n g b i o m e t r i c s t h e reason for not doing so is to concede that there is merit in the position that the introduction of biometrics will, at the very least, be useful. Added to this, a dissection of why the chairperson feels that the system cannot be implemented in time for the 2025 elections scheduled in November, clearly d e m o n s t r a t e s a n i n t e n t i o n t o deceive the public.
Having to hold consultations w i t h t h e g o v e r n m e n t a n d parliament to determine whether biometrics should be introduced should not take more than a day GECOM has been designed to be
and is controlled by the major stakeholders who have the support of 90% of the voting population! Indeed, given the partisan public meanderings of its commissioners, this stance is nothing more than a subterfuge to take refuge in the th
GECOM being an independent body Also, G E C O M i s s o d e s i g n e d t h
stakeholders can be nothing else than informative.
B
already signalled its support, the duty of the chairperson of an independent body would be to privately, and if necessary, publicly, encourage, urge and implore, the government to join in providing these requirements. As for the
Decision-making of this sort needs to be segmented based upon one’s core responsibilities. Once G E C O M h a
e d t h a
biometrics would be useful, its duty was to publicly make this point and recommend that the government a
necessary legislation and funding. On these matters the buck stops with the parliamentary politicians.
professionally completed timeline must be made public to support this point. This column has already mentioned that Ghana, a country with a population of 25 million and 26,000 polling stations, completed a similar biometrics arrangement in six weeks.
But let us not fool ourselves: what we are faced with is an amateurish attempt to deceive. The truth of the matter is that following the example of our bellicose
Continued on page 6
From page 4 to services provided by health care professionals of their choice and that they are treated with sensitivity and respect in their dealings with health care professionals and the councils and bodies that regulate them…’
Editor, it must be of grave concern to every citizen, members of the government, the Opposition,
t h e b u s i n e s s c o m m u n i t y, t h e i n t e r
o n a l m e d
c a l organisat
s, interna
ional and local human rights associations, the i n t e r n a t i o n a l c o m m u n i t y a s a whole, among others that a Tribunal that was set up by the Police Service Commission, this is not the court, not a judge, can summon a medical doctor to violate the rights of his patient and reveal the medical information of a patient without the consent of that patient. This is not about alleged crimes committed by Calvin Brutus, or the personality, but rather about the principle and right of citizens to privacy as it relates to their medical information
and records. Essential to the oath taken by medical doctors and medical professionals, is to protect the medical information of patients. It is also a core responsibility of medical institutions to protect the medical records and information of their patients.
The government is promoting G u y a n a a s a h e a l t h t o u r i s m destination, health tourism must be built on respect for confidentiality and respect for the right to privacy of patients.
If a Tribunal or people in power, not by an order of court or an order by a judge, can summon a medical doctor to access or discuss the medical information of citizens, a n d r e l e a s e s u c h m e d i c a l information in the public domain, then this is a serious erosion of the fundamental rights of citizens and trust and confidentiality of medical p r o f e s s i o n a l s a n d m e d i c a l institutions in Guyana. Editor, I am very disappointed and disgusted by this occurrence, this is a profoundly serious matter This PSC Tribunal
has crossed an extremely sensitive line.
This is not the society we want and must encourage. Editor, there is speculation in the public domain that the government is trying to use Auditors for companies to access financial and other information for companies, in cases either of their opponents or people who oppose them or other; auditors must be aware of the confidential nature of their profession.
Can you imagine what a society we will have if the Guyana Revenue Authority or its operatives, are a l l o w e d t o b r e a c h t h e confidentiality of citizens and release their tax information into the public domain, or the hospitals, medical institutions, and doctors can be summoned by tribunals, powerful people or other, to release m e d i c a l i n f o r m a t i o n o n t h e i r patients with the intention to cause harm?
Where is the Guyana Medical Association, the academic medical institutions, international health
organisations to speak out and up on this matter? Where is the Shadow Minister of Health for the Opposition in condemning this act?
We must nip this in the bud. Our doctors and medical professionals m u s t n o t b e i n t i m i d a t e d i n t o behaving unprofessionally!
Despite our challenges as a country, there is still some degree of p r o f e s s i o n a l i s m , d i g n i t y, a n d i n t e g r i t y i n o u r i n s t i t u t i o n s
President Ali, at some point you have to say this will not happen under my watch! This is moving Guyana in a dark direction. It is dehumanizing the citizenry The Police Service Commission must never again think that it can summon a medical doctor to release m e d i c a l i n f o r m a t i o n o n t h e i r p a t i e n t s w i t h o u t t h e p a t i e n t ’s permission or an order from the court. Did Mr. Brutus give the doctor permission to release his m e d i c a l i n f o r m a t i o n t o t h e Tribunal? If not, then the doctor must revert to his original diagnosis of his patient and the Tribunal must
respect the medical certificate. It is a violation of Brutus’ rights to privacy, etc. Failing which the Guyana Medical Association must hold a Tribunal to discipline the doctor for revealing his patient’s medical information without his consent or an order of the court. God help us all as citizens and patients if the state can coerce m e d i c a l p r o f e s s i o n a l s a n d institutions not only to access medical information of citizens but release them into the public domain to cause harm or have similar result.
PERSONNEL RELEASING TAX INFORMATION FOR CITIZENS
Sincerely,
Dear Editor,
On January 16, GECOM Chair Claudette Singh ruled against the use of electronic b i o m e t r i c s i n t h e n e x t elections, stating “With less than a year to go before these elections, and given the number of tasks that would need to be done before such a
s y s t e m c a n b e p r o p e r l y i n t r o d u c e d , I a m convinced that this is not
feasible within the time presently available.”
T h o s e o f u s w h o u n d e r s t a n d o p e r a t i o n s m a n a g e m e n t a n d p r o p e r decision-making would ask
t h e G E C O M C h a i r t o produce the project schedule
w h i c h i n f o r m e d h e r c o n c l u s i o n A p r o j e c t schedule lists the tasks to be performed with their time intervals.
For a matter as technical and specialized as the use of biometrics technology in elections, such a schedule
could only be professionally p r o d u c e d b y e x p e r t s , e s p e c i a l l y t h o s e w i t h experience with its use in other countries. Claudette Singh, obviously, did not s o l i c i t n o r s e e k s u c h technical advice nor felt the need to.
She saw herself as her o w n b e s t c o u n s e l i n biometrics technology and project management. It is alarming and unacceptable that such a pivotal and complex decision could be left to the reflections of a person materially ignorant of such matters.
After GECOM’s CEO Vishnu Persaud submitted in N o v e m b e r l a s t y e a r h i s preliminary assessment of biometrics, in which he i d e n t i f i e d s e v e r a l k e y benefits, one would have e x p e c t e d t h a t G E C O M
w o u l d h a v e t a k e n t h e obvious next step to request i n i t i a l s u b m i s s i o n s f r o m
expert firms on a timeframe and other operational details, a s t h e C E O ’ s r e p o r t contained none of these. Instead, it ridiculously decided that it would embark o
consultations on what? What
biometrics could the public m
a project schedule?
If the experts should inform us that it would take, say, 18 months to implement such a system, then let the political parties and nation decide whether to postpone the elections and proceed with biometrics or not. But w
: introducing biometrics could take a short 6 to 7 months. As matters now stand, the nation does not have any such reliable knowledge. Instead, what we have is
the GECOM chair taking almost three months to arrive at her conclusions based on h e r o w n i l l - f o r m e d a n d widely-distrusted opinions, feelings and biases. Adding to the farce, we have the PSC and FITUG rushing in to fully support the conclusions o f t h e G E C O M c h a i r p e r s o n ’s r e f l e c t i o n s Maybe, they can show us their project schedules for the use of biometrics.
It is not too late for GECOM to seek preliminary project documents with a t i m e f r a m e f r o m international expert firms. It would allow the commission and the entire nation to make d e c i s i o n s b a s e d o n a common set of information and knowledge.
To proceed otherwise is irresponsible, reckless, and must not be accepted by the Guyanese people.
Sincerely,
Sherwood Lowe
From page 5 neighbour, the chair of the e l e c t i o n s c o m m i s s i o n appears complicit with the PPP in its efforts to extend its ethnic/political dominance.
So let us return to the budget and the immediate
f u t i l i t y A s n o t e d , t h e increasing size of the budget
h a s n o t i m p r o v e d t h e comparative wellbeing of the people. During the period under discussion not only have we been politically murdering each other but Guyana is lagging behind on almost every international
d e v e l o p m e n t i n d e x
Notwithstanding all the talk about a return to democracy, Guyana has been officially
c l a s s i f i e d a s n e a r i n g a
d i c t a t o r s h i p a n d t h i s i s perhaps why the speaker of
t h e N a t i o n a l A s s e m b l y, having visited India, which i s a n a u t o c r a c y , f e l t comfortable to follow its banning of political terms such a ‘corruption’ that need
to flourish if dictatorial regimes are to be brought to heel.
Politicians in Guyana keep harping upon ‘bigness’ as a major achievement,
l a r g e l y b e c a u s e t h e population has been taught to be input rather that output sensitive It is generally assumed that more spending m e a n s m o r e a n d b e t t e r
Without robust infrastructure in place, the hinterland and rural communities are at risk of exclusion from the benefits of the soon-to-be established digital school, Opposition Member of Parliament, Geeta Chandan-Edmond has said.
She made the comments during her contribution to this year ’s budget debate last week Friday President Irfaan Ali late last year announced as part of the government’s vision of creating a modern digital economy, it will launch this year the Caribbean’s first digital school. He said too that the use of artificial intelligence (AI) will be integrated into this innovative learning concept, allowing Guyana’s future leaders to be technologically oriented.
services, but our history in relation to the provision of almost every governmental service has demonstrated that this position is false.
A c h i e v e m e n t s a r e characterized by the fact that the process towards their completion is difficult, and t h e p r o d u c t h a s b e e n competently completed. To properly assess how Guyana has progressed, one only n e e d s t o c o n s i d e r g o v e r n m e n t s ’ h i s t o r i c a l management of: electricity, h e a l t h , e d u c a t i o n , t r a n s p o r t a t i o n , p o v e r t y a l l e v i a t i o n , t h e j u s t i c e system and local democracy, not to mention Guysuco!
But to be fair to the PPP, there is a more academic way of looking at the notion of achievement.
If something turns out to b e g r e a t / g o o d b u t l u c k played a crucial role in bringing it about, then we c a n c a l l t h i s a l u c k y achievement.
O i l w a s f o u n d i n substantial quantities during the latter part of the previous 2011 to 2015 PPP regime, a n d t h a t i s ‘ g r e a t ’ a n d provided the opportunity for governments to create their ‘ l u c k y a c h i e v e m e n t ’ b y doing great things. But what has this foundational ‘lucky’ brought to the people of Guyana? Not much: they are
still migrating in droves as the PPP, focused upon its policy of keeping itself in
government at all costs, spends billions on all manner of projects of questionable relevance and quality
Since it is focused upon buying votes, the regime
a b h o r s g i v i n g
c o n s t i t u t i o n a l l y / l e g a l l y
d e t e r m i n e d u n i v e r s a l o r objectively targeted support to the population. It wants to b e i n t h e p o s i t i o n t o discriminate to maintain and increase its support. So that a universal or targeted basic income that will better deal with the question of absolute poverty is substituted by one off, $100,000-type grants for all manner of things. For example, it believes that all it needs to do to show it cares is to designate a programme ‘because we care’, give cash g r a n t s t o s c h o o l schoolchildren without an adequate social welfare and accountability systems to see that the children go to school and are progressing.
I n d e e d , g i v e n t h e
r e l a t i o n s h i p b e t w e e n poverty, truancy, dropouts, e t c , I s u s p e c t t h a t a n ethnicity assessment of the associated negativities will expose another disquieting dimension.
Again, while appropriate
i n o u r p r e s e n t f i n a n c i a l
c o n t e x t , i n c r e a s i n g t h e income tax threshold to $130,000 per month does not benefit the unemployed and p o o r T h i s r e q u i r e s something like a universal basic income beginning, if necessary, with the poorest. Also, after all these years to simply state that one has distributed 40,000 house lots i s n o t n e c e s s a r i l y a n achievement for it may not be best use of resources. After all, when the PPP came to government some three decades ago, about 170,000 existed and since then it must h a v e c r e a t e d a n o t h e r 230,000.
Thus, there now exist some 400,000 house lots for about 500,000 adults when the average household is about 4 persons. If the above holds, surely, the regime should now be focused upon the equitable utilisation of w h a t h a s a l r e a d y b e e n d i s t r i b u t e d , b u t a g a i n I suspect that latter is not p o l i t i c a l l y / e t h n i c a l l y sensible.
So even when fortune smiled upon Guyana and the PPP is provided with the material foundation to do great things and thus create our ‘lucky achievement,’ this is foiled by its drive for ethnic/political domination.
Sincerely, Dr Henry Jeffrey
Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand was quoted by the Department of Public Information (DPI) saying: “COVID taught us all that the premier way of delivering education remains a teacher in front of the classroom…. but we also learned that we could amplify what we’re doing…through both physical presence as well as the infusion of technology and technology aided learning… . And so, in next two or three weeks… President Ali is going to be launching the Caribbean’s first Digital School.” According to the education minister, the project will require new legislation to enable students to choose between in-person and digital learning. “All of our curriculum will be uploaded, and he’s opening this school to the wider Caribbean. So, we’re actually working with a company out of India to build that out, and that’s being done robustly now,” she assured.
President Ali had unveiled the proposed initiative during a special session of Parliament last year President Ali had outlined that the digital school will ensure effective learning and will be equipped with the necessary online textbooks and teaching materials, catering to entrepreneurial skills, cultural education, and electronic nursing and accounting. He had said too that not only are Guyanese to benefit, but students in other CARICOM states will be eligible for enrolment.
Robust infrastructure
Meanwhile, according to Chandan-Edmond, while the government’s One Guyana Digital School initiative is a bold step toward the modernisation of the country’s education sector and keeping up with global trends, its success depends on a thorough evaluation, the feasibility of the initiative, its level of inclusivity and the sustainability to ensure that transformative results are delivered.
“A digital school, Mister Speaker, could transform access to quality education by connecting students in remote and hinterland areas to the same resources as their urban counterparts, interactive learning can promise to create an equitable learning environment. Modernizing education includes equipping teachers with advanced infrastructure tools and access to international expertise,” she said.
While she is conscious of the fact that children will benefit from the initiative, as it can position the next generation for leadership in the emerging industries Chandan-Edmond warned that, “without robust infrastructure, hinterland and rural communities risk exclusion from the benefits of digital education, limited access to reliable electricity and internet could also deepen existing inequalities. The affordability of devices and internet access may also pose a problem for lowincome families. Transitioning to digital learning demands significant teacher training.” Chandan-Edmond believes that Continued on page 16
T h e G o v e r n m e n t o f Guyana will be withdrawing $512 4 billion or US $2 5 billion, this year, from the Natural Resources Fund to support its 2025 National Budget Minister of Finance, Dr A
deposits into the fund for last year totalled some US $2 6 billion He explained that “The Fund received US$2 2 billion in profit oil, US$557 5 million from Liza Destiny, US$869 2 million from Liza Unity and US$796 3 million from Prosperity With respect to royalty payments, US$348
million was received from the Stabroek Block operator ” Dr Singh also said that in keeping with the amount approved by the Parliament in 2024, almost US $1 6 billion was withdrawn to finance
n
priorities in that Budget and, at the end of last year, the fund
stood at US $3 1B, which included interest income and net of withdrawals
“Further, based on the 2024 petroleum deposits, an estimated US$2 5 billion can be withdrawn from the NRF
Consolidated Fund to support n
s y e a r ’s Budget,” he said
It is important to note that this withdrawal will represent the largest ever taken out of the Fund since the country first started producing oil in 2019 In addition to the oil funds, the government also plans to finance the Budget using $350 billion in loans as w a s d i s c l o s e d b y Vi c e President Bharrat Jagdeo on Thursday This publication reported on Friday that the $1 382 trillion 2025 National Budget will be funded by over $350 billion in loans
T h e V P m a d e t h e s e comments during his weekly press conference at Freedom House
W h e n a s k e d w h a t percentage of the Budget would be funded by loans, the Vice President said that if one takes a look at the oil and non-oil revenue, there is a table in the estimates under the heading ‘Public Sector Financial Operations’ which will give a breakdown of h o w t h e f u n d s a r e accumulated.
The VP said, “basically, if non-oil revenue is about 500 billion, billion dollars, and n o n - o i l r e v e n u e , i f y o u include inflows from GRIF and the LCDs, would be another 500 million So that means about three, 300-odd billion would be funded through loans So just read, read it there ”
“You would see it here:
p u b l i c s e c t o r f i n a n c i a l operations, and you can see
how much of the revenue, or the exact figures would be $454B in revenue plus $16 billion of GRIF inflows; about $41 billion from carbon credit inflows, which will give about $511B and then $ 5 1 2 B i s f r o m N R F withdrawal So, that is a trillion dollars ”
Looking at the estimates it shows that $349 98B will be accumulated from financing, which represents roughly 25 25% of the Budget Giving a breakdown of the financing, external financing represents $322 44b while $27 5B will be domestic financing
Despite commencing oil
p r o d u c t i o n i n 2 0 2 0 , t h e
G o v e r n m e n t o f G u y a n a
( G o G ) h a s g r o w n t h e
c o u n t r y ’ s d e b t b y a significant US$4 2B as at the end of December 2024
In 2019, the country’s
d e b t w a s U S $ 1 8 B
A c c o r d i n g t o A n n u a l Reports from the Bank of Guyana (BoG), the nation’s debt grew by 46 7% in 2020 to US$2 6B
In 2021, the debt surged to US$3.1B, and in 2022 this trend continued with the total stock of debt climbing to US$3.7B.
For instance, Dr Singh pointed out the country’s progress over the past four years in this regard
He said, “Importantly, over the last four years, the ratio of total PPG [Public and Publicly Guaranteed Debt] debt-to-GDP plummeted by more than 20 percentage points, from 47 4 per cent at the end of 2020 to 24 3 per cent at the end of 2024 This provides clear indication of a
k e d i m p
m e n t i n G
a ’ s c a
c i t y t o maintain public debt into the future, without the need for fiscal adjustments, and places Guyana in the position of having one of the lowest debtto-GDP ratios worldwide. Indeed, the latest available statistics rank Guyana as having the second lowest debt-to-GDP ratio within the We s t e r n H e m i s p h e r e i n 2024 ”
In 2023, debt increased further by 23 4% to US$4 5B while this grew to a massive US$6B at the end of 2024, as indicated by the Finance Minister last week The Irfaan Ali-led administration has often touted the low GDP to debt service ratio, meaning that the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) far o u t w e i g h s t h e c o u n t r y ’s annual payment repayment on loans
W h e n t h e C o l d Wa r ended, western liberalism declared its victory over communism. It immediately embarked on constructing
r e g i o n a l b l o c s s u c h a s NAFTA and the European
U n i o n . A i d e d b y t h e development of technology, the triumphalist wave of neoliberal globalization caused
g r a v e c o n c e r n s i n t h e
d e v e l o p i n g w o r l d , p a r t i c u l a r l y i n t h e Caribbean.
The region, long reliant
m a r k e t s ,
e d marginalization as the new global order took shape. This
a p p r e h e n s i o n w a s eloquently captured by then Prime Minister of Trinidad a n d T o b a g o , A N R Robinson, in his paper, “The West Indies Beyond 1992.” Robinson tabled this paper
b e f o r e t h e H e a d s o f Government Conference of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM).
Robinson’s analysis was later echoed in the West Indian Commission’s “Time
f o r A c t i o n ” r e p o r t H i s
a n a l y s i s p r e d i c t e d t h e
C a r i b b e a n ’ s p o t e n t i a l relegation to irrelevance in
a n e r a d o m i n a t e d b y economic blocs and greatpower manoeuvring.
F a s t f o r w a r d t h r e e decades, and the fears of irrelevance and vulnerability have resurfaced. But today, the threat is not merely economic. It is also political and existential, embodied by n o n e o t h e r t h a n D o n a l d Trump. As he resumes his shadowy command over American politics, Trump’s
v i s i o n o f a n i m p e r i a l
A m e r i c a p o s e s a d i r e c t challenge to the sovereignty
of smaller states and the fragile global order they d e p e n d u p o n H i s o p e n f l i r t a t i
w i t h t e r
i a l e x p a n s i o n s i g n a l l i n g i n t e n t i o n s t o s e i z e t h e Panama Canal and making c l a i m s t o C a n a d a a n d Greenland—is nothing less t h a n a r e v i v a l o f o l d d i s c r e d i t
with all its attendant dangers for the free world.
Trump’s latest proposal to uproot Palestinians from Gaza, “cleaning out” the s t r i p a n d r e l o c a t i n g i t s people to neighbouring Arab countries, highlights his disdain for international law and human decency That such an idea can be publicly floated without immediate a n d u n a n i m o u s g l o b a l condemnation reveals the p e r i l o u s s t a t e o f contemporary geopolitics Silence from other nations, including Guyana, a nation historically committed to upholding international law, further points to how fear a n d i n d i f f e r e n c e h a v e paralysed global resistance to Trumpism.
In the face of Trumpism, the Caribbean is once again at a crossroads. It cannot afford to not do anything. It has to now, with the same urgency as in 1990, take action to chart a path independent of America’s imperial games.
The Caribbean’s history has always been shaped by e x t e r n a l f o r c e s c o l o n i a l i s m ,
s l a v e r y, a n d t h e p o s tindependence struggles for economic survival in a world
d o m i n a t e d b y p o w e r f u l
states The formation of CARICOM was meant to be a b u l w a r k a g a i n s t t h e s e pressures. It was intended to
foster regional cooperation a n d s e l f - r e l i a n c e Ye t , CARICOM’s achievements have been undermined by domestic squabbles. It has been stultified by policy inertia. And it been deformed by the region’s persistent dependency on the West.
The “Time for Action” report of the West Indian Commission in 1992 was a clarion call for a reimagined
C a r i b b e a n T h e r e g i o n ’s failure to act on this report speaks to a broader pattern of missed opportunities and unfulfilled potential. Today, as Trump’s brand of neoimperialism resurfaces, the r e g i o n m u s t c o n f r o n t a sobering question: Can it afford to remain reactive and p a s s i v e i n t h e f a
existential threats.
T
“ A m e r i c a F i r s t ” exceptionalism—is a direct challenge to the principles of multilateralism and respect for international law His disregard for international law threatens to destabilize
America’s borders. For small
s l i k
n t h e Caribbean, this behaviour is particularly alarming. The prospect of an emboldened Trump brings with it the risk o
political interference, and
encroachment.
His rhetoric on seizing the Panama Canal—a vital lifeline for global trade—is not merely bluster It signals a
n
decades of painstakingly negotiated agreements that r
l Similarly, his casual claims to Canada and Greenland
Dem boys hear how Trump seh he deporting illegal immigrants with criminal records. He gon send dem back faster than how dem lef ’.
Dem boys seh Guyana better brace fuh de “Boomerang Generation” — dem who commit crimes abroad and now flying home, compliments of Uncle Sam.
Back in de 80s and 90s, when deportees start landing, Guyana see crime mek a backflip. Man who never hold a catapult before suddenly know how fuh mek an AK47 whistle. Dem boys seh America deport skills, not people.
By now de national security man should be writing one long memo fuh Prezzy, explaining how some of these deportees bring baggage heavier than dem suitcase. America schooling dem in gunplay and drug hustle, and Guyana left fuh host graduation day
De airport might need fuh get new scanner Not fuh weapons but fuh scan brainwaves. Who training some of these
evoke the colonial era, when powerful nations carved up the world with little regard for the inhabitants of those territories.
The Caribbean cannot ignore these signals. The region’s proximity to the United States, coupled with i t s s t r a t e g i c i m p o r t a n c e , makes it a likely target for Trumpism.
In the face of these threats, the Caribbean must e
C A R I C O M , d e s p i t e i t s shortcomings, remains the r e g i o n ’s b e s t h o p e f o r collective action. But to be effective, it must undergo a fundamental transformation, shedding its reputation for bureaucratic inertia.
The next intersessional of the regional integration movement must prioritize a
and politically out of the A
d e m a n d , a t t h e l e a s t , observer status in BRICS. The Caribbean must deepen its partnerships beyond the t r a d i t i o n a l s p h
influence.
Alliances with Africa, Asia, and Latin America can provide new opportunities for trade, investment, and diplomatic collaboration. By broadening its horizons, the R e g i
dependency on any single power and secure greater autonomy in a future that is likely to see the decline of America.
The time has come for
greatness. Trump’s promise to “Make America Great Again” is a nostalgic fantasy MAGA ignores the realities
Trump’s policies serve only to isolate the United States,
alliances and institutions that once made it a global leader The Caribbean, by contrast, can carve out a different future—one defined not by dependency but by greater self-determination.
As Robinson warned in “The West Indies Beyond 1992,” the Region cannot afford to be passive in the face of global upheaval. The s a m
o d
y Trump’s rise is a wake-up call for the Caribbean to
ensure that the region does not fall victim to a declining and deformed empire.
(The views expressed in this article are those of the
opinion of this newspaper.)
deportees? Who dem gon link up with? Dem boys seh some deportees does land and start networking faster than internet.
But dem boys know Guyanese like prepare after de fact. Rain fall and people start patch roof. Flood come, then dem dig drain. Now, if when dem bad men come back and crime start spike, everybody gon holler, “What we gon do?”
Guyana need fuh figure out how fuh integrate these people into society Criminal deportees need jobs, counselling, and one good chat with Granny at de church corner
Otherwise, dem boys seh Guyana gon become like one big reunion — crime edition. Some of dem criminal deportees gon tek what dem learn in de streets abroad and mix it with what dem know from de streets here.
Dem boys seh prevention better than cure. Prezzy better get brief quick before Guyana end up hosting de next season of Deportee Crime Chronicles Talk half. Leff half.
Skimming through the
p a g e s o f S N ’s S u n d a y, January 19, 2025 edition, I had to pause abruptly in
m i d s t r i d e “ Vi
c t o r y i s
a l w a y s p o s s i b l e f o r t h e person who refuses to stop
f i g h t i n g ” S t r i k e s a n appreciative chord, I must say I was about to peer beyond the arresting banner, then came to an abrupt halt. There was the name of the glorious one hailed: Donald J. Trump.
B y n o w n o l o n g e r President-elect of the United States of America, but Chief Executive in the flesh and in the chair. I did promise to say nothing of this great American until after the100-
d a y h o n e y m o o n o f h i s
s e c o n d m a r r i a g e t o t h e American presidency and the American people. But I
d o a s k t h e c o u r t e s y o f
breaking that self-imposed sabbath to say that he does have some mountains to level, compliments of his D e m o c
H
h a t handicap, there is now a duty to do.
“ V i c t o r y i s a l w a y s possible for the person who refuses to stop fighting.” Whoever is the real source of that placement, whoever is t h e d e e p - p o c k e t e d paymaster, many thanks. On b e h a l f o f t h e G u y
s e people, it is my humble duty to place that at the feet of His E x c e
Mohamed Irfaan Ali. To stop fighting is to surrender. To refuse to start to fight is that abject fate reserved for the worst of weak men and women. There comes a time when being about illusions and casting weak spells run
nothing.
There is that time to start
fighting). Laak ah sed, it rings a bell deep inside of me. Guyanese who mean
enemy to be fought, and tarred and feathered, Mr President. There is that partner who is anything but, and if there is found a greater treachery, I beg the favour of being properly enlightened.
W h e n I w a t c h m y president, the dearly beloved chief of proconsuls of this Republic, Excellency Ali, I recall that line from Dante A
ighi
“ E c c o v i l ’ u o m ch’e stato all’ inferno…” (See, there was a man that
was in hell).
Regrettably, in the most c h a l l e n g i n g h o u r o f h i s reign, President Ali still finds himself trapped in that place of mortal terror He discerns too many threats, sees too many tribulations; he fears too many demons. Thus, he r e f u s e s e v e n t o b e g i n fighting. If there is no beginning, then there is no refusing to stop fighting, for the battle has not even been c o n t e m p l a t e d i n t h e narrowed recesses of the mind.
The only fighting I see in this country is one that is a tragedy. Like Josef Stalin of O l d R u s s i a , i t i s t h a t d e v o t i o n t o e x t e r m i n a t e other ways of thinking, those that run counter to the sweet official narratives of party and state.
The two are the same, come to think of it, as local circums tances have long confirmed That is not fighting by my unique way in the weighing of these things. It is surrendering by engaging an enemy that
e x i s t s o n l y i n t h e imagination, one that still instils chills. The Guyanese people, at least some of
them, are not the e n e m y, E x c e l l e n c y Ali. The day that I b e t r a y t h i s h a l l o w e d Republic is the day that I go into self-imposed exile. The minute that I can’t rise for it, then one sad day would that be for me.
Since the quotes are flying freely, I have a gift for President Ali. From Francis Bacon: though few are the s t a t e s m e n t h a t h a v e “penetration of judgment” I still urge Guyana’s beloved head of state to reconsider and stand at the head of his assembled, and fight for the national cause. Penetration of judgment is sound, with b r o a d s t r a i n s o f t h e profound. E
xxon must pay Please Mr President: this is the time to refuse to stop fighting for G u y a n a S t o p f i g h t i n g Guyanese. Embrace that motto that could have been that of St. Augustine -festina lente (hasten slowly). The
G u y a n e s e p e o p l e m u s t behold that they have a president, and not a pawn of oil powers, a puppet of superpowers -one from the distant East, the other from the too close West.
My closing offering to the president is simplicity itself: “Whatever things are true, whatever things are honest, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report…” Those are the magnificent patriotic things that must be done. I try, sir. Let that be the record for posterity. We all must keep trying. How about it, Excellency Ali?
T h e y a r e m o r e t h a n worth living for and fighting for bravely, untiringly They are worth dying for proudly L i k e t h a t b a n n e r s a i d : “victory is always possible for the person who refuses to stop fighting.” I so believe, I so subscribe. So should P r e s i d e n t A l i a n d h i s company I doubt whether I am the only Guyanese who is of this cast of mind.
(The views expressed in this article are those of the a u t h o r a n d d o n o t n e c e s s a r i l y r e f l e c t t h e opinion of this newspaper.)
The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) has launched a new TechLab, an emerging technology laboratory hub for the Caribbean, located in Trinidad and Tobago.
This initiative is designed to advance the region’s digital transformation agenda, fostering innovation and long-term economic growth, IDB said in a press release.
The inauguration event was led by IDB Executive Vice President, Jordan Schwartz, who was joined by Pennelope Beckles, Minister of Planning and Development of Trinidad and Tobago; Hassel Bacchus, M
Trinidad and Tobago; Anton Edmunds, IDB General Manager for the Caribbean; and J e a n - M i c h e l B a u d o i n , I D B C h i e f Information Officer
The decision to establish the TechLab in Tr i n i d a d a n d To b a
leveraging cutting-edge technology as a
y
development.
The hub will primarily experiment with technologies such as generative artificial intelligence, virtual and augmented reality, social robots, and drones, among others. These technologies are key for critical areas such as smart city solutions and digital inclusion.
“Technology is reshaping economies and s
b b e a n
a tremendous opportunity to harness digital innovation for development,” said Vice President Schwartz. “With this TechLab, we
are creating a collaborative space where governments, academia, and the private s e c t o r c a n
tailored to the region’s unique challenges,” added Schwartz.
The TechLab will serve as a catalyst for public-private partnerships and capacityb u i l d i n g i n i
y stakeholders with the tools, knowledge, and resources needed to develop and scale transformative digital projects.
This initiative also advances the IDB’s
promotes regional integration and resilience in the Caribbean through partnerships that have a wider regional impact.
“
milestone for Trinidad and Tobago and the Caribbean’s digital journey,” said Senator the Honourable Hassel Bacchus, Minister for D
Trinidad and Tobago.
“By creating additional opportunities to access emerging technologies, we aim to
and provide better solutions for our citizens,” he added.
The Trinidad and Tobago TechLab is the fourth laboratory established by the IDB, complementing existing hubs in Washington, D.C., Panama, and Paraguay The IDB is also set to launch an additional TechLab in Colombia for the Andean region, further expanding its commitment to regional digital transformation.
G M i n i n g Ve n t u r e s ( G M I N ) , a C a n a d i a n
company, has announced that the feasibility study for its Oko West Gold Project will be released in the second quarter of 2025.
The Oko West Project is c u r r e n t l y c o n s i d e r e d a n “advanced-stage exploration project”, and is expected to produce 353,000 ounces of gold annually from both open pit and underground mining.
The project is projected to recover 4.5 million ounces of gold over 12.7 years, according to its Preliminary
E c o n o m i c A s s e s s m e n t ( P E A ) r e l e a s e d i n September 2024.
T h e O k o We s t G o l d
P r o j e c t i s o n t r a c k f o r significant progress in 2025, t h e c o m p a n y r e c e n t l y disclosed. Early works are scheduled to commence in the first quarter, followed by financing arrangements in the second quarter and a formal construction decision is expected in the latter half of the year
I n a d d i t i o n t o t h e developments at Oko West, G Mining Ventures plans to
c o n d u c t e x p l o r a t i o n a c t i v i t i e s a c r o s s b o t h greenfield and brownfield
p r o j e c t s , f u r t h e r strengthening its portfolio. This is a part of GMIN’s “ B u y B u i l d O p e r a t e ” strategy
G M i n i n g Ve n t u r e s r
progress on the project, with e a r l y c o n s t
w o r k scheduled to begin this year
G
l Protection Agency (EPA) g r a n t e d a n I n t e r i m Environmental Permit (IEP) paving the way for early construction. The EPA’s approval follows GMIN’s s u b m i s s i o n s o f t h e
Statement (EIS) for the Oko West Gold Project.
According to GMIN the IEP, which is valid for one year, along with the “No Objection” letter from the G u y a n a F o r e s t r y Commission, allows them to initiate early construction
a c t i v i t i e s s o o n e r t h a n expected in Q1 of 2025.
The company noted that these activities include the c o n s t r u c t i o n o f a b a rg e landing facility, main access and internal roads, airstrip, permanent camp facility, water and sewage treatment plants and power generation and communication tower
T h i s p u b l i c a t i o n h a d
reported that the company plans to establish a new port of entry wharf and staging area near Itabali on the Cuyuni River to support operations for its Oko West G o l d P r o j e c t l o c a t e d i n R e g i o n S e v e n ( C u y u n iMazaruni).
The facility will include a wharf, laydown area, and a c c o m m o d a t i o n s f o r
workers, with a 40-bed camp p l a n n e d f o r t h e s i t e Materials and fuel required for the pre-operation and operation phases will be delivered to this landing. Notably, pre-production a c t i v i t i e s , i n c l u d i n g t h e development of the wharf and terminal, are slated to begin in September 2025 and c o n c l u d e b y D e c e m b e r 2026.
It was also reported that the company stated that an airstrip will be constructed in th
locations were considered, in the end, it was decided that the airstrip will be located to
infrastructure and close to the pit/processing plant. “The ai
l be designed to accommodate airplanes up to the size of a Twin-Otter or Caravan and will be approximately 850 meters long. The airstrip will be used for the export of gold, personnel transport, a
phases of the Project,” it was stated.
When operational, it was stated, the flights will occur during daylight hours, as the airstrip will not be lit.
from laterite. The airstrip will be oriented northeastsouthwest, as required by p
document states.
The recent revelation by Guyana’s Minister of F i n a n c e , D r A s h n i Singh that the country’s debt had raised from US$4.5 billion at the end of 2023 to nearly US$6 billion by the end of 2024 has sparked concerns about the government’s borrowing policy
Some $350 billion or US$1.6 billion is earmarked to fund the 2025 Budget, valued at $1.382 trillion. During the first day of debate, Opposition Members of Parliaments (MP) like Juretha Fernandes and Sherod Duncan, v o i c e d c o n c e r n s a b o u t t h e country’s growing debt. Prominent businessman, Glenn Lall has also s t r o n g l y c r i t i c i s e d t h e government’s borrowing practices. He compared the debt burden to a h e a v y w e i g h t o n c i t i z e n s ’ shoulders.
L a l l s t a t e d , “ O i l - p r o d u c i n g Guyana, rather than removing the burden of debt on its citizens, is t r i p l i n g t h e d e b t o n t o t h e i r shoulders. In 2015, when the PPP left office, Guyana’s national debt stood at US$1.8 billion. The Coalition Government took over until 2020, and during their time in office, the debt remained almost the same – which was a debt of about $500,000 on every Guyanese in the country, man, woman, and child.”
He continued, “Fast forward to 2020, when the PPP returned to office and the oil revenue started flowing. By the end of 2024, G u y a n a ’ s n a t i o n a l d e b t skyrocketed to US$6 billion. This was confirmed by Ashni Singh in his 2025 Budget speech. Let’s break that down: in just four years, the debt tripled, and now every G u y a n e s e i s c
y i n g t h e equivalent of G$1.6 million on our shoulders.”
The businessman questioned the government’s use of the oil r
approximately US$6 billion during the same four-year period.
“ T h i n k a b o u t t h a t U S $ 6 billion came into this country from oil, yet the debt still climbed to US$6
possible?”
He further argued that the government’s borrowing practices w
n
c
l management. “Imagine you owe the bank $2 million on your house, paying heavy interest. Then, you start earning t
amount from the resources on your property
But instead of paying off that loan to free yourself from that burden, you spending out that cash elsewhere and borrowing even more, dragging the family into deeper debts. That is what the PPP is doing to all of us,” Lall remarked.
Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo, a
borrowing policy In his efforts to defend the country’s growing debt,
described as country’s improved economic standing under the PPPadministration.
“Now the size of the debt, that’s anothe
c
iticism, ‘Oh PPP is borrowing too much so the debt has grown to nearly $6 billion now US$5.9 billon’. So here are some things that we have to talk about which I’ve spoken about before: Are we leaving the next generation of our country in bankruptcy with an insolvent economy? That is what APNU did,” Jagdeo argued.
He explained the debt-to-GDP ratio under the PPP compared to previous administrations, noting that at the beginning of their term, the debt-to-GDP ratio was 900%.
“Our economy today is $25 billion. It is 71 times bigger than it was in the past. So, the external debt-toGDP in Guyana is 8.8%—down from 700% under APNU. That’s one of the lowest in the world,” he said.
He further stated that external debt is more of a concern given that the country will have to find foreign currency to service that debt External debt is US$2.2 billion. To this end, the Vice President posited that the US$3.7 billion domestic
Prominent businessman & Kaieteur News Publisher, Glenn Lall
debt “could easily be repaid.”
Early 2024, the government got the green light to increase the ceilings on both domestic and external debt. The domestic public debt ceiling has been increased to $1.5 trillion, up from $750 billion from its last revision.
Meanwhile, a new external borrowing ceiling of $1.5 trillion has been approved, after its last increase to $900 billion. This move was part of a broader financial strategy to increase the nation’s capacity, in order to finance its $ 1 1 4 6 t
infrastructure projects.
A Guyanese man was reportedly shot dead on Sunday morning at Cape Bay, St. Maarten.
The St. Maarten Police Force has confirmed the shooting, but did not identify the victim or his nationality
However, information reaching Kaieteur News is that the victim is originally from Guyana but spent most of his life in St. Lucia before moving to the island. Kaieteur News also understands that the young man’s girlfriend was due to give birth at the time his death.
St. Maarten Police, on its official Facebook Page, issued a statement seeking the public’s help to crack the case. “We urge anyone with information related to this incident to come forward and assist with the investigation,” the Police said, before sharing its contact information.
“Just after 8:00 AM, the police dispatch received multiple reports of a shooting in the vicinity of Aron Jacobs Drives,” St. Maarten police detailed. Investigators sent to the scene reportedly said that they found the bullet-riddled body of a young man.
“At this time the circumstances surrounding this incident remain unclear,” the Police said, while assuring that its forensic department is conducting a thorough investigation.
Meanwhile, one media house on the island has since circulated a photo of the Guyanese victim.
Maarten Police conducting crime scene investigations (St. Maarten Police Photo)
The National Toshaos Council (NTC) of Guyana is pleased to announce the contracting of a consultant to lead the development of Draft Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC
Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (IPLCs).
This consultancy will implement Phase 1 of a critical project aimed at establishing a comprehensive framework to ensure meaningful engagement with IPLCs in alignment with national policies and international best practices.
The consultancy will focus on mapping the processes required to adhere to FPIC principles as agreed upon by IPLCs a n d e n
Constitution of Guyana and the Amerindian Act of 2006. These efforts will also draw on global standards, including the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), International Labour Organization (ILO) conventions, and other human rights frameworks.
The consultancy will be carried out under the overall supervision of the NTC and an FPIC Working Group, which includes representatives from the NTC, government agencies, and Indigenous NGOs The consultant will employ a multipronged approach, including desk reviews, workshops, and other stakeholder engagements, to identify best practices and develop acceptable procedures for effective engagement with IPLCs throughout the life cycle of projects, plans, or initiatives PHASE 1 OBJECTIVES
The initial phase of this consultancy will focus on conducting a comprehensive desk review of existing literature and case studies on the application of FPIC principles in Guyana. Based on these findings, a draft FPIC guideline d
stakeholders. The draft will serve as a starting point for Continued on page 15
President of the Guyana Teachers Union (GTU) Dr Mark Lyte and Second Vice P r e s i d e n t , J u l i a n Cambridge, have filed an action in the High Court challenging their suspension by the organisation.
The action, which lists m e m b e r s o f t h e G T U ’s General Council: Mariska W i l l i a m s , C o r e t t a McDonald, Meon Crawford, Joseph Decunha and Emily Baker as respondents, seeks to set aside the suspension on the grounds that it was unlawful, ultra vires and null and void, being made in breach of the Constitution of the GTU and in breach of natural justice owed.
T
Application (FDA) noted that the decision taken on 17 December 2024 to suspend Dr Lyte and Cambridge f r o m c a
elected duties as President and Second Vice President of the GTU was made on an incorrect factual basis and it was not a decision which could have been properly and lawfully reached on a consideration of the true facts. The applicants have asked the court for an order setting aside the decision.
T
declaration that, on a true and proper interpretation of the Constitution of the GTU,
e c
d R e s p o n d e n
, McDonald, is not entitled to lawfully hold the position of General Secretary of the GTU or any other elected
From page 14 discussions and will be presented for input and feedback at the upcoming Annual NTC Conference 2025 PHASE
Pending the availability of resources and the advice of Toshaos at the NTC Conference in 2025, a nationwide IPLC consultation on the draft FPIC Guideline will be conducted. Inputs, comments, and feedback will be incorporated into the Guideline, approved by the next NTC Conference, and presented to the Government for endorsement.
ENSURING COLLABORATION AND TRANSPARENCY
The NTC and members of the FPIC Working Group will play a key role in the d e v e l o p m e n t o f t h e F P I C g u i d e l i n e s , ensuring full collaboration and integration of Indigenous perspectives. The development process is designed to be inclusive and transparent, reflecting the voices of IPLCs at every stage. By combining local expertise
with national and international best practices, the resulting guidelines aim to promote
y appropriate stakeholder engagement.
The principle of Free, Prior, and Informed Consent is central to protecting the rights of Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities
participation in decisions affecting their lands, resources, and cultural heritage. The FPIC guidelines will serve as a critical tool f o
practices with these principles, fostering trust, respect, and collaboration between IPLCs and external stakeholders.
The NTC is committed to ensuring the successful completion of this project and looks forward to the active participation of all stakeholders in the process. Together, we can establish a framework that upholds the rights and dignity of Guyana’s Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities. (DPI)
position within the GTU while she holds the office of a member of the National A s s e m b l y o f G u y a n a Consequently, the duo want a n o r d e r d e c l a r i n g t h e p o s i t i o n o f G e n e r a l Secretary within the GTU vacant.
I n t h e i r g r o u n d s t o support their application, Dr Lyte and Cambridge through t h e i r l a w y e r K a m a l Ramkarran, noted that on 17 December 2024, a motion was moved on the floor of a General Council meeting of the GTU to suspend the two men from duties as both the President and the Second Vice President of the GTU w i t h i m m e d i a t e e f f e c t pending investigations.
The document states that the Motion, of which no
notice had been given to the applicants, was voted upon and passed by a majority of the General Council of the GTU and the applicants were asked to leave the meeting.
T h e a p p l i c a n t s w e r e g i v e n n o n o t i c e o f t h e Motion before it was brought a n d w e r e g i v e n n o opportunity either to be made fully aware of the case made out against them or to properly put forward an answer to the Motion or to the request that they be suspended from duties as P r e s i d e n t a n d 2 n d Vi c e President of GTU.
The FDA also stated that “They were not made aware of what exactly needed to be investigated”.
The document states that the motion that resulted in
their suspension alleged that they acted unilaterally by entering into an agreement with the government to end last year ’s industrial action between the State and the G T U T h e t w o m e n debunked this claim that they were not unilateral but
m a d e b y t h e General Council of the GTU.
The applicants stated that letters signed by McDonald w
i n i s t r y o f E d u c a t i o n , Education International, the C a r i b b e a n U n i o n o f Teachers, and the Ministry of Labour, notifying them of t h e i r s u s p e n s i o n T h e y further alleged that their o ff i c e s w e r e “ p a d l o c k e d shut” by GTU officers.
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The University of Guyana has distanced itself from a survey currently being conducted, which includes political polling.
In a press release, UG said it would appear that persons purporting to be students of the university are soliciting responses to a certain survey in the Berbice area at the moment.
The university said the public should note the following:
1) When the University is conducting
surveys, the public is usually notified by advertisements in the local newspapers and on the University’s official website. 2) The data collectors will have letters and UG-issued ID cards specific to the survey. 3) The data collectors are expected to respect people’s wishes to opt out of any such exercises at any point. 4) A University of Guyana’s official contact for the staff member supervising the survey is provided in case there are queries and or comments.
“The general public is therefore asked to take note and be guided accordingly,” the release stated.
The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), IDB Invest and IDB Lab, along with “la Caixa” Foundation and key international partners, committed to working together on a joint development agenda to address challenges and opportunities arising from the rapid aging of societies, particularly in Latin America and the Caribbean.
The commitment comes as the population of Latin America and the Caribbean is aging at a faster rate than that of any other region in the world, IDB said in a press release. The percentage of people aged 60 and older is projected to more than double, increasing from 12% to 25% by 2050. This growth will bring the size of this demographic to 195 million people — one in four individuals in the region.
Worldwide, the silver economy generates about $22 trillion annually while in countries like Argentina and Colombia, it accounts for 40%
of GDP
This demographic shift is already driving significant economic and financial challenges and opportunities, as this population group also represents 40% of consumer spending and a rapidly rising share of pension payments and healthcare services.
The Forum centred on the thematic areas of jobs/ entrepreneurship, finance and care, fostered the exchange of cutting-edge knowledge, and discussions on innovative solutions to the challenges posed by the silver economy It also focused on creating business opportunities between Europe and Latin America and the Caribbean.
Co-organizers of the Forum include AARP International, Universidad del Pacífico, Women Entrepreneurs Finance Initiative (We-Fi), Telefónica Foundation, ONCE Social Group, Avina Foundation, the German Sparkassenstiftung for International Cooperation, and Endeavor Uruguay
The partners committed
From page 6
even though the initiative holds transformative potential for the sector, in order to realise the vision there needs to be strategic planning, decisive action and unwavering commitment to inclusivity. “This can be achieved by addressing these critical challenges, inequality, infrastructure, capacity building and cyber security, which will therefore ensure this initiative is not just a vision, but a catalyst for meaningful change,” the Opposition MP said. She went on to say that, “As parliamentarians, Mister Speaker, it is our responsibility to demand smart investment, rigorous oversight and stakeholder collaboration. Let us all, in this House, act decisively to create an education system that equips every child to thrive in the digital age and secure Guyana’s future as a leader in education and innovation.”
to working together on a common agenda aimed at supporting projects and initiatives that better meet the needs of this growing demographic group.
“Latin America and the Caribbean is already the fastest-aging region and by the end of the century will have the highest percentage of adults aged over 60 in the world, with more than 36%. Now is the time for action and for working together on an agenda and strategic alliances where both the public and private sectors meet the needs of our aging societies, creating jobs, improving their access to financing and services, and providing them with better care,” said IDB President Ilan Goldfajn.
“la Caixa” Foundation General Manager Josep Maria Coronas said: “The interest in the financial stability of the elderly and the dignity of old age has accompanied “la Caixa” Foundation since its founding. This commitment to the elderly continues to this day. Our Elderly program organizes numerous activities in which more than half a million older people have participated in the last year, improving their wellbeing and contributing to active and healthy ageing.”
This pioneering event brought together over 200 global leaders, aging experts and representatives from key sectors, including governments, businesses, NGOs and start-ups, who focused during three days on the silver economy as a driver of development.
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(CNN) President Donald Trump on Sunday announced retaliatory tariffs
o n C o l o m b i a a f t e r i t s president said he blocked US military deportation flights, the first instance of Trump using economic pressure to force other nations to fall in
l i n e w i t h h i s m a s s deportation plans since he took office last week.
E a r l i e r i n t h e d a y,
C o l o m b i a n P r e s i d e n t Gustavo Petro announced he had blocked two US military
flights carrying migrants heading toward the country and called on the United States to establish better
protocols in its treatment of migrants. Petro also left the d o o r o p
travelling on civilian planes. F
media while announcing a slate of new sanctions and policies targeting Colombia, including a 25% tariff on all imports from the country, a “travel ban” for Colombian citizens, and a revocation of visas for Colombian officials in the US along with “all allies and supporters.” T
stricter inspections of cargo
100,000
NEWS) Tom Homan, the border czar of US President Donald Trump, says at least 100,000 beds are needed for the deportation of undocumented migrants and is urging Congress to provide the funding for the operation.
The logistics and costs of deportation remain a challenge, with millions of undocumented migrants estimated to be in the US. When asked by ABC News how they could all be deported, Tom Homan says: “Well, I’ll leave it up to Congress.”
He says it is up to the Washington lawmakers to provide funding for the large-scale deportation effort that the Trump administration is undertaking, which will require “at a minimum of 100,000” beds for detention centres.
“Congress needs to come to the table quick and give us the money we need to secure that border,” he says. Democrats have criticised the effort to fund these centres, and they have suggested that it could be left to private prison companies to fulfil the need for them.
The House of Representatives just passed the Laken Riley Act, which will greatly expand the immigration authorities’ power to detain migrants if it becomes law and could reportedly cost $83b (£67b) over the next three years. “We’re seeing a fundamental erosion of civil rights in this bill,” Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said after it passed last week. “If a person is so much as accused of a crime, if someone wants to point a finger and accuse someone of shoplifting, they will be rounded up and put into a private detention camp and sent out for deportation without a day in court.”
sanctions and visa sanctions
Supporters of the Colombian Government.”
“These measures are just the beginning. We will not a l l o w t h e C o
n Government to violate its legal obligations with regard to the acceptance and return of the Criminals they forced
Social. Trump’s reaction to C
’s
repatriated citizens marks the first major clash with
immigration issues since he began his second term. The US began using military aircraft to return immigrants who entered the country
countries of origin last week.
O n T h u r s d a y , t h e U S r
Guatemala using military p l a n e s https://edition.cnn.com/polit i c s / l i v e - n e w s / t r u m ppresident-news-01-26-25
The US is also asking
M e x i c o w i t h h e l p repatriating its nationals via land ports of entry along the US-Mexico border, though Mexico also appeared to turn a r o u n d a m i l i t a r y f l i g h t heading for the country last week.
Colombia is not a major trading partner with the U n i t e d S t a t e s , s h i p p i n g roughly $14 billion worth of goods in 2023, the most recent full year of data according to Comtrade, an authority on trade data. Most of Colombia’s exports to the United States were minerals,
oil, metals and coffee.
Coffee prices have shot higher over the past year, and this move by the Trump a d m i n i s t r a t i o n c o u l d eventually make prices even m o r e e x p e n s i v e f o r American consumers.
That’s because importers pay the tariffs and often pass the increased prices on to consumers.
Although tariffs can be an effective negotiating tool, they are generally disliked by economists, who believe they are inflationary and can ignite trade wars, which send
prices even higher That is not a universally held view, though. Jamie Dimon, CEO of JPMorgan Chase, recently told CNBC that if tariffs help with national security and cause a little bit of inflation than people should “get over it”.
But Trump has promised across-the-board tariffs on other countries as soon as this week if their goods aren’t manufactured in the United States.
T h o s e t a r i f f s c o u l d dramatically boost prices for Americans.
From page 3 high standards of quality,” Reis remarked.
commitment to enhancing its
transportation infrastructure. As part of its broader growth
by 7% in 2026 and 5% in 2027. “Our employees are the backbone of our success, and we are committed to ensuring that they are wellcompensated for their hard work,” Mr Reis stated. “The s u c c e s s f u l c o n c l u s i o n o f these negotiations in such a s h o r t t i m e r e f l e c t s t h e positive relationship we have with our workforce and our commitment to their wellbeing.”
Hyundai Generator to boost capacity. Furthermore, the company expanded its fleet of trucks and forklifts to
efficiency
In terms of workforce relations, the company also
hours of meetings, Banks
a l Workers’ Union successfully
c o n c l u d e d l a b o u r negotiations that resulted in w a g e i n c r e a s e s a n d i m p r o v e d b e n e f i t s f o r employees.
U n d e r t h e n e w agreement, employees will r e c e i v e a n 1 1 % w a g e increase in 2025, followed
R e i s s a i d d u r i n g t h e m e e t i n g , “ B a n k s D I H Limited and the General Workers’ Union were able to conclude negotiations within thirty hours of meetings. This can be recorded as an h i s t o r i c a l a c h i e v e m e n t , w h i c h h a s r e s u l t e d i n i n c r e a s e d S a l a r i e s / Wa g e s a n d b e n e f i t s f o r a l l employees.”
Additionally, the Board o f D i r e c t o r s d e c l a r e d a dividend of $2.60 per share unit, amounting to a total dividend payment of $2.210
billion, which marks an 18.18% increase over the previous year This dividend pay-out demonstrates the company’s financial stability and ongoing commitment to
d e l i v e r i n g v a l u e t o shareholders.
As regards sustainability, Banks DIH has placed a strong emphasis on meeting
i n t e r n a t i o n a l q u a l i t y a n d e n v i r o n m e n t a l s t a n d a r d s
The company’s production plants underwent successful audits for ISO certifications, and it passed the US Army Food Safety Sanitation Audit
f o
enhancing safety measures across its facilities, including the implementation of fire s
I n t h e c o m i n g y e a r, Banks plans to continue its s
n
u
expansion in both its product lines and infrastructure. The c o m p a n y ’ s c a
expenditure for 2025 will include the acquisition of a new Beer Bottling Plant and Beer Canning Line, as well as the construction of a new Quick Serv restaurant in Bartica and additional land d e v e l o p m e n t t o s u p p o r t future growth.
“Fellow shareholders, as we reflect on the recently concluded financial year, it is g o o d t o c e l e b r a t e t h e resilience of the group in
s p r e
e d . Looking forward to the 2025 financial year and beyond, we aim to unlock the full potential of our global brand portfolio while solidifying o u r r e p u t a t i o n a s a c o n s u m e r- f o c u s e d e n t i t y The group remains dedicated t o e n h a n c i n g o u r c o r e competencies, particularly in the areas of manufacturing, marketing,” Reis said.
(THE GUARDIAN) Donald
T r u m p ’s p r o p o s a l t h a t l a r g e numbers of Palestinians should leave Gaza to “just clean out” the whole strip has been rejected by US allies in the region and attacked as dangerous, illegal and unworkable by lawyers and activists.
The US president said he would like hundreds of thousands of people to move to neighbouring countries, either “temporarily or could be long-term”. Destinations
c o u l d i n c l u d e J o r d a n , w h i c h already hosts more than 2.7 million Palestinian refugees, and Egypt, he added. “I’d rather get involved with some of the Arab nations and build housing at a different location where they can maybe live in peace for a change,” Trump told reporters on Air Force One. “You’re talking about probably a million and a half people, and we just clean out that whole thing and say: ‘You know, it’s over.’”
Gaza’s population before the war was 2.3 million. Jordan and Egypt have both made clear they will not take refugees from Gaza. On Sunday, the Jordanian foreign minister, Ayman Safadi, said his c o u n t r y ’ s r e j e c t i o n o f a n y displacement of Palestinians was “firm and unwavering”.
Inside Gaza, there is little sign that people who have endured over 15 months of fighting want to leave permanently in large numbers if a current ceasefire holds. Forced displacement of residents would be a war crime. On Sunday, thousands s u r g e d t o I s r a e l i m i l i t a r y checkpoints, hoping to return to their homes in the north under the terms of a temporary ceasefire deal.
Israel refused to let them pass, accusing Hamas of violating terms of the agreement. “To ‘clean’ Gaza
immediately after the war would in fact be a continuation of the war, through the ethnic cleansing of the Palestinian people,” said Hassan Jabareen, the director of Palestinian rights group Adalah.
There would be little trust in any o ff e r o f t e m p
o u t s i d e G a z a t o a l l o w reconstruction, given a history of repeated
g with the Nakba, or catastrophe, of 1948 in which about 700,000 Palestinians were expelled from their homeland after the creation of Israel. At the time, many thought they were just leaving temporarily, and for decades held on to the keys for homes they hoped to reclaim.
O
S
er in international law at Sciences Po Paris and international criminal court (ICC) counsel, said Trump’s comments were a “call for ethnic cleansing” that echoed calls from extremist Israeli politicians and public figures dating to the start of the war “We are witnessing an extremely dangerous but natural continuation of the dehumanisation and genocidal calls that we have seen from the most extreme voices i n s i d e I s r a e l , ” h e s a i d I n
D e c e m b e r , S h a t z d e t a i l e d a l l e g a t i o n s o f i n c i t e m e n t t o genocide by eight Israeli officials and public figures in a landmark case filed with the ICC. “This is evidenced by the fact that no one considers what the Gazans want, when they have barely started clearing out the rubble, finding the remains of their loved ones buried there,” he said. The Council on A
(CAIR) civil advocacy rights group
d Tr
nonsense” in a statement that also
described it as a proposal for ethnic cleansing. “The Palestinian people are not willing to abandon Gaza, and neighbouring countries are not willing to help Israel ethnically cleanse Gaza,” it said.
T r u m p ’ s c o m m e n t s w e r e w e l c o m e d b y f a r- r i g h t I s r a e l i politicians. The finance minister, Bezalel Smotrich, described the relocation of Palestinians as a “great idea”, and said he would work with the prime minister and cabinet to create an “operational plan for implementation” as soon as possible. Despite the stance of Smotrich and his allies, Trump’s suggestion went beyond current Israeli government policy, with the militar y poised to allow Gaza residents to return to homes in the north, said Prof Barak Medina, the chair in human rights law at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. It w o u l d a l s o l i k e l y b r e a k international law
“If the plan is to permanently relocate people, and especially if it is done by force, this is not acceptable,” Medina said. “It will
Wanderlust Adventures
G Y h a s a n n o u n c e d t h e successful completion of its i n a u g u r a l J o n e s t o w n Memorial Tour, a journey i n t o t h e 1 9 7 8 P e o p l e ’s Temple tragedy, one of the most disastrous events in
G u y a n e s e a n d A m e r i c a n history
In a press release, the Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA) said that the tour
o p e r a t o r h o s t e d s e v e n participants, including one of its representatives, two
l o c a l s , t w o i n t e r n a t i o n a l journalists, a visitor from N o r w a y a n d o n e f r o m California.
“ T h e p a r t i c i
h i s t o r i c a l s i t e w h i l e engaging with locals from Port Kaituma, including a witness who lived near the site during the tragedy Other
key highlights of this tour include a visit to the Port Kaituma Market, a moment of reflection at the rapids, and an evening dinner and reflection session. The tour also seamlessly i n c o r p o r a t e d a v i s i t t o Kaieteur This isn’t a part of the official itinerary, but it added to the broader appeal o f G u y a n a ’ s t o u r i s m offerings, GTA said in the release.
According to the release, N o r w e g i a n p a r t i c i p a n t Torkil Mogstad praised the e x p e r i e n c e : “ W h e n I recently googled Jonestown, I came across Wanderlust Adventures’ tour I was lucky enough to join their first official tour
It was an unforgettable experience that allowed me to reflect on the events in a v e r y r e s p e c t f u l w a y ”
California participant, found the tour to be an emotionally charged experience.
Equally important is the fact that after seven years of trying, he was finally able to
Adventures GY
“This tour is not just
Wanderlust Adventures GY “We are honoured to provide a respectful platform for
neighbouring countries will be willing to accept people that are expelled from their homeland. It also contradicts the stated policy of the Israeli government.”
Before Trump took office, an official from his transition team
s a i d t h e a d m i n i s t r a t i o n w a s discussing relocating 2 million Palestinians during reconstruction if the current tentative ceasefire held. In apparent tacit recognition of regional resistance to taking in more refugees, the official said one
Jakarta said it was not aware of any such plan. Trump also said he would raise the prospect of Egypt as a destination for Palestinians from Gaza in a call scheduled with the president, Abdel Fatah al-Sisi
However, since the start of the war
i n 2 0 2 3 , C a i r o h a s w a r n e d
r e p e a t e d l y a g a i n s t f o r c e d displacement of Palestinians from Gaza, and reinforced its border Sisi
h a s s a i d a n y m o v e t o p u s h
P a l e s t i n i a n s i n t o S i n a i w o u l d
jeopardise relations with Israel, including the 1979 peace treaty between the two countries.
H a m a s o f f i c i a l s r e j e c t e d
Trump’s suggestion, saying people who survived the war would not leave during peacetime, as did stranded Palestinians on the roads leading to north Gaza. “If he thinks h e w i l l f o r c i b l y d i s p l a c e t h e Palestinian people [then] this is i m p o s s i b l e , i m p o s s i b l e , impossible,” said Magdy Seidam. “The Palestinian people firmly believe that this land is theirs, this soil is their soil.”
Mustafa Barghouti, a senior
P a l e s t i n i a n p o l i t i c i a n , s a i d h e
mp
y
cted” Trump’s comments, the Palestinian news agency Ma’an reported. Barghouti warned against attempts at “ethnic cleansing” in Gaza, saying: “The Palestinian people are committed to remaining in their homel
” Trump has not laid out any vision for post-war governance in Gaza. While signing executive orders after his inauguration, he had discussed the territory as a realestate prospect, praising its seaside location and weather “I looked at a picture of Gaza, it’s like a massive d
n Tuesday, adding: “It’s gotta be rebuilt in a different way.”
Qatari officials who mediated the pause in fighting in Gaza described “any plan that would end with relocation or reoccupation” as a red line.
Trump’s new administration
positions have been taken by hardline supporters of its expansion. His ambassador to the UN said in confirmation hearings that she considered Israel had a “biblical right” to the West Bank, which Israel occupied in 1967 but most of the world recognises as the heart of a future Palestinian state.
On Saturday, Trump said he had o r d e r e d t h e r e s u m p t i o n o f shipments of some of the largest bombs to Israel, a widely expected move. Biden had paused delivery of the 2,000lb (907kg) bombs owing t o c o n c
a n casualties in Gaza caused by the powerful weapons, which can rip through thick concrete and metal over a large area. When asked why he released the powerful bombs, Trump responded: “Because they bought them.”
Th e G o v e r n m e n t o f G u y a n a ( G o G ) h a s s c r a p p e d i t s e a r l i e r
issued Request For Proposals (RFP) for the design, finance and operation of Phase Two of the Gasto-Energy (GTE) Project.
According to an advertisement published in the Kaieteur News by the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) on Sunday, the government h a s u p d a t e d i t s R e q u e s t F o r Proposals.
The deadline on the first RFP was November 14, 2024, but that date was later extended to January 14, 2025.
In its new invitation for bids, it was observed that the GoG has revised the number downwards with respect to gas that will be available daily for the project, as well as the expected Natural Gas Liquids (NGL) to be produced. It
h a s , h o w e v e r, i n c r e a s e d t h e electricity generation expected to be produced from Phase Two of the gas project.
According to the document, the government will be securing from
E x x o n M o b i l G u y a n a L i m i t e d (EMGL), 70 million cubic feet (MMCFD) of rich gas which it intends to use in another Integrated Power Plant and NGL facility The previous RFP indicated that an additional five million cubic feet of gas per day would have been available.
Nevertheless, interested parties
w i l l b e r e q u i r e d t o d e s i g n ,
c o n s t r u c t a n d o p e r a t e a 3 0 0 megawatt (MW) combined-cycle
power plant to deliver 2,600
g i g a w a t t h o u r s ( G W H ) o f electricity per annum. The power will be sold to the Guyana Power and Light Inc (GPL) via a 20-year Power Purchase Agreement (PPA). In its previous RFP, government requested a 250 MW power plant.
Additionally, Phase Two of the GTE project includes the design, construction and operation of an N G L f a c i l i t y t o p r o d u c e a t approximately 5,800 barrels per d a y ( b p d ) o f N G L p r o d u c t s ( p r o p a n e , b u t a n e , a n d C 5 + ) , utilizing 70 MMCFD of “rich gas”. This is a reduction compared to the previous RFP, which anticipated
An artist’s impression of Phase One of
6000 bpd of NGLs.
Notably, the contractor will be expected to transfer to the GoG, at n o c o s t , e x c e s s “ l e a n g a s , ” estimated at up to 20 MMCFD, for u t i l i z a t i o n i n d o w n s t r e a m industries, for example, fertilizer production, to be located at Wales.
According to the OPM, “Phase Two will be located on no more than 100 acres of land, immediately adjacent to the existing 300 MW integrated facility The project will be owned and financed 100% by the private sector, under a project f i n a n c e s t r u c t u r e , w h i c h w i l l design and construct the integrated f a c i l i t i e s , t o a s t a n d a r d a n d specification that meets and or exceeds that of Phase I of the GTE.”
The Government said that only firms (consortia) adjudged to be
( E P C ) a n d F i n a n c i n g o f c o m p a r a b l e f a c i l i t i e s , w i l l b e
evaluated. Further, the GOG shall have the right to approve the EPC c o n t r a c t a n d a p p o i n t a n independent supervision firm, to ensure that the project is built per the EPC contract and acceptable quality and specifications.
According to the RFP, investors will recover their investment from the sale of electricity via a 20-year term PPA at a price per KWH and monetization of the NGLs. At the end of the PPA term, the facilities will revert to the GOG at no cost.
It should be noted that Phase II of the GTE project will enjoy the same fiscal incentives as Phase I. Government has made it clear that responses to the RFP must include financial projections of r e v e n u e , e x p e n s e s , a n d investments returns. This includes
the expected revenue from the sale of NGLs (propane, butane, and C 5 + ) , a n d o p e r a t i n g a n d maintenance cost of the NGL plant as well as a breakdown in PPA price per KWH to specify “(a) payment for the gas (b) operating and m
breakeven price and estimated sale price for each year along with an assumed inflation rate.”
The GoG has reserved the right to buy out the project any-time after t h e c o n s t r u c t i o n a n d c o m m i s s i o n i n g , a t a n a g r e e d formula, such that the investor obtains a return of investment and reasonable accrued return based on the stated cost of capital. Additionally, it also reserved the right to transfer the NGLs to market and distribute with Phase
One. Responses to the RFP must be s u b m i
t o t h e N a t
n
P r o c u r e m e n t a n d T e n d e r Administration Board (NPTAB) by 14:00hrs (2pm) on March 31, 2025. According to the document, “The GoG is not bound to accept any response to this RFP and reserves the right to select any Party for any specific element of the RFP and to annul the process at any time without further direction,
liability to the affected interested parties.” M
Brigadier (ret’d) Mark Phillips explained that all bids previously received will remain valid. He did not indicate how many bids were received by government but noted, “It’s just an opportunity for others to submit bids.”
( S p o r t s M a x ) - We s t Indies wicketkeeper-batter
Tevin Imlach has credited trust in defence and patience
f o r h i s t e a m ’ s s t r o n g showing in the second Test against Pakistan in Multan. After being bowled out for 163 in their first innings, the West Indies bounced back with a disciplined bowling effort to restrict Pakistan to 154. They followed it up
w
d
innings, scoring 244 on a turning pitch, with Captain Kraigg Brathwaite leading from the front with a gritty 52.
I m l a c h h i m s e l f contributed a crucial 35 runs, playing a pivotal role in helping the West Indies set Pakistan a challenging target of 254 runs. By the close of
the second day, Pakistan were struggling at 76-4, still needing 178 runs to secure a series win, while the West Indies are just six wickets away from leveling the series 1-1.
S p e a k i n g
e s s conference at the Multan Cricket Stadium on Sunday, I m l a c h e x p r e s s e d confidence in the team’s ability to close out the match.
“We are in a good position and determined to win this Test match,” he declared. He a c k n o w l e d g e d t h e difficulties posed by the Multan pitch, which has offered plenty of assistance to spinners, but emphasized the team’s adaptability
“This pitch has been difficult, but we trusted our defence and chose the right moments to attack,” Imlach explained “Playing three innings here gave us the opportunity to learn, and that l e a r n i n g h a s h e l p e d u s h a n d l e t h e c o n d i t i o n s better.”
T h e W e s t I n d i e s ’
ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19)
Your financial situation could get a strong boost today This might be due to a contract you've just signed, perhaps involving work you will do on your own.
TAURUS (Apr. 20–May 20)
Today you may decide to study healing. You could read
a c u p u n c t u r e Yo u m i g h t decide to learn some hands-on methods.
GEMINI (May 21–June 20)
Today you might decide to sign up for an advanced course of some kind, Gemini. This might include world religions or perhaps meditation. Stay o u t o f b o o k s t o r e s , b o t h physical and online.
CANCER (June 21–July 22)
A group of friends may invite you to attend a festival or w o r k s h o p i n v o l v i n g t h e creative arts or metaphysical studies, or perhaps both. You might resist at first, but once you get there you will find the subject captivating.
LEO (July 23–Aug. 22)
If you've considered a career i n h e a l i n g , p s y c h i c , o r spiritual studies or the creative a r t s , L e o , t o d a y t h e
o p p o r t u n i t y t o m a k e t h a t dream a reality could come your way
VIRGO (Aug 23–Sept 22)
Romance could be on your mind today, Virgo. This could be due to a recent wonderful encounter with a love partner
S i n c e t h e n , l i s t e n i n g t o romantic music may have enhanced your feelings.
LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22)
A very beautiful, romantic dream could inspire exalted artistic activities today, Libra. You might want to paint, draw, write, compose music, sew, or cook up a new recipe.
SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov 21)
A rush of intense love and romantic passion for a special someone might turn your mind toward marriage. The wedding of a friend may contribute to these thoughts. Your partner may still have doubts about moving to the next level.
SAGIT (Nov 22–Dec. 21)
Today you could experience a strong desire to clear your psyche of past traumas that limit you, Sagittarius. You may decide to register for a seminar or workshop of some kind.
CAPRI (Dec. 22–Jan. 19)
Love, passion, romance, and marriage - your mind will focus on these matters all day even if there's no special person in your life right now If you are involved, don't be surprised if talk of a long-term commitment creeps into your conversations.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20–Feb. 18)
The approach of a very special visitor might cause you to thoroughly clean your house. You could look for new and interesting ways to dress it up with some new plants or other decorative touches.
PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20)
Romantic novels and movies could be more appealing than usual today, Pisces. You're in an especially intense mindset.
I f y o u ' r e i n v o l v e d , y o u r relationship could be near the point where it has to move ahead or end.
the importance of patience. “This is not a pitch where you can force things. We f o c u s e d o n t r u s t i n g o u r defence and making the
b o w l e r s w o r k f o r o u r wickets. It’s about finding the right balance between attack and survival,” he said.
Imlach also praised the bowlers for their effort in exploiting the turning pitch.
“Our bowlers have been f a n t a s t i c We k n o w t h i s surface suits spinners, and they have used it to their advantage. Our priority is to t a k e t h e r e m a i n i n g s i x w i c k e t s a s q u i c k l
possible,” he added.
disciplined approach has been a hallmark of their performance in this match. Brathwaite’s half-century set the tone, while Imlach’s contributions in the middle order ensured the team built a competitive lead. Lowero r d e r p a r t n e r s h i p s a l s o p r o v e d v i t a l , f r u s t r a t i n g
P a k i s t a n ’s b o w l e r s a n d pushing the target beyond 250.
Reflecting on the team’s strategy, Imlach highlighted
attack to finish the job,” he explained.
With Pakistan still 178 runs away from victory, the West Indies remain firmly in control, but the match is far
importance of maintaining focus in what he called a “crucial moment.”
“We have worked hard to get into this position, and we will keep pushing forward. This is a crucial moment, and we are ready to give our best t o s e a l t h e w i n , ” h e concluded.
H
conditions in Multan and those typically encountered in the Caribbean. “There is no grass, and the ball spins more here, but we have a
confident in our bowling
The West Indies now have a golden opportunity to level the series, with the M u l t a n p i t c h o f f e r i n g enough assistance to their spinners to remain optimistic a b o u t a d e c i s i v e r e s u l t . Imlach’s confidence reflects the team’s belief in their ability to handle the pressure and secure a memorable win.
t
(BBC Sport) - Jannik
Sinner underlined why he is the world’s best men’s player
b
Australian Open titles with a
Alexander Zverev
T h e I t a l i a n t o p s e e d delivered in the decisive moments to win 6-3 7-6 (7-4) 6-3 against the second seed.
D e s p i t e a n o n g o i n g doping case hanging over him, Sinner has been able to block out the noise to claim a third Grand Slam title.
A f t e r s e a l i n g v i c t o r y with a composed cross-court w i n n e r o n h i s f i r s t championship point, the 23year-old calmly raised his hands into the air before walking over to celebrate with his team.
“ I t ’ s a n i n c r e d i b l e tournament for me, I hope I can keep it going,” said Sinner, who is the first Italian player to win three majors. The straight-set win was
Jannik Sinner has won three of the past five men’s Grand Slam titles - all of them on hard courts (Getty Images)
a demonstration of Sinner ’s relentless baseline game, physical power and mental steeliness.
Zverev could not create a single break point in the match and grew increasingly frustrated as his game failed to trouble Sinner
The 27-year-old German
( S p o r t s M a x ) - H i g h
jumper Raymond Richards achieved a stunning leap of 2.31m at the Queen’s Grace
J a c k s o n I n v i t a t i o n a l o n Saturday, January 25, 2025, which would have been the best height cleared by a
Jamaican in almost two decades and a world-leading mark for the year
H o w e v e r , t h e performance will not be
o ff i c i a l l y r e c o g n i z e d b y World Athletics due to the meet not being submitted to the World Athletics Global Calendar by the Jamaica
A t h l e t i c s A d m i n
Association (JAAA).
A student-athlete at the University of Technology, Richards, cleared 2.31m at the meet held at the National Stadium in Kingston, the best height by a Jamaican high jumper since Germaine Mason cleared that height in 2006.
The 2.31m clearance
w o u l d h a v e a l s o p l a c e d Richards at the top of the world rankings for the year
U n f o r t u n a t e l y , a n administrative lapse means that his efforts will not count
criteria.
In December 2022, the Wo r l d A t h l e t
c
l implemented a rule requiring
all competitions to be listed in their Global Calendar for performances to be officially recognized.
M e m b e r f e d
a t i o n s , including the JAAA, are r e s p o n s i b
f o r e n s u r i n g t h a t l o c a l m
s a r e s u b m i t t e d 6 0 d a y s i n a d v a n c e o f t h e e v e n t , a c c o m p a n i e d b y a f e e payable to World Athletics
David Riley, the JAAA’s l i a i s o n f o r t h e Wo r l d Athletics Global Calendar, confirmed that the Queen’s Grace Jackson Invitational was not submitted, but laid the blame at the feet of the meet organisers.
“That is correct His mark will not register Each meet organizer has to request in writing every year to the JAAA for their meet to be listed in the WA Global Calendar An application has to be submitted 60 days from the date of the meet. (The)
l i s t i n g c a n n o t b e d o n e retroactively They (meet organisers) were notified in November via email and did not respond.”
Riley also outlined that t h e J A A A a l s o h o s t s a C a l e n d a r C o n f e r e n c e t o which all meet organizers are invited. The information was also shared at the Calendar Conference which was held on November 2, 2024. The
becomes the seventh man in the Open era to lose his first three Grand Slam finals, having also fallen at the final hurdle at the 2020 US Open and 2024 French Open. After slumping forlornly into his chair, a visibly upset Zverev hunched forward and covered his face with a towel.
His runner- up speech was delayed by a heckling spectator who made apparent reference to past domestic abuse allegations against the player
Zverev, who denied the allegations and had a Berlin court case brought by one w
crowd.
“It sucks standing next to this trophy,” he said.
“I was hoping to be more competitive but Jannik was just too good - as simple as that.”
Ruthless Sinner dominates again Backing up the finest season of your career – and one of the most dominant in recent memor
is the challenge facing Sinner this year
The manner in which he has swept to the Australian Open suggests he is more
than capable of reaching the same heights that led to two major trophies, six more ATP titles, a Davis Cup triumph with Italy and an overall record of 73 wins from 79 matches. W
I
August that Sinner had tested p o
substance clostebol, sending s
sport.
While he was cleared of w
Integrity Agency, the World
An
i-Doping A
y has appealed against the decision and is seeking a one to twoyear ban.
In a difficult time, the tennis court has become his sanctuary
S i n n e r ’ s c o p i n g mechanism has been to try and “isolate” himself but his c o a c h D a r r e n C a h i l l provided a telling insight when he said nobody is “bulletproof”.
H
y armoured as he could have been in the circumstances.
He has swatted his way
h relative ease, with the hot and humid conditions in his fourth-round match against D
’s H o l g
R
n e being his toughest opponent.
The way he ruthlessly dismantled Zverev was a stark contrast to the fight he needed to recover from two sets down against Daniil Medvedev last year
Calmly converting his first championship pointluring his opponent forward w i t h a
p - s h o t b e f o r e drilling a backhand past him - illustrated the ease he felt.
communication via email sent in late November, he said, was a last reminder and organisers were advised to “treat the matter as urgent”.
T h e Q u e e n ’ s G r a c e Jackson Invitational is just one of several Jamaican m e e t s h e l d o n W o r l d Athletic
that were not submitted for official recognition in 2025.
K e n l e y - Wi n t C l a s s
, SprintFest 100m, Douglas Forrest Invitational, Queen’s Grace Jackson Track and F i
Goldsmith Classics, Western R
, Western Champs (finals at G C F
) , Throws Fest 1, Throws Fest 2, Throws Fest 3, Throws Fest 4, Big Shot (where 2019 Wo
discus throw) and King of the Ring.
Richards’ leap at Queen’s Grace Jackson Invitational
w
m significant ranking points on
qualification prospects for future championships.
Instead, the achievement is relegated to an unofficial mark, diminishing its value in global athletics.
(ESPN Cricinfo) - India clinched a comfortable eight-wicket victory against Bangladesh in the Super Six stage of the Under-19 Women’s T20 World Cup in Kuala Lumpur. With the win, India along with Australia from Group 1 and South Africa from Group 2 are assured of semi-final spots. England and Nigeria, who are placed second and third respectively, in Group 2, will be fighting for the remaining spot after Sri L a n k a ’s m a t c h a g a i n s t S c o t l a n d w a s abandoned due to the rain and both teams shared the points.
For India, left-arm spinner Vaishanvi Sharma starred with 3 for 15 to restrict Bangladesh to just 64 for 8. India chased down the target in 7.1 overs.
Bangladesh were asked to bat first after rain delayed the clash and they were put under
pressure immediately as they lost the opener Mosammat Eva to the third ball of the innings. India kept a lid on Bangladesh throughout as they were left reeling at 23 for 5 by the end of tenth over.
Bangladesh’s top score came from their captain Sumaiya Akter, who made a 29-ball 21 at No.7. Vaishnavi took two of her three wickets in the 17th over while G Trisha, Shabnam Shakil and VJ Joshitha accounted for a wicket each.
With this performance, Vaishanvi is now
tournament with nine scalps.
In the chase, Trisha smashed a quickfire 40, laced with eight boundaries, before getting dismissed in the seventh over Captain Niki Prasad and Sanika Chalke took India home with 77 balls remaining.
(BBC Sport) - Tottenham Hotspur
suffered a fourth consecutive Premier League defeat as Leicester City completed a stunning comeback to climb out of the relegation zone.
The Foxes, trailing 1-0 at half-time, scored twice in four minutes after the break through Jamie Vardy and Bilal El Khannouss to end a run of seven consecutive defeats in the Premier League.
Brazil striker Richarlison had opened the scoring for Spurs just after the half-hour mark, heading in a brilliant cross from defender Pedro Porro.
Leicester captain Vardy equalised from close range a minute into the second half when goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky failed to deal with Bobby De Cordova-Reid’s cross.
Ruud van Nistelrooy’s side were ahead four minutes later when midfielder El Khannouss curled in a fantastic effort from 25 yards into the bottom corner
Spurs poured forward in search of an equaliser but their failure to find one means Ange Postecoglou’s side have won just one of their past 11 matches in the Premier League, leaving them in 15th.
Leicester ’s win lifts the Foxes into 17th, one point above Wolves - who drop into the bottom three as a result.
West Ham come from behind to earn draw
West Ham came from behind to earn a hard-fought draw against Aston Villa in the Premier League.
Jacob Ramsey exchanged a slick one-two with Ollie Watkins before slotting into the bottom corner from an angle to give the hosts an early lead.
The Hammers levelled when Edson Alverez’s pinpoint cross was headed in at the far post by Emerson.
Villa dominated the first half but Graham Potter ’s side created chances with Lucas Paqueta firing wide on two occasions.
Th
Union’s (GRFU) President, Ryan Dey, disclosed that his union is quite impressed with the $8 Billion allocation for Sport in the recently announced 2025 Budget.
In a brief release from the Union, it stated: “The budget on a whole is very impressive, the amount of good that it would do cannot be overstated. Kudos to the Government of Guyana. When it come specifically to the budget for sports the union thinks saying it’s well needed and deserved, with the budget being almost doubled for 2025. We now can have a more positive outlook on the year ahead.”
“The new budgetary allocation coupled with my Union’s current relationship with the
National Sports Commission speak volumes in-terms of the commitment to our union and other sports associations. To meet any of the top brass in the NSC is easy as a phone call away and their always welcoming to listen to our issues, and the union hopes that this continues especially now that they have a more than enough to spend in helping sport’s development in the country.”
It added: “The direction that the union wants to see sports heading is the exact direction we are going. From the sports academy for children and teens to the high performance centers for the elite senior sports men and women, our country will be on the map not only with oil and our eco-tourism but as one of the best sporting countries in this part of the world.”
Ezri Konsa cleared off the line from a Carlos Soler effort that struck the post with the away side pushing for an equaliser, which eventually came in the 70th minute.
The result means Villa remain eighth in the table while West Ham move up to 13th.
Martinez gives Man Utd win at Fulham
Lisandro Martinez’s deflected strike ensured Manchester United came out of a drab fixture at Fulham with all three points.
The quality of the game had been poor for more than 75 minutes as both sides struggled to create meaningful chances.
But as it looked to be petering out towards a draw the visitors snatched victory when Martinez strode towards the edge of the box before letting fly with an effort that struck Sasa Lukic and looped over Bernd Leno.
That was their first shot on target and was harsh on a Fulham side who had been the better side in the first half, but really should have taken their chances.
Raul Jimenez was guilty of one notable miss when picked out by Antonee Robinson but his first touch was a heavy one before he drove a shot over the bar
Manchester United struck late to win an even contest at Old Trafford back in August and once again they punished Fulham in the closing stages with Martinez’s goal.
substitute Toby Collyer to ensure the win in the final couple of minutes when he cleared Joachim Andersen’s header off the line.
Amad Diallo thought he had scored a fourth goal in his last three Premier League games deep in stoppage time, but his finish was ruled out by the video assistant referee for offside.
The win means Ruben Amorim’s side have now won back-to-back games after beating Rangers in the Europa League in midweek and moves them up to 12th. Fulham, meanwhile, remain 10th.
Reliance Hustlers Sport Club continued their winning ways after registering another comfortable victory in the latest round of the 2 0 2 4 / 2 0 2 5 N o r t h E s s e q u i b o C r i c k e t Committee (NECC) T20 competition.|
facility in Region 2 recently, Hustlers got the better of Reliance Sports Club by 8 wickets.
Set a modest 112 from the reduced 17 overs, Hustlers raced to 113-2 with a whopping 51 balls to spare. The reduction of the overs was due to a late start.
Former Guyana youth player Nathan Persaud led the way with an enterprising 38 which contained three sixes and a similar
number of fours. He received good support from fellow opener Mark Austin with 29 and the consistent Raj Gourdeen who helped seal the deal with 27 not out.
Earlier, Reliance Sports Club won the toss and opted to bat first on a responsive pitch. After an early collapse, they never recovered and were left at 112-9.
Opening batsman Kumar Das offered a fight with 34 while Andre Blackman contributed 25 as off-spinner Rajeev Kissoon took 3-25 from his maximum four overs.
The action continuedd on Sunday as Hustlers came up against Sparwin while Reliance Sports Club took on Richmond.
(ESPN Cricinfo) - West Indies are inching closer to a series-
l e v e l l i n g w i n a f t e r r e d u c i n g Pakistan to 76 for 4 at stumps on the second day in Multan. The hosts are still another 178 runs away from victory Earlier, West Indies had
p r o d u c e d t h e i r b e s t b a t t i n g performance of the series, led by a half-century from their captain Kraigg Brathwaite to take control.
T h e y f u r t h e r s o l i d i f y i n g t h e i r position when the lower order p r o d u c e d s e v e r a l u s e f u l contributions.
In the 24 overs West Indies had with the ball in the final session, they inflicted four bruising body b l o w s , i n c l u d i n g a l a s t - g a s p dismissal of Babar Azam that brought nightwatcher Kashif Ali to the crease. In pursuit of a steep t a rg e t , m
awkward by the nature of these
w
n d s e a r l y. W i t h i n 1 6 deliveries, both openers were gone. Shan Masood was out lbw playing for turn against Kevin Sinclair as the delivery carried on with the arm and rapped into his front pad. Mohammad Hurraira, too, played for phantom spin against Gudakesh Motie, and paid for it with his front leg in front of the stumps and an easy decision for the umpire.
Babar and Kamran Ghulam staved off the worst of Pakistan’s fears to puncture the swell of optimism coursing through West
I n d i e s ’ v e i n s b y g r a d u a l l y rebuilding from the ruins of that start. Ghulam was fortunate to be put down off the eighth ball he faced, but the pair found a way to hang on, putting run-scoring on the backburner for a few overs as they bedded in. Babar began to look brighter as his innings went on, and his continued presence began to feel like it would play an outsized role in the outcome of this match.
But the partnership was broken when Ghulam failed to get to the pitch of a delivery from Jomel Warrican, and skied it to backward point. That is when the rebuild began anew With Saud Shakeel, Pakistan’s best player of spin, at the other end, he and Babar were shepherding the day through to the finish.
But Sinclair inflicted what at the moment felt like the knockout blow A touch of extra bounce and a hint of more turn at Babar found a chunk of the inside edge, which deflected off the pad to short leg.
We s t I n d i e s ’ s l i g h t l y w i l d celebrations belied the magnitude of the moment.
Brathwaite had challenged his side to be more aggressive, and led from the front. The tempo was set when he launched Sajid Khan over long-on for six in the fifth over, before consecutive boundaries to start off Noman Ali’s spell. It sent the message that the spin duo wasn’t going to have things their w a y , a n
reinforcing that in offence and defence. Abrar Ahmed, too, saw his
midwicket for four
But Mikyle Louis, Brathwaite’s opening partner, was neither as positive nor looked as comfortable. That was how Pakistan got back into the game: they drew Louis into a prod towards the off side, and Shan Masood took a straight forward catch at short extra cover
Debutant Amir Jangoo, though, took a leaf out of his captain’s book. Brathwaite slapped Noman for six over long-on, but found himself slowed down as he approached his h a l f - c e n t u r y J a n g o o , t h o u g h , motored along nicely, and when he helped himself to two boundaries off Abrar in an over, West Indies, in total control, had their lead inching towards three figures.
But Pakistan’s spinners were bringing them back into the game. Brathwaite survived two raised fingers off consecutive deliveries with successful reviews, but fell the next over when he tried to charge Noman and ended up getting beaten by extra turn. It was a manner of dismissal almost identical to the one that would snare Kavem Hodge in the minutes before lunch.
In the meantime, Sajid, too, was getting into the game. He had dismissed Jangoo shortly after
B r a t h w a i t e w e n t w a
t , forcing the issue with a sweep when
Tevin Imlach played a crucial hand down the order (PCB)
he appeared to have misjudged the flight and the pitch of the delivery It ended up taking a feather off the bottom of the bat to slip, and West Indies were left with two new batters at the crease. The final over before lunch saw Pakistan strike a fifth time. Noman landed the ball in the footmarks and ripped it back into the pads of Alick Athanaze. An enthused appeal, needed partially because Pakistan had burnt all three reviews, was successful.
P a k i s t a n c o n
g inroads when a miscued reverse sweep from Justin Greaves found backward point. But as the visitors have done all series, their lower order dug in. Tevin Imlach and Sinclair did not take too many risks as they worked to build up a conventional Test partnership, and the runs appeared to follow The duo batted for nearly 14 overs as Pakistan rotated through their bowlers, and the quest for a wicket became increasingly desperate.
Th
unlikely fashion when Sinclair somehow played all around a Sajid delivery from around the wicket, throwing his head to the skies in
shortly after to fast bowler Kashif Ali, who was naggingly accurate on the brief occasion he was called upon.
Yet again, however, the bottom two partnerships found ways of contributing. Motie combined with Warrican to add a further 27, before Kemar Roach, injured taking a splendid catch on Saturday, limped out to add a few more crucial runs. He got his side past 250 before Sajid finally wrapped the innings up. The sense, however, was that it was already too late.
Match details: Pakistan 154 and 76 for 4 (Babar 31, Ghulam 19, Sinclair 2-41) need another 178 runs to beat West Indies 163 and 244 (Brathwaite 52, Sajid 4-76, Noman 4-80)
President of Archery Guyana, Vidushi Persaud-McKinnon, has commended the Government of Guyana for its groundbreaking $8 billion allocation to the sports sector in the 2025 National Budget.
The announcement, made by S e n i o r M i n i s t e r w i t h i n t h e Ministry of Finance, Honourable Dr Ashni Singh, represents an
unwavering commitment to the holistic development of sports in Guyana
“This historic investment is a c l e a
d
government’s vision to transform
-
M c K i n n o n “ We a r e d e e p l y i n s p i r e d b y t h e H o n o u r a b l e
Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, Charles Ramson Jr., and his relentless drive to enhance sports infrastructure and opportunities.
Equally, we extend immense gratitude to Director of Sport, Mr Steve Ninvalle, whose expertise,
dedication, and tremendous work have been instrumental in shaping the national sports agenda and f o s t e r i n g c o l l a b o r a t i
s disciplines.”
Acknowledging Mr Ninvalle’s exceptional leadership, PersaudMcKinnon emphasised his pivotal r o l e i n a d v a n c i n g
development.
“Mr Ninvalle’s commitment to building a modern sports culture
resources, stronger partnerships, and a clear pathway for athletes to excel. His hands-on approach and vision have been nothing short of transformative, and we are proud to work alongside such a dedicated leader.”
As part of this transformative journey, Archery Guyana wishes to advocate for a permanent home for archery
The Federation is earnestly advocating for the establishment of a dedicated facility for archery “A specialised dedicated ground and
standard Olympic distance of 70 meters is essential for the growth and development of our sport,” Persaud-McKinnon stated.
“Such a facility will not only p
competition but will also serve as
hosting regional and international events With the government’s support, we are confident this dream can soon become a reality.”
Reflecting on the progress of a
McKinnon expressed enthusiasm for the opportunities presented by the increased allocation.
“This historic funding allows us to expand archery’s reach, enhance training programmes, strengthen grassroot initiatives and aim to secure equipment and facilities to ensure athletes are equipped to compete at the highest levels”.
Archery Guyana is thrilled to
athletes and strengthening our ties with neighbouring nations.
“
showcase Guyana as a premiere d
but
generation of athletes.” she added. She further noted, “This is an exciting time for sports in Guyana, and Archery Guyana is committed to playing a significant role in this transformative journey
Federations will pave the way for
disciplines, including archery.” Persaud-McKinnon concluded by reaffirming Archery Guyana’s
development. “We remain steadfast in our commitment to excellence, inclusivity, and collaboration. With the tremendous support of our Government”. (AG Press Release)
Travis Belgrave goes up for a block in Guyana’s clash against Suriname in the Nations Cup finals.
By Rawle Toney in Suriname (Compliments of National Sports Commission)
Suriname emerged victorious in the 2025 Nations Cup basketball tournament, defeating Guyana 79-61 in an exciting final last evening at the Ismay Van Wilgen Sports Hall in Paramaribo.
The tournament, which also featured Grenada, showcased the performances from some of the Region’s best players.
The much-anticipated showdown between Suriname and Guyana lived up to the hype, with the hosts setting the tone early
After a rollercoaster opening quarter, Suriname held a six-point advantage (21-15).
The second quarter continued to deliver high-energy basketball, highlighted by a jaw-dropping baseline dunk from Kimol Grimmond, who soared over two defenders to complete the play of the game.
Grimmond ended the half with eight points, sharing the spotlight with Harold Adams.
Despite Guyana’s spirited efforts, including a brief spark in the fourth quarter led by Captain Stanton Rose Jr., Suriname’s balanced attack and home-court advantage proved too much.
They maintained their composure in a dogged third quarter and surged ahead in the final frame to secure an 18-point win and the Nations Cup title.
Tournament scoring leader Travis Belgrave once again led the way for Suriname with 11 points in the final, bringing his total to 47 points across three games.
Grimmond delivered an entertaining 10 points, while Harold Adams chipped in with nine, and Zian Gray and Stanton Rose Jr each contributed eight points.
For Guyana, Rose Jr led the charge with a strong showing, including five unanswered baskets in the fourth quarter that briefly reignited their hopes.
Jermaine Slater and Belgrave rounded out the first-half top scorers for Guyana with six and five points, respectively
Suriname’s road to the championship saw them defeating Guyana 8456 on Friday and cruised past Grenada 78-48 on Saturday
Guyana, meanwhile, earned their spot in the finals with a commanding 79-50 victory over Grenada, powered by Belgrave’s 20 points, Rose Jr.’s 15, and Harold Adams’ 14.
Guyana’s head coach Adrian Hooper praised his team’s resilience and effort despite falling short in the finals.
“Playing back-to-back games at this level is never easy, but the team showed heart and the will to win,” Hooper said.
He also singled out Kimol Grimmond for his impressive debut, particularly his standout performance against Suriname last evening.
Looking ahead, Hooper stressed the need for more international engagements to help players gain experience and exposure.
“These tournaments are crucial for the development of our players. We’ll continue to build and improve,” he added.
