The latest displacement orders in Rafah and Gaza City have forced hundreds of thousands of Palestinians to flee again into no-go zones,
‘If the President’s award means anything,
Oil sinks to pandemic lows; metals, soybeans
‘Banker’ allegedly steals man’s identity to withdraw Man stabbed to death after refusing to leave friend’s home Power China, Kalpataru sign US$422M contracts he would terminate Ramson’ slump as China retaliates against
invest
– VP Jagdeo
…says this will be a major focus if re-elected
Should the People's Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) be re-elected to office following this year's scheduled elections, ordinary citizens stand to
benefit from three investment opportunities in theoilandgassector
This was disclosed by General Secretary of the party and Vice President BharratJagdeoonThursday Jagdeotoldreportersthat theinvestmentopportunities will be specifically tailored to allow ordinary Guyanese to invest and share in the
country's growing prosperity
These plans are part of a broader policy direction for the next term, aimed at increasing financial literacy, financial inclusion, and empowerment across all demographics.
“Istartedspeakingabout the next term, a massive focus on financial literacy, financialinclusion,financial empowerment of our people at every level, whether you're a cleaner in a government office and you can invest the little savings youhave,evenifit's$10,000 inthebank,”hesaid. Jagdeo explained that current investment options like the stock market or private bonds often carry high risks, making them unsuitable for many citizens who cannot afford to lose
H e s a i d t h e administration is actively workingonmechanismsthat would enable small-scale investors, including lowincome earners, to put their money into low-risk, government-supported ventures.
their savings. As such, the governmentwillbefocusing on instruments that offer safer, guaranteed returns, backedbytheState.
“So, in instruments created by the government with a guaranteed rate of return from the government for their investment, and we started with t-bills (treasury bills) but it did not at some stage… the price the return on t-bills came down and then it became a bit burdensome to sell small quantities of treasury bills,” theVicePresidentexplained.
Tosupportthisinitiative, Jagdeo said a white paper will be released soon for public consultation, outlining the proposed investment avenues and seeking feedback from citizens. The PPP intends to present these options in its
next manifesto, but discussionsandpreparations arealreadyunderway Notably, Jagdeo did not provide a specific timeline for implementation However,henotedthatthese initiatives would be a major f o c u s i n t h e P P P government'snexttermifreelected.
“ We ' v e a l r e a d y identified about three big businessopportunitiesinthe oilandgassectorthatwecan tailorforsmallpeopleinthe economy, small investors that they can share the prosperitytoandI'mtalking aboutpeople,youknow,you can do it in increments of 50,000 investments or 100,000 and stuff and to exclude some of the bigger guys from these investment vehicles,”hesaid.
Jagdeo added that their
broader plan includes simplifying bureaucracy for small business registration and operations He said, “Whatwillwedointhenext government to grow small business, first of all, simplifying the bureaucracy to set up and run a small business, so government permitting government incorporation of companies. Even the taxes you pay in small business could be differentiated and be lower,
Twenty-three-year-old Shemaiah Ryan, called 'Banker', was charged on Fridayforallegedlystealing $36 million from a couple's joint bank account. He is accused of stealing the husband's identity to carryout his fraudulent scheme whichhaslandedhimbefore thecourtfacingatotalof48 charges.
According to police, Ryan was charged with 25 counts of simple larceny totaling some $4,829,000 committed on Bernadette and Carl Peterkin. He was also charged with 23 counts of conspiracy to commit computer related fraud where he stole some $31,615,000 from the same victims.
Ryan appeared at the Georgetown Magistrate's Court before Magistrate Fabayo Azore to answer to the charges. He pleaded not guilty and was granted
$50,000bailforeachcharge whichamountedtoatotalof $2.4M. He is expected to return tocourtonMay16,2025.
Police investigation alleged that Ryan conspired with others back in September 2022, to create a fake IdentificationCard (ID card) in the name Carl Peterkin - one of the joint holdersofabankaccountat apopularbankinthecity. Hethenallegedlyvisited the bank posing as Carl Peterkin, requested anATM card for the account and signed-up for internet banking.
The next step in his alleged fraudulent scheme was contacting two women hehasbeenacquaintedwith for a number of the years to withdraw the monies for him.
Police alleged that he trickedthewomenidentified as Donna Edwards and her
daughter Chelsea Edwards, into believing that he was a government contractor building roads in Berbice andwantedthemtofacilitate
the transfer of monies into theiraccountssohecanpay his workers on time. The plan was that they would thendrawoutthetransferred
cashfromtheiraccountsand handitovertoRyan.
According to police investigations, 13 cash
$17,997,000 were made from the couple's account between September 2 and September 19, 2022 to one ofthewomen'saccount.
Thirteen more cash
$13,618,000 were done to the second accountbetween September7and27,2022.
Themotheranddaughter laterwithdrewthecashfrom theiraccountsand allegedly gaveittoRyan.
Police said the suspect also used the ATM card he fraudulently obtained 27 timesatseveralofthebank's ATM locations across Georgetown, to withdraw a totalof$4,829,000.
He was reportedly capturedonsecuritycamera making each of the withdrawals.
creating through public procurement more opportunities for small business.”
Recently at Babu Jaan, Corentyne, Berbice, the PPP's General Secretary has already promised citizens more cash grants if they reelect the PPP at the upcoming General and Regional Elections. However, he had stated that the initiative is now being positioned as one that will continue in the future Jagdeo had explained that the PPP plans to structure financial products in a way thatenablescitizenstoinvest their cash grants through a financial instrument created by the government. “It will underwrite,itwillgiveyoua guaranteerateofreturnthan if the money was placed in thebank,”henoted.
“So, when you get your cash grant in the future, you can put it in a financial instrument that the government will create, that itwillunderwrite,itwillgive youaguaranteerateofreturn thanthemoneyifyouplaceit in the bank. All of this will empower people, young people, especially to own things,”hesaid.
24SaffonStreet, Charlestown,Georgetown,Guyana.
Publisher:GLENNLALL-Tel:624-6456
Editor-in-Chief:NigelWilliams
Tel: 225-8465, 225-8491. Fax: 225-8473, 226-8210
Fromtheevidence,thePPP/CGovernmentisdrivingitself against a wall with the movements of Team Mohamed In Essequibo,reportsarethattherulingpartysupporterscreateda ruckus when Team Mohamed turned up in response to an invitation from residents In Berbice, there was a repeat performance, with fingers again firmly pointed at the government and its people, which videotape evidence confirms We are trying to determine what is it aboutTeam Mohamed that generates so much uneasiness in the PPP/C Government. Otherfair,reasonablequestionsarewhyisthe government so skittish, like a frighten kitten, what makes it so nervous? The mere presence of Team Mohamed in a traditionalPPPstrongholdisenoughtodrivethegovernment anditssupportersintoastateofhysteria.
We do not think that anyone in the upper echelons of the PPP/C Government has forgotten that Article 148 of the Constitution of Guyana provides for freedom of movement Usingthatasbasis,TeamMohamedhastheright,thefreedom, to go to whichever community in Guyana it is interested to meet and greet Guyanese As long as the purpose does not conflict with any law, or the group itself does not create a disturbance, then what has happened in Essequibo and Berbicehasnoplace,nojustification
To this point, the Team Mohamed leader has not announcedthatheisenteringthepoliticalfray,whichmakes the reaction of the government all the more baffling We think that the PPP/C Government could be guilty of overreaction, and clearly engaged in what looks like overkill. By its own actions, the ruling party is adding an air of substance and legitimacy to Team Mohamed. More Guyanese will be curious to know what all the frenzies are about,andexamineforthemselveswhatTeamMohamedis all about. This may not be in the best interests of the PPP itself.
If, for the sake of discussion, this group that is generating suchattentionatthevillagelevel,andmediacoverageisabouta politicalpartyandelectionscompetitorinthemaking,thenthe governmentagainhasaroadblockinfrontofit ItisArticle147 oftheGuyanaConstitution,whichhasprovisionsforfreedom ofassemblyandassociation Twist it or turn it, the evidence of rank intimidations and atempts at disruption of Team Mohamed's is a far cry from government's claim of respect for the Constitution and democracy's standards practised consistently Sitting governments do not have their supporters carrying on like out-of-control mobs For example,nogovernmentshoulddescendtothelevelofusing mobs to disturb peaceful gatherings and induce fear in lawabiding citizens, whether they are interested villagers, or visitingoutsiders.
Therearetwoadditionalissuescomingoutoftheugliness directedatTeamMohamed Thegovernmenthasbeenawall of silence, as though its temporary dumbness will make what its people did fade from consciousness Or, succeed in distancing itself from the unacceptable development on the EssequiboCoastanddeepintheheartofBerbice Whetherthe government's silence is deliberate or accidental, the result is more hard questions that deserve answers What earthly reason could there be that the Irfaan Ali Government is so fearful of Team Mohamed specifically, and law-abiding citizensingeneral? Agovernmentthathasdonethebusiness ofthepeopleinanhonestwaydoesnothavetofearanybody Allcontendersthatwanttochallengeitarefreetodoso, aslongastheyoperatewithinlawfulboundaries Inasimilar way,residentsshouldhavethefreedomtomakeuptheirown minds about who they want to welcome in their communities,orturntheirbacksagainst Thishaslittletodo with politics and elections, and everything to do with the basic rights of citizens, as enshrined in the Guyana Constitution We at this paper are baffled that the PPP/C Government would seemingly go to these lengths to thwart legitimateinteractions ThefactthattheGuyanaPoliceForce hasshownscantdesiretogettowhoisbehindthedisruptions only makes the government look worse The PPP/C Government, which was in an unhealthy place, now looks moredeformed
Eusi Kwayana is 100 years old: Guyana's unique gift to itself and the world
Dear Editor, Today, April 4, 2025, Eusi Kwayana turns 100. He is the only living member of the class of 1953 the foremost leaders of the original PPP It is difficult to properly analyze modern Guyanese politics without taking into consideration Eusi Kwayana's wideranging contributions. His political career has spanned eightdecades,whichmirrors the period normally referred to as the modern phase of Guyanese and Caribbean politics. This article pays tribute to Kwayana by offering an overview of his politicallifeandwork.
Eusi Kwayana, formerly Sydney King, was born in 1925 and has been involved in Guyana's national politics since 1947. He has been referred to as the “Sage of Buxton,” Renaissance Man” and “Guyana's Gandhi”, among other descriptions. His public life is multifaceted– political activist, educator, writer, journalist, dramatist, folklorist, and historian. But it is as a political activist that Kwayana has made his most telling contribution and is best known to Guyanese. He has become one of Guyana's most distinguished political leaders. Ironically, he has also been one of the most
personalities
He entered the political arena as a supporter of C
ddi Jag
his successful bid for a seat in the Legislative Council in 1947. He soon joined the
Political Affairs Committee (PAC), a small left-wing group that was the precursor to the People's Progressive Party (PPP), the country's first mass-based political party He served asAssistant General Secretary of the PPP Kwayana, who easily won his parliamentary seat, becameMinisterofWorksin the new government, which lasted for 133 days. By this time, he was regarded by the British as a staunch communist.
This perception was based largely on his militant stance on independence During his short tenure as Minister of Works, he improved the country's transportation system. His militancy was captured in a statement which has since become part of Guyana's political folklore When, after a mere 133 days of the PPP government, the British suspended the constitution, fired the ministers, and landed troops in the country, Kwayana was one of the leaderscitedbythegovernor as the “ringleaders” of the communist conspiracy He and other ringleaders were arrested and detained for close to three months. It was whilehewasministerthathe uttered the famous words to thethengovernor—Iwillnot stand for this confounded nonsense. It has since been translated into popular folkloreas“Thisconfounded nonsensemuststop.”
While Cheddi Jagan and Forbes Burnham, the party's primary leaders, quickly became identified with the East Indian and African
communities respectively, Kwayana, an African, was seenasneutral.Whilehewas aware of the ethnic rumblings among the party's supporters, he felt that i n d e p e n d e n c e w a s paramount. This balancing act by Kwayana was evidenced when there were two challenges to Jagan's leadership of the party Forbes Burnham, the party's chairman, first challenged Jagan for the leadership of the party before the 1953 election.
Most of the African leadership supported Burnham, but Kwayana vehemently defended Jagan's right to remain as the leader His simple reason was that Jagan had done nothing to warrant removal from the position When some members proposed Kwayana as the compromise leader, a suggestion supported by Burnham, Kwayana turned down the offer on the grounds that he did not want to be seen as wresting the position from Jagan. Burnham made anotherbidfortheleadership after the electoral victory in 1953, but once again Kwayana came to Jagan's d e f e n s e B u r n h a m eventually withdrew his c h a l l e n g e a f t e r a compromise on the makeup ofthecabinet.
When, in 1955, the PPP split generally along ethnic lines, Kwayana was one of a group of Africans that remained with the Cheddi Jagan faction. However, he left the Jagan faction in 1956 largely over the party's
refusal to take Guyana into the West Indies Federation. After unsuccessfully running as an independent candidate at the 1957 election, he joined the newly formed People's National Congress (PNC) led by Forbes Burnham and served as General Secretary and editor of the party's organ, New Nation, until he was expelled from the party in 1961 for publicly engaging theethnicproblem. He co-founded, in 1961, the African Society for Racial Equality (ASRE), which was dedicated primarily to raising cultural consciousness among African Guyanese and championing the cause of ethnic equality As ethnic insecurity by both groups became more manifest, Kwayana, on behalf of ASRE, proposed a powersharing arrangement or “joint premiership” between the leaders of the two ethnic parties with partition of the country into three zones –African,Indian,andMixed–asalastresort.
Both leaders rejected the proposal ASRE was disbanded a year later, amidst fears of dividing the A f r i c a n - G u y a n e s e community, and the country descended into open ethnic conflict that lasted from 1961 to 1964. Kwayana's Joint Premiership proposal was the first power-sharing initiative placed on the national agenda. In that regard, he is the Guyanese and Anglophone Caribbean pioneerofpower (Continue on page 5)
PNCR must not relinquish leadership for a weaker consensus candidate.
Dear Editor,
T h e n o t i o n t h a t Opposition Leader Aubrey Norton should step aside in favorofNigelHughesorany so-called 'consensus candidate' in a potential coalition between theAPNU and AFC is not only misguided but disrespectful tothepoliticalstrengthofthe PNCR and the democratic willofitssupportbase.
It is essential to remember that Norton did not inherit his position by accident or convenience This is a man who fought vigorously to be where he is today He successfully challenged and defeated Joseph Harmon for the
leadership of the party, securing the trust and confidence of party delegates and grassroots supporters. His victory was not merely a change in leadership;itwasareflection of the party's desire for a reinvigorated and resolute approach to opposition
politics Even after becomingleader,Nortonhad to fend off additional challenges, including
fabricated scandals, demonstrating that he commands significant respect and legitimacy withinthePNCR'sranks.
S i n c e a s s u m i n g leadership, Norton has done the groundwork to mobilize
and reconnect the party with its traditional support base. He has made some attempts to strengthen the PNCR's organizational structures, expanded its influence across communities, and effectively articulated the opposition's position on key nationalissues.Hiseffortsto keep the government accountable, along with his direct engagement with supporters, demonstrate his commitment to rebuilding and fortifying the party for the2025elections.
It would, therefore, be a strategic blunder of historic proportions for the PNCR to cede the presidential candidacy to theAFC or any
candidate outside of the party's leadership. TheAFC, despite its past role in the coalition government, has suffered immense political decline and lacks the electoral clout to dictate terms. The PNCR remains the dominant political force in the opposition landscape, and any coalition that undermines its leadership in favor of a weaker entity wouldriskalienatingitscore s u p p o r t b a s e a n d diminishing its electoral strength.
Should the opposition enter the 2025 elections with a compromised leadership structurethatsidelinesthe (Continue on page 6)
Dear Editor,
I am writing out of great concern about the National Insurance Scheme and problems that citizens are experiencing in the country to access their pension.This, even in view of the 10 (ten) billion-dollar injection by the government of H E President Dr Irfaan Ali, in which the intention is to assist persons who might have fallen short of some N.I.Scontributions.
This is not my first letter
From page 4
onN.I.Sandthewaytheyilltreat our hardworking citizens. My last letter, dated th the 28 of January 2023, definitely gained traction, with my many social media commentaries and posts Many prominent citizens wrotelettersandcommented onthismatterafterminewas published. The government heard! They listened!Then they did this beautiful and great thing to assist the Guyanese people in enjoying the
benefits of their toil and labour in service to the nation The government needs to be recognized and complimentedforthis.
I am advising the government at this juncture to use its media resources to advise the population again on this 10-billion-dollar injection.
This will be PR platinum; it will win the heartsofthepeople.
The population, in my opinion, is not well advised
bytheN.I.S.TheN.I.Sisnot extendingthisinformationto the people for their education so that they may take advantage of the government's injection. This is why I am asking the government's media to do them justice by mass producing information such as jingles to make the citizens aware. So, since the citizens do not know en masse, they will not rush to theN.I.Stogettheirbenefits. Youneedmassadvisorieson
the television, the radio and theprintmedia.
I had written of a situation with Mrs Umawattie Singh, a relative of mine, in a letter to the media and also to the N.I.S. To date, there has been no update on this matter despite the injection of the $10B by the government of Guyana. I do not understand why the N.I.Salwaysseemshell-bent on making people's lives miserable They seem to think they are the treasury or
the bank and holders of the money,asusual.
The N.I.S, on its part, is not doing anything to give comfort to people who are suffering and have suffered over the decades. The N.I.S gets richer because many in waiting, hoping and begging havedied.
Itwasalwaystheopinion of the people of this country that the N I S was pressuring and delaying people,hopingtheywould (Continue on page 6)
s h a r i n g o r s h a r e d governance.
Amidst the ethnic violence that engulfed the country, Kwayana, in 1964, co-founded the African
Society for Cultural Relations with Independent Africa (ASCRIA), which, like ASRE, committed itself to the promotion of African pride, dignity, and culture among African Guyanese. He served as Coordinating Elder of ASCRIA and changed his name to Eusi Kwayana,which,inSwahili, means “Black Man of Guyana.”
Although he never rejoined the PNC, he supported the party, which rose to power in 1964 as part ofacoalitionwiththeUnited Force(UF).
He held several influential positions in the government— head of the National Land Settlement Committee; chairman of the G u y a n a M a r k e t i n g
Corporation (GMC); chairman of the Cooperative Insurance Committee; and chairman of a committee charged with converting the Guyana Cooperative Credit Society into a Cooperative
Bank He was also instrumental in developing the country's foreign policy towards Africa. In addition, it was he, Kwayana, who suggested to Burnham that our republic be named the “Cooperative Republic of Guyana.”
One of the first acts of t h e n e w P N C - l e d government was to send Kwayana on a visit toAfrica on its behalf. He visited thirteen African countries and met with heads of government and other State officials.
He explained the ethnic situation in Guyana and urged support for the new government. He also met with leaders of the liberation
movements fighting against apartheidinSouthAfricaand Rhodesia; he had taken a donation of twenty pounds sterling which was collected at an ASCRIA meeting in Buxton.
In 1971, he broke with the PNC over the issue of government corruption and became one of its severest critics.
In the process, Kwayana and ASCRIA began to develop relations with other radical anti-government organizations such as Moses Bhagwan's Indian People's Revolutionary Associates (IPRA) and Clive Thomas' RATOON, which merged in 1974 to form the Working People'sAlliance(WPA).He has been a leading member of the party and was its presidential candidate in 1985 and a parliamentarian in the years 1986-90
Critically,duringthisperiod, he directly and indirectly mentored an entire group of political activists who have continued to serve in public lifeinGuyanaandbeyond.
There are five aspects of Kwayana's political life that stand out. First, for him, politicsisnotapathtopower butamediumforserviceand collective liberation Second, while he has held strong ideological positions, hehasnotbeendogmatic.He preferred to be guided by fairness rather than political correctness. Third, although he has held leadership positions in three major politicalparties,hehasnever sought the top position. He turned down such positions severaltimes.
Notably, in 1953, when there was a leadership impasse in the PPP, he was proposed as leader of the party. Forbes Burnham pledged his willingness to serve under him, but Cheddi Jagan did not, Kwayana promptly declined, and the rest is history Fourth, he is
the only major Caribbean politician who has publicly admitted to mistakes on important issues. Fifth, his political practice has been grounded in political morality
An important aspect of Kwayana's political life has been his ability to influence politics outside of formal political office. There are two major factors that contributed to this. First, he has taken on issues of fairness and justice, even when it is not politically correcttodoso.
In this regard, his concern is always whether it is fair or just. Second, he has been fiercely independent; his bottom line has always been what is best for the peopleandthecountryrather thanforthepartyorleader
This independent thought and action have contributed to carving out an independentorthirdspacein a political process that is dominatedbyduality
His independence was manifested not only by actions outside of the two major parties but also when he functioned inside the parties. This independent or third space accommodated ASCRIA in the 1960s, the WPA from the 1970s and more recent organizations such as the Alliance for Change(AFC).
The importance of this independent space is its ability to constantly provide a critique of the dominant tendencies that have had both radicalizing and democratizing effects on the political process Walter Rodney's direct impact on the politics of the 1970s was facilitated by this third space.
Although Kwayana functioned in the executive branch for just 133 days and in the legislature for a little over five years, he has had a majorimpactoneverymajor
political episode in Guyana. Kwayana has been a strong believerinorganizationsand movements.
From his entry into national life in the late 1940s to the present, he has always belonged to at least one major national organization. Heistheonlymajorpolitical leader in Guyana to play leading roles in the three defining movements of the last seven decades the Independence, Black Power, and Pro-Democracy movements.
Another important aspect of Kwayana's political praxis is his engagement with the concrete. Although he was ideologically grounded in the left wing of Caribbean politics, he avoided the dogmatism that has sometimes immobilized his fellow travelers. Because his pointofdeparturehasalways beentheconcreteconditions, he drew lessons from them rather than imposing lessons on them. This in turn has contributed to his broad praxis, which is sometimes wrongly projected as changes in his approach. While Marxists generally avoided the issue of race and ethnicity, Kwayana did not. No public person since 1961 has written and spoken more on Guyana's persistent ethnicproblems.
He was the firstpolitical leader to raise the issue of race as a central problem in the political process and offered a solution Since then, he has functioned simultaneously as the foremost messenger of African cultural pride and regeneration in Guyana and an advocate of multiracial working-class solidarity and unity He is as committed to the working-class liberation as he is to African progress a n d f r e e d o m T h i s engagement of ethnicity and race in an ethnically divided
country has earned him the status of both hero and villain But in the final analysis, his political life reflects the persistent dilemma of race, ethnicity andclass.
More than any other political person of his generation, he has managed tosynthesizethethree.
Kwayana has a long trail of writings, beginning with his writings in the PPP's Thunder in the early 1950s, during which he wrote many articles and editorials that did not carry his byline. He would later serve as editor of the PNC's New Nation, ASCRIA's ASCRIA Drums and WPA's Dayclean and Open Word. In addition to his journalistic writings, Kwayana has written many books, academic papers and policy papers. Most of his writings have addressed the concrete issues of the particular time, but others have addressed broad issues such as race and ethnicity, governance, and culture. He has also written the party songs of the PPP, PNC and WPA.
His books include Next Witness; Guyana: No guilty Race; Buxton-Friendship in Print and Memory; Scars of Bondage (co-authored with his wife, Tchiko Kwayana); The Morning after; Walter Rodney: His Last Days and Campaign; The Bauxite Strike and the Old Politics; Jonestown: Dimensions f r o m a G u y a n e s e Perspective; The Legend: Post Emancipation Villages in Guyana; Gang Gang: Thirty five Guyanese Proverbs.
I end this overview of Kwayana's work with a personal note. I have had the good fortune of working with and learning from some of the best intellectuals and political minds in Guyana. My experience as a member of the WPA for the last five decades has been the finest education in politics and public engagement. In all of this, the persistent example of Eusi Kwayana has been pivotal. He is the finest human being I have encountered in my life's journey David Hinds
From page 5 justdie.
My letter to the media was titled N.I.S and the 'Bleeding' of Guyanese Citizens (published in the Kaieteur News on January 28th, 2023). Some other letterswrittentothemediain the past by the undersigned are:
1. The Buck Stops with Me- Published January 5,2014,GuyanaChronicle
2. Open letter on N.I.S
to Dr Ashni SinghPublished July 20, 2021, GuyanaTimes
3. N.I.S Challenges-
My Heart Bleeds- Published May 16, 2022, Guyana Times
This is a thing I have been working on for decades. I know the misery that the Guyanese people have been undergoing. But I also know the terror of peoplewholiveinthestreets eventually, because of dishonest employers and sadly many in the security industry as well; the sawmilling industry, the rice industry, the rice millers, the Chinese businesses and so many other businesses that just refuse to cover their
From page 5
PNCR in favor of external candidates,itwouldnotonly weaken the party's identity but also increase the likelihood of a devastating electoral defeat. Such an outcome would have dire consequences, not just for the PNCR, but for the b r o a d e r o p p o s i t i o n movement that seeks to provide a viable alternative tothecurrentadministration. Leadership is not about convenience; it is about legitimacy, strength, and
commitment to the people.
Aubrey Norton has earned his place at the helm of the opposition, and any attempt to displace him for the sake of political expediency would be both disrespectful andfoolish.
The PNCR must remain steadfast and assert its rightful leadership in any coalition it enters, ensuring that its hard work and political dominance are not squanderedonappeasement.
Sincerely, Alvin Hamilton.
employees with the National Insurance This creates heartaches, distress and poverty amongst people as the owners of these industries gloat and enjoy the fat of the wealth stolen from the poor working people.
I wish to also mention that on several social media posts and voice notes, I had advised the government to take one of the shipments of ourpartoftheoilandputthat sum into the N.I.S to solve the crisis of the people and embellish the wisdom and l e a d e r s h i p o f t h e governmentofGuyana.
Now,somepointstonote on this $10B injection of fundsbythegovernment:
1.The government and the National Insurance Schemeneedtogoonamass media campaign to educate and create awareness among the people of this country, including those who might have paid their part and then overseas.
The response of the people will be gratefulness from the contributor and gratefulness from all their children, grandchildren, family and friends, which could have a great impact on
thegovernmentofGuyana.
2.Urgent Clarity: quote fromtheVicePresident:“We have just put in the budget $10B that will give every N.I.S contributor between five hundred to seven h u n d r e d f o r t y - n i n e contributions (500-749) from the 1970s to now They will now get a cheque which will be a substantial sum of money
3. It would appear that the intention is not to give a pension but to give a one-off cash grant which, in my opinion, is still short of reality What of the persons who contributed with all goodintentionsandfallshort of one, two or three payments? In the matter that I highlighted in the media of Mrs. Umawattie Singh, a pavement vendor now very ill and in her twilight years, cries daily as she feels as though N.I.S deceived her She was encouraged to continue paying, which she did with over thirty (30) contributions. But she was never advised that she missed one (1) contribution. Ithinkinthecourtoflaw,the Judge's discretion would speakinherfavour
N.I.S is now telling her
and others who are missing 1, 2 or 3 contributions that theycannotgetapensionand cannot even make up because they were selfemployed.
A pavement vendor who cannot read or write sacrificed to fulfill the law and to invest in her old age. She ensured that she was covered and thought she wouldbeprotected.
Now, N.I.S is saying that such persons missing even one contribution cannot make up Excellency President Dr Irfaan Ali, VP Jagdeo and Hon. Min. of Finance Dr Ashni Singh, are you all aware of this!!!??? This seems to be definite ludicrousness.
It would appear that the laws were created to emasculate, denigrate and destroy people Your government, your cabinet definitely has the power to change this law, honourable ladiesandgentlemen.
4. An employed person can make up through their employer for missed contributions, but a selfemployed person cannot make up for even one contribution. In my opinion, this is painful and even
nonsensical. Of course, the government of Guyana did notcreatetheselaws,butthis government of Guyana could create history and win hearts or possibly power for many decades to come by fixingthislaw
With all of the points above and my last letter to the General Manager, Ms. Holly Greaves of N I S, th dated 10 February 2025, to which there has been no response!!!
Again, I cry out for our people, I appeal to the good government of this country! The people's government! You have the power to fix this matter, in which you have made a few beautiful stepstowardsachieving.The sum of 10 billion dollars is tremendous, but the laws need to be tweaked to suit modern civilization and the needs of the people. Laws andpoliciescreated50,60or 100 years ago are mostly irrelevant when it comes to thepeopleinmodernsociety I still say take one of our oil shares and put it in the N.I.S in its entirety to make your people smile, my dear governmentofGuyana.
Sincerely, Hajji Dr. Roshan Khan
…saysgovt.hadalreadyplannedtodo asphalticoverlayonUS$65MHeroesHighway
Thegovernmentof Guyana had planned to have an asphaltic overlay placed on the US$65M Heroes
Highway which was commissioned in December 2023,VicePresidentBharrat Jagdeosaid.
He told reporters at his weekly press conference, heldatFreedomHouse,that plans were in train for the overlay ahead of the recent visit by United States Secretary of State Marco RubiotoGuyana.
Rubio, shortly after leaving Guyana, made reference to the bumpy natureofoneoftheroadshe was driven on, noting that “ w e a l m o s t h a d concussions.”
While at a press conference in neighboring Suriname, the US official spokeaboutthepoorquality of roads in Guyana and cast the blame on the Chinese.
TheUS$65millionroadthat Rubio referred to was, in fact, built by local contractors The highway connects Eccles with Great Diamond on the East Bank of Demerara (EBD). Rubio had to traverse this highway to make his way from the airporttoGuyana'scapital.
For his part, Jagdeo said that while Rubio has a right to express his views, people were focusing on the wrong aspectsofhisvisit,insteadof the positives, such as the strong statements warning
Venezuela that any aggression towards Guyana wouldnotbetoleratedbythe UnitedStates.
“Marco Rubio also said thathedrovedownabumpy roadandthatitisbuiltbythe Chinese. Now personally, I don't know which road he wastalkingabout,buthehas a right to say what he said,” Jagdeosaid. He then explained that
Rubio's comments could be Heroes Highway or the Timehri to Craig Road, which is being built by the Chinese.
“So it could be that road or it could be the Heroes Highway Personally, many times people ask me about the bumpy nature of the Heroes Highway, and I too havebeencriticalofthisand wemadeitclearmonthsago that there would be an overlay and an asphaltic overlayonthisroad,”Jagdeo said.
“But it's not an unfair criticism that the road in some places is bumpy…we said there would be an asphaltic overlay over the road, but these people are negative about anything and theyjumpgleefullyonit…I sat here and I talked about the 95% that are done well, peopledon'ttalkaboutthose, they talk about the 5% that are not done well,” the Vice
VicePresident, Bharrat Jagdeo
President said as he criticized members of the opposition for highlighting what Secretary Rubio said abouttheroad.
At the press conference in Suriname, Rubio said his problem with China is twofold.HespokeaboutChina's Belt and Road Initiative and
The US$65M Heroes Highway
notedthatinmanycountries, Chinese companies set up operations and “they do a terriblejob. Not a bad job, a terriblejob.”
Tothisend,Rubioshared that he had just come from Guyanaandwasescortedon a road that he was told was built by the Chinese. “We almost all had concussions, becausetheroadwassobad it was terrible. They paid these people to build this road, and then they bring their workers. They bring theirworkers;theydon'thire you;theybringtheirworkers in to do all the work. And thentheywantyoutoborrow a bunch of money, and then theyholditoveryourhead,” Rubiosaid.
He explained that he wants countries to have
alternativesandnotbesolely dependent on China. “If you'regoingtobuildaroad,I wantyouto,like,haveareal road. They were better off withadirtroadthantheroad wewerejuston.Andit'snot the fault of the current administration in Guyana; thatwasaroadthatwasbuilt before.Buttheydidaterrible job,”Rubiosaid. Hecontinued,“Ifyoudid that job in America, someonewouldsueyoufora lotofmoney,okay?Itwasa bad road. So we want to be able to ensure that we are providing alternatives to whatwethinkisbadworkby the Chinese that never finishes on time, is always overbudget,andbringstheir ownworkers,don'tevenhire thelocals.”
There exists, tucked away on the margin of maps andminds,acountrythathas perfected the most oldfashioned of modern illusions—thatanationmay functiononthegeniusofone man alone. This is a land where parliament exists for performance, where ministers are but courtiers, their portfolios ornamental. The real decisions, the serious ones — about roads and rivers, oil and air, bread andballots,abouteverything — all emanate from a single desk, a singular brain, a man so convinced of his own omniscience that he sees the State as an extension of his ownnervoussystem.
In this republic — let us callittheRepublicofOne— democracy is retained only as a skin, taut over the slow muscledecayofgovernance. The people, periodically summoned to perform the ritual of voting, know better than to expect real choices. Their vote is a courtesy extended to maintain appearances. The real work happens in corridors of absolute discretion, where the Oracle speaks and the rest nod, sometimes scribbling in notebooks, not to remember but to appear occupied.
It begins as all such things begin: a man with some luck, some cleverness, and a great knack for surrounding himself with weaklings. He arrives, as fate would have it, at an opportune time: when institutions are tired and
society is disoriented afteracrisis.Hedoesnotrise becauseheisexceptional;he rises because the guardrails have rusted and the people are too tired and apathetic to demand better. And once he rises, he never quite descends.
In the Republic of One, policyisamatterofpersonal whim. Today, an airport. Tomorrow, a stadium. The week after, a highway to nowhere. Ministers, whose job in functioning countries is to guide and execute, in thislandexistonlytoecho.
Even the experts, the technocrats, those who studied and specialized, are r e d u c e d t o c l e r k s , occasionally summoned to justify decisions already made A professor of economics might explain a fuel subsidy, but only after the One has announced it on national television. A doctor maybeaskedtonodbesidea new hospital's blueprint, which the One sketched on a napkin. Science is tolerated only when it aligns with superstition.
This is no democracy. It is not even a benevolent autocracy. It is a theatre of obedience — a place where civil service is reduced to servility, and governance becomes guesswork Institutions do not function. They defer. They stall. They wait for signals, for whispers, for the nod of the One And so, a country slows, not abruptly, but imperceptibly at first. Files pileup,ideasdieunborn,and
innovation is stifled by fear of contradiction. Everything that needs more than one mind to flourish — science, education, justice — begins to shrink. The nation, like a body denied circulation, becomesanemic.
One-man rule is not only inefficient; it is an insult to the very idea of civilization.
No man however brilliant, however messianic can contain within himself the diversity of knowledgeneededtogovern a country The arrogance of such belief is matched only by its danger For the One begins to believe that to questionhimistoopposethe State. And from there, the journey to tyranny is a short, well-pavedroad.
Opposition is treated as sabotage or even subterfuge. Journalists become enemies. The constitution, once invoked to protect the people, is now reinterpreted to protect the One. Dissent is not crushed — that would require effort it is suffocated under the weight of constant surveillance, bureaucratic sabotage, and moral fatigue. People learn to lower their voices. They forget how to argue. They c e a s e t o d r e a m o f alternatives.
E a c h f a i l u r e i s repackaged as sabotage, each setback blamed on ghosts of the past or villains abroad And the people, conditioned by repetition and devoid of other options, continuetoclap.
But decay cannot be
Dem boys seh de last time Guyana export lil fish and fruits to America, de customs man smile and seh, “Welcome, comeagain.”
Now, since oil start flowin' America tun grumpy and slap on a 38% tariff. Yes, y'all readright—thirty-eightpercent!
Demboyssehhadwebeenpoorandstill hustling wid rice, sugar and mango, we woulda only get a 10% knock. Before oil, it was a nice lil 2.7% and everybody happy But no, Guyana go find oil, and not just any oil ExxonMobil oil Now de same America wha does tek we oil like is free water from de pipe, deh punishing we for exporting lil pine, plantain and pepper sauce. If that ain't irony, dem boys don't knowwahis.
You see, before de oil, Guyana did in trade deficit wid Uncle Sam. We were buying more dan we selling. But now, ExxonMobilpumpingweoilandshippingit straighttodem.Sosuddenly,welookin'like we making money off America—even though we own take-home is like $3 and a bottleofwater
So wah Trump administration do? Whackwewid38%!Notbecausewetekbut becausewegive.
managed indefinitely Eventually, the stench becomes undeniable Citizens leave Investors flee. The currency wheezes.
Crime rises Foreign dignitaries stop visiting. The nation, once brimming with potential, becomes a cautionary tale whispered in regional summits. And still the One clings on, now surroundedonlybyflatterers andguards.
This is not hypothetical. History is bloated with such men and the ruins they left behind What makes the tragedy of the Republic of One unique is not the ambition of the One but the passivity of the many —
those who knew better and said nothing, those who whispered in private but applauded in public, those who convinced themselves that stability was worth the slow erosion of everything else.
The truth is brutal: no societybuiltaroundoneman can survive with dignity It may linger, it may even impress the gullible with its fanfare and flags, but it cannot thrive. Governance requires friction, argument, and the slow grind of collaboration.Withoutthese, a country becomes hollow —thenbrittle—thenwaste.
One-man rule is not strength It is weakness
masquerading as control. It is the dream of every tyrant and the abdication of every citizen.“Theworldiswhatit is” — ruthless, complex, indifferent. And a country that entrusts its fate to a single man, no matter how eloquent or well-meaning, hasalreadybeguntorot.
(The views expressed in this article are those of the a u t h o r a n d d o n o t necessarily reflect the opinions of this newspaper.)
Dem boys seh dis ain't liberation, dis a declarationofwar—atradewar!
Andguesswhosuffering?NotExxon.Is delilmaninQueensandBrooklynwahdoes waitwholeweekfuhdeboxofgilbaka,bora, andgoldenapplefuhreachdemWestIndian stores. De new price gon mek dem start eatin'cannedtunaandimportedgrapesfrom Mars.
Dem boys seh we leaders need backbone. Not de type you get from goat soup, but real backbone. Stop singing de chorus:“Americahasarighttoitspolicies.”
When Canada get vex wid de Trump tariffs, dem boycott American goods and nuff Canadians cancel dem summer travel plans to Uncle Sam. One mayor order all Americanliquoroffdeshelves.
Dat is de spirit we need here in Guyana. If Uncle Sam tekking bread out we mouth; wemustnotbuydemgoods.
People talking about national consultation and engagement... Yuh don't engage with bullies. The time fuh talk pass. America did not talk to we when dem lash we with dat 38%. What we need is to start boycotting American goods and cancelling travelplansfuhdesummer!
Talk half. Leff half.
The results of a recent poll were carried in the Village Voice News edition of March 24, 2025 (“Poll: Guyanese want fresh leadership at national and coalition levels). If I were Messrs. Ali, Jagdeo, and Norton, I would seek a new line of work. Instead of w h o s e p o l l , o r i t s methodology, I extract the extraordinary from it Reality As heard near and far Remove oil and Guyanesemayhavebeenthe
same old way But with oil today, many Guyanese don't want to hear, care to know, about Burnham and Jagan. They care about clean g o v e r n a n c e , uncompromisedleadersand, naturally, oil money Their share. Me,too. Drs Ali and Jagdeo should be honest with themselves: a bridge built there, and a bookshelf of promisesareseenasabagof booze Cheap booze GuyanesenahdrinkdahPPP
Government leadership Kool-Aid nah moh Guyanese want real cash, and a real cleanup in government. The public service is under sharp scrutiny, looks terrible from t h e c o n c l u s i o n s Oftentimes, I have said it (implored and kneeled) before President Ali and coPresident Jagdeo: when citizens can't buy food that's dangerous.
Rulers cursed, reviled. Only diehards and those
benefiting today trust them. Numerous Guyanese are left outofthatformulaperfected by Ali and Jagdeo. Even when deh gee de peepe a li'l money, they force dem to crawl pon deh knees or ovah waan anadder to collect de cash. This is more than about a gutting cost-ofliving environment and reality It is about an environment where PPP insiders are having salmon and champagne, while ordinary citizens are compelled to eat shrimp shells and drink bush tea. A bad deal for them is damaging for Ali and Jagdeo All of that unexplained wealth enjoyed by PPPcabals, while regular Guyanese live by their fingernails Like the Merrymen of Barbados sang: 'tell me weh yuh geh d a h m o n e e f r o m ' Corruption, cost-of-living, oil cash contortions, all now stand as curses on the PPP Government. The poll is saying that the party is over, the money music must stop. It is not flowing to the people, and that is upsetting them Matters are so dreadfulinGuyanathateven a poll has to be secret, no public ownership. It does say a mouthful about freedomsandfearshere.
T h e n , t h e r e i s Opposition Leader Norton. The poll inflicted a beating onAli and Jagdeo. He got a worse beating. If accurate, theelectoralwritingisonthe wall for him. More out than in, doesn't count. I'm not doing any poll, but mention certain names in this country, and insults, curses, outrage, disgust all but drownsme. WhenImention three names, I get three hundred kicks. Men and women, Indian Guyanese
and African Guyanese, young and old all dish out their licks. I rush to get out of the way One
doesn't need to be scientific nor attuned to statistics. Only be honest, speak mind. Spleens are vented, voices rage. Such is the dripping, overwhelming level of anger and disgust. Do Guyanese really need a poll to confirm their worst interpretationsoftheskewed e n v i r o n m e n t , t h e i r unwinnable hand, who is responsible for their conditions and their prospects?
belief is that the elites are cheating the poor man, the youthman,theoldman,with thewomenofGuyana. They have to face seller, children, andbarenessofhomes.
Inanon-oileconomy,the major political parties and their leaders may have gotten away with skating, when Guyanese are groaning from distress Tribal loyalty, cult leader control, and the constant willingness to bash opponents (plus look the other way for friends) all would not have mattered.
Politicians and their comrades would still have benefited, but citizens only complain,movealong. Inan oil powered economy, however, that standard and practice shatter under pressure. In sum, most ruling politicians and their cronies are too greedy The grabbing and self-enriching are now at industrial scale strength. They don't know what to do with themselves, nor what to do with expensive projects, so that Guyanese get maximum value for their dollars spent. Budget and oil dollars squandered or misspent are dollars not coming to them, to relieve their economic weaknesses Where the feeling before was that all are in the same hardship boat, with a fortunate few exempts; today the general
Hence, citizens long to see and hear a leader that is inspiring, one to trust Because there is confidence that he or she will deliver a better life for them now Repeat: now another repetition: there is too much moneyaroundforsomething for everybody Everybody mustbeseenassomebodyin the Guyana of now There are no nobodies. President Alitalksastorm. Themanis emptier than a midnight graveyard A bluffer's delightful escapade. VP Jagdeo is now so consumed by power; he fools himself into believing that he can moldtheenvironmenttosuit hispurposes. TheMussolini syndrome. OL Norton is getting a rough wakeup call in relation to how some Guyanese think of him. A forgotten presence, a shell, a mystery man. Whatever Besensible.
I close this out. The Guyanese voter seeks a leader that gives them hope, one that justifies placing confidence in them. The territory is uncooperative, circumstances hard, the prospects unflattering. One unhappy population of statistically-rich people but situationally destitute citizen. Thesearchforatrue leader continues. How I see it, I call it. (The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of this newspaper.)
PowerChinaandIndianfirm Kalpataru signed contracts on Friday worth some US $422 million(GUY$90billion)forthe extension of transmission lines for Guyana Power and Light (GPLInc).
Duringapressbriefingatthe Office of the Prime Minister's boardroom, the head of GPL's execu
committee,KeshNandlall,saidit
is no secret that Guyana has the fastest-growing economy in the world. He said GPL's role is of paramount importance in supporting the energy needs of thecountry
“The Government of Ireland hasinvestedinthegas-to-energy project,whichaimstodeliveran additional 300 megawatts to the national grid in the first phase, followed by another 300
megawatts second phase. The primary challenge for GPL will be to ensure that the delivery of the power is delivered to the various regions across the country Addressing this challenge necessitates the constructionofinfrastructurefor thetransmissionanddistribution. We are here because we have started that process, and I would (Continuedonpage19)
A 20-year-old labourer lost his life in the wee hours of Friday morning, after he was stabbed during a heated brawl with multiple persons at Five Corner McKenzie, Linden,RegionTen.
Police said the incident occurred at about 00:05 hrs. According to the report, Kenroy Bradford, called 'Kelly,' who resided at Lot 314 Block 22 Wismar, Linden, was consuming alcohol in the company of brothers Andrew and Anthony Jacobs at Blazing Shop,locatedatFiveCorner, McKenzie.
While consuming alcohol, Anthony reportedly went over to a 29-year-old femalebartender,whowasin thecompanyofanotherman, CyrusJacobis,andfourother persons.
ItisreportedthatJacobis became enraged and shoved Anthony, leading to an argument between the two. Jacobis and his group reportedly left the shop and headedtotheparapetatFive Corner Anthony and his friends followed them,
continuingtheargument.
It is alleged that Jacobis and his group began throwing beer bottles at Jacobisandhisgang.
“A brawl erupted between both parties in the parking lot of Five Corner, andJacobisallegedlyrushed intothefightwithaknifeand stabbed Anthony Jacobs in hisabdomen,causinghimto fall,”policesaidinthereport.
Police continued, “Andrew Jacobs then pulled Anthony away from Cyrus Jacobisandreceivedacutto hisfingerintheprocess.”
The fight escalated as morepeoplefrombothsides joined the melee. When the altercation finally ended, Andrew noticed his brother, Anthony, was bleeding and, with the help of a publicspirited citizen, rushed him (Continuedonpage22)
A driver was caught on camera Thursday jumping a traffic light, then colliding with a canter truck, before fleeing the scene at the University of Guyana (UG) Road, East Coast Demerara (ECD).
The accident occurred at 12:38 hrs, according to a video posted by Pixel GuyanaInc.onFacebook.
The driver of the vehicle wasseenjumpingaredlight before hitting a canter truck which had the right of way KaieteurNewsobservedthat afterthecollision,thedriver, alongwithanotheroccupant, exitedthecarandmoveditto theside.
It is unclear whether the driverhasbeenarrested.
The driver then fled the scene, leaving the damaged canterbehind.
Screen grab showing the scuffle scuf between the traffic rank and the civilian
Acivilian was caught on camera on Friday removing his clothes during a scuffle with a traffic rank of the Guyana Police Force (GPF), as he resisted arrest, before escaping naked outside the Ruimveldt Police Station, Georgetown.
The incident reportedly occurred between 08:45h and09:00h.
A video posted on Facebook shows the rank scufflingwiththeman.
Astheofficergrabbedthe civilian's jersey, he pulled it off.
Thescuffleintensifiedas therankthenseizedtheman's pants In response, the civilianunbuttonedhispants, removed them, and, still in the midst of the scuffle, managed to escape once he wasfullyundressed.
Meanwhile, in response to this issue, police stated, “The traffic rank involved was transferred to the region with immediate effect...and the Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) is investigatingthematter.”
(from left) Exxon's Projects Environmental and Regulatory Manager, Mariya Skocik and EMGL Projects Manager, Rebecca Cvikota responding to questions during a disclosure meeting on the Hammerhead project.
ByDavinaBagot
ExxonMobil Guyana Limited (EMGL) has admitted to producing oil abovethedesignratesofthe variousFloatingProduction, Storage, and Offloading vessels(FPSOs).
The company, during a disclosure meeting on Thursday at the Diamond
Primary School, East Bank
Demerara, for the
Hammerhead developmentits seventh planned project-, wasaskedbythisnewspaper to explain why its projects are designed to produce at a specific rate, yet daily production exceeds this figure.Sofar,allthreeofthe projects in operation are producing oil above the
design rates, outlined in the respective Environmental ImpactAssessments(EIAs).
Exxon's consultant, Environmental Resources Management (ERM), in response, explained that while the company provides theplannedproductionrates, ERM factors in an increase to ensure it accounts for future production rates,
whichmaybehigherthanthe initialestimate.
Meanwhile, Exxon's Projects Environmental and Regulatory Manager, MariyaSkocik,revealedthat conservative production rates are used in the EIAs ratherthantheactualratethe companywouldoperateat.
She said, “When the projectsaredesigned,weuse thebestdesignbasisthatwe have at that time. For the purposeoftheEIA,weusea very conservative production rate to be sure that we can estimate the w o r s t p o s s i b l e environmental impact. So, the production rates that we supply to the consultants, such as ERM, they're generally more conservative than what we intend to operateat.”
Skocik was keen to note that debottlenecking is a standard practice across the oil and gas industry Additionally, she assured that if Exxon intends to produce above the estimate used to determine impacts from the project, then it would reassess the associatedimpact.
She could not say whetherthecompanywould re-engagethepublicwhenit reassesses the impact
According to her, “That might be an EPA process question and likely depends onthedelta-howmuchofan increase.Sofar,wehavenot had to go through the entire process all over again, just becausewehavebeenableto accountforthatintheEIA.”
Although officers of the EPA were present at the meeting, a response by the regulatorwasnotprovided.
Meanwhile, EMGL Projects Manager, Rebecca Cvikota, assured that the debottlenecking exercise is only conducted after an analysis is undertaken to determine the potential impactofthoseactivities.
Shesaid,“Weactuallygo through what we call a hazard analysis and that
would look at all types of potential impacts of doing those activities, including safety, environmental and we would bring in our processsafetyexpertstolead us through that process as welltoensurethatbeforewe even consider making any changes that those are all evaluatedproperly.”
Increaseproduction
The increase of oil production by the company, beyondtheEIAdesignrates, havesparkedconcernamong Guyanese, who often argue that the country is put at greaterriskofanoilspillby the operator pushing the equipment beyond its capacity
ExxonMobil and the governmentofGuyanahave, however, assured that the optimizationofproductionis conducted after rigorous assessments to ensure the increase in production is donesafely
This newspaper confirmed that the Liza One EIAstatesthattheFPSOwas designedtoproducesafelyat sustained peaks of 120,000 barrels per day (bpd). The document also states that potentialimpactswerebased on a potent
production of 144,000 bpd. E
ng approximately 145,000 bpd currentlyattheproject.
According to the Liza Two EIA, that project was designedtoproduce220,000 bpd, but production today has reached approximately 250,000 bpd.Thestudy also states that 300,000 bpd was used to assess potential impactsfromtheProject. Additionally, the Payara EIA notes that the project was designed to operate at a capacity of 220,000 bpd. That project has been producing above 250,000 bpd,accordingtodataonthe Ministry of Natural Resources' website The EIA, however, states that 264,000 bpd was used to assess potential impacts fromtheProject.
The protest against the failureofCommissioner of Information, Charles Ramson SC to fulfill his constitutionalduties,inaccordance with theAccess to InformationAct (2011) on Friday continued in front of his East Street, Georgetown office, with some protestors again calling on President Irfaan Ali to terminateRamson'sappointment.
This week's protest continued from last week and saw the support of additional individuals and organizations, including the President Guyana Press Association (GPA), Nazima Raghubir; Trades Union Congress President, Co-President, Guyana Human Rights Association
Ramson forthwith because Mr Ramsonwasappointedbyhim.”To date, Witter noted that Ramson has “failed miserably” to perform his duties,afactthattheHead-of-State shouldbeawareofbynow
Mike McCormack, another CoPresident of the GHRAsaid he was concernedaboutthelackofactivity by the Commissioner He was keen to note, “Reliable information is a vital part of healthy governance andtoomanyofficialdecisionsand the reasons for them can't be found and far too many of the people in public office make no attempt to redress that problem of explaining whattheirofficeisdoing.”
With the protest now into its second week, government has not
(GHRA), President of the General Workers Union, Norris Witter; Mike Singh, President of TransparencyInstituteGuyanaInc. (TIGI) and several others Members from the international press were also observed interacting with protestors yesterday Witter who held the GHRA banner alongside his colleague, Mike McCormack told Kaieteur News that Ramson holds a Constitutional Office and is expected to dispense his duties in a particular way- disseminating informationtothosewhorequestit.
To this end, he noted, “I read yesterday that the President receivedaGlobalaward.
I wish to suggest if that award means anything to him, he will terminate the services of Mr
issued a statement of public commentontheissue.
McCormack said this was the typical behaviour of the government as leaders feel more condemned to respond to “funding organizations” or foreign businesses rather than its own citizens.
Consequently, he said, “The fact that we're out here, reduced to complaining about the absence of information, is a reflection of a generalized problem to whom the governmentfeelsitsaccountableto and it doesn't feel it is accountable toordinarycitizens.”
Former Prime Minister and MayorofGeorgetown,91-year-old Hamilton Green also joined Friday'sprotest.
In a brief comment, he told Kaieteur News, “There's a
fracturing of what's supposed to be ademocraticgovernment.
You cannot establish a Commission which was done by lawandthenyouhavethepersonin charge refusing in the most inappropriate manner to supply basic information.” Green said this was not only “absurd” but “unacceptable”.
Meanwhile,theorganizerofthe picket, Attorney-at-Law, Christopher Ram argued that both government and Ramson have so far demonstrated arrogance that is deeply troubling for democracy, transparency, accountability and anti-corruptiondrives.
The lawyer added that he was heartened to see many more Guyanesejointheactivity
He said he is hopeful that
responsibility for the Access to Information Act would discharge his Presidential obligation to ensure the law is enacted. In the meantime, Ram is willing to take other steps to ensure the Act is compliedwith.
This includes highlighting these concerns to the Diplomatic and foreign community According toRam,“Thisgovernmentneedsto be identified for its disregard and contemptfordemocracy.”
GPA President, Nazima Raghubir while holding a placard explained that the body was approached by members of civil society to join the activity Following positive feedback from its Executive Members, the GPA gaveitssupport.
She said, “We have not been able to use theAct. It was passed in
2011 and it seems as though it was passed to pacify or to tick boxes by theemperor
There were two pieces of legislation passed at that time, Access to Information and Broadcastlegislation.”
Raghubir pointed out that the media was not consulted on the laws,asshehighlightedaReportby the Media Institute of the Caribbean published late last year that underlines the need for reform totheFreedomofInformationAct.
ARed Thread representative in a brief comment told this newspaper that she believes access to information is a constitutional right.
Further,shearguedthatcitizens should not be forced to protest for information that should be made availablefreelytothepublic.
Acting Chancellor of the Judiciary, Justice Yonette Cummings-Edwards, feature remarks
TheSupremeCourt of Judicature on Friday held its third open day at the Vigilance Magistrates' Court with the objective of properly educating citizens about the court's processes andavailableservices.
At the event, several magistrates were present to share their knowledge with students, teachers, parents and other members of the public. Acting Chancellor of the Judiciary, JusticeYonette
Cummings-Edwards, in her featureremarkssaidthemain focus was helping to guide students into careers in law andthelegalsystem.
She said persons will benefit from the public awareness programme, since it will provide transparency within the justice system, w h i l e d i s p e l l i n g misconceptions of the court anditsprocesses.
She said the programme wasfirstlaunchedlastyearin (Continued on page 23)
Baba Eusi Kwayana celebrated his 100th birthday on Friday
One of Guyana's historians, educator, political activist EusiKwayana(formerlyknownasSydneyKing),celebrated his100thbirthdayonFriday
KwayanarecentlyarrivedinhishomevillageofBuxton, East Coast Demerara (ECD), from the United States, where hisfamilywillbehostingacelebrationtoday BriefhistoryofBabaEusiKwayana
At the age of 15, Kwayana began his career as a primary school teacher, marking the start of his lifelong commitment to education. In 1956, he founded and became the principal of County High School in Buxton, which was later renamed RepublicCooperativeHighSchool.
Kwayana's political activism began in the 1940s at the village level. By 1947, he had immersed himself fully in politics and, under the name Sydney, joined a group of politicians led by Cheddi Jagan to form the People's Progressive Party (PPP). Kwayana later went on to establish theAfrican Society for Cultural Relations with Independent Africa (ASCRIA), a grassroots political organization with a Pan-Africanistagenda.
ASCRIA eventually merged with the Working People's Alliance (WPA), where Kwayana played a key role in the party's collective leadership. He collaborated closely with thelateWalterRodneyandmadesignificantcontributionsto the political landscape of Guyana.In addition to his political andeducationalachievements,Kwayana'sextensivebodyof work as a writer stands out. He began contributing articles and editorials to the PPP's Thunder in the early 1950s. Over the years, he would serve as the editor of several publications, including the PNC's New Nation, ASCRIA's ASCRIADrums,andWPA'sDaycleanandOpenWord.
Now,at100yearsold,BabaEusiKwayana'sliferemains a testament to his relentless pursuit of social justice, education, and political change. His contributions continue toshapetheculturalandpoliticalfabricofGuyana.
... drivers will be notified of tickets to make payments for traffic
In light of the soon-to-be launched automated e-ticketing system onApril 7, the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) has revealed that the system willbeintegratedwiththe'Padna'app.
The app, which was launched in January this year, allows users to easily access and manage documents like tax returns, vehicle documents, and licences from their mobile devices.
It also helps users prepare tax returns by automatically pulling data from their 7B slip, reducing common mistakes. It includes a vehicle tax calculator for popular cars being importedintothecountry
DuringaprogrammeonRadioEve Leary on Friday, head of Information Technology (IT) at GRA, Sese Jones explained that the initiative will be launched officially once the revenue body has completed its tax-filing season.
“We (GRA) will be releasing the ability for you to do your motor vehicle licences and make payments via the platform. When we do that subsequently thereafter, we will facilitate the tickets being pushed to theapp,”Jonesexplained.
He continued, “The taxpayer, driver (will be) notified that they have a ticket and they have to you know, review the details and make a payment for that ticket right from the Padnaapp.”
Jones related that payments for the tickets could be made through Mobile MoneyGuyana(MMG).
Jones described the app as a "personal friend" to help navigate taxrelated tasks. One key feature is the ability to verify documents
electronically using QR codes, which can be used to authenticate Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) certificatesanddriver'slicences.
The initiative aims to provide a seamless solution for taxpayers to manage traffic violations, allowing themtotakeimmediateactions.
Jones noted that there has been a significant increase in the number of persons using the 'Padna' app, especially during the tax-filing season sinceitslaunch.
The government will launch an advanced automated speed-ticketing system as part of efforts to improve road safety and reduce speeding. The system, powered by radar speed signs and speed cameras connected to cloud infrastructure, will automatically detect speeding violations and issue tickets. This initiative is part of the Safe Road Intelligent System (SRIS) Project, a collaboration between the Guyana Police Force and the National Data Management Authority (NDMA).
President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali highlighted the importance of adopting new technologies to enhance safetyandaccountability
From page 12 like to let you know that this project that we are going to sign today is the largest ever investment for GPL in infrastructure development in a one-time investment,” Nandlallsaid.
He disclosed that there are three lots for the projects in the eastern corridor of the D e m e r a r a - B e r b i c e Interconnected System (DBIS) Lot One was awarded to Power China in the sum of USD $256 7 million, while contracts for the other two lots were won byKalpataruforUSD$156.5 million.
Nandlall explained, “These lots include 155 kilometers of 230 double circuit transmission line, 167 kilometers of 69 kV double circuit transmission line, the construction of five new substations and the upgrade ofonesubstationatKingston. The230kVtransmissionline will interconnect with the Goedverwagting substation that is now being constructed under the GTE project, to a new substation to be constructed in Williamsburg, EastBerbice.”
These new additions will allow GPL to reliably transmit power towards the e a s t e r n c o r r i d o r t o accommodate growth in the future.
Theprojectsareexpected tobecompletedwithinayear after the agreement is signed. N a n d l a l l u rg e d t h e contractors to work along with the GPL and respect the timeline,andputinallefforts to ensure that expectations are met and quality is maintained.
“Kalpataru has been workingonthegas-to-energy project, and many Guyanese will have seen the quality of work and the quality of infrastructure that is now being constructed in Guyana, and that is the same quality that we will have of international standards,” he stressed.
He also acknowledged his team and their efforts, praising the fact that they have been working around the clock to arrive at this juncture.
The 69 kV line will include replacing the current lines of the same nature on the railway embankment and will interconnect with the new substation in East Berbice The other new substations will be located in LBI, Enmore, Trafalgar, and Williamsburg.
Vice President Bharrat
Jagdeo on Thursday reiterated President Irfaan Ali's call for Health Minister Dr FrankAnthony to recruit professionals from any part of the world to staff the 12 new hospitals that are being built.
Speaking at his weekly press conference held at Freedom House on Robb Street, Jagdeo told reporters that the government is building 12 new hospitals, six of which will be operationalbytheendofthis y e a r “ W e a r e rehabilitating US$30M rehabilitation of the Linden hospital. So even if we don't put down a new one, we're modernizing the others. We now have a plan...we're
going to launch these six new hospitals before the end of the year...you're going to have six new hospitals with CTscans,”hedisclosed.
TheVicePresidentnoted thatthismeansthattherewill be a need for 18-20 technicians to just operate the CT Scans machines Though persons are being trained to use the machines, moreareneeded.
“The president has said clearly to Minister Anthony, recruit from any part of the world. We want when these hospitals come into operation, that our people can walk in and get the best serviceitwouldhave...thisis not PPP or APNU or AFC. We don't do a litmus test, w h o g o e s t o o u r
hospitals...We want them to get the best quality,” he stressed Jagdeo made it clear that if there are not enoughnursesortechnicians then Guyana will import themtobridgetheskillsgap. He said despite the human resource challenges, the government must continue to pursue paths that will benefitthecitizens.
“That's not the way you work. You have to build it and work at fixing the personnel problem, and you have to fix the management problem. We already know many of the hospitals are not properly managed... so the management support will come from Mount, Sinai, Northwell,etc.,”hesaid.
On January 13, Kaieteur
News reported that the Government of Guyana may have to 'steal' nurses with attractive recruitment packages to be able to adequately staff the new hospitals that are to be built inthefuture.Atthattime,the Vice President was asked by
the media if he thought “the governmentwouldbeableto reverse the tide with respect to the bleedingof nurses that wehavebeenseeingoverthe years?”
In response, the Vice President said, “The same way our nurses are being
stolen, I think we may have to do some of this policy ourselves. You have some registered nurses around the world, that's how we may be able to recruit too, at pretty competitive rates Nearly competitive with what we pay a nurse now here and we have to explore all sorts of things to keep our hospitals going.”
He explained that the government would have to “bringinpeople”.
“We have some people now from other parts (of the world but), we should in the outer years, when our income levels go up significantly when you can sustain it from a predictable flow,weshouldbeabletodo that,”Jagdeoexplained.
A 38-year-old man, accused of defrauding a 16-year-old girl, was remanded on Friday to prison when he appeared that the Georgetown Magistrate's Court to answer the fraudcharge
Mohamed Ali appeared before Senior Magistrate Fabayo Azore where he was charged for obtaining $738,000 by false pretense from a 16-year-old girl after pretending to beaMobileMoneyGuyana(MMG) agent
Hepleadednotguilty
Investigators for the past four years from the C
minal Investigation Department, Major Crime Unit, and Cyber Crime Unit have been actively probing a series
ofMMG-relatedfrauds
These scams involve individuals posing as MMG agents, deceiving customers into revealing their one-time passwords, hacking into their accounts, and unlawfully transferring funds Other notable scams include fraudulent rental apartment listings, house lot schemes,andmotorvehiclesales
Akeypersonofinterestinthese deceptive practices is known fraudster Mohamed Ali, whose behaviour closely aligns with these activities.According to police, the accused on March 29, 2025, contacted Shelon Whitney who was in Suriname at the time, pretendingtobeanMMGagent.
He claimed that Whitney's account needed to be updated urgently and convinced her to provide a one-time password while pretending to be an MMG agent. Ali then obtained the OTP from Whitney's 16-year-old daughter, giving him access to the account, resultinginthetransferof$113,000 tohisaccount.
Ali further convinced the 16year-oldthatMMGhadapromotion and he met with her at Stabroek Market, where she handed over an additional$625,000
After realizing they had been defrauded, several reports were madetoMMG,theStabroekMarket Police Outpost, and then the Cyber
The police ranks acting on information received, went to High Street, Georgetown, where Ali was arrested Cellular phones that were in his possession were seized and later analyzed by the Cyber Crime Unit, confirming their use in the commissionofthefraud
An identification parade was conducted and the 16-year-old girl identified Ali as the person who collected the money CCTVfootage wasobtainedshowingthesuspectin specificclothingatthescene
These items of clothing were later found in a suitcase at the suspect's premises and lodged as evidence, further corroborating the
Pr i t i p a u l S i n g h Investment Inc (PSI) has caught another boat captain and his crew on camera stealing prawns from the company The boat captain who has been identifiedasSaidKissoonhassince gone into hiding and has refused to answerhisphone.
Earlier this month, another employee Nolan Paton, was caught stealing from the company He is yettobearrested.Itisbelievedthat Kissoonwentintohidingfollowing thediscoveryofthetheft.
Kissoon reportedly stole 2500 pounds of the company's prawns,
1000lbs more than the other boat captainstole.
Kissoon and his crew had reportedly left in the company's trawlertoharvestSeabobonMarch 10,2025.
He returned on March 18 and after reviewing footage from his trawler'ssecuritycamera,company officials discovered that he and his crew stole 2500lbs of the company's production on March 15.
PSI, in a statement, had said thatPaton'stheftwasdiscoveredon March 14, when he and his crew returnedfromsea.
Thecompanylearnttoothatthe stolen products are being sold to individuals who resell them along theEastCoastofDemerara(ECD), specificallyatLBIandMontrose.
Pritipaul Investment Inc. had reported the theft to the Providence Police Station but no arrest was made.
“ Instead, the company's official was advised to report the matter in the district where the incident occurred,” the company had stated before calling on police and the relevant authorities to swiftlyprosecutethematter
Said Kissoon
Executive Officer (CEO), Pritipaul Singh told Kaieteur News that boat captains and their crew have no reason to steal from the company because they are paid per production(perpound).
Apart from good pay, the company also covers fuel costs and foodforeachcaptainandcrew
Singh said sometimes the company would run a loss, barely making enough money to cover costs, just to ensure workers are paid in full. It is believed that the twoincidentsarenotthefirst.
The CEO told Kaieteur News thatinadditiontoexperiencinglow
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LEGAL NOTICE
IN THE HIGH COURT OF THE SUPREME COURT OF JUDICATURE OF GUYANA REGULAR JURISDICTION NO. 2023-HC-DEM-CIVFDA-839 BETWEEN:1. CLAIRE O’GARRO
2. GLORIA MATTHEWS, represented by her duly constituted attorney, STANLEY WILLS agreeable with Power of Attorney executed on the 6th day of July, 2010 and numbered 5004 of 2010 Claimants 3. MAXINE CHARLES represented by her duly constituted attorney STANLEY WILLS agreeable with Power of Attorney executed on the 5th da of October, 1990 and recorded in the Deeds Registry at Georgetown on the 5th day of October, 1990 and recorded in the Deeds Registry at Georgetown on the 5th day of October, 1990 and numbered 4357 of 1990. 4. STANLEY WILLS in his capacity as the Adminsitrator Ad Litem of the Estate of NORMA GITTENS, deceased, by virtue of Court Order date the 24th day od October, 2023.
5. WILFRED SOLOMON in her capacity as the Administrator Ad Litem of the Estate of PHILMA SOLOMON, deceased, by virtue of Court Order dated the 24th day of October, 2023
Added Claimants -and- EDWARD HARRY JR. defendant NOTICE OF DEFENCE AND COUNTERCLAIM
TAKE NOTICE that EDWARD HARRY JR., of Sublot ‘A’, Soesdyke, East Bank Demerara, Guyana, intends to defend the said Application. Any person intending to oppose the Notice of Defence and Counterclaim must file a defence to counterclaim within one (1) month after the date of the first publication of the notice. That the matter is adjourned to the 23rd June, 2025 at 10:00 p.m before the Honourable Justice CorbinLincoln in Court 8 for case management.
At Georgetown, Demerara 27th February, 2025
This Notice was filed/ published by Mr. Donavon A. Rangiah, Attorney-atLaw for the Defendant, whose address for service and place of business is at Lot 156 Charlotte Street, Lacytown, Georgetown, Guyana.
Police have arrested a 24-year-old man who allegedly stabbed a 28-year-old man to death on Thursday night at the Kwakwani Waterfront, Region 10.
The dead man has been identified by police as ‘Blacka’ while the suspect has been named as Daniel Hartman.
Hartman reportedly lived with his older brother, 28year-old Nicholas Hartman, in a wooden house.
Police in a statement said that Daniel left his home in August 2024 to work in Georgetown and returned to Kwakwani on Thursday. Upon his arrival around 22:00hrs, he found ‘Blacka’ at his house with his brother, Nicholas.
“Daniel Hartman asked his brother Nicholas what ‘Blacka’ was doing at his house, and Nicholas told him that they were friends and he allowed him to stay since ‘Blacka’ was looking for a job,” the police said.
An argument ensued between ‘Blacka’ and Daniel over Blacka’s refusal to leave
the house. Nicholas later left the house during the argument.
However, 15 to 20 minutes later, he returned and discovered ‘Blacka’ lying in a pool of blood in the hallway with a knife beside him. Nicholas immediately reported the matter to the police. The bleeding man was rushed to the Kwakwani Hospital Complex but was later pronounced dead.
Upon examination, Blacka’s body showed multiple wounds on his lower back and chest. The body has been taken to the Kwakwani Mortuary, where it awaits a post-mortem examination.
Police later located Daniel and arrested him.
“Daniel Hartman admitted to the allegation and informed the ranks that he and ‘Blacka’ had an issue with him staying at his house. Blacka refused to leave, and they had a scuffle during which he stabbed him with a knife,” the police stated.
Daniel is in police custody assisting with investigations.
From page 13 to the Linden Hospital Complex.
Meanwhile, Jacobis and his group left the Five Corner area. Nearby, witnesses saw Kenroy Bradford lying on the ground and contacted the police.
Upon arriving at the scene, the police gathered information and conducted checks in Dacama Circle, McKenzie, where they arrested Jacobis, whose clothing was stained with what appeared to be blood.
He was taken to the McKenzie Police Station, where it was observed that he had injuries to his back and a cut to his left ear. Police then took him to the Linden Hospital Complex for medical attention, where he was treated and sent away in police custody.
Police said, “The scene was processed, where it was observed that Bradford was motionless, in a crouching position, bracing on the back of a White Premio motor car bearing registration number plate PAH 1750.”
The body was escorted to the Linden Hospital Complex, where it was pronounced dead on arrival by a doctor.
The body is at the J. Jetsco Funeral Home, awaiting a post-mortem examination.
Meanwhile, a relative told Kaieteur News that Bradford was parting the fight when he lost his life.
The relative said, “So, a fight broke out between some boys there (and) his friend was one in the mix so he tried to part the fight and they turned on him and he got stab multiple times and his friend got slashed- his insides were coming out. He (is) at the hospital, critical.”
The relative described Bradford as a “sweetheart, always willing, very respectful, always smiling, never likes conflict, loves to live life and be happy with friends and family.”
Other relatives described him as a very quiet person who was never involved in violent confrontations. They all expressed sadness, as according to them, he did not deserve to die in such a way.
Police said Anthony Jacobs is hospitalised in a critical condition at the Linden Hospital Complex.
Those arrested are: 20year-old Cyrus Jacobis, Tiffany Fiedtkou, and Andrew Jacobs.
The latest displacement orders in Rafah and Gaza City have forced hundreds of thousands of Palestinians to flee again.
Israel has now restricted Palestinians' access to roughly two-thirds of Gaza, either by declaring large areas as no-go zones or issuing forced displacement orders, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).
Among the restricted areas is a large swath of southern Rafah, where Israel'smilitaryissuedanew displacement order on March 31, declaring it was returning to “fight with great force”.
The restrictions also cover parts of Gaza City, where Israeli troops launched a new ground offensive on Friday morning to expand their “security zone”.
These escalations have triggered one of the largest mass displacements of the war, pushing hundreds of thousands of Palestinians –
many already displaced multiple times – to flee yet again.
“Our biggest struggle now is displacement,” Abu Hazem Khalef, an elderly man displaced from Gaza City's east, told Al Jazeera.
“We have no idea how to handle this situation. I'm heading west of Gaza City, lookingforanystreetwhereI cansetupatent.”
“We are being forced to leave and we don't even know where to go,” added Mahmoud al-Gharabli, a n o t h e r d i s p l a c e d Palestinian “We are exhausted and completely broken.”
'DividingtheStrip' The military push follows Israeli Prime M i n i s t e r B e n j a m i n Netanyahu's threat to intensify the offensive to pressure Hamas into further concessions.
“Wearenowdividingthe
Strip and we are increasing pressure step by step so they will give us our hostages,” Netanyahu said in a video messageonWednesday.
On Friday, Israeli forces continued devastating aerial attacks, killing at least 30 people since dawn, according to local medical sources and Gaza's civil defence agency This followed an intense day of bombardment on Thursday that left 112 dead – many of themwomenandchildren.
Conditions inside Gaza City's al-Ahli Hospital, also known as the Baptist Hospital, where many victims in the north were taken, are “nothing short of apocalyptic,” Al Jazeera's Hani Mahmoud said after visitingthefacility
“We are seeing bodies laid on the ground and they are counted in the 10s,” Mahmoud said. “We've seen doctors, they are helpless.
They don't know what to do. Theyareunabletosavelives given the dire situation insidethehospital.”
Israelresumeditsattacks in Gaza on March 18, shattering a two-month ceasefire after talks with Hamas broke down over the nextphaseoftheagreement.
Netanyahu wants Hamas to release the 59 remaining Israeli captives in exchange
Beijing says it will impose an additional 34 percent tax on US goods from next week in retaliation for Washington's tariffs.
Aljazeera - China has announced a slew of countermeasures against tariffs imposed by United States President Donald Trump, including additional tariffs of 34 percent on all goods and curbs on the export of some rare earths, deepening an escalating tradewar
Trump on Wednesday announced that China would be hit with a 34-percent tariff, on top of the 20 percent he imposed earlier this year, bringing the total newleviesto54percent.
On Friday, China's Ministry of Finance said the additional tariffs would be imposed from April 10 Beijing has previously imposed tariffs of 15 percent on imports of coal and liquefied natural gas (LNG) fromtheUSinretaliationfor Washington's 10 percent leviesonChinesegoods.
It also announced stiff export controls on key minerals and businesses, limiting what could be exchangedwiththeUS.
“The purpose of the Chinese government's implementation of export controls on relevant items in
accordancewiththelawisto better safeguard national security and interests, and to fulfil international obligations such as nonproliferation,” the Ministry of Commerce said in a statement On Friday morning, Trump responded to the slate of retaliatory measures with a fiery socialmedia post written in all capital letters “CHINA PLAYED IT WRONG, THEY PANICKED – THE ONE THING THEY CANNOT AFFORD TO DO!” Trump wrote on Truth Social.ButChinahaspushed forward with countering Trump's aggressive trade policies, saying it had opened a formal complaint against the new US tariffs with the World Trade Organization (WTO) on Friday
As part of its complaint, Beijing argued the measures violate WTO rules and requestingconsultations.
“China has filed the WTOcomplaintwithrespect to the United States' measures,” the Permanent Mission of China to the World Trade Organization saidinastatement.
Beijing also imposed sweeping export controls to limit the exchange of goods and services with the US. Some pertained to the export of medium and heavy rare earths to the US, including samarium, gadolinium, terbium, dysprosium, lutetium, scandium and yttrium, effective fromApril 4.
Others took aim at US businesses. China added 16 US entities to its export control list, which bans the export of dual-use items to affectedfirms.
Another 11 US firms were included on the “unreliable entities” list, which allows Beijing to take punitive action against foreignentities.Thetargeted firms includes Skydio Inc and BRINC Drones over arms sales to democratically governed Taiwan, which China claims as part of its territory The Chinese Commerce Ministry said the targeted companies seriously “undermined” China'snationalsovereignty, security and development interests and would be b a n n e d f r o m n e w investments, import and
Palestinians inspect the damage at the Dar AlArqam school, where displaced people shelter, after it was hit by an Israeli strike on Thursday, in Gaza City, April 4, 2025. REUTERS/Mahmoud Issa
exportactivitiesinChina.
Agriculture trade took a hit as well, as Chinese customs imposed an immediate suspension on imports of sorghums from grain exporter C&D (USA) Inc, as well as poultry and bonemeal from three US firms.
Then there were the threats of further regulatory action. Beijing announced it had launched an antidumping probe, looking into imports of certain medical CT tubes from the US and India.
It also said it would pursue a wider investigation into how the medical industry's competitiveness was affected by imports of medicalCTtubes.
Donald Trump holds a chart as he delivers remarks on reciprocal tariffs during an event in the Rose Garden called Make America Wealthy Again at the White House in Washington, DC
[ F i l e : B r e n d a n Smialowski/AFP] How the economyisreacting US stock futures fell sharply on Friday, signalling more losses on Wall Street, a s t h e T r u m p administration's sweeping levies knocked $2.4 trillion fromUSequities.
Shares of Big Tech
for Palestinian prisoners and aid, but without Israel committingtoendthewaror pull out troops. For a final ceasefire deal, Netanyahu insists Hamas must disarm –a demand the group calls a “red line” – and has openly backed plans for Israel to seize security control of Gaza and push Palestinians out. Hamas calls for a return to the previously agreed
framework and has offered tofreeallthecaptivesatonce in return for a permanent ceasefire. Since October 7, 2023, Israel's war in Gaza h a s k i l l e d 5 0 , 5 2 3 Palestinians and wounded 114,638 At least 1,139 people were killed in Israel during the Hamas-led October 7 attacks and more than200takencaptive.
Reuters US President Donald Trump attends a bilateral meeting with China's President Xi Jinping during the G20 leaders summit in Osaka, Japan, June 29, 2019Reuters
stocks fell in premarket trading, with companies such as Apple and Nvidia having big exposure to China and Taiwan for manufacturing their products.
But US Secretary of StateMarcoRubioonFriday disputed any economic crash, telling reporters that markets were reacting to the changeandwouldadjust.
“Theireconomiesarenot crashing. Their markets are reacting to a dramatic change in the global order in terms of trade,” he said at a media conference in Brussels. “The markets will adjust.”
In Japan, a top US trading partner, Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba said the tariffs had created a “national crisis”, as a plunge in banking shares on Friday set Tokyo's stock market on course for its worst week in years. European shares were also headed for the biggest weeklylossinthreeyears.
LONDON/CHICAGO
April 4 (Reuters) -Oilprices plungednearly8%onFriday to the lowest level since 2021, while copper,
soybeans and other commodities also fell as China retaliated against U.S. President Donald Trump's aggressivetariffs.
Safe-haven gold was downforasecondday,swept up in a broader market selloff as major equities ind
d recessionfearsswelled.
TheReutersTariffWatch newsletter is your daily guide to the latest global tradeandtariffnews.Signup here.
Beijing put forward a 34% additional levy on all U S goods, hitting back after Trump announced a 10%minimumtariffonmost U S imports, with significantly higher duties for dozens of countries includingChina.
"This is the first very explicit escalation from
China, they are not backing down, they are upping the game, " said Bjarne S c h i e l d r o p , c h i e f commoditiesanalystatSEB. Schieldrop expected further retaliation from Trump, who said on Friday that China "playeditwrong"andvowed nottochangehispolicies.
The accelerating tensions further drove fears thatthetariffscouldleadtoa global trade war, weighing on economic growth and curbing demand for key commodities.
The levies by the U.S. excluded energy, but the retaliatory move by China encompasses all U.S. goods, as well as export curbs on somerareearths.
The U S is a major energy exporter and sells oil and LNG to China, according to data from analytics firm Kpler and the U S Energy Information Administration.
Wall Street benchmarks sold off heavily, with the
Dow Jones set to reach a correction while the Nasdaq was on track to enter a bear market.
Brent futures dived $4.53, or 6.46%, to $65.63 a barrelby2:41p.m.ET(1841 GMT) U S West Texas Intermediate crude futures were down $4.93, or 7.36%, t o $ 6 2 0 2 T h e o i l
The sun is seen behind a crude oil pump jack in the Permian Basin in Loving County, Texas, U.S., November 22, 2019. Picture taken November 22, 2019. REUTERS/Angus Mordant/File Photo
benchmarks were set for the lowestclosesincethemiddle of the COVID-19 pandemic inApril2021.
SOYBEANS, GRAINS
Soybean futures on the Chicago Board of Trade fell more than 3% on Friday as China's tariffs on U.S. goods were expected to bring trade in the oilseed between the
countriestoahalt.
China, the largest soybean buyer, was seen accelerating purchases from rival supplier Brazil CBOT soybeans ended down3.4%at$9.77abushel, the lowest since late December Oilpricesfell6% onThursday CBOTwheatfell1.3%to
$5.29 a bushel while corn bucked the broader weaknesstocloseup0.6%at $4.60-1/4 a bushel as top importer Mexico was excluded from Trump's sweepingtariffsthisweek.
Demand for U S agriculturalproductsalready came under pressure from a trade war during Trump's firsttermin2018.
Beijingraiseddutieslast month on $21 billion worth of U.S. products in response to Washington's earlier round of tariffs on Chinese goods. Base metals sold off, with London Metal Exchange three-month copper down 3%, its biggest daily slide since the early days of the pandemic in 2020. Aluminum, already subject to a 25% U S import tariff, was down 3% at its lowest since September Spot gold was down 3% as traders liquidated their bullion positions following widermarketselloffs.
Th e g r i e v i n g family of late f i r e f i g h t e r
Voshaun Manbodh, who succumbed to injuries sustained during the Mae's School fire, will be moving to court against the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation(GPHC).
The family is demanding that the hospital take full accountability for the circumstances surrounding Manbodh'sdeath.
Twenty-seven-year-old Manbodh was injured while battling a fire at Mae's School in Subryanville on March 5, 2025. He was admitted to the GPHC, where he died several days later
The firefighter's emotional mother, Deon Anderson, told Kaieteur News that the family has decided to file legal actions against the hospital and demanded a change in the facility's system. “We are goingtofilealawsuitagainst the hospital. It is not just abouttheVoshuan,butevery citizen, and we would like thepublictohelpuswiththis journey,”Andersonstated.
Thefamilyhasexpressed dissatisfaction over the quality of medical care Manbodh received at the institution They said improper care led to his deterioration and ultimate death An independent investigation by the hospital didnotfindanyindividualor department accountable for thetragedy
GPHC said, "While the findings highlight systemic gaps that contributed to this unfortunate outcome, they do not suggest intentional negligence or wrongdoing by any individual or department.” The hospital f u r t h e r s t a t e d t h a t Manbodh's death was not solely due to the injuries sustained in the fire, but complex complications arisingfromhisacutetrauma
in conjunction with underlying disease “The investigative panel concludedthatMr Manbodh passed away due to a known secondary complication of traumatic injuries—multiple bleedingulcers.”
However, in a statement issued on Friday, Manbodh's family expressed grave
dissatisfaction with the findings by GPHC, which it said “dilutes responsibility, buries accountability, and discredits the lived experiences of Voshaun Manbodh and his family while he was under the care of the hospital.” The family added, “This is a deliberate attempt to control the narrative, distance the institution from culpability, minimise the gross and systemic failures and the personal accountability that contributed directly to the deathofourson,ourbrother, a colleague - a national firefighter injured in the line ofduty.”
The family said GPHC's statement is disingenuous and misleading, citing differentiation in findings between the Medical
Director Dr Navindranauth Rambaran and GPHC's official statement. “Multiple news outlets, including News Source Guyana, quoted senior hospital officials acknowledging the findings of the investigative panel, which confirmed 'several systemic errors on thepartofthehospitalandits
staff.' Yet, in a complete pivot, the GPHC now states there was 'no medical negligence or wrongdoing.' How does GPHC reconcile the existence of systemic errors,admittedbytheirown medical director, with a conclusion of no negligence or wrongdoing?” the family questioned.
The family strongly challenged the hospital's statement, which claimed that Manbodh's death was not solely due to the injuries he sustained in the fire, but rather from "complex complications arising from his acute trauma in conjunction with underlying disease.
”The family strongly refuted this, stating, “Let it be stated emphatically and on record: there is no documented medical history of any chronic illness in Voshaun Manbodh's records prior to his admission. At what point did the hospital diagnose or treat this 'chronic disease' it now references posthumously? Why is it mentioned only now, in a public statement clearly aimed at mitigating liability?”
T h e f a m i l y a l s o expressed outrage at the premature release of the autopsy findings before the medical certificate of cause of death was finalized. “It is deeply troubling, and frankly, unacceptable, that the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) would publicly release conclusions of an autopsy in the absence of a finalized medical certificate of cause of death, or any l e g a l l y b i n d i n g documentation,”theysaid.
The family said the hospital acted outside its l e g a l a u t h o r i t y b y distributing information to the public regarding Manbodh's death without their knowledge or consent. They have also accused the GPHC of choosing silence, delay, and public posturing
transparency
The family pledges to continue its legal fight until there is full disclosure, meaningful reform, and genuine accountability, assuring that “We will not rest.
We owe Voshaun Manbodh that much. The people of Guyana owe him thatmuch.”
To support their legal battle,thefamilyhassetupa GoFundMe page for donations. Those wishing to contribute can do so via the f o l l o w i n g l i n k : https://gofund me/f454778c or through MMG at 618 6168 Voshaun Manbodh waslaidtorestonMarch29, 2025. However, his family continues to mourn his loss whileseekingjustice.
In-form batsmen, Kevlon Anderson and Captain Tevin Imlach played similar tunes astheyslammedcontrasting hundreds, to help the Guyana Harpy Eagles pile on a crucial 239-run lead against the Hurricanes with animportantfinaldayleftat WarnerPark.AfterMatthew
Nandu (66) and Anderson resumedwiththescore1321andwentontoadd91runs with Nandu reaching his half-century after doing the groundworkonday2.
G u y a n a s t e e r e d themselvestoacommanding positionof381-4bytheend of play, with Imlach on 103 not out from 215 deliveries
and all-rounder Kevin Sinclair (31*) looking composed as they look towards a 300 plus run lead beforedeclaring.
Following the opener’s dismissal at the hands of Rakeem Cornwall (1-94), Anderson found a stable teammate in his captain Imlach.
The two leading runscorers for Guyana then shared a vital partnership of 114 as Guyana’s lead continuedtoswell.
Andersonplayedanother masterful innings, picking offoneofthebetterbowling attacksinthecompetitionon his way to century number three this season, a wellconstructed 101 from 246 balls,smacking10fours.
ARIES(Mar.21–Apr.19)
Difficult predicaments could arise today if you try to exert your will over others without having the most honorable intentions, Aries. It could be that you're using someone else's fear of you to control himorher
TAURUS(Apr.20–May20)
The fire within you is raging today,Taurus,andyoushould becarefulhowyouwieldthis power Be proud and triumphant. Walk with your shouldersbackandheadhigh. Freedomisimportant.
GEMINI(May21–June20)
There may be a great deal of fuss over something that seems quite insignificant to you, Gemini. Try to see the beauty and importance of everythingaroundyou.
CANCER(June21–July22)
Thingsarecomingtoacritical point for you today, Cancer, and you may find that other people openly object to your actions. It's OK to be a bit selfish if the situation is appropriate.
LEO(July23–Aug.22)
Feelfreetospeakmoreloudly today, Leo. You'll find that things fall into place more easily if you speak your thoughts outwardly and directly in the presence of others. Bring your internal powerunderyourcontrol.
VIRGO(Aug.23–Sept.22)
Youshouldbaskinaglorious splendortoday,Virgo.There's a great deal of power at your disposal.You'll find your ego ishealthy,charged,andready forthebattlefield.
LIBRA(Sept.23–Oct.22)
Add more sunshine to your day, Libra. It may be time to stir up your inner passion and let it speak with greater confidencethanyouhavebeen lately Make sure you heal yourself by letting the people aroundyouhearyourtruth.
SCORPIO(Oct.23–Nov 21)
You'llfindthatyoursparkcan easily turn potential energy into kinetic energy, Scorpio. Don'tunderestimatethepower of your words. Realize the profound impact they have on othersandtakeresponsibility
SAGIT(Nov 22–Dec.21)
Don't dwell on your fluctuating moods today, Sagittarius. Look at the larger trends and how positive elements are coming together inyourfavor
CAPRI(Dec.22–Jan.19)
Thisisyourdaytoshineinall your glory, Capricorn. There's noneedtoholdanythingback. You'll find that you have a great deal of love to share. Your heart is likely to go to extremes today in order to proveitslove.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20–Feb. 18)Trynottolosesightofyour own projects or desires, Aquarius. There's a great deal of power and manipulative energy in the air today that could throw you off course if youaren'tcareful.
PISCES(Feb.19–Mar.20)
Recharge today by getting outside and stretching your arms to the sky, Pisces. Be proud and courageous. You have the power to turn an unhealthy situation into a positiveone,
Hayden Walsh Jr (1-84) broke the partnership by removing the centurion, Imlach picked up from wherehisteammatesleftoff ashecontinuedtopileonthe runs with some classy shots whichsawhimreachanother fifty since returning to lead Guyana in this year’s tournament.
The Champs motored to 326-3 by tea with Imlach looked comfortable as he resumed in the 80’s despite losing Kemol Savory (22) shortly after play resumed forthefinalsession.
Imlach kept a cool head as he grafted his innings carefully, digging in for his hundred which featured just asixandtwofoursfromwell over200ballsfaced.
Alongside Sinclair, who willbekeenonbreakingthe shackles to score something significant come today, Imlachwillpilothisteamas they seek another win when final day action resumes from10:00h.(CliftonRoss)
Raymond Reifer
(SportsMax) - The Disciplinary Committee of Cricket West Indies (CWI) have stated than any attempt to lay charges against Barbados Pride all rounder RaymonReiferafterthenonplaying of the CG United Super50 Cup final was a nullity
This is due to the Match Referee having no jurisdiction to hear such charges, a source told Sportsmax tv on Friday afternoon.
The ruling came after a meeting on Friday afternoon with the written decision set to come on Monday
Cricket West Indies have also been ordered to pay Reifer’s legal costs
Reifer and Jamaica
Scorpions captain John Campbell were charged with breaches of the CWI Code of Conduct for Players and Officials, relating to their decision to not attend the toss as
instructed by the umpires during the CG United S
between the Barbados
November
Afteralengthyraindelay, both captains decided to forfeit the game by not showingupforthetoss. Campbell apologized for hispartinthematterandwas issued a four-match ban while Reifer’s attorneys challengedthecharges.
Frompage35 away but LSG push along Nicholas Pooran was LSG’s in-formbatter,andhelooked in business straightaway, smacking Santner for a four and a six But Hardik’s slower bouncer first accounted for Pooran, and then for the out-of-form Rishabh Pant, who got a leading edge off an attemptedflicktomid-off.
Markram hit a couple of sixes while batting with Pant,butgotbacktoplaying second fiddle as Ayush Badoni played himself in.
Theopenergottohisfiftyoff 34 balls, off what was the 99thballoftheinnings.
Badoni was on 6 off his first nine deliveries before breaking free with three boundaries back-to-back off Santner,whofinishedwith0 for 46, his third-most expensive figures in a T20. BadoniscoopedAshwanion thefifthballofthe16thover, but was out caught behind nextballtryingtorepeatthe shot as the bowler went wider
In the absence of Jasprit Bumrah,Hardikbowledtwo
oversatthedeathandpicked up three wickets, starting with that of Markram with theoffcutter
Only four fours were hit between overs 16 and 19, andwith29runsscored,MI werelookingtorestrictLSG under200.
David Miller, though, whackedasixandafouroff Hardik, and brought up his 3000thIPLrunintheprocess to kickstart the final over Hardik bounced back with Miller and Akash’s wickets intwoballs,butconceded15 runsintheend.
(BBC Sport) - The Australian was uninjured in the crash, which was caused because Doohan failed to shuttheDRSovertakingaid, whichmeantthecarhadless grip than he expected as he entered the 160mph first corner
Team principal Oliver Oakes said it had been a “misjudgement” and “somethingtolearnfrom”.
Doohan’swasthefirstof four incidents that led to the session being stopped, two of which were for the grass catching fire beside the track.
McLaren’s Oscar Piastri ended up fastest from teammateLandoNorris.
Thesecondstoppagewas
causedwhenAstonMartin’s Fernando Alonso spun off and became beached in the gravel at Degner One, shortly after the session was restarted following a 20minute delay to repair the damage to the barriers at TurnOne.
And a few minutes after thesessionwasresumed,the cars had to return to the pits when the grass caught fire betweenDunlopandDegner One.
That left only seven minutesofrunningattheend of the session, but it was stopped after six when a bigger patch of grass caught fire on the run down to SpoonCurve.
The fires are believed to
have been caused by a combination of sparks from the cars and dry grassJapan’s wet season is in the summer
Thecountry’sgrandprix washeldintheautumnuntil lastyear,whenitwasmoved toavoidtyphoonseasonand to improve Formula 1’s sustainability with regard to travelandlogistics.
A statement from F1’s governing body, the FIA, said: “While we continue to look into the fires that occurred during FP2, our focus before tomorrow will be on taking preemptive measures.
“The grass has been cut as short as possible, and loose, dried grass has been
removed from affected areas. Prior to tomorrow’s sessions, the grass will be dampened, and specific response teams will be stationedaroundthetrack.”
Doohan pays price for oversight
Doohan’s accident, which badly damaged his car, was the result of an oversightbyadriverinonly hisfourthraceinF1.
He was on only his secondflyinglapoftheday, ashiscarhadbeendrivenby reserveRyoHirakawainthe firstsession.
The DRS, which boosts
straight-line speed by reducing downforce, is t r i g g e r e d t o s h u t automatically if the driver brakes.
Doohan turned into the first corner having lifted off but not braked, and because he did not press the DRS button, the device remained activated.
Thatmeantthewingwas still in its open, lowdownforce position, and the car immediately spun as he enteredthecorner
It careered across the gravel trap before making a heavy impact with the crash barrier
Doohan said: “It was a heavy one, something that caughtmebysurprise,andI willlearnfromit.Iknowthe teamhasalotofworkahead torepairthecar.”
Theshuntcouldincrease the pressure on the 22-yearold, who has been dealing withquestionsastowhether his seat is under threat following Alpine’s signing of Argentine Franco Colapintoasreservedriver Colapinto raced for Williams last year and his presenceinaraceseatcould unlock significant amounts of sponsorship money from LatinAmerica.
One of the 19 teams will walk away with the US$5,000 top prize after two days of intense battles.
Basketball teams from around the world will be in action this weekend, when the‘OneGuyana’3x3Quest getsunderway
Competing for a $5000 USD grand prize 16 foreign teamswillcomeupagainst3 from the host country; also vyingforaspotintheFIBA World Tour in Edmonton, Canada.
Ontheeveoftheevent’s tip off, Guyana Basketball federation (GBF) VicePresident and organiser Rawle Toney spoke to the event’s historic element as hesharedwhattoexpect.
“This weekend is the biggest 3x3 tournament to be ever held in Guyana and the English- speaking Caribbean.
Unfortunately, Grenada pulled out yesterday but the showmustgoon.
We still have 19 teams whichisunprecedentedfora 3x3tournamentintheregion ingeneral,”Toneysharedin a n u p d a t e o n t h e tournament’s competing teams.
He went on to relate to
thispublication, “What we have is literallysomeofthebest3x3 teamsintheworld.
TeamLausannewhichis ranked 7th in the world, we have several players who play with Harlem which is ranked just about 12th or 14thwehaveCarolinafrom Puerto Rico, another one of the top- ranked teams in the world.So,consideraplayer from millions you some of the top 100 players in the World competing in Guyana.
I don’t think any one of us would have envisioned we would host a tournament like this ”
Meanwhile, one of the big contenders for the top spot, Puerto Rico were one of the teams present at the Homestretch venue getting their drills in on Fridayafternoon.
There, player Antonio Ralat revealed that he expects to see talented payers on show but is confident of his team’s chances
“We’re enjoying it so
far, we got here late yesterday, we’re excited for the tournament It’s going to be good for Guyana and we’re excitedtoplayhere
I expect there to be a lot of talent, I mean we know that it’s a lot of teams that don’t play in the world tour because they’re far away, but we knowthattheCaribbeanand theAmericas, we have a lot oftalentso,we’reexpecting a really good talent and we’re all for the challenge,” Ralatexpressed.
The highest ranked player in the tournament [47th in the World], Ralat confidently opined, “Every tournament that we go, we play to win so, our expectations are to win.
We know that every team is going to want to do the same so, we got to b e r e a d y f o r t h e competition ” The Basketball action will begin at 10:00hrs on both days with the final scheduled for Sunday evening.
The intensity of secondary school football reaches
new heights as the Milo/Massy Under-18 Championship advances to its knockout phase. Sixteen of the nation’s top school teams will clash in the Round of 16 at the Ministry of Education Ground today and tomorrow, all in pursuit oftheprestigioustitleandan enticing $300,000 cash prize.
Now in its 11th edition, the tournament commenced with24teams,butafterthree fiercely contested rounds, a few teams were eliminated last weekend, only the strongesthavesurvived.
The two highest-ranked teams from each group
e a r n e d a u t o m a t i c qualificationtotheknockout rounds, while the remaining squads battled their way through to claim a coveted spotinthefinalsixteen.
The schools still in contention for glory include Waramuri Secondary, South R u i m v e l d t , N e w Amsterdam, Santa Rosa Secondary, Charlestown, West Ruimveldt, Abram Zuil,Dolphin,Yarrowkabra, Chase’s Academic Foundation, Three Mile, Hope Secondary, Bushlot,
Ann’s Grove, and Bartica Secondary Each of these teamswillbeeagertomakea statement as they strive for quarterfinalberths.
Thepressingroundof16 action kicks off at MoE ground. The knockout stage begins today with four
c Foundation, boasting an unblemished record so far, will look to maintain their dominance when they take on Bartica Secondary at 12:00 noon in the opening fixture. At 1:30 pm, New Amsterdam Secondary will
Ch
stown Secondaryinwhatpromises tobeathrillingcontest.
The third match of the day sees Ann’s Grove Secondary up against a determined Dolphin Secondary outfit, while Waramuri Secondary and SouthRuimveldtSecondary willbringtheday’sactionto a close with a highly anticipatedshowdown.Four more intense clashes is also billedforSundayatthesame venue.
With everything on the line,expectnothinglessthan fierce competition, skillful plays, and intense drama as theteamsfightforaplacein
thequarterfinals.
The Milo/Massy U18 Football Championship continues to serve as a crucial platform for young players to refine their skills and lay the foundation for b
careers.
Sponsored by Nestlé’s Milo brand and Massy Distribution,thetournament also enjoys the backing of MVPSports,theMinistryof AmerindianAffairs, and the N a t i o n a l S p o r t s Commission. Sanctioned by the Ministry of Education and expertly organised by the Petra Organisation, this championship remains a stapleinthedevelopmentof youthfootballinthecountry
(BBCSport)-FourReal Madridplayershavebeen clearedtofaceArsenalin theirChampionsLeague quarter-finaldespitethree beingpunishedbyUefa.
Last month, European football’s governing body openedaninvestigationinto allegations of indecent conductbyAntonioRudiger, Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Jr and Dani Ceballos during their last-16 win against AtleticoMadrid.
The four allegedly made gestures towards the home fansafterRealbeattheircity rivals on penalties to book theirplaceinthelasteight.
Uefa said on Friday that no disciplinary proceedings were brought against 24year-old Brazil winger Vinicius.
TV pictures showed Germany defender Antonio Rudiger appearing to make a throat-slitting gesture (Getty Images)
The other three Real players were found to have violated “the basic rules of decent conduct” under article 11(2)(b) of Uefa’s disciplinaryregulations. France striker Mbappe, 26, and Germany defender Rudiger,32,werebothgiven a suspended one-match ban and fined £25,000 (30,000 euros) and £35,000 (40,000 euros)respectively Spain midfielder Ceballos, 28, was fined £17,000(20,000euros). Arsenal face Real in the firstlegoftheirquarter-final at Emirates Stadium on 8 April,withthesecondlegat theBernabeuon16April.
In case you missed it. Here’s a snippet of round III action between St John’s College and West Minster Secondary last weekend
(BBC Sport) - Kevin de Bruyne has announced he will leave Manchester City when his contract expires at theendoftheseason.
De Bruyne, 33, has won 16 trophies since joining from Wolfsburg in 2015, including six Premier League titles and the ChampionsLeaguein2023.
Reacting to the news, CitymanagerPepGuardiola saidDeBruyneis“oneofthe greatest midfielders to ever playinthiscountry”.
The Belgian has scored 1 0 6 g o a l s i n 4 1 3 appearances for City, who described him as a “global icon of the game”, but has started just 19 matches this season.
“Whether we like it or not, it’s time to say goodbye,” De Bruyne wrote onsocialmedia.
And Guardiola said: “It was not easy for me to tell himit[hisCitycareer]won’t continue.”
In an impassioned post, De Bruyne expanded:
Kevin de Bruyne was part of the Manchester City side that won the Champions League in 2023 (Getty Images)
“Footballledmetoallofyou -andtothiscity Chasingmy dream, not knowing this periodwouldchangemylife.
Thiscity Thisclub. “These people gave me
everything. I had no choice but to give everything back. And guess what - we won everything.
“Whether we like it or not,it’stimetosaygoodbye.
Suri, Rome, Mason, Michele, and I are beyond grateful for what this place has meant for our family Manchester will forever be on our kids’passports - and moreimportantly,ineachof ourhearts.
“This will always be our home. We cannot thank the city, club, staff, team-mates, friends, and family enough forthis10-yearride.”
Guardiola compared De Bruyne’s impact to that of other title-winning former
City players Vi
Kompany, Sergio Aguero and David Silva - all of whomhavehadstatuesbuilt outsideEtihadStadium.
“A sad day but a happy dayforthefactthatIhadthe pleasure personally to live this time with him,” Guardiolasaid.
“What he gave us, all of us,withhishumanityandhis influence in our success in thelastdecade.
Of course, part of us is leaving. When Vincent or Sergio or David left, these playershavecontributions.
“He’soneofthegreatest inthiscountry
Always I have to be carefulfortherespectforthe players that have played incredible roles, but there’s no doubt he’s one of the greatestforsure.
“Thedoorsareopenhere for the rest of his life. He’s partofthisfamily,thisclub.”
Asked if De Bruyne will alsohaveastatue,Guardiola added: “I don’t know But I willbetalotofmoneythatis going to happen, that’s for sure.Hedeservesto.”
(ESPNCricinfo)-Tilak Varma retired out, and Hardik Pandya farmed strike But the last-ditch effort wasn’t enough for Mumbai Indians (MI) to registeracome-from-behind win against Lucknow Super Giants(LSG).
LSG have now won six oftheirsevengamesagainst thefive-timechampions,and the one in Lucknow on Friday was on the back of half-centuries from openers Mitchell Marsh and Aiden Markram,andamiserlyspell of 4-0-21-1 from Digvesh Rathi.
For MI, Naman Dhir made an explosive 46, and Suryakumar Yadav continued his return to form witha43-ball67.ButLSG’s death bowlers stood tall against an experienced MI battingline-upintheend.
With 52 runs needed off the last four overs, ESPNcricinfo’s forecaster gave MI a 36.9% chance of winning. With Suryakumar and Tilak at the crease, and Hardik to follow, the equation rather seemed closertofifty-fifty
Avesh, Thakur turn it aroundAveshKhanchanged that equation by dismissing Suryakumartostartthe17th over The batter premeditated a sweep, and he went through with it despite the ball being well outside the off-side tramline. The catch was taken at deepbackwardsquareleg.
Hardik,thenextbatterin, and Tilak, got a boundary eachintheover,butcouldn’t get Rathi away in the next one.ShardulThakurbowled yorkers in the 19th - at the stumpsaswellaswideonesand with another 24 runs needed off the remaining seven balls, MI decided to retire Tilak out and bring in MitchellSantner
Two runs by Santner off thelastballofthatoverfrom Thakur, who gave away just sevenrunsatacrucialstage, left MI an improbable 22 runs to get in the final over Hardik was on strike, and although he launchedAvesh overcovertostartwithasix, Avesh continued aiming for yorkers, and conceded just three runs off the five deliveries of the over LSG
w o n b y 1 2 r u n s
Suryakumar,Dhiraccelerate but can’t cross the line MI hadgottenthemselvesintoa good position despite stumblingearlyinthechase.
Dhir and Suryakumar took charge after MI lost Will Jacks and Ryan Rickelton, their openers, in nearidentical fashion: both flicked hard-length balls to
deep-backward square leg.
Dhir was remarkably still at the crease, and hit boundariesdowntheground and through the leg side to get to 30 off his first nine balls Suryakumar, meanwhile, swatted Avesh over the leg side as MI brought up their fifty in five overs.AkashDeepandRavi Bishnoi were hit for two boundaries each right after thepowerplay
ButRathibroketheduo’s flow with a legspinner’s carromballthatangledinoff ashortishlength,beatDhir’s flick, and hit the stumps.
Suryakumar, though, continued to find the boundary without taking many risks. His ability to manipulate the field was on displayinthe11thoverwhen he first played the square drive and then the cover drive to pick up two fours. Tilak,too,pickedupanearly boundary but couldn’t get going.
MI got 88 for 1 in the middle overs despite not hittingasinglesix.Theyhad set batters at the crease for the big finish, but were
denied by LSG’s death bowling. Marsh, Markram setupLSG’sfoundation
Earlier, LSG made 69 runs in the powerplay after being put into bat. Marsh made60ofthemoff30balls, with nine fours and two sixes He could’ve been dismissed caught behind off Trent Boult in the first over, butneitherthebowlernorhis team-matesheardthenickas Marsh tried driving through cover
Marsh was severe against full balls, and the loftedoff-driveoffBoultfor six in the third over was a highlight.WhenSantnerwas introduced in the fifth over, Marsh picked up two boundariesoffthebackfoot. Ashwani Kumar bowled aquietfirstoverbutwentfor 23 runs off his second with two boundaries down the ground - through square leg andcover-asMarshgottoa 27-ball fifty But he fell against the run of play by handing a return catch to Vignesh Puthur in his first over, which was the seventh oftheinnings.Hardikchips
(Continuedonpage)
