Exxon commences “busiest year yet”
…ascompanypreparestostartup3moreoilprojects
Over 400 hundred dead, thousands beneath the rubble in one night …as Israel restarts bombing in Gaza
Guyanese drowns after jumping into Takutu River to escape bee attack
Govt. ordered to pay former CH&PA CEO 29 months salary, other benefits after wrongful dismissal
With eyes on Guyana, Trinidad heads to the polls on April 28
Chevron buys 5% of Hess shares
APalestinian woman cries as she sits atop the rubble of her home, destroyed by an Israeli strike, in the Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza on Tuesday. (Eyad Baba/AFP/Getty Images)
ExxonMobil commences “busiest year yet”
The MODU Noble Bob Douglas drillship …ascompanypreparestostartup3moreoilprojects
ExxonMobil Guyana Limited (EMGL), the operator of the oil-rich Stabroek Block, has commenced what the companyhasdescribedasits “busiest year yet”, with simultaneousdevelopmental drilling operations ongoing atthreeprojects.
According to notices published by the Maritime Administration Department (MARAD), the oil giant has developmental drilling operations ongoing at the Yellowtail, Uaru, and Whiptail projects- the fourth, fifth, and sixth developments,respectively
ExxonMobil continued with developmental drilling at theYellowtail’sYT_3108 Drill Center within the StabroekBlock,inGuyana’s
Exclusive Economic Zone,
on March 17, 2025, according to MARAD. The MODU Noble Bob Douglas will be engaged in the drilling activities which will concludeonApril30,2025.
The company also gave notice that it will be c o n t i n u i n g i t s developmental drilling operations at the Uaru Project’s UA 3104 Drill Center It said the MODU Noble Tom Madden is expected to conclude the activityonApril30,2025.
Additionally, MARAD indicated that the company, on March 14, 2025, continued developmental drilling operations at the Whiptail Project’s WT 2i04A Drill Center, within the Stabroek Block The
MODU Noble Don Taylor will be used for those operations, scheduled to be concludedonApril30,2025.
Developmental drilling is an activity conducted following successful exploration drilling. It is conductedtodevelopafield with proven reserves. At a
press conference in January, PresidentofEMGL,Alistair Routledge told reporters, “Here in Guyana, we have started what is going to be our busiest year yet for SURF installation and associated activities- so SURF being the subsea umbilicals, risers (and) flow
lines that are necessary to connect the subsea well heads to the FPSOs, to enable us to take production from the production wells, but also to inject water and gasintothereservoirs.”
At that time, he noted that Exxon will be undergoing installation
activities for the Uaru and Whiptail projects, and conclude the preparatory work for the Yellowtail project,whichisexpectedto produce first oil in the secondhalfofthisyear
So far, Exxon has receivedapprovalforsix
Continuedonpage8
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Publisher:GLENNLALL-Tel:624-6456
Editor-in-Chief:NigelWilliams
Tel: 225-8465, 225-8491. Fax: 225-8473, 226-8210
EDITORIAL
Access to information
TryingtoobtainaccesstoinformationinGuyanaislike embarking on an exploration deep in the Amazon rainforests. Truth be told, it may be an even more difficult expedition to get information from the Guyana Government, using the statutory provision of the Office of theCommissionerofInformation(Commissioner).
From the experiences of Guyanese, that office is harder to find than rare earth. To extract a response out of it, seemingly requires the intervention of God, or some other mysticalforce.Itshouldn'tbethisway
Guyana'sAccess to InformationAct of 2011 is clear in its objective. Section 3(1) is unambiguous: “to extend the right to members of the public to access information in the possession of public authorities.”There can be no question thatwhatisonpaper(inthelaw)isencouragingandshould havebeenagatewaytothepublictoaccessinformationthat is not prohibited from general release. Like many things under the PPPC Government, there is a huge distance betweenwhatisonpaperandwhatisreality
ANew York-based entity, the Oil and Gas Governance Network (OGGN), has tried its hand to extricate some information on oil company's taxes out of the government, and that is where it has been stuck. A Guyanese citizen, based right here, has been stonewalled in her attempts to access information from the local Environmental Protection Agency Prominent civil society activist, Chris Ram,wrotetheCommissionerofInformationinDecember 2021, and only after following up with a letter over a year later, was he favored with a reply A reply of sorts, which representednothingbutwastedinkfromtheCommissioner who did the near impossible; he extended the dead end that accessinginformationhasbecomeinGuyana.
Accessing unrestricted government records should not beseenbythegovernment,ortheCommissioner,asafavor tothosewhoarerequestingtheinformation.Guyanesehave arighttogetwhattheyareseeking,insofarastheAccessto Information Act permits. In fact, Section 18(a) of the Act states the Commissioner “shall take reasonable steps” to assistcitizensintheirquesttoaccessgovernmentrecords.
InsteadofahelpinghandfromtheCommissioner,what Guyanese have received is the back of the hand. Further, Section 18(1) of theAct is very specific about the time that theCommissionerhastorespondtoapublicapplicant.The Commissioner has 30 days to acknowledge receipt of the request, and an initial 60 days from the date of receipt to inform the applicant that approval has been granted, or that their request has been denied. Section 18(2) requires the Commissionertoinformanapplicantthatadditionaltimeis neededforadecisionontheirrequest,aswellasfurnishthe reasons for the delay All of that is on paper, and with the record being that all those helpful provisions are being observedmoreinthebreach.
The first question is whether the Office of the CommissionerofInformationispartofsomeshellgameor a bona fide secret society entity Is the Commissioner of Information a real person or a phantom putting on a poor show of being an officer representing something that nobody knows? Why is it necessary for the Commissioner to stand as such an impregnable wall resisting the flow of unrestricted information to those seeking such? What kind of business is the government engaged in, that there has to be what amounts to hiding information from Guyanese? Moreover, who in the government is in such dire need of protection that mandates the Commissioner being so unhelpful,sounyielding?
President Ali and other members of his PPPC Governmenthaveembracedthepracticeofassertingloudly andconsistentlyhowmuchtheyareabouttransparency We suggest that both the president and his team cast their eyes in the direction of the all but comatose Office of the Commissioner of Information and its head. By even some minimum standard of self-respect, the president and his people should be prompted to change their minds and confirm that transparency in government is a self-serving exaggeration-puremyth.Accesstoinformationisseverely limited,almostnonexistent.
Creeping erosion of democratic values in Guyana
DearEditor,
The detention of
Guyanese human rights activist and citizen reporter Mellisa Ann Atwell, popularly known as Melly Mel, by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has sparked outrage and concern among Guyanese at home and in the diaspora.
Yet,whilethespotlightis on her situation, we must also turn inward and examine the state of our own democracy There is an unsettling parallel between the authoritarian tactics that saw Dr Cheddi Jagan imprisoned decades ago and the creeping erosion of democratic values we see todayinGuyana.
Dr Jagan, a man of the people and a champion of
democracy, was arrested in the 1950s for standing against colonial oppression. His imprisonment was not just an attack on him personally but an attack on free speech, workers' rights, and the aspirations of an entire nation. Today, as we o b s e r v e p o l i t i c a l developments in Guyana, one must ask: Have we truly moved past those days, or have we simply changed the facesofthoseinpowerwhile maintaining a system that silences dissent and rewards blindloyalty?
The fundamental pillars of democracy—free speech, pressfreedom,fairelections, andtheprotectionofcitizens' rights are under attack
The recent threats against journalists, the manipulation of state resources for
political gain, and the subtle yet clear marginalization of opposing voices indicate a country where democracy is becoming more of a façade than a functioning system. Those who speak out are branded as enemies, while those who toe the line are rewarded.
Ironically, Cheddi Jagan's Party and its supporters are the ones who are happy that Melly Mel is arrested Mellisa Ann Atwell's case has exposed the vulnerability of Guyanese citizens abroad, but what of those who suffer injustices at home? The arbitrary application of the law, the widening gap between the privileged few and the struggling many, and the increasing use of state power to suppress opposing
views are all red flags. It is ironic that while Guyanese express concern about how the U.S. government treats one of our own, many fail to see the undemocratic tendencies right before us in ourowncountry.
Democracy is not just about elections; it is about the protection of rights, the fair treatment of all citizens, and a system where power is heldaccountable.
G u y a n a i s a t a crossroads, and unless we actively defend our democratic principles, we may find ourselves in a future where the ideals that Jagan fought for become nothing more than a historicalfootnote.
#FreeMellisaAnnAtwell
Sincerely,
B. Rajkumar
Left Wingers are anti-American/anti Trump
Dear Editor,
In his retort stating that “Bisram is shortsighted”, I am, and other Guyanese are very pleased to read that Clement Rohee is no longer anti-American although he contradicts his feeling by condemning the American (Secretary Marco Rubio) position (of using pressure t a c t i c s ) t o p u r s e democratization of Cuba (KNMar18).Iamelatedthat Rohee acknowledges that Guyanese are not antiAmericanandthatthenation is most grateful to the USA for the significant role played in restoration of democracy in Guyana in 1992 and protecting it in 2020;peoplelikemelobbied Washington and other democratic nations that led todemocracyinGuyana.
Rohee misread my missive or perhaps it was not clear My regret! I was writing about the antiAmericanism and antiTrumpism perpetrated by a handful of left wingers like Rohee and not the Guyanese people.
My engagement with Guyanese in Guyana, USA, Canada, UK, Trinidad, Suriname, and elsewhere found favorable attitude towards USA Our most i m p o r t a n t b i l a t e r a l relationship is with USAand notCuba,Russia,China,and Middle East, and Guyanese want us to cement ties with Washington.
On that note, a group of u s ( G u y a n e s e a n d Americans) in USA are championing the idea of Guyana entering into a relationship with the USAas an associated territory'
similar to that of American Samoa or Puerto Rico (with autonomy) or a Friendship Treaty in which Guyanese can freely travel back and forth between the USA and Guyana and legally work in America; undocumented in USA can acquire legalized status.IhopeRoheewilljoin us in that effort to assist fellowGuyanese.
It is curious how Rohee came to the conclusion that Guyanese at home are not anti-America. Did he do a poll? One of Rohee's socialist comrades recently disputedanaccountthatover 90% of Guyanese have a favorable disposition towards USA. Is he a selfstyled pollster? Rohee describes me as 'self-styled' pollster There is no such thing. It is either you study polling and have significant experience conducting polls, making you a pollster or you neverdidapoll.
I have been conducting polls and other surveys as part of my academic studies since around 1980 in multiple countries Fortyfiveyearsofpollingdoesnot make one 'self-style'. I am not aware of Rohee or anyone else in Guyana conducting polls Rohee's party and he himself cited those polls to buttress claims of popular support in Guyana.
Rohee is right that GuyaneseAmericans are not ungrateful for what USAhas doneforthemfrom1960still now Only a handful of Guyanese, including Rohee himself, who were or are anti-American It is indisputable that the US has been very generous about
Guyana and Guyanese allowing almost a million of us to come to USA to better our lives. Personally, I have been able to obtain a tertiary education (from age 17) and ditto tens of thousands of Guyanese that would not have been possible in Guyana during the 1970s; from USA I contributed significantly to the struggle for a free Guyana, a role Rohee did not play in forays intheeastbloc. Itisshockingtonowread Rohee is not anti-American althoughseveralofhisrecent missives had a tone of antiAmericanism; I am happy that he has seen the light. I hope Rohee's new position towards USAis reflective of other (former) communist (socialist) comrades who sang anti-American anthem as they sought to build a communist state thru the 1990s. Guyanese grew up on a diet (from left wing politicians) that Soviet Union and Cuba (and later China) were our friends and America an enemy although almost every Guyanese was yearning to migrate to USA. And there was hypocrisy of some that Guyana under Burnham and Hoyte should democratize but were silent oncommunistCuba. Rohee forgot that his colleagues often referred to me and those of us who fought communism as h a v i n g “ A m e r i c a n colonialist and imperialist mentality”. His comrades (and himself) often described Americaasimperialist;some still do. They promoted a negative portrayal of the Americans until the cusp of
restoration of democracy in 1992.
He forgot that antiAmericanism was rampant (byhisparty)fromthe1950s onwards, moderated during 1990s with some persistence thereafter He forgot that he and some comrades were engaged in very strong antiUS rhetoric at a time when a handful of us (those who were described as friends of colonialistsandimperialists) in USA was involved in a struggle, appealing for Washington's assistance, for restoration of democracy in Guyana. Soviet Union, east bloc, and China did not support restoration of democracy in Guyana although Gorbachev may have brokered a deal with Bush Sr. for return of democracy in Nicaragua in exchange for free and fair elections in Guyana. Other than that, it was 'nyet' from the east on the democracy f r o n t W h e n e v e r I encountered them, Rohee's comrades still speak fondly of Soviet Union and the Socialist bloc and 'the good life' behind the Iron Curtain. Some still talk about American imperialism 'wantingtocontroloursweet crude oil', and they use “American Exxon Guyana”, and other denigrating terms to describe USA's presence to shelter the country from outside military aggression. A n d R o h e e a l s o conveniently forgets that some Guyanese (of all parties) have pushed back against the US's advocacy forconstitutionalreformsfor moreinclusivegovernance. (Continue on page 6)
Shuman knocks AFC over statement regarding border controversy
Dear Editor,
The Liberty and Justice
Party (LJP) strongly condemns the Alliance For Change's (AFC) recent reckless and treacherous attempt to publicly criticise
a n d u n d e r m i n e t h e government at a time when nationalunityisparamount.
At a moment when the territorial integrity and sovereignty of our beloved nation are under persistent threat from the Maduro regime, the AFC's divisive rhetoric stands as an affront
to the longstanding Guyanese ethos of common ground, national resolve, and collective defence against external threats. For generations, Guyanese acrossallpoliticallineshave understood that sovereignty is not a partisan issue. It is the foundation of our national identity and the very essence of our motto: “One People, One Nation, OneDestiny.”
This is a time for unity, notforrecklesspoliticking.
The AFC's irresponsible outburst flies in the face of this sacrosanct national ethos, disregarding the fragile peace that our government, security forces, and diplomatic corps are navigating with prudence and strategy This latest outburst is not an isolated incident it follows a pattern of divisiveness and sabotagethattheAFCandits leadership have embraced for years. These include: Calls for Geographic Division - The AFC has repeatedly attempted to politicize regional divisions, stoking sentiments that pit one region against another rather than promoting national unity; Ethnic Fragmentation - The party's rhetoric frequently seeks to exploit ethnic differences, u n d e r m i n i n g t h e government's 'One Guyana' vision, which aims to bring all communities together in peace and prosperity;
Sowing Distrust in Institutions - By questioning the integrity of Guyana's security forces, intelligence
operations, and diplomatic channels,theAFCisactively weakening our national response to external threats. This toxic political strategy ofinflamingdivisionshasno place in a nation that must stand united in the face of serious and sustained challengesfromVenezuela.
History has shown us that when nations face existential threats to their territorial integrity, political forces coalesce behind the government of the day to defend the national interest.
History is rife with examples. Guyana, a nation that has historically fought to secure its rightful borders throughdiplomacyandlegal avenues, must uphold the sameprinciple.
We cannot afford to send a message of disunity, weakness, or internal discord, which could e m b o l d e n e x t e r n a l aggressors Recognizing that political parties have a right to promulgate their political views and will sometimes have different views on domestic issues, the Liberty and Justice Party urgestheAFCtoabandonits destructive politics of division and instead adopt a Guyana-first framework t h a t : R e c o g n i z e s sovereignty as absolutely “NON-NEGOTIABLE” regardless of who the government of the day is –Our borders, security, and national integrity must alwaystakeprecedenceover political gamesmanship; Commits to national unity –All political forces must work together to protect Guyana from external threats rather than creating fractures that our enemies can exploit; Supports responsible governance –Engaging constructively rather than resorting to reckless attacks that u n d e r m i n e t h e Government's diplomatic andnationalsecurityefforts. Further, at this critical juncture, the LJP calls for universality in our political andsocialrestraint: 1.Political restraint from
all opposition parties, particularly those who, for short-term political gains, would irresponsibly fan the flames of division on an issue that transcends party politics.
2.Social restraint from all sections of society, as misinformation, hysteria, and political opportunism could inadvertently destabilise the national front.
3 A unified national front rallying behind the government's efforts to secureGuyana'ssovereignty through an internationally recognized legal process at the ICJ, ensuring that diplomacy, deterrence, and legalframeworksremainour pillars in safeguarding our borders.
If we allow political fragmentation to replace unityinthefaceofimminent danger, we risk weakening our diplomatic position at the international level, where unity strengthens our credibility; compromising national security by sending mixedsignalstoourdefence forces and international allies; and emboldening external threats, as adversaries will exploit any signsofinternaldivision.
Let us remember the words of the Song of the R e p u b l i c , “ F r o m Pakaraima's peaks of pow'r to Courentyne's lush sands, her children pledge each faithful hour to guard Guyana's lands”. This is a resolve and pledge by ALL of her children, not some, a n d c e r t a i n l y n o t conveniently
We, the Liberty and Justice Party, stand firm in our unwavering support for the government's relentless and unwavering efforts in defending Guyana's sovereignty Regardless of political affiliation, we call on every citizen to reject divisive rhetoric and rally behind our nation's leaders inthisdefiningmoment.
Sincerely yours
Lenox
R. O. Shuman, Mr. Chairman – Liberty and Justice Party
Privatization of GPL and GWI
Dear Editor,
The shift in management at GPL from a private company back to the government has been disastrous for the country From blackouts to falling power lines, and wasteful spending on power supply ships, our government's actions prompt a closer look at the management of our mainutilities.
GWI has also suffered from poor maintenance, sewage in the distribution system as experienced in Timehri and the lack of a systematic upgrades that strengthen the firefighting system.
CRG recommends implementing a model where the government is not directly
managing key utilities. A mode
companies specializing in utility services are used
would be more beneficial to consumers. The expertise of those specializing in energy and water utilities will allow consumers to get the best value for their money and h
technology used in the local market across the entire valuestream.
Furthermore, using a multi supplier model will ensure that rates remain competitive and that options are available for shifts to better service providers whenissuesarise.Whetherit be a supply issue or one which sits with customer service, companies who manage the entire utility value stream are better equipped to meet consumer needs.
An open market model requires service providers to continually improve in order to remain competitive and r
a government owned and run utility suffers from a lack of competition that does not encourage innovation and efficiencyimprovements. T h e r o l e o f t h e government in utilities should be focused and limited to providing regulations that protect consumers, and the development of the guiding strategy for future rate decreasesandenvironmental s u s t a i n a b i l i t y Unfortunately, the socialist / communist approach that hasbeenusedbyourcountry over the years and that has spawned the nationalization ofourutilitieshasresultedin poor management and underperformance. This is primarily due to the non-competitive nature of the model being used and itsinherentlackofexpertise.
(Continue on page 24)
Contractor giving residents of Downer Street Grove hell
Dear Sir,
Please afford me some space in your letter column as this appears to be the only meansbywhichmyproblem willreceiveattention.
I am a resident of Downer Street, Grove
Village, East Bank Demerara In January, a contractor, probably Japarts (by the name on the equipment being used) was given the project of reconstructing the drain in our street This was welcomeduetothedrainage problem that we suffered. However, all the goodwill has now mostly evaporated, duetotheindifferentattitude ofthecontractor AstheVice President was right to point out, there was very poor, if any,supervisiononthesite. th On the 19 January, the excavator severely damaged three sections of my fence. I was assured that it would be restored. Until now, nothing has been done and it appears that the contractor has left thesite.
I spoke to a number of officials at various times. These were people from the contractor, the Ministry and eventhegrantersoftheloan,
CDB,Ibelieve.AllIgotwas promisesandmorepromises –butnoaction.
I even ventured to the website of the Ministry of Worksandleftacomplaint.I got a notification that my Ticket No. was 22 (probably the number of fools, who were hoping for some relief). I even posted photos of my damaged fence on their Facebook page, but it appearsIwasjustblowingin thewind.
Additionally, on the project itself, I have observed some worrying aspects. For a major part of the drain, the surface of the street is about twelve inches above the top of the drain. This has made the parapet very steep, and as a result, when there is a shower of
rain,allthesandgetswashed into the drain. The drain is already filling up with sand, sonegatingitseffectiveness. It appears that there was no engineering input into its designorapproval. Secondly, the wooden frameworks used to cast the bridges, have been left in place.Inafewmonths'time, thesewillcollapseandcause furtherblockageinthedrain.
Thirdly, the contractor has left some old wood and sandbags in front of the premises of my neighbour Tosaytheleast,itlooksvery unsightly Sir, I am asking for your kind help to publish this letter, so that some relief can beaffordedus.
Thanking you Fed-up Resident
Left Wingers are anti-American/anti....
From page 4
America has consistently demanded that countries strengthen democratic institutions, curb corruption, and promote ethnic
conciliation. These reforms are crucial to promoting the values-based order in Guyana and the region.
Whenever I encountered them, Rohee's comrades still speak fondly of Soviet Union and the Socialist bloc and 'the good life' behind the Iron Curtain. Some still talk aboutAmerican imperialism 'wantingtocontroloursweet crude oil', and they use “American Exxon Guyana”, and other denigrating terms to describe USA's presence to shelter the country from outside military aggression.
A n d R o h e e a l s o conveniently forgets that some Guyanese (of all parties) have pushed back against the US's advocacy
forconstitutionalreformsfor moreinclusivegovernance.
Americahasconsistently demanded that countries strengthen democratic institutions, curb corruption,
reforms are crucial to promoting the values-based order in Guyana and the
Washington'sposition.
Rohee queries about my position on American sanctions against Cuba Clearly, he is against the sanctions on Cuba as a
dictatorship.
And that in itself is antiAmerican Cuba must becomea democraticnation. It will be hypocritical of me to champion democracy in socialist (communist) Guyana and not same for Cuba o
democraticnations.
I note that after Rohee's tenure as General Secretary, the PPP post 2016 under Jagdeo's leadership has been wisely courting America at the urging of a few of us in USA.ItwasmyIndoClubin the 1970s thru 1990s that pleaded with Jagan to end the chill in US ties that ushered in democracy and the return of PPP rule in Guyana. Jagdeo is a wily, smart politician with no other in his class in Guyana, certainly not Rohee Jagdeo's policy has paid dividends.
But over the last two d e c a d e s , u n d e r
governments, Guyana has unwisely favored major investments of Chinese state companies over Americans. That is a grand mistake.
Siding with Cuba, China, and Russia are reminiscent of images or acts of antiAmericanism and on March 17 President Trump so
remindedregionalleaders.
The anti-Americanism of the left, and aside from major investments from China, is not representative o f t h e A l i - J a g d e o administration, which has generally sought to work with USA, reversing an unmistakable strain of antiAmerican skepticism that has coursed for decades across the mainstream politicalspectrum.
That anti-Americanism never existed among the population who (almost everyon
cept the socialists) craved to migrate toUSA.
I am pleased that the Jagdeo/Ali duo ended the chill in US-Guyana relations andareseekingtostrengthen ties that were once opposed byRoheeandhiscommunist friends.
Yours truly,
Dr Vishnu Bisram (PhD)
Another ExxonM study warns of impact to fish from degraded water quality
A l t h o u g h t h e Government of Guyana (GoG)continuestodenythat the offshore oil and gas operations are impacting fish catches, another study done by American oil giant, ExxonMobil, has confirmed that marine life, including fish, can be affected by poor waterqualityasaresultofthe plannedpetroleumactivities
In its most recent Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for the seventh deepwater development, Exxon’s Consultant, Environmental Resources Management (ERM),detailstheimpactson fishandothermarinespecies
The impactof the oiland gas sector on the fishing industry has been widely debated, with fisherfolk complaining of reduced catches since 2019, government denying that the petroleum sector is responsible, and Exxon’s clear warnings in these documents
AccordingtothenewEIA for the Hammerhead project, “The project might affect marine fish due to the degradationofwaterqualityas aresultofthepermittedvessel discharges described above, through acoustic impacts, through localized changes in distribution,andhabitatusage duetoalteredbottomhabitats and the presence of Project infrastructure, through attractiontoartificiallight,and throughthepotentialtoentrain (suckin)fisheggsandlarvaeat coolingwaterintakes”
Discharge from the projectincludesballastwater, produced water (which, according to the study, may contain oil, grease, and other chemicals), domestic and sanitary waste (containing chlorineandbacteria),aswell as bilge water (which may also contain oil and grease) These discharges are expected to be treated by ExxonMobil to meet certain standards, prior to being dischargedoverboard.
According to the
document, modeling conducted by ExxonMobil’s consultant found that water quality will return to “nearbackground conditions” within 100 meters of the Floating Production Storage and Offloading vessel (FPSO) Consequently, it suggested that the affected area will be very small. Additionally, ERM claimed that fish are mobile and are known to avoid areas with degradedwaterquality Notably,thestudygoeson to highlight the socioeconomic impacts on fisherfolk It states, “Impacts on fishing livelihoods may arise due to increased vessel trafficand/orexclusionzones inthenearshorearea,whichis expected to have a potential minor impact on artisanal fisherfolk and negligible impact on industrial fishing operators”
K a i e t e u r N e w s understands that industrial fishing vessels offshore will lose access to some fishing areas that are currently available and will have to avoid project-related vessel traffic where none currently exist
Additionally, Exxon explainedthatartisanalfishing occurs well inshore of the Project Development Area (PDA); as such, there will be no loss of access for artisanal fishing However, fishing vessels could experience interferenceduetomovements of vessel traffic related to the project Exxon was keen to note that while notices to mariners will be provided to mitigate potential interference with industrial andartisanalfishingvessel
Continuedonpage12
Frompage3
offshore developments Already, three projects are producingoilintheStabroekBlock,whichisestimatedto holdmorethan11billionbarrelsofoil.TheLizaOne,Liza Two,andPayaraprojectsareproducingadailyaverageof 650,000barrelsperday
ThefourthFPSO,‘OneGuyana’,willbethelargestin Guyana, to date. The vessel was designed to produce 250,000 barrels of oil per day (bpd), compared with 220,000 bpd at the Payara project, operated by the ProsperityFPSO.Meanwhile,thetwootherprojects,which have received the blessings of the government of Guyana (GoG), are likely to startup in 2027. Both Uaru and Whiptailweredesignedtodevelop250,000bpd.
America does not fight for free
Guyana must be wary of America.That much is clear The United States has recently issued a strong rebuke, warning Venezuela of consequences for any threats to Guyana. But we should not take that to mean a guarantee of US protection forGuyana.
Americanstatementsand declarations are no guarantees. And words do not stop incursions. They do not halt aggression.The idea that America will rush to Guyana's defense if Venezuela makes a move on Essequiboisonethatmustbe dismissed quickly and entirely
Americans do not fight wars for the sake of principle They fight for interests,andeventhen,with greatreluctance.
Guyana's vast oil reserves may seem a compelling interest, but the presence of U.S. companies extracting those reserves does not, in and of itself, constitute a reason for military intervention.
American companies operate in hostile regions all over the world, and the U.S. government does not scramble jets every time a
corporate interest is threatened To believe otherwise is to misread history
Economicinterestsalone are not enough to encourage the United States to come to the defense of other countries The Americans are not in the business of fighting for small nations when larger prizes are in play
Guyana has oil, yes, but Venezuela has the largest proven oil reserves in the world—an untapped wealth that has long tempted Washington If anything, America is more likely to be interested in securing access to Venezuela's resources than in expending military resourcestodefendGuyana. The calculation in
Washington is clear: a direct c o n f r o n t a t i o n w i t h Venezuela risks pushing Caracas closer to Russia, Iran and China, while a n e g o t i a t e d settlement perhaps even one that sells Guyana short—could pave the way for American access to Venezuela's vast petroleum deposits Guyana must recognisethatinthisgameof great power politics, it is merely a piece on the board, not the player moving the pieces.
Guyana's dilemma, in part, is that the United States has always been a part of the problem. It was the United States that, for decades, watched as Venezuela repeatedly resurrected its dubious claim to Guyanese territory It was the United Statesthat,foryears,refused to directly rebuke Caracas for this blatant attempt at land-grabbing. It was only when the APNU+AFC governmentappliedpressure that Washington finally took a stance, and even then, the stance was measured, calculated,andcarefulnotto committoomuch.America's cautionmustnotbemistaken for concern. It is simply the way of great powers to keep theiroptionsopen.
It is one thing for Washington to say that Venezuela will face consequences for aggression against Guyana. It is another thing altogether for American troops to land in GeorgetownorforAmerican fighter jets to patrol Guyanese airspace. There is no promise of intervention, no ironclad agreement, no defense pact that guarantees U.S.militarysupport.
The lesson is a simple one: America does what is convenientforAmerica.And if a deal can be struck with Venezuela at Guyana's expense, Washington will not hesitate to sign it Guyanaisimportant,butitis not that important. It is a
Dem Boys Seh...
small country with immense resources, but great powers have never had trouble extractingwealthfromsmall nations while leaving them tofendforthemselves.
OilwillnotsaveGuyana. T h e p r e s e n c e o f ExxonMobil and other U.S. firms does not bindAmerica to Guyana's fate. The idea that U.S. Marines will come to rescue Essequibo is a fiction, and one that Guyanese must abandon immediately
If Guyana is to learn anything from history, it mustlooktoitstrueandonly reliable ally in this matter: Brazil. Unlike the United States, Brazil has a direct interest in maintaining the sanctity of international borders. Unlike the United States,Brazilrecognizesthat allowing Venezuela to erode the legitimacy of historical treaties threatens its own territorialintegrity.
Brazil is defending G u y a n a b e c a u s e i t understands that a world in which treaties can be cast aside is a world that endangers Brazil itself. This is how nations operate—not out of sentiment, but out of self-interest But it is doubtful too that Brazil will provide military support to Guyana in the event of a Venezuelanincursion.
For decades, Guyana's best and only weapon has beendiplomacy Ithasbeena consistent weapon, a steady one, and so far, an effective one. But diplomacy is not eternal. It works until it doesn't.Andifthedaycomes when diplomacy fails, Guyana must understand thatitwillstandalone.
Some argue that, in this context, Guyana must build its military, that it must prepare to hold off Venezuela until help arrives. But help will not arrive.This is the fundamental flaw in the strategy No amount of oil revenue, no volume of militaryspending,willallow
My Guyana's Grace
My joy, when she is here with me, Sees beauty in the golden light, Where rivers weave through forest free, Andbirdstaketheirmajesticflight.
She walks where giant trees embrace, Through emerald canopies so wide, And in the jungle's hushed place, Shetreadstheearthwithhumblepride.
Her laughter dances with the breeze, She loves the sky's untamed delight, She's glad the rains caress the trees, Andfirefliespiercethevelvetnight.
The mighty Kaieteur's endless fall,
capabilities.
Nor should America be seen as a saviour It is a calculating entity, an empire that moves according to its own interests. If Guyana makes the mistake of calling for US military support, it will find itself in a deal so skewed, so predatory, that theendresultwillbecostly America does not fight for free. As Ukraine is now discovering.
If America does ever come to Guyana's rescue, it will extract from Guyana all that it can, and by the time the dust settles, Essequibo may remain under Guyana's flag, but the nation's wealth will belong to Washington. That is the cost of American “help.”
Guyanese, therefore, must discard the illusion that America is the answer The only true defense strategy is diplomacy The best path forward is the one that does
not rely on the fickle promises of great powers. Diplomacy has held so far Letitcontinuetohold.
(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.)
The crimson sun on waves so bright, She tells me they are loveliest all— Andwhispers,“Seetheminmylight.” Not yesterday, I learned to know The splendor of this land so free, Where breezes kiss the palms below, Andriversrushtomeetthesea.
For when she speaks of land so fair, With forests deep and waters wide, I see G
Andfeelherwonderbymyside.
Take half. Left half.
H@RD TRUTHS
Guyanese governor, a masterstroke, need to mend
Any Guyanese
governor of Essequibo will bechargedwithtreason. Itis
how I like to hear government leaders and ministersspeak. No double talk. No
hedge language No skippingandslidingaround. I commend Honorable Minister Robeson Benn. In thenextbreath,andhowever grudgingly, the slightest nod must be given in the direction of Venezuelan
President Nicolas Maduro. To announce that a Guyanese would be named Governor of Essequibo qualifies for a stroke of r e c o g n i t i o n . T h e Venezuelan leader and his gang are thinking, plotting their moves with cunning andresourcefulness. Isense danger
Idon'tlikethisGuyanese asgovernorbusinessatall. What ideas did Maduro just plant in the heads of Guyanese? This man is
playing with the minds of Guyanese. What will be his next move, one along the samelines?
Think fellow Guyanese, think. I think that what Mr. Maduro is dangling are carrotsbeforelocals.
Come to me, join with me, and leave the rest to me. If a Guyanese could be considered for governor, then think of the prospects that could be for other Guyanese willing to stand withhim.
The Venezuelan leader knows full well how divided Guyana is, with resentments runningdeep.
He must also know how many in Guyana battle with distress and poverty, and are mostagitatedaboutit.
So, he opens his gift bag. Despite the specter of a treason charge that could be slapped on those dealing with Maduro and Venezuela (and in opposition to Guyana), some Guyanese could be tempted to bite at
his bait. In their minds, what have they gained by being loyal to their homeland? What do they stand to lose, when so little has come their way from their own riches?
Treason or no treason, this is the predicament in which some Guyanese are going to find themselves Venezuelan citizenship or Guyanese? First loyalty to Guyanaordividedloyalties?
I think that this is what Maduro is playing with, will most likely intensify his effortsandappeals.
With respect to Minister Benn, I have misgivings on how the threat of a treason charge would serve as a deterrent
People make choices today, which they believe put them in a better position, only to discover that they made their own bedandit'soveragrave.
I encourage my fellow citizens to cast their minds back to the second Great War over three quarters of a century ago France had f a l l e n b e f o r e t h e unstoppableGermanhordes, and instead of signing up with the French Resistance, some Frenchmen became collaboratorswiththeNazis. Anofficerandaheroashigh rankingasMarshalPhillippe Petain spearheaded what history has passed down to usasVichyFrance.
In times of peace there i s u s u a l l y s h a r p disagreement; in times of war, there could be what is subversive and selfdefeating
If not nipped at the bud, d i ff e r e n c e s c a n b e destructive This is what the PPP Government and the combined opposition need towraptheirmindsaround
I have said it once, and I will say it a thousand times This country needs genuine andsustainingunity
It will not be achieved through a comforting picture of President Ali and Opposition Leader Norton and their respective teams gathered around a table discussing urgent national sovereignty issues. It is what should have started before It is not the two leaders saying the right things about holding one head and speaking with one voiceaboutVenezuela.
It is about those two elements worked on before any escalation of tensions, and given a chance to grow afterwards through tireless andthanklesswork.
In other words, serious and sustained effort at fostering real national unity Of giving every Guyanese the strongest sense that they belong, and they that have a say in the vital decisions impacting their country and their own existence.
It has not been this way for, in effect, Guyana has gonetheotherway
The bickering and wrangling between the government and opposition (and their camps) have been nonstop, and the arrival of oil only intensified the disunity and rancor in this country. The same oil that Maduro covets, which he says rightfully belongs to Venezuela. Like hell, it does!
But where is the government and opposition of Guyana with such visible andvocalenergy,otherthan in moments of high national urgency?
N e i t h e r t h e P P P Go
demonstrated the political will to look beyond the divisive past, and then to invest the political capital that could lead to a different presentandfuture,i.e.,anew Guyana.
So, the reciprocal carping and cursing has continued uninterrupted; it is only broken when someone in Venezuela
d Nicolas Maduro has done so more than most of his compatriots.
The situation in Guyana i s t a i l o r m a d e f o r Venezuelan opportunists, suchasPresidentMaduro
So, he keeps raising the bar on Guyana, through a menu of actions Now he sweetens the pot to lure unsuspecting or unhappy Guyanese.
It is way past the time for the PPP and PNC (and whoever else) to come to their senses It is now the time for them to be about somethinganddosomething that is different, what holds the promise of a united Guyana. it would be a strongerone,abetterone
(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the o p i n i o n s o f t h i s newspaper.)
Bus conductor, 18, charged with rape of girl, 13
An18-year-oldbusconductorwasonTuesdaycharged with the rape of a child under the age of 16 when he appearedattheMabarumaMagistrates’Court.
Theaccused,RalphThomas,ofMabarumaSettlement, NorthWestDistrict,waschargedwithrapinga13-year-old femalestudentonMarch14,2025inRegionOne. He appeared before Magistrate Clive Nurse. He pleadednotguiltyandwasreleasedon$400,000bail. Thomas is scheduled to return to court on March 21, 2025.
Another ExxonM study warns of impact...
Frompage8 navigation,therearelimitations-particularly for artisanal vessels- to the effectiveness of thesenotices.
GOVT.DENIES
In a statement to the media on Monday, theMinistryofNaturalResourcesresponded to comments by the Kaieteur News Publisher, Glenn Lall, who spoke about the impactsonthelocalfishingindustryfromthe ongoingoiloperations.
Lall,onhisFridayradioprogramme,aired on 991 and 995 FM, told listeners, “Today, fishermen are going out for days and can’t evencatchenoughfishtopayfortheice,much less the gasoline So, we now importing fish fromJamaicaandothercountriesthatonlythe rich and powerful can afford, with no compensationfromExxonMobil” Government, however, noted that Guyana’s fishing industry expanded by 1%
in2024.“Whilefishproductionfacedminor contractions (-2 2%), marine shrimp production grew by 8.5%, and aquaculture production expanded by 13 7%, with brackishwatershrimpproductionincreasing by19.1%,”accordingtotheMinistry
With local fishers complaining of lower catches and reduced fish quality in some instances, the GoG rolled out a marine aquaculture project that sees fish being reared in an advanced way Several cages weredeployedatvariouslocationsacrossthe countrytonurturespecificspeciesoffish.
Additionally,fishpondsweredeveloped intheBerbiceareaforrearingbrackishwater shrimpandotherspeciesoffish.
The initiative has been touted a success by government, with increased production recorded. However, this does not quiet the concerns of several fishers who continue to facehardshipstoprovidefortheirfamilies.
Defendant, Ralph Thomas
WitheyesonGuyana,Chevronbuys5%ofHessshares
With its eyes firmly fixed on Hess Corporation’s 30% stake in the ExxonMobil-led Stabroek Block operations,Chevronhasboughtastake of 4.99% in Hess Corp, since the start of the year, according to a regulatory filingfromthisweek.
The company said it is confident that its merger with ExxonMobil’s partner in Guyana will proceed as planned, Reuters reported. The stake Chevron bought over the last two months cost about US$3.2 billion, the
...says it is confident in merger
report noted, representing a total of 15.38 million common shares in Hess Corp.
Chevron announced plans to acquireHessforsomeUS$53billionin one of a series of so-called megadeals that began in 2023, amid the wardriven rally on oil and gas prices.The announcement, made in October of that year, followed closely the news
that Exxon had agreed to take over Pioneer Natural Resources in a deal worth US$59.5 billion, to become the leaderinthePermian.
For Chevron, the appeal of Hess Corp lay in its Guyana assets, where, along with ExxonMobil, the company tappedasmuchas11billionbarrelsof oilequivalent,withproductionquickly Continued on page 22
Chevron said it is confident its merger with Hess will be realised
PM Gonsalves meets with Maduro amid increased provocation by Venezuela
In a statement on Tuesday, the Government of Saint Vincent and the GrenadinesannouncedthatPrimeMinisterDr Ralph Gonsalves has left to meet with Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in the Spanishspeakingnation.
The SVG government’s statement notes that PM Gonsalves’ visit is in relation to increased tension between Guyana and Venezuela over the Essequibo region. “The Prime Minister is reminding both leaders of
theArgyle Declaration, of which they signed untoinDecember2023,withhimselfactingas an interlocutor The Prime Minister spoke with President of Guyana, Dr Irfaan Ali, on Monday, urging calm and restraint and for both parties to return to diplomacy,” SVG statementnoted.
Notably, it was further stated that Dr Gonsalves also cautioned that an escalation intoopenconflictcoulddevastatebothnations economically and socially, and destabilized
the entire Latin America and Caribbean region,potentiallyleavingahumanitarianand refugee crisis. To this end, he advised both partiestoresolvethemattersoitdoesnotlead toanyopenconflict.
Notably,Venezuelahaslongclaimedmore than two-thirds of Guyana (the Essequibo region).As a result, Guyana had approached the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to settlethebordercontroversy Thecase Continued on page 23
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Prime Minister Dr, Ralph Gonsalves
Exxon selects American company to conduct marine survey for 6th project
Ex x o n M o b i l Guyana Limited has selected New Wave Offshore Energy to conduct the Marine WarrantySurvey(MWS)for itssixthproject,Whiptail,in theStabroekBlock.
New Wave Offshore Energyadvisesoil&gasand renewables majors on safely executing marine operations worldwide.
Inarecentstatement,the company explained that the marine warranty services contract encompasses risk management and safety oversight support for the US$12.7billionproject.
I n A p r i l 2 0 2 4 ,
ExxonMobil received governmentapprovalforthe Whiptail development, which will target an estimated resource base of more than 850 million barrels of oil and include up to 10 drill centers and 48 production and injection wells.
Thisdevelopmentwillbe supported by a floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) vessel named“Jaguar”.Theproject is expected to produce 250,000 barrels per day (bpd)andisexpectedtostart production by the end of 2027.
New Wave Offshore Energy’s scope of work involves marine warranty services across multiple phases of the project, including overseeing safe transportation and installation (T&I) operations.
New Wave Offshore Energy will provide an impartial review of the operation, to ensure that the agreed warranties of the project are met, while delivering value-added expertise.
“The Whiptail MWS award underscores New WaveOffshore’sgrowthand our commitment to supporting ExxonMobil Guyana’s offshore operations,” said Kyle Eddings, Founder and Chief ExecutiveOfficer
He added, “We are thankful to ExxonMobil Guyana for the confidence they have placed in our technical capabilities, and we look forward to s t r e n g t h e n i n g t h e partnership we have built working together over the pastfiveyears.”
“Our marine warranty survey capabilities combine specialized technical skills withadeepunderstandingof offshore energy project
dynamics,” explained Megan Eddings, New Wave Offshore’s Chief Strategy Officer
Eddings said too, “The Whiptail contract award demonstratesprogressinour strategy to be a leading
marineassuranceproviderin the international offshore energy industry, and we are excited to demonstrate our
Govt. ordered to pay former CH&PA CEO 29 months salary, other benefits after wrongful dismissal
Acting Chief Justice Roxanne George has ruled that the State must pay former Chief Executive
Officer(CEO)oftheCentral Housing and Planning Authority (CHPA), Lelon
Saul, for unlawful
termination.
ShortlyafterthePeople’s Progressive Party (PPP) government took office in
August 2020, Minister of Housing and Water, Colin Croal, terminated Saul, who wasonathree-yearcontract,
withonemonth’snotice.
Saul is a retired
Lieutenant Colonel of the Guyana Defence Force
Former CEO of the CH&PA, Lelon Saul
(GDF)andalsoworkedwith the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
He was appointed as CEOoftheCH&PAinearly 2017bytheAPartnershipfor National Unity + Alliance for Change (APNU+AFC) government.
Saul contested his dismissal and retained the services of attorney-at-law, Darren Wade. Together, the minister’s decision to terminate Saul was challenged at the High Court.
“The Chief Justice ruled that Saul’s dismissal was unlawfulandorderedthathe be financially compensated fortheremaining29months ofhiscontract.Thisdecision underscores the legal validity of Saul’s position and affirms his entitlement to the full benefits of his employment agreement,” the lawyer said in a statement.
For his part, Saul said thatheisdeeplygratifiedby the Chief Justice’s ruling, which he said has affirmed that his termination was unlawful.
He noted, “This judgmentnotonlyvindicates my position but also reinforces the importance of fairness,dueprocess,andthe rule of law in our society I have always maintained my commitment to serving the people of Guyana with integrity and dedication during my tenure, and I am thankful that the court has recognized the injustice donetome.”
Saul stated that while no amountofcompensationcan fully address the personal and professional toll the ordealhastakenonhim,heis relieved that the court has o r d e r e d m o n e t a r y compensation for the remaining 29 months of his contract.
“Thisdecisionallowsme tomoveforwardwithmylife and career, knowing that justice has been served,” he noted.
Elections fraud trial: Defence questions impartiality of elections observer
On Tuesday, defence attorneys in the elections fraud case raised concerns over the role played by Rosalinda Rasul as an observer,suggestingthatshe didnotactasanindependent and neutral observer during the 2020 General and RegionalElections.
The trial, which is being heard before Acting Chief MagistrateFaithMcGustyat theGeorgetownMagistrates' Court, involves multiple defendants, including former Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) Chief Elections Officer (CEO), Keith Lowenfield; formerReturningOfficerfor District Four, Clairmont Mingo;formerDeputyChief Elections Officer (DCEO), Roxanne Myers; former Minister of Health, Volda Lawrence; APNU+AFC Chief Scrutineer, Carol Smith Joseph; and former GECOM employees, Sheffern February, Enrique Liven, Michelle Miller, and DeniseBabb-Cummings.
The defendants are accused of conspiring to manipulate the election resultsbetweenMarch2and August 2, 2020, at the Ashmins' Building in Georgetown, thereby defrauding the electors of Guyana During crossexamination by defence attorney, Eusi Anderson, Rasul's impartiality was scrutinized Anderson questioned Rasul about her
various government roles, includingherpositionsasthe head of the Diaspora Unit at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Chairman of the Transport and Harbours Department Advisory Council, and Director of the Canawaima Ferry Service. Anderson's questioning soughttoestablishapossible conflict of interest in her position as an election observer, particularly followingtheadministration of the Peoples Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) governmentin2020. Anderson focused on events from March 4, 2020, at the Ashmins' Building. Rasul acknowledged being in a room with other observers and PPP/C members, along with the Statement of Polls (SOP). She confirmed seeing several of the accused, includingKeithLowenfield, Roxanne Myers, and Enrique Liven, but not Michelle Miller, Volda Lawrence, Carol Smith Joseph, or Denise BabbCummings Rasul further admittedthatnoAPNU/AFC members or observers were presentintheroom.Shealso stated that she was unaware of when the SOP had been moved, and conceded that the possibility of numbers being altered on the SOPs existed Anderson pressed Rasul on her observations the following day, March 5,
2020, during the tabulation process. He asked whether she saw any of the defendants communicating in person or electronically regardingtheelection.
Rasul said that she did not, and when asked if she had evidence of the defendants coordinating to declare any election results, she replied, “I did not see that.”The defence attorney also asked her whether she had observed any of the defendants tampering with or altering the SOPs in her presence. Rasul responded, “No ” Anderson then questionedRasul'sroleasan observer, asking if she had been paid to make a statement and whether she was compensated by AmCham for her role as an electionobserver
Rasul firmly stated that shewasnotpaidforherrole, explaining that she had voluntarily assumed the position. When questioned about her other government roles after the PPP/C assumed power in 2020, she confirmed that while some of the roles were voluntary, her position as head of the Diaspora Unit was a paid position.Andersonrequested thatRasuldisclosehersalary for these roles, but the prosecution objected, arguing that such information was irrelevant. MagistrateMcGustyagreed, notingthatRasulhadalready statedshewaspaidforsome
Man gets two years in jail for trying to extort $1.5M from couple
A 27-year-old man was onTuesdaysentencedtotwo yearsimprisonmentwhenhe appeared at the Wales Magistrates'Courttoanswer an extortion charge The accused Nandkishore Rup Jnr also known as 'Niron' of Lot 13434 Block 8 Mon Repos,EastCoastDemerara (ECD) was arrested on March 11, 2024 for using a computer system to extort $1.5MfromTroyPersaud. The crime occurred between February 27 and March 11, 2024 at Canal Number One, West Bank
Demerara(WBD).Rupmade his first appearance at the Wales Magistrates' Court on May 8, 2024 before Her Worship Rhondell Weever where he pleaded not guilty tothechargeandwasplaced on$100,000bail. According to police Rup contacted Persaud via Facebook Messenger and demanded that he pay him $1.5M or he will publish nudephotographsandvideos of Persaud and his wife on Facebook. Persaud reported the matter to the Cyber Crime Unit of the Criminal
Nandkishore Rup
Investigation Department
investigation was launched and Rup was subsequently
Magistrate Weever found Rup guilty and sentenced him.
Guyanese drowns after jumping into Takatu River to escape bee attack
A20-year-oldGuyanesemandrownedintheTakatuRiver, which separates Guyana and Brazil, on Monday, after he plunged overboard to escape a bee attack. Dead is Narendra Mark Persaud.Brazilian media reported that the incident occurred around 12:45h, near Porto São Paulo.Officers from Brazil's5thIndependentBorderMilitaryPoliceCompany(5th CIPMFron), as well as firefighters, started searching on Monday for Persaud but his body was located Tuesday morning.HisbodywastakentotheForensicMedicalInstitute (IML) in Boa Vista, where an expert examination will be performedbeforeitisreleasedforburial.(FolhaBV)
of her positions and preferred not to disclose specificsalarydetails.
Anderson withdrew the request but continued to question Rasul about her roles under the PPP/C administration, highlighting that she had not been appointed to these positions
beforethe2020elections.He asked if she still maintained her position as an independent observer Rasul maintained that she was an independent observer, statingthatherstatementsto Attorney General Anil Nandlall were “solely voluntary ”The defence attorney also probed Rasul's training as an election observer, noting that the American Chamber of Commerce of Guyana (AmCham) only provided a one-day training session She admitted that she was unaware of the roles of the defendants and had never reviewed any documents regarding her duties
Andersonsuggestedthather limited training called into question her ability to serve asanindependentobserver The pros
Anderson's questions were repetitiveanddesignedtofit his narrative. Additionally, Anderson questioned Rasul aboutheraffidavit,inwhich s
defendants' actions during the tabulation process. He asked if it was fair for an independentobservertosign such an affidavit without consultingtheotherside. Rasul responded, “No, I didnotconsultwiththeother side”. She continued, “I have nothing to hide from anyone, whether they are fromthePPPortheAPNU+ AFC or ANUG, if they wanted a statement I wouldhavegladlygivenitto them.”
Further questioning by Anderson focused on whether Rasul had received any gifts from the PPP/C, to whichsheansweredno.The prosecution once again objected, citing the irrelevanceofthequestion.
At the conclusion of the day'sproceedings,Anderson requested an adjournment, which was granted by Magistrate McGusty The trial will resume on Thursday,March20,2025.
Dead: Narendra Mark Persaud
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FAOurgesboldandurgent actiontosafeguardplanthealth
The 19th Session of the CommissiononPhytosanitary Measures (CPM-19) opened on Tuesday at the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations’ (FAO) headquartersinRome,bringing together global experts, policymakers,andstakeholders for a week of discussions on strengthening international phytosanitary standards,addressingtheincreasing risks posed by plant pests and diseases, and advancing digitalsolutionsforsafetrade.
In his opening remarks, theFAODirector-General,Qu Dongyu, underscored the critical role of plant health in achieving food security, biodiversity, and sustainable agri-food systems. “Healthy plants are the foundation of productive farms and strong rural livelihoods. Yet, pests and the spread of invasive species destroy up to 40 percent of global crops, costing theglobaleconomyover$220 billioneachyear.”
Qu also emphasised the growing impact of shifting environmental and weather conditions,whicharealtering the movement of plant pests into new regions, threatening food production and ecosystems. “Harsh climate events furtheralterthemovementof pests and diseases to new areaswithmoreanddestructive diseases that are transboundary,”hesaid,highlighting that, for this reason, protecting plant health is essentialforhuman,animaland environmentalhealth.
Recognizing the need for greater investment in plant health, the Director-General announced that FAO has allocatedanadditional$500,000 initsProgrammeofWorkand Budget for 2026-27 to strengthen the International Plant Protection Convention’s (IPPC) implementation of international
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standards,training,andinnovation— the first increase from the FAO Regular BudgetfortheIPPCinfiveyears.
LookingaheadatCPM-19
Inthecomingdays,CPM19willfocusonadoptingnew international phytosanitary standards(ISPMs),including ISPM46,thefirstcommodityspecific standard aimed at ensuring safer international trade of fresh mango, and ISPM 39, which provides guidance on mitigating pest risks associated with the movement of wood. These standards are expected to enhance global trade while strengthening plant health protection measures.
TheCommissionwillalso featurethelaunchoftheIPPC Plant Health Campus, a globale-learningplatformaimed
at strengthening phytosanitary capacity worldwide.Developedbythe IPPC, the platform will provide free, high-quality courses for national plant protection organizations and plant health professionals, equipping them with essentialknowledgeonpestsurveillance, risk assessment, and safe trade practices.
TheDirector-Generalalso added that, “Protecting plant health is essential – not only foragriculture,butforhuman, animal, and environmental health. The One Health approach ensures a holistic response, reducing pesticide use,limitingzoonoticdisease risks, tackling antimicrobial resistance, and preventing environmental degradation.” HereiteratedFAO’scommit-
ment to this approach, noting that the 29th Session of theFAOCommitteeonAgriculture (COAG) has recommended strengthening the OneHealtheffortsandFAO’s collaborationwithallkeypartners. The session also featured the launch of the report “Investing in Trade Digitalization – The Case of ePhyto”, highlighting the growing role of digital phytosanitarycertificationin makingglobaltrademoresecure and efficient. The ePhyto Solution “has ensured that,currently,approximately 20 percent of international tradeinplant-basedproducts is now conducted more efficientlyandsecurely, benefiting both exporters and importers,”theDirector-General said.
Manon$50kbailfor assaultingneighbour
AcontractorwasonTuesdaychargedand placed on bail for allegedly assaulting his neighbour and causing actual bodily harm.
Theaccused,45-year-oldCourtneyPunch, appeared at the Vigilance Magistrates' Court to answer to the charge, which states that he assaulted Ravi Singh, also known as 'Steve', at Track 'A' Coldigen, East Coast Demerara (ECD) on March 14, 2025.Appearing before SeniorMagistrateSunilScarce,Punchpleaded guilty
The prosecution told the court that Singh was at his home, raking his parapet, when he wasapproachedbyPunchwhoinstructedhim to delete a video. Singh asked the defendant to leave his premises. This angered Punch, who took away Singh's rake and hit him several times about his body
Singh received three lashes on the right
From page 13
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ramping up. Currently, the South American nationpumpssome660,000bpd,allfromthe Exxon-HessoperatedStabroekBlock.Output is projected to hit 1.3 million barrels daily by 2030.ItisalsoExxonMobilthatismakingthe completionoftheChevron-Hessmergerdifficult, as it seeks the right of first refusal for Hess’ Guyana assets, turning to an arbitration court. Chevron and Hess insist that this is not an asset acquisition deal, so the right of first refusal clause in the partnership deal between Exxon and Hess does not apply ExxonMobilbegstodifferandithasthethird partner in the Stabroek Block on its side— China’s CNOOC.Hess Corp has a 30% stake in the Stabroek Block and Chevron has made nosecretofthefactthatthisstakeisthemain reason it wants to acquire the company Yet, ExxonMobil is also eyeing that stake, to add to its 45% in the project. If Exxon wins, the Hess acquisition would become pointless for Chevron.President Irfaan Ali, back in May 2024, had said he would welcome Chevron joining the ExxonMobil-led consortium that operates the country’s US$150bn-plus offshore oil project. Ali had told the Financial Times that his government was keen to attract the world’s largest oil companies, such asChevron,todevelopitsresourcesandsuggestedanymovebyExxontoincreaseitsstake in the project could raise competition con-
ofhisface,onetohisear,onetohisneck,and one to his head. Following the assault, the injured man made a report at the Vigilance PoliceStation.Aninvestigationwaslaunched and Punch was arrested. Punch told the court that he was at a friend's home, next door to Singh,celebratingPhagwah,whenhesawthe securitycamerafromSingh'shomerecording himandhiswife.
Heapproachedhimandrequestedthatthe video be deleted, but Singh refused. Punch got angry, took the rake away and hit Singh twiceonhisrightarmcausingtheraketobreak.
After listening to both sides, Magistrate Scarce placed Punch on bail with the condition that he does not enter Singh's property He was also placed on a peace bond.
Punch is scheduled to return to court on April14,2025.
cerns.“Iwouldn’tusethewordnervous,”Ali said when asked whether he was anxious aboutthepossibilityofExxongainingamore dominant stake in the project. He noted that consolidation in other sectors that led to one business controlling more than half of the market “can cause concern”, saying, “We are of the view that the partnership works well.” Ali said the proposal to bring in a major new partner into the consortium was a matter for the existing partners, but added that he thought it would be good to have the “largest operators from the US operating in Guyana.” Back in January, this newspaper reported John Hess, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Hess Corporation, saying that the Guyanese government strongly endorsed Chevron’s anticipated entry into the Stabroek Block.
SpeakingattheGoldmanSachsResearch: Energy, CleanTech & Utilities Conference, HesssaidPresidentIrfaanAlihasmadeitclear that maintaining a three-way partnership for the block is critical. “The government’s been clear they want a three-way partnership to continue. They don’t want a two-way partnership to own the asset,” Hess outlined. He continued, “So PresidentAli has been very clear about that, he’s gone public, he’s been in the Financial Times speaking about that and he’s very supportive of Chevron becoming the third party in the country.”
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Ed. Ministry launches 'Projects Map' to showcase progress of school works
The Ministry of Education on Tuesday launched a new tool called 'Projects Map' to showcase theprogressoftheministry's projects.
At a simple ceremony at her Brickdam office, MinisterofEducation,Priya Manickchand said the government through her ministry has been building, rebuilding, and extending
manyschoolsattheprimary, nursery, secondary, and dormitory level all across Guyana.
The minister said while worksarenotbeingexecuted through the central ministry they are being undertaken throughthevariousRegional Administrations (1 to 10) whichfallundertheMinistry of Local Government and RegionalDevelopment.
Map showing the various school projects being undertaken all across the country. (Photocourtesy, MinisterofEducation,PriyaManickchand/Facebook)
Man on $75k bail for obtaining money by false pretense
A39-year-oldmanwasonMondaygranted$75,000bail afterheappearedatVigilanceMagistrates'Courttoanswer tochargesofobtainingmoneybyfalsepretense,disorderly behavior,andresistingpolicearrest.
Perez McPherson, of Lot 70 Friendship, East Coast Demerara (ECD), was charged for obtaining $160,000 by false pretense from Mike Johnson on February 16, 2025. McPherson was also charged with disorderly behavior and resisting police arrest on March 15, 2025, at Brush Dam, RailwayEmbankment,ECD.
Hepleadednotguiltytothechargesthatwerereadtohim bySeniorMagistrateSunilScarce.
McPherson was also placed on self-bail for the disorderlybehaviorandresistingpolicearrestcharges. HeisscheduledtoreturntocourtonApril28,2025.
PMGonsalvesmeetswithMaduro...
Frompage14 remains pending before the court PM Gonsalves' meeting with Maduro follows the March 1, 2025 incident,whereaVenezuelan armed vessel entered Guyana's waters and approached the Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO), Prosperity,whichoperatesin the oil-rich Stabroek Block.
It was reported that the Venezuelan vessel radioed the FPSO, claiming it was operating in “disputed international waters” before continuing toward other FPSOsintheblock.Notably, the Argyle Declaration was signed at the Argyle International Airport (AIA) on Thursday, December 14th, 2023, between President Irfaan Ali and President Nicolas Maduro. The leaders had then reiterated their commitment to Latin America and the CaribbeanremainingaZone ofPeace.Notably,uptopress time, there has been no updateonthemeeting.
“So,whilewehavegone to tender for all of these projectsandtheywereinthe newspaper and world-wide webandyoucouldaccessit,
In relation to these projects, she said that not only the media, but parents and stakeholders have been callingtheministrytoaccess information on the ongoing works for specific schools. She noted that while the information has been made public, it still has not been madepublicinonespace.
it has not been in the same place, we haven't done that and while we don't have necessarilyadutytodoitfor you, we were very happy to do this because it also helps us,”sheexplained.
Manickchand said while the projects are important to the government, they are equally important to stakeholders.
“Thisissignificantwork going on in schools right now, across Guyana,
(Continuedonpage24)
Over 400 hundred dead, thousands beneath the rubble in one night
…as Israel restarts bombing in Gaza
JERUSALEM/CAIRO,
March 18 (Reuters) - Israeli airstrikes pounded Gaza and killed more than 400 people, Palestinianhealthauthorities said on Tuesday, in an onslaught that ended weeks of relative calm after talks to secureapermanentceasefire stalled.Israel and Palestinian militant group Hamas each accused the other of breaching the truce, which had broadly held since January, offering respite from war for the 2.3 million inhabitants of Gaza, where most buildings have been reduced to rubble.Hamas, which still holds 59 of the 250 or so hostages Israel says the group seized in its October 7, 2023 attack, a c c u s e d I s r a e l o f jeopardising efforts by mediators to negotiate a permanent deal to end the fighting, but the group made nothreatofretaliation.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's officesaidhewoulddelivera statement at 8 p.m. (1800 GMT), while Israeli media reported the cabinet would meetat9p.m.
Netanyahusaidearlierhe ordered strikes because
Hamas had rejected proposals to secure a ceasefire extension, and pledged to step up military action.
The strikes hit houses and tent encampments from the north to the south of the Gaza Strip, and Israeli tanks shelled from across the border line, witnesses said. Gaza's Hamas-run health ministry said 404 people had been killed in one of the biggestsingle-daytollssince thewarerupted.
"It was a night of hell. It felt like the first days of the war," said Rabiha Jamal, 65, a mother-of-five from Gaza City
EVACUATION ORDERS
Families in Beit Hanoun, in the northern Gaza Strip, and eastern areas of Khan Younis in the south fled their homes, some on foot, others in cars or rickshaws, carrying some of their belongings after the Israeli military issued evacuation orders warning the areas were "dangerous combat zones".
Egypt and Qatar, mediators in the ceasefire deal along with the U.S., condemned the Israeli assault, while the European Union said in a statement it deplored the breakdown of theceasefire.
"TheEUcallsonIsraelto end its military operations and reiterates its call on Hamas to release all the hostages immediately," the
statement from EU foreign policychiefKajaKallas,and Commissioners Dubravka SuicaandHadjaLabib,said.
The U N emergency relief coordinator, Tom Fletcher, said the "modest gains" made during the ceasefire had been destroyed.
Israel has halted aid deliveriesintoGazaformore t h a n t w o w e e k s , exacerbating a humanitarian crisis However, Dorothy S h e a , a c t i n g U S ambassador to the United Nations, said the blame for the resumption of Gaza hostilities "lies solely with Hamas" and expressed support for Israel in its next steps.
BODIES STACKED UP
Former hostages and the families of some still held in Gazaexpressedoutrageover theresumptionofwar Released hostageYarden Bibas, whose wife and two young sons were slain in captivity, said on Facebook: "Israel's decision to return to fighting brings me back to Gaza, to the moments where I heard the sounds of explosions around me and whereIfearedformylifeasI was afraid that the tunnel where I was being held wouldcollapse
Military pressure
Trinidad heads to the polls on April 28
Less than 24 hours after being sworn in as the Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago, Stuart Young, SC has declared that the twin island's General Election will be heldonApril28,2025.
The Prime Minister has advised Her Excellency Christine Kangaloo, O.R.T.T President of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, to dissolve Parliament with effect from midnight on Tuesday March 18, 2025 in accordance with Section 68 of the Constitution.
The Prime Minister has also advised the
Presidentthat,inaccordancewithSection33 of the Representation of the People Act, Chap. 2:01, Writs of Election for the 2025 General Elections are to be issued on March 18, 2025 and are to fix FridayApril 4, 2025 as Nomination Day and Monday April 28, 2025 as Polling Day Young, 50, was sworn in on Monday as the eighth Prime Minister ofTrinidadandTobago.TheformerMinister of Energy and Energy Industries, replaced 75-year-old Dr. Keith Rowley, who stepped down from office after nine and a half years andending45yearsofactivepolitics.
Ed. Ministry launches 'Projects Map' to showcase progress of...
From page 23 nursery,primary,secondaryandindorms,and it's all here for you to access in the name of transparencyandaccountability,”theminister said Providing a brief overview of the new tool which will be fully accessible via the ministry's website during this week, the ministry's Head of Information Systems, Phil Mingo said the tool will allow persons to navigate through the tabs - nursery, primary andsecondaryaswellasdormitories. On the ministry's website persons will be
provided with a map of Guyana showing the 10administrativeregionsandanindicationas to where in the regions projects are being undertaken According Mingo, the website will also providetherelevantinformationsuchasthe name of the project, name of contractor, contract sum, tendering information, consultant's name, and deadline, to name a few. The ministry said that the tool is still in its testing phase and encouraged persons to utilizethesiteandreportanyinaccuracies.
make their way to flee their homes, after the Israeli army issued evacuation orders for a number of neighborhoods, following
endangers hostages, an agreement brings them back."
In Gaza, witnesses contacted by Reuters said Israeli tanks shelled areas in Rafah in the south Bewildered children sat next to bagged-up belongings, ready to flee north again having returned to Rafah withtheceasefire.
In hospitals strained by 15 months of bombardment, piles of bodies in white plastic sheets smeared with blood were stacked up as casualties were brought in. The health ministry said many of the dead were children, and 562 people werewounded.
Among the Hamas officials killed in the airstrikes were Essam Addalees, the de facto head of the Hamas government, Ahmed Al-Hetta, deputy
Mahmoud Abu Watfa, the head of the Hamas-run security services, Hamas said.As Israel launched its operation in Gaza, its forces have pressed on with an operation in the occupied West Bank and Israeli jets have struck targets in southern Lebanon and Syria inrecentdays.
TRUCE STANDOFF
Negotiating teams from IsraelandHamashadbeenin Doha as mediators sought to bridge the gap between the two sides after the end of an initial phase in the ceasefire, which saw 33 Israeli hostages and five Thais released in exchange for some 2,000 Palestinian prisoners.
Israel had been pressing for the return of the remaining hostages in exchange for a truce until
after the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan and the Jewish Passover holiday in April.However, Hamas has insisted on moving to negotiations for a permanent end to the war and a full withdrawal of Israeli forces, under the terms of the o r i g i n a l c e a s e f i r e agreement On Tuesday, Hamas spokespersonAbdelLatif Al-Qanoua told Reutersthegroupwasstillin touch with mediators, and it was keen to complete the implementation of the originaldeal.
The war erupted after Hamas-led gunmen attacked Israel, killing some 1,200 people, according to Israeli tallies.
The Israeli campaign in Gaza has killed more than 48,000 people, say P a l e s t i n i a n h e a l t h authorities.
Privatization of GPL and...
From page 5
Politics usually interferes in determining whofillskeyrolesinsteadofseekingoutthe best candidates to fill those roles, and in Guyana's case the political atmosphere has led to the removal of the teams put in place by the party exiting the government Resulting in the appointment of those aligned with the party taking power A lack of trust and objective decision making allows for this vicious and divisive cycle to continue every time our government changes hands from one party to the other Theresultisinevitablypoormanagementof our key utilities, which has led to the never ending blackouts, and the poor sanitation and delivery of the water supply Current effortstoimprovethesanitationofthewater supply should be applauded, and water treatment plants should be placed in each region in an area far away from where chemicals, fertilizers or other hazardous substanceswillbemanufacturedorstoredin order to prevent contamination. However, without improvements in the maintenance and expansion of the distribution system the improvements in the quality of water supplied will have a limited impact on the qualityreceivedinthehomesofourcitizens. Old lines need to be replaced to prevent the health issues like the one which occurred in Timehri when sewage got into the water lines.Preventativemaintenancecontinuesto
be an area of opportunity for our nation's utilities. We must shift from a corrective maintenance approach to one that is more proactiveandpredictable.Thesearesomeof the benefits that privatization will bring to our utilities when implemented After decades of poor management and unsustained improvements it is time for Parliament to discuss a shift to this more competitive utility model, which uses a multi supplier approach. History has shown this to be a better option for consumers. One whichprovideslowercompetitiverates,and morereliableservicedelivery Byrequiring the privatization process to include the hiring of our current workforce at GPL and GWI we can also provide our workers with the training needed to upgrade their skills. Ourworkerswillbegiventheopportunityto add value in the new companies while the companies will also help ensure that our labour force continues to develop and grow as our utility services expand. It is time for our nation to seriously consider the shift from government owned to privatization. Let's allow the entry of first world utility service providers into the local market and begin leveraging the open market model for thebenefitofourcitizens.
Bestregards, Mr. Jamil Changlee Chairman The Cooperative Republicans of Guyan
Palestinians
heavy Israeli strikes, in the northern Gaza Strip March 18, 2025. REUTERS/Mahmoud Issa
Imlach, Anderson, Savory continues...
Frompage34 19th spot with 273 runs. Savory, despite being one of theIn-formbatsmenwithtop scores of 99, 39, 48 and 49, the wicket-keeper should have easily been among the top batters to date and without doubt will be eyeing the ton which has been eludinghimallseason.
Other batsmen to eclipse the 200-run mark is opener Matthew Nandu with 244 runs with two half-centuries underhisbeltandall-rounder Ronaldo Alimohamed who also hit two fifties to date withatotalof209runs.
Bowling has been exceptional to date for the champs, led by the wizard Veerasammy Permaul who sits in second place with 26 wickets, trailing number one
bowler Khary Pierrie (31 wickets).
Permaul, first class cricket'sleadingwickettaker hasbeenonalateseasontear ashelookstoendtheseason on top as he and the Trinidadianwillbattleforthe finalpole.
Alimohamed has been a revelation, bowling with venomandclassthroughouta season and rankings dominated by spinners, with 7 out of the top 10 bowlers currentlybeing of the slower kind. For his 20 wickets and the5thspot,theEaglesrightarmpacerhasbeenbyfarthe bestpacerthisyear,followed closely by fellow fast man, Akeem Jordan of CCC, who has19scalps.
One player to keep eyes on it the left-arm spinner
Gudakesh Motie, who returned midway of the season but has managed to snag 15 wickets from three games.
The West Indies Test spinner has already bagged impressive figures of 6-38 and sits 11th on the table, as he and Permaul could shoot pasttheotherslowerbowlers toendtheseasoninthetop3.
Fast-bowler Nial Smith will definitely want to finish his season with at least 15 wickets, having bagged 9 victims to date, further pressinghiscaseasoneofthe top speedsters in the Caribbean.
Meanwhile,teamswillbe looking to regroup over the nextfewdaysastheyprepare for the crunch stages of the tournament which resumes onApril2.(CliftonRoss)
Wednesday March 19, 2025
ARIES(Mar.21–Apr.19
Checkanddouble-checkany information that comes your way today, Aries. There's deception and discontent in the air, which is an unfortunate combination underanycircumstances.
TAURUS(Apr.20–May20)
Don't take your bank or portfolio statement at face value today, Taurus Financial errorsarelikely Someonemay wantyoutoseethingsfromhis or her viewpoint, which may notbebasedonfact
GEMINI(May21–June20)
You won't feel particularly socialtoday,Gemini You'dbe happiest at home with a good book, a good meal, and no contactwiththeoutsideworld
CANCER(June21–July22)
All isn't quiet at home today, Cancer There'stensioninthe air You can't shake the feelingthatsomeoneislying.
LEO(July23–Aug.22)
It's strange how past incidentscanstillcausesuch paininthepresent.Todayyou may feel overwhelmed by memories of a particularly traumaticincident.
VIRGO(Aug.23–Sept.22)
It's apparent that something underhandedandunethicalis occurring at your job today, Virgo. Co-workers could try to manipulate situations and takeadvantageofproprietary information to use to their ownbenefit.
LIBRA(Sept.23–Oct.22)
Don'ttrustanyonetoday,not even people you consider friends, Libra There are indications of deception all around,especiallyatwork.
SCORPIO(Oct.23–Nov.21)
Don'ttrustanythingrelatedto money or contracts today, Scorpio.Thisisn'tagoodday to enter into any kind of contract,whetherit'sstarting an investment program, negotiating a salary, or changingbanks.
SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21)
This isn't the day for contractsorlegalworkofany kind, Sagittarius You may think you understand everythingaboutadocument, butit'slikelyyoudon't
CAPRI(Dec.22–Jan.19)
Trustyourinstinctsregarding anyone you meet today, Capricorn. T
e are unethicalpeoplearound,and one of them may enter your circle.
AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18)
If you wake up this morning and feel glued to the bed, perhaps that's where you should spend the day, Aquarius.
PISCES(Feb.19–Mar.20)
Pay attention today, Pisces. Theremaybesomeunethical behavior occurring at work, and it could trigger some long-buried anger You may have difficulty keeping your emotions in check, but you needto.
2025 WEST INDIES BREAKOUT LEAGUE... Franchises confirm protected players
- Savory, Sinclair, Alimohamed among protected players for Guyana
The six franchise teams competing
in the highly anticipated West Indies Breakout League have officially confirmed their seven protected players aheadoftheupcomingplayer draft As per tournament regulations, each team is allowed to protect seven cricketers, with a maximum ofthreeplayersagedbetween 27and29.
The remaining seven players per squad will be selectedduringthedraft,and theymustallbe26yearsold or younger Recognizing their importance to the T20
game, CWI has also mandated that one of the protectedsevenplayersmust bealegspinner
Guyana has confirmed pacers Nial Smith and
R
hamed alongside spinning allrounders Ashmead Nedd, KevinSinclairandyoungster RiyadLatiff.
Batsmen Kevlon
Anderson and wicket-keeper
Kemol Savory round off the list of players protected players for the Rainforest Rangers.
To maintain the league's focus on emerging talent, all
players must also have lim
ofessi
l experience, defined as having played fewer than 40 ListAT20matchesandfewer than10InternationalT20s.
The 2025 West Indies Breakout League will bowl offfromApril25toMay10, featuring 17 matches, all hosted at the prestigious BrianLaraCricketAcademy inTrinidad.
Below is the list of protected players for each franchise, with their current agesinbrackets:
TRINIDAD& TOBAGOLEGIONS
KamilPooran(28)
AmirJangoo(27)
JydGoolie(27)
CrystianThurton(24)
NavinBidaisee(24)
MikkelGovia(23)
JoshuaJames(23)
LEEWARDISLANDS
THUNDER
JeremiahLouis(28)
KeacyCarty(27)
KofiJames(27)
KarimaGore(26)
MikyleLouis(24)
JewelAndrew(18)
MicahMcKenzie(18)
WINDWARDISLANDS INFERNOS
DarelCyrus(28)
ShadrackDescarte(27)
ShamarSpringer(27)
AlickAthanaze(26)
DillonDouglas(26)
TeddyBishop(22)
AckeemAuguste(21)
GUYANARAINFOREST RANGERS
NialSmith(29)
KemolSavory(28)
Maloney
Frompage31
Ronaldo Alimohamed (26)
KevinSinclair(25)
AshmeadNedd(24)
KevlonAnderson(24)
RiyadLatiff(17)
BARBADOSPELICANS
LenikoBoucher(27)
KadeemAlleyne(24)
JoshuaBishop(24)
NyeemYoung(24)
ShaqkereParris(21)
KevinWickham(21)
ZishanMotara(18)
JAMAICATITANS
DeethmarAnderson(29)
LeroyLugg(28)
RamaalLewis(28)
JeavorRoyal(26)
KirkMcKenzie(24)
JordanJohnson(19)
TamarieRedwood(18)
Pacers set sights...
Dominican Republic, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Switzerland,St.Maarten,St. Lucia, St. Kitts and Nevis, the USA, the Cayman Islands, Grenada, Bermuda, the British Virgin Islands, and Suriname The One Guyana3x3Questmarksthe first time an Englishspeaking Caribbean nation ishostinga3x3Questevent w i t h Wo r l d To u r implications.With some of the world's best 3x3 talent heading to Guyana, the Trinidadian ballers are no strangers to this level of competition De Freitas, Augustine, and Boyd made history at the 2023 Pan American Games where they finished third place to pick up the first-ever podium finish by an English-speakingCaribbean teamsince3x3wasaddedto the Pan Am Games in 2019.While Fields wasn't part of that historic run in Santiago, Chile, his 3x3 resume speaks for itself. He joinedAugustine,Boyd,and De Freitas at the Central American and Caribbean Games, showcasing their
chemistry on the court. The quartet has also represented Trinidad and Tobago at the FIBA AmeriCup 3x3 in 2022,2023,and2024. Theirfourth-placefinish at the 2022 AmeriCup in Miami set another milestone, making them the first English-speaking Caribbeanteamtocrackthe t o p f o u r a t t h e tournament Ranked as Trinidad and Tobago's top four 3x3 players, they are key members of Maloney Pacers, a club led by l e g e n d a r y c o a c h Christopher Jackson.Coach Jackson praised the Guyana Basketball Federation (GBF) for organizing a much-needed event in the region. He's eager to see his team match up against familiar foes from Central America, having battled many of them in past tournaments. Confident in his squad's ability, Jackson believes Maloney Pacers have what it takes to book theirtickettotheirfirst-ever FIBA 3x3 World Tour; an achievement that would be monumental for Trinidad andTobago.
Nial Smith
Maloney Pacers set sights on FIBA 3x3 World Tour qualifiers in Guyana
The Maloney Pacers, one of the most experiencedsquadsinthe Caribbean,willrepresent Trinidad and Tobago at the One Guyana 3x3 tournament, where they will be among 20 teams from 16 countries competingforachanceto qualify for the FIBA3x3 WorldTourinEdmonton, Canada.
Tyrese Fields is T&T's top-ranked 3x3 player
Trinidad andTobago's topranked 3x3 player, Tyrese Fields, will join forces with history-makers Moriba De Freitas, Chike Augustine, and Ahkeel Boyd at the tournament,setforApril5–6at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall.Maloney Pacers will face fierce competition in Guyana from teams representing Ecuador, Guatemala, the (Continuedonpage30)
TTFA restricts Shawn Cooper from coaching youth players under Article 29
has barred Under-17 national
coach
SportsMax - The
Trinidad and Tobago FootballAssociation(TTFA) hasbarredUnder-17national football coach Shawn Cooperfromcoachingyouth players until further notice, invoking Section III,Article 29ofitsSafeguardingPolicy
and Framework The announcementwasmadevia a memo issued on Saturday to all TTFA stakeholders by t h e a s s o c i a t i o n ' s Safeguarding Department The statement outlined that
Cooper,whorecentlyledthe national Under-17 team at the CONCACAF Under-17 WorldCupQualifiers,isnow prohibited from working with players aged 18 and under "The Trinidad and TobagoFootballAssociation (TTFA)writestoadvisethat, in accordance with Section III, Article 29 of the TTFA Safeguarding Policy and Framework v3.0, age group restrictionshavebeenplaced on the Safeguarding License of Mr Shawn Cooper with immediateeffect.Mr Shawn Cooper is prohibited from coaching youth players (18 yearsandunder)untilfurther notice,"thememoread.
Section III, Article 29 specifies that when an individual or organization is under investigation for abuse, a breach of the safeguarding policy, or a criminal offense, the TTFA shall impose conditions on their license to work with children, youth players, and vulnerablegroups.
These conditions may include supervision requirements, reporting obligations, age-group
restrictions, or provisional suspension
The policy furtherstatesthatanybreach oftheseconditionswillresult in suspension from all football-related activities untildisciplinarymattersare resolved.
Breaches of the TTFA Safeguarding Policy and Framework, as well as other TTFA codes of conduct, rules, or regulations, carry penalties ranging from warnings and fines to completebansfromfootballrelatedactivities.
In addition to his role with the Under-17 squad, Cooperhasbeenaprominent figure in Trinidad and Tobago football, having guided Presentation College
San Fernando in the Secondary Schools Football League and previously coaching the national senior women'steam.
No further details regarding the specific nature of the investigation or allegations have been released,andCooper'sfuture with the youth program remains uncertain as the processunfolds.
Nkosi Beaton, Miskha Beharry and Priyanna Ramdhani represented Guyana at the 2025 Cuba Int’Badminton tournament.
Guyanese
Ramdhani, Beaton, Beharry represent at 2025 Cuba
Int'l Badminton tourney tourney
stars
have been churning out good performances at the 2025 Cuba International Badminton tournament;XXIIITorneoInternacionalGiraldilla. The trio racked up wins in both the individual and team formats before eventually running into stiff international competition,butgainedtonsofexperienceintheprocessfor thefuture.Ramdhanishowedherinternationalexperienceto win her Women's Singles match against Leyanis Cabeza of Cuba21-13,18-21,21-17thusadvancingtothenextround. Shewouldthenfallinthe16throundafteraspiritedbattle versus Guatemalan Luisa Alfaro, 22-16, 19-21,16-21. The Women's Single finals was eventually won by Thailand's Anyapat Phichitpreechsak. Beaton and Beharry meanwhile wontheMixedDoublesfirstroundbattleversustheCubans, advancingtothe16throundafterathree-setwin22-20,11-21, 22-18. Beharry however suffered three set losses 21-18, 2325,11-21 in the Women's Single, and Beaton in the Men's Single against Dominican Republic, 21-5, 21-8; as all three Guyanese finished on a high note after days of tough competition against some of the worlds best. The annual tournamentteedofffromMarch12-16inHabana,Cuba,atthe ColiseodelaCiudadDeportivaIndoorFacility
National badminton
Priyanna Ramdhani, Nkosi Beaton and Miskha Beharry
TTFA
football
Shawn Cooper from coaching youth players until further notice.
New Central High among latest winners in MCYS
Cheddi Jagan Windball Cricket
NewCentralHighwereamongthewinnersinlatestmatches in the Cheddi Jagan Memorial Windball cricket tournament playedrecently
SaintStanislausCollegeafterbeeninvitedtotakefirststrike made 93-1, Nitin Bhowandat hit an unbeaten 52 (6s x 6),Aaron Persaud29.TheNewCentralHighreplywith99-0forthewinoff 4.1overs,PeterKhan68(6sx10)andKeronEdwards23ledthem tovictory.SaintRosesHighhit101-2,withJoshuaSharma33and NoelMadramootoo23.
Tucville Secondary were held to 86-1, Colin Mc Lean made 26.In the Janet Jagan memorial MCYS NSC Girls competition, New Central High batted first and scored 86-1, with Sarafina James38,nationalWindballplayerAaliyahDeFreitas28. SaintRosesHighwererestrictedto73-3,BiancaMaunisarled with24.BowlingforNewCentralHighS.James2-9,shebeingon ahat-trick.
IntheASTPtournament,NewCentralHighbattingwithtwo oftheplayerswhoweremembersoftheGuyanaschoolgirlsteam thatparticipatedintheWestIndiesWomen'stournamentlastyear, thatgotthirdplace.
Government, GOA pledge support for AAG
-Focusshiftsto2025CARIFTAGames
The Government of Guyana, through the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport and the National Sports Commission (NSC), along with the Guyana Olympic Association (GOA), has pledged full support to the newlyelectedexecutivesofthe Athletics Association of Guyana(AAG).
President of the AAG, Sheryl Hermonstine, and her executive team met with Minister of Sport Charles Ramson Jr., NSC Director of Sport Steve Ninvalle, GOA President Godfrey Munroe, andotherofficialsyesterdayin the boardroom of the Ministry ofCulture,YouthandSport.
Minister Ramson congratulated Hermonstine and wished her a successful tenure,highlightingthatthisis a crucial period for athletics, given Guyana's recent success
on the regional and international stage, particularlyinyouthathletics.
Highlighting the government's commitment to the sport's development, Ramson outlined several initiatives aimed at enhancing opportunities for athletes, administrators,andcoaches.
HeassuredHermonstineof his Ministry's willingness to collaborate closely with the AAGtoachieveitsgoalswhile ensuring athletes receive the necessary support and exposure.
The Minister also expressed confidence that Guyana's next Olympic medals will come from
athletics, citing the strong trajectory of the current generationofathletes.
Director of Sport Steve NinvalleechoedtheMinister's sentiments, stressing that immediate focus must be placed on preparing and supporting Guyana's team for the upcoming CARIFTA Games.
At the last CARIFTA Games,Guyanasecuredfourth placeoverallwitheightmedals (fourgold,threesilver,andone bronze). Ninvalle reaffirmed the NSC's commitment to workingalongsidetheAAGto buildonthatsuccess.
Meanwhile, Munroe welcomed the AAG's longterm vision, particularly its focus on the 2028 Olympic Games. He assured that the GOA stands ready to support the association, underlining the importance of proper administration and athlete development.
Munroe also pointed out the significance of upcoming regional and continental championships as stepping stones to the 2028 Olympics and expressed his enthusiasm for working closely with the AAG Hermonstine and her team affirmed their commitment to advancing the sport, with preparations for CARIFTA 2025 already underway. She expressed optimism about Guyana's participation in next month's meet in Trinidad and Tobago and was grateful for the support from the Ministry of Sport,GOA,andNSC.
Students assemble at the start of the event.
2025 CWI Regional 4-Day Championships…
Imlach,Anderson,Savory continuestodominatebatting chartsfollowingtheendofRd5
- Permaul, Alimohamed among top 10 bowlers
With just a few rounds to go, the race for individual accolades heightens as a number of players, most notably those within the Guyana Harpy Eagles camp, look to make one final sprint towards statistical glory by the end of the 2025 Regional 4-DayChampionshipseason.
Captain Tevin Imlach, number 6 on the overall rungetterslistwithtwohundreds and a fifty including a best of 126*, remains the leading batsman for Guyana with a totalof377runsaftertheend of round five. Creeping up close behind is the former Eagles captain and middleorder batsman, Kevlon Anderson who currently sits in12thspotwith344runs.The Berbician also has two centuriesunderhisbeltwitha best of 116 and could easily breakintothetop10orhigher by the end of the season shouldbemaintainhiscurrent form.
Anil
Another key figure who could make a final push for some additional runs is current Vice-Captain Kemol Savory, who recently cracked into the top 20 list, sitting in (Continuedonpage29)
Beharry Real Estate, Construction and General Business Services provides cash support to 'Team
Upsetterz”. 'T
Movin Rammangal (left) collects the funds from Aaron Beharry
Popular East Coast based Tapeball cricket team, 'Team Upsetterz', recently received cash support from Anil Beharry Real Estate, Construction and General Business Services. The newly formed company is owned by Anil Beharry, a former banker with close to forty years of experience. He is a former Berbice senior inter county allrounder and once attended national trials. In addition, he served cricket in several administrativepositionsforclosetothreedecades.
Thefundswillassisttheteamtopurchasecoloreduniforms forthe2025season.'TeamUpsetterz'participatesintheannual 'OneGuyanaNationalT10Cup',amongothers.
At a simple ceremony held recently, the cash was handed overtocaptain,MovinRammangalbyAaronBeharry,thesonof businessowner Hestatedthathisfatherisatrueloverofcricket andmakeseveryefforttogivebacktothegame.
He strongly believes that education and sports, cricket in particularinGuyana,isanavenueoutofpoverty,hecontinued. SkipperRammangalwasgratefulfortheassistanceandthanked theRealEstateCompanyandothersforcomingonboard.
Veerasammy Permaul
Ronaldo Alimohamed
Kemol Savory
Kevlon Anderson
Tevin Imlach
GFF announces 24-man squad for Concacaf Gold Cup Preliminaries
Th e G u y a n a
F o o t b a l l Federation (GFF) has officially announced its 24-man squad set to face Guatemalaintwofixtureson the Concacaf Gold Cup Preliminaries. Acting Head
Coach Wayne Dover has selected a balanced mix of experience and emerging talent as the Golden Jaguars aim to secure a spot in the prestigioustournament.
The squad includes two newcomers, forwards Liam Butts and Morgan Ferrier, who will be looking to add
significant attacking potential to the team as Guyana pushes for a strong performance.
Speaking ahead of the match, Coach Wayne Dover expressed confidence in the squad's potential: "The players understand the importance of these two games, and committed to delivering a strong performance against Guatemala."
GFF President Wayne Forde also highlighted the significance of this fixture: “This is an important moment for Guyana's football, and we have full confidence in the squad selected. The players have shown great commitment, and we believe they are capable of competing at the highest
Scenes from Jagan's Memorial 2024, this year's event is set to attract an even larger participation.
level. Our aim is to continue the development of football in Guyana, and a strong showing in the Gold Cup Preliminarieswillbeanother stepforward.”
The match is scheduled for March 21 at 9 PM local time,andtheGoldenJaguars will be looking to make history by securing a spot in theConcacafGoldCup.
Jagan's Memorial Cycle Road Race returns to Berbice this weekend
Followinganelectrifying first stage dominated by seasonedcyclistBritonJohn, the highly anticipated threestage Jagan's Memorial Cycle Road Race is set to returntotheBerbiceDistrict this Sunday for its second leg. Organised by the Flying Ace Cycle Club, this annual eventcontinuestoattracttop cyclistsandenthusiasticfans alike.
This prestigious event pays tribute to the Jagans, a couple who hold a unique place in Guyana's history, both having served as Presidents.Sincethepassing
of this distinguished former leader of the PPP/C Cheddi Jagan on March 6, 1997, supporters have remained committedtosponsoringthis esteemedcompetition,which honours their enduring contributionstothenation.
Asalways,transportation will be provided for participants, with departures scheduled from Freedom House, Robb Street, on Sunday, March 23, at 05:30 hrs.
The race will officially commenceat08:30hrs,with cyclists making their way to Corriverton before returning
The Guyana Football Federation has officially announced its 24-man squad to face Guatemala in two fixtures on the Concacaf Gold Cup Preliminaries.
toBabu-Johnforthethrilling finish.
Veterans (50+) will conclude their race at BabuJohn during the upward journey
Cycling enthusiasts can expect a day of exhilarating competition, with top-tier athletes batt
supremacy
Thestakesarehigh,asthe winner of the Senior's race will claim a grand prize of $40,000 Trophies and financial incentives will be awarded to cyclists placing 1st-3rdand1st-6thintheelite race.
SquadList:
Goalkeepers: QuillanRoberts
Defenders:
KaiMcKenzie-Lyle
AkelClarke
LiamGordon
RomaineBrackenridge
LeoLovell
JalenJones
ColinNelson ReissGreenidge
JeremyGarett
CurtezKellman
Midfielders:
ElliotBonds
NathanMoriah-Welsh
MaliqCadogan
StephenDuke-McKenna
NathanFerguson
DanielWilson
Forwards:
OmariGlasgow
IsaiahJones
KelseyBenjamin
OsazeDeRosario
EnochGeorge
LiamButts
MorganFerrier
Government,GOApledgesupport forAAG
-Focusshiftsto2025 CARIFTAGames
Pacersset
(L-R) Tyrese Fields, ChikeAugustine,Ahkeel Boyd and Moriba DeFreitas at FIBAAmeriCup 2024 in Puerto Rico.