Guyana’s largest selling daily & New York’s most popular weekly
After Putin call, Trump says talks to end Ukraine war will star t immediately
y Despite not paying taxes…
profit sharing and
voices, activists and journalists common countr y ranks 92 out
Transparency Int’l report says
makes application th for 8 oil project attacks on dissenting of 180 countries on corruption index
- attacks on dissenting voices, activists, jour nalists common - countr y ranks 92 out of 180 countr ies on cor r uption index
The state of Guyana has
b e e n c a p t u r e d b y t h e economic and political elites
h e r e , f o s
m i s a p p
resources, illicit enrichment and environmental crimes, the global coalition against
Tuesday.
The body also stated that Guyana has lost ground in the fight against corruption moving from 40 points last year to 39 this year, ranking it 92 out of 180 countries on the
f o s t e r s
m i s a p p r o p r i a t i o n o f resources, illicit enrichment
a n d a n e n v i r o n m e n t a l c r i m e , ” t h e Tr a n s p a r e n c y International report said. It
a d d e d : “ A l t h o u g h t h e
c o u n t r y h a s c r e a t e d a n t icorruption institutions and laws, transparency and law enforcement are very low,
and attacks on dis s enting
v o i c e s , a c t i v i s t s a n d j o u r n a l i s t s i n c r e a s i n g l y common,” the body stated in its report.
T h e T r a n s p a r e n c y I n t e r n a t i o n a l r e p o r t o n Guyana is significant, given w i d e s p r e a d c o m p l a i n t s o f m a s s i v e c o r r u p t i o n i n government and accusations that billion-dollar contracts
a r e b e i n g h a n d e d o u t t o f r i e n d s a n d f a m i l i e s o f g o v e r n m e n t o f f i c i a l s S e v e r a l g o v e r n m e n t ministers are also fingered in corruption schemes - some
a l l e g e d l y o w n i n g c o n s t r u c t i o n c o m p a n i e s , hotels and other businesses and have assigned persons to front them. The report also
c o m e s o n t h e h e e l s o f a massive scandal of corrupt
a l l o c a t i o n o f s t a t e l a n d s , w h i c h h a s f o r c e d t h e r e s i g n a t i o n o f t h e C h i e f
E x e c u t i v e O f f i c e r o f t h e
C e n t r a l H o u s i n g a n d P l a n n i n g A u t h o r i t y , Sherwyn Greaves.
I n i t s 2 0 2 3 r e p o r t , Transparency International had said that the fight against
c o r r u p t i o n h e r e h a d
s t a g n a t e d i n r e c e n t y e a r s after the country had dug i t s e l f o u t o f t h e m o r a s s d u r i n g t h e y e a r s o f t h e previous PPP/C government.
W h e n t h e P P P / C h a d demitted office back in 2015, t h e c o u n t r y w a s s c o r i n g below 30 points, however
d u r i n g t h e y e a r s o f t h e
A P N U + A F C t h a t s c o r e steadily improved reaching 41 by 2020. Four full years since the PPP/C returned to government, the ranking had stagnated at 41, before now dropping to 39. UN CONCERNS
Back in March 2024, the
U n i t e d N a t i o n s H u m a n
R i g h t s C o m m i t t e e (UNHRC) had released its f i n d i n g s o n G u y a n a , expressing concerns over the n a t i o n ’ s i n s t i t u t i o n a l
f r a m e w o r k t o c o m b a t
c o r r u p t i o n T h e r e p o r t
a c k n o w l e d g e d G u y a n a ’s
a d o p t i o n o f l a w s a n d
r e g u l a t i o n s t o t a c k l e
c o r r u p t i o n , i n c l u d i n g t h e establishment of a Special
O r g a n i z e d C r i m e U n i t ( S O C U ) w i t h i n t h e Guyana Police Force (GPF).
H o w e v e r , i t h i g h l i g h t s lingering concerns regarding t h e e f f e c t i v e n e s s o f t h e institutional setup to prevent a n d p r o s e c u t e c o r r u p t i o n , particularly within the police force and among high-level p u b l i c o f f i c i a l s S p e c i f i c c o n c e r n s o u t l i n e d i n t h e r e p o r t i n c l u d e i n s t a n c e s where the Commissioner of Information failed to address p u b l i c r e q u e s t s a n d t h e delayed enforcement of the Protected Disclosures and Witness Protection Act.
To address these issues, t h e C o m m i t t e e u r g e d G u y a n a t
i n t e n s i f y i t s e f f o r t s t o p r o m o t e g o o d g o v e r n a n c e a n d c o m b a t corruption at all levels of government This includes addressing the root causes of c o r r u p t i o n a s a p r i o r i t y, e n s u r i n g i m p a r t i a l i n v e s t i g a t i o n a n d prosecution of all corruption
c a s e s , e n h a n c i n g t h e independence, transparency, and accountability of antic o r r u p t i o n b o d i e s , g u a r a n t e e i n g e f f e c t i v e access to information held by
r e l e v a n t a u t h o r i t i e s , a n d e x p e d i t i n g t h e implementation of measures
t o p r o t e c t w h i s t l e b l o w e r s and witnesses. Additionally, t h e C o m m i t t e e c a l l s f o r thorough investigations into allegations of corruption in the management of natural
r e s o u r c e s , p a r t i c u l a r l y within the oil and gas sector, highlighting the importance
o f t r a n s p a r e n c y a n d accountability measures in this critical area. Moreover, t h e C o m
r e p o r t s
u p t i o n a n d lack of transparency in the m a n a g e m e n t o f n a t u r a l
r e s o u r c e s , p a r t i c u l a r l y within the oil and gas sector
I t c a l l s f o r t h o r o u g h
i n v e s t i g a t i o n s i n t o allegations of corruption in this sector and emphasises
t h e i m p o r t a n c e o f
t r a n s p a r e n c y a n d
accountability measures. BARRIER TO GOOD GOVERNANCE
Meanwhile, the annual
CPI report highlights how c o r r u p t i o n r e m a i n s a significant barrier to good g o v e r n a n c e a n d e q u i t a b l e development in the country.
Transparency International
u n d e r s c o r e d t h e d e e p
c o n n e c t i o n b e t w e e n
corruption and the global climate crisis, warning that corruption obstructs efforts to mitigate climate change.
The lack of transparency and accountability increase t h e r i s k o f c l i m a t e f u n d s being misused or embezzled.
A d d i t i o n a l l y, t h e u n d u e i n f l u e n c e o f p o l l u t i n g
i n d u s t r i e s o n d e c i s i o n -
m a k e r s , c o u p l e d w i t h conflicts of interest—such as politicians holding shares in o i l a n d g a s c o m p a n i e s h a v e
o b s t r u c t e d a m b i t i o u s policies aimed at addressing the crisis.
“The corruption crisis is a huge obstacle to solving the climate crisis, ” the report states. “These factors have f a v o r e d t h e i n t e r e s t s o f n a r r o w g r o u p s o v e r t h e common good.”
With corruption growing in both scale and complexity, Transparency International warns that over two-thirds of the world’s countries now score below the midpoint on the CPI. This ongoing crisis
n o t o n l y e x a c e r b a t e s i n e q u a l i t y b u t a l s o f u e l s i n s t a b i l i t y, h u m a n r i g h t s v
institutions.
“ C o r r u p t i o n i s a n evolving global threat that d o e s f a r m o r e t h a n undermine development – it is a key cause of declining democ
cy, instability and human rights violations. The international community and e v e r y n a t
tackling
c k against authoritarianism and securing a peaceful, free and s
T h
dangerous trends revealed in t h i s y e a
’ s C o r r u p t i o n Perceptions Index highlight the need to follow through with concrete action now to address global corruption” said François Valérian, Chair o
y International. Americas
Americas must take urgent action to control corruption. T
address climate change, with dramatic consequences for their populations. Leading the region this Continued on page 17
Printed and Published by National Media & Publishing Company Ltd. 24 Saffon Street, Charlestown, Georgetown, Guyana.
Publisher: GLENN LALL-TEL: 624-6456
Editor: NIGEL WILLIAMS
Tel: 225-8465, 225-8491. Fax: 225-8473, 226-8210
Every day in the capital of this country there are reports of no less than four robberies, all where guns are involved. It is a frightening situation, although the authorities sometimes make light of it with statistics saying that the serious crime is down. For last year police reported that over 180 firearms were seized. Hundreds more are in the hands of citizens.
Guyana does not manufacture firearms, but its neighbour, Brazil manufactures the taurus pistol- one of the weapons of choice for the bandits here. In this crazy spate of criminality, the bandits have taken a liking for the Chinese supermarkets, although most of them are outfitted with armed security men.
Who feels safe anywhere anymore, at any time? Any Guyanese, outside of those with layers of bodyguards, an array of surveillance equipment, and warning systems, who feels safe should step forward and encourage other Guyanese with their confidence, and the reasons that make that possible.
With crime an uncertain quantity, and citizens unsure of whose story to rest their trust in, it would help to comfort those who do not feel so confident about their safety The Guyana Police Force often points to their statistics, which almost always indicate a downward spiral in some categories of criminal activity, particularly those labeled ‘serious crimes.’
The disconnect is that what is considered to be a minor crime (less than serious) to Guyana’s leading crime fighting institution is what is feared and, hence, serious to the man and woman (and child) who have to walk the streets feeling naked and vulnerable. This is in the daylight, and with plenty of other citizens milling about, walking around, or on the move. To take out and talk on one’s cellphone is to take a risk, or at least this is the wariness, the hesitancy, of the unsteadiness of strength, the lack of confidence-inducing substances. It does not matter that the cellphone may be of a cheaper variety, there is the concern about using it in public.
Who is watching, could be waiting to pounce? Which innocent looking fellow customer stands ready to relay some intelligence (description, observation, activity, and conclusion) to their waiting partners in crime, when a citizen does business at a bank, or a store? How about the marketplace, where much smaller sums are involved, and very few shoppers, if any, walk around with a bundle of cash or jewelry? This is the nervousness that bedevils the unsuspecting, the careless, and the alert, and those who do not fall into any of those rough and ready classifications. When the norms of the day deteriorate to this state of ongoing anxieties, then where are we really with crime, comforting statistics and all, and accepting them as they are provided? And with acknowledgment of the efforts of the law enforcement agents? The concern and the question linger, would not go away, diminish: who feels safe? Who trusts their streets, be they in city or village, close by or out of the way? Law abiding citizens sitting in their cars, minding their business, focused on their priorities, do not take their safety for granted. Truth be told, many are on edge, with road madness at terrifying heights, and the lurking never out of internal radars and sensitivities. A bump could degrade into a verbal brawl, a scratch into a long running wound. Papers shared are discovered later to be fake, crimes like these multiply outside the official reports (the now so-called ‘private matter ’, as officially declared), but with costly damage still inflicted on property and psyche. Mostly, crimes like these do not count, the problem of the citizen so violated, so abused, so at a loss in more ways than one. It is just the nature of the local terrain. In other Guyanese avenues, citizens absorb the rantings of political leaders, especially ruling ones, and they shrink in fear These men have limitless power, the intimidation factor on the surface, dripping with menace. Then there are white collar crimes, a daily occurrence in Guyana, from top
DEAR EDITOR,
I have stated on several occasions that the dispute with Suriname concerning our border needs to be settled permanently and peacefully The repeat of a previous showing of our territory in Suriname’s map shows that for some Surinamese, the dispute continues.
We must not approach this issue differently from our approach to Venezuela. There is a history of armed conflict with Suriname over the area in question. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs
over the use of such a map and the Ministry must also seek Suriname’s acceptance of the territorial integrity of Guyana. An apology alone will not suffice. If the government of Suriname does not accept the
previously determined and
community then we must use the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to resolve this dispute. Until this occurs, t h e r e c a n b e n o b r i d g e linking our two countries.
T h e r i s k o f m i l i t a r y action by the Surinamese will increase if we do build the bridge. The government of Guyana must treat this p r o b l e m a s a n a t i o n a l security threat. Yes, we are interested in having good relations with Suriname that b r i n g s b u s i n e s s a n d prosperity
It is also important for maintaining easy movement for the Indigenous people that were restricted by the establishment of the border which passes through their community The affected tribe should be included in t h e f i n a l d i s c u s s i o n s t o ensure that any resolution does not artificially divide the tribe that has been in the
n t
f
h
colonies. Our solution must be just and ensure that the
o
territory are the ones whose needs are not overlooked in any final and formal solution
t o t h e d i s p u t e T h e
a d v a n t a g e s o f a
neighbour are numerous, but we should not be willing to establish such a relationship at the risk of losing part of o
p must be mutual.
T h e c u r r e n t administration has done a lot towards developing good relations with our neighbour to the east. This is a path that was taken previously, but resulted in a conflict when oil exploration was being pursued. If the relationship has been truly restored then the government of Suriname will be willing to end the border dispute and accept the
with Guyana. According to
expressed by the Attorney
Singh during his tenure, which lasted from 2001 to 2
position discussed by the Netherlands and the UK, and the matter was submitted for arbitration. This resulted in t
September 17th 2007. The award speaks of several concerns raised by both parties and discusses the lack of agreement on oil exploration in the contested area. If Suriname has truly accepted the border, then economic activity in the area should no longer raise any
t confirm the settlement of this border dispute with a
y between our two countries.
With utmost concern, Mr. Jamil Changlee
DEAR EDITOR
We stand today at a crossroads in our nation’s h i s t o r y T h e e v e n t s unfolding before us are not merely political skirmishes; they are the latest and most
PPP/C regime to suffocate d
people of Guyana of their rightful prosperity
It is a battle between those who seek to plunder
a n d t h o s e w h o d a r e t o defend the nation’s wealth And le
C h a n g e ( A F C )
yield
The latest assault on Dr
T e r r e n c e C a m p b e l l , a member of the Investment Committee of the Natural
R e s o u r c e F u n d , i s y e t a n o t h e r c h a p t e r i n t h e PPP/C’s long and sordid history of intimidation and we stand with the PNC and APNU in condemning his vilification and attempts to silence him.
What is his crime? That he has the courage to stand up and speak to protect Guyana’s oil wealth from being siphoned away into the abyss of corruption that has become the hallmark of this administration?
That he dares to ensure the people’s resources are invested responsibly rather t h a n b e i n g u s e d a s t h e private purse of the Irfaan Ali-Bharrat Jagdeo regime?
F o r t h i s , J a g d e o h a s l a u n c h e d a n u n r e l e n t i n g attack upon him, attempting to discredit, threaten, and silence him
And he is not alone –Anyone who dares to sound a voice against this regime, to threaten its continuation, to look as if they may have a chance at removing them, is immediately targeted, as we have seen in the last few days.
T h e A l i - J a g d e o government, backed into a c o r n e r b y t h e i r o w n misdeeds, have resorted to t h e i r o l d e s t
to middle to bottom. In public service Guyana, be it elected or selected, Guyanese are being roasted over a spit and stripped of the little that they have. It is called a bribe, a toll, a gratuity, or a paydown or kickback. In Guyana, crime is now almost a right, an ideal, a culture justified by politicians and public servants. Law-abiding citizens lose each time.
trick—distraction, deception and threats. As the scandal over the 35 acres of prime state land in Ogle deepens, the PPP/C, like a wounded b e a s t , l a s h e s o u t i n
d e s p e r a t i o n , s e e k i n g t o d i v e r t p u b l i c a t t e n t i o n Jagdeo shamelessly attempts to muddy the waters by dragging Nigel Hughes into the fray, hurling accusations
t o m a s k h i s o w n government’s brazen acts of cronyism.
The truth is plain for all to see: while the PPP/C hands over prime real estate to convicted fraudsters and their cronies, they seek to vilify those who expose them
T h i s i s t h e i r w a y W h e n
c o r n e r e d , t h e y a t t a c k
W h e n e x p o s e d , t h e y a t t e m p t t o s m e a r o t h e r s W h e n c a u g h t , t h e y r e w r i t e t h e n a r r a t i v e B u t t h e p e o p l e o f G u y a n a a r e n e i t h e r b l i n d n o r i g n o r a n t T h e l o n g , s o r d i d s h a d o w o f P P P / C c o r r u p t i o n s t r e t c h e s f r o m t h e m u r k y o i l d e a l s t o t h e t a x p a y e r - f u n d e d e x t r a v a g a n c e s , f r o m t h e i l l e g a l l a n d t r a n s f e r s t o t h e b r a z e n a c t s o f e l e c t o r a l m a n i p u l a t i o n T h e i r m o d u s o p e r a n d i i s c l e a r : c o n t r o l , s u p p r e
From time to time, I wonder if Guyana is indeed a part of this world OR if we are living on a planet all by ourselves.
We have had elections from the 1940’s to as recent as 2020, elections which in previous years, especially during the 1960’s to 1985,
have been described by
r e p u t a b l e i n t e r n a t i o n a l journalists, as “crooked as barbed wire.
Before this declaration and after, severe difficulties were placed in their way to enter the country
P h y s i c a l v i o l e n c e before, during and after the e l e c t i o n s , a n d c o u n t l e s s o t h e r o b s t a c l e s w e r e introduced to prevent their
e p o r t i n g o n t h e m e c h a n i s m s u s e d t o blatantly, unsophisticatedly, barefacedly RIGGING and m a n i p u l a t i o n o f t h e Elections results.
One can imagine if the international media were made to go through these imposed hurdles, what the local media had to face to i n f o r m t h e G u y a n e s e people and the world, to w h a t e x t e n t t h e r i g g e r s
went to thief an entire c o u n t r y o v e r a n d o v e r
I m a g i n e , a n d t h e s e u n b e l i e v a b l e o c c u r r e n c e s are well documented and
videos still circulate, that at locations where persons w e r e r e g i s t e r e d t o v o t e
O V E R S E A S , h o r s e s roamed, railway stations w e r e s i t u a t e d I n v e s t i g a t o r s d o i n g i n d e p e n d e n t v e r i f i c a t i o n s
of persons appearing on the overseas voters’ list
f o u n d t h a t m o r e t h a n NINETY PERCENT of such persons did NOT exist, a n d t h e s e n a m e s w e r e absolutely fictitious. The Guyana elections from 1968 to 1985 were so shamelessly rigged, that not even the membership and supporters of the Peoples’ National Congress (PNC), w h i c h s p e a r h e a d e d a n d s u p e r v i s e d t h e r i g g i n g , could accept that the PNC ever won an election.
T h e l e a d e r s h i p a n d trusted membership of the PNC manipulated the Courts ( t h e P N C f l a g w a s shamelessly flown at the Court of Appeal).
T h e E l e c t i o n s
C o m m i s s i o n , a n d i t s chairman at one time Sir Harry Bollers, a for
responsible for conducting. Editor, you and others in the media, academics at the University of Guyana and of the West Indies, in Africa (I r e m e m b e r s p e a k i n g i n Brazil, to a professor from the University of Tanzania
w h o w a s e x c e e d i n g l y knowledgeable about the history of elections rigging in Guyana, throughout Asia, Europe, North and South
A m e r i c a , a n d
E S P E C I A L L Y t h e
C a r i b b e a n w e r e a l l
c o g n i z a n t o f w h a t w a s taking place in Guyana, to keep the PPP from assuming their role as the legitimate Government of Guyana, and did NOT raise a finger or utter a word to defend the people of Guyana.
In fact, they welcomed with open arms the chief rigger and his lieutenants to their “clubs”.
Fast forward to 1992, w h e n i t t o o k t h e l a t e P r e s i d e n t C a r t e r t o “negotiate” changes to the mechanisms for conducting the elections, such as the counting of the ballots cast at t h e p l a c e o f p o l l , immediately after the close of poll, and for the results to be posted outside the polling p l a c e s , f o r t h e p u b l i c ’s viewing.
Even after the results of the polls clearly showed that the PPP/C was the winner of t h e e l e c t i o n s , t h e P N C refused to accept the verdict of the people and do the honourable thing to concede t h a t i t h a d l o s t REMEMBER the fury of the one who now hypocritically
refers to himself as an “elder”, after Hoyte was m a d e t o c o n c e d e , w i t h venom and spittle being ejected from his mouth,
broke away from the PNC?
T h o s e a c t i o n s s p e a k v o l u m e s o f t h e u n d e m o c r a t i c n a t u r e o f those who would mount the r o o f t o p s a n d e s p o u s e democracy, calling almost d a i l y f o r m e a n i n g l e s s i m p o s i t i o n s s u c h a s BIOMETRICS for the 2025 elections.
To address their voices in the wilderness, I’d like to ask them to FIRST produce their much talked about SOP’s to prove that the 2020 elections did not result in a PPP/C victory
Being the responsible, mass Party they claim to be, I may be wrong, but I assume they had agents in more than 95% if not 100% of the polling places, so the SOP’s signed off by their agents would be quite revealing. WHY HIDE THEM IN A VAULT OR BURY THEM
U N D E R G R O U N D
S O M E W H E R E ? Wo u l d these SOP’s ever see the light of day? Secondly, let them show to the Guyanese people how the absence of the BIOMETRICS they are
advocating for the 2025 elections, resulted in the disenfranchisement of ANY
E L I G I B L E / L E G I T I M AT E voter in the 2020 elections.
I remember THEIR PRONOUNCEMENTS at the close of polls, that the elections were conducted in an acceptable manner WE all know what transpired for FIVE MONTHS after
Let us have the names a n d p a r t i c u l a r s o f t h e Rus
day?).
Let them produce the names of persons who voted
but should NOT have done so.
Let them produce the names of the dead they tried to resurrect and to vote.
Let them state the names of persons who were NOT in Guyana on elections day, who voted and where those votes were cast.
Reasonable people in Guyana (and I assume the vast majority are) do NOT see the need to change Laws, r u l e s , m e c h a n i s m s , safeguards and mechanisms i n p l a c e t o g u a r a n t e e transparent elections. Let me be clear on this, before I’m
a c c u s e d , I h a v e n ’ t conducted a poll but I speak with the “man in the street” and am convinced that the c a l l b y t h e o p p o s i t i o n
e l e m e n t s f o r
B I O M E T R I C S i s N O T
r e s o n a t i n g w i t h e l i g i b l e voters in Guyana.
I c a n ’ t h e l p b u t thinking (with the history
of these opposition parties
a n d t h e i r m e m b e r s o n
G E C O M ) t h a t k n o w i n g
their unnecessary call for
BIOMETRICS would be
r e j e c t e d , s o m e o t h e r
spurious calls would be
attempted, setting the stage
for what they’re best at,
MISCHIEF
MY comment on the size of the voters’ list is that ALL political parties “worth their salt” should do the leg work and submit to GECOM the names of ineligible persons o n t h e l i s t s , ACCOMPANIED WITH
T H E N E C E S S A R Y
E V I D E N C E T O
S U P P O R T T H E I R CLAIMS.
I’ll rest my arguments, for now
Regards, H N Nawbatt
DEAR EDITOR
Several Guyanese and o t h e r I n d o - C a r i b b e a n s visited and others plan to v i s i t P r a y a g r a j f o r worshipping and darshan (blessings) during the holy Maha Kumbh Mela period. It is the holiest pilgrimage for Hindus. Guyanese and others took a dip in the holy river – three rivers meet ( c o n f
p o
n
)
Prayagra
his Maha Kumbh – a once in a lifetime experience as the next one in that city will be decades away They offered prayers to the sun and the Ganga River amid the chanting of mantras and made offerings to the lord. They performed rituals, including ‘aarti’ and some also went for a boat ride where the three rivers meet.
The Maha Kumbh began on Jan 13 (Makar Sankrinti –when the earth begins its journey to end the winter solstice as it tilts closer to the sun for warmer and longer days) and will conclude on Shivratri (February 26), one of the holiest festivals for Hindus; Many Guyanese from the diaspora plan to spend Shivratri in India. The
people in attendance.
Some days attracted over twelve million people with the holiest day attracting 35 million worshippers. Every dignitary of India, including
, P M , Ministers, Governors, actors ( s u c h a s A m i t a b h Bachchan), actresses (such Hema Malini), cricketers, took a dip in the holy river This Maha Kumbh takes place after a gap of six years following a mini Kumbh in January 2019 at which this writer was an invitee. The Maha Kumbh comes around every twelve years and is
Prayagraj, Haridwar, Ujjain, and Nashik; a mini kumbh is observed, according to the H
y three years at the bank of a holy river rotating to another holy river followed by the Maha Kumbh on the 12th year Ganga Puja is usually conducted at the river bank
worshippers; people came from all over the world to witness and or partake in the festivities and rituals. The present Maha Kumbh has so (Continued on page 06)
C
y discredited for their defence of the massive rigging of the e
c t i o n s t h e y w e r e
DEAR EDITOR,
I write in response to Mr Eddy Layne’s letter “Mr
L e l o n S a u l ’s p u s h f o r
b i o m e t r i c v o t i n g i s
p r e m a t u r e a n d l a c k s
c o n c l u s i v e e v i d e n c e , ” published in Kaieteur News on February 8, 2025. The letter critiques my advocacy for biometric verification at polling stations in Guyana, arguing that the proposal is p r e m a t u r e a n d l a c k s adequate evidence.
While Mr. Layne raises valid concerns about the
r i s k s o f h a s t y i m p l e m e n t a t i o n , h e overlooks nuanced aspects and global precedents that could contribute to a more b a l a n c e d d i s c
Furthermore, if Mr Layne had been more attentive; he would have recognised that m y a d v
i o n rather than electronic voting.
H i s l
a cautious approach, which is understandable, but it comes across as overly dismissive. While my proposal may not
include all the necessary
evidence, it is important to
stations is not inherently
LIMA (ILO News) –Five years after the COVID19 pandemic, Latin America and the Caribbean region h
should prioritise the urgent
system to ensure free, fair, and credible elections.
Sincerely,
Lelon A. Saul Lt Col (Retired)
F r o m p a g e 0 5 f a r attracted 420 million people who have taken a dip in the river. It is believed that those who take a bath in the confluence of three rivers, G a n g a , Y a m u n a , a n d Saraswati, called the Holy Triveni Sangham, will have
their sins or bad deeds washed away A massive tent city has been set up to accommodate the throngs of worshippers and visitors.
The Indian government provided free transport (air and ground) and hospitality to foreign Ambassadors (and h i g h C o m m i s s i o n e r s ) i n
Delhi for a tour of the Maha Kumbh a week ago; some 78 missions (over Ambassadors and spouses) went on the tour Some emissaries took a
Pravasi Bharatya Divas or celebration of the 40 million Indian diaspora.
Guyanese, Trinis, and Surinamese who went to the M
inequalities remain. This is a
Labour Overview of Latin A
Caribbean”, the latest report f
i
n a l Labour Organization (ILO). The report reveals that between 2023 and 2024, the
s
g e n d e r g a p s b e t w e e n women and men in the labour market remain a major concern. In 2024, the f e m a l e l a b o u r f o r c e participation rate stood at 52.1 per cent, significantly below that of men (74.3 per cent). This implies that less w o m e n a r e w o r k i n g o r actively looking for a job. Moreover, women earn on average 20 per cent less than men, continue to face higher unemployment rates and are found in lower-quality jobs.
“Gender disparities in e m p l o y m e n t r e m a i n a f u n d a m e n t a l o b s t a c l e t o
a c
c vulnerability Moreover, the majority of those impacted
workers.
While some countries in t
progress in transitioning to the formal economy, others still face alarmingly high r
employment These high informality levels continue to undermine the ability to
tendered an invitation for one or two Ministers of diaspora governments and selected media to visit and or partake in the kumbh mela and a conference on the banks of the river from February 20 to 23. This writer will be at the k u m b h
they engaged in intense spiritual d
0
n December and January for
experience as heavenly with a f e e l i n g o f d i v i n e connection with God. They said they prayed for peace, happiness, prosperity, wisdom, and good health for themselves, their family, and their nation.
Yours truly, Vishnu Bisram
d by 0 5 percentage points, reaching 58.9 per cent, while the u n e m p l o y m e n t r a t e decreased from 6.5 per cent to 6.1 per cent. Despite these short-term improvements, h o w e v e r , l a b o u r f o r c e p a r t i c i p a t i o n a n d employment levels remain below those recorded in 2012, reflecting insufficient job creation in recent years.
“The region has reached employment levels not seen since before the COVID-19 pandemic, but the outlook remains concerning: we are in the same situation as ten y e a r s a g o E c o n o m i c growth is slowing down, and structural deficiencies
in job creation persist, ”
e x p l a i n e d A n a Vi r g i n i a
M o r e i r a G o m e s , I L O Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean.
D e s p i t e p r o g r e s s ,
Despite some progress, the gender pay gap and genderb a s e d o c c u p a t i o n
Gerson Martinez, Regional
Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean
report. The report also found that informality remained a predominant feature of the labour market in the region, at a rate of 47.6 per cent, slightly lower than in 2023 (48 per cent). This poses a challenge to employment quality and social inclusion, because it means that nearly half of the workers in Latin America and the Caribbean have precarious contracts, unstable incomes, lack of s
challenges in the labour outlook of Latin America and the Caribbean. Despite a slight decline in the youth unemployment rate, from 14,5 per cent in 2023 to 13.8 per cent in 2024, it is still nearly three times higher
people aged 15 to 24 remain
context of
creation.
informality
As a result, the ILO report found that the lack of stable and paid jobs for young people remains one of the main concerns for the future of the region’s labour market. High informality, low economic productivity and low wages continue to c
prospects for youth. “It is essential for countries in the region to develop policies
(Continued on page 16)
T hursday is upon us again. For those of us who value our mental health- we cr inge when the cock crows on T hursday mor ning knowing that our repor ters have to be subjected to another day of a tired old man quar reling.
Week after week, it is a replay of the same scr ipt. And one has to ask why does the press continue to grace these weekly theatr ics called press conf erence with its presence? Bhar rat Jagdeo’s press conf erences have devolved into a bizar re fusion where the lines between gover nment and par ty are not just blur red but obliterated.
What we’re witnessing is nothing shor t of a revival of the doctr ine of par ty paramountcy. And yet, the media dutifully attends, as if hoping against hope that this week’s perf ormance might yield something substantive Jagdeo, in his cr usade against cr iticism, has unwittingly done more to validate his detractors than they could have hoped f or. T he man has become a car icature of the ver y f laws he seeks to deny. His weekly diatr ibes are less about gover nance and more about gr ievance.
Later this year, you w i l l a r r i v e i n
G u y a n a a s protectors of the integrity of our democracy Your work in
o b s e r v i n g t h i s y e a r ’ s elections will make you arbiters of the fundamental principle that elections must not only be free and fair on the day ballots are cast but in the months leading up to that fateful moment.
It therefore is with grave concern that I alert you to the insidious erosion of that very
competition through threats,
d a t i o n , a n d a c a m p a i g n o
p u b l i c vilification orchestrated by those desperate to hold on to power
A party operative has already sounded the alarm, i s s u i n g a n o p
n
h r e a t against those who might seek candidacy There was n o c o d e d l a n g u a g e , n o d i p l o m a t i c obfuscation just a bareknuckled warning that those who seek to challenge the ruling party will be ‘dealt’ with. This is not the rhetoric of a healthy democracy; it is the language of tyranny It is an unmistakable signal that
Democracy is not merely a matter of placing the ballot into the ballot boxes and tallying votes accurately; it is the full breadth of political p a r t i c i p a t i o n , t h e untrammelled right of any citizen to throw their hat into the electoral ring without fear of retribution. And yet, here we stand in 2025, watching the spectacle of coercion unfold before our eyes, as the ruling party deploys every underhanded tactic to deter, discourage, and destroy those who they merely suspect may contest their rule.
political participation comes at a cost, that dissent will be met with punishment. It is a w a r n i n g n o t j u s t t o candidates, but to all who might support them.
And now, the dirty tricks campaign has begun. Public s m e a r s a g
s attacks against those who dare to criticize. Fabricated scandals appearing on social media.
The manufacturing of doubt, the slow erosion of r e p u
guillotine that cuts down challengers before they even step onto the stage. It is a strategy as old as autocracy itself. It makes the battlefield s o t o x i c t h a t t
promising candidates may decide it is not worth the fight. To be clear, these are not mere political squabbles.
T h i s i s a c
l a t e d campaign of intimidation
From page 8
leukemias, brain tumors, l y m p h o m a s , a n d s o l i d tumors like neuroblastoma and Wilms tumor
M e a n w h i l e , t h i s publication reported that in 2 0 2 3 , t h e M i n i s t r y o f
H e a l t h ’s c a n c e r r e g i s t r y reported a 38% increase in cancer cases compared to 2022. Cancer deaths rose from 443 in 2022 to 612 in 2023. Prostate cancer deaths stood at 76 in 2023, while lung cancer deaths increased from 16 in 2020 to 29 in 2 0 2 3 C o l o r e c t a l c a n c e r deaths also rose from 16 in
2020 to 29 in 2023. Breast cancer deaths in women went from 50 in 2020 to 56 in 2023, while lung cancer d e a t h s a m o n g w o m e n surged from 6 in 2022 to 17 in 2023. Cervical cancer deaths rose steadily from 26 in 2020 to 45 in 2023.
Ovarian cancer deaths were 14 in 2023, down from 22 in 2020.
Additionally, in the first half of 2024, the Ministry of H e a l t h ’s c a n c e r r e g i s t r y recorded 693 cancer cases. The most common types were breast cancer, with 149 cases, followed by prostate
cancer (91), cervix cancer (62), and colorectal cancer (57). Other cancers included ovarian (10), endometrial (51), thyroid (14), stomach (12), lung and bronchus (10), uterus (10), liver and kidney (9 each), lymphoma (8), bladder and tongue (7 each), pancreas (6), and esophageal (5).
Four cases of brain cancer and one case of acute m y e l o i d l e u k e m i a (AML+ALL) were reported. Additionally, 161 cases were categorized as “other,” and no bile duct cancer cases were recorded.
Dem boys seh if yuh keep doing de same thing over and over, and expect different results, is either yuh real dunce or yuh just stubborn. Well, de Pee Pee Pee See boys dem proving once again dat dem ain’t learn nuttin’! Same old dirty tricks, same old lies, same old fabricated stories—like a jukebox stuck pon de same scratchy record.
Dem think people stupid. But Guyanese get wise. Yuh could only fool people fuh so long before dem start seeing through de smoke and mirrors. Every election cycle, same ting—dem spread all kinda wild story, and try fuh scare people into voting fuh dem. But guess wah? People fed up!
Dem boys seh when yuh try to sell people stale bread as fresh, dem gon spit it out. And da is exactly wah happening to de Pee Pee Pee See. Every time dem try one ah dem dirty tricks, it backfiring like a car wid bad plugs.
Just de other day, dem try one ah dem grand propaganda moves, but instead ah
aimed at ensuring that the ballot in the 2025 general a
reflects only a two-party c o n t e s t A n d t h i s c
s attention to an inconvenient truth: a country in which p
, and smeared is not a country that is holding free and fair elections.
To o o f t e n , e l e c t i o n observers operate on the mistaken assumption that w h a t m a t t e r s m
e b a l l o t boxes, the vote count. But what good is a clean Election Day if the field has been s c o r c h e d b e f o r e h a n d ? I f potential candidates have been threatened into silence? If the process has been so tainted that only the ruling party’s preferred opponents remain? If this is the case, then democracy has already lost before a single vote is cast.
There is an old and cynical tactic at play here, one perfected by regimes that wish to retain the facade of democracy while ensuring its practical demise: allow
t h e e l e
t o a p p e
orderly, let the observers see a p e a c e f u l p r o c e s s , b u t e n s u r e t h a
l contest—the battle over who gets to stand for election in the first place—is rigged l o n g b e f o r e t h e v o t i n g begins.
This is where you, the election observer missions, m u s t t a
d Yo u r responsibility is not only to scrutinize what happens on the day of the election but to a s s e s s w h e
h
conditions for a fair contest have existed in the months leading up to it. The threats, the intimidation, the dirty tricks campaign—these are t h e
a democracy in peril. They are the silent prelude to a rigged election, one in which the voters are given a ‘choice’ t h a t h a s a l r e a d y b e e n artificially limited by fear and coercion.
We urge you, therefore, to speak out now, while the damage can still be undone.
D e m a n d a n e n d t o t h e threats. Insist on political protections for all who seek to contest these elections. Let it be known that an
election cannot be deemed free and fair simply because there was no violence at the p o
votes. A democracy where candidates must risk their safety to participate is no democracy at all.
The ruling party believes it can get away with these tactics because the world’s gaze is often too narrow, too fixated on the spectacle of Election Day itself. Prove them wrong. Widen your lens. See the whole picture. And let the verdict be clear:
e d under the shadow of fear is not an election worth the name.
(The views expressed in this article are those of the
opinions of this newspaper.)
people swallowing it, dem laughing till dem belly hurting. Even de diehard supporters asking, “Wah kinda nonsense is dis?”
Dem boys seh de problem wid de Pee Pee Pee See is dat dem underestimate de intelligence of Guyanese people. Yuh could spin all yuh want, yuh could mek up all kind a story but people seeing right through it like glass.
And yuh know wah funny? De more dem push dem dirty tricks, de more people turn off. Like a man who get ketch wid he hand in de cookie jar and still swearing he ain’t thief nuttin’. Is like de Pee Pee Pee falling in dem own trap.
Dem boys seh de Pee Pee Pee See better change dem strategy, or else de only ting dem gon convince people of is dat dem desperate and running scared.
And when a government desperate and running scared, yuh know de people ready fuh change! Talk half. Leff half.
Mr. Azruddin Mohamed is now more than on the PPP Government’s radar - he is under PPP leaders’ gunsights.
It is illuminating how there is a trend in what comes out of an increasingly scurrilous
P P P c a m p a g a i n s t G u y a n e s e t h a t a r e perceived as some kind of threat. To leaders. To their hold on power To their role in incredible levels of corruption. Mohamed is now the latest person to have triggered the fury of the PPP government, with the stage set to reveal how this will play out.
I pause to share these disclosures with everyone. I have never met, never spoken to, never been in the vicinity of Mr Azruddin Mohamed. This writing has no relevance, no say, relative to his guilt or innocence in the allegations raised against him. This public offering is an attempt to piece together how a dirty government operates, how predictably embattled ruling political operators conduct
the business of the Guyanese people Connect the dots and soon enough there is a chain-link fence that spirals all the way to State House and Freedom House.
Reports are that Mohamed the Younger
was once a friend of the ruling party and government. He is congratulated on his choice of friends. Today, he is a mortal enemy; well, at least, for now A sea change in sentiments. How did that come about to a man so generous, so resourceful when PPP interests were involved? He raised his hand and took a step. Politics and elections are the new game. He has some sort of following, been giving out richly
The prospect of lost votes would make men who are better than those in the PPP lose their minds. This man must be taught a lesson, reduced to nothing. What is stalled in the US, could be taken care of, right here in lawless Guyana.
Enter an accuser, which must run its course. Enter the Guyana Police Force (GPF), who must run down all allegations wherever they lead. What is strange to a dumb fellow like me is how the GPF could be such a mixed bag. All fire, when certain circumstances require; and all thick ice, when there are other circumstances, those calling for more delicate handling.
Consider: when accusations are made
against known PPP government characters, there is foot-dragging, stonewalling, and deflecting. Little moving, less doing. Whatever moves does so in circles, part of a square dance between legal people and police people. When government people are the
Ministers, past and present, come to mind; loyalists are part of the picture. Matters raised die unnatural deaths. Consider: When the people are critics of the government, however, or perceived as threats to its reputation (or grip on power), then the GPF is a ball of fire, a lightning rod that sizzles and swizzles.
A man could be reached all the way in the badlands of Brooklyn. Police competence. Another Guyanese man who spoke out finds h
F embrace. Others have divulged to me the
Whether a believed electoral competitor rising, or public contributors who make Guyanese (particularly PPP faithful think), there is a vulnerable government that doesn’t have the stomach for it. So, its people set the GPF free. The GPF is unchained against Guyanese held as parasites and undesirables. The GPF unravels internally when lawabiding citizens are attacked and slandered by the PPP government’s squadron of goons and buffoons. They are in the Cabinet, in the Office of the President.
In the ruling party’s thinking sexual allegations have more staying power than filing lawsuits. Sexual allegations and their a
traceless. Look ma, no hands! But they are the perfect weapon to bludgeon the unwary and the unruly into backing off from whatever they do. Probably gearing up to take away votes. The probability of those writing about the ugly truths of PPP Guyana making loyalists think, defect. Any voice, pen, presence that courageously speaks to things as they are, that is someone to be taught a lesson, muzzled using different methods. Sexual allegation is that crime that sticks. There will always be someone who believes, some sleazy PPP government functionary at the ready to stoke the flames.
When there is certainty about one’s own standing, then the unflinching must follow My strategy is simple, as it has its own merits, energies. Hang whatever is raised around the necks of President Ali, Vice President Jagdeo, and Attorney General Nandlall. It is their people in their circles. I think that these same rodent-like political creatures can be found in the belly of the PPP government; or in the beds of leaders.
This is one instance of the transparency that was promised. It is about the law that is mouthed off unashamedly, usually comically It is about the cranks of the chief intellectual author of the PPP government, who fears y o u n
a challenge to his rickety monopoly Azruddin Mohamed must be managed out of existence. The drama now begins. The trend continues.
(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of this newspaper.)
E x x o n M o b i l G u y a n a
L i m i t e d ( E M G L ) h a s
submitted an application to t h e E n v i r o n m e n t a l
Protection Agency (EPA) seeking authorisation for an eighth oil project in the Stabroek Block.
The eight project seeks to develop the gas resources at the Longtail site. During a p r e s s c o n f e r e n c e o n
We d n e s d a y, P r e s i d e n t o f EMGL, Alistair Routledge
revealed, “We have just submitted the environmental authorisation application for an eight project, the Longtail project which will start us into developing what are known as the non-associated gas resources.”
h
He was keen to note that
p
Attorney General (AG)
a n d M i n i s t e r o f L e g a l Affairs, Anil Nandlall SC has said that the legal course of action by the Georgetown Mayor and City Council (M&CC) in relation to the land at Carifesta Avenue
e a r m a r k e d f o r a h o t e l
d e v e l o p m e n t w i l l b e
s t r e n u o u s l y d e f e n d e d Nandlall said as a result, the outcome is likely to result in
t h e c o u n c i l i n c u r r i n g unnecessary legal costs.
The AG was at the time responding to city Mayor, Alfred Mentore’s stance that the Council will be pursuing
l e g a l a c t i o n t o a s s e r t ownership of the lands at
C a r i f e s t a A v e n u e a n d T h o m a s L a n d s , Georgetown.
The land was allocated
b y t h e G o v e r n m e n t o f Guyana to Qatari investors for the construction of a USD $300 seafront hotel. In a r e s p o n s e p o s t e d v i a h i s s o c i a l m e d i a p a g e o n Wednesday, Nandlall said the government’s position on being the owner of the property has not changed.
Nandlall noted that he had publicly advised since then that if the City Council holds a contrary view and is i n p o s s e s s i o n o f l e g a l documents supporting that position, they should seek legal recourse. “They have not done so. One year later, like a broken record, we hear this claim again.”
“Needless to say,” the AG noted that “any legal proceedings filed will be strenuously defended and if determined to be without merit, those who instituted
barrels of oil per day (bpd).
The Field Development Plan (FDP) for the project is likely for completion by next year
R o
explained, “This is more of
anticipate could be in excess of one billion cubic feet per d
g capacity.” Meanwhile, the E I A
Hammerhead- indicates that a daily production of 1301 8 0 , 0 0 0
rg e t e d , a s o u t l i n e d b y Exxon’s President.
Routledge said that the c o m p a n y i s w o r k i n g t o finalize the plan for daily production capacity at the
upcoming development, as such, the final target will be outlined in the FDP which he anticipates will be handed over to the government of Guyana (GoG) by March this year. The Exxon boss said he hopes that the Hammerhead project would receive the
t h e m m a y n o t o n l y b e exposed to substantial legal costs but also liabilities for a n y f i n a n c i a l l o s s e s o c c a s i o n e d b y s u c h litigation.”
Mentore has said that the Mayor and City Council (M&CC) is standing its ground on the ownership of the lands at Carifesta Avenue a n d T h o m a s L a n d s , G e o r g e t o w n D u r i n g a statutory meeting held on Monday, Mayor Mentore noted that there has been b a c k a n d f o r t h v e r b a l discussion on the issue but there has been no particular progress on the ownership of the land. “I strongly believe they are not getting nowhere and as such, we will have to seek legal review in this m a t t e r W h e r e w e ’ r e a t nothing has been coming f o r t h We a r e n o t a n t idevelopment, we just want our fair share…” “I have based on council’s decision
b e e n t a l k i n g t o v a r i o u s attorneys and will report at Continued on page 16
blessings of the GoG by mid2 0 2 5 . T
kilometers or 6.6 million acres. To date, six projects have been sanctioned for development. These include, Liza One, Liza Two, Payara, Y
Whiptail The first three p r o j e c t s a r e a l r e a d y i n o p e r a t i o n , p r o d u c i
average 650,000 bpd, which is likely to be increased before the end of this year with the startup of the fourth development, Yellowtail.
S
The Floating Production
vessel (FPSO) for Yellowtail - One Guyana - is almost complete and will set sail for G
Singapore. The vessel was designed to produce 250,000 bpd. M
Wittu FPSO for the Uaru
p
construction in Singapore, is
production by 2026. This project will add 250,000 bpd of production. A third FPSO in Singapore to operate the
making
approximately 250,000 by
ExxonMobil is preparing for its busiest year yet for SURF installation. SURF refers to
Risers and Flowlines used in the production of oil and gas.
production to 1.2 million barrels of oil by 2027.
Ma k i n g i t t h e
s e c o n d machine of its kind to be installed at a public health facility, the Linden Hospital Complex in Region Ten now has it owns s t a t e - o f - t h e - a r t mammogram machine.
T h e m a c h i n e , w h i c h marks a significant step in
e x p a n d i n g b r e a s t c a n c e r screening services across the country, was commissioned by Minister of Health, Dr Frank Anthony, alongside Regional Health Officer, Dr Gregory Harris; Regional Executive Officer, Dwight
J o h n ; D i r e c t o r o f N o ncommunicable Diseases Dr Lachmine Lall and other officials.
A c c o r d i n g t o information provided by the ministry on Wednesday, the
G e o r g e t o w n P u b l i c
H o s p i t a l C o r p o r a t i o n (GPHC) was the only public health facility in the country
o f f e r i n g m a m m o g r a p h y services
N o w w i t h t h i s n e w machine, residents of Region 10 and surrounding areas have improved access to early breast cancer detection,
reducing the need to travel l o n g d i s t a n c e s f o r screenings.
Minister Anthony, in his r e m a r k s a t t h e s i m p l e c e r e m o
y detection in reducing cancerrelated deaths and that his government is commited to i m p r o v i
g c a n c e r c a r e through timely diagnosis and treatment.
A c c o r d i n g t o t h e ministry, the minister said, “For many years, we have spoken about the need for a s t r u c t u r e d c a n c e r programme, and now we are taking the necessary steps to implement it. By placing mammography machines in every region, we are making it easier for individuals to access screening services.”
He added too that if they are going to improve the ability of one to survive, t h e y m u s t e n s u r e e a r l y d e t e c t i o n a n d s w i f t intervention
Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony (in white shirt) alongside regional and health officials at the Linden Hospital Complex for the commissioning of the state-of-the-art mammogram machine. (Photo courtesy, Health Department RDC 10/Facebook)
He shared that in the past, patients had to wait more than a month for biopsy results, noting that currently that timeframe has been reduced to just three to seven days.
Complex is the first of four
i v e a mammogram machine, with
commissioned in the coming months.
“The Ministry of Health c o n t
accessibility, ensuring that
s b e y o n d Georgetown,” the ministry reported.
News reported that these machines would be installed at four hospitals, namely the We
Hospital, Linden Hospital
C o m p l e x , t h e N e w Amsterdam Hospital and the Lethem Hospital. At an event last year, the health minister related that breast cancer remains the number one cancer among women in the country “So in women, cervical cancer is the number two, but breast
cancer is number one. And again, we have to make sure that there are affordable mammograms. And so in July of this year (2024), in c o l l a b o r a t i o n w i t h t h e International Atomic Energy Agency, they’re donating to u s f o u r m a m m o g r a m machines,” he said at the time.
By Davina Bagot
Although Guyana has so far lost over US$10B in corporate taxes as a result of the lopsided terms of the
2016 Production Sharing Agreement (PSA), President
o f E x x o n M o b i l G u y a n a Limited (EMGL), Alistair Routledge said the country is ultimately receiving taxes
through the profit share arrangement and 2% royalty requirements imbedded in the deal.
H e p r o v i d e d t h i s explanation on Wednesday at Exxon’s first quarter (Q1) press conference for 2025,
hosted at the company’s D u k e S t r e e t , K
n g s t o n , G e o
o w n o f f i c e I n response to a question from this newspaper, Routledge said he believes there is confusion around the use of the word ‘tax’.
H e t h e n w e n t o n t o explain, “There are different forms of agreements that are
“In effect,
that profit sharing royalty is
tax...so would you prefer to have 25% income tax or 52% plus of revenues effective tax to the state from the PSA?”
- EMGL President, Alistair Routledge
Routledge pointed out t h a t G
President, ExxonMobil Guyana Limited, Alistair Routledge addressing the media during the company’s Q1 press conference
used in the oil and gas industry The one that is b e i n g i m p l e m e n t e d i n Guyana is the Petroleum Sharing Agreement so it’s literally a sharing agreement where the investors invest, the government doesn’t have to make any investment up front but it shares in the p r o f i t a n d r e c e i v e s a royalty.”
As such, he continued, “In effect, that profit-sharing
systems like whether you are running a different local business, you pay corporate tax - in effect it is the same. It is giving a tax, a revenue to the state It is remitting revenue to the state...while it is not called tax in the P e t r o l e u m S h a r i n g Agreement in effect that’s what it is. It is payments to the state in lieu of there being a tax agreement.”
Acontractor who was caught with
a quantity of marijuana by a security guard attached to the ZinJin AGM Inc during a search was charged on Wednesday at the Bartica Magistrate’s Court.
A c c o r d i n g t o t h e p o l i c e , t h e m a n identified as Khemraj Lall appeared before Magistrate Teriq Mohammed where the charge of ‘Possession of Narcotics for the Purpose of Trafficking’ was read to him. He pleaded guilty and was handed a $30,000 fine and two months imprisonment. Lall, 31 was found to be in possession of 62 grams of marijuana on February 10, 2025. Reportedly, the security guard observed Lall carrying four bags which he subsequently examined and his search revealed three Pringles tins.
Upon checking the tins, he observed
5 % corporate tax requirement.
d
h a t G
a n a receives 52% in profit and royalty To this end, he reasoned, “So would you prefer to have 25% income tax or 52% plus of revenues effective tax to the state from the PSA?”
Notably, Kaieteur News told the President of EMGL that in other jurisdictions, the company is required to pay t a x e s , d e s p i t e m a k i n g r o y a l t y a n d p r o f i t o i l payments.
While he admitted that the company does not pay
corporate taxes to the state, he noted that Exxon is still subject to pay other taxes u
According to the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA), withholding tax is income t a x w i t h h e l d f r o m employees’ wages and paid directly to the Government, by the employer To this end, Exxon boasted that some G Y D $ 4 9 5 B o r approximately US$247.5M in taxes were paid to the GRA in 2023 alone.
Importantly, this skewed
e v e n u e s
i v e d b y Guyana under the 2016 PSA
has already been rebutted by s t a k e h o l d e r s , i n c l u d i n g Chief Policymaker for the oil a n d g a s s e c
t Jagdeo Previously, when
across the country claiming that Guyana receives 52% of all profits, he said: “One t h
n g I c
n a g r e e w i t h Vincent Adams on, is that these billboards that Exxon (is) putting up all around the place, is misleading in many ways… Exxon’s billboards are misleading. So, they said Guyana receives 52% of all profits from Stabroek Block, 50% profit share plus 2%, they don’t speak about the 75% here going to cost recovery.”
VP Jagdeo pointed out that presently, 75% of the earnings are deducted to c o v e r c o s t , w i t h t h e remaining 25% shared with Guyana.
This means that Guyana a c t u a l l y r e c e i v e s 1 2 5 % profit, in addition to its 2% royalty
Charged: Khemraj Lall
bulky parcels filled with a variety of leaves seeds and stems, suspected to be cannabis. Further checks revealed there was another tin from the same bag containing more of the suspected narcotic. When questioned by the guard, Lall confirmed ownership of the item with a straight “Yes.”
Following this admission, the security guard promptly contacted his supervisor to report the findings and seek further guidance. The officer proceeded to weigh both parcels in the presence of the suspect, determining a total weight of 61.2 grams,” the police said. The drugs were securely sealed and later handed over to the police.
On Wednesday at about 12:15hrs, police arrested Lall, at the Ogle International Airport and the suspect was later escorted to the Sparendaam Police Station to assist with the investigation. He was charged subsequently
The community of Blueberry Hill in Region 10 is now the latest area to benefit from a state-of-the-art health centre which was built by the government to the value of $28.3 million. The health centre was on
attendance were: Regional Health Officer (RHO), Dr. Gregory Harris; Deputy RHO, Dr.
Deron Adams; Regional Executive Officer (REO), Dwight John; staff members of the Linden Hospital Complex and other officials.
According to a release from the ministry, the Blueberry Hill Health Centre will provide expanded medical services to residents and surrounding communities, ensuring quality, accessible, and free healthcare for all.
The facility is said to be fully equipped to offer a wide range of primary healthcare services , including, maternal and child, chronic disease management, immunisation a
planning and reproductive health services,
outpatient services among others.
Minister Anthony in his remarks at the commissioning ceremony stated that the opening of the Health Centre represents the government’s commitment to improving healthcare access, reducing the burden on
residents receive timely and efficient medical care.
“This facility will significantly benefit residents, reducing travel time for those seeking essential medical care and easing the patient load on larger healthcare institutions,” he noted. Encouraging residents to take full advantage of the services offered at the health facility, the Health Ministry reported that plans are already in place to enhance health infrastructure, provide continuous training
The Ministry of Human Services and Social Security has reported alarming figures for 2024, revealing that 416 individuals were victims of human trafficking, while over 1,800 cases of domestic and gender-based violence were recorded across the country
According to the 2025 budget documents, Guyana continues to grapple with human trafficking, with 34 reported cases leading to 416 victims of trafficking (VoTs) last year Authorities have provided shelter services for 381 victims. Notably, in 2025 the ministry aims to reduce reported trafficking cases to 20 and the number of victims to 250.
It was reported that the government has d
programmes to combat human trafficking
and eliminate the sexual exploitation of
assistance, psychosocial support, and shelter services. It was also revealed a troubling 1,863 cases of domestic and gender-based violence in 2024. The ministry has set a target to reduce this figure to 1,700 in 2025. Shelter services were provided for 26 victims of domestic violence and sexual offences. The ministry aims to expand assistance to 65 victims in 2025.
One of the most distressing trends is the continued occurrence of femicide, with 13 cases recorded in 2024. The ministry has set a target to reduce this figure to 10 in 2025.
Services and Social Protection has outlined several strategies to address these social
violence against women, providing shelter and financial assistance to vulnerable groups,
mainstreaming initiatives, and expanding rehabilitation programmes for youth in conflict with the law
In 2024, 93 sensitization and awareness programmes were conducted to promote gender equality, with a target of 95 set for 2025. Additionally, the ministry aims to enhance campaigns targeting the elimination
violence from 125 in 2024 to 110 in 2025. The
Vindhya Persaud, Minister of Human Services and Social Security
Kitchen Assistant needed Tel: 676-5534 / 709-8131 Famous Flavour Restaurant.
Job openings: Truck drivers, project manager & Civil engineers. To apply send application via Whatsapp : 638-5303 / 608-2114.
One Welder, must have mechanical knowledge & Handyman free living accommodation provided. Call: 627-5043/ 228-5655.
Service man to work in the interior. Call: 700-1196.
Wanted driver Diamond Grove E.B.D with Lorry License. Contact: 677-6620.
Maid to work 2-3 days per week, Campbellville G/ Town. Call: 621-5140.
Staff to work in office 5 days per week, Male and female. Call: 624-7436.
Porters needed at Rabbies Snackette 266 Thomas & New Market St. Call : 6488279.
1- Excavator Operator, 2 Concrete Mixer Truck Driver. Contact : 652-0251 / 632-9929 / 655-3880.
Apartment to rent situated in Republic park area. Hot & cold water, air condition & Parking available. Tele : 724-4668.
Prime business area at Affiance, Essequibo Coast for rent bottom flat- Office 600 sq ft, industrial 1400 sq ft. Call: 670-2554.
One Unregistered Nissan X-Trail 2016 model, Mode Premiere. Call : 649-0956.
1 Honda CRV, includes TV, music system, alarm, reverse camera, spoiler, crash, low mileage PTT Series (first owner). Call: 649-0956.
Maid to clean for East Bank area. Call: 615-9132.
Female cleaner for Eccles office. Call : 615-9132 / 645-8443.
One clerk for TSI Eccles office English 1, Maths 2. Call : 615-9132 or email application to techserigy@yahoo.com
Male / female needed to work in the Interior, ages 18 years and older. Call: 699-8486.
Male / female needed to work in supermarket in the Interior, ages 18 years and older. Call: 674-9999.
Live-in Domestic needed, Must know to cook & Bake. Attractive salary offered. Call: 699-8486.
General Domestic , cook , iron, clean house ECT. Apply Keyfood Mc Doom village next to the post office $6000 daily, 3day work
Handyman/ Maintenance Man- East Bank Location, Good pay, Added benefit if able to drive. Call : 739-8860.
One driver to make purchases in Georgetown. Contact : 701-4000.
Desk staff, Handyman/ Licensed driver 21-45 years old, Receptionist, Supervisor, Room attendant. 233 South Road Lacytown. 225-0198.
A26-six-year-old seamstress was placed on 80,000 bail when she appeared at the Wales Magistrate’s Court to answer the charge of Obtaining Money by False Pretence. Uriana Scott of Lot 88 David Rose Street, Bagotville, West Bank Demerara was charged on February 11, 2025 for Obtaining Money by False Pretence. She was ar-
rested on February 4, 2025. Magistrate Rondel Weever read the charge to Scott to which she pleaded not guilty. She was placed on $80,000 bail and is set to return to court on March 5, 2025. Scott was charged for allegedly using a computer and obtained money by false pretense from Marvin Peters on February 2, 2025 at Patentia, West Bank Demerara.
Seamstress computer fraud
With 100,000 people living with HIV not accessing lifesaving antiretroviral therapy (ART), UNAIDS is urging Caribbean leaders to prioritise rights and diagnose, enroll, and retain more people in care.
In a press release UNAIDS noted that there has been steady progress to put more of the 340,000 people living with HIV in care and on treatment, but the pace is concerningly slow.
In the Caribbean, only seven in every ten people living with HIV are on treatment and only six in every ten are virally suppressed. Additionally, with one in every three cases of HIV identified at the stage of advanced HIV dis-
ease (AIDS), late diagnosis remains a significant challenge in the region.
Noting that stigma and discrimination, harmful laws and policies and operational issues are among the plethora of challenges that keep people living with HIV away from health services, UNAIDS calls on health officials to work closely with communities to close the gaps. Therefore, as the region prepares to commemorate World AIDS Day on December 1, under the theme Take the Rights Path, it is important governments recognise that without urgent attention to these critical areas, the Caribbean will not
achieve Sustainable Development Goal 3.3 to end the AIDS epidemic.
“I urge Governments and all stakeholders to embrace the Rights Path. Let us dismantle barriers, promote innovative health solutions, and sustain investments in resilient health systems. Together, through collective action and a commitment to human rights, we can achieve an HIVfree Caribbean,” said Dr Richard Amenyah, UNAIDS Caribbean Director.
UNAIDS firmly believes the Caribbean can end the AIDS epidemic if leaders revolutionize and scale up prevention and treatment access, as well as protect and promote
the rights of everyone living with and at risk of HIV.
“Health is a human right. Protecting human rights is therefore non-negotiable in the fight against HIV. Laws and policies must be aligned with public health goals and must foster inclusion rather than exclusion. Self-stigma and fear of discrimination or disclosure of HIV status, prevent people from seeking HIV services, which results in late start of treatment or being lost to follow up and retention on treatment. Caribbean Governments must tackle discrimination that continues to deter people from accessing HIV testing, treatment, and care,’’ Amenyah said.
From page 11 next council on what decision will be taken if government does not reach out for conversation. As it stands, nothing positive has come out from letters sent to His Excellency, the President,” Mentore said. Last March, the Mayor had written to President Irfaan Ali on the subject of the sale of prime Carifesta Avenue lands. Back then, Mentore told Kaieteur News was given seven days to respond failing which the Georgetown Mayor and City Council (M&CC) would have determined
whether moving to the court is the best way to resolve the matter.
The Mayor said that the letter had informed the President about the Council’s concerns as well as reservations about the sale of the lands.
The Mayor and City Council has made it clear that the property was gifted to the City of Georgetown for recreational purposes by former plantation owners in 1887. The said land was being used by the National Insurance Scheme (NIS). Mentore had circulated a transport that
purports to show Council’s ownership of the prime waterfront property to the over 30 councillors present at the meeting. He noted that the Council was kept in the dark as it relates to the plan even though it holds a transport to the property.
“I have spoken to my lawyers and have been advised. I am giving the President the courtesy of time to respond in writing or invite me to have a discussion in person. Based on what the response is, I will decide whether the matter goes before Council,”
Mentore had said back then. The Qatari Investors are expected to pay G$2B for the prime lands, the Guyana Office for Investment (GOINVEST) had disclosed last year. GOINVEST and signed a memorandum of Understanding with Assets Group, a subsidiary of Power International Holding (PIH) with an expected completion date of March 1st, 2026. The Hotel will house 260 rooms and suites, 150 serviced apartments which will include branded residences and premium villas.
From page 06 that effectively integrate young people into the formal labour market.
Elevate your brand with our professional Graphic design services. Call: 6190007, 629-5526.
Need a grocery shopper, ship chandler or visa application preparer: USA, Canada, UK ETA? 6267040. FOR SALE
For Sale 6 used American made Dental chairs excellent condition contact Mr Vino on 661-3030 or 6268918
One Nissan Double cab pickup, fully off road setup ; -5 Million Negotiable. Call: 626-8919 / 661-3030.
This means promoting technical and vocational education, as well as developing national care systems to help more women, especially young women, take part in the labour market . Countries must also work towards creating more formal jobs that provide stability and
sustainable professional development,” explained Martinez.
Urban and rural gaps
The report found persistent labour market gaps between urban and rural areas. In 2024, the employment rate in urban areas reached 59,1 per cent, surpassing pre-pandemic levels of 2019 (58 per cent).
In contrast, rural areas have yet to fully recover with
an employment rate of 52.3% in 2024 compared to 53.1 per cent in 2019. The gap in economic participation between urban and rural areas remains significant, with urban areas maintaining a 3.2 percentage point advantage.
Outlook for 2025: Strengthening job recovery and advancing formalization
The unemployment rate is projected to remain between 5.8 per cent and 6.2 per cent
in 2025, within a context of moderate economic growth.
“Advancing social justice in Latin America and the Caribbean is urgent. To achieve this, it is essential to promote policies based on effective tripartite social dialogue that build on the progress made and foster stronger employment growth, with a particular focus on labour formalization,” concluded Moreira Gomes.
up committee to explore options on the way forward to get biometrics implemented before elections - says judicial review of Chair’s decision on table
Th e P e o p l e ’ s N a t i o n a l Congress (PNC) and the Working People’s A l l i a n c e ( W PA ) a f t e r signing off on their coalition have set up a committee consisting of members from both sides to explore what options are available on the
w a y f o r w a r d t o h a v e
b i o m e t r i c s i m p l e m e n t e d before the 2025 general and regional elections.
Co-leader of the WPA Dr David Hinds told the media
t h a t s e e k i n g a j u d i c i a l review of the decision of the
G E C O M C h a i r R e t i r e d Justice Claudette Singh, is an option that is on the table.
“We agreed that biometrics are imperative, along with a clean voters list, and that the a b s e n c e o f t h o s e mechanisms poses a serious threat to the integrity of the elections…” he said.
Dr Hinds explained that the way forward needed m o r e d e t a i l s , a n d t h e y needed to properly sort out what kind of protest they were going to mount, the kind of activities to be advanced and they proposed that there should be a threepronged approach.
Firstly, there should be intensified public activity, secondly, they are looking to
i n v o l v e g o v e r n m e n t s o f
C A R I C O M n a t i o n s a n d
o t h e r i n t e r n a t i o n a l stakeholders officially
“ T h i r d l y, w e s h o u l d
e x p l o r e p o s s i b i l i t i e s o f
g o i n g t o c o u r t t o s e e k judicial review on whether it
i s G E C O M ’s p l a c e t o determine the timeline for an election, or whether that is the function of government. We felt that we needed a more structured proposal to consider, and it is in that regard that we agreed to set
u p a j o i n t w o r k i n g
c o m m i t t e e : t h a t i s a c o m m i t t e e t h a t i n c l u d e s members from the PNC and members from the WPA to advise the next meeting on what measures should be taken given the broad areas that we have agreed on,” Dr Hinds explained. He made it clear that the p a r t y b e l i e v e s t h a t t h e Chairman is using delaying tactics to ensure that all that is needed to ensure free and fair elections are not put in place, as she has also said that the constitution does not
prevent biometric but there needs to be “laws passed by the National Assembly to ensure that this happens”. The opposition has said that it is ready to go in that direction. Now, she’s saying that, look, we can have fingerprint at registration. Um, but it’s not going to be used for the next election.”
D r H i n d s u r g e d t h e chairman to “get on with it.”
Let the process begin and see where it goes. He argues that t h e b u s i n e s s o f t h e Commission and the Chair is not to talk about the timeline for the elections but rather to put in place mechanisms to ensure the most free and fair elections are held despite how long it takes.
He highlighted that it has been done before in 1990, w h e n t h e r e w e r e
Co Leader of the WPA Dr David Hinds
Reg.9 RDC to spend $162M for several school projects
T h e R e g i o n a l
Democratic Council (RDC) of Region Nine is preparing t o s p e n d a p p r o x i m a t e l y $162 million out of its $7 billion budgetary allocation on several school projects across the region.
T h i s i s a c c o r d i n g t o a t e n d e r i s s u e d b y t h e
o ff i c e e a r l i e r t h i s w e e k
T h e b i d s a r e e x p e c t e d t o
o p e n a t t h e r e g i o n a l
o ff i c e
T h e p r o j e c t s w h i c h
a m o u n t t o $ 1 6 2 m i l l i o n ( e n g i n e e r ’s e s t i m a t e s ) a r e
a s f o l l o w : c o m p l e t e
recommendations made but they could not have been a c c o m p l i s h e d b y t h e stipulated date for elections at that time.
“The PNC government a t t h e t i m e w e n t t o Parliament and asked for an extension. This was agreed to by the PPP and other opposition parties, and the election was postponed for 22 months to allow GECOM to do what it is supposed to do. The Chair of GECOM at that time did not say that it can’t be done. He left that to the government, and the government, as I said, went t o P a r l i a m e n t , a n d
P a r l i a m e n t m a d e t h e
necessary change in the
t i m e l i n e I t i s n o t t h e function of the GECOM
c h a i r t o d e t e r m i n e t h e timeline,” he stressed.
r e h a b i l i t a t i o n a n d e x t e n s i o n o f S a w a r i w a u N u r s e r y S c h o o l - $ 1 4 m i l l i o n , e x t e n s i o n o f K a t o o n a r i b P r i m a r y S c h o o l - $ 1 4 m i l l i o n , c o n s t r u c t i o n o f s a n i t a r y b l o c k f o r t e a c h e r s a n d n u r s e r y a g e c h i l d r e n a t
F l y H i l l P r i m a r y - $ 3 m i l l i o n , r e h a b i l i t a t i o n o f A r a p a i m a N u r s e r y S c h o o l - $ 1 0 m i l l i o n , c o m p l e t e r e h a b i l i t a t i o n a n d e x t e n s i o n o f Y a k a r i n t a N u r s e r y
S c h o o l - $ 1 4 m i l l i o n , c o m p l e t e r e h a b i l i t a t i o n a n d e x t e n s i o n o f
A i s h a l t o n N u r s e r y
S c h o o l - $ 1 4 m i l l i o n ,
e x t e n s i o n a n d
r e h a b i l i t a t i o n o f K u m u
P r i m a r y S c h o o l - $ 1 4
m i l l i o n , c o n s t r u c t i o n o f
t e a c h e r s q u a r t e r s a t
K o g s h e b a i Village - $14
m i l l i o n , c o n s t r u c t i o n o f
t e a c h e r s q u a r t e r s a t
Q u a r r i e V i l l a g e$14million, extension and r e n o v a t i o n
N a p p i N u r s e r y S c h o o l - $ 1 4 m i l l i o n , c o n s t r u c t i o n o f sanitary block for learners and teachers at Baishazion $6 million, construction of external sanitary block for learners and teachers at B a
Secondary - $14 million, and construction of science
Secondary - $14 million. This year, the RDC was allotted some $3.7 billion out of its $7 billion towards
From page 3 year are Uruguay (CPI score: 7 6 ) , C a n a d a ( 7 5 ) a n d Barbados (68) – all relatively stable democracies with high levels of transparency and participation. At the other end of the index, states ravaged by organised
c r i m e a n d h u m a n r i g h t s abuses hold the lowest scores – Haiti (16), Nicaragua (14) and Venezuela (10).
I n t h e A m e r i c a s , w i d e s p r e a d c o r r u p t i o n thwarts efforts to combat climate change, denigrating t h e e n v i r o n m e n t P e o p l e , t o o , e n d u r e t h e repercussions, as the right to live in a healthy environment – mandated by the United Nations – is threatened, and the ancestral territories of Indigenous populations are devastated.
T h i s m a n i f e s t s i n environmental crimes, from illegal logging in Ecuador (32), and illegal mining in C h i l e ( 6 3 ) a n d C o l o m b i a (39), to wildlife trafficking in Brazil (34).
T h e o r g a n i s e d c r i m i n a l s r e s p o n s i b l e
depend on corruption and m o n e y l a u n d e r i n g t o sustain their operations In
B r a z i l , f o r e x a m p l e , a recent report identified 24 i n s t a n c e s o f f r a u d , c o r r u p t i o n a n d m o n e y laundering stemming from the wildlife trafficking trade.
We a k i n s t i t u t i o n s a n d lack of transparency allow c r i m i n a l o rg a n i s a t i o n s t o control wide swathes of the region, where they exploit natural resources with no care for the consequences.
B u t i t i s n o t j u s t organised crime Political a n d e c o n o m i c e l i t e s a l s o exploit the weakness of the system, using procurement f r a u d , b r i b e r y, a n d t h e m a n i p u l a t i o n o f environmental policies for their own benefit.
c o r r u p t i o n s c h e m e s i n v o l v i n g t h e s e a c t o r s Shrinking civic space and restricted access to information
Increasing restrictions on p u b l i c i n f o r m a t i o n a n d participation are one of the m o s t s i g n i f i c a n t s e t b a c k s across the region.
I n P e r u ( 3 1 ) , f o r i n s t a n c e , e x p e r t s s u g g e s t that the modification to the Forestry and Wildlife Law i n 2 0 2 4 r e s p o n d s t o particular interests and will e n c o u r a g e i l l e g a l deforestation C i v i l s o c i e t y a n d e n v i r o n m e n t a l d e f e n d e r s a r e c r u c i a l i n r a i s i n g a w a r e n e s s a n d d e m a n d i n g g o v e r n m e n t a c t i o n a g a i n s t c o r r u p t i o n a n d e n v i r o n m e n t a l c r i m e D e s p i t e t h e c o m m i t m e n t o f 2 5 L a t i n A m e r i c a n c o u n t r i e s t o t h e E s c a z u A g r e e m e n t t o p r o t e c t e n v i r o n m e n t a l d e f e n d e r s , t h e r e g i o n r e m a i n s t h e m o s t d a n g e r o u s f o r t h e s e a c t i v i s t s I n H o n d u r a s ( 2 2 ) , r e c e n t i n v e s t i g a t i o n s h a v e u n c o v e r e d t h e c o o r d i n a t e d i n v o l v e m e n t o f b u s i n e s s p e o p l e , p o l i t i c i a n s a n d o rg a n i s e d c r i m e i n a t l e a s t t h r e e r e c e n t m u r d e r s o f e n v i r o n m e n t a l d e f e n d e r s , w h o h a d e x p o s e d
In Argentina (37), a new decree redefined concepts of p u b l i c a n d p r i v a t e i n f o r m a t i o n , l i m i t i n g t h e p e o p l e ’ s a c c e s s t o i n f o r m a t i o n , w h i l e t h e q u a n t i t y a n d q u a l i t y o f responses from the executive b r a n c h t o r e q u e s t s f o r information declined.
I n E l S a l v a d o r ( 3 0 ) , w h i c h h a s d r o p p e d n i n e points since 2015, a new p r o c u r e m e n t l a w l i m i t e d public access to information, allowing significant leeway f o r t h e d i s c r e t i o n o f individual decision makers a n d h a m p e r i n g a c c o u n t a b i l i t y i n t h e acquisition of public goods and services.
Weak and complacent judiciaries
Across the region, weak a n d o p a q u e j u d i c i a r i e s r e s t r i c t e f f e c t i v e e n f o r c e m e n t a n d j u s t i c e M e x i c o ( 2 6 ) i s o n a downward swing, dropping five points in just one year as the judiciary failed to take action in corruption cases l
and
Obrador ’s promises to tackle corruption and return stolen assets to the people, his sixyear term ended without any
assets.
The United States (65) a l
amid criticism of its judicial branch.
T
tituted a new ethics code in 2023, after a number of h i g h -
“immediately” after holding
productive” telephone call
Wednesday morning.
The call, which is the
between the presidents since Trump assumed office last month, came as as Trump makes clear to his advisers
h e w a n t s t o b
i n g t h e Ukraine conflict to a swift end. Trump administration officials said they hoped a p r i s o n e r “ e x c h a n g e ” o n T u e s d a y c o u l d p o r t e n d renewed efforts to end the war, which is about to enter its fourth year
Now, as the two leaders resume communication after a long period of silence between the White House and Kremlin, the contours of Trump’s settlement plan are coming into clearer focus. In a readout of the conversation
c i a l Intelligence, the power of the Dollar, and various other subjects.”
“ We a g r e
other ’s Nations. We have also agreed to have our
y, and we will begin by calling P r e s i d e n t Z e l e n s k y y, o f Ukraine, to inform him of the c o n v e r s a t i o n , s o m e t h i n g which I will be doing right now,” Trump wrote.
Both Washington and M o s c o w , i n t h e i r descriptions of the call, suggested the men assumed a c o n c i l i a t o r y t o n e
“President Putin even used my very strong Campaign m o t t o o f , ‘ C O M M O N SENSE.’ We both believe very strongly in it,” Trump wrote, suggesting the former KGB agent on the other end of the line had chosen his words carefully to appeal to the US leader The Kremlin
p o s t e d o n Tr u t h S o c i a l , Trump said, “We discussed Ukraine, the Middle East, E n e r g y , A
s
said Trump and Putin spoke for nearly 90 minutes.
T r u m p h a d b
s desire to speak with Putin as he works to resolve the Ukraine conflict.
As American officials travel in Europe this week, t h e y h a v e b e g u n t a k
g clearer positions on how the conclusion of the Ukraine war might look.
Speaking to a conference i n B r u s s
Secretary Pete Hegseth said K y i v j o i n i n g N AT O i s unrealistic and that the US
attention to securing US borders and deterring war with China.
Meanwhile, Trump has spoken of striking a deal with Ukraine’s Zelensky for A m e r i c a n
c
s s t o t h e country’s valuable rare earth minerals as payment for c o
A
assistance.
T r u m p s p o k e w i t h
Zelensky midday, shortly after getting off the phone with Putin.
H i s p r e d e c e s s o r , President Joe Biden, hadn’t s p o k e n t o h i s R u s s i a n counterpart in nearly three years, believing there was little to be gained in speaking to a leader he’d deemed a war criminal.
The last US president to visit Russia was Barack Obama in 2013, when he attended a G20 summit
Putin last visited in the United States in 2015 to attend United Nations talks.
Steve Witkoff, who will be a m o n g T r u m p ’ s t o p negotiators on the conflict, pointed earlier Wednesday to the release of wrongfully detained American Marc Fogel as “an indication of what the possibilities are” for the future of Russia’s war in Ukraine.
“I think that’s maybe a sign about how that working
d
President Putin will be in the future, and what that may portend for the world at large, for conflict and so forth. I think they had a great friendship, and I think now it’s going to continue, and it’s a really good thing for the world,” he said. Witkoff met privately with Putin while in Moscow on Tuesday, two sources familiar with the meeting told CNN.
By Shania Williams
Workers of the Guyana Power and Light Inc. (GPL) backed by their union -
N a t i o n a l A s s o c i a t i o n o f Agricultural, Commercial, and Industrial Employees
( N A A C I E ) t o o k t o t h e streets on Wednesday to protest the delay in the government’s long-awaited approval of a seven percent salary increase. The salary hike, which was to be implemented in January 2025, was agreed
u p o n a f t e r e x t e n s i v e negotiations between the workers’ union, GPL and the g o v e r n m e n t i n 2 0 2 4
H o w e v e r , d e s p i t e t h e agreement, Finance Minister Dr Ashni Singh has yet to grant the approval to sign off on the 7% salary increase agreement, leaving workers
f r u s t r a t e d a n d w i t h o u t updates.
Frustrated by the long wait, General Secretary of t h e N A A C I E D a w c h a n Naggasar led the protest,
which began Wednesday morning at various GPL office branches. The first protest took place at GPL’s Sophia, Georgetown branch
a r o u n d 1 1 : 0 0 h r s , w i t h workers carrying placards and chanting slogans like “No money, no work!” and “Powership come in, and we
can’t get paid!” The protest moved to GPL’s headquarters on Main Street, Georgetown, where com
b u i l d i n g . H o w e v e r, t h e protest was put on hold after G P L
g
Naggasar that they would c o n t a c t t h e u n i o n b y Thursday morning to give an update on the agreement. “Management has reached out to us and the latest by tomorrow (today) morning, they will give us a word on the way forward,” Naggasar said. He warned, however, that if the company does not follow through with the communication, the protests would resume.
Speaking with Kaieteur
N e w s o n W e d n e s d a y , N a g g a s a r e x p l a i n e d t h e workers’
Workers of the Guyana Power and Light outside GPL Sophia Training Building protesting
24th January, we agreed to accept the 7% increase and we informed GPL and the Chief Labour Officer and this is problem we have now because we didn’t sign off as yet. How long we don’t sign off, the workers won’t get pay. GPL told us that the Minister of Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh has to see the proposal agreement and then give the go ahead. To date, we have not gotten a definite response.”
S e v e r a l w
i o n s during the protest. Andrew Sparman, one of the workers said, “we are extremely f r u s t r a t e d E v e r y t i m e workers ask questions to find out what is going on with the negotiation, no answer is being given.
We waiting and every time, the NAACIE release i n f o r m a t i o n t o t h e s t a ff
saying that they are still waiting, the workers start getting agitated. Like how l o n g m o r e , 2 0 2 4 g o n e already, we in 2025, why we can’t seal the deal on the negotiation. Just imagine living off of last year ’s salary into this year,” he said.
K a i e t e u r N e w s a t t e m p t e d t o r e a c h t h e Ministry of Finance through the Public Relations Officer, for comment regarding the delay, but at the time of publication, no response had been received.
The issue dates back to J u n e 2 8 , 2 0 2 4 , w h e n N A A C I E s u b m i t t e d a
p r o p o s a l t o G P L f o r i n c r e a s e s i n w a g e s a n d salary and other benefits. The first meeting took place
on September 27, 2024 “GPL inform the negotiation team that in terms of acrossthe-board increases, they
will have to wait for the p r o n o u n c e m e n t o f t h e
S t a k e h o l d e r , a n d w e
continued to discuss the other benefits.” NACCIE said in a statement last year.
On December 10, 2024, P r e s i d e n t I r f a a n A l i announced an agreement between the government and the Public Service Union for an across-the-board increase of 10% for 2024 and 8% for 2 0 2 5 w i t h a d d i t i o n a l i n c r e a s e s / m o v e m e n t s i n salary scales which will b r i n g t h e t o t a l a v e r a g e increases on salary to 26% a n d i n c r e a s e s i n o t h e r benefits.
NAACIE clarified that their agreement with GPL includes three parts: (a) a 3% a n n u a l a u t o m a t i c s c a l e i n c r e m e n t p a i d e v e r y J a n u a r y, ( b
payment), and (c)
a r d increase. However, workers were dismayed by GPL’s initial offer of 7% increase, which they rejected. They argued that the 3% automatic increment is an in-scale i n c r e a s e , a n d n o
employees qualify for it. A
,
h e performance incentive does not add to their salaries, leaving workers dissatisfied w
response.
The union demanded the 1 0
increase that was agreed upon by the stakeholders, but GPL refused.
However, the union met again with the company in January and agreed to the 7% increase. The workers are now awaiting Minister Singh
a l agreement then give GPL the go ahead to sign.
Cancer cases are steadily increasing here and one of the key reasons behind this troubling trend is the delayed
r
s
o n , according to Dr Shanique
G
C
e Chronic Disease Unit for the Ministry of Health.
S p e a k i n g d u
i n g t h e Ministry’s Health Matters
P ro g r a m m e , D r G r e a v e s emphasised the critical need for early screening to combat
c a n c e r e f f
c t i v e l y “Prevention is always better
than a cure,” Dr Greaves said. She added, “we can be able to avoid a disease from happening or any sort of disaster, we should get in front of the situation in doing so, unfortunately, it’s not a very much practiced culture here in Guyana, we tend to wait for that last moment when it really affects us, when we can’t do our job at home, or at work.”
This tendency to delay medical visits is a significant challenge in the fight against c a n c e r , D r G r e a v e s
explained. “We have been having an increasing case of persons coming in and when they get their diagnosis, sometimes it’s just too late, so it is important that we get all our routine screening done, as much as we may feel, ‘oh I healthy, I don’t have anything, I don’t have any signs or symptoms,’ it doesn’t mean that there is nothing going on,” she said.
In an effort to combat this, the Ministry of Health h a s i n t r o d u c e d s e v e r a l programmes, including the cervical cancer elimination
p r o g r a m m e l a u n c h e d i n
2024, as well as initiatives targeting prostate and breast cancer These programmes a r e a i m e d a t i m p r o v i n g access to screenings and t r e a t m e n t H o w e v e r, D r Greaves acknowledged that o v e r c o m i n g t h e c u l t u r a l barrier of seeking help only when it’s too late remains a s i g n i f i c a n t c h a l l e n g e Further, the government also i n t r o d u c e d H u m a n p a p i l l o m a v i r u s ( H P V ) voucher screening and breast cancer programmes, which will continue into this year,
Dr. Shanique Greaves, Coordinator of Cancer Services at the Chronic Disease Unit for the Ministry of Heath
with the goal of encouraging the public to take part in s c r e e n i n g s a n d s t a y informed.
F u r t h e r m o r e , a n o t h e r area of concern is childhood
cancer Dr Greaves has explained that cancer is the l e a d i n g c a u s e o f d e a t h among children worldwide. She noted that a lack of early diagnosis is contributing to the rising cancer rates in children. “Many cases are d i a g n o s
m i d d l e - i n c o m e c o u n t r i e s where healthcare resources are limited. She asserted, “It is something that we are currently working (on) … in order to create a strategy to combat that and also to d e c r e a s e t h e d i s e a s e burden.”
According to the World Health Organization (WHO) cancer is a leading cause of d e a
c h i l d r
a d o l e s c e n t s w o r l d w i d e WHO stated in an article,
“the likelihood of surviving a d i a g n o s i s o f
country in which the child l i v e s ; i n h i g h - i n c o m e countries, more than 80% of chil
cured, but in many LMICs (Low- and middle-income countries) less than 30% are cured (2).” It was explained that childhood
difficult to prevent or detect early, but most types are
survival rates are lower due
accurate diagnoses, lack of
treatment abandonment, side
relapses. Taking that into account, each year, around 4
d adolescents (ages 0–19) are diagnosed with cancer, with common types including Continued on page 9
The ganja that was seized by police
A 23-year-old security officer was arrested on Tuesday after he was found with 49 grams of marijuana in his possession at Bartica.
Arrested is Mohan Mooloo of Number 40 Village, Corentyne, Berbice. Two ranks from Regional Police Division #7 were performing their duties at the Bartica Ferry Stelling at approximately 18:00hrs when they observed Mooloo acting in a suspicious manner The ranks approached him and questioned him as well as requested permission to conduct a search which he agreed to. During the search, the suspected marijuana was found in a black bag which belonged to Mooloo. The suspect was made aware of the offence committed and escorted to the Bartica Police Station where the substance was weighed in his presence and it amounted to 49 grams. The marijuana was then packaged and lodged with the subordinate officer in the General Property Book.
introduced as the lively symbols of the continent’s p
n g event.
mascots, Tito and Tika. The announcement was made during a grand ceremony at the Port of Asunción on February 10, where the two
The launch event was attended by several highprofile figures, including the President of the Republic of Paraguay, Santiago Peña, and other key officials such as the Minister of Sports César Ramírez Caje, the
President of the Paraguayan Olympic Committee and I n t e r n a t i o n a l O l y m p i c Committee (IOC) member C a m i l o P é r e z L ó p e z
Moreira, General Director of ASU2025 Víctor Pecci, and Deputy General Director Larissa Schaerer
“Today, we take another step toward the games that will be a milestone for our
country,” said Pérez López Moreira “Tito and Tika r e p r e s e n t t h e e n e r g y , p a s s i o n , a n d s p i r i t o f perseverance of our athletes. We hope that people will also f e e l r e p r e s e n t e d a n d welcome them with open arms.”
ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19)
Overall, the forecast for today is fairly good. The aspects seem to favor figuring out the
n opportunity for you to take a leisurely
TAURUS (Apr. 20–May 20)
Have you felt somewhat lost for the past few days? The fog may lift today and enable you to situate yourself at last. You're probably eager to settle a question that has nagged at you and interfered with your judgment.
GEMINI (May 21–June 20)
You may have been feeling
s o m e w h a t d i s i l l u s i o n e d . Perhaps you lost sight of your goals or misplaced your faith in yourself. You'll feel some relief beginning today
CANCER (June 21–July 22)
You might be tempted to settle certain matters by radical means. The visionary part of you means you're painfully aware of the world's wrongs. You see no reason not to take action to correct them.
LEO (July 23–Aug. 22)
Today will be fairly calm in terms of outside events, but your inner world is likely to be in a rush of activity Today you wish you could find the solution to your heartaches as w e l l a s y o u r c a r e e r predicaments.
VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22)
You have a lot of thinking to do about your professional goals, Virgo. You'll go over the elements to see if there isn't some way to approach things differently
LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22)
You just can't do everything at once, Libra. How do you expect to reduce your stress and recuperate while at the same time continue to be a superstar performer in every area of your life.
SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov 21)
This is a good moment to adapt your logic and reason to reality, Scorpio. If you don't, you're going to run into some
Everyone knows that you find new ideas plentiful.
SAGIT (Nov 22–Dec. 21)
It's going to be a little difficult t a l k
y , Sagittarius. You, who can be easily influenced by others,
people say
CAPRI (Dec. 22–Jan. 19)
Have you been reviewing your
y , Capricorn? Of special interest is your cultural background. What educational, social, and religious environment were you born into? What are its values? In the end.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20–Feb. 18) It's time to elevate your sense of self, Aquarius. You're just as good as anyone else, so why don't you believe it? The problem is that you're very sensitive about having an ego. E
n o w everyone does.
PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20)
Today your intellectual and expressive abilities should receive a boost from the planets. It's an excellent time to organize your thoughts about presenting a project.
ASU2025 is shaping up to be more than just a sporting event—it’s a celebration of y o u t h , c u l t u r e , a n d resilience.
Tito and Tika, inspired b y t h e w i l d c a t s o f t h e Paraguayan Chaco, embody the resilience, agility, and determination of the over 4 , 0 0 0 a t h l e t e s w h o w i l l compete in ASU2025. As mascots, they will serve as c u l t u r a l a m b a s s a d o r s , connecting fans, athletes, volunteers, and delegations across the continent through their spirited personalities.
L a r i s s a S c h a e r e r e m p h a s i z e d t h e d e e p e r
m e a n i n g b e h i n d t h e i r
s e l e c t i o n : “ T h e O f f i c i a l Representatives (mascots) connect us with our essence, o u r w i l d l i f e , a n d t h e relentless drive of every athlete who will come to ASU2025.”
The new mascots were ‘discovered’ by Tirika, the iconic mascot of the 2022 O d e s u r G a m e s a n d t h e
cu r r en t r ep r es en tativ e o f
Te a m P a r a g u a y O n a scouting mission across the country, Tirika found the perfect candidates in Tito and Tika—two wildcats who embody the attitude and e x c i t e m e n t n e e d e d f o r ASU2025.
Tito is the responsible one, always alert and ready to step in when things get out of control. Tika, on the other hand, is mischievous and a d v e n t u r o u s , c o n s t a n t l y c o m i n g u p w i t h unpredictable but fun ideas. Together, they create the perfect balance—just like the athletes they represent.
T i t o a n d T i k a a r e m o d e l l e d a f t e r t h e Leopardus guttulus, a small f e l i n e n a t i v e t o t h e P a r a g u a y a n C h a c o , a l s o known as the tiríka. This species is known for its i n t e l l i g e n c e , a g i l i t y, a n d nocturnal nature, reflecting the characteristics of the young athletes preparing for A S U 2 0 2 5 U n f o r t u n a t e l y, some species of the tiríka are endangered due to illegal capture for the fur trade,
m a k i n g t h e m a s c o t s a s y m b o l o f w i l d l i f e conservation as well. Wi t h T
The games will take place from August 9 to 23, featuring over 4,000 athletes competing across 28 sports and 42 disciplines.
community events, Tito and Tika are set to become beloved icons of this historic sporting event.
With their introduction, the road to ASU2025 is
As the excitement builds, the official mascots will play a crucial role in engaging fans and spreading the spirit of ASU2025 throughout the
Medium-pacer
Jediah Blades showed his class with the pink ball.
Guyana Harpy Eagles were put on the back-foot early thanks to rain, coupled with a fiery spell from West I n d i e s A c a d e m y ( W I A ) pacer Jediah Blades which set the tone for an interesting second day at the Guyana N a t i o n a l S t a d i u m , Providence.
When play in the first
D a y / N i g h t m a t c h e n d e d thanks to consistent showers across the city yesterday, Guyana, who elected to bat after winning the toss; were teetering on 87-4 after 25.4 overs of play
T h e p a i r o f K e v i n
Gonsalves takes aim at CWI President Shallow over SVG’s omission from Australia Tour
S p o r t s M a x - T h e
simmering tension between Prime Minister of St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG)
Dr Ralph Gonsalves and Cricket West Indies (CWI)
P r e s i d e n t D r K i s h o r e
Shallow escalated this week, as Gonsalves criticized the
o m i s s i o n o f S V G f r o m hosting any matches during
A u s t r a l i a ’s t o u r o f t h e Caribbean later this year
The West Indies are set to host Australia for three Test
m a t c h e s , s l a t e d f o r
B a r b a d o s , G r e n a d a , a n d Dominica. The subsequent five-match T20I series will see the first two games
p l a y e d a t S a b i n a P a r k , Jamaica (July 20, 22), while Warner Park in St. Kitts (July 25, 26, 28) will host the remaining three. The home summer will then conclude with three T20Is against
P a k i s t a n i n L a u d e r h i l l , Florida, followed by three
ODIs at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Trinidad from July 31 to August 12.
SVG’s exclusion from the fixtures has triggered a wave of criticism from Prime Minister Gonsalves, who has made a series of media appearances in the Eastern
C a r i b b e a n , a c c u s i n g D r
Shallow of failing to ensure
h i s h o m e c o u n t r y w a s included in the international schedule. His most recent broadside came on Tuesday night during the Mason & G u e s t r a d i o s h o w i n Barbados.
“ G i v e n t h e p o i s o n e d state of relations between the Government of St Vincent
a n d t h e G r e n a d i n e s a n d
Cricket West Indies, how can there be any proper ongoing c o o p e r a t i o n a n d collaboration between one of the member states of Cricket West Indies and Cricket West
I n d i e s i n t h i s c u r r e n t l e a d e r s h i p ? ” G o n s a l v e s declared.
In previous interviews, Dr Shallow, who will contest the upcoming general elections in St Vincent and the Grenadines a s a c a n d i d a t e f o r t h e opposition New Democratic Party (NDP), has rebutted Gonsalves’ claims, stating that the decision on host venues was based on cost
e f f i c i e n c y, c o m m e r c i a l p o t e n t i a l , a n d c r i c k e t i n g strategy rather than political considerations.
“In the case of SVG hosting Australia in 2025, s e c u r i n g a f f o r d a b l e a c c o m m o d a t i o n w i t h sufficient services, as well as playing conditions, were not f a v o u r a b l e , ” S h a l l o w explained. He noted that St. Kitts, which was awarded the fixtures, has multiple accommodation options and a d e q u a t e h o s t i n g infrastructure.
Despite missing out on the A u s t r a l i a t o u r, S h a l l o w h i g h l i g h t e d t h r e e o t h e r i n t e r n a t i o n a l h o s t i n g opportunities offered to SVG this year: Two First-Class matches in the regional four-day tournament, the West Indies
Wo m e n ’s B l a z e , S o u t h Africa Men’s A team tour of t h e We s t I n d i e s , w h i c h includes two Test matches and three One-Day matches.
D r S h a l l o w h a s a l s o
innings 87-4) Blades 3-15
S i n c l a i r ( 8 * ) a n d v i c ecaptain Kemol Savory (17*) will have a mammoth task of repairing the innings come today.
Blades operated in name and nature, utilizing the Pink Ball as he cut through the Eagles top-order removing Matthew Nandu (1), big fish Tevin Imlach (1) and a set l
n g R a y m o
P
r e z (29), who was out caught after hitting a quarter of fours.
Rain, mixed with the hostility of the mediumpacer Blades who returned 3-15 from just 7 overs, put Guyana on the back-foot early, as showers continued to threaten the opening day of play.
With three of their top batsmen back in the dressing room, Kevlon Anderson (18) and Savory dropped anchor after the shaky start, finding t h e r o p e s w i t h s o m e confident shots which took
the champs to somewhat safety, as rain forced an early tea.
Anderson fell after play resumed, pinned LBW off the bowling of Johann Layne (1-42), leaving Savory and new man Sinclair to continue the march, as another heavy burst of rain halted play one final time for the evening.
M e a n w h i l e , w e a t h e r permitting play is set to resume today from 13:00h. (Clifton Ross)
revealed that SVG rejected the hosting of South Africa A m a t c h e s d u e t o t h e unavailability of the Arnos V a l e p l a y i n g f i e l d Additionally, Dr Shallow reassured Vincentians that international cricket would return to the country next year:
S V G w i l l h o s t We s t Indies vs New Zealand Men’s T20Is in July 2026.
Arnos Vale will welcome We s t I n d i e s Wo m e n v s England Women in three T20Is in May 2027.
The Women’s Super50
tournament will also be hosted in SVG in 2026 and 2027.
Dr Gonsalves’ criticism of Dr Shallow comes in the midst of SVG’s election season, where the Unity Labour Party (ULP), led by Gonsalves, is seeking an u n p r e c e d e n t e d s i x t h consecutive term in office.
D r S h a l l o w , a s t h e opposition NDP’s candidate
f o r N o r t h L e e
s become a focal point of p
n g debates in the country
W i t h t h e C W I presidential elections also l o o m i n g i n M a r c h , D r Shallow has indicated that he w i l l c o n s u l t w i t h C W I directors and stakeholders before deciding whether to s e e k r e - e l e c t i o n A s t h e dispute continues, cricket fans in St Vincent and the G r e n a d i n
f t t o wonder whether this rift will have further repercussions on the country’s future in regional and international cricket hosting.
Here’s a snippet of a recent Guyana National Football Team.
Due to challenges
Football Federation (GFF),
CONCACAF officials, has decided to relocate Guyana’s h
g match against Guatemala to Barbados.
As a result, the Guyana senior men’s national football team, the Golden Jaguars, will play their CONCACAF G o l d C u p Q u a l i f i c a t i o n Series ‘home’ game against Guatemala at the Barbados Football Association’s (BFA)
Te c h n i c a l C e n t r e i n S t
M i c h a e l , B a r b a d o s T h e m a t c h i s s c h e d u l e d f o r
Friday, March 21, 2025
S p e a k i n g o n t h e
d e c i s i o n , G F F P r e s i d e n t
Wa y n e F o r d e e x p l a i n e d ,
“After careful consultations with CONCACAF officials and a thorough review of critical timelines, logistics, a n d c u r r e n t p l a y i n g
conditions, we determined that the best course of action, in line with competition regulations, was to move our h
n Barbados.”
Forde emphasized that the GFF remains committed to working closely with the relevant authorities to ensure that future designated home
fixtures for the national teams can be played on Guyanese soil.
Guyana will kick off
t h e i r C O N C A C A F G o l d Cup Qualification ‘homeand-away’ two-match series a g a i n s t G u a t e m a l a o n Tuesday, February 25, at the Estadio Cementos Progreso i n G u a t e m a l a C i t y. T h e
r e t u r n l e g , o r i g i n a l l y scheduled as a home fixture, w i l l n o w b e p
B a r b a d
. T h e G o l d e n Jaguars’ last official match was in November 2024, when they secured a 5-3 victory agains t Barbados
Interestingly, throughout the 2024 period, all of Guyana’s home games were played in B a r b a d o s d u e t o t h e conditions of the National Tr a c k a n d F i e l d C e n t r e (NTFC) in Leonora, West
C o a s t D e m e r a r a
Meanwhile, the GFF has announced that tickets for the upcoming Gold Cup
Q u a l i f i c a t i o n m a t c h i n Barbados can be purchased online via TicketPal at the
tickets are also available at the BFA Technical Centre in Barbados.
The new GCUC Executive (from left) Chandraban Rajnarine, Moses Rampal, Dawchan Nagassar, Stephon Josiah, Javed Persaud.
Essequibian Dawchan Nagassar was re-elected the head of the Guyana Cricket Umpires Council (GCUC) when the body that controls C r i c k e t U m p i r e s a c r o s s Guyana held its AMG and Elections on Sunday at the ECB Hostel in Anna Regina on Essequibo Coast.
The largest delegations of candidates in recent times made the trip from Berbice and Demerara to join their E s s e q u i b i a n c o u n t e r p a r t s and 49 votes were cast. The Agenda included minutes of the 2023 Meeting, adoption of the Minutes, Matters arising out of the Minutes, C
Essequibo) the President’s, Secretary’s and Treasurer ’s reports, any other business and Resolutions/Motions. At the elections, Nagassar was challenged by Shannon Crawford for the Presidency and won 27-22, while Ryan Banwarie lost by a similar
President. Moses Rampal (Secretary), Javed Persaud (Treasurer) and (Stephon J
Devers was re-elected as PRO but declined due to work commitments and the position was taken by Chandraban Rajnarine.
Tr i n i d a d C e m e n t
L i m i t e d ( T C L )
a n d t h e i r
CEMEX brand yesterday handed over the trophies that will be up for grabs Saturday
n i g h t w h e n t h e c u r t a i n s
c o m e d o w n o n t h e Mashramani Street Football
C h a m p i o n s h i p s a t t h e National Park.
TCL Guyana Limited s p o n s o r e d a l l t h e championship trophies for the event with its Logistics and Supply Chain Manager,
J u a n F e r n a n d o C u e l l a r
C
s
p i n g stronger communities.
“In the end we want to ensure that we are building a better country; building a better Guyana with these a c
communities, ” Castro said, adding that the c o m p a n y i s k e e n o n maintaining its corporate and social responsibility as part of its mandate.
As such, he said, there is a lot more initiatives that TCL will roll out in the future.
C o m m e r c i a l
Coordinator, Chenel BovellDrakes-Robinson facilitated the sponsorship. Castro said that it is very important that t h e c o m p a n y d e v e l o p a h e a l t h y e n v i r o n m e n t
“Health and safety is very important to us,” he said, adding that they can only accomplish that goal through stakeholder engagement and support.
He commended Sports Management Inc., hosts of t h e M a s h r a
n
S t r e e t Football Championships for creating the opportunity for them to be a part of a community-based initiative.
Principal of SMI, Edison Jefford thanked the company for their support and singled o u t B o v e l l - D r a k e sRobinson for her effort in making the 2025 event a success.
The Mashramani Street
Saturday night. Along with the trophies, the winner will
The East Bank Cricket Association Division Two 40-Over Cricket
C o m p e t i t i o n c o n t i n u
t Sunday at the Farm and YMCA grounds, with Herstelling CTI and Eccles Sports Club registering victories ahead of the fifth round of play.
Herstelling CTI secured an emphatic eight-wicket win over Timehri Cricket Club while chasing. Delroy Williams was the s t a n d o u t b o w l e r, w r e a k i n g h a v o c o n Timehri’s batting lineup and restricting them to 130 all out in 22 overs. Williams picked up six wickets for 50 runs, while Ayra Persaud provided strong support with figures of 2-33, limiting Timehri to a modest total.
In response, Zymual Ramsammy and Michael Deonarine dominated the Timehri bowlers. Ramsammy played a blistering knock, smashing four fours and seven sixes in his 78-run innings to take Herstelling past the target. Deonarine contributed a valuable 30 runs, which included three fours and a six, guiding his side to 134-2 in just 14.2 overs. Herstelling clinched victory convincingly by eight wickets.
At the YMCA ground, Eccles Sports Club dismantled Diamond Sports Club by 102 runs to register a commanding win. Batting first, Eccles posted a formidable total of 275-9 in their allotted 40 overs.
The charge was led by Narendra Persaud and Myhiem Khan, both scoring halfcenturies. Khan showcased a masterclass innings of 86 runs, while Persaud entertained with a well-compiled 75, setting the tone for Eccles’ dominant performance.
In reply, Diamond Sports Club struggled
Delroy Williams stared for Herstelling CTI with 6-50.
and was bowled out for 173. Kevin Plant showed some resistance, scoring 62 runs in a losing effort. However, Eccles’ bowlers proved too strong, with Mark Cumberbatch starring with figures of 4-27, while Krsna S
Diamond fell short by 102 runs.
Action continues this weekend with Ruimveldt Sports Club facing Patrewta Sawmill Cricket Club at Farm Ground on Saturday, while Silverbullet Sports Club take on Providence Cricket Club at YMCA on the same day
Sunday’s fixtures include Herstelling ‘A’ battling Sandpiper Sports Club at Farm, while North Soesdyke Sports Club face Peter ’s Hall Cricket Club at YMCA Ground. Matches start at 10:00 AM daily
$200,000 and fourth place $ 1 0 0 , 0 0 0 T h e M o s t Valubale Player (MVP) of the tournament gets $50,000 and trophy
There will also be a Plate Playoffs featuring the four losing quarterfianlists and the top two teams from the Super-16 round for a total purse of $100,000 while each of the top three teams in
