3 men wanted for D’Urban Street drive-by murders
Man shot to neck, robbed of gold chain by masked gunman
Over500driverscaught speedinglastweek
US firm could land US$1.8M contract to set up Guyana’s on Syria kill at least 16 people
Ring-fencealltheoilprojectssowecangetallourprofitsfromeachone! …26chargedfordrunkdriving New Canadian company
ExxonMseekingnew consultantstoconduct environmentalstudies
Newly-formed
Canadianmining
c o m p a n y , GreenheartGoldCorporation is pushing forward with exploration activities at the early-stage Abuya Project, located in northwest Guyana near the Cuyuni River, RegionSeven.
In a statement on Monday, the company provided an update on exploration efforts at its two original gold properties, Majorodam in Suriname and AbuyainGuyana.
GreenheartGoldsaiditis an exploration company aiming to build on a successful track record of discovery and mine development in the Guiana Shield. It was stated that the company was formed as a spin-off from the merger between Canadian firms-G MiningVenturesCorporation (GMIN) and Reunion Gold Corporation Earlier this year, Reunion announced that GMIN will be taking over its Guyana's Oko West project located in Region Seven, as a result of an allshare deal valued at C$875 million(US$638million).
According to Greenheart Gold, the Abuya project sits just 15 kilometers west of Zijin's Aurora Gold Mine (AGM)andcovers90square kilometers of highly prospective land, held under 20 medium-scale mining permits.
“GreenheartGoldhasthe
option to acquire a 100 % stake in the project Currently, a local prospector is successfully mining alluvial deposits on a small scale. Greenheart Gold collaborates with the prospector by sharing the costsofrunningthecampand equipment, enabling the compa
efficiently,” the company stated.
The Abuya Project exhibits several geological indicators that suggest the p o t e n t i a l f o r
Paleoproterozoic gold mineralization, commonly found in the Guiana Shield. Notably, it was stated that despite its promising location, theAbuya area has notbeenpreviouslyexplored for primary gold deposits. Historical data is limited, withthemostrecentrecordof alluvial mining in the area datingbackto1968.
In just three weeks of fieldwork, Greenheart Gold said it completed its first phase of reconnaissance mappingandsoilsamplingat Abuya,withresultspending.
The company disclosed that the recent phase one reconnaissance mapping conductedbyGreenhearthas confirmed geological similarities between Abuya, the Aurora Gold Mine, and theOkoWestproject. It is said that the area c o n t a i n s v o l c a n osedimentary rock units that arefoldedandsheared,along with the intrusion of the Ammamuri granite. These characteristics, combined withthereactivenatureofthe host rocks, create a favourable environment for
where Greenheart Gold is focusing its efforts,” it was stated.
Notably, Greenheart Goldsaiditsgoalistobuilda robust portfolio of the earlystage exploration projects thattargetthekeygeological factorsbelievedtohavebeen crucial to the discovery of OkoWest.
The company noted too, “Greenheart Gold is primarily focused on gold prospects in Suriname and Guyana,offeringafavorable combination of promising geology and supportive governments. The company is actively pursuing discussions to expand its pipeline of exploration projects.”
goldmineralization.
“The company is led by former executives of Reunion Gold, known for their recent discovery and delineation of the Oko West deposit, the largest gold find intheGuianaShield.Despite being home to several gold deposits and highly promisinggeologicalterrain, the Guiana Shield remains underexplored, which is
Moreover, the Oko West project is expected to reach gold production by 2027. Thatprojecthasanestimated 4.2millionouncesofgold.In February 2024, Reunion had announced an updated Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE) containing a total of 4.3Moz.ofgoldinIndicated Resources grading 2.05 g/t and 1.6 M oz. of gold in Inferred Resources grading 2.59 g/t. The February 2024 M R E i n c l u d e s a n underground Resource containing 1.1 M oz. of gold atagradeof3.12g/tAuinthe Inferredcategory
The contract to help Guyana establish its own petroleum data repository- a project being executed through the Ministry of Natural Resources is estimated to cost US$1,887,189.09.
This is according to information provided by the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB) office which revealed on its website recently that the onlybidderforthecontractis Halliburton out of the USA, whobidtheUS$1.8million.
Halliburton would have metthenecessarycriteriaby NPTAB to move forward withthefinancialopeningof theproject.
Itshouldbenotedthata contractisyettobeawarded by the NPTAB for this project.
This publication had reported that Minister of Natural Resources, Vickram Bharratatapressconference last month, said that this project it is to establish Guyana's own data repository in country
“Presently we have our data in Houston (USA) being heldbyothercompanies,this is like our seismic data and everythingthatisbeingheld by other companies,” he said.
According to the minister,manycountriesthat havebeenproducingforfour or five years do not have a data repository in their own country so setting up one in Guyana is “ambitious” and
This publication had reported that the ministry hadissuedatenderseekinga firm to apply for the 'Procurement of Data Management Services for Guyana's Exploration and Production Data' project.At anopeningofbidsinJulyat the NPTAB office, it was revealed that Halliburton and Schlumberger Guyana Inc were the only two companies that submitted their proposals for the contract.
alsonotforthecountry'sdata tobeelsewhere.
“After four years (of producing oil) we are already moving to establishing our own data repository in the country, that we can have our own people manage it, analyze it anditsmoneymaking.
It's a very lucrative investment that we are taking on because not only spendingmoneytosetupthe data repository, it is about getting our people to work there and to sell that data to companies that will come andseektodoexplorationin Guyana, it's worth a lot of money, so it's like an
investment,” he said at his pressconference.
Noting that this is an investment for Guyana, the ministeraddedthatfromthe previously held bid round alone“companieshadtopay US$2 million just to access the data on those ministry sitesofwhichwegetapartof it but if we can have it in countryitmeansthatwewill make that kind of money when we sell our data, because our data is in demand, everybody wants datafromtheGuyanabasin.”
Speaking of the data system last year February in
Parliament, the minister related that the country is receiving50percentandnot 100percentoftherevenueor servicechargebecauseofthe absence of the data repositoryincountry
He said at the time that this data management system is particularly important even as the countrycontinuestodevelop itsoilandgassectorasthere will be more data required not only from the Stabroek Block but all other blocks offshore, onshore, and nearshore.
c c o r d i n g t o
information provided in this year's budget estimates –Volume 3, approximately $700 million has been allocated to set up this data management system and others projects under the Ministry's 'Oil and Gas Sector Development Programme'.
Notably, it is being fundedthroughaloanbythe International Development Association (IDA), which is an international financial institution which offers concessional loans and grants to the world's poorest developingcountries.
PrintedandPublishedbyNationalMedia& PublishingCompanyLtd. 24SaffonStreet, Charlestown,Georgetown,Guyana.
Publisher:GLENNLALL-TEL:624-6456
Editor:NIGELWILLIAMS
Tel:225-8465,225-8491. Fax:225-8473,226-8210
More and more, it seems that there are two words that naturally belong together The two words are “criminal politicians”, and as many Guyanese believe, we have our shareofthem.Thoughthelocalsmaypretendtobeabove board and honorable men and women, there is no shaking the perceptions and convictions that many Guyanese politicians are low crooks. Independent minded and conscientious Guyanese, who prize ethics in government andprincipledleadership,areconstantlyonthelookoutfor a Guyanese politician that they can trust. It would be a causeforcelebration,whichhasbeenalltoorare.
InIndia,criminalpoliticianssettheirownstandards,enjoy specialstanding InIndia,“athird(34%)of543MPselected facedcriminalcharges,upfrom30%in2009,and24%in2004” (“Why do Indians vote for ‘criminal’ politicians?”, BBC January16,2017) Becausethenumberskeptclimbingover theyears,itwouldbeinterestingastowherethepercentageof ‘criminal’politiciansinIndiastandtoday Consideringwhat took place in the American capital on January 6, 2021, it reasonable to conclude that more than a handful of US politicians dabbled in the criminal, through aiding and abettingothers.
ReturningthefocusonIndia,oneinthreeparliamentarians (nearly200outof543)withcriminaltainthangingovertheir heads is an alarming reality Most were of a negligible, sometimesquestionable,kind,buttellingly“morethan20%of thenewMPsfacedseriouscharges,suchasattemptedmurder, assaulting a public official, and theft” What degree of clean governance can they ever preside over? What type of principledlawmakingcouldemergefromthosesotarnished?
As asserted by political scientist, Dr Milan Vaishnav, who studied the situation in India for years, and wrote a booktitled, ‘WhenCrimePays’,almostallpoliticalpartiesin India field candidates with black marks Though the comparisonislimited,andthelocalsystemdifferent,itcanbe saidfromthepublicrecordthatwe,overhereinGuyana,have politicianswhohavehadinteractionswiththelaw,andnotfor frivolousreasons Somehavepassedthroughthehandsofthe GuyanaPoliceForce,afewhaveactuallyhadtofacethecourts, andstillothersstandbeforethecourtofpublicopinionbecause ofheavyallegationsmadeagainstthem Theseallegationsare ofsufficientseriousnesstoqualifyasfeloniesanywhereinthe world- among them have been bribery, corrupt practices involving both local and foreign participants, crimes againsttheyoung,andotherperversions.
In India, some MPs have been accused of attempted murder, among other matters. In Guyana, prior to becoming part of the national governance apparatus, the namesofMPshavebeenassociatedwithmurderatdifferent times Neither government nor opposition, over the years, could be said to be exempt from this kind of wounding and grievoustaint Theirony,anditisaworryingone,isthatamong thosemakingthelawforcitizenstofollow,therecouldbethose whomayhaveactuallybrokenthelaw,andgotawaywithit Weaskourselveswhetheritisthisdisregardfortheconstraints of the law, and the heavy restrictions that they apply at the individual level, that is a contributory factor to the ugly, deplorablestateofGuyana’sparliament
To put this another way, it is where men (and women) begintoseethemselvesasabovewhateverstandardsarein place,andbecomealawuntothemselves. Guyanesehave been eyewitnesses to the crude, the obscene, the raucous, andthetotallyunacceptableintheirNationalAssembly. It causesshudderstothinkofwhatthefateofsomeonecould be of someone with whom one of our criminally minded and unmanaged politicians have a beef. We have been privy to the brutal batteries inflicted on journalists found offensiveviasocialmediabypoliticalagents. Ifthatcanbe doneinplainviewusingtheinternet,thenitdoesnotleave muchallowanceaboutwhatcouldbetriedusingotherless publicmeans.CriminalPoliticiansshouldnotbewithinthe broad governance structure, because from there they can use the power and facilities in their hands to cause much mischief,commitgreatwrongs.(Republished)
While we continue to demand that a new voter list be published for use in the next Regional and General Elections,itisalsonecessary that we get the updated population census data in timeforthoseelections.
The census was conducted in 2022 using modern technology and electronic communications and up to now the country cannot see the results of this work.
The reluctance to produceanewvoterslistand
The APNU/AFC should be proud of the new dimension to socioeconomic development whichthey‘delivered’.They weresuccessfulindelivering a developmental formula made up of feasibility studies, white papers, Commission of Inquiries, and ‘consultations’ via conferences.
They wanted this Nation tobelievethatthesealoneare sufficient to propel socioeconomic growth in an upward trajectory having spent hundreds of millions from the Treasury Once again these Parties want the Guyanese to swallow this rubbish.As the saying goes, ‘Words without action are meaningless’.
The APNU/AFC is a specialist in feasibility studies, they even were contemplating doing a ‘feasibility study’ before doing a feasibility study, hiring a feasibility expert and pay him a hefty fee to determinetheneedforsucha study
These studies were aimed at convincing the public that the ‘good life’is beingdelivered.
The question was ‘feasible’ to whom? Since these feasibility studies consumed hundreds of millions.Itis notdifficultto knowwhobenefitted.Incase ofanydoubtthenjustaskthe p r e v i o u s P u b l i c Infrastructure Minister It would seem that the first 5 years were just to do the feasibilitystudies.
the sloth in releasing even a preliminary census report heighten suspicions about the possible rigging of the nextelectionsbythePPP
Many safeguards for elections in Guyana have been proposed including the use of biometric technology following the revelations of the recount exercise of the 2020elections.
The supposed guardians of democracy find it inconvenient to introduce changes in the electoral process that will assure Guyanesethattheirelections
haversacks. The reality is that at first the studies appeared to be intellectually correct, being garlanded with a plethora of illuminating benefits which the Guyanese people will enjoy such as improving their standards of living, lowering the cost of living and injecting millions into theirpockets.Guyanesewill not fall for this again. The lead actor has changed but the script remains unchanged.
The ‘white paper’ the Coalitionpresentedonsugar not only guillotined the sugar industry but the lives of 7,000 workers and their families.
Yet the AFC and the APNU still brag and boast that they were correct in ‘right sizing’ the sugar industry.
will be an open and fair event.
One gets the impression that the PPPintends to carry on with its skullduggery of manipulating the results of futureelections.
The litany of corrupt events that seem to emerge dailysincethePPPreturned to office and the failure of the government to stamp t h e m o u t a d d t o apprehensions about the integrity of the upcoming elections.
No one has confidence in the current leadership of
the Police Force and the unwillingness of the government to rectify the failuresofpoliceleadership deepens the suspicions and apprehensions about many things in Guyana, including itselections.
It is for this reason that Guyanesemustdemandthat the census report be released immediately so that some measure of respectability can be attached to the next set of elections
Yoursfaithfully, MervynWilliams.
RichieRichesofGuyana.
The Commission of Inquiry into the sugar industry preceded the closing of the four sugar estates and it recommended the non-closure of the Industry among others which actually saw the industry being made viable by 2025 Why would a ‘caring’ government set up such an inquiry, spend millions,andthenthrowitin thegarbagebin?
The COI was just more money for the boys and ‘proof’ that the Coalition ‘cares’aboutsugar
Then there were the conferences-Rice Farmers Conference, Rice Millers Conference, Cane Workers Conference, Cane Farmers Conference, the Women Conference, the Youth Conferenceandthelistgoes on.
The Coalition loves an audience to sell dreams. In the end, rice was deemed to be private business and the sugarindustrya‘blackhole’, and sugar workers were deemed ‘raiders’ of the
Treasury Youthsweretoldto manufacture and sell cookup rice and plantain chips and stop drinking Guinness atstreetcorners.
A n y c o m p e t e n t governmen
The next 5 years would havebeenthe‘actionterm’.
Now that the AFC has a ‘brand new’leader, suit and all, the nation is once again made to endure the cacophonic reverberation of feasibility studies, conferences, consultations, ‘knocking on doors’, and p r e s e n t i n g e m p t y
The objective of the Coalitionwasclear:freezing wages in the sugar industry, freezing capital investments and aborting meaningful rehabilitation of plant and equipment in the field and factory,thestagewassetnot only to close the Wales, Enmore, Skeldon and Rose Hall estates which they did but to shutter the entire industry They were uncaring about the dire s o c i o - e c o n o m i c consequences.
Seven thousand sugar workers were given the ‘whitepaper’andkickedout with no recourse to any alternative means of livelihood.
T h e y b e c a m e mendicants overnight, some committed suicide, some migrated and thousands of their children faced a life of poverty, for the first time, some barely making it to school on empty stomachs, dressed in rags, whilst the Coalition Ministers enjoyed their humongous salaries and benefit increases and their children became the
DEAREDITOR, I will focus on just one aspect of the exchange of letters between Sultan Mohamed and Tacuma
Ogunseye published betweenlateAugusttoearly September2024,insections ofthemedia.
Forhispart,Mohamed stated categorically, ‘Dr Rodney was in agreement with Dr Jagan to merge the WPA with the PPP’… he elaborates further stating ‘I am on record that it was Mr HubertRodney,younger brother of Dr Rodney who enlightened me about the merger agreement! See
e cognizant of what needs to be done even before taking office since it keeps track of what is happening in the country and comes up with concrete plans to govern in order to guarantee progress. The APNU/AFC always sounds vacuous and hollow This can be contrasted with the PPP/C whose micro and macro policies are always realistic and achievable and on assuming Office they hit the ground running and began delivering on their manifestowithgreatalacrity. In conclusion, the APNU/AFC delivered more to friends, families, and themselves than to this nation, and feasibility studies, COIs and conferencesweremeresham meanttofoolanddeceivethe nation.
Yourssincerely,
HaseefYusuf
h t t p s : wwwkaieteurnewsonline c om/2021/06/13/rodneywould-have-merged-wpainto-the-ppp-in-the-longterm‘ On checking the said onlinereference,Ifoundthe following, ‘It was Hubert who told me that Walter’s long-termaimwastomerge theWPAwiththePPP.’ They say ‘dead men tell no tales’ie; people who are dead cannot tell secrets; but tome,whoisaliveandwell there is no secret on this matter And while Hubert Rodney’sdisclosureabouta PPP/WPAmergerisnewsto (Continuedonpage06)
,
Reliable sources from the Ministry of Agriculture have revealed to the PNCR/APNUCoalitionthat thereisanimpendingcoverupofwhatisdeemedtobea massive corruption scheme perpetrated by several staff members at the MMA/ADA in Region #5 Sources revealed that this corruption schemehasbeenactivefora fewyearsandthatrecordsof the misappropriation of millions of dollars could be found in the finance department.
What is said to be the misappropriation of funds took place between inside staff and several contractors linked to the agency who requisitioned for work that wasneverdoneandinmany cases, works that were significantlyovervalued.
Itwasjustaboutamonth ago that the said agency returned to the National Assembly for additional funding under the Ministry o f A g r i c u l t u r e , Development and Support
Services – Subsidies and Contributions to Local Organisations where it receivedafurther60million dollarsinadditiontothe250 million dollars it had received from the 2024 budget under Capital Expenditure.
The PPPis not a people-oriented party
The Coalition also reminds the Minister of the investigation into the destruction of thousands of duck eggs which was deemed as sabotage to the Ministry of Agriculture Livestock Development Authoritythathaseithernot yetbeencompletedorhehas refusedtomakeitpublic.
The Minister of Agriculture should also investigate the alleged landgrabbing and misuse of the machinery, fuel, staff, and other malpractices leveled against a senior official of theMMA/ADA.
The PNCR/APNU Coalition promises all Guyanese especially the p e o p l e o f t h e Mahaica/Berbice Region #5 thatuponreturntoOffice,it w i l l m a k e t h e s e investigations a priority and that all will be made public knowledge.
Regards
Sources of the Ministry revealed that the possible cover-up is likely since nothinghasbeendonesince the revelation of the misappropriations and fear thatthesamemeasurewould be extended to the Senior Officers and other staff involvedaswasextendedto a known Supervisor just over a year back who misappropriated millions of dollars in payments to a ghost security guard (machine watchman) and remainedonthejobwithno investigation to date. The PNCR/APNU Coalition calls on the Minister of Agriculture to immediately call in the Police and to launch an investigation into the alleged conspiracy and theft of monies at the MMA/ADA.
Vinceroy Jordan, MP Shadow Minister of Agriculture
The Lethem Township a n d s u r r o u n d i n g communities have long faced the challenge of flooding during the rainy season, which has had significant impacts on farmers and residents alike. In response, the Ministry of Agriculture, through the National Drainage and IrrigationAuthority(NDIA), has stepped up with timely and crucial interventions to addressthispressingissue.
By partnering with the
Regional Democratic Council of Region 9 and theLethemTownCouncil, t h e M i n i s t r y o f Agriculture initiated the dredging of the Tabatinga Creek.
This project is essential to improving the
flooding that disrupts livesandlivelihoods
Theongoingprojectwill bring significant relief to crop and livestock farmers, who often face devastating losses due to waterlogged
fields and pastures Moreover, residents of the township stand to benefit from this intervention, as it will reduce the risk of damage to homes and propertycausedbyflooding. This collaborative effort demonstrates the Ministry’s dedication to supporting the region’s agricultural sector and improving the overall well-being of Lethem’s
Peter Vieira, one of Guyana’s outstanding Leather artists died at his homeinSophiasomeweeks back. His body was d i s c o v e r e d b a d l y decomposed. Peter was diabetic.
He and several other seniorGuyaneseartistshave died due to a lack of proper medicaltreatment.
As General Secretary of the Guyana UnitedArtists, I have written a number of letterstothemediahousesas to the shabby treatment and neglect of our senior artists whohavegiventheirgolden years in service to our country
When I returned to GuyanainthelateseventiesI met Peter Vieira. In the seventies and eighties, Peter had one-man shows at the Guyana National Museum andthePegasusHotel.
In the aftermath of CARIFESTA Guyana saw for almost two decades a cultural renaissance that cametoanendwhenthePPP assumed government in 1992.
The Guyana United Artistscametotherescueof artistsfrom1997until2019. Our last exhibition in Main Street, GEORGETOWN, wasthelast.
communities.
We extend our heartfelt thanks to the Ministry of Agriculture, the NDIA, and allstakeholdersinvolvedfor their prompt action and commitment to making Lethemmoreresilientinthe faceofnaturalchallenges.
Regards
AndrewLashley
intheirsenioryears. The Ministry of Culture with billions of dollars had no empathy with the small artistscommunity.
Infact,thenewMinister nevermetwiththeGuyanese artists, he created a group made up of party loyalists and gave out millions to them,agraveinjusticetothe artists who had represented Guyana in the diaspora and athome.
W h i l e t h e P P P continues to blame the PNC for its many failures, the fact remains that the PPP is not a people-oriented party
Many of our artists have d e p a r t e d f o r t h e diaspora
O f t h o s e w h o remained, many have gone to their graves among whom are some of our talented Omowalle
Lumumba, Winston Strick, Osaze, Bermi, Frances Ferreira, Basil T h o m p s o n , Samuels died in abject poverty under the PPP government
U n d e r t h e
Department of Culture in which Ms Lynette
D o l p h i n w a s t h e
The Covid shutdown for overtwoyearsandthereturn of the PPPto governmentin 2020 brought an end to the organisation of Guyanese artists, many of whom were
Chairman and Dr Dennis Williams Director ofArt, most of the artwork that forms the treasury of Guyanese Visual Arts collection was acquired Among these were prizewinning pieces of the National Visual Arts
Competition that were purchased and the Department continued to support the work of winners of the National Visual Arts Competition. When the PPP came into government all this came to anend.
The only thing that the PPP did was to use what was referred to as the RESIDENCE to house what has since been called the National Collecti
location of the National G
House
T h e P P P
r actions in more ways, as a Stalinist party, they never appreciated the role of the artists and their contributions to the
development
Attaining the seat of gov
aftermath of the collapse o
a l Communism, with little knowledge of how to administrate a country, they became avaricious, seeing Guyana as their privateproperty
They have no empathy with the Guyanese nation, with absolutely no commitment to nationbuilding.
YoursFaithfully
DesmondAlli (Architect of the National Unity Monument)
DEAREDITOR,
The assertion by the Kaieteur News, in the September 6, 2024, Peeping Tom publication, that ‘If the PPP/C’s performance truly stoodonitsownmerits,there would be no need to constantlyinvokethespectre
of the APNU+AFC
Coalition’ , fails to appreciatethefullpictureof governanceinGuyana.
Understanding the
historical context, addressing the selective nature of media coverage,
and recognizing the importance of comparing administrations are all crucial for a comprehensive analysis of Guyana’s progress under the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C)leadership.
Firstly,itisimpossibleto evaluate the performance of any government without understanding the historical context within which it operates. Guyana’s socioeconomic and political realities have evolved substantially over the past few decades, and this evolution has been shaped by the leadership of s u c c e s s i v e P P P / C administrations Guyana’s trajectory, from economic i n s t a b i l i t y a n d underdevelopment to its p r e s e n t p h a s e o f unprecedentedgrowth,must be evaluated in light of the
policies that enabled this transformation Under PPP/C leadership, particularly in the current administration led by President Dr Irfaan Ali, there has been substantial development across sectors. The government’s proactive approach to diversifying the economy, strengthening infrastructure, and investing in social programmes such as housing, education, and healthcaremustbeviewedas part of a broader national vision.
The transformation of Guyana from a struggling post-colonial nation to an emerging energy superpower and regional leader in economic growth cannot be ignored when evaluating the PPP/C’s governance Historicalcontextallowsusto appreciate just how far the country has come, from the days when Guyana was hamstrung by economic s t a g n a t i o n a n d mismanagement Under s u c c e s s i v e P P P / C governments, not only has Guyanasecuredamorestable political environment, but it hasalsoattractedinternational investment and initiated projects that promise longtermbenefitsforthecountry
Further, it is misleading to suggest that the PPP/C government invokes the APNU+AFC Coalition merely as a distraction
Instead, it is important to refer to where the country was prior to the PPP/C’s return to power in 2020, particularly after the fiveyear period of APNU+AFC rulefrom2015to2020.This comparison is essential to understand both the challenges inherited by the current government and the progress it has made in its tenure thus far The APNU+AFC government presided over a period marked by economic decline, political instability, and deteriorating social services. The abrupt halt in development initiatives, coupled with inefficient management of the emerging oil and gas sector, placed Guyana on a dangerous path during the Coalition’s time in office. Referringtothisperiodisnot an evasion of the PPP/C’s own track record; rather, it highlights the continuity of progress under the PPP/C versus the stagnation and regression experienced duringtheCoalition’srule. Moreover, much of the p u b l i c d i s c o u r s e
s u r r o u n d i n g t h e performance of the PPP/C administration has been shaped by selective reporting from sections of the media This has contributedtoanunbalanced portrayal of the current government’s achievements
and challenges. A critical examination of media coverage reveals that many ofthepromisesmadebythe PPP/C in its 2020-2025
manifesto have been sidelinedoroutrightignored by certain media outlets. These promises include but arenotlimitedto,significant infrastructural development projects, improvements in public services, and initiatives to reduce poverty and enhance social welfare.
F o r i n s t a n c e , t h e government’s emphasis on providing affordable
housing, improving
healthcare delivery, expanding educational opportunities, and enhancing the agricultural and manufacturing sectors has not received the widespread attention it deserves.
Some sections of the local media often choose to focus disproportionately on perceived shortcomings while failing to give adequate coverage to the positive developments
occurringacrossthecountry
Additionally, media bias becomes even more evident whencomparingthetreatment of theAPNU+AFC Coalition and the PPP/C government During the APNU+AFC’s tenure, many egregious acts went underreported or were inadequately scrutinized by sections of the press
Corruption scandals, economic mismanagement, and social unrest were not giventhesameprominencein the media as similar issues have been under the current administration. This selective reporting creates a skewed public perception, whereby thePPP/Cisunfairlycriticized for missteps while the Coalition’s failures are downplayedorignored.
As the PPP General Secretary, Bharrat Jagdeo, rightly said recently, had some of the actions committed by the APNU+AFC administration been carried out by the PPP/C government, media coverage would likely have been far more severe and
DEAREDITOR, A recent Facebook post spoke of the death of a young lady while swimming at one of our creeks ItwasherBirthday! Averysaddayforall CRG extends its condolences to thefamilyandfriendsofthe deceased
Italsoremindedmeofthe death of a very promising youngmanfromQCwhoalso died while swimming after successfully completing his CXC exams These tragedies occurred in locations where a
Frompage04
widespread. This unbalanced discoursenotonlyundermines the public’s trust in the media but also skews the broader political discourse in Guyana, making it seem as though the current government’s performance is far worse than it actually is.Inthiscontext,thePPP/C isjustifiedinpointingoutthe double standards and biases that exist within certain sections of the media, as these distortions prevent the public from forming an informed opinion about the country’sgovernance. Editor, the suggestion that the PPP/C government relies on referencing the APNU+AFC Coalition to obscureitsownperformance misrepresents the reality of governance in Guyana is misguided. The PPP/C’s trackrecordspeaksforitself, and the government is well within its rights to defend it while continuing to work toward the betterment of all Guyanese
Sincerely BrianAzore
lot of swimming takes place Unfortunately, there are no lifeguards present and the locations have no safety measures in place, such as demarcating buoys which help prevent swimmers from goingintodeepareasorareas where there is a strong undercurrent
The NDCs and the Government should review the creeks and other locations where people like to visit to swim and put in place a lifeguard tower, pay lifeguardstobeonduty,and
joins the
me, as a long-standing memberofthePPP’scentral andexecutivecommittee,its then secretariat, as its then Executive Secretary, and importantly, as close a confidante of Janet and Cheddi Jagan, I would have known.
On family matters yes, but politicalrarely Following Walter Rodney’s return to Guyana (1974) up to the time of his assassination (1980), PPP/WPA relationship was under constant review at the leadership levels of the Party (See pps: 203-204 ‘My Story My Song’;
ensure that the necessary safety measures are implemented.This will help preventmoretragediessuchas these from occurring and ensurethateveryoneleavesfor home after safely enjoying themselves It is also importantthatwemakesafety a top priority in all of our undertakings Such a mindset will help create a great foundationuponwhichtostart our 3rd world to 1st world transformationefforts. Withcondolences, Mr.JamilChanglee
Clement J. Rohee). Even in the context of the PPP’s call for the establishment of a NationalPatrioticFront(NPF) and National Front Government (NFG) (August 1977), the WPA was unsupportive,itwasopposedto thePPP’spositionthatthePNC be included in the NPF and NFG It put forward a similar arrangementwiththeexception that the PNC should be excluded (ForARevolutionary DemocraticAlliance,1985pp: 16) The only window of a limited form of cooperation between the PPP and the WPA I know about was on the eve of the 1992 election when, on the basis of an
electoral alliance, a Joint Patriotic Coalition for Democracy (PCD) Electoral Programmatic Platform was formulated However, publication of the document was jettisoned by the WPA and Paul Tennasee’s Democratic Labour Movement (DLM) because they disagreed with the PPP’s recommendation that with its completion, the programmebepublishedfor public scrutiny Since then, and to this day, the PPP/C andtheWPAhavegonetheir separate ways while the DLMfadedintooblivion.
Yoursfaithfully, ClementJ.Rohee
A man was on Sunday shottotheneckandrobbedof his gold chain by a lone gunman a short distance away from his Sophia, GreaterGeorgetownhome.
According to the police the incident occurred around 20:10hrsatRedRoadSophia EastCoastDemeraraandthe victim was identified as Kawsi Lord of Cummings ParkEastCoastDemerara.
CummingsParkhometobuy foodwhenhewasconfronted byamaskedarmedmanwho hewasunabletoidentify The man shot him to the neck and robbed him of his gold chain. Lord was rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital by his wife and a friend.Hewasexaminedand treated by a doctor on duty andhisconditioniscurrently
Investigationsareongoing
Following criticisms about its use of a lone Consultant to conduct environmental studies, ExxonMobil Guyana Limited (EMGL) has now issuedaRequestForInformation(RFI) seeking consultancy services for environmentalstudies.
TheRFIwasissuedbytheoperator of the Stabroek Block on Monday Kaieteur News understands that the companywill issue a separateRequest For Proposal (RFP) for Consultancy
, Regulatory, and Socioeconomic (ER&S)Management.
According to the RFI seen by this newspaper, the qualified consultants will be tasked with developing technical proposals and conducting assessments and/or modeling for coastal and marine biodiversity and ecosystems (e.g., mangroves, coastal and marine birds, reptiles, and mammals); offshore and nearshore fisheries; physical and chemical characterizationofoffshore,nearshore, andterrestrialecosystems;offshoreand onshore emissions and discharges (air, acoustic and treated wastewater discharge, and unplanned events such as emergency flaring and spills) via modelling; socioeconomic settings (e.g., traffic, livelihoods, community health, fisheries etc ); social infrastructure and services; cultural
heritageand/orarcheologicalsurveys; and coastal sensitivity and ecosystem services-tonameafew
The assessments will be used to craftEnvironmentalandSocialImpact Assessments (ESIAs); Cumulative Impact Assessments; Environmental and/or Social Management Plans; Stakeholder Engagement Plans; and
EnvironmentalMonitoringPlans.
Exxon informed that the services are intended to support its activities includingbutnotlimitedtooffshoreoil and gas production operations and support activities (e g , Floating Production Storage and Offloading units,supportvesselsandhelicopters); onshore support activities (e g , shorebases, office buildings, communication infrastructure, waste management, potential major projects, etc.); onshore infrastructure; offshore seismic acquisition; geophysical, geotechnical and environmental baseline and monitoring surveys; and drilling operations (including rig import,in-wateractivities,exploration, appraisal,anddevelopmentwells).
To date, Exxon has predominantly utilized the services of Environmental Resources Management (ERM), a
LondonbasedConsultancygroup.That firm was accused of conducting “cut and paste” EIAs for Exxon's oil projects.Since Exxon discovered oil in 2015 off the shores of Guyana, it has consistently hired that company to conduct its EIAs. In fact, ERM has completedfiveofthesixsanctionedoil projects.ERMwasalsousedtoconduct an EIA for the oil company's Gas-toEnergy (GTE) pipeline project. Exxon had contracted Texas-based Acorn InternationalforoneofitsEIAs.
The decision to select another ConsultantwasforcedafterExxonwas pressured by environmentalists, who questioned the independence of ERM. In December 2021, a group of Environmentalists wrote to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)requestingthatitdisclosethelist of other qualified consultants, from which the Environmental Resources Management was selected to conduct EIAs. In the document seen by this publication, the experts Simone Mangal-Joly, Alfred Buhlai, Vanda Radzik, Janette Bulkan, Denuta Radzik, Jerry Jailall, Alissa Trotz and Maya Trotz questioned the independence of ERM since records show that the ExxonMobil subsidiary has only ever selected the ERM to conduct all its Environmental Impact Assessmentsandmanagementplans.
The notion that c y b e r s p a c e should exist in some fictional realm, free from the meddling hands of governments and regulatory authorities, is as fanciful as believing that international waters are a pirate’s playground immune to the reach of the law
Cyberspace is a real place
that is becoming, increasinglyadarkplace.
Those raising the alarm over bringing cyberspace under greater regulation often argue that any such risks infringe on human rights. The critique has an alluring simplicity who doesn’t recoil at the thought of a government overreaching into our private lives?
Yet, this concern over regulating cyberspace overlooks a fundamental truth: cyberspace is not a mythical “new frontier” that exists outside the sphere of human interaction and governance.Itisthenexusof modern communication,
commerce, and even national security To treat it assomeuntouchablespaceis to ignore both its immense potential for human development and its equally dangerous capacity for abuse.
Cyberspace, after all, is notanetherealplanebeyond thereachofearthlylaws;itis the infrastructure through which nearly all of human society now functions. It connects banks, businesses, schools, and families, linking governments to citizens and businesses to consumers. In its idealized form, cyberspace can
e n h a n c e h u m a n development.Itallowsusto reach across borders, access information instantly, and democratise access to knowledge Platforms for education, health services, and democratic engagement have revolutionized entire societies.
For many in remote or underserved communities, digital access has meant the difference between isolation and opportunity In Guyana, theGuyanaOnlineAcademy of Learning is unleashing educational opportunities for tens of thousands of Guyanese,allmadepossible through the use of cyberspace.
Thisweareoftentold,is the golden promise of the digitalage—anerainwhich knowledge is not merely power but a common resource,sharedbyall.
But alongside these virtuesexistsadarkertruth,a reality that critics of regulation tend to downplay or ignore entirely Cyberspace is also a vehicle for identity theft, corporate espionage, defamation, financial blackmail, and extortion.
It has been weaponised to destabilise companies, underminepoliticalsystems, and foment social unrest.
Hacking, phishing, c y b e r b u l l y i n g , ransomware—these are the vocabulary of our time, as muchapartofcyberspaceas its more benevolent uses. Entire economies have been
h e l d h o s t a g e b y cybercriminals; the reputations of individuals, are ruined by the merciless speed of defamation across
social media platforms. In short, cyberspace has become a battleground, and to argue that it requires no regulationistotacitlyaccept that anything goes in this lawlessdomain.
The theft of personal identitiesisperhapsthemost frequent and personal form of cybercrime. Here, in a matter of moments, one’s entire existence credit score, health records, digital persona can be stolen, used, or sold to the highest bidder on the dark web. What critics of regulation fail to acknowledge is that the space they so fervently protect is the same one exploited by these thieves. Indeed, to claim that regulating cyberspace is an attack on human rights ignores the fact that the unregulated environment has already stripped countlessindividualsoftheir righttosecurity,privacy,and peaceofmind.
On a larger scale, cyberspace has been used to destabilize companies and evencountries.
In an age when data is power, cyberattacks have become the weapons of choice for adversarial states and rogue actors. Political movements have been hijacked,anddisinformation campaigns launched to sow discord.
The consequences of these attacks are not theoretical Nations have learned to fear the digital frontierasmuchastheyonce fearedphysicalinvasions.
The loudest voices against regulation often comefromthosewhoinvoke theideaofadystopianfuture
Cricket coming soon to Guyana, andeverybodystartfuhwonder if dem gon finally fix de road arounddestadiumorifwegonstillbestuck intrafficlikeabadbatsmantrappedLBW
Yuh know Guyana – we love cricket morethananything,butwealsolovealastminute hustle. Just like how we clean fuh Christmas de night before, or rush fuh get debridedressjustintimefuhwalkdownde aisle, same thing wid de roads. Dem boys seh,wedoesbarelyfinishontime.
Yuh could bet yuh last dollar dem big trucksgonbehurryingdowndeEastBank Road like dem bouncers bowled in de stadium.
Trucks gon swerve left, right, center, lickupdecones,anddodgepeoplelikedem dodging overs Roadworkers gon be scrambling like a tailender trying fuh survive de last ball. Everybody working late, and all of a sudden, machinery that
in which governments monitor every aspect of our digital lives. They warn of mass surveillance, censorship, and the erosion of free speech. And yes, there is cause for caution. Any move to regulate cyberspace must strike a delicate balance between ensuring security and preserving individual privacy But to reject regulation outright is to abandon responsibility. The real danger lies not in g o v e r n m e n t overreach—though that is always a risk—but in the absence of any governance atall.Withoutregulation,the virtual world becomes a playgroundforcriminalsand hostile states, a place where human rights are violated with impunity and justice is nowheretobefound.
Critics of regulation woulddobettertofocustheir energies on ensuring that cybersecurity efforts are transparent and that privacy protections are enshrined in anylegalframework.
Rather than resisting all efforts to police cyberspace, we should be working toward frameworks that guarantee both security and
freedom This is not an impossible task, but it does require nuance—a quality often absent from the debates surrounding digital regulation.
Cyberspace is no longer a peripheral aspect of life, it islife.
I t g o v e r n s o u r
communications, our finances, our knowledge, and increasingly, our very identities To leave it unregulated would be an abdication of the most basic dutiesofgovernance.Justas wedonotallowhighwaysto be overrun by reckless drivers or international waters to be dominated by pirates, we cannot allow the digital sphere to remain a lawlessspace.
Thus, the question is not whether cyberspace should be regulated but how it can be done in a way that respects individual rights while protecting the overall goodofsociety
Laws governing cyberspace should be as transparent and accountable as the democratic institutions that pass them.
Governments, private companies,andcivilsociety must collaborate to build a
regulatoryframeworkthatis both flexible and firm, that evolves with the technology butisrootedintheprinciple of safeguarding human dignity.
To fear regulation is to misunderstand the nature of thethreat.
The danger does not lie in efforts to secure cyberspacebutinthefailure todoso.
Unchecked, cyberspace becomes a frontier not of freedom but of chaos—one where criminals flourish, reputations are destroyed, andnationsaredestabilized.
Ifhumanrightsaretobe protected in the digital age, cyberspace must be governed as carefully and thoughtfully as any other sphereofhumaninteraction.
(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinionsofthisnewspaper.)
ain’t move in months start fuh wake up. Enginesgonberoaringlouderthandefans insidedestadium.
But this is Guyana! We specialize in last-minutemiracles.Peopledoneknowwe only put on de finishing touches when de guestsreach.YuheverseeChristmaslights goupChristmasEve?Oryuheverhearde story bout de man who only start looking fuhhesuitdemorningofhewedding?Well, that’sGuyanafuhyuh.
Demboyssehdesamethinghappening here.Deroadsmightnotbesmooth,butby hookorbycrook,wegonsomehowpullit offjustintimefuhtheCPLcrowd.Depaint mightstillwet,butdon’tworry,yuhgonget there. So brace yuhself fuh de last-minute rushandhopeyuhdon’tendupinatraffic jam longer than a Test match Just remember, we always leave it to de last minute,butwebarelyfinishontime! Talkhalf.Leffhalf
I keep it simple in this chat about democracy versus autocracy in Guyana. I agree and disagree with the erudite Dr Bertrand Ramcharran. I mostly disagree withthosewhodisagreewithhim.
First, some poor man's definitions would help Democracyisgovernmentbythose withthegreaternumbers,asystem where high ideals once resonated. Autocracyiswherethoseincharge (usually one) deliberately subvert the ideals of democracy for scurrilous personal objectives Democracy, at its best, is about freedoms, those that the powerful and perverse find overwhelming and obnoxious Autocracy is where the leadership becomes so twisted, feels so threatened that there are remorseless moves to stamp out the objectionable, those consideredparasites.
Democracy starts and stops in Guyana with elections. And even that process has had its tangles, thanks to the PNC. In its defense, the PNC said look at the PPP That'sthestory;it'sendless. After elections, and before a swarm of fliesinGuyanacanvisitanexposed carcass,democracy'snobilitiesfind themselves ostracized, rendered intovirtuallepers. Inademocracy, conscientious objectors are a
protected species. A rare breed of thefearlessthatgetsthingsmoving, not necessarily done. In Guyana under the PPP, democracy died at StateHousethedaybeforethelast swearing-in ceremony In the Guyana of PPP democracy, conscientious objectors are a combinationofbarbarian,heathen, terrorist, and untimely reminders that the PPP family has many secrets,itsdemocracyriddledwith many holes. Which committed bully, bluffer, or braggart would take kindly to such revelations?
Which prudent leader with selfcontroltomatchwouldthinktwice priortolettinghisdogsofwarout? It is raw power expressed. State House loves it (mess at own risk); Freedom House pretends not to be inbedwiththat(weedoanmixwid demkineahpeeple),buttheyareall onthePPPGovernment'spayroll.
SomeareinsideStatemedia. In a democracy, the people who own State media have some voice in theirassets. IntheGuyanaversion of autocracy disguised as democracy, the State apparatus is deployedtowhipthestubborn and stupidintoshape.Silenceisthebest medicine. Thebigfellasswearthat they welcome constructive criticism. Idetectalackofproper schooling: truth. It is grafting
arrogance with vinegar and toxins, then fusing the result with trickiness Somebody should informthedealersinthePPPofthe true meaning of honest criticism, the range that constructive criticism covers, and the places it could soar, with few limits. In the PPP's democracy, intimidation is education Smearing makes intentions clear To libel is the drivel on which it feeds and grows fat. Is that democracy? It is not even autocracy; it is criminality at itscrudest,slipperiest.
In a democracy, citizens have confidence in the independence of the police. In an autocracy, the people shiver when they hear police.Whoisresponsible? Isthat state of mind justified? Whose interests are served? Whose security is breached? In a democracy, the independent media is hailed as a bulwark, a tolerated inconvenience. Like a hovering, intrusive, overbearing in-law But in an autocracy, the very presence ofthemedia(whetherindependent or not) is seen as an escaped prisoner with a bad record and worse attitude. Corner quickly and lockinthenarrowestcage. Whena governmenthasnodreadfulsecrets to hide, there is no media dread. The media is a friend, partner, a
fellow striver towards common nationalobjectives.Whenthereare vulgar government secrets lying nakedly about, as if some private nudistcolony,thentheindependent media is the worst national nightmare. Hence, the upraised mailedfistofgovernment. Hence, thefacetotheindependentmedia's faceinthemostunwantednose-tonoseromance. Democracyisabout benign government warmth Autocracy is about malevolent leadership wrath Even the judiciaryisundersiege. Thereare thosewhotrytoswayitandshiftit. When that fails, they spit upon it. Some may postulate it's the power dynamicinaction. Icallitpolitical Darwinism that resorts to cannibalism. The skeptical can confirm by spending some quality time observing the presidency, the chiefsecretary
The Prime Minister's office is used for clandestine warfare againstthoseidentifiedasenemies of the party The Attorney General's office is there to run interference with the specious and vacuous. Itiswellrepresented.
In this democracy-autocracy challenge, I file this writ. Name one sensitive public agency not under the heel of the political commissars. Theymaketheirown
civil service standards. Do as the party leaders wish and say, and to hell with the rules. If that is democracy, then I am the Duke of Georgetown. Put a hooligan in a bejeweleduniformcompletewitha scarletsash,andheorsheisstillan unreformedthug.
Last, for the best evidence of autocracy in motion, study Guyanese. Save for a daring few, they have no insights, no inspirations,nocontrarianideas,no dissenting impulses. Fear is their first cousin, their first flight towards the first refuge found. Like ah said, it's neither scientific noracademic.Onlywhatisrealistic in the autocratic state that is PPP Guyana. When the checks and balances are demolished, then things get out of whack, out of control,andoutoftheordinary By any measure, that is autocracy Welcome to Guyana. It's in a bad place. (The views expressed in thisarticlearethoseoftheauthor anddonotnecessarilyreflectthe opinionsofthisnewspaper.)
On Monday, we reported that ExxonMobil Guyana Limited (EMGL) did not have to pay over $197 billion in taxes to the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) for the past two years, as the taxes were paid by the Government of Guyana (GoG) in keeping with the lopsided Production Sharing Agreement (PSA) which the Coalition Government signed with the US oil major back in 2016.
That's the kind of money being given away comfortably by this feeble, incompetent PPP/C Government that refuses to renegotiate the contract, but is comfortable taking loans to build every road and undertake every developmental project.
And amid all of this cruelty on our nation, ExxonMobil still calls itself Guyana's partner, when it is nothing but a stalker seizing any opportunity to take advantage of Guyana.
In the ExxonMobil-Guyana partnership, the company is fully insulated, while the host country is terribly exposed.
The Guyana Police Force (GPF)onMondayissuedawanted bulletinforthreepersonsinrelation to the murder of two men during a drive-by shooting at D'Urban Street, Georgetown on August 24, 2024.
Among the trio are an 18-yearoldandtworesidentsoftheUnited StatesofAmerica(U.S.A.).
Deadare39-year-oldLawrence Wayne called 'Boy Boy' and 40year-oldAnthonyHovescome,40.
The wanted men have been identified as 18-year-old Omalie Vieira,whoselastknownaddressis at Lot 47 Princess, Lodge Georgetown, 31-year-old Keron Hinds,whoselastknownaddresses areatLot4SmythStreet,Werk-enRust Georgetown and 134 E 59th Street, Brooklyn, New York, and 30-year-old Dominique Darrel Osborne, whose last known addresses are Lot 44 Princess Street,Lodge,Georgetownand196 E51stStreet,Brooklyn,NewYork.
Police are asking persons who have seen or have information aboutthewhereaboutsofthetrioto make contact with the police on telephonenumbers227-1149,2258196, 227-1611, 226-3405, 2256978, 225-8196 or the nearest policestation.
KaieteurNewsreportedthatthe shooting took place at around 05:45honAugust24.
Hovescome died after being riddled by bullets, while Wayne succumbed to his injuries at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation(GPHC).
25-year old Travis Ceres, a vendorfromEastLaPenitence,38year-oldTeonAllenofSophia,31year-old Stanley Matthews, a labourer of Sophia, 33-year-old DestraAuthur, another vendor and aresidentofEastLaPenitenceand Lloyd Roberts a miner of Golden Grove,EastBankDemerara(EBD) were all hospitalized with gunshot wounds.
Ceres sustained a gunshot woundtohislowerabdomen,while Allen,whoisnostrangertothelaw, wasshotinhisshoulder Matthews received two gunshot wounds, one to the left hand and another in the
leftthigh.Additionally,Authurwas shotintheleftlegwhileWaynewas shotinhisrightthighandhand.
Detectives learned that the victims might have been attending an“AllBlackParty”atV'sFlavour
Delight, located at 23 D'Urban Street, Lodge. At around 05:00hrs on Saturday, police closed off the party but some persons continued to consume alcohol in front of the location.
The host of the event, Keon Aaronsaidthathewascheckingoff his bar when he heard several gunshots.While finding out where it came from, he reportedly saw a black car speeding in the western directionfromthelocation.Hethen saw several bloodied individuals being placed in vehicles and being rushedawaytothecityhospital.
Ranks subsequently made checks at the GPHC where they learned that several persons were shotandoneofthemkilledduringa shootingatthelocation.Thepolice subsequently located the car
believed to have been used in the shooting. It was found parked on theeasterncarriagewayofManatee Place, South Ruimveldt, Georgetown.
“Thevehiclewasprocessedand photographedbytheCIDteam,and eleven 9mm spent shells, along with one .223 spent shell, were foundinthefrontandbackseatsof the car,” police said while adding that “two suspected bullet holes were seen in the lower right back passenger door, and what appears tobeagrazefromabullettotheleft sidebackjustabovethegastank.”
Police were able to contact the owner of the vehicle, 33-year-old C o l e e n B u r r o w e s , a businesswoman.
She told investigators that the car was stolen from her around
04:00hrs on Saturday by two men on a XR-Honda motorcycle at Victor and D'Urban Streets, Georgetown.
The woman claimed that she wasinthecompanyofhercousinin thecarandhadstoppedthevehicle theretourinatewhenthemenrode uptoher Burrowes related that the pillion rider dismounted the motorcycle, and pointed a gun at her while demanding that she give themthecar
Fearful for her life, she, along with the other occupants of the car exited the car, and the armed man enteredanddroveitawaywhilehis accomplicefollowedbehindonthe motorcycle.
A report was made to the East LaPenitencePoliceStation.
Policeacrossthecountry made out 2614 traffic cases between September 1 and September 7, 2024, with speeding being leading the listofoffencesand26people charged with Driving Under theInfluence(DUI).
According to a report issued by the Guyana Police Force (GPF), 576 tickets were issued for exceeding the speed limit, with Region Five (Mahaica- Berbice,) recording 248 of that amount.
With regard to DUI, 26 cases were made out with equal number charged for court. Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara) recorded most of DUI cases with 14 of that amount. It is reported that seven cases were made for failure to wear seat belt, while 108 for driver and pillion rider failure to wear safety helmets. In addition, 88 cases were recorded for unlitmotorvehicle(rearand front), and 35 cases were made for unlicensed drivers.
School children being educated by police rank during sensitization session
A23-year-oldmanwitharecentgunshot wound was on Monday granted bail at the Georgetown Magistrates' Court after he was charged with two counts of robbery under arms.
Elijah Martin, also known as Swims, appeared before Senior Magistrate Fabayo Azore.ThechargesallegethatMartin,armed with a firearm and accompanied by another person,stoletwogoldchainsandagoldband valued at $457,000 fromAqueenaAllen and twogoldchainsvaluedat$400,000fromCarl CummingsattheMarioTaxiServicebaseon Russell Street, Charlestown. Both victims were employees at the taxi service and were on duty during the incident. Martin pleaded notguiltytobothcharges.
According to police reports, the robbery tookplacearound13:16hrs.Martin,ridingas a pillion passenger on a motorcycle, dismounted and approachedAllen, who was insidethedispatchoffice.Hepointedagunat her and forcibly took two gold chains and a goldband.
Martin then moved to the office door, where he stole two more gold chains from Cummings He fled the scene on the motorcycle,headingsouthonRussellStreet.
Following the robbery, police obtained CCTVfootageandarrestedMartinonAugust 16,2024.Atthetimeofhisarrest,Martinhad a gunshot wound to his abdomen, for which he was treated at the Georgetown Public HospitalCorporation.
He was discharged onAugust 22, 2024.
Elijah Martin
Duringinterrogation,Martinconfessedtothe crime. Despite the prosecutor's objections based on Martin's prior criminal record for similar offenses, bail was granted in the amount of $50,000. Martin is scheduled to appearincourtagainonOctober21,2024.
The University of the West Indies (UWI), Mona campus, held its annual matriculation ceremony on Thursday,September5,with special attention given to Sheridan Dyal, a standout student from Guyana, who achieved an impressive 40 CXC/CAPEsubjects.
Under the grand University tent, where the day's celebrations took place,Dyalwashonouredas the top matriculant of her cohort.
Theceremony,hostedby UWI Campus Registrar Dr
Donovan Stanberry, celebrated the matriculants, with Dr Stanberry praising Dyal for her outstanding a c h i e v e m e n t s H e encouraged all students to viewherasaninspiration.
A recent graduate of Queen's College in Guyana, Dyal entered the ceremony withremarkablecredentials. Her academic journey has been extraordinary, showcasing her dedication
and commitment to excellence.
C
With 19 Caribbean Se
(CSEC) passes—18gradeonesand1 grade two Sheridan had already established her academic prowess Her perfo
Proficiency Examination (CAPE) exams further demonstrated her abilities, with 21 subjects completed: 10 grade ones and 11 grade twos.
D y a l w a s a l s o
ceremony. (Photo: Oriane Meikle)
recognized as CXC's most outstanding student in the sciences in 2022 and one of Guyana's top CAPE performers.
As the top matriculant, Dyal had the honour of signing the Matriculation Bookonbehalfofherfellow new students. This moment symbolized her leadership andthehighstandardsofthe incomingclass.
Now embarking on a newchapteratUWI,the19-
year-old is set to pursue Dentistry in the Faculty of Medicine. Her decision to enter this challenging and rewarding field reflects her passion for improving the health and well-being of others—an aspiration that has been evident throughout heracademiccareer
InaninterviewwithOur Today, UWI's online news, Dyalexpressedhergratitude and excitement for the start ofclasses.Sheadmittedthat
while she didn't always know she wanted to pursue dentistry,herpassionforthe fieldgrewovertime.
In addition to her academic success, Dyal also has an entrepreneurial side, having started two businesses, including her jewellry and accessories brand, Teen Hustle, which helpedsupporthereducation andindependence.
Although Sheridan's mother, Sherry-Ann, couldn'tattendinperson,she
daughter's achievements fromafar Sher
an Dyal's academic accomplishments and her new journey as a Dentistry student at UWI, Mona,werethehighlightsof the matriculation ceremony Her story of excellence and perseverance is an inspiration to her peers and reinforces UWI's reputation for nurturing exceptional talent.
Shadow Health Minister oftheOpposition,Dr Karen Cummings has called for a multi-sectoral approach to addresssuicideinamessage to mark World Suicide PreventionDay
Below is the full statementbyDr Cummings.
Today September 10 is designated World Suicide Prevention Day It is being observed under the theme “Changing the Narrative on Suicide”.
Though simple, it is profound as it sends out the call to stop stigma and discrimination, and to make the public more aware that though suicide is complicated and tragic, it is preventable. Suicide and self-harm are a significant public health concern, and stringent efforts must be made by policy makers and stakeholders to shift this topicalissuefromtheculture of silence to one of conversation. Yes, let's talk. There must be the fostering ofacultureofsupportforthe victimsandtheat-riskgroup.
Two decades ago, Guyana's age standardized ratewasestimatedat40.9per 100, 000, the highest in the Americas, and the second
Dr. Karen Cummings
highest in the world
Already, for this year 2024, Guyana has recorded 40 deathsbysuicide. The strategy to address thisscourgemustcontinueto be dependent on the crosscuttingvaluesandprinciples of universal coverage, human rights, evidencebased practice, life-course approach, and a multisectoralapproach.
While some efforts are being made to decriminalize suicide behavior, all hands areneededondeckincluding the pesticide control board, the suicide prevention commission and taskforce, policy makers, and civil society to address this plague.
Today on World Suicide Prevention Day, let us strive togethertoreducethesuicide mortality by one-third by 2030 in keeping with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 3,Target 3.4. Let us continue to raise awareness that suicide is preventable, and to improve education through the mediumofedutainment,and other programmes. Let us prioritize access to care and render assistance to those in need. Everyone should feel valued and understood. Let us change the way that suicideisseen.Letusallsay yestolife. ItisEverybody's business.Everylifematters.
A poster depicting Syria's President Bashar al-Assad is seen at a damaged area in the aftermath of what Syrian state media reported was an Israeli strike in Hama, Syria September 9, 2024. REUTERS/Firas Makdesi
AMMAN/CAIRO, Sept 8 (Reuters) - Israeli airstrikes killed 16 people in western Syria and wounded dozens more overnight, Syrian state media reported on Monday, the deadliest Israeli attack reported by Syrian authorities since the Iranian embassy compound inDamascuswashitinApril.
There was no immediate comment from Israel, which typically remains silent on reportsofstrikesinSyria.
The Syrian state news agency SANA, citing a military source, said Israel had launched the strikes at around 11:20 p m (2020 GMTonSundayandtargeted "anumberofmilitarysitesin the central region", without elaborating on what was struck.
Syrian air defences had shot down some of the missiles, the source said SANA cited a local health official as saying 36 people had been wounded, six of whom were in serious condition.
Tworegionalintelligence sourcessaidamajormilitary research centre for chemical armsproductionlocatednear Masyaf, in Hama province neartheMediterraneancoast, had been hit several times. They said it was believed to house a team of Iranian military experts involved in weaponsproduction.
However, a senior regionalmilitarysourceclose to Damascus and Tehran denied the accounts that it was a chemical weapons facility,sayingthatthetarget
Syrians inspect the damage at the site of overnight Israeli strikes on the outskirts of Masyaf in Syria's central Hama province [Louai Beshara/AFP]
was a well-known Syrian researchfacility
The Syrian foreign ministry condemned the attack as an act of blatant aggression.Inadditiontothe 16fatalitiesand36wounded, it had caused "material damage to some residential areas", it said in a statement reportedbySANA.
Iran's foreign minister spokesperson Nasser KanaanisaidTehranstrongly condemned the "criminal attack"inSyria.
“Wedonotconfirmwhat was reported by media outlets linked to the Zionist regime (Israel) about an attackonanIraniancentreor a centre under Iran's protection", he said during a newsconference,inresponse toaquestionabouttheattack.
Syrian state media also reported that the strikes caused two fires, which firefighters were working to extinguish.
Israel has for years been targeting what it has described as Iranian or Iranbacked targets in Syria, where Iranian forces and Tehran-backed militias deployed widely to support President Bashar al-Assad duringSyria'scivilwar
It has stepped up the campaign since the Oct 7 Hamas-led assault on Israe
om Gaza, including the April 1 attack that hit the Iranian embassy compound and k
I
nian commanders including one of Tehran's top generals.
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Bob cat Operator, Must have at least 5 years experience. Call: 613-0855 between 9:00 am - 4:30 pm.
Wanted! Workers for packaging pasta and chowmein. $4100-$4900 per day. Workers paid weekly. Call: 6117839 (GTT)/ 637-0983 (digi).
One Handyman needed to work in the Interior. Call: 6770869 or WhatsApp: 664-0844.
Urgently wanted Truck/ Lorry Driver. Must be safe & reliable. Call: 609-9203 / 603-1768.
One general Housekeeper to work on weekend. $4,500 per day. Age 30-40 years old. Call: 693-2600.
Sand truck Drivers wanted, $5000 per trip. Sand pit to Eccles, Call: 621-5282.
One general Domestic & one Handyman to work in Campbellville. Call: 621-5140.
Male & Female Clerk to work in a printery in Campbellville. Call: 621-5140.
River side land & property for sale in Timehri & Parika. Call: 653-2477.
Visa Application:U.S.A, Canada & UK:Graphics design, advertisements, wedding arch rentals.Tel:6267040.
Elevate your brand with our professional Graphic design services. Call: 619-0007, 6295526.
One (1) electrician for Eccles Call 615-9132 or 645-8443.
One Clerk for TSI Eccles office. English & Mathematics, grade 1 or 2. Email application: techserigy@ yahoo.com or Call: 615-9132.
Maid to clean for East Bank area. Call: 615-9132.
Female Cleaner for office. Call 645-8443.
Male Cleaner for Eccles. For more information Call: 6159132/ 645-8443.
Vacancy Exist For two experienced Dispatcher at Confidential Cabs. Call: 231-5784, 231-4001, 231-4000.
Experienced Cook & kitchen Assistant needed at Famous Flavour Creole Restaurant. Call: 676-5534 / 709-8131.
One (1) painter. For more information Call: 615-9132 or 645-8443.
Room Attendant, Desk Clerk, Supervisor and Receptionist 23-45 Years old. 233 South Road. Call: 2250198.
Vacancy exist for one general Domestic, 40 years or older. Call: 619-9317.
1 Honda CRV, includes TV, music system, alarm, reverse camera, sproiler, crashbar, low mileage PTT Series (first owner). Contact: 649-0956.
1 Toyota Allion, Pioneer DVD, CD & USB deck, reverse camera, alarm, low milage. Call: 649-0956.
Unregistered, 2 ton Hiab Canter, 4D 35 Engine. Manual fuel pump. Call: 628-6870.
House for rent in Sarwan Street, Eccles. Call: 666-8404.
Land for rent at Heroes Highway. Call: 653-2477.
The People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) has noted that while the Mid-Year Report released by the Ministry of Finance paints a glowing picture of Guyana’s economy, citizens are still reeling in poverty.
In a statement, PNCR said that while the Mid-Year report indicated that Guyana’s real economy grew by an estimated 49.7% in the first half of this year; it failed to show how the average Guyanese saw increase in their income. As such, the PNCR reiterated that “if the country grows our people must benefit.”
The party noted that “The Mid-Year report makes no difference to the lives of Guyanese. Mid-way through the life of the third oil budget, life in ordinary Guyanese households has not in any way become more prosperous or comfortable. On the contrary, it has become more
stressful and burdensome.”
It continued: “The recent teacher strike and negotiations are an example of this paradoxical situation. The government must surely have known these were the growth numbers for the first half of the year, yet they stuck to a salary increase number so anemic, teachers have been left bitterly disappointed.”
According to the opposition party, the Ministry of Finance in its report speaks of the economic and fiscal risks the economy faces. The party said “Its list of five such risks, however, completely ignores several major risks: that is, the tens of billions of dollars lost to corruption, poor planning, and mismanagement. The more the government spends, the more this loss escalates.”
Further, the PNCR said there is no evidence, for instance, that the government is responding to the recom-
mendations of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for “a strong and effective public financial management system, and a robust public investment management (PIM) framework.”
PNCR explained “The reported 12-month (June 2023 to June 2024) inflation rate of 4% is a number with no meaning. It is the butt of jokes. Apart from being a Georgetown-based index, it severely undervalues food inflation. Many citizens share the view that prices of essential food items have increased around 20% since mid-last year.”
According to the opposition party, this crisis has caused many Guyanese families to reduce the number of meals they eat as well as what they eat. Nevertheless, the PNCR said that VP Jagdeo is on record as denying the existence of high inflation and
soaring cost-of-living. With that kind of attitude, do we want another term of the PPP?
“The report has been ‘deafeningly silent’ on the progress on reducing Guyana’s food import bill. The party noted that Guyana’s Government has commitment to effort to reducing food imports CARICOM-wide by 25% by 2025.”
The party said that “Guyana’s role in this endeavour is two-fold: (a) reducing its own food imports, and (b) increasing food exports to the CARICOM even as 2025 looms large.” Further, the party stressed that report makes no mention of the need for any supplementary budgets. It reasoned that “this most likely reflects the fact that the government’s planning process, such as it is, is haphazard and spur-ofthe-moment.”
– $400.6M invested in quality childcare services in first half of 2024
Under the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security’s Working Parents Child Care Subsidy initiative, 200 children have each received a $50,000 subsidy to cover three months of childcare services.
This support allows employed parents to work effectively without worrying about their child’s safety and care. By the end of 2024, an additional 500 children are expected to benefit from the programme.
According to the 2024 mid-year report, the government expended $400.6 million in the first half of 2024 on various childcare improvements.
This funding, part of the
$1.4 billion allocated to the ministry in the 2024 budget, was used for training childcare personnel, constructing and upgrading infrastructure, and licensing facilities nationwide.
Efforts to enhance the accessibility of childcare services have also led to 89 additional childcare facilities being licensed to operate within approved standards, bringing the total number of licensed facilities nationwide to 336.
The government is also looking to complete constructing two new day and night care centres and rehabilitating the Sophia Care Centre by the end of 2024. These efforts ensure that chil-
dren across Guyana can benefit from quality services tailored to their emotional and mental development needs. Further, the government intends to provide one-off cash grants of $100,000 to any WIIN programme graduates, who have completed the Levels one to three studies in Child Care and are desirous of opening their licensed daycare facility.
Funding has also been allocated to address the pressing issue of child abuse.
According to the World Health Organization, approximately one billion children aged two-17 years have experienced some form of child abuse. To al-
leviate the mental repercussions of endured abuse, the government in collaboration with the Child Advocacy Centres (CACs) is providing the necessary emotional, psychological, and therapeutic support for child abuse survivors.
Special emphasis is being placed on reintegrating these children into safe, secure and functional families.
All of the government’s initiatives align with the Declaration of the Rights of the Child, which defines children’s rights to protection, education, health care, shelter, and good nutrition. (DPI)
Two men were ar rested on Monday and two others on the run after they allegedly broke into the ‘Rube Boy’ Supermarket at Fourth Bridge, Diamond, East Bank Demerara.
Police in a press release said that when ranks arrived at the supermarket they encountered four armed men inside the building and they subsequently discharged several rounds in their direction.
The ranks returned fire but three of them escaped.
One of the suspects identified as 25-year-old Junior Persaud of Ruimveldt Georgetown was taken into custody.
He was interrogated and acting on the information he provided the police ventured to the residence of another suspect who was identified as Dequann Small of Diamond East Bank Demerara who was then arrested at his home.
A subsequent search of the premises where Small was arrested revealed ‘breaking devices’, a makeshift firearm, several car rims, and a small generator all suspected to have been stolen from ‘Rude Boy’ Supermarket. Investigations are ongoing as the two other suspects remain on the run.
From page 15
noted that Guyana will work with the State of Roraima in Brazil to form a partnership in the development of the Hub.
It was reported in the media also that the Food Hub will facilitate the aggregation, distribution, and marketing of source-identified
$566M to complete phase two of Regional Food Hub... food products, mainly obtained from the state of Roraima in Brazil. This publication understands that when completed the hub will provide a number of services which include cleaning, sorting, packaging, repackaging, labelling, and storing products in temperature-controlled units to ensure quality and safety.
Leader of the
Alliance For Change (AFC) Nigel Hughes on Friday called on the Government of Guyana to implement measuresthatwillensurethat thereisequityinthedelivery of education across the country At the party's weekly press conference, Hughes said that the disparity in the delivery of education between the coast and the hinterland seems to be wideningandtheMinistryof Education must do more to remedythat.
Hughes believes that
there should be a closure of the gap, then the country's pass rates at the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examinations would be significantlyboosted.
“Going back to 2022, where Guyana topped the Caribbean with some students getting twenty-four A'sandthehinterlandandthe riverine community having none, we believe that this disparity continues and the disparitydiscloses,Idaresay apartheid in education in which the Indigenous communities clearly are losing, they are (at) the
wrong end of that stick,” Hughes, who is also an Attorneysaid.
He believes that “there needs to be an immediate interventioninrelationtothe quality of education that is given to Indigenous communities.”
The AFC leader told reporters that given the “empirical evidence” he believes that children on the coast and in the hinterland must be taught the same material and have access to the same learning opportunities.
“That means we have to have qualified teachers there
$566M to complete
The National
Procurement and T e n d e r Administration Board (NPTAB)officehascleareda $566,486,000 contract to complete phase two of the RegionalFoodHub.
As reported previously, the construction of the Regional Food Hub is being undertaken by Ministry of Agriculture through the National Drainage and IrrigationAuthority(NDIA). According to information provided on its website, NPTAB has awarded the $566 million contract to Navin & Sons Construction and this is for the construction of foundation
and external works for the Food Hub which will be located along the LindenSoesdykeHighway
Duringapresentationina meetingwiththePresidentof the Islamic Development Bank Dr Mohammed Sulaiman last year, Minister of Agriculture, Zulfikar Mustapha informed that the land for the facility has already been identified on the Soesdyke /Linden Highway and the complex will cost some US$14M. Already Phase One of the projectwhichbeganlastyear costsome$187million. Mustapha was also quoted in a Department of Public Information article in
September last year saying: “We want this Guyana here to be the food hub. The primary production hub of the Caribbean so that we could supply the Caribbean. What we have, our colleagues in the Caribbean don't have. We have arable flat land and abundant fresh water Now with the investmentcomingonboard, we can modernise the infrastructure, and start ramping up of the productions.”
Minister Mustapha had underscored that Guyana is lookingtoplayaleadrolein reducing the Caribbean's foodimportbillby2025.He (Continuedonpage16)
( i n I n d i g e n o u s Communities). We have to make sure that the members of that community the teacherswhoaremembersof that community also get the best quality education that will allow them to return to theircommunitytoteach.” Hughes commended the
Government for its “good initiative” to arrest the country's declining mathematics pass rates by ramping up the teaching periods allotted across primary and secondary schools.Notwithstanding,he saidmoreneedstobedoneto addressthegapsthatexist. “So Mr P
(President Irfaan Ali) while you're dealing with Maths, I would say equally important i s d e a l w i t h t h e discrimination in relation to the quality of education received by the Indigenous community,” Hughes concluded.
Guyana’s Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) team showed
remarkable grit and determination at the Pan-
American Games on SaturdaynightinMonterrey, Mexico.
In an intense night of action featuring 33 bouts, Guyana secured two silver medals and one bronze medal, a testament to the resilienceoftheathletesand
the growing strength of MMAinournation.
Ezekiel Persaud battled fiercelyinhisquestforgold, butultimatelysuccumbedto a ground submission in the second round to Mexico’s Johnathon Abad earning a silvermedalintheprocess. Persaud’s performance, marked by technical precisionandsheerwill,was a highlight of the night. His
relentless spirit embodied the famous words of Bruce Lee,“Donotprayforaneasy life, pray for the strength to endureadifficultone.”
John Campayne also fought valiantly, capturing Silverafterahard-foughtbattle against Jamaican Tyrece Thompson, which ended in a TKO Campayne’s courage, evenindefeat,wasreminiscent ofthewordsofMuhammadAli
“I hated every minute of training,butIsaid,‘Don’tquit Suffernowandlivetherestof yourlifeasachampion.”
Finally, Lyndon Fung clinched the Bronze medal, showcasing his tactical prowess and unwavering spirit His resilience speaks volumesaboutthecharacterof this team, reinforcing that setbacks are mere stepping stonestogreatertriumphs
ARIES(Mar.21–Apr.19)
Overall,theforecastfortoday is fairly good. The aspects seemtofavorfiguringoutthe meaning of all that's transpired over the past several weeks It's an opportunity for you to take a leisurely
TAURUS(Apr.20–May20)
Have you felt somewhat lost forthepastfewdays?Thefog maylifttodayandenableyou to situate yourself at last. You'reprobablyeagertosettle a question that has nagged at you and interfered with your judgment.
GEMINI(May21–June20)
You may have been feeling somewhat disillusioned. Perhapsyoulostsightofyour goals or misplaced your faith in yourself. You'll feel some reliefbeginningtoday
CANCER(June21–July22)
Youmightbetemptedtosettle 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 actiontocorrectthem.
LEO(July23–Aug.22)
Today will be fairly calm in terms of outside events, but yourinnerworldislikelytobe in a rush of activity Today you wish you could find the solutiontoyourheartachesas well as your career 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 thingsdifferently
LIBRA(Sept.23–Oct.22)
Youjustcan'tdoeverythingat 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 areaofyourlife.
SCORPIO(Oct.23–Nov 21)
Thisisagoodmomenttoadapt your logic and reason to reality, Scorpio. If you don't, you're going to run into some
Everyone knows that you find newideasplentiful.
SAGIT(Nov 22–Dec.21)
It'sgoingtobealittledifficult ta
you today, Sagittarius. You, who can be easily influenced by others, will be listening to and criticizing everything that peoplesay
CAPRI(Dec.22–Jan.19)
Haveyoubeenreviewingyour family his
ory lately, Capricorn? Of special interest is your cultural background. What educational, social, and religious environment were you born into? What are its values?Intheend.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20–Feb. 18) It's time to elevate your senseofself,Aquarius.You're justasgoodasanyoneelse,so why don't you believe it? The problem is that you're very sensitiveabouthavinganego. Even though you know everyonedoes.
PISCES(Feb.19–Mar.20)
Today your intellectual and expressive abilities should receive a boost from the planets.It'sanexcellenttimeto organize your thoughts about presentingaproject.
Reflecting on the achievements of the night, Gavin Singh, President of the Guyana MMA Federation, expressed immense pride in theteam’sefforts “Itwasnot an easy journey to get here Thehardwork,thesweat,and the endless hours of preparation paid off” Our
Frompage22 neversubmittedMr Tyrell’s documentation to World Aquatics Additionally, it was established that Mr Scott and executives of GASAhavemaliciouslyand vindictively withheld Mr Tyrell’s documentation from World Aquatics to exclude him from representing Guyana at Internationalmeets.”
“The NSC and the GOA remain firm in their stance thatthereisnoroomforbias, inequality, exclusion, and unethicalpracticesinsport.
Itmustbenotedthatthis is not the first instance where Mr Scott and the executives of GASAsought to mislead the NSC and GOA and were not forthcoming with the truth. Onanotheroccasion,GASA sought to institute bans on two(2)swimclubsbasedon the actions of a few members for two (2) years. This action was represented by GASA at another joint meeting. Mr Scott and executives of GASA claimed that the ban on the two clubs holistically was basedonarecommendation fromWorldAquatics.When asked to return in 48 hours with evidence of the recommendation, Mr Scott andtheexecutivesofGASA statedthattheydidnothave any such recommendation and were unconstitutionally implementing sanctions withoutafairhearing.”
The release further disclosed,“TheNSCandthe GOA have exhausted all avenues to mediate with
athletes showed the heart of warriors,” Singh said Echoing the famous words fromRockyIV,Singhadded, “Going in one more round when you don’t think you can,that’swhatmakesallthe difference in your life ” Singh further acknowledged the contributions of the incredible support team, without whom these victories would not have been possible Special recognition was given to Charles Greaves, Dennis Bassier, Troy Phillips, and Neville Persaud, whose dedication behindthescenes ensured that the athletes were well-prepared for this monumentalevent
The athletes have
GASA and the disgruntled swimming fraternity to bring normalcy to the sport.
On every occasion, Mr Scott acknowledged the a b o v e - m e n t i o n e d indiscretions and shortcomings on the part of GASA while promising to rectify the lingering issues forGASAtofunctioninthe bestinterestofswimmers.”
“Asaresultofconsistent inactionbyGASA,theNSC, and the GOAare convinced thatthecurrentexecutivesof GASAdo not have the best interest of swimmers and swimming in Guyana as theirprimaryobjective.
brought honor to Guyana, and the future of MMA in the country looks brighter thanever
“Theonlylimitswehave are the ones we place on ourselves,” Singh continued “And this team has shown therearenolimitstowhatwe can achieve” The federation now looks ahead to future competitions, inspired by the knowledge that, as Bruce Lee once said, “The successful warrioristheaverageman,with laser-likefocus.”
Guyana’s journey in theworld of MMAis only just beginning, and if t
ahead is paved with potentialandpromise
Therefore, the NSC and the GOA no longer recognise GASAas a sports associationingoodstanding and will no longer engage withthecurrentexecutiveof GASA. The NSC suspends swimming as a core sport along with its attendant support. Further, the NSC and the GOAwill forthwith formallyengagewithWorld Aquatics to highlight the maladministration and the unethical acts being perpetuated by the current executives of GASA to the detriment of the swimmers in Guyana,” the release concluded.
The National S p o r t s
Commission (NSC) and the Guyana OlympicAssociation(GOA) have in an unprecedented move issued a joint statement in regards to the GuyanaAmateurSwimming Association (GASA) and its operation.
Over time, several complaintshavebeenraised inrelationtotheoperationof the GASA and what some perceived as unfair treatmentmetedouttothem, with the matter eventually attractingtheattentionofthe two major governing sports bodieslocally Someissues were also ventilated to the media by persons in the swimming circles who alleged unfairness in the sport The two bodies decided to impose serious sanctions on the GASAand to engage the world body, World Aquatics, on the developmentswiththesport hereinGuyana.
The release from the NSCandGOAnotes:
“Inthelasttwo(2)years, the National Sports Commission (NSC) and the G u y a n a O l y m p i c Association(GOA)metwith the president of the Guyana Amateur Swimming Association (GASA), Mr Dwayne Scott and other executives both jointly and severally on numerous occasions The meetings were premised on matters related to innumerable complaints from swimmers, parents, coaches, and swim club executives The complaints include biased selection processes, exclusion from competitive swimming, nepotism in swimming,refusaltoaccept clubs as members of GASA w h i c h m e e t t h e r e q u i r e m e n t s , unresponsiveness from the executive of GASA, heavyhanded and unfair treatment by GASA, unconstitutional actions and financial
Dwayne Scott
misconductbytheexecutive ofGASA.”
“InJuly2023,ameeting was convened by the Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, the Honourable CharlesS.RamsonMP,with members of the NSC, executives of the GOA, Mr Delroy Tyrell, and executives of GASAto deal specifically with the complaint that GASA was ignoring, neglecting, and/or refusing to advance an application made by Delroy Tyrell Mr Tyrell is a
talented Guyanese-born swimmer who is currently attending college in the UnitedStatesandpreviously represented Trinidad while residing there. Mr Tyrell is inclined to change his nationality status to represent Guyana. At the meeting,Mr Scottsoughtto justify why Tyrell did not qualify for change of nationality which was refuted conclusively with careful examination of the constitution of World Aquatics.
Thereafter, Mr Scott accepted that Tyrell’s application satisfied the criteria for a change of nationality, and committed to submit Mr Tyrell’s documentation in two (2) w
y following that meeting. Mr Scott subsequently went on record in the media stating
Wo
d Aquatics. On Sunday, 1st September 2024, it was reported in the media that
JanExner,whoservesasthe World Aquatics Legal Counsel, issued a response i
submittedtoWorldAquatics on behalf of Mr Tyrell by GASA.
Minister Ramson convened a meeting on September 6, 2024, with members of the NSC and GOA for a response by the executive of GASA. At this meeting, it was confirmed thatMr ScottandGASAhad (Continuedonpage21)
BYRAWLETONEY
The Golden Jaguars delivered one of their poorest performances, drawing 2–2 in a disappointing match against Martinique yesterday at the Pierre-Aliker Municipal Stadium.
GuyanatravelledtoFortde-France for their second CONCACAF Nations Leaguegameaftersuffering a 1–3 defeat to Suriname at homeinLeagueA.
Coach Jamaal Shabazz’s men had a promising start, with Middlesbrough talisman, Isaiah Jones, scoring twice in quick succession in the 14th and 24thminutestogiveGuyana
a2–0lead. Martinique was reduced to10meninthe18thminute afterformerGetafedefender Florent Poulolo received a straight red card for a handball.
Despite the numerical advantage, Guyana’s clumsy attack and lack of cohesive play made it difficult to break down Martinique’sdefence.
Just before halftime, L a u s a n n e - S p o r t f o r w a r d B r i g h t o n Labeau capitalized on a lapse in the Golden Jaguars’ defence, pulling one back for Martinique and shifting themomentum.
From that point on, Martinique looked revitalized, and it became hard to tell they were playingwithamandown Deon Moore had a golden opportunity to extend Guyana’s lead, but his hesitation allowed France Ligue 2
goalkeeper Yannis
Clementia to make an easy savefromaweakattempt
In the second half, Shabazz made several substitutions, including Osaze de Rosario for Moore, Kelsey Benjamin for Stephen DukeMcKenna, and Curtez KellmanforDanielWilson T h e s e c h a n g e s
Uitvlugt Football Club and Pouderoyen FC kicked off the West Demerara Football Association (WDFA) 2024 Men’s Senior League with commanding victories on Sunday at the Uitvlugt ground, West Coast Demerara.
Football returned to Region 3 with ten enthusiastic clubs competing for the championshiptitle.The2024seasonopened with an exciting doubleheader, as PouderoyenFCdominatedEaglesFC3-0in thefirstmatch.
Matthew Chidume and Stephen Jupiter set the pace for Pouderoyen’s triumph. The NigerianstrikerChidumeputhisteamahead in the 14th minute with a sharp strike from close range, making it 1-0. Eagles FC tightened their defence after the early goal but couldn’t stop Jupiter from adding a second in the 33rd minute, blasting the ball
3-0.
Uitvlugt FC’s goal scorers, Delon Lanferman and Jamal Harvey
past the Eagles’ goalkeeper Just three minutes later, Chidume found the net again, securing a comfortable 3-0 lead for Pouderoyen Despite Eagles’ efforts to recover, the match ended with Pouderoyen firmlyincontrol.Thesecondgameoftheday saw Uitvlugt Warriors FC secure a 2-0 win overBeaver’sFC.Afteragoallessfirsthalf, Delon Lanferman broke the deadlock in the 47th minute, followed by Jamal Harvey’s 60th-minute goal to seal the victory Uitvlugt’s defence held strong throughout, keeping Beaver’s FC at bay and ensuring a smoothstarttotheirleaguecampaign.
The tournament continues on September 14 and 15 with another thrilling doubleheader at the same venue. BelleWest FC will faceWales FC, while Number 1All StarstakeonUprisingFC. TheWDFA2024 Men’s Senior League is sanctioned by the GuyanaFootballFederation
seemed aimed at securing all three points, but instead, 20-year-old Rudy Varane equalized for Martinique with an 86th-minute goal, making it 2–2.
The match ended with both teams sharing points, and they will return to action on October11
Guyana will host unbeaten Guatemala, while Martinique will travel to faceGuadeloupe.
On October 15, Martinique will host Guadeloupe, and Guyana will head to Paramaribo for a rematch against Suriname
Th e B e r b i c e Cricket Board (BCB) ongoing Dr TulsiDyalSinghcricket
academy continued activities with a large number of young cricketers heavilyinvolved.
Sessions continued at Port Mourant Ground this pastweekend,withaspecial visit from Region 6 REO NarindraPersaud.
REO Persaud paid the courtesy visit to the Academy as he saw firsthand the work done by the players and coaches, whichrevolvedaroundthe fundamentalsofthesport
Cricketers ran a number of simulations including individual and teamgamescenarios
Coaches were able to assess the level of cricket competence possessed by t h e p l a y e r s ; w h o demonstrated diligence, formandunderstanding
Meanwhile, over 40 U17 players were called up by the BCB for U17 Academy Players 17 year-old from East Bank, New Amsterdam, Canje and Lower Corentyne were all present last weekend as part of the introduction
The Guyana women’s hockey team has selected its final squad for the 2024 Pan
A m e r i c a n H o c k e y Federation (PAHF) Challenge, set to take place inHamilton,Bermuda,from September 20-28 This tournament serves as a qualifier for the 2025 PAHF Cup in Uruguay and is Guyana’s sole route to the WorldCup.
As the lowest-ranked team in the competition, Guyanafacesadauntingtask in their bid to claim the top spot The six competing teams are led by Mexico, ranked 37th in the world, followed by Peru at 41st, Brazil at 54th, Jamaica at 67th, Bermuda at 68th, and Guyanaat70th.
G u y a n a ’ s l a s t appearance in the PAHF Challenge was in 2011, where they finished as runners-up to Uruguay in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Only five players from that squad remain: goalkeeper Alysa
Xavier, Gabriella Xavier, TrishaWoodroffe,Samantha Fernandes, and Chantelle Fernandes.
National coach Philip Fernandes believes the team is a well-balanced mix of youth and experience. He noted,“We’velostsomekey playersfromourlastnational team, like sweeper Ulrica Sutherland and midfielder Marzana Fiedtkou, but the younger players are highly skilledandhavegainedmore maturity since our last appearance I expect our teamtobeverycompetitive, and hopefully, we can pull offsomesurprises.Ourgoal istofinishontop,despitethe odds.”Guyanawillopenthe tournament against fastimprovingPeruonSaturday, September21,followedbya
Makeda Harding, Kirsten Gomes. Front Row (L-R) Kezia Chinian, Makaylah Poole, goalkeeper Alysa Xavier, Gabriella Xavier, Clayza Bobb
Th e m u c hanticipated 2024
P&P Insurance
Brokers Cycling Classic is set to make its grand return on Saturday (September 14) at the National Park’s Inner Circuit,markingakeyevent on this year’s cycling
y, September 22. After a rest dayonthe23rd,theteamwill face Brazil and Paraguay on Tuesday, September 24, and Wednesday, September 25, respectively
Their final pool match will be against hosts Bermuda on Friday, September27.Oncethepool stageiscomplete,teamswill
be seeded for placement matches,includingthe5th& 6th place match, the bronze medal match, and the final, all scheduled for Saturday, September28.
The full team includes
goalkeeper Alysa Xavier; defenders Kezia Chinian, Kirsten Gomes, Makeda Harding, Tekeisha Deleon, and Trisha Woodroffe; midfielders Clayza Bobb, Gabriella Xavier, Madison Fernandes, and Sarah Klautky; and strikers Abosaide Cadogan, Carolyn Deane,ChantelleFernandes, Makaylah Poole, Princessa Wilkie, and Samantha Fernandes.
calendar After a brief fiveyear break due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Cycling Classic makes a triumphant return The event, conceived by retired cyclist and administrator Hassan Mohamed, promises to showcase some of the
Cycling action returns to National Park as Cycling Classic 2024 unfolds this Saturday
nation’s top cycling talent, all vying for championship glory
P&PInsurancecontinues to demonstrate its commitment to local sports, particularly cycling, by sponsoring the Classic once again.Theirsupportremains
vital in fostering athletic development in Guyana This year’s competition is expected to be bigger and better, with organisers eager to deliver a thrilling spectacle after the long break.
Vice President of the
GCF Vice President, Linden Dowridge receiving sponsorship from Vikask Panday of P&P Insurance Brokers.
Guyana Cycling Federation (GCF), Linden Dowridge, expressed excitement about the event’s return. He also e m p h a s i z e d t h e longstanding partnership between the GCF and P&P Insurance “In a brief conversation with Mr Bish Pandy, seeking sponsorship, hisresponsewasimmediate.
He simply asked, ‘What tookyousolong? Comeinto the office and let’s make it happen,”Dowridgerecalled.
With P&P Insurance Brokers’continued backing, expectations are high for increased participation and spectator engagement. The organisersareconfidentthat this year’s Classic will set new benchmarks in competitive cycling and eventorganization. The event is set to take centerstagethisSaturdayas the action pedals off at the InnerCircuitoftheNational Park,ThomasLands.
Isaiah Jones (#16) celebrates his opening goal with defender Kadell Daniel.
Guyana’s Stephen Duke-McKenna battles Martinique’s Damien Dussaut during their 2 – 2 draw at the Pierre-Aliker Municipal
Jaguars disappoint in 2-2 draw with 10-man Martinique
Fighters cop 2 Silver, 1 Bronze
Guyana’s MMAfighters returned home with silverware after a solid outing at the PanAmerican Games in Mexico.