Guyana Times - Friday, February 21, 2025

Jagdeo slams WPA, PNC

Jagdeo slams WPA, PNC for treating Afro-Guyanese as "vote bank"

Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo issued a blistering condemnation of the Working People’s Alliance (WPA) and the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR), accusing them of shamelessly exploiting Afro-Guyanese for political gain while offering them little in return.

Speaking at a press conference on Thursday, Jagdeo charged that these opposition parties have long treated Afro-Guyanese as a mere “vote bank” rather than

valuing them as individuals with aspirations and intelligence.

He also denounced recent inflammatory remarks made by WPA member David Hinds, who referred to Afro-Guyanese supporters of the ruling People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) using derogatory slurs such as “house slaves” and “lick bottoms”.

Jagdeo, echoing concerns previously raised by President Irfaan Ali and Parliamentary Affairs and

Governance Minister Gail Teixeira, slammed Hinds’ comments as “disgusting”, and criticised Opposition Leader Aubrey Norton for failing to condemn such divisive rhetoric.

“The WPA and the PNC treat Afro-Guyanese as though they are unthinking, easily-manipulated individuals,” said Jagdeo. “They believe these people will blindly follow them without considering the broader issues or their own self-interest.

“This is not a new thing

for the PNC, they leave people and hang them out to dry. They push them to do things for political purposes and hang them out to dry, never will defend their people,” he added.

Opportunities over allegiance

Jagdeo highlighted the growing economic empowerment of Afro-Guyanese across the country, pointing to an increasing number of small businesses owned by Afro-Guyanese securing Government contracts. He emphasised that their sup-

port for the PPP/C is not an act of betrayal, but rather a strategic decision to pursue economic and social opportunities.

“These individuals are not ‘selling out,’” Jagdeo asserted. “They are smart, capable individuals making informed decisions for their future… Now people are busy getting a job if they don’t have one, they can find one because there’re opportunities. They’re busy trying to get house lot, they’re busy trying to get a scholarship, they want to do things to change their lives.”

Historical betrayal of Afro-Guyanese interests

Jagdeo also criticised the WPA for its historical contradictions, recalling its betrayal of the late Dr Walter Rodney, a renowned scholar and political activist who was assassinated under the PNC-led Government in June 1980.

“David Hinds and his WPA colleagues have a history of betraying their own people,” Jagdeo stated. “They turned their backs on Walter Rodney, a man who sacrificed everything to stand against dictatorship. Today, they conveniently forget that part of histo-

ry while they continue to mislead the Afro-Guyanese community.”

He further lambasted Hinds for his lack of advocacy when the APNU/AFC coalition, which the WPA was part of, was in power between 2015 and 2020.

“David Hinds had a cushy job during the last government,” Jagdeo said. “But did he once speak up for the Afro-Guyanese community? What did he do when the APNU Government took away children’s grants?” he quizzed.

“Why would anyone want to align themselves with a party that has done nothing for them? People have choices. They are not sellouts – they are simply making smart choices. They are looking for opportunities, not racism or oppression,” Jagdeo said.

On this point, he made it clear that the PPP/C Government is focused on fostering unity and progress rather than perpetuating racial divisions.

He urged Afro-Guyanese to recognise the tactics of the Opposition and continue making decisions based on opportunity and growth rather than fear and manipulation.

Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo

BRIDGE OPENINGS

The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:

Friday, February 21 –23:30h-01:00h and Saturday, February 22 – no retraction.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:

Friday, February 21 – 09:55h-11:25h and 21:00h-02:00h (Saturday) and Saturday, February 22 – 11:40h-13:10h.

FERRY SCHEDULE

Parika and Supenaam departure times – 05:00h, 10:00h-12:00h, 16:00h, 18:30h daily.

WEATHER TODAY

Light to thundery showers are expected throughout the day and at night, interrupted by sunshine in the early-morning and afternoon hours. Temperatures are expected to range between 23 degrees Celsius and 30 degrees Celsius.

Winds: East North-Easterly between 3.58 metres and 5.36 metres.

High Tide: 10:03h and 22:54h reaching maximum heights of 2.17 metres and 2.02 metres.

Low Tide: 16:16h reaching a minimum height of 1.07 metres.

Guyana Energy Conference & Supply Chain Expo

Finance Minister lauds PPP/C’s track record of “responsible economic management”

– tells investors there is demand in all sectors

ith potential investors from around the world converging on Georgetown for the 2025 Guyana Energy Conference and Supply Chain Expo, Senior Minister with Responsibility for Finance, Dr Ashni Singh, has assured of the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Government’s serious commitment to sound fiscal policies and decisions, noting that the Party has a long track record of responsible economic management.

Addressing delegates on Day Three of the Energy Conference on Thursday, Minister Singh highlighted the Government’s plans to build out a dynamic and resilient economy.

He told the audience that the PPP/C Administration recognised the importance of maintaining a robust and strong fiscal framework –something which it has been doing since 1992.

“You have in Guyana and you have this government, led by President Irfaan Ali, a country, and a government, that has a long track record of responsible economic management, and as investors for the long term… You’re investing for the long term and so you wanna know that the people who are doing this are serious, responsible, credible people who have a demonstrated track record, not only over the last two years, or over the last three years, or since oil started to be produced, or since oil was discovered, who have a long track record of doing this even in times in considerably greater economic difficulty,” the Minister noted.

Dr Singh recalled the “essentially-bankrupt” state of the country’s economy when the PPP/C first took office in 1992. However, this was eventually reversed over the next two decades under various PPP/C regimes.

In fact, he stated that from 1992 to 2014, Guyana’s debt to GDP (Gross Domestic Product) ratio was reduced from 617 per cent to 38.7 per cent – a feat that was achieved before oil was first discovered in May 2015, and way before production started in December 2019.

These responsible wealth management efforts, the Finance Minister added, continued in 2020 when the PPP/C returned to office.

“Long before oil was discovered, Guyana’s debt to GDP ratio was already brought down to 38.7 per cent. Today, Guyana’s debt to GDP ratio stands at 24.3 per cent – the second lowest in the entire Western Hemisphere,” Dr Singh asserted.

Similarly, the Finance Minister outlined that his government had been responsibly managing the country’s public debt, that is, money borrowed with external debt being racked up in

a sustainable manner. As a matter of fact, external debt at the end of 2024 was just over US$2 billion.

He added that with prudent management of the Natural Resource Fund (NRF) – the overseas account where all Guyana’s earnings from the oil and gas operations offshore are being kept, there are now enough funds in the NRF – US$3.1 billion at the end of 2024 – to pay off the country’s entire external debt and still have more money remaining.

However, even with high earnings from the oil and gas sector, which were first tapped into in 2022, and despite a slew of reliefs to reduce the tax burden on Guyanese, tax revenues continue to be the top earner for the State.

According to the Finance Minister, this responsible economic management is demonstrated in the efforts being undertaken to set up a strong dynamic and competitive non-oil economy despite the country’s burgeoning oil and gas sector.

“We have grown invest-

ments in the [non-oil] sectors that really mattered in improving the quality of life enjoyed by every single Guyanese person, and that lays the foundation for robust, diversified, long-term economic growth… We’re doing all of that, recognising the importance of maintaining an extremely strong, robust and sustainable fiscal framework,” Dr Singh stated.

With an overall economic growth of some 40 per cent yearly from 2021 to 2024, Guyana’s non-oil economy recorded an average growth rate of 10.3 per cent from 2021 to 2024, and is projected to further expand at an average rate of 8 per cent towards the end of the decade.

The Finance Minister credited these performances to the robust growth across the various sectors, including agriculture, construction and mining – all of which have been bolstered by the PPP/C Government’s heavy investments in diversifying and strengthening the nonoil economy.

In addition to being a re-

sponsible government on the fiscal management side, Dr Singh further assured stakeholders that the Guyana Government also takes its climate and environmental credentials seriously.

“Guyana is one of the most environmentally and climate responsible in the world,” he posited, adding that even with oil, Guyana’s vast and biodiversity-rich forest cover – the second largest in the world and from which it is now earning carbon sale deals – will continue to position the country as a net carbon emitter.

“We mustn’t be shy about speaking about what’s happening on the climate side of things, because this is really a truly unique story, because we’re going to achieve peak oil production… and Guyana will still be a net carbon sink,” he posited.

On this note, Minister Singh invited investors to take advantage of the many opportunities that are available here and be a part of that unique story. He added that through robust local content legislation, there is now a conducive business environment to partner with local companies and individuals to leverage those opportunities.

“It does not matter what you produce or what you supply. There is demand for whatever it is that you’re producing or supplying in every single sector, whether it’s agriculture, forestry, tourism or energy… If there is anybody still asking why Guyana? Where else but Guyana would you hear such a fascinating and factual story unfolding?” the Finance Minister declared.

Finance Minister, Dr Ashni Singh during his presentation at the Guyana Energy Conference and Supply Chain Expo on Thursday

Editor: Tusika Martin

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AI era & Guyana’s Digital School

The Government’s investment in Artificial Intelligence (AI) marks a transformative step towards modernising key sectors, such as education, healthcare, governance, and finance. As the nation’s economy expands, harnessing the power of AI would be crucial to efficiently meeting emerging demands and ensuring sustainable growth. The launch of the first-ever Digital School is a clear testament to this vision, demonstrating Guyana’s commitment to leveraging technology for national development.

During his address at the Energy Conference and Supply Chain Expo at the Marriott Hotel, President Dr Irfaan Ali articulated the critical role AI would play in shaping Guyana’s future. The Guyana Digital School, set to be commissioned shortly, is not just about remote education; it represents a groundbreaking shift in pedagogical methods. By integrating AI into its curriculum, the school would tailor lessons to individual students, diagnosing their weaknesses in each subject and generating targeted instruction to enhance their learning outcomes. This innovative approach has the potential to revolutionise education, ensuring that no student is left behind in the rapidly evolving digital landscape.

Education Minister Priya Manickchand has been engaging providers and content reviewers to refine the Digital School’s offerings, signalling a hands-on approach to ensuring its success. Such an initiative is poised to bridge educational gaps, particularly in remote and hinterland communities, where access to quality learning resources has long been a challenge. The AI-driven model of personalised learning is a crucial step towards fostering a more equitable education system, preparing students for a future dominated by technology and innovation.

Beyond education, AI is already making an impact in the healthcare sector. President Ali highlighted the successful implementation of AI in reading malaria slides — a collaboration with Harvard University that enhances diagnostic accuracy and efficiency. This is a promising indication of how AI can support the medical field, improving patient care and response times, particularly in a country with vast and often inaccessible hinterland regions. AI-powered diagnostics can significantly strengthen Guyana’s public health system, reducing the burden on medical professionals and leading to faster, more reliable treatment.

The Government’s approach to the use of AI is extended to governance and national security. AI is being integrated into various aspects of public administration, streamlining processes, improving transparency, and reducing bureaucratic inefficiencies. The introduction of paperless transactions at ports of entry and other public offices is a commendable step in this direction. By embracing AI-driven data analysis, Guyana can enhance crime prevention, optimise traffic management, and improve overall service delivery to citizens. Additionally, with Guyana’s extensive borders, AI’s role in national security and defence cannot be understated. Surveillance, predictive analytics, and real-time threat detection would become indispensable tools in safeguarding the nation’s sovereignty.

The application of AI in the financial sector is another area ripe for transformation. AI-driven risk assessment, fraud detection, and investment analysis can help streamline financial transactions and bolster investor confidence. The integration of AI in agriculture and food security also presents promising opportunities, from precision farming to supply chain optimisation. As Guyana positions itself as an emerging economic powerhouse, leveraging AI to enhance these sectors would be a crucial determinant of long-term success.

However, while Government’s push for AI adoption is commendable, it must be accompanied by robust policies to address potential challenges. Digital literacy initiatives must be scaled up to ensure citizens are equipped with the necessary skills to navigate an AI-driven society. Additionally, data privacy and ethical considerations must be at the forefront of this technological shift. A national framework that governs AI use, ensuring fairness, transparency, and accountability, would be essential in fostering public trust and mitigating risks associated with automation.

Guyana’s bold leap into the AI era signals leadership that is embracing the realities of a rapidly evolving global landscape.

Energy shaping Caribbean economies

By Keith Collister

It was unfortunate that most would have missed the January 23 closing panel of the Jamaica Stock Exchange conference, as it featured newly arrived (and encouragingly Jamaicanborn) Jamaica Public Service Company (JPS) CEO Hugh Grant explaining the very exciting transition occurring from fossil fuels to renewables, which presents Jamaica with “lots of opportunities”.

He cautioned, however, that Jamaica, as an island, doesn’t get a second chance to get it right the first time. He mentioned three main issues. The first is lack of scale, making it difficult for us to get “competitive prices”, as Jamaica’s 700-megawatt peak load for the entire country compares with one 1,000-megawatt plant in New York. One solution he advocated is for Caricom to negotiate as a bloc through entities such a Carilec, the Caribbean Utility Corporation that acts as an association for the regional electricity industry.

The second problem is our sources of energy, or what he described as the intermittent verses dispatchable debate, meaning renewables compared with, say, generation using fuel such as liquefied natural gas (LNG). On top of this issue of reliability is that of resilience; for example, he arrived during Hurricane Beryl, and as he correctly put it, we are likely to see more frequent and longer duration storms.

Finally, he noted that 20 per cent of our energy cost represents theft, a level of problem which requires, in his view, a stakeholder review, as it is a socio-economic issue requiring social intervention from initiatives such as Project STAR.

In the question-and-answer session, he was asked about the potential for alternatives, meaning small mod-

ular reactors or hydrogen, which he described as having potential but are some years away. He also mentioned that a smaller nuclear reactor powers the high-end Westchester district in New York.

His American predecessor at JPS, in response to similar questions, had argued that Jamaica was not the right place to “pilot” new technologies, but instead should allow others with large budgets to successfully pioneer such innovations; mentioning, for example, that California is now at 60 per cent renewables. It was therefore useful that, in her presentation, Wigton Energy Deputy CEO Michelle Chin Lenn provided a summary of the very wide range of Caribbean electricity prices in US cents per kilowatt hour — 3.2 to 45.1 for residential, and seven to 48.3 for commercial.

She reminded us that, in his energy policy of October 2018, Prime Minister Andrew Holness had a target of 50 per cent renewables in electricity generation by 2030, and noted that one of the reasons for this ambitious target is the very high cost of fuel, which in 2022 was 20 cents of the roughly 36 US cents per kilowatt hour versus just over 15 cents out of the total cost of 32 cents in 2023, according to JPS figures.

She added that Jamaica’s electric vehicle (EV) policy of 2023 has a target of 12 per cent of privately owned fleets, 16 per cent of public transport, and 100 per cent of the Government of Jamaica fleet being EVs by 2030.

She called for more distributed energy (meaning generation at the site), noting the cost-saving benefits of no distribution losses (contributing to overall savings typically of 20 to 50 per cent for businesses) with increased savings after the financing period, in-

cluding from the 25-year lifetime panel warranty as well as the ability to earn from net billing programmes for low-capacity commercial and residential customers.

In particular, she noted that the Income Tax (Amendment) Act, 2024, with an income tax credit of 30 per cent of the acquisition and installation cost of the solar photovoltaic system for a taxpayer’s primary residence, has been moved up to a maximum cost of $4 million from this January onwards, and that solar systems and lithium-ion batteries are general consumption tax (GCT) exempt. Wigton, the largest renewable energy independent power producer in Jamaica (at six per cent, it is a third of Jamaica’s installed renewable capacity, which totals 18 per cent of Jamaica’s energy supply), has just been awarded 49.83 megawatts of solar capacity, and is replacing 20.7 megawatts of wind, which will make it the largest solar energy supplier at 70.53 megawatts in two years’ time.

In his presentation, Charles Chambers, CEO of West Indies Petroleum, argued that the cost of energy is fundamentally shaping Caribbean economies by driving investment decisions, infrastructure development, and our very lives, impacting everything from food preparation to transportation, manufacturing, and essential services.

He observed that Jamaicans pay $6 per gallon for fuel while US consumers pay US$2.50, with electricity costs being up to 49 cents per kilowatt hour compared to four cents in places like Houston. The core drivers of cost include ad hoc infrastructure not designed for today’s Jamaica; a tax burden on fuel of 60 per cent passed directly to consumers, and a fragmented regional approach.

Expanding on his last

point, he noted that despite having significant storage capacity across the Caribbean — 32 million barrels in St Croix, 16 million in The Bahamas, 12 million in St Eustatius, and significant capacity in Curacao, Trinidad, and Aruba — the region has failed to leverage these assets.

Chambers used his company, West Indies Petroleum, as an example of a response to these issues. In strategic infrastructure deployment, the company has invested over 850,000 barrels of storage capacity across carefully chosen locations to achieve economies of scale and help lessen price fluctuations. In operations, he said, the company has extended operating hours from 3:00am to 6:00pm six days per week, and achieved 45-minute terminal turnaround times. In marketing, he noted that West Indies Petroleum supplies approximately 80 per cent of Jamaica’s independent gas stations, helping to democratise and nationalise access to fuel supply.

Chambers argued, “We are water-borne states” that need deep water ports to bring the fuel here at the lowest possible cost. He noted that CMA CGM, a French shipping and logistics company, invested $300 million to dredge Kingston Harbour from 12 to 15 metres for Panamax vessels, thereby making Kingston Harbour part of a global logistics hub. Chambers called both for action on tax reform and energy incentives, and the building of private sector infrastructure as part of a comprehensive, deliberate, collaborative, and decisive public-private partnership approach to energy infrastructure, taking advantage of literally trillions of dollars in global infrastructure funds seeking reliable, long-term returns. (Jamaica Observer)

Heads of State at the opening ceremony of the 48th Regular Meeting of Caricom Heads of Government in Barbados took a photo op with special invitees (Office of the President photo)

Breaching laws with intent to defraud GRA may be an offence liable to fines and/or imprisonment

Dear Editor,

The GRA has taken note of a recent social media (Facebook) post with attached GRA receipts purportedly being circulated by Team Mohamed on the payment of over $98.6M in taxes to the GRA on three (3) vehicles, namely two Land Cruisers and a Lamborghini; and further, of claims made in regard to the contributions of billions of dollars to the nation’s economic development through taxes.

The GRA reiterates that it continues to adhere to the rules of confidentiality regarding taxpayers’ information, and, for clarity, would

respond only to information that may be in the public domain; hence this response. Specifically in regard to the said vehicles, (and nothing else), the Authority advises that Guyana has a voluntary tax compliance system whereby, upon import, a declaration is submitted with values as declared by the importer, and taxes are self-assessed on this basis and paid on the values so declared.

On this principle, these high-end vehicles were released (for facilitation of trade) into the custody of the importer, and the importer had been advised of

the post-clearance and valuation steps that are usually undertaken by the respective departments of the Authority.

These departments, utilizing principles as underpinned by the WTO/WCO, by tax legislation and by anti-money laundering regulations, would verify the true acquisition value/cost of the said imports, and make the necessary adjustments to the applicable collectible tax.

In the case of the vehicles mentioned above, the GRA, having followed these principles, determined that the values of the said imports

were grossly understated, and moreso in the case of the Lamborghini; thereby allowing for taxes in excess of 300 million dollars in revenue being underpaid, and therefore collectible from the importer.

The GRA therefore perceives that any such post may be an attempt to deny the state of its lawful revenues.

The Authority strives to collect taxes in a fair, consistent and equitable manner, and expects citizens to pay their true and rightful taxes in accordance with their incomes, lifestyles, and in keeping with applicable

legislation. The mere statement of taxes paid does not meet the standard of a taxpayer paying his/her true, correct and rightful taxes to the state.

The GRA again wishes to remind the public that misrepresenting the declared particulars or misstating the facts to avoid payment of the full taxes is an act that is subject to prosecution. As such, persons breaching the laws with intent to defraud the Revenue Authority of any taxes may be guilty of an offence, and therefore liable to fines and/or imprisonment in accordance with the provisions of the laws administered.

The Revenue Authority again pleads with taxpayers to cease and desist from such activity, and also to the general public to report any illicit or unlawful activities in confidence by contacting the GRA on telephone number 227-6060.

Whistleblowers would be rewarded for any information provided, which would be dealt with strict confidentiality in accordance with the provisions of the laws.

Sincerely, Public Relations Unit Guyana Revenue Authority

Crisis in education in Caricom countries requires urgent, massive reforms for turnaround

Dear Editor, A recent article blared the headline, “Caribbean education in crisis, World Bank warns” (Barbados Today, Feb. 18, 2025).

Caricom, including Guyana, must take note of the findings, and work feverishly to turn the education Titanic around. Massive ongoing reforms are needed. Below are excerpts from the article.

The World Bank report has delivered a damning verdict on the Caribbean’s education system, labelling it as being in a state of crisis and warning of severe consequences if urgent reforms are not implemented. During a webinar on Monday, senior officials from the World Bank laid bare the systemic inadequacies plaguing Caribbean schools, highlighting outdated teaching practices, ill-equipped infrastructure, and widening educational inequities. They stressed the need for significant financial investment and enhanced teacher support to reverse the region’s educational decline.

The World Bank’s Country Director for the Caribbean, Lilia Burunciuc,

did not mince words as she described a dire state of affairs. “We are confronting a crisis that is jeopardising the future of the Caribbean, a crisis in education,” she said. “This may sound dramatic, but the impact on education is so critical, and the systems are failing. Indeed, this constitutes a crisis. We must ask ourselves and answer questions about how we can strengthen foundational skills in literacy, numeracy, and critical thinking to improve learning outcomes.”

The World Bank’s scathing assessment pinpointed numerous flaws within the Caribbean’s education system. In a detailed analysis, Victoria Levin, senior economist in the World Bank’s education global practice, cited outdated teaching methods, inadequate infrastructure, and severe disparities in educational access as key contributors to the region’s educational underperformance.

“Teaching practices in the Caribbean are still quite traditional, focusing on rigid curricula that do not meet the needs of 21st century learners,” Levin said. “Teachers lack the neces-

sary support to adapt their instructional methods, incorporate social-emotional skills, or assist students with special educational needs. Additionally, some countries lack professional standards for teacher recruitment and deployment, leaving inexperienced educators struggling in the classroom. Consequently, classroom time is not utilised effectively, hindering students’ knowledge and skill acquisition.”

Levin also raised concerns about the declining quality of educational infrastructure. “Countries are not investing enough in capital expenditures or educational infrastructure. Schools are outdated and ill-equipped to handle the increasing fre-

quency of extreme climate events. Digital infrastructure is equally inadequate, with poor Internet access and unequal access to digital devices limiting students’ opportunities for continued learning and digital skills development.”

The World Bank’s report also criticised the Caribbean’s highly stratified secondary education system, which entrenches social inequalities. Levin highlighted the so-called “two-tier system”, wherein elite schools cater to students from wealthier families while under-resourced institutions serve lower-income communities.

“The elite secondary schools maintain their privileged status through high-

ly selective admissions processes based on standardised entrance exams. This serves as a sorting mechanism with lifelong consequences for students,” Levin said.

“Meanwhile, the rest of the secondary school system fails to deliver the necessary competencies, perpetuating social inequality.”

This state of emergency in education requires fresh leadership, fresh ideas, and

a sense of urgency, because “failure is not an option” as we ratchet up our development plans. As Martin Carter had said, “All are involved, all are consumed.” It cannot be the same status quo and business as usual in education. We need leaders of reform to step up!

Sincerely, Dr Jerry Jailall

Page Foundation

(A) 76 818 (B) 83 059

(C) 88 967 (D) 99 701

(2) What is the value of 6 in 25 673?

(A) 60 (B) 600

(C) 6000(D) 60 000

(3) Which shows the operation of division?

(A) Include 6 more objects (B) Decrease 15 by 6 (C) Make 6 greater by 15 (D) Share 15 among 6

(1) Which is an even number? (9)

6. The figure has _________ sides.

(A) 4 (B) 5

(4) The sum of 10 and 407 is

(A) 470 (C) 397 (B) 417 (D) 307

Study Figure 1, then answer questions 5 and 6

5. The figure is called a __________

(A) cube. (C) cuboid. (B) cylinder. (D) sphere.

(C) 6 (D) 8

7. A cricketer who scores one run less than a century has made runs.

(A) 19 (B) 99

(C) 101 (D) 111

8. The unit used to measure the mass of heavy objects is

(A) degree (B) kilogramme (C) kilometre (D) litre

(a) What is the difference in mass, between Sunita and Nancy?

(b) Between which two children is there the smallest différence in mass?

(c) Which two children will give a total of 85 kg?

(d) (i) Between which two children is there the greatest difference in mass?

(ii) What is the difference in their mass?

By James mcdonald

I’ve a cat named Vesters, And he eats all day. He always lays around, And never wants to play.

Not even with a squeaky toy, Nor anything that moves. When I have him exercise, He always disapproves.

So we’ve put him on a diet, But now he yells all day. And even though he’s thinner, He still won’t come and play.

WORD SEARCH:

Govt looking at pre-feasibility study for deep-water harbour

As part of its efforts to position Guyana as a transport and logistics hub, the Guyana Government is currently looking at a pre-feasibility study for the establishment of a deep-water harbour facility here.

This has been revealed by Minister within the Public Works Ministry, Deodat Indar, during a panel discussion on ‘Infrastructure Development for Sustainable Growth’ at the Guyana Energy Conference and Supply Chain Expo on Thursday.

“Prime Minister [Mark Phillips] led a meeting between myself and Minister [of Finance Dr Ashni] Singh, where we’re looking at, to some extent, a pre-feasibility study for the deep-water harbour. We’ve heard a lot about harbours and the deep-water harbour over the years, but now it is more needed in Guyana than anything else,” Minister Indar has stated.

Government has already determined that the deep-water port facility would be established in the Berbice River, since that location is closer to the offshore fields that have massive reserves of natural gas. According to Minister Indar, Government is actively discussing this development with potential investors.

“We’ve had over 15 to 20 different persons, groups and agencies from all across the globe, from every country, that came here (as) investors that are interested in that port. So, there is an active discussion on the deep-water harbour: the mechanics of it, the revenue stream, what kind of business will operate there. [These are] up for discussion, but we are looking at that deep-water harbour,” Indar explained.

At Tuesday’s opening of the four-day Energy Conference in Georgetown, President Dr Irfaan Ali underscored the importance of a deep-water port, not only for the benefit of Guyana, but also to meet the needs of neighbouring countries in the region. In fact, he had previously stated that it is no longer a matter of whether the deep-water port would happen, but a decision that “it must happen.”

Modern port facility

As recent as last week, the Head of State had announced plans to transform the Vreed-en-Hoop ferry stelling on the western bank of the Demerara River into a modern port facility when he said, “We are now working on what we call the new Vreed-en-Hoop Port Development, where the old stelling is; building out the architectural designs to see what can be placed there. [It will be] iconic! This is what we are busy doing!”

President Dr Irfaan Ali had made this disclosure on Friday afternoon at the sod turning ceremony for the $11.4 billion new West Demerara Regional Hospital (WDRH) in Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara).

He had also disclosed that plans are afoot to construct a new Parika Ferry Stelling and Waterfront Development Project, which would effectively transform the Parika Stelling into a major regional hub for transportation and socioeconomic activities, and enhance operational efficiency, prioritise safety, and guarantee commuters’ comfort. Funds have already been set aside in the Public Works Ministry’s $9.9 billion River Transport budget for this initiative.

Minister Indar explained during Wednesday’s panel discussion that the Parika Ferry Stelling and Waterfront Development

would reduce the burden placed on the already saturated Demerara harbour near Port Georgetown.

“In this habour here, up to the Demerara Harbour Bridge, everything on the [eastern side of the Demerara River], there is not an inch of land that is available…Everybody has taken it up. Cargo coming has multiplied,” he stated.

According to the minister, some 78,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) had been recorded in 2019, compared to 105,000 TEUs recorded last year – a growth of 35 per cent.

“It means that the internal consumption of the country skyrocketed by 35 per cent. These ports can’t handle it. The containers have to come through the city, and it’s causing clogging [on the roadways], so we’re going to Parika. We’re gonna go out there and we’re gonna build a massive port down there as well. It’s going to go out to tender shortly,” he revealed.

As recent as on Friday last, President Ali underscored the importance of optimising the use of the limited “valuable” spaces and port facilities along the Demerara River to service Guyana’s shipping industry.

He made these remarks at the commissioning of two mobile harbour cranes – a US$14 million investment by local shipping competitors Muneshwers Limited

and John Fernandes Limited to enhance port services in Guyana.

President Ali has lauded this joint venture as a win

for local content in the country. But even as this collaboration was celebrated, the Guyanese Leader noted that his government is not unmindful of the challenges facing the local shipping and freight industry.

“As the industry expands, we are seeing the deployment of increasingly larger and more complex equipment; equipment that challenges existing logistical capacities and necessitates the acquisition of new and improved machinery,” he has said. “The…shortage of waterfront land is a real constraint for businesses looking to expand the port facility. The movement of cargo to and from and between terminals is increasingly hindered by congestion on the roads. Additionally, the limitations and the size of these vessels that traverse the Demerara Harbour continue to pose operational difficulties because of siltation in the channel,” he pointed out.

However, the Head of State had gone on to assure that these challeng-

es are going to be met with solutions, including financing, in this year’s budget to support efforts aimed at addressing these issues. Chief among the plans to address Guyana’s transport and logistics woes is the establishment of a deep-water harbour facility here, which is likely to be done in the Berbice River area.

“Let me assure you these challenges are going to be met head on. We’re committed to the development of a deep-water Harbour -- a game-changing project that has [the potential to] significantly enhance our country’s shipping and logistics capabilities. Plans are also already in motion to dredge and deepen the Demerara harbour to allow for the passage of large vessels. Furthermore, we remain committed to providing necessary incentives for businesses that invest in freight forwarding and logistics, ensuring that they have the support they need to expand and modernise their operations,” he disclosed.

Minister within the Public Works Ministry, Deodat Indar, during the panel discussion at the Guyana Energy Conference on Thursday

2 Essequibo Coast men

fined $100,000 each for DUI …3rd denied charge, released on $50,000 bail

Jason Persaud, Ian Caravan and Kellim Benjamin appeared on Wednesday before Suddie Magistrate Tamieka Clarke to answer charges of driving under the influence of alcohol, contrary to Section 39(A) (1) of the Motor Vehicle and Road Traffic Act, Chapter 51:02.

The charge against Persaud detailed that the 26-year-old businessman of Charity Housing

Scheme, Essequibo Coast was driving a motor vehicle along the La Belle Alliance Public Road, Essequibo Coast on February 7 while his breath alcohol level exceeded the prescribed limit.

Persaud pleaded guilty to the charge and was fined $100,000, in default of which he faces three months’ imprisonment.

The charge against Caravan, a 46-year-old taxi driver of Lot 10 Richmond,

Essequibo Coast, detailed that he operated a motor vehicle along the Reliance Public Road, Essequibo

Coast on February 7, 2025 while his breath alcohol level exceeded the legal alcohol limit.

He likewise pleaded guilty and was fined $100,000, with the alternative of serving three months’ imprisonment if the fine is not paid.

Kellim Benjamin, a 29-year-old labourer of Lima Sand, Essequibo Coast, was charged with the same offence, which allegedly took place on January 25, 2025 along the Anna Regina Access Road.

Unlike the other two defendants, Benjamin pleaded not guilty to the charge, and was placed on $50,000 bail. His case has been adjourned to March 5.

Labourer fined

$100,000 for

obscure ID mark on vehicle

PCoast, Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) has been found guilty of obscuring the identification mark on the rear of a motor vehicle, and has consequently been fined

$100,000 by Suddie Magistrate Tamieka Clarke on Wednesday.

The 26-year-old labourer has had the charge brought against him contrary to Section 13 of the Motor Vehicle and Road Traffic Act, Chapter 51:02, and the offence was committed on January 24, 2025 along the Anna Regina Access Road on the Essequibo Coast.

During court proceedings, one witness testified before the prosecution closed its case. After considering the evidence, Magistrate Clarke ruled that Persaud was guilty as charged.

In default of payment, he will face two months’ imprisonment.

War…

…in the west

We’ve had time to digest what went down in the Cuyuni. We’ve called in the Venezuelan ambassador and demanded an explanation. We’ve had a response from them. No surprise therethey’ll “look into the matter”! But, of course, they took the opportunity to get in their licks on their claim to our Essequibo!! Now, while there should always be the willingness to listen to new information, in matters of state like this attack on our troops, we gotta act definitively to defend our national interest.

Let’s not pussy-foot around the issue; this was nothing more than a continuation of the war Mad Maduro declared on us over a decade ago. We don’t need a flambeau to see in bright daylight. By now, so many others have confirmed what your Eyewitness pointed out immediately after the sneaky ambush: the Sindicatos are not your gardenvariety bandits and brigands; they are, for all intents and purposes, an arm of the state in the wild outer fringes of the Venezuelan state – especially on the borders of Colombia and Guyana.

And this ain’t no coincidence. Did you note the statement by the civilians on our side of the Cuyuni after the ambush?? The Sindicatos collect fees from those who use the river for transporting goods. They might as well have announced they’re collecting taxes!! They do so with the connivance of the governor and officials down the line. This is just payback for the role they play in “convincing” residents to vote for Mad Maduro’s PSUV party. With state elections coming up in April, your Eyewitness bets no action’s gonna be taken against the Sindicatos.

In a word, the Sindicatos are nothing less than a costfree line of defence – and offence – that augments the official Venezuelan armed forces against the two countries, Colombia and Guyana, with whom the Venezuelan state had disputed their boundaries. We should dub them international terrorists like the Tren de Argua. They make out like bandits (pun intended!!) by controlling gold mining in these frontier regions, but the Governor gets his cut!! So, what to do?? Well, let’s not get too enamored with rounding up support from our Caricom “sisters and brothers”; they’ve already proven they’ve been bought out by Mad Maduro!! Your Eyewitness can only repeat what he’s been saying for years: create a military base with a string of satellites along the border, a base that can act proactively and decisively!! Whether the aggressors are Sindicatos or army, they must be dealt with condignly!!

While we hope Trump would understand that the only language Mad Maduro understands is the THWACK of a 2X4 across his back, we shouldn’t depend only on the Yanks’ beneficence.

Mad Maduro’s gonna hear us loud and clear when we bruise his troops.

…in the north

While a “kinetic war” is starting up on our western border, according to Trump, another madman up north in Ukraine started one with Russia. He egged on NATO to continue encircling the latter nation – against what had hereto been agreed!! Trump has labelled Zelenskiy a “dictator without elections,” -- elections should’ve been held there since last year – and has blamed him for strong-arming the United States into “spending hundreds of billions of dollars to go into a war that couldn’t be won. Trump declared to an audience: “If you would have had (Biden’s) administration for another year, you would have been in World War III, and it’s not going to happen now.”

Telescoping his intentions, he warned: “Zelenskiy better move faster. He’s not going to have a country left.” Well, this is good news all around, innit?? Excepting for the arms manufacturers, of course!!

That Trump wants first dibs on Ukraine’s minerals should bring home how we colonists felt when raped of our resources!! How sweet it is!!!

…in politics

With the Opposition making no headway with even slowing down the PPP juggernaut, they’re getting desperate. And desperate people do desperate things. The verbal violence – yes, forcible a55-licking is violent!! - by one Opposition leader is only the beginning.

Fined: Jason Persaud Fined: Ian Caravan Charged: Kellim Benjamin

radesh Persaud of Lima Housing Scheme, Essequibo

Fined: Pradesh Persaud

VP rejects TIGI’s corruption report as a "damp squib"

Vice President Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo has categorically rejected the findings of Transparency International’s (TI) 2024 Corruption Perception Index (CPI), and has labelled the report a “damp squib.”

Jagdeo’s remarks come amidst rising tensions between the ruling People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) and local non-governmental organization (NGO) Transparency Institute Guyana Incorporated (TIGI), whom he has accused of downplaying the Government’s progress in combatting corruption.

During his weekly press conference on Thursday, Jagdeo highlighted a concerning regional trend and revealed that several countries — including the United

States, which experienced an alarming 11-point drop, along with Venezuela and Canada -- each faced significant declines of eight points in their corruption scores. This, he argued, calls into question the credibility of the index and its implications for assessing governance in Guyana.

“With all of the complex systems in the United States of America in their judiciary, it’s still seen as one of the best in the world. But they lost 4 points on the index. We slipped 1 point, they lost 4 points on the index -- slipped 4 points because they complained about some in the judiciary in the United States of America. The same TI Report. So, often, you have to assess these reports in perspective and in their full complexity,” the Vice

President has said.

Expressing skepticism about the methodology used to compile the report, Jagdeo suggested that it relies heavily on local opinions that may be biased against the PPP/C government.

He recalled that, during the 2019 report, critical factors such as a no-confidence motion and constitutional violations by the previous administration had been overlooked, undermining the validity of the findings.

The APNU (A Partnership for National Unity), the main opposition party, had faced intense scrutiny over its governance during its tenure from 2015 to 2020. Pointing to several allegations of corruption and mismanagement during that period, including claims that the APNU government had overseen

the spending of Gy$419.5 billion without parliamentary oversight, Jagdeo noted that those breaches should have significantly impacted the corruption index, yet they were seemingly ignored in previous reports.

“In 2019, this is what Troy Thomas put in his report to Transparency International; that they use as one of a basis for the improvement that we saw: He said, ‘In recent years, though there’s been a measure of optimism about the potential for a turnaround, this is strongly linked to a change in government that occurred in 2015’. So, this report was sent up in September 2023-2019. It didn’t mention a single word about the no- confidence motion,” Jagdeo highlighted.

450kW wind turbine farm being developed at Leguan – PM

As part of Guyana’s transition to renewable energy, Prime Minister Brigadier (Retired) Mark Phillips has stated that a 450-kilowatt (kW) wind turbine farm will be developed at Leguan to meet the Essequibo River island’s growing power demand in a sustainable manner.

On Thursday, the Prime Minister made a presentation on Day Three of the Guyana Energy Conference and Supply Chain Expo, during which he spoke about the country’s renewable energy endeavours.

He disclosed that several utility-scale solar power projects, amounting to some 34.5 megawatts (MW) of solar capacity, are being developed in communities along the coastland. Among those areas is the island of Leguan in the Essequibo River, which will not only benefit from a mini

solar grid this year but also a wind farm.

“The Leguan 0.6-megawatt solar farm, to be commissioned in 2025, will generate approximately 800 megawatt hours of renewable energy annually, and be complemented by a 450-kilowatt wind turbine farm, ensuring 70 per cent of the island’s power demand is met sustainably,” PM Phillips noted.

The development of this 450-kilowatt peak wind farm at Leguan was announced by Finance Minister, Dr Ashni Singh during his 2025 Budget presentation in January, as one of the renewable energy initiatives to be undertaken this year as part of plans to diversify the country’s energy sources. The wind farm at Leguan is expected to generate approximately 620 MWh annually, he had said.

Back in May 2024, Head of the Guyana Energy

Agency (GEA), Dr Mahender Sharma, had told a meeting of the Parliamentary Sectoral Committee on Economic Services that Government was actively studying the wind potential in the country, to decide on possible investments in this source of renewable energy.

“We’ve been looking at wind for some time. The coast

for wind opportunities,” the GEA Head had noted.

Back then in its term in office, the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance for Change (APNU/AFC) Government had approved the detailed examination of a proposal by Guyana Wind Farm Incorporated (GWF) for a 26-megawatt wind energy plant at Hope Beach, East Coast Demerara.

of Guyana generally is favourable, but the wind speeds aren’t as attractive as we want them. But what has happened on the technological front is that turbines have become more efficient at converting that energy from wind power to electricity. So, we are looking at this, and GEA has established and is actively collecting wind data,” Sharma had disclosed.

However, he explained that it would take some time before a decision on investing in wind energy could be made.

“You need to spend at least 12 months to collect that data before you can make an investment decision and that involves acquiring wind measuring towers and anemometers at multiple levels, and collecting that data consistently over 12 months, and it is on that basis that you can decide on the level of wind insertion.

“So, we’re doing this, we’re about to set up one on the East Coast [of Demerara] and we have already started collecting some wind data at Leguan actually, and we believe that that could be a site

Back then, Public Infrastructure Minister David Patterson had reported that investors had secured financing for the project, which proposes a US$0.12 fee per kilowatt hour.

Then under the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Government in 2022, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) had approved construction of the US$45M Hope Wind Farm Project.

The project was earmarked to be located on a 27-acre State-owned lease at Hope Beach (HB), and private leases at Chapman’s Grove (CHG), some 28km and 30km, respectively, South East of Georgetown centre.

In 2023, Dr Frederick Sukhdeo, a consultant with Hope Wind Energy Incorporated, had stated that the project would be a publicly-traded venture that would open up opportunities for anyone in Guyana to buy shares.

The start-up of this project remains uncertain however.

Nevertheless, the PPP/C Government has touted an integrated energy strategy that will see the diversification of Guyana’s energy mix to include natural gas, solar, hydro power and wind – all under the Low Carbon Development Strategy 2030.

Back in October, British

High Commissioner to Guyana, Jane Miller, had stated that there was massive potential for the development of wind energy here.

“I’m very keen that we promote wind turbines in Guyana. It has not happened as yet, but it’s something that I will continue to pursue,” the British diplomat told Guyana Times

According to Miller, the United Kingdom has really strong renewable energy offerings, especially in wind.

“The UK’s offer on renewable energy is really great. In fact, I was in Aberdeen last year and Aberdeen is very famous for its deep-sea oil and gas. Interestingly, they’ve now switch massively over to wind and a lot of the skills that were developed for oil and gas – the welding, the engineering, the leadership, the management – are very transferable into the renewable energy sector, into particularly wind,” she pointed out.

The British envoy believes that the same can be replicated in Guyana, that is, transferring the skills and expertise in the local oil and gas industry into wind. But with the country’s petroleum sector fairly new, High Commissioner Miller recognised that this transition could take some time.

“There have been some early discussions, but at the moment, I think Guyana is very focused on the Gas-toEnergy. But over time, I think it’s an area that’s definitely worth exploring… It’s something I’ve had discussions on, [but] we’ve not made a huge amount of progress yet. But I think it’s something that I will continue to pursue,” the UK diplomat said.

Prime Minister, Brigadier (Retired) Mark Phillips

Guyana Energy Conference & Supply Chain Expo

Healthy investor interest in non-oil sectors – Jagdeo

The 2025 Guyana Energy Conference and Supply Chain Expo is making waves both locally and internationally.

It has drawn more than 4000 participants from over 60 countries, and while oil and gas remains a key focus, Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo has emphasised that the growing investor interest in the non-oil sectors is signalling a broader economic transformation for the nation.

During his weekly press conference on Thursday, Jagdeo indicated that numerous investors from diverse industries — including artificial intelligence, education, and financial services — have expressed strong interest in expanding their footprint in Guyana.

“We want to use the conference to highlight the vast potential Guyana holds beyond oil and gas,” Dr. Jagdeo stated. “Many investors are looking at partnerships, technology transfer, and business expansion in various sectors.”

Digital innovation

A significant theme at the conference has been the modernisation of Guyana’s financial sector.

The Vice President pointed out that the current banking system, though stable, lacks the innovative financing mechanisms required for rapid economic expansion; and to address this, the African ExportImport Bank (Afreximbank) has pledged US$1 billion in financing, which would enable local businesses to access credit more efficiently.

This includes a discounting facility wherein companies with contracts — such as those with ExxonMobil

— can receive immediate financing without additional collateral.

“This is the kind of thing that happens in sophisticated, mature financial jurisdictions but is absent in Guyana. And that’s why I said we need to step up the game to that level; and I’m pleased to say that we had many such discussions,” Dr. Jagdeo disclosed.

Additionally, financial technology companies have presented innovative solutions at the conference, including digital banking

platforms that would allow Guyanese citizens, especially those in remote areas, open bank accounts via mobile apps. This aligns with the Government’s push for a digitally-integrated society wherein all citizens have access to finance and transactions can be seamlessly conducted online.

With this in mind, Dr. Jagdeo has stressed the importance of economic diversification to ensure sustained prosperity beyond the peak of Guyana’s oil production.

Citing lessons from resource-dependent economies that have experienced cycles of boom and bust, he reiterated the People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) government’s commitment to creating strong non-oil industries.

“If we want to maintain national prosperity, we have to, in the interim, create the other sectors to fill that gap whenever that happens. If we do not do that, we will suffer the same fate like many countries in the world, where they have had short periods of growth and prosperity and then long periods of decline, particularly when they rely heavily on resource-based industries and not value-added activities,” Jagdeo explained.

A conference run by Guyanese, for Guyanese Jagdeo took pride in highlighting that the conference is now fully managed by a Guyanese-led team, unlike in previous years, when it was organized by a foreign company. He also noted that the secretariat (Guyana Energy Conference) running the event is primarily composed of Guyanese women, a testa-

ment to the country’s growing local expertise in events’ management and economic policy.

“I think (that for the) two years that APNU did it with the foreign company, policy-makers could not say anything about what they intended to do in the sector… They had no policy to talk about, so they were very scarce there. The ministers would just go and make a speech and disappear, and the speech dealt with everything but policy. Here, if you ask us about any policy in any sector, we had a clear answer for you in the oil and gas sector, or in education and investment possibilities in education,” he pointed out.

The 2025 Guyana Energy Conference and Supply Chain Expo that was opened on Tuesday has brought together industry leaders, policy-makers and stakeholders to discuss latest developments, challenges and opportunities in the energy and supply chain sectors. It has also provided a meaningful platform to connect industry professionals, policy-makers and investors with experts in the energy sector.

Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo engaging participants at the 2025 Guyana Energy Conference

Govt, Exxon in talks with potential investors to establish power data centres – Routledge

With the offshore gas resources being piped onshore, talks are ongoing with potential investors on the possibility of setting up power data centres here.

This has been revealed by President of ExxonMobil Guyana Ltd, Alistair Routledge, on Wednesday during a presentation on Day Two of the Guyana Energy Conference and Supply Chain Expo being held in Georgetown.

According to Routledge, Exxon and the Guyana Government are exploring the different options available to utilise the country’s rich gas from offshore. In fact, he disclosed that they have already engaged potential investors about the establishment of data centres here.

“We’ve had conversations with some potential investors. We’ve all heard (that there is), in other parts of the world, a huge demand for energy to support the AI growth and buildout in the world as we go through another evolution of digital to support society’s development. Well, why not use (the gas in Guyana) as part of the distributed data centres and AI around the world? So that’s on our radar,” he pos-

ited.

A data centre is a facility that centralises an organisation’s information technology (IT) operations and equipment for the purposes of storing, processing, and disseminating data and applications. Because they house an organisation’s most critical and proprietary assets, data centres are vital to the continuity of daily operations.

Only Tuesday, President Dr Irfaan Ali, speaking at the opening of the Energy Conference, said that with the increase in power and energy expected over the coming years, opportunities would be opened up to set up data centres here in Guyana.

“We have already opened up some discussions here, and we already have some important strategic partners. Just imagine, we [get] to tell Exxon that they have to move all their data storage globally to Guyana… maybe put that in local content…We have to create, we have to ensure that we invest in the infrastructure, and then drive business to the infrastructure,” the Head of State noted in outlining that partnership is key to these developments.

Back in 2023, President Ali had announced

Government’s intention to market Guyana as a prime destination for information and communication technology (ICT) services, especially with establishment of data centres here, which he said would attract big businesses from around the world.

“The Attorney General and his Chambers, they’re working with the UAE (United Arab Emirates), they’re working with five/ six different jurisdictions that’s implemented data

[centre] legislation. But we’re going a step further, we’re looking at the challenges (encountered) since those countries implemented the legislation (in order) to ensure that our legislation is futuristic and captures the entire business environment,” the Guyanese Leader had stated in February 2023.

The establishment of power data centres here comes as the Guyana Government moves to monetise its offshore gas resources. In the Stabroek Block, which Exxon and its coventurers are operating, some 17 trillion cubic feet of gas has already been found, with the Pluma and Haimara wells being prov-

en gas fields.

The People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Government is seeking to develop these gas fields.

United States energy firm Fulcrum LNG Inc has been selected to work in a tripartite arrangement with the Guyana Government and ExxonMobil to develop a potential gas project.

In fact, back in June 2024, President Ali had touted several projects that are being considered for this gas monetisation plan, including a shore base facility, an additional power plant, and a potential joint aluminum plant facility between Guyana and Suriname.

This is in addition to

Government’s highly-anticipated Gas-to-Energy (GtE) project, which would see a Natural Gas Liquids (NGL) facility and a 300-megawatt power plant being set up at Wales, West Bank Demerara to utilise the rich natural gas from the Liza Fields in the Stabroek Block offshore Guyana. In its first phase, this project would utilise approximately 50 million cubic feet of gas per day (mcf/d), while its second phase – comprising another power plant and NGL facility – would increase usage to some 120 mcf/d of gas.

ExxonMobil Guyana President Routledge believes there is much more potential to come, especially with its eighth project, the Longtail Development, which will be located in the southeast end of the Stabroek Block, being considered a non-associated gas area.

Routledge told delegates at the Energy Conference on Wednesday that this project is unique, in that it would produce both crude and natural gas, leaning more on the latter.

“We’ll have around one to 1.2 billion cubic feet per day of gas…It’s enormous,” he declared.

With this gas, the ExxonMobil Guyana President believes Guyana could pursue, in addition to the power data centres, fertilizer plants and alumina using refined bauxite, among other ventures.

ExxonMobil Guyana President Alistair Routledge during his presentation at the Guyana Energy Conference and Supply Chain Expo in Georgetown

Caricom 48th Heads of Government Meeting Leaders urge global partnerships to combat climate change

The need for global collaboration and unity to address the devastating impacts of climate change was underscored during the opening remarks of several officials, at the opening ceremony of the 48th Regular Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of Caricom, in Barbados.

The leaders called for a shared commitment to tackling climate change, and building a future where small island states are empowered to play a central role in the global value chain.

The meeting, held under the theme “Strength in Unity: Forging Caribbean Resilience, Inclusive Growth and Sustainable Development”, underscored the need for urgent action and collaboration to tackle the climate crisis.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen emphasised the time-sensitive nature of global climate action.

“Challenges that all countries face, whether large or small, developed or developing, we all need to protect nature. We all need to stop and reverse global warming. Our livelihood is this one planet with its phenomenal nature, and we all need to face rising threats to human health,” she warned in her address.

Von der Leyen made a strong case for collective action in the face of a rapidly-changing world, stating, “On challenges like these, we are not in a race against each other; we are in a race against time. Even in moments of harsh competition, we need to join forces.”

She also highlighted the Region’s vulnerabilities, pointing out that small island states, such as those in the Caribbean, must have a strong voice in the global conversation on climate change.

Von der Leyen expressed Europe’s commitment to supporting the Caribbean in its transition to clean energy, and advancing the global fight against climate change.

She announced the

launch of a new transition partnership aimed at producing clean energy in the Caribbean, emphasising that the Region has the potential to play a major role in the decarbonised global economy.

Meanwhile, incoming Chair of Caricom and Prime Minister of Barbados, Mia Mottley, echoed von der Leyen’s sentiments, stressing that business as usual was no longer viable in the face of global crises.

“What is clear is that it cannot be business as usual,” Mottley said. “The world is reeling from all kinds of problems... We know what it is like when each summer we [small island developing states] have to hold our breath and wait, hoping that this is not going to be our turn [to face destruction from natural disaster].”

Mottley emphasised the need for the Caribbean to tackle challenges with unity and bold action.

She also underscored the importance of regional self-sufficiency in food production as a crucial step toward climate resilience, noting, “The climate crisis and the effects it is having on food security must be addressed immediately. We can no longer just talk about solutions; we must act now.”

United Nations Secretary General António Guterres spoke forcefully about the injustice faced by small island nations in the context of climate change.

“You face a deplorable injustice – a crisis that you have done next to nothing to create is wrecking economies, draining lives, and threatening your very existence,” Guterres said.

“Together, you have fought tooth and nail for the global commitment to limit global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees. Now, countries must deliver new climate action plans at COP 30.”

Guterres also urged wealthy nations to meet their commitments to climate finance.

He called for the fulfilment of pledges made at COP 29, particularly the $1.3 trillion agreed upon for climate action, and emphasised the need for meaningful contributions to the newly-established Loss and Damage Fund.

“The fund must be a serious thing,” he said, “and we need new and innovative sources of financing to finally put a price on carbon.”

Outgoing Chairman of Caricom and Prime Minister of Grenada, Dickon Mitchell, also focused on the Region’s collective response to climate change. He reiterated that Caricom countries were seeking partnerships to address the climate crisis, stating, “We are resilient. We will rise. We will continue to fight.”

Mitchell called on the international community to support the Caribbean nations most vulnerable to the effects of climate change, emphasising that the

Region’s fight against climate change is not just an environmental issue but a human rights issue.

Caricom Secretary

General, Dr Carla Barnett underscored the importance of regional unity in facing global challenges.

“The current global challenges cannot be effectively addressed in splendid isolation. In our Region, which accounts for less than one per cent of the global population, we know that if we are to decisively counter and surmount the adverse effects of climate change, we must redouble collective efforts,” she stated.

Barnett further emphasised that Caricom’s response to climate change must be grounded in cooperation, with regional integration playing a key role in building sustainable solutions for the future.

“Regional commitment, strength, and resilience were clearly visible in Grenada last year,” she

said,

reflecting on Caricom’s response to Hurricane Beryl in 2024.

UN Secretary General António Guterres

Caricom Secretary General, Dr Carla Barnett

Incoming Chair of Caricom and Prime Minister of Barbados, Mia Mottley

President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen

Scenes from the 48th Regular Meeting of Caricom Heads in Barbados

Finance Ministry must address issues with cash grant distribution – Jagdeo

…545,000 cheques printed

Government has recommenceddistribution of the $100,000 cash grant following passage of the 2025 National Budget.

However, some persons have complained that their cheques have been given to other persons with similar names, while others have shown up at distribution sites only to be disappointed, since their cheques had not yet been printed.

Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo said on Thursday that while he is unaware of cases wherein cheques were given to the wrong persons, the Ministry of Finance needs to address the issues and complaints associated

with the distribution process.

“If it was indeed issued, then we have a problem, and we have to fix it. I would want them to build safeguards in the system to ensure this doesn’t happen,” Jagdeo said in response to a question about incidents in which cheques were uplifted by the wrong persons.

So far, a total of 545,000 cheques have been printed, and more than 200,000 have been distributed.

“They [the Ministry of Finance] have to verify, then print the cheques. So, the number registered may not be the same number of cheques printed,” he explained in noting that, in

some cases, only 75% of the registrations have been verified for one location, leading to some persons being unable to collect their cheques at the same time with others.

“This is something they need to be better with,” he noted.

Asked about persons who may have fallen ill or left the country since registering, the Vice President said

the cheques would be there when those persons are able to uplift them. Moreover, he disclosed that work is already ongoing to deliver the cash grant to shut-ins, or persons who are disabled.

The $100,000 cash grant is available to Guyanese citizens who are 18 years or older. A total of $60 billion has been budgeted for this initiative in the combined

gets of 2024 and 2025.

bud-

Grant distribution at Tipperary Hall in Buxton/Friendship, East Coast Demerara on Thursday (NCN photo)

Cash grant distribution in Lusignan, East Coast Demerara on Thursday (NCN photo)

Modern dental training clinic, lab opened at UG

The University of Guyana yesterday unveiled its brandnew, state-of-the-art dental training clinic and laboratory that is designed to accommodate a larger number of students and provide free services for members of the public.

Once able to accommodate only six dentistry students, the University of Guyana is now able to train 15 additional students at the new dental training clinic and laboratory.

The project was under-

taken with support from the Greater Guyana Initiative -a $20 billion investment by the Stabroek Block co-venturers ExxonMobil Guyana, Hess Guyana Exploration, and CNOOC Petroleum Guyana. Spanning ten years, this initiative supports capacity development programmes across Guyana, expanding on existing efforts and reflecting the co-venturers’ long-term commitment to advancing Guyana’s growth and development.

During the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new lab and clinic on Thursday, Vice Chancellor of the University of Guyana, Professor Paloma Mohammed, spoke about the benefits of the new facility.

“This clinic is going to not only train more dentists, but it’s also going to

train more university students, providing dental services that might be free or that they may pay very little for. It’s also going to attract paediatric dentistry, because we have a School of Orthodontics that caters to a lot of children,” she noted.

Professor Mohammed revealed that the University of Guyana is working on a programme to donate three dentistry chairs to other regions of Guyana.

“We’re also working on the design for a community project, so we have three additional chairs. One of them is going to go to our campus in Berbice, and two of them will be sent to other communities,” she said.

Zoe Perreira, Director of the School of Dentistry, in speaking at the ribbon-cutting ceremony, noted that this investment would help

produce well-trained professionals for the workforce.

“In 2008, we had 33 registered dentists in the country. Now, with 114 more, the expansion of facilities and clinical equipment was needed. Our school is growing and the reach for students is not just in Guyana,” she said.

“Equipping our students with hands-on facilities and equipment will provide us with well-rounded students. It’s good to know that you can close your eyes, and they will be fine,” she added.

Perreira also noted that the lab is equipped with a special room for patients who are petrified or traumatized by past dental experiences, as well as those who suffer from severe anxiety.

Separate from the others, this room caters to their needs.

“For those who need additional assistance, we can provide that for them. This is a way to ensure that every single person, no matter what they have going on in their life, will be treated no differently,” she declared.

“I have adults who come and say, ‘Oh, I had a really bad experience when I was a child, and I never want to do this again.’ This new room is for those people. So, it’s not just for children; it can be for adults who have severe anxiety or fear. The hope is that when they start getting dental treatment, they’ll realize it’s not so bad, and they’ll begin to come out and be integrated…,” she revealed.

Kunjaz Steel Ensemble cops 1st place in

…as West Dem Secondary takes 1st place in Junior Pan competition

Kunjaz Ensemble

After a fierce battle between some of the major steel band orchestras in Guyana, Kunjaz Steel Ensemble drummed their way to the top by outperforming several other great bands to capture 1st place in the 17th Republic Bank Mashramani Panorama

Steel Band Competition, held at Kingston Beach in Georgetown on the night of February 19.

ANSA McAL Steel Orchestra gained second place, and the Guyana Police Force Band claimed third before a thoroughly enthusiastic crowd that enjoyed the music.

This publication spoke with Daniel Roberts, main drummer of the Kunjaz Steel team, who detailed the numerous sleepless nights and early morning sessions team members have had to endure as they practised to achieve perfection. He also said some teammates had had to jug -

gle work commitments in sacrificing to achieve this win.

“When we found out we won, I was like, ‘God is good!’ We felt really good and overwhelmed, but we thank God. The practice was very intense, a lot of sleepless nights. Everyone was tired after work, but we still had to go to steel pan practice. The sacrifice really paid off, man! God saw us through,” Roberts declared.

He also had a message for aspiring musicians who aim to accomplish great things.

“For me, I would tell other musicians, ‘Don’t attack greatness!’ If you see someone doing great, support them. Sometimes you will need the support as well. You need to remember to stay humble, stay focused, and don’t run your mouth too much,” he advised.

UG Vice Chancellor Professor Paloma Mohammed and various officials

One of the dental chairs at the lab

Paul Slowe faces criminal charge for breaching anonymity of sexual assault victim

…to appear in court today

etired Assistant

RPolice Commissioner Paul Slowe is to be arraigned in court today (Friday) to answer a criminal charge detailing that he breached the anonymity of a complainant in press reporting.

The charge stems from Section 62(3) of the Sexual Offences Act, Chapter 8:03, which protects the identities of individuals reporting sexual offences.

The case originated from a complaint filed by a female who had previously reported being sexually assaulted by Slowe. Following her complaint in regard to the

disclosure of her identity in press reports, the police said, that a thorough investigation was conducted; upon completion of which, the investigative case file was forwarded to the Chambers of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for legal advice.

The Chambers of the DPP returned the file on Thursday with instructions to proceed with a criminal charge against Slowe. He is thus expected to be arraigned in court today.

The Minister of Human Services & Social Security had on Wednesday emphasized the importance of safe-

guarding the identities of sexual offence complainants in order to ensure their pro-

VP rejects TIGI’s corruption...

“Where, in September 23rd 2019, we were protesting for free and fair elections; pushing the Government to call the elections, and they were refusing; defying the Constitution and the CCJ ruling; not a word about that (appeared in the report). Now, this is transparency globally. Not a word about it in the report,” Dr Jagdeo said. Moreover, the Vice President argued that the TI report failed to acknowledge APNU’s refusal to cooperate in legislative amendments such as the anti-money laundering law, which he contended contributed to a crisis in governance.

Among the claims made in the TI report, Jagdeo has vehemently denied accusations of corruption within the Government, and has described the negative portray-

al of the PPP/C as a distortion of the truth.

“If you are a transparency organization in Guyana, you have a duty to put a report. If you’re putting together a report, and publish it locally and say, ‘We’re sending this report up, so that the people of this country would say, “I wonder if they sent up a report?” I’m wondering now what report they sent up; and trust me, I would not put it past them, because they’re hostile to the PPP, to again send up a negative report like how they whitewashed the whole APNU period based on what I just said in 2019. This is a group of people who are hostile to us,” he added.

In its latest Corruption Perception Index (CPI) report, Transparency International ranked Guyana lower than in its pre-

vious CPI by giving it a score of 39. A country’s score is the perceived level of public sector corruption on a scale of 0-100, where 0 means highly corrupt and 100 means very clean.

TI has stated that although the country created anti-corruption institutions and laws, transparency and law enforcement are very low.

President Dr Irfaan Ali has since challenged the organization to base its assessments on empirical data rather than on perception-driven indicators. During a live broadcast held recently, the Head of State called into question the legitimacy of Transparency International’s findings, and argued that the organisation relied on biased sources with clear political motives rather than on verifiable facts.

Kunjaz Steel Ensemble...

tection and encourage victims to come forward without fear of public exposure.

The Guyana Police Force (GPF) had, in August 2024, said it was investigating another serious allegation made under the Sexual (Offences) Act of Guyana by a female against Slowe, who

in October 2021 had been slapped with three counts of sexual assault charges committed on a female.

It has been reported that between March 26 and April 2, 2019, and between March 29 and April 2, 2019, at Police Headquarters in Eve Leary Georgetown, Slowe allegedly sexually assaulted a senior policewoman by rubbing her left leg and foot without her consent. He was released on $350,000 bail after being charged. The status of that case was unknown at the time of this publication.

Wanted man “Too Cute” shot by Police

Yohance Yarris, also known as ‘Too Cute,’ a 22-year-old man who is wanted by the police in connection with multiple incidents of armed robbery, was shot by police on Thursday during an attempt to arrest him in Rasville, Georgetown.

He is currently hospitalized under police guard at the Georgetown Public Hospital.

The police have said the series of robbery-related offences for which Yarris was wanted include robbery under arms committed on Shane Stuart on February 8, 2025 at Cane View Avenue in South Ruimveldt; robbery under arms committed on Yong Jin on January 25, 2025 at Lot 64 Norton Street, Lodge; robbery under arms committed on Martin Pestano on February 15, 2025 at #41 Village,

West Coast Berbice; and larceny from the person committed on Adrian Ally on February 19, 2025 on Mandela Avenue.

Reports are that on Thursday, at about 14:45h, police ranks on mobile patrol in Rasville spotted Yarris in a yard. Upon seeing the ranks, Yarris allegedly attempted to flee even as he removed a handgun from a one-strap bag that he had around his neck and fired

a gunshot at a police officer pursuing him. In response, that officer discharged a round that struck Yarris in the chest; but despite being injured, Yarris continued to run, until he collapsed on a nearby street.

A large crowd soon gathered, displaying hostility towards the ranks, but they managed to arrest Yarris and transport him to the Georgetown Public Hospital.

The Republic Bank first sponsored this competition

in 2009, and it has grown over the years. The Bank’s passion for pan development in Guyana focuses on providing avenues for the empowerment for our nation’s youths, while sustaining national art forms and our cultural heritage.

Retired Assistant Police Commissioner Paul Slowe

One of the junior bands

The younger bands in the youth category gave the adults a run for their money, even as rain dampened the event. Youths rocked the crowd, with West Demerara Secondary School taking 1st place with their per-

formance of Dave Martins’ Honeymooning Couple, which was arranged by Joel Usani Doris. Berbice High School copped 2nd place, and GBTI Buxton Pride was awarded 3rd place.

Regional Barbados launches hydrogen energy project

Barbados took a significant leap towards its renewable energy goals on Wednesday as it unveiled its first green hydrogen energy project, integrating solar power, hydrogen fuel cell technology and battery storage to provide a stable and reliable power supply to the national grid.

Minister of Energy

Senator Lisa Cummins hailed the initiative as a major step forward, highlighting the international collaboration that has made it possible.

She noted that the project has received widespread international support, including a joint letter of endorsement from Prime Minister Mia Mottley and French President Emmanuel Macron.

Senator Cummins also highlighted the financial and technical backing from the Global Climate Fund, the European Investment Bank, the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), IDB Invest, and the

International Financial Corporation of the World Bank.

Dubbed the ‘Renewstable Barbados’ Project, led by Hydrogène de France (HDF Energy), a key global company in the hydrogen energy sector, aims to strengthen Barbados’ energy security by addressing the intermittent nature of solar power.

Unlike solar panels alone, which depend on sunlight, this system uses hydrogen fuel cells to store and release energy as needed, ensuring a continuous and stable power supply.

Prime Minister Mia Mottley, who also spoke at the event, described the launch as a historic moment in the long-standing relationship between Barbados and the European Union.

She noted that renewable energy is central to Barbados’ climate resilience strategy and that hydrogen technology provides more stability to the grid than solar alone.

Mottley also stressed

that energy discussions should extend beyond Barbados, indicating that upcoming meetings with regional leaders during the CARICOM summit which opened here Wednesday could open new opportunities for cooperation on renewable energy.

“I hope in the course of the next two days, when you will have the opportunity not just to meet with myself, but to meet with all of the other heads of state and heads of government who are here for the CARICOM meeting, that we will be able to explore opportunities for even deeper and wider cooperation on the matter of renewable energy,” she said.

The ‘Renewstable Barbados’ Project is expected to play a pivotal role in Barbados’ ambitious goal of achieving 100 per cent renewable energy by 2030, while also strengthening the island’s position as a leader in renewable energy innovation within the Caribbean.

(Source: Barbados Today)

Caribbean leader tells EU chief: Apologise and pay reparations for slavery

Former colonial powers must apologise and pay compensation for their historic role in the enslavement of Africans, Grenadian Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell told European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. Mitchell addressed von der Leyen late on Wednesday at the 48th heads of government meet-

ing of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) in Barbados, which the European leader attended for the first time.

“I don’t mean to be impolite,” Mitchell said, looking at von der Leyen. “But I will say it to you: the issue of reparations... is an issue we will take up with you.”

Mitchell added: “We owe it to ourselves and future generations of humanity to

ensure (slavery) is accepted as a crime against humanity, and that appropriate apology and compensation is paid, and that the international community accepts this should never happen again.”

Von der Leyen replied to Mitchell without referring to reparations, saying “slavery is a crime against humanity... and the dignity and universal rights of every single human being is untouchable and must be defended by all means”.

Calls for reparations for slavery and colonialism are long-standing but have been gaining momentum worldwide, particularly among CARICOM and the African Union (AU).

CARICOM has its own reparation plan, which, among other demands, calls for technology transfers and investments to tackle health crises and illiteracy. The AU is developing its own plan.

In 2023, the EU and the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) agreed to include in their summit’s final statement a paragraph that acknowledged the “untold suffering” slavery inflicted on millions.

In the statement, adopted by leaders of both sides, the CELAC referred to CARICOM’s reparations plan. (Excerpted from Reuters)

Liam Payne death charges against friend and 2 hotel workers dropped in Argentina

Manslaughter charges over the death of Liam Payne have been dropped for his friend Roger Nores and two hotel workers.

Rogelio “Roger” Nores, hotel operator Gilda Martin, and head of reception Esteban Grassi were charged in December, two months after the One Direction star’s death at the Casa Sur Hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

At the same time, hotel employee Ezequiel Pereyra and waiter Braian Paiz were

charged with supplying cocaine to Payne.

Following an appeal, the manslaughter charges against Nores, Martin and Grassi have now been dropped, court documents show.

The charges against Pereyra and Paiz still stand and they remain in prison awaiting a trial.

Nores, Martin and Grassi would have faced up to five years in prison had they been convicted.

Supplying drugs in Argentina carries a sentence of up to 15 years. The latest court document states that Payne fell from the balcony of his room on the third floor of the hotel at about 5.10pm on 16 October.

Toxicology tests revealed that before his death, he had traces of alcohol, cocaine, and a prescription antidepressant in his body. His cause of death was “polytrauma” from multiple injuries and internal and external bleeding, a postmortem found. (Excerpted from Sky News)

Mexico’s president vows to protect national sovereignty after US cartel terrorist designation

Mexico President Claudia Sheinbaum said on Thursday she will propose a constitutional reform aimed at further protecting Mexico’s national sovereignty, after the U.S. designated various Mexican cartels as foreign terrorist organizations.

“The Mexican people will under no circumstances accept interventions, intrusions, or any other action from abroad that are detrimental to the integrity, independence, or sovereignty of the nation... (including) violations of Mexican territory, whether by land, sea, or air,” Sheinbaum said during her regular morning news conference.

The United States on Wednesday designated the Sinaloa Cartel and other Mexican drug cartels as global terrorist organizations, a move that comes as concerns mount among some Mexican officials that U.S. President Donald Trump may be setting the stage to take unilateral military action inside Mexico, an idea floated repeatedly during his presidential campaign.

Mexico has long opposed the move, arguing the cartels are not motivated by political ends like others on the terror list, but by profit.

The designation risks complicating international business in Mexico, including the operations of U.S. companies. It could also shift the legal landscape for U.S. asylum claims, potentially hurting migrants who are forced to pay extortion or ransoms to cartels, as they could be accused of supporting a terrorist organization.

Sheinbaum said on Thursday she would also propose a second constitutional reform that would stiffen the penalties for Mexicans and foreigners who engage in arms trafficking, which is a top diplomatic issue for Mexico, as most guns used in crimes in the country are trafficked from the United States. (Reuters)

Sheinbaum said Mexico was not consulted by the United States about the decision to designate the groups as terrorist organizations.

DR: Drug agents seize cocaine hidden in ceramic bananas

Dominican Republic drug enforcement agents intercepted 32.64 kilograms of cocaine disguised as handcrafted ceramic bananas at the Port of Manzanillo in Montecristi province, thwarting an attempt to smuggle the drugs to the Netherlands.

In a joint operation, the National Directorate of Drug Control (DNCD) and the Public Prosecutor’s Office discovered 303 ceramic bananas filled with cocaine during a routine container inspection. Intelligence reports had flagged potential irregularities, leading agents to examine several export containers.

Grenadian Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell

Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum

Some 303 ceramic bananas filled with cocaine discovered in the Dominican Republic (Photo: National Directorate of Drug Control)

OOIL NEWS

Oil rises for 3rd day on US fuel stocks draw, worries about Russia disruptions

il prices settled higher on Thursday, marking a threeday streak of gains, after data showed gasoline and distillate drawdowns in the U.S., while worries about supply disruptions in Russia also supported prices.

U.S. crude oil stockpiles rose slightly more than expected while fuel inventories fell last week as seasonal maintenance at refineries led to lower processing, the Energy Information Administration said on Thursday.

“The crude build was a bit larger than expected, but there was a modest draw in gasoline and larger draw in distillate, keeping total inventories flat,” said Giovanni Staunovo, an analyst with UBS.

Crude futures extended gains slightly following the report.

Russia and the U.S. have had their first meeting since the start of the Ukraine war, aimed at restoring relations and preparing the ground for ending the conflict.

However, disruptions to oil supply kept prices elevated.

Russia attacked Ukrainian gas infrastructure and damaged gas production facilities overnight, Ukraine’s Energy Minister German Galushchenko said.

Russia said Caspian Pipeline Consortium oil flows, a major route for crude exports from Kazakhstan, were reduced by 30%-40% on Tuesday after a Ukraine drone attack on a pumping station.

Elsewhere, potential restarts of oil flows from Iraq’s Kurdistan region were offsetting supply risks, analysts at ING said in a note.

Turkey, which hosts the port of Ceyhan that loads Iraqi oil from the Kurdistan region, had not received confirmation from Iraq on the resumption as of Thursday, the country’s energy minister told Reuters.

Investors were spooked after the company posted lower earnings and recorded $2.3 billion in impairment losses.

A resumption of the Iraqi oil flows would add 300,000 barrels of supply per day onto the market, ING analysts said.

Import tariffs announced by U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration could dent oil prices by raising the cost of consumer goods, analysts said, weakening the global economy and reducing fuel demand. Concerns about European and Chinese demand were also helping keep prices in check.

“It is natural to be concerned about the global economic outlook as Donald Trump takes a sledgehammer smashing away at the existing global ‘free-trade structure’ with signals of 25% tariffs on car imports to the U.S.,” said Bjarne Schieldrop, chief commodities analyst at SEB. (Reuters)

US sanctions Rwanda minister over DRC fighting

The US Department of the Treasury has imposed sanctions on a Rwandan government minister and a senior member of an armed group for their alleged role in the conflict in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), as M23 rebels there continue an offensive that is fuelling a mass exodus to Burundi.

The US Treasury Department on Thursday said Rwanda’s Minister of State for Regional

Integration James Kabarebe was being targeted because he is “central to Rwanda’s support” for the M23 armed group.

The US sanctions also targeted Lawrence Kanyuka Kingston, a senior member and spokesperson for the Congo River Alliance – which includes the M23 –and two companies he controls in the United Kingdom and France.

In a statement, the Treasury said the two individuals and two entities

were “linked to violence and human rights abuses” in DRC. “Today’s action underscores the need for Rwanda to return to negotiations under the Angola-led Luanda Process to achieve a resolution to the conflict in eastern DRC,” it added.

There was no immediate comment from Rwanda, which denies accusations from the United Nations, the US and several other countries that it supports the M23 militarily.

Rwanda has accused

the DRC of sheltering the FDLR, an armed group created by Hutus who took part in the massacre of Tutsis during the 1994 Rwandan genocide.

The DRC government accuses Rwanda of “expansionist ambitions” and says it is stealing vast amounts of minerals. UN experts said in a report (PDF) published last month that rebels in eastern DRC fraudulently exported 150 tonnes of coltan to Rwanda in 2024. (Excerpted from Al Jazeera)

Australia, New Zealand monitor ‘unusual’ movement of 3 Chinese warships

Australia and New Zealand are monitoring the “unusual” presence of a group of Chinese naval vessels spotted in international waters off the Australian eastern coast, defence ministers of the two countries said.

Three Chinese navy vessels – a frigate, a cruiser and a supply tanker – were spotted last week in waters off mainland Australia.

The warships have since charted a course taking them down Australia’s eastern coast and were re-

Bus blasts in Israel are ‘suspected terror attack’, say Police

Astring of explosions has rocked buses in the Israeli city of Bat Yam, in what police described as a “suspected terror attack”.

No injuries were reported in the blasts late on Thursday. Police said bomb disposal units were searching for any additional bombs in the city, which is a suburb of Tel Aviv.

Israeli police said three bombs exploded while two were being defused at separate locations.

“These are identical explosive devices with a timer.

Three have detonated, and two additional ones have been located and are currently being neutralised,” a police spokesperson told AFP.

Large police forces had been deployed to search for suspects, the police said in a statement.

“Police bomb disposal units are scanning for additional suspicious objects. We urge the public to avoid the areas and remain alert for any suspicious items,” it added.

Tzvika Brot, the mayor of Bat Yam, said in a vid-

eo statement that the explosions took place on two buses in two different parking lots.

“There are no [people] injured in these incidents,” Brot said, adding that the causes of the explosions were still unclear.

Television footage aired by some Israeli networks showed a completely burntout bus, while another was on fire.

Israeli media said that bus drivers countrywide had been asked to stop and inspect their own buses for additional possible explosive devices. (The Guardian)

ported to be located 150 nautical miles (278km) east of Sydney.

“We are keeping a close watch on them, and we will make sure we are watching

every move,” Australia’s Defence Minister Richard Marles said in a television interview.

“It’s not unprecedented. But it is an unusual event,” Marles said, stressing the vessels were “not a threat” and that they were “engaging in accordance with international law”.

“And just as they have a right to be in international waters, which is what they are doing, we have a right to be prudent and to make sure that we are surveilling them, which is what we are doing,” he added.

New Zealand’s Defence Minister Judith Collins told Radio New Zealand her country’s defence forces were also monitoring the Chinese ships.

“We have not been in-

formed by the Chinese government why this task group has been deployed into our region, and we have not been informed what its future plans are,” Collins said.

“We will continue to monitor these vessels,” she said. The appearance of the vessels comes after Australia and China traded barbs over an incident last week between a Chinese fighter jet and an Australian military plane.

The incident was the latest in a string of tense encounters between China and Australia in the increasingly contested airspace and shipping lanes of the Asia Pacific region. (Excerpted from Al Jazeera)

The Jiangkai-class frigate Hengyang was among the Chinese flotilla sailing east of Sydney (Australia Department of Defence)

Take care of tasks you’ve let slip. Call an expert and get the lowdown on how to deal with matters that are holding you back. Sign up for something that offers insight into where you want to be.

Put muscle behind your plans and rearrange your residence to make room for developing projects. Be secretive about your plans; when the time is right, you’ll blow everyone’s socks off with what you reveal.

Take a realistic look at your lifestyle and the lessons you’ve learned. Today is not a day for daring ventures. Tread carefully, especially when in groups.

Push yourself; you can accomplish plenty if you are quick to respond and eager to implement your desires. Satisfaction comes from doing the best you can.

Learn from change. Observation will help you decipher whether following or leading the way is in your best interest. Keep your thoughts to yourself until you have a thorough plan in place.

Embrace life and attend events that help you put situations in perspective. Take your time and refuse to let insecurity result from criticism or bullying. Trust your instincts.

Gather information, test your faculties and map out a plan. Travel, group participation and events that bring you in contact with people you’d like to get to know better will lead to interesting prospects.

Communication is the path to understanding and moving forward. Test your imagination and creative strengths, and discover a pastime that brings you peace and joy.

A friendly demeanor will help ward off anyone trying to pick a fight or take advantage of you. Keep active. It’s up to you to invest in yourself and build opportunities.

You’ll have many unique ideas. Apply your skills to manifest what you want and attract support. Use pent-up energy by participating in physical activities.

Take time to reflect. Get your thoughts in order before making a big decision. Be open and receptive to what others say while following the path that suits your needs and budget.

Let your personality shine. Engage in chatter and enjoy the company of those who spark your imagination, but don’t feel obligated to buy anyone’s love. Say no to temptation.

ARCHIE

Champions Trophy 2025…

Gill ton helps India ace tricky chase after Shami 5-for

Shubman Gill dug deep for his slowest One-Day International (ODI) hundred and India’s slowest in the last six years to see India through a tricky chase of 229 that must have brought back memories of their 3-0 series defeat

pected to make chasing easier, but they got off to such a poor start that they needed three dropped catches and a superlative fighting hundred from Towhid Hridoy to stay in the contest. India had Bangladesh down at 35 for 5, Axar Patel was on a hat-trick, and Rohit Sharma dropped a sitter followed by two lives for the record-breaking sixth-wicket stand. It allowed Bangladesh to get to a target that denied India a net-run-rate boost, which can prove crucial if they happen to lose one of their three matches.

India will still consider this a banana peel survived, having misread the conditions and decided to field first should they have won the toss. On a slow pitch with no assistance for the quicks, they were gifted early wickets through some indiscriminate hitting. Bangladesh possibly felt the new ball was the best time to bat: they didn’t wait for a bad ball on offer and kept losing wickets. The first three fell to ambitious shots to plain goodlength bowling with little seam.

Bangladesh were 35 for 3 when Axar was introduced in the ninth over. Tanzid Hasan, the only batter who had looked comfortable, played him for the turn and paid the ultimate price with an outside edge. Mushfiqur Rahim, arguably batting too late at number six especially in the absence of the injured Mahmudullah, played the original line, and was done in by the rare one that turned. Axar slowed down the hat-trick ball even more, Jaker Ali obliged with an edge, which Rohit spilled.

Soon Hardik Pandya dropped Hridoy on 23 in Kuldeep Yadav’s first over. Scoring runs was still a task on the sluggish surface, more than 10 overs went without a boundary, but also India went the middle overs with- out a single wick first time 2023 World Jaker did opportuni on 24, but this time KL Rahul missed the stump ing off Ravindra Jadeja.

duo found their touch deep er into the in nings, but Hridoy was ham pered by cramps all over his body. Shami returned to the challeng ing task of bowl ing with a short leg-side bound ary, but used the slower ball wide outside off to not just deny them boundaries, but also collect three more wickets. A cameo from Rishad Hossain and Hridoy’s fight despite crippling cramps took Bangladesh to a fighting to tal.

tinued his high-intent starts of recent

times, and Gill matched him shot for shot as India raced away from the three Bangladesh quicks. Just before the field was about to spread, Rohit fell for 41 off 36 in a bid to make one last use of the field restrictions. Immediately, scoring became laborious. Even the master accumulator, Virat Kohli struggled to manipulate the ball into gaps before falling to a legspinner again, this one with the letters of Rashid scrambled to Rishad.

Shreyas Iyer played the conditions for a while, but once he got a couple and a boundary off Mustafizur Rahman, he overreached and lobbed a slower ball to mid-off to be dismissed for 15 off 17. Promoted for the dual tasking of breaking the sequence of right-hand batters and also have an eye on the net run rate, Axar skied a slog-sweep, failing to read

by Jaker, whom he had himself reprieved earlier in the day. That proved to be the last opportu nity for Bangladesh as India overcame the ghosts of the failed chases in Sri Lanka last year. The man to thank was Gill, who an chored the chase and made sure he was there at the end. He was 26 off 23 when Rohit got out, but as the conditions changed, he tight ened his game and took only selec tive risks. His next bound ary came only when the skid dy fast bowler

The last three wickets had fallen for 75 runs and had taken 20.2 overs. You would have thought the sight of KL Rahul would have brought calm to the proceedings, but

teristic hoick early on only to be dropped

In over. By that time, he had brought up his slowest half-century.

Gill was content with singles off the spinners and even Mustafizur, who bowls a wicked slower ball to make use of these conditions. He scored just 30 off the 52 ish - ing it off in glory. He needed 12 out of the 19 runs to bring up a hundred, and hit a six and a four off Tanzim to get to the mark off 125 balls and take his customary bow. Rahul took India home with a six off Tanzim with 21 balls to spare. (ESPNcricinfo)

Bangladesh (50 ovs maximum)

Tanzid Hasan c †Rahul

b Patel 25

Soumya Sarkar c †Rahul

b Mohammed Shami 0

Najmul Hossain Shanto (c) c Kohli

b Harshit Rana 0

Mehidy Hasan Miraz c Shubman Gill

b Mohammed Shami 5

Towhid Hridoy c Mohammed Shami

b Harshit Rana 100

Mushfiqur Rahim † c †Rahul

b Patel 0

Jaker Ali c Kohli

b Mohammed Shami 68

Rishad Hossain c Pandya

b Harshit Rana 18

Tanzim Hasan Sakib

b Mohammed Shami 0

Taskin Ahmed c Iyer

b Mohammed Shami 3

Mustafizur Rahman not out 0

Extras (lb 1, nb 1, w 7) 9

Total 49.4 Ov (RR: 4.59) 228

Fall of wickets: 1-1 (Soumya Sarkar, 0.6 ov), 2-2 (Najmul Hossain Shanto, 1.4 ov), 3-26 (Mehidy Hasan Miraz, 6.2 ov), 4-35 (Tanzid Hasan, 8.2 ov), 5-35 (Mushfiqur Rahim, 8.3

(Towhid Hridoy, 49.4 ov)

Jaker Ali holds an elegant pose

Towhid Hridoy battled cramps on his way to a fighting century

Mohammed Shami showed his class again in ICC events with a 5-for

KL Rahul nails a cut

GCB saddened at passing of former GCB VP, BCB President Lennox Phillips

The Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) has expressed its profound sadness at the recent passing of Lennox Edmund Phillips at the age of 94 in Florida, USA.

The Board said in a missive on Wednesday evening, “Phillips was an outstanding player and cricket administrator who in his long and distinguished career contributed significantly to the advancement of cricket in Berbice over an extended period from the 1940s to 1985 when he migrated. In his early days, he played for the Youngsters Cricket Club in the Davsons Cup FirstDivision Cricket Competition for over 20 years as an

opening batsman and legspinner. He also represented Berbice at football and table tennis.

Phillips served as an Executive Member of the Berbice Cricket Board (BCB) from 1970 to 1985, including a record period of 13 years and 6 months as President. In 1972, he was elected Vice President of the Guyana Cricket Board, a position he held until June 1985. In May 1979, as a result of the passing of then GCB President Barkley Gaskin, Phillips was appointed acting President until the official election of Joe Solomon later that year.

Phillips also served as a BCB Selector for 10 years and was

credited with opening a BCB office in 1974.

In 1985, the BCB introduced Life Membership to be conferred on individuals who had given long and dedicated service of an exceptionally-high quality over a period of at least 10 years to Berbice cricket. Phillips was among the first batch of inductees. He was also an inductee of the Berbice Cricket Administration Hall of Fame and was honoured with the Tribute to Hero Award by the BCB.”

The GCB saluted this remarkable gentleman and extended condolences to his family, relatives and friends.

JCA President expresses gratitude to Government for Sabina Park upgrades …and

grassroots cricket investment

Jamaica Cricket Association (JCA) President, Dr Donovan Bennett has expressed his appreciation to the Government of Jamaica for its financial support in upgrading Sabina Park’s lighting system and funding grassroots cricket development across the island.

Speaking with Sportsmax. TV at the launch of the Melbourne Cricket Club/ Pure Water 5K Run/Walk on Wednesday, Dr Bennett also acknowledged the assistance of Sport Minister Olivia Grange in facilitating the acquisition of a state-of-the-art electronic scoreboard from India, which is expected to be installed in time for the West Indies home series against Australia in July.

The Jamaica Sport Minister announced at the event that funding had been earmarked for the upgrade of Sabina Park’s lights, an essential step in ensuring that the firstever day-night Test match in Jamaica – and only the second in the Caribbean – could take place. The funding will also support grassroots cricket development, including J$40 million to enhance youth cricket and provide financial assistance to the Jamaica Scorpions Women’s team, who won the Women’s Super50 title in 2024.

Dr Bennett emphasised the urgency of securing the first tranche of funding to ensure that the lights are installed well ahead of the series against Australia, which includes a Test match and two T20 Internationals at Sabina Park.

“We are very thankful to Minister Grange,” Dr Bennett said. “We are just hoping that very soon we can collect the first tranche, so that we can actually have the lights landed in Jamaica, because time is of the essence. I am very grateful to the Government, not only for the lights but also for her assistance in getting the scoreboard here.”

The installation of floodlights at Sabina Park has

been a long-standing issue, affecting the venue’s ability to host night matches, a critical requirement for modern international cricket. With the lights now set for an upgrade, Sabina Park will be able to reclaim its place as a premier cricket venue in the Caribbean, capable of hosting day-night Test matches and international limited-overs fixtures.

The JCA President also addressed the highlyanticipated arrival of the US$1 million electronic scoreboard, a generous gift from the Government of India to enhance the match-day experience at Sabina Park.

“The representative from India is still not here, but they have given us a date in April to have the scoreboard installed,” Dr Bennett confirmed.

The new electronic scoreboard will bring Sabina Park up to modern international standards, providing live match updates, player statistics, and enhanced viewing experiences for fans attending games in Jamaica.

Beyond infrastructure, Minister Grange reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to cricket development, announcing that J$40 million will be allocated to the JCA to fund grassroots programmes, youth development, and financial support for the Jamaica Scorpions Women.

Dr Bennett welcomed this initiative, emphasising the JCA’s new approach of investing from the ground up to build a sustainable future for cricket in Jamaica.

“We are going to work from below upwards. A lot of that money will be spent on prep school, primary school, U13, and U15 cricket, both genders included,” he explained.

The JCA’s structured approach to cricket development includes a talent identification programme, pathway coaches for both male and female players, and a coaching certification initiative to introduce more Level 1 coaches into schools.

“In another five years, it will

make a significant difference to the talent pool that we have in Jamaica,” Dr Bennett added. With the lights, scoreboard, and grassroots funding now in motion, Jamaican cricket is poised for a significant revival. The prospect of hosting a historic day-night Test match against Australia, along with a stronger pipeline for developing future cricket stars, represents a turning point for the sport in the country. (Sportsmax)

Nigel Paul headlines 14-member T&T team for Caribbean Boxing Championships

Super heavyweight Nigel Paul headlines Trinidad & Tobago’s 14-member boxing team selected for the 2025 Caribbean Boxing Championships in St Lucia from February 27-March 3.

This event serves as the first barometer for the new technical team consisting of new Head Coach Vicki Boodram, Assistant Coach Wendell Jukhu and youth team coach Rawlson Dopwell, to identify boxers focused on the 2028 Olympic cycle.

Joining Paul on the team is fellow Olympian Aaron Prince. Paul, who owns a pro record of 15-23, is ranked 11th on the International Boxing Association’s super heavy rankings while Prince is 28th.

The elite team also includes Neraj Mahadeosingh, who recently attended a live-in camp in Colombia to improve his skills.

He joins the likes of Jeremiah Thomas and Donnell Phillip, two of the country’s promising talents, who both

retained their national titles at the January 22-26 National Boxing Championships.

Eyed Angel George (80+ kg) is T&T’s lone female representative.

All team members will continue their preparation for the championships with their respective local gym and personal coaches.

The full 14-member team are as follows:

Youth – Darnell Sinaswee 60-63.5 kg, Med Charles 63.567 kg, Paul Newallo 67-71 kg, and Luke Teesdale 71-75 kg

Junior – Makieve Bellille 63-66 kg, Justin Parris 51-54 kg, and Anthony Shawn Joseph 54-57 kg

Elite Men – Neraj Mahadeosingh 57-60 kg, Donnell Phillip 60-63.5 kg, Jadeon Castillano 67-71 kg, Aaron Prince 71-75 kg, Jeremiah Thomas 75-80 kg, and Nigel Paul 92+ kg

Elite Women – Eyed Angel George 80+ kg

Coaching Staff – Vicki Boodram (Head Coach), Wendell Jukhu (Assistant Coach), and Rawlson Dopwell (Youth Coach). (Sportsmax)

Trinidad and Tobago will be fielding a 14-member team at the 2025 Caribbean Boxing Championships

Former GCB Vice President and BCB President Lennox Phillips has passed away

A look at the lights at Sabina Park

Elite League 2025…

“This is the one that will separate us from the rest” – Coach Bill

...Story and Photos by Jemima Holmes

As the seventh edition of the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) Elite League fast approaches, preparation is intensifying all across the coastland among the country’s top 10 football teams.

At the apex are the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Football Club, who lifted the championship trophy in 2023 and 2024.

As such, the thought of a historic three-peat is already lingering in the thoughts of the soldiers’ camp, with Coach Joseph “Bill” Wilson revealing that their preparation has been good thus far.

Wilson exclusively told Guyana Times Sport, “Our preparation, as usual, has been going good so far. The players are working hard as usual, fully focused and we’re at the midpoint of our pre-season training. On a scale of 1 to 10 I think we’re about 6. “

He went on to share about his focus areas in their preparation, “There’s so many things you have to continuously work on in football, we know

finishing is one, like in the basketball game, you always work on finishing. Obviously, our ball possession, we have to improve on that; we also have to work on our fitness levels to bring it up to the levels we normally play and work at to give the optimum performance of the player. Those are just some of the basic things. I think my team always have the right mental attitude, we’re always committed and, in most cases, we’re disciplined.”

In the recently-closed transfer window, GDF FC were likely the only team in the Elite League’s top three of last season that did not see much movement into the club.

Simultaneously, the club lost the services of national players Kelsey Benjamin and Ryan Hackett. Highlighting that GDF were unbothered by the loss, Wilson noted that it was all a part of the game.

“You probably hit it on the head there, there’s not much more that I could say,” Wilson said with a chuckle about losing the national team duo.

He divulged, “The word

key doesn’t exist in terms of players, the word key exists in terms of attitude, performance and motivation. We’re always fully focused and motivated and the same principles we’ll use going forward into this league. Yes, we could’ve had more players joining the set-up and we have a couple indeed, but that’s football. Players go, players come, organisations exist forever, coaches go, coaches come also.”

“So, we’re not too perturbed, we’re not too bothered missing those two players. We will continue to do our work.”

Money moves and GDF’s credit card

On the same topic of transfers, the GDF Gaffer welcomed the ‘shopping’ done by their rival clubs, opining that fiercer competition will only force better performances from his troops.

The Head Coach said with a laugh, “I’m happy that they have the credit card. GDF don’t have the Visa and the Mastercard to go about doing

Wilson

those kinds of things, but I’m happy that they are making efforts, which is expected. I would’ve been disappointed to know that they haven’t done something to try to stop the GDF’s dominance. Like the saying goes, the fiercer the competition, the better our players will perform. And we’re just looking forward to the starting of the league, we’re raring to go, because I know there’s all the talk around that they have this player, that player, but at the end of the day, this is the Guyana Defence Force.

“There’s no other team that is capable and has the tools, have the right, the mandate to represent football in Guyana than the Guyana Defence Force, the words speak for themselves. So, we are always prepared. Not only to prepare against Venezuela or our neighbours, to prepare also against the Jamaicans and the Trinidadians,” Wilson added.

With a hat-trick of Elite

League Championships in sight, Wilson described the goal as a motivating factor for himself and team.

The Head Coach revealed, “That’s part of the motivation, that’s the key part of the motivation, the most important part. To deliver three times and create history in Guyana’s football; we’ve created many

histories last year, the year before, but this one is the key one. This is the one that will separate us, definitely from the rest. This is the one that is supposed to ease all the talk locally, so, that is the motivating factor for us.” The Elite League is set to kick off on Sunday, March 9, 2025.

National U21 boys’ hockey team named for 2025 PAHF Jr Challenge

On the heels of the girls’ selection, the Guyana Under-21 boys’ hockey team have been selected for the 2025 Pan American Hockey Federation (PAHF) Junior Challenge scheduled for Bridgetown, Barbados from March 8 to March 16.

The boys’ team comprises a good balance of experienced players and young newcomers who have shown great potential as contributors to the team. Sixteen players have been selected under the management of Head Coach Robert Fernandes, and Assistant Coaches Shane Samuels, John Abrahams, and Tivesard Garnett.

The boys’ team will comprise a strong core with as many as nine players remaining from their 2023 team which finished a credible fifth in the 2023 Junior Pan American Championships. Most notable among those would be midfield

maestro Shaquon Favorite, central defender Jabari Lovell, and striker Simeon Moore. In addition, to the nine players with international experience, all but two were part of the national junior training squad over the past two years. The two newcomers to the team are strikers 16-year-old Shane Sargeant and the youngest selectee at 15 years old, Grant Fernandes.

The schools’ programme introduced a few years ago, that is facilitated by the ICool Junior Championships, is largely responsible for this solid crop of players, with six coming out of the North Ruimveldt Multilateral programme and five from the St Stanislaus programme.

Head Coach Fernandes is cautiously optimistic of his team’s chances to medal, saying that the Guyanese players have only been exposed to competition at the

highest Pan Am level, where matches against powerhouses like Argentina and the USA would have to be met with solid defensive resolve and a counterattacking mindset. In this case, where he feels Guyana is a legitimate contender, the players need to adapt a more aggressive and

attack-minded disposition with a lot more focus on possession and attacking build-ups.

The Guyana boys’ first match, similar to that of the girls, is against Guatemala on March 8. They then go on to face Trinidad and Tobago, Venezuela, Brazil and hosts Barbados. The ambition of

the team is to finish in one of the top two positions to gain qualification for the 2025 Junior Pan American Games to be hosted by Paraguay in August.

The full squad reads: Goalkeeper – Darious Alleyne Defenders – Donnel Alleyne,

Lovell, Nkosi Saul,

Jabari

Quinn Tobin, and Daniel Woolford Midfielders – Shaquon Favorite, Navid Hussain, Yonnick Norton and Simeon Moore Strikers – Grant Fernandes, Baraka Garnett, Anthony Harry, Robert Marcus, Shane Sargeant, and Vladimir Woodroffe Standby Players – Clay Bobb

Young Grant Fernandes being challenged by Quinn Tobin Navid Hussein on the attack

A look at GDF’s preparation ahead of the Elite League Season 7

A look at GDF’s preparation ahead of the Elite League Season 7