Govt eyeing markets in Middle East for rice export – Pres
Cosmetologist, brother-in-law fined for brawl
Any public servants who missed cash grants will be catered to – VP Reoffender freed after compensating victim in gold chain snatching case
Guyanese women driving national
The High Commission of India and the Swami Vivekananda Cultural Centre, in collaboration with Surabhi, organised International Women’s Day celebrations in Georgetown, which included cultural presentations for a diverse audience
Fire breaks out at GuySuCo sugar terminal
Firefighters and authorities were called to the GuySuCo Sugar Terminal in Ruimveldt, Georgetown late Saturday night after a fire broke out, destroying a quantity of empty rice bags stored at the facility.
The fire reportedly started around 23:22h on Saturday, on the northern side of the wharf.
According to reports, crew members aboard MV Roibeira, which was docked nearby, first noticed the flames coming from the storage area. They quickly raised an alarm and acted swiftly to contain the blaze, using a water hose from the vessel to put out the fire before it could spread.
The Guyana Fire Service (GFS) was later alerted, and emergency response teams, including Water Tender 98 and 118 and Water Bowser 21, were immediately dispatched from the Central Fire Station. However, by the time firefighters arrived, the flames had already been extinguished.
Following the fire, Minister of Home Affairs, Robeson Benn, visited the scene at approximately 00:47h on Sunday to assess the situation. He was accompanied by senior officials from the Guyana Police Force (GPF), including Inspector Blair, Corporal (Cpl) Mounter, and other ranks.
Preliminary investigations have begun, and several individuals have been questioned as authorities work to determine the cause of the fire. No injuries reported.
While no injuries were reported and the damage was limited to the destroyed rice bags, officials continue to monitor the situation closely.
Investigators have not yet determined whether the fire was accidental or if foul play was involved. Investigations are ongoing.
Scenes from the fire at the GuySuCo Sugar Terminal in Ruimveldt
BRIDGE OPENINGS
The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:
Monday, March 10 –02:30h-04:00h and Tuesday, March 11 – 03:30h-05:00h.
The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Monday, March 10 –13:50h-15:20h and Tuesday, March 11 – 14:35h-16:05h.
FERRY SCHEDULE
Parika and Supenaam departure times – 05:00h, 10:00h-12:00h, 16:00h, 18:30h daily.
WEATHER TODAY
Sunny conditions are expected during the day interrupted by light rain showers in the midmorning and mid-afternoon hours, with clear to partly cloudy skies at night. Temperatures are expected to range between 23 degrees Celsius and 31 degrees Celsius.
Winds: North-Easterly to East North-Easterly between 2.23 metres and 4.92 metres.
High Tide: 14:24h reaching a maximum height of 2.24 metres.
Low Tide: 07:58h and 20:30h reaching minimum heights of 1.12 metres and 0.91 metre.
Firefighter dies from injuries sustained in Mae’s Schools blaze
– family claims medical negligence
Twenty-seven-year-old firefighter Voshaun Manbodh has died days after sustaining severe injuries while battling the fire that destroyed Mae’s Schools in Subryanville last Wednesday.
Manbodh was among four firefighters injured when portions of the building collapsed as they worked to contain the inferno. He was rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) with two fractured vertebrae in his neck, impaired motor function, and an ear impediment.
Initially, he showed signs
of recovery, speaking coherently and taking phone calls. However, his condition deteriorated rapidly in the following days, and he succumbed to his injuries just before midnight on Saturday.
Following his death, Manbodh’s grieving family has come forward with serious allegations of medical negligence, claiming that delayed interventions, poor monitoring, and critical lapses in hospital protocols, contributed to his decline.
“It is with deep sorrow and concern that we announce the untimely passing of Fireman Voshaun Manbodh, a member of the Guyana Fire Service (GFS), who succumbed to his injuries while under medical care,” the family stated.
They detailed in a statement, the timeline of his hospitalisation, asserting that after his initial MRI scan returned clean results, he was able to communicate normally. However, his condition began to worsen instead of improve, which they attribute to inadequate medical care.
“Despite requiring urgent neurological evaluation, his MRI scan was painstakingly delayed; initially scheduled for 1:30 PM at St Joseph Mercy Hospital but postponed due to poor preparation by hospital staff. When they [GPHC] finally attempted to take him for the
scan after 2PM, there was a last-minute failure to properly sedate him, leading to further delays and distress,” the family said.
Even more troubling, they allege that hospital staff
failed to properly restrain him during treatment, using only “two pieces of string tied to his hands,” while his legs were loosely secured with bandages.
“The stretcher they used to transport him had no restraints, making it even more difficult to ensure his safety during movement,” they claimed.
Adding to their distress, the family also claimed that they were not informed by medical staff that Manbodh had fallen from his hospital bed. Instead, they learned of the incident from another patient.
“While under hospital care, Mr Manbodh suffered a fall from his hospital bed, an incident that was not disclosed to his family by medical staff. Instead, a fellow patient informed his mother,” the family stated.
They further alleged that, despite his critical condition, Manbodh’s IV fluids were removed, leaving him
without necessary hydration and medication. His urinary catheter was also taken out for no apparent reason.
“His mother repeatedly expressed concerns about his lack of proper restraint, hydration, and medical oversight, yet her concerns were either ignored or inadequately addressed,” the statement continued.
The family believes there is a direct link between his fall and his rapid deterioration, a connection they say GPHC hospital officials failed to acknowledge.
“We wish to underscore that there is a clear and alarming correlation between the unreported fall Mr Manbodh suffered on Friday night and the rapid deterioration that followed, further exposing the gross neglect in his care,” the family said.
Demanding accountability, they declared, “His untimely and preventable death raises grave concerns about the standard of medical care, hospital protocols, and emergency response procedures for injured service members.
Dead: Firefighter 1871
Voshaun Manbodh
Fire Chief Gregory Wickham visiting the mother of Manbodh
Home Affairs Minister Robeson Benn visiting the mother of Manbodh
Editor: Tusika Martin
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Marketing: 231-8064Accounts: 225-6707
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Email: news@guyanatimesgy.com, marketing@guyanatimesgy.com
The Trump Doctrine
While Donald Trump has been the 47th President of the US for less than two months, we can already discern the outline of the “doctrine” he will be adopting towards the rest of the world – including us. Because America is still the largest economy in the world; remains the foremost hegemon, and we are in its self-defined “sphere of influence”, we must interrogate this doctrine. The previous doctrine was articulated after WWII, when the US replaced the British Empire in many of those roles. It was based on the ideological principle of “anticommunism” to oppose the communist threat from the USSR that was considered a clear and mortal danger to the principles that America announced it stood for – capitalism, or the “freeenterprise system”. The status quo was described as a “Cold War” between the USSR/Russia and the US and its allies while other countries were placed on a continuum between those two poles.
By 1961, the first modern Guianese politician Dr Cheddi Jagan was adjudged by US President John F Kennedy (JFK) as having communist tendencies. His government was immediately destabilised and eventually overthrown in favour of the PNC of Forbes Burnham, even though the latter had been described to them by the British as “an opportunist, racist and demagogue intent only on personal power.” Since the 1960s, Guyana was torn asunder and more than half of the population fled abroad, mostly to the US and Canada. JFK initiated several projects to complement NATO in Europe such as USAID, Peace Corps and the Alliance for Progress and interventions in Vietnam, Cuba and elsewhere to counter USSR/Russia’s “communism”. The goal was always to further America’s interest even though it was cloaked as spreading or protecting “democracy” or assisting with social and other humanitarian projects. These projects and programmes have grown exponentially and cost mega billions.
In declaring his first and foremost guiding principle continue being “America is 1”, Trump seems to be disjuncturing it from the “moral principles’ to which it was tethered, because some of its own players were confusing tactics with strategy. Take for instance USAID: this was a vehicle for assisting foreign countries on the premise that the programmes might influence leaders who would prove useful allies of the US economically or strategically. In several countries in Africa and Europe, however, USAID funded “pro-democracy” groups, such as in Ukraine, and have staged successful changes of government to ensure support for the West. The “vote like a boss” campaign here was funded by USAID and helped the Opposition win in 2015.
The Trump Doctrine, however, is pointing out that since the collapse of the USSR and the fissioning of 15 republics to leave a rump Russia, it, by 1991, had adopted a capitalist/free enterprise system. But America reflexively continued supporting NATO and fight a war that was over. And even if Russia is a threat, Trump insists it is one to Europe and not the US, an ocean away. As such, Europe should not only stop expanding NATO to further encircle Russia, but should start paying for defending against any threat they may perceive.
The second principle is that the US must be transactional in its approach and if it extends its power or its money, there must be a quid pro quo. We see this in the interaction with President Zelenskyy of Ukraine where Trump demanded if the US is to continue with its aid – military or social – it would have to be given mining concessions for the rare-earth metals that America needs. Realistically, Trump pointed out that the presence of US corporations in Ukraine is also a “security guarantee”, because the US would have to protect those corporations. Congo has just made an explicit offer of its metals for US corporate-backed security.
For us in Guyana, the Trump Doctrine suggests that the US would intervene to protect the US corporations’ (ExxonMobil/ Hess/Chevron) investment in our Stabroek Block. But in a transactional move, it might also be willing to have US oil majors re-enter Venezuela if the US can control the oil production as in pre-Chávez days.
When the horror stops, the key to peace in Gaza and Ukraine will be how power is shared
By Simon JenkinS
Syria is reportedly sliding back towards civil war, as its various factions demand devolved authority. It is at root the same issue, that of local autonomy, that led to regional unrest in Ukraine and splintered leadership in Palestine. It underlies the devastating conflicts in Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. All these places are flush with guns, allies, and bombast. What they lack are national constitutions that allow their citizens sufficient local control to live at peace with others in one nation. They lack the skills of political federation.
The present Ukraine war followed the failure of peace accords reached in Minsk in 2014 and 2015; critically, they depended on the technical details of how self-determination was to be allowed in eastern Ukraine.
A later failure was that of the Istanbul deal after the Russian invasion in 2022. It appeared to be the result of President Zelenskyy’s reaction to Vladimir Putin’s Bucha massacre. But the origins of failure go back to Russian-speaking eastern Ukraine’s reaction to years of corrupt and oppressive rule
from Kyiv. Similar dissent exists among Russian minorities in the Baltic states. Everywhere, localism matters.
A constitution capable of bringing stable peace through self-government to Palestine’s West Bank and Gaza may seem almost inconceivable, but one day it has to emerge. Peace does always follow war. We assume that Qatari and Egyptian mediators are wrestling with this now, but it remains mystifying what leverage they can have over parties whose command structures are so wholly committed to armed conflict. No less urgent is for Syria to be helped towards a coalition similar to that which has kept neighbouring Lebanon at peace, however hesitantly. Syria needs an invasion of constitutional entrepreneurs.
Devolved constitutions work. India held together after partition by permitting a ruthless regionalism. It took Spain decades of civil war to reach an accord with its Basque separatists, but that has held. Britain failed. It is four years since Ireland celebrated the centenary of its departure from the United Kingdom, after a bitter civil war following a denial of home rule. Even today, nei-
ther Northern Ireland nor Scotland are stable members of the union. The reason is simple: London’s obsessive centralisation.
The more technology concentrates power on central governments, the more regions and provinces – in democracies and autocracies alike – demand greater freedom. Deprive them of it and they rise in varying degrees of revolt. Governments subject to no constitutional constraint, as in Britain, simply find devolution unpalatable.
Every British political party swears to honour localism while in opposition, and then crushes it when in power. Virtually, the last area of local discretion in England, town and country planning, is now being overruled by Keir Starmer. He is abolishing hundreds of democratic district councils he finds inconvenient to his bureaucracy.
Europe’s wiser regimes use their constitutions to appease local dissent, such as Italy regarding Sicily, Spain in Catalonia, Denmark in Greenland. Switzerland has long decentralised to its cantons, almost to the limit of national sovereignty; even qualification to vote was once discretionary. Germany’s constitution was careful-
ly crafted after the Second World War to distribute power among the Länder, to limit the reach of the central state. When Tito’s Yugoslavia fell apart, the failure to establish a vigorous federal constitution led its provinces into bloody civil war and disintegration.
Sound constitution-building is essential to a secure statehood. Arguably the most successful is that created by the United States – plural – of America in the 18th century. It is safeguarded with a central balance of powers and autonomy vested in the rights of states, a balance that may soon be tested to destruction. But the US has held together a union of disparate ethnic and national peoples in a way that has defeated subsequent efforts at union in both Europe and South America.
Constitutions may be hard to write in peacetime, but they are even harder after countries have collapsed into war. When guns are blazing and bombs falling, talk of contested boundaries, devolved assemblies, discretionary taxes and local policing seems eerily irrelevant. Yet such accords there must be.
The Corriverton, Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) Recreational Park
Minister Mustapha transformed agriculture since 2020
Dear Editor,
Please allow me to share my views on some of the negative and personal attacks for the past week being directed to the Minister of Agriculture Hon. Zulifikar Mustapha M.P.
At the outset, let me make it very clear that under the previous PNC (APNU+AFC) government, agriculture was dead. There wasn’t any development within any sector of this industry, and those who depended solely on it were nearly put to starvation. PERIOD.
I have done many letters before 2015 on agriculture, calling for betterment for all, especially those in the sugar, rice, and cash crop sectors, while asking for something to be done in helping all farmers. Many know that before 2015, I used to attack and cuss out the PPP so that they could do better for the agriculture sector.
But from 2015 to 2020, I realized that the [then] present-day government
and minister don’t care for the industry and by extension for anyone but for themselves, and I used to say it to their faces. But as many may know, they were all God’s unto themselves, while I was warned that I will be in trouble for speaking up and out. It was like throwing water on ducks back when advising them.
The previous government was a dead meat government that cared for no one, and that is why today they are falling apart in terms of leadership and in general membership.
Mr. Editor, before someone attacks the agriculture industry or, in fact, any industry, they must have knowledge of the same and be able to advise as to making that industry better and economical where all can benefit.
Many wannabe politicians want to use the agricultural sector for their own political gains, and when those within the industry
When the horror...
Constitution-building may offer no headlines, but what it can do is stop hundreds of thousands of people dying.
The masters of postwar diplomacy, such as George Kennan and Henry Kissinger, kept Europe free of war for half a century. The philosophy of containment meant the avoidance of head-tohead conflict with Russia. It also involved a measured response to Russia’s handling of its relations with its frontline neighbours, such as Hungary and Czechoslovakia. Containment held until finally Russia could no longer maintain authority over its family of subordi -
nate states, their regimes exhausted by impotence. Most departed totally from Moscow’s empire.
Both Gaza and Ukraine will need constitutions of masterful robustness. Yet while generals parade the majesty of their command, diplomatic peace-making seems in its infancy. Someone has to fashion political structures for these places that meet the longterm cravings of their citizens on the ground – cravings above all for freedom from interference from a higher authority. That is a freedom that modern governments, in peace or at war, still find hopelessly difficult to deliver. (The Guardian)
fall into the traps, they are left to wonder what's next after they are being pushed under the carpet. We saw this with the AFC that joined the PNC in 2015 and made lots of promises to all within the industry, and after gaining political office and power, kicked everyone of them.
When the PPP took office in late 2020 and Mr. Zulfikar Mustapha took the oath of office as the Minister of Agriculture, immediately he started community meetings, and Region 5 was the first region he set foot on as a minister.
I can recall that he went to several villages to meet the farmers on the ground and hear what they had to say, and I can say this, all the farmers at all the meetings said nothing good about the former Minister Holder and the then government.
I stood there and the complaints were all true and factual because under the previous government nothing was done to better the industry.
From that day, Minister Mustapha started to take action, and made several promises to the farmers for their betterment, and all those promises were fulfilled.
From that day, we all saw the agriculture industry start to bloom, and farmers
started to invest more, be it in rice, cash crops, poultry, cattle, etc. Farmers see the light and are confident in the Minister, and by extension the PPP government.
The entire agriculture industry started to transform, and we all saw the rise in the various sectors, as the ministry technical staff was directed by the Minister to ensure that they reach out to the farmers at all times and do all that they can in ensuring that the sectors positively moving forward, and people getting the assistance they need.
Under the PNC (APNU+AFC) government, help was given to the top brass family and friends, and not to the actual farmers in the industry.
Minister Mustapha ensures that the staff of his ministry and the various sub agencies are at all times available to meet with the public. This never happens under Holder.
Since 2020, we all see that Guyana is rising in agriculture development and we are once again the breadbasket of the Caribbean. Under the leadership of Minister Mustapha, Guyana is now becoming food secure. Under Holder and PNC, we were all about to starve because the industry was quickly going down the drain.
Before 2020, people hardly wanted to invest in the agricultural industry, but today investments are pouring into all sectors because of the leadership shown and given in this important industry.
Since 2020, Minister Zulfikar Mustapha M.P. has tremendously transformed the agriculture sector for the betterment of all Guyanese and, by extension, the Caribbean.
Minister Mustapha is very hardworking and dedicated towards serving the people, no matter what. He has been working around the clock to ensure that we are food secure and that the various agricultural sectors strive towards the highest peak no matter the difficulties.
Since the minister took office, he has been meeting with farmers and continues to do so through the villages and regions of Guyana. He listens to the concerns
raised, gives advice on them, and also provides assistance if needed.
So for the want-tobe politicians that blame the Minister for the prices for various crops, they must do their research and don’t just allow those dunce thugs to fill your ears with lies and deception, because under the previous government farmers were promised major improvement in prices but what they collected was shaft.
All within the agricultural sector, especially farmers and by extension, all Guyanese should be proud of this hardworking minister.
Keep up the good work Minister Mustapha, you have saved the agricultural industry. And as the saying goes “YOU CAN'T KEEP A GOOD MAN DOWN”.
Yours sincerely, Abel Seetaram
Page Foundation
1. Which of the following is equal to 50 000 + 6000 + 70 + 2?
(A) 560 072
(C) 56 072
(B) 56 702 (D) 5672
2. 300 cm expressed in metres is (A) .3 (B) 3.0 (C) 3 (D) 30
3. How many whole numbers are in the set of numbers greater than 9 but less than 20?
(A) 3 (B) 4 (C) 5 (D) 9
4. 584% expressed as a decimal is (A) 0.584 (C) 58.4 (B) 5.84 (D) 584
5. The smallest number that can be divided by 5, 9 and 15 and leaving a remainder of 0 is (A) 30 (B) 90 (C) 45
8. If 400 is increased by 20%, then the new number is (A) 80 (B) 380 (C) 420 (D) 480
(iii) Which shape has only acute angles?
By Hilda Conkling
Now the flowers are all folded, And the dark is going by. The evening is arising … It is time to rest. When I am sleeping I find my pillow full of dreams. They are all new dreams: No one told them to me Before I came through the cloud. They remember the sky, my little dreams, They have wings, they are quick, they are sweet. Help me tell my dreams To the other children, So that their bread may taste whiter, So that the milk they drink May make them think of meadows In the sky of stars. Help me give bread to the other children So that their dreams may come back: So they will remember what they knew Before they came through the cloud. Let me hold their little hands in the dark, The lonely children, The babies that have no mothers any more. Dear God, let me hold up my silver cup For them to drink, And tell them the sweetness Of my dreams.
“This is the
moment for boldness”
– Dr Singh to local
entrepreneurs
...urges them to expand, seek out available opportunities
Urging local entrepreneurs to take advantage of the available opportunities, including exploring the possibility of expanding into other countries, Dr Ashni Singh, Senior Minister within the Office of the President with responsibility for Finance, has made a clarion call for entrepreneurs to go after these opportunities with the requisite boldness.
During the recently held first launch anniversary for the Suriname Guyana Chamber of Commerce (SGCC), Dr Singh noted the potential for Guyanese entrepreneurs to seek out opportunities for their products and services, not only in Guyana, but other countries as well. Dr Singh identified Suriname as one such potential country.
“Of course we’ve started producing oil. Staatsolie has been producing oil for some time but on a relatively modest scale. But on the scale at which we’re speaking of today, we have a little bit of a head start on Suriname,” Dr
“As President Ali has often said, this is the moment for boldness. And so, it’s important as entrepreneurs that you don’t necessarily sit and wait for the Government to tell you where to go or what to do” – Dr Ashni Singh, Senior Minister with responsibility for Finance.
Singh said.
“And so, a lot of the service providers and so who will service the oil and gas industry, have set up operations, including what they intend to do in their regional operations in Guyana. And so, there are some very evident opportunities for synergies. If you are doing something in Guyana, perhaps providing a service to the oil and gas industry,” he added.
There are more than 1,100 companies registered in the Local Content Register. According to Dr Singh, Guyanese who are already taking part in the oil and gas sector, are al-
ready positioned to take advantage of the various opportunities around them. He urged them to be bold in seeking these opportunities, noting that they do not have to wait on the Government of Guyana.
“As President Ali has often said, this is the moment for boldness. And so, it’s important as entrepreneurs that you don’t necessarily sit and wait for the Government to tell you where to go or what to do… certainly not this Government. We will encourage you to go out to the rest of the world and grow your business. But this is the moment, as President Ali has said on multiple oc-
casions, for boldness in entrepreneurial activities. To actively seek out.”
“There’s absolutely no harm in going to a new market, looking around at what the new opportunities will be. Finding out how you will exploit those opportunities. Mobilise these opportunities and convert them into real transactions. I urge you to do that,” Dr Singh further said.
In November 2024, it was reported that 1,032 companies were registered with the Local Content Secretariat, meaning they are in possession of a Local Content Certificate to confirm they are a Guyanese
company and are eligible to supply oil and gas operations. This number has since grown to more than 1,100.
A major part of this growth in local companies participating in the oil and gas sector has been the Local Content Act of 2021.
There are 40 areas in the Act in which oil companies have to seek services from local providers, to varying degrees.
For instance, 100 per cent of immigration support,
work permit and visa applications, customs and ground transportation, as well as insurance have to be sought from local service providers by the oil companies. Meanwhile, other targets include 90 per cent of office space rental and accommodation services; 90 per cent of janitorial services, laundry and catering services; 95 per cent pest control services; 75 per cent local supply of food; and 90 per cent local accounting services.
Firefighter dies from injuries sustained in...
Those responsible for his inadequate care must be held accountable, and urgent reforms must be implemented to ensure that no other firefighter, emergency responder, or citizen suffers a similar fate.”
GPHC issues statement
In response to these allegations, GPHC issued an official statement on Sunday, expressing condolences, and announcing an immediate investigation into the circumstances surrounding Manbodh’s treatment.
“The Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation extends its deepest condolences to the family, colleagues, and the nation on the passing of the heroic firefighter who sustained injuries in the line of duty and was receiving medical care at our institution. We honour the immense sacrifices made by our nation’s servicemen and women and stand in solidarity with those mourning this tragic loss,” the statement read.
GPHC refrained from commenting on the specific allegations, stating, “At this time, we will not speculate on the circumstances surrounding his passing. However, we assure the public that GPHC remains steadfast in its commitment to the highest standards of medical care.”
The hospital confirmed that a formal investigation had been launched.
“In response to concerns surrounding this case, GPHC has launched an immediate investigation, led by a pan-
el chaired by a senior clinician from outside the institution. This panel comprises both external and internal medical specialists to ensure a thorough and objective review. We remain committed to transparency and will provide updates as the investigation progresses,” the hospital stated.
The institution emphasised its history of successfully treating emergency responders, adding, “Our institution has a strong track record of successfully treating and discharging servicemen and women injured while carrying out their duties”.
Meanwhile, Home Affairs Minister Robeson Benn extended condolences to Manbodh’s family, acknowledging his bravery and dedication to public service.
“Fireman Manbodh dis-
played bravery and selflessness while battling the devastating fire which engulfed Mae’s Schools in Subryanville. Having joined the Guyana Fire Service on February 5, 2023, Fireman Manbodh proved himself to be a dedicated and courageous firefighter,” Benn stated.
He confirmed that Manbodh had suffered fractures to his neck when parts of the school’s roof and walls collapsed.
The Minister also recognised the injuries sustained by three other firefighters, Sub-Officer Ian Burnette, Sub-Officer Dwayne Waldron, and Fireman Jouner Morrison, who were successfully treated and discharged.
“The loss of Fireman Manbodh serves as a solemn
reminder of the dangers faced by our firefighters daily. Their bravery and commitment to protecting lives and property are unparalleled, and as a nation, we owe them a debt of gratitude,” Benn said.
He assured that the Ministry of Home Affairs and the GFS would provide full support to Manbodh’s grieving family.
Chief Fire Officer Gregory Wickham also expressed sorrow over Manbodh’s passing, calling it a tragic loss for the fire service and the country.
“With profound sadness and a heavy heart, we extend our deepest condolences to the family, friends, and colleagues of Fireman 1871 Voshaun Manbodh, who made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty,” Wickham said.
He described Manbodh as
a firefighter who embodied the highest principles of courage and service.
“Fireman Manbodh served with honour, bravery, and commitment, embodying the true spirit of a firefighter—one who risks everything to protect the lives and safety of others. His courage and selflessness will forever be etched in the history of the Guyana Fire Service,” he added.
As a mark of respect, all service flags will be flown at half-mast.
The devastating fire that ultimately claimed Manbodh’s life broke out at Mae’s School just before 8:00h on March 5, sending thick plumes of smoke into the sky and triggering mass panic.
Divisional Fire Officer Andrew Holder, who led the response, said the situation quickly became critical.
“As I got closer, I saw the magnitude we were dealing with. I requested firefighting appliances from the outskirts of Georgetown, and that’s why we have all these firefighting units here today,” Holder explained at the time. Despite its aggressive response, the school was reduced to ashes, and more than 1,000 students were displaced.
An investigation is still underway to determine the cause of the blaze, but early reports indicate that the school had longstanding electrical issues.
Finance Minister Dr, Ashni Singh
The fire at Mae’s Schools that ultimately claimed firefighter Manbodh’s life
Cosmetologist, brotherin-law fined for brawl
Along-standing family feud turned violent when a 25-yearold cosmetologist and her brother-in-law hurled glass bottles at each other, leading to their arrest and subsequent court fines.
On Friday, Orianna Hercules of Lot 3665 Christiani Street, North Ruimveldt, Georgetown, and her brother-inlaw, Shawn Walton, appeared before Acting Chief Magistrate Faith McGusty at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court. Both were charged with the offence of throwing missiles, while Hercules faced additional charges of using abusive language and breach of the peace.
Following their guilty pleas to throwing missiles, they were each fined $10,000 or risked serving seven days in prison.
Hercules, who pleaded not guilty to the additional charges, was placed on $20,000 bail: $10,000 for each of the other two charges.
According to Hercules, the incident occurred on February 19, 2025, at Christiani Street, North Ruimveldt, when she was preparing her child for school while speaking to the child’s father.
Walton, her neighbour and also the brother of her child’s father, allegedly stepped outside and con-
fronted her.
“You always, leave this man alone…,” Walton reportedly said to Hercules, sparking an argument.
Hercules told Magistrate McGusty that Walton then picked up bottles and threw them at her, striking her in the stomach and on her hand before they fell and shattered, causing injuries to her leg. In retaliation, she alleged that she picked up one of the bottles he had thrown at her and threw it back at him.
When asked to explain his side of the story, Walton, however, presented a different version of events. He told the court that he had been feeling unwell due to food poisoning and was attempting to rest when he heard Hercules talking loudly outside. He claimed that she was making noise and discussing inappropri-
ate topics.
“She was talking about somebody and their buttocks and she was exposing herself,” Walton stated.
Frustrated, Walton said he stepped outside around 7:30h and asked her to be quiet, but the argument escalated. He admitted to throwing two Guinness bottles at Hercules in response to her shouting.
Before the matter was heard, Magistrate McGusty
Persistent…
…soorin’
Aubrey Norton seems to be an old-time kinda guy when it comes to wooing/soorin’ political coalition partners. A practitioner, if you will, of the Mighty Sparrow school that advised, 'Every now and then cuff them down They'll love you long and they'll love you strong/. Black up they eye/Bruise up they knee/And they will love you eternally.” And no!! Your Eyewitness ain’t throwing talk about that accusation by that Reg 10 lass….that was not about coalescing politically!
Elected leader of the PNC after the Sanctimonious Gangster Granger’s 2020 debacle, Norton inherited the APNU coalition that included four or five pipsqueak parties – and your Eyewitness is being kind! Norton didn’t give them no mind and didn’t even bother to show up at their meetings. But he was being consistent since he consistently pointed out that it was they who needed the PNC – and not the other way around. They didn’t have any kind of mass support – and politics in a country that tries to practice democracy – is all about mass support. Whatever value they served in hiding the notorious PNC name proved illusory – since everyone referred to the entity as “PNC”!!
asked Walton if he wished to dismiss the case against Hercules, to which he initially agreed. As both parties prepared to leave the courtroom, the Magistrate then turned to Hercules and asked if she wished to dismiss her complaint against Walton. However, Hercules declined and insisted on pursuing the matter.
Since Walton had already moved to withdraw his case, the Magistrate advised that he continue with his case against Hercules.
When the Magistrate asked Walton about his plea, she reminded him that during his previous court appearance on February 21, he had pleaded not guilty to the charge of throwing missiles. However, after recounting the events in court on Friday, his admission made it clear that he was guilty.
After being informed of this contradiction, the Magistrate asked Walton if he wished to change his plea. He agreed and changed it to guilty, after which he was fined $10,000 or seven days in prison.
Hercules, having already pleaded guilty to throwing missiles but not guilty to the other two charges, was also fined $10,000. She was placed on $20,000 bail for the abusive language and breach of the Protection Order charges and was additionally placed on a peace bond.
With both parties penalised for throwing missiles, the case is not yet over. The court has scheduled the next hearing for March 28, 2025, when statements regarding the remaining charges against Hercules will be presented.
He proved this point when the pipsqueaks voted him out for being a no-show at meetings and a new head was “elected”. But then fell over each other to accept him as head when he showed up – they didn’t even mention his “ouster”!! But the AFC – with which APNU/PNC had gone into a coalition for the 2015 elections and had tipped them over the tape – is proving to be a tad more problematical to get them to repeat their vows for the upcoming elections. Seems they didn’t appreciate Granger giving them the Mighty Sparrow’s “cuff them down” treatment between 2015 and 2020!!
This time, the AFC head honcho Hughes wants Norton to commit political hara-kiri by falling on his sword and making HIM, the coalition leader!!. So “talks” have been ongoing for over a year, but stalled because according to the AFC, the PNC sees themselves as an immovable object (Norton) while they are an unstoppable force (Hughes). Excepting that most observers feel while Norton has been shaken, the AFC has dissipated most of their force.
After the opening coalition talks, Hughes pronounced that they were on “life support”, but this might’ve been a negotiating tactic to force Norton to make concessions. While Norton’s point about being the “largest party” might be true, they need additional support to win elections – and this, the AFC is arguing, can come from them!! But most observers see the PNC and AFC attracting different segments of the same constituency – with the old Indian support vaporised!!
So neither will budge and both will lose!!
…activism
The PPP just commemorated the 61st anniversary of the martyrdom of the Leonora villager Kowsilla – who was crushed by a tractor driven by a scab who was breaking a 1964 sugar-worker strike protesting their working conditions. Leonora and sugar-worker protests are synonymous since all the way back in 1869 a strike had reached the English Parliament which deputised a Commission to investigate the causes and make recommendations. That initiated several critical improvements.
Seventy years later in 1939, another strike resulted in five sugar workers being shot and killed in cold blood by the Colonial Police. Coincidentally, while another British Commission was inquiring into the abysmal conditions in the WI colonies and taking evidence in Georgetown!! This Moyne Commission was to make recommendations that would bring us into the modern political era.
So, against this background – that’s a living, breathing presence in Leonora – we can begin to appreciate what makes Irfaan Ali tick and to realise that his activism among ordinary folks ain’t just about “politics”.
It’s a legacy!!
…helping
Just before the IMF team came down to evaluate the Government’s performance in achieving the human development goals by suggesting “targeted” cash grants, they’d announced the $100,000 grant to newborns!! For immediate needs – or a college fund!!
Charged: Orianna Hercules
Charged: Shawn Walton
Progress made in modernising revenue administration – IMF
– Guyana recognised for efforts to improve oil funds transparency, improve management of NRF
Since its creation over five years ago, the progress that Guyana has made towards strengthening the management of its Natural Resource Fund (NRF) has been recognised by the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
In its 2025 Article IV statement, the IMF noted that the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Government has made substantial progress in enhancing how the NRF, which stores Guyana’s revenue from oil and gas, is managed.
The IMF noted that the Government has been able to do this with its NRF and Public Accountability and Oversight Committee Annual Reports which it has presented to the National Assembly.
Additionally, the PPP/C’s decision to implement a system of legislative requirements to regularly disclose the receipts of oil revenues to the public, was also recognised by the financial institution.
They pointed out that these notifications are published in the Official Gazette and presented to the National Assembly. Additionally, the Bank of Guyana is charged with publishing monthly and quarterly reports of the NRF’s financial performance.
“The authorities have also made good progress in modernising their revenue administration capacity. The procurement framework is being upgraded, improving public access to information about procurement opportunities and processes and building capacity among public officials.”
“As part of broader digitalisation efforts in public sector service delivery, work is ongoing to introduce e-procurement,” the IMF further explained in their statement.
As of 2024, as much as 60 per cent of Guyana’s revenue from the oil and gas sector has been saved in the NRF, with Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo confirming in December that less than half of Guyana’s oil revenue so far has been spent.
Jagdeo had pointed out that as of September of 2024, US$3.2 billion ($665 billion) remained in the NRF. During last year, the NRF received inflows from six oil lifts from the Liza Unity, Destiny and Prosperity Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessels… four of those lifts occurring in the third quarter.
The funds in the NRF have their origins in the oilrich Stabroek Block offshore Guyana, where US oil major ExxonMobil and its partners – Hess Corporation and CNOOC – are producing light sweet crude using the Liza Destiny, Liza Unity, and more recently, the Prosperity FPSO vessel.
In 2022, for the first time, Guyana used oil funds
to finance a national budget. In fact, in 2022, the Government withdrew a total of $126 billion (US$607.6 million) in three tranches from the NRF, which went towards financing Guyana’s national development plans.
In 2023, US$1.002 billion was withdrawn to finance national development priorities. The last of eight withdrawals for last year was made on December 27, 2023, from the NRF to the Consolidated Fund, to the
tune of US$152.1 million (equivalent to $31.6 billion).
In October 2024, the Government made a withdrawal of $62.3 billion (US$300 million) from the NRF, marking the fourth tranche of the $329.8 billion in withdrawals approved by Parliament for 2024.
During a sitting of the National Assembly in November 2024, Senior Minister in the Office of the President with responsibility for Finance Dr Ashni
Singh, had laid the NRF notification of receipts in the house.
It had shown that profit oil payments were received for six oil lifts from the Liza Unity, Destiny and FPSO vessels. During that sitting, the Government gave account to the National Assembly for the US$582 million in funds that were received from both oil and royalty payments during the third quarter of 2024.
The New York Federal Reserve Bank, where Guyana’s oil revenue earns interest
GCAA says it granted special authorisation to ultralight aircraft in Guyana's airspace – as flight stirs concern among locals
In a press release on Sunday March 9, the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) revealed that it had granted special authorisation to Gyri Koeln SA, a private aviation company based in Costa Rica, permitting a fleet of three ultralight aircraft to traverse Guyanese airspace as part of their journey from Suriname to their ultimate destination in Trinidad and Tobago.
According to the GCAA, the trio of nimble, lightweight planes began their voyage on March 8, 2025, departing from Suriname at precisely 09:29 AM local time in Guyana. Following a three-hour flight, the release stated, the ultralights made a successful landing at the Eugene F. Correia International Airport in Guyana at 12:29 PM.
After a brief overnight layover, the aircraft once again ascended on the morning of Sunday, March 9, 2025, taking off from the airport at 10:54 AM local time to embark upon the final stretch of their aerial odyssey, flying in formation, to Trinidad and Tobago.
This passage through
Guyana’s sovereign airspace was made possible through the express consent and authorisation of the GCAA, the governing body charged with regulating and overseeing all aerial navigation and aviation operations within the nation’s airspace.
The GCAA meticulously reviewed the flight plans, aircraft specifications, and credentials of the pilots before granting the necessary approvals, ensuring full compliance with all relevant safety protocols and international aviation standards.
This transit agreement underscores Guyana’s commitment to fostering regional cooperation and facilitating the smooth flow of civilian air traffic, while simultaneously upholding the integrity of its borders and national security interests, the release concluded.
The flight created a buzz on local social media that prompted the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) to take note and also release a public notice via social media on Sunday, referencing the GCAA’s press release.
Govt eyeing markets in Middle East for rice export – Pres Ali
– working with farmers to optimise operations, increase profits
Amid a surplus of production due to the increase in rice yields, the Guyana Government is exploring new global markets, including in the Middle East, to export the country’s rice.
This was revealed by President Dr Irfaan Ali on Sunday during an engagement with farmers and residents at Hague Back, West Coast Demerara (WCD).
“We are now working to see how we can get new rice markets, working with leaders in the Middle East,” the Head of State indicated.
Only last week, Government, through the Ministry of Agriculture and the Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB), came to an agreement with local rice millers that will see rice farmers receiving no less than $4,000 for a bag of paddy for the first crop of 2025.
This was after rice farmers had protested the previous low price that millers were offering for paddy at a time when there is an oversupply of rice in the local market.
Following intense negotiations led by President Ali, the agreement was inked on Tuesday last.
According to the Guyanese leader during Sunday’s engagement, Government will have to transfer billions of dollars to ensure that rice farmers benefit from this deal. In fact, he noted that this has been a hallmark of his administration since it entered office in 2020 whereby billions have been injected into the rice industry, which was largely abandoned and neglected by the previous Government.
With initiatives such as the removal of value added tax (VAT) on machinery, agrochemicals, fertilisers and pesticides, over $1.8 billion has been allocated to help
rice farmers from 2022 to 2024. Another $2 billion will be distributed to these farmers as fertiliser subsidy this year.
In addition, Government has also accessed new markets in Latvia, Hungary, British Virgin Islands, Slovenia, Estonia, Lebanon, Angola and Sierra Leone.
Guyana produced a record-breaking 725,282 tonnes of rice in 2024, largely due to the introduction of new rice varieties over the past four years. This year, the local rice industry is projected to grow by 12.4 per cent with a production target of 804,000 tonnes.
However, rice prices have been falling on the world market and is predicted to fall even lower this year.
President Ali pointed out that while no one has control over the world market prices, the People’s Progress Party/Civic (PPP/C) Government has been making the necessary investments to cushion the decline in global prices – something which is reflective of the party’s longstanding commitment to the sector, farmers and agriculture as a whole.
“Every time the People’s Progressive Party/Civic is in Govt, we are the ones who fight on behalf of all of you. And we don’t need people to celebrate us because that is who we are. This is what makes us a party of difference. This is what the PPP is about – fighting for the vulnerable, fighting for the farmers,” he stressed.
Optimisation
Meanwhile, with the oversupply of rice in the local market, the Government had previously stated that several options are being considered to address this situation.
President Dr Irfaan Ali engaging farmers at Hague Back, West Coast Demerara on Sunday
Any public servants who missed cash grants will be catered to – VP
– says Govt will continue ensuring that all eligible persons receive cheques
While the vast majority of those who registered for their $100,000 per adult cash grant cheques have received same, questions have been raised about the few, including public servants who made an error in registration or those who registered locally but subsequently left the jurisdiction, and what the process will be for them to receive their cheques.
According to Vice President (VP) Bharrat
Jagdeo in his most recent press conference, such persons will be provided with their cheques. In the case of the public servants, he noted that if there are any such persons who have not received their cheques af-
ter registering, they are welcome to raise the issue with their head of department.
“I don’t know, but if there are public servants who haven’t received this, I would suggest they ask the head of their agencies, wherev-
er they are, to make contact with (Finance Minister) Dr Ashni Singh. He’s in charge of that. And that should be easily (fixed). There was some problem with that because what happened, people were registered at their workplace, but they gave their permanent address when they registered,” Jagdeo said.
“So, if you registered at Office of the President but you live in Region Three, then the cheque may be sent to Region Three. So, they have to retrieve the cheque from Region Three to get it back to the agency, if you want to collect it at the agency.”
The VP urged anyone who may have details on public servants not having received their cheques yet, to also reach out to his office or the relevant Permanent Secretary or even the substantive Minister. According to him, the issue can be sorted out in a timely manner for the public servants. That being said, the VP pointed out that most of those who registered have already received their cheques.
“I’ve seen the numbers and we’ve seen a significant number of cheques handed over. I want to urge people, they don’t have to rush to encash the cheques. Because there’s no three-day time limit and we will continue working to ensure everyone gets their cheques,” he said.
Jagdeo also noted that persons have phoned him to enquire whether their relatives who registered local-
ly, but subsequently went overseas would be able to get their cheques. The VP said that the cheques were going nowhere, but would be here for those persons when they return home.
The $100,000 per adult cash grant is an initiative that targets as much as 600,000 Guyanese. So far, over 490,000 cheques have been distributed from the cash grant initiative, with the Government anticipating that 95 per cent of the entire process can be completed by the middle of March.
Approximately 600,000 Guyanese aged 18 and above are eligible for the cash grant, which was first announced by President Dr Irfaan Ali in October last year. Temporary centres have been established countrywide to facilitate the registration and distribution of the cash grant.
Minister within the Office of the President with responsibility for finance, Dr Ashni Singh, had explained that even after these centres are closed, persons who are yet to register or receive their cheques can do so at their respective Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDCs), or at other similar offices.
Persons who for varying reasons have not been able to register, would still have an opportunity to collect their cash grants Minister Singh had assured, provided that they get themselves registered. The Ministry of Finance has been posting the distribution schedules on its social media pages.
Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo
In friendship and unity
The High Commission of India and the Swami Vivekananda Cultural Centre, in collaboration with Surabhi, ‘Spreading fragrance of friendship and enhancing
India Guyana ties’, a women’s community organisation comprising ladies from Indian and Indo-Guyanese community, organised its International Women’s Day (IWD) celebrations on
Saturday in Georgetown.
The event was attended by a diverse group of women from the Indian community and the Indo-Guyanese diaspora, along with representatives from the
Government of Guyana, the diplomatic corps, various non-governmental organisations (NGOs), academia, and socio-cultural institutions.
Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, Sonia Parag, delivered the keynote address, while Dr Deepali Telang, President of Surabhi, and High Commissioner Dr Amit Telang also shared their views on the theme ‘For All Women and Girls- Rights, Equality, Empowerment’.
Members of the Indian community in Guyana presented cultural performances on the theme of women empowerment.
One of the highlights of
the event was a special curtain raiser performance by a Rajasthani Folk Troupe, sponsored by ICCR, which
is visiting Guyana on the occasion of Spring Festival in the run up to Guyana’s Holi celebrations.
Scenes from the occasion (Photos from India in Guyana Facebook page)
A section of the gathering
ATC shortage not unique to Guyana – CATS Principal
...says Govt not looking to replace ATCs with AI month.
The Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) is bemoaning a situation in which the aviation industry is losing workers to the oil and gas sector.
In 2024 Guyana Times had reported that 20 Air Traffic Services staff had resigned, with nine resignations associated with Air Traffic Services for the period January to December 2023, comprising seven Air
the Guyana Civil Aviation Training School (CATS) Clifford Van Doimen highlighted that the shortage of Air Traffic Controllers in the country has been a decades long issue.
He added that the shortage of Air Traffic Controllers has been a global issue over the years.
“I can tell you I've been in this industry for upwards of 30 years, and attrition and shortage of control
Traffic Controllers and two AIS/AIM officers.
According to the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), from exit interviews conducted, three employees had related that “better opportunities” was their reason for leaving, while the other six had referenced non-financial reasons.
In an interview with the Guyana Times, Principal of
has always been a problem. We, between 2014 to maybe 2018, we've started to really arrest the problem.”
“And that's not indigenous to only Guyana[but] across the world. So, [it’s] something we've got to deal with,” the principal added.
According to Van Doimen, as part of efforts to ensure that Guyana’s airspace is adequately monitored, the Guyana Civil
Aviation Training School (CATS) has been closely monitoring the country’s aviation sector to identify gaps.
“So, we would train for air traffic services in a needs basis. Basically, when persons leave and there is a deficit, we would train or take on a batch and train… Notwithstanding, we're still having persons at the top leaving.”
“Within the last two years, maybe two and a half years, we've seen a very high percentage of persons leaving for the oil industry, but we've not been placed or put in a place where we cannot run the system. The system is being run and the training programs we have are quite robust to facilitate the attrition, or match, the attrition rate that we're experiencing.”
According to the principal the most recent intake of Air Traffic Controllers comprised some 25 persons from across Guyana.
The programme consisted of three months of academic instruction followed by three months of practical, on-the-job training.
Van Doimen revealed that these individuals would have already completed the course, and are currently going through the on-thejob training phase; he added that they are expected to join the workforce within a
Successful graduates of this programme are guaranteed employment with the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority, with ongoing training opportunities for career advancement.
No intention of replacing ATCs with AI
The rise of automation and AI is transforming the workplace, impacting job roles across various industries, including high-tech manufacturing.
But this shift is also causing job roles to evolve, with some becoming obsolete while new ones emerge. One such job which the principal highlighted is not becoming obsolete is the role of Air Traffic Controllers. He highlighted that stakehold-
ers are not currently looking to incorporate AI with air traffic controlling.
“We have not yet reached that stage. I can tell you that very few countries are even looking at it. The air traffic controller has not yet become obsolete. There is still the need for air traffic control.”
In fact, he referenced developed countries such as the United States of America (USA) that are currently dealing with Air Traffic Controller shortages, highlighting that these countries have reverted to alternative measures such as increased training and rehiring retired individuals.
Guyanese women driving national progress – over $156B invested in women's empowerment
Women are the bedrock of Guyana’s transformation with many taking on opportunities to strive, President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali said as he launched the Newborn Cash Grant initiative on Saturday.
With the launching ceremony held on International Women’s Day, the head of state highlighted the tangible progress made by women in the last four years – a result of deliberate investments, support, policies and programmes.
The Government has directly and indirectly, invested $156 billion, towards women empowerment initiatives.
Guyana’s Agriculture Entrepreneurship and Innovation Programme has surpassed its ambitious goal of 35 per cent women ownership for new agribusinesses, defying initial scepticism.
President Ali announced that an impressive 65 per cent of these ventures are
now owned and led by women.
This success is exemplified at the Guyana School of Agriculture (GSA), where women comprised 50 per cent of the latest graduating class, with 222 female graduates earning their qualifications.
“These are the stats that tell the story of the role women are playing in our society. And as I said, it did not happen by accident…These are the stories that are not told.
This is how the Government is working for you,” President Ali declared.
Not only are women thriving in the agriculture sector, but they have been empowered with education opportunities though an investment of more than $30 billion in the last four years.
For instance, of the 9,000 who completed the Guyana Online Academy of Learning (GOAL) programme, 7,000 of them were women, reflecting their significant contributions to the nation’s devel-
opment.
Women are also taking on roles in the technical field, with 10,000 of them graduating from various technical institutions across Guyana. Additionally, almost 60 per cent of women have received scholarships through the Hinterland Scholarship Programme.
Women are also playing a critical role in educating the nation’s future as of the 4,600 teachers recently graduated, over 4,000 are women.
Thousands of women have gained valuable skill sets to expand and prosper in their business ventures through the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security’s Women Innovation and Investment Network (WIIN) training programme.
The president said as Guyana continues on the path of transformation, investments will be directed to establish daycare facilities to provide essential support to professional women.
Principal of the Guyana Civil Aviation Training School (CATS), Clifford Van Doimen
GPL to equip Linden power grid with stateof-the-art energy management system
As the Guyana Power and Light Inc. (GPL) works assiduously to develop the country’s energy infrastructure, the company has poured significant investments into the mining town of Linden in Region 10 (Upper-Demerara UpperBerbice).
The town is expected to soon be equipped with a state-of-the-art energy management system. This in-
formation was revealed by Programme Coordinator of the Programme Execution Unit of GPL Amir Dillawar, during an appearance at Linden’s recent Statutory Meeting.
Dillawar told representatives of the council that GPL will be investing significantly to develop the regions energy infrastructure.
He highlighted that, in the near future, the region’s en-
ergy mix would comprise of 15 megawatts (MW) of solar power with the construction of three solar farms.
He highlighted that these farms will be supported by a modern energy management system.
“As you know, the new LECI or the upgraded LECI (Linden Electricity Company Incorporated) Substation is currently under construction. We will be deploying these farms that are going to be remotely controlled and operated from that substation, and they will also be able to be operated and controlled from the farm itself. What that means is we're going to bring something called an Energy Management System (EMS), which is a digitisation of the energy infrastructure at the substation.”
“Terence doesn't need to go to the substation at 12 o'clock to take recordings any more. The operator would be able to see the power that is being delivered is, what the load and the feed-
Reoffender freed after compensating victim in gold chain snatching case
William Goodasaul, a 22-year-old man with a history of robbery convictions, was freed on Friday after fully compensating his victim in a gold -chain -snatching case.
Goodasaul, a resident of 494 ‘C’ Field Sophia, Greater Georgetown, had been remanded to prison after being charged with larceny for allegedly snatching a gold chain valued at $250,000 from Kellyann Kyte on February 4 at Campbell Street, Georgetown.
During his previous court appearance, he had pleaded not guilty but expressed his willingness to settle the matter by repaying the victim. However, when given the opportunity to do so, he failed to secure the funds in time.
On Friday, Acting Chief Magistrate Faith McGusty reminded Goodasaul that he had previously promised to compensate Kyte and asked whether he had followed through. Goodasaul explained that his family had already paid $200,000 to Kyte and that only the remaining $50,000 was outstanding.
The magistrate twice called on his family members to confirm the payment, but they were absent. The matter was stood down to allow Goodasaul time to contact them. After a delay, a family member eventually appeared in court and handed over the remaining $50,000 to Kyte.
Kyte, after counting the funds confirmed to the magistrate that she had already
received $200,000 and that the final payment of $50,000 had been made in court. With the full amount repaid, the magistrate dismissed the case, and Goodasaul was freed.
Goodasaul, who is no stranger to the justice system, had been accused of working alongside an accomplice on a motorcycle to snatch Kyte’s gold chain before fleeing, leaving the motorcycle behind. Kyte immediately contacted the police, leading to Goodasaul’s arrest, with the stolen chain allegedly found in his possession.
During their initial court appearance, Magistrate McGusty had asked Kyte whether she was willing to accept either the chain or the full value in cash, and she agreed. After hearing this Goodasaul begged for bail, explaining that he needed to be released in order to obtain the funds, but the magistrate denied his request.
Goodasaul then asked for
a week to make another attempt, again insisting that with another phone call, he could settle the matter.
However, the prosecution strongly objected to bail, highlighting the seriousness of the offence and the fact that the stolen chain had been found in his possession.
This was not Goodasaul’s first brush with the law. In 2023, at the age of 20, he was charged with robbing a policeman of a gold chain valued at $150,000 while in the company of an accomplice. The robbery involved an assault on the victim before the chain was stolen, and the perpetrators fled on a motor scooter, driven by Goodasaul.
He was later identified and arrested. At the time, he was already on bail for a separate robbery charge but had failed to report to the police as required.
In addition to that offence, Goodasaul had recently served six months in prison for a similar crime.
er is, what power is coming over from the third-party supplier. All of this information is going to be present right there in the substation control room,” he explained.
Apart from interments towards digitising and modernising the regions energy infrastructure, Dillawar revealed that his organisation will be allocating resources to develop skills within the region.
“We have what is known as an Energy Apprenticeship Programme. This Energy Apprenticeship Programme is where we take young professionals, persons with degrees, diplomas, and we sec-
ond them or attach them to my execution unit, and we also rotate them to GPL, and we give them handson experience in this type of work, in executing these types of projects,” he said. With an objective to train and improve, this initiative will specifically target young individuals that are new to the field.
Another initiative he highlighted was the ‘Women in Solar Apprenticeship’ programme. This initiative intends to target women from project areas, and equip them with the skills needed to install and operate and maintain solar Photovoltaic
(PV) systems.
According to Dillawar GPL has already acquired an international trainer to facilitate the programme.
“We already procured an internationally certified training provider that will be doing this training, and we're currently in the phase of procuring or launching the recruitment of the women in question.”
Meanwhile earlier it was revealed that an 8-MW solar PV farm – the largest of its kind – will be constructed in the mining town of Linden in Region 10 (Upper Demerara- Berbice).
Govt eyeing markets...
In addition to new markets to absorb the increasing yields, they are also looking to push more domestic use of locally-produced rice.
According to President Ali, venturing out into value-added products is key.
“We also have to invest more here so that we have more value-added production from the rice. With the cost of electricity coming down, we have to have more rice-based products – cereals and all of these things… More investments in breweries [are] coming into the country also. All of this would add to increase local consumption because we want production to expand, production to get to a million tonnes and we’re also working to ensuring that your input cost comes down so that your profitability would be greater,” he noted.
Only recently, President of the Rice Producers Association (RPA), Leeka Rambrich, called on rice farmers to start mechanising their operations and maximise output from minimum investment especially with the declining prices on the global market.
During Sunday’s engagement, the Head of State highlighted that local farmers particularly in the rice industry, are often overcapitalising, which leads to high-
er production costs. For example, he explained that a single combine is typically designed to work on 100 acres of land, or more, but in Guyana, farmers often use as many as five combines for just 100 acres.
“What happens [there is that] you’re not getting optimal use of the combine and you’re increasing the cost of production because you have to find fuel for five combines when you can use one combine to do the job on 100 acres of land.”
“That is something we’ve found, where farmers are overcapitalising. When you need two tractors for a 100acre land, everybody with a five-acre land wants their own tractor [and] everybody with a 10-acre land want their own tractor with combine. And that is not a feasible way of doing things…”
According to the President, he has already instructed the Ministries of Finance and Agriculture to engage rice farmers on this.
“We have to find a way in which we have these conversations to help you to build the optimal business model… And for that to happen, you have to come together.”
The Guyanese leader told the WCD rice farmers that if those with smaller acreages come together and pool their land, then Government
would provide the machinery such as tractors and combines to support them, thus removing the need for them to invest capital on their own.
President Ali also spoke of his Government’s plans to set up a fertiliser plant which will be supported by the model Gas-to-Energy (GtE) Project, which is set to slash electricity prices by half while utilising the rich natural gas that will be piped to the Wales, West Bank Demerara (WBD) site from the Stabroek Block, offshore Guyana.
“Even if the Government has to support this, we will but we want the local private sector also to be part of it [so] we’re going to invest in a fertiliser plant so that we’ll bring down the cost of fertiliser for the farmers…”
“You’ll get cheaper fertiliser made right here in Guyana… and not only access to fertiliser but I said to the Ministry of Agriculture in that plan, we must be able to develop fertiliser that best suit our own conditions so that we will have higher productivity, higher yield… The agrochemical plant, as a result of the investment, will come by 2027. Once we are in Government, you will see those things… “So, your best days are ahead of you,” the President told the farmers.
Programme Coordinator of the Programme Execution Unit of the Guyana Power and Light Inc., Amir Dillawar
William Goodasaul
"Take advantage of free training opportunities" – Dr Singh
... as ICT training programme graduates over 4000 persons to date
Dr Ashni Singh, Senior Minister in the Office of the President with responsibility for Finance, on Saturday attended and delivered the feature address at the graduation ceremony for the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) training programme for candidates from the Fort Ordinance and Canefield catchment areas in Region Six, provided by the Government of Guyana.
During his remarks, Dr Singh noted that the training programme offers skills that can lead to self-employment and even business opportunities, and encouraged graduates to promote it and encourage others to apply.
In addition, he detailed the several other free training programmes being of-
fered by the Government, including those for information technology (IT) and nursing and vocational training. He encouraged those who are currently
working to seek better job opportunities by acquiring relevant skills, and further placed on record that the Government is open to creating new training pro-
grammes based on community needs and interests.
Dr Singh congratulated the graduates on taking the step to improve their skills through the training
programme, and urged everyone, regardless of age, to take advantage of the free training opportunities to continuously improve their skills and stay relevant.
He advised that the current period of economic growth and development in Guyana, presents many opportunities for individuals to uplift themselves, and reiterated Government’s commitment to providing the necessary training opportunities and support for everyone to succeed.
According to his social media post, the Minister also used the opportunity to
wish all the women present, and by extension all of the women of Guyana, Happy International Women’s Day (IWD), and emphasised that a society that empowers and recognises women and their role in economic and national life is a society that thrives and prospers more than any other society.
He also pointed out that the ICT programme has trained more than 4,000 people, with no less than 70 per cent being women.
Also attending and delivering remarks was the Regional Chairman David Armogan – Reg No. 6.
PSC meets IMF delegation
– Investment climate, Private Sector-led growth discussed
The Private Sector Commission of Guyana (PSC) in its press statement reported that the Commission met with Lusine Lusinyan, Deputy Division Chief of the Western Hemisphere Department of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), and her team to discuss “Investment Climate and Strategies for Private Sector-Led Growth.”
The statement noted that the meeting provided a platform for the PSC to share insights on key issues, including the labour force, financing for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), foreign exchange, data collection and reporting, and Guyana’s legal investment framework.
The PSC engaged in discussions on the current eco-
nomic climate and emphasised the importance of accurate data representation and methodology in international reports.
According to its press statement, Chairman Mr Singh highlighted that every economic sector in Guyana is experiencing growth, driving an increasing demand for skilled labour. He pointed to existing mechanisms for job seekers, such as the Ministry of Labour’s Job Bank and the Diaspora Unit at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Additionally, he underscored the Government’s efforts in improving the governance environment through legislative advancements, such as arbitration laws, and streamlining business operations via single-window platforms in trade and construction.
Addressing workforce development, past Chairman, Dookhoo, stressed the necessity for targeted training programmes to equip the labour force with relevant skills.
The PSC reiterated its position that unemployment in Guyana is largely volun-
tary, given the abundance of economic activities that create opportunities and jobs for everyone. Additionally, the Commission highlighted that labour costs in the private sector have increased by more than 60 per cent over the past four years, reflecting the country’s rapid economic expansion and rising demand for skilled workers.
Furthermore, members of the PSC underscored the need for regulatory reforms in the banking sector to better support the expansion and financial resilience of SMEs.
While acknowledging that banks have made improvements to facilitate the ease of doing business—including the introduction of invoice financing and the recognition of movable property as assets—there is still room for further enhancements.
At the same time, the PSC emphasised that the private sector must also strengthen its internal governance and financial systems to improve access to
financing and ensure longterm sustainability.
The PSC delegation also questioned the methodologies used by international agencies in compiling economic reports, expressing concerns over the accuracy and relevance of benchmarking criteria.
The Commission reiterated that data must reflect the true economic realities of Guyana and should be collected using methodologies
that offer an accurate representation of the country’s economic performance.
This meeting reaffirmed the PSC’s commitment to collaborating with all stakeholders to foster a sustainable economic environment, strengthen financial resilience, and advocate for policies that support private sector development, its statement concluded.
PSC Chairman Komal Singh
Senior Minister, Dr Ashni Singh (centre) with Region 6 Chairman David Armogan (right) at the graduation
By Dr Tariq Jagnarine Fam meDicine/ enDocrinology/DiaBeTes
An injury to the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, inflammation, and ulcers can all cause the lining of the digestive tract to bleed. In some cases, perforation may occur, resulting in bleeding, abdominal pain, and severe illness. If bleeding occurs in the GI tract, the blood passes out of the body with the stool. Specific health issues that can lead to bleeding include the
following:
HEALTH TIPS
BLOOD IN STOOL: CAUSES AND WHEN TO WORRY PART 1
Gastroenteritis
Gastroenteritis refers to viral, fungal, or parasitic infections that affect the stomach and intestines. Symptoms can last up to 14 days, depending on the cause, and can include:
• Abdominal pain
Nausea and vomiting
• Watery or bloody diarrhoea
Headache
• Fever
Muscle aches
• Infection usually results from:
o Consuming food and water from contaminated sources
o Improper hand hygiene
o Contact with people who have an infection
o Consuming spoiled food, resulting in food poisoning
Some people may call viral gastroenteritis stomach flu.
However, doctors no longer use this term as this is a gastrointestinal disease, while flu is a respiratory disease.
aaaaaaaaaaaa
Anal fissure
aaaaaaaaaaa
Anal fissures are small tears in the lining of the anus. They may bleed and cause pain during a bowel move-
ment. Possible causes include: Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)
Trauma
• Tumours
Infections
Constipation
• Chronic diarrhoea
Haemorrhoids
Haemorrhoids are veins in the lower rectum and anus. Everyone has these veins, but straining or passing hard stool can cause swelling and rupturing, which can lead to symptoms such as blood in stool.
People with haemorrhoid trauma may notice a few drops of blood on the stool, on tissue, or in the toilet bowl. Factors that increase the size of haemorrhoids and, therefore, the risk of haemorrhoids bleeding include:
Constipation
• Diarrhoea
Straining on the toilet
• Pregnancy
People may also cause bleeding by wiping too aggressively and causing trauma to large haemorrhoids. However,
some people with large haemorrhoids may not have symptoms.
Peptic ulcers
Peptic ulcers are open sores that develop in the stomach lining or duodenum. A peptic ulcer on a blood vessel may cause bleeding and bloody stools. Other symptoms include:
Bloating and belching
Nausea
• Vomiting
Reduced appetite and weight loss
These ulcers can result from infection with Helicobacter pylori bacteria or long-term use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).
Diverticula
Diverticula are small pockets that can form inside the colon. They can bleed due to the rupture of a vessel on the edge of the diverticulum.
Healthcare professionals call this a diverticular bleed. Risk factors for diverticular bleeding include:
NSAIDs
• Older age
• Blood thinners
Cardiovascular disease
Diabetes
Inflammatory bowel disease
Inflammatory bowel diseases, such as Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, can cause bloody stool and other symptoms, such as: abdominal pain, diarrhoea, weight loss, fatigue. Experts do not know what causes IBD, but genetic factors and environmental triggers to the immune system may play a role.
Anal fistula
An anal fistula is a small tunnel that forms between the end of the bowel and the skin near the anus. Fistulas can also start in the colon and lead to another organ or the skin’s surface. Colonic fistulas are less common than anal fistulas. Fistulas can occur as a complication of: surgery, diverticulitis, Crohn’s disease, cancer, an infection. After an infection, pus can collect in tissues surrounding the anus. As the pus drains, it leaves behind the fistula, which may continue to ooze pus or blood.
Cancer
Cancerous tumours of the GI tract can weaken the lining of the GI tissues, causing bleeding. However, cancer may be present without any visible signs of bleeding. People with a higher risk of cancer in the digestive system can ask a doctor about colonoscopies for surveillance, depending on their risk factors. Doctors may recommend screening tests such as a faecal occult blood test for people without an increased risk.
South Carolina carries out first firing squad execution in US in 15 years
South Carolina executed a convicted murderer by firing squad on Friday, the first use of the method in the United States in 15 years.
Brad Sigmon, 67, chose to be killed by a firing squad, saying he feared the alternatives of the electric chair or lethal injection would risk a slower and more torturous death.
Sigmon was pronounced dead at 6:08 p.m. ET, according to Chrysti Shain, a spokesperson for the South Carolina Department of Corrections.
Sigmon was convicted of beating to death his ex-girlfriend’s parents, William and Gladys Larke, with a baseball bat at their home in the town of Taylors in 2001.
Executioners strapped him into a chair in a steel basin with a hood over his head and a target over his heart at the South Carolina Department of Corrections’ execution chamber in Columbia. Three executioners fired live ammunition from 15 feet (4.5 meters) away.
Shain said that Sigmon’s
attorney, Bo King, read Sigmon’s last statement to witnesses just before the execution, in which the inmate said he wanted to convey “a calling to my fellow Christians to help us end the death penalty.”
Three media witnesses to the execution said during a press conference afterward that Sigmon was dressed in a black jumpsuit and had a bullseye attached to his chest.
There was no warning when the three executioners fired at Sigmon, shots that took place simultaneously.
Witnesses flinched when the shots were fired, but there was little reaction beyond that, the media witnesses said.
After he was shot, Sigmon appeared to take two short breaths and a blood stain appeared on his chest. He was pronounced dead about three minutes after the shots were fired, the media witnesses said.
A few hours before the scheduled execution time, the U.S. Supreme Court rejected Sigmon’s final petition to halt his killing. The court, in a brief unsigned notice with no noted dissents, denied his application, which argued that South Carolina’s refusal to share information about its lethal injection protocol violated his due-process rights.
There have been only three executions in the U.S. by firing squad since 1976 when the death penalty was reinstated in the U.S. All three were in Utah, one of only five states that still offers a method that was common in the 19th century during the Civil War.
(Excerpt from Reuters)
J’ca Court of Appeal quashes murder conviction of Mavado’s son, co-accused
The Jamaican Court of Appeal has quashed the murder convictions and sentences of Dantay Brooks, son of dancehall entertainer Mavado, and his co-accused, Andre Hinds.
The decision was handed down on Friday morning.
In 2021, then 18-yearold Brooks was sentenced to life imprisonment for the 2018 killing of Lorenzo Thomas in Cassava Piece, St. Andrew.
Mr. Thomas was shot, beheaded and his body set ablaze.
Brooks was ordered to serve 22 years before becoming eligible for parole. Hinds was also sentenced to life imprisonment. He was ordered to serve 17 years before becoming eligible for parole. Both were also sentenced to 15 years behind bars for arson.
The court heard the appeal on December 10 and 11 last year and later reserved judgment.
Attorney Oswest Senior-Smith, who represented Hinds, said verdicts of acquittal were entered for both men on Friday.
Mr. Senior-Smith said there were several grounds of appeal, including on the evidence of visual and voice identification. The defence, he said, argued that the
prosecution’s evidence was “particularly weak”, and also questioned the credibility of the crown’s main witness, as well as the directions given by the trial judge.
Brooks was represented by attorney Hugh Wildman.
The attorneys are awaiting the written decision.
Mavado has since threatened to take legal action against all parties involved in what he has described as “this cruel act of injustice” against his son Dantay who, along with co-accused Andre Hinds, were freed of murder and arson charges and their life sentences set aside by the Court of Appeal on Friday.
Mavado has vowed that he “will not stop fighting until real justice is served upon those who perpetrat-
ed this awful, unlawful and unwarranted action against my son and his co-accused...”
In a lengthy instagram post, Mavado noted that the Court of Appeal granted a full acquittal, “showing how false, contrived and concocted this whole case has been from day one”.
“They also tried to drag my name through the mud to help them carry out their wrongdoings and garner headlines for themselves. Well, this story and those headlines are far from over and we will see the names of those conspirators and workers’ iniquity brought to bear, to face justice and accountability for their egregious actions and motivations,” Mavado declared.(Source: Jamaica Loop News, Radio Jamaica News)
Ecuador will not receive deported migrants of other nationalities, President says –
attacks Venezuela’s Maduro for ‘rejecting’ flights of deported Venezuelans
Ecuador President Daniel Noboa said on Sunday that his country will not receive deported migrants of other nationalities, and criticized Venezuela’s president for allegedly rejecting flights of Venezuelan migrants deported from the United States.
Noboa, who will face off against leftist Luisa Gonzalez in an April 13 run-off election, said on X that Ecuador would always receive its own citizens deported from other countries because “we do not abandon our people.”
In his post, Noboa attacked Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro for “rejecting” flights of de -
Ecuador’s President and presidential candidate for reelection
ported Venezuelans, calling it a “complete lack of empathy.”
A day earlier, Maduro said that scheduled flights to bring home Venezuelan
migrants from the United States had been affected by “this unexplained, tremendous commotion,” after the Trump administration canceled a license allowing Chevron to operate in the South American country.
Maduro, however, did not mention the company’s name directly in reference to the migrant flights. He said that communication between the two countries had been damaged and flights affected.
“This is how authoritarian and extremist regimes act, without caring about the fate of those fleeing the crisis they themselves caused,” Noboa said in his post. (Excerpt from Reuters)
Panama releases 65 detained migrants from US amid criticism
Panama has released 65 migrants who were held for weeks in a remote camp after being deported from the United States, telling them they have at least 30 days to leave the Central American nation.
Authorities said the people released on Saturday will have the option of extending their stay in Panama up to 90 days if needed, allowing them to begin the legal process for resettlement or voluntary return to their homeland.
The group was released from the Darien, a dangerous jungle region near the border with Colombia and a key transit route for many migrants crossing from South America on foot. They had been in the camp since mid-February after their deportation from the US.
Rights groups argue the release was a way for Panama to wash its hands of responsibility amid mounting human rights criticism.
Many of the released migrants say they were fleeing violence and repression in China, Russia, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran, Nepal, and other countries.
As part of the US administration’s policy of ramping up migrant deportations, Panama reached a deal with Washington under which it received the deported third-country migrants, taking over the responsibility for their repatriation or resettlement.
Immigration advocates and rights groups have denounced the arrangement as cruel, as it allows for the US to export its deportation process.
The agreement also prompted human rights concerns when hundreds of deportees detained in a hotel in Panama City held up notes to their windows pleading for help and saying they were scared to return to their countries.
Among those who got off one of the buses carry-
ing the released migrants on Saturday was 27-yearold Nikita Gaponov. He fled Russia due to repression for being part of the LGBTQ+ community and said he was detained at the US border but not allowed to make an asylum claim.
Hayatullah Omagh, a 29-year-old who fled Afghanistan in 2022 after the Taliban took control, was released on Saturday and is also in legal limbo, scrambling to find a path forward without having to return to his homeland.
“I can’t go back to Afghanistan under any circumstances … It is under the control of the Taliban, and they want to kill me. How can I go back?”
Panamanian authorities also denied accusations of ill-treatment of the migrants, but blocked journalists from accessing the camp and cancelled a planned press visit last week. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)
RBC Caribbean unveils solar carport in The Bahamas
RBC Caribbean said it has successfully completed its first solar carport at the East Hill Street Corporate Office in The Bahamas.
In a statement Friday, the company said the landmark project signifies RBC’s commitment to sustainability, renewable energy and net-zero leadership.
The company said the transformation of an open parking area into this cutting-edge solar carport was
completed in six months.
“Designed to generate solar energy while providing
essential shade for vehicles, the carport harnesses the abundant Bahamian sunshine, contributing to the energy needs of the Head Office in The Bahamas.
“This initiative exemplifies RBC’s commitment to creating a positive impact within the local community by partnering with Bahamian owned Compass Solar Systems Limited, which provided engineering, procurement, and construction services for the project.”
Executed: Brad Sigmon
Daniel Noboa
David Brooks, known professionally as Mavado, and his son Dante Brooks in an undated photo
Israel, Hamas signal readiness for next ceasefire talks as mediators push for progress
Israel and Hamas signaled on Saturday they were preparing for the next phase of ceasefire negotiations, as mediators pushed ahead with talks to extend the fragile 42day truce that began in January.
Hamas said there were "positive indicators" for the start of the ceasefire's second-phase talks but did not elaborate.
Israel also said it was preparing for talks. "Israel has accepted the invitation of the mediators backed by the U.S., and will send a delegation to Doha on Monday in an effort to advance the negotiations," Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said.
A delegation from Hamas is engaging in
ceasefire talks in Cairo with Egyptian mediators who have been helping facilitate the talks along with officials from Qatar. They aim to proceed to the next stage of the deal, which could open the way to ending the war.
"We affirm our readiness to engage in the second-phase negotiations in a way that meets the demands of our people, and we call for intensified efforts to aid the Gaza Strip and lift the blockade on our suffering people," Hamas spokesman Abdel-Latif Al-Qanoua said in a statement. In a later statement reporting its delegation's meeting with the head of Egypt's general intelligence agency, Hassan Mahmoud Rashad, Hamas affirmed the group's ap-
proval of forming a committee of what it described as "national and independent" characters to run Gaza until elections.
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi earlier said Cairo had worked in cooperation with Palestinians on creating an administrative committee of independent, professional Palestinian technocrats entrusted with the governance of Gaza after the end of the Israel-Gaza war.
His remarks came during the Arab summit which adopted Egypt's alternative reconstruction plan for Gaza, as opposed to U.S. President Donald Trump's "Middle East Riviera" vision. (Excerpt from Reuters)
Iran would consider talks with US about concerns over militarisation of nuclear programme, UN mission says
Iran would consider negotiations with the U.S. if the aim of the talks was to address concerns regarding any potential militarization of its nuclear program, Iran's U.N. mission said on Sunday in a post on X.
The comment came a day after the country's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Iran will not negotiate under U.S. "bullying".
In the post on X the mission said: "If the objective of negotiations is to address concerns vis-à-vis any potential militarization of Iran’s nuclear program, such discussions
may be subject to consideration."
"However, should the aim be the dismantlement of Iran’s peaceful nuclear program... such negotiations will never take place," the post added.
Khamenei was quoted by state media as saying on Saturday: "They are bringing up new demands that certainly will not be accepted by Iran, like our defence capabilities, missile range and international influence."
U.S. President Donald Trump said in an interview with Fox Business Network, broadcast on Friday, that he wants to ne-
gotiate a nuclear deal with Iran and had sent a letter to its leadership suggesting talks with the Islamic Republic, which the West fears is rapidly nearing the capability to make atomic weapons.
Iran denies seeking nuclear weapons.
While expressing openness to a deal with Tehran, Trump has reinstated a "maximum pressure" campaign that was applied during his first term as president to isolate Iran from the global economy and drive its oil exports to zero. (Excerpt from Reuters)
Syria leader calls for peace after hundreds of civilians killed
Syria's leader Ahmed Sharaa has called for peace after days of clashes where Syrian security forces allegedly killed hundreds of civilians from the Alawite religious minority.
The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) - which monitors fighting in Syria - said about 745 civilians were killed in 30 "massacres" targeting Alawites on the west coast on Friday and Saturday.
The BBC has not been able to independently verify the death toll of the escalating violence, believed to be the worst since the fall of the Assad regime.
President Sharaa said:
"We must preserve national unity and civil peace as much as possible and... we will be able to live together in this country."
The number of fighters killed in the past four days brings the total death toll to more than 1,000 people, says the Syrian Observatory. This included about 125 fighters linked to the new Islamistled government and 148 pro-Assad fighters.
Reuters news agency reported sources in the new Syrian government saying at least 200 of the fighters had been killed.
Speaking from a mosque in Damascus on Sunday, the interim president said: "What is currently happen-
Around the world
DR Congo offers $5M bounties for rebel leaders
The Democratic Republic of Congo government has offered a reward of $5m (£4m) for help arresting three leaders of a rebel group which has seized much of the east of the country this year.
Corneille Nangaa, a former head of DR Congo's electoral commission, now leads the Congo River Alliance, which includes the M23 rebel group. He has addressed large rallies in the cities under the group's control.
The bounty is also on offer for M23 leaders Sultani Makenga and Bertrand Bisimwa.
Last year the three men were prosecuted in absentia by a military court and given death sentences for treason.
A reward of $4m (£3) was also offered for the arrest of two journalists living in exile, and others the government describes as accomplices.
But the chances of anyone being arrested appear slim.
In recent weeks the army has been no match for the Rwandan-backed rebels who
have captured large parts of the mineral-rich eastern DR Congo, including the region's two largest citiesGoma and Bukavu.
President Félix Tshisekedi has instead focused on trying to build international pressure for Rwanda to face sanctions for backing the rebels.
Last year, a report by UN experts said up to 4,000 Rwanda troops were working with the M23 in DR Congo.
Thousands of people have been killed during the fighting and hundreds of thousands left without shel-
ter after fleeing their homes. The Congolese government is also seeking US support in exchange for access to its minerals.
DR Congo accuses Rwanda of trying to take control of its minerals, which include gold and coltan, used in consumers electronics such as mobile phones and computers. Rwanda denies looting minerals from DR Congo. It no longer denies backing the M23 but says it is trying to prevent the conflict in DR Congo from spilling over into its own territory. (Excerpt from BBC News)
Women worldwide march to demand end to violence, inequality
Demonstrators have taken to the streets across Asia, Africa, Europe and the Americas to mark International Women’s Day, with many demanding an end to gender-based violence and inequality.
In cities like Buenos Aires, Argentina on Saturday, those warnings were particularly grave, as protesters railed against austerity plans put forth by President Javier Milei that they say will roll back services for women.
ing in Syria is within the expected challenges."
He also announced in a statement that he had launched an investigation into the violence which would "identify those responsible" and refer the perpetrators to court.
He did not comment directly on accusations that atrocities were being committed by his supporters in the coastal provinces of Latakia and Tartus.
On Sunday, Syrian media reported that fighting between government forces and Assad loyalists had also broken at a gas power plant in Banias, a city about halfway between Latakia and Tartus.
9 (Excerpt from BBC News)
Hundreds of women in Ecuador marched in the capital Quito holding signs that opposed violence and the “patriarchal system”.
“Justice for our daughters!” demonstrators yelled in support of women slain in recent years.
In Bolivia, thousands of women began marching late Friday, with some scrawling graffiti on the walls of courts, demanding that their rights be respected and denouncing impunity in femicides, with less than half of those cases reaching sentencing.
In many European countries, women also protested against violence, for better access to gender-specific healthcare, equal pay and other issues in which there are still disparities with men.
In Poland, activists opened a centre across from the parliament building in Warsaw where women can go to have medical abortions, also known as non-surgical abortions, either alone or with other women.
Protesters also took to the streets in Madrid, Spain.
Some protesters held up hand-drawn pictures depicting Gisele Pelicot, a French woman who was drugged by her now ex-husband in France over the course of a decade so that she could be raped by dozens of men while unconscious.
Pelicot has become a symbol for women all over Europe in the fight against sexual violence.
In the Nigerian capital
of Lagos, thousands of women gathered at the Mobolaji Johnson Stadium, dancing and singing and celebrating their womanhood.
Many were dressed in purple – the traditional colour of the women’s liberation movement.
In Russia, the women’s day celebrations had more official overtones, with honour guard soldiers presenting yellow tulips to girls and women during a celebration in St Petersburg.
In Ukraine, a ceremony was held in the city of Kharkiv to commemorate female soldiers who had died fighting Russia’s invasion. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)
Corneille Nangaa
Women react as they march to mark International Women's Day, in Quito, Ecuador
SUDOKU
A passionate approach to life, love and the pastimes that bring you joy will improve your disposition and encourage friendships. Step away from controversy and toward what makes you smile.
Stop waiting for others and procrastinating. Refuse to let time pass you by; be the one to make the first move, engage in something new and exciting or step into a leadership position.
Be careful what you say or offer. If you fall short of fulfillment, someone will hold you to your promises or make you look bad. Stick close to home.
Take a serious look at your lifestyle, consider what brings you joy and what you'd like to walk away from. Let go of or change the dynamics of situations that are too demanding.
Research will pay off. Personal changes will offer clarity and revision and give you a purpose that makes life worth living. Love, personal gains and self-improvement are within reach.
Take the time to discover what's available to you. Put your energy into what most fascinates you and finetune what you discover to help you achieve your goals.
Create a safe place to think and develop what you want to do next. Look at the big picture and make choices that leave you feeling comfortable.
Implement activities that get you moving and stir up feelings that push you to follow your dreams. Go on a learning expedition, discover the ins and outs of what you want to pursue and take a wholehearted approach to doing something that makes you feel alive.
Not everyone you meet today will be on your side. Listen carefully and decipher what's valid or fits into your plans before you give in to persuasive manipulation.
Push forward aggressively and turn your back on meaningless and time-consuming situations. Protect your space, reputation and peace of mind. Let go of what's holding you back.
Take the plunge, and don't look back. Focus on what's ahead of you, be open and receptive to new beginnings and learn all you can to bring about the changes that make you happy.
Tone down the rhetoric and bypass involvements that entail excessive behavior. Avoid situations that are risky or volatile. Do your best to get along with your associates.
Rohit, Rahul, spinners lead India to 3rd Champions Trophy title
New Zealand defended with all their might against heavy favourites India. But in the end, India had just too much quality and depth to end their second straight International Cricket Council (ICC) tournament unbeaten. They now hold two of the four ICC trophies, having lost in the final of the other two. In the last three ICC tournaments alone, India have won 22 of their last 23 completed matches.
On a tired pitch, run-scoring followed similar patterns. Having won a crucial toss –India have lost their last 15 ODI tosses – New Zealand raced away to 69 for 1 in the powerplay, but the high-quality spin from India dragged them back. On a pitch offering them the least turn of all matches in Dubai this tournament, they bowled 38 overs between them to concede just 144 runs and take five wickets. Again as they got pace on ball at the death, Michael Bracewell scored 53 off 40 to give himself and his bowling colleagues a target.
India made a similarly breezy start of 64 for 0 in the powerplay, but New Zealand kept clawing their
Sharma and Shubman Gill. Lacking the mystery of Varun Chakravarthy or the rare left-arm wristspin art of Kuldeep Yadav, New Zealand capitalised on the increased turn – average of two degrees in the first innings, 3.4 in the second – and tested India thoroughly. Their spinners bowled 35 overs for 152 runs and five wickets. Every batter other than Virat Kohli got a start – scores ranged between Rohit’s 76 and Hardik Pandya’s run-a-ball 18 – but none of them completed the job. Their incredible depth, though, prevailed as KL Rahul and Ravindra Jadeja saw them through with one over to spare and four wick-
It was a final to rescue the tournament that has been short on close contests. India came in with much more ammunition for the conditions than New Zealand, but the toss proved to be a bit of an equaliser. Rachin Ravindra, leading run-getter of the tournament, batted like a dream against the new ball, the best conditions all
day long. Without breaking a sweat or taking a risk, he scored 37 off 29 in a start that stunned the crowd.
went to their likeliest wick et-takers as opposed to the usual formula of bowling Axar Patel with the new ball. Varun beat Will Young with drift on a legbreak, but the natural variation provided the telling blow to trap him lbw. Kuldeep, just five wick ets so far, announced himself in the final with two of the biggest wickets: Ravindra to a wrong’un first ball, and Kane Williamson beaten in the air with big dip and offer ing a return catch.
over, caught off Santner at short fine leg, India needed 67 off 68. The asking rate only hovered around a run a ball – the biggest difference between the balls and runs was four with six overs left. Confident in their depth, India kept taking the odd risk
Three wickets had fallen to reduce New Zealand to 75 for 3, and it was now up to Tom Latham and Daryl Mitchell to keep wickets in hand for the final push. Mitchell struggled to score fluidly, which meant Latham –- a stalwart in the middle overs of One-Day International (ODI) cricket – had to take a risk. And when you take a risk against the metronomic Jadeja – 100-30-1 – you better not miss because he will get you lbw.
For the second time in this tournament, India bowled just spin through the middle overs. It was a slow track, but offered minimal turn. It is a testament to the quality and the accuracy of India’s spinners that New Zealand were choked through the period. It took them 21 overs to double their 10-overs score of 69. Varun came back to get Glenn Phillips in the 38th over, again pushing back their charge.
Bracewell brought back memories of how fluidly Ravindra batted as India went back to pace on ball at the back end. Mitchell, who followed Shreyas Iyer and Shubman Gill into scoring
Santner’s hand. He brought himself on in the ninth over, but the best he and Ravindra could manage was a few relatively quiet overs.
In the first over after the drinks break, Phillips produced his third unbelievable catch of the tournament, leaping high at extra cover and plucking a one-hander to send Gill back. With his first ball, Bracewell trapped Kohli lbw for one. Now the easy runs stopped. Rohit slowed down, looking like he was setting himself up for an old-fashioned Rohit knock. Then, though, after a spell of eight overs for 19 runs and two wickets, he charged at Ravindra, looking to hit his fourth six of the night, and was stumped.
Iyer, two half-centuries to his name already, and Axar then repaired the damage with a 61-run partnership from 122 for 3. Iyer was the edgier of the two. Young caught him at the deep midwicket fence, but touched the boundary skirting, Kyle Jamieson dropped him as he tried two consecutive sixes off Phillips, the sixth dropped catch between the two teams.
When Iyer fell in the 39th
New Zealand (50 ovs maximum) Will Young lbw b Varun 15 Rachin Ravindra
b Kuldeep Yadav 37
Kane Williamson
c & b Kuldeep Yadav 11
Daryl Mitchell c Sharma
b Mohammed Shami 63 Tom Latham † lbw
b Jadeja 14 Glenn Phillips b Varun 34
Michael Bracewell not out 53
Mitchell Santner (c) run out (Kohli/†Rahul) 8 Nathan Smith not out 0
Extras (lb 3, w 13) 16
Total 50 Ov (RR: 5.02) 251/7
Did not bat: Kyle Jamieson, Will O’Rourke Fall of wickets: 1-57 (Will Young, 7.5 ov), 2-69 (Rachin Ravindra, 10.1 ov), 3-75 (Kane Williamson, 12.2 ov), 4-108 (Tom Latham, 23.2 ov), 5-165 (Glenn Phillips, 37.5 ov), 6-211 (Daryl Mitchell, 45.4 ov), 7-239 (Mitchell Santner, 48.6 ov) • DRS Bowling O-M-R-W Mohammed Shami 9-0-74-1 Hardik Pandya 3-0-30-0 Varun Chakravarthy 10-0-45-2 Kuldeep Yadav 10-0-40-2
runs from
ovs)
(c)
and kept hitting sixes. When pace finally came back on, the calm Rahul took India ahead. Jamieson provided one final stumbling block with Pandya’s wicket off a nasty bouncer in the 48th over, but India still had Jadeja in the bank. (ESPNcricinfo)
India win their third Champions Trophy title
Ravindra Jadeja hit the winning runs
Rohit Sharma notched up a 41-ball half-century
“Guinness Greatest of the Streets”: Berbice zone kicks off
The “Guinness Greatest of the Streets” Berbice zone kicked off on Friday evening at the New Amsterdam Basketball Court with 16 teams vying for the top spot. On the opening night, defending champions East Bank Gunners were impressive.
In an action-packed evening, Gunners blew away
Rose Hall 4-0 in the opening game. The defending champions signalled that they were not in the competition this year just as a statistic.
Meanwhile, Ithaca Ballers went down one goal to 0 against Manchester, while Trafalgar needled Outsiders, with Cedric Osborne being the goalscorer. A similar scoreline was
recorded when Young Guns and Litchfield took to the court. Tyrone Delph scored the goal for Young Guns.
Scenes from the “Guinness Greatest of the Streets” Berbice edition five against Paradise. The boys from the West Coast of Berbice, who were the inaugural winners of the competition, signalled too that they are back with meaning.
Ballers United put away NA Lions three goals to nil, with Rayor Rose scoring once and Auian Kendall twice.
Scots School Ground, which is considered a mecca of football in Region Six, saw their team Scots School Ballers going down zero to
West Indies Masters fall short in thrilling chase against India Masters
The West Indies Masters suffered a narrow seven-run defeat to India Masters in a high-scoring International Masters League T20 encounter in Raipur on Saturday. Despite spirited performances from Dwayne Smith, William Perkins, and Lendl Simmons, the Caribbean side fell just short in an electrifying chase of 254.
Having started their campaign with victories over England and Australia, the West Indies Masters have now lost back-to-back matches following Thursday’s defeat to Sri Lanka. The loss sees them remain on four points and drop to fourth in the league standings, trailing India (8), Sri Lanka (6), and Australia, who also have four points, but boast a superior Net Run Rate (NRR).
Batting first, India Masters piled on a formidable 253-3 in their 20 overs, powered by explosive knocks from Ambati Rayudu (63 off 38 balls); Saurabh Tiwary (60 off 37), and Captain Yuvraj Singh (49 off 20). The late onslaught from Yusuf Pathan (14 off 7) further boosted India’s total. West Indies’ bowlers struggled to contain the onslaught, with Jerome Taylor (1-42); Sulieman Benn (1-34) and Jonathan Carter (1-52) being the only wicket-takers.
In pursuit of 254, Dwayne Smith led the charge with a brilliant 79 off 34 balls, smashing seven fours and six sixes at a blistering strike rate of 232.35. Perkins also impressed with a composed 52 off 24 balls, while Simmons played a breathtaking cameo, blasting 38 from just 13 deliveries at an astonishing strike rate of 292.31.
However, after a strong
start, the chase lost momentum following the dismissals of Smith and Simmons. Carter (11); Kirk Edwards (4); and Narsingh Deonarine (28) failed to sustain the tempo, leaving Ashley Nurse (21*) and Captain Brian Lara (4*) with too much to do in the final overs.
India’s bowlers held their nerve, with Stuart Binny (3-13) and Pawan Negi (227) making crucial breakthroughs to peg back the
West Indies Masters. Irfan Pathan also played a key role, finishing with figures of 1-47.
With this loss, West Indies Masters find themselves in a must-win situation heading into their remaining fixtures. Their early wins over England and Australia provided a strong foundation, but consecutive defeats to Sri Lanka and India have put them in a precarious position. (Sportsmax)
In Match 7, Renegade got past Trini Gunners one goal to nil and NA United also needled Young Strikers to move on to the second round.
In quarterfinal action
Saturday evening, East Bank Gunners were expected to come up against NA United in the first game, while Manchester and Renegade were expected to battle it out in game two. Trafalgar were to play Paradise and Young Guns, Ballers United. At stake in the competition is $500,000 for the win-
ning team and $300,000 for the second-place team. The third place finisher will walk away with $200,000 and the fourth-place finisher with $100,000.
Meanwhile, Saturday night’s losers will battle next Saturday for the plate while the quarterfinal winners will battle it out for the winning trophy also next Saturday.
Shaw fires Manchester City into FA Cup semi-finals with win
Jamaican star Khadija “Bunny” Shaw was once again the difference-maker for Manchester City, scoring the opening goal in their 2-0 victory over Aston Villa in the Women’s FA Cup quarter-finals on Sunday at the Joie Stadium. The win sees City advance to the semi-finals, keeping their hopes of silverware alive in a crucial stage of the season.
Shaw broke the deadlock in the 53rd minute, latching onto a perfectly-weighted pass from Mary Fowler before finishing with precision. The striker calmly took a touch, waited for Villa goalkeeper Sabrina D’Angelo to commit, and slotted the ball through her legs with a composed strike.
“We felt if we could get them on the back foot, we could exploit them, and it worked,” Shaw said after the match. “As the ball came in, I saw where the ‘keeper was and she gave me the time to take the touch. I knew she was going to spread, so I thought to put it hard and low between the legs, and it worked.”
City continued to press after Shaw’s opener, and Jess Park sealed the win in
the 71st minute, capitalising on a defensive error before firing across goal to double the advantage. Villa fought hard to get back into the game, nearly pulling one back when Rachel Daly came close in the dying moments, but City’s defence held firm to secure the clean sheet.
Shaw acknowledged the importance of the victory, especially with City’s busy schedule ahead. “It was important. We spoke as a team about just getting the result and moving into the next round. We ultimately got the job done, so it was a good day,” she said.
The in-form striker also spoke about the challenges of balancing multiple competitions, with City set to play in the League Cup final next week. “We’re in a semi-final now and have a final next week in the League Cup, so we just need to focus on that,” Shaw added. “We have exciting games coming, but we have to focus on one game at a time.”
With her latest goal, Shaw continues to be a key figure in City’s attack, demonstrating why she is regarded as one of the best strikers in the world. As the
team prepare for the next phase of the FA Cup and their upcoming League Cup final, City fans will be hoping their prolific Jamaican forward continues her scoring form on the road to more silverware. (Sportsmax)
Lendl Simmons on the attack for West Indies Masters
Khadija “Bunny” Shaw
GDF boxers promoted after Caribbean Championships success
Guyana Boxing Association (GBA) President Steve Ninvalle has extended heartfelt congratulations to boxers Desmond Amsterdam and Colin Lewis on their recent promotions within the Guyana Defence Force (GDF).
The promotions serve as recognition of their outstanding performances at the recently-concluded Caribbean Boxing Championships in St Lucia.
Amsterdam, previously a Sergeant, has been promoted to the rank of Staff Sergeant, while Lewis, formerly a Petty Officer, has been elevated to Senior Petty Officer.
Their advancement was approved by Chief of Defence Staff, Brigadier Omar Khan, MSS, upon the recommendation of their respective Branch Heads, underscoring the GDF’s commitment to recognising and rewarding excellence and dedication.
At the Caribbean Championships, Amsterdam showcased his skill in the 75kg division, picking up a hard-fought split-decision victory over Trinidadian Olympian Arron Prince in the final.
Meanwhile, the gangly Lewis dominated his opponent, St Lucia’s Justice Surage , in the 67kg category final, securing a commanding points victory to assist in Guyana being crowned
Caribbean champions.
Ninvalle expressed his delight at the GDF’s decision to reward the two athletes, emphasising that their hard work and dedication are paying off.
He noted that the GDF was setting a precedent that should be emulated by other organisations, advocating for greater recognition of athletes who excel while representing Guyana on the regional and international stages.
“The GDF has always been supportive of its boxers, and this latest show of appreciation is yet another testament to that commitment,”
Ninvalle stated.
He pointed to Amsterdam’s 2022 promotion, which followed his bronze-medal performance at the American Boxing Confederation (AMBC) Elite Continental Championship in Ecuador.
Furthermore, Ninvalle assured that the GBA remained committed to providing not just Amsterdam and Lewis, but all of its boxers with opportunities to compete and gain exposure on the regional and global platforms.
Meanwhile, in a statement from the GDF, Brigadier Khan congratulat-
GBF, FIBA to host historic 3x3 Referees Certification Clinic
In a ground-breaking move for basketball officiating in Guyana, the Guyana Basketball Federation (GBF), in collaboration with the International Basketball Federation (FIBA), will host a 3x3 Referees Certification Clinic on April 5-6.
The certification clinic will take place during the highly-anticipated One Guyana 3x3 Quest tournament, bringing together elite 3x3 referees from across the Americas, the Caribbean, and Guyana in their bid to join the prestigious ranks of FIBA-certified 3x3 referees.
GBF General Secretary Patrick Haynes, who also serves on the FIBA 3x3 Commission, highlighted the historical significance of the event, noting that it would be the first time a FIBA certification course was held in Guyana.
“This is a monumental achievement for Guyana,” Haynes stated. “We would like to extend our gratitude to FIBA and their Americas Zone office for investing in this clinic, as well as to the Government of Guyana, through the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport, for their support in making Guyana one of the hot spots for 3x3 basketball in the Americas this year.”
Haynes highlighted that the GBF was making a concerted effort to elevate Guyana’s standing in the international basketball community, adding, “We are placing great emphasis on hosting the first-ever 3x3 Quest in the Englishspeaking Caribbean. The clinic aligns perfectly with our mandate to develop basketball in Guyana and push our 3x3 programme onto both the regional and global stage.”
The clinic is open to referees between the ages of 21 and 40, and Haynes strongly encouraged local 3x3 referees to seize this opportunity, as Guyana currently lacked any certified FIBA 3x3 referees.
“Having certified referees is crucial for the continued development of 3x3 basketball in Guyana,” Haynes added. “This clinic will provide our referees with top-tier training and practical experience under the guidance of one of FIBA’s leading 3x3 instructors.”
The two-day clinic will comprise theoretical sessions and practical assessments, with the One Guyana 3x3 Quest tournament serving as a live evaluation platform for aspiring referees.
Meanwhile, preparations for the One Guyana 3x3 Quest are well underway, with teams from Mexico, Trinidad and Tobago, St Kitts and Nevis, Suriname, the USA, St Maarten, and other nations across the Americas already registered.
The tournament winner will earn the opportunity to represent the Americas at the FIBA 3x3 World Tour in Edmonton, Canada, in August.
Haynes noted that the hosting of the One Guyana 3x3 Quest, the first FIBA 3x3 Quest tournament in the English-speaking Caribbean, along with the referee certification clinic, further solidified Guyana’s growing reputation on the 3x3 basketball scene.
ed the two boxers for their continued excellence, highlighting that their achievements bring pride not only to the Force but to the nation as a whole. He also commended the GDF Sports Department for its role in fostering athletic success within the military.
“This is another histor-
ic moment for the Force,” he stated. “While we are tasked with defending our nation, we are also leaders in every field possible. Your conduct, professionalism, and ability to excel in everything you do set a standard for others to follow.”
In St Lucia, Guyana’s 16-man team picked up 35 points, from nine gold medals, three silvers and two bronzes to take the Caribbean title. Other regional powerhouse Trinidad and Tobago were second with 28 points and the host country third.
Winning start for hockey teams at Pan Am Jr Challenge
Guyana’s national male and female Under-21 teams got off to winning starts when the Pan American Hockey Federation (PAHF) Jr Challenge bullied off on Saturday.
First, Guyana’s girls started the day with a 4-0 victory over Guatemala. Then, their male counterparts enjoyed a 2-0 victory against the same opposition later in the day.
Girls’ Head Coach and Guyana Hockey Board
President Philip Fernandes said about Saturday’s win: “Both our girls’ and boys’ teams performed well. Guatemala are not expected to be as strong as the top teams in the tournament, but they play a decent brand of hockey.
“Our ladies took a bit of time to settle into their game. Remember this would be the first time half the team has ever played a match on an artificial grass surface. Both our teams train our trial matches on an unmarked grass field, which is then paced out with plastic cones for the dimensions. A huge difference from our opponents.”
After putting Guatemala under considerable pressure from the start, our girls scored six minutes into the game through Georgiana Fernandes. Fernandes finished off a strong solo move by Makaylah Poole who got around the left side of the Guatemalan defence and slipped a short pass to Fernandes to finish off with a flick.
Guyana gained 13 penalty
corners to Guatemala’s one, and also scored in each quarter to gain a 4-0 victory.
The rebound from a powerful Sarah Klautky strike fell kindly to Kazaquah Uzzi on the right post who finished for the team’s second. Fernandes returned to blast a shot into the roof of the net for the team’s third while Keitana Percival outran the Guatemalan defence to slide the final goal past the advancing goalkeeper.
Also in the women’s competition, Mexico beat Trinidad and Tobago 8-0 and Puerto Rico beat Barbados 6-0.
Head Coach Robert Fernandes shared this about their performance, “It’s always important to start with a win, so I’m pleased with the three points and the fact that we scored two penalty corners. However, we struggled to match Guatemala’s physical intensity and our efficiency in the scoring area needs to be better. We’ll have to improve on those things in our match against Trinidad and Tobago to achieve a similar result.”
In the other boys’ game, Brazil edged Venezuela 1-nil. The Guyanese female team were scheduled play Mexico next on Sunday while the boys had a rest day before facing Trinidad & Tobago, today, Monday, March 10.
In the local boys’ game against Guatemala, the competition was equally one-sided and Guyana pulled off a 2-0 victory through two penalty goals from Jabari Lovell. While the Guyanese boys looked the superior side, their lack of game experience led them to squander several chances that could have helped them to an even more favourable scoreline.
A look at the action between the Guyana (black and white) and Guatemala Under-21 female teams
GBF General Secretary Patrick Haynes
Desmond Amsterdam and Colin Lewis were richly rewarded for their efforts at the Caribbean Boxing Championships
