(Kaieteur News) – While everybody asking where de man who get put pon remand deh, dem seem to fuhget that most of de nation living like jailbird, even though we never see inside a prison. Every man, woman and child deh pon remand inside dem own house. When yuh leff home, yuh does lock de gate, padlock de garage, and double-bolt de door like yuh hiding from bandits or vampires. De whole country turn security guard.

De fence gat razor wire, and barbed wire. Dem CCTV cameras blinking red light like Christmas tree bulbs. Alarm system in every corner, motion sensor pon every wall, and still, people sleeping with one eye open and one hand pon de cell phone. Is like we waiting fuh somebody come break in before we even close we eyes.

And when night come, we does lock we self in so tight, not even fresh breeze could pass through. Some people living in air-condition coffin. Imagine if fire ketch, half ah dem can’t even get out. Dem does burn before dem could even find de key. Remember that famous Indian dancer who used to live in Kitty? Poor lady get roast alive because she couldn’t open de grill. De same grill she put up to protect she, end up killing she.

We all talking bout freedom, but we living like caged parrot. Yuh can’t even walk down de road without watching over yuh shoulder. De same crime we trying to stop got we trapping we self. We build we own prison and call it “home sweet home.”

And when yuh go to de market and see price climb like skyscraper, remember is crime causing dat too. Every businessman does add a “bandit fee.” Supermarket gat to pay for camera, alarm, and guard. Dem taxi driver gat to tint dem car and still trembling when night fall. De farmer plant, another man reap. So, he raise he price too—he seh he got to charge fuh de thiefman tax.

So, when yuh see dem big iron grill pon yuh window, don’t laugh at de prisoners downtown. You just living in a fancier cell. De only difference is dem get three meals, and we got to pay VAT pon we own food. Dem boys seh, we ain’t free no more. We jail up we self to feel safe, but we ain’t safe, and we ain’t free.

Talk half. Leff half.

Source: Kaieteur News

(Kaieteur News) – Guyana exported US$15 billion in crude oil during the first half of 2026, while earnings from non-oil exports totalled just US$1.146 billion, highlighting the vast disparity between the country’s oil revenues and its traditional export sectors, according to the Bank of Guyana (BoG).

According to the report, bauxite export earnings amounted to US$69.5 million; gold exports were US$826.2 million; timber US$7.9 million; sugar exports US$10.1 million; rice US$97.8 million and ‘other exports’ which account for fish and shrimp, beverages, garments etcetera were US$134.5M.

The country’s overall non-oil exports were valued at US$1.146 billion. Of the 18 non-oil sectors, a majority of the subsectors recorded lower earnings. Nine subsectors recorded lower earnings including rice and timber while higher revenues were received for sugar, bauxite and gold.

A footnote in the report explained, “The non-oil primary balance was estimated at a deficit of 35.7 percent of non-oil GDP at end-June 2026.”

Tables showing the non-oil earnings for exports during the first half of 2026 (Source: Bank of Guyana)

The fall in revenue from these traditional sectors has sparked concern among analysts, who previously warned about failing to invest in these crucial areas to avoid falling prey to the dreaded Dutch disease.

The Dutch disease is defined as an economic phenomenon where the discovery of large natural resource reserves leads to a decline in other sectors.

During this year’s Budget debate in the National Assembly, Shadow Agriculture Minister for the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) Vinceroy Jordan cautioned that the fiscal plan will fail to reduce poverty and strengthen food security because it lacks vision and meaningful investment in agriculture.

Jordan believes that any government serious about decreasing the cost of living would have ensured that each region enacts a sound plan for the development of sustainable agriculture to increase food production and contribute to reduction of the price of food, ensuring food availability and security.

According to Jordan’s analysis of the budget, $1.9 billion is allocated to livestock, with only $200 million to be invested in capital expenditure which caters for new projects, expansion and other such initiatives. On the other hand, $1.7 billion is directed to operational costs such as salaries and other expenses.

To this end, he questioned the ability of this meagre $200M to transform the livestock industry in Guyana. Jordan questioned, “How many bulls, how many livestock farms, how many pens will they build or improve, what sort of equipment could be purchased with $200 million when you still must pay retentions from last year. This is incompetence not agricultural development.”

He continued, “Where are the plans, where are the programmes that would transform the agriculture sector, put food on our tables, and develop the lives and livelihoods of our people?”

GDP growth

Last month, President Irfaan Ali declared Guyana’s economy “healthy” after the country recorded 33.3% real GDP growth at the half-year mark, with the non-oil economy expanding by 10.1%.

At a press conference at the Office of the President, Georgetown, the Head-of-State revealed that Guyana’s revised full year forecast for real GDP growth is now 20.8% while the country expects a 10.2% growth in the non-oil sector by the end of the year.

At the end of June, the oil and gas sector recorded a 41.3% expansion. The bauxite subsector also grew by 7.3% while gold and mining expanded by 11.3%. The President said he was pleased with this growth in light of measures taken by the government late 2025 to tackle the low gold declarations and improve accountability and transparency.

Other mining, which comprises sand, stone, manganese and diamonds is estimated to have grown by 40% during the period.

At half year, the mining and quarrying sector is estimated to have expanded by 40.7%.

In the meantime, the President reported a “marginal contraction” in the agriculture, forestry, and fishing sector during the first six months of this year.

On the other hand, he said that the sugar industry grew by 19.3% at half year; rice also recorded growth of 4.4%.

The other crops sectors however suffered a decline by 6.4%, due to weather conditions according to the President.

Also recording growth were the forestry sector by estimated 15.4%, and the fishing subsector by 4.1% in the first half of a year.

Ali noted too that the manufacturing sector grew by 3%, services sector an estimated growth by 7.2% and the construction sector by 24.7%.

Source: Kaieteur News

…Players can now access LottoSupa6, Play4, Daily Millions and Lucky3 online

(Kaieteur News) – The Guyana Lottery Company has relaunched its iLottery platform, allowing players to purchase tickets and play its lottery games online.

In a press release dated October 9, 2026, the company said the platform was relaunched on Wednesday, October 7, as part of efforts to improve convenience, accessibility and the overall player experience.

The upgraded platform is intended to meet growing demand for online lottery options, increase player engagement, improve operational efficiency and provide a secure and responsible gaming environment.

Players can access the platform at https://letsbetgy.com/lottery or select the “Play Online” option on the Guyana Lottery Company’s website, www.guyanalottery.com.

Customers with existing accounts can log in and choose from a range of games, including LottoSupa6, Play4, Daily Millions and Lucky3.

The company said persons must be at least 18 years old and complete the required identity verification process to register for an account.

The platform also uses geolocation technology to verify players’ locations before allowing them to purchase tickets. Only persons located in Guyana are permitted to play.

Players can purchase credit for their accounts through the lottery company’s authorised agents countrywide.

Director and General Manager Kalima Ali said the upgrades were in keeping with the company’s mission to deliver a seamless player experience while prioritising responsible gaming.

Ali thanked players for their patience and understanding during the upgrades and said the company looked forward to providing more entertaining lottery options.

The relaunch follows the company’s June 2026 relaunch of its Let’s Bet play site, which offers sports content and games.

Source: Kaieteur News

…as questions mount over wharf upgrades, $1B salvage contract
…witness turnout remains low

(Kaieteur News) – The Commission of Inquiry (CoI) into the deadly sinking of the MV Barima heads to Region One next week to meet affected families as questions mount over the vessel’s condition, sudden upgrades at its Georgetown departure point, and the Government’s award of a $1.034 billion contract to salvage the wreck.

The commission, chaired by Godfrey Smith, SC, will meet families at the Mabaruma Waterfront on Monday,12^th  October, at 10:00 hrs, and at the Port Kaituma Community Centre on Tuesday, 13^th October, at the same time.

The regional engagements come amid growing frustration among relatives of the dead and missing, who have questioned the pace of the investigation and insisted that the sunken ferry must be recovered to help establish what caused the disaster.

The ferry sank on the night of 18^th July, 2026, while travelling from Georgetown to Port Kaituma, resulting in more than 100 deaths, injuries and missing persons, according to figures cited during the ongoing public debate. The tragedy has triggered weekly protests outside the Office of the President, with families demanding the recovery of the vessel and accountability for any failures that contributed to the disaster.

Commissioners of the COI, Chairman of the Commission of Inquiry, Justice Godfrey Smith (centre) along with members of the Commissioners Dr. Andrzej Jasionowski (far left), Nyree Alfonso (left), Rear Admiral (Ret’d) Hayden Pritchard (right), and Captain Hamada Fouda (far right) during their opening ceremony last Wednesday

At the preliminary hearing last week, Smith pledged a thorough and independent investigation into the circumstances surrounding the sinking, including the vessel’s seaworthiness, loading procedures, crew decisions, rescue operations and regulatory oversight.

“Put in plain language, our task is to find out what happened to the BARIMA and why it happened,” Smith said, adding that the commission would examine whether warning signs were ignored, safety procedures followed and regulations adequately enforced.

The commission is expected to take approximately six months to complete its work, although President Irfaan Ali initially mandated a two-month timeframe.

Commission Secretary Javed Shadick explained that the volume of evidence, the need to interview more than 100 potential contacts, cross-examinations and regional visits make the original deadline unrealistic.

He also disclosed that only one person had formally approached the secretariat to indicate an intention to testify as the inquiry began its preliminary work.

That limited response comes as grieving relatives continue to question whether the investigation can adequately establish what happened without examining the wreck. Families have argued that the ferry’s hull must be recovered to facilitate a proper assessment of its condition and structural integrity.

Fresh upgrades at Kingston Wharf raise questions

The commission has already begun inspecting key maritime facilities, including the Transport and Harbours Department’s Kingston Wharf, where the M/V Barima began its final voyage.

During Thursday’s inspection, commissioners examined the cargo bond, passenger waiting area, weighing facilities and vessels docked at the wharf, including the M/V Ma Lisha and the M/V Kimbia.

However, the visit was accompanied by questions from workers about the timing of recently installed equipment and infrastructural improvements.

Employees told reporters that wall fans, paved surfaces, signage, cargo-handling equipment and other fixtures had been installed or upgraded in the weeks following the disaster.

One worker said the changes had transformed a facility where staff had endured poor conditions for years.

“All this you are seeing now is a ‘new’ THD… Soon as the vessel sank, we got a road and everything,” the worker remarked.

Another source said several items inside the cargo bond had been installed only days earlier, adding that cargo measurements were previously conducted without the weighing scale that is now in place.

The accounts raise questions about the state of the wharf before the disaster and whether its present condition accurately reflects the facilities and procedures in place when the ferry departed on 18^th July.

Transport and Harbours Manager Yerlander Hughes, who accompanied the commissioners during the walkthrough, declined to comment when reporters questioned the sudden appearance of new fixtures and equipment.

The commission has not publicly indicated whether the upgrades will affect its assessment of the wharf’s historical safety standards.

Asked about the observations made during the inspection, Smith said: “We are working and gathering evidence.”

The commissioners also visited the Maritime Administration Department, the Transport and Harbours Department’s executive offices and dry-dock facilities as part of their preliminary investigations.

BK salvage contract

Another major development is the award of a $1.034 billion contract to BK International Inc. to salvage the sunken ferry.

Records published on the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board’s website on 7^th October, 2026, show that the company was awarded Contract ID 211/2026/34 for the recovery of the M/V Barima off Devonshire Castle Flats, Essequibo Coast, under National Competitive Bidding.

The award has raised questions about the company’s experience in complex marine salvage operations and the transparency surrounding the selection process.

The contract was not accompanied by a public announcement from the Government or the Maritime Administration Department. Media houses discovered the award through NPTAB’s published records.

BK International’s selection has attracted scrutiny because one of its own barges, the Darren B, sank in the Demerara River in November 2014 and was subsequently removed by Dutch contractor Koole Contractors under a Government-funded arrangement.

The company was selected over Netherlands-based KMS B.V., associated with Koole Contractors, which reportedly submitted a US$2.035 million bid, and Industrial Fabrication Inc., which submitted a G$1.895 billion bid.

The salvage contract is being executed on a “No Cure, No Pay” basis, under which payment is tied to the successful recovery.

The decision became public during questioning by Jasmin Cort, the daughter and niece of still-missing brothers Neil and Kenrick Cort, who pressed the commission’s maritime consultant, Dr. Andrzej Jasionowski, to identify the contractor selected to recover the wreck.

“It is one of the three, BK,” Jasionowski disclosed.

He stressed that the operation must be conducted carefully to preserve evidence that could help determine why the 87-year-old ferry capsized.

“If you rush it, it’s very easy to break it, and once that happens, the recovery becomes a recovery of cut and scrub metal and whatever remains within,” he explained.

Jasionowski said he had met the salvage masters and engineers to discuss the recovery plan and that the commission expected regular updates on the operation.

The tender specifications require a non-destructive recovery, with the vessel to be raised intact and placed upright on a barge to allow investigators to examine the hull and internal structures.

Families have strongly opposed earlier suggestions that the wreck could remain submerged as a memorial, arguing that recovery is essential both to retrieving missing loved ones and preserving forensic evidence.

Neil Cort, 57, operated the ferry’s canteen for 37 years, while his brother Kenrick, 53, was aboard assisting him. Both remain unaccounted for.

MP calls for survivors’ expenses to be covered

As the commission prepares to formally begin taking witness evidence, Opposition Member of Parliament Ganesh Mahipaul has called on the panel to guarantee that survivors will not have to pay their own expenses to testify.

Mahipaul said survivors who have already endured a traumatic experience should not be forced to choose between participating in the inquiry and meeting the costs of transportation, accommodation and meals.

He called for reasonable travel expenses, accommodation and meals to be covered for survivors travelling from outside Georgetown, with transportation and meal assistance provided to those attending from within the capital where necessary.

“I therefore call on the Commission to make it clear, publicly and without ambiguity, that no survivor should be financially burdened because they have chosen to come forward and testify,” Mahipaul said.

He noted that although consultations and support sessions had been announced for affected families across several regions, he had not seen sufficient public information specifically addressing the expenses associated with giving testimony.

“Their voices must not be lost because someone cannot afford a plane ticket, transportation, a hotel room or meals while fulfilling their civic responsibility to testify,” he said.

Mahipaul urged the commission to communicate directly with survivors about the assistance available, arguing that financial difficulties should not prevent witnesses from contributing evidence.

“The survivors have already paid a price. They should not have to pay to be heard,” he declared.

The commission has said it will invite evidence from survivors, first responders, maritime officials, technical experts and other relevant witnesses. Crew members and the captain, including those facing legal proceedings, may also testify, with constitutional protections against self-incrimination applying.

The secretariat has indicated that translation services and counselling support are being arranged for participants who need them.

Ali awaits CoI findings before deciding on ministers

President Ali has meanwhile said that decisions on calls for the removal or suspension of Public Works Minister Juan Edghill and Public Utilities and Aviation Minister Deodat Indar will depend on the commission’s findings and recommendations.

The President made the position clear amid mounting public calls for political accountability over alleged maintenance failures and wider weaknesses in the oversight of the state-owned ferry.

Ali said he would not engage in speculation or take action that could prejudice the independent inquiry, while maintaining that immediate measures to address maritime safety would continue.

“The CoI, having been established, will conduct its work, make its determination, its recommendation, and then we’ll take it from there,” he said.

He added that an independent team had been established to inspect vessels, identify safety gaps and ensure that urgent deficiencies were addressed.

The position has done little to ease the frustration of relatives and demonstrators, who continue to demand accountability and a faster recovery of the wreck.

During a recent protest outside the Office of the President, family spokesperson Collin Solomon condemned what he described as the Government’s slow response.

“We demand justice. We demand accountability,” Solomon said, arguing that the urgency of the situation had not been adequately reflected in the pace of the recovery effort.

The demonstrations have drawn support from civil society groups, including representatives of the Amerindian People’s Association, with protesters carrying placards demanding that the vessel be raised and those responsible for any failures be held accountable.

Commission promises thorough investigation

Smith has maintained that the commission will not rush to conclusions and will examine the evidence before making recommendations.

Although the inquiry is not a criminal trial and cannot determine criminal guilt or civil liability, the chairman said evidence of possible wrongdoing could be referred to the relevant authorities.

The commission has also established procedures allowing individuals, organisations and affected families to apply for interested-party status, while ensuring that anyone facing adverse criticism has an opportunity to respond.

Smith said the panel could submit interim safety recommendations to the President before completing its final report if urgent risks emerge.

“We do not intend to take short cuts, jump to conclusions or deliver a rushed report,” he said. “Our allegiance is to the law, to our terms of reference, to procedural fairness and, above all, to the truth as established by credible, tested evidence.”

Source: Kaieteur News

…Wales shows why timing, contracts and Government-side programme management matter as much as engineering

Article 7, Part I

By Anthony E. Paul
Senior Energy Governance, Policy & Strategy Advisor; formerly Director of Geology and Geophysics, Trinidad and Tobago Ministry of Energy; Amoco Trinidad and BPTT Manager responsible for Exploration and Appraisal / Gas Field Development / Oil Production

(Kaieteur News) – The previous article argued that, as Guyana’s gas system becomes more complex, Government will increasingly need an owner-side programme-management function capable of seeing across schedules, risks, commitments and dependencies. Wales provides an early opportunity to see why.

Anthony Paul

ExxonMobil completed its Gas-to-Energy pipeline and riser connections in 2024. The Government-led Natural Gas Liquids and power facilities have taken longer, with the first approximately 57 MW gas turbine expected to begin supplying the grid by the end of 2026 and other facilities following.

The issue is not simply that one component finished before another. Large projects are delayed for many reasons. The more important lesson is that individual projects can satisfy their own technical or contractual requirements while the programme as a whole still fails to deliver its intended benefit on time. A pipeline without a receiving facility cannot fulfil its purpose; a completed power plant without gas faces the opposite problem. Once projects become interdependent, Government has to manage not only the projects, but the interfaces between them.

There is more than one cost of waiting

Public discussion around Wales has understandably focused on whether Guyana is paying for a pipeline that has not yet transported gas. That question requires care because several different costs and commercial mechanisms can easily be confused.

The completed pipeline has remained in preservation mode awaiting the downstream facilities. Government has previously said the pipeline would be funded through cost oil, while in 2023 the Head of the Gas-to-Energy Task Force said Government would pay ExxonMobil an annual fixed sum of approximately US$55 million over twenty years from the time the project came onstream.

Those statements may describe different aspects of the same commercial arrangement, but their relationship should be clear. Recovery through petroleum production is not the same as Government writing an immediate Treasury cheque, but neither is it economically neutral for the resource owner. To the extent expenditure is recovered through cost oil, that petroleum is not available for profit sharing at that time. Cost recovery is not free money.

There is also the cost of deferred benefits. Lower electricity costs, reduced imported-fuel requirements, NGL production and wider industrial opportunities begin only when the integrated system operates.

Contracts as maps of risk

Much of the complexity of gas and infrastructure contracts comes down to a basic question: who bears the consequences when something does not happen as expected?

A producer may seek take-or-pay protection before committing capital. Pipeline or power infrastructure may require capacity or availability payments because investors and lenders need revenue certainty. Such provisions are not inherently unreasonable; in many cases they make infrastructure financeable.

The public-policy issue is whether each risk has been assigned to the party best able to understand, control or absorb it, and whether the compensation for carrying that risk is reasonable. Reservoir underperformance, pipeline delay, unfinished receiving facilities and an industrial user failing to reach financial close are different risks arising in different parts of the system.

Government should not try to transfer every risk to investors; they will price those risks into their returns or decline to invest. But neither should the State become the residual risk-taker simply because each private participant has protected its own project. Someone acting for the resource owner must see where risks accumulate when separate contracts are assembled into one national system. In that sense, programme management is also a risk-management discipline: it is where risks at the interfaces become visible before they become costs.

A project can be on time while the programme is late

Wales should therefore become a case study from which Guyana learns before the next generation of gas investments is committed.

A Government-side programme-management view should be able to answer some very concrete questions:

1. What was the integrated critical path linking offshore gas availability, pipeline completion, NGL processing, power generation, transmission and operational readiness?
2. When did it first become clear that the major components would not be ready together, and who was responsible for escalating that information?
3. What contractual and financial consequences were triggered as the schedules separated, including cost recovery, preservation costs, financing, liquidated damages or other obligations?
4. What national benefits were deferred by the mismatch, and how should those opportunity costs be measured?
5. Who owned each major interface between the projects? Were there points at which everybody managed his or her own scope but nobody managed the dependency between them?
6. What corrective decisions were available once the divergence became apparent, and were they taken early enough to reduce the consequences?
7. What lessons from Wales are now being incorporated into Longtail, Haimara, additional generation and the proposed second pipeline before those commitments become difficult or expensive to change?

These are not questions designed simply to allocate blame retrospectively. They are questions a resource owner should be able to answer if it intends to manage the next programme better than the first.

Project management is not programme management

A project manager concentrates on delivering a defined asset within agreed scope, schedule, cost and quality. Government’s programme-management function must ask how that asset interacts with every other project, contract and public-policy objective that depends upon it.

For Wales, that means seeing one integrated programme across offshore supply, pipeline, processing, generation, transmission, commissioning and the commercial arrangements connecting them. It requires an integrated schedule, interface register, programme-wide risk and obligations map, decision logs and change-control arrangements capable of showing what a change in one component does to the others.

Those tools are relatively easy to name. The harder task is designing the system around them: deciding who owns the integrated view, what information each participant must provide, who can challenge assumptions, what deviations require escalation, and how unresolved risks reach senior decision-makers before contracts, expenditure or infrastructure make choices difficult to reverse. That is programme governance, not simply programme reporting.

Guyana already has project-level oversight and management arrangements. The programme-management question is broader: what happens elsewhere in the value chain when one project’s schedule, cost or commercial position changes?

That wider view will become more important as Longtail, Haimara, additional generation and a second pipeline add new sources, users and contractual interfaces. The issue is not whether Government needs another large bureaucracy. It is whether the resource owner has a continuous, independently informed line of sight across an increasingly complex programme. Ministries, regulators, utilities, operators and contractors can each perform their mandates competently and the national programme can still become misaligned at the interfaces.

From transparency to institutional learning

A programme-level risk and obligations map should extend beyond engineering schedules. Government should know what constitutes completion, what triggers payment, who carries schedule and volume risk, how capital is recovered, which facilities depend on one another, and what happens if expected supply or demand does not materialise.

That information also has a transparency value. Cost recovery, amortisation, take-or-pay and capacity payment are not interchangeable terms. They represent different commercial mechanisms and different allocations of risk.

For Wales, clearer explanation of what triggers recovery or payment for the pipeline, how the stated twenty-year arrangement relates to cost recovery, and which costs belong to which part of the system would allow the country to move beyond speculation and turn its first major gas programme into a source of institutional learning.

The resource owner’s problem is different from the problem facing any individual contractor, operator or agency: Government alone must ensure that the whole chain works in the national interest.

The lesson is not that Guyana should slow its gas development. If the country intends to move quickly, stronger integration becomes more important because the cost of correcting misalignment rises as projects, contracts and investors multiply.

Wales illustrates one form of misalignment: projects that do not arrive together. There is another. Sometimes infrastructure is being built, contracts have been signed and money has been committed, only for the national strategy connecting those investments to change before the value chain is complete.

Trinidad and Tobago experienced exactly that with the proposed Alutrint aluminium smelter at La Brea. That is the subject of Part II: “When the Strategy Changes Midstream: Who Pays for What Is Left Behind?”

Source: Kaieteur News

– Courts Pee Wee U11 Football tournament moves to quarterfinals phase

(Kaieteur News) – Georgetown International Academy (GIA) and defending champions Leonora Primary continued their impressive runs in the 13th Annual Courts Pee Wee Under-11 Boys Football Tournament, securing victories to advance to the quarter-finals following Saturday’s Round of 16 action at the Ministry of Education ground.

GIA ‘A’ edged St John the Baptist Primary 1-0 in a tightly contested encounter, with tournament top scorer Yoseph Rivas once again proving decisive. The winner eventually came as Rivas found the breakthrough in the 39th minute to settle the contest and maintain his scoring streak, having found the back of the net in every match leading up to the knockout stage.

Yoseph Rivas slams the winner for Georgetown International Academy to send them into this year’s quarterfinal’s stage.

St John the Baptist Primary fought to find an equaliser but were unable to breach the GIA defence, bringing their title campaign to an end.

Defending champions Leonora Primary also kept their title defence intact with a comfortable 2-0 victory over St Theresa Primary. Captain Johnathan Melvin and Nerson Persaud spearheaded the attack, with Persaud opening the scoring in the seventh minute before Melvin doubled the advantage in the 18th to seal Leonora’s passage into the last eight.

Santa Rosa Primary booked their quarter-final place after overcoming a determined St Gabriel’s Primary, with Ethan Richards scoring both goals to secure the victory and ended St Gabriel’s hopes of advancing.

Eight schools set to compete for semifinals spots as Courts Optical U11 Pee Wee Football wraps up Round of 16 action.

Waramuri Primary, meanwhile, delivered a commanding performance against the Georgetown side, thrashing GIA ‘B’ 4-0 in their round of sixteen clash. Riyad Peters opened the scoring before Lemar Matthias and Dwayne Williams took charge, extending a three-goal advantage with goals in the 36th and 39th minutes, respectively. Aaden Williams then capitalised on a defensive lapse to add the fourth in the 40th minute, completing a convincing victory for Waramuri.

West Ruimveldt Primary, Tucville Primary and Marian Academy also secured their places in the quarter-finals.

West Ruimveldt edged the Plaisance outfit 1-0, with Malachi Murray netting the decisive goal in a closely fought encounter.

Roger Jason sends Tucville Primary into this year’s quarterfinals with a heroic hattrick performance.

Tucville Primary produced a more emphatic display, defeating Pakuri Primary 3-0 through a hat-trick from Roger Jason. Jason struck in the sixth, 15th and 40th minutes to power his school into the next round.

While Marian Academy advanced with a 2-0 victory over St Pius Primary, as Elijah Jodhan and Miel Parks scored one goal apiece to secure the win.

Potaro Primary completed the list of quarter-finalists with a 3-0 triumph over Redeemer Primary. Lamon Telemaque led the charge with a brace in the 13th and 49th minutes, while Ramario Smith contributed the other goal to round off a convincing performance.

With the Round of 16 completed, Potaro Primary, Georgetown International Academy, Leonora Primary, Santa Rosa Primary, Waramuri Primary, West Ruimveldt Primary, Tucville Primary and Marian Academy will now turn their attention to the quarter-finals, where victories will bring them one step closer to the championship.

The tournament is sponsored by Courts Optical, with support from Demerara Mutual Life, MVP Sports, SkyTec Enterprise, Sterling Products Limited (Ice Cream) and the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport.

Source: Kaieteur News

– as National Junior indoor hockey heads for thrilling finale

(Kaieteur News) – SHC S’Team continued their impressive run at the Guyana Hockey Board’s National Junior Indoor Hockey Championships, recording another victory on the penultimate day to strengthen their push for championship honours as the tournament heads into yesterday’s finale.

The Cliff Anderson Sports Hall provided the stage for another absorbing day of competition, with teams battling to maintain their momentum, secure vital victories and build confidence ahead of the tournament’s climax.

The stakes were high, with important semifinals tickets on the line. The remaining contenders had little room for error in their pursuit of national junior indoor hockey supremacy across the U17 and U21 divisions.

In the lone Boys’ Under-21 division match on Thursday, SHC S’Team continued their relentless charge, overcoming OFHC Vipers 3-1 behind a commanding double from Ezekiel Moses.

Growth! The GHB introduced two brand new teams in the Under-17 girl’s division. Here’s is part of the action between St Joseph’s and North Ruimveldt Multilateral on day three

Moses broke the deadlock in the 12th minute before Jabari Lovell doubled S’Team’s advantage three minutes later, giving the side a firm grip on proceedings.

OFHC Vipers responded through Yonick Norton to reduce the deficit, but S’Team remained composed under pressure. Moses struck again in the 23rd minute to complete his brace and seal another important victory for his team.

The result underlined S’Team’s consistency heading into the final day, with Moses once again proving decisive when it mattered most.

The Girls’ Under-17 division also produced an emphatic display, as OFHC Phantom Troupe overwhelmed Hikers Junior Jets 4-0 in their Group A encounter.

Tinashe Henry and Keitanna Percival gave Phantom Troupe a commanding start, establishing a two-goal cushion before Percival took center stage with two further strikes in the 11th and 17th minutes to complete a hat-trick.

Percival’s clinical performance proved the difference, as Phantom Troupe combined attacking efficiency with defensive discipline to register a convincing shutout.

In Group B, SHC Sensations also kept their opponents at bay, defeating Multi Stars 3-0. Isabelle Grouper led the charge with a brace, continuing her influence in the competition as Sensations produced a composed performance to strengthen their position ahead of the decisive phase.

The Boys’ Under-17 competition delivered its share of drama, with Hikers Hatchets edging Multi Alumni 1-0 in Group C.

The tightly contested encounter appeared destined for a narrow finish, and Keyon Todd supplied the decisive moment in the 18th minute, finding the breakthrough to spark celebrations for Hikers Hatchets.

However, it was GCC Outlaws who produced one of the most dominant attacking displays of the day, overwhelming SJHS Warriors in a goal-filled encounter.

Eli Atwell set the tone with an early brace, while Kristen Viapree added a different dimension to the Outlaws’ attack with three goals of his own. Jaleel Bynoe also found the net in the 18th minute, but the Warriors were unable to contain the relentless pressure as the Outlaws maintained their attacking intensity.

With the preliminary battles now complete and the semifinal line-up confirmed, attention turns to the championship-deciding day, when the best-performing teams across the various divisions will compete for a place in the finals before the ultimate showdown for honours.

At press time, OHFC Vipers, GCC Cowboys moved ahead with wins in the U21 division, while OFHC Phantom Troupe, SHC Sensation SHC Sigmas had already booked spots into U17 final with crucial wins.

Source: Kaieteur News

A canter yesterday smashed into Guyana Power and Light Inc (GPL) infrastructure on the Mahaica Public Road and the driver has said he will pay for the damage.

GPL said that the  incident occurred at approximately 1 pm yesterday, when a motor canter, registration number GAJ 7505, was proceeding east along the Mahaica Public Road and collided with GPL’s electrical infrastructure, causing damage to the network.

The driver, identified as  Mohan Deonarine of Kumaka, Mabaruma, Barima-Waini, was taken into custody at the Mahaica Police Station. The matter is being investigated by the Guyana Police Force, with the Mahaica Police Station handling the case, the release said.

GPL’s investigator visited the scene, and photographs were taken as part of the investigation. The driver has indicated a willingness to compensate for the damage caused, GPL added.

Source: Kiskadee Watch

West Indies all-rounder Roston Chase has defended white-ball captain Shai Hope against criticism of his performances, arguing that the wicketkeeper-batter continues to be underrated despite his consistent contributions at the highest level.

Chase’s comments followed Hope’s unbeaten 102 off just 45 balls on Friday, as West Indies chased down India’s 249 for five to win the second Twenty20 International by six wickets at the JSCA International Stadium Complex.

West Indies reached 252 for four in 18.3 overs, recording their highest successful run chase in T20 internationals and the second-highest successful chase in the format’s history.

Hope’s explosive innings included another milestone for the West Indies captain, whose century was the second-fastest by a West Indian in T20 internationals. He also shared a 120-run fourth-wicket partnership with Sherfane Rutherford, the highest for West Indies in that position in T20Is.

Speaking at the post-match press conference, Chase, who claimed three wickets for 24 runs from his four overs, said Hope’s ability to remain focused despite outside criticism was one of his greatest strengths.

“I think people underrate him a lot. Shai Hope is a guy that can blank out a lot of noise and just focus on what he has to do and I think that is his special skill.”

Chase, who captains West Indies in Test cricket, said Hope continued to deliver for the team even when circumstances were difficult.

“When everything seems to be going wrong, he is still out there giving his best and performing for the team, so I think that is his hallmark skill and he’s a great player.”

Hope’s latest century was his third in five matches during West Indies’ white-ball tour of India. He had scored two centuries in the preceding three-match One-Day International series, which India won 2-1.

Despite those performances, Chase said Hope’s overall record, particularly in limited-overs cricket, did not always receive the recognition it deserved.

“He doesn’t really have the record in red-ball cricket, but as I said, people play down his stats and his record that he has, especially in T20 cricket. Everyone knows he’s great in 50-over cricket and still sometimes people don’t give him the credit; they either say that he bats too slow or he bats for himself.”

Hope has built a substantial record across formats, averaging 51.48 in 158 ODIs, 32.15 in 72 T20 internationals and 27.97 in 49 Test matches for the West Indies.

Chase said his appreciation for Hope extended beyond the numbers, pointing to the captain’s professionalism, preparation and commitment to the team.

“So I’m always happy when I see him do well, because he’s a guy that I know is very professional, puts in the hard work and is the ultimate professional, so when he gets those performances I’m very happy for him.”

Chase also made a significant contribution to Friday’s victory with the ball, taking three wickets while maintaining an economy rate below eight runs per over. He was the only bowler from either team to concede fewer than 10 runs per over.

The victory gave West Indies a major boost on their India tour and highlighted the side’s batting firepower, with Hope leading the successful chase against one of the strongest teams in international cricket.

Source: Village Voice News