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The Guyana 60th Independence Anniversary Badminton Tournament concluded at the National Gymnasium with a series of final matches featuring the country’s leading senior and junior athletes.

The event marked Guyana’s Diamond Jubilee Independence celebrations, showcasing the sport’s current development.

Akili Haynes and Mishka Beharry emerged as the standout performers of the tournament, each securing two gold medals in their respective categories.

Haynes won the Men’s Doubles title alongside Tyrese Jeffrey, defeating Nkosi Beaton and Daniel Tan 21-14, 21-18.

He secured his second gold in the Mixed Doubles final with Asiyah Eastman, defeating Nkosi Beaton and Mishka Beharry 21-19, 21-17.

Beharry captured the Under-23 Women’s Singles title by defeating Alimah Eastman 21-9, 21-7 in the final.

She then partnered with Leshaunte Berkley to win the Women’s Doubles category against Asiyah Eastman and Menikshi Jaikissoon with a score of 21-12, 21-12.

Beharry narrowly missed a third title in the Women’s Singles final, where Ashley Khalil secured the championship in a three-game match ending 21-14, 16-21, 21-14.

In the Men’s Singles final, Sheraz Nabbie defeated top-seeded Akili Haynes 21-19, 21-17 to claim the championship title.

The Under-23 Men’s Singles title went to Frank Waddell, who defeated Christopher Jordan 21-9, 21-19.

Additionally, the Guyana Badminton Association presented special prizes to William Holder and Lucy Leo, who were recognised as the oldest and youngest registered participants in the tournament.

At the closing ceremony,  Ayanna Watson, on behalf of the Guyana Badminton Association, expressed appreciation to the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport and the Government of Guyana for their support.

During the presentations, the Vice President of the association informed affiliates that the Badminton World Federation has approved a new international scoring system.

The new format, consisting of 2 out of 3 games played to 15 points, will officially take effect in January 2027 to make the sport faster and more appealing. Local clubs were urged to begin utilising the system immediately.

Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, Charles Ramson  Jr., commended the association for successfully organising the tournament, noting it coincided with several other national sports events celebrating the Independence Anniversary.

Minister Ramson Jr. also highlighted the upcoming commissioning of a new badminton facility at the Racquet Centre, describing the infrastructure project as an Independence gift to the badminton fraternity.

Official medals and cash prizes were presented to the winners by Minister Ramson, National Sports Commission Chairman Kashif Mohamed, and Assistant Director of Sports Melissa Dow-Richardson.

WINNERS

 

Under 23 Men’s Singles

1^st Place – Frank Waddell

2^nd Place – Christopher Jordan

3^rd Place – Yonneil Benjamin

• Caleb Tan

 

Under 23 Women’s Singles

1^st Place – Mishka Beharry

2^nd Place – Alimah Eastman

3^rd Place – Menishki Jaikissoon

• Anya Manickchand

 

Men’s Singles

1^st Place – Sheraz Nabbie

2^nd Place – Akili Haynes

3^rd Place – Frank Waddell

• Tyrese Jeffrey

Women’s Singles

1^st Place – Ashley Khalil

2^nd Place – Mishka Beharry

3^rd Place – Alimah Eastman

• Asiyah Eastman

 

Men’s Doubles

1^st Place – Akili Haynes + Tyrese Jeffery

2^nd Place – Daniel Tan + Nkosi Beaton

3^rd Place – Percival Chester + Ronit Gulchand

• Troxley Cutting + Grandison Robinson

 

Women’s Doubles

1^st Place – Mishka Beharry + Leshaunte Berkley

2^nd Place – Asiyan Eastman + Menishki Jaikissoon

3^rd Place – Abosadie Cadogan + Ashley Khalil

• Amande Low-Lewis + Anna Perrerria

 

Mixed Doubles

1^st Place – Akili Haynes + Asiyah Eastman

2^nd Place – Nkosi Beaton + Mishka Beharry

3^rd Place – Frank Waddell + Leshaunte Berkley

• Amande Low-Lewis + Grandison Robinson

 

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A stunning, counter-attacking tenth-wicket partnership turned the opening day of the West Indies Four-Day Championship upside down, as Trinidad and Tobago Red Force recovered from a clinical bowling assault to frustrate the Guyana Harpy Eagles at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium.

FULL SCORECARD: https://matchcentre.windiescricket.com/match/3b0b1451-f844-4668-bd79-a0082e6e297f/scorecard

When Shamar Joseph grassed a high, swirling chance off Jayden Seales in the final over of the day off Veerasammy Permaul, it encapsulated a bruising final session for the defending champions.

Seales, whose previous First-Class best was a modest 33, walked off unbeaten on a masterful 63 from just 71 balls.

Alongside Anderson Phillip, who dropped anchor with a gritty 15 not out from 46 deliveries, Seales shared an unbroken 78-run stand for the final wicket to haul the Red Force to 240 for 9 at stumps.

It was a position that seemed entirely improbable during a chaotic morning. For the majority of the day, the Harpy Eagles looked completely justified in their decision to bowl first on a track that initially offered extreme assistance.

However, the match threatened to grab headlines for all the wrong reasons just four balls into the opening session. Excess moisture caused a piece of the pitch to dislodge after a ball, prompting immediate concerns over player safety.

Images of the controversial round-two fixture between the Leeward Islands and Trinidad and Tobago at this very venue—which was abandoned due to dangerous, unpredictable bounce—loomed large.

Umpires swiftly halted play, ordering emergency pitch preparation. Following an extended delay and multiple inspections, play finally resumed after the lunch interval.

Guyana’s pace attack immediately made up for lost time. Nial Smith led the charge with a fiery spell, extracting sharp bounce and movement to finish the day with 3 for 51.

Keemo Paul was meticulously disciplined, returning exceptional figures of 2 for 16, while Gudakesh Motie chimed in with 2 for 45 to leave the Red Force reeling at 86 for 4 after 29 overs.

Jyd Goolie’s composed 26 was the only early resistance of note as Guyana threatened to bundle their rivals out for double digits.

Faced with a rapidly worsening situation, the Trinidad and Tobago lower order decided to fight fire with fire.

Terrance Hinds injected sudden urgency into the innings, smashing a brisk 29 off 25 balls, while Khary Pierre anchored the lower-order fightback with a crucial 40.

But it was the No. 11, Seales, who truly wrestled the momentum away. Exhibiting textbook strokeplay and a demeanour more akin to a seasoned top-order batsman than a frontline fast bowler, the West Indies Test player punished anything loose.

In stark contrast to Seales’ free-flowing aggression, Phillip operated with extreme caution, absorbing pressure and allowing his partner to dictate terms.

While the Harpy Eagles would have happily accepted restricting an opponent to 240 at the start of the day, the psychological blow of the late-afternoon resistance leaves the match finely poised

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Delhi Capitals (DC) kept their slim hopes of making the playoffs alive by beating Rajasthan Royals (RR) by five wickets at the Arun Jaitley Stadium.

Chasing 194, they were led by half-centuries from Abishek Porel and KL Rahul. While they slowed down in the middle overs, Axar Patel and Ashutosh Sharma took them home with four balls to spare.

Earlier, after DC opted to bowl, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s 21-ball 46 and Riyan Parag’s 26-ball 51 took RR to 160 for 2 in 14 overs.

They must have eyed at least 220 at that stage, but Mitchell Starc’s three wickets in the 15th over derailed them.

As a result, they could score only 33 in the last six overs and finished on 193 for 8. For DC, Starc picked up 4 for 40, Lungi Ngidi 2 for 24 and Madhav Tiwari 2 for 27. (ESPNcricinfo) 

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For the longest time, Punjab Kings seemed to be a lock in for the playoffs, possibly even a top-two spot. Then they slipped, and stumbled and continued to slide to reach a position where their playoffs spot is in serious doubt.

On Sunday, PBKS lost their sixth game in a row, going down to Royal Challengers Bengaluru by 23 runs in another run-fest in Dharamsala.

The result helped RCB become the first team to make the IPL 2026 playoffs, but also left PBKS in a precarious position with just one game remaining. The curse of the second half, if there ever was.

It was a game RCB dominated pretty much from top to bottom. RCB muscled their way to 222 for 4 on the back of a rollicking half-century from their No. 4. No, not Rajat Patidar.

He missed the game and Venkatesh Iyer, who has largely been an Impact Player this season, got a promotion. Batting in the top order for the first time in IPL 2026, Venkatesh showed his class, smashing an unbeaten 73 off 40, while Virat Kohli (57 off 37) and Devdutt Padikkal (45 off 25) also played their part in RCB’s tall score.

PBKS’ chase got off to the worst possible start with Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Rasikh Salam reducing them to 19 for 3 inside four overs. Suryansh Shedge and Marcus Stoinis counterattacked but the required rate continued to surge.

Shashank Singh smashed 56 off 27 balls but his innings came too late in the game. With PBKS needing 40 off the last two overs, 19th and Rasikh picked up two wickets in the 20th as PBKS were kept to 199 for 8. (ESPNcricinfo) 

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The Guyana Tennis Association (GTA) Independence Anniversary Open has officially got underway at the National Park Courts,  serving off a week of high-intensity junior and senior tennis as part of the country’s 60th Jubilee celebrations.

Organised in conjunction with the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports (MCYS), the tournament’s opening day was dominated by the under-12 divisions, showcasing the bright future of Guyanese tennis.

The tournament got off to a flying start with a clinical performance from Z Hinkerson, who set the standard in the boys’ category. Hinkerson secured a comfortable 6-2 victory over H Chan to get the ball rolling, before Y Mangru mirrored that momentum by delivering a solid performance to defeat R Narayan 6-3.

The under-12 girls’ division provided the most dramatic action of the morning, highlighted by a spectacular baseline battle between Breyanna Younge and Mia Bullen. Both athletes produced an impressive array of shot-making, but it was Younge who showed nerves of steel to edge out a thrilling 7-5 victory.

Elsewhere in the girls’ draw, L Singh opened her campaign with a routine 6-2 win over K Doris, while I Grannum was utterly relentless, dishing out a 6-0 shutout against M Shivnauth. Denesia Boston also signalled her title intentions, looking sharp in a comprehensive 6-1 victory against Brielle Paul.

Speaking on the opening day, GTA President Cristy Campbell expressed her gratitude to the National Sports Commission (NSC), the MCYS, and the Government of Guyana for their vital sponsorship and ongoing partnership.

Campbell noted that the tournament is a key part of the 60th Jubilee celebrations and praised the government’s continued support for the growth of the tennis fraternity.

The action is set to intensify over the coming week with the inclusion of novice, open, over-35, and over-45 divisions.

All matches will take place at the National Park Courts, running from 15:30 to 18:00 on weekdays and from 09:30 to 18:00 on weekends, before the tournament concludes on May 24th.  (Modified GTA Release) 

 

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Magistrate Shivani Lalaram denied bail on Friday for a man accused of breaking into a boutique at Bath Settlement, West Coast Berbice (WCB) and stealing several items.

Jai Chamanlall, 30, of Bath Experiment, WCB, appeared at the Weldaad Magistrate’ s Court where it was alleged that between Friday, May, and Saturday, May 9, 2026, Chamanlall broke into the shop of Dhanmattie Sookhoo and stole the following items: fifteen West watches valued at $210,000, fifteen Kayak colognes valued at $142,000, fifteen multicolored track pants valued at $20, 500, artificial jewelry valued at $150,000, two black music boxes valued at $43, 000, two black solar- powered devices valued at $19, 000, two white plastic bags containing flowers and gift items valued at $50, 000, three pairs of black shoes valued at $19, 000, seven pairs of multicolored sneakers valued at $56, 000 GC, six pairs of slippers from Morel and Prada brands valued at $36,000, four gift sets valued at $27, 500, five T- shirts, three jeans, and six trunks valued at $40, 000, and $100,000 in cash.

He had no lawyer and was not required to plead to the charge.

Police Prosecutor Sergeant Garfield Edwards informed the court that the investigation is incomplete. He mentioned that another accused was allegedly charged with the same offence.

Edwards stated that some of the items were found on the accused. He added that the defendant is a repeat offender, previously charged with break and enter in another case. Edwards said the defendant was placed on bail but failed to attend court, leading to his arrest.

Given the behaviour of the accused, he noted that if bail were granted, Chamanlall would likely not return to court.

Magistrate Lalaram denied bail and remanded Chamanlall to prison. He is scheduled to appear in court again on June 3, 2026, and the case has been transferred to the Fort Wellington Magistrate’ s Court.

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Many individuals are seeking to strengthen their personal and professional relationships to improve their productivity and build healthier connections with the people they work and live with. Understanding this need, US-based Guyanese Coach Michelle Cumberbatch will return to Guyana to host the fourth edition of the Manifesting The Relationship You Want Conference at the Guyana Marriott Hotel, Kingston, Georgetown, on June 28, 2026.

Centered around the theme, “Trust Reset,” the conference is designed to help individuals heal from broken trust, rebuild meaningful connections, and restore confidence in every area of life. Whether participants are single, married, navigating family challenges, or seeking healthier professional relationships, the event promises a safe and empowering space for personal transformation.

“This conference is about helping people reset what has been broken and rediscover the relationships they truly desire,” says Coach Michelle. “Trust affects every area of our lives, and when we heal trust, we create healthier families, stronger partnerships, better leadership, and greater self-worth,” she added.

Topics that will be covered include dynamic conversations, practical strategies, and transformational insights to allow attendees to gain valuable tools to confidently navigate trust in their personal and professional lives.

Guests can also expect engaging discussions, networking opportunities, and meaningful connections with others on similar journeys of growth and healing.

The conference which attracts a ticket cost of $20,000 and commences at 15:00h, will allow attendees to gain practical tools for rebuilding trust, greater self-awareness and emotional clarity, renewed confidence in relationships, and inspiration to create the relationships they truly want. They will also be equipped with strategies for healthier communication and meaningful personal and professional connections.

For more information, persons can contact Manifest via WhatsApp at 694-9614 or email contact@ourlifesmomments.com.

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See below the full release: 

The President of Guyana has approved of the Government’s appointment of the following Regional Executive Officers (REOs). The newly appointed officers are expected to work closely with regional administrations, local democratic organs, and communities to enhance governance, accelerate development programmes, and improve the delivery of public services to citizens.

The Government of Guyana remains committed to building professional, responsive, and people-centred institutions that support inclusive development in every region of Guyana.

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A speeding car driven by an alleged intoxicated driver crashed into a supermarket at Ulverston, Corentyne, early Sunday morning.

Brandon Corlette, son of Sparkle Supermarket’s owner, told the News Room that the incident occurred around 4:15h. He said the vehicle crashed into the entire depot section, causing damage to several beverages.

Brandon confirmed that no injuries occurred. He identified the driver as someone who appeared intoxicated, and another passenger was also in the vehicle at the time.

The car, with license plate PAH 3965, is owned by Michael Johnson of Lot 23 Buxton, East Coast Demerara.

Police responded to the scene, but the driver and passenger fled through a nearby street before they could be detained.

The damaged items included: 10 cases of Rude Boy valued at $105,000; 15 cases of Guinness valued at $105,750; 20 cases of Banks Beer valued at $123,200; 10 cases of Shandy valued at $59,000; 10 cases of vitamalt valued at $64,500; 5 cases of Ramens valued at $12,500; 5 one-pound blocks of butter valued at $40,000; and 10 buckets of butter valued at $98,000.

Damage to the property included a wooden and glass door and sections of the concrete wall.

Brandon stated that repairing the damage will cost approximately $600,000 in labour, with materials estimated at $1,100,000. Overall, the total compensation required amounts to $2,500,000.

“We just need the business to go on as normal. We cannot afford to close for a few days,” Brandon disclosed.

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A man from Berbice was remanded to prison on Friday, May 15,2026 after being charged with the possession of narcotics discovered in a minibus.

Carlos Chung, aged 30, a cash crop farmer residing at Lot 239 Ithaca Village, West Bank Berbice, and also at Lot 50 Stanleytown, New Amsterdam Berbice, appeared before Magistrate Shivani Lalaram at the Weldaad Magistrate’s Court.

It is alleged that on Wednesday, May 13, 2026, at Number 7 Public Road, West Coast Berbice, within the West Berbice Magisterial District, Chung was found in possession of narcotics – 2.80 kilograms of cannabis for the purpose of trafficking.

Represented by Attorney-at-law Joel Edmond, Chung pleaded not guilty to the charge.

The lawyer argued that the narcotics were found in a minibus used for public transportation. He stated that at the time of the discovery, there were seven or more occupants in the vehicle. The illegal item was in the trunk of the minibus.

Attorney Edmond informed the court that his client does not possess a passport but is willing to comply with any conditions should bail be granted. He emphasised that the amount of cannabis is small and requested reasonable bail.

Police Prosecutor Sergeant Garfield Edwards informed the Court that the case file is complete, with the exception of the analysis certificate.

While opposing bail, Edwards clarified that, regardless of the quantity, the substance still constitutes trafficking, which is punishable by imprisonment if convicted. He added that the narcotics were found in the trunk of the minibus, with the bag identified as owned by Chung.

The prosecutor further stated that the defendant provided a video and audio recording to police, claiming ownership of the bag and asserting that he collected the narcotics from a taxi driver in Rosignol, West Bank Berbice, for delivery in Georgetown.

Edwards noted that the defendant provided a different name, “Shamar Lindie,” when the narcotics were discovered. Witnesses present in the minibus confirmed this information through written statements.

The defendant also supplied two addresses; Edwards expressed concern that, if granted bail, Chung might flee the jurisdiction.

Additionally, Edwards said the minibus driver confirmed that the defendant entered the vehicle with a bag. He urged the court to refuse bail and remand the defendant pending further proceedings.

Chung’s counsel challenged the prosecutor’s arguments, asserting that the investigation is ongoing and the analysis certificate remains outstanding. He requested that the court reject claims regarding two addresses, stating his client provided Lot numbers and would be present at one of those addresses if granted bail.

Counsel also contested the assertion that Chung claimed ownership of the bag, emphasising that testing would be necessary to verify such a confession under judicial standards; without testing, it cannot be substantiated.

Furthermore, he argued that a bus driver is responsible for all items in the vehicle and questioned how many individuals had approached the minibus’s trunk prior to the search. He concluded by requesting that the court grant reasonable bail.

After deliberation, Magistrate Lalaram dismissed the bail application due to the seriousness of the offence.

Chung was remanded until June 03, 2026. The case was transferred to the Fort Wellington Magistrate’s Court for further proceedings.

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