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A female police officer was among four individuals who testified on Thursday during the commencement of the trial into the murders of Joel Henry and Isaiah Henry.

Anil Sancharra, known as “Dan Pole” and “Rasta,” of D’Edward Village, West Coast Berbice, and Vinod Gopaul, nicknamed “Magga,” of Yakusari, Black Bush Polder, Corentyne, are facing charges in connection with the murders.

Before Justice Simone Morris-Ramlall in the Berbice High Court, Sancharra and Gopaul pleaded not guilty to charges that, between September 5 and 6, 2020, they murdered Joel and Isaiah in Berbice. Their pleas cleared the way for the case to proceed to trial before a 12-member jury.

During her testimony, Lyris Fullerton, a cousin of the victims, confirmed that she was informed Joel and Isaiah were missing. Along with Isaiah’s mother, she searched several areas, including Number 2 and Number 3 Villages, West Coast Berbice.

Fullerton described finding the bodies the following day in a backdam on a tractor. Isaiah’s hands were above his head, with his jersey pulled over his face, while Joel was lying nearby.

Under cross-examination by Attorney Dr. Dexter Todd, Fullerton clarified that she never saw Joel and Isaiah together in the backdam, noting that Isaiah frequently went into the area.

Winston Henry, another cousin of Joel and Isaiah, told the court that he identified Isaiah’s body at the Memorial Garden Funeral Parlor. He said he was present at the parlor on the day the post-mortem examination was conducted but did not witness the procedure since only one person was allowed to do so.

Indeejeet Singh, a cash crop farmer, testified that on September 5, between 18:00 and 18:30 hrs, he left his Number 3 Village home with three others to traverse the backdam, located about two miles from his residence.

Singh said he saw Isaiah and another male with a bicycle near the train line but observed no visible injuries on either of them. He added that the area contained mango and coconut trees.

He said he did not see Joel and Isaiah the following day and was later questioned by police before being released.

Woman Police Sergeant Nelson White, attached to the Central Police Station CID, testified that on September 6, 2020, she and other officers searched the Cotton Tree Backdam after receiving information about the discovery of the bodies. She said the area contained coconut trees and rice fields.

White detailed how she found Joel’s body face down in bushes, clad in a green jersey with white stripes and black long pants. She observed a wound to his neck, injuries to his chin and left hand, and swelling to his face. Photographs were taken, and mangoes were found nearby.

She then discovered Isaiah’s body about 30 feet away, surrounded by bushes and coconut trees. He was clad in brown three-quarter pants, with his face covered by a jersey, lying with his feet facing south and his head north. Injuries were observed to the right side of his face and neck, and photographs were also taken.

The bodies were removed using a makeshift stretcher, and about 500 yards from the scene, a bag containing white gloves was recovered from a coconut walk.

On September 7, 2020, White and other officers revisited the scene to collect blood samples. Approximately 22 photographs of the victims and the locations were shown during the trial.

The court adjourned after White’s testimony. The trial is scheduled to resume on Friday.

A total of 41 witnesses, including 15 police officers and Government Pathologist Dr. Nehaul Singh, are expected to testify as the case continues.

The prosecution is being led by Attorney Marisa Edwards. Attorney-at-law Chandra Sohan is representing Gopaul, while Dr. Dexter Todd and Associates is representing Sancharra.

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Prime Minister Brigadier (retired) Mark Phliips on Thursday night reaffirmed Guyana’s commitment to strengthening ties with the European Union, describing international cooperation as essential in an increasingly uncertain and multipolar world.

Delivering remarks at a Europe Day reception hosted by the EU delegation at Herdmanston Lodge, Phillips said Guyana is seeking deeper engagement with European nations through partnerships focused on sustainability, trade, climate action and infrastructure development.

The event marked the 76th anniversary of the Schuman Declaration, widely regarded as the foundation for the modern European Union.

Speaking before diplomats, government officials and other dignitaries, the prime minister praised Europe’s “journey of unity, resilience and prosperity” while extending congratulations to for her leadership of the European Commission.

“Cooperation is not optional, it is essential,” Phillips stated, while referencing the enduring relevance of the Schuman Declaration and the importance of multilateralism and shared global responsibility.

He said Guyana remains firmly committed to a rules-based international order that upholds international law and ensures smaller states have a meaningful voice in global affairs.

Phillips also highlighted Guyana’s growing collaboration with the European Union on climate and environmental initiatives, noting that the country sees itself as an active contributor to global climate solutions.

“These are not abstract ideas,” he said while referring to biodiversity protection, environmental stewardship and sustainable development. “They are shared responsibilities that demand coordinated global leadership and action.”

The prime minister noted that cooperation between Guyana and the EU has expanded into key sectors including governance, renewable energy, healthcare, digital infrastructure and trade.

He referenced Guyana’s recent pharmaceutical mission involving European partners, which supports the country’s ambition to become a regional hub for pharmaceutical production.

Phillips also pointed to investment discussions in port infrastructure, agro-processing and logistics, as well as emerging partnerships in digital innovation involving European companies.

In the health sector, he said collaboration has been strengthened through agreements involving France-based institutions and biotechnology initiatives valued at approximately €8.9 million.

The prime minister further underscored the importance of easing travel and strengthening people-to-people connections between Guyana and Europe.

According to Phillips, advancing visa waiver arrangements with European partners could significantly improve mobility for citizens, businesses and institutions while deepening trade and investment opportunities.

“Guyana remains committed to expanding market access, strengthening resilient supply chains and deepening trade and business-to-business linkages,” he said.

The prime minister also used the occasion to reflect on Guyana’s development trajectory ahead of the country’s 68th Independence Anniversary celebrations, saying the nation’s growth strategy remains anchored in sustainability and a low-carbon development pathway.

He stressed that Guyana’s progress must remain “people-centred,” balancing economic growth with environmental protection and social inclusion.

Phillips concluded by describing the Guyana-European Union relationship as one built on shared values and common goals.

“The partnership between Guyana and the European Union is strong because it is essential,” he declared. “Together, we can shape a future that delivers opportunity, stability and prosperity for the peoples of the Caribbean and Europe.”

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The Court of Appeal has ruled in favour of ExxonMobil Guyana Limited and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), overturning a 2023 High Court judgment delivered by Justice Sandil Kissoon concerning financial assurance requirements under ExxonMobil’s offshore petroleum environmental permit.

In the earlier decision, the High Court ruling had found that ExxonMobil was in breach of its environmental permit obligations by failing to provide what the court described as adequate financial assurance for potential environmental damage.

Justice Kissoon had also ruled that the EPA failed in its statutory duty by allowing what he determined to be insufficient compliance. He concluded that ExxonMobil’s liability for environmental harm was unlimited and uncapped, and therefore the financial guarantee required under the permit should also be unlimited.

He further held that the company was in breach for seeking to provide a US$2 billion guarantee instead of an unlimited one, and ordered the EPA to issue an enforcement notice. The ruling also indicated that ExxonMobil’s permit could be suspended if an unlimited guarantee was not provided within 30 days.

Both ExxonMobil and the EPA appealed the decision, and the Court of Appeal stayed the High Court’s orders pending the outcome of the appeal. The matter was heard in February 2026.

In its unanimous decision, the Court of Appeal reversed the High Court ruling. The appellate court affirmed that while ExxonMobil remains fully liable for any environmental damage arising from its offshore petroleum operations in Guyana, liability and financial assurance are legally distinct concepts. The Court found that Justice Kissoon erred in conflating unlimited liability with the requirement for financial security under the permit.

The Court further held that the Environmental Protection Agency, under the Environmental Protection Act and the terms of the permit, retains discretion to accept a financial guarantee in a specified amount. It concluded that the High Court judge had improperly substituted his own judgment for that of the regulator, which is the statutory authority empowered by Parliament to make such determinations.

The Court also found no evidence to support the High Court’s conclusion that the insurance structure provided by ExxonMobil and accepted by the EPA was not consistent with practices in the international petroleum industry. It ruled that the EPA and ExxonMobil did not act improperly in negotiating a US$2 billion guarantee.

As a result, the Court of Appeal set aside all orders made by Justice Kissoon in 2023.

ExxonMobil Guyana was represented by Senior Counsel Andrew Pollard, Edward Luckhoo, and Eleanor Luckhoo. The EPA was represented by Sanjeev Datadin and Mohanie Anganoo. The applicants, Frederick Collins and Godfrey Whyte, were represented by Senior Counsel Seenath Jairam, Saevion David-Longe, Melinda Janki, and Abiola Wong-Inniss. The Attorney General’s chambers was represented by Arud Gossai and Shoshanna Lall.

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Plans are underway for the construction of a new modern building to house the Central Immigration and Passport Office, as authorities move to expand services and improve comfort for the growing number of persons accessing the facility.

During an exclusive interview with the News Room on Thursday, Deputy Chief Immigration Officer Stephen Telford confirmed that discussion are ongoing for the construction of a new structure.

“I can tell you yes it’s coming soon and the structure is likely to be right within the same area…it is on stream,” Telford said.

The new structure, which is expected to be a four-storey state-of-the-art building, is intended to accommodate the increasing demand for passport and immigration services as Guyana continues to see growth in population movement and economic activity.

“We are living in modern times and as we change the place needs to expand because when you look at the passport office years ago there had to be some form of extension and then it continues to grow because so much persons are coming to Guyana and we have to accommodate them.

Comfort is one of the main thing when you come into a public service office,” Telford explained to the News Room.

The Central Immigration and Passport Office has operated from Camp Street, Georgetown since the early 1990s and serves as the main hub for passport applications and renewals.

There are also seven other passport office locations across the country.

Telford noted that while preparations continue for the new building, efforts have been made to improve the existing facility on Camp Street.

“We don’t have anything that is affecting the operation. We have mechanism in place to facilitate visitors,” he said.

According to Telford, once construction begins, a determination will have to be made whether operations can continue at the current Camp Street location or if temporary relocation will be necessary during the building phase.

He assured that the public will be informed of any changes.

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A 70-year-old man and his wife is recovering from injuries after they were allegedly beaten by a foreign national, who they discovered in their Lusignan, East Coast Demerara yard early last Saturday.

Lakeram Bridgemohan, 70, and his wife, Sandra Bridgemohan, 63, were attacked around 06:30 hrs on May 2 after confronting a man they found inside their yard.

Recounting the ordeal to the News Room, Sandra said she and her husband woke up when Lakeram noticed a man in the yard.

She said she quickly changed her clothing and rushed outside, where she saw the suspect attempting to open the door of their car, which was parked in the yard.

“In the meantime while I was changing, my husband walked up to the car and said ‘get out the yard. What you doing in here? Get out the yard,’ not knowing the man had a wooden stick in his hand,” Sandra related.

According to Sandra, the suspect immediately began attacking her husband. “When I rush out he already had the stick squeezing my husband neck, bracing him on the car,” she said.

Sandra said she intervened and pushed the suspect away, but the suspect then turned on her and began striking her with the stick. During the confrontation, Lakeram tried to defend them. “He (Lakeram) turn back and push him (suspect) away,” Sandra said.

The suspect and Lakeram then became engaged in a fight as Sandra screamed for help and called out to her son, who lives in an apartment at the house. Neighbours later responded and helped restrain the suspect until police arrived.

“We tied him up and my daughter called the police. The police came and took him away,” Sandra explained.

The couple later went to the Police station and sought medical attention for their injuries. “We are elderly people, we are both diabetic and hypertensive and it was very difficult,” Sandra said.

She said she continues to experience pain from the attack. “I have a lot of pain, I still have swollen hands, both hands,” she said, adding that her husband suffered injuries to his head and ribs along with several bruises about his body.

“My husband just save me from getting the hit on my head,” Sandra told the News Room.

The suspect, who Sandra said is a Spanish speaker, was charged on Wednesday at the Vigilance Magistrate’s Court with two counts of assault. He was remanded to prison and is scheduled to return to court on June 6.

Sandra noted that the investigation proved challenging because an interpreter was needed for the suspect.

She also stated that while there are several Spanish-speaking individuals living in the area, she had never seen the suspect before the incident.

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Noor Cricket Youth Club (NCYC) of Canada began their Under-19 tour of Guyana on Wednesday, losing to hosts Georgetown Cricket Club (GCC) in a T20 match.

Batting first after winning the toss, NCYC found the going tough, managing 56-8 from the allotted 20 overs. Opener Jatan Mehta was the lone batter into double figures, making 12 off 19 (1×4).

Click here to view photos

Bowling for GCC, Arun Gainda picked up 3-11 off his four overs, while fellow left-arm spinner Nathaniel Sukhnandan was frugal in his four-over spell, taking 1-9.

Skipper Dhanesh Persaud (1-10) and Balashankar Narine (1-11) were the other wicket-takers.

Shiloh Adams and Shahid Ramzan then added 47 for the first wicket to effectively seal the game for GCC, with Adams the aggressor, hitting four fours in 28 off 27.

National youth players Ramzan (14*) and Trilok Nanan (06*) closed out the contest with Nanan scoring the winning runs, an authoritative pull for four as GCC won with 57 balls to spare.

Bhumesh Ramkissoon (1-6) was the lone wicket-taker for NCYC, whose tour continues on Thursday with a match against hosts Everest.

Gainda was named Player-of-the-Match for his three-wicket haul, while Adams was presented with a trophy for the highest individual score of the match.

Coach Peter Persaud thanked NCYC for choosing GCC as a stop on their tour, and wished them well in the remaining matches.

Assistant Coach of NCYC Aftab Shamsudeen was elated to have his young charges play at such a historic venue, noting that the club is grateful for the opportunity to connect with ‘Bourda.’

The Canadians will also play Everest Cricket Club, Lusignan Sports Club, Albion Community Centre Cricket Club, Cotton Tree Cricket Club and Guyana Police Force cricket team.

NCYC has been a dominance force in the Canadian Commonwealth Cricket First Division League, securing back-to-back 40-over championships in 2024 and 2025.

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PRESS RELEASE || Guyana’s Lennox Braithwaite placed second overall and captured the Bermuda Shield, while the Guyana National Rifle Association (GuyanaNRA) National Rifle Team finished second in the Short Range Team standings at the recently concluded West Indies Full Bore Shooting Championship, contested over three days in Antigua and Barbuda.

The 11-man squad, led by Captain Dylan Fields and Vice-Captain Leo Romalho, with Chief Wind Coach Mahendra Persaud, navigated tricky daily winds to post solid scores against competition from the home team, Barbados, Bermuda, England, Grenada, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago.

The host nation’s Laurne Benjamin took full advantage of familiar conditions to emerge as the top West Indian Individual shooter by the slimmest of margins, tallying 461 points and 31 V-Bulls, one point ahead of Braithwaite.

Fullbore Captain Dylan Fields claimed the bronze medal close behind in second; Fields (452.32) finished third and Roberto Tewari (450.32) placed fifth.

Sherwin Felicien ended 16th, Peter Persaud 20th, Leo Romalho 21st, Ryan Sampson 31st, the returning Mahendra Persaud after eight years 44th, Kayann Ghanie 47th (lone female competitor for Guyana) of 52 West Indian competitors.

USA-based Sigmund Douglas did not compete after the first day of the individual competition after sustaining a shoulder injury.

A huge achievement for the shooters from the ‘Land of Many Waters’ was the performance of 22-year-old Kyle Romalho, son of Fullbore Vice Captain Leo, who won the Tyro category (and the coveted Wogart Cup).

Such was his performance that he ended in the top 15 amongst the senior marksmen and women, the youngest to achieve this feat.

Kyle, who only began shooting three months ago, warmed to his first international championship and collected gold medals across most of his ranges and daily aggregates.

Several competitors, including members of the visiting England team complimented his steady composure and urged him to keep building on this promising start in the sport.

Former Captain Mahendra Persaud, who was amongst the best in the Caribbean, competed whilst still recovering from illness, displaying grit and determination.

Shooters from across the West Indies praised his fortitude and encouraged him to keep going.

In the West Indies Team Match, Antigua and Barbuda set the early pace at the opening range, but Guyana rallied at 500 yards to pull back some ground before ultimately falling short and ending with the silver medal, the home nation won gold.

Jamaica and Barbados rounded out the leading positions.

The GuyanaNRA is expressing thanks to the sponsors who made the trip possible: Patron of the Association President Mohamed Irfaan Ali, the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport, National Sports Commission, the Guyana Olympic Association, Crown Mining Supplies, Secure Innovation Concept Inc., Queensway Security, Industrial Safety Supplies Inc., Sterling Products Ltd., Citizens Bank and the Continental Group of Companies.

The Association is also extending thanks to GuyanaNRA President Brig. Omar Khan for his continued support and words of encouragement ahead of the squad’s departure.

Appreciation is also being expressed to LIAT for its service and support, and the Guyana Revenue Authority Customs Division for its assistance.

(SOURCE: GuyanaNRA)

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The battle lines have been drawn and it’s all to play for when the semi-finals of the inaugural Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport’s East Bank Inter-Village Football Tournament are contested on Thursday night at the Eccles EE Ground.

Organised by Sports Extra, this tournament has rekindled the competitive flame of football on the East Bank with the final four now in the mix having commenced with 12 villages.

Grove, led by their captain Domini Garnett, who has scored in all three of their matches so far and has six goals, the most by any player, will put all on the line when they face Agricola in Thursday’s first semi.

Grove has been clinical in their matches to date, defeating Circuitville (7-2), Upper Soesdyke (2-0), and Kaneville (3-0) and will be aiming to maintain this record against Agricola which did not have such an easy time reaching this stage.

The Agricola lads suffered a 1-3 loss in their opening match at the hands of Kuru Kururu but rebounded to beat Mocha by a similar scoreline before moving on to win an epic clash against Swan in their quarter-final, 5-3 in extra time.

The task at hand for both villages would be victory which is the only pathway forward.

Garnett will depend on the Padmore siblings- Kevin Jr. and Devon- Rayfield Hilliman, Akeem Jarvis, and Jamal Cordis to secure a place in Saturday’s final.

Agricola’s charge for a similar result will center around the likes of Shemar Sampson, Demanie Cort, Jamal Fiffe, Solomon Austin, Samuel Garnett, and Dennis Alexander who have all registered goals for their village.

Thursday night feature game will see Kuru Kururu, boasting a record of three wins in as many matches coming up against a determined Herstelling side.

The Soesdyke Linden Highway based Kuru Kururu team have won against some of the more seasoned villages in Agricola, Mocha (2-1) and Upper Soesdyke by a similar score.

They will want to preserve this run and will depend on their most experienced player and leading scorer, Mervin ‘Munro’ Joseph who has scored a goal in each of their wins so far.

He will hope to get support from Leroy Evans, Kevin Scott and Seith Adams, among others.

Herstelling started their campaign on a high when they blanked Lower Soesdyke 2-0, but was jolted in their next game by Swan 1-4 before rebounding to upstage Timehri on Tuesday night 4-0 via kicks from the penalty mark after a 0-0 stalemate in regulation and extra time, will fancy their chances of booking a place in the final.

They have been putting in the work and have been seeing positive results.

They will now have to step it up another notch in order to be in the final and will turn to their Captain Jonathan, Malcolm Hendricks, Johenni Mendoza, Candel Hazel, Jose Vasquez, Jesus Perez, Eleaezer Vandez and Andri Gomez to deliver another win and place in the championship match.

Fans are encouraged to come out and support their teams as admission is free.

Organiser, Sports Extra is expressing gratitude to the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport, Office of the Prime Minister, Ministry of Housing, National Sports Commission, Bounty Farm Ltd., Fitness Express, Star Rentals, Trophy Stall, NAMILCO and Republic Bank for their partnership which has made this tournament possible.

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Guyanese all-rounder Quentin Sampson has been retained as the Breakout Player by the Guyana Amazon Warriors for the Caribbean Premier League 2026.

Sampson was the Breakout Player of CPL 2025, displaying consistency and match-winning impact in his debut season. In eight matches, he scored 241 runs at an average of 40.16 and a strike rate of 153, including a career-best 76.

His retention by the Warriors came as no surprise, given his tremendous performances, which later secured him a spot on the West Indies T20 team earlier this year.

Below is a press release issued by CPL on the mandatory pre-draft Breakout Player retentions

Ahead of the highly anticipated Caribbean Premier League Draft, all six franchises have confirmed their mandatory pre-draft Breakout Player retentions, locking in a group of emerging Caribbean stars who represent the next generation of regional cricket excellence.

Under the CPL’s player draft and acquisition regulations for the 2026 season, each franchise was permitted to retain one player ahead of the draft, with that player required to be selected from the team’s Breakout Player category.

The retained players – Joshua James, Ramon Simmonds, Quentin Sampson, Navin Bidaisee, Ackeem Auguste and Nathan Edward – have each earned recognition for their performances, potential, and growing impact across Caribbean cricket.

The six retained Breakout Players are:

• Antigua and Barbuda Falcons- Joshua James
• Barbados Royals- Ramon Simmonds
• Guyana Amazon Warriors- Quentin Sampson
• St. Kitts and Nevis Patriots- Navin Bidaisee
• St. Lucia Kings- Ackeem Auguste
• Trinbago Knight Riders- Nathan Edward

Each franchise will name a total of three Breakout Players in their final squad for the 2026 season, reinforcing the CPL’s continued commitment to developing emerging Caribbean talent and providing young players with opportunities on the region’s biggest cricketing stage.

As part of the tournament regulations, every team will also be required to field at least one Breakout Player in every match throughout the season.

With only one pre-draft retention allowed- and that retention reserved exclusively for a Breakout Player- the remaining squad positions for all six teams will now be filled during the CPL Draft, setting the stage for one of the most competitive and exciting player selections in league history.

The Caribbean Premier League continues to serve as the premier platform for Caribbean cricket, combining elite entertainment with a proven pathway for the next generation of players to develop and succeed on the global stage.

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The Mayor and Councillors of the City of Georgetown have issued a public notice reminding citizens that parking on pavements across the city is strictly prohibited.

According to the notice, pavements are intended for pedestrian use, including persons with disabilities, children and the elderly. The council said vehicles parked on sidewalks create obstructions and safety hazards by forcing pedestrians onto busy roadways.

City Hall also cited provisions under the Municipal and District Councils Act, Chapter 28:01, Sections 9 and 10, which prohibit persons from driving or placing vehicles and other objects on pavements and footpaths. The legislation outlines that sidewalks are to remain clear for public use and safety.

The council is urging motorists to cooperate and comply with the law by parking responsibly in a manner that is safe for both vehicle owners and pedestrians.
Officials said adherence to the regulations is necessary to improve public safety and accessibility throughout Georgetown.

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