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death of educator and comedian Kirwyn Mars was arrested on Tuesday, two days after the gruesome incident which sent shockwaves across the country Sunday night.

Police sources confirmed that the young man was arrested at his workplace in Georgetown and is cooperating with investigators.

Allegedly just 25 years old, his identity is yet to be confirmed.

Sir Mars was found pinned between his car and an apartment building fence in Perseverance, East Bank Demerara, with his body crushed and covered in blood.

Police, in its official report on Monday, revealed that two knives were recovered from the scene. Mars was found with multiple lacerations and stab wounds to his face, hands, head, shoulder, and other parts of his body.

According to the Police, the incident occurred at about 22:30hrs on Sunday by an unidentifiable man armed with a knife.

Police said investigations revealed that Mars and the suspect had a “misunderstanding” that escalated inside the vehicle. As a result, both parties armed themselves with knives and stabbed each other.

Mars exited the vehicle in an attempt to escape but the suspect reversed the vehicle into Mars and pinned him to the fence.

The suspect then exited the vehicle and escaped in a southern direction on foot. Regional Commander Mahendra Singh told the News Room that they are pursuing the suspect.

Sir Mars joined the teaching profession in 1992. He was also an actor and comedian. He was the deputy principal at the New Central High School in Georgetown.

Chief Executive Officer of the Guyana Energy Agency (GEA), Dr Mahender Sharma (Photo: News Room/ May 9, 2023)

The DBIS is Guyana’s main power grid that uses diesel, an environmentally- harmful fossil fuel, to produce power. It supplies about 78 percent of the country’s energy needs.

Through the use of US$83.3 million accumulated from Norway to keep Guyana’s rainforests intact, the new solar farms promise to add much-needed solar power, an environmentally-friendly source of power, to Guyana’s grid.

Dr. Sharma said the bids for this project were already received and are in the process of being evaluated. If the government opts to proceed with any of the bids, contracts for the construction of these farms could be awarded this year.

Aside from this project, solar farms will be operational at Wakenaam, Leguan and Mahdia. These join existing projects at Lethem and Bartica. Also, there will be 19 solar-powered mini-grids in hinterland communities.

The hinterland solar electrification project for 30,000 homes, a highly anticipated project, is expected to get underway from July.

The first 1,830 solar units for the households were shipped to Guyana and should arrive by July. Subsequent batches are slated for transport in coming months.

Once those solar power systems arrive, Dr. Sharma said the GEA will work alongside members of the hinterland communities to get them installed.

Importantly though, solar projects are not the only source of new power for Guyana. The government also plans to leverage natural gas produced offshore, hydropower and some amount of wind energy to satisfy the demand.

The GEA is also wary of the drawbacks of solar energy.

Though cleaner and cheaper in the long term, the provision of solar energy is contingent upon the availability of sunlight and batteries to store sunlight captured.

Colonel Telbert Banjamin fires off the 2023 edition of the WIFBSC Championships at the Crabbs Rifle and Pistol Range, Antigua

Chief of Defense Staff of the Antigua and Barbuda Defense Force, Colonel Telbert Benjamin also welcomed the shooters, especially to the Crabbs Training Rifle and Pistol Range.

“I know that many of you have been here before, so, welcome back. Make the best of this week, I know our boys from Antigua have been preparing vigorously, I get the chatter about all the scores. I understand that my friends from the South, the Golden Arrowhead, have been preparing as well, and of course my people from Barbados have been doing a lot of work.

I look forward to the competition, I look forward to hearing the good news, I look forward to seeing the competitiveness of all of us and I look forward to the camaraderie, that is the norm within these competitions. All the best to all of you and may the better team emerge as victors here.”

Flags all hoisted following the opening ceremony of the 2023 WIFBSC at the Crabbs Rifle and Pistol Range in Antigua

President of the WIFBSC, Major Nelson of Jamaica, in brief remarks, congratulated the Antigua and Barbuda Rifle Association for hosting this year’s competition, whilst also extending a warm welcome to the Canadian Team which has always been a good friend of the WIFBSC over the years.

Special thanks was also extended to Dan Chisolm, who President Nelson informed has been single handedly responsible for the advent and implementation of electronic scoring in the Caribbean.

“Without Dan, the whole question of electronic targets, probably would not have gotten off the ground as it has. I want to thank you fellow shooters for being here and we all hope to have a very good week.”

Rifle shooters competing at the 600 yards range on Tuesday

Competition got cracking after Colonel Benjamin fired the opening shot from the 600 yards range to the applause of all gathered.

The Individual Championships got going with shooters engaging at the 300 yards range with two sighting shots and seven rounds to count.

They then matched shots at the 500 yards range, two sighting shots and 15 rounds to count with the day coming to an end at the 600 yards range where they each had two sighting shots and 10 rounds to count.

Guyana National Rifle Association (GuyanaNRA) Fullbore Captain Dylan Fields, along with defending WIFBSC Individual Champion Lennox Braithwaite, Ransford Goodluck, Leo Ramalho (Vice-Captain), Peter Persaud, Sherwin Felicen, Roberto Tiwari, Ryan Sampson and USA-based duo Sigmund Douglas and John Fraser are all contesting the Individual Championship.

The other team members are Mahendra Persaud and Team Manager, Franklin Wilson.

On Wednesday, 300 yards shoot will be two sighting shots and 15 rounds to count; 500 yards two sighting shots and 10 rounds to count and 600 yards, two sighting shots and seven rounds to count.

Thursday will be the final day of the Individual segment.

The GuyanaNRA is extending sincere gratitude to the Government of Guyana, Ministry of Culture Youth and Sport, National Sports Commission, Guyana Olympic Association, Industrial Safety Supplies Inc., Secure Innovations and Concepts Inc., Queensway Security Service Inc., DHL, Citizens Bank, Sterling Products and Star Party Rentals for making the participation of local shooters possible.

Coordinator of the Radical Caribbean Cup, Kurt Seabra

Shipping issues 

Normally, the Caribbean series ends in Guyana, but this year when organisers of the RCC released the schedule, which starts May 14 in Barbados, none of the five rounds was listed for South Dakota Circuit.

Issues with shipping is the reason being proffered, as Seabra outlined in a recent interview.

He explained that given the short turnover between the two events in November, they opted not to take a chance to ship the cars to Guyana.

However, he did say, they could look into visiting another period.

“I would say it is probably not going to be November, we probably could consider other months, but not November. It would be too close but that would not affect the club cars,” Seabra explained.

“The club cars will be there,” he assured

While thanking those in authority for getting the cars cleared with urgency when they arrived last November, some issues with shipping meant they only got back all cars in March 2023.

According to Seabra, the late arrival of the cars meant there was a delay in getting the engine of reigning champion, Guyana’s Kristian Jeffrey, rebuilt in time for the event.

That entire process- shipping and rebuilding- takes approximately eight weeks.

“The reason we postponed our event and possibly, having to do it again is because we don’t have his engine as yet and it is almost bringing tears to my eyes. We don’t want to start the series without the champion having a level playing field to defend his crown.”

Two of the five legs will be in Trinidad and Tobago, which hosted last year as well, despite not initially being on the schedule.

“This is not a partisan thing, it is decisions we have to make as to what is best for the series, and it is not best for the series until we know what is going [and] how we can make it better to come to Guyana.”

Jeffrey, the lone Guyanese who competed in the last series, won the title in thrilling fashion at home.

He clinched the title by a margin of just five points from season-long rival Kristian Boodoosingh of Trinidad and Tobago by winning the final race of the season at South Dakota.

The Radical Caribbean Cup is administered by Bushy Park Circuit Inc. (BPCI), which was appointed sole distributor for Radical Sportscars in the Caribbean in 2017.

The Suzuki-powered Radical SR3 sport-racers are considered the fastest race cars in the region.

Radical Caribbean Cup 2023

Round 1 – May 14, Bushy Park Barbados (BPMSI)

Round 2 – June 25, Frankie Boodram Wallerfield International Raceway (TTASA)

Round 3 – July 23, Frankie Boodram Wallerfield International Raceway (TTASA)

Round 4 – September 3, Bushy Park Barbados (BPMSI)

Round 5 – November 24, Bushy Park Barbados (BPMSI)

stabbed his wife 13 times last week at the Alpha Hotel at Ogle, ECD, was charged with murder on Tuesday.

Kim Halley is the 46-year-old woman who was murdered by Junior.

According to a Police report, 13 stab wounds were seen on the woman’s face, hand and body.

Upon further examination, investigators observed that her throat was also slit.

After committing the gruesome act, Junior went to the Criminal Investigation Department where he reportedly confessed.

He was arrested and placed into custody.

Police Headquarters stated that Junior appeared before Magistrate A. George at the Sparendaam Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday.

He was not required to plea and was remanded to prison.

The case was postponed to June 22.

Critical drainage works will be executed within two weeks’ time Photo: Ministry of Agriculture/May 8, 2023)

Though promising interventions, the Minister lamented the dearth of drainage works done especially in preparation for the rainy season.

“It seems that the City Council has not been doing any work whatsoever in these areas,” Mustapha said.

He added, “Interlocking drains have been neglected for a number of years. That is why when you look at the sluices and the pumps, they are clogged.”

Flooding in South Georgetown has been a huge concern.

Last year, President Dr. Irfaan Ali promised residents that this woe would be addressed.