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Beverage powerhouse Banks DIH Limited has announced a significant sponsorship deal for the sixth edition of the highly anticipated ExxonMobil Under-14 Boys and Girls Schools’ Football Championships.

The tournament, a cornerstone of youth football development in Guyana, is organised by the Petra Organisation and is now set to kick off on Saturday, June 21, 2025.

Under its popular I-CEE Soft Drinks, Malta Supreme, Rainforest Water, and Tastee Snacks brands, Banks DIH has pledged its support, a move lauded by the organisers as a massive boost for the competition.

The partnership was highlighted at the tournament’s official launch at Cara Lodge, where the vibrant future of schools’ football was celebrated.

Clayton McKenzie, Brand Manager for I-CEE Soft Drinks, speaking on behalf of Banks DIH, expressed the company’s enthusiasm for supporting youth development through sport.

Troy Mendonca, Co-Director of the Petra Organisation, extended his heartfelt gratitude to Banks DIH for their “overwhelming support.” He emphasized the crucial role such partnerships play in providing a platform for young talent to flourish.

“We are delighted to have Banks DIH on board once again,” said Mendonca.

 “Their commitment to the development of our young people is evident, and this sponsorship will go a long way in ensuring the successful execution of this tournament.

The ExxonMobil U-14 tournament is a critical part of our youth football pathway, and with the support of corporate partners like Banks DIH, we can continue to create opportunities for the next generation of football stars.”

The month-long tournament will culminate in the finals on July 12 at the Ministry of Education Ground on Carifesta Avenue. This year’s competition will see 32 boys’ teams and 24 girls’ teams vying for top honours. The teams will initially compete in a group stage format before advancing to the knockout rounds.

Notably, teams from Regions Eight and Nine will not be participating in this edition.

The defending champions heading into the tournament are Chase’s Academic Foundation in the Boys’ division and President’s College in the Girls’ division, who will be keen to defend their titles against a host of aspiring challengers.

A significant aspect of this year’s tournament is the emphasis on player welfare and safety. The Petra Organisation recently partnered with Demerara Mutual to provide insurance coverage for all players and officials and conducted a comprehensive Child Safeguarding course for coaches and teachers.

The stakes are high, with attractive prizes for both individuals and teams. The top four teams in both the male and female categories will receive substantial financial assistance for school projects.

The winners will receive G$400,000, with the second, third, and fourth-placed teams pocketing G$200,000, G$100,000, and G$75,000 respectively.

Individual excellence will also be rewarded, with the Most Valuable Players, highest goal scorers, and best goalkeepers each receiving a trophy and school supplies valued at G$60,000.

The support from Banks DIH and title sponsor ExxonMobil ensures that the 2025 edition of the U-14 Schools’ Football Championships will be a memorable one for all participants.

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The defending champions, Rangpur Riders, have officially named their squad for the highly anticipated 2025 ExxonMobil Guyana Global Super League (GSL), set to take place at the Guyana National Stadium in Providence from 10 to 18 July.

In 2024, the Rangpur Riders were without a point after their first three matches but found their form and eventually won their last three contests to emerge champions.

With a combination of dynamic batting, disciplined bowling, and strong leadership, the Riders proved to be deserving champions of an action-packed competition.

The Rangpur Riders, one of the leading franchises in the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL), bring a rich pedigree to the GSL. Having won the BPL championship in 2017, the Riders have consistently been a playoff contender over the last three seasons, showcasing their reputation for excellence and resilience.

The Riders are eager to defend their GSL title and have retained key players to help their cause. Inspirational captain Nurul Hasan will once again lead the defending champions.

 The tournament’s leading run scorer in the inaugural season, Soumya Sarkar is back as is Kamrul Islam Rabbi who spearheaded the bowling attack.

To aid the local stars, the Riders have included West Indian top-order batter Kyle Mayers, South Africa’s left-arm wrist spinner bowler Tabraiz Shamsi, Pakistani all-rounder Iftikhar Ahmed and Afghanistan’s top order batter Abrahim Zadran.

The squad reflects a good mixture of youth and experience with an eye on the conditions. (GSLT20) 

The Rangpur Riders squad: Nurul Hasan Sohan, Soumya Sarkar, Mohammed Naim Sheikh, Mahidul Islam Ankon, Kamrul Islam Rabbi, Mohammed Saif Hassan, Abu Haider Rony, Rakibul Hasan, Yasir Ali Chowdhury, Kyle Mayers, Tabraiz Shamsi, Ibrahim Zadran, Iftikhar Ahmed, Akif Javed, Harmeet Singh, Khawaja Nafay

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The country’s elections body, GECOM, is set to conduct “free, transparent and credible” General and Regional elections on September 1, 2025, Deputy Chief Elections Officer Aneal Giddings said Thursday after meeting with representatives of various political parties.

Representatives of 16 parties attended the meeting. That included the larger established parties like the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) and A Partnership for National Unity (APNU), and smaller parties, such as the AFC.

During the meeting, Giddings said a number of concerns were raised, including what happens if there is another joinder list in which several parties agree to merge their list of candidates so the combined votes they win can be used to calculate what seats they get, either at the regional or national level. This issue, Giddings said, is considered a “burning” one.

Mark DeFrance, the head of the A New and United Guyana (ANUG) party, was among those who raised issues about the joinder list. His party joined with the Liberty and Justice Party (LJP) and The New Movement (TNM) to share a single seat in the National Assembly after the 2020 elections. The LJP’s Lenox Shuman first held the seat and then TNM’s Asha Kissoon. When Kissoon was expected to resign and hand over the seat to an ANUG representative, she refused to do so, leaving ANUG without any time in Parliament.

Dr Asha Kissoon offers ‘no comment’ after accused of blocking seat in Parliament

Giddings said he promised the party representatives that he will raise the matter at the next statutory meeting of GECOM.

“It’s a matter that needs to be raised, needs to be addressed…At this point in time, I would prefer to be guided by the Commission’s decision and the Commission’s directive on this,” Giddings said.

In fact, he said the Commission has been discussing this matter and hopefully, once raised, it will lead to a discussion “that will arrive in some sort of guidance.”

Another issue raised is the appearance of names of dead people on the list of voters, Giddings said, but noted that the process of claims and objections is ongoing. During this period, those who are aware that their dead relatives or friends are on the list can request that they be removed.

So what’s next?

Currently, GECOM is receiving symbols from persons who are interested in contesting in the elections.

The symbols have to be approved by the Chairperson of GECOM, retired Justice Claudette Singh. Approval is expected to be done by July 1.

Giddings explained that the “claims” aspect of Claims and Objections process has just concluded, while “objections” aspect is slated to conclude on Friday.

The process afterwards, he said, will see the preparation of the revised list of elector,s which will be publicized for 21 days.

The Secretariat is doing its other work, such as identifying Polling stations and ensuring all the procurement materials are in place.

Nominations Day is scheduled for July 14.

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Azruddin Mohamed, sanctioned by the US government for bribery and corruption in his family’s gold dealings and now unable to have a bank account anywhere in Guyana, has named his political party “We Invest in Nationhood.”

The name of the party was revealed by Charles Sugrim, a former AFC associate, who has been canvassing for Mr Mohamed. Sugrim spoke to reporters Thursday following a meeting of political party representatives and the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM).

The engagement with the parties and GECOM concerned the September 1 general and regional elections and various procedures that have to be followed ahead of Nomination Day on July 14.

United States-sanctioned businessman Azruddin Mohamed joins presidential race 

Speaking on the meeting, Sugrim said some concerns were shared but he believed that Deputy Chief Elections Officer Aneal Giddings managed to address those.

“I think Mr. Giddings did a good job in laying out the timeframe and so on, and we are just calling on GECOM to have a free and fair election,” Sugrim said.

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Agriculture innovation hubs with support centres will be set up in every region in the next PPP government, Vice President and PPP General Secretary Dr Bharrat Jagdeo said on Thursday.

Dr Jagdeo said once re-elected, the PPP will focus heavily on further expanding the agriculture sector.

He said that to add to the innovation hubs, there will be diversification and technical support centres in each region. These will support the country’s food security efforts while encouraging more agro-processing.

But that’s not all. Jagdeo said planting materials will be provided to farmers, and individuals will be able to access zero-interest loans from the planned development bank to support agricultural ventures. He also noted that more study opportunities will be offered to those interested in pursuing agriculture.

“We will be creating an incentive regime for agriculture and small businesses,” Jagdeo said at his weekly press conference on Thursday.

The hemp sector has also been identified as one of the new areas of focus.

In Regions Two and Ten, about 4,000 acres of land (2,000 acres in each region) will be developed for hemp production. Around 2,000 farmers are expected to receive approximately two acres each to cultivate.

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A 28-year-old hairdresser from Ann’s Grove, East Coast Demerara, has been charged with two counts of inflicting grievous bodily harm, one of which involves a four-year-old girl.

The accused, Tawana Hamlet, was arrested on June 15, 2025, and formally charged two days later by police ranks from the Cove and John Police Station. The charges stem from an incident that allegedly occurred on the same day of her arrest, involving 26-year-old Tyrese Brandon Boucher and his young daughter.

The charges were laid under Section 50 of the Criminal Law (Offences) Act, Chapter 8:01.

Hamlet appeared before Her Worship Orinthia Schmidt at the Cove and John Magistrate’s Court at approximately 10:00hrs on June 17. She pleaded not guilty to both charges and was granted $80,000 bail on each count.

The case has been adjourned to July 13, 2025, for report and statements.

The Guyana Police Force confirmed the details in an official release.

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See below the full statement issued by the Ministry of Finance:

The Government of Guyana and the CARICOM (Caribbean Community) Development Fund (CDF) yesterday signed a US$18 million financing agreement, to kickstart the Agricultural and Infrastructural Development Programme (AIDP) which will see over 4,300 farmers across the ten regions of Guyana benefitting, with forty percent of the beneficiaries being women and youth. The programme will allow for a further boost to Guyana’s agriculture sector in the form of support for compliance with food safety, sanitary and phytosanitary standards in the sector. The agreement was signed at the Ministry of Finance in the presence of representatives of the Ministries of Agriculture and Finance. 

Senior Minister in the Office of the President with Responsibility for Finance and the Public Service, Dr. Ashni Singh, who signed on behalf of Government, while thanking the CDF for its support over the years noted that Guyana is proud to be a founding member of the CDF and to have benefited from the Fund’s activities over the years. 

“As a Government, led by His Excellency President Irfaan Ali, we recognize the importance of a strong and competitive non-oil economy, and I want to assure you that we consider agriculture and agricultural products to be a principal pillar of our non-oil economy, and we anticipate that long into the future, agriculture will remain an important source of economic growth and an important contributor to livelihoods, in particular rural and hinterland livelihoods, “ Dr. Singh explained to CDF’s CEO. 

Finance Minister Dr. Ashni Singh and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the CDF Mr. Rodinald Soomer

He added that Guyana will long maintain and further enhance its position in relation to the achievement of food security for the Caribbean region more broadly, noting that this project and others like it, have a very important role to play in ensuring the country realises this achievement. 

Dr. Singh also outlined various agricultural projects supported by the CDF over the years, including farm-to market roads, highlighting that this project, which will be implemented by the Ministry of Agriculture under the leadership of Minister of Agriculture Zulfikar Mustapha, also aligns closely with Guyana’s and the CARICOM Region’s food security agenda. 

“This project is in a sector that is extremely important and it aligns closely with our national development priorities, and with the regional agenda on food security,” he concluded. 

Speaking at the signing ceremony, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the CDF Mr. Rodinald Soomer said the US$18 million programme is a bold and strategic investment in the fulfilment of CARICOM and Guyana’s shared vision for a resilient, productive and inclusive agricultural sector that not only feeds the nation but nourishes the region and reinforces Guyana’s leadership role in advancing food and nutrition security in CARICOM. 

“This programme is intended to enrich lives, uplift local communities and regions, and create new economic opportunities for producers and processors of coconuts, cocoa, coffee, peanuts, pigs and pork products, honey and associated by-products and vegetables,” he explained. 

The CEO added that under the AIDP, the foundation for a safer, more competitive agricultural sector will be laid, with the construction of a modern swine abattoir, 13 new or upgraded agro-processing facilities, and eight enhanced surveillance outposts to enable officers to execute their duties under conditions which are more conducive and should yield better results in combating the prevalence of the carambola fruit fly. 

With President Irfaan Ali being CARICOM’s lead representative for agriculture in the region, the project’s proposed activities have notably satisfied several aspects of CARICOM’s goal of reducing the region’s food import bill, as well as in the areas of food and nutrition security, implementation and operationalisation of sanitary and phytosanitary- related policies, and increased production and climate smart agriculture. 

The program will contribute to the Government’ s broader diversification strategy including through the further development in agriculture, one of the country’s main non-oil sectors. With most agriculture concentrated on the coast facing challenges such as climate change risks and reduced availability of water and suitable land, Guyana’s Ministry of Agriculture aims to increase production and value addition in selected commodities. Through projects such as this, the Ministry will be in a stronger position to propose policies and investments that generate the highest return for the country, in line with Guyana’s National Strategy for Agriculture (2020 – 2030). 

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In what appears to be a last-ditch effort to salvage a political partnership, the Alliance For Change (AFC) submitted a drastically scaled-back coalition proposal to A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) on Tuesday — only to have it rejected shortly aftter.

The proposal, seen by News Room and confirmed by sources within the AFC, marked a significant retreat by the party, which has been grappling with a wave of defections and declining influence under new leader Nigel Hughes. Once demanding parity in coalition arrangements, the AFC now offered to settle for just 35% of political representation — a far cry from its former power-sharing demand.

Despite this concession and what one AFC insider described as “a genuine attempt to respond to public calls for a unified opposition,” APNU, led by Opposition Leader Aubrey Norton, declined the offer. According to the AFC, APNU took particular issue with the AFC’s continued insistence on naming the Prime Ministerial candidate — a position APNU now wants control over.

PNCR Leader, Aubrey Norton and Leader of the AFC, Nigel Hughes

The AFC’s revised coalition proposal included several key terms: the Presidential Candidate would be nominated by APNU, while the Prime Ministerial Candidate would be nominated by the AFC, subject to APNU’s approval; a seat-sharing ratio of 65% to APNU and 35% to the AFC; the Representative of the List would be an independent nominee agreed upon by both parties; the Speaker of the National Assembly would be nominated by the AFC but acceptable to APNU; all Ministerial and Junior Ministerial appointments would require mutual approval; and a new National Planning Commission or Ministry would be established, with a particular focus on transportation infrastructure.

The AFC’s leadership considered the proposal “a balanced and fair offer,” especially given the APNU’s dominant presence on the ground. However, the party believes APNU’s rejection confirms a longstanding suspicion: that the PNCR-led bloc has no interest in reviving the coalition.

In a statement issued Wednesday, the AFC said, “This last proposal gave APNU all they have been asking for to agree to a coalition… It is now clear the APNU was and is not interested in a coalition.”

The rejection comes amid internal instability within the AFC. Juretha Fernandes, a former executive and parliamentary representative, has already defected and is now positioning herself as a potential Prime Ministerial candidate for APNU. Sherod Duncan and Ricky Ramsaroop have also exited, aligning themselves with APNU and set to contest elections on its ticket.

The 2025 General and Regional Elections are scheduled for September 1, and the political landscape continues to shift rapidly.

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The Alliance For Change (AFC) has announced the formal cancellation of the membership of executive members Juretha Fernandes, Sherod Duncan and Deonarine “Ricky” Ramsaroop, citing their confirmed defection to A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) and participation on that party’s list of candidates for the upcoming General and Regional Elections scheduled for September 1, 2025.

In a statement issued Wednesday night, the AFC said its General Secretary had written to the trio seeking clarification following media reports of their alignment with APNU but received no response.

“However, independently, the Party has been able to verify that the three… have officially subscribed to membership of the APNU,” the party confirmed.

The move comes amid crumbling coalition negotiations between the AFC and APNU. According to the AFC, a final proposal for a unified front was submitted on Tuesday through a trusted intermediary. It outlined a power-sharing formula where APNU would nominate the Presidential Candidate, while the AFC would name the Prime Ministerial Candidate — a continuation of the 2015 coalition tradition. The draft also proposed a 65/35 seat allocation ratio and an independently nominated Representative of the List.

However, the AFC said it was informed the following day that APNU rejected the proposal, insisting instead on also naming the AFC’s Prime Ministerial candidate — a demand the AFC has deemed “totally unacceptable.”

“This last proposal gave APNU all they have been asking for to agree to a coalition,” the statement read. “The AFC decided at all costs it would play its role in response to public feedback and the nation’s desire for a unified opposition. It is now clear the APNU was and is not interested in a coalition.”

Juretha Fernandes, one of the defectors, has been a vocal and high-profile AFC member, having served on its National Executive Committee and as the party’s representative on the Public Accounts Committee in Parliament. She had also acted as party Chair at various intervals. Her departure — along with Duncan and Ramsaroop — is seen as a major shift in opposition dynamics ahead of the polls.

Fernandes has been tapped to be the APNU’s Prime Ministerial candidate.

While expressing disappointment in the manner of the departure, the AFC extended well wishes to the trio: “The Alliance For Change is a party founded on the democratic principles of freedom of choice… and takes the opportunity to wish them well in their future endeavours and political careers.”

The party concluded its statement with a warning that any “private arrangement established without consultation and completely contrary to the established protocols of the negotiations” is unacceptable.

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