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At this year’s National Toshaos Council (NTC) Conference, Minister of Natural Resources, Vickram Bharrat addressed the longstanding mining issue in Chinese Landing, Region One (Barima-Waini).

According to Bharrat, former Toshao Orin Fernandes was offered two mining blocks for village-led mining activities.

“The application is still pending at [the] Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC), it is only for the Toshao or leader of Chinese Landing to go to GGMC now to complete that application,” the minister revealed.

He explained that this decision was made following representation by Toshaos in Region One.

In providing historical context, Minister Bharrat said that mining in Guyana has been ongoing for decades, long before the legal protections currently in place for Indigenous communities.

He explained that it wasn’t until the Amerindian Act of 2006, that Indigenous peoples were legally granted rights over their village lands. This legislation introduced a formal land titling process, through which Indigenous communities like Chinese Landing were able to gain legal ownership of their lands.

Minister of Natural Resources, Vickram Bharrat

However, Bharrat highlighted that before the passage of the 2006 Act, GGMC had already issued mining concessions to businessman, Wayne Vieira in Chinese Landing.

These mining blocks later became a point of contention, as they were within the boundaries of the land title granted to Chinese Landing.

“I don’t know what happened then,” Bharrat stated.

Adding: “But if I had the opportunity to be involved in the process, I would have excised that area out, like we are doing now because when we are issuing land titles today, we ensure that there are no encumbrances.”

In 2010, GGMC issued a Cease Work Order (CWO) against Vieira’s operation, because he was in violation of the Amerindian Act – mining without the community’s permission.

Vieira successfully challenged the decision to issue the CWO in the High Court where it determined that the order could only be issued in relation to breaches concerning the Mining Act and not the Amerindian Act.

This decision was then appealed and again Vieira won.

According to Bharrat, the government further took the case to the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ).

The CCJ ruled in favour of Vieira’s rights to the mining concession in 2017.

“So, it is not as we as government or I as natural resources minister don’t want to act, but we are bounded by the law and we are compelled to act on the decision made by the CCJ in favour of Wayne Vieira in the Chinese Landing matter,” Minister Bharrat explained.

The Village Council then wrote the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR), raising issues about environmental pollution and health risks the mining activities posed.

IACHR responded to the government to take immediate action and in August 2023, all mining operations in the area were suspended.

“We stopped all the mining, including Vieira,” Minister Bharrat said.

However, he further noted that the government options remained constrained due to the courts’ rulings.

 

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Hayley Matthews again etched her name into the history books with a sensational unbeaten century, her third in T20 Internationals and the first ever by a West Indian woman against England, but her brilliance proved in vain as they slumped to an eight-wicket defeat in the opening T20I in Canterbury on Wednesday.

On a sun-kissed evening at the St Lawrence Ground, Matthews, as is often the case, was a lone beacon of resistance in the West Indies lineup, as she produced a dazzling 100 not out off just 67 deliveries, laced with 16 crisp fours and a solitary six.

It was a captain’s knock brimming with timing, touch, and temperament, but the lack of meaningful support from the rest of the batting cast left West Indies with a modest 146-7 from their 20 overs.

England, in contrast, made light work of the chase, as they reached the target at 150-2 with 21 balls to spare. Sophia Dunkley was imperious with a stroke-filled 81 not out, while Heather Knight added a brisk, unbeaten 43.

The pair’s unbroken 91-run stand for the third wicket swept the hosts to victory at a canter.

Having won the toss and opting to field, England were immediately on top with the ball. Lauren Bell struck early, removing Qiana Joseph (two) and Zaida James (zero) cheaply, while the West Indies’ top and middle order crumbled under tight lines and poor shot selection.

Only wicketkeeper Mandy Mangru (17) and Shabika Gajnabi (11) offered little resistance in the innings.

All the while, Matthews stood tall in an innings, which was a masterclass in anchoring and acceleration, as she kept her composure while wickets tumbled around her.

It was the kind of knock that deserved a competitive total, but with no batter reaching even 20, Matthews was left carrying the innings alone.

Bell (2-29) led the England bowling charge.

In reply, England started at a brisk pace, though the West Indies missed an opportunity as Jannillea Glasgow, at short third, dropped Danni Wyatt-Hodge in the opening over. However, the opener was eventually dismissed for 17 by Zaida James.

Afy Fletcher then removed Nat Sciver-Brunt (zero), but Dunkley’s elegant stroke play and Knight’s authoritative presence nullified any pressure.

The pair rotated the strike fluently and punished anything loose, denying the West Indies any hope of a comeback. Dunkley’s 56-ball knock had 12 boundaries, while Knight had six boundaries in her 27-ball knock. (SportsMax)

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Serious concerns were raised about the conduct of some Police Officers in Baramita, Region One (Barima-Waini), and Home Affairs Minister Robeson Benn vowed to thoroughly probe the matter.

The concerns were raised by Baramita Toshao, Sharmain Rambajue at this year’s National Toshaos Council (NTC) Conference. According to the village leader, residents complained that the officers were harassing them.

The Toshao claims that at least one rank demands that shopowners pay fines ranging from $100,000 to $150,000 for late-night breaches. This was demanded, she explained, even after the Village Council imposed a closing time for the shop owners.

Baramita Toshao, Sharmain Rambajue

“When I mentioned to him [the Officer] that the Amerindian Act only gives provision for those who breaking rules to pay $19,000, he would say ‘the Amerindian Act was outdated and when last it was updated’,” Rambajue explained.

She further claimed that following the lifting of the national curfew that was recently imposed, residents were still forced to pay between $30,000 and $40,000 in fines without being issued any receipts.

“They would say the receipts are not in Baramita, but in Port Kaituma,” the Toshao said.

According to Rambajue, these allegations were brought up at a recent public meeting with residents and Police ranks. The Toshao stated that residents are now living in fear of the Police Officers.

“I am requesting, on behalf of Baramita, the immediate removal of those officers. We need officers who the village council can work with, and also officers that the people will be happy to work with,” she stated.

The Toshao went on to state that four residents, two males and two females, are interested in being trained as police officers to serve their community.

Given Baramita’s proximity to the Venezuelan border, she also called for the establishment of a permanent Guyana Defence Force (GDF) base in the community.

“We did hear Baramita speak specifically on problems there, and names were named. We will deal with this matter. We will talk some more about it with Baramita, and we will get to the bottom of it,” Minister of Home Affairs Robeson Benn responded.

Meanwhile, Toshao Alvoro Simon of St. Cuthbert’s Mission also criticised the performance of Police Officers in his community.

Simon described the officers’ attitude toward incidents as unprofessional and selective, claiming that they would “pick and choose” what reports they investigate.

The Toshao further claimed that Officers also fail to wear their Police uniform while on official duty.

“The residents have asked if we can have a continuous rotation of those Police Officers every six months would be perfect, because they stay longer, they become comfortable,” Simon said.

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Prime Minister Mark Phillips on Tuesday announced the Cabinet’s recent approval of $885 million to provide solar systems with battery storage to 21 Amerindian communities across the country.

“Toshaos, these 21 solar PV with batteries will benefit 12,703 of the villages’ populations,” the Prime Minister revealed during day two of the annual National Toshaos Council (NTC) Conference in Georgetown.

Some villages that will benefit from the solar systems include: Mashabo in Region Two (41.5 kilowatt system), St Cuthbert’s Mission in Region Four (51kw system), and Kamarang Settlement in Region Seven (106kw system).

Additionally, Issano/Tassarene and Micobie will each receive a 51kw system, while Karrau in Region Seven, Rupertee, Katoonarib, Parabara, and Sawariwau in Region Nine will each receive 41.5kw systems.

Several other villages in Regions One, Seven, and Nine will also benefit from the solar systems.

Meanwhile, in response to several village leaders requesting solar farms in their communities, the Prime Minister assured that teams from the Guyana Energy Agency will conduct assessments.

However, this does not guarantee that the communities will receive solar farms.

“We will be sending out teams to your community because if you are to get a solar farm, we have to do an assessment first and the GEA has teams that are visiting communities and doing assessments to determine where we can site those solar farms,” the Prime Minister said.

He further noted that the household solar systems are also being delivered to various communities.

Communities like Santa Aratak in Region Three and Kangaruma in the Middle Mazaruni requested solar farms.

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For the first time in Guyana’s history, seven new judges have been recommended to be appointed to the Court of Appeal and five of them will be sworn in on Wednesday.

This is the first time that so many judges will be appointed to the Court of Appeal.

Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs Anil Nandlall SC, in an invited comment, welcomed the new appointments and extended his “sincere congratulations.”

“It will be recalled that the Court of Appeal Act was amended (in April 2023), increasing the complement of judges from five to nine. After the amendment, the Judicial Service Commission recommended to the president the appointments of Justices Navindra Singh, Priya Sewnarine Beharry, Damone Younge, Dr Rafiq Khan, SC and Dr Joycelin Kyte-Thomas.

Justice Naresh Harnanan

“Recently, (on April 28, 2025), the National Assembly passed another amendment that inceases the complement of Court of Appeal judges from nine to 11.  Following that amendment, the Judicial Service Commission made two further recommendations to the President – Naresh Harnanan and Jo-Ann Barlow,” the Attorney General noted.

On Wednesday, five of the judges will be sworn in, the Supreme Court stated, noting that Dr Khan and Younge will be sworn in at a later date.

“…our government has consistently demonstrated its commitment to supporting the judiciary by resourcing it, providing the necessary legislative framework, and enabling it, in every way, to efficiently perform its constitutional functions,” Mr Nandlall said in piloting the last amendment.

Justice Jo-Ann Barlow

He had pointed out that the Court of Appeal had suffered from a small complement of judges for decades, most times operating with between two and five judges. The Court currenty has three judges.

“Litigation has increased manifold over the decades. The judiciary has long suffered from a backlog of cases, which has become a matter of national concern,” Nandlall stated.

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Over 250 firearm licences will be issued soon, as promised at this year’s National Toshaos Council (NTC) Conference, and Minister of Home Affairs Robeson Benn specified that the licences will be issued for shotguns only to support crop and livestock protection in Indigenous communities.

As such, he said, the firearms must not be used to threaten fellow villagers.

“Make sure they are used for lawful activity, make sure they are no threats to each other by these weapons because if that is the case, they will be withdrawn,” Minister Benn warned the Indigenous leaders as more persons began requesting firearm licenses following the President’s announcement.

Toshaos at the 2025 National Toshaos Council (NTC) Conference 2025

While addressing these concerns, Minister Benn emphasised the need for environmental responsibility when hunting with the firearms.

“One of the issues is that we cannot expect the Toshao to go hunting everyday.

“Importantly, we don’t want to be giving out licences and we start shooting up all the animals in the bush, we don’t want to shoot up the jaguars and so on, we don’t want a decline in our natural heritage in terms of our animals and so on,” Benn stressed.

And so, he said more robust laws to protect the wildlife in the country.

“We have to bring in sufficient laws for the protection of the species so that control has to be there and that advice has to be given,” Benn said.

Toshaos at the 2025 National Toshaos Council (NTC) Conference 2025

President Dr. Irfaan Ali made the announcement for the issuance of firearm licenses to be granted to persons in indigenous communities after requests were made for increased security support.

A special team was present at the conference to facilitate the firearm licence application process.

Meanwhile, Benn acknowledged challenges raised by leaders, particularly from communities like Wakapoa, as he pledged to assess the needs for police outposts in various communities.

The Minister also highlighted the expansion of community policing groups (CPGs) and the use of technology and intelligence in improving national sovereignty and public safety. He outlined recent strides in delivering emergency response and firefighting equipment to remote regions, as well as efforts to support victims of violence, especially in areas affected by substance abuse.

“Development will not be optimised without security. We must all work together to improve safety, ensure opportunity, and increase peace in Guyana,” Benn said.

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Days after patrol ranks of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) were attacked on three separate occasions at the border shared with Venezuela, the United States Ambassador Nicole Theriot said her country is ready to assist with crime-fighting efforts in the border area shared with Venezuela.

Theriot delivered a strong message of support for Guyana’s sovereignty and security at the 33rd Annual General Meeting of the Private Sector Commission (PSC) on Tuesday.

“Venezuela, of course, has also been in the news recently due to the Sindicatos’ acts of aggression against the GDF patrol in the Cuyuni. These are criminals engaging in criminal activities and the United States stands ready to support the GDF in its effort to eradicate this activity along Guyana’s frontier and to ensure the safety and security of Guyana’s people,” the US Ambassador said.

At a briefing last week, Guyana’s Chief of Defence Staff, Brigadier Omar Khan said the recent attacks were carried out by men dressed in civilian clothing who used automatic weapons. He was, however, unable to state whether the Venezuelan gunmen are part of the country’s military.

GDF enhances operational posture, continuing to patrol border – Chief of Defence Staff

Theriot also condemned Venezuela’s ‘provocatory’ elections in Guyana’s Essequibo region.

“Everyone should see the sham for what it is. It is sabre-rattling from the Maduro regime, nothing more and no amount of bluster or sabre-rattling changes the fact that the United States will always stand shoulder to shoulder with Guyana in support of its sovereignty and territorial integrity.”

She also highlighted, “We fully support the (International Court of Justice) measures for Venezuela to halt its so-called elections in the Essequibo on May 25 and we are extremely unhappy that they made that ill-advised decision to go ahead and move forward.”

The foreign diplomat also addressed Venezuela’s aggression as it relates to potential US investors and those doing business in Guyana.

“At the end of the day, it is just bluster aimed at shoring up domestic support. It should not affect Guyana’s investment climate or its readiness to do business,” she said.

(more…)

The trial into the attempts to derail the 2020 General and Regional Elections resumed on Tuesday.

Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, Sonia Parag was one of two persons questioned as the trial restarted.

Parag spoke about efforts to derail the tabulation of ballots after polls closed. And she told persons that she “guarded” the Statement of Polls (SOPs) in her possession while efforts were made to inflate the figures using a spreadsheet to show that the APNU+AFC had secured more votes.

Parag was a candidate for the PPP/C at the time of the elections. She was tasked with comparing the figures from SOPs during the tabulation and verification of votes cast in Region Four.  This process was conducted at the Ashmins building in Georgetown.

During this process, Parag said efforts were made by officials from the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), Micelle Miller to inflate the numbers to show that APNU+AFC gathered more votes than the PPP/C.

Elections Fraud Trial: Parag details ‘chaos and shouting’ to prevent declaration of fake results

“I recalled standing up and saying that the numbers that were being called are not the numbers I have in my SOP. They were adding for APNU and deducting for PPP.

“I objected to every single one of those boxes, from 4001 to 4021, the numbers did not match for the copies that I had of the SOPs. Every time that I objected I called out the numbers that I had,” Parag said on Tuesday.

She made this disclosure when she took the witness stand at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court where the trial into the electoral fraud resumed. Chief Magistrate (ag) Faith McGusty is the presiding magistrate.

In her testimony, Parag detailed among other things, discrepancies with the numbers during the verification and tabulation of votes cast in Region Four. She also spoke about attempts to clear the building and a false declaration made by the Returning Officer of Region Four, Clairmont Mingo.

While the chaos ensued, Parag told the court she “guarded” the SOPs.

“I remained with my SOPs because I couldn’t just leave them.

“The Police said that there was a bomb scare in the building. I remained where I was. I wasn’t moving because I didn’t believe there was a bomb scare in the building,” Parag told the court.

The process eventually continued but was moving “very slow,” according to Parag. Then GECOM staff, including Miller, started to complain of being tired and wanted to stop the tabulation process for the day.

There were objections again and eventually the staff were replaced by two others including Enrique Liven.

Eventually, she said, they too got tired.

“There was a lot of commotion outside. You could have hear noises. For that evening, the process was stopped,” Parag said.

The stalling detailed took place on March 4, 2020. The following day, the tabulation did not continue. Instead, Parag said attempts were made to get persons to evacuate the building but she said she did not.

In the afternoon, Parag recalled Mingo making a declaration of votes cast in Region Four.

“I stood up. I said you cannot do this. The tabulation exercise for Region 4 was not completed.

“He held onto his head and said he is returning to the sick bay and he walked out of the room. As a matter of fact the entire place became chaotic…there were a lot of persons shouting,” Parag told the court in her sworn testimony.

This action, she said, saw an application being filed before the Chief Justice, Roxanne George for several injunctions.

Three injunctions were granted one of which restrained Mingo from declaring the results until the tabulation and verification process was completed.

Then on March 13, Parag related that the tabulation process resumed but it was moved to GECOM headquarters in Kingston, Georgetown.

There, Parag said the votes were being “quickly” tabulated using a bedsheet.

This, Parag added, resulted in continuous objections; the objections were made by Parag and other PPP/C representatives and observers.

And though she could not compare the figures displayed due to poor visibility, Parag told the court that the process continued and Mingo made another declaration.

“The numbers on the spreadsheet was ‘very blurred.’ I was trying to keep up with the numbers by comparing with my own SOPs but I couldn’t, so you really couldn’t verify the numbers,” Parag said.

This led to a recount process–  which she also participated in for 33 days- which showed that the PPP/C had majority of the votes in the 2020 elections.

Rosalinda Rasul, who was an election observer with the American Chamber of Commerce in Guyana (AMCHAM), also testified on Tuesday.

Nine individuals are currently before the court, charged with conspiring to manipulate the election results in favour of APNU+AFC, thereby seeking to deny victory to the PPP. Those charged include former government minister Volda Lawrence, former Chief Elections Officer Keith Lowenfield, former Region Four Returning Officer Clairmont Mingo, and former Deputy Chief Elections Officer Roxanne Myers, among others.

The controversy surrounding the March 2020 elections delayed the results for five months until PPP candidate Irfaan Ali was sworn in as president in August 2020.

The trial continues on Wednesday. However, Parag has national duties which require her attention. So another witness is expected to give evidence.

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The ExxonMobil Guyana Global Super League (GSL) is set to amplify its offering for its second edition, promising an electrifying fusion of T20 cricket and major musical performances when it returns to the Guyana National Stadium, Providence, from 10-18 July 2025.

Organisers have confirmed that the 11-match tournament, featuring champion franchises from globally renowned T20 leagues, will be significantly enhanced by the introduction of “Super Concerts” to bookend the cricketing action.

Speaking at the official announcement on Tuesday, GSL’s Commercial and Marketing Director, James Stewart, unveiled plans to elevate the spectator experience beyond the boundary ropes.

“We’re taking the fan experience to the next level,” Stewart declared. “GSL 2025 will kick off and close with Super Concerts, and every Guyana Amazon Warriors game will feature a halftime concert, ensuring non-stop entertainment.”

The ambitious musical undertaking will be delivered in partnership with Hits and Jams, one of Guyana’s leading entertainment entities.

“We’ve teamed up with Hits and Jams – a name synonymous with high-energy events – to curate a concert line-up featuring the biggest soca stars from across the Caribbean alongside Guyana’s top performers,” Stewart added, promising a vibrant Caribbean flavour to the events.

Cricket enthusiasts can anticipate a high-calibre tournament featuring hosts Guyana Amazon Warriors, defending champions Rangpur Riders of Bangladesh, New Zealand’s Central Stags, a Hobart Hurricanes XI from Australia, and the UAE’s International League T20 champions, Dubai Capitals.

Tickets for this combined sporting and musical spectacle are scheduled to go on sale at the Georgetown box office from Tuesday, 27 May. Prices will range from GY$500 to GY$5,000, which organisers have touted as “exceptional value”.

The 2025 ExxonMobil Guyana Global Super League aims to build on its inaugural success, showcasing top-tier T20 talent and further establishing Guyana as a premier destination for international cricket and entertainment.

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Climate discussions among international bodies commenced this week in Guyana and Prime Minister, Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips said new methods to track flooding in the region are being adopted here.

This was disclosed during his remarks at the launch of the Mechanism for Disaster Cooperation Exercise (MECODEX) 2025, where delegations from neighbouring states are part of these exercises. Emphasis is being placed on flooding in the hemisphere, brought on by climate change.

Prime Minister Phillips said Guyana has taken several significant steps to improve the national and regional response systems for flooding, and other natural and man-made disasters.

As such, Guyana has taken several significant steps to improve the national and regional response systems for natural and man-made disasters. These include targeted capacity training and strategic partnerships such as the notable Air Force’s Lessser Antilles Medical Assistance Team (LAMAT) 2025 mission.

Prime Minister, Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips during his remarks at the event on Monay. (Photo: Office of the Prime Minister/May 19, 2025)

“This initiative provides hands on training in practical combat casualty care, enhancing the skills of our first respondents and fostering international cooperation,” Prime Minister Phillips said.

He added that there has been an expansion of early warning technology for flooding in remote communities and flood prone areas.

“We developed the national flood forecasting system that integrates numerical weather prediction model and the nationwide hydrological model.

“This system piloted in vulnerable communities such as Paruima, Chenapau, Lethem, Kwakwani, enables the creation of flood maps for extreme events, thereby improving our disaster resilience,” the Prime Minister said.

MECODEX aims to strengthen nation’s disaster preparedness and response and this year’s exercise builds upon previous exercises in Peru and beyond. Next year the event will be hosted by neighbouring Brazil.

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