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Back in the day when your callow Eyewitness was supposed to be soaking up learning (wisdom?) to equip him to become a working stiff, along with quadratic equations, he learnt about the “first law of geography”. He still hasn’t found a use for quadratic equations, but over the years as Venezuela and Suriname tried to carve out chunks of our country for themselves, he appreciated the import of that second nugget of knowledge. This announced that “Everything is related to everything else, but near things are more related than distant things.”
Now at the time, the “law” hadn’t seemed to be of no great insight to your bemused Eyewitness!! And in fact, he’d wondered why it even had to be in a book since even he’d figured out that factoid on his own lonesome!! But he later appreciated that the fella might’ve also been referring to neighbours – and how we may have to give priority to our dealings with them!! In this globalised world, while all countries might now be related – look at how the Iran war affected us!! – our neighbours who’re smack next to us are in a position to become permanent headaches!! Especially when they can cast covetous glances at our land!!
Now, while in principle everyone talks about striving to be “good neighbours” – personally and internationally – your Eyewitness does feel we Guyanese overdo matters on this front!! Look at Suriname… most of their kicking us in the nuts is when we attend their functions that have to do with cooperating to jointly develop our economies!! Fact of the matter is that while we now have experience with pumping oil from ultra-deep-water wells, they’re only now about to begin. We don’t need them in that area – but they can benefit from our experience!! Let’s make it clear before attending any future gathering: we’re not gonna show up if they have those confounded maps. And if we do, we’ll walk out!!
Then, of course, there’s the Corentyne Bridge that we’ve jointly sponsored, and both the actual model of the physical bridge and the financial and ownership models have been decided. The bridge’s gonna span the river from our side at a point one and a half miles south of the Moleson Creek Ferry Port to the Suriname-owned Long Island and then to the eastern bank in Suriname. And financially, it’s gonna use a specific type of Public-Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement called the “Design-Build-Finance-Operate-Maintain model” (DBFOM), where the Governments don’t put up anything.
But we can withdraw our cooperation for the bridge landing on our shore if the Surinamese don’t quit with this stonewalling on the fishing licences and exorbitant ransoms for our cargo boats using the Corentyne!!
Do fuh do na obeah!!

…devastation
But with the above being said about adopting Teddy Roosvelt’s “Good Neighbour Policy” – talk softly and carry a big stick! – your Eyewitness still supports Pressie’s message of condolences to Venezuela, including our offer of material aid – along with Trinidad and Barbados. By Friday night, Venezuelan authorities had reported over 935 people dead and over 4300 injured – and possibly thousands more trapped under the rubble of at least 250 collapsed buildings – caused by those two massive 7.2 and 7.5 earthquakes.
The Yanks are providing $150 million in humanitarian aid – to be channelled through “assistance” partners including Catholic Relief Services and multiple UN agencies. While the US Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) announced the deployment of the amphibious transport ship USS Fort Lauderdale, the littoral combat ship USS Billings and a Hercules transport aircraft.
In this way we are making a distinction between the Government and the people of Venezuela – which we must never forget!! Your Eyewitness only wishes that more neighbours of the Palestinians and Lebanese would follow suit!!

…unification?
China passed a controversial law – titled “Promoting Ethnic Unity and Progress” – in March to create a “shared national identity” among the country’s 55 recognised ethnic minority groups. They are supposed to merge with the 91 per cent Han majority!!

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Guyana’s karate delegation earned podium success and valuable international experience at the International Shotokan Karate Federation (ISKF) 57th Master Camp and International Goodwill Tournament, held from June 12 to 19 at Camp Green Lane in Philadelphia, US.
The team was led by Chief Instructor and Country Director of ISKF-Guyana, Christopher Chaves, Sensei, Rokudan, along with Instructor Kristian Chaves, Sensei, Sandan. Students Talitha Kissoon, Jaden Dalgetty, Jasmin Dalgetty, Amia Walcott, Tina Monic and Kareena Singh also represented Guyana at the week-long event.

Guyana’s strongest showing came in the Adult Goodwill Tournament, where Talitha Kissoon and Kristian Chaves both competed and advanced to the finals.
Kristian Chaves also enjoyed success in the team events, joining Elijah Elliot of the United States and Joaquin Rotela of Argentina in the Male Team Kata and Team Kumite divisions. Their team captured gold in Team Kata and silver in Team Kumite, adding an international medal-winning performance to Guyana’s participation.
The country’s under-18 students also took part in the Youth Shiai on June 14, where they competed against international opponents and received participatory medals for their efforts.
Beyond the tournament, the camp provided the Guyanese delegation with a full week of training, learning and technical development under senior ISKF instructors. The Guyana team also extended special thanks to Hiroyoshi Okazaki Shihan and his team of instructors for what was described as an excellent week of instruction and growth.
Christopher Chaves also represented Guyana at the International Board of Directors meeting during the camp. At that meeting, it was announced that the World Shotokan Cup 2029 will be held in Argentina.

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The opening phase of the 19th National School Basketball Festival will now be held at the National Gymnasium on Mandela Avenue, Georgetown, due to ongoing works at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall.
Youth Basketball Guyana confirmed the venue adjustment in correspondence from Co-Director Chris Bowman. The change affects the opening ceremony and the initial rounds of competition, while all dates, schedules and planned activities remain unchanged.
The tournament is scheduled to run from June 28 to July 5 under the theme “One Game, One Dream, One Festival”. The opening ceremony is set for Sunday, June 28, at 13:00h, with the daily start time for the festival also listed at 13:00h.
Organisers are anticipating that the finals and closing ceremony on Sunday, July 5, will be staged at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall, subject to the completion of the ongoing works.

This year’s festival will feature competition in four divisions: Girls, Under-14, Under-16 and Under-18, bringing together several school teams from across Guyana for a full week of youth basketball.
The Girls Division will be contested in two groups. Group A includes President’s College, Marian Academy and JC Chandisingh Secondary, while Group B features Queen’s College, Tutorial Academy and Hururu Secondary.
Opening day action on June 28 will feature Girls and Under-16 matches. President’s College will face JC Chandisingh in the Girls Division from 13:30h, followed by Queen’s College against Hururu at 14:10h. The Under-16 fixtures will include Skeldon Line Path against School of the Nations, Queen’s College against JC Chandisingh, Berbice High against The Bishops’ High, Mackenzie High against Hururu, St Stanislaus against Plaisance Secondary, President’s College against Marian Academy, and St Rose’s High against Tutorial High.
The competition will continue with Girls and Under-16 quarter-finals on June 29, while Under-18 and Under-14 preliminary matches will begin on June 30 and continue on July 1.
Quarter-finals are scheduled for July 2, followed by the High School All-Star segment on July 3. That day will feature the Junior All-Star game for Under-14 and Under-16 players at 18:00h, the Girls All-Star game at 19:15h and the Senior All-Star game for Under-18 players at 20:30h.
The semi-finals will be played on July 4, with matches set in the Girls, Under-14, Under-16 and Under-18 divisions.
The finals are scheduled for July 5, beginning with the Under-14 final at 16:00h. The Girls final will follow at 17:15h, before the Under-16 final at 18:30h and the Under-18 final at 20:00h.
The festival is title-sponsored by Edward B Beharry and Company Limited. Sponsors and partners include G-Boats Guyana, the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport.

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…speeding accounts for 75% of fatal crashes – Home Affairs PS

A higher number of road deaths has been recorded in Guyana during the first 170 days of 2026 when compared to the same period last year. Permanent Secretary (PS) of the Home Affairs Ministry Andre Ally disclosed this during the Guyana National Road Safety Stakeholders Consultation on Friday.
“Between 2020 and 2025, Guyana experienced significant fluctuations in road fatalities. Deaths reached a peak of 175 in 2023. While fatalities declined to 132 in 2024 and 2025, we must not mistake that decline for victory. One preventable death is one too many. For the first 170 days of this year, 2026, when compared to the same period in 2025, fatal accidents increased from 54 to 56 and the number of deaths increased from 58 to 62.” He cautioned that Guyana’s road safety challenge must also be understood within a global context.
Citing statistics to support his statements, he noted that the United Nations (UN) has recognised road safety as a major development priority. Through the Second Decade of Action for Road Safety (2021–2030), the UN has set a target of reducing road deaths and injuries by at least 50 per cent by 2030.
“The WHO’s Global Status Report on Road Safety 2023 estimates that approximately 1.19 million people die annually in road traffic crashes. It also reminds us that road traffic injuries remain the leading cause of death among children and young people aged five to 29 years.”
According to him, these figures should serve as a warning to every country, including Guyana. Road safety is connected to sustainable development, health, education, safe communities, decent work, poverty reduction and social protection. He explained that when people die or are seriously injured on the roads, families suffer, workers are removed from the labour force, businesses lose productivity and the economy absorbs costs that could have been avoided. As such, he stated that road safety is not only about preventing crashes, but also about protecting development. Road safety matters because life matters. It matters because children must be able to travel to school safely.

“Road safety matters because workers must return home to their families. It matters because pedestrians, cyclists, drivers, passengers, elderly persons and persons with disabilities all have an equal right to safety. A modern Guyana must be a safe Guyana. Our roads are not simply corridors for vehicles. They are shared public spaces that connect people to opportunity, trade, tourism, investment, public services and community life. If those spaces are unsafe, the benefits of development are undermined. That is why road safety must be treated as a national priority and why today’s consultation must produce more than discussion. It must produce direction. The data identifies clear areas of concern.”
In his view, the meeting is both timely and necessary. It brings together the people and institutions whose cooperation is essential to making Guyana’s roads safer.
“We are here to confront a national public safety issue. Road safety is about lives, families, children, communities, mobility and national development. Road safety is not only a matter of policing. It is a matter of national policy, public health, economic development, social responsibility and human dignity. Across Guyana, our country is changing rapidly. Our economy is expanding, our road networks are growing, new communities are being connected and more vehicles are using our roads every day.”
According to him, road crashes are often described in numbers – fatalities, accidents, violations, percentages and trends. However, he stressed that behind every statistic is a human being and a human life. Behind every fatal crash is a grieving family. He further emphasised that behind every serious injury is a life changed, a household disrupted, a breadwinner unable to work and a community forced to carry the weight of a preventable loss.

Speeding
Meanwhile, he shared statistics on speeding, noting that speeding remains the leading contributor to fatal accidents. “In 2024, speeding accounted for 94 per cent of fatal accidents. In the first half of 2026, it already accounts for 75 per cent of fatal accidents. This is a policy signal we cannot ignore. Speed determines whether a crash occurs, how severe the injury is, whether pedestrians survive, and whether a family receives a phone call about an injury or a death. Therefore, speed management must remain at the centre of our national priority,” Ally said.
Looking closely at this year’s statistics, he noted that, due to the size, weight and braking distance of trucks, these vehicles can have devastating consequences when involved in collisions. He stressed that this is why truck safety, driver discipline, fleet compliance and speed control must form part of Guyana’s national road safety policy. He added that prevention must also include practical measures that reduce the ability of high-risk vehicles to travel at unsafe speeds.
“This is why the installation of speed limiters on trucks is an important intervention. Speed limiters will help regulate the maximum speed at which trucks can operate, reducing the risk of high-impact collisions and strengthening compliance before a violation even occurs.” He added.
“We cannot only act after speeding happens. We must also reduce the conditions that allow dangerous speeding to occur in the first place. The UN and global road safety partners have encouraged countries to adopt the Safe System Approach, which recognises a simple truth. Speeding must not be treated as a skill. Reckless driving must not be treated as confidence. Driving under the influence must not be excused.”

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–Leung, Noel, set for 2-week UCI training stint

Guyana’s under-23 road race champion Ajani Cutting has departed for Anguilla, where he is scheduled to compete in the 25th Annual John T Memorial Race Weekend from July 3 to 5.
The event, organised by the Anguilla Cycling Association, will be held in The Valley and is regarded as one of the biggest cycling events on the island. It honours the late John Thomas, known as John T, whose passion and contribution helped build the foundation for cycling in Anguilla.
Cutting, one of Guyana’s leading young cyclists, will join riders from across the region for the endurance-based race weekend, which has grown in participation and competitiveness over the past 25 years.
The 2026 edition will feature a 2.4-kilometre (km) criterium loop along with three major road race routes. Route one will cover 142.8 km with an elevation gain of 1112 metres (m), while Route two will cover 100 km with 794 m of climbing. Route Three will cover 60.5 km with an elevation gain of 485 m.

The John T Memorial Race Weekend has become a signature event for Anguilla and continues to attract cyclists from several countries, including Guyana, the British Virgin Islands, Bermuda, Belize, the United States, and other Caribbean nations.
Organisers have said the race continues to show increased interest, stronger competition, and greater intensity each year. Efforts are also being made to have the event recognised as a UCI-sanctioned race.
Meanwhile, several other Guyanese cyclists also left the country on Friday, June 26, for a two-week UCI training stint in Trinidad and Tobago. The group includes female junior cyclist Tandeia Noel of Kaieteur Attack Racing Cycle Club, Sidwell Sandy of KARCC, Alexander Leung of Continental, and KARCC coach Brentnol Carmichael.
Their participation forms part of continued efforts to expose Guyana’s cyclists to higher levels of competition and training across the region.

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The latest road fatality statistics should dispel any notion that Guyana is winning the battle against traffic deaths. While the country recorded a welcome decline in annual fatalities during the past two years, the first 170 days of 2026 have already reversed that trend. Fatal accidents have risen from 54 to 56 compared with the corresponding period in 2025, while the number of lives lost has increased from 58 to 62.
The increase may appear modest in numerical terms, but it is a troubling reality. Each statistic shows a preventable loss and signals that existing measures have not yet produced the sustained behavioural change required on Guyana’s roadways. The figure is also a reminder that improvements in one year cannot be interpreted as lasting success when the underlying causes of road crashes remain largely unchanged.
Historical data further illustrates the challenge. Road fatalities climbed to a peak of 175 deaths in 2023 before falling to 132 in both 2024 and 2025. Those declines were encouraging, but they should have been viewed as an opportunity to intensify road safety interventions rather than as evidence that the problem had been solved. The early figures for 2026 suggest that complacency carries a heavy price.
The statistics become even more alarming when examined alongside the primary causes of fatal crashes. Speeding accounted for an astonishing 94 per cent of fatal accidents in 2024. During the first half of 2026, despite some reduction, speeding still contributed to 75 per cent of fatal accidents. Such figures leave little room for debate. Excessive speed remains the dominant threat to public safety on Guyana’s roads.
Speed is simply not another traffic offence, as it reduces reaction time, lengthens stopping distances and significantly increases the force of impact when collisions occur. The difference between travelling within the speed limit and travelling well above it often determines whether a crash results in minor injuries or multiple fatalities. Yet despite repeated public awareness campaigns and increased enforcement efforts, dangerous speeding continues to be normalised by many motorists.
This points to a deeper issue of indiscipline on the nation’s roadways.
Far too many drivers continue to disregard traffic laws as though they are optional rather than mandatory. Speed limits are ignored, overtaking manoeuvres are attempted in unsafe locations, pedestrians are not consistently given the right of way, seatbelt usage remains inconsistent, and aggressive driving has become an increasingly common feature of daily commuting. The culture of impatience behind the wheel has fostered an environment where risk-taking is often mistaken for confidence or driving skill.
The growing number of vehicles on Guyana’s expanding road network has made this behaviour even more dangerous. Rapid economic growth has resulted in increased traffic volumes, more commercial transportation and larger numbers of heavy-duty trucks using public roads. Without corresponding improvements in driver discipline and enforcement, the likelihood of serious collisions inevitably rises.
Because of their size, weight and longer braking distances, trucks involved in crashes frequently produce catastrophic consequences. Measures such as mandatory speed limiters, stricter fleet management standards and rigorous compliance inspections are practical interventions that deserve prompt implementation. Preventing excessive speed before it occurs is often more effective than attempting to punish violations after lives have already been lost.
Road safety ultimately depends upon human behaviour. Infrastructure can reduce risk, legislation can establish standards and enforcement can deter violations, but none of these measures can compensate for drivers who choose to ignore the rules governing responsible road use.
Guyana’s road safety challenge also mirrors a much larger global concern that the World Health Organization estimates that approximately 1.19 million people die annually in road traffic crashes worldwide.
Every fatal collision produces consequences extending far beyond the immediate victims. Families lose loved ones, children lose parents, employers lose experienced workers, healthcare systems absorb substantial costs and communities are left coping with avoidable tragedy. The cumulative social and economic impact cannot be measured solely by annual fatality statistics.
The United Nations has established a goal of reducing global road deaths and injuries by at least 50 per cent by 2030 under the Second Decade of Action for Road Safety. Achieving meaningful progress locally will require Guyana to move beyond periodic consultations and isolated enforcement campaigns. A sustained national strategy is needed, one that combines effective policing, consistent prosecution of dangerous driving offences, safer road engineering, stronger public education and, above all, greater respect for traffic laws.

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Police have obtained a confession from the reputed husband of 46-year-old Shavannie Hanoman, whose body was discovered floating in a trench at De Groot-EnKline, Uitvlugt, West Coast Demerara (WCD), one day after she was reported missing. Crime Chief and Deputy Commissioner of Police Wendell Blanhum confirmed to Guyana Times on Friday that the suspect admitted to killing Hanoman during a Police interview.
Hanoman, also called “Bo”, a housewife of De Groot-EnKline, was reported missing after she failed to return home on Wednesday. On Thursday at about 08:30h residents discovered her body floating in a trench in the community and alerted Police. According to Police, an examination revealed injuries to her neck and other parts of her body. She was taken to the Leonora Cottage Hospital, where a doctor pronounced her dead-on arrival. Her body has since been transferred to the Ezekiel Funeral Home, where it is awaiting a post-mortem examination. As investigations progressed, Police arrested Hanoman’s reputed husband, 44-year-old Hemat Kumar Mohamed of De Groot-EnKline.
Police said that at about 16:00h on Thursday, Mohamed was interviewed under audio and video recording by detectives at the station. According to Police, Mohamed stated that after Hanoman told him she would be returning home late and did not want him accompanying her, he followed her on his motorcycle. He told investigators that he confronted her at a bridge, where an argument developed.
“I just jook she two times” he reportedly told investigators during his confession.
Police said Mohamed admitted that after being shoved during the confrontation, he took out a knife and stabbed Hanoman twice, once to the chest and once to the chin, before pushing her into the trench. He also told investigators that the knife fell at the scene. Following the interview, Mohamed agreed to accompany investigators back to the scene and he escorted investigators to a wooden bridge at De Groot-EnKline, where he indicated the location where he allegedly stabbed Hanoman and pushed her into the trench. Mohamed was subsequently returned to the Leonora Police Station, where he remains in custody pending further investigations.

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