Scores of athletes and administrators took to the streets of Georgetown on Sunday morning for the King’s Baton Relay, in anticipation of this year’s Commonwealth Games, in Glasgow, Scotland. Led by Prime Minister, Brigadier (Retired) Mark Phillips, Sport Minister Charles Ramson Jr and Guyana Olympic Association (GOA) President Godfrey Munroe, the baton made its way from the Umana Yana to the Seven Ponds in the Botanical Gardens. Prime Minister, Brigadier (Retired) Mark Phillips and Sport Minister Charles Ramson Jr joined athletes and administrators for Guyana’s leg of the King’s Baton Relay on Sunday morning “This symbolises what the Commonwealth Games represent – community, unity and using this as a vehicle for improving lives, citizenship, among other things,” GOA President Munroe shared when they gathered at the Seven Ponds, “So, it’s good as a community that we could come together and show our solidarity for 1) sports; 2) as a Commonwealth...

Nial Smith claimed a five-wicket haul A stunning spell with the ball from Nial Smith ensured that the Guyana Harpy Eagles (GHE) would make headway early in the contest when Round 2 of the ongoing Regional Four-Day West Indies Championships bowled off on Sunday. At the Antigua Recreational Ground in St John’s, the Harpy Eagles won the toss and opted to bowl first, quickly routing their opponents, the Windward Islands Volcanoes for 151. Smith was the chief architect of the Volcanoes’ demise, with figures of 5-36 from 13 overs. It was Keemo Paul who opened the floodgates, removing Ackeem Auguste for two runs in the second over of the innings. By the third over, Smith had his first strike, sending Johann Jeremiah back to the dugout for a solitary run. Smith had a double strike in the fifth over, claiming both Kavem Hodge and Alick Athanaze’s wickets to reduce the...

At a time when some in the Opposition are focused on berating the government for what they see as their constituency being excluded from participating in the booming economy, ironically in the news was our Finance Minister Dr Ashni Singh signing an agreement with the World Bank Group’s (WBG) International Finance Corporation (IFC). The latter is the private-sector arm of the WBG and focuses on economic development through private enterprise in emerging markets as the largest global development institution for the private sector. It was represented by its VP for Europe, Latin America, and the Caribbean (LAC), Alfonso García Mora. Immediately afterwards, it announced that the “WBG Establishment Agreement- (is) a key milestone to scale private sector development, support job creation and deepen impact in the country.” What the meeting confirms is a shift in the nature of our development financing: Guyana is moving from reliance on public financing and...

…Why testing, early treatment, and breaking stigma are critical in Guyana By Dr Tariq Jagnarine Fam Med, Public Health Why this matters now This week marks STI Awareness Week, a time to highlight the importance of prevention, testing, and treatment of sexually transmitted infections (STIs). In Guyana, STIs remain a major public health concern. Despite increased awareness, many infections continue to spread silently, not because people are careless, but because many do not know they are infected. The reality is simple and concerning: You can have an STI and feel completely normal What are STIs? STIs are infections passed from one person to another through sexual contact. They can be caused by bacteria, viruses, or parasites. Common STIs in Guyana include: Bacterial STIs (usually curable) •Chlamydia •Gonorrhoea •Syphilis These infections often have no symptoms, especially in women, but can lead to serious complications if untreated. Viral STIs (manageable, not always...

There’s an old complaint tossed out whenever we Mudlanders seem to be ignoring the obvious on one thing or other in the public sphere – “Guyanese eyes still na clean!” Even though we now have a hospital dedicated SOLELY to cleaning eyes, your Eyewitness thinks the kind of “eye cleaning” we REALLY need is learning to read between the lines when we scour our news feeds. But since we’re fast following the Yanks in getting our news from social media comedians and podcasts of political hacks – they’re interchangeable!! – it’s tough reading between lines that are actually punchlines!! Anyhow, now that we’ve been assured that the Iran war’s already hitting us big time in our pocketbooks – which were never too well-laden to begin with – your (virtue-signaling!) Eyewitness thinks he’ll be doing a public service by examining how much longer THAT conflict might continue!! It’s clear by now...

A 28-year-old construction worker was fatally stabbed on Saturday night following a heated altercation during a drinking session at First Street, Ivan Road, Soesdyke, East Bank Demerara. Dead is Curtis Bengochea of Eight Street, Ivan Road, Soesdyke. He was pronounced dead on arrival at the Diamond Regional Hospital after sustaining a stab wound to his left rib area during the incident. Police in Regional Division #4 ‘B’ (East Bank Demerara) confirmed that preliminary investigations indicate Bengochea and the suspect, who are known to each other, were among a group of persons imbibing when an argument erupted. The disagreement, which started at about 22:30h, subsequently escalated from a dispute over money. Dead: Curtis Bengochea According to information gathered, during the confrontation, the suspect allegedly armed himself with a knife and attacked Bengochea. The situation quickly escalated, with both men ending up in a nearby drain where the confrontation continued. Persons at...

Police in Regional Division No 2 are investigating a fire which destroyed the upper flat of a house at Charity, Essequibo Coast, Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam). Reports are that the incident occurred on Sunday between 07:15h and 08:30h at the family’s residence owned by Deodat Maniram, a 38-year-old truck driver of David James Scheme. The aftermath of the fire at Charity, Essequibo Coast Investigations revealed that the upper flat of the wooden and concrete building was completely destroyed, leaving only a few upright posts, while the lower flat sustained partial damage. Police said that Maniram, who was at work at the time of the incident, lived at the residence with his wife, Shereema Maniram, 38, a housewife, and their two daughters ages 10 and eight. According to Shereema Maniram, at about 07:15h on Sunday, she lit agrabatti and a diya at the altar in the house as part of her routine...

A sergeant attached to the Cove and John Police Station, East Coast of Demerara has been arrested in connection with the disappearance of seven firearms and 68 rounds of ammunition from the station’s arms room, police confirmed on Sunday. The missing items include four 9mm pistols, three .32 pistols, and the ammunition, which were discovered unaccounted for on April 15. According to preliminary investigations, the matter came to light during routine checks and a subsequent audit of exhibits and firearms lodged at the station. Following the discovery, further checks were conducted; however, the weapons and ammunition were not located. The matter was immediately escalated through the established chain of command, and the Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) has since launched a formal investigation into the circumstances surrounding the disappearance. As part of the probe, police said several statements have already been taken and relevant records extracted to assist in determining...

…as 200 acres of onion production now being targeted The government is taking steps to increase onion production after a successful pilot project in Region Nine (Upper Takutu -Upper Essequibo) and is now setting its sights on entering the export market. Last week, more than $15 million worth of onions were harvested from farms in Region Nine as part of a pilot project that was launched by the government. Approximately 2600 bags of onions have been harvested to date from the cultivation, which began on December 27, 2025. The produce is being sold at $6000 per bag. On Monday to mark this milestone, Agriculture Minister, Zulfikar Mustapha explained that the government is now moving to expand the project, with the eventual goal of exporting the produce. Mustapha noted too that farmers from other parts of the country are interested in getting involved in the project. “The next crop, I am...

Following a series of high-level engagements and a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) inked last year, Senior Minister with Responsibility for Finance Dr Ashni Singh recently held a follow-up meeting with executives from Saudi Eksab – a global investment entity. Senior Minister with Responsibility for Finance Dr Ashni Singh and his delegation recently met with CEO of Saudi Eksab Yazeed Saleh AlYahya and his team in Washington DC Last week, Minister Singh attended the 2026 Spring Meetings of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank Group (WBG) in Washington D.C, United States, where he engaged Chief Executive Officer of Saudi Eksab, Yazeed Saleh AlYahya, and his team on the sidelines. In a subsequent social media post, the finance minister explained that the engagement serves as a follow-up to the discussions held between President Dr Irfaan Ali and the Saudi Eksab leadership during a visit to Georgetown earlier this year for...