Command Crisis: Hicken, Karimbaksh Locked in High-Stakes Police Feud

Staff— Writer

𝙏𝙝𝙚 592 𝙂𝙪𝙖𝙧𝙙𝙞𝙖𝙣

A simmering power struggle within the Guyana Police Force has now burst into the public domain, exposing troubling fractures at the highest levels of command.
Deputy Commissioner of Police and Head of the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU), Fizal Karimbaksh, has openly challenged statements made by Police Commissioner Clifton Hicken, flatly rejecting claims that he is the subject of an Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) probe.

In a direct rebuttal, Karimbaksh made it clear: not only can he not be investigated by the OPR in such a manner, but the Commissioner himself lacks the authority to trigger such an investigation against a Deputy Commissioner without the involvement of the Prime Minister’s Office. That revelation alone raises serious questions about the accuracy—and intent—of the Commissioner’s public remarks.
Even more striking is Karimbaksh’s assertion that he is, in fact, the complainant.

According to him, the incident in question unfolded when a SOCU rank was stopped by officers attached to the Anti-Crime Unit for a traffic-related issue—an action that directly contradicts standing administrative instructions prohibiting anti-crime ranks from engaging in traffic enforcement. Acting on that breach, Karimbaksh intervened and instructed the officers to cease their roadside operation.
Rather than overreach, he argues, his actions were entirely within his remit as a Deputy Commissioner, empowered to ensure compliance across departmental lines.
But the controversy did not end there.

Karimbaksh’s complaint to the OPR centers not only on the alleged insubordination of the ranks involved but also on the circulation of a recorded interaction on social media—an act he believes was calculated to publicly humiliate him and tarnish his reputation.
Meanwhile, Commissioner Hicken has painted a different picture, suggesting the intervention was premature, lacking verification, and executed outside the established chain of command.
The clash now presents more than a mere disagreement over procedure—it signals a deeper institutional discord within the Force. When senior leadership cannot align on authority, protocol, or even the basic facts of an incident, public confidence inevitably erodes.

At its core, this is no longer just about a traffic stop or an internal complaint. It is about credibility, command integrity, and whether the Guyana Police Force is being steered by clear rules—or competing egos.
And as this war of words escalates, one question looms large: who, in fact, is in control?

𝙏𝙝𝙚 592 𝙂𝙪𝙖𝙧𝙙𝙞𝙖𝙣-𝙏𝙧𝙪𝙩𝙝 , 𝘼𝙘𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙩𝙖𝙗𝙞𝙡𝙞𝙩𝙮, 𝙄𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙜𝙧𝙞𝙩𝙮 𝙄𝙣 𝙂𝙪𝙮𝙖𝙣𝙖 𝘼𝙣𝙙 𝘾𝙖𝙧𝙞𝙗𝙗𝙚𝙖𝙣 𝙋𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙥𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙨.— ✦—

Massive 11,000-Carat Ruby Discovered in Myanmar’s Conflict Zone

𝙏𝙝𝙚 592 𝙂𝙪𝙖𝙧𝙙𝙞𝙖𝙣

Bangkok, Thailand — May 12, 2026 — A rare and exceptionally large ruby weighing approximately 11,000 carats (2.2 kilograms or 4.8 pounds) has been discovered in Myanmar’s famed Mogok gem region, marking one of the most significant gemstone finds in recent decades.


According to state-run media, the rough ruby was unearthed in mid-April near Mogok, located in the upper Mandalay region — an area long regarded as the epicenter of Myanmar’s lucrative ruby mining industry. The discovery occurred shortly after the country’s traditional New Year celebrations.
The newly found gemstone is considered the second-largest ruby ever discovered in Myanmar by weight. While it is roughly half the size of a 21,450-carat ruby uncovered in 1996, experts suggest it may be of greater value due to its superior quality. The stone reportedly exhibits a purplish-red hue with yellowish undertones, moderate transparency, and a highly reflective surface — characteristics associated with high-grade rubies.


Myanmar remains the world’s dominant source of rubies, accounting for up to 90% of global supply, with most originating from Mogok and Mong Hsu. However, the gemstone trade has long been mired in controversy, as both legal and illicit sales have historically provided substantial revenue to military authorities and armed groups.


Human rights organizations, including Global Witness, have repeatedly called on transnational jewelers to halt the purchase of Myanmar-sourced gemstones, citing concerns that proceeds contribute to ongoing conflict and human right.


The discovery comes amid continued political instability in Myanmar. Earlier this year, a new government was installed following elections widely criticized by opposition groups and international observers as lacking credibility. President Min Aung Hlaing, the military leader who seized power in 2021, remains at the helm. He and members of his cabinet recently inspected the ruby in Naypyitaw, the nation’s capital.
Gemstone mining continues to play a dual role in Myanmar’s prolonged internal conflict, serving as a major revenue source for both the military establishment and ethnic armed groups seeking autonomy.

𝙏𝙝𝙚 592 𝙂𝙪𝙖𝙧𝙙𝙞𝙖𝙣-𝙏𝙧𝙪𝙩𝙝 , 𝘼𝙘𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙩𝙖𝙗𝙞𝙡𝙞𝙩𝙮, 𝙄𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙜𝙧𝙞𝙩𝙮 𝙄𝙣 𝙂𝙪𝙮𝙖𝙣𝙖 𝘼𝙣𝙙 𝘾𝙖𝙧𝙞𝙗𝙗𝙚𝙖𝙣 𝙋𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙥𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙨.— ✦—

 

 

Key Witness Alleges Henry Boys Were Killed Over Destroyed Marijuana Farm

𝙏𝙝𝙚 592 𝙂𝙪𝙖𝙧𝙙𝙞𝙖𝙣

The High Court trial into the brutal murders of cousins Joel and Isaiah Henry took a disturbing turn on Tuesday, as key witness Akash Singh delivered chilling testimony linking the killings to a dispute over destroyed marijuana crops in the Berbice backlands.

Singh, who appeared as one of the prosecution’s main witnesses, told the court that he accompanied the two accused—Anil Sancharra, also known as “Dan Pole” or “Rasta,” of D’Edward Village, West Coast Berbice, and Vinod Gopaul, called “Magga,” of Yakusari, Black Bush Polder—into the backdam to plant marijuana seedlings.
According to Singh, the group returned to the area approximately three weeks later, only to discover that their plants had been destroyed, allegedly by pesticide. He further claimed that additional crops at another nearby farm had also been damaged.

Singh testified that while the men were discussing the losses, two teenage boys approached their camp. He alleged that when the issue of the destroyed crops was mentioned, one of the teens laughed—an action that reportedly triggered suspicion.
He told the court that Gopaul confronted the boys, questioning whether they knew anything about the damaged plants. At that point, Singh claimed, one of the teens attempted to flee, prompting a violent response.

“The taller one tried to run,” Singh recounted, alleging that Gopaul attacked him with a cutlass, while Sancharra simultaneously assaulted the other teen.
Although Singh said he could not recall the exact number of blows inflicted, he described the aftermath as gruesome. He testified that he was instructed to assist in tying the bodies onto horses, after which the accused men transported them away from the scene.

Singh further claimed that he was ordered to dispose of evidence, including dismantling the cutlasses used in the attack and discarding them in a nearby canal, along with his blood-stained clothing.
He also told the court that both accused men threatened him with death if he reported what had happened. Despite these threats, Singh stated that he later disclosed the incident to others and eventually provided a full statement to police following his arrest in January 2021.
The trial, being heard in the Berbice High Court, is expected to continue today as the jury examines further testimony surrounding one of Guyana’s most shocking and controversial murder cases.

The gruesome deaths of the Henry cousins in September 2020 sparked nationwide outrage and protests, with calls for justice and accountability still resonating across the country.

𝙏𝙝𝙚 592 𝙂𝙪𝙖𝙧𝙙𝙞𝙖𝙣-𝙏𝙧𝙪𝙩𝙝 , 𝘼𝙘𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙩𝙖𝙗𝙞𝙡𝙞𝙩𝙮, 𝙄𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙜𝙧𝙞𝙩𝙮 𝙄𝙣 𝙂𝙪𝙮𝙖𝙣𝙖 𝘼𝙣𝙙 𝘾𝙖𝙧𝙞𝙗𝙗𝙚𝙖𝙣 𝙋𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙥𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙨.— ✦—

Salazar’s “Forceful” Defense of Guyana Raises Questions About Lobbying Influence

Staff -Writer

𝙏𝙝𝙚 592 𝙂𝙪𝙖𝙧𝙙𝙞𝙖𝙣

Guyana’s ruling People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) on Tuesday described as “forceful” the statement issued by United States Congresswoman María Elvira Salazar in defense of Guyana’s territorial sovereignty amid escalating rhetoric from Venezuela’s interim President, Delcy Rodríguez.

Congresswoman Salazar, who chairs the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Western Hemisphere Affairs, took to X (formerly Twitter) to rebuke Venezuela’s posture, warning that Rodríguez appeared intent on attempting to mislead U.S. President Donald Trump in the same way she and the now-ousted Nicolás Maduro administration “tricked and destroyed” Venezuela.
“Delcy should stop threatening Guyana and start learning from it,” Salazar stated.

Her comments followed closely on the heels of Rodríguez’s declaration at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) that Venezuela would not recognize the Court’s authority in determining the validity of the 1899 Arbitral Award. Rodríguez instead reaffirmed Venezuela’s position that the 1966 Geneva Agreement is the only legitimate mechanism for resolving the controversy, warning that any ICJ ruling could deepen divisions.
Salazar also criticized what she described as back-channel diplomacy, urging Rodríguez not to engage in “secret” communications with President Trump while advancing territorial claims against Guyana.

“You don’t deal with him through secret letters while trying to steal territory from a free and sovereign nation like Guyana,” she asserted.
The U.S. lawmaker further praised Guyana’s management of its oil revenues, highlighting the establishment of a sovereign wealth fund and rapid economic growth as evidence of responsible governance.

While the Guyana Government had not issued an immediate response, Salazar’s intervention is not occurring in a vacuum. She has previously been among the most vocal members of Congress linking Guyanese businessman Azruddin “Azz” Mohamed to Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro—framing his business activities and political ambitions as part of a wider “malign influence” network tied to Caracas within the Caribbean.

That line of argument closely mirrors messaging historically associated with Continental Strategy, a U.S.-based lobbying firm retained by the PPP/C administration. The overlap has fueled assertions in some political quarters that Salazar’s positions on Guyana-related matters may be aligned with, or influenced by, lobbying narratives advanced on behalf of the government. However, no direct evidence of coordination has been publicly confirmed.

The ICJ is expected to deliver its ruling on the merits of the case by the end of 2026 or early 2027, a decision likely to have far-reaching implications for the decades-old border controversy.

𝙏𝙝𝙚 592 𝙂𝙪𝙖𝙧𝙙𝙞𝙖𝙣-𝙏𝙧𝙪𝙩𝙝 , 𝘼𝙘𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙩𝙖𝙗𝙞𝙡𝙞𝙩𝙮, 𝙄𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙜𝙧𝙞𝙩𝙮 𝙄𝙣 𝙂𝙪𝙮𝙖𝙣𝙖 𝘼𝙣𝙙 𝘾𝙖𝙧𝙞𝙗𝙗𝙚𝙖𝙣 𝙋𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙥𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙨.— ✦—

“A Climate Warning Guyana Cannot Ignore: Food Security at Risk”

BY: Hem Kumar 

𝙏𝙝𝙚 592 𝙂𝙪𝙖𝙧𝙙𝙞𝙖𝙣

Guyana cannot afford to ignore the storm signals flashing across South America. What is unfolding is not just another cycle of bad weather—it is a deepening climate emergency that is already disrupting food systems, draining water supplies, and destabilizing rural livelihoods across the region. And it is heading in our direction.
From the Andes to the Pacific coast, extreme heat, vanishing water reserves, and violent floods have combined to cripple agricultural production. Inland lakes are drying up. Glaciers that once fed major rivers are disappearing. Farms are being washed out one season and scorched the next. The result is predictable: reduced crop yields, rising food prices, and a steady exodus of farmers who can no longer survive on the land.
Now, the full force of El Niño is building—and with it, the likelihood of even harsher extremes.

Peru is already bracing to spend over US$1 billion to cope with the fallout. That figure alone should be a wake-up call. If countries with larger economies are struggling, Guyana—with its low-lying coast and fragile drainage systems—faces an even more precarious future.
For Guyanese farmers, the warning is immediate and personal.
Rice farmers along the Essequibo and Berbice coasts are especially exposed. Too little rainfall can reduce yields and increase salinity in irrigation channels, while sudden heavy rains can flood fields and destroy entire crops within days. Sugar production, already under strain, is equally vulnerable to erratic weather patterns that disrupt planting and harvesting cycles.

In the hinterland, where farming depends heavily on natural rainfall, prolonged dry spells can devastate cassava, ground provisions, and small-scale cash crops. Livestock farmers are not spared either—heat stress, reduced pasture quality, and water shortages can quickly erode productivity.
All of this is unfolding against an already troubling backdrop: rising fertilizer costs, limited access to key agricultural inputs, and increasing transportation expenses. Farmers are being squeezed from every direction—by nature and by market forces.

For the average Guyanese household, the implications are stark. Food prices will rise. Availability will fluctuate. Basic staples could become harder to access consistently. What we are seeing is the early formation of a food security crisis, driven not by a single event but by overlapping pressures that are intensifying with each passing season.
This is how vulnerability turns into crisis—quietly at first, then all at once.

Yet where is the national response? Where is the coordinated plan to protect farmers, stabilize production, and shield citizens from the worst of these impacts? Climate resilience cannot remain a talking point; it must become policy, investment, and action.
Farmers need support to adapt—better drainage and irrigation systems, access to climate-resilient crops, and timely financial assistance. Citizens need to be informed and prepared for shifting food realities. And the country as a whole must begin treating climate threats with the seriousness they demand.

The warning signs are no longer distant. They are regional, they are escalating, and they are relevant to every Guyanese household.
If we fail to act now, food insecurity will not be a projection—it will be our reality.

𝙏𝙝𝙚 592 𝙂𝙪𝙖𝙧𝙙𝙞𝙖𝙣-𝙏𝙧𝙪𝙩𝙝 , 𝘼𝙘𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙩𝙖𝙗𝙞𝙡𝙞𝙩𝙮, 𝙄𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙜𝙧𝙞𝙩𝙮 𝙄𝙣 𝙂𝙪𝙮𝙖𝙣𝙖 𝘼𝙣𝙙 𝘾𝙖𝙧𝙞𝙗𝙗𝙚𝙖𝙣 𝙋𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙥𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙨.— ✦—

“A Deal Meant to Transform Guyana — That Transformed Everyone But Guyana”

It was hailed as Guyana’s great energy awakening, a geopolitical handshake between Georgetown and Washington that promised power, prosperity, and progress. But as the Wales Gas-to-Energy project unravels, its legacy may be less “breakthrough” and more breakdown — the straw that broke the pony’s back.
When the Government of Guyana awarded the US $759 million bid (financed at roughly US $587 million) to the Lindsayca–CH4 consortium, it bypassed four lower proposals and catapulted the U.S. Export–Import Bank into Guyana’s largest sovereign energy financing ever. The narrative was sold with polished conviction: America would outperform China, ushering transparency, efficiency, and ethical business practice where Beijing’s shadow allegedly fell.
Yet in retrospect, the moral high ground looks suspiciously like a hill of sand. The U.S. “better partner” promise wasn’t born of goodwill — it was guerrilla economics, an ideological wage to usurp Chinese influence under the guise of partnership. In private, it was celebrated in Washington as a geopolitical victory, complete with claims of 1,500 new American jobs, U.S.-made turbines, and robust returns for investors. But beneath the gloss lay a darker calculus: advancement not of Guyana’s development, but of America’s strategic footprint, dressed up as benevolence.
The irony, of course, is that everyone was playing the same game — only from opposite ends of the table. U.S. actors pushed business policy as foreign diplomacy, while Guyanese powerbrokers treated diplomacy as private industry. The match was perfect; the motivations were identical; only the rhetoric differed.
The Price of Patronage
The Wales deal, lacking meaningful feasibility studies, was engineered for speed, not substance. EXIM Bank signed with eyes open — a move that defied its own internal protocols on project viability assessment. By the time signatures dried and champagne corks popped, the structure was already sinking under the weight of imaginative accounting and inflated valuation.
The result: a project that cost more, promised more, and delivered less. The mantra of “higher price equals superior performance” collapsed spectacularly; Guyanese contractors and political interlocutors enriched themselves in the short term while the nation’s long-term prospects dimmed.
In the local pipeline, Bharat Jagdeo’s fingerprints are everywhere — the familiar strategy of grand design meets selective execution. His political formula remains constant: big ideas, bold deliveries, and bigger beneficiaries. The Wales Gas-to-Energy project fits snugly into his playbook of transformative promises that terminate at the tender board, leaving citizens and institutions to mop up after the money stops moving.
The Crumbling Illusion
Months after the project’s ceremonial launch, the Guyana Power and Light (GPL) has quietly begun pivoting toward renewable energy sources — solar and hybrid grids — a subtle but unmistakable confession that confidence in the gas project has evaporated. Behind this tactical shift lies an unspoken truth: officials no longer expect Wales to deliver on its own claims of low-cost energy and national diversification.
For the government that once declared the undertaking “the defining infrastructure of a new Guyana,” this pivot is disastrous optics. It signals loss of faith — from state engineers to financiers — and reaffirms what the public suspected all along: that the energy revolution was more public performance than policy.
The Faustian Bargain
The Wales Gas-to-Energy scheme illustrates Guyana’s modern paradox — a resource-rich nation seduced by high diplomacy and corporate promise, yet regionally trapped by the very partners meant to rescue it. In this Faustian setup, EXIM’s billions became both carrot and leash, tethering Guyana to an American strategic agenda while marginalizing other bidders who might have offered competitive cost or tested technology.
The project was supposed to light the nation. Instead, it illuminated everything broken in government’s method of decision-making — the conflation of patriotism with patronage, of development with debt. A deal that was meant to transform Guyana ended up transforming everyone but Guyana: foreign financiers, local intermediaries, and political brokers.
The Moral of the Machine
When vision collides with vested interest, energy projects morph into fiscal fossils. The Wales venture now stands as Guyana’s white elephant — massive, immovable, and symbolic of excess masked as progress. What was billed as a new dawn of industrial independence has darkened into a contest of egos and external control.
So, as GPL turns its eyes to the sun and wind, perhaps it is fitting; after all, gas has proven too volatile when mixed with politics. The Wales saga teaches what every nation learns too late — that in the theater of development, the curtain always falls before the people get their share of light.
Appendix: The Numbers Behind the Rhetoric
Project Title: Wales Gas-to-Energy Project
Location: Wales Estate, West Bank Demerara, Guyana
Financing Structure:
•EXIM Bank (U.S.) loan financing: Approx. US $587 million
•Total project value / bid price: Approx. US $759 million
•Local fiscal exposure: Government of Guyana guarantees and indirect commitments through GPL and related subsidiaries.
Tender Overview:
•Initial bids submitted: Four confirmed consortium proposals.
•Lowest bid: Approximately US $520 million (rejected without detailed explanation).
•Selected consortium:
Lindsayca–CH4 partnership — a grouping with limited regional track record and controversial management figures with Venezuelan associations.
•Award rationale (official statement): Claimed superior “technical and logistical coordination,” though internal documents reveal scant feasibility modelling or lifecycle cost projections.
Contract Timeline:
•December 2023: EXIM initial credit terms negotiated through U.S. Embassy in Georgetown.
•February 2024: Cabinet approval amid expedited tender clearance.
•March 2024: Financing package finalized; signing ceremony held, followed by high-level U.S. press release touting job creation and American equipment exports.
•January 2025: Preliminary works begin on site; cost escalations recorded within first quarter.
•Late 2025–Early 2026: GPL initiates pivot toward renewables, citing “strategic diversification” and “load balance development priorities” — coded indicators of diminishing faith in gas-to-energy viability.
Discrepancies & Observations:
•Overvaluation margin: ~US $170–240 million above median bid range.
•Feasibility studies: None published; internal technical assessment still marked “preliminary.”
•Actual job creation figures: Less than 400 confirmed locally, according to labor registry data.
•Equipment sourcing: Over 85% U.S.-manufactured, matching EXIM’s domestic stimulus motive rather than Guyana’s cost efficiency.
These data points demonstrate the widening gap between financial narrative and project reality, underscoring the exposé’s central argument: the Wales Gas-to-Energy scheme was never about Guyana’s transformation — it was structured from inception to feed geopolitical ambition and insider profiteering. The figures — dry as they look — tell a poetic truth: in Guyana’s version of development, the math always exposes the myth.
The Wales Gas-to-Energy Scandal: By the Numbers
THE NUMBERS DON’T LIE
──────────────────────────────────────────────────────
TOTAL BID: $759 MILLION
EXIM FINANCING: $587 MILLION
GOG BURDEN: $172 MILLION
──────────────────────────────────────────────────────
BIDDING FARCE
$520M ← REJECTED (45% CHEAPER!)
$589M ← REJECTED
$642M ← REJECTED
LINDSAYCA-CH 4: $759M ← SELECTED
PROMISE vs. REALITY
┌─────────────────┬─────────────────┐
│ PROMISED │ DELIVERED │
├─────────────────┼─────────────────┤
│ 1,500 JOBS │ ~400 JOBS │ 74%
│ LOW-COST POWER │ COST EXPLOSION │ FAIL
│ US EQUIPMENT │ 85% US-MADE │ “WIN”
└─────────────────┴─────────────────┘
COLLAPSE TIMELINE
2024: EXIM signs, champagne flows
2025: Costs explode, work stalls
2026: GPL abandons ship → RENEWABLES
──────────────────────────────────────────────────────
KEY TAKEAWAY: $759M bought geopolitics, not power.
──────────────────────────────────────────────────────
SOURCE: Kaieteur News bid documents + GPL filings
KEY TAKEAWAY: Higher price ≠ Better performance. $759M bought geopolitics, not power.
SOURCE: Kaieteur News tender documents, GPL reports, EXIM Bank disclosures.
𝙏𝙝𝙚 592 𝙂𝙪𝙖𝙧𝙙𝙞𝙖𝙣 — 𝙏𝙧𝙪𝙩𝙝 , 𝘼𝙘𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙩𝙖𝙗𝙞𝙡𝙞𝙩𝙮, 𝙄𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙜𝙧𝙞𝙩𝙮 𝙄𝙣 𝙂𝙪𝙮𝙖𝙣𝙖 𝘼𝙣𝙙 𝘾𝙖𝙧𝙞𝙗𝙗𝙚𝙖𝙣 𝙋𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙥𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙨

Minister’s Son Damages Government Vehicle in Late-Night Incident

Georgetown, Guyana — Questions are swirling around the Ministry of Home Affairs after the son of Minister Oneidge was reportedly involved in an accident that left a brand new, multimillion-dollar government vehicle damaged, raising serious concerns about the misuse of taxpayer-funded assets.
According to sources close to the matter, the Minister’s son was seen leaving a club shortly before the incident occurred. The vehicle, which belongs to the Government of Guyana, sustained damage — prompting immediate public outcry over who authorised its use by a private individual.
Opposition party WIN puts the following questions directly to the Honourable Minister:

  • First — Why was your son in possession of and operating a vehicle that is the property of the Government of Guyana? Government vehicles are publicly funded assets intended strictly for official use, not personal or recreational purposes.
  • Second — Given that your son was reportedly seen leaving a club prior to the accident, was a breathalyzer test administered at the scene? The public deserves transparency on whether standard police procedures were followed.
  • Third — Was the Minister’s son taken to the nearest police station following the incident, as would be required of any ordinary citizen involved in a vehicular accident under similar circumstances?

Sources further indicate that reporters within the Police Media Group, of which Minister Oneidge is a member, have already raised questions about the incident — questions that have gone unanswered to this day.
The silence from the Ministry is deafening.

Guyanese taxpayers, who funded the purchase of this vehicle, deserve full accountability. WIN Party— calls on Minister Oneidge to address reporters promptly, provide a detailed account of the circumstances surrounding the accident, and clarify what disciplinary or legal actions, if any, have been taken.
𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐢𝐬 𝐝𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐠.𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝟓𝟗𝟐 𝐆𝐮𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐢𝐚𝐧 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐮𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐟𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰 𝐮𝐩.

The Theft of Thanks: How Another Guyanese Gift Became A Government Stageshow

Last evening, as the state cameras panned across neatly manicured lawns and fireworks stitched the air, the country was told a familiar story — one of “presidential vision” and “regional transformation.” But beneath the glow of the drone lights and the edited applause lies an inconvenient truth: this is not the government’s creation. It is a repackaged act of private generosity and foreign philanthropy, rewritten into a political triumph.
𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐄𝐫𝐚𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐉𝐨𝐞 𝐕𝐢𝐞𝐢𝐫𝐚
Before the plaques, before the speeches, there was Joe Vieira — a man whose life bridged agriculture, recreation, and public service. The land on which the new “Guyana–China Friendship Park” now stands was once part of Plantation Meer Zorgen — and it was not seized, bought, or assigned by any ministry. It was given, outright, by Joseph Rudolph Vieira, AA, to the people of Guyana.
Yet, his name is nowhere in the new narrative. No marker of his generosity stands beside the president’s podium. No mention of his gift survives the government’s public relations machinery. Instead, state media now presents the space as a “vision realized” under the current administration. A more precise term might be appropriated legacy.
𝐓𝐡𝐞 $𝟏𝟐 𝐌𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐌𝐢𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐞
As headlines trumpet the “government’s investment in recreation,” few citizens are told that not a single Guyanese taxpayer dollar funded this $2.5 billion transformation. The entire park — design, construction, and finish — was financed through a grant from the People’s Republic of China.
Yet, the government has positioned itself as both benefactor and builder, turning ribbon-cutting into performance art. It’s a sleight of hand as old as propaganda itself: when you control the narrative, you don’t need to control the facts.
𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐄𝐫𝐚𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐞
Why does the public not know? Because truth is inconvenient when you’re busy choreographing glory. The omission of Joe Vieira’s contribution weakens the myth of state-driven progress. The silence about the Chinese grant undermines the narrative of “responsible fiscal management.” To admit that this was a gift would be to expose the administration’s reliance on external benefactors and inherited assets — a revelation that punctures the illusion of economic self-reliance and domestic vision.
𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐌𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐚’𝐬 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐭𝐲
It’s not merely what’s said, but what’s unsaid, that writes history. When the nightly newscast breathlessly reports “another government milestone,” it becomes a participant in what can only be called accolade theft. The truth is simple: this park exists not because of allocation, but because of donation. The government’s role was custodial, not
𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝟓𝟗𝟐 𝐆𝐮𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐢𝐚𝐧 𝐕𝐞𝐫𝐝𝐢𝐜𝐭
True leadership honors provenance. It builds upon the gifts of predecessors with humility and transparency.
𝙏𝙤 𝙚𝙧𝙖𝙨𝙚 𝙅𝙤𝙚 𝙑𝙞𝙚𝙞𝙧𝙖 𝙛𝙧𝙤𝙢 𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙤𝙬𝙣 𝙡𝙚𝙜𝙖𝙘𝙮 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙥𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝘾𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙖’𝙨 𝙜𝙚𝙣𝙚𝙧𝙤𝙨𝙞𝙩𝙮 𝙖𝙨 𝙙𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙘 𝙖𝙘𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙥𝙡𝙞𝙨𝙝𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙞𝙨 𝙢𝙤𝙧𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙣 𝙙𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 — 𝙞𝙩 𝙞𝙨 𝙣𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙖𝙡 𝙜𝙖𝙨𝙡𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜.
If governance becomes theater, then public memory must become resistance. Because naming the truth — who gave, who built, who claimed — is the only way to reclaim integrity in a country drowning in its own propaganda.
𝙏𝙝𝙚 592 𝙂𝙪𝙖𝙧𝙙𝙞𝙖𝙣 — 𝙏𝙧𝙪𝙩𝙝 , 𝘼𝙘𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙩𝙖𝙗𝙞𝙡𝙞𝙩𝙮, 𝙄𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙜𝙧𝙞𝙩𝙮 𝙄𝙣 𝙂𝙪𝙮𝙖𝙣𝙖 𝘼𝙣𝙙 𝘾𝙖𝙧𝙞𝙗𝙗𝙚𝙖𝙣 𝙋𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙥𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙨.