Oil & Governance Watch: Bloomberg warns Guyana’s oil boom risks an “oil curse,” saying the country falls short on transparent, competitive rights and other Natural Resource Charter benchmarks, even as it partially meets goals on accountable decision-making and revenue smoothing. Exploration Update: ExxonMobil Guyana is drilling the Rockhead-1 exploration well in the Stabroek Block; MARAD says the Rockhead-1 program is expected to end Aug. 31, using the Stena Carron drillship about 115 nautical miles offshore. Maritime Security & Trade: A DEA assessment says U.S. strikes on suspected drug boats haven’t reduced cocaine supply or price, and traffickers are shifting tactics—more aircraft and routes that skirt international waters—implicating spillover risks for Guyana and Suriname. Border Mining Pressure: France calls illegal gold mining along Suriname’s border with French Guiana a “ticking time bomb,” citing extreme mercury and arsenic contamination and pushing for joint action. Marine & Environment Services: CSA Ocean Sciences has joined APEM Group, expanding APEM’s U.S. environmental consultancy footprint and adding marine operations services, with potential growth links to Suriname. Regional Business Leadership: CARICHAM elects Kiran Maharaj as new chair, focusing on trade facilitation, advocacy, member value, and disaster risk reduction. Caribbean Shipping Decarb: A study at the Caribbean Shipping Executives’ Conference positions Trinidad and Tobago as a green fuel bunker hub, linking methanol, LNG and ammonia to port decarbonisation plans. PFAS Health Signal (Suriname): A new study finds higher PFAS “forever chemical” levels in pregnant women in remote rainforest communities than in more accessible areas, pointing to location-linked exposure pathways.