‘Guyana not chasing short-term gains’
- Gov’t to work with local private sector, international partners to trade crude oil, President Ali says
Dr. Irfaan Ali, First Lady Mrs. Arya Ali and their sons, Masters Zayd and Ilan, on Thursday joined entrepreneur Iman Khan-Cummings and her family for the
Despite the challenges, 25 by 2025 initiative recorded significant progress
- Min. Mustapha tells COTED, says data shows ‘increasingly stronger’ growth in year-on-year achievements - says incoming opposition Leader did not contribute in any way PM Phillips underscores Guyana’s leadership in clean-energy transition
Construction
- bridges at Linden, Kurukpukari look promising - tells OLADE that country remains dedicated to achieving low-carbon economy
River
trade unionist slams WIN’s attempt to take credit for recent BOSAI pay deal
- Dr Jagdeo says as gov’t pledges to crack down on abuse of foreign currency - assures that FOREX rules will not affect small, local businesses
‘Several’
cash grants to be distributed during next five years - VP Jagdeo says
VICE-President Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo has assured Guyanese that there will be “several” cash grants during the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) fiveyear term in office.
He said this during a press conference on Thursday at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC).
“This is a five-year term we have; there will be several cash grants in the five-year term,” he said.
Speaking to the rumours that the cash grants will no longer be distributed individually but on a household level, the Vice-President said: “There has been no such discussion at any level in the government. It’s a blatant lie; we never made any such decision.”
“Whatever the president said on the campaign trail will be done,” Dr. Jagdeo said.
President Dr. Irfaan Ali had previously signalled that a cash grant might be on the
cards for Guyanese citizens this Christmas.
Speaking at a previous PPP/C public meeting at Eccles, East Bank Demerara, the President reflected on the country’s ongoing development trajectory under his leadership, and assured citizens that their well-being remains a central focus of the PPP government policy.
“When we say we will do it, that is the People’s
Progressive Party,” President Ali had told the energised gathering.
Last year, citizens aged 18 and older benefitted from a one-off $100,000 cash grant as part of a series of initiatives designed to more inclusively share the country’s wealth.
That intervention was welcomed as a direct relief measure during the festive season.
PPP to focus on increasing youth, women membership following 2025 landslide victory
- will shun oppositionaligned hostility
AFTER a “landslide” victory at the polls, the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) government has set its sight on expanding its youth arm and women’s movement, Vice-President and party General Secretary Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo has stated.
During a press conference on Thursday at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC), Dr. Jagdeo made it clear that the government will not be caught up in the opposition’s campaign operations, but instead will focus on real development for the people of Guyana.
Responding to a series of targeted attacks towards the government from opposition-aligned voices, the Vice-President made it clear that the PPP/C will not seek the “blessings” of those who are hostile towards the party.
“The voters have given the mandate to the PPP for the next five years,”
Dr. Jagdeo said, pointing to the results which show that at the 2025 General and Regional Elections the PPP/C won by a “huge” margin.
In the 2025 elections, the PPP/C increased its seats from 33 in 2020 to 36, thereby widening its parliamentary majority.
The National Assembly comprises a total of 65 seats, allocated based on geographical
constituencies using the Hare quota system.
The PPP General Secretary also highlighted the massive turnaround in Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica)- which was a traditional opposition stronghold.
FOCUS ON WOMEN AND YOUTH
Ahead of the 2031 General and Regional Elections, Dr. Jagdeo said they will focus on strengthening the party.
Dr. Jagdeo outlined the party’s strategy to further empower the Women's Progressive Organisation (WPO), the women's arm of the PPP and the party’s youth arm- the Progressive Youth Organisation (PYO).
He said: “We will build out the women’s movement to a strong, vibrant women’s organisation.”
Youth mobilisation efforts have catapulted the membership of the PYO.
Now, the party boasts 15,000 youth members, representing every region and race in Guyana, he disclosed.
While the previous target was 5,000, it was tripled, and the governing PPP/C continues to encourage more youths to play an active role in Guyana’s development.
The PPP/C is aiming to double their current membership.
“We’ll take that to 30,000 members,” the party’s General Secretary said.
Countering opposition narratives which surround race voting and divisive politics, Dr. Jagdeo said that the PPP/C- the only national party- will defy them at every election.
Last month, President Ali unveiled the PPP/C’s blend of experience and youthful energy with a 25-member cabinet and 11 parliamentary representatives.
PPP General Secretary and Guyana’s Vice-President Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo
Construction of new Berbice River bridge to begin soon - President Ali
- bridges at Linden, Kurukpukari look promising
CONSTRUCTION
works
of the new Berbice River bridge are expected to commence this year, President Dr. Irfaan Ali announced on Thursday.
While addressing the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI)’s inaugural Energy Insights and Breakfast Brief, the Guyanese leader noted that while there is much buzz about the soon-to-be commissioned new fourlane, high-span, cable-stayed Demerara River bridge, there are several other massive infrastructure projects that will commence to propel Guyana’s development.
Among these will be a new Berbice River bridge.
“This year we will not only complete the Demerara River bridge and the new highways, but we will also start the new Berbice River bridge. We will complete the Wismar bridge, and we will
Despite
commence the Kurukpukari bridge, because these are critical infrastructure,” the President said.
Construction of the US$35 million Mackenzie-Wismar Bridge is just over 72 per cent complete.
The works are being executed by China Railway Construction Corporation Limited, and include the construction of a four-lane 220-metre-long precast concrete bridge that includes essential safety features such as lighting and sidewalks.
The bridge will replace the current structure that spans across the Demerara River in Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice).
Meanwhile, works on the new Kurupukari Bridge could start soon, and, once completed, it will replace the pontoon crossing for the Kurupukari River along the Linden/Lethem Trail.
In addition to the forego-
ing projects, several massive highways are under construction to enhance greater inter-regional linkages.
One notable road project is the expansion of the East Coast Road along the railway embankment that is now 77
the challenges, 25
per cent completed.
During his inauguration speech back in September, President Ali had said that the first six weeks of his second term in office will see the groundwork being laid for a sweeping range of
infrastructural and economic projects aimed at accelerating national development, job creation, and regional integration.
He had stressed then that the country’s economic future depends not only on
the ambitions and policies of the government but also on the private sector, which is ready to drive wealth and job creation. He explained further that collaboration between the private sector and the government will propel shared prosperity.
At Thursday’s event, President Ali also disclosed that the government is working on the final phase for the completion of a design for the deep-water port in Berbice.
The facility is expected to play a central role in the country’s expanding gas development and regional trade infrastructure.
Last year, President Ali unveiled plans for the development of the Berbice deepwater facility. The head of state had noted that the port will be designed to improve trade, reduce shipping costs, and integrate trade with northern Brazil.
by 2025 initiative recorded significant progress
- Min. Mustapha tells COTED, says data shows ‘increasingly stronger’ growth in year-on-year achievements
DURING this year’s Council for Trade and Economic Development (COTED) meeting, Ministers of Agriculture from across the Caribbean have endorsed the ‘25 by 2025 + 5’ Implementation Plan which forms part of CARICOM’s Agri-Food Systems Strategy commonly known as the Vision 25 by 2025 Initiative. Agriculture Minister, Hon. Zulfikar Mustapha who serves as Chairman of the CARICOM Special Ministerial Taskforce on Food Production and Food Security (MTF) told the gathering of regional officials that the first phase of the initiative, has clearly demonstrated what the region can achieve when working together to achieve a common goal.
He explained that despite the challenges of climate change, rising input costs, and global market shocks, CARICOM nations have recorded significant progress.
“At the regional level, the data shows, there has been increasingly stronger growth year-on-year for the achievement rate of our production targets we had set ourselves for 2025 (in 2022, the re -
gion’s achievement rate was 57 per cent, in 2023 it was 70 per cent and in 2024 it was 82 per cent), giving an overall growth in production of 23.1 per cent between 2022 to 2024. In fact, accelerated production growth has been achieved with 8.9 per cent and 13 per cent registered between 2022 -2023 and 2023 – 2024 respectively,” he explained.
Minister Mustapha also said the extension of the initiative to 2030 gives the region an opportunity to consolidate its gains, scale up production, and deepen regional cooperation.
“Under 25 by 2025+5, we are collectively target -
ing 4.3 million tonnes of regional food production by 2030. This planned sustained expansion in regional production, will directly contribute to the region’s programme of reducing the regional food import bill, scaling up capacity for tapping into intra-regional trade opportunities, and improving technical cooperation across CARICOM,” the minister noted. Furthermore, while speaking on local targets, Minister Mustapha urged Member States to recognise that the success of the initiative was heavily dependent on meaningful partnerships as well as the removal of bar-
riers to intra-regional trade and the strengthening of other systems and providing meaningful support for food producers.
“For Guyana, we are fully committed to playing a leading role. Our national targets for 2030 include more than one million tonnes of rice, nearly half a million tonnes of vegetables, 300,000 tonnes of coconut, and over 100,000 tonnes of poultry. We are also scaling up production of corn, soy, root crops, ginger, turmeric, fruits, honey, and fisheries. These targets are ambitious, but they reflect our determination to ensure that Guyana serves as a reliable hub for regional food
supply, processing, and distribution. At the same time, we recognize that success will depend on partnerships. We must continue to engage the regional private sector, international partners, and the diplomatic community to mobilize investment, unlock new markets, and build the technical capacity of our farmers and agri-businesses. Just as important is the removal of barriers to intra-regional trade, the strengthening of our transport and logistics systems, and the provision of financing and fiscal support to our producers,” he explained.
During discussions, re -
gional officials highlighted that while import volumes have reduced, global prices have increased, adding that the strategy should be revised to reflect regional and global realities.
They also praised H.E. President Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali and Minister Mustapha for their visionary leadership in driving the Food Security Agenda in CARICOM. While highlighting Guyana’s momentous achievement of being the only country in the world with the ability to feed its population, the officials touted Guyana as a model for agricultural diversification and resilience.
The Agri-Food Systems Strategy, primarily implemented to reduce the region’s food import by 25 per cent by the end of 2025 by giving special attention to priority crops and products such as poultry, corn, soya, meat such as goat, sheep, and beef, rice and niche vegetables which are highly imported products in the region was extended to 2030 after several countries’ agriculture sectors were affected by natural disasters. (MoA)
Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha during the meeting (MoA photos)
Chairman and Barbados’ Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Indar Weir (right) and CARICOM Rep. Shaun Baugh
The existing Berbice River bridge
PM Phillips underscores Guyana’s leadership in clean-energy transition
- tells OLADE that country remains dedicated to achieving low-carbon economy
PRIME Minister, Brigadier (Ret’d) the Honourable Mark Phillips, on Thursday outlined Guyana’s actions and achievements under its Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) 2030, while emphasising government’s commitment to a clean, just energy transition, strengthened regional co-operation, and continued global climate advocacy under the tenets of the Paris Agreement.
He made these remarks during his address at the 55th Latin American Energy Organisation (OLADE) Meeting of the Energy Ministers, held as part of the 10th edition of OLADE Energy Week in Santiago, Chile.
Addressing energy leaders and policymakers, Prime Minister Phillips underscored Guyana’s steady progress in building a low-carbon economy by diversifying its energy-supply mix, referencing accomplishments under LCDS 2030, which outlines the government’s support for sustainable energy development and participation in global climate initiatives.
“Guyana remains dedicated to achieving a low-carbon
PM Phillips was among officials attending the 55th Latin American Energy Organisation (OLADE) Meeting of the Energy Ministers, where he underscored Guyana’s leadership in clean-energy transition and its dedication to achieving a low-carbon economy
economy through innovation, inclusion, and bold policies that safeguard our forests and communities. Our actions reflect the belief that clean and renewable energy development is about ensuring equity and opportunity, so that every citizen benefits from the transition.”
He also reminded attendees that the Guyana Government is advancing complementary policies to promote energy conservation and energy-efficient technologies.
“Our country remains ded-
icated to advancing global efforts to address climate change and transition to clean and renewable energy, and significant progress has been made in this regard.”
In discussing the clean-energy transition, the Prime Minister spoke of Guyana’s diversified energy supply mix plan and infrastructural development agenda.
At the forefront is the gas-to-energy project. Phase I is a 300MW natural gas-fired power plant currently under construction, while Phase II will
deliver an additional 300MW combined-cycle plant and a natural gas liquids facility. Together, these projects will supply 600MW of power, reduce emissions and lower costs for consumers.
Guyana's progress in hydropower was also highlighted, with the Prime Minister describing the 165MW Amaila Falls hydropower project as a major clean-energy initiative. The government, he explained, is also developing smaller plants such as Kumu, Moco Moco, and Kato, progressing to a
combined capacity of 2.35MW, along with several medium-scale sites under review.
He also detailed the solar expansion, including the installation of utility-scale solar PV farms totalling more than 36MW. Some 56 solar minigrids and over 6MW of rooftop solar PV systems have been installed across 452 public buildings, ICT hubs, and agricultural facilities. In addition, more than 37,000 solar home systems have been distributed to hinterland and riverine communities, directly benefitting approximately 140,000 people.
He spoke about initiatives such as electric mobility, noting the installation of 23 electric vehicle charging stations and the introduction of fiscal incentives to promote cleaner transportation and green investments.
Importantly, Prime Minister Phillips also pointed to grid modernisation, with ongoing upgrades to substations, transmission and distribution systems, and the deployment of battery-energy storage technology.
In highlighting Guyana’s role on the international stage, he emphasised the importance of regional partnerships in addressing climate change and promoting sustainable energy.
“OLADE has been an important partner for regional integration and sustainable-energy development. There is room to further leverage this platform to pursue innovative solutions, tailored financial instruments, and de-risking mechanisms to address climate-change mitigation and adaptation.”
He noted that Guyana continues to advocate for climate finance, technology transfer and the fair treatment of tropical-forest countries in global carbon markets and stressed the interconnectedness of energy and forest conservation in supporting climate resilience.
Prime Minister Phillips also highlighted Guyana’s achievements as a small tropical-forest country that has become a regional and global advocate for sustainable energy.
“These accomplishments are not ends in themselves, but are stepping stones for a more resilient, equitable, and low-carbon future. Guyana’s journey demonstrates that a small tropical-forest country can achieve outsized climate and energy results. By combining sound policies, community engagement and international co-operation, we have positioned ourselves as a regional and global advocate for sustainable energy.”
Looking ahead, the Prime Minister reiterated Guyana’s dedication to expanding clean-energy initiatives and fostering energy-efficient lifestyles across the country.
“Guyana will continue to engage and work in partnership with multiple stakeholders to roll out clean and renewable energy initiatives, adapt to the challenges posed by climate change and encourage sustainable, energy-efficient lifestyles, while building capacity to facilitate the requisite technical and regulatory support for effective clean energy transitions.”
(OPM)
Prime Minister, Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips; head of the Guyana Energy Agency (GEA), Dr Mahender Sharma and other Guyanese officials (OPM photos)
‘Guyana not chasing short-term gains’
- Gov’t to work with
PRESIDENT Dr. Irfaan Ali has announced plans for Guyana to build its capacity in trading crude oil, through strategic partnerships that will see the country boosting its expertise through knowledge and skills sharing.
This was revealed on Thursday, during the Georgetown Chambers of Commerce’s (GCCI) inaugural Energy Insights and Breakfast Brief held at the Pegasus Corporate suits.
“I will be working with the local private sector and international partners to ensure that we develop our capability and capacity in crude oil trading. We must be able to trade our crude oil from Guyana, with the infrastructure, with the human capital and with the market skills, and that is going to create enormous opportunities for us,” the President said.
These are the “bold decisions” and “bold ideas”
local private sector, international partners to trade crude oil, President Ali says
necessary to transform Guyana’s future, the President said, highlighting the Vision 2030 as a guiding framework for development across the country.
“We have to get those who have already done it for other countries to work with us in transforming the knowledge, maybe to enter a partnership for the next 5
years until we get the experience to do it on our own.”
He further underscored the important role the business community has to play along with the government in ensuring that sustainable development and social equity are prioritised.
“Social equity must guide our policies, no group, no village, no hinterland
community must be left behind, because development is not real until it is inclusive. Development is not measured by barrels of oil pumped, but by the dignity of lives uplifted.”
Already in Guyana, oil revenues are funding massive projects such as the construction of schools, stateof-the-art hospitals, new highways and other critical infrastructure to advance the country’s development.
Back in October 2024, UK-based BB Energy Trading Limited and JE Energy secured contracts to market the country’s crude oil from its then three floating production storage and offloading (FPSO) vessels.
President Ali stressed the important role of the business community in propelling the country’s future, reminding many of the key players gathered of the critical role they play in the country’s transformation.
“The beating heart of
any economy is the business community. Oil is opening doors, yes, but we must not be content with simply walking through those doors. We must build new ones.”
Last month, ExxonMobil Guyana had started production at Yellowtail, the fourth oil development in Guyana’s offshore Stabroek block.
Yellowtail’s One Guyana floating production storage and offloading (FPSO) vessel joins the Destiny, Unity, and Prosperity FPSOs, bringing total installed capacity in Guyana to above 900,000 barrels of oil per day.
“Yellowtail’s ahead-ofschedule startup is a significant milestone for ExxonMobil and the people of Guyana,” said Dan Ammann, President of ExxonMobil Upstream Company. “With Guyanese making up more than 67 per cent of the country’s oil-and-gas workforce and over 2,000 local businesses engaged, this project
reflects our deepening roots in the country and our shared commitment to long-term, inclusive growth.”
The One Guyana is the largest FPSO on the Stabroek block to date with an initial annual average production of 250,000 bopd and a storage capacity of two million barrels. Oil produced from the FPSO will be marketed as Golden Arrowhead crude.
By 2030, ExxonMobil Guyana expects to have total production capacity of 1.7 million oil equivalent barrels per day from eight developments.
ExxonMobil Guyana’s deepwater developments are the most successful in the world. In five years, the company has started up four complex offshore mega-projects under budget and ahead of schedule – while simultaneously advancing plans for four additional projects by the end of the decade.
Dr. Jagdeo rejects claim that PPP spent $5B during campaign season
PEOPLE’S
Progressive Party (PPP) General Secretary Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo has dismissed the claim that his party spent about GY$5 billion in the 2025 elections campaign, branding it a “blatant lie.”
The General Secretary, who also serves as Guyana’s Vice-President rejected the claim during a press conference on Thursday at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC).
Dr. Jagdeo at the time was responding to claims within an article published by the Demerara Waves Online News that the “PPP/C is believed to have spent about GY$5 billion in
the 2025 election campaign including clothing, promotional material, advertising and promotions, artistes, and land and air transportation.”
In response, the PPP General Secretary said the PPP/C did not spend much more than the former opposition, the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU).
It was reported within the same publication that the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR)-APNU spent about GY$300 million for campaigning.
Dr. Jagdeo said he had been of the belief that the APNU spent far less given their “mediocre” performance and
their campaign.
Notably, the former APNU+AFC government has been heavily criticised for lavishly using state’s resources during the 2020 campaign trail.
Leading up to the March 2, 2020 elections, the APNU+AFC
regime was in a caretaker mode after falling to a No-Confidence Motion in December 2018.
In fact, the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ), in upholding the successful passage of the motion, ruled that the government should
be in a caretaker mode until elections are held.
But even after elections were held in March 2020 – which
the coalition lost, they did not give up office until five months later on August 2.
President Dr. Irfaan Ali during Thursday’s breakfast brief (Office of the President photo)
Waste Management
THE Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development has started a city-wide cleanup campaign.
This move highlights the government’s recognition of Georgetown's worsening sanitation problems, although it makes one wonder why basic city functions need involvement from ministers.
While Minister Priya Manickchand's evening visit to Stabroek Market shows strong commitment by
the government, it also highlights the ongoing failures that have led to the city's decline.
Vendors at Stabroek Market have pointed out what any effective municipal authority should know: the lack of proper garbage-disposal facilities is the main barrier to cleanliness. They express a willingness to help with cleanup efforts, but only if there is proper infrastructural support.
This indicates a clear gap between
what the government expects and what the APNU-controlled City Hall has failed to deliver. It’s not just about individual responsibility or civic pride, it’s also about creating the basic conditions needed for vendors and residents to keep their environments clean.
The campaign's connection to First Lady Arya Ali's National Beautification Project, which has created 11 recreational spaces since 2020, shows the government's ability to
improve urban areas.
The successful renovation of the Kingston Seawall Esplanade proves that smart investment in public spaces can provide both visual and economic advantages.
Minister Pauline Sukhai's request for residents to "stop littering and take pride in their communities," while aiming to restore Georgetown's "Garden City" reputation is admirable but not enough.
Vendors face daily challenges such
as inadequate waste management, blocked drainage systems, and limited support from the city. These issues cannot be solved just by urging people to change their habits.
Past clean-up efforts at Stabroek Market have repeatedly pointed out the same core problems: poor drainage, lack of garbage collection, and insufficient facilities.
Although this ministerial action is necessary, it reflects poorly on City Hall's ability to
handle these issues.
The Georgetown municipality's clear struggle to maintain basic sanitation without central government help raises serious concerns.
The success of this campaign, nevertheless, will ultimately rely not on continued investment in waste management and the establishment of reliable municipal services to eliminate the need for such emergency measures.
President Ali has taken Guyana to new heights
Dear Editor,
I, LIKE most Guyanese both in Guyana and in the diaspora, regardless of race, ethnicity, religious beliefs or political affiliation should congratulate His Excellency, Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali on his historic victory at the polls and his re-election as the ninth Executive President of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana.
Dr Ali’s creative and visionary leadership, coupled with his splendid work for the nation’s progress during the last five years, has earned him the trust and assurance of the citizens of Guyana.
For the most part, the Head of State has displayed love, compassion and toler-
ance and most if not all the citizens have in one way or another benefitted from his good governance and his boundless efforts to reduce the high cost of living and improve their lives.
I also extend my sincere and profound congratulations to Prime Minister, Brigadier (Ret’d) the Honourable Mark Phillips, General Secretary of the PPP/C and Vice President, the Honourable Dr Bharat Jagdeo and the entire leadership for this renewed and significant mandate.
It is my fervent hope and desire that during the next five years, they will be guided by humility, integrity, wisdom, ethics, political acumen, the rule of law and incessant commitment to serve
the people with dignity, promote unity and lead Guyana towards greater prosperity and a much brighter future.
I, like others, strongly believe that the young, energetic and spirited Dr Ali’s leadership is not by chance, but by divine appointment not only to lead the nation in such a time as this, but also to safeguard Guyana’s interest and recognition within the global community of nations.
This was evident on Wednesday September 24th, 2025, when His Excellency addressed the 80th Session of the General Assembly of the United Nations in New York. It was one of the most outstanding and excellent speeches at the United Nations.
In his speech, Dr Ali extols the tenets of human values, ideals, morals, and respect for one another and the rule of law before outlining some of the most persistent and severe problems that exist globally.
He pleaded with the leaders of the world, including the United States and the other Global North (developed) and Global South (underdeveloped and developing) countries to solve them. He called on his counterparts at the UN to end the raging and violent war in the Gaza, the never-ending, uncontrolled and devastating war between Russia and Ukraine.
Not to mention the scourge of gang warfare in Haiti’s capital city of Port-au-
Prince and to suspend and or remove all sanctions against Cuba. President, Dr Ali urged the leaders to seriously tackle food insecurity, deal with the unfair trade policies that benefit the rich and powerful countries and to solve the problems faced by climate change before it is too late.
The President courageously told the leaders at the UN that if these problems are not solved urgently, the fault will be ours and history will be unkind to us and we will perish unwept, and unhonourned.
Most Guyanese believe that President, Dr. Ali is honest, trustworthy and compassionate. and that his “One Guyana” initiative will continue to unite the races, en-
rich the nation, improve the lives of the people, especially the poor and take the country to greater heights. His policies are intended to benefit the greater good and bridge the racial divide, which has hindered progress and development for more than six decades.
President, Dr Ali’s accomplishment during the last five years has been fully acknowledged by one of the world’s most prestigious Global Media Brands, TIME MAGAZINE, which named him one of the world’s youngest and most influential leaders. It is a well-deserved commendation.
Sincerely, Dr Asquith Rose
The ghost writers strike again
Dear Editor,
QUITE interestingly, I have discerned that one ‘ghost writer’Emily Lorrimer, has been replaced by another-Surujdai Juglall, and dissecting these letters carefully, the emergence coincides with that of the WIN party before and after the 2025 General and Regional Elections.
These fictitious writers should be man enough to append their real names (identity) in order for the public and those attacked personally to do a proper evaluation and take whatever legal course of action may be deemed necessary.
On the other hand, the newspapers who printed these letters should do due diligence to ensure that ‘ghost writers’ are weeded out. I have always written letters using my real name and yet many times my letters were not published by two newspapers in particular.
These two writers have made no qualms in supporting the WIN party and have continuously attacked Minister Ashni Singh and Minister Mustapha. Yet these very newspapers gleefully publish these letters.
These ministers have excelled in their performances of their respective sectors, but have been singled out for character assassination and ad hominem attacks, both of which weaken an argument. Maybe it has to do with a decision which affected them personally and not our country.
These writers must be cognisant of the fact that ‘cherry picking’ and the use of selective statistics can be used to portray the picture we want the public to see and guilefully hide the bigger picture of what happened.
It was Mark Twain who once stated that, there are ‘lies, damned lies and statistics,’ which means that sometimes statistics are used to strengthen weak arguments.
When the results of the 2020 General and Regional Elections results for Region Six are compared with that of the 2025 elections, it is crystal clear that the WIN party wrecked the APNU and not the PPP/C and this result was long anticipated.
The supporters of the WIN party attending their campaign meetings and rallies were clearly identified as APNU/AFC supporters. Let those who have eyes see.
WIN was seen as a threat by the APNU and other small parties to the PPP/C, but they were sadly mistaken.
Norton and Hughes realised this too late, the damage was already done. I was on the ground prior to September 1 and saw that there was a switch from APNU and AFC to WIN in Region Six.
The results showed that in 2020 in Region Six, APNU/AFC garnered 20,399 votes and the PPP/C 43,440 with total valid votes cast of 64,657. In 2025, the APNU was reduced to 6,223. WIN 12,623 and the PPP/C 41,320 with total votes cast of 60,974.
I wish to bring to the attention of the writers that the PPP/C gained more seats in 2025 than in 2020. There is no ‘silent’ damage done to the PPP/C. The writer hopelessly lost perspective here.
How do we interpret this? In 2020, APNU+AFC secured 31.5 % and the PPP/C 67.1% whilst in 2025 the combined APNU and WIN secured 30.1 % and the PPP/C 67.7%. Therefore, the PPP/C has done extremely well by maintaining a consistent margin.
The argument that about over 22,000 voters did not vote can be attributed to many factors and not only because these persons were ‘disenfranchised’ with the PPP/C and the ministers.
In one letter, the writer attacked Minister Bharrat and Minister Mustapha and in another he attacked Minister Ashni and Minister Mustapha as being responsible for what he falsely claimed to be dwindling support for the PPP/C.
It is clear that the writer has a bone to pick with the Agriculture Minister and this should be an indicator who the real writer is.
I wish to take the writer back to 2015 when the APNU+AFC made many lofty promises to the sugar workers and the rice farmers and failed them miserably-$9,000 for a bag of paddy and 20% wage increases. None of these materialised. This goes to prove that some people are easily persuaded by ‘lofty promises,’ but this time in 2025 they saw a man going around sharing money, houses, and cars with the promise that there will be lots more should he become the president. Some swallowed, hook line and sinker. I spoke to a
few of these persons from Chesney/Kilcoy and Canje areas and they told me that that they were personally offered cash and cars by WIN.
These people saw the realisation of instant gratification. They felt that they have already gotten from the PPP/C government, so it was time to ‘ketch’ their hand with Azruddin. This is not about country and our young people not having opportunities in Region Six, this was simply business for some.
Moreover, another factor which the writer conveniently ignored is the fact that many persons on the voters list have migrated, some died and some changed residence to other areas. Persons moving to other areas will show a shift in voting patterns. Many of these persons will not reappear in 2030 to vote as the writer suggested.
In addition, the writer whom I am positive has a background in sugar, seemed to believe the PPP/C’s investment in sugar should have afforded that party a landslide victory, not a ‘pyrrhic’ one.
Is it a hollow victory which comes at a great cost?
Should securing the livelihoods of workers be deemed a great cost? Are 36 seats a hollow victory?
The writer should have his head examined, spewing garbage when all the parties, including WIN, promised to invest more in the sugar industry just to con the workers.
But this con failed and the writer should ask Azruddin to give him an estimated cost of his ‘pyrrhic’ victory as
the opposition leader. Many youths all over the world are attracted to hedonistic pursuits and instant gratification and the WIN leader offered that, not unlike his lifestyle. Our youths should not be misled in this manner, they should be taught the principles of hard work, patience and sacrifice. But what can
you expect from a leader who is not endowed with these qualities and who got rich the easy way.
In contrast to Azruddin, Ministers Mustapha, Bharrat and Dr Singh are definitely of presidential material. They are endowed with the required leadership qualities, diplomacy,
sound judgment and mental fortitude and empathy. They are from humble but respectable backgrounds and strive hard to achieve where they are today, and no naysayers will convince the masses otherwise.
Yours sincerely, Haseef Yusuf
Guyana must end this masquerade
THE Guyana Government has indicated that the Private Sector Commission (PSC), as a civil society (CS) body, will be asked to be involved in identifying civil society’s representatives on the Multi-Stakeholder Group (MSG) of the Guyana Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (GYETTI).
It is anticipated that a CS conspiratorial group plans to reject the PSC as part of CS in Guyana. If the PSC is not a CS group, I would like to see a definition of what constitutes a CS entity. There cannot be a proper definition of CS if entities like the Catholic Church, the Trade Union Congress are included under the rubric of CS but not the PSC.
The previous CS persons on the MSG were
Mike Mc Cormack from a body named Policy Forum and Ms. Vanda Radzik. It is time this country put an end to the CS masquerade which has gone for too long.
How did Ms. Radzik get onto MSG? Which CS body nominated her?
I saw a documentary on Guyana’s oil industry by the BBC’s Hard Talk programme and Ms. Radzik appeared as one of the interviewees and she is simply described as a CS activist. I was at a Palestine rally on the seawall last year and Ms. Radzik was a speaker and she was introduced as a CS activist.
The question surrounding Ms. Radzik is which CS entity she belongs to and does that organisation have actual existence? What work it does? Who
are on its executive? Does it have term limits and does it have periodic elections for office bearers?
If a CS organisation does not meet the criteria listed above then it cannot be considered as having existence. It has to be a despicable farce that a non-existent group that lacks transparency wants to be on an entity in which one of its essential functions is transparency. Just to remind readers, the institution is named Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative.
Mr. Mike Mc Cormack found himself on the MSG. He was recommended by Policy Forum (PF). But how active is PF and does PF have independence which is a fundamental criterion for being on the MSG. Who or what is PF? It consists
of the Catholic Church, the Trade Union Congress (TUC) and McCormack’ Guyana Human Rights Association (GHRA) PF by the very nature of its constituents is an anti-government body. The MSG should not be made up of either pro-government or anti-government organisations. The TUC and GHRA are not only anti-government but are insanely so. Who in this country is willing to deny that the TUC and GHRA are not anti-government?
Let’s look at the existence of transparency in the TUC and GHRA.
Mr. Lincoln Lewis is in his early eighties and has been General Secretary of the TUC for 35 years. He is the TUC and the TUC is him. Mr. Mc Cormack is in his eighties and has been the president of GHRA since its birth in 1979; that is 46 years. Ms. Radzik is in her mid-seventies. The last time I saw her at the seawall Palestine rally, she appears to have health issues. One hopes that they are not ap-
plying to sit on the MSG this year.
The masquerade of non-existent CS groups claiming to represent Guyanese must stop. It is a vulgar aberration. What is deplorable is that these people, the past five years, have constantly condemned the Guyana Government for lack of transparency and accountability and they have none.
Take the GHRA. What role does the GHRA play in Guyana? I have met dozens of people periodically that have problems with the NIS and none of them knows about the GHRA and what work it does.
None of them has given any thought to the GHRA intervening with the NIS to help them.
Leonard Craig, the Chronicle columnist is currently working with a number of pensioners to assist them with their NIS complaints. No one complains to the GHRA. The only time, Guyanese hear about the GHRA is when the Sta -
broek News carry its press releases on its front page. Every Guyanese with democratic instincts need to monitor in the coming weeks the process of selecting CS representatives on the MSG. This masquerade of jumbie CS groups acting as if they have life should be condemned. My recommendation is that two strong and resourceful CS entities should be on the MSG.
One is the Private Sector Commission which played a priceless role in securing free and fair election in 1992 and 2020. The other is the union federation that goes under the acronym, FITUG. These are real, living organisations with enormous reach in society.
DISCLAIMER: The views and opinions expressed in this column are sol ely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Guyana National Newspapers Limited.
Zero-interest development bank to be fully operational by end of 2026 — VP Jagdeo
ACCESS to funding for young entrepreneurs, women, and small business owners in Guyana could soon become easier as the government is moving to set up the zerointerest development bank.
This was announced by Vice-President Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo on Thursday at a press conference where he explained that this bank will be designed to convert ideas into thriving businesses.
Speaking on the government’s vision, Dr. Jagdeo said the concept of a development bank was born out of years of surveys, consultations and conversations with citizens across the length and breadth of Guyana.
Dr. Jagdeo said: “Many started a business, but they can’t either grow the business or get the idea translated into a business because of the lack of financing… and we made it clear, we want to create an environment where
young people, women and all Guyanese for that matter, can make use of the opportunities in Guyana to create income for themselves and their families and to hold their wealth.”
He said it is in this regard that the government believes that a good starting point would be to ensure that these companies have access to the capital.
As the government forges ahead with this venture, Dr. Jagdeo said stakeholders are working on its development.
“Next week we are meeting to have a discussion on the second draft of the concept,” he disclosed.
About US$200 million in seed funding will be used in this venture. Jagdeo said the funds will be disbursed in tranches.
Work on the concept has started, he said.
“We want an early budget next year where we will be putting part of financing to start the bank in the budget,” he said adding: “We hope
that before the end of next year that this bank will be fully established and functional.”
The bank will advance credit for small
businesses at zero interest with fewer collateral requirements. To hasten this commitment, an expert committee has been en-
trusted with formulating the model of the SME Development Bank.
They will need to study global experiences, delineate the legal and institutional framework, and identify the financial structures required to operationalise the bank.
Vice-President Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo
Failed AFC incapable of mentoring anyone – Dr. Jagdeo
AFTER being wiped out at the 2025 polls and failing to secure at least one parliamentary seat, the Alliance For Change (AFC) has now positioned itself as a political mentor, a move People’s Progressive
Party (PPP) General Secretary Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo has dismissed as guidance from losers.
Dr. Jagdeo, who also serves as Guyana’s Vice-President, on Thursday at the Arthur Chung Confer -
ence Centre (ACCC), questioned how a party that was stripped of its parliamentary representation and outright rejected at the ballot could be providing political guidance.
“Why should we be paying attention to all
these people when the population, the voters, rejected them? The voters felt that they’re useless. They had nothing to offer the people of the country,” he said.
Recently, the AFC said it has been approached for mentor-
ship by the new main opposition at the regional level.
According to Khemraj Ramjattan, despite poor performance at the polls, this does not mean the party will walk away from the political landscape.
He said, “We have quite a number of people to mentor, and quite frankly, if I may say this, even those who are parliamentarians have been asking for mentorship.”
In response, Dr. Jagdeo said: “To do what? To lose elections?”
Ahead of the 2025 polls, the AFC did not coalesce with any other parties that were in the running, but leader at the time, Nigel Hughes, had said that the party was looking to forge alliances with like-minded individuals.
Though no official partnership was announced, the AFC has been accused of secretly working with the We Invest in Nationhood (WIN) party during the campaign and elections seasons.
At the end of March, reports surfaced of secret meetings between members of “Team Mohamed” and members of the AFC, with former AFC activists supposedly leading the effort.
Earlier that same month, then AFC leader, Nigel Hughes, was reported to have met with WIN leader Azruddin Mohamed. Many current and former AFC activists had also campaigned for WIN.
Moreover, former AFC Leader, Nigel Hughes, had even admitted that the party’s
crushing defeat at the 2025 General and Regional Elections was a direct repudiation of his stewardship, and says that is why he resigned.
Hughes made the blunt assessment during a previous press conference when asked by reporters about the factors that influenced his decision to step down.
“The answer is a simple one,” Hughes told the media. “If you’re the captain of the ship and the ship sinks, you’re responsible.”
He continued, “You don’t barely lose a match. You either lose a match or win it. In the legal profession, sometimes you win, sometimes you lose. At the end of the day, the responsibility is mine.”
The attorney-at-law stressed that the party’s complete shutout from Parliament, its first time without a single seat, could only be seen for what it was.
“It clearly was a rejection of my leadership, so that is the factor. It’s pure responsibility,” Hughes declared.
The party managed to scrape together just over 3,000 votes across all 10 electoral districts—a humiliating outcome for a party that once boasted kingmaker status in Guyanese politics.
The road to the 2025 elections was already littered with defections, as several executive members abandoned the AFC to align with the People’s National Congress Reform (PNC/ R)-led A Partnership for National Unity (APNU).
Financial reforms, expansion of FinTech, modern banking sector on the cards
- VP Jagdeo says
GUYANA’S financial sector will see sweeping reforms as the Government of Guyana is moving to modernise the sector, expand financial technology (FinTech), and overall roll out major banking reforms.
Vice-President Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo, during a press conference on Thursday at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC), spoke about the government’s vision to improve access to capital, support entrepreneurship, and expand digital banking solutions nationwide.
At the time, the VP confirmed that work has already begun on the zero-interest development bank.
He said: “We will ensure that the formal banking system is reformed in a way that they can have easier access to capital and a greater magnitude.”
The government will work with commercial banks to develop a range of instruments, from discounting trade invoices to project financing, according to Dr. Jagdeo, who pointed out that these measures will allow Guyanese to utilise a banking system that will support their business.
Dr. Jagdeo also highlighted ongoing discussions around FinTech, noting that international collaboration will aid Guyana in further seeing their goals in digital finance being realised.
India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi has pledged to work with Guyana, the Vice- President said.
He went on to say: “But we have to define now all that we want to achieve in Guyana, how we expect the system to grow, and then either cus-
tomise existing software or develop an entirely new one, and with all of the enabling environment to allow this to happen, so that people can conduct business of a financial nature with less transaction costs, and that financial products would be available to Guyanese.”
Recently, President Dr. Irfaan Ali announced a list of initiatives aimed at improving Guyana’s financial sector, making access to banking and lending services easier for citizens and businesses.
President Ali has since tasked a team comprising o fficials from the Ministry of Finance, the Bank of Guyana, and commercial banks with identifying loopholes in the sector.
He gave them four weeks to devise an action plan.
During a recent press conference, the president had explained that such an action plan will focus on relaxing documentary conditions for borrowing and opening bank accounts, especially for new businesses, while encouraging banks to lend more, based on movable assets as collateral.
The president also directed that measures be undertaken towards operationalising the movable assets registry in support of this effort.
“I’ve given instructions that steps be taken to ensure the registry becomes operational, most importantly, promoting more electronic transaction by Online banking, faster payment systems, and other electronic means, ensuring every Guyanese can have a bank account, and…at the
end of this whole organisation, can conduct a financial transaction within minutes from wherever they are,” President Ali had stated.
Gov’t to launch nationwide housing support programme for low-income families – VP Jagdeo announces
VICE-PRESIDENT
Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo announced on Thursday that the government is preparing to launch
a nationwide housing support programme that will see poor or low-income families receiving a grant from
the state.
During a news conference on Thursday at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC), he told reporters that this government-funded programme will assist citizens with home improvement and house construction.
“If they need the help, they will get the help,” the Vice-President assured the public.
Soon, a survey will be conducted in all the regions to gather the necessary data, according to Dr. Jagdeo, who also stated that this should be completed before the passage of the next national budget.
“As soon as we roll the programme out in the budget next year, they will start receiving help,” he said, adding: “We are working at rolling this out in the new budget next year.”
While it may not be the entire housing construction, he said they will assist and for poor families, there will be home improvement grants.
The government has been persistent in its efforts to ensure every Guyanese citizen has the opportunity to become a homeowner. The government inherited a backlog of 75,509 housing applications when it took office in August 2020.
However, this figure did not deter the Dr. Irfaan Ali-led administration from carrying out its ambitious housing plan to deliver 50,000 house lots during its first term in office.
Through deliberate policies, the government exceeded its house-lot target in less than five years by delivering over 50,000 house lots to Guyanese from every income bracket, which stands in sharp contrast to just over 7,000 lots that were distributed by the previous administration during its entire tenure in office.
According to statistics from the Ministry of Housing, 47 per cent of the house lots that were allocated were given to women, while 90 per cent went to low-income families.
Having surpassed its target of delivering 50,000 house lots, the Ministry of Housing is now tasked with building 40,000 homes over the next five years, in keeping with the government’s 2025 Manifesto promise.
The government has also implemented a series of housing programmes to help Guyanese realise their dream of owning a home, such as low-interest rates at the local banks, and providing them with thousands of dollars in steel and cement vouchers.
Under the steel and cement subsidy programme, over 2,000 individuals across the country have received vouchers totalling over $500 million since 2022.
Homebuilders are provided with one sling of cement and the required steel to build the foundation of houses costing $6 million or less.
Those constructing homes valued between $6 million and $25 million are provided with two slings of cement and the necessary steel to complete the foundation.
Another initiative by the government is the Core Home Support initiative that falls under the $5.8 billion Adequate Housing and Urban Accessibility Programme (AHUAP), which targets vulnerable families and provides them with affordable core homes. The other components of this project are the housing subsidy and the construction of community grounds.
Businesses encouraged to attract, connect, expand at GuyExpo 2025
PRESIDENT of the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI), Kathy Smith, during Monday’s launch of GuyExpo 2025 encouraged Guyanese entrepreneurs to ACE (Attract Connect Expand) at highly anticipated annual event.
Smith said that she is happy that GuyExpo has returned this year to support the work and contributions of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises.
The results are seen in agriculture, aquaculture, small business development and the many capacity building opportunities being created for new and existing businesses.
The GCCI president noted that this is all happening as the oil and gas industry continues to progress, adding that the balance between oil and gas and the rest of the economy is critical.
Entrepreneurship and innovation always go hand in hand, she pointed out adding that every successful business story begins with someone identifying a need, a gap and creating an innovative way to meet it.
“Today, Guyana's business landscape is shifting. The petroleum industry has raised the bar. Businesses are innovating, not wanting to meet growing demand, but to satisfy new requirements and compliance standards. This is transformation in action, and it is happening within our private sector,” Smith remarked.
At the GCCI, the President revealed that they are playing their part in this transforma -
tion.
Earlier this year, the GCCI announced the creation of the Micro and Women Entrepreneur Learning Centre, a facility developed in partnership with the World University Service of Canada. Supported by Global Affairs Canada, the facility is set to be commissioned soon, Smith announced.
Through this centre, the GCCI will help entrepreneurs across sectors to build capacity, gain knowledge and sharpen their skills. The GCCI is targeting women in agro-processing.
According to Smith, Guyanese women know how to plant, reap and how to sell their products.
“But then there is a lot of surplus of our product that has to go to waste. So, what this centre will initially solve, is to show these women how you can put those produce in a bottle, in a package, and how you can put it on a ship or plane to the U.S., to Canada, to DR, wherever can accommodate us,” she said. This, she added is how her organisation focuses on the micro, small and medium-sized enterprises.
In her speech, smith encouraged participating businesses to fully utilise this opportunity, stating that GuyExpo is about more than selling new products; it is about marketing products and services, and expanding your customer base.
“The Expo has always been more than an exhibition. It is a platform for businesses to showcase their products and services. It is a space to connect, to network, and to build new supply
chains and partnerships,” Smith said.
GuyExpo 2025 is slated for November 13 to 16, at the National Exhibition Centre, So-
phia Georgetown, and will be observed under the theme, ‘Transformation Through Entrepreneurship and Innovation.’
GCCI President, Kathy Smith (Japheth Savory photo)
Warehouse under construction at Yarrowkabra - as part of regional food hub project
MINISTER of Agriculture, Zulfikar Mustapha, has announced that a warehouse is currently being constructed as part of the Yarrowkabra food hub project.
In an interview with the Guyana Chronicle, Minister Mustapha explained that the
facility forms part of a larger investment geared towards strengthening Guyana’s role in regional food security.
“We are now building the food hub at Yarrowkabra. You know we have signed a contract with Blumberg Grain for US $12 million plus…we are now building
the warehouse there too,” he stated.
He emphasised that this development is critical for expanding Guyana’s agricultural export capacity, noting that the overall project aligns with efforts to reduce the Caribbean’s food import bill.
“This is a major invest-
ment in terms of us exporting agriculture produce to take in the slack that will be created by the reduction of the food import bill in the Caribbean,” Mustapha explained.
The Yarrowkabra food hub is expected to serve as a key facility for storage,
processing, and distribution, providing a central location
to support Guyana’s expanding agricultural output while boosting trade within the region.
The government of Guyana in January signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with renowned United States (U.S.)-based company Blumberg Grain and Logistics.
The agreement was inked at the Ministry of Agriculture’s main boardroom on Regent Street and paved the way for the establishment of the state-of-the-art regional food hub at Yarrowkabra, along the Soesdyke-Linden Highway.
Offering brief remarks then, Mustapha had said the signing of the MoU is “testament to the Government’s commitment in making Guyana a food-secured country.”
He had added, “We’ve moved away from that kind of labour-intensive form of production to a more modern and scientific form of production…We are now bringing that expertise to Guyana to transform the development that started since 2020.”
The minister had also noted that Guyana had made “tremendous” strides since 2020, reminding that the country is the only nation in the world that can feed its citizens.
Meanwhile, Blumberg Grain’s Chairman, Philip Blumberg, said Guyana will become its official hub in the Caribbean region, as the MoU marks the first step in reducing post-harvest losses and increasing exportability.
“First step towards what we are doing is to reduce post-harvest loss. While it is a self-sufficient kind of country, we can reduce
post-harvest loss, which is the loss farmers sustain from their field to the market. It will only increase the exportable products in the agriculture sector, and we are focused on CARICOM, and northern South America as we make our investments,” Blumberg had said.
It is anticipated that with this new partnership in Guyana, farmers will be able to get greater revenues and access markets across the globe.
In response to the charge given by Guyana’s President, Dr. Irfaan Ali, Blumberg noted that the company will explore investments in a manufacturing plant covering a spectrum of industries.
“We will invest, not only will we do this project and I hope others, and we have had discussions about rice, and meat and poultry, but the reality is, we are prepared to invest in processing on our account of Guyana’s agriculture products,” he said.
The Yarrowkabra food hub, once completed, is expected to significantly boost Guyana’s export capabilities, reduce post-harvest losses to as low as five per cent and provide new manufacturing and processing facilities. It is also expected to serve as the base from which Guyana can strengthen trade across CARICOM and South America, while laying the foundation for entry into U.S. and international markets.
The commencement of phase one of the project took place in 2023, accompanied by an investment totalling $187 million. This project align s with Guyana’s and the Caribbean Community’s CARICOM target of addressing food insecurities.
Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha
‘There
is no crisis in foreign currency market’
- Dr Jagdeo says as gov’t pledges to crack down on abuse of foreign currency - assures that FOREX rules will not affect small, local businesses
GUYANA is in a strong position to meet the surging demand for foreign currency, Vice-President, Dr Bharrat Jagdeo has stated, while pledging that the government is also cracking down on the abuse of the system by non-citizens.
Speaking at a press conference on Thursday at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC), Dr Jagdeo said: “There is no crisis in the foreign currency market.”
The VP said that although the government has injected US$1.2 billion into the market thus far, the administration can inject significantly more funds because the government has the capacity to do so.
“That capacity will only grow in future years, given the large revenue that will flow to the Treasury from the NRF, and if you look at the projections for that revenue, it runs into billions of dollars into the future, and that is in foreign currency,” he explained.
The Vice President reassured Guyanese businesses that legitimate access will remain unhindered, especially as Guyana’s rapid expansion drives the unprecedented demand for foreign currency.
“We’re not going to restrict Guyanese from purchasing foreign currency. In fact, we will make sure that we provide adequate amounts from the Central Bank to meet domestic demand, but we’re going to try to close the loopholes on some of those who have been abusing the system,” he said.
Dr Jagdeo further stated: “So, when you see the need to submit invoices now, it is not to make the system more onerous on Guyanese, because there will be significant exemptions for small people… If you go for your small business, you wouldn’t have to go through that rigid system of submitting all the invoices to show
that the invoices match the demand.”
Earlier this week, President, Dr Irfaan Ali announced a series of immediate policy measures to strengthen foreign exchange management and protect Guyana’s financial system, as the country faces unprecedented demand for U.S. dollars and a surge in credit card transactions.
Speaking during an engagement with the heads of commercial banks and regulatory agencies on Tuesday, President Ali revealed that credit card clearances alone had skyrocketed.
“In 2023, total credit card clearance was about US$91.3 million. In 2024, it was US$347.5 million. And to date [in 2025], it is almost US$252 million, and we don’t even have Christmas clearances yet. That growth is extraordinary,” President Ali disclosed.
He said the government must ensure that such financial trends do not compromise the country’s economic stability or create opportunities for capital flight.
THE NINE MEASURES
The President then outlined nine new policy measures that will be enforced with immediate effect.
Invoices Required for Forex Requests: Any request for foreign exchange at commercial banks must be accompanied by a copy of the commercial invoice.
Verification upon Arrival: Importers will be required to submit the invoice and bill of lading to the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) and their bank once goods arrive, to verify that items were indeed brought into Guyana.
Conditional Access to Future Forex: If customers fail to submit verified documents, their subsequent requests for foreign exchange will not
be processed.
Central Bank Clearing Window: Commercial banks will submit invoices and bills of lading to the Bank of Guyana for further verification through a newly established single-window system.
Credit Card Restrictions: Personal credit cards must not be used to settle business obligations. “We don’t want somebody settling a US$600,000 vehicle purchase for their company with a credit card,” Ali stressed.
Penalties for Inflated Invoicing and Capital Flight: Entities involved in over-invoicing, property transactions, or related-party transfers designed to move capital offshore will face penalties.
Declaration of Currency Sources: Persons leaving Guyana with foreign currency must declare the source, whether from banks or cambios, to enhance transparency.
Local Bank Accounts for Oil & Gas Compa -
nies: All entities registered under the Local Content Law must maintain a local bank account into which foreign currency earnings are remitted. “Local content legislation will be amended to reflect this,” Ali confirmed.
Central Bank Clear -
inghouse: A single-window post-clearing system will reconcile transactions among the GRA, commercial banks, and the Bank of Guyana before new forex requests are facilitated.
The President said that the Central Bank and GRA will coordinate closely with commercial banks to ensure compliance and identify breaches.
Guyana’s Vice-President, Dr Bharrat Jagdeo
U.S. crackdown on drug trafficking part of its border policy - VP Jagdeo says
VICE-PRESIDENT Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo has stated that the United States’ (U.S.) strict strategy to tackle drug trafficking is a central element of its border policy and thus, their crackdown on the illicit act does not require Guyana’s input.
During a press conference on Thursday at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC), Dr. Jagdeo also highlighted that Venezuela has acted in such a way that it threatened the region as a zone of peace, including its
threat to annex Guyana’s Essequibo region.
The United States of America had defined its policy on drug dealing, Dr. Jagdeo said, noting that: “They have made it the centrepiece of their border policy. It's not new.”
“That’s a matter for the United States and Venezuela. They don't need our support for their drug enforcement or policies,” the Vice-President further said.
U.S. military officials are drawing up options to target
drug traffickers inside Venezuela and strikes within that country’s borders could potentially begin in a matter of weeks, NBC News recently reported.
According to NBC News, those sources are two U.S. officials familiar with the planning and two other sources familiar with the discussions. They spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to discuss the plans publicly.
Striking inside Venezuela would be another escalation
in the Trump administration’s military campaign against alleged drug targets and its stance toward Venezuela’s government, the news report read.
In recent weeks, the U.S. military struck at least three boats from Venezuela allegedly carrying narco-traffickers and drugs that could threaten Americans, President Donald Trump said on Truth Social.
Strikes inside Venezuela could happen in the next several weeks, but the president has not approved anything yet, the four
people said. Two of them and an additional official familiar with the discussions said that the United States’ recent military escalation is in part a result of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro not doing enough, in the administration’s view, to stop the flow of illegal drugs out of his country.
The plans being discussed primarily focus on drone strikes against drug trafficking groups’ members and leadership, as well as targetting drug labs, the four sources said.
Asked for comment, the White House referred NBC News to this previous statement from the president: “We’ll see what happens. Venezuela is sending us their gang members, their drug dealers and drugs. It’s not acceptable.” The Pentagon declined to comment. Trump is “prepared to use every element of American power to stop drugs from flooding into our country and to bring those responsible to justice,” the senior administration official said.
Linden trade unionist slams WIN’s attempt to take credit for recent BOSAI pay deal
- says incoming opposition leader did not contribute in any way
THE We Invest in Nationhood (WIN) party is once again facing criticism for its political opportunism, and this time, Linden trade unionist and NAACIE representative Lorenzo Joseph bluntly called out the party for taking credit for the recent pay deal that BOSAI worker s themselves fought to secure.
In a Facebook post that remained undeleted up to press time on Thursday, the sister of incoming opposition leader Azruddin Mohamed, who identifies herself on social media as Hana Khamelia, credited her brother’s party for the pay deal that was struck between BOSAI and the workers.
She wrote in a Facebook post: “Following intervention of the incoming WIN Opposition led by Azruddin Mohamed and subsequent widespread public outrage, BOSAI workers in Region 10 have secured a 7.5% pay increase, improved benefits, and
a further 8 % raise next year.”
However, this claim was later rejected, with Joseph exposing it for being misleading.
In a comment under a Facebook post, he wrote: “The incoming Opposition Leader did not contribute in any way possible in we the workers at Bosai securing 7.5% for this year and 8% for next year. I am saying this with no reservation, his intervention, as you may want to call it, did not impact the outcome of our negotiation in no [way] possible.
“It was the workers that made up the negotiation team alone with the general president and general secretary of the union fought relentlessly for everything we got at the ministry of labour and manpower at the [conciliatory] talks. So, to say his intervention contributed for us securing what we got is not totally false.”
The deal guarantees BOSAI workers a 7.5 per cent increase
this year, and 8 per cent next year.
The dispute highlights a recurring pattern for the WIN party, which critics have stated has a penchant for claiming credit for other people’s work.
Just recently, former A New and United Guyana (ANUG) executive Althia King accused WIN of betraying the terms of the agreement between the two parties.
She was referring to WIN’s announcement of its team that will be heading into parliament, which included no representative from its partner, ANUG.
According to reports, King took to social media and noted that a draft of the proposed legally-binding contract between WIN and ANUG promised one parliamentary seat if WIN secured at least five seats, and two seats if it won 16 seats.
“Despite those doubts, many of us hoped for the best for ANUG, and kept an intent watch
Submissions open for 2025 Guyana Prize for Literature
THE Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport has issued a call for submissions for the Guyana Prize for Literature 2025, which will remain open until January 31, 2026, at midnight Guyana time.
All submissions should be made through the link provided on the ministry’s Facebook page and must be in a PDF format. To enter, persons must be Guyanese citizens and eligible works must be published between January 1, 2025, and December 31, 2025.
Only one entry is allowed in each category, only entrants resident in Guyana are allowed to submit unpublished manuscripts and all published works are to be submitted by a publisher.
The youth category is open to Guyanese no older
than 18 years and no younger than 14 years when the entry is made. In the case of drama, entries may be published books or unpublished play scripts and may be entered by any author resident in Guyana or overseas. Additionally, the categories are fiction, poetry, non-fiction, drama, best first book of fiction, best first book of poetry. The youth categories are poetry and short story.
This edition’s prize/ awards are first place $1,000,000, second $500,000 and third $250,000. For the best first book (fiction/poetry) the prize is $600,000 and the person winning the publication award will receive $400,000.
Youth prizes/awards include first place which will see the recipient getting
$150,000 cash; second place will receive $100,000, and third $50,000.
The Guyana Prize for Literature is a representation of the Guyana Government’s commitment to nurturing and preserving Guyana’s creative arts industry, and heritage.
In 2022, the ministry relaunched the Guyana Prize with newer categories, features and prizes.
This competition was first established in 1987 under then President, Desmond Hoyte, with the objective to recognise and reward the outstanding work of literature by locally based Guyanese authors and those abroad.
For additional information, persons can visit the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport on Facebook or send inquiries to guyanaliteratureprize@gmail.com
on WIN’s pursuit to succeed in the elections,” King said in the post, adding:
“Naturally, we all hoped those sacrifices would at least amount to something that could
give us some form of gratification for what essentially tore the party apart.”
Mark DeFrance, the leader of ANUG, which had joined forces with WIN ahead of the
elections, shared the photo, but he was not listed as a Member of Parliament for the party.
Many persons in the comments section of the post highlighted the fact that ANUG’s representation among the 16 was missing, with some questioning DeFrance why he was not part of that list.
One individual questioned, “What was the purpose of your ‘partnership’ really?”
DeFrance, in responding to one comment, which asked where ANUG’s representation is in the lineup, only said, “Right there,” but offered no insight as to who those representatives are.
ANUG joined forces with WIN, which US-sanctioned businessman Azruddin Mohamed formed at the end of June.
At the time, two founding members of the small party, Ralph Ramkarran and Timothy Jonas, announced their resignations from the party when it was absorbed by WIN.
Court of Appeal affirms GECOM acted lawfully in excluding FGM, ALP from ballots
– dismisses Fisher’s ‘most unmeritorious’ appeal, sets November 14 deadline for payment of $4M in costs to respondents
By Feona Morrison
THE Court of Appeal on Thursday unanimously dismissed an appeal brought by Krystal Fisher, a candidate of the Forward Guyana Movement (FGM), against the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM). The appeal challenged the exclusion of her party from ballots in Regions Seven, Eight, and Nine in the recently conclud-
ed September 1, 2025, General and Regional Elections.
The FGM is a coalition of three distinct political entities: Forward Guyana (FG), The People’s Movement (TPM), and the
Vigilant Political Action Committee (V-PAC). FG is led by attorney-at-law Amanza Walton-Desir, TPM is headed by Apostle Nigel London and V-PAC is chaired by businessman Dorwain Bess.
Walton-Desir also serves as the overall leader of the FGM.
The decision was delivered by Acting Chancellor of the Judiciary, Justice Roxane George, SC, who made it clear that the court found no merit in Fisher’s claims and reaffirmed the interpretation of the Representation of the People Act (RoPA) and the Constitution of Guyana applied by Chief Justice (ag) Navindra Singh in the High Court in August.
Days before the elections, Fisher, an elector residing in Region Nine and a candidate on FGM’s national top-up list, had challenged GECOM’s omission of her party from the ballots in the three constituencies. She argued that the exclusion violated her right to ballot access and free and fair elections, and that it amounted to unconstitutional discrimination.
The appellant sought several declarations, including that any election held without including all qualifying political parties on the ballot in all 10 regions was unconstitutional and void. She further argued that
political parties that meet the statutory minimum list requirements under RoPA should appear on every ballot paper, regardless of whether they had fielded candidates in a particular geographical constituency. She also appealed the award of costs against her by the Chief Justice, who had ordered her to pay $1 million each to the respondents—the Attorney General and GECOM.
Justice George observed that Fisher’s affidavit failed to disclose that FGM had itself chosen not to contest in Regions Seven, Eight, and Nine, nor did it mention that another party she cited—the Assembly of Liberty and Prosperity (ALP), led by Simona Broomes—had also opted out of contesting in certain constituencies.
Her affidavit, the Acting Chancellor pointed out, “conveyed the impression that GECOM unilaterally excluded the names of FGM and ALP from the ballots in these constituencies. It is only from the affidavit of defence filed on behalf of GECOM that this material set of facts emerged, that it was the choice of these
Attorney General Anil Nandlall, SC
Acting Chancellor of the Judiciary, Justice Roxane George, SC
Justice of Appeal Nareshwar Harnanan
Justice of Appeal Rishi Persaud
Court of Appeal affirms GECOM acted...
FROM PAGE 18
parties not to contest these constituencies. This is a material non-disclosure on her part, which the court frowns on.”
She stressed that such a non-disclosure “could lead to the dismissal of a case, since she must have been aware of this information, particularly as a candidate for FGM.”
The Court of Appeal also addressed the issue of jurisdiction. Justice George explained: “This court holds that the relief sought by the appellant amounts to a challenge to the validity of the elections. Such a challenge must be by way of election petition, pursuant to Article 163 of the Constitution.”
She emphasised that “this is not an appeal from an election petition, and as such, this court would have no jurisdiction to entertain it. In this regard, the Chief Justice sitting in the High Court would have had no jurisdiction to entertain the application.”
Nevertheless, the court opted to consider the merits of the case in the event its jurisdictional position was incorrect.
On the substantive issues, the Chancellor was firm that Fisher’s contentions reflected “an extremely flawed view of the constitutional and statutory provisions regarding the ability of parties to be allowed to, in effect, contest in geographical constituencies for which they have not submitted lists of candidates.”
The Court of Appeal agreed with the Chief Justice’s finding that “the application has no merit.” Justice George stated: “The Court agrees that ballot access and therefore voting rights are limited to parties contesting the particular geographical constituency.”
She clarified that Articles 59 and 159 of the Constitution, which deal with the right to vote, were not violated. “These provisions do not create a fundamental right to vote but establish conditions which would permit a person to exercise their franchise,” she said.
Chancellor George firmly rejected claims of discrimination, stating: “GECOM did not deny the appellant ballot access as an elector, nor did it prevent her from contesting the election as a candidate for FGM. Similarly, it cannot be considered to be discrimination against an elector…if the political party of that elector’s choice decides not to contest the elections.”
She added that “it is not for GECOM to consider the racial makeup of a constituency in deciding to permit a party to be on the ballot for a constituency it chose not to contest.”
Justice George concluded that “there’s nothing in the provisions or the omission from the ballot that suggests discrimination in any form or fashion. It would be absurd to hold that one’s political party can choose not to participate in an election, and then one is permitted to cry foul, relying on Articles 13 and or 149.”
In explaining the electoral system, the Acting Chancellor highlighted that the Representation of the People Act must be read together with Article 160 of the Constitution, which provides for both geographical constituencies and a national top-up list.
“A vote for a candidate in a geographical constituency is tied to the vote for a candidate from the national top-up list,” she explained. “The omission of FGM from the ballots for geographical constituency seven, eight and nine…is absolutely lawful. GECOM has complied fully with Article 160 and the provisions of RoPA, more especially sections 11A, 11B and 11C.”
Eventually, the appeal was dismissed. Justice George concluded: “As a consequence, the appeal is dismissed. The Court considered that it should not interfere with the costs order imposed by the Chief Justice. The court finds that there is no valid reason to disturb the discretion. This case is most unmeritorious and has taken up significant judicial time.”
The Court of Appeal ordered Fisher to pay costs
of $1 million to each respondent, and upheld the original High Court cost order, bringing the total to $4 million.
The court directed that the entire sum be paid by November 14, 2025.
In addition to the Chancellor, the panel also comprised Justices of Appeal Rishi Persaud and Nareshwar Harnanan.
Fisher was repre -
sented by Attorney Dr Vivian Williams, while Attorney General Anil Nandlall, SC, appeared in person along with Deputy Solicitor General Shoshanna Lall and State Counsel Raeanna Clarke. GECOM’s legal team comprised Attorneys Arudranauth Gossai and Anthony Asthaphan, SC.
Arudranauth Gossai
Leader of FGM Amanza Walton-Desir
Hope-like canals on track for completion next year
– Minister Mustapha
MINISTER of Agriculture, Zulfikar Mustapha, has confirmed that the Hope-like canals currently under construction in Berbice are on track for completion in 2026.
According to him, the project is part of the government’s broader strategy to enhance the country’s drainage and irrigation network, particularly in areas that are vulnerable to flooding and drought.
The canals are designed to replicate the successful Hope Canal model on the East Coast of Demerara, which was built to provide a reliable outlet for excess water during the rainy season.
Once operational, the canals located in Regions Five and Six are expected to directly benefit thousands of farmers and households in Berbice by safeguarding farmlands, reducing crop losses and increasing productivity.
Minister Mustapha reaffirmed the government’s commitment to delivering the project on time, stressing that the 2026 deadline will be met as work continues to progress steadily.
The completion of the Hope-like canals will mark another major milestone in the administration’s efforts to modernise the agricultural sector, while protecting communities from the impacts of climate change.
“We have the mega projects; we have the high-level canals in Region Six that will be completed next year, so we have massive transformation that is taking place,” Mustapha said about the infrastructure
within the sector.
In September, Mustapha had said that embankments for the major canals in Regions Five and Six have been completed, paving the way for the construction of sluices and other critical infrastructure.
He had stated, “In Region Six, we have finished the entire embankment already; we are now in the process of doing the canal itself, the two canals from Number 51 and Manchester-Lancaster area, and to take that canal out to the Atlantic.”
The infrastructure will mirror that of the Hope Canal in Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica). This facility, which has Guyana’s largest sluice, aids in directing excess water towards the Atlantic Ocean.
The massive drainage and irrigation infrastructure located in Region Four was commissioned back in 2014, and has eight doors that function as a drainage sluice. In Region Five, the embankment will stretch from Mahaica to Ithaca.
“I am anticipating that shortly, those canals will be completed and the infrastructure that we will put in stream; the sluices and so, will commence shortly. So, a lot of works have already been completed,” he emphasised.
In addition to confirming the next-year completion timeframe, Minister Mustapha said that a number of other pump stations will be completed, paving the way for the modernisation of the entire drainage and irrigation system.
Once completed, the Berbice canals will mirror that of the Hope Canal in Region Four
Police destroy over $1B in cannabis found at Kuyorokuri Creek
RANKS from the Guyana Police Force’s Narcotics Branch, in collaboration with ranks from Regional Police Division #6, conducted another successful ‘Joint Narcotics Eradication Exercise’, on Wednesday, at Kuyorokuri Creek, Upper Berbice River.
More than $1 billion worth of cannabis found during the exercise was destroyed by fire, the police said in a statement.
It was noted that during the operation, ranks found an open savannah with six cannabis farms on 21 acres of land. The farms contained a combined total of approximately 118,000 cannabis plants ranging from two to seven feet in height. Eight camps and ten drying areas were also discovered, which
contained a combined total of 2,500 lbs of dried cannabis.
Additionally, several pieces of machinery/equipment were found on the farm: one tractor, seven tilling machines, one chainsaw, two generators, six weeding machines, three mistblowers, 16 spray cans and nine water pumps
Police said that cannabis plants, dried cannabis, camps, and drying areas were all destroyed by fire. The exercise was incident-free.
According to the statement the street value of the cannabis plants was $39,978, 400, while the dried cannabis was valued at $1,020,582,00. The total street value of the destroyed cannabis was $1,060,560,400.
A large quality of dry cannabis found at Kuyorokuri Creek, Upper Berbice River was later destroyed by police
Over $1B worth of cannabis was destroyed during a joint narcotics exercise on Wednesday
Some of the cannabis plants that were found and later destroyed
An aerial view of the six cannabis farms found by police at Kuyorokuri Creek, Upper Berbice River
CRICKET QUIZ CORNER
(Friday October 03, 2025)
CUMMINGS ELECTRICAL COMPANY LTD-83 Garnett Street, Georgetown (Tel:225-6158)
Answers to yesterday’s quiz:
(1) Nepal 2; WI 1 (2) Kushal Bhurtel (Nepal) Today’s Quiz:
(1) Which WI player scored most runs in the recent WI/Nepal T20 series?
(2) Which Nepal player scored most runs? Answers in tomorrow’s issue
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Rashid’s four-for not enough to stop Afghanistan
(ESPNCRICINFO)
Bangladesh prevailed by four wickets in the first T20I despite Afghanistan captain Rashid Khan's mid-innings burst of four wickets. Nurul Hasan and Rishad Hossain took Bangladesh home with eight balls remaining. Bangladesh had lost six wickets for nine runs in the space of 25 balls, that, too, after their openers got them 109 runs in 11.3 overs.
Parvez Hossain Emon and Tanzid Hasan both struck fifties, dominating the Afghanistan bowling as they chased 152. Rashid, though, struck four times in two overs, while Fareed Ahmad and Noor Ahmad took a wicket each, as Bangladesh looked down-and-out at one stage.
Rashid rips through Bangladesh Fareed had dropped Emon on 27, but he made amends by removing him for 54 off 37 balls in the 12th over. However, Afghanistan barely celebrated the wicket, given the start the Bangladesh openers had provided.
Rashid then got the googly zipping through Saif Hassan, whose frontfoot prod was not enough to save him. Rashid ended the over with Tanzid's wicket as the left-hand batter edged the legspinner for 51.
Rashid removed both Jaker Ali and Shamim Hossain in his next over, both falling lbw. Jaker missed a sweep, while Shamim went back into
the crease to turn the ball around the corner. When Noor also had Tanzim Hasan lbw in the next over, Bangladesh looked out of the contest.
Nurul saves Bangladesh's blushes Nurul and Rishad were Bangladesh's last recognised batters. Rishad, though, had not been in good form, while Nurul was reeling from his strange knock against Pakistan in the Asia Cup. But they bounced back with the match-winning stand. Nurul struck two sixes in his unbeaten 23, while Rishad struck the winning runs with his third boundary, as Bangladesh won with eight balls remaining. Bangladesh strike early with the ball
Bangladesh didn't lose shape when they bowled during the powerplay, despite Taskin Ahmed going for three fours in the first over. Nasum Ahmed bowled Ibrahim Zadran as the batter went for a slog. Tanzim Hasan got on to rear towards Sediqullah Atal's chest, for the batter to give a tame catch to Emon at slip.
Darwish Rasooli was a victim of a huge mix-up with Rahmanullah Gurbaz when Mustafizur Rahman stopped the ball off his own bowling, with both batters next to each other at the non-striker's end. Rasooli sacrificed his wicket, as Afghanistan lost three wickets in the powerplay. There was no respite after the powerplay either, as Mohammad Ishaq holed
out to deep square leg in
Rishad's first over.
Rashid Khan picked up four wickets (Afghanistan Cricket Board)
Indian seamers rip through West Indies batting
CMC –India’s fast bowling pair of Mohammed Siraj and Jasprit Bumrah tore through the West Indies’ batting to put the home side in the ascendancy after the opening day of the first Test here on Thursday. Siraj carved up the top order on his way to a four-wicket haul, while Bumrah cleaned up the tail as the visitors were routed for a meagre 162 runs in 44.1 overs after winning the toss and choosing to bat at the Narendra Modi Stadium.
Opener KL Rahul then scored an unbeaten half century to propel India to 121 for two at the close of play, just 41 runs behind the
Windies’ total with eight wickets in hand.
While much of the talk before the start of the series focused on the loss of the visitors’ fast bowling duo of Shamar Joseph and Alzarri Joseph to injuries, once again it was the West Indies’ fragile batting that took centre stage on the opening day.
Their new-look opening pair of John Campbell and Tagenarine Chanderpaul didn’t last long, with the latter being dismissed for a duck after gloving Siraj down the leg side where wicketkeeper Dhruv Jurel took a good catch with 12 runs on the board.
Campbell hit Bumrah for two boundaries in the day’s third over, but the pacer got his revenge when he had the left hander caught behind for eight after a review, with the replay showing the ball had taken a thin outside edge on its way through to the keeper, to leave the visitors 20 for two.
Brandon King, as usual, looked sublime in his brief stay at the crease, but after collecting three boundaries off Siraj in his knock of 13 off 15 balls, he unwisely chose to shoulder arms to an inswinger from the same bowler and lost his middle stump, as the Windies slid to 39 for three.
Three runs later, Siraj was back in the thick of things, this time drawing an expansive drive from Alick Athanaze that flew off the outside edge and safely into the hands of Rahul at second slip.
Skipper Roston Chase and Shai Hope tried their best to steady the innings during a 48-run partnership.
The pair looked set to take their side to lunch without any further losses,
but with just a few balls remaining before the interval, Hope missed his intended cover drive off left-arm spinner Kuldeep Yadav and was bowled for 26, to see the West Indies stumble to lunch at 90 for five.
Chase didn’t last long after the resumption, edging a beautiful delivery from Siraj that seamed away behind to the keeper, to be out for 24.
Justin Greaves, who topscored with 32 and debutant Khary Pierre, who made 11, put on 39 runs for the seventh wicket, but once Pierre was trapped lbw by off spinner Washington Sundar the end came swiftly with Bumrah bowling Greaves and Johann Layne with yorkers, while Yadav accounted for the wicket of Jomel Warrican.
Siraj ended with figures of 4-40, Bumrah took 3-42 and Yadav supported with 2-25.
India’s opening pair of Yashasvi Jaiswal and Rahul then gave them a solid foundation during an opening stand of 68.
Pacer Jayden Seales eventually got the breakthrough for the Windies when he had Jaiswal caught behind attempting a cut shot for 36.
Chase then trapped Sai Sudharsan cheaply for seven with the score on 90, but Rahul and captain Shubman Gill weathered the storm during an unbroken partnership of 31 for the third wicket.
Rahul brought up his 20th Test half century just before the close with a single to long on off the bowling of Chase. He finished the day unbeaten on 53 off 114 balls with six fours, while Gill is 18 not out
Big Man Over-40 T20 cricket starts on October 4
THE excitement is palpable as cricket enthusiasts across Guyana prepare for the much-anticipated launch of the 2025 Big Man Cricket Guyana Over 40s T20 tournament, which is scheduled to bowl off tomorrow at venues across Guyana.
This year, 15 teams will take to the field, competing for glory and camaraderie in what promises to be exhilarating cricket.
The tournament is not only designed to promote the love of cricket among the over-40 players but to foster community spirit, inspire healthy competition, promote healthy lifestyles, and celebrate the lifelong passion for the sport.
With matches set to occur at various locations nationwide, players and fans alike will enjoy the vibrant atmosphere of cricket, unite communities and foster friendships, old and new.
This year's tournament features a diverse lineup of 15 teams representing various regions of Guyana, divided into two pools showcasing the rich cricketing heritage.
Teams will battle it
out in a series of electrifying T20 matches, each promising to deliver thrilling moments, nail-biting finishes, and unforgettable performances.
The tournament aims to involve local communities, encouraging fans to come out, cheer for their teams, and celebrate the spirit of cricket in Guyana.
Designed to promote active living for individuals over 40, the tournament emphasises the importance of fitness, teamwork, and maintaining a healthy lifestyle through sport.
"We are thrilled to launch the 2025 Big Man Cricket Guyana Over 40s T20 tournament,” said Raj Singh, Tournament Director.
“This event is not just about cricket; it’s about bringing people together, celebrating our love for the game, and showcasing the incredible talent that exists in our communities.
We invite everyone to come out, support their teams, and enjoy the festivities!"
The tournament also presents exciting sponsorship opportunities for local businesses and organisations looking
to connect with the community while supporting an initiative that upholds the values of sport and collaboration.
Brazil, Bahamas head to Georgetown for KFC school football
THE KFC International Secondary School Football tournament is poised for its biggest-ever staging after youth sides from Brazil and The Bahamas were officially confirmed to join the sixth annual Under-18 event in Guyana.
The expanded competition, announced at the official launch this week, will run from December 14 to 21, and will transform Georgetown into a regional football hub, hosting eight schools
across six nations, all competing for the coveted title.
The addition of two major international teams instantly raises the competitive ceiling. Making their tournament debuts are Brazil's State School Monteiro Lobato and the Bahamas' Anglican Central Education Authority.
They join regional heavyweights from Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, and Suriname, ensuring a truly international flavour. The
tournament will operate a tight round-robin knockout format, split into two groups, with matches held at the Ministry of Education Ground and the Queen’s College Ground.
Defending champions
Chase’s Academic Foundation (Guyana) and local rivals Annai Secondary will lead the home charge, alongside Jamaican giants Kingston College. Deputy Chief Education Officer Marti DeSouza issued a clear warning
to the local sides: "They will have to bring their A-Game, given the quality of the incoming international teams," he declared.
Beyond the trophy, the tournament's biggest draw remains its ability to transform futures. Troy Mendonca, co-director of the Petra Organisation, confirmed the event’s vital role as “a pathway to scholarship”, a route successfully used by past players.
This ambition is backed
by major infrastructure investment. Paul Subryan, CEO of KFC Guyana highlighted the commitment, revealing a substantial investment of more than G$25 million dedicated to constructing prefabricated bleachers at the main Ministry of Education Ground venue.
“This tournament is going places, and we have gone International,” Subryan declared. “It gives young people a chance to live their
dreams.”
The team everyone is targeting is Chase’s Academic Foundation. They secured the fifth KFC title last year in a final defined by excruciating drama against St. Benedict’s College of Trinidad and Tobago.
Following the opening round of fixtures, all teams will participate in a special cultural showcase, celebrating the diversity of the participating nations.
CWI announces measures to curb West Indies decline
- Recruiting specialist coaches; HPC revival among measures
CRICKET West Indies (CWI) has announced a series of immediate and long-term reforms to strengthen West Indies cricket following an emergency meeting of the Cricket Strategy and Officiating Committee held in August.
In the Short term (0-6 months), CWI will begin the recruitment of Specialist Coaches. This includes the hiring of an internationally proven batting coach and a full-time sports psychologist/ performance coach to join
the senior men’s team. The women’s team role will also be upgraded to a full-time role.
CWI also announced the revival of the High-Performance Centre Project, A capital project proposal to be advanced for a state-of-theart facility at Coolidge Cricket Ground, including modern nets, gym, and rehabilitation infrastructure.
Greater accountability is also a short-term measure where franchise teams will
now submit Individual Development Plans and meet new minimum standards. Player fitness will be closely tracked, supported by a new regional fitness leaderboard.
Further actions (medium to long term) include a national cricket development framework unifying grassroots, school, academy, and high-performance pathways, comprehensive franchise reform to ensure accountability for player development and consideration of alternative
professional models and establishment of standardised academies for ages 11–18 to feed into the High-Performance Program.
The completion of the High-Performance Centre in Antigua as the regional hub for elite development, greater focus on financial sustainability, including lobbying for equitable ICC revenue distribution and new partnerships with governments, private entities, and philanthropists and a structured
mentorship framework connecting current and former West Indies players with emerging talent also forms part of the long-term plans.
The session brought together a wide cross-section of key stakeholders, including West Indies legends Brian Lara and Sir Clive Lloyd, captains Shai Hope and Roston Chase, Head Coach and team management, and former players such as Anthony Gray and Ramnaresh Sarwan.
The list was presented to and approved by CWI’s Board of Directors during
their quarterly meeting on September 25.
CWI’s Director of Cricket, Miles Bascombe said:
“These reforms represent decisive action to strengthen our systems, raise standards, and provide the next generation of players with the tools, facilities, and mentorship they need to succeed. While challenges remain, our commitment to cricket development across the region is unwavering, and all efforts will be made to prioritize the execution of these initiatives.”
CWI Cricket director saw ‘good signs’ despite Nepal drubbing
DIRECTOR of Cricket at Cricket West Indies (CWI), Miles Bascombe has maintained that there were some bright sparks in the regional side’s loss to minnows Nepal in their recently concluded T20I series.
Despite sending a young team missing several senior players and boasting six possible debutants, the sixth-ranked West Indies were still expected to comfortably defeat 18th-ranked Nepal in their three-match T20I Unity Cup series last month in the United Arab Emirates.
However, the West Indies lost the first two match-
es on their way to suffering an embarrassing 2-1 defeat that sent shockwaves across the cricketing community.
It also gave Nepal their first-ever win over a Full Member in any format.
Speaking during CWI’s quarterly press conference on Wednesday, Bascombe said the T20I series against Nepal was always going to be a challenging one due to the construction of the team and the available timeline.
“The Nepal series had always been earmarked as an opportunity for exposure for emerging talent.
“We always knew that turnaround time would have been a challenge. They pret-
ty much had one day to acclimatise, and one practice session going into that series and in a very short tournament of three matches. If
you’re not off the ground running from Match One, you can very much find yourself behind the eighth ball as we did,” Bascombe
said, adding:
“But as I mentioned, the opportunity for exposure has been key. We need more information in terms of filling those positions and shoring up some of those positions that we have in our international T20 team, and while we saw some struggle in those first couple of games, we definitely saw what we all knew in terms of what we saw in the CPL and what we saw in the Breakout League, that we definitely have quality in that group and we have capable players.
“So, I think that that series, albeit a very disappointing loss, we were
still able to identify some options. We have seen some players that have come all the way from the Breakout League all the way through to international T20 cricket and have shown that they may have what it takes to make the step up to the international level.
“So, while I wouldn’t want to disarm anyone of that emotional response to a West Indies loss to a minnow, we still need to be able to expose our players, and give them that opportunity to shine in challenging conditions. I’m quite confident that we have seen some good signs…”
Ackeem Auguste scored an unbeaten 41 in the third T20I against Nepal, which West Indies won by 10 wickets
GBF receives ‘Award of Excellence’ from CBC
THE Guyana Basketball Federation (GBF) continues to make waves in regional and international basketball, earning high praise from the Caribbean Basketball Confederation (CBC) for its exceptional leadership and development work.
During the CBC Assembly, held on the opening day of the FIBA Americas Assembly in Mexico City, Mexico, GBF Vice-Presidents Rawle Toney and Jermaine Slater, along with General Secretary Patrick Haynes, proudly received an award recognising the Federation’s
impact on the sport.
Leslie Collymore, CBC President, lauded Guyana as a “model Federation within the CBC”, pointing to the country’s consistent commitment to both grassroots and elite-level basketball.
He noted that Guyana has gone beyond its borders to uplift Caribbean basketball, highlighting that the entire CBC is reaping the benefits of the GBF’s efforts.
Collymore further highlighted Guyana’s role as a trailblazer, becoming the first English-speaking Caribbean nation to host a FIBA 3x3 Quest event.
GUYANA Defence Force (GDF) Football Club Women and the Guyana Police Force (GPF) Women, by now the usual suspects, were the ones to register wins on Wednesday evening when the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) Women’s Division One League resumed.
The action at the GFF’s National Training Centre (NTC) at Providence, East Bank Demerara (EBD) began with a clash between Police and Fruta Conquerors' Women. Fruta Conquerors held firm in the initial minutes, but the cheekiest of goals, a shot which slipped out of the
He also underscored Guyana’s upcoming hosting of the FIBA Women’s Caribbean Championship, a tournament returning to the region after several years, as evidence of the GBF’s ability to stage landmark events.
Collymore said Guyana and the GBF has stepped up when the region needed it most, hosting key internal tournaments and proving that it could deliver at the highest level.
The GBF, in response, expressed gratitude for the recognition, stressing that the honour belongs to everyone involved in building the sport locally.
“We are happy that the work done in Guyana is being recognised both regionally and internationally,” the Federation said in a statement.
According to the GBF, their efforts “extend beyond the shores of Guyana, and the CBC itself is benefiting from the growth initiatives we’ve put in place.”
The Federation also dedicated the award to its affiliates and partners, with special acknowledgement to the Government of Guyana and the Guyana Olympic Association for their support.
With continued invest-
keeper’s hands on the gather, gave Police their first strike, and the law women never
looked back.
Shanic Thornhill was responsible for the first strike in the 9th, while Lakeisha Pearson’s shot from outside the box found the back of the net in the 26th minute. Another shot from far out saw Tiandi Smith adding her name to the scoresheet in the 28th for Police’s 3-0 lead at the half.
Thornhill opened the second segment with a 42nd minute strike, while Amanda McKenzie and S. Adams netted in the 44th and 60th minutes, respectively, for Police’s 6-0 win.
GBF General Secretary, Patrick Haynes, along with Vice Presidents Rawle Toney and Jermaine Slater, at the FIBA Americas Assembly in Mexico City, Mexico
ment in both the traditional and fast-growing 3x3 formats, Guyana has positioned itself as a leader in Caribbean basketball and one that is shaping the future of the sport across the region.
Then, GDF’s Women continued to keep their winning margin in the teens, this time with a 16-0 assault of Western Tigers. Similarly to Fruta Conquerors, Western Tigers started strong, but it all went to dust when Abioce Heywood sneaked one past the keeper in the 9th minute to break the ice for GDF.
Heywood completed her brace in the 21st , while Zoruna Ali registered a helmet trick in the 43rd, 46th, 49th and 51st minutes, accompanied by Glendy Lewis’ hattrick in the 11th, 17th and 23rd minutes.
Braces came off the boots of Sandra Johnson (30th, 39th), Sarena Johnson (47th, 48th) and Jalade Trim (55th, 59th) while Niomie Williams’ lone strike in the 21st brought their tally up to 16.
The Women’s Division One League action will continue this evening, Friday, October 3, at the same venue, staging another double feature. There, Santos FC will take on Ann’s Grove United from 18:00hrs, while Rivers’ View battles Mainstay Goldstars FC, beginning at 19:30hrs.
(BBC) - Formula 1's governing body has declared this weekend's Singapore Grand Prix a 'heat hazard' race.
The FIA's ruling, triggered because temperatures are predicted to exceed 31C amid high humidity in the tropical environment, means drivers could be using cooling vests during the race.
Using the vests is not mandatory, but teams must fit the system to their cars to ensure any drivers not using them does not gain an advantage by having a lighter car.
The Singapore Grand Prix marks the first time a race has been designated as a heat haz-
ard under a new rule that was introduced this year. However, it will not be the first time drivers have used the vests; teams have been testing them intermittently throughout the year.
Mercedes' George Russell, a director of the Grand Prix Drivers' Association (GPDA), tried it out in Bahrain earlier this year and said on Thursday: "Not everybody finds the top comfortable, but I think some find it more comfortable than others, and, of course, over time you'll be able to adjust it to your own preferences.
"But the concept is good,
and when you're racing in 90% humidity, and the cockpits are getting on for 60C, it's a bit of a sauna inside the car, so I think we all welcome it."
Williams’ driver Carlos Sainz, also a GPDA director, said that the FIA's decision to declare a heat hazard was "fair".
"Only hot is not too bad for us," Sainz said. "We have that, for example, in Hungary, where it gets really hot, but it's not humid.
"Humid on its own is not too bad at all if it's not too hot. But when it's 28C, 30C degrees plus humid, that's when it gets to Singapore levels and
it's tough."
Singapore has long been renowned as the toughest grand prix because of the combination of heat, humidity, the length of the race, which runs close to the maximum two-hour limit, and the bumpy track surface at Marina Bay.
Why was the heat hazard rule brought in?
The idea of a driver-cooling system was intimated after the 2023 Qatar Grand Prix, when heat and humidity left several drivers on the brink of collapse.
A number of drivers needed medical attention after the race. Frenchman Esteban
Ocon vomited in his helmet, and Williams’ driver Logan Sargeant retired because he could not cope with the conditions any longer.
The drivers have had a mixed response to the vests, with some feeling they are uncomfortable and not especially effective.
Sainz said: "Teams are managing to make it work better and better every time we run it. At the beginning, we had it to work more or less for half an hour. Hopefully, now the whole system can work at least for an hour.
"It's a two-hour race. I've done it 10 times in Singapore.
If it breaks or it doesn't work, I'm not worried. I'll do the race and jump out fresh like I always do. But if it works, it's better, because then you suffer a bit less."
Sainz said he had used the system in the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix earlier this year, and it lasted about 15-20 minutes.
Aston Martin's Fernando Alonso said: "The system works. The shirt itself, the material is a little bit thicker with all the systems on it so it is less comfortable. It is a trade-off; it is less comfy when you drive it, but it is a little bit cooler."
Brazil, Bahamas head to Georgetown for KFC school football Indian
From left: Troy Peters (Petra Organisation), Deputy Chief Education Officer Marti DeSouza, Paul Subryan (CEO of KFC Guyana), Troy Mendonca (Petra Organisation) and Franklin Wilson (Assistant Director of Sport) and the championship trophy at the launch on Wednesday evening (Japhet Savory Photo)
Mohammed Siraj leaps in celebration after bowling Brandon King (Associated Press)