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Monday Edition Bombs as Billboards: AIETEUR NEWS How Gaza became Israel’s showroom for global arms sales December 22, 2025 - Vol. 18 No. 49

Online: www.kaieteurnews.com Online Price $100 readership yesterday, 35,277

Guyana’s largest selling daily & New York’s most popular weekly

Public servants’ wage bill surges 19.9% in – BoG first half of 2025 Report ‘Gold boom, U.S. pursuing third oil tanker missing ounces’ - Opposition slams Govt. over declining near Venezuela declarations amid record prices ‘Stolen in the dead of night’ - Govt, police move to clamp down on cattle rustling

A US military helicopter flies over the Panama-flagged ship intercepted by the U.S. Coast Guard. (Reuters)

Regional leaders rebuke Kamla over attack on CARICOM

Mother loses baby and womb after 12-hour labour at GPHC Nelissa Chetram’s husband consoles her after the devasting loss.

- claims emergency C-Section request denied - hospital says it followed legal rules and opted to save her life

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Monday December 22, 2025

Mother loses baby and womb after 12-hour labour at GPHC - claims emergency C-Section request denied - hospital says it followed legal rules and opted to save her life A heartbroken mother from Kaneville, East Bank Demerara, says her baby girl, Athena, would still be alive today if doctors at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) had granted her request for an emergency C-section.

Speaking to Kaieteur News, Nelissa Chetram recounted the tragic events of November 8, 2025, when she lost both her unborn child and womb after enduring 12 hours in labour.

Chetram, a mother of five, had hoped to gift her husband his first child. “We already have everything, everything for this baby. He (my husband) was more than excited,” Chetram said, recalling the plans they had for December, including celebrations for their birthdays on the 15th and

Nelissa Chetram’s husband consoles her after the devasting loss.

Tears flowed as they laid Athena 16th. Chetram, who had been classified as a high-risk patient, was admitted to the maternity ward on November 7 after experiencing early labour

pains.

She was initially expected to deliver on November 17. “My water bag broke at 2:20 PM. I went to Georgetown Hospital, got

my vitals checked, and went upstairs. The doctors said they had to induce labour,” she recounted. As labour intensified, Chetram repeatedly begged for an

emergency C-section. “I told them I was too weak to push and hadn’t eaten properly. I kept asking, ‘Please, give me an emergency C-section,’” she said. According to Chetram, her requests were denied. “She (doctor) seh when you feel the pain push.

I feel the pain again I push. I push Baby wasn’t coming. I seh doctor please a begging you if you could please give me an emergency c-section” Chetram further recounted.

The doctor reportedly turned down her request stating that a patient cannot request a Csection process. Chetram went on to endure hours in labour until she reportedly started getting “short of breath”.

She claimed that as she was getting weaker, she continued to beg each doctor that came into the labour

room for a C-Section. “One of the doctors bring a syringe and she tell me open my mouth when I open me mouth is something like a sweet sugar water and she said that go give me energy”, Chetram said but it did not help.

After 12 hours, they finally decided on a Csection, but it was probably too late, Chetram said. She said while they were operating on her, one of the doctors asked if she was conscious to hear them. She responded yes and that was when they broke the first tragic news to her. “She said that how your womb tear and we ga fuh take it out suh I turn and seh okay” Chetram Said.

Losing her womb did not bother too much at first Continued on page 10

Monday December 22, 2025

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Public servants’ wage bill surges 19.9% in first half of 2025 - BoG Report T

he wage bill for public servants shot up by 19.9% in the first six months of 2025, accounting for 22.5% of the government’s total current expenditure, according to the Bank of Guyana (BoG) 2025 HalfYear Report.

To t a l c u r r e n t expenditure, including debt charges, grew a staggering 36.7% to G$290.8 billion.

Transfer payments, which include pensions, subsidies, education subventions, grants, and scholarships, jumped 27.4% to G$128.7 billion, representing 44.3% of total current spending.

These payments include subsidies and contributions to local and international organisations, pensions, as

well as education subventions, grants, and scholarships, totalling G$64,089 million, G$38,839 million, and G$25,701 million, respectively.

Meanwhile, BoG indicated, “Employment costs, which accounted for 22.5% of total current expenditure, grew by 19.9% to G$65,530 million. Within this category of expenses, wages and salaries amounted to G$55,519 million, while benefits & allowances totalled G$10,011 million.”

Government’s wage bill during the first six months of this year is likely to be almost identical in the last half of the year, given that no salary increase has been announced for the Christmas season.

Assessment for second gas-to-shore project still underway – Jagdeo

Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo on Thursday confirmed that the assessment for the second phase of the Gas-to-Shore project is still ongoing, as the government carefully evaluates bids from potential contractors.

Speaking at a press conference, Jagdeo stressed that no rush decisions would be made. “We’ve had good engagements… There was a change in the ownership of the group building the gas-to- energy project. Since then, work on the ground has accelerated. They’re installing turbines and laying foundations for the other plants. We are focused on getting that done and will be deliberate in our assessment,” he said.

Jagdeo added that while the government is interested in expanding power capacity, cost considerations remain critical, as they aim to continue selling electricity at 11 cents per kilowatt hour. “We have not completed the assessment of what we want to go for in the second power plant. We’re more interested in buying power, but it has to approximate the cost we want to maintain our pricing,” he explained.

The Gas-to-Energy (GTE) project at Wales, West Bank Demerara, includes a Natural Gas Liquids (NGL) facility and a 300-megawatt power plant, which is expected to cut consumers’ electricity bills by up to 50 percent. Government officials have indicated that the GTE project is expected to be completed by mid-2026, aligning with efforts to expand energy production while keeping electricity affordable for consumers.

President Irfaan Ali announced a one-month taxfree bonus for members of the joint services last week.

Other categories of public servants such as nurses, doctors and teachers will, for the first time in several years, be forced to meet holiday expenses without any additional resources.

Nevertheless, BoG reported that payments were also made to purchase ‘other goods’ and pay for services which accounted for 30.1% of current expenditure.

These payments increased by 76% to G$87,572 million, according to the Bank of Guyana. According to the report, “This category primarily consisted of spending on miscellaneous goods and services, materials and supplies, m a i n t e n a n c e o f

The Bank of Guyana infrastructure, transport, travel and postage, rental and maintenance of buildings, as well as fuels and lubricants, amounting to G$59,041 million, G$11,369 million,

G$5,248 million, G$4,416 million and G$3,631 million and G$1,889 million.”

It was also reported that total interest charges expanded by 23% to

G$9,013 million. External interest costs increased by 16.7% to G$5,543 million, while domestic interest costs expanded by 34.5% to G$3,469 million.

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Monday December 22, 2025

Kaieteur News Printed and Published by National Media & Publishing Company Ltd. 24 Saffon Street, Charlestown, Georgetown, Guyana.

Publisher: GLENN LALL - Tel: 624-6456 Editor-in-Chief: Nigel Williams Tel: 225-8465, 225-8491. Fax: 225-8473, 226-8210

EDITORIAL

The Christmas spirit As Christmas lights illuminate our homes and hearts in Guyana, the nation is once again called to reflect on the true spirit of the season, love, kindness, compassion, and shared responsibility.

Yet, beneath the glitter of decorations and the sound of carols lies a sobering reality. This Christmas arrives against a backdrop of rising road accidents, growing insecurity, deepening poverty, and widespread disappointment over unfulfilled government promises, including the much-anticipated cash grant that many citizens had counted on to ease seasonal burdens.

Traditionally, Christmas in Guyana is a time of togetherness, generosity, and renewed hope. Families gather, communities share, and even in times of hardship, Guyanese have found ways to uplift one another. However, this year, the festive mood is noticeably subdued for many households. With the cost of living steadily rising, basic necessities becoming increasingly unaffordable, and incomes stretched thin, Christmas cheer feels out of reach for thousands who are simply trying to survive.

Compounding this hardship is the government's failure to deliver on the promised cash grant. For many citizens, this was not a luxury but a lifeline money earmarked for groceries, school supplies, utilities, and modest Christmas preparations for children. Its absence has deepened frustration and eroded trust.

At a time when oil wealth dominates national discourse, ordinary Guyanese are asking a simple question: when will the benefits of this prosperity meaningfully reach the people?

Adding to the national unease is the alarming increase in road accidents during the festive season. Each year, Christmas becomes marred by reports of reckless driving, speeding, drunk driving, and tragic loss of life. Roads that should carry families home for the holidays instead become scenes of mourning.

These accidents are not inevitable; they are preventable. They reflect a collective failure of enforcement, of personal responsibility, and of a culture that too often treats traffic laws as optional. This season demands restraint, patience, and respect for life, not haste and bravado.

Meanwhile, rising banditry continues to threaten the safety and peace of communities. Home invasions, robberies, and violent crime cast long shadows over what should be a joyful time. Many families now celebrate behind locked gates and barred windows, fearful rather than festive. This climate of insecurity further exposes the cracks in our social fabric and underscores the urgent need for effective crime prevention, community vigilance, and meaningful investment in social development.

Yet, even as institutions falter, the spirit of Christmas must not be extinguished. In times of adversity, it is often the compassion of ordinary people that sustains a nation. This is the season to look out for one another to check on elderly neighbours, share what little we have, offer encouragement, and extend kindness where it is most needed. A smile, a meal, a helping hand, or a listening ear can make the difference between despair and hope. Vigilance, too, must walk hand in hand with generosity. Citizens must take reasonable steps to protect their homes and families while remaining committed to community solidarity. Responsible celebration, free from excess, recklessness, and disregard for others is itself an act of love. Christmas is not defined by lavish spending or grand displays, but by how we treat the most vulnerable among us.

At its core, the Christmas message is one of humility, justice, and compassion. It challenges leaders to govern with integrity and empathy, and it calls citizens to act with conscience and care. Guyana stands at a crossroads rich in resources but burdened by inequality, promise, and disappointment. This season should serve as a reminder that national progress is hollow if it does not uplift the many, not just the few. True Christmas spirit thrives not merely in celebration, but in mindful, collective protection of our people and values. As we move through this festive season, may Guyanese choose kindness over indifference, responsibility over recklessness, and unity over despair. In doing so, we keep alive the hope that better days fairer, safer, and more compassionate are still possible.

Publish or Perish: Challenges facing Guyanese scholars Dear Editor, Guyanese scholars or academics in USA have faced a persistent challenge of finding jobs and of p u b l i s h i n g o r perish—meaning they could lose their jobs if they don't publish original articles in credible, respected peer reviewed academic publications (journals, books, etc. They have faced discrimination in hiring and in publishing their work even when demonstrating superior knowledge.

And when hired with e x t r a o r d i n a r y, h i g h e r qualifications than natives, they have faced difficulties in publishing, a criterion for tenure. Many of their research submissions were or are not published; to what extent race or nationality was (is) a factor in denial of publication is not determined. And in recent years, with the closure of many journals, getting published is even more challenging which means getting tenure in a tertiary setting has become more difficult.

In academia, including research centers or institutes, except perhaps for Guyana,

full time scholars (professors or educators) are expected to produce. If they don't publish, they could face termination in employment and or denied tenure (lifelong job security). Once tenured, publications no longer are of paramount importance to their jobs.

Nevertheless, most continue to do research and publish.

Some academics do obtain tenure based on the history of their teaching record and high likability or acceptance (satisfactory record) or ratings from evaluation by students and by department head. Several Guyanese have taught at universities part time; they are not up for tenure although they have retention rights based on experience in teaching a course or in a program.

Several Guyanese hold PhD or MA but don't pursue teaching at the tertiary level.

Thus, they don't need to publish for job retention.

Those who teach in the public school system are not required to publish for job tenure. But some have contributed significantly to research or scholarship. In Guyana, few lecturers conduct research and or

publish; their jobs are not on the line because of shortage of competitive staff and unavailability of journals, and as such they are not terminated as in the USA. Unlike in Guyana, In USA, academics and educators and students have not been known to be active in community affairs or politics.

Even after obtaining tenure, Guyanese academics have failed to make any meaningful contributions to their former homeland or in community affairs in the diaspora. Few Guyanese academics or university students (UK, Ireland, Canada, etc.) were vigilantly concerned about Guyana during the period of authoritarian rule; they were engrossed in their studies and earnings to pay tuition or to upkeep their families.

Fewer students were involved in the struggle for restoration of democratic governance, fearing consequences of political activism. Baytoram R a m h a r a c k , Va s s a n Ramracha, Rennie Ramracha, David Hinds, Chuck Mohan, Mel Carpen, and myself (Vishnu Bisram)

and a handful of others were deeply engrossed in affairs relating to our community in greater New York and to Guyana.

Baytoram and me have earned PhD from accredited universities, in my case multiple doctorates and several MAs. A discredited columnist disparaged our academic achievements and questioned what contributions (publications) I have made to scholarship (thoughts or literature on the subjects I studied). He is an irresponsible writer who was kicked out of university. He also used to attack Ramharack, Ravi Dev, Swami Aksharananda, Tarron Khemraj, Ramesh Gampat, and other Indian nationalists as well as then President Jagdeo, then Minister Irfaan Ali and the PPP in general. He has single-handedly tainted the public views on Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo and the PPP administration. This scathing mindset on me and others has shaped his thought process in a failed effort to undermine the contributions of those who have greater academic (Continued on page 5)

A PARADOX OF PROSPERITY: The Urgent Case for Holistic Labour Reform in Guyana Dear Editor, As Guyana continues its ascent as a global economic titan, a profound and unsustainable anomaly has taken root within our domestic labor market.

While the nation's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) reaches unprecedented heights, a significant portion of the private sector workforce remains anchored to a fiscal reality that no longer exists. We must address the widening chasm between our national wealth and the daily survival of the Guyanese worker.

The Wage Disparity: A Divided Workforce The current labor landscape has effectively split into two worlds. In the public sector, the government has recognized the necessity of adjustment, with the minimum wage set to reach $100,000 GYD by the end of 2025.

Conversely, the private sector minimum wage remains tethered to the 2022

rate of $60,147 GYD. This 40% gap is not merely a statistical curiosity; it is a structural failure. It creates a "working poor" class where citizens performing essential services—security, retail, and manual labor—are legally compensated at rates that cover less than half of a basic livable budget.

The Cost-of-Living Crisis The "Oil Boom" has brought with it an inevitable surge in the cost of basic necessities.

As of late 2025: Housing: A modest onebedroom rental in suburban areas now averages $80,000–$110,000 GYD, instantly eclipsing the entire monthly minimum wage.

Nutrition: Food inflation continues to climb, with a basic grocery basket for a small family estimated at over $70,000 GYD monthly.

The Deficit: Current economic data suggests that an adult requires approximately $145,000 GYD per month to live with

dignity. The current privatesector floor leaves a monthly deficit of nearly $85,000 GYD per worker.

Systemic Anomalies and Human Exploitation Recent reports of security personnel receiving as little as $37,000 GYD for 15 days of 12-hour shifts highlight a disturbing trend of non-compliance.

M a t h e m a t i c a l l y, s u c h payments equate to roughly $205 GYD per hour—a blatant violation of the legal $347/hr mandate.

W h e n businesses—particularly those benefiting from statefunded contracts—are permitted to bypass even the meager existing minimums, it signals a breakdown in regulatory oversight. This is not merely "poor practice"; it is the extraction of wealth from the most vulnerable to subsidise the margins of the affluent.

A Call for Holistic Action We cannot allow a "slave wage" culture to fester under

the banner of the world's fastest-growing economy.

The following actions are no longer optional: 1. Immediate Minimum Wage Harmonization: The private sector floor must be aligned with the $100,000 GYD public sector standard to reflect the current Consumer Price Index (CPI).

2 .

R i g o r o u s Enforcement: The Ministry of Labour and Manpower Planning must move beyond reactive investigations and implement a proactive, sector-wide audit of security and service firms.

3 . L i v a b l e Wa g e L e g i s l a t i o n : We m u s t transition our national conversation from "minimum" wages (survival) to "livable" wages (dignity).

Economic growth is hollow if it is built on the backs of a workforce that cannot afford to eat in the country they are building Sincerely Hemdutt Kumar

Monday December 22, 2025

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Colonial constructs, Caribbean identity and Guyana's geography of the future Dear Editor, There is a persistent paradox at the heart of contemporary Caribbean emancipatory discourse, namely, the notion of the Caribbean itself may be, in significant respects, a colonial construction.

The idea of a coherent Caribbean space emerged historically through colonial political administration, plantation economies, imperial historiography, European travel writing, and systems of governance designed for extraction and control.

The question, then, is unavoidable: when Guyana today seeks to deepen its “Caribbean-ness”, whether through institutions, sport, music, economic integration, or diplomatic

alignment, is this a radical departure from colonial history, or does it risk being a continuation of colonial categories under post-colonial management and an eerie resurrection of the ghost of “massa”?

This concern is not merely theoretical. The Caribbean was not born as a self-defined civilisational unit. It was assembled through European logics that grouped disparate societies according to trade routes, labor regimes, and imperial convenience.

Guyana's inclusion itself r e f l e c t s t h i s h i s t o r y.

Geographically South American, ecologically continental, and culturally plural, Guyana was administratively folded into the British West Indies

largely because of language, l a w, a n d c o l o n i a l governance, not because of geography or pre-colonial cultural continuity.

From this perspective, the drive toward continuous Caribbean integration a p p e a r s c o n t r a d i c t o r y, especially when framed as part of a broader effort to escape colonial legacies.

If the category “Caribbean” is itself a colonial artifact, then uncritical attachment to it risks reproducing inherited limits on political and cultural imagination.

C r i c k e t d i p l o m a c y, Carnival circuits, CARICOM bureaucracy, and regional summitry can become rituals of belonging those obscure deeper asymmetries in

development, infrastructure, and strategic interest.

For example, while island states focus on tourism-led economies and maritime vulnerabilities, Guyana's growth trajectory is increasingly shaped by continental trade corridors, hinterland development, energy infrastructure, and extractive industries.

Yet this contradiction is not irresolvable. Caribbean identity has never been only a colonial imposition. It has also been reworked from below through anticolonial struggle, cultural creativity, and intellectual labor.

Caribbean literature, music, and political thought have long transformed the memory of captivity into languages of resistance and survival.

Publish or Perish: Challenges facing...

From page 4 achievements than him. And that is why he is ignored by scholars, Jagdeo and other government officials, and the public. His criticism of my and others academic contributions rings hollow.

Ramharack and I have published extensively, Ramharack much more than me, in journals and books; he also authored several bestselling books.

We both published countless articles, myself much more than him, in mass media that can be considered as worthy of publication in peer reviewed journals.

Some of us in academia (teaching and or research) and or as students like Ramharack, Vassan, Chuck Mohan, Mel Carpen, Gary Girdhari, and myself, and a handful of others, were engrossed in “revolutionary activities” since the 1970s to bring about restoration of democracy in Guyana.

After that achievement in 1992, we have continued the struggle for better

governance (transparency, accountability, increased participation of the population in government, and uplifting the lives of the poor). Community activism in America and our ongoing involvement in struggle in Guyana have competed with our time for contributions to academic publications.

The disgraced columnist never contributed to the overseas struggle against the dictatorship and has not published anything remotely close as respected scholarship and has never been involved in community affairs.

His prejudices against achievers like myself and his p o o r a c a d e m i c achievements as well as lack of intellectual depth have limited his understanding of struggle and how such activism impacts on academics like myself and others mentioned above.

Our struggle for Guyanese in the diaspora and for a better Guyana have limited our academic contributions, but our struggles benefited the

columnist and Guyana.

Our struggle is also inspiring to many who have viewed us as examples to emulate. Our work since the 1970s has been dynamic, earning accolades in the diaspora and in Guyana; there are no comparisons. It is well known that the dishonorable columnist has viewed us competitors and as such villains in philosophical or ideological political discourse.

Hence the continuous attacks on myself and Indian intellectuals and his denunciation of Indian culture as well as our advocacy of Indian culture.

He misunderstands our intellect and our work that has emerged out of experience of racism and a demand for justice.

Our scholarship is influenced by our resistance to oppression. Attacking us is a convenient trope in the columnist ideology and his lack of academic achievement and integrity.

For him, knowledge has not been wielded as a pursuit of

truth and to educate but as an instrument of spreading hate, lies, and propaganda.

We are punching bag because it serves his purpose to feel good about why he has not been an academic achiever. His writings are paradigmatic expressions of hubris, marked by a deepseated bias against those who completed PhDs and better than him.

He is psychologically displaced, displaying deep anxiety and anti-social behavior because he cannot accept that scholars are superior to him. Our writings should be studied, not demonised by the columnist, to illuminate how we have contributed to Guyana and the diaspora in a variety of ways not the least in the restoration of democracy and publishing countless articles in the mass media and in academic literature.

Writing requires intellectual honesty, not rhetorical fury like that of the disreputable columnist.

Yours truly, Dr. Vishnu Bisram

To p a r t i c i p a t e i n Caribbean institutions, therefore, is not automatically to surrender to colonial inheritance.

The problem arises when Caribbean identity is treated as an endpoint rather than a tool, as a fixed destiny rather than a strategic affiliation.

This is where the question of geography becomes decisive. Guyana's future is not only cultural or diplomatic, it is physical, environmental, and spatial.

The country's population, infrastructure, and administrative core remain concentrated on a narrow coastal plain that lies at or below sea level.

This is not an abstract vulnerability. Rising sea levels, saltwater intrusion, intensified rainfall, and aging colonial drainage systems already threaten housing, agriculture, and public health.

The historic sea defenses that once symbolised colonial engineering prowess now expose the fragility of our inherited spatial arrangements.

If climate change forces us to rethink where and how Guyanese live, then it must also force us to rethink how Guyana situates itself regionally.

A long-term vision that remains psychologically and i n s t i t u t i o n a l l y northward-looking risks ignoring the continental realities to the south and west.

Turning South offers not only physical high ground

but also alternative economic imaginaries, integrated river systems, overland connectivity, and regional climate adaptation frameworks better aligned with Guyana's terrain and scale.

In this sense, a Southern turn is not a rejection of Caribbean culture or history.

It is a rebalancing of perspective. Caribbean affiliation will remain one layer of identity and cooperation, but it must not confine strategic thinking.

A future-oriented Guyana must learn to operate simultaneously within Caribbean cultural space and South American geographic reality, without allowing either to harden into dogma.

The deeper decolonial task, then, is not to choose between Caribbean belonging and post-colonial autonomy, but to refuse inherited categories as limits. Decolonisation is not achieved by abandoning institutions, but by interrogating their origins, testing their usefulness, and refusing to let them define the horizon of possibility. In an era of climate uncertainty and geopolitical realignment, Guyana's survival and sovereignty will depend less on symbolic belonging and more on spatial intelligence, environmental foresight, and the courage to imagine a geography of the future that history did not design for us.

Sincerely, Dr. Walter H. Persaud

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Monday December 22, 2025

'Stolen in the dead of night’ - Govt, police move to clamp down on cattle rustling Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha met with cattle farmers from Enmore on the East Coast of Demerara on Saturday as mounting incidents of cattle rustling threaten livelihoods and the future of livestock production in the area.

The meeting followed an earlier engagement between the farmers and Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo, during which rustling was identified as one of the most urgent challenges facing the sector. Farmers warned that unchecked theft is eroding confidence, income, and long-term sustainability.

According to a Ministry of Agriculture press release, during discussions, Minister Mustapha acknowledged that cattle rustling has been an ongoing problem and assured farmers that the

Deputy Police Commissioner, Simon McBean Ministry of Agriculture has been working closely with the Guyana Police Force to implement practical and effective interventions. He emphasised that improved coordination and stronger on-the-ground responses remain a priority.

“Today I met with the cattle farmers from Enmore/Foulis to discuss the

ongoing issue of cattle rustling. We have since advised that they form themselves into a group to work along with officers from the GLDA, the Guyana Police Force, the Environmental Health Officers, and the NDC. This group will work collectively to implement strategies to deal with this issue. The GLDA will facilitate this process,” Minister Mustapha explained.

He also underscored the importance of proper animal identification to aid law enforcement efforts. “You also have to put measures in place to assist with identifying your animals because I know a lot of these animals are not branded. It is very difficult for the police to identify these animals when they are not branded,”

he said.

Addressing food safety and illegal slaughtering, Minister Mustapha highlighted the role of local authorities and the enforcement of existing legislation. “The NDCs and the EHOs will have to work along with you because these animals that are stolen and slaughtered, we don't know if they are being sold at the markets. We have a Food Safety Act in this country that will be taken to Parliament in the new year for amendments. That act prohibits slaughtering at facilities that are not certified. So, the NDC, the EHO, and the GLDA will have to check to see if there is illegal slaughtering taking place,” he explained.

Deputy Commissioner of Police, Simon McBean,

Agriculture Minister, Zulfikar Mustapha provided an update on reported cases and outlined proposed enforcement measures. “We have about six reported cases of cattle rustling in this area for the year. This is concerning to us. One of the key areas we are examining is the pre- and post-slaughter agents. That normally helps us to identify whether or not the correct

animal is slaughtered. We also have to look at identifying slaughterhouses and what mechanisms will be in place when persons slaughter outside of those slaughterhouses. When the committee is formed, one of the proposals we are making is to conduct joint patrols with the cattle farmers in the identified areas. We can identify the times when rustling is most rampant and set up those patrols with those parameters,” he explained.

Minister Mustapha further disclosed that the Guyana Livestock Development Authority (GLDA) will identify a portion of land to temporarily house cattle, while a permanent location is finalised in keeping with (Continued on page 17)

‘Democracy, poverty and vote-buying’ Dear Editor, Vote-buying is the offer of financial or other material inducements to voters by candidates or political parties during an election campaign period and/or on election day in exchange for electoral support. It can also be categorised as an abuse of state resources: the misuse of government resources, whether material, human, c o e r c i v e , r e g u l a t o r y, budgetary, media-related or legislative, for electoral advantage.'

According to the International IDEA, votebuying originated with competitive electoral systems. It undermines the integrity of elections, is detrimental to democratic governance and is an electoral campaign violation in over 90% of countries.

Immediately before the 2025 elections, the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), perhaps with some prodding from the official opposition who were making noises about massive vote buying, reminded stakeholders that they have a moral and legal duty to contribute to the elections being conducted in a free, fair manner.

By the Representation of the People Act, it is an offence for any person,

directly or indirectly, to offer any money, gift, and/or a loan, to any voter to secure the vote.

Vote-buying is said to be the 'modern cancer of democracy' that persists largely because of the absence of political will on the part of governments, political parties and the elections oversight bodies to establish and comply with modern legislation. This has certainly been the case in Guyana, where since colonial times all aspects of vote buying have existed and persisted since not long after 'the return to democracy' in 1992.

The practise may be either 'positive, where it seeks to encourage people to turn out and vote for a given c a n d i d a t e / p a r t y, o r 'negative', where it rewards voters who refrain from participating in the elections.

Most Guyanese are aware and may even have participated in the former, but 'agents campaigning for the ruling party -The People's Progressive Party (PPP) - in the 1997 election bought voter identification cards of the opposition's supporters' to prevent them from voting (What is Vote Buying? Empirical Evidence, Frederic Charles Schaffer, Department of

Political Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology 2002).

Governments, none more so than the PPP during the last elections, routinely use the public purse to buy votes and this is precisely what it sought to do, when according to the Kaieteur News, President Irfaan Ali 'hinted' that should his party win the elections the population would be given one of its usual arbitrary cash grants for the Christmas holidays.

He is reported to have reenforced this 'hint' with the following tomfoolery: 'We will have a beautiful Christmas. Look at the smile on my face and know that you will have an enjoyable holiday!' (KN; 18/12/2925).

It is argued that voters' willingness to accept benefits in exchange for their vote is principally a consequence of poverty and social exclusion.

This column has repeatedly argued that for decades the PPP has been focused on economically marginalising and impoverishing Guyanese of African ethnicity to win their votes. Largely because of this type of historical and insidious discrimination against Africans, the United Nations International

Decade for People of African Descent General Assembly called upon all countries in which Africans reside to regularly provide disaggregated ethnic data, but in Guyana even the normal periodic population census is unavailable.

A general consequence of the above is that while Guyana is classified as one of the fastest growing economies in the world it still has a poverty rate that is apparently growing and is greater than any of the larger English-speaking Caribbean Community countries.

Elections based upon this kind of behaviour cannot be free and fair much less democratic.

The president must be aware that it is morally wrong to set out to fool the entire voting population and be caught doing so. This kind of disrespectful behaviour can only happen or be explained as a joke with minimal consequences when governments are unaccountable. In any case, I do not buy the cash flow explanation from a regime known for finding financing when it wants to.

It is more likely that after its reckless spending and questionable performance made it impossible for the last elections to be

considered democratic, it took heed and/or was advised that among other things, the unilateral payouts to buy votes that the president has become accustomed to is not democratic budgeting. For reference, his next-door neighbour, Suriname, has what constitutes more acceptable forms of both budgeting and sustainably predicable cash grants.

Yuletide is as good a time as any for us to briefly consider the future and the relationship between the many social and economic factors that have contributed to vote buying.

Firstly, many persons, even those living in what could be considered liberal democracies, view the entire content of 'democracy' as 'majority rule,' i.e., the most equitable, peaceful and effective means of managing society.

Even with this limited u n d e r s t a n d i n g , contemporary social pressure has forced autocrats to hold national elections, but they want us to believe that governments should be essentially judged by the amount of material outcomes they provide, i.e., sufficient food, infrastructure, leisure, etc, and equitable participation

in determining who rules is of secondary importance.

Thus, in the autocratic setting there are always relatively substantial policing arrangements to force compliance.

Of course, while a liberal representative democracy is an equitable means of determining who rules and indirectly drives the provision of society's material requirements, it is more importantly an expression of human freedom in the social setting.

Without it wants become the dominant factor, inequalities abound, the natural environment is ravaged, and human freedom is perennially and universally curtailed.

When one seeks to buy or sell votes one not only e n c o u r a g e s unaccountable/dictatorial governance such as we at present have in Guyana, but severely diminishes one's capacity to equitably contribute to the appropriate development and appreciation of the world in which one lives and for which, your fore-parents, not even appreciating the gravamen of their actions, fought and died.

Season's greetings.

Regards Dr. Henry Jeffrey

Monday December 22, 2025

Kaieteur News

PAGE 07

Kaieteur News

PAGE 08

Monday December 22, 2025

U.S. pursuing third oil tanker near Venezuela, officials say U.S. military personnel conduct an apron inspection near U.S. Marine Corps F-35B fighter jets at the former Roosevelt Roads naval base in Ceiba, Puerto Rico, December 19, 2025. REUTERS/Ricardo Arduengo (Reuters) - The U.S. Coast Guard is pursuing an oil tanker in international waters near Venezuela, officials told Reuters on Sunday, in what would be the second such operation this weekend and the third in less than two weeks if successful.

“The United States Coast Guard is in active pursuit of a sanctioned dark fleet vessel that is part of Venezuela’s illegal sanctions evasion,” a U.S. official said. “It is flying a false flag and under a judicial seizure order.”

Another official said the tanker was under sanctions, but added that it had not been boarded so far and that interceptions can take different forms — including by sailing or flying close to vessels of concern.

The officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, did not give a specific location for the operation or name the vessel being pursued.

British maritime risk management group Vanguard, along with a U.S. maritime security source, identified the vessel as Bella 1, a crude oil carrier that is on t h e Tr e a s u r y D e p a r t m e n t ’s sanctions list.

Bella 1 was empty when it was approaching Venezuela on Sunday, according to TankerTrackers.com.

The vessel had in 2021 provided transportation for Venezuela’s oil to China, according to internal documents from state company PDVSA. It had also previously carried Iranian crude, according to

the vessel monitoring service.

TRUMP’S PRESSURE CAMPAIGN The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Sunday.

U.S. President Donald Trump last week announced a “blockade” of all oil tankers under sanctions entering and leaving Venezuela.

Trump’s pressure campaign on Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has included a ramped-up military presence in the region and more than two dozen military strikes on vessels in the Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea near the South American nation. At least 100 people have been killed in the attacks.

The first two oil tankers seized

were operating on the black market and providing oil to countries under sanctions, Kevin Hassett, director of the White House’s National Economic Council, said in a television interview on Sunday.

“And so I don’t think that people need to be worried here in the U.S. that the prices are going to go up because of these seizures of these ships,” Hassett said on CBS’ “Face the Nation” program.

“There’s just a couple of them, and they were black market ships.”

But one oil trader told Reuters that the seizures may push oil prices slightly higher when Asian trading resumes on Monday.

“We might see prices increasing modestly at the opening,

considering market participants could see this as an escalation with more Venezuelan barrels at risk” because the tanker intercepted on Saturday was not under U.S. sanctions, UBS analyst Giovanni Staunovo said.

Another analyst said the seizures raise geopolitical risks and are likely to increase friction in the shadow fleet of vessels that move oil from sanctioned countries like Venezuela, Russia and Iran.

The seizures could legitimise and encourage Ukraine to continue attacking Russian vessels and possibly encourage Europe to detain Moscow-linked dark fleet vessels as well, said Matias Togni, oil shipping analyst at NextBarrel.

‘Gold boom, missing ounces’ - Opposition slams Govt. over declining declarations amid record prices

O

pposition Member of Parliament Dr. Terrence Campbell has launched a sharp attack on the government over years of falling gold declarations despite soaring global prices, accusing the administration of tolerating widespread under-declaration and turning a blind eye to gold smuggling.

Speaking at APNU’s weekly press conference on Friday, Campbell said the pattern of declining declarations during a historic gold price rally defies basic economic logic and would not have been accepted under an APNU-led government.

“During the period where the price of gold was going up, the declarations were falling. This is the kind of economics that I can’t comprehend,” Campbell said. This publication had reported that Guyana’s gold industry had experienced a steady decline in declarations between 2019 and 2023, falling by approximately 209,000 ounces, according to the Bank of Guyana’s annual reports.

However, 2024 saw a modest increase of 1,954 ounces— from

APNU Member of Parliament, Dr. Terrence Campbell 432,113 ounces in 2023 to 434,067 ounces in 2024. Despite the marginal rise in output, gold revenue for 2024 climbed to US$989.9 million, a US$180 million increase over the previous year, largely due to higher global gold prices.

Campbell pointed to figures between 2019 and 2024 to support his argument, noting that while international gold prices increased sharply, declarations moved in the opposite direction. Campbell stated that in 2019 the world market price

for gold was US$1,392 per ounce, with declarations of 641,828 ounces. He noted that by 2024, prices had climbed to about US$2,388 per ounce, but declarations though increased from the previous year, had dropped to approximately to 434,000 ounces.

“This is what has been happening with gold, and the government is aware of these figures. There is no way that APNU in charge of this country would have tolerated such a situation,” he said. The opposition MP also

accused the government of turning a blind eye to gold smuggling, alleging political links between smugglers and the ruling party.

“But a lot of the players who are involved in gold smuggling are supporters of the PPP and so the PPP government turns a blind eye to what is happening in the gold sector,” he said.

Further, Campbell argued that gold remains one of the most critical pillars of the economy and criticised what he described as the administration’s lack of urgency in addressing the issue. He also outlined that under the APNU government, an enforcement team operated within the Ministry of Natural Resources to address under-declaration and smuggling, warning that decisive action is unlikely under the current administration.

Notably, this year Guyana’s gold sector showed stronger signs

of recovery in the first half of 2025, with a 10.9% increase in output driven by higher declarations from Aurora Gold Mines and small- and medium-scale miners, according to the Mid-Year Report tabled in the National Assembly earlier this month. This year, the price per ounce of gold hit US$4,000 – for the first time in history.

For 2025, Minister of Natural Resources Vickram Bharrat had said the government is prioritising efforts to improve recovery rates among small and medium-scale miners, whose current recovery levels range between 40% and 45%; while the country’s only large-scale producer AGM has achieved recovery rates as high as 95%.

In August, this publication reported that Chinese state-owned Zijin Mining Group Co. Ltd., operating in Guyana through its Continued on page 12

Kaieteur News

Monday December 22, 2025

PAGE 09

How the government chose private profit over public good (The following column was only partly published yesterday due to the Printer's Devil. The full column is being published today.)

For many years, the sugar industry in Guyana has been in trouble. The company that runs it, GUYSUCO, loses a lot of money. Every year, the government uses billions of dollars from the people to keep it running. This is tax money that could build schools, fix roads, or help hospitals.

A plan was made years ago to fix the problems of sugar... It was a turnaround plan. The idea was simple.

GUYSUCO needed to stop losing money. It needed to break even. To do this, the plan focused on two main things.

First, it aimed to lower the cost of producing our traditional sugar. Second, and very importantly, it aimed to create new ways for GUYSUCO to earn money.

These are called revenue streams.

The plan was not a secret. It centered on smart, modern projects. One major idea was co-generation of electricity. The waste from sugar cane, called bagasse, could be burned to produce power. GUYSUCO could then sell this electricity to the national grid. This would

bring in steady cash.

Another idea was to move beyond raw sugar. The plan was for GUYSUCO to produce value-added sugars.

This means packaged sugars for supermarkets. Think of the white sugar you buy in a sealed bag at the store. That bag sells for more than the raw bulk sugar GUYSUCO usually exports. There were also plans to produce molasses. And possibly even to start a rum distillery. Rum is a high-value product.

The goal was clear. Use these new projects to create new income. Combine that income with lower production costs. This mix would allow GUYSUCO to stand on its own feet. It would help the thousands of workers who depend on it. It was a practical plan for a public company.

Given this plan, a recent government decision is shocking. It is, I daresay, disgraceful.

We have learned that the government has given permission to a private company. This company will be allowed to produce white, packaged sugar right here in Guyana. This is exactly the kind of value-added product the turnaround plan mentioned for GUYSUCO. Just why was GUYSUCO not allowed this b e n efit? It is unexplainable.

It is inexplicable.

Think about the situation. GUYSUCO is owned by the state. It is bankrolled by the people's money. It racks up losses year after year.

The government says it wants to help the industry.

Yet here was a golden opportunity. White sugar production is a moneyspinning opportunity. It is more profitable than raw sugar.

Instead of handing this opportunity to the struggling p u b l i c e n t i t y, t h e government gave it away.

They handed control of this higher-value product to a private firm. They chose a private business over the people's business.

This is a direct blow to the sugar industry. It takes a key revenue stream away from GUYSUCO. It makes the path to breaking even m u c h h a r d e r, i f n o t impossible.

And to add insult to injury, Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo has defended this decision. He has the temerity to try and explain away this betrayal.

The decision to allow a private company, rather than Guysuco, to produce sugar contradicts a major promise made by the PPPC in its 2025 Manifesto. The Stabroek News of August 24, 2025 quoted the PPPC's Manifesto as stating: “Over

DEM BOYS SEH

Noise nuisance?

We can't hear yuh!

Dem boys hear people complaining 'bout noise nuisance all over de place. But hold on! We love noise so much, we could feel compelled to up de volume.

When yuh go to a wedding or party, yuh can't even hear yourself think, much less have a decent conversation. De DJ playing music like he trying to wake up de ancestors, and we just dancing like we in a trance.

Even wake house now, yuh does gat to be on the lookout because some people does hire big music set fuh de last night. And don't get we started on de house parties!

Yuh know dem neighbors who feel like dem is de next big thing in music? Dem blasting tunes so loud, even de cockroaches in de pantry have to hold on to something to keep from vibrating outta de house. Yuh know dem people who open de windows to “let in some fresh air,” but all dat does come in is a cacophony of bass that shakes de neighbors' dishes. Is like a competition for who could make de loudest racket, and we all playing!

But wait! De real culprits are drivers of cars with massive stereo systems. Ah tell yuh, dem speakers could probably blow de roof off de car! Yuh driving along, minding yuh own business, when suddenly, yuh hear

a sound so loud it could wake de dead. Is like dey have a personal vendetta against silence.

Yuh in yuh car, trying to catch a lil' peace, and here come Mr. I-Love-To-Distract-Yuh, rattling your eardrums like maracas at a carnival.

And don't forget about de CPL cricket matches! Yuh go to de game, expecting some chill vibes, and all yuh get is horns blowing and fans shouting louder than de players. If yuh want to have a chat with yuh buddy next to yuh, yuh practically have to scream like yuh in a horror movie! “What's dat, man?!” “I can't hear yuh! Is it de crowd or de sound system?”

Yet, in de midst of all dis, we have de nerve to complain 'bout noise nuisance? We love noise more than we love our own peace of mind! If it ain't music blaring, is de sound of hammers hammering, or de neighbors arguing over who borrowed who's lawn mower and never returned it. So, what's de fuss all about? We can't have our cake and eat it too! If we love de noise so much, we might as well embrace it. Is like de loudness is part of our culture now, like curry and roti.

So, next time yuh hear someone hollering about noise nuisance, just smile.

Talk half. Leff half

the next five years, we will: Ensure the sugar industry remains open and sugar workers remain employed.

Con-tinue to convert our fields for strategic mechanisation. Modernise our factories, and invest in value-added production such as packaged refined, and specialty sugars.”

The PPPC is barely into one hundred days of its new term. And it has already broken a major Manifesto promise.

This decision to allow a private firm to benefit from the production of valueadded sugar, confirms what has long been said about the PPPC government. It shows they are all for the bourgeois class. That means they favor the wealthy business owners.

Here the government

was handed a perfect chance.

They could have done something real for sugar.

They could have helped GUYSUCO become stronger. They could have secured jobs for sugar workers. They could have used a profitable venture to save a national industry.

Instead, they deferred to the propertied class. They turned their back on the public's own company.

What is the message here? It seems to be that losses are for the public to bear. The government will spend billions to cover GUYSUCO's debts. But profits? Profits are for private enterprises. When a chance to make real money appears, it is taken from the public and given to the private.

This is not how you save

an industry. This is how you kill it slowly.

This government decision steals that future. It breaks the promise of the plan. It betrays the sugar workers. It betrays the Guyanese people who fund this failing company. It is a disgraceful choice that puts private profit firmly ahead of the public good.

(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of this newspaper.)

Kaieteur News

PAGE 10 S

UTH

D TR

HAR

HK

BY G

LALL

Monday December 2025 Monday May 02,22, 2022

H@RD TRUTHS

BY GHK LALL

Bharrat Jagdeo, the magnificent seven himself I read that the PPP Cincinnati Kid is back looking not his usual worsefor-wear self, but better than he ever did. I am humbly referring to the one and only, the master prevaricator, the ruling party’s all-purpose cleanup man, Dr. Bharrat “The Big Boss” Jagdeo.

Because he means so much to the PPP Govt, Jagdeo represents so many, ah, clashing elements of noble Guyanese leadership, it is better to report that lost PPP masses see in his grand personage the Return of the Magnificent Seven.

On behalf of the PPP lonely hearts club, please be more considerate next time. Don’t stay away that long; a month is a lifetime in politics, gives others’ ideas.

First things first. It’s good to hear from his own mouth that he wasn’t sick, but is as well as, well, one of

those Exxon wells that reports a discovery, but no oil. It is healthy that sickness is out, never was a concern.

Very good! Now, I didn’t want to go near a dark place, but he was the one who brought it up and had a wonderful time. I know that the FBI is here, and snooping around.

Hence, I come flat out and put something before all Guyanese: It couldn’t be, could it, that the month-long absence of Guyana’s former p r e s i d e n t , n o w Vi c e President, Bharrat Jagdeo, was spending time answering questions from the FBI? The hottest issue around is gold smuggling, and Jagdeo has been around since the late 1990s. The targets themselves have disclosed how much they gave to the PPP, and how close they were to its top brass, going all the way back

to Cheddi Jagan. I think if his absence had some relation to hush-hush meetings with the FBI, then that says a lot. He must know something about gold smuggling, especially as it relates to the nearness and highly probable involvement of numerous PPP principals.

Having piqued some interest with that FBI nugget, I move on to areas more local.

What is the PPP without Bharrat Jagdeo? What could it be? A shambolic affair, if anyone wants to know.

When Mr. Magnificent Seven hogs the ministerial space and public spotlight, the others stay stunted.

What would the PPP be with Dr. Irfaan Ali in charge?

Given his stewardship of Guyana, the party’s reins shouldn’t be trusted to his hands; a recipe for more misplaced exuberance, juvenile gyrations. He did

show some grooves in the dancing department when some Jamaicans belted out a jam. When Guyanese need a p r o d u c e r, t h e y g e t a performer. When they need a Christmas hamper, they have to be content with a Facebook announcer. The good news is in January; wait for the budget, which means that relief arrives by late March.

Well, not so fast, for there was Dr. Jagdeo returning like the charging Magnificent Seven (in one) and setting the record straight.

A condition. Guyanese now have to earn their way.

Politicians in Guyana have earned their way a certain w a y, n o t t h e m o s t wholesome, but there was the vice president lecturing the faithful, adding his earning qualifier. See what I mean about the Big Man’s incomparable value! Exxon hustled its way to a one-sided

contract that capsizes this c o u n t r y, b u t J a g d e o informs locals that they have to earn their rewards. What has this oil come to: American Airlines’ frequent flyer mileage points?

Marriot bonus dollars for staying with them in Kingston? I have a question for the vice president, then Guyanese generally: when has any politician earned his pay in this country? Name one. Go ahead, make my day. For crying out loud!

The things that politicians in the driver’s seat come up with are enough to transform this country into a national lunatic asylum. It is already, isn’t it?

Finally, and for the record, it is delightful to have Dr. Jagdeo back.

What would Thursday afternoons be without him? How would the conversation be over the weekends in the rum-shops and high-end entertainment

complexes, given his contributions to politically correct and inspiring content? Where there is no need for parental guidance.

There is a long trail of a man at war with the world at frenzied decibels, (Exxon and corrupt PPP cabals exempted) in his efforts to redirect Guyanese attention away from PPP sleazes and sicknesses around the people’s money. Now noise nuisance is back, and look from whose corner again.

Hail Bharrat Jagdeo, it’s The Return of the Magnificent Seven in person. Seven superstars under one hat.

Crab dance time.

(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of this newspaper.)

Mother loses baby and womb...

From page 2 because for her Athena would have been her last child. That was the last thing Chetram remembered. The next thing Chetram recalled is the doctors pinching her and asking if she was alright.

After she responded, they took her to the recovery room. As the medication started wearing off, Chetram was eager to see her baby but she was notified by a pediatrician that there were complications during the process and Athena was being treated.

The pediatrician then asked for a contact for a close relative.

“She left and she go away and then I started crying because when she tell duh all kind of thing start going through me head”, Chetram said while adding, “because all the time I saying I want this C-section but the delay of the time duh is wa I say the delay it cause duh” Her heart would be broken even further when the pediatrician returned a second time this time with the news that Chetram did not want to hear. “She turn and say Ms. Chetram, baby just passed away. When she said that like I didn’t have words anymore fuh say because I start crying”, Chetram recalled. Although Chetram has children she was left distraught not only because she lost her child but because it was her husband’s

first baby. “And it does hurt me fuh know now that he can’t get that vision that he always wanted, is something that would a really make he happy. I know that fuh sure,” she said before recalling the moment he first laid eyes on their dead daughter. “When he see he daughter he couldn’t a really hold it in when see he daughter for the first time” S t i l l i n r e c o v e r y, Chetram began seeking answers because she believes that had the doctors granted her request then things would have turned out differently.

During a meeting with the maternity department, Chetram said she was told that the hospital was only following legal protocols when the doctors turned down her request for a CSection. “First thing you have to know is that in any system in the world especially in the Caribbean and Guyana we don’t do csection based on maternal request- what does that mean, it means a patient cannot come and say they want c-section, A C-section must get an indication,” Chetram recalled being told by an official of the department. She was told that there was no indication at the time that she needed a C-Section and the time she spent in labour was normal.

“So, what the doctors do in

order to get a c-section you had to see whether there was a problem with baby or there was a problem with mom,” the official further explained, according to Chetram adding “As long as the tracing we do for baby is correct we call it a category one meaning the baby heart is good normal and beating through the labour and so forth. We cannot take a patient just like that to do a c-section.”

The GPHC, however, maintains that it followed all legal protocols and prioritised saving Chetram’s life after complications arose. “The best thing would have been to save your life, so it turned into lifesaving surgery,” the head of GPHC’s maternity department told Chetram.

The hospital is also maintaining that in Chetram’s case she was always at risk of losing her womb because she was a Grand multiparity patient. A Grand multiparity describes a patient who has given birth five or more times and according the GPHC Maternity Department Head Chetram was at risk. “So that is a risk factor for that patient meaning the (uterus) muscle when it goes through so much delivery so much labour it gets tainted it doesn’t have the tone and same consistency and so forth like that”, the head of the maternity unit explained.

Monday December 22, 2025

Kaieteur News

PAGE 11

GDF rebuilds 200 roofs in hurricane-hit Jamaica Members of the Guyana Defence Force during the construction of 200 roofs in Jamaica.

The Guyana Defence Force (GDF) has completed the rebuilding of 200 homes roofs in Jamaica destroyed

by Hurricane Melissa, fulfilling a commitment made by President Dr. Irfaan Ali as part of Guyana’s regional humanitarian response.

The announcement was made on Sunday via a statement posted on the P r e s i d e n t ’s o ff i c i a l Facebook page. During a visit to hurricane-affected communities in Jamaica last month, President Ali pledged to assist with the reconstruction of 200 roofs, in addition to relief supplies already dispatched to the island.

That commitment was honoured through the deployment of GDF engineers to the hard-hit Westmoreland as part of a major regional response led

by Guyana.

Nearly one million Jamaicans were affected by Hurricane Melissa, with more than 150,000 homes damaged or destroyed. The scale of devastation has placed immense pressure on Jamaica’s recovery efforts, with the storm causing an estimated US$8 billion to US$8.8 billion in physical losses. According to the World Bank and the InterAmerican Development

Bank (IDB), this represents approximately 41 percent of J a m a i c a ’s 2 0 2 4 G D P, making Melissa the costliest hurricane in the country’s recorded history.

During a high-level CARICOM tour on November 17, 2025, Presdient Ali had said the devastation in Westmoreland and St. James was indescribable. He said only an on-the-ground visit reveals the magnitude of the crisis. “You have to be here to see this devastation. There are no words,” Ali said. “But the resilience and strength of the Jamaican people tell you everything about the Jamaican spirit.”

As part of Guyana’s broader relief mobilisation, President Ali said additional manpower, equipment, food, water, tarpaulins, building materials, chainsaws, generators, and storage tanks would be sent to Jamaica. He stressed that the most urgent priority was the rapid completion of the first 200 roof repairs, a target that has now been achieved. “We want to move very quickly to have 200 roofs completely redone, starting right here in this community,” President Ali said at the time. “Prime Minister Holness has set a tight schedule to get everyone under some form of shelter before Christmas,

WANTED

and we will support that fully.”

A Global Rapid Damage Estimation (GRADE) assessment conducted

immediately after the hurricane evaluated impacts across residential, nonresidential, infrastructure, and agricultural sectors.

Preliminary findings indicated that 41 percent of the damage was to residential buildings, 33 percent to infrastructure, 21

percent to non-residential buildings, and 5 percent to agriculture, including livestock and related infrastructure.

PAGE 12

Kaieteur News

Monday December 22, 2025

GNIC earns top maritime honour as terminal of the year runner-up The Guyana National Industrial Company Incorporated (GNIC) has been recognised as “RunnerUp – Terminal of the Year 2025.”

GNIC received the award at the Guyana Shipping A s s o c i a t i o n ’s A n n u a l Awards Ceremony held on December 16, at the Guyana Marriott Hotel.

GNIC deems the award to be a moment that underscores its continued focus on safe, efficient and customercentred terminal operations.

Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of GNIC, Gobin Persaud welcomed the award as an affirmation of the team’s culture of excellence. In his remarks, Persaud said, “I wish to offer congratulations to the management and staff of GNIC on being awarded Runner-up - Terminal of Year 2025 by the Shipping Association of Guyana. This recognition is a clear

Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of GNIC Mr. Gobin Persaud (left) accepts the award from Vice Chairman of the Shipping Association of Guyana, Mr. Allan Newark testament to the team’s professionalism, operational excellence, teamwork and unwavering commitment to quality service within Guyana’s Maritime and Logistics sector.”

“Achievements like this reflect the hard work behind the scenes, long hours, disciplined operations and a shared dedication to continuous improvement.

Well done to the entire GNIC family. Continue to raise the bar and set standards of excellence for the industry,” he added.

The company noted that this recognition reflects its ongoing investments in operational discipline, HSSE performance, equipment readiness, and people development, all of which are cornerstones that support the company’s role in Guyana’s Maritime and Logistics ecosystem and its broader national development trajectory.

It should be noted that GNIC’s work spans critical services that support national

commerce and industry, including terminal and stevedoring operations as well as shipbuilding, ship repairs and engineering support.

“As GNIC celebrates this award, the company acknowledges the dedication of its employees and the valued relationships with customers, regulatory partners, shipping agents, and the wider maritime community who help drive higher standards across the sector,” the company said.

With roots dating back to the 1840s, GNIC in a release said it is honoured to have provided outstanding service to Guyana for more than 180 years and will continue to raise the bar for quality and excellence in the years ahead. The company also underscored its commitment to serving customers with dignity and unwavering commitment, delivering consistent value through reliable operations, safe execution, and responsive service.

‘Gold boom, missing...

From page 8 subsidiary AGM Inc., earned RMB1.4789 billion (over US$200 million) from the Aurora Gold Mine during the first half of 2025. The company’s interim report valued the mine’s total assets at RMB4.5287 billion and disclosed that it produced 2,039 kilograms (over 71,000 ounces) of gold between January and June. Zijin stated that Aurora’s output contributed to the 41,186 kilograms of gold produced across its global operations, marking a 16% increase over the same period last year. The company also noted that a technological upgrade was completed at the Guyana operation.

The Aurora Gold Project, located in Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni), is wholly owned by AGM and remains Guyana’s only large-scale gold mine currently in production.

It holds estimated reserves of 184 tonnes (approximately six million ounces) of gold. The Cuyuni-Mazaruni district also hosts several other large-scale developments, including the 5.4 million-ounce Toroparu Gold Project, the 5.4 millionounce Oko West Gold Project, and the 2.1 million-ounce Omai Gold Project, all controlled by Canadian companies.

Monday December 22, 2025

Kaieteur News

PAGE 13

Kaieteur News

PAGE 14

Monday December 22, 2025

Israeli energy firm moves closer to Guyana’s offshore - as Navitas meets Govt. on Orinduik Block deal

M

inister of N a t u r a l Resources Vickram Bharrat has met with Gideon Tadmor, the Chairman of Navitas Petroleum, the Israeli company that has signed an agreement with Canadian exploration company Eco (Atlantic) Oil & Gas Ltd. to enter the Orinduik Block offshore Guyana.

Tadmor and his team from Navitas alongside Eco Atlantic Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Gil Holzman recently held discussions with Minister Bharrat. “As part of the strategic partnership between ECO and Navitas Petroleum, Eco were delighted to welcome a delegation of the senior management team of Navitas to Georgetown, Guyana this week to meet key stakeholders, service providers, and visit the shore base,” Eco Atlantic said.

Holzman had disclosed that the meeting with government should bring clarity on the work programme and appraisal plan for Orinduik. “We believe this partnership paves the way for our planned exploration and

The Orinduik Block

appraisal programmes on the b l o c k t o w a r d s commercialisation, which will be carried and operated

by Navitas, and will serve as

a high-impact catalyst for the company,” Eco’s CEO had stated.

Earlier this month, it was announced that Eco entered a

From left: Eco Atlantic Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Gil Holzman, Minister of Natural Resources Vickram Bharrat and Chairman of Navitas Petroleum Gideon Tadmor.

binding framework agreement and two option agreements with Navitas Petroleum for the Orinduik Block and Block 1 CBK offshore South Africa.

Navitas will pay an initial US$2 million to secure the two option agreements.

The Canadian firm has been in talks with prospective partners for some time in relation to the farm-in of the Orinduik Block, for the next phase of exploration. The Orinduik option grants Navitas the right, within 12 months and upon paying an additional US$2.5 million, to farm-in to

the Orinduik Block and taking up 80 per cent working interest and operatorship.

It was e x p l a i n e d t h a t E c o ’s remaining 20 per cent share will be fully carried for upcoming work, including drilling an exploration well or appraising the Jethro-1 and Joe-1 heavy oil discoveries.

Also, the Orinduik carry is capped at US$11 million net to Eco, excluding mobilisation costs.

Eco has been assessing its Jethro-1 and Joe-1 discoveries, which are located in the lower and

upper tertiary formations of the Orinduik Block. Both contain heavy oil, and Eco had been conducting further analysis to determine whether development is feasible.

The company previously noted that the proximity of the Orinduik Block finds to ExxonMobil Guyana Limited’s Stabroek Block, where the Government of Guyana recently approved a Petroleum Production License (PPL) for Exxon’s seventh project (Hammerhead) has renewed its interest in the Jethro discovery.

Kaieteur News

Monday December 22, 2025

‘Wakenaam will not be left behind’ - Pres. Ali unveils major investments for Island’s development President Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali has reaffirmed the government’s commitment to inclusive, people-centred development, assuring residents of Wakenaam that the island will not be left behind under the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) administration.

Addressing a gathering during a government outreach on the island last Thursday, President Ali thanked residents for their strong support in the recent elections and said the resounding mandate places a responsibility on the government to deliver tangible improvements to people’s lives.

“We are going to invest in you, the people.

Regardless of where you live, Wakenaam, Leguan or anywhere else, you must have access to good quality services, safe communities, healthcare and real d e v e l o p m e n t a l opportunities,” the President affirmed.

The president pointed to the transformation seen over the last five years, noting that increased land values, improved educational outcomes, expanded agricultural support and upgraded infrastructure are the direct result of sustained government investment and renewed confidence in the island’s economy.

Noting that development must go beyond words, President Ali said, “We have shown you our love not by talk, but by investment, by bringing real, tangible development to this island and every community.” The head of state announced a series of initiatives aimed at accelerating growth, including the completion of the island’s main roads and bridges, the development of a comprehensive drainage plan, and stricter oversight of contractors to ensure the timely delivery of projects.

He emphasised that contracts will be terminated for contractors who do not perform. Major investments were also outlined for healthcare, agriculture, energy and transportation.

By the end of January, Wakenaam is expected to have a dedicated ambulance service, while farmers will benefit from digitally enabled agricultural extension services,

President Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali including AI-supported advisory systems. Plans are also in place to bring the island’s solar farm fully online, paving the way for reduced electricity costs.

On transportation, President Ali announced improvements to ferry services, including the deployment of a new ferry and the return of the Hercules to serve Wakenaam and Leguan, with a fixed and published schedule to support farmers, commuters and economic activity.

“We are a government that does not hide from issues. We confront them, we deal with them, because you must know that we have your back,” he stated. The president also highlighted upcoming investments in public safety, including street lighting, a safe-city camera system, and the establishment of a landfill

site to improve sanitation and environmental management.

President Ali said the outreach reflects the g o v e r n m e n t ’s b r o a d e r philosophy of putting people at the centre of development, supported by digitised systems that track and resolve citizens’ concerns.

He noted that more than 8,000 issues raised by residents in Region Three between 2020 and 2025 were successfully resolved.

As the engagement concluded, the President urged residents to continue working with the government to build a stronger, more prosperous Wakenaam. “Together, we will continue the heavy lifting. This is what the People’s Progressive Party Civic has always been about building a country that puts people first.” (DPI)

PAGE 15

PAGE 16

Kaieteur News

Monday December 22, 2025

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WASHINGTON, Dec 21 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump is preparing for a more aggressive immigration crackdown in 2026 with billions in new funding, including by raiding more workplaces — even as backlash builds ahead of next year’s midterm elections.

Trump has already surged immigration agents into major U.S. cities, where they swept through neighbourhoods and clashed with residents. While federal agents this year conducted some high-profile raids on businesses, they largely avoided raiding farms, factories and other businesses that are economically important but known to employ immigrants without legal status.

ICE and Border Patrol will get $170 billion in additional funds through September 2029 - a huge surge of funding over their existing annual budgets of about $19 billion after the Republican-controlled Congress passed a massive spending package in July. Administration officials say they plan to hire thousands more agents, open new detention centers, pick up more immigrants in local jails and partner with outside companies to track down people without legal status.

The expanded deportation plans come despite growing signs of political backlash ahead of next year’s midterm elections.

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U.S. federal agents smash a car window while trying to detain a man during an immigration raid, after U.S. President Donald Trump ordered increased federal law enforcement presence to assist in crime prevention, in Chicago, Illinois, U.S., December 17, 2025. REUTERS/Jim Vondruska/File Photo tion to the president. Other local elections and polling have suggested rising concern among voters wary of aggressive immigration tactics.

“People are beginning to see this not as an immigration question anymore as much as it is a violation of rights, a violation of due process and militarising neighbourhoods extraconstitutionally,” said Mike Madrid, a moderate Republican political strategist.

“There is no question that is a problem for the president and Republicans.”

Trump’s overall approval rating on immigration policy fell from 50% in March, before he launched crackdowns in several major U.S. cities, to 41% in mid-December, for what had been his strongest issue. Rising public unease has focused on masked federal agents using aggressive tactics such as deploying tear gas in residential neighborhoods and detaining U.S. citizens.

‘NUMBERS WILL EXPLODE’ In addition to expanding enforcement actions, Trump has stripped hundreds of thousands of Haitian, Venezuelan and Afghan immigrants of temporary legal status, expanding the pool of people who could be deported as the president promises to remove 1 million immigrants each year – a goal he almost certainly will miss this year. So far, some 622,000 immigrants have been deported since Trump took office in January. said to show the U.S. intercepting an oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela in international waters.

White House border czar Tom Homan told Reuters Trump had delivered on his promise of a historic deportation operation and removing criminals while shutting down illegal immigration across the U.S.-Mexico border. Homan said the number

of arrests will increase sharply as ICE hires more officers and expands detention capacity with the new funding.

“I think you’re going to see the numbers explode greatly next year,” Homan said.

Homan said the plans “absolutely” include more enforcement actions at workplaces.

Sarah Pierce, director of social policy at the center-left group Third Way, said U.S. businesses have been reluctant to push back on Trump’s immigration crackdown in the past year but could be prompted to speak up if the focus turns to employers.

Pierce said it will be interesting to see “whether or not businesses finally stand up to this administration.”

Trump, a Republican, recaptured the White House promising record levels of deportations, saying it was needed after years of high levels of illegal immigration under his Democratic predecessor, Joe Biden.

He kicked off a campaign that dispatched federal agents to U.S. cities in search of possible immigration offenders, sparking protests and lawsuits over racial profiling and violent tactics. Some businesses shut down to avoid raids or because of a lack of customers. Parents vulnerable to arrest kept their children home from school or had neighbors walk them. Some U.S. citizens started carrying passports.

Despite the focus on criminals in its public statements, government data shows that the Trump administration has been arresting more people who have not been charged with any crimes beyond their alleged immigration violations than previous administrations.

Some 41% of the roughly 54,000 people arrested by ICE and detained by late November had no criminal record beyond a suspected immigra-

tion violation, agency figures show. In the first few weeks in January, before Trump took office, just 6% of those arrested and detained by ICE were not facing charges for other crimes or previously convicted.

The Trump administration has taken aim at legal immigrants as well. Agents have arrested spouses of U.S. citizens at their green card interviews, pulled people from certain countries out of their naturalization ceremonies, moments before they were to become citizens, and revoked thousands of student visas.

Line chart showing people with no criminal conviction or pending criminal charges have surpassed other groups in ICE custody.

PLANS TO TARGET EMPLOYERS The administration’s planned focus on job sites in the coming year could generate many more arrests and affect the U.S. economy and Republican-leaning business owners.

Replacing immigrants arrested during workplace raids could lead to higher labor costs, undermining Trump’s fight against inflation, which analysts expect to be a major issue in the closely watched November elections, determining control of Congress.

Administration officials earlier this year exempted such businesses from enforcement on Trump’s orders, then quickly reversed, Reuters reported at the time.

Some immigration hardliners have called for more workplace enforcement.

“Eventually you’re going to have to go after these employers,” said Jessica Vaughan, policy director for the Center for Immigration Studies, which backs lower levels of immigration. “When that starts happening the employers will start cleaning up their acts on their own.”

Monday December 22, 2025

Kaieteur News

PAGE 17

Regional leaders rebuke Kamla over attack on CARICOM A

wave of sharp criticism from regional leaders has followed Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar’s blistering attack on the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), igniting one of the most serious public rifts the regional bloc has faced in years.

Persad-Bissessar on Saturday described CARICOM as “not a reliable partner at this time” after the United States announced partial entry restrictions on nationals of Antigua and Barbuda and Dominica on 16 December.

In a media statement, she made clear that Trinidad and Tobago was not party to a CARICOM Bureau statement expressing concern over the US action.

The Prime Minister argued that sovereign states must accept the consequences of their foreign and domestic policy decisions and defended Washington’s move as a measured response to Citizenship by Investment programmes operated by Antigua and Dominica. “CARICOM cannot continue to operate in this dysfunctional and selfd e s t r u c t i v e m a n n e r, ” Persad-Bissessar said. She highlighted what she described as poor management, lax accountability, factional divisions, destabilising policies, and inappropriate meddling in domestic politics by some member states. The Prime Minister added that the organisation’s support for the Maduro regime in Venezuela, which has been accused of human rights violations and threats against CARICOM members, further undermines its credibility.

However, Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda, Gaston Browne

on Sunday in response to a Persad-Bissessar said his country respects the sovereign right of CARICOM members to conduct bilateral relations but expects the same respect for its own engagements with the United States.

Prime Minister Browne addressed assertions that CARICOM is an unreliable partner.

He cited trade data from 2024 showing Trinidad and Tobago earned more than $1.1 billion in foreign exchange from the region.

According to Prime Minister Browne, Trinidad and Tobago maintains the only net positive trade balance in the Community.

He noted that CARICOM states forwent $142.7 million in customs revenue in 2024 to support Trinidad and Tobago manufacturing through the Common External Tariff. Regarding regional stability, Prime Minister Browne stated that CARICOM security mechanisms and intelligence sharing remain essential pillars for addressing crime in Trinidad and Tobago.

He emphasised that Antigua and Barbuda supports these collective efforts. Prime Minister Browne rejected claims that Antigua and Barbuda leaders spoke negatively about the United States. He stated no evidence exists for the assertion and cited ongoing cooperation on security, immigration, and multilateral matters. Prime Minister Browne concluded that regional consultation is not disloyalty and that interdependence remains valuable to the Caribbean.

Meanwhile, former T&T Prime Minister Dr. Keith Rowley said that since Independence in 1962 he has not seen a leader he

regards as more unpatriotic or incompetent. He said he also has not encountered a statement from a national leader that he considers more offensive to Trinidad and Tobago’s sovereign right to agree or disagree on matters affecting the country and its interests.

Rowley accused Prime Minister Persad-Bissessar and her administration of r e d u c i n g Tr i n i d a d a n d To b a g o t o w h a t h e described as a vassal state.

He alleged that the government is taking instructions from another country and warning citizens that the country must behave in order to avoid consequences such as restrictions on access to United States visas.

According to the former P r i m e M i n i s t e r, s u c h actions amount to a rejection of the Constitution and a denial of the legitimacy of Trinidad and Tobago as a sovereign nation.

He said the approach undermines the idea that the c o u n t r y ’s e x i s t e n c e warrants defence or vision by its leaders. The statement also addressed Trinidad and Tobago’s role within the Caribbean Community. Former Prime Minister Dr. Rowley said the public withdrawal from CARICOM matters and decisions places the country in a position he characterised as dangerous.

He suggested that this stance is motivated by expectations of protection or reward from the United States. Former Prime Minister Dr Rowley further criticised Prime Minister Persad-Bissessar for actions he said followed a recent general election in which she received a s p e c i a l m a j o r i t y. H e referred to increased security measures in the

'Stolen in the dead of...

From page 6 guidance from the Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission (GLSC). He noted that these measures are critical to the development and expansion of cattle production in Enmore and across the East Coast of Demerara. GLDA Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Dwight Waldron, also addressed challenges related

to slaughtering practices and compliance with the law.

“One of the issues we've been having with the police is accepting animals destined for slaughter with fresh brands.

That is a major no-no because it complicates things for the farmers. When you look at the Act, that is a violation.

The other area is the

aspect of pre-approval before slaughter, and again, the Act is clear. All animals should have the ante-mortem inspection, which is issued by the GLDA, before any animal is slaughtered. This is where our officers would be able to identify the farmer based on what is in the database and can track it from there,” Dr. Waldron said.

country and alleged that the Prime Minister has not addressed the population to explain agreements made with United States authorities. He also said the Prime Minister has declined to appear before local media to answer questions about her decisions and policies. Former Prime Minister Dr. Rowley stated that the Prime Minister has described public concern and questioning as antiAmerican. In closing, Former Prime Minister Dr. Rowley expressed concern about the country’s future.

He said there is hope that the situation will change but indicated that, based on current circumstances, the outlook is uncertain.

Former Foreign Affairs Minister of Trinidad and To b a g o a n d c u r r e n t opposition senator, Amery Browne said since very early in this term of office Persad-Bissessar made it clear that she has taken on an assignment to divide and destroy CARICOM. “She has refused to participate in key meetings of the C o m m u n i t y, s h e h a s a b a n d o n e d h e r responsibilities in the CARICOM quasi-Cabinet, she has resiled from official CARICOM statements, and she has deliberately misconstrued and denigrated fundamental CARICOM principles such as the Zone of Peace amongst Caribbean nations,” Browne noted.

He said this latest attack on CARICOM by the Prime Minister represents a new low point for her as the Head of Government of one of the founding member states of our regional f a m i l y. “ H e r a n t i CARICOM rant is erratic, i n f l a m m a t o r y, f u l l o f baseless rhetoric and even includes a paragraph that portends to publicly “explain”, in a most misleading and self-serving manner, a US position to CARICOM leaders on behalf of the United States of America.

Her audacity can never be mistaken for prudence.”

Browne said it is now extremely important that “our citizens make it clear that Kamla PersadBissessar is not speaking to CARICOM on behalf of the T r i n i d a d a n d To b a g o society. Her rants do not

Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister, Kamla Persad-Bissessar convey our national standards, values, and principles. The exporters of our good and services to other CARICOM member states do not share her views, and they deserve better. No one voted for these unhinged declarations

by Kamla Persad-Bissessar. “ Browne said “the “unreliable” partner in this region is her, not the rest of CARICOM. The question has to be again asked, who is advising the Prime Minister to communicate in such a bombastic manner?

What good does she believe the people of Trinidad and Tobago could derive from her repeated attacks on CARICOM? Whose interest is this Prime Minister seeking by undermining CARICOM in such a frenzied manner?”

But Trinidad and To b a g o M e m b e r o f Parliament Barry Padarath in a statement Sunday supporting PersadBissessar stated the government stands with their prime minister as she confronts national security challenges.

He said the Prime Minister is demonstrating that diplomacy involves bold leadership and strategic alliances rather than passive observation.

Padarath criticised Dr. Rowley, stating he should remain in retirement. He alleged Rowley spent ten years using Caricom to advance personal interests.

Padarath described Caricom as a forum that must address gun trafficking, drug trafficking, and human trafficking.

H e s t a t e d t h e government will not support tyranny or despotism.

According to the statement, Persad-Bissessar is redefining foreign policy through actions intended to provide security and

economic benefits.

Padarath claimed these actions address issues resulting from ten years of PNM administration. The statement noted that regional solidarity is not defined by viewing the Caribbean as a zone of peace. Padarath said the Prime Minister is establishing a “Trinidad and Tobago first” position.

Persad-Bissessar on Saturday insisted that Trinidad and Tobago will put its national interest first, asserting that CARICOM will not determine the country’s future.

“The citizens of our country will choose our path,” she said, framing the dispute as a test of national sovereignty and regional solidarity.

Her statement comes after a public exchange of criticism within Trinidad and Tobago. Former Prime Minister Stuart Young had accused Persad-Bissessar of harming CARICOM and undermining bilateral relations with the US, calling her government’s handling of the matter “disturbing” and “flippant.”

Former Foreign Affairs and CARICOM Minister Amery Browne echoed the criticism, describing Persad-Bissessar as “unprincipled” and accusing her of using public rhetoric to suppress dissent and evade accountability.

Persad-Bissessar defended her position, asserting that the Trinidad and Tobago government maintains its own independent foreign p o l i c y, s e p a r a t e f r o m C A R I C O M ’s p o l i t i c a l ideologies or security and economic policies. She said that the US restrictions should be seen as consequences of the actions of other nations, and reiterated the need for transparency and honesty in evaluating CARICOM’s role as a regional body.

Kaieteur News

PAGE 18

Monday December 22, 2025

Bombs as Billboards: How Gaza became

Israel's showroom for global arms sales (ALJAZEERA) Israeli arms companies made record-high revenues last year, as weapons manufacturers market some of their products as “battletested” after their deployment in Israel's genocidal war against the Palestinian people in Gaza.

Israel's defence exports increased 13 percent in 2024 compared with the previous year to a record of almost $15bn, dominated by missiles, rockets and airdefence systems, the Israeli government said in a statement in June.

More than half the deliveries in 2024 went to European militaries, while other shipments went to countries in the Asia Pacific region, led by India.

Israel is one of the top 10 arms-exporting countries in the world. The increase in revenues last year came as Israel faced allegations of genocide in a case brought

by South Africa at the International Court of

Justice (ICJ), while the International Criminal Court has issued arrest warrants for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant for alleged war crimes. “Israel sells the idea of getting away with it,” Antony Loewenstein, author of The Palestine Laboratory: How Israel Exports the Technology of Occupation Around the World, told Al Jazeera.

“There is a very great appeal of that to many other nations.”

Shir Hever, an Israeli arms trade specialist, said that the countries that import Israeli weapons are aware that their action is “illegal”.

Hever told Al Jazeera: “[Buyers] know that a genocide is taking place, and third countries are under a legal obligation not to trade with countries that are committing war crimes and crimes against h u m a n i t y. ” A s I s r a eli weapons companies

Smoke from an Israeli attack rises in Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip, October 30, 2025 [Ramadan Abed/Reuters]

increase revenues, Palestinians in Gaza who have survived the war recount attacks that killed their loved ones. Kareem alBirawi told Al Jazeera that his mother and three siblings were killed in a quadcopter attack at the Osama Ben Zaid School in Jabalia last year.

“I saw the drone enter the room. There was a red flash, then smoke came out,” he said.

“After that, there was an explosion and fire. My mum and aunt were screaming.

Then they all went silent.”

'We are watched all the time'

Israeli arms exports also include artificial intelligence and surveillance tools such as facial recognition t e c h n o l o g y, w h i c h i s installed in hundreds of locations in the occupied We s t B a n k a n d u s e d extensively in Gaza. Ahmad

Lubbad, a released Palestinian detainee, discovered the extent of Israel's surveillance in December 2023 when he was detained.

He told Al Jazeera that the Israeli soldiers knew his wife's phone number, his new and old addresses, and the names of his neighbours and everyone he worked with.

“After what I went through in the interrogation, I am convinced we are watched all the time. Totally exposed,” Lubbad said.

Israel's Ministry of Defence said in June that there was massive growth in demand from Europe in 2024, with exports increasing to 54 percent of the total from 36 percent in 2023. Asia Pacific followed Europe at 23 percent, and the United States at 9 percent. Despite the increased demand from Europe, some countries, such as Spain, have imposed restrictions on arms imports from Israel.

‘We are still here’ …Catholic patriarch leads Christmas Mass at Gaza church bombed by Israel (CNN) The most senior Catholic cleric in the Holy Land urged Palestinians “not just to survive” but to “rebuild life” in Gaza as he led Christmas Mass there on S u n d a y, a g a i n s t t h e backdrop of apocalyptic destruction and displacement.

Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, went to the Holy Family Church in Gaza City in his fourth trip to the Palestinian enclave after Israel launched its campaign there – and for the first time since a deadly Israeli strike on the parish in July.

“We are in a very precarious situation like many others in practically all of Gaza,” Pizzaballa told worshippers at the parish in a sermon on Sunday. “We think that the powers of the world will decide our future.

But then in reality, it is we the people here who will decide

how to rebuild everything,” he said. “I encourage you, don't lose your hope. Now, we are in a new phase of this situation, we have not just to survive, but also to rebuild life. ”In this new phase we have to bring the spirit of Christmas, the spirit of light, the spirit of tenderness, the spirit of growth,” added Pizzaballa. “Now it seems impossible, but after two years of terrible war, we are still here.”

Every day since October 2023, the late Pope Francis rang the Holy Family Church in Gaza City to speak to church leaders and some of the Palestinians staying in the parish, Father Gabriel Romanelli, previously told CNN. The visit by Pizzaballa came as survival challenges persist for Palestinians in Gaza – more than two months after Israel and Hamas agreed to a US-led

Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa (center), the most senior Catholic figure in the Holy Land, urged Palestinians to "rebuild everything" as he visited people at a church in northern Gaza on Sunday. ceasefire. Israeli fire, severe aid restrictions, food insecurity and flash floods have exacerbated crises in the enclave.

At least 401 people have been killed since the ceasefire on October 11, the Ministry of Health in Gaza reported on Saturday. In total, 70,925 Palestinians have been killed and 171,185 people injured since October 7, 2023, when Hamas and other militant groups

launched an attack on Israel, the health ministry said.

CNN footage from Gaza City on Sunday showed loud bells chiming over the parish, where a baby, Mario, was baptized to mark “new life” and “new hope,” according to the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem.

Red and gold baubles, green wreaths and ribbons were dotted around the Holy Family Church, and a tall Christmas tree draped in

tinsel was erected in the corner.

George Bisan, an 11year-old Palestinian, told CNN he is still shellshocked by the attack on the church, in July. “When they shelled the church from above, many people were injured and died,” George said on Sunday. “My wish for the new year is to get out of here and meet my family abroad and for us to be at peace. …

We want to live.”

'The people of Gaza love life' For other members of the Christian community, faith leaders' trips to Gaza offer solace to Palestinians living under siege and bloodshed.

“The visits are considered a form of support and steadfastness for members of the community,” Ramez AlSouri, who was displaced in Gaza City, told CNN on Sunday. “The people of Gaza

love life and aspire to live in peace.”

Within the first two weeks of the fighting, an Israeli strike killed AlSouri's three children – Suhail, 14, Julie, 12 and Majd, 11 – while they were trying to shelter at a different church in northern Gaza, in October 2023. The attack on the St. Porphyrius Greek Orthodox Church – one of the oldest churches in the world – killed at least 17 people, according to Palestinian health officials.

At the time, the Israeli military said the strike was targeting Hamas, CNN previously reported. “There are no children left. They have all become victims of this war,” Al-Souri added.

“With the arrival of the new year, we hope it will be a year of love and peace, in which all people can live in freedom and with hope for a better tomorrow,” he said.

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L B T LUNT.. UNT...B BL B Monday December 22, 2025

Kaieteur News

The Caribbean’s much-touted zone of peace is fast going the way of the dodo.

Once championed loudly, it is now whispered, if mentioned at all.

President Irfaan Ali once spoke firmly and correctly about keeping this region peaceful. Today, that stance is boxed in by reality and contradiction. Guyana has just signed a Statement of Intent with the United States for expanded military exercises in its waters. Peace zones and military drills are uneasy companions at best.

Washington’s tightening noose around Venezuela has shifted the regional balance.

Sanctions, tanker seizures, blockades, and military posturing are no longer distant headlines, they are here. History warns that U.S. “pretexts” for war are often revealed long after the damage is done. Guyana, inexperienced in war but rich in new oil, now sits dangerously exposed. When the big powers move on, as they always do, where does that leave Guyana?

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Kaieteur News

Monday December 22 2025

Monday December 22, 2025

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Kaieteur News

Monday December 22, 2025

Kaieteur News

Monday Thursday December November 22,24, 2025 2022

Yamal strikes as leaders Barca go four points clear (BBC Sport) Barcelona restored their four-point lead over Real Madrid at the top of La Liga with an entertaining victory over 10-man Villarreal.

In a breathless opening, Hansi Flick's side took a 12th-minute lead against

the run of play when Raphinha converted from the penalty spot after being brought down in the penalty area by Santi Comesana.

Villarreal, who had won their last six La Liga games, were reduced to 10 men in the 39th minute when

former Chelsea youngster Renato Veiga was shown a straight red card for a rash challenge from behind on Lamine Yamal.

The Barcelona teenager all but ended the game as a contest in the 63rd minute, poking home calmly from

Monday December 22, 2025 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) In a philosophical or political conversation, you don't hesitate to offer your thoughts. Your examples may be extreme, but your principles are sound.

TAURUS (Apr. 20–May 20) You should be in a good mood, although you might have a hard time fully expressing yourself. Perhaps you feel like there is someone keeping an eye on your every move.

GEMINI (May 21–June 20) You may get the feeling that despite all the hard work you've accomplished, something is still missing, Gemini. There's still a long road ahead, regardless of the goals you've attained so far.

CANCER (June 21–July 22) Freedom may be a theme for you today. You're beginning to question what it is you're trying to free yourself from. A person? Job? Commitment?

These may be the very things you start to search for as soon as you're free of them.

LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) You may feel a strange tension.

It seems that nothing you say or do is quite right, Libra. As much as you may try to do the correct thing, you can't make things click the way you'd like.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) It may be hard for you to maintain your self-discipline.

Your childlike nature wants to go out and play. Emotionally, you're anxious to let loose and follow your playful, instinctual nature.

SAGITTARIUS(Nov.22–Dec.21) If you're unclear about the topic of discussion, say so. Asking questions is an important part of learning. You shouldn't be afraid to ask. Communication may take on a serious tone, and intellectual discussions are likely to get heated.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22–Jan. 19) You may be shy when it comes to expressing your emotions today, Capricorn. This could be a rare thing for you. Other people may wonder if something is wrong.

LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) You're the liquid that takes the shape of its container, Leo. Even though this may seem like the most nonconfrontational way to do things, you may find that it's actually a cause of great frustration for you and others

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20–Feb. 18) You may not know which way to turn, Aquarius. You may be emotionally weighed down by sentimental feelings and memories that bind you to the past. You may also feel restricted by authority figures.

VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) You may feel like a puppy that has been let outside for the first time, Virgo. The air is warm and you're full of energy. You're ready to run over the fields and hills.

Unfortunately, you're tied to a stake and you can't move beyond a ten-foot radius.

PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) Your mind may be going in many different directions, with fantastic ideas about how things should be done, Pisces.

The difficulty is communicating these ideas in a way that makes sense. Others may see you as a threat to their authority.

close range after a scramble in the penalty area.

Fourth-placed Villarreal will have been frustrated not to have taken an early lead at the Estadio de la Ceramica after creating several early opportunities prior to Raphinha's opener.

Former Arsenal forward Nicolas Pepe headed wide from close range, while ex-Newcastle frontman Ayoze Perez had a goal-bound strike deflected off target before sending a tame shot into Joan Garcia's arms from the edge of the box.

Raphinha was unfortunate not to double his - and Barcelona's - tally in the first half when he rattled the crossbar with a venomous effort from the edge of the penalty area.

However, the home side thought they had restored parity before half-time when Jules Kounde turned Sergi Cardona's low cross into his own net - only for the goal to be ruled out for offside against the Villarreal full-back. Pepe also struck the bar in a one-on-one with Barcelona goalkeeper Garcia, but that goal too would have been disallowed after the Ivorian mistimed his run from Dani Parejo's pass.

The second period was a l e s s f r a n t i c a ff a i r a s Barcelona looked to press home their numerical advantage, and Villarreal goalkeeper Luiz Junior needed to be at full stretch to prevent Fermin Lopez from finding the bottom corner not long after the restart.

Ya m a l s e t t l e d t h e outcome, however, poking the ball into the far corner for his ninth goal of the season in all competitions.

Georges Mikautadze was then denied in a oneon-one with Garcia with 13 minutes remaining, but Barca comfortably saw out the final stages to stretch their winning La Liga run to eight games.

They return to action after the winter break against city rivals Espanyol on Saturday, 3 January (20:00 GMT), while Villarreal travel to Elche earlier that day (17:30 GMT).

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FC Barcelona's Raphinha in action with Villarreal's Pau Navarro

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Monday December 22, 2025

Sameer Minhas 172 powers Pakistan to Under-19 Asia Cup title (Cricinfo) - Opener Sameer Minhas blitzed his way to 172 off 113 balls, setting up Pakistan's demolition of India in the Under-19 Asia Cup final in Dubai. In response to Pakistan's 347 for 8, India folded for 156 in 26.2 overs.

Minhas' knock was the highest individual score for Pakistan, and also, the highest individual score by any batter in a final in Youth ODIs. He hit 17 fours and nine sixes during his stay, and fell in the 43rd over, finishing with a strike rate of 152.21. In response, Vaibhav Suryavanshi - having scored 5, 50, 9 and 26 in tournament since his 171 against UAE made an explosive start to India's chase. He smashed three sixes and a four, but Ali

Raza had him nicking off for 26 off 10 balls. India had reached their fifty in the fifth over and by the end of the powerplay, they were 68 for 5.

Ali Raza celebrates a wicket, India vs Pakistan, final, Dubai, Under-19 Asia Cup, December 21, 2025 Ali Raza's four-for derailed India's chaseCREIMAS/ACC Pakistan came into the final having bowled out each of their opposing batting line-ups in the tournament.

This contest was no different - four Pakistan bowlers shared wickets among them, with Raza prising out three more wickets to finish with match figures of 4 for 42.

India were reduced to 120 for 9, but Deepesh

Devendran offered some late resistance with 36 off 16 balls, including six fours and two sixes. No other India batter passed 30 in the chase.

India's innings ended when Raza had Devendran holing out in the 27th over.

Earlier in the day, Devendran had copped punishment from the Pakistan batters, conceding 83 runs in his ten overs though he took three wickets at the death.

Minhas was wellsupported by Ahmed Hussain - the only other batter to cross fifty in the innings. Hussain made 56 off 72 balls and added 137 for the third wicket along with Minhas.

Pakistan faced a slight slowdown in the death overs,

Sameer Minhas made the highest score by a Pakistan batter in Youth ODIs (CREIMAS/ACC)

especially once Minhas was dismissed - they only managed 71 runs in the final ten for the loss of five wickets. Devendran took three of those wickets, but his death bowling was a

footnote by the time he swung for the hills in India's chase, and was eventually caught at point.

Pakistan wrapped up a 191-run win and tuned up nicely for the upcoming

Under-19 World Cup. Match Details: Pakistan 347 for 8 (Minhas 172, Hussain 56, Devendran 383) beat India 156 (Devendran 36, Raza 4-42, Ahsan 2-12) by 191 runs

Monday December 22, 2025

Kaieteur News

Rogers double gives Aston Villa 2-1 win over Man United (Reuters) - Morgan Rogers struck two superb goals for Aston Villa as they beat Manchester United 2-1 at home on Sunday to record their seventh straight Premier League victory and 10th in a row in all competitions.

With seven goals and three assists in the league in 17 appearances this season, Rogers has helped Villa up to third in the table on 36 points and into the title race, hot on the heels of leaders Arsenal (39 points) and Manchester City (37).

The Reuters Daily Briefing newsletter provides all the news you need to start your day. Sign up here.

The home side did not look like a team on a winning run for much of the first half, but that changed when John McGinn picked out Rogers in the 45th minute.

Brimming with confidence, the 23-year-old brought the ball down and kept it in play before cutting into the box and curling a superb shot past keeper Senne Lammens and into the top corner.

United managed to level before the break when Matty Cash was robbed to the right of the Villa penalty area and Matheus Cunha blasted the loose ball past Emiliano Martinez, but their joy was short-lived as

captain Bruno Fernandes had to be substituted at halftime due to injury.

Fernandes was replaced

by Lisandro Martinez, who normally plays as a defender, and the Argentine made the most of his cameo in a more advanced position to fire off an early shot as United sought to get back in the game.

The fightback was short-lived, however, as Rogers netted again in the 57th minute with another curled effort past Lammens.

United substitute Shea Lacey fired a late effort into the midriff of the Villa keeper and Mason Mount sent a free kick over the bar, but Villa held on to leave the

visitors seventh in the table as the home fans heralded their goal-scorer.

"It's hard work, it's long hours and you want everyone to go in the top corner like that, so it's nice when one does go in," Rogers said of his shooting

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Manchester United's Matheus Cunha heads at goal (Reuters)

prowess.

"You've just got to keep trying it and trying it, and sometimes it's your day, sometimes it isn't. Luckily, lately it has been and I'm happy about that."

Rogers gave his shirt to a fan at the end of the game.

"The fans make football - playing with no fans and playing with fans is two completely different sports.

It is so enjoyable playing here, we have the crowd behind us and you can see it in our performances," he said.

Kaieteur News

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Monday December 22, 2025

Berbice Cougars, Paradise and Ithica record victories Candy Boss and Di Antics 8-A-Side Football...

The eighth edition of the 8-a-side knockout football competition organised by the Candy Boss & Di Antics group kicked off on Friday evening.

The competition features 16 teams with cash trophies and other incentives totaling over $2 million. It is being played at the All Saints Scott

Church Ground, Princess Elizabeth Road, New Amsterdam.

In the first encounter, Cougars A edged past Kildonan 2–1 in a closely fought encounter.

The second game between Paradise and Fyrish was a closely fought affair with Paradise squeezing

home 3-2 on penalty kicks after the game ended 0-0 after regulation time.

Paradise, one of the favourites in the competition, had its work cut out with a 10man Fyrish putting on a spirited performance.

In the final game, Ithaca eased past Cougars B by a 2–0 margin in their encounter. The

goal scorers for Ithica were Neil Linton in the first half, while skipper Royan Solomon slotted home the other from the penalty spot in the second half.

The tournament was expected to resume last evening (Sunday) at the same venue with another tripleheader under flood lights.

Neil Linton (left) and Royan Soloman scored for Ithaca Pele was slated to take on Airy Hall from 18:00 hrs, followed by Victoria Kings

against Monedderlust U21 and a clash between Trafalgar and Young Strikes.

RBL CPL Tickets go on sale today …fans to win a CPL Coaching Clinic Experience

T

his Christmas fans will have the chance to Unwrap the Road to the Finals when the initial batch of tickets for the 2026 Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League (CPL) Playoffs and Final go on sale today, December 22, 2025.

Supporters who purchase tickets for all four knockout-stage matches will be entered into a draw to win an exclusive CPL coaching clinic experience with star players from the tournament.

The coaching clinic will take place on Tuesday, September 15, 2026 and will give aspiring cricketers a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to train, learn, and interact with some of their CPL heroes.

To qualify for the draw, fans must purchase at least one ticket for each of the four knockout-stage matches, all of which will be played at the iconic Kensington Oval, Barbados.

Pete Russell, Republic Bank CPL CEO, said: “With ticket prices starting from just US$20, fans can witness cricket history unfold at one of the world's great cricket grounds in an experience that is both a f f o r d a b l e a n d unforgettable.

We are delighted to offer supporters the chance to win a CPL coaching clinic with

RBL CPL CEO, Pete Russell (Photo: T&T Newsday) some of the world's best players as a special reward for our loyal fans — an experience that will be remembered for a lifetime.”

Tickets go on sale at 9:00am ECT on 22 December 2025 and can be purchased via the tournament's official website: www.cplt20.com CPL Finals Match Schedule Wednesday 16 September 2026 – Eliminator 3rd place team vs 4th place team Thursday 17 September 2026 – Qualifier 1 1st place team vs 2nd place team Friday 18 September 2026 – Qualifier 2 Winner of Eliminator vs Loser of Qualifier 1 Sunday 20 September 2026 – CPL Final Winner of Qualifier 1 vs Winner of Qualifier 2

Monday December 22, 2025

Kaieteur News

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King gives WI positive start after Conway, Latham tons set them 462 (ESPN) It was a sense of deja vu as Devon Conway and Tom Latham seemingly batted West Indies out of the match for the second time in four days' space. But the visiting openers Brandon King and John Campbell once again put on a defiant stand, taking them to stumps without any damage done and 419 runs away from their target.

Conway and Latham, who added 323 runs for the first wicket in the first innings, racked up centuries again as they put on a 192-run opening stand in New Zealand's second dig, helping them set West Indies 462 on a testing pitch with uneven bounce.

Conway and Latham scored their second centuries of the match, becoming the first pair of openers to score twin tons in the same game in all first-class cricket. Their efforts, along with a 72-run partnership off just 37 balls between Kane Williamson and Rachin Ravindra helped New Zealand extend their dominance, after taking a 155-run first-inning lead earlier in the day by bowling out West Indies for 420.

Kavem Hodge, who finished unbeaten on his career-best 123, provided the only two breakthroughs in New Zealand's second innings, removing the prolific openers thanks to some terrific catching by Jayden Seales in the deep.

The pitch had deceptive bounce. Where a shooter from Hodge kept so low to Latham that it nearly bounced twice before reaching him, a length ball from Jacob Duffy also reared up on Anderson Phillip to take the shoulder of his blade for the first wicket of the day. The very next ball, a bouncer stayed much lower to crash into Shai Hope's abdomen - not making matters any better for him after he missed the last two days' play with food poisoning.

The day started off with Duffy removing Phillip and Hope in his first two overs.

While Phillip was done in by extra bounce, Hope tried to pull away a proper short ball and top edged it to long leg.

But like Phillip, Seales put in a solid rearguard effort to e x t e n d We s t I n d i e s ' resistance.

However, Hodge chose to let the tailenders face a large chunk of the bowling. Of the 69 balls Hodge and Seales faced for their 29-run partnership, Seales faced 53.

When Ajaz Patel had Seales bowled with a slider, Hodge took a single off the first ball of the next over and Michael Rae had Kemar Roach nicking off next ball to end West Indies' innings.

Roach had walked off injured on the first day and didn't bowl on the second day.

He didn't bowl during New Zealand's second innings either.

Wi t h t h e a w k w a r d bounce even more pronounced when the ball was hard and new, Conway and Latham had to start off watchfully, with Seales looking especially menacing.

Conway picked up the first boundary with a glorious cover drive, and soon he started driving through the off side more regularly.

While Latham was happy to hang around, Conway took charge of the scoring. If Conway scored through off against the quicks, he used his feet against Roston Chase's offspin launch him over the leg side. It took him just 63 deliveries to bring up his half-century.

Latham soon shifted gears after ambling to 18 off 52 deliveries. His only boundary until then came off an under-edge that went through Tevin Imlach's legs, but he hit Chase for back-toback boundaries to start the 21st over. Latham used the sweep to good effect, but also made good use of his feet. When Seales returned to the attack, Latham drove him through the covers first ball before a pick-up pull over fine leg for a six. He then pulled a Glenn Phillips long hop to the long-leg boundary to bring up his half-century off 77 balls.

There was a 49-ball period without a boundary after that, during which Conway became the first New Zealand batter to follow up a double-century with a century in the same Test. In the final over before tea, Latham went 6, 4, 4 against Phillips, which included a no-ball, in an 18-run over.

The first over after tea brought West Indies some respite as Conway didn't get enough distance when he

Brandon King gave West Indies a positive start (Getty Images) tried to launch Hodge over midwicket. Seales ran to his left, grabbing the ball above

his head before tossing it in the air and catching it again after crossing the boundary

rope and jumping back in.

Latham then found the boundary a couple more times en route to a 16th Test century before miscuing a hoick off Hodge that Seales had to dive to catch at deep midwicket.

It was an odd day for Williamson. Usually elegant and composed, he kept getting himself into a tangle, especially as he tried to play the reverse-sweep with great abandon. He was getting in position for that shot so early, that on multiple occasions he ended up playing vertical drives down the ground as a left-hander when the bowlers saw him shape up for the reverse and pitched the ball full.

Even when he was trying to slog it away or skip down the ground, he was struggling to get any rhythm, but managed to keep the scoreboard ticking. He managed one six and two fours, his only boundaries in a quick knock of 40 off 37 balls.

Rachin, meanwhile, found it easier to take on Chase and Hodge, consistently lofting them in the region between midwicket and long-off.

King and Campbell had put on 111 in the first innings, and the duo once again gave West Indies team a platform to build on. Even though there is a long time to go in the game, that West Indies will begin the fifth day with all 10 wickets in hand will give them a big boost.

Campbell started out watchfully, while King was more enterprising against the new ball. By the time Campbell got off the mark off the 21st ball he faced, King had raced to 35 off 27 with a handful of drives on the off side.

However, as the ball got softer and New Zealand switched to spin, even King reined in his instincts and along with Campbell, played the session out, setting up a fifth day where the game could go any way.

KFC Invitational Football Championship...

Chase’s Academic hold nerves to retain the title

Chase’s Academic Foundation retained the KFC Invitational Football Title on Sunday evening after a gruelling battle with St. Benedict’s College at the Ministry of Education Ground. The Champions prevailed 5 – 4 on penalty kicks after they played to a goalless full time. The complete story will be in tomorrow’s issue.

s t r o Sp

RBL CPL Tickets go on sale today Printed and published by National Media & Publishing Company Ltd., 24 Saffon Street, Charlestown, Georgetown. Tel: 225-8458, 225-8465, 225-8491 or Fax: 225-8473/226-8210.