Kaieteur News

Saturday Edition GRA demands Land AIETEUR Cruiser previously NEWS Guyana’s largest selling owned by Mohameds daily & New York’s most popular weekly be handed over to Police

K

January 10, 2026 - Vol. 21 No. 02

Online: www.kaieteurnews.com Online Price $100 readership yesterday, 40,511

...says bullet proof features to be removed

American oil companies ‘hungry’ for Venezuelan oil …Exxon requests “durable investment protection” during meeting with Trump

‘Halt discussions with the U.S. for third-country nationals’ - Norton Murders peaked by 11.10% in 2025 - GPF Vendor on $20k 120 land titles issued Cotton Tree Village bail for assaulting at …Pres. Ali labels distribution French vlogger ‘good investment in people’ Land Titles being distributed during a simple ceremony at Rosignol, West Coast Berbice.

‘This is not law, this is oppression’ - Nazar Mohamed says Govt. has declared war on his family

U.S. sanctioned businessman, Nazar Mohamed

Kaieteur News

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Saturday January 10, 2026

American oil companies ‘hungry’ for Venezuelan oil …Exxon requests “durable investment protection” during meeting with Trump Executives from dozens of American oil companies met with President Donald Trump at the White House on Friday to discuss plans to enter or re-enter Venezuela’s oil industry, with most expressing eagerness to a c c e s s t h e c o u n t r y ’s petroleum resources and thanking the President for the military operation that paved the way.

President Trump said the oil companies would need to invest at least US$100 billion to revive Venezuela’s dilapidated oil sector in order to bring, “millions of barrels of oil production to benefit the United States, the people of Venezuela and the entire world…”

On January 3, the U.S.

President Donald Trump (left), Secretary of State Marco Rubio (2nd left), Energy Secretary Chris Wright (3rd left) and Exxon CEO Darren Woods (right). military conducted an operation in Caracas, Venezuela, which resulted in the arrest of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores.

Both were transported to the

United States and placed before the court on narcoterrorism charges. Following the operation, President Trump said at a press conference that the U.S. plans to “run” Venezuela

until, “we can do a safe, p r o p e r, a n d j u d i c i o u s transition,” while outlining ambitious plans for the oilrich nation’s resources.

Among the companies represented at the meeting were ExxonMobil Corporation, Chevron C o r p o r a t i o n , ConocoPhillips and Halliburton, and others.

Trump described Ve n e z u e l a a s h a v i n g “tremendous” oil reserves and said the U.S. government will be working with the country, while making clear that his administration will decide which oil companies are allowed to operate there.

“We’re dealing with the country so we are empowered to make that deal and you have total safety, total security,” Trump said.

He added that the initiative would make Venezuela very successful and that the people of the United States would benefit significantly. “We’re taking back what they took from us, we built that oil industry,” Trump said.

Trump also said American oil companies could raise Venezuela’s current low production to

unprecedented levels.

“When you add Venezuela and the United States together, we have 55% of the oil in the world,” he noted.

Further, he noted that while U.S. companies would not require government financing, they would need government protection to operate in Venezuela and ensure a “nice return” on their investment.

Though Venezuela’s crude is heavy oil, Trump described it as a fantastic resource and said American refineries have the capacity to process that type of crude.

“All of the companies here today are going to be treasured partners in bringing the Venezuela nation back to life, restoring its economy, generating great wealth for their companies and for their people and also great wealth for the American people and tremendous wealth for the companies that are going in,” Trump stated.

Chevron’s Vice Chairman Mark Nelson said the company has been part of Venezuela’s oil industry for more than a century and expressed excitement about the present and optimism about building a better

future.

Further, ExxonMobil Chief Executive Officer Darren Woods said the company makes long-term investments and noted that Exxon has not been part of Venezuela’s oil industry for about 20 years. “We do not go into any opportunity with a short-term mindset,” he said.

Wo o d s s a i d E x x o n believes any investment must be a win-win for the company and its shareholders, the people, and the government of the country in which it operates.

He noted that Exxon’s assets in Venezuela were seized twice, adding, “You can imagine to reenter a third time would require some pretty significant changes from what we have historically seen here and what is currently the state.”

Woods said Venezuela’s current legal and commercial environment is un-investable and would require significant reforms.

“There has to be durable investment protection,” Woods said. He added that Exxon is confident such changes would be implemented with the Trump Continued on page 6

Saturday January 10, 2026

Kaieteur News

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Heavy borrowing, sharp spending GRA demands Land Cruiser previously cuts and drastic foreign currency owned by Mohameds be shortage looms - Ram warns handed over to Police ...as Trump plots to lower oil prices to $50 per barrel ...says bullet proof features to be removed

In what is now being described as an act or attempt at ‘bullyism’ the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) has demanded that Azruddin Mohamed hands over a Land Cruiser he previously owned to the Guyana Police Force (GPF) to be stripped of the bullet proof features.

In a letter dated December 31, 2025 to Mohamed, who leads the We Invest in Nationhood (WIN) party, the leading political Attorney-at-Law, opposition group in Guyana, Siand Dhurjon the tax agency claimed that the vehicle ‘PAB 3000’ was transferred contrary to the terms and conditions by which it was imported and registered.

To this end, the Chief Licensing Officer, Carol Basdeo explained, “you are required to have the buyer (Maksim Dmitriyev) present the said vehicle to the Guyana Police Force, for the bullet proof and security features so present to be removed.”

Notably, Mohamed was instructed to deliver the said vehicle to the GPF on or before January 07, 2026 as “the Commissioner of Police, Clifton Hicken has been advised to take the necessary steps to have the said vehicle examined and its security and bullet proof features removed”.

Meanwhile, Attorney-at-Law, Siand Dhurjon on behalf of Mohamed responded to the GRA on January 7, 2026 requesting the agency to provide the legal grounds for its Continued on page 9

The ambitious scheme of American President, Donald Trump to use Venezuelan oil to drive the commodity price down to US$50 per barrel could be dangerous for a blooming petrostate like Guyana.

Painting this grim reality in his recent column published by Stabroek News was Chartered Accountant and attorney, Christopher Ram. The newspaper columnist spelled out a number of looming challenges and difficulties Guyana could face as a result of the actions taken by the President and largely supported by the government of Guyana.

Ram explained, “Donald Trump has announced his intention to use Venezuelan oil to drive the global price of crude down to US$50 per barrel. If he succeeds - and there is no effective international mechanism to prevent it the impact on Guyana will be severe.”

The Chartered Accountant warned, “At this price, Guyana’s oil revenue will collapse. The State would receive approximately US$1 per barrel in royalty and about US$7.50 in profit oil.”

He was keen to note that 50% of the national budget in 2025 was supported by the Natural Resource Fund (NRF) or oil money. As such, the lawyer noted that Guyanese can expect increased and unsustainable budget deficits unless a raid on the oil account is carried out.

“The Government would face three

Attorney-at-Law and Chartered Accountant Christopher Ram options, none of them attractive: heavy and expensive borrowing, sharp expenditure cuts, and drastic shortage of foreign exchange. Borrowing on that scale would undermine debt sustainability. Spending cuts would fall on wages, social programmes, infrastructure, and transfers - areas that have expanded rapidly in anticipation of sustained oil revenues. Foreign exchange shortages would follow quickly,” Ram reasoned.

He said reduced income from oil production will affect the supply of U.S. dollars just as import demand remains high. Pressure on the exchange rate would also intensify.

Additionally, the cost of food, fuel, medicine, and construction materials would rise sharply. Likewise, inflation

could also be impacted, compounding the already high cost of living.

On January 3, U.S. military forces extracted the President of Venezuela, Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores to be tried in the United States for drugs and weapon charges.

In the interim, U.S. President Donald Trump announced that he will be “run” the sovereign state until “we can do a safe, proper, and judicious transition.”

While Opposition parties and civil society players in Guyana have strongly condemned the act, the government of Guyana (GoG) has not expressed similar sentiments. After Maduro was captured, President Dr. Irfaan Ali in a social media post on Saturday said he met with the Defence Board, the National Security architecture, regional commanders, and other senior security officials amid the unfolding situation in Venezuela.

Previously, Ali cited Guyana’s full support for regional and international efforts aimed at dismantling criminal activity and protecting peace and sovereignty. To this end, he sent a clear message, “Guyana continues to support every effort to end and destroy criminal elements that seek to undermine the peace and destabilize the freedom of our country and our region and our world.”

Notably, there is no evidence that suggests the Maduro government is linked to these activities.

Kaieteur News

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

Publisher: GLENN LALL-TEL: 624-6456 Editor: NIGEL WILLIAMS Tel: 225-8465, 225-8491. Fax: 225-8473, 226-8210

EDITORIAL

Information control For years, this newspaper has warned that media freedom in Guyana is being hollowed out, not through dramatic censorship or the shuttering of newsrooms, but through something far more subtle and dangerous: the steady strangulation of access to information.

What we are witnessing today is not an accident of governance, but a calculated retreat from accountability.

The right to freedom of expression means little if journalists are denied meaningful access to those who wield power. In Guyana, official access has been replaced by performance.

Press conferences have become tightly scripted affairs where difficult questions are unwelcome, follow-ups are prohibited, and journalists are reduced to passive spectators.

This is not transparency; it is political theatre.

Successive governments have understood that controlling information is as effective as controlling the press itself. The current administration has perfected this tactic. The weekly post-Cabinet press conference, once a central pillar of public accountability, has quietly vanished.

In its place, Guyanese are fed selective pronouncements, often delivered at political party headquarters or through carefully managed appearances that allow no room for interrogation. Guyana now stands out in the Caribbean not for openness, but for opacity. Heads of Government across CARICOM routinely submit themselves to questioning by the press. Here, the highest offices appear shielded from scrutiny, as though public accountability were a burden rather than a democratic obligation.

Equally troubling is the continued dysfunction of the Access to Information regime. A law that was meant to empower citizens has been rendered toothless through neglect and obstruction. Requests go unanswered.

Timelines are ignored. Oversight mechanisms appear dormant. Information that should be routinely available is treated as a favour to be granted, not a right to be respected.

National data—whether census figures, crime statistics, or governance information is hoarded as though it were proprietary. This newspaper has long argued that when a government treats public information as private property, it signals insecurity, not strength.

It is within this broader context that the recent statement by the Guyana Press Association must be understood. The GPA did not invent these concerns; it articulated what journalists and citizens have experienced for years. Its warning that journalism is being suffocated by “curated access” and “information control” echoes this newspaper’s own editorials in recent times. The danger lies not only in what is withheld, but in what is substituted. Choreographed “pseudo press conferences,” pre-selected questioners, and staged interactions are now presented as evidence of openness.

They are nothing of the sort. The government’s defenders often point to the number of media houses as proof of press freedom. This is a shallow argument. Media plurality without access is meaningless. Freedom of expression without information is an illusion.

As Guyana enters a period of unprecedented economic change driven by oil wealth, the stakes could not be higher.

Decisions made today will shape the country for generations.

Such power demands scrutiny, not silence. Yet instead of expanding access, the state appears intent on narrowing it.

Democracies do not collapse overnight. They erode gradually, through normalised secrecy, institutional silence, and the slow marginalisation of independent scrutiny. Each denied question, each ignored request, each choreographed appearance chips away at the foundation.

The media’s duty is to resist this erosion not for its own sake, but in service of the public. Journalism exists to ask uncomfortable questions, to demand answers, and to ensure that power is exercised in the open. A government confident in its governance welcomes scrutiny. One that fears it manages access, controls information, and hopes the public will confuse performance with transparency. Guyana deserves better than that.

Saturday January 10, 2026

This is oppression and unconstitutional DEAR SIR/MADAM, For the past two years, my family and I have been subjected to continuous, deliberate, and malicious political persecution. What we are experiencing is not law. It is not justice. And it is not governance under the Constitution of Guyana. It is unlawful, unconstitutional, and fundamentally illegal.

Our Constitution does not permit the victimisation of citizens for political reasons. It does not allow the state to weaponise its institutions to intimidate, strip, harass and destroy the lives of an individual or family because of their political position and public standing. What is being done to us violates every principle of due process, equality before the law and protection from arbitrary state power.

This campaign of persecution began after the Reuters article on Mohamed’s Enterprise, which referenced sanctions allegedly confirmed by a senior government source.

From that moment, the full weight of state machinery was unleashed, not through lawful proceedings, but through coordinated punishment. While the investigation started with a well-known lawyer in collusion with local informants who are well known to us, it subsequently e m e rg e d w i t h s e r i o u s political overtures from the highest level of government and political foe.

We h a v e e n d u r e d sanctions, the disruption of our consortium

engagements for the shore base, immediate termination of foreign currency traders license, gold dealers license, gold mining land permits were not approved for renewal, quarry operational permits were not renewed, cancellation of all motor vehicle insurance, refusal to renew motor vehicle fitness certificates, Private Security Service license and all security service firearm licenses, MARAD operational licenses.

Essential services were interfered with- even the supply of cooking-gas.

Members of the disciplined services were victimized if they spoke with us or shook our hands and were transferred to unfamiliar territory with immediate effect if they extended any courtesy or kindness to us.

These actions were not regulatory. They were retaliatory. They were ridiculous and undignified The deliberately arrest of my son, Azruddin Mohamed and myself, minutes before Jummah, the Friday prayer, a sacred obligation in Islam, was a calculated act of humiliation to shame and intimidate us. This was not policing; it was political theatre and a display of force.

Our persecution extends beyond our immediate family. Political candidates, supporters, friends, and associates have been targeted. Bank accounts have been closed without explanation. Insurance policies cancelled. We face repeated harassment at airports; unwarranted police

stops and searches and constant surveillance from the Special Branch. Our vehicles are followed. Our movements monitored.

Again, my Guyanese friends, this is not security, it is political intimidation.

Imagine the bullet proof vehicles which are over five years old and were used to transport and protect the same political players and their families, have now personally instructed all insurance companies in Guyana to terminate “with i m m e d i a t e e ff e c t ” a l l insurance policies which cover the said vehicles.

Further, there were several vehicles which are incredibly old, five to thirteen years old. We sold at give-away prices, complied w i t h a l l m a n d a t o r y, compliance and regulatory processes for their successful transfer of ownership. Only to be served with a Guyana Revenue Authority letter that they have decided to cancel all the newly issued registration. The GRA went as far as to issue a letter to the owner to remove all bulletproof door glasses and windscreens from the vehicles. Note, this is an impossible task, since the vehicles were custom designed with these windscreens and door glasses.

The GRA employees who interacted and processed the request for transfers, some of whom we never saw before, assured us that there are “no block” or restrictions in GRA to deny or prevent the request for

transfers. Soon after, the GRA in collusion with the Guyana Police Force then arrested and detained for days those innocent GRA employees who processed the applications for motor vehicle transfers. I caution you, for Allah hates those who use their authority to oppress people.

Even our property rights have been violated.

Currently at Tuschen Public Road and Little Diamond, lands lawfully owned by us have been illegally occupied. Excavators were installed, squatting was encouraged and political influence was used to legitimise trespass. This is ordered to happen even though we have our legal papers and transports proving ownership. When we sought police protection and made formal reports, the officers involved were disciplined and transferred.

This is obstruction of justice.

This is state-enabled lawlessness.

Let me be clear: this is oppression. And this is unconstitutional. Today, we are treated as though we have no rights, not as business owners, not as political actors, not even as Guyanese citizens.

Yet despite all of this, we remain peaceful. We remain lawful. And we remain resolute. We remain bound by duty to the people of Guyana who placed their trust in us.

I now call on the people of Guyana to pay attention.

This is bigger than one family. When the state can (Continued on page 06)

Compromised integrity makes politicians susceptible to external control DEAR EDITOR, Rice farmers who put paddy out to dry worry about rain. Similarly, politicians who have been involved in corruption worry with sleepless nights about being caught and punitive reaction from Washington.

Large companies are known to give inducements and incentives to rulers to get advantageous contracts for resources; they are compromised. We have seen in Guyana that politicians, government officials, have turned national assets into private wealth. The evidence is glaring. Uncle Sam has them under control. They have to cooperate or else.

Several politicians were sanctioned and or suffered

visa revocations. Diplomatic immunity has saved a few from sanctions, indictment, and request for extradition.

They fear their future and are willing to do anything for Uncle Sam to avoid sanction, indictment, and extradition to USA. Compromised integrity leaves Guyana susceptible to external leverage. Powerful nations are able to achieve their goals at the expense of small nations because of compromised integrity of leadership.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Transparency International explain how compromised integrity of rulers, through systemic corruption, in countries creates vulnerabilities that

powerful nations like USA exploit to get whatever it wants from corrupt rulers.

The powerful nation tends to show evidence of corruption or compromised integrity to the rulers, giving them an option – cooperate with us or face grand jury indictment and extradition to USA. The compromised rulers become beholden to and serve powerful foreign interests instead of the national interests and the peoples’ interests. The powerful nation uses threats on rulers to influence policy and control resources.

Once integrity of rulers is compromised, you have to cry “Uncle” to get a break. If you don’t agree to cooperate with Uncle Sam, you will

suffer the same faith as the Mohamed’s. Remember the Curacao gold shipment, Uncle Su, Canada visa cancellation, confiscation of boat and properties in Florida, seizure of huge amounts of cash in New York that was to purchase property for son of a M i n i s t e r, u n e x p l a i n e d wealth used to purchase properties in Florida, visa revocation in Miami, pulling over and questioning a prominent businessman close to leaders and seizure of his phone at JFK? Who were involved? Do you need more hint? Guyana has to do what Uncle Sam says and what big companies want.

Yours truly, Feroze Mohamed

Saturday January 10, 2026

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The principle of upholding the Constitution is higher and greater than the case DEAR EDITOR, Azruddin Mohamed is not my client. I hold no brief for the learned Attorney General Mohabir Anil Nandlall, S.C. I refer, of course, to the extradition matter pending in the Magistrate Court.

Mr. Mohamed’s relevant status is now that of a democratically elected member of the National Assembly (and by constitutional extension a member of Parliament) He, now, is the holder of the high constitutional Office of “Leader of the Opposition “(article 110). As I will show, this intervening constitutional fact is now the crux of the extradition matter. His holding of this high constitutional office raises questions of some constitutional nicety and novelty in our constitutional jurisprudence about his e x t r a d i t a b i l i t y (parliamentary privilege, inconsistency with the Constitution) – questions of far-reaching constitutional importance and significance, public interest and curiosity.

So, kindly permit me space in the letter column to raise and stir those questions.

First of all, (as devils’ advocate) I raise the question o f w h a t i n l a w y e r ’s vocabulary is known as parliamentary privilege. I put it this way –

constitutionally does a Leader of the Opposition enjoy privilege or immunity from extradition? Is the holder of that constitutional office extraditable?

I begin my search for true answer(s) in the Constitution itself by taking Judicial Notice (again, this is lawyer’s vocabulary, I am not pretending to be some Judge) of the sheer indispensability of Parliament in the scheme and workings of the constitution in our constitutional democracy as a “…. democratic sovereign state”. (Article 1). I observe that like Article 1, Article 51 which establishes and creates the Parliament, is entrenched at the deepest level in our constitutional framework /architecture.

This letter avoids adumbration about entrenchment in constitutional law, suffice that it is the Constitution’s way of attributing varying and different degrees of importance and sig nature, and protection from political idiosyncrasies – provisions like Articles 1,51 (11 in all out of the some 212) need a referendum for any “…. vote of the electors qualified to vote in an election ……” for changes/alteration to them (see generally Article 164 (2) (a) proviso).

Editor, for the benefit of

your lay person readers I reproduce, verbatim Article 51 viz “51. There shall be a Parliament of Guyana which shall consist of the President and the National Assembly”.

So, again I take Judicial Notice Mr. Mohamed is an elected member of this National Assembly (one of its 65 human alter ego), and the indispensability of the performance of the functions, and execution of the duties that attaches to that membership in the representation in the National Assembly of voters who voted for his political party. All of this traces back to the entrenchment of Article 51.

I turn now to Article 110 which relevantly reads: “110 (1) There shall be an office of Leader of the Opposition ….

(2) Qualifications for election to the office of Leader of the Opposition and other matters concern there with are regulated by article 184”.

The marginal note to Article 184 reads thus “Leader of the Opposition” paraphrased, Article 184 deals with, generally, vacancy, and removal from that office it incorporates by reference (see Art. 184 (2) (c) the crucial Article 156 in the parliamentary privilege /immunity aspect. So, does Articles 156 and 184, conjointly upon a true

interpretation, confer a leader of opposition with privilege or immunity from extraditions?

Editor, Article 156 is extensive and, materially as it’s marginal note reads it provides for “Tenure of Office of members of the National Assembly”. In substance it provides, for and confers a constitutional security of tenure that is sui generis. Of course, the leader of the opposition is a “member” within Art. 156’.

It is one of the peculiarities of a constitution (like Guyana’s) drafted on the Westminster model that a –sub-heading or marginal note such as – “security of tenure “- or privilege is never used by the draftsman. It is vain to look for one in our Constitution. As with Judges (as the well-known local Barnwell case shows) D.P.P, COP, Auditor General, Clerk, and Deputy Clerk of National Assembly, security of tenure is latent, not explicit, and is to be found as a matter of interpretation, of the relevant provisions dealing with removal from office , and as in Barnwell that latency is, per force,

given judicial imprimatur, with vigilance Such latency I submit , and contend is similarly the position with the holder of the office of Leader of the Opposition in article 156 and 184 and so sui generis. (of its own particular type).

Extraditability of the leader of the opposition has to be found as a matter of interpretation of Articles 51, 110, 164 and in particular 156 and 184 read as a whole, about removal from office, it is in substance, and in effect, a removal from office. So, if the provisions read, as they must as a whole do not countenance extraditions as one of the conditions of removability then it is inconsistent with the Constitution ultra vires and impermissible.

The corollary, necessary inference, or necessary implication of such i n c o n s i s t e n c y, impermissibility is that, latently, the Constitution provides the holder of the office of the Leader of the Opposition with a security of tenure and concomitant privilege, immunity form extradition during the

holder’s incumbency. That is the crux of the matter.

Editor, conditions of limitation on removal (and by extension-vacancy) drafted (as in Art. 156) with such consummate lucidity, specificity and particularity cannot be considered as some idle, drafting pedantry.

Explicitly, they identify the limitations on removal the drafters must be taken to have said what they mean and meant what they said by entrenching them with a 2/3 vote requirement for any alteration, impairment. In this regard the seminal observation of Lord Radcliff in the important Constitutional removal from office case of Adegbenrov Akintola (1963) (removal of premier by Governor) merits quotation viz: “The question to which an answer has to be found is of obvious importance... Its decision turns on the meaning to be attached to the wording of S.33 (10) of the constitution of Western Nigeria, read as it should be in the context of any other provisions of the constitution that may legitimately influence its (Continued on page 06)

Kaieteur News

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Tuesday September 30, 2025

Reckless practices by contractors continuing to threaten safety, stability of grid - GPL The Guyana Power and Light Incorporated (GPL) on Friday, said that reckless practices by contractors continue to threaten the safety and stability of the national grid.

In a statement, the power company said that around 08:15h it was observed that there was a dangerously negligent act by RZND Concrete and Delivery Company, which had its concrete pump extended and positioned perilously over the company’s 69,000-volt transmission line along the La Bonne Intention (LBI) Railway Embankment, East Coast Demerara. ”This critical 69 kV line is a vital link between GPL’s Sophia and Good Hope Substations, transmitting electricity to Regions Four and Five. Such reckless behaviour posed an imminent and catastrophic risk to the integrity of GPL’s

network. A single miscalculation could have triggered a major system failure, plunging tens of thousands of customers into widespread outages across the Demerara-Berbice Interconnected System,” GPL said.

The company explained that the potential consequences are beyond service disruption and the level of negligence could have resulted in fatalities, serious injuries, the endangerment of workers and residents as well as damage to surrounding areas. In addition, the company said these actions also carry severe financial implications for all stakeholders involved.

In relation to this particular incident the Guyana Police Force (GPF) was notified and representatives of RZND Concrete and Delivery

Company were detained.

F u r t h e r, t h e L a b o u r Ministry was also notified and informed of what GPL deems to be blatant disregard for safety protocols that placed lives at risk. GPL urged that vigilance should be exercised and adhered to in order to ensure established safety standards and industry best practices.

“One simple step can prevent disaster: contact GPL at 226-2600 before commencing any work near electrical infrastructure.

Failure to comply places lives, property, and the stability of the national electricity network in j e o p a r d y. L e t i t b e unequivocally clear: GPL will not tolerate such reckless and dangerous practices. Any party found liable will face prosecution to the fullest extent of the law,” the company said.

In November 2025, Kaieteur News reported that a contractor attempting to move a mobile police outpost caused significant damage to one of the major transmission lines linking GPL Kingston and Sophia Substations. At that time, GPL said, “irresponsible activities have resulted in an explosion and widespread outage inconveniencing thousands of customers.”

GPL reminded all individuals and contractors that work or movement of equipment near the c o m p a n y ’s n e t w o r k infrastructure without prior authorization from the company is unsafe and poses a serious threat to public safety and electricity supply. The power company said too that it is taking the matter seriously and will pursue all applicable legal actions against those responsible for the incident.

The concrete pump extended over the power lines on Friday.

A cry for justice, equity and transparency This is oppression and unconstitutional...

DEAR EDITOR, I am troubled! I pledge allegiance to no political party! I’m all for justice and equity!

The man in the street with basic mathematical skills, is calculating...

The woman in the street with limited certification, is paying close attention...

You can’t fool all of the people all of the time...

Is the slogan “Justice for all “ still relevant?”. Does the notion of equity apply to all, or is it, as someone has said: “some are more equal than others.”?

How is it that some a l l e g e d o ff e n d e r s a r e relentlessly pursued, while other alleged sexual predators, money launderers, assasinators, ‘dignified’ thieves, and folks who have reportedly attracted US sanctions, run rampant?

I’m reminded of the axiom: ”The wheels of justice turn slowly, but they grind exceedingly fine.”

I call to mind one of the prayers I learnt at school during my time there: “I believe in God the Father

Almighty, Maker of Heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ His Only Son, our Lord...”

Faith in God gives me hope! Hope in God causes me to pray “...Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven.”, and my authority in God causes me to say AMEN, so be it!

Let’s all join with the prophet Amos and say let justice run down like water, and righteousness like a mighty stream.”

Claudia Heywood

American oil companies ‘hungry’...

From page 2 administration working alongside the Venezuelan government.

Given Exxon’s twodecade absence from the country, Woods said it would be critical to deploy a technical team to assess the state of the industry before restoring production.

“With an invitation from the Venezuelan government and with appropriate

security guarantees, we are ready to put a team on the ground there,” Woods noted.

He said Exxon could have a team on the ground within a couple of weeks to conduct the assessment.

During the discussion, Vitol’s John Addison said the company is prepared to ensure Venezuelan oil is moved around the world at the best prices.

“So that the influence

that you (President Trump) have over the Venezuelans will ensure that you get what you want,” he added. Other executives similarly expressed gratitude to President Trump and said U.S. oil companies stand ready to take the opportunity that has presented itself and allow them to benefit from renewed access in Venezuela’s oil industry.

From page 04 do this to us, it can do it to anyone.

I call on international observers, the Caribbean Court of Justice, CARICOM heads of government, regional institutions, global news organizations, and the wider international community to take notes.

Democracy cannot exist where the rule of law

is selectively applied, and state power has its overreach to a particular family.

History will remember this moment.

And it will remind those who chose to abuse power instead of upholding the Constitution.

Yours truly, Nazar Mohamed

The principle of upholding...

From page 05 meaning ... By those words therefore, the power of removal is at once recognized and conditioned and, since the condition of constitutional action has been reduced to the formula of those word for the purpose of the written constitution it is their construction and nothing else that must determine the issue…the right of removal which is explicitly recognized in the Nigerian Constitution must be interpreted according to the wording of its own limitations, and not to limitations which that wording does not import”. (emphasis mine). That principle is expressed in Latin familiar to lawyers expressio unius est exclusio alterius (the expression of a thing is the exclusion of other (s) not mentioned/ this cannot be emphasized enough, in this privilege /immunity question).

Editor, with no pretense at arrogating the role of interpreter (that is for Judges) it appears to me from their reading that there is not a shadow of doubt from an examination of

articles 156 and 184, that extradition is not countenanced, or, intended as one of the conditions of removal of a Leader of the Opposition from Office. It is not a limitation which their wording imports.

Extradition, in the present state of law would , have a subversive effect; arguably tend to a constitutional crisis of vacancy in that office and a hiatus , Constitutional i m p e r a t i v e a n d indispensability of there being an incumbent holder would be thwarted, and frustrated ; As to limitations(inter alia the explicit conditions of removal are noconfidence vote, criminal conviction/imprisonment, political detection, party recall, voluntary absences from sittings) The obvious concomitant of incumbency and holder of the office of LOO, is a right to be in Guyana.

Secondly, extradition is not some constitutional conception. It is entirely statutory/treaty/Internationa l law, whatever form it takes, it is “other law” in terms of the supreme law provision (Article 8). Copious case law

shows that if “other law” operates to subvert, dilute, i m p a i r, w a t e r d o w n constitutional rights, such other law is inconsistent with the Constitution and ipso facto, and ipso jure “void”. In passing I say that Art. 39 (2) has no relevance; the questions raised do not involve fundamental rights.

Extraditions, _ subverting impairing, diluting the representative rights in the National Assembly of Opposition electors, is a clear inconsistency. I end with this; I apprehend that by its very nature both Government, and Opposition members have an interest in this privilege / immunity question. I anticipate (cautiously, given the obvious politics sensitivity of the matter not with misplaced confidence or optimism) that application will be made to the Court for authoritative ruling. The principle of upholding the Constitution is higher and greater than the case. And further I say not.

Yours truly, Maxwell. E. Edwards Attorney-at-law (Former Magistrate)

Saturday January 10, 2026

Kaieteur News

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Kaieteur News

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Saturday January 10, 2026

Vendor on $20k bail for ‘Halt discussions with assaulting French vlogger the U.S. for third-country A 29-year-old vendor who allegedly assaulted French vlogger Antony D’Oliveira was on Friday granted $20,000 bail after being charged with the crime.

The incident, which was recorded and later uploaded on the Jumps Travel Documentary YouTube channel, reportedly occurred on January 5, 2026, at Saffon Street, La Penitence.

The accused, Quacy McKay of Kingston, Georgetown, is alleged to have assaulted D’Oliveira and used insulting language towards him. The Guyana Police Force (GPF) treated the matter as serious and arrested and charged McKay. He later appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court before Acting Chief Magistrate Faith McGusty, who read the charges to him.

McKay pleaded not guilty.

During the proceedings, McKay told the court that he had gotten out of his vehicle and noticed D’Oliveira filming him. He said he requested that the filming stop and, in trying to move the camera away, he ended up slapping the vlogger. The prosecution opposed bail, citing public safety concerns.

They highlighted that D’Oliveira, a visitor to Guyana, was allegedly slapped unprovoked on the back of his head by McKay and subjected to verbal abuse. The prosecutor also noted that both video footage of the incident and a recorded interview are available. In response, Magistrate McGusty questioned whether the same objection would be raised if the vlogger were Guyanese, stating that “everyone stands on the same ground.” She subsequently granted McKay bail in the sum of $20,000 and placed him on a bond to keep the peace while the matter remains before the court. The case was adjourned to January 30, 2026, for further proceedings.

In a statement issued on January 6, the GPF confirmed that it is investigating the

nationals’ – Norton

Charged: Quacy McKay

incident. The police said the video in circulation is being treated with seriousness, adding that “acts of violence against any individual are unacceptable and are contrary to the laws of Guyana and the values of safety, hospitality, and respect upheld by society.” The GPF also expressed concern for Mr. D’Oliveira and reiterated its commitment to ensuring that Guyana remains a safe and welcoming destination for both visitors and residents. Additionally, the Ministry of Tourism, Industry and Commerce and the Guyana Tourism Authority condemned the attack, describing it as wholly unacceptable.

In a joint statement, the agencies said, “The safety and well-being of all visitors and residents remain a top priority. We reaffirm our commitment to working closely with law enforcement agencies, tourism stakeholders, and local communities to ensure that Guyana remains a destination where all feel secure and respected.”

Chairman of A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) Aubrey Norton, has called on the Government of Guyana to halt all discussions with the United States (U.S.) regarding the acceptance of third-country nationals.

Speaking during an APNU press conference on Friday, Norton said the coalition remains firm that Guyana’s oil wealth must be managed prudently.

He warned that current geopolitical Chairman of A Partnership for developments in Latin America and the National Unity (APNU), Aubrey Norton Caribbean could further strain the country’s economy. arrangement to facilitate such transfers.

“The situation is exacerbated by the “Specific details and operating potential negative economic impacts on trade by recent Geopolitical occurrences within the procedures including the responsibilities of Latin America and Caribbean regions. the sending and receiving parties are still Additionally, should any migration issues being discussed both bilaterally and pop up we will be forced to distribute national internally, to ensure that the arrangement is wealth to supply the needs of migrants,” he implemented in full compliance of international legal obligations and national stated.

Norton strongly rejected the idea of laws and policies of Guyana,” Persaud had Guyana accepting deportees who are not said.

Persaud noted that the United States Guyanese nationals, describing the move as remains a strategic partner of Guyana and that unacceptable.

“We wish to reiterate our position that both countries will continue to strengthen accepting non-Guyanese deportees through bilateral relations through cooperation in deportation is unacceptable. This is more so, areas including security, defence, migration, when they are rejects of another society and trade, investment and energy. However, he detrimental to ours. APNU cannot understand said that because consultations are ongoing, it the logic behind accepting deportees that is not possible at this time to provide specific another society does not want. Were they details on the third-country nationals assets, the sending government would have arrangement.

Norton during an interview with News kept them? The question becomes; why would we accept what others do not want? We Source this week said government must halt demand a halt to this insane hurtling to an all discussions with the U.S. until national agreement that is not in our national interest. stakeholders are consulted and a migration This is, in environmental terms, like sending policy is in place along with requisite systems toxic material to another country to affect to support such a movement.

He also expressed concern that the them rather than the sending country,” Norton Government has advanced discussions said.

His comments come amid media reports without first holding consultations. He told that Guyana is in discussions with the U.S. to News Source that at this stage the PNCR is accept third-country nationals. Guyana’s not “disposed” to supporting the proposed Foreign Secretary, Robert Persaud, has since arrangement but is willing to engage in confirmed that the government is engaged in meaningful consultation to ensure that there consultations with the U.S. on an is clear policy in place.

Kaieteur News

Saturday January 10, 2026

PAGE 09

Parents are neglecting their children A

few days ago, I saw a group of small boys roaming the streets. The look on their faces announced that they were up to mischief.

They began by pelting a dog walking aimlessly on the road. Then they began to interfere with an old man. A young buxom lass passed by, and she attracted some attention from them. I wondered what next, they would be up to. I did not have the time to wait and see, but I asked myself how the parents of these young boys could allow them to be

straying.

Parents are quick to blame the authorities whenever their children get into trouble with the law.

They are quick to make excuses which exculpate themselves from blame.

They often blame the lack of employment for their children taking to a life of crime, but they never blame their own failings as parents.

They are quick to say that it is harassment by the police that force their children to be deviant, never accepting that it is precisely because their children get away with rogue

behaviour that encourages further acts of criminality.

I refer to the broken windows theory. This theory states that, if a window in a building is broken and is left unfixed, this will encourage vandals to break more windows, and eventually to break into the building.

The theory, therefore, is that problems should be addressed in their infancy, before they get out of hand, since small, petty crimes can lead to more major crimes.

By simply preventing lowlevel crime and anti-social behaviour, a society can

GRA demands Land Cruiser previously...

From page 3 request. In a previous letter to the GRA, Dhurjon insisted that the Commissioner of Police is subject to the specific instruction of none. He argued, “In any event, does the ‘Chief Licensing Officer’ or the GRA not know that “bullet proof and security features” on a vehicle are not illegal and any person may freely install same or import a vehicle with same?” To this end, he requested the GRA to provide any provision under law in Guyana to the contrary at which time his client will engage the new owner to remove the security features. The lawyer reiterated that the transfer of the vehicle was done in accordance with all applicable laws and regulations, as officers of the GRA legitimately permitted and approved of the said transaction and duly issued a fresh certificate of registration.

Moreover, Dhurjon pointed out that the claim that ‘the vehicle was transferred contrary to the terms and conditions by which it was imported and registered’ is wholly untrue. “This vehicle was entered, cleared and registered in the normal course as

it was not the subject of any tax concessions.

As such no special terms and conditions applied or could hinder my client’s transfer as aforesaid,” he reasoned.

To this end, the attorney urged the GRA to present the terms and conditions, regulations and/or law which were breached by his client in transferring the vehicle. He added, “Please also provide particulars and proof as to how the said transfer was in breach of the terms and conditions, regulations and/or law which you identified.”

Dhurjon pointed out that the GRA’s requests are unlawful and impermissible as he made a statutory request for reasons under Section 15 of the Judicial Review Act, Cap. 3:06. for the agency to provide a statement on its reasons or grounds for a series of decisions. Consequently, the lawyer requested evidence for its finding that the transfer was done in breach of regulations; that bullet proof and security features are unlawful or impermissible and reasons for the vehicle to be delivered to the GPF and for the Police Commissioner to remove these features.

DEM BOYS SEH

Fast food chicken deh pon diet and exercise

T

ik Tok does mek dem boys laugh. People does show all kinda thing pon de social media platform and others does reply and mek dem boys laugh out loud.

A man show how he went to a fast-food place and dem sell he drumsticks. He seh how de chicken small, like it deh pon diet and exercising. Another man seh how he like two-piece servings. But like dem fast food does play abna –babna with de second piece because most times he getting a stringy wing with de thigh. But is not only de size and de cuts is de prablem. De price also gone up. Yuh paying more and yuh getting less.

Nuff ah dem young people nah want eat home cooked food. Dem living in de fastfood shop. Is nuff chicken and chips passing out. Dem gobbling it down and nah sharing like dem old people use to do lang ago.

It mek dem boys remember de story of de elderly couple who went in de fast-food restaurant and order one hamburger, one serving French fries and one cup drink.

De old man unwrap de hamburger and cut it in half, placing one half in front he wife. He den carefully count de fries and divide it into two piles and place one pile in front he wife, He tek a sip ah de drink. He wife tek a sip and put down de cup.

De people in de fast-food restaurant start to believe dat de couple was poor and could only afford one meal.

One customer guh over and offer to buy another meal fuh de old couple. But de old man turn down de offer, saying dat dem does share everything. De people notice how de old lady didn’t eat anything but just sit and watch she husband eat and only one, one time she sip from de drink.

Again a man come over and offer to buy a meal. Dis time de old woman say, “No, thank you Sir, we does share everything.”

Finally, as de old man finish and was wiping he face good with a napkin, de young man again come over to de little old lady who still didn’t eat a single bite ah de food and ask, “What yuh waiting for?” She responded: “De teeth.”

Talk half. Leff half.

avoid the emergence of major crimes.

Fixing “broken windows,” nipping crime in its early stages, is the strategy that led to the cleanup of New York City. I believe, however, that this approach is more relevant to Guyana, where there is a great deal of petty crimes that go unreported and which can lead the perpetrators to venture into more daring acts of criminality.

I believe we have to begin to fix these anti-social ‘broken windows” at the level of the family. There are far too many parents who are allowing their children to go off playing with other boys in the community or neighbourhood without adequate supervision.

Some parents pay no attention to children when they are at home. I once saw a mother sitting watching television, and when she was asked where her child was, she could not give an answer.

Neither did she care, as long as the child did not disturb her while she was watching The Young and the Restless.

This is how problems originate, especially for young boys, who, as we say in Guyana, are “allowed to be boys.” They are allowed to roam free with other boys, some of whom can be bad influences. When in the company of other boys, the temptation arises to engage in some destructive behaviour, such as pelting an animal, or it may be simply raiding a fruit tree in someone’s yard, or it could be interfering with a weaker child on the road.

As the gang gets away with certain acts, they are emboldened to become more brazen.

They may stop a school child and take away his/her money, or graduate to robbing someone of their watch or cell phone.

This is why I am insisting that parents take responsibility for their children. If your child has to go out of the home, you should know at all times where he or she is going, with whom he or she will be, and what is being done.

Today, too many parents are allowing their children to go off unsupervised, and when they find out some of the mischief that their children are engaged in, it is too late, because a life of crime has already taken root.

I do not excuse any parent who says that he or she had no control over what his or her children became.

This is an admission of failure.

Children are being given too much freedom to roam as they please, and this is leading them into the clutches of bad company.

While it is easy to blame those who corrupt these children, ultimate responsibility must lie with the parents who failed to supervise their children’s free time.

Some parents have no fixed time for children to return home. In my house, there are fixed mealtimes, and if you are not there at the scheduled hour, you not only have to make your own meal, but you have to give an explanation as to where you

were. I urge parents, also, not to allow their children to loiter or to wander aimlessly with their peers. Children must be given constructive playtime. They should be encouraged to play games with their friends, not so much because the games keep them out of trouble, but because they will learn to compete; and by competing they will want to do better, and by aiming to do better they will have little time to engage in deviant behaviour.

Parents also need to give children designated chores around the home, to teach them responsibility. Even if it is to make up their beds in the mornings, children should be asked to help out around the home.

The problem with many children today is not that they have too little free time; rather, it is that they do not have properly supervised free time. Instead of allowing their children to get into bad company, all parents should make an effort to be involved in a positive way in the lives of their young ones, so that they will never have to receive that dreaded call that something terrible has happened to their child through involvement in crime.

(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

Saturday 2026 MondayJanuary May 02,10, 2022

H@RD TRUTHS

BY GHK LALL

Calling the opposition, calling the opposition The PPP Govt can afford to be how it is today.

Controlling. Complacent.

Not give a damn. After all, it has everything going in its favor.

Hence, from the ruling party’s position, if it is not causing any lost sleep, why tamper with what has worked well, almost flawlessly. Other than for a few lone (John the Baptist) voices crying into the wind, rocking the boat, and exposing the Ali-JagdeoNandlall-Singh quartet, all is

fine. Things are going so swell for the PPP Govt, it is almost as if the opposition in Guyana is in its fold, under its control. This is the gist today’s public service.

Where is the blasted opposition?

Mr. Aubrey Norton got blasted for that, when it was his time. So where is Dr. Terrence Campbell? Is he still here, or is he part of the US Delta Force dropped on Caracas? I hear that he makes lots of contributions on social

media, but that can be done from Caracas or Calcutta with equal ease. I try a more civil approach, a soothing missionary tone.

If the opposition is voiceless, then it might as well be existence less.

Oh, it is working behind the scenes. Well, I have news for Dr. Campbell, Ms. Amanza, and Mr. Mohamed: get out from behind the scenes. Get out from behind the cameras.

Get out from behind the podium and microphone. To

Ganga found in abandoned yard at School Street, Mahdia On Thursday over two pounds of marijuana were discovered at School Street, Mahdia in Region Eight, during a police operation, which occurred between 23:00 hours and 23:50 hours.

“During the operation, detectives carried out a sweep in the vicinity of School Street, Mahdia, Region #8, in an abandoned yard and found a bulky black plastic bag containing nine transparent plastic bags of seeds, leaves, and stems suspected to be cannabis,” police said.

The narcotics that police found in the abandoned yard.

The narcotic was taken to the Mahdia Police Station by detectives, where it was

weighed and amounted to 945 grams. It was then marked, sealed, and lodged.

keep to the promised missionary tone, I add please and thanks.

I share the obvious. The PPP Govt is barreling ahead, having a blast. Good going gents. I would, too, with oil prices depending on what Trump does next door holds the key.

Grab and get.

There’s Silica City. GT modernization coming up.

An AI hub, a deep-water port. My word! Are the opportunities abundant, the pickings rich! It is good to be in govt.

Where is the opposition? The groundwork was just laid, but I am back to Lot 1. Don’t know about other Guyanese, but I want to see an opposition that is struggling, hustling, bawling for the people and with the people. Mud on the shoes.

Sweat on the brow. What happened to those people?

Yes, dem peeple. Missionary hour is over.

The new opposition looks too much like the old opposition. Tired.

Sluggish. Sloppy. Pick an issue. Parliament. Pick a man. Speaker. Why is the opposition not charging after the Speaker and shaking him lovingly? Figuratively, of course. If that is too much, there is something called an e f f i g y.

S u r e l y, t h e opposition knows what an

effigy is, how to make one, and what to do with it.

I change gear, throttle down to a slower rev, a smoother flow. Here’s a layup. Cash grant. Did somebody say cash grant?

Guilty. Why is the taking of poor people for a ride, then mocking them, not a cause for an eruption of passion and emotion? Wanted to say explosion of emotion, but after charging and all that business, didn’t want to give the men that I drive crazy daily to lose it, and blow me up. The opposition has been too quiet, as if it is sunbathing by the beach, with hammock and book, and unconscious to the pain of ordinary Guyanese.

Look I am calling them out: Messrs. Norton, Campbell, Walton-Desir, and Mohamed. If there is no opposition-authentic, courageous, sagacious, resourceful, visionary, strategic-please do a favor and let Guyanese know. Do not do to the Guyanese people what the PPP Govt has done to them for decades without penalty. Mislead them. Deceive them. Take advantage of them. Set them up, then kick them down.

Last, make jokes about them,

from doing all of that to them, and then being allowed to get away with everything. Let me know, so I will weigh my options.

One is to form my own party.

Second, decide between staying here or leaving fulltime for Caracas, Brooklyn, or Ukraine. On second thoughts, forget about leaving, not when there is so much PPP raw material here, and with the opposition adding to the bag of selections, as to who to take on and say to Guyanese: see, this is who they are. I have always had a difficulty recently. Who is PPP? Who is PNC? Where’s the difference? Why is that when I see or hear one, I think of the other, am seeing double? FYI: am studying Mohamed and WIN, and watching how that string is playing out. Ms. Amanza gets a reprieve for now, while I check to see where she fits in this labyrinth.

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

Saturday January 10, 2026

Kaieteur News

PAGE 11

Kaieteur News

PAGE 12

Saturday January 10, 2026

137 road deaths recorded for 2025 I

n 2025, Guyana’s roadways proved increasingly deadly, with the Guyana Police Force (GPF) recording 137 road traffic deaths arising from 124 accidents.

This represents a six per cent increase in fatalities compared to 2024, when 117 accidents resulted in 132 deaths.

H o w e v e r, t h e G P F revealed in a statement on Friday that there was an overall reduction of 10 per cent in total road accidents, falling from 2,405 in 2024 to 2,177 in 2025.

This decline was driven mainly by fewer non-fatal incidents across all categories, including serious, minor, and damageonly accidents.

Serious accidents fell from 303 cases in 2024 to 286 in 2025, a decrease of six per cent, while minor accidents declined by seven per cent, from 518 to 481 cases. Damage-only accidents recorded the largest reduction, dropping from 1,467 to 1,288 cases, a 12 per cent decrease.

Additionally, the number of children affected by fatal accidents remained unchanged at six in both years.

The GPF stated that it “remains committed to sustained crime-fighting strategies, community engagement, and proactive policing as it continues to work toward ensuring the safety and security of all citizens.”

The scene of the horrific accident that claimed the life of 19-year-old Annalisa Smith.

In April, President Irfaan Ali revealed that 43 per cent of road fatalities recorded so far for 2025 involved motorcyclists, with 72 per cent of those victims not wearing helmets at the time of their accidents. The

President disclosed the alarming statistics in a Facebook post, urging greater caution among road users. “I am appealing to all road users, especially motorcyclists, to exercise extreme caution on our

The new Bamia Primary School in Region 10.

Bamia Primary School handed over to Govt.

St8tment Investment Inc. on Friday disclosed that it has completed and handed over the Bamia Primary School located in Linden, Region 10 to the government. The project executed through the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development.

According to a statement from the company, Project Contractor Kerwin Bollers said the company was proud to complete the project despite challenges encountered during construction.

“We are extremely happy to deliver this project for the children of Linden and grateful to the Government for the opportunity to contribute to national development,” Bollers stated.

Speaking on Afternoon Lockdown on Thursday, Project Contractor Rawle Ferguson described the school as one of the best in Guyana and the wider region, citing its size, quality, and overall finish.

The modern facility

features 44 classrooms, smart classrooms, a gymnasium, an auditorium with a performance stage, library, science lab, music room, sick bay with showers, and other state-of-the-art amenities designed to support quality education in Region 10, the statement disclosed.

Kaieteur News reported that the $346 million contract for the school was awarded to St8tment

Investment Inc. in November 2021 and was initially expected to be completed by July 2023.

St8tment Investment Inc. was incorporated in March, 2021. Its principals are Rawle Ferguson and Kerwin Bollers of Hits and Jams Entertainment along with Aubrey ‘Shanghai’ Major and Kashif Muhammed of the Kashif and Shanghai football tournament.

Since the signing of the

contract, the project has since faced several challenges causing numerous missed deadlines.

The project experienced several delays due to a range of challenges, including labour shortages, increased material costs, and unfavourable weather conditions.

The setbacks collectively impacted the original timeline and contributed to extensions.

roadways. So far this year, 43 per cent of all road f a t a l i t i e s w e r e motorcyclists, and of those who lost their lives, 72 per cent were not wearing a helmet,” President Ali said.

Further in November, during National Road Safety Month under the theme “Careful Driving Saves Lives,” the World Bank warned that Guyana’s road death rate — 15 per 100,000 people — remains “unacceptably high.” Prime Minister Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips confirmed that between 2020 and 2024 the country recorded 574 crashes and 642 deaths, including 24 children. World B a n k R e s i d e n t Representative for Guyana, Diletta Doretti, wrote in an op-ed column that Guyana has set a national target of reducing annual road fatalities to fewer than 50 by 2030, as part of a new national safety initiative that will be partially supported by the World Bank.

Despite efforts by the government to curb fatalities through the introduction of the e-ticketing system and speed monitoring meters, road deaths remain high, with accidents occurring almost daily and some claiming multiple lives in a single crash.

Between February 23 and February 28, 2025, thirteen people lost their lives in separate accidents across the country. On February 23 and 24, 64-yearold Dennis Gilkes was killed by a motor lorry in Corentyne, Berbice, while 40-year-old Abdool Sharaf Rahim was struck by a car at Wallers Delight, West Coast Demerara. In another incident, three young men, Keishan Ramnauth (18), Adrian Inshan (22), and Ameer Subhan (21), died in a motorcycle collision in Corentyne.

Between February 26 and 27, 19-year-old Annalisa Smith died in a car crash in Berbice, while married couple Shane Tyndall (39)

and Shabeca Gordon (35) died after their vehicle flipped in Eccles, East Bank Demerara.

On February 28, eight more fatalities were recorded, including 32-yearold Keron DeFreitas on the Linden–Soesdyke Highway, and three others, Davenand Bernard (19), Reion Alphonso (28), and Leon Marks (62), in two separate accidents on the Essequibo Coast. A pedestrian was also killed in Bagotstown, East Bank Demerara.

On August 19, a fiery collision between two trucks on the Soesdyke–Linden Highway near Loo Creek resulted in three deaths: 73year-old Lionel Campbell, an unidentified passenger, and a Venezuelan woman known only as “Melie,” who burned to death when one of the trucks exploded.

Just days earlier, on August 16, a Toyota Fielder wagon collided with a truck along the same highway, k i l l i n g s e v e n - y e a r- o l d Meranzo Campbelle, Shelly Joseph, and Keiron Wells.

On August 17, a family of three, Jagnarine Stephen, Keyra Stephen, and their toddler daughter Laurel, died in a crash along the Rupununi to Lethem trail in Region Nine after their motorcycle reportedly collided with a minibus.

In October, 15-year-old Navindra Mahes, a student of Annandale Secondary School, was killed after being struck by a car driven by a female police corporal along the Success Public Road, East Coast Demerara. Police said the teen was attempting to cross at a pedestrian crossing when he was hit, later succumbing to his injuries at the Georgetown Public Hospital.

In November, 16-yearold schoolgirl Jodea Seline died following an accident on the Number 63 Public Road, Corentyne, Berbice, when a minibus carrying schoolchildren toppled.

Teacher Jerome Bernard also later succumbed to injuries.

Kaieteur News

Saturday January 10, 2026

PAGE 13

Murders peaked Roraima Airways announces 7% reduction by 11.10% in 2025 in airfares to rehabilitated airstrips – GPF

L

Murders in 2025 have peaked by 11.10% in 2025, the Guyana Police Force (GPF) announced on Friday.

In a statement, the police force said that the significant increase is reflected in the comparison of data for the 2024 to 2025 period.

One hundred and seventeen murders were recorded in 2024 while 130 were recorded in 2025.

In contrast, serious crimes across Police Divisions One to 10 declined from 1,235 cases in 2024 to 920 in 2025, representing a 25.5 per cent reduction.

The GPF stated, “The data reflects notable decreases in several major offence categories, including robbery, burglary, break and enter and larceny, rape, and kidnapping, indicating positive trends in crime reduction efforts across the country.”

All categories of robbery showed sharp declines.

Simple robbery fell by 61.5 per cent, while armed robbery decreased by approximately 29 per cent.

Robbery with violence and robbery with aggravation also dropped by more than 30 per cent and 29 per cent respectively.

Property crimes followed a similar pattern.

Burglary declined by 70.1 per cent, break and enter and larceny fell by 28.6 per cent, and larceny from the person decreased by 39.5 per cent.

Reported rape cases declined by 12.6 per cent, while kidnapping fell from one case in 2024 to zero in 2025.

Overall, excluding murder, serious crimes declined significantly, contributing to the 25.5 per cent reduction in total reported offences for the year.

During the launch of the Continued on page 15

Dead: Maline La Cruz

Dead: Reyna DePeazer

Dead: Sueann LaCruz

Dead: Waveney LaCruz

Dead: Ariel Betancourt Ramírez

Dead: Kenesha Juman Vaughn

Dead: Sudesh Singh

ocal aviation o p e r a t o r , Roraima Airways on Friday announced an immediate 7% reduction in airfares to all recently rehabilitated hinterland airstrips. Roraima in a statement said, “This decisive action follows P r e s i d e n t I r f a a n A l i ’s national call for the aviation sector to support hinterland communities by reducing the cost of air travel, alongside Government-led investments to modernize and rehabilitate hinterland airstrips.”

O n M o n d a y, w h i l e commissioning the newly upgraded Paramakatoi Airstrip in Region Eight, President Ali disclosed that operators had complained of the conditions of hinterland airstrips and the cost for maintenance for their raise in airfares. He added that with the new and improved runways, operators would consider lowering their prices which can benefit the residents.

According to Roraima, over recent years, the Government has undertaken a major aviation infrastructure programme, including the rehabilitation and modernization of airstrips across Regions One, Seven, Eight and Nine.

They noted there are an additional 11 airstrips scheduled for completion in the near future, and that these upgrades, together with the introduction of runway lighting systems and automated weather

reporting, represent the most significant single advancement in aviation safety ever undertaken in the country.

“As an airline that has served Guyana for over 30 years, including the execution of thousands of medical evacuation missions by day and night, Roraima Airways has long advocated for safer, more resilient aviation infrastructure,” the company said.

Captain Gerry Gouveia Jr., Director of Aviation in the statement said that when public investment improves safety and reliability, it is their responsibility to translate those gains into real benefits for the people. “ We h e a r d t h e President’s call clearly. The Government has made a serious investment in safety and infrastructure, and we believe the private sector has a responsibility to respond with equally serious action.

The improved condition of these airstrips allows us to reduce operational costs, and

we are passing those savings directly to the people who depend on air transport,” he added.

The President had publicly signalled a target of a 15% reduction in hinterland airfares. Roraima Airways said it acknowledged that ambition and reaffirmed its commitment to continue working toward further reductions as infrastructure, efficiencies, and operational conditions continue to improve.

“This 7% reduction is our concrete sustainable first step,” Capt. Gouveia said n o t i n g t h a t “ We a r e committed to continuing this j o u r n e y, r e s p o n s i b l y, t r a n s p a r e n t l y, a n d i n partnership with the Government, so that safer runways ultimately translate into more affordable access for hinterland communities.”

A d d i t i o n a l l y, t h e company explained that following several weeks of detailed operational and cost analysis, Roraima Airways

confirmed that the improved runway conditions materially reduce aircraft wear, maintenance exposure, and operational risk. They added that these efficiencies have enabled the airline to immediately implement a 7% fare reduction to all rehabilitated airstrips, without exception.

“Importantly, Roraima Airways confirmed that this same reduction will be automatically applied to every newly rehabilitated or newly constructed hinterland airstrip as they come online, ensuring a consistent, transparent, and nationwide pricing approach,” the statement said.

Kaieteur News had reported that following the P r e s i d e n t ’s c a l l a f t e r commissioning two hinterland airstrips, one at Paramakatoi and at Aishalton, local flight operator Jags Aviation announced on Thursday that it has agreed to lower its prices for flights to these two locations.

Kaieteur News

PAGE 14

Savitri Seelall displaying her certificate of title.

Saturday January 10, 2026

Bisram Basantre, 58, displaying his several titles.

Attorney General Anil Nandlall, SC hands over a certificate of title to a resident of Cotton Tree Village.

120 land titles issued at Cotton Tree Village …President Ali labels distribution good investment in people Over 120 households of Cotton Tree Village, West Coast Berbice (WCB) in Region Five (MahaicaBerbice) received their land titles on Friday during a land titling and distribution exercise which saw the attendance of President Irfaan Ali and several government ministers.

President Irfaan Ali spearheaded the exercise at Rosignol, WCB, which saw titles being handed out to persons, some of whom would have had their applications in the system for well over 20 years, in some cases.

The president reasoned that in the rooting out poverty, the asset base of every family must be built.

This, he posited, is achieved by giving Guyanese ownership of things and increasing the value of things they possess, as well as by investments made in infrastructure and technology.

“That is why our vision as a government has been clear and

consistent- to help Guyanese to acquire wealth, not just survive.

Our strategy of enhancing the wellbeing of citizens is focused on expanding economic opportunities, so people can earn more. We have worked to enhance disposable income so families can save and invest.”

Moreover, he explained that land ownership is factored into an expansive strategy aimed to raise income, reduce burdens, and create assets. In harmony with this, the president highlighted his a d m i n i s t r a t i o n ’s r e c o r d i n expanding land ownership by supplying “tens of thousands” of house lots, while squatter settlements have been regularized.

“Regularization turns insecurity into stability, better health, better public service, and title turns occupation into ownership. Land turns a family into stakeholders in a nation’s future.

Land Titles being distributed during a simple ceremony at Rosignol, West Coast Berbice.

President Ali (centre), joined by Attorney General, Anil Nandlall (right) and Education, Minister Sonia Parag on Friday.

This is not charity, this is empowerment. When a person owns land, they own an asset. That asset can appreciate in value. It can be developed, it can be used as collateral, it can be passed on to children. It becomes a foundation for entrepreneurship, for housing, for farming, for small business,” President Ali emphasized.

While noting the government’s satisfaction that persons would have secured their land titles, President Ali disclosed that there exists 1,500 allocated house lots on which no dwelling places were constructed. The president s i g n a l l e d g o v e r n m e n t ’s forthcoming intervention, in coordination with the local banking system.

“In the coming months, we will be convening groups to work with these 1,500 house lot owners. That is: the government, the bank, and these house lot owners, to move them from house lot ownership to home ownership. So, we will be hand-holding you in helping you in helping you to get the loans, handholding you in helping you to get your designs, and hand-holding you into moving towards home ownership,” the president promised.

Kaieteur News spoke with several of the ecstatic recipients.

Chyren Kanhoye, 60, of Corentyne, who collected on behalf of her overseas-based sister, related their approximately 10-year wait to obtain their certificate of title at Cotton Tree Village.

For her, “the tension of waiting

is over, and you don’t have to look out for news anymore,” referring to updates as to when titles would be issued. Finally satisfied, she told this publication that building commences immediately.

Cotton Tree resident, Bickram Bharrat, returned from Canada to obtain his title. The 71-year-old told Kaieteur News that he waited for 30 years to finally secure his title on Friday. He thanked the president for fulfilling his decade-long dreams.

Yadwantie Singh, 78, also from the area, clutched her title with relief and satisfaction, now that her noble endeavors to bequeath to her next generation are within more standardized means.

“It’s a very long time I’ve waited on this title. It’s not how many years- the plot of land that I have, my father gave it to me, so I went to court to have the title, and I got through. My son living with me, so he will have to cultivate the land…I’m very happy. I’m old, so I take care of everything now, so they won’t have any problem when I leave this beautiful world,” the pensioner told Kaieteur News.

After nearly 20 years, another Cotton Tree Village resident, 58year-old Bisram Basantre, is now an official land title owner. Having relocated from Bath Settlement, he and his wife secured their four titles.

“I feel very happy, and I must thank the president. He did a wonderful job, and everybody can (now be an) owner for their title,” the elated man told this publication.

Padmadevi Seetayah, 37,

Cotton Tree, stated that she waited for three years for her title. Her home is already constructed on the lot, and acquisition of her certificate of title makes her “very excited.”

Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs Anil Nandlall, SC in his remarks told the gathering that the initiative is precursory to a slew of other soon-to -be on stream initiatives which are set to empower the population. These are measures undertaken by the administration to better lives, he added.

“We cannot promise, and we will not promise that we will fix all of your problems today or tomorrow. What we can promise is that we will work every single day to improve your quality of life,” the Legal Affairs Minister assured.

Minister of Education Sonia Parag underscored that housing is just one aspect of what Region Five has benefitted from. She pledged that it will only improve, and urged the recipients to hold highly the value of their titles.

“To the beneficiaries, I want you to understand that you must hold this paper with the significance of which it’s being given to you...and I want you to be able to build on that foundation, and we are proud to be able to say that we can give that to you.”

Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Legal Affairs Adele Clark, Regional Chairman of Region Five, Recardo Phillips and other officials were also present at the ceremony.

Kaieteur News

Saturday January 10, 2026

PAGE 15

Traffic offenders fined, jailed and licences suspended as GPF aggressively tackles offences The Guyana Police Force (GPF) has announced that there will be a $150,000 bail attached for traffic offenders, as well as suspended licenses, fines and jail sentences.

In a statement to the media on Friday the GPF announced that it has intensified the enforcement against dangerous driving, which has resulted in multiple motorists being charged, fined and placed before the courts this week, subsequent to their offences being captured on traffic cameras.

Offences included speeding and third lane violations.

“These actions form part of the continued rollout of the Safe Road Intelligent System (SRIS), deployed in partnership between the National Data Management Authority (NDMA) and Guyana Police Force, which utilises automated cameras and data-driven monitoring to identify traffic breaches and support enforcement actions through the courts,” the police said.

On Wednesday, the Sparendaam Magistrates’ Court #2 and the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court #7 saw several drivers making appearances to answer dangerous driving charges. Magistrates Abigail Gibbs and S. Lallram presided over the matters which saw Junior McKenzie, driver of minibus BAF 6744, being charged with two counts of Dangerous Driving and fined $100,000.

Minibus drivers Orin Harper, driver of BPP 3825, faced two counts of Dangerous Driving and was fined $100,000 and, Hemraj

Traffic on the roadway. (GPF)

Ramfal, driver of BAE 7621, pleaded not guilty and was granted bail of $150,000.

“Haraish Looknauth (BAC 2361), Cylus Gibson (BAE 3131), Mike McGarrell (BAJ 4071), and Keshav Lachman (BAH 8423) were each fined $50,000 for Dangerous Driving.

Several matters were adjourned due to the absence of defendants, including those involving Odinga McDonald, Dasrat Mirchand, and Kelvin Hardy, all drivers of minibuses. These cases were rescheduled for February 3, 2026,” police said.

Trevor Peters (BZZ 9177) and Mahadeo Mangra (BAM 3367) each appeared before Magistrate Lallram and fined $50,000- or 10weeks’ imprisonment, while Leroy Jonas, driver of minibus BAL 5912, faced two counts of Dangerous Driving and was fined

Murders peaked by 11.10% in...

From page 13 GPF’s Christmas Policing Plan last N o v e m b e r, C r i m e C h i e f , D e p u t y Commissioner Wendell Blanhum revealed that serious crimes had declined by 25.1 per cent between January and November 2025, but murders had increased by 13.9 per cent over the same period.

Blanhum disclosed that between January 1 and November 9, 2025, there were 115 murders, compared with 101 during the same period in 2024.

Murder statistics for 2025 show that 81 per cent of victims were male, while 19 per cent were female. Over the past five years, “disorderly murders”, those arising from fights, arguments, or disputes that escalate, remained the most common category.

Domestic murders doubled, increasing from 13 cases in 2024 to 26 in 2025, while a smaller percentage were committed execution-style or during the course of robberies.

Geographically, 21 per cent of murders occurred in Georgetown, followed by the East Bank of Demerara (11 per cent) and the East Coast of Demerara (10 per cent).

Regions Two and Five recorded the lowest figures at 2 per cent and 3 per cent respectively.

Meanwhile, in 2024, Guyana recorded a 14.4 per cent reduction in serious crimes.

Then Minister of Home Affairs Robeson Benn said during his end-of-year press conference that 1,235 serious crimes, including murders, were reported compared to 1,406 in 2023.

The 117 murders recorded in 2024 reflected a 25.9 per cent decrease, which Benn attributed to strategic crime-fighting interventions and the implementation of targeted crime-reduction programmes.

Despite the statistical improvements in other crime areas, 2025 was marked by

several tragic murders.

In February, 27-year-old Kenesha Vaughn was allegedly shot 12 times by her husband, Marlan Da Silva, during an argument at their Diamond Housing Scheme, East Bank Demerara home. That same month, Shameeza Mohamed was brutally beaten by her son-in-law, Parsuram Arjune, and later succumbed to her injuries.

April saw five women lose their lives.

Mezona Ronaldo was allegedly set on fire by her partner, Kevin Cadogan, and later died from her injuries. In another incident, Maline La Cruz, her sister Sueann La Cruz, and their mother Waveney La Cruz were shot and killed by Maline’s ex-partner, Parmanand Ramdehol, at their home in Waiakabra Village, along the Soesdyke–Linden Highway. That same month, 30-year-old Marissa Beete was shot by her ex-boyfriend, Ghalee Khan.

In July, 16-year-old Reyna DePeazer was fatally struck by a stray bullet at Mango Lane, East Ruimveldt, Georgetown. Police said the teen was sitting on a motorcycle with a friend when an argument erupted between two men nearby, during which one opened fire. A bullet struck DePeazer in the neck, and she later died at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation.

In October, 24-year-old Faynel Brewster was shot dead by two motorcycle bandits who were attempting to rob her brother outside their West Ruimveldt home. That same month, 49-year-old Balram Bessessar allegedly chopped his 15-year-old stepson, Sudesh Singh, to death following a dispute over a bicycle at their Stewartville home.

In December, Cuban national Ariel Betancourt Ramírez was stabbed to death during a robbery at Middle Road, La Penitence, Georgetown, after two men on bicycles reportedly attempted to relieve him of his valuables.

$100,000- or 20-weeks’ imprisonment. His driver’s licence was suspended for six months.

“Two defendants, Hensley Alleyne (BAC 8810) and Raymond Clement (BAK 1075), were absent when their matters were called.

The Traffic Department have also indicated that additional cases relating to unpaid speeding tickets detected through the SRIS traffic camera system are expected to come before the courts. Motorists are reminded that failure to attend court when summoned may result in further legal consequences, including the issuance of warrants,” police said.

In this light the traffic department reiterated that dangerous driving, which includes third-lane violations and offences detected via traffic cameras, puts lives at risk and will be met with firm action. Motorists are being urged to obey traffic laws, respect lane discipline, and drive responsibly.

$1.3 billion in contracts awarded to construct new Palmyra Cultural Market The One Guyana Cultural Market, which the government intends to construct at Palmyra, Region Six will cost approximately $1.3 billion.

According to information released by the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB) office, the project will be done in lots and three contractors have been contracted.

Those awarded the project are Permaul Trading & Distribution for $311,608,700; A & K Construction & Maintenance Services for $574,741,524; and BluePrint Builders Inc. for $476,273,318.

President Irfaan Ali announced the construction of the facility during the Emancipation Day celebration held at the New Amsterdam Technical Institute in August 2024.

Quoted in a Department of Public

Information (DPI) article, the President said, “As we build the new stadium, and as we build facilities around the stadium, and as we build hotels, an important part of why people will come to Region Six is to be part of this national cultural market.”

“This will be a symbol of the importance of culture in bridging gaps and bringing people together.

The importance of culture in economic and social revolution. The importance of culture in developing healthy lifestyle … [and] the importance of culture in celebrating the unity of our people and our country,” he added.

Following the president’s announcement, a sum of $800 million was budgeted in the 2025 national budget for the project. It was reported that the cultural market will be a rich educational and cultural hub to showcase the diversity and unity of people for families to enjoy and celebrate.

PAGE 16

ACCOMMODATIONS

WANTED Sales Rep needed, ages 1830 years. Knowledge of vehicle model will be an asset. Contact: 619-1237.

Wanted house lot to buy & land with unfinished building. We pay cash. Call: 2160671 / 692-8464. Whataspp 622-0267.

Wanted Security Guards, Handyman, Bartenders, Waitress & Wash up person at De Impeccable Banquet Hall. 651-9793 / 223-0504 / 227-5536.

Wanted one Maid. For more information please Call: 680-1282.

Job opening: Truck Driver, AC Technicians, Excavator and Skid Steer Operators.

To apply send application via WhatsApp: 689-1111/ 608-2114.

Male & female needed to work at supermarket in the Interior. Must be 18 years & older. Call: 674-9999.

Live in Domestic wanted.

Must know to cook and clean.

Call: 699-8486.

Reputable transportation service is seeking experienced Chauffeur with mini bus and hire car license.

Call: 645-0025.

Wanted experienced sawman to work in the Interior. Call: 696-9854

VEHICLES FOR SALE 1 Honda CRV, includes TV, music system, alarm, reverse camera, spoiler, low mileage, PTT Series (first owner). Call: 649-0956.

Mercedes Sprinter food truck for sale. In excellent condition, spacious, clean & well maintained. Price: 5.5M neg. Contact:6201857.

SERVICES VISA Application for USA, Canada, UK, ETA, ETC. Naturalisation guidance + application filling & Building Plans. Tel: 626-7040.

For low cost repairs for AC units, refrigerators, freezers, gas stoves, washing machine, dryers, etc. Call: 629-4946, 225-4822.

Saturday January 10, 2026

Kaieteur News

VACANCY General Domestic (4 day work) & experiened handyman, apply at Keyfood Trading Mc Doom next to the post office.

Vacancy exist for; Desk clerk, room attendant, supervisor, laundry attendant, ages: 25-55 . Email: kvchotel @gmail.com.

Contact # 225-0198 .

Vacancy for Bartenders, Waiters / Waitress, Servers, Cleaners at Steppz Bar 525 Herstelling EBD. Interviews 09/01/2026. On spot hiring. 694-0858 / 666-2361.

Vacancy exists for one full time general House-keeper.

Must be 30 years and older.

Please call: 622-6127 One clerk for TSI Eccles office English 1, Maths 2 call 615-9132 or email application to techserigy@gmail.com Driver must be able to assist in workshop at Eccles, age 23-50, Car/ Van licence Call 615-9132.

Aracari Hotel Renovated rooms, A/C, TV, Restaurant, Bar, Pool, Gym. Stay 7 nights, 1 FREE! Call: 264-2946.

ENTERTAINMENT Family Fun Aracari Resort!

Crystal clear pool, safe kids & adult sections, Music & food. W.B.D. Call: 2642946-9.

FOR RENT Commerical Properties on Regent Street & Sheriff Street. Contact Ray's Realty 627-9685

LAND FOR SALE Friendship E.B.D 85x213, Craig E.B.D 9 acres, Sliver Hill Linden 20 acres & Voorsigtigheid Mahica E.B.D. Contact Ray's Realty 627-9685 LAND FOR LEASE Wales Public Road, W.B.D, Parcel 21 (0.467 acres) 20,342 sq ft. Available Long term 2025 years. Sign on property.

Phone/Whatsapp: 615-2270/ 628-8619.

Wales Public Road, W.B.D, Parcel 25 (0.494 acres) 21,388 sq ft. Available Long term 20-25 years. Sign on property.

Phone/ Whatsapp: 615-2270/6288619.

Malgre Tout, W.B.D, (South of Masjid)-Lot "C" (1.347 acres) 58675 sq ft. Available Long term 20-25 years. Sign on property. Phone/ Whatsapp: 615-2270/6288619.

Versailles, W.B.D, (South of Aracari Hotel)-Lot 167 (4.6606 acres) 203,016 sq ft.

Available Long term 20-25 years. Sign on property.

Phone/Whatsapp: 6152270/628-8619.

FOR SALE TRUCK TIRES 295 / 75R22.5 $40K EACH. FOR MORE INFORMATION CALL / WHATSAPP:+592-6883201.

LEGAL NOTICE 2025/952-HC-FDA-DEMCIV IN THE HIGH COURT OF THE SUPREME COURT OF JUDICATURE OF GUYANAREGULAR JURISDICTION 2025/ 952-HC-FDA-DEM-CIV ERNESTINE BARKER Applicant -and1. LEON LOGAN 2. CENTRAL HOUSING AND PLANNING AUTHORITY Respondents Rb NOTICE: TO: LEON LOGAN (Address Unknown) TAKE NOTICE that a Fixed Date Application was filed on the 14th day of October, 2025, against you by ERNESTINE BARKER, in the High Court in Georgetown, Demerara, where the Applicant asks for: a) An Order directing the Central Housing & Planning Authority (CH&PA) to delete the name of the First-named respondent, LEON LOGAN, from the allocation of the parcel of residential land situate at Lot 537 Block 22,

LEGAL NOTICE

LEGAL NOTICE

LEGAL NOTICE

Wismar, Linden, Guyana; b) An Order directing the Second-named Respondent, Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA), to process the allocation of said Lot 537 Block 22, Wismar, Linden, Guyana, in the sole name of the Applicant, ERNESTINE BARKER; c) An Order directing the Secondnamed Respondent, Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA), to convey and transfer the parcel of land situate at Lot 537 Block 22, Wismar, Linden, Guyana, in the sole name of the Applicant, ERNESTINE BARKER; d) Such further or other Order as this Honourable Court deem just. AND FURTHER TAKE NOTICE that as part of an Order made on the 25W day of November, 2025, the Applicant is directed to effect service of this application on you by publication of a Notice in two (2) consecutive Saturday issues of Kaieteur News, a daily newspaper printed, published and circulated in and around Guyana.

AND FURTHER TAKE NOTICE that if you desire to defend this Application, you must forthwith within 28 (twenty eight) days after the final publication, enter an Appearance thereto, and serve an Affidavit in Defence on MS. SHELLON BOYCE, whose address for service and place of business is at Guyana Legal Aid Clinic “Maraj Building” 185 Charlotte & King Streets, Georgetown, Guyana, Email: legalaid@networksgy.com , and file same to this cause in the Registry of the High Court at Georgetown via the High Court’s eLitigation online platform with the use of the authorisation code: iECGLS, not later than 4 (four) days before the date fixed for hearing of the application, and you or your Attorney-at-Law must appear at the hearing;AND FURTHER TAKE NOTICE that if you fail to file an Affidavit

in Defence and/or if you fail to appear at the hearing, final judgment may be given against you notwithstanding your absence. AND FURTHER TAKE NOTICE that the Fixed Date Application is fixed for Hearing on the 19W day of February, 2026 at 9:00 am before the Honourable Madam Justice Zamilla Ally-Seepaul at the High Court, Demerara.

FOR REGISTRAR

herein represented by her duly constituted attorney, Gowkarran Singh, agreeable with the Power of Attorney executed on the 21st July, 2023, deposited in the Deeds registry on the 3rd August, 2023 and numbered 4887 of 2023, in the HighCourt in Georgetown, Demerara, where the Applicant asks for: a) An Order that the removed as the executor/ administrator of the estate of Ramkissoon Ramsarup also known as Ramkissoon Ramsaroop, deceased, who died on the 6th March, 2017, granted on the 22nd February, 2023, with Probate and Administration No. 2022-HC-BER-EST-210; b) An order that the PublicTrustee be named as the Administrator/Executor of the estate of Ramkissoon Ramsarup also known as Ramkissoon Ramsaroop, deceased, who died on the 6th March, 2017, granted on the 22nd February, 2023, with Probate and Administration No. 2022HC-BER-EST-210 and administers and/or vest the estate to the beneficiaries; c) Alternatively, an order, if appropriate, that the Applicant be named the executor/administrator of the estate of Ramkissoon Ramsarup also known as Ramkissoon Ramsaroop, deceased, who died on the 6th March, 2017, granted on the 22nd February, 2023, with Probate and Administration No. 2022HC-BER-EST-210 and solely administers and/or vest estate of Ramkissoon Ramsarup also known as Ramkissoon Ramsaroop, deceased, who died on the 6th March, 2017, granted on the 22nd February, 2023, with Probate and Administration No. 2022HC-BER-EST-210; d) Any other relief that the court deems fit in the circumstances; and) Costs AND FURTHER TAKE NOTICE that as part of an Order made on the 4th day of December, 2025, the Applicant is directed to effect service of this application, and this order on the Respondent by publication of a Notice in two (2) consecutive Saturday issues of the Kaieteur Newspaper,

LEGAL NOTICE LEGAL NOTICE 2025/437-HC-FDA-DEMCIV IN THE HIGH COURT OF THE SUPREME COURT OF JUDICATURE OF GUYANA REGULAR JURISDICTION BETWEEN: SURUJWANTIE JAIKARAN, herein represented by her duly constituted attorney, Gowkarran Singh, agreeable with the Power of Attorney executed on the 21st July, 2023, deposited in the Deeds registry on the 3rd August, 2023 and numbered 4887 of 2023.

Applicant -andJAGESHWAR RAMSAROOP,in his personal capacity and his capacity as the Administrator of the estate of Ramkissoon Ramsarup also known as Ramkissoon Ramsaroop, deceased, who died on the 6th March, 2017, granted on the 22nd February, 2023, with Probate and Administration No. 2022HC-BER-EST-210.

Respondent NOTICE: TO: JAGESHWAR RAMSAROOP Lot 130 A, Woodley Park, West Coast Berbice, Guyana TAKE NOTICE that a Fixed Date Applicationwas filed on the 21st day of May, 2025 against you by SURUJWANTIEJAIKARAN,

Saturday January 10, 2026

LEGAL NOTICE LEGAL NOTICE , a newspaper, printed and published and circulated in and around Guyana.AND FURTHERTAKE NOTICE that if you desire to defend this Application, you must forthwith, within 28 (twenty eight) days after the second and final publication, enter an Appearance thereto, and serve an Affidavit in Defence on Mr. DONAVON A RANGIAH whose address for service and place of business is at Lot 156 Charlotte Street, Lacytown, Georgetown, Guyana, Email: dar@donavonrangiahlawyer.com, and file same to this cause in the Registry of the High Court at Georgetown via the High Court’s eLitigation online platform with the use of the authorisation code: RgmMWQ, not later than 4 (four) days before the date fixed for hearing of the application, and you or your Attorney-at-Law must appear at the hearing. AND FURTHERTAKE NOTICE that if you fail to file an Affidavit in Defence and/ or if you fail to appear at the hearing, final judgment may be given against you not withstanding your absence. AND FURTHER TAKE NOTICE that the matter is fixed for Hearing of the Fixed Date Application on the 20th February 2026 at 9:45 AM before the HONOURABLE JUSTICE FIDELA CORBIN-LINCOLN via zoom or in person at Court8. The Zoom particulars are below: Meeting ID: 882 1097 6231 Passcode: Court12 FOR REGISTRAR

LEGAL NOTICE 2025/953-FD-PET-DEM IN THE HIGH COURT OF THE SUPREME COURT OF JUDICATURE FAMILY DIVORCE AND MATRIMONIAL JURISDICTION FAMILY

PAGE 17

Kaieteur News

LEGAL NOTICE DIVISION PETITION NO. FD-953 BETWEEN: JEWEL SOOKNARINE Petitioner/Applicant -and- JAHAIDA SOOKNARINE nee ABLBERTS Respondent TO: JAHAIDA SOOKNARINE nee ABLBERTS Unknown TAKE NOTICE that on the 29th day of August, 2025 a Petition for Divorce was filed against you by JEWEL SOOKNARINE, the Applicant in the Family Division of the High Court in Georgetown, Demerara. AND FURTHERTAKE NOTICE that as part of an Order made on the 5th day of January, 2026, the Applicant was directed to effect service of his Petition on you by publication of Notice in two (2) consecutive Saturday issues of daily a newspaper printed, published and circulated in Guyana and on the world wide web (online).

AND FURTHER TAKE NOTICE that if you desire you may appear or attend in person or by your duly authorized agent or Attorney-at-Law at the Registry of Family Division of the High Court at Georgetown, Demerara where you will be issued with a certificate copy of the Petition together with related documents AND FURTHERTAKE NOTICE that if you desire to defend this Divorce, then upon Receipt of the certified copy of the Petition and Application, you must file an Acknowledgment of Service, Notice of Intention to Defend (Forms are available at the Registry), Answer and/or Cross Petition Via the e-litigation Platform(online)https:// ejudiciary.supremecourt.gy within 35 (thirty-five) days from the date of the final publication of this Notice. Your access code is LLp3N5. TAKE NOTICE that the Divorce is fixed for Directions Hearing on Monday the 16th day

Colombia sees ‘real threat’ of US military action, president tells BBC BBC News- Colombia’s President Gustavo Petro has told the BBC that he believes there is now a “real threat” of US military action against Colombia. Petro said the US is treating other nations as part of a US “empire”. It comes after Trump said a military operation in Colombia “sounds good”. Petro said that the US risks transforming from “dominating the world” to becoming “isolated from the world.”

He also accused US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents of acting like “Nazi brigades”.

Trump has significantly expanded ICE operations as part of what the administration says is a crackdown on crime and immigrants who illegally entered the US. The BBC has approached the White House for comment. Following US strikes on Venezuela and the seizure of Nicolás Maduro, US President Donald Trump said a military operation targeting Colombia “sounds good”.

Trump has also repeat-

LEGAL NOTICE LEGAL LEGALNOTICE NOTICE of March ,2026 at 9:00 a.m. in-person before the Honourable Justice Peter Hugh in Court 7. IN DEFAULT of your filing an Acknowledgement of Service. Notice of Intention to Defend, Answer and/or Cross Petition the Court may proceed in your absence and may make any Order it considers appropriate, including granting the Divorce. The Registry of the Family Division of the High Court is located at the Law Courts [Georgetown, Demerara]. The office is open to the public between 8:00 am and 3:30 pm Mondays to Thursdays and 8:00 am to 2:30 pm on Fridays except on public holidays and on such other days as the Registry is closed. Dated the 6th day of January, 2026 FOR REGISTRAR

edly told Petro to “watch his ass”, remarks Petro strongly condemned.

Trump and Petro spoke by phone on Wednesday evening, after which Trump said he would meet his Colombian counterpart at the White House in the “near future. Writing on his Truth Social platform late on Wednesday after the call, Trump described his conversation with Petro as a “Great Honour”.

A Colombian official said at the time that the conversation had reflected a 180-degree shift in rhetoric “from both sides.”

But on Thursday, Petro’s tone suggested relations had not significantly improved.

He told the BBC the call lasted just under an hour, “most of it occupied by me,” and covered “drug trafficking Colombia” and Colombia’s view on Venezuela and “what is happening around Latin America regarding the United States.”

Petro strongly criticised recent US immigration enforcement, accusing ICE agents of operating like “Nazi brigades”.

Trump has accused countries like Colombia and Venezuela of not doing enough to tackle drug-trafficking.

The US has conducted more than 30 strikes in recent months on vessels that the US says were being used for drug trafficking in the Caribbean and the Pacific, killing more than 110 people.

Trump told Fox News host Sean Hannity in an interview that aired on Thursday night that after targeting drug trafficking by water “we are going to start now hitting land”, adding that “the cartels are running Mexico”.

Trump has often blamed immigration for crime and trafficking in the US, using it to justify large-scale enforcement operations.

Since returning to the White House, the US president has sent ICE agents to cities across the country. The agency enforces immigration laws and conducts investigations into undocumented immigration. It also plays a role in removing undocumented immigrants from the US. The administration says it deported 605,000 people between 20 January and 10 December 2025. It also said 1.9 million immigrants had “voluntarily self-deported”, following an aggressive public awareness campaign encouraging people to leave the country on their own to avoid arrest or detention.

About 65,000 people were in ICE detention as of 30 November 2025, according to data obtained by the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse’s immigration

project, a compendium of government data from Syracuse University. This week a US immigration agent shot dead a 37-year-old US citizen in the city of Minneapolis, sparking protests overnight.

Federal officials said the woman, Renee Nicole Good, had tried to run over immigration agents with her car but the city mayor, Democrat Jacob Frey, said the agent who shot her had acted recklessly and demanded agents leave the city.

Petro said ICE had “reached the point where it no longer only persecutes Latin Americans in the streets, which for us is an affront, but it also kills United States citizens.”

He added that if this continued, “instead of a United States dominating the world – an imperial dream – it is a United States isolated from the world. An empire was not built by being isolated from the world.”

Petro said the US has for “decades” treated other governments, particularly in Latin America, as an “empire” regardless of the law.

The two leaders have long been adversaries, frequently trading insults and tariff threats on social media.

Following the US’s military action in Venezuela, Petro accused Washington of seeking wars over “oil and coal,” adding that if the US had not pulled out of the Paris Agreement, where countries agreed to limit global temperature rising by reducing fossil fuel use, “there would be no wars, there would be a much more democratic and peaceful relationship with the world. And South America.”

“The Venezuelan issue is about this,” he said. After Trump’s comments threatening military action in Colombia, demonstrations were held across the country in the name of sovereignty and democracy.

Petro told the BBC that Trump’s remarks amounted to a “real threat”, citing Colombia’s loss of territory such as Panama in the 20th century, and said “the prospect of removing [the threat] depends on the ongoing conversations.” Asked how Colombia would defend itself in the event of a US attack, Petro said he would “prefer it to be about dialogue.” He said that “work is being done” on this.

But he added: “Colombia’s history shows how it has responded to large armies.”

“It’s not about confronting a large army with weapons we don’t have.

We don’t even have antiaircraft defenses. Instead, we rely on the masses, our mountains, and our jungles, as we always have.” Petro con-

firmed he had also spoken to Delcy Rodríguez, Venezuela’s acting president and former vice president and oil minister, and invited her to Colombia.

He said Venezuela had “long been subject to interference by various intelligence agencies,” adding that while such agencies had permission to operate in Colombia, it was solely to combat drug trafficking. He denounced attempts at what he said were other “covert operations” in Colombia.

He did not directly comment when asked whether he feared the CIA could carry out covert operations similar to their actions in Venezuela in Colombia, or whether he feared his own government or inner circles may have informants.

Maduro was captured by the US army’s Delta Force, the military’s top counter-terrorism unit, after a CIA source in Venezuelan government helped the US track his location. As the world’s largest producer of cocaine, Colombia is a major hub for the global drug trade. It also has significant oil reserves, as well as gold, silver, emeralds, platinum and coal.

The US has said it will control sales of Venezuelan oil “indefinitely” as it prepares to roll back restrictions on the country’s crude in global markets. Speaking aboard Air Force One after the Venezuela operation, Trump described Petro as a “sick man who likes making cocaine and selling it to the United States,” adding: “He’s not going to be doing it for very long.”

Petro denied the claims, saying it has “always been proven that I’m not involved in that.” “For 20 years I have been fighting against the drug cartels, at the cost of my family having to go into exile,” he said. A former guerrilla, Petro has pursued a “total peace” strategy since taking office, prioritising dialogue with armed groups. Critics say the approach has been too soft, with cocaine production reaching record levels.

Asked what failed and whether he accepted responsibility, Petro said coca cultivation growth was slowing and described “two simultaneous approaches.” “One, talking about peace with groups that are bandits. And the other, developing a military offensive against those who don’t want peace.”

He said negotiations were ongoing in southern Colombia, “where the greatest reduction in coca leaf cultivation has occurred” and “where the homicide rate in Colombia has fallen the most.” Cocaine is made from the leaves of the coca plant.

Kaieteur News

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Saturday January 10, 2026

Israel ‘asphyxiating’ Palestinians for ‘apartheid system’ in West Bank: UN Volker Turk's description of the occupied West Bank's situation as 'apartheid' marks first time a United Nations human rights chief has used the term. c u r t a i l e d b y I s r a e l ’s discriminatory laws, policies and practices”, from accessing water to harvesting olives.

Wednesday’s report called out the Israeli authorities for treating Israeli settlers and Palestinians “under two distinct bodies of law and policies, resulting in unequal treatment on a range of critical issues”, with “largescale confiscation of land and deprivation of access to resources”. The laws had led to Palestinians being dispossessed of their lands and homes “alongside other forms of systemic discrimination including criminal prosecution in military

Women watch Israeli machinery demolishing a building at Nur Shams refugee camp in the occupied West Bank [File: Mohammed Torokman/Reuters]

Aljazeera - The United Nations human rights office has called on Israel to “dismantle all settlements” in the occupied West Bank, saying its “oppression and domination” of Palestinians resembles “apartheid”.

In a new report on Wednesday, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights slammed I s r a e l ’s “ s y s t e m i c discrimination” against Palestinians, citing

restrictions on movement through checkpoints, and “limited access to roads, natural resources, land and basic social facilities”.

“There is a systematic asphyxiation of the rights of Palestinians in the West Bank,” said UN rights chief Volker Turk in a statement.

“This is a particularly severe form of racial discrimination and segregation that resembles the kind of apartheid system we have

seen before.”

While UN-affiliated independent experts have described the situation in the occupied Palestinian territories as “apartheid”, Turk’s comments marked the first time a UN rights chief used the term, which was coined during South Africa’s system of racial segregation that lasted from 1948 to 1994. Turk said every aspect of life in the occupied West Bank is “controlled and

courts during which their due process and fair trial rights are systematically violated”.

Two bodies of law Israel has previously rejected the apartheid accusations, saying its policies are driven by “security concerns” rather than racial or ethnic discrimination.

The UN rights office said the discrimination in the Palestinian territories is compounded by continuing and escalating settler violence in many cases “with the acquiescence, support and participation of Israel’s security forces”.

More than 500,000 Israelis currently live-in settlements in the West

Bank, occupied since 1967 and home to about three million Palestinians.

Violence has surged in the shadow of the genocidal war on Gaza, with Israeli attacks killing more than 1,100 Palestinians in the West Bank since October 7, 2023. Israeli authorities have arrested nearly 21,000 Palestinians during that period.

Meanwhile, Israel’s settlement expansion continues, with Israel recently approving 19 new settlement outposts in the occupied West Bank, as the right-wing government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu moves to prevent the formation of a contiguous Palestinian state.

Venezuela looks to rebuild diplomatic ties with US

A demonstrator holds a Venezuelan flag during a march outside the National Assembly, in Caracas, Venezuela January 5, 2026. REUTERS/Maxwell Briceno (Reuters) - Venezuela’s government has begun exploring the potential to expand diplomatic ties with the United States, with U.S. State Department officials traveling to Caracas for technical and logistical assessments, it said in a statement on Friday.

The State Department separately said the U.S. officials were assessing a “potential phased resumption” of embassy operations in the South American country.

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Washington and Caracas have signaled they are seeking cooperation since last week’s dramatic U.S. military operation that resulted in the capture of President Nicolas Maduro.

His vice president Delcy Rodriguez took over as interim leader.

“The government of Venezuela has decided to initiate an exploratory diplomatic process with the

U.S. government, with a view to reestablishing the diplomatic missions in both countries,” the Venezuelan government said in a statement.

A Venezuelan delegation will also be sent to the U.S. to carry out assessments, it said.

Earlier on Friday, U.S. President Donald Trump said the release of political prisoners in Venezuela was a sign of “seeking peace” and that he had canceled a planned second wave of attacks.

Saturday January 10, 2026

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‘This is not law, this is oppression’ - Nazar Mohamed says Govt. has declared war on his family

B

usiness magnate N a z a r Mohamed, the father of Azruddin Mohamed, the presumptive Leader of the Opposition on Friday said that his family is being subjected to what he describes as “continuous, deliberate, and malicious political persecution,” allegedly orchestrated by the highest levels of the state.

The statement comes against the backdrop, that both Nazar and Azruddin Mohamed are sanctioned by the United States and are currently facing extradition proceedings to answer to charges that include money laundering, gold smuggling, tax evasion and wire fraud.

In a lengthy and emotionally charged letter, Mohamed insists that what is unfolding locally has little to do with law enforcement and everything to do with political retribution.

He claimed that for the past two years his family and himself have been subjected to what he described as deliberate, continuous and malicious political persecution.

“Our Constitution does not permit the victimisation of citizens for political reasons. It does not allow the state to weaponise its institutions to intimidate, strip, harass and destroy the lives of an individual or family because of their political position and public standing. What is being done to us violates every principle of due process, equality before the law and protection from arbitrary state power,” he lamented.

The elder Mohamed pointed out that this persecution commenced after an article by Reuters on Mohamed’s Enterprise, referenced sanctions which were allegedly confirmed by a senior government source.

He stressed that from that moment the full weight of “state machinery was unleashed, not through lawful proceedings, but through coordinated punishment. While the investigation started with a well-known lawyer in collusion with local informants who are well known to us, it subsequently e m e rg e d w i t h s e r i o u s political overtures from the highest level of government and political foe.”

The elder Mohamed reminded that he and his son have endured sanctions, disruption of their consortium for the shore

base, the immediate termination of foreign currency traders license and gold dealers’ license. There was also the non-renewal of gold mining land permits as well as quarry operational permits.

Motor vehicle insurances were also cancelled and there was the refusal to renew the fitness certificates for same.

The businessmen were also refused the renewal of their Private Security Service license and all security service firearm licenses, as well as Maritime Administration Department (MARAD) operational licenses.

“Essential services were interfered with- even the supply of cooking-gas.

Members of the disciplined services were victimized if they spoke with us or shook our hands and were transferred to unfamiliar territory with immediate effect if they extended any courtesy or kindness to us.

These actions were not regulatory. They were retaliatory. They were ridiculous and undignified.

The deliberate arrest of my son, Azruddin Mohamed and myself, minutes before Jummah, the Friday prayer, a sacred obligation in Islam, was a calculated act of humiliation to shame and intimidate us. This was not policing; it was political theatre and a display of force,” the businessman said.

In the letter, the senior Mohamed said that the persecution extended beyond members of the M o h a m e d f a m i l y, a s political candidates, friends, supporters and even associates have been made targets, having their bank accounts closed and insurance policies cancelled.

The members of the Mohamed family have faced airport harassment, “unwarranted police stops and searches and constant surveillance from the Special Branch. Our vehicles are followed. Our movements monitored.

Again, my Guyanese friends, this is not security, it is political intimidation.”

He said, “imagine the bullet proof vehicles which are over five years old and were used to transport and protect the same political players and their families, have now personally instructed all insurance companies in Guyana to terminate “with immediate effect” all insurance policies

Business magnate Nazar Mohamed which cover the said vehicles.”

The businessman said several vehicles belong to his family were sold. The vehicles that are around five to thirteen years old were sold at giveaway prices and complied with all mandatory and regulatory processes to ensure successful transfer of ownership. “…only to be served with a letter from Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) letter that they have decided to cancel all the newly issued registration. The GRA also issued a letter to the owner to have all bulletproof door glasses and windscreens

from the vehicles removed,” he said.

However, Mohamed is arguing that this is a task that will prove impossible as the vehicles were custom designed with these features.

In addition, he revealed that the employees of the authority with whom interactions were had in the process of having the request for transfers done assured them that there was “no block” or restrictions in GRA to deny or prevent the request for transfers, making it clear that they were not even familiar with some of the staff.

“Soon after, the GRA in

collusion with the Guyana Police Force then arrested and detained for days those innocent GRA employees who processed the applications for motor vehicle transfers. I caution you, for Allah hates those who use their authority to oppress people. Even our property rights have been violated. Currently at Tuschen Public Road and Little Diamond, lands lawfully owned by us have been illegally occupied.

Excavators were installed, squatting was encouraged and political influence was used to legitimise trespass. This is ordered to happen even though we have our legal papers and transports proving ownership. When we sought police protection and made formal reports, the officers involved were disciplined and transferred.

This is obstruction of justice.

This is state-enabled lawlessness,” he added.

Mohamed said the action being taken against him and his family spells oppression while noting that it is also unconstitutional, as they are

being treated as if they have no rights as business owners, political actors, or even as Guyanese citizens.

“Yet despite all of this, we remain peaceful. We remain lawful. And we remain resolute. We remain bound by duty to the people of Guyana who placed their trust in us. I now call on the people of Guyana to pay attention. This is bigger than one family. When the state can do this to us, it can do it to anyone,” he assured.

Meanwhile, Mohamed is calling on the international observers, the Caribbean Court of Justice, CARICOM heads of government, regional institutions, global news organizations, and the wider international community to take notes, as democracy cannot exist where the rule of law is selectively applied and the state’s power “has its overreach to a particular family.”

“History will remember this moment. And it will remind those who chose to abuse power instead of upholding the Constitution,” he warned.

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CWI Medical chief hints that Alzarri, Shamar should be fit for T20 W/Cup Shamar and Alzarri Joseph

(Trinidad Express) Cricket West Indies’ medical chairman, Dr Donovan Bennett, has given a cautiously optimistic fitness update on pacemen Alzarri Joseph and Shamar Joseph, saying both bowlers are expected to be available for selection for the T20 World Cup in February–March.

“The latest that I saw on

Shamar is that he is fit and ready to go. I saw some stats a couple of days ago when he was going through his bowling protocol; he was bowling pretty fast, he was bowling in the 140s (kph) without any discomfort at all. So he is ready to go,” Bennett told the Barbados sports broadcast programme, Mason &

Guest, “Alzarri, I’m not sure to where he is exactly today, but I know he has been going through his return-to-play protocol and so far he has been hitting all the targets that are required… based on what I am seeing I would think that both of them should be ready for the World Cup.”

Saturday January 10, 2026 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) You'll find that things are slipping nicely into place for you today, Aries. Your persuasive manner and gentle nudges are just enough to get people where you want them.

TAURUS (Apr. 20–May 20) When faced with ten entrees on the menu, it might be hard for you to choose just one.

Feel free to order two or more, Ta u r u s . D o n ' t l e t indecisiveness slow you down. At the same time.

GEMINI (May 21–June 20) Your dreams won't come true unless you believe in and act on them, Gemini. No one else is going to do it for you.

Unless you have a fairy godmother, you need to take matters into your own hands.

CANCER (June 21–July 22) If people hassle you or give you a hard time about your appearance today, pay them no mind, Cancer. You have the right to live your life any way you want to.

LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) Reach for the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, Leo. It's closer than you think. Indeed, your dreams are completely within your reach, and there are huge forces at work helping you achieve your goals.

VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) Today is your day to dream and dream big, Virgo. Think about what it is that you want most out of life. Aim your arrow to the stars and pull back your bow as far as possible. There's no limit to how far you can go.

LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) Expand your mind to its furthest reaches today, Libra.

There's an incredible opportunity opening up for you in which you can make great strides in a creative realm. Follow the music.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) Your mind may seem rather cloudy today, Scorpio, but don't let this hinder you. In fact, you'll find that you can use this feeling of fantasy to your advantage. Try to bring more magic into your life.

SAGIT (Nov. 22–Dec. 21) Today is an excellent day for you, one in which you'll find a great deal of strength in your emotions, Sagittarius. Trust that your instincts are serving you well.

CAPRI (Dec. 22–Jan. 19) Things might get a bit confusing for you today, Capricorn. Don't feel like you need to make sense of it all. In fact, this task may be impossible. Just be yourself.

Let your creative nature shine through.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20–Feb. 18) Mix your reality with a bit of fantasy today, Aquarius.

Allow your feet to come off the ground for a little while. Give yourself a rest. Take some time to meditate and clear your mind of your daily worries.

PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) Let yourself go into high creative mode and drift into a whole other world, Pisces.

Escape your present reality and explore your fantasies through any sort of artistic endeavor. Dream as big as your mind allows.

The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup runs February 7 through March 8, co-hosted

by India and Sri Lanka—a major tournament in which West Indies will be looking to field their strongest pace resources.

Bennett was careful to stress the limits of his information—much of it filtered through medical and team channels rather than d i r e c t , o n - s i t e observation—but he repeatedly returned to the same conclusion. From a medical perspective there is no obvious barrier to either Joseph being considered for selection.

“He (Shamar) should be ready by the end of the month based on what I am hearing,” Bennett added, while also noting that confidentiality rules prevent him from discussing the exact nature of the players’ problems.

CWI’s public stance has been consistent in recent weeks; both Alzarri (back) and Shamar (shoulder) were ruled out for the latter part of 2025 but have since followed return-to-play programmes with the board targeting their return in time for the World Cup. CWI chief executive Chris Dehring also confirmed the pair are making progress, saying Alzarri was “a little better” and “back training”, while cautioning that Shamar had started his rehab later and was slightly behind but improving.

Those updates have formed the basis of CWI and head coach Daren Sammy’s hope that the duo will bolster the pace unit for the tournament.

Bennett also provided brief updates on other injury cases in the squad. Asked about Justin Greaves, he said he did not have first-hand information but did not believe the issue would prevent Greaves from participating in the World Cup. By contrast, Akeem Auguste’s problem—which Bennett indicated had required surgery—looked likely to rule the youngster out of the tournament.

Bennett emphasised the constraints of doctor-patient confidentiality when pressed on medical details.

selection cycle. The deadline for naming the final Windies squad for the World Cup is January 30.

For now, the picture is one of guarded optimism; the medical panel and CWI are encouraged by the progress reports, Bennett’s on-air assessment lends medical weight to the contention that both Josephs could be selected, but final confirmation will come only when players complete their protocols and management receives first-hand clearance. West Indies fans will be watching the coming weeks closely as the squad is finalised.

He added that there were “one or two other players” w i t h m i n o r niggles—Shimron Hetmyer among them—but nothing at present that should prevent selection by the third week of January. Coach Sammy and the CWI management have repeatedly set availability for the World Cup as the target for returning players, with Sammy publicly backing the medical team’s efforts and the board’s rehabilitation plans. If Alzarri and Shamar do arrive fit, the West Indies will regain two of their primary pace options at a critical moment in the

Berbice River Bridge Closure to Road Traffic Saturday January 10, 2026

For Ocean going Vessels & Trawlers 09:30hrs Sunday January 11, 2026

For Ocean going Vessels & Trawlers 10:40hrs For Ocean Going Vessels opening last 1-1½ hrs DATE: 01/09/2026

1

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8 3

3 Evening 1

DATE: 01/09/2026 Afternoon

6 6

DATE: 01/09/2026

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10 11 13 26 DATE: 01/07/2026

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G.L.C. 357 Lamaha Street, North Cummingsburg, Georgetown Tel:226-0753. While every effort is made to ensure numbers are correct, please call the hotline for confirmation, The G.L.C. and Kaieteur News cannot be held responsible for printing errors.

Kaieteur News

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Saturday January 10, 2026

Everton ‘surprised’ after Keane red card upheld (BBC Sport) - Everton said they are “surprised and disappointed” after their appeal against defender Michael Keane’s red card against Wolves was rejected by a Football Association panel.

The Premier League club expressed their belief that K e a n e ’s t h r e e - g a m e suspension “is clearly excessive” in a statement, external on Friday.

Centre-back Keane, 32, was sent off for pulling the h a i r o f Wo l v e s ’ To l u Arokodare in Wednesday’s 1-1 draw following a video assistant referee (VAR) review.

He will miss Everton’s FA Cup tie with Sunderland on Saturday, plus Premier League games against Aston Villa and Leeds.

Speaking at a news conference shortly after the c l u b ’s s t a t e m e n t w a s released, Everton manager David Moyes said he was “angry” with the threeperson FA panel that had

Michael Keane is shown a red card against Wolves (Getty Images)

reached the decision - and “embarrassed” for the VAR after on-field referee Tom Kirk was instructed to review the incident.

He also referenced an incident during Thursday’s Premier League match between Arsenal and Liverpool, in which Gabriel Martinelli attempted to shove the injured Conor Bradley off the field.

Moyes said: “Hugely disappointed. Hugely surprised. I’m probably more angry with the panel who thought that was the case. I have to question the three. I know who the three are and I’m amazed they in some way didn’t overturn it.

“We saw last night that it’s OK to throw a ball at somebody, it’s OK to push and pick up someone with a

bad injury. But that a little pull of someone’s hair, accidentally, means a threegame ban is quite extraordinary for me.”

On the severity of the

punishment, Moyes added: “Three games for what shouldn’t have been any games. I’m more embarrassed for whoever was on VAR. This is a young referee doing only his third or fourth game and VAR gave him a terrible decision.

They shouldn’t have got involved at all.

“Embarrassed for them, looking to find the smallest things. I don’t think anybody would have paid any interest in it anyway [if not picked up].”

Hair-pulling is not specifically mentioned in the laws of the game, however it is categorised as violent conduct.

That is because it cannot be considered something you would do naturally when challenging for the

ball.

E v e r t o n s a i d : “ We appealed in the firm belief the incident did not meet the threshold for violent conduct as defined in the rules, and that the action was neither forceful nor intentional.

“Our appeal was also lodged in support of Michael Keane, a player who plays the game with the highest ethical standards and who, prior to Wednesday, had never been dismissed for violent conduct in his career.

“It is our firm belief that the severity of the threegame suspension is clearly excessive, and we are surprised and disappointed that this point of appeal has also been rejected.”

BBC Sport has approached the FA for comment.

Saka agrees new long-term contract with Arsenal

Bukayo Saka (Getty Images) (BBC Sport) - Bukayo Saka has agreed a new longterm contract with Arsenal.

It is understood the new contract will see the 24-yearold become one of the club’s highest paid players.

The agreement is the latest example of Arsenal tying down their key players to long-term contracts as they look to keep their titlechasing squad together.

William Saliba, Gabriel Magalhaes, Ethan Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly all signed new long-term contracts in the summer.

England international Saka has become a key player for the Gunners since he made his debut in 2018, having come through the club’s Hale End academy.

Last season Saka produced 12 goals and 13 assists in 37 appearances, despite being sidelined for three months with a hamstring injury that

required surgery in December 2024.

Saka has been a consistent figure for Arsenal.

The 2023-24 season saw him step up as captain for the first time and finish as the club’s top scorer with 20 goals.

This season he has again impressed with seven goals and six assists in 27 appearances so far.

Arsenal are poised to end their wait for a trophy this term, currently six points clear at the top of the Premier League with a 100% win record from their six games in the Champions League so far.

The agreement with Saka is more important than the £250m outlay Arsenal made to bring in eight new players in the summer.

Saka’s importance on the pitch alongside his bond with supporters and his journey from the academy make his position impossible

to replicate.

His new deal will see him stay at the club into the peak years of his career and - after several seasons with numbers that match elite wingers across the game Arsenal will benefit from the progression he could still achieve.

This season is set to be crucial for Saka as he looks to help Arsenal lift a major trophy for the first time since the FA Cup in 2020.

Mikel Arteta can rely on him and he is one of the reasons why the majority of Arsenal’s attacking play goes down the right - the side Saka plays on.

The winger is also set for an important summer with Thomas Tuchel’s England at the World Cup. England fans will hope that after a season of success with Arsenal he can deliver for his country on the biggest stage.

Saturday January 10, 2026

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De Klerk comes clutch as RCB steal last-ball thriller against Mumbai Indians (Cricinfo) - Nadine de Klerk’s sensational late onslaught, eerily reminiscent of the heist that turned the tables on India at the 2025 ODI World Cup, catapulted RCB to a sensational opening-night win over defending champions Mumbai Indians at the DY Patil Stadium.

That de Klerk pulled it off without Smriti Mandhana, Grace Harris or Richa Ghosh - all gone inside eight overs with RCB still needing 90 - made it even more sensational.

Needing 18 off the final over, de Klerk played out two dot balls, before going 6,4,6 to bring the equation down to 2 off 1. Then with the field in to save the single, she backed away to drill Nat Sciver-Brunt back over the bowler to clinch an improbable win.

De Klerk finished 63 not out along with her 4 for 26 to deliver an MVP performance that left the opponents shell shocked. Harmanpreet Kaur could only muster a wry smile that conveyed more

Nadine de Klerk showed off her finishing prowess on RCB debut (BCCI) than words could. For her, it was deja vu all over again.

MI’s late lapses and a golden contribution MI could have killed the game at the start of the 19th over with RCB needing 29.

Sciver-Brunt putting down a straightforward chance at

long-off first ball. Off the fourth, MI missed two opportunities - Amelia Kerr spilled de Klerk’s miscued swipe at deep square, and G Kamalini failed to gather the return cleanly for a run out as de Klerk tried to scramble back for a second.

Amid the chaos, Prema Rawat, not called upon to bowl a single over of legspin, still found a way to contribute, walloping two priceless boundaries, including one in the penultimate over, to finish 8 not out.

RHTYSC Metro Female team congratulates its five national selectees

T

he Management and members of the Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club, MS would like to offer congratulations to five of the members for gaining selection on the National Senior Female Team.

The players will shortly be leaving Guyana for the Cricket West Indies T20 and 50-over tournaments.

The club is very proud of the fact that the Rose Hall Town Metro Female team, which was formed in 2008, has produced over a quarter of the Guyanese Cricket team.

Shemaine Campbell, the first Guyanese to captain a West Indies female team and also win a senior regional title, will lead the team.

The other RHTYSC members in the Guyana team are Shabika Gajnabi, Sheneeta Grimmond, Plaffina Millington and Danellie Manns.

Campbelle, Gajnabi and Grimmond have all played at

Shabika Gajnabi (CWI) the Highest level for the We s t I n d i e s , w h i l e Millington is a veteran at the regional level with lots of experience over the last decade. She was recently named the CWI T20 Player of the year, while Manns has represented the West Indies at the Under-19 level.

Since 2008, the Rose Hall Town Metro team has produced over thirty players for Guyana at the Under-19 and senior levels, with four of them going to play for the senior West Indies team and two at the Under-19 level.

Overall, the club that has won the Guyana Cricket

Board club of the year award five times, has produced 131 players for Berbice and Guyana, with fourteen playing for the West Indies and the United States at different levels.

The Rose Hall Town Metro team had twelve players representing the Ancient county at the intercounty level in 2025, while four club members were in the national Under-19 team.

As a club, we intend to continue investing in our female cricketers.

We would be working along with the Berbice Cricket Board, the Rose Hall Canje Cricket Club and West Berbice Cricket Association in 2026 to make sure that our female cricketers are actively in games.

We also intend to get more females involved in coaching programmes during the year.

Best Wishes to our girls and the entire Guyana Cricket Team.

(RHTYSC Release)

Kerr’s bouncebackability She couldn’t lay bat on ball earlier in the game, but Kerr’s wickets of Radha Yadav and the dangerous Richa Ghosh in quick succession left RCB playing a batter short gasping at 65 for 5 in the eighth over. RCB’s fiery start - they hit seven fours and a six in the first three overs alone - courtesy Grace Harris and Smriti Mandhana, was suddenly being undone. It needed a 52-run partnership from de Klerk and Arundhati Reddy who made 20 off 25 - to bring RCB’s chase back within the realms of possibility, before de Klerk cut loose.

Bell v Kerr: the contest that shaped the match Lauren Bell set the tone early with a spell of highclass swing bowling. Kerr, opening in Hayley Matthews’ absence due to an illness, was beaten eight times in her first ten

deliveries as she failed to combat Bell’s late outswing.

She finally scraped off the mark only off her 11th ball.

Bell was trusted with a third over in the powerplay and she finished the job by sending back Kerr with a hard-length delivery she sliced to cover, making 4 off 15. Bell’s figures of 4-1-14-1 underlined just how much she had suffocated MI. Kamalini briefly dazzled, as did Harmanpreet.

If the short-arm jab in front of square off Bell was a teaser, the lofted inside-out hit over extra cover off Shreyanka Patil was blockbuster. The signs were ominous, but a hack off de Klerk saw Harmanpreet nick one to Richa Ghosh to leave MI 67 for 4 in 11 overs.

Sajana makes RCB pay Promoted ahead of the more accomplished Amanjot Kaur, Sajana survived two chances in as many overs first by D Hemalatha at midwicket, then by substitute Sayali Satghare at mid-off. At the other end, the pressure was mounting on debutant Nicola Carey, who limped to 14 off 14. MI needed to flick a switch, and Sajana did. Radha’s left-arm spin was taken for 15 in the 1 5 t h o v e r. T h e n , s h e clinically took down de Klerk when she returned for her third by using long levers and brute force to muscle big hits in the arc between longon and deep midwicket for three fours. Overs 14-17 fetched MI 41, and they were back on the move.

Between them, Carey, all timing, and Sajana, gloriously agricultural, contributed 85 to ensure MI would make a match of it, which they did, only to be pipped at the finish line.

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Saturday January 10, 2026

West Indies arrive in Namibia for 2026 ICC Men’s U-19 World Cup (CWI) – The West Indies Under 19 squad has arrived safely in Windhoek, the capital city of Namibia, ready to compete in the 2026 ICC Men’s Under 19 World Cup which gets underway with its first slate of warmup games on Friday.

The boys in maroon have been drawn in Group D of the competition alongside South Africa, Afghanistan and Tanzania, against whom they will commence battle on January 15.

West Indies’ three group matches will be played at the High-Performance Oval in Windhoek and prior to the start of the group phase, the team will warm-up against Ireland and Japan also in Windhoek, on January 10 and 13.

The full squad departed the region via Barbados on Tuesday January 6 with a first stop in the United Kingdom, before proceeding to the African continent.

Head Coach Rohan Nurse, who was present at the 2022 and 2024 editions as assistant coach, spoke on the team’s readiness for the

The Management and Coaching staff for the squad has exceptional experience (CWI) global showpiece.

“Everybody is clear in terms of what the objectives are and their respective roles, so we’re looking forward to a successful execution,” Nurse shared.

“Over our two lead-up series against Sri Lanka and England, we’ve batted first on occasions and won

games, we have chased and won games, so I think that the team assembled is one that is prepared for any situation that we encounter.”

“The fact that we played well in those instances, built confidence in the group. We are quite happy with the work done and the preparation that has taken

place in the territories with the pathway coaches as well as the franchises, and ultimately, we’re ready to go.”

Captain Joshua Dorne is one of two players in the team, the other being wicketkeeper/batter Jewel Andrew, appearing at their second Under 19 World Cup.

“Last time around it was pretty rough, but I learned from that experience and I’m coming back stronger this time,” Dorne said ahead of Tuesday’s departure.

“Defeating Sri Lanka then England in those series gave us a big confidence boost going into the World Cup. With the addition of

Jewel, it means a lot because he has that international exposure. It means he can give information at any time if needed and offer the international experience that he possesses.”

Vice-captain Jonathan Van Lange echoed the sentiments of his captain.

“I’m looking forward to the challenge. This is my first Under 19 World Cup, my first major tournament, so I’m looking forward to putting in some good performances for the team,” the Guyanese all-rounder said.

“For Joshua and Jewel, this is their second World Cup, and they’ve had first class experience while Jewel has CPL experience, so I’m definitely looking to feed off of that.”

Australia are the defending champions having won the 2024 edition with a victory over India in the final. India has won the most titles with five, while the West Indies’ only tournament victory came exactly 10 years ago, in India.

Former FIFA Referee Maurees Skeete passes …A Life of Service, Excellence and Courage The Guyana sporting fraternity is mourning the loss of one of its true trailblazers, former FIFA referee and Guyana Defence Force Warrant Officer Class Two, Maurees Skeete, who passed away after a courageous battle with illness.

The Guyana Football Federation (GFF) joined with the wider sporting community in expressing deep sorrow at her passing, remembering her as one of the finest female referees the country has ever produced and a woman whose life was defined by service, discipline and quiet resilience.

Maurees earned her FIFA referee badge in 2014, a milestone that placed her

among an elite group of o ff i c i a l s r e p r e s e n t i n g Guyana on the international stage. Over several years, she officiated with distinction across CFU and CONCACAF competitions, earning respect for her consistency, authority and professionalism.

Her excellence was recognised locally through multiple Guyana Football Federation Referee of the Ye a r a w a r d s , w h i l e regionally she stood out in 2015 as the only female official from the Caribbean nominated for the CONCACAF Female Referee of the Year award.

At home, Maurees was trusted with some of the biggest assignments in local football, including major

men’s fixtures and the prestigious Kashif and Shanghai tournaments.

Always eager to improve and to give back, she embraced development opportunities such as the FIFA Referees Assistance Programme (RAP), committed to elevating the standard of officiating in Guyana.

Beyond the football field, Maurees served her country with equal pride in uniform as a member of the Guyana Defence Force, rising to the rank of Warrant Officer Class Two. The discipline, integrity and commitment she displayed in the GDF mirrored the qualities she brought to sport.

Just last October, the

GDF publicly honoured her courageous fight against breast cancer, celebrating her as a symbol of strength and perseverance.

She was armed with the aura of excellence. Long before her refereeing career, Maurees was already a gifted all-round athlete. She proudly represented Guyana in rugby, earning selection to the national women’s sevens squad in 2010 to defend their RAN Championship title. She also participated in national basketball, including tryouts at the highest level, and represented Linden as a player in both basketball and football. Whether wearing a jersey, blowing a whistle, or serving in uniform, she carried herself with purpose

and dignity.

Maurees Skeete broke barriers in male-dominated spaces, inspired countless young women to dream beyond limitations, and set standards that will endure long after her final whistle.

To d a y, G u y a n a remembers not only a referee, a soldier and an athlete, but a trailblazer whose legacy will live on in the fields she officiated, the athletes she inspired, and the lives she touched.

“One of the best.” This was one of the many remarks coming out of the local referee committee.

A c c o r d i n g t o Wa y n e Griffith, “Skeete was a great woman, a phenomenal referee, she loves what she did. Always teaching and

always learning. Very helpful, possessed extraordinary fitness, excellent when executing her duty on the field. She had a charming personality.

She will be deeply missed.”

Likewise, the Guyana Football Federation shared similar sentiments, extending its deepest condolences to her family, friends, colleagues in the Guyana Defence Force, the referee fraternity, and all who had the privilege of knowing and experiencing the presence of the phenomenal Athlete, Servicewoman, Referee Maurees Skeete.

Rest in eternal peace.

Your service, your strength, and your example will never be forgotten.

Kaieteur News

Saturday January 10, 2026

PAGE 27

Director of Sport pays tribute to late FIFA Referee Maurees Skeete

Maurees Skeete became a FIFA-accredited international referee in 2014

competitions such as the Kashif and Shanghai tournament and the Elite League.

Committed to development, Skeete actively participated in initiatives such as the FIFA Referees Assistance

A

s G u y a n a ’s s p o r t i n g fraternity continues to mourn the passing of former national athlete and FIFA referee Maurees Skeete, Director of Sport at the National Sports Commission (NSC), Steve Ninvalle, on behalf of the NSC and government of Guyana, extended heartfelt condolences and highlighted her immense contribution to sport.

Skeete passed away today (January 8) after a courageous battle with cancer, leaving behind a legacy defined by excellence, discipline, and service to country.

In expressing his condolences, Ninvalle described Skeete as one of Guyana’s most outstanding sports officials and all-round athletes, noting that her impact was felt across multiple sporting disciplines.

“Maurees Skeete was a name that consistently stood out in our sporting landscape,” Ninvalle said.

“Her work as a referee earned her nominations on several occasions in the Sports Official category at the National Sports Awards, which speaks volumes about the respect she commanded and the standard she maintained throughout her career.”

Ninvalle emphasised that while Skeete possessed remarkable versatility as an athlete, it was in football officiating that she truly reached the pinnacle of her

talent.

“She was an all-round sportsperson of the highest quality, but her excellence as a football referee took her to the very top. Achieving FIFA accreditation and earning regional recognition placed her among the best to ever represent Guyana in that capacity,” he added.

A proud member of the Guyana Defence Force, Skeete served as a Warrant O f f i c e r C l a s s Tw o , seamlessly carrying the values of discipline, integrity, and commitment from military life onto the sporting field.

Just last October, the GDF publicly recognised and honoured her bravery in her fight against breast cancer.

Skeete became a FIFAaccredited international referee in 2014, remaining on the FIFA list for several years.

She also captured multiple Guyana Football Federation Referee of the Year awards, underlining her dominance and consistency at the local level.

Regionally, her quality did not go unnoticed.

In 2015, she was nominated for the CONCACAF Female Referee of the Year Award, becoming the only female official from the Caribbean to receive that nomination in that year.

Her officiating portfolio included major CFU and C O N C A C A F w o m e n ’s tournaments, as well as highp r o f i l e l o c a l m e n ’s

Programme (RAP), always seeking to improve herself while contributing to the advancement of officiating standards in Guyana.

Before her rise in refereeing, Skeete had already established herself as a gifted athlete.

She represented Guyana as a national rugby player, earning selection to the women’s sevens squad in 2010 to defend their RAN Championship title, and also featured in national basketball tryouts,

showcasing her exceptional all-round sporting ability.

Ninvalle noted that S k e e t e ’s j o u r n e y w i l l continue to inspire future generations, particularly young women aspiring to excel in sport, both on and off the field.

West Indies arrive in Namibia for 2026 ICC Men’s U-19 World Cup The team will warm-up against Ireland and Japan in Windhoek, on January 10 and 13 (CWI)

rts o p S

RHTYSC Metro Female team congratulates its five national selectees Shemaine Campbelle (Getty Images) Former FIFA Referee and GDF Warrant Officer Maurees Skeete leaves behind a legacy of excellence

Former FIFA Referee Maurees Skeete passes …A Life of Service, Excellence and Courage 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.