Kaieteur News

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Guyana’s debt

Hundreds of residents of the Haslington South New Housing Scheme, East Coast Demerara are risking their lives daily as they traverse this rickety, dilapidatedbridge,theonlyentry andexitpointtotheircommunity Despite repeated complaints to the NDC and government, the structureremainsunrepaired.

On Friday, a schoolboy narrowly escaped serious injury whenhisbicyclewheelgotstuck inoneofthegapingholesonthe bridge—a near-tragedy that has reignited outrage among villagers.

Residents say they are fed up withemptypromisesandneglect.

On Monday, they issued a stern warning:ifurgentrepairsarenot done immediately, they will blockthebridgeinprotest.“This is a disaster waiting to happen,” one resident lamented. “We’ve beggedforhelpformonths.Must someonediebeforetheyfixit?”

U.S. endorses court filings

…as Mohamed blasts Govt., alleges taxpayers funding foreign prosecutors in extradition battle

The extradition case

involving prominent businessmen Nazar and Azruddin Mohamed continuedonMondaybefore Principal Magistrate Judy LatchmanattheGeorgetown Magistrates’ Court, but not without fresh controversy over alleged non-disclosure of key U.S. documents and claims of government bias. The Mohameds, owners of Mohamed’s Enterprise were arrested on October 31,

2025, following a warrant issued by a Georgetown magistrate in response to a formal extradition request from the United States Government. Their arrests came weeks after a U.S. Grand Jury in the Southern DistrictofFloridaunsealeda sweeping indictment on October 6, 2025, charging them with wire fraud, mail fraud, money laundering, conspiracy, aiding and abetting, and customs-

related offences tied to a US$50 million gold export and tax evasion scheme. At the first court proceedings, theMohamedsweregranted $150,00baileach.

T h e o n g o i n g proceedings have sparked contention between the duo’s defence attorneys and representativesoftheUnited States Government, as the latter have not yet provided all the documents related to the allegations against the

Mohameds. As a result, the defence team has been unable to properly review andassessthecase.

During the initial court appea

Williams alleged that Nazar and Azruddin Mohamed w

e involved in an international criminal enterprise with links to Venezuela, the United States, and the Middle East. Heclaimedthebusinessmen

had connections with Venezuelan authorities, which could enable them to flee and allegedly continue theirunlawfulactivities.

Continuation of the proceedings on Monday, attorneys representing the U.S. Government; Williams KC, Celine Deidrick, Herbert McKenzie, and Glenn Hanoman, submitted several documents to the court,includingadiplomatic note and warrants from U.S. authorities. However, the prosecution requested additionaltimetoobtainand submit their full disclosure fromtheUnitedStates.

Speaking with reporters outside the courtroom, leading prosecutor Williams said the documents submitted were crucial to advancing the extradition proceedings. “We did the disclosure, standard disclosure, and we have just adjourned for further case management to be ready to d o t h e c o m

a l proceedings. These are the r

evidence documents, which arestandardinanextradition law,”heexplained.

However, defence attorney Senior Counsel (SC)RoysdaleForde,argued thattheU.S.prosecutionhad not provided his team with copies of the submitted documents, effectively withholding key materials.

“We have not been able to study the disclosure, but the prosecutors would have indicated that they need to make further disclosure steps.We believe that this is partofalargerprocessofthe number of documents they would have had. We believe they need to study the disclosure.”

Forde also stated that none of the documents submittedbytheprosecution contained references to alleged links between the MohamedsandVenezuelaor theMiddleEast.Whenasked

about such references, he replied, “Absolutely not.” Hecalledontheprosecution to “reveal all the documents that they have in their possession, which would be relatedtothismatter.”

Addressing how the proceedings will continue, Fordesaid,“Atthisstage,we intend to stand by those constitutional issues and continue to make the argumentthatwewouldlike to have those matters referred As part of the disclosure process, we would need to review the documents, but full disclosure has not yet been made We believe the documents that have been made available will further enhance our arguments for additionaldisclosureandthe need for constitutional reform.” At the end of the court proceed, Magistrate Latchman granted the prosecution’s request for additional time and adjourned the case to November 24for further reportingandthesubmission ofadditionaldocuments.

Abuseoftaxdollars

Following the court hearing,AzruddinMohamed took to his Facebook page criticising the prosecutors handling his extradition case He accused the Government of Guyana of using taxpayers’ money to cover the legal fees of the Jamaican prosecutors involved,whilealsoalleging bias with local attorney GlennHanoman.

Addressing the issue of the Jamaican prosecutors, Mohamed said, “What is more appalling is that the threeJamaicanattorneysare being paid by the government,andthiscorrupt and incompetent cabal is blatantly lying to the Guyanese people that they arenotpayingfortheirlegal services. Nandlall is telling Guyanese that the U S appointedtheseJamaican Continued on page 3

Nazar Mohamed and his son Azruddin Mohamed at the Georgetown Magistrates’Court.

Guyana’s debt burden surges

- US$110M paid in six months, nearly half in interest

Guyana paid US$110 million in the first half of 2025 to service its debt and nearly half of that sum went straighttointerest,according to the Bank of Guyana’s Half-Year Report The Central Bank disclosed that interest payments alone

amounted to US$44 8 millionbetweenJanuaryand June, reflecting the rising cost of the country’s rapid borrowinginrecentyears.

Central Bank reported, “Totaldebtservicepayments amountedtoUS$110million in the first half of 2025,

representing a 29 1% increase relative to the corresponding period in 2024.Domesticdebtservice payments increased by G$1,889.6 million to G$7,762.3 million, likewise

external debt service payments rose by 27.6% to

US$72.8 million on account

of higher principal repayments to bilateral creditors.”

Meanwhile, about

US$17.3M and US$27.5M was paid for domestic and e x t e r n a l i n t e r e s t , respectively during the period January to June 2025 amounting to a total of

US$44.8M. The BoG report however stated that the debt service to export ratio remained low The domestic debtservicetoexportratioin the first half of 2025 was 0 76% while the external debt service to revenue ratio was 3.05%, both below the pre-definedthresholds.

Debtclimbs

U.S.endorsescourtfilings

Frompage2 prosecutors. This is another blatant lie. Taxpayers are fully footing all the bills for their hefty legal fees, which willbeinexcessofhundreds of millions of Guyana dollars. This includes their flights, transportation, and security, all paid for by you, thetaxpayers.”

Mohamed argued that in previous extradition cases, local prosecutors were used torepresentthegovernment,

but in his case, the administration opted for a costly approach. “In recent extradition cases, the police legaladviserandprosecutors fromtheDPP’sChambersin

Guyana handled the prosecutions.Yetnow,inmy case, the PPP government has gone so far as to neglect the normal protocol of having local prosecutors lead the case, and instead hired King’s Counsel and attorneys from Jamaica,” he said.

Regarding attorney

Hanoman, Mohamed claimedtherewasapotential conflict of interest, alleging that Hanoman is closely associated with the PPP government and has previously represented one of his business rivals in the gold sector Throughout his

statement, Mohamed accused the prosecution team of maintaining close ties to the government and acting with political bias. His sister, Hana Khamelia, issued a statement emphasising the family’s commitment to due process.

“Today’s development marks another step forward in ensuring that fairness, transparency, and due processremainattheheartof theongoingmatterinvolving Mr AzruddinMohamedand Mr Nazar Mohamed,” she wrote.

Khamelia added that the adjournment “is not a setback, but rather a chance for full justice to prevail.”

Shereiteratedthatthefamily remains “calm, confident, and cooperative with all legalprocesses,”focusedon “clearing their names, protecting the integrity of their companies, and r e a f f i r m i n g t h e i r commitment to Guyana’s growthanddevelopment.”

According to the indictment, first reported by Kaieteur News, the

Mohameds allegedly defrauded the Government ofGuyanabetween2017and June2024byevadingexport

taxes and royalties on over 10,000 kilograms of gold, using falsified customs declarations and re-used export seals to disguise unpaidduties.

The document also details a US$5 3 million undeclared gold shipment s e i z e d a t M i a m i InternationalAirport,aswell as the under-invoicing of a luxury vehicle worth more than US$680,000 The extradition request, transmitted to the Guyana Government on October 30, 2025, was made under the U K –Guyana Extradition Treaty, which remains in force pursuant to the FugitiveOffendersAct(Cap. 10:04)asamendedin2024.

During the first six

months of the year, government increased its borrowing by 13 5% to US$6,804.8million.Bankof Guyananotedthattherewas an expansion in both domesticandexternaldebtto fund budgeted spending “The outstanding stock of government domestic debt, which consists of treasury bills, debentures, bonds and the CARICOM loan, expanded by 17.6 percent to G$920,709 2 million,” accordingtothereport. The document added that external debt also grew by 6.7% to US$2,389 million from the end-December 2024 level. It was explained

that the higher external debt was as a result of increased loansfromtheEximBankof China and China CAMC Engineering Co LTD (CAMCE) and higher multilateraldebttotheInterAmerican Development Bank(IDB). It was reported that Guyanaenteredtheoilerain 2019 with US$1.8 billion in debt Six years later, that figure skyrocketed to over US$7.7 billion, a four-fold explosioninborrowingunder thecurrentadministration At the end of 2024, Guyana’s debt stood at US$6B but anotherUS$1.7Bwasadded to finance the 2025 Budget, a

President,BharratJagdeo. Guyana commenced producing oil in December 2019.Sincethen,thecountry

US$7 8B in oil revenue, accordingtothethirdquarter Natural Resource Fund (NRF) report published by Bank of Guyana. Notably, almostUS$4.6Bhasalready

inception of the Fund Previously,EconomistElson

consequences associated with dependency on oil revenues to repay debt, as a collapse in oil price could have serious effects on the economy

Minister of Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh

KaieteurNews

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EDITORIAL

Avoidingthefullpress

Last week in one of our columns we highlighted that President IrfaanAli continues to avoid the one forum that trulytestsleadership:anopenpressconference.Instead,he prefersthecomfortoffriendlynewsrooms,wherequestions are predictable, tone is polite, and the narrative remains firmlyundercontrol.

The following day, his Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo wasatitarguingthatbasedonobservations,somesections of the media, the judiciary, and the political opposition appear to have been financially enticed or coerced by the Mohameds. Hesaid:“Wearewatchingthepeoplewhoare going to not perform their duties because they are compromised…wearewatchingthemcarefully.”Infact,he highlighted that certain media entities would never press the Mohameds about their illegalities. Instead, they have glorified Azruddin Mohamed’s entry into the political arena, particularly his swearing in as an Opposition Member of Parliament.” At least Mr Mohamed has subjected himself whenever possible to the entire media corps,butwehaveapresidentwhohidesfromthepress.

WeobservedlastweekWednesday,thePresidentchose a private media sit-down to announce a cash grant for fisherfolk and rice farmers, a policy decision involving billionsintaxpayerdollars.Suchanannouncement,byany measure, deserves to be made from the official podium of theState,opentoallmediahouses,whereeveryreporterhas anequalchancetoasktough,fair,andnecessaryquestions. Instead, the President continues to govern by exclusive interviews and selective disclosures, leaving independent journalistsandthewiderpublicontheoutsidelookingin.

This is not merely a matter of style. It is a question of transparency,accountability,andrespectfortheroleofthe pressinafunctioningdemocracy.ThePresidenthasathis disposal the full communications machinery of the State—the Department of Public Information (DPI), the NationalCommunicationsNetwork(NCN),andthemedia unitwithinhisownOffice.Yet,herepeatedlychoosestouse state resources for image management rather than open engagement.

This trend is not new Kaieteur News and other independentoutletshaveforyearsraisedalarmsaboutthe government’s deliberate sidelining of critical media, its preferentialtreatmentoffriendlyreporters,anditspenchant for restricting information flow The result has been a climatewhereaccesstoinformationistreatedasapolitical favour,notademocraticright.

In his first term, Dr Ali promised to “reset relations” withthepress,tomoveawayfromthehostilityandopacity that marked earlier years of governance. Yet, the record shows the opposite. Reporters are often stonewalled by ministries,pressstatementsareincreasinglysanitiSed,and major government initiatives are unveiled through controlled, pre-taped interviews instead of live, open question-and-answersessions.

PresidentAli’scommunicationsstrategymirrorsthatof aleaderuncomfortablewithchallenge.Byhandpickingthe outletsthatreceivenewsfirstandbyspeakingprimarilyto thosewhowillnotpushback,heeffectivelycreatesanecho chamber, a filtered reality where uncomfortable truths are keptatbay Butsuchanapproachonlyerodespublictrust. Leadership that cannot face tough questions is not leadership, it is stage management There is an unmistakable irony here. Dr Ali presides over one of the most transformative periods in Guyana’s modern history Theoilboomhascatapultedthenationintoglobalattention; billions are being spent on infrastructure, welfare programmes and regional investments. These are matters that cry out for openness, for a President who can speak franklyaboutpolicychoices,challenges,andrisks.Instead, the public gets pre-scripted talking points delivered in friendlysettings,whilejournalistsoutsidethecircleareleft to chase statements, speculate on details, or depend on leaks.Theissuegoesbeyondoptics.Itstrikesattheheartof

WHYTHE MAYOR, COUNCIL and REGULATORYBODIES PERMIT ILLEGALCONDUCT?

DEAREDITOR

I refer to letter in StabroekNewsof6/11/2025 byAlfredMentoreJP,Mayor of Georgetown, in response to mine published on the 5/11/25 in Stabroek News, Kaieteur News and Guyana Times.

While the Mayor acknowledges that Farnum Playfield is a community ground governed by the public trust principles and public accountability, the actions of the Mayor and City Council (M&CC) fall shortofthesestandards.

Lack of Accountability &Transparency-Refusalto Disclose&Consult

Despite repeated requests from residents, M&CC have failed to produce documents, including:

1 The application submitted to M&CC in September 2025 to use Farnum;

2 The proposed “agreement” referenced by theMayor;

3 Valid proof of ownershipofMae’sSchools andburntsite;

4 Minutes of all meetings discussing use of Farnum with decisions taken.

M&CC never convened a meeting with residents to discuss Farnum At a statutorymeetingaddressing multiple city issues, Mayor Mentoretoldresidents,inter alia,thathewasnotprepared for “any back and forth”, effectively denying

residents meaningful participation.

The reluctance to produce relevant documents

for scrutiny, while proceeding to make decisions raises serious concernsabouttransparency and motive. This is even more troubling given the

admission that the initial permission to use Farnum (intended to be tents) was granted without any written request Can the M&CC inform of the number of studentsenrolledinthePlay School, Nursery School, Primary School and Secondary School at the time of the fire and at the startoftheSeptemberterm? Areallsafetyprecautionsin effect?

Deficiencies in Proposed Terms of

Agreement

The Mayor discloses a proposed agreement has been prepared, but has not disclosed the application of whatwasappliedfor

The term “Stringent safety and environmental compliances measures, including independent inspections” is vague and reads more as a public relations cover rather than a transparent, accounting and enforceable mechanism. It does not reveal any consequences for non compliance.

The proposed term “Transparent public reporting on traff

community impact mitigation” is also lofty

words and perhaps aspirational to M&CC, but devoid of particulars, lack

timelines and any

m e c h a n i s m s f o r accountability The traffic hazardcausedbytheschools isevident.

The Mayor states that theapplicationis“toutilisea portion of Farnum Playfield” In fact, the Schools are occupying the entire ground, waste oil has been used on the green space,grassdugupandareas raisedwithsand.

Reasonsforgivingaway CommunityGround

accountabilityingovernment.Whenthemediaisshutout, the people are shut out. When questions are controlled, scrutinydisappears.Whenscrutinydisappears,corruption thrives. This is why press freedom matters and why the President’s continued refusal to face the nation through regular,openpressconferencesisnotatrivialmatter,buta democraticdeficit.

Guyana deserves better The press corps deserves the respectofopenengagement.Andthepeopledeservetohear directlyfromtheirPresidentnotfilteredthroughthelensof handpicked interviewers The President pledged transparencyatthecommencementofhissecondterm,but the old habits remain. Until Dr Ali can stand before the pressunfiltered,uncoachedandunafraidthequestionwill linger:whatishetryingtoavoid?

To justify this arbitrary conduct, the Mayor invokes “theGovernment”andpined the reason for giving away Farnumto“pressingneedto expand access to quality educational facilities in densely populated areas suchasSubryanville.”

The assertion that Subryanville is “densely populated” is unsupported. The area consists of 5 small avenues.

Moreover, few, if any, students from Subryanville attend the Schools on Farnum. So the “pressing need”isamisleadingreason.

T h e M a y o r acknowledges that “lawful alternatives exist”, yet he r e a s o n s t h a t t h e unauthorisedconstructionof buildings on community groundforprivateschoolsis justified due to “acute shortage of immediate educational infrastructure in theareahasnecessitatedthis …”. This is a distortion of fact and erodes the rule of lawasprivateschoolsinthe residential area of Subryanville are contrary to the covenants and are thereforeunlawful.

M&CC wants to grant usage for nearly two years, “pending the identification and development of a permanent alternative site”. Can such prolonged private occupation reasonably be regarded as temporary or interim?

Or is it an abuse of the fiduciarydutytosafeguarda public trust asset with no accountability benchmarks or an attempt to a de facto alienation of community land?

The Mayor did not disclose what alternatives were considered, nor has he provided any credible justification for overriding the public trust duties and collectiverightsofresidents. Accordingly, the above reasons advanced are flawed, factually incorrect and lacks legal or evidentiarysupport.

Enforcing the Public TrustDutytoPreserveOpen GreenSpace Itiswidelyacceptedand the Mayor has confirmed that Farnum is a public trust asset.M&CC,astrustee,has a duty to protect this open greenspace. The buildings and concrete pavings must be

removed.Itisnotwithinthe authority of M&CC to set criteria for private profit schools There is no justification for the continued occupation of community land for over 10 months, up to December 2025.

Has the developer provided valid proof of ownershipofMae’sSchools and Certificates of Registration to operate the private schools on Farnum? Is the electrical connection approved as safe by GPL? Arethebuildingsinsured?

Engagement with

RelevantAgencies

The Council claims engagement with “Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA) and other relevant agencies to ensure full regulatory compliance”.

This is vague and appearsmoreasarhetorical, ex post facto assurance giventhatmultiplebreaches have already occurred Whichagenciesareinvolved andwhatspecificregulatory complianceisbeingsought?

In sum, the factual basis and reasons presented are erroneous, untenable, violate the public trust prin

d accountability

Educationprovidedbya private person for profit cannot displace the collective rights of a community

Theproposedconditions includingnominalpayments contain no effective safeguards, but are empty formulations to conceal rather than stop unlawful conduct.

Putting children in structures, built in defiance, without consent, on land reservedforcommunityuse, with concerns that electrical works may not comply with safety standards, cannot be considered as “access to superior quality educational facilities.”

The Mayor ends with an invite to residents for “continued dialogue.” Residents welcome dialogue, but meaningful engagement requires full disclosure. Please provide all documents requested forthwith and meet with the residentssoonest.

Sincerely

JamelaA.Ali

Invasion of Venezuela and Colombia is likely to spread to other parts of the region and beyond

DEAREDITOR

In 2014 at its second summitinHavanaCuba,the Community of Latin America and Caribbean states (CELAC) proclaimed Latin America and the Caribbean a ZONE OF PEACE.

This proclamation represents a commitment to resolving conflicts through peaceful means, respecting sovereignty and nonintervention, upholding the right to self-determination and equal rights for all peoples. Reaffirming that the Caribbean Sea must be preserved as a Zone of cooperation, development andpeacefulcoexistence.

President Donald Ramotar who led the Guyanese delegation to the Summit said, “It’s in all of the Region’s interest; moreover, it is building on solidarity if we all commit ourselves to peaceful development, without peace you cannot have economic andsocialdevelopment.

It is necessary for Latin America and the Caribbean to progress; peace is essential,”heasserted.

Inthisletter,Iwouldlike to introduce Guyanese sociology professor Dennis Canterbury celebrated book “Caribbean Development in the New Multipolar World Order”.

The book examines capitalism and the role of the United States, the European Union, China andRussiainattemptingto dominatenaturalresources andmarkets

It includes the idea of development alternatives in the new multipolar world order, the current global realignment of economic power taking place and CARICOM (Caribbean Community Realignment )

Stating that the

CARICOM states are in the political independence state of their historical evolution from being colonies of imperialEuropean.

Theyhavehadahalfofa century to transcend the neocolonialtrapsetforthem at the time of their political independence.

But in many of those 50 years, their economic policieswereconstrainedby a United States led unipolar globalorder.

The two obvious stumbling blocks for the CARICOMaretheRegion’s historictieswithEuropeand its geographic proximity to the United States which considerstheCaribbeanand Latin America as its backyard.

The United States embroiled in an effort to maintain their hegemony over the region, “exercises its military and economic powerandleveragetoreinin recalcitrant CARICOM states” the resort to America’sgunboatpolitics.

Canterbury states in his conclusive remarks that “CARICOM countries does not have to be apologetic in declaringitsintenttopursue appropriate strategies of global realignment of economicpower,therightto self-determination.

Brazilian President Lula speaking in Belem do Para said that US military movement could trigger a humanitarian crisis that would affect the entire region.

Already the Brazilian state of Roraima is flooded b y t h o u s a n d s o f Venezuelans.

He reiterated that diplomacy must take precedenceovercoercion.

President Lula argued that South America must address its own security

issues collectively, through cooperation, independently of external forces He outlines The South American Peace Initiative which he shared with Caracas and Georgetown. Most South American countriesarereceptivetothe PeaceInitiative.

Trinidadians have picketedtheUSEmbassyin Trinidad, expressing their displeasure of the US military operation in the Caribbean Sea that has claimed the lives of two Trinidadian fishermen and seventy others whom the Trump administration c l a i m e d w e r e narcotraficantes.

Coming 42 years after theinvasionofGrenadaand subsequentlyPanamawhich claimedthelivesofscoresof civilians,thelikelyinvasion of Venezuela and Colombia is likely to spread to other parts of the region and beyond...

The cost-of-living in Trinidad has already increased tremendously, as merchant vessels are hesitant to enter the CaribbeanSea.

We in Guyana are already faced with the daily escalationofprices.

War cry would be devastating,notonlydoesit create instability, it scares a w a y p o t e n t i a l investment...attheendofthe day who are the benefactors of war? Surely not us or the peopleoftheregion.

Other Guyanese and I whoarecommittedtoaZone of Peace will be keeping a Vigil from 11 am - 1 pm on Friday 14th November in front of the CARICOM Secretariat, in support of CARICOM declaration of the Caribbean, ‘A Zone of Peace’.

Yourfaithfully DesmondAlli

‘Guyana’s autocratic decline’

DEAREDITOR

I am yet to come upon a reputable socio/political index that has presented the People’sProgressiveParty’s (PPP) government in a sufficiently favourable light to prevent its propagandists from concocting all manner of folly in defence, and the 2025 World Justice Project (WJP) Rule of Law Index is no exception. Since its ethnic/ideological basis makesitnearimpossiblefor ittochangecourse,onemust expectthatitwillcontinueto chastise the various messengers.

2016 was the first year that a substantial number of CARICOM states were included in the Index that began in 2015, and the truncated comparisons belowindicatethatwhatever may have been the democratic aspiration of Cheddi Jagan, by 2016 Guyana was well on its way t o b e c o m i n g t h e autocracy/dictatorship.

The political process yeartoyearcomparisons,do not provide sufficient space for one to make sensible judgements about the progress of political regimes, and on many occasions, it is merely the regime comparing against itself. Thus, the numbers below are more expansive andevensuggestthatduring the APNU+AFC Coalition years (2015-2020) the situation marginally improved, only to plummet againduringthePPP’sreign.

Apart from the overall ranking, the World Justice I n d e x c o n t a i n s measurementsin8areas,but in the interest of brevity, I present only the first four most important: Constraints on Government Powers (COGP) measures, the extent to which, by constitutional and other institutional means governments are bound by law; Absence of Corruption (AOC) measures covering bribery, misappreciation of public funds, improper influencing public officials, etc ; Open Government (OG)-theextenttowhicha government shares

information, empowers people with tools to hold them accountable, fosters citizen participation, etc., and (FR) Fundamental Rights (OG), which recognizes that a system of law that fails to respect core human rights is at best “rule bylaw”anddoesnotdeserve to be called a rule of law system.

The excluded four areas are:(1)measureshowwella society ensures the security of persons and property; (2) regulatory enforcement, which deals with the extent to which regulations are fairly and effectively implemented and enforced; (3) civil justice measureswhetherordinarypeoplecan resolve their grievances peacefully and effectively through the civil justice system, and (4) that which considers whether the delivery of criminal justice takes into consideration the entire system - the police, lawyers, prosecutors, judges,prisonofficersetc.

The 2025 Index report tellsusthatitisbuiltupona conceptual framework developed in consultation with academics, legal practitioners, and local community leaders around the world. A set of five original questionnaires was administered to experts and the general public. These questionnairesaretranslated into multiple languages and adaptedtoreflectcommonly used terms and expressions. Codification maps collected datainto44rulesoflawsubfactors.

These questionnaires gathered input on a range of topics from practitioners whofrequentlyinteractwith state institutions. More than 4,100 surveys, representing an average of about 29 responses per country, were collected from February 2025 through June 2025. This data complements the household data with assessmentsfromin-country

practitioners and academics with expertise in civil and c o m m e r c i a l l a w, constitutional law, civil liberties, criminal law, labourlawandpublichealth. Final scores are constructedusingafive-step process and the data is subjected to a series of tests todetectsignificantchanges and identify possible biases and errors. The sub-factors are cross-checked against more than 90 third-party sources drawn from local a n d i n t e r n a t i o n a l organisations. There is an external review and validation process to assess the statistical reliability of the results The Project periodically invites the Econometrics and Applied Statistics Unit of the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre to perform a sensitivity analysis of the Index. This analysis confirms that the WJPRule of Law Index is a reliable tool with statistical coherence and a robust structure.

Yet, the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance wants us to believe that the 2025 report is based upon old data. But even more alarming, resting its argument on Guyana’s fortuitous oil wealth, we are presentedwiththefollowing nonsense ‘By its own admission, the report states ‘where rule of law is stronger,soistheeconomy’. Guyana,asoneofthefastest growingeconomies,isa

(Continuedonpage17)

President is right that leaving oil in ground is not an option

DEAREDITOR

At the Belem (Brazil) COP 30 Climate summit, PresidentAlionNovember7 stated, “Call to leave oil in the ground is (a form of) protectionism”, adding, “without practical financial assistance, developing countrieshavenochoicebut to rely on fossil energy (oil and gas) to fund their development”.Heisspoton. Champions against climate change are concerned over rising global temperature that is heating up the world leading to rising ocean and seas threatening coastlines andlow-lyingterritorieslike Guyana Advocates for reduction of fossil use have argued, with justification, that rising carbon emissions areadirectresultofburning fossils and for global warming. But why should the poor countries carry the bulk of the burden of reducing their emissions

w

eloped countries increase theirs?

Why should Guyana and other poor countries make the sacrifice? Leaving the fossil fuel in the ground should not even be an argument; it is a non-issue. Guyana and other poor countries have a God given right to use their natural r

ir development. And at any rate, there has not been significant just mitigation action by the developed world to aid poor countries as an incentive to leave the fossil energy in the ground. The President is right to resist calls to reduce oil production.

Those of us who study economics understand ‘protectionism’ as a reference to international trade policies that ‘protect’ local industries by restricting imports (through various measures including

what President Trump is doing by imposing astronomically high tariffs to deter consumption of foreign products). Trade protectionist policies are intended to favor local industries and businesses, but in most cases (including in USA) don’t benefit consumers; they have been found to largely benefit manufacturers or producers and sellers. Similarly, as President Ali, leaving the fuel in the ground protects the rich nations against the poor It also protects the developed countries against thedevelopingcountries,the haves against the have nots, those who can manage without fossil against those whodon’thavealternatives. As studies found, some two thirds of fossil fuel is owned and being produced in territories considered as developing countries (those of middle and low income);

theycriticallydependonthe fossil fuel revenues for development without which their economies would be stagnantaswasthecasewith Guyana prior to the production of oil in 2018. The developed countries have reached their present status or stage of (over or post) development largely from the production and or use of fossil fuel to propel their industrialisation; their extremely high standard of livingiscloselytiedtofossil fuelandtheyarenotquickly switching over to other forms of energy production. Developing or Third World countries critically need the revenues from fossil fuel to f u n d t h e i r b a s i c ( i n f r a s t r u c t u r a l ) development; they have remained persistently poor because of lack of or inability to develop their fossil fuel. They depend on the multinationals of the developed countries to explore and develop their naturalresources(likefossil fuel).Imploringorlecturing developing countries (like Guyana) in discussions at Belem, Brazil, for the COP 30 to leave the fossil fuel in the ground is a form of protection for the wealthy countries of the developed world.Itistostymiefurther development of the poor or developing or Third World countrieslikeGuyana.

At any rate, the developed countries (in Europe and NorthAmerica) areexpanding,notreducing,

production of oil and gas as demand for energy is rising. The demand for fossil energy remains high, especially in developing countries (as China and India and other countries seek development status similar to Europe and North America), as alternatives (solar,wind,thermal,hydro, andothers)arenotcheapand easy to develop Poor countries cannot afford and lack capacity to easily switchtoalternatives. India, China,Turkey,MiddleEast, Latin and African countries relyonfossilfortheirenergy torunmachinestochurnout neededgoods.

Guyana, more than ever, relies on the production of fossil fuel for revenues to fund national development. WithoutExxon’sinvestment (tens of billions in USA dollars since 2015) in exploring and producing oil (and soon gas for electricity production), and the large amounts of revenues accrued from sales and sharedwithGuyana,several billionsinAmericandollars) accrued from 2019, Guyana would have remained a regular backwater country, largely unknown to the rest oftheglobe.Since2020,the country is globally recognised for its rapid developmentandprogressin infrastructure It has persistentlybeeninthenews on development and energy production The revenues from fossil fuel have helped to fund so many social

programs (pension, NIS, socialsecurity,upliftmentof women, sports, business grants, etc.), and education andhealthcare.

Besides economic reasons for not curtailing fossil production, there is also political factor at play Politicians have to respond to political pressure of c o n s t i t u e n t s w h o increasingly demand better livelihoodorelsepoliticians losetheirjobs.Ifoilisleftin the ground, standard of living declines. Jobs would be lost and income falls; unemploymentwillincrease and standard of living declined. And then there is the legal obstacle of leaving oil in the ground – Exxon and other companies signed anagreementtoexploreand develop oil They spent billionsofdollarstoproduce oil and gas. Guyana and othercountriescannotbreak an agreement How will MNCs like Exxon be compensated if the agreement is violated with the oil remaining in the ground?

So, PresidentAli is right that without the proper financial mechanism (generous support) in place to assist developing countrieswithlargedeposits of fossil fuel that are being produced and compensation to oil companies, they have no choice but continue production (and use) of fossilenergy

Yourstruly, Dr Vishnu

Bisram

Buxton on the rise

DEAREDITOR

, Buxton has come a long way and I am so happy that the People’s Progressive Party/Civic has plans to make things even better for the villagers. According to whatIjustread,thePPP/Cis embarking on a market tarmac that will be constructed within the vicinity of the BuxtonFoulis Neighbourhood DemocraticCouncil(NDC). As we all know, street vendingactivitiesarenotthe waytogo,astheynegatively affect commercial spaces as they sell similar goods, while also hindering access tomanybuildings.

Theactivitiesalsoleadto increase in criminal activities that hide among the chaos. The traders also litteranddumpwasteonthe road. This outlook may not characteriseBuxton,butitis good to ‘prevent than cure,’ when thinking about a

project like this. I add that buyingfromvendorsonthat Railway Embankment is risky, as vehicular traffic never ceases in that place. Buxtonisalwaysbusy Itisa nice hot spot for so many people from surrounding villages.

The details from the government are that “The initiative, which is being developed,isexpectedtobe aestheticallypleasingforthe vendors and as such, a proposed design for stalls will be shared with the vendors. The new tarmac will also be outfitted with amenities including washroom facilities and proper lighting ” This is really a big step-up as the norm is that roadside vending is rife with significant risks, including serious health hazards from foodborne illnesses and air pollution, along with physical and legal dangers.

These dangers affect both vendorsandconsumers,soit isawin-winsituationforall.

By the way, this tarmac realisationistofacilitatethe completion of the ongoing road works in the area, and the word from the Ministry of Public Works is that the newtarmacisexpectedtobe completed within three weeks and in the interim, vendors are allowed to ply their trade in their current location.

Editor, Guyana must move onward and upward, and road building and maintenance will always be ongoing.Thenasitrelatesto the ‘street vending’ culture, it is good that it is not being jettisoned. But it can be upgraded and I say this because with roadside vending, especially with food, there is a high risk of foodborne illnesses, such as diarrhoea,cholera,typhoid (Continuedonpage17)

— Thousands of public servants to be upgraded for digital future Govt.launchesfreeglobaltrainingplatform

Thousands of public servantsacrossGuyanafrom coastal offices to the remotest hinterland communities now have access to world-class online coursesfromtopuniversities aroundtheglobe.

T h r o u g h a n e w partnership with US-based Coursera, public servants can choose from over 100 online courses in areas such as data analysis, project management, leadership, and beginner Spanish — all free of cost and self-paced.

The Public Service

Upskilling Platform, officially launched on MondayattheArthurChung Conference Centre, marks

what President Dr

Mohamed Irfaan Ali

d e s c r i b e d a s a “transformational leap” toward a smarter, digitalreadypublicsector

President Ali said the programme is an important step in the government’s effort to modernise the public sector to be more effective and digitally advanced “The world is moving faster than ever before, so we must ask ourselves: are we ready to keep up?” he questioned, notingthatthepublicservice mustberetooledtodeliverin thedigitalage.

The president explained

that the answer lies in upskilling and preparing the workforce not only to manage change, but to lead it. The new public service must be a “problem-solving machine,” driving results, productivity, and progress through innovation and efficiency

According to the president,toachievesuccess and remain relevant, every public servant must move past rigidity, embrace the systemic integration of AI and digitalisation by continuously learn new tools.

This, he said, can be achieved through the newly launched programme with Coursera, as top-performing nations such as the United States, Singapore, and Finland use the same platform to strengthen their

public sector workforces

“You’renotjustlearningfor alocaljob;you’repreparing for global opportunities You’re ensuring that Guyana’s public service is not only efficient and responsive locally but also globally benchmarked—and that is important,” the presidentunderscored.

The head of state said thatwithahighlytrainedand modern public workforce, Guyana can become competitive Minister ZulfikarAlly, who is tasked with leading the nation’s digitalisation drive through the Public Service, Government Efficiency and Implementation Ministry, said this initiative will empower the Guyanese workforce to become more innovativeandefficient.

“We cannot implement

complex national projects without world-class project managers. We cannot be responsive to citizens without first-rate customer service,” he told the gathering, which included t h e i n t e n d e d ben

f

c

ries ”This programme is your new toolkit. It is our investment inyou,”headded.

Coursera’s Vice President, Zac Rule, also delivered remarks, emphasising that upskilling

the human resource pool is necessary to the ambitious goal of a fully digitalised Guyana. “We are very honouredtobeapartofthat. We look forward to continuing our multi-year partnership with Guyana,” hestated.

Also attending the ceremony were several ministersofthegovernment, heads of various agencies and most importantly, the beneficiaries of this transformative initiative

Public servants will gain access to over 100 online courses from leading universities and institutions worldwide, covering areas such as Digital and Data Skills (Microsoft Excel, Data Analysis, and Digital T r a n s f o r m a t i o n ) , P r o

Administrative Skills, P

o n , Leadership, and Time Management. It complements the previousinitiativeslaunched by the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Governmentduringits20202025 term. The initiative is alsocrucialinsupportingthe government’s drive for an inclusive digital society as outlined in its 2025-2030 Manifesto, as it aims to leveragemoderntechnology and innovation to uplift lives,enhancethedeliveryof government services and connect every Guyanese to opportunities within and outsideGuyana.

Bartica man slapped with several charges

Dennis Lespuer of Lot 22 Sixth Avenue, Bartica, was on Monday slapped with several charges when he appeared before Magistrate Tariq Mohamed at the Bartica, Magistrate’s Court.

Accordingtopolice,onthechargeof drivingamotorvehiclewhileunderthe influence of alcohol, Lespuer pleaded guilty and was fined $200,000- or an alternativethreemonths’imprisonment.

For the second charge, driving an uncertified vehicle, he pleaded guilty and was fined $5,000- or two-weeks’ imprisonment.

Lespuerwasalsochargedforbreach ofinsurancewhichhepleadedguiltyto and was fined $25,000- or two-weeks’ imprisonment.Fortheunlicenseddriver charge to which he also pleaded guilty, he was fined $40,000- or an alternative two-weeks’imprisonment.

A section of public servants attending the launch of the government’s Public Service Upskilling Platform

Minister of Public Service, Government Efficiency and Implementation, Zufikar Ally

Coursera’s Vice President, Zac Rule

Charged and

Lespuer

The Mohammeds cannot be extradited under the 1931 US–UK Extradition Treaty

There has been a recurringmisconceptionthat the 1931 Extradition Treaty between the United Kingdom and the United States somehow governs extradition between Guyana and the United States today This contention is, in my o p i n i o n , l e g a l l y unsustainable.

The 1931 treaty was never extended to British Guiana, and therefore it couldnothavebeen“saved”

or carried over into Guyana’s domestic law at independence in 1966. Any relianceonittodayasabasis for extradition is constitutionally,historically, andlegallyflawed.

The 1931 Extradition Treaty between the United States and the United Kingdom was a bilateral agreement, concluded on December 22, 1931, and ratified in 1935. It replaced earlier arrangements and established reciprocal obligationsforthesurrender of fugitive offenders between the two powers. Importantly, the treaty

included provisions (Articles14,16,and17)that allowed the United Kingdom to extend its application to certain colonies, dominions, and protectorates under British control The British

government, through exchanges of diplomatic

notes, indeed extended the treaty to a number of overseasterritories—among them Australia, India, Palestine, Transjordan, and s e v e r a l A f r i c a n protectorates But conspicuously absent from every list of extensions is British Guiana the colonial name for moderndayGuyana. Ihaveseenno record, in any exchange of notes or subsequent Orderin-Council, of the 1931 Treaty ever having been appliedtoBritishGuiana.

That omission is d e c i s i v e U n d e r international law, a treaty doesnotautomaticallyapply to all territories under the sovereignty of a party

Application must be explicit.Sincethetreatywas never applied to British Guiana, it could not have been in force there at any timepriortoindependence.

While the 1991 case of Kingv DirectorofPrisonset al. held that Guyana, by its conduct, had not repudiated t h e 1 9 3 1 U n i t e d States–United Kingdom Extradition Treaty and therefore could not rely on the“cleanslate”principleto denyitscontinuity,themore decisive and logically prior question is whether that treaty ever applied to Guyana in the first place. T he court’s reasoning pr esupposed the treaty’s

prior application to British Guiana, yet historical and documentary evidence suggestsotherwise:the1931 treaty was never formally extended to the colony by Order in Council or through any exchange of diplomatic notes.Ifthetreatywasnever operativewithintheterritory before independence, then there was nothing for Guyana to “accept” or “r

1966, rendering the court’s conclusion on succession largely academic and its foundation constitutionally unsound.

When Guyana gained independence on May 26, 1966, it became a new subject of international law It became a sovereign state i n i t s o w n r i g h t Independencecarrieswithit a well-established principle of international law, reflectedinArticle16ofthe 1978Vienna Convention on Succession of States in RespectofTreaties:

“A newly independent State is not bound to maintain in force or to becomeapartyto,anytreaty by reason only of the fact that at the date of the succession of States the treatywasinforceinrespect of the territory to which the successionofStatesrelates.” This is the “clean slate” doctrine A newly independent state starts

DEM BOYS SEH

When belly bigger than sense

Dem boys seh a new fad buss out among de youngpeoplethesedays— not fashion, not phone, not fancy dance move — but food! Yes, food! Some of dem treating buffet like c o m p e t i t i o n , n o t celebration.

Invite dem to a lil function, wedding, or free lunch, and watch de show start. Before you could say “grace,”demdonegrabone plate and start stacking it like Mount Roraima Chicken pon rice, fish pon chicken, chowmein pon bake,andonelonelylettuce leaf on top to make it look “healthy.”Dembalancingit so high, it look like a constructionsite.

Then come de second round, and de third — like dem trying to win a GuinnessWorld Record for Gluttony One big belch

echo through de hall, and everybody know who de champion eater is. You’d think dem get medal fuh belly capacity But dem boys seh de situation does get worse when de food free. Some people behave like “free” mean “forever.”

Once dem hear “come and eat, no charge,” is like a switch flick in dem head. Allsenseofportionvanish. Dem pile de plate, fill up a container, wrap up a lil something fuh tomorrow, and still go back for more.

Free food does turn some people into human vacuum cleaners sucking up everything before others even get a chance to see whatdemenuwas! Butgiveithalfhour,and de same champion start to shift uncomfortably De smilegone,desweatstartto pour,anddestomachstartto protest. De “belly boss”

fresh; it inherits its territory, notitstreaties.Thus,evenif the 1931 Treaty had somehow applied to British Guianabeforeindependence (and it did not), Guyana wouldstillnotautomatically have been bound by it after May26,1966.Itwouldhave required explicit consent — through succession, r e a f f i r m a t i o n , o r renegotiation for that treatytocontinueinforce.

There is no evidence of any such act between Guyana and the United S t a t e s f o l l o w i n g independence. Nor is there any diplomatic note or declarationbetweenGuyana and the United Kingdom confirming that the 1931 Treaty would continue to bind Guyana. To bridge the transition from colonial rule to independence, the Independence Constitution of 1966 (the Guyana Independence Order 1966) contained a savings law clause — a standard feature i n p o s t - c o l o n i a l constitutions Its purpose was to preserve existing laws that were in force immediately before independence so as to preventalegalvacuum.

in 1966 There was, therefore, nothing for the savings clause to preserve. In short: one cannot save whatneverexisted.

Evenifoneweretoargue thatanextraditiontreatyisa form of “law,” such continuity would still require bilateral intent. A treaty cannot survive unilaterally; both parties must agree to its continuation. There is no indication that either GuyanaortheUnitedStates tookstepstoreviveorextend the 1931 agreement after independence.

only by laws to which Guyanaitselfhasconsented, not by relics of colonial arrangements that were neverappliedtoitsterritory

suddenly looking for somewhere quiet — or a quick exit — to “lighten de load.” Dem run faster than when police break up a party

Dem boys seh some of dem young people confuse “how much you can eat” with“howmuchyoushould eat.” Greed is not a talent, and gluttony is not a flex.

Nobody ever get a scholarship or a promotion for cleaning out de buffet table.

And yet, every time food deh free, dem line up likeit’sdelastsupper Dem ain’trealisethatmoderation never cause bellyache — onlyexhibitionismdoes.So demboysseh:stopshowing off how much yuh can eat, and start showing yuh got sense. Because when belly bigger than brains, de outcomealwaysstink! Talkhalf.Leffhalf

However, the savings clause has limits It preserves laws, not treaties that were never part of the domestic legal order Moreover, for any treaty obligationtobe“saved,”the treaty must have been in force and applicable within the territory prior to independence. Since, in my opinion, the 1931 ExtraditionTreatywasnever extended to British Guiana, itcouldnothavebeenpartof the colony’s “existing laws”

A country becomes bound by an international treatythroughanaffirmative act of accession or ratification, not by mere silence or failure to deny its applicability International law rests on the principle of state consent. No state can beboundtoatreatyunlessit has clearly and voluntarily expressed its intention to be so bound. Ratification and accessionaretherecognized legal mechanisms by which such consent is given, each involving a formal declaration by the state and, in most cases, compliance with its constitutional procedures.

Conversely, the absence of repudiation or denial cannot substitute for the positive act of consent required by law A treaty cannot apply to a state by default, by presumption, or by inertia; it applies only where the state has taken deliberate and formal steps toacceptitsobligations.The constitutionalsovereigntyof Guyana requires that the extradition of its residents and citizens be governed

The issue goes beyond technical legal argument.At its core, it is about sovereigntyandtheintegrity of Guyana’s legal system. The right to decide which international treaties bind the Republic is a sovereign prerogative. To rely on a treatythatwasneverinforce for British Guiana, and which was never reaffirmed byindependentGuyana,isto underminethatsovereignty

The legitimacy of the extradition process depends upon clear legal authority. Extradition is one of the gravest acts a state can perform against an individual. It involves surrendering a person to a foreign jurisdiction. It must th

foundation. The 1931 treaty p

foundation. It was a treaty between two other nations — the United Kingdom and

s, concerning territories to whichBritishGuianadidnot belong for purposes of that agreement. In matters of extradition, legality must begin where sovereignty begins: in Georgetown, not inLondonorWashington.

(The views expressed in this article are those of the

and do not necessarily reflect the opinionsofthisnewspaper.)

H@RD TRUTHS

Georgetown drainage vision plan

Guyana’scapitalcity,the former Garden City, the city of Georgetown, needs a drainage system like the victims of a tsunami need some dry ground. Having had their share of water underfoot across many parts of GT, around the country’s largest hospital, a sound drainagereliefsystemwould bemorethanwelcome.

It would be the equivalentofacancercuring drug for residents and visitorstothecity Iamone of the former And, hence, there is keen interest in all that President IrfaanAli has been saying and putting on

thetablerelativetoamodern drainage system for GT I like it. I support it; look forwardtoit.

The one concern is that, other than for two, the leaders of the GT municipality were either uninvited to be a part of the vision; or have disinvited t h e m s e l v e s f r o m participating in any such action. Iwishitwerenotso, andthatabeginningismade in working together, no matterhowharditistodigest (by both sides). I am all for what is constructive to the ambienceandwelfareofcity residents, the city itself, and

the image of Guyana’s leadingcenterofcommerce, politics, jurisprudence, and manythingsrelatedtooil.

The president made the rehabilitationofGeorgetown one of the highlights of his second inaugural address. Skepticism made me think that it was just another instance where Guyana’s politiciansusethemomentto pontificate, and then fade away The history of local political reality forms the basis for such reactions Nonetheless,itisonereason why it always good to never say never; to give oneself that cushion, no matter how

bleakthecircumstancesare.

For here are citizens and city dwellers, almost two months following the president’s September inaugural, and Pres. Ali is following up on his promisingwords,withabold rolloutofsomeofwhatisin mind for drainage of GT Technology mapping, more pump stations, covered drains, possible commercial parking spaces over those c

, maintenance works, the whole 19 yards, and then some more. I am for all of those. Rapidassessmentand c o m m e n c e m e n t o f improvementworksarealso good to hear There should besomeinconvenience,butI think that it is worth the while. Personally speaking, Iamtiredofpayingtoclean the drains nearby, having them degrade to where they were before, and then repeating the cleaning processalloveragain.

Theidentificationiswith that fellow from Greek mythology, Sisyphus, who was always rolling a brick uphill, only for it to crash down on his head when he reachedthetop. Asanaside, my rates and taxes bill are always paid in advance with

even a portion of 2027 (yes, 2027!) having a credit. But there is the angry reality of having to come out-ofpocket to get the drains cleared so that things move along.

Bad drainage is bad for the respiration. Silt and otherstuffpileup;thesmells rise up. There is already a strugglewithnoisepollution in sections of Guyana, so why add to the situation by not addressing water pollution, air pollution, and land pollution? Those are what residents and travelers have had to endure in Georgetown for many years now, with a little respite during the 4-5 years of the PNC reign. Before the last elections,andsincethen,the PPP Govt has made it a practicetoweedthegrasson a consistent basis. Thanks forthethought. Theclearing of the drains is far apart, which aids, but more is needed.

Ever had the good fortunetobearoundthe‘Big Hospital’ (GT Public Hospital Corp) after a long downpour? Or between Thomas and Camp Streets alongMiddleStreetafterthe heavens unload? Those are justtwospacesplumbinthe middle of the city (well, not

quite) that provide stark testimony of how quickly and unacceptably the drainage conditions of the capital city can deteriorate. The govt knows this, and Pres. Ali knows this. Just think of all that produce of thegutter,andwhateverelse, makingtheirwayaroundthe capital, maybe even into the pristine confines of the U.S. ConsulatethroughGuyanese who have business to conduct there. Let’s not forget also those foreign oil folks.

I thank the president for moving on his commitment. There’s great looking forward to observing the development of a sweeping capitalcitydrainagesystem, experiencing its reliefs firsthand. The crowns I would place on Pres. Ali’s head! Good one! Do it. There! Done! Delivered. May God bless Guyana GoodthathestilldoesforGT citizens. GodAlmighty,not Excellency Ali My humblestapologies,sir (The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinionsofthisnewspaper.)

$24 million in furniture, equipment purchased undelivered to Reg. 3 RDC

Details emerging from the 2024 Auditor General Report have shown that the Regional DemocraticCouncil(RDC)ofRegionThree isyettoreceivesome$24.3millionworthof furnitureandequipmentthatwerepurchased butnotdelivered.

Accordingtothereport,amountstotalling $234millionwerebudgetedforthepurchase of furniture and equipment for admin, education, staff quarters, health services and purchaseofwaterambulances.Attheendof lastyear,amountstotalling$233.929million were expended by the regional administration.

The AG revealed that an audit examination of the payment vouchers, other supporting documentations and the physical verificationofassetsrevealedthat“(a)Atotal of 124 items valued at $24.332 million were still to be delivered to the regional administration at the time of reporting in September 2025. (b) Five hundred items totalling$25.452millioncouldnothavebeen located/verified.”

Responding to the auditor’s findings, the regional administration explained that the deliveries are pending and letters were written to the suppliers for full delivery of

outstanding items. “Verification of assets is still ongoing. These assets were dispatched across the region and arrangements will be made for verification of same,” the region added.

Further, in its recommendation, the audit officesaidthattheheadofthebudgetagency should ensure all assets critical to the operations of the various sectors are purchased, received and functioning to ensuretheproperoperationofthesector

The RDC was also tasked with putting systemsinplacetoensurethemissingassets are located and presented for audit examination.

Love, loss and learning… Berbice couple to graduate together with distinction

Inastorythatcaptures t h e s p i r i t o f perseverance and partnership, Berbicians

Nicholas and Raveena Ackree will walk the graduationstagetogetheron December 6, proudly receiving their Bachelor’s Degrees in Education from the University of Guyana BerbiceCampus(UGBC).

Nicholas, a teacher at CorrivertonPrimarySchool, will graduate with a Bachelor’s in Primary Education, while Raveena, who teaches at No 72 Nursery School, will earn her Bachelor’s in Early Childhood Education. Both pursued their studies under UG’s Faculty of Education andHumanities(FEH).

TheAckrees’journeyhas beenoneoffaith,endurance, and shared dreams a seven-year marriage tested bylongnightsofstudy,fulltime teaching, and the challenges of raising their one-year-oldson.

Inafeaturesubmittedby UG’sDepartmentofEvents, C o n f e r e n c e s a n d

Communicationitwasnoted that studying together has beenaspecialjourneyforthe couple,onethatbeganyears ago when they completed

their Associate Degrees in EducationattheCyrilPotter College of Education (CPCE), an experience they bothdescribedasoneoftheir bestdecisions.

However, like many of the three thousand six hundredgraduandswhowill walk the graduation stage when the university host its series of Convocation exercises scheduled for November 20 to December 6, this young couple’s academic journey was filled with severe challenges, balancing demanding workloads, teaching, and raising their one-year-old child, all while managing household responsibilities

“Itwasnotalwayseasy,butit was rewarding. At the time, we were caring for our oneyear-old, so balancing family life, teaching, and studies was difficult. What made it possible was understanding, teamwork, andtrust,”Nicholssaid.

Detailing her journey, Raveena echoed similar words, noting that their greatest strength was supporting each other through every stage. “We took turns with the baby so one of us could complete assignments or keep the

house quiet for online presentations It was a partnership built on love, patience,andfaith,”shesaid withmuchpride.

Loss

TheirfaithinGodandthe support of their parents anchored them through the toughestmoments.Yet,amid their studies, grief struck deeply when Nicholas lost both his mothe

grandmother during his first y

y

Overwhelmed by sorrow, he

continuing was worth it

“Thatwasaverypainfuland difficult period because my mother was my best friend and biggest supporter from theverystartofmyacademic journey At one point, I wanted to quit, but Raveena’s support meant everything. She encouraged me and held things together when it felt impossible,” Nicholas recalled. Together, NicholasandRaveenafound the strength to keep moving forward. For Raveena, the long nights, endless lesson plans, and constant juggling of responsibilities tested her patience, but the thought of their child and the example theyweresettingpushedher onward. “Our families and

Couples charged with gun and drug offences

even our students motivated us. Knowing that we could inspire others by reaching thisgoalkeptusgoing,even on the hardest days,” she detailed.

The couple believe their shared experience has not only deepened their relati

strengthened their teaching. “Having a partner who understands the academic strugglesandsmallvictories makesahugedifference.We learned from each other and brought new ideas into our classrooms. This experience reminded us that we’re not justdoingthisforourselves, but for our son and the studentsweteach,”Raveena said.

Lookingahead,Nicholas and Raveena hope to continue their academic journeytogetherastheirplan istopursuetheirMaster’sin Education.

Their dream is to contribute even more meaningfully to the education sector and help

Nicholas and Raveena Ackree, along with their son. Nicolas will graduate with a Bachelor in Education (Primary Education) while Raveena will graduate with a Bachelor in Education (Early Childhood Education). (Grafx Photography photo)

mouldthenextgenerationof leaders “We hope our journey inspires young people and couples to believe that no dream is too bigandnochallengetoohard when you are determined and eager to succeed ” Raveenasaid.Despitefacing so many hurdles, including losing their loved ones,

Nicholas and Raveena have persevered The proud couple are set to graduate with distinctions from the University of Guyana (Feature by the Department of Events, Conferences and Communication (DECC), Office of the ViceChancellor, University of Guyana.)

Two couples were on Monday charged separately when they appeared at the BarticaMagistrates’Courton drugsandfirearmcharges.

According to police 33year-old businessman, Ron Williams of Lot 171 Queenstown, Essequibo Coast and his wife Jhoanlis Aurora Perez Palma, who were both arrested on November 9, 2025 for the offense‘UnlawfulPossession of Firearm and Ammunition withoutLicence’,appearedat the Bartica Magistrates’ CourtbeforeHisWorshipMr T Mohamed,toanswertothe said charge They both pleaded not guilty, and were placed on $80,000 bail for eachcharge.

Theywerealsoinstructed toreporttotheItaballiPolice checkpointonthefirstFriday of every month. This matter was adjourned to December 12,2025.

Inanothermatter,Qunicy Continued on page 15

Businessman, Ron Williams

Jhoanlis Aurora Perez Palma

Qunicy Austin

Ameidis Joseidis Mattey Perez

Some of the sealing and the mesh works done to sections of the BV Primary School in response to the pigeon infestation. (Ministry of Education photos)

“Pigeonsstaredmeintheeye”

- says Education Minister as BV school reopens after infestation cleanup

Teachers and students of the Beterverwagting Primary School(BV)ontheEastCoastofDemerara,haveresumed normalsessionsintheclassroom,followingtheintervention by the Ministry of Education to address the pigeon infestationthatplaguedtheschooloverthelastfewweeks.

This publication had reported that the infestation had causedthesuspensionofclassesforpupilsbelowgradesix. On Monday, officials from the education ministry and the school confirmed that all classes returned to normalcy last Wednesday

Minister of Education, Sonia Parag at a public consultation on Saturday at theArthur Chung Conference Centre, said the classroom situation has improved tremendously

“Yesterday (Friday) I went back to the BV school to checkonthepigeonsituationandsomeofthepigeonswere intheyardandI’mgivingyouafrankconversation,someof thepigeonswereintheyardstaringmeintheeyeslikeyou can’tdomeanything,butIspoketoalmosteveryteacherin the school and every teacher reported that the classroom situation has improved tremendously over the last weeks sinceweimplementedseveralmeasures,”shebrieflystated.

TheeducationministryinOctoberengagedtheservices of a contractor who specialises in pigeon control, mitigation, and proofing as a means of further addressing therecurringpigeoninfestationatseveralschoolsalongthe EastCoast.

The ministry in a statement at the time said the BV PrimarySchoolwouldbethoroughlypressure-washedand outfittedwithaspecifictypeofgalvanisedmeshtokeepthe birdsout.

“Forthisparticularissue,giventhatit’sseveralschools, we are looking at what we can do long-term, as a government and as the Ministry of Education,” Parag was quotedassaying.

She also instructed that the school closure for the Christmasperiodbeusedtodeepcleanallaffectedschools.

“This is a problem that has been explained to me, will notgoawayovernight,butitwillgoaway,hopefullywithin a short space of time, and over time, it will continue to reduce,”theministersaid.

Further, the ministry noted that curbing the infestation may also require some behavioral changes within the communityitself.Speakingontheissue,MichelSwanston Nurse,headofthetechnicalservicesdepartment(air,noise and radiation) of the EPAsaid, “Residents are feeding the pigeonsinthevicinityoftheschool,andthisiscontributing tothebirdpopulationgettingoutofcontrol.”

Shereasonedthat“whileitmayseemkindtofeedthem, it results in droppings from these birds in excessive amounts.”ThestatementnotedthatEPAwouldbeworking with the Guyana Wildlife Management and Conservation Commissiontoraiseawareness,especiallyinareasproneto pigeoninfestations.

On October 14, 2025, the We Invest in Nationhood (WIN) party said it was informed about the pigeon infestationintheclassroomsandaroundthecompoundwas severe.

“The build-up of droppings and nesting debris makes the classroom unsanitary Pigeon waste exposes students andteacherstoharmfulbacteriaandallergensdaily,”WIN stated.Thepartyevenpublishedimagesofillstudentslying onchairsjoinedtogetherinaclassroom.

Thisthenledtoattentionofeducationofficialsordering that the school be closed so the regional administration address the situation. Having completed remedial works duringthatperiod,theschoolwasclosedagainafterparents protestedwhattheysaidwas insufficientwork.

GuyExpo 2025 to spotlight local manufacturers

Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, Susan Rodrigues, on Monday said the four-day event — slated for November 13–16 at the NationalExhibitionCentre,Sophiawill feature290fullybookedbooths,witha strong focus on homegrown products andinnovation.

During a walkthrough of the GuyExpositewithherteamonMonday, Minister Rodrigues told the media that this year; there are about 290 booths which are all occupied by exhibitors.

“This year, the expo is focused heavily onourlocalmanufacturers.Wewantto ensure that we raised their visibility at the expo, staying through to what the natureofGuyExpoisabout,promoting local Guyanese products,” she explained.

Minister Rodrigues and her team alongside the media during a walkthrough at the National Exhibition Centre, Sophia inspecting the preparation for the upcoming GuyExpo.

Speaking on this year’s theme, the minister said exhibitors have been encouraged to display their products in awaythatincorporatesnewinnovation and technology

The minister informed that the opening ceremony would take place at 5:30pm on Thursday and the President Irfaan Ali is expected to deliver the featured address SHh disclosed that the opening ceremony would be entertaining and would

feature a wide variety of cultural presentation.

“Itwouldbeanentertainingopening ceremony, lot of new pieces and especiallylocalentertainmentandbring back some of the culture we don’t normallysee,”shenoted.

This year, celebrating 30 years GuyExpo has been in existence since 1995,theministerstatedthatduringthe Continued on page 16

Minister of Education, Sonia Parag visiting the BV Primary School on Friday.

GYEITI appointment sparks outrage

- Policy Forum Guyana says Ivor English’s mining ties raise conflict concerns

The recent appointment by Minister of Natural Resources,VickramBharrat, of Dr Ivor English as Convenor of the Civic component of Guyana’s EITI Multi-Stakeholder Group (MSG) raises serious concerns about impartiality and governance, according to Policy Forum Guyana- a locally-basedrightsgroup.

According to the group, Dr English has extensive tiestotheminingsector “In 2014, he was granted goldmining concessions totaling 19,586 acres by the then

Minister of Natural Resources, Robert Persaud. Theseconcessionswerelater subdivided into 17 separate permits, 13 of which were medium-scale mining permits(MSMPs),eachwith a maximum size of 1,200 acres,” PFG said in a statementissuedonMonday According to the group, the minister’s press release announcing Dr English’s appointmentspokeabouthis membership in the Seventhday Adventist Church, highlighting the number of adherents, which it claimed is a wholly irrelevant

q u a l i f i c a t i o n f o r administering GYEITI “It made no mention of his ongoing involvement in the extractive sector or the potential for future mining activities”

However, Minister

Bharrat told Demerara Waves Online News that Dr English’sappointmentposes no conflict interest because he has not been actively engaged in mining for gold, diamond or sand “Our evaluation determined that Dr English presents no conflict of interest relevant to the role as convener of a civic society organisation,” Bharrat is quoted in the onlinepublicationassaying. He further stated according to Demerarawaves that Dr English holds no active mining property in the extractive sector, as alleged. “He acquired mining blocks in the Cuyuni Mining

District 4 in 2014, approximately 11 years ago. There has been no mining activity on those mining blocks since he acquired them.Therehasalsobeenno activity on a sand mining permit in Manaka since 2014,”thepublicstated.

But Policy Forum Guyana said Minister

Bharrat’s statement contradicts Dr English’s own statements regarding his mining activities

“Questionsofproprietyhave followed Dr English for years In 2016, reports questioned whether he benefited from favoritism when granted permits KaieteurNews(Dec4,2016) highlighted a Power of Attorney, seemingly signed by Dr English and the then G G M C C h a i r m a n , Commissioner Clinton Williams, which authorised Williams to act on English’s behalf regarding his mining i n t e r e s t s d e s p i t e Williams’s official role in approving the very permits in question,” the Policy Forum Guyana statement added. According to the group Dr English’s appointment represents the second attempt by Minister Bharrat

t o c o n t r o l c i v i c appointments in GYEITI

t h r o u g h s e c r e t i v e procedures “Earlier this year, the Minister appointed the Chair of the Private

Sector Commission, a decision later reversed following intervention from the EITI International Secretariat The Minister’s insistenceoncontrollingcivic appointments is concerning, particularly given that GYEITI Reports document widespreadirregularities and unlawful practices in Guyana’s gold-mining sector,”thestatementnoted. Policy Forum Guyana said one prevalent illegal p r a c t i c e i n v o l v e s subdividing large-scale blocks into multiple medium-scale permits to avoidhigherfees.“GPSdata shows Dr English’s permits are contiguous, with all licenses paid on the same day raising serious questions about official collusion While the Minister has the power to appoint the Convenor of the Civic component, he is not exempt from ensuring the process is impartial. In a

fragile and polarised democracy, deliberate efforts to bypass transparent civicselection,includingthe exclusion of Policy Forum Guyana (PFG) from the selectionprocess,undermine public trust. Both the civic and industry sectors submitted lists of MSG candidates earlier this year through processes that were widely accepted The Minister’s rejection of these lists on the basis that the legal term of the MSG had ended in November 2024 is specious, especially since thesameMSGwasapproved without issue in the 6th Annual Report in December 2024 after administrative delays,”PFGasserted.

According to the group, despite these concerns, Policy Forum Guyana recognisesthecriticalroleof GYEITI as a platform for transparent information on themining,oil,gas,forestry, a n d f i s h i n g sectors information otherwise inaccessible to citizens. “PFG will continue to participate in the upcoming MSG meeting at the Marriott Hotel and call on other civic organisations toengagefullyinsupportof t r a n s p a r e n c y a n d accountability.”

Last week ministry said English’s appointment was confirmedfollowinganopen and transparent review processbyBharrat,whoalso serves as Guyana’s EITI Champion. In Guyana, the Champion is responsible for appointing a Convenor for each constituency group on

the MSG. “It should be noted that the GCSDA represents one of Guyana’s moststructuredcivil-society organisations, comprising over 68,000 active members and adherents across 31 pastoral districts As a memberofthisnon-partisan, faith-based organisation withnopoliticalorindustrial affiliation, Dr English is uniquely positioned to serve as a Civil Society Convenor,” the ministry’s statedinsisted.

“As Convenor, Dr English is tasked with g u i d i n g a n o p e n , independent, participatory, andrepresentativecaucusing process, in keeping with the EITI Standard for the upcoming reconstitution of theCivilSocietyComponent

within the GYEITI MultiStakeholder Group (MSG). Notably, the Convenor will serve for two MSG terms (six years) The MultiStakeholder Group (MSG) serves as the principal body responsible for overseeing the implementation of the EITI Standard in Guyana. It is composed of twenty-four (24) members, with equal representation drawn from three key sectors: Government, the Extractive Companies, and Civil Society. Each sector is represented by four (4) Primary Members and four (4) Alternate Members, ensuring balanced participation and shared decision-making across all stakeholder groups,” the statementconcluded.

Couples charged with...

Frompage14

Austin, a 38-year-old gold miner, and Ameidis Joseidis Mattey Perez, 27-year-old cook, both of West Watooka HilltopSquattingarea,Lindenappearedatthesamecourtto answer to three counts of possession of narcotics for the purpose of trafficking. The charges were read to them and theypleadednotguiltyonallcounts.Theybothwereplaced on $50,000 bail each for the first and second count, and $10,000 each on the third count, bringing their total bail amountto$110,000each.

The duo was both arrested on November 9, 2025, by ranks at the Itaballi Police Checkpoint. Both accused were instructed to report to the Itaballi checkpoint on the first of everymonth.ThematterwasadjournedtoJanuary5,2025.

Natural Resources Minister, Vickram Bharrat Dr. Ivor English

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Pres. Ali cranks up the pressure

…Ministers get strict deadlines to digitise public sector

President Irfaan Ali has turned up the heat on his Cabinet, issuing strict deadlines to fast-track the full digital transformation of Guyana’s public sector.

Speaking on Monday morning at the launch of the Public Service Upskilling Platform at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre, the President gave Senior Minister in the Office of the President with Responsibility for Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh, eight months to complete the digitisation of the National

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Insurance Scheme (NIS)— one of the country’s most notoriously inefficient state agencies.

He also directed the Minister of Public Service, Government Efficiency, and Implementation, Zulfikar Ally to digitise every public service record within five months, warning that the era of slow bureaucracy and paper-based files must come to an end.

The conversion of these records, or their digitisation, is the process of converting analogue information into a digital form and is a necessary precursor to digitalisation, which refers to using digital technologies to improve or transform processes and activities, the Department of Public Information (DPI) has reported. President Ali’s goal for the government is to move swiftly to modernise the public sector and eliminate inefficiencies that frustrate citizens and hinder national progress. The president emphasised that both ministries have specific targets and deadlines that

must be achieved.

“I’ve given the Minister of Finance a direction…The Minister of Public Service knows that his entire human resource information system, the entire public service, within five months, all the records, your files, your personal files, everything, must be completely digitised within five months,” President Ali declared.

The president explained that once digitised, the new integrated system will allow ministries to share information seamlessly, cross-reference skills across departments, and enhance the efficiency of public service delivery.

He emphasised that digitalisation is more than just a convenience; it is central to Guyana’s transformation into a modern, high-performing economy. The head of state also addressed the digital tools vital to the country’s agricultural sector. He revealed that within four months, farmers will have

access to new technologies and platforms to enhance productivity. “Within four months, the farmers must be able to use the tool we’ve been investing in to access education in the field, to access real-time information in the field, to access weather in the fields, to access extension support in the field, and to access technology in the field,” the president said. He noted that digital

transformation across sectors, including agriculture, tourism, manufacturing, and infrastructure, is designed to create a fully integrated digital economy, positioning Guyana as a regional leader in innovation and efficiency. The president also highlighted that several homegrown apps will be launched in the coming weeks. These apps were built to support public service delivery and national development priorities. “In the next three to four weeks, we will see a series of apps being launched that we are building ourselves, that we are trusting our young people, our brain power, our technical capability to drive this future,” President Ali announced.

These initiatives form part of the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Government’s 2025 manifesto commitments, aimed at delivering a smarter, more connected, and inclusive Guyana.

CAF to allocate US$40B on over next five years to drive green growth

CAF – Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean announced a US$40 billion investment over the next five years to finance sustainable growth and strengthen climate action, with emphasis on a just energy transition, water security, sustainable mobility, agricultural prosperity, and the conservation of key strategic ecosystems for the planet such as the Amazon, Patagonia, high-mountain wetlands, and mangroves.

With these financial resources, CAF will consolidate a portfolio that combines project financing, promotion of sustainable public policies, impact investments, green credit lines to financial institutions, use of innovative instruments (such as debt-fornature swaps and sustainability-linked loans), and collaboration with subnational governments to ensure that financing reaches all citizens.

“This is an unprecedented investment by a development bank in Latin America and the Caribbean, demonstrating our commitment to a more sustainable, equitable, and prosperous region,” said Sergio DíazGranados, Executive President of CAF. “In 2021, we set the goal of becoming the Green Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean and projected that at least 40% of approvals would be green by 2026. We achieved that goal

in 2024. With today’s announcement, we are increasing our green financing target to 50% by 2030.”

CAF’s announcement coincides with the EU-CELAC Summit in Santa Marta, which aims to deepen European cooperation and investment in the region. The EU-CELAC relationship has the potential to boost sustainable development in both regions, with major investment opportunities under the Global Gateway initiative. Latin America and the Caribbean, home to 60% of the planet’s biodiversity and generating 30% of its energy from renewable sources, represents a key partner for the EU in advancing the green transition.

The funds will be directed to the following priority areas: Just energy transitionLatin America and the Caribbean has enormous potential in renewable energies such as solar, wind, natural gas, hydropower, and geothermal. To promote a just transition, CAF will focus on decarbonising the electricity, transport, and productive sectors while ensuring energy security and affordability to improve community well-being. CAF will allocate USD 10 billion in approvals by 2030 to advance a just energy transition.

Resilience, strategic ecosystems, and the agricultural sector - In the face of threats from deforestation, mining, intensive agriculture, and cli-

mate change, CAF will promote adaptation, climate resilience, and an ecosystembased approach. The strategy values the richness of terrestrial and marine-coastal ecosystems through conservation and sustainable-use interventions, the blue economy, and disaster-risk management, while strength-

ening regenerative and sustainable agricultural opportunities.

GuyExpo 2025 to spotlight...

From page 13

opening ceremony they will be honour 13 businesses/ companies and individuals who have been with GuyExpo throughout those 30 years.

“So, we have written to them that they would be the recipients of this award for their 30 years to GuyExpo and contribution to our local business economy,” she mentioned. Highlighting some of the features, visitors and patrons can expect, the Tourism Minister said on Friday between 10 am and 4pm there will be a Business-to-Business (B2B) seminar conducted by GO-Invest. Already a number of exhibitors are prelisted based on their interest in participating in the seminar. This seminar is part of giving them a platform, the visibility in ensuring that they have access to markets.

Also, the Guyana Tourism Authority an agency under the ministry will have a Tourism Village set up, showcasing what is available as part of Guyana’s tourism experi-

Resilient territoriesCAF’s actions aim to enhance water security through access to safe drinking water, sanitation, and the management of droughts and floods. At the same time, it seeks to (Continued on page 17) ence.

“A theater will be set up in the Tourism Village that would be screening local documentaries and featuring videos of our tourism sites and attraction,” she informed. Included also, there is a play area for kids and much more. At nights, there will be culture presentations and performances and they are working with the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport and other stakeholders to facilitate this. “We are really producing an authentic Guyanese experience here at GuyExpo. You come and will see all of the local products and services that are available, manufactured locally, and including our culture and entertainment,” she added.

While, GuyExpo will officially declared opened following the opening ceremony, the Minister noted that on Friday there will be school tours starting at 1pm and on Saturday and Sunday gates open at 2pm all the way to midnight.

President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali delivering the key address at the launch of the Public Service Upskilling

Securitychieffallstodeath fromGoodHopebuilding

A routine inspection turned tragic on Sunday when 48-year-old Kevin Browne, Chief Security Officer of Sheriff Security, fell to his death while checking a damaged roof at the INFAB building, Good Hope,EastCoastDemerara.

In a press statement police said detectives in Regional Division 4’C’ are i n v e s t i g a t i n g t h e circumstances surrounding the death of Browne of Apiqua Lane, Guyhoc Park, Georgetown

P r e l i m i n a r y investigations revealed that 48-year-old Browne, who was the Chief Security Officer of Sheriff Security, on the morning of the said day, transported workers to theINFABbuildingsituated on the southern side of the Good Hope Public Road. According to a 52-year-old friendofthedeceased,about noon on the said day, workers noticed that sectionsoftheceilingofthe building (INFAB) sustained waterdamagefromtheroof.

Browne, police said reportedly went onto the roof to inspect the area, during which he stepped ontoasectionoftheroofthat broke, causing him to fall several feet onto the concrete surface below The workersrenderedimmediate assistance, and transported 48-year-old Browne to the Enmore Regional Hospital, where he was pronounced

Toddler drowns in trench at Queenstown Village

dead on arrival. The 52year-old friend of the deceased later visited the police station and made a report. Thebodywastaken to the Sandy’s Funeral Parlour awaiting a postmortem examination Investigationsareongoing. Meanwhile, in a statement InFab expressed deepest condolences to the family, friends, and colleagues of Browne. “We are deeply saddened by this unfortunate incident and extend our heartfelt sympathies to all affected.”

The company clarified that they had contracted Royal Global Guyana Inc., located at 230 Section B Pattenson, Turkeyen, Georgetown, to construct a worker living area at the rear of our Good Hope premises. “The work beingcarriedoutatthetime

Kevin Browne, Chief Security Officer of Sheriff Security

Aone-year-ninemonth-old boy, Devon Walker, tragically drowned on Monday in a trench near his home in Queenstown Village, Essequibo Coast, RegionTwo.

Reports indicate that Devon’s mother was asleep when the incident occurred. Villagers told Kaieteur

News that his older brother spottedhiminthetrenchand tried to rescue him but was unable to. He ran to alert theirmotherforhelp. By the time Devon was pulled from the water, he wasunresponsive.

Thefamilyrushedhimto Lima Hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

Devon Walker

oftheincidentwasunderthe full supervision and responsibility of Royal Global Guyana Inc The individual involved was not an employee of InFab, and hispresenceontheroofwas unknown to InFab personnel. Royal Global G u y a n a I n c . h a s acknowledged contractual responsibility for the ongoing project and is cooperating fully with the relevant authorities in addressing this matter,” InFab said. “InFab remains committed to maintaining the highest standards of safety and transparency in all our operations and will continue to support the ongoinginvestigationinany way required. Our thoughts remain with Mr Browne’s family during this very difficulttime.”

US strikes alleged drug-carrying vessels in Pacific, killing six

(Reuters) - The United States struck two alleged drug-carrying vessels in the eastern Pacific Ocean on Sunday,killingsixpeopleon board, U S Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said onMonday,ascallsmounted for investigations into the strikes.

“These vessels were knownbyourintelligenceto be associated with illicit narcotics smuggling, were carryingnarcotics,andwere transiting along a known narco-trafficking transit route,”Hegsethsaidinapost onX,whichincludedavideo oftheboatsbeingstruck.

The U.S. has carried out more than a dozen strikes since September on vessels near the Venezuelan coast

and, more recently, in the eastern Pacific Ocean, killingmorethan70people, according to the U S defense secretary, as it escalates a military buildup intheCaribbeanSea.

The U.S. has alleged, withoutpresentingevidence, thattheboatsitbombedwere transporting drugs, but foreign leaders, some members of Congress, legal expertsandfamilymembers of those killed have called forproof.

The United Nations humanrightschiefhascalled the U.S. strikes on alleged drug dealers unacceptable and a violation of international human rights law Venezuelasaystheyare illegal, amount to murder

and are aggression against

h Americancountry

Venezuelan President NicolasMadurohasaccused DonaldTrump of seeking to topple his government, an allegationtheU.S.president has downplayed despite r e p o r t s o f t h e administration’s close contact with Venezuela’s opposition.

In September, the U.S. builtupitsmilitarypresence in the Caribbean - including a nuclear submarine and a group of warships accompanying the world’s largest aircraft carrierprompting Maduro to shore up security powers and deploy tens of thousands of troopsaroundthecountry

Frompage16 develop sustainable urban and mobility systems and strengthen the creative and tourism economies, promoting models of urban regeneration and infrastructure developmentthatareinharmonywithnature. Physicalanddigitalinfrastructure-Toclose theinfrastructuregap,estimatedatabout5% oftheregion’sGDPannually,CAFpromotes physical connectivity and digital transformation within a regional-integration framework This includes sustainable

transport,logistics,andenergyinfrastructure projects alongside digital-transformation initiatives.

CAF also intends to mobilise third-party financing sources, such as the issuance of sustainable bonds and access to green and climate funds, and to foster partnerships among governments, civil society, international organisations, NGOs, and the privatesector Akeycomponentwillbeclose collaboration with subnational and municipalgovernments.

Buxton on the rise...

Frompage06 fever, and general food poisoning. Thus Guyana must eliminate contributing factors suchas:PoorHygieneandSanitation(Many vendors lack access to potable water, handwashing facilities, and proper waste disposalsystems,asutensilsmaybewashed indirty,standingwater,andvendorsmaynot follow basic hygiene practices; Contamination: Food is often exposed to flies,dust,animals,andotherenvironmental contaminants; Cross-contamination can occur from unwashed hands or shared equipment; Improper Food Handling and

Storage: Food is often prepared long before consumption, stored at ambient temperatures,andinadequatelyreheated,all of which encourage bacterial growth and toxinproduction.

Editor, I can add even more reasons for going the intended route, but suffice to say, Guyanaisnowaglobalplayer,andinevery domain, there must be the movement towardswhatobtainsatthehighestlevel.In the end, both vendors and consumers will benefit.

Yourstruly, HargeshB.Singh

‘Guyana’sautocraticdecline’...

Frompage05 living example of this!’ Apart from the accidental nature of Guyana’s economic growth, how many autocratic/dictatorial regimes do not have strong economies?

The ministry must also not have heard of the difference between ‘rule of law,’ and ‘rule by law’ - the latter of which is very much a s s o c i a t e d w i t h dictatorships.

At the launch of World Justice Project in 2 0 1 5 , t h e f a m e d Zimbabwean human rights lawyer Beatrice Mtetwa noted that, ‘In the developing world,we generally have a political leadershipthatalwayslooks attheruleoflawasaforeign imposition from the West, without regard to the fact thattheruleoflawisinfact probably even more importantforthedeveloping world.’

( Wo r l d J u s t i c e Project Annual Report

2015)

This has been and s t i l l i s t h e propagandistic cry of dictatorial leadership

e v e r y w h e r e a n d notwithstanding the comprehensive process outlinedabove,thePPP’sDr Walter Persaud seeks to defend the regime with this very archaic, obfuscatory, autocraticgarbage. He claimed that the S t a b r o e k N e w s editorial’s conclusion

that democracy in Guyana is on the decline ‘while understandable, is premature It reflects a deeper issue: how international agencies acquire and exercise the power and authority to define the meaning of freedom and rule of law in societies of the Global South

The solution is not

to reject external

evaluation but to transform its basis Global benchm

should engage with the societies they classify and describe, grounding their claims in dialogue with local scholars, journalists, and civic actors instead of an inherited imperial authority Freedom cannot be reduced to a n

mb

ust be interpreted within context and culture’ (SN: 03/11/2025).

As we have seen, studied efforts have been made to account for the c u r r e n t a n d local/cultural contexts and it matters not how it is contextualised for sake of comparison it is most likely that the outcomes will be c o m m u n i c a t e d a s numbers and those in the r e p o r t s u n d e r consideration well represent the existing dictatorial situation in Guyana

Sincerely Dr HenryJeffrey

Israeli drone strike kills 2 in Gaza as ceasefire violations mount

(AL-JAZEERA) - At least two people including a child have been killed in an Israeli drone strike east of Khan Younis in southern Gaza, according to Al Jazeera reporters in the besieged Palestinian territory

Hamas c

’s “daily and continuousviolations”since a truce came into effect last month, accusing it of maintaining a campaign of bombardments and demolitions across the besiegedenclave.

In a statement published onTelegramonMonday,the groupsaidIsraeliattackshad killed 271 people, over 90 percent of them civilians, and wounded 622 more since the ceasefire took effectonOctober10.

The Israeli military said the Palestinians killed on Monday posed “an immediate threat” to its forces.

Israeli forces have also been systematically destroying homes inside the so-called “yellow line”, a temporary withdrawal boundary agreed in the ceasefire Al Jazeera’s correspondents on the groundhavesaiddemolition

operations in eastern Khan Younis have intensified “Every two-storey building or house is being targeted,” said Hamdan Radwan, mayor of Bani Suheila, the largest municipality in the a r e a A l J

confirmed Israeli forces are blowing up residential blocks in central Gaza as well. Satellite images and field footage show large swathes of neighbourhoods reducedtorubble. Israel continues to

Health and civilian workers conduct a mass burial of Palestinians at a cemetery in Khan Younis, in the southern Gaza Strip, on November 10, 2025 [File: Bashar Taleb /AFP]

restrictaiddeliveries

Israel also continues to restrict aid deliveries to Gaza, violating one of the key terms of the ceasefire.

Hamas said Israel had refused to allow at least 600 aidtrucksdaily,including50 carrying fuel, despite the agreement.

On Sunday, only 270 trucksenteredGazathrough the Karem Abu Salem (known in Israel as Kerem Shalom) and al-Karara (Kissufuim)crossings.

According to Al

Guyana takes

Jazeera’s reporters, the deliveries included 126 trucks of humanitarian aid, 127 carrying commercial goods, 10 with fuel and seven transporting cooking gas.

While aid flow has increasedsincetheceasefire began, Palestinians across Gazacontinuetosufferfrom extreme shortages of food, medicine, clean water and essentialgoods.

Many remain homeless, with entire neighbourhoods destroyed by nearly two

global

years of relentless Israeli bombardment.

The United Nations ReliefandWorksAgencyfor Palestine Refugees (UNRWA)saysbetween500 and 600 trucks of supplies are needed daily to meet Gaza’smostbasicneeds.But Israel’srestrictionshaveleft the agency struggling to deliveraid.

John Whyte, UNRWA’s senior deputy director for Gaza operations, told Irish newsoutletTheJournalthat Israel has barred the agency’s vehicles from enteringaltogether

“They just won’t let anything that’s owned by UNRWAgoin,”Whytesaid. “They’re requiring us to hand our supplies to other agencies and remove the UNRWA logo before they can cross It’s creating enormouslogisticaldelays.”

IsraeloutlawedUNRWA lastyear,withthebantaking effect in January, cutting off a critical lifeline for Gaza’s displacedpopulation.

Reporting from Deir elBalah, Al Jazeera’s Hind Khoudary noted that Palestinians were promised 600trucksofaiddailyaspart of the ceasefire “We’ve been monitoring the

stage at

situation,andthemajorityof trucks entering are nonessential commercial ones,” she said. “According to the UN and Reuters, only around 200 trucks of humanitarian aid are enteringeachday.”

Khoudary added that in northern Gaza, where many displaced families are returning, the UN has reported no direct aid entry for 75 days. “People told us they go to bed hungry.They queue for hours for water and can’t afford meat or eggs,”shesaid.

Aspartoftheceasefire’s b o d y e x c h a n g e arrangement, Israel on Monday handed over the remainsof15Palestiniansto authorities in Gaza A medical source told Wafa news agency that the Red Cross transferred the bodies to Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis.

It was the 12th such exchange under the deal, bringingthetotalnumberof bodiesreturnedto315.Only 89 have been identified so farduetodecompositionand alackofproperequipmentin Gaza.

Wafa reported that most of the recovered bodies showedsignsoftorture.

COP30

- pushes bold climate, forest and Indigenous agenda

Guyana has again positioned itself at the forefront of global climate and biodiversity leadership, delivering a powerful message of unity between people, nature, and finance attheopeningoftheCOP30 Negotiators’ Session in Belém,Brazil.

The Guyana delegation

is led by Pradeepa Bholanath, Guyana’s Lead

Negotiator for the UNFCCC, and Derrick John, Chair of the National Toshaos’Council(NTC)and representativeofIndigenous Peoples, the Ministry of Natural Resources said in a pressrelease.

At the Leaders’ Summit last week, President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali presented Guyana’s threepointplanforglobalclimate action: Making forests a permanentpartoftheglobal climate agenda; and Scaling upadaptationfinanceforthe world’s most vulnerable states.

BholanathandJohnused the opening of the negotiators’ session to reaffirm that message, stressing that forests, biodiversity,andIndigenous s t e w a r d s h i p a r e indispensable pillars of effective climate action

“Guyana’s story shows that climate success is possible when people, nature, and finance are brought together,”saidBholanath. “Our forests are a living

Accordingtotherelease, their joint participation m a r k s t h e s t r o n g collaboration between the GovernmentandIndigenous Peoples where the National Toshao’s Council and G o v e r n m e n t a r e representing Guyana at the negotiation level of the UN Climate Conferencesignalling a collaborative approach that places Indigenous leadership, biodiversity, and climatefinance innovation at the coreofGuyana’smessageto theworld.

Guyana’s Lead Negotiator for the UNFCCC, Pradeepa Bholanath, and Derrick John, Chair of the National Toshaos’Council, represent Guyana at the Opening of COP30 Negotiations in Belém, Brazil, highlighting the country’s unified approach to climate action, biodiversity protection, and Indigenous leadership. (Photo: Yusuf Ali/News Room)

example of how naturebased solutions deliver global benefits when they e m p o w e r l o c a l communities.”

Johnadded:“Indigenous Peopleshaveprotectedthese forests for generations. At COP30, Guyana is showing theworldthatclimateaction

can effectively include Indigenous rights and leadership, not as an afterthought, but as a foundation.”

According to the

ministry, Guyana’s pioneering Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS 2030) remains a

global model for integrating sustainable growth, carbon markets, and social inclusion. UndertheLCDS, Guyana has monetised its forest-carbon services, securing at least US$750 million in carbon credit agreements over the next decade. Over 15% of all carbon-revenueproceedsare allocated directly to Indigenous and local communities through village-led investment plans focused on sustainable livelihoods, renewable energy, eco-tourism, and c l i m a t e - r e s i l i e n t infrastructure.

More than US$22 million(GY$4.7billion)has already been distributed to over 200 villages. Guyana’s negotiators emphasised that this model demonstrates how forest-rich developing nations can achieve measurable climate results while ensuring Indigenous Peoples share equitably in thebenefits.

At COP30, Guyana is alsoadvancingtheagendaof the Global Biodiversity Alliance(GBA),launchedin Georgetown in July 2025. The Alliance, endorsed by the COP30 Presidency, brings together states and institutions committed to integrating biodiversity protection into climate and development strategies. The Georgetown Declaration, adopted at the inaugural GBA Summit, recognises b i o d i v e r s i t y a s “fundamental to human wellbeing, climate stability, andresilience.”

Through the GBA, Guyana is pioneering: Biodiversity credits and other financing instruments for the conservation of biodiversity; and A national Biodiversity Information System (NBIS) to monitor ecosystems across Guyana by 2030. Bholanath noted that the GBA “extends the LCDS vision - uniting climate and biodiversity finance to sustain both peopleandplanet.”

Guyana to ink first post-bid oil deal

- TotalEnergies, QatarEnergy, and Petronas secure shallow block S4

TheGovernmentof Guyana, through the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR), willtodaysignthecountry’s first Petroleum Exploration License and Production Sharing Agreement (PSA) arising from the 2022 Offshore Bid Round, awarding the ShallowWater Block S4 to a powerful consortium led by TotalEnergies, QatarEnergy, andPetronas.

Thissigningrepresentsa majormilestoneinGuyana’s second wave of petroleum development, ushering in newfiscaltermsdesignedto deliver greater national benefit from offshore exploration.

InFebruarythisyear,the MNR revealed that four Production Sharing Agreements (PSAs) with various companies were on the table to signed this year, following its successful oil blocks auction, launched in December2022.

In addition to the agreement with the Total Energies-led consortium, three other contracts were also to be signed for the blocks S5 – International GroupInvestmentInc.;S7–Cybele Energy; and S10 –

International Group InvestmentInc.

In December 2022, PresidentIrfaanAlilaunched the country’s inaugural bid round for 14 offshore oil blocks.

Bids were later opened on September 10, 2023 where it was disclosed that six companies submitted bids for eight of the blocks. Kaieteur News had reported that eleven of the oil blocks on auction are located in the shallowareaandthreearein thedeepwaterzone.

Importantly, the Shallow and Deepwater blocks are governedbyseparatePSAs. They range between 1000 square kilometres to 3000squarekilometreswith the majority of them being close to 2000 square kilometres.

The oil companies will be expected to pay a 10 percent royalty and a 10 percent corporate tax to the government of Guyana. In the meantime, the cost recoverywillbecappedat65 percentinagivenyear,while profits will be shared 50/50 betweentheparties.

These fiscal terms vary significantly from the existing PSA enjoyed by ExxonMobil,theoperatorof the Stabroek Block The company pays no taxes but shares 50% profit with government after deducting

75% each month for cost recovery It also pays a meager 2% royalty to government.

The block, which originally spanned 26,800 square kilometers, does not have a ring-fencing provision.

Duringthevirtuallaunch of the country’s maiden bid round,PresidentAlisaidthat each interested company participating in the auction will be required to pay US$20,000 for each Block thatcompanyorindividualis interestedin.

Additionally,aminimum signing bonus of US$10 million will be required for the oil blocks located in shallow waters and US$20 million for the oil Blocks in thedeeperwater

The President was keen to point out the difference between the two and the specificvariablesthatwillbe expected.“Thereisdifferent type of expertise that is required for shallow water and deepwater There is different type of capabilities that is required for shallow water and deepwater so the criteria used in this bidding process takes that into considerationtoensurethere is great transparency, that those who are participating inthebidmeettheminimum

Map showing Guyana’s offshore oil blocks; the areas in red attracted bids during the 2022 auction.

requirement.Butatthesame time, there is enough room for greater participation in thebidding,”heexplained.

The Head-of-State also stated that there is also a strict relinquishment policy, which means that if the holderofanoilblockfailsto meet his work commitment, that portion must be handed backtogovernment.

FourteamstocompeteinBerbice RiverCricketAssociationT20cricket

BySamuelWhyte

F o u r t e a m s a r e participating in the Berbice River Cricket Association (BRCA) T20 cricket competition which is being played on a round robin basis.

The team are Travelers United (Geatroy), Royal Challenge (Sand Hills), Friendship Cavaliers and WiruniConquerors.

Two points will be

awardedforanoutrightwin. In rained out games one point will be awarded to the affected teams Teams gaining walk overs will be awarded two points. In case of a tie a super over will be played.

The competition began on Wednesday with two matches. The games are set tobeingat09:30hrs. Roundtwogamesareset for Wednesday 12th with -

Travelers United verses Royal Challenge while Friendship Cavaliers will play Wiruni Conquerors at Kimbia.

Round three games which will be played on Sunday 16th with Wiruni Conquerors playing Royal Challenge and Friendship Cavaliers verses Travelers United at Fort-Nassau or Geatroy

A date a venue for the

third-place play-off and the final will be announced shortly

The third-place play-off will see the teams finishing thirdandfourthonthepoints table playing against each other

Thefinalwillseethetwo teams with the most points clashing for championship honours.

Meanwhile, results of the two games played show Wiruni Conquerors conqueringUnitedTravelers (Geatroy) by 97 runs at the Wiruniground.

Monday November 11, 2025

ARIES(Mar.21–Apr.19)

You'll find that things are slipping nicely into place for you today, Aries Your persuasivemannerandgentle nudges are just enough to get peoplewhereyouwantthem.

TAURUS(Apr.20–May20)

When faced with ten entrees onthemenu,itmightbehard for you to choose just one. Feelfreetoordertwoormore, Ta u r u s D o n ' t l e t indecisiveness slow you down.Atthesametime.

GEMINI(May21–June20)

Your dreams won't come true unless you believe in and act onthem,Gemini.Nooneelse is going to do it for you. Unless you have a fairy godmother, you need to take mattersintoyourownhands.

CANCER(June21–July22)

If people hassle you or give you a hard time about your appearance today, pay them nomind,Cancer Youhavethe righttoliveyourlifeanyway youwantto.

LEO(July23–Aug.22)

Reachforthepotofgoldatthe end of the rainbow, Leo. It's closerthanyouthink.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 aboutwhatitisthatyouwant most out of life. Aim your arrow to the stars and pull back your bow as far as possible. There's no limit to howfaryoucango.

LIBRA(Sept.23–Oct.22)

Expand your mind to its furthest reaches today, Libra.

opportunity opening up for you in which you can make great strides in a creative realm.Followthemusic.

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 moremagicintoyourlife.

SAGIT(Nov 22–Dec.21)

Today is an excellent day for you,oneinwhichyou'llfinda great deal of strength in your emotions, Sagittarius Trust that your instincts are serving youwell.

CAPRI(Dec.22–Jan.19)

Things might get a bit confusing for you today, Capricorn. Don't feel like you needtomakesenseofitall.In fact, this task may be impossible. Just be yourself. Let your creative nature shine through.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20–Feb. 18)Mixyourrealitywithabit of fantasy today, Aquarius. Allowyourfeettocomeoffthe ground for a little while. Give yourselfarest.Takesometime to meditate and clear your mindofyourdailyworries.

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 Dreamasbigasyour mindallows.

New Amsterdam Town Day 8-a-side inter-ward football competition set for kick off

Someeightteamsareset to play in

h

New AmsterdamTowndayInterWard eight-a-side football competition in New Amsterdam.

T h e f o o t b a l l competition, which is organised by the New Amsterdam Town Day Comm

,

Wiruni made 194 in 19 overswithDelroyOsbourne 31, Kirt Sinclair 25, Sylvester Bourne 23, Roy Lambert19,SheldonBovell 18RogerHartman15.

Trevor La Fleur and Roger Lindie picked up two wickets each bowling for UnitedTravelers.

They in reply were dismissed for 97 with Fitzroy Grimmond 33 and LaurelLindie22.

Delroy Osbourne snared four wickets, while Kurt Sinclair and Roger Hartman grabbedtwoeachowlingfor Wiruni.

The second game between Royal Challenge (Sand Hills) and Friendship Cavaliers(Kimbia)playedat the Wiruni Ground, Royal Challengers won by 42 runs after making 185-4. Daniel Leacock 52, John Leacock 37, Ronald Singh 30, Michael Caple 19, Tedroy Singh16ledthescoring.

In reply Friendship Cavaliers reached 145-9 with Bradley DaSilva scoring51,MartinAgard40, Kenmore Morris 21 and LinfordPeters16.

Bowling for Royal

Challengers -Joshua Leacock picked up four wickets, while there were twoeachforDanielLeacock andMichaelCaple.

EastBankBerbice.

s being sponsored by Ansa Mc Al andotherentities.Itisbeing staged as part of theTown’s 134th anniversary celebrations under the patronage of Mayor WainwrightMcIntosh.

The competition will be played under lights at the Scot’s Church Ground, Princess Elizabeth Road in NewAmsterdam.

T h e k n o c k o u t competition w

matches being played for onehoureach.

TheteamsareKildonan, East Canje, North New Amsterdam, Fyrish, Fort Ordnance, Manchester, South New Amsterdam and

The fixtures are Kildonan of Corentyne versus East Canje; North New Amsterdam versus Fyrish of Corentyne; Forth Ordnance in East Canje versus Manchester of Corentyne and South New Amsterdam matching skills withEastBankBerbice.

The semifinal will see thewinnerofoneversusthe winner of two while the winner of three will match skills with the winner of four

Mayor McIntosh is expected to kick off the ball to start the tournament AccordingtoMcIntoshthey have included a number of teams from outside the townshipbecausetheywant asmanyteamsinvolved. He also stated that they usually receivesupportfrompatrons outside of the municipality, especially from East and West Canje, East Bank Berbice and Corentyne

(SamuelWhyte)

Mangal, Deo Cop Titles at Banks Beer Cup Golf Tournament 2025

The Lusignan Golf Club came alive on Sunday, November 9, 2025, as it hostedthehighlyanticipated Banks Beer Cup Golf

Tournament, attracting 52 passionate golfers from across the country Despite persistent rain that forced playtobereducedto9holes,

the event was filled with excitement, determination, and camaraderie on the greens.

MikeMangalemergedas

the overall champion, capturing the Banks Beer Cup 2025 title with an impressivegrossscoreof35, handicap 8, and net 31. His steady form and resilience through the wet conditions earned him top honours for the day Feroze Barkat followed closely in second place with a gross of 36, handicap8,andnet32,while Raj Misir took third with gross 45, handicap 22, and net34.

In the Ladies Division, Joaan Deo produced a consistent round to secure firstplace,cardingagrossof 48, handicap 15, and net 41. Among the Seniors, Mark Lashley led the pack with a grossof47,handicap26,and net 34. Special prizes were also presented to Richard Haniff for capturing the Longest Driver, Jaipaul Suknanan who earned Nearest to the Pin (NTP) honours, and Mike Mangal who copped Best Gross Scoreofthetournamentwith 35.Followingtheday’splay, B a n k s D I H Communications Executive S o n y a F o r r e s t e r congratulated the winners and reaffirmed the company’s commitment to supportinglocalsport.

the title

“We know that Banks DIH is no stranger to sponsoringsportsandsports events. Our whole aim is about bringing people together And today, of course, we saw a lot of that excitement as we played on the field and when we came together So once again, we are always happy and passionate to support organizations such as these, and as we participated here today,wetrustthatthiswork

willcontinue,thatyourclub will continue to thrive and become better and bigger,” Forrestersaid.

Despite the shortened format,thedayendedinhigh spirits as players and spectators celebrated yet another successful collaboration between BanksDIHandtheLusignan GolfClub,strengtheningthe company’s tradition of promoting sportsmanship andunityinGuyana.

Rose Hall Tigers win in Anil Lalsa 40 overs Second Division cricket competition in Berbice

Latest results in the ongoing Anil Lalsa Second Division 40 Overs cricket Tournament show that RoseHallTigersdefeatedtheUniversityOf Guyana (UG) at the Jai Hind Ground by 65 runs.

UGwonthetossandsenttheTigersinto bat in a rain affected encounter which was reducedto20oversaside.

Rose Hall Tigers racked up 217 for 8 in theirallotmentofoverswithL.Arthur53and B.Baldeo44theprincipalscorers. InreplyUGweredismissedfor142with M.Jackmanscoring39.

Bowling for Rose Hall Tigers R. Narine andL.Arthurpickedupthreewicketseach. The tournament was set to continue Sundaywithtwomatches. (SamuelWhyte)

FourthT20Iwashedout;NewZealand remain2-1upvsWestIndies

ESPNcricinfo - It seems the weather deities didn’t wantNewZealandandWest IndiestodukeouttwoT20Is insuccessivedaysasrainin Nelson washed out the fourth game just 39 balls in. ItmeansthatNewZealand’s 2-1 series lead is now unassailable West Indies can level the series in the fifth and final game in DunedinonThursday

Interruptions were expected at the start of the afternoon game as clouds hung low, and the weather forecast showed high chances of showers throughout the late afternoonandearlyevening. While the toss and start of play happened on time, the firstinterruption,ofabout30 minutes, came five overs into the game. The second one came nine balls later, and resulted in the whole thingbeingcalledoff.

used pitch. A lot of swings andmissesfromWestIndies madewayfortwofoursand twosixesbetweenoverstwo andfive.

In the short period of play that did occur, Kyle Jamieson and Jacob Duffy kept Alick Athanaze and Amir Jangoo in check with swing and seam Both bowlers took advantage of the overhead conditions and hit disciplined lengths on a

J a m e s N e e s h a m removed Athanaze in the sixthover Jangoofinallygot oneoffthemiddletopickup acover-drivenboundaryand end the 35-run powerplay Soon after, the major weather interruption set in, andthegamewaseventually called off. Result: Match abandoned - West Indies 38 for 1 (Athanaze 21, Jangoo 12*, Neesham 1-5) vs New Zealand.

Dr. Joaan Deo dominated the ladies category to take

Mike Mangal was crowned the champion of the Banks Beer Cup.

Hard-knocks, DC, Bullets win on night two 4thAnnualExxonMobilFutsal

SalahFamily,Hardk n o c k s , D C Ballers,andSilver Bullets secured victories when the ExxonMobil

G u y a n a F u t s a l Championship resumed on Saturday night at the RetrieveHardcourt.

Salah Family crushed Fearless 12-1. Deon Charter recorded a helmet-trick, while Shane Luckie and Delon Lanferman netted respective hat-tricks. Alan Henry and Amoniki Buntin scored one goal apiece. For the loser, Barack John netted.

Similarly, Hard-knocks thrashed YMCA B 8-2. OmarBrewley,DexterMilo, and Neron Barrow recorded respective doubles, while Ryan Arthur and Kendolph Lewis netted one goal apiece. Tyrese Simon and TrayonGuillamescoredone goalapiecefortheloser

On the other hand, DC Ballers bested Stabroek 5-3.

Andre Mayers andAntwone Gill recorded respective doubles, while Nicholas Gentle scored once. For the loser,QualonAndriesnetted

Solomonscoredonce.

Likewise, Silver Bullets

registered a double, while Sigmund Cobena and Rodensio Tudor scored one goal apiece. For the loser, Dellon Charter recorded a double.

Also, Figgy FC defeated Spaniards 4-2 Jemar

Harrigon recorded a hattrick,whileOjaniWillington scored once. For the loser, Dellon Charter scored a brace.

he comp

tition continues at the same venue on Wednesday Utilising an initial group stage format, the16teamsaredividedinto four groups, with the eventual top two finishers advancingtothequarterfinal

segment.

Group A features Hardk n o c k s , H a r d b a l l Management,Bomberz,and YMCA B, while Spaniards, YMCA A, HH Ballers, and FiggyFCmakeupGroupB. Meanwhile, Group C comprises Young Gunners, Silver Bullets, Foundation Family, and Westside Ballers, while Group D is made up of DC Ballers,

Salah Family, Stabroek, and Fearless.

The winner of the event will pocket $1,500,000, while the eventual second, third, and fourth place finishers will receive $750,000, $350,000, and $200,000, respectively, and thecorrespondingaccolade.

On the individual level, the eventual Most Valuable Player will ride away with a motorcycle It was also disclosed that a $300,000 economic grant will be awardedtoaplayerorfanto aid their academic development. Each team mustputforwardacandidate fortheaforesaidscholarship.

CompleteResults

Game-1

Salah Family-12 vs. Fearless-1

SalahFamilyscorers: DeonCharter-4

DelonLanferman-3

ShaneLuckie-3

AlanHenry-1

AmonikiBuntin-1

Fearlessscorer: BarackJohn-1

Game-2

Hard-knocks-8 vs YMCAB-2

Hard-knocksscorers:

OmarBrewley-2

DexterMilo-2

NeronBarrow-2

RyanArthur-1

KendolphLewis-1

YMCABscorers:

TrayonGuillame-1

TyreseSimon-1 Game-3

Figgy FC-4 vs Spaniards-2

Figgyscorers:

JemarHarrigon-3

OjaniWillington-1

Spaniardsscorer: DellonCharter-2 Game-4

Silver Bullets-4 vs. FoundationFamily-2

Silverscorers:

LennoxCort-2

RodensioTudor-1

SigmundCobena-1 Foundationscorer:

DelonAdams-2

Game-5

DC Ballers-5 vs Stabroek-3

DCBallersscorers: AndreMayers-2

AntwoineGill-2

NicholasGentle-1

Stabroekscorers:

QualonAndries-2

BrandonSolomon-1

NFL roundup: Texans outscore Jags 26-0 in

4th, surge to win

Reuters - Davis Mills delivered a trio of fourthquarter touchdowns to help the Houston Texans erase a 19-pointdeficitandrallyfor a36-29winoverthevisiting Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday Mills completed 27 of 45 passes for 292 yards, two touchdowns and an interception in his first start since January 2023 as he tooktheplaceofC.J.Stroud (concussion). Mills led the Texans on three straight scoring drives after they fell behind 29-10 with 1:33 left in the third quarter The game-winning score came on a 14-yard Mills scramble on third-and-goal with 30 secondsleft,finishingoffan improbable comeback for a win Houston (4-5) badly needed.

The Jaguars’ Parker Washington had receiving and punt-return touchdowns in the first half as Trevor Lawrence completed 13 of 23 passes for 158 yards, a touchdownandapick.

TheTexansamassed196 yards of offense on its final three possessions while Jacksonville (5-4) managed just 11 The Texans outgained the Jaguars 412213,handingJacksonvilleits third loss in the last four games.

Chargers25,Steelers10 Kimani Vidal rushed for 95 yards and a touchdown and Los Angeles held Pittsburghto221totalyards while beating the Steelers at Inglewood,Calif. JustinHerbertcompleted 20of33passesfor220yards and one touchdown and Cameron Dicker kicked three field goals for the Chargers (7-3) Ladd McConkey had four catches for107yardsandonescore, Khalil Mack recorded a safety and RJ Mickens and Donte Jackson had interceptions for Los Angeles. Keenan Allen had two catches to give him 956 career receptions with the Chargers, breaking the

franchise record set by Hall of Famer Antonio Gates (955) Aaron Rodgers completed 16 of 31 passes for 161 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions for Pittsburgh (5-4) Alex Highsmith registered two sacks for the secondstraightgameforthe Steelers.

Colts 31, Falcons 25 (OT)JonathanTaylorrushed for 244 yards and three touchdowns, including the game-winning 8-yard score at 3:31 of overtime, as Indianapolis recorded a win over Atlanta in Berlin, Germany After forcing a punt on the opening possession of overtime, the Colts(8-2)neededjustseven playstosealthewin.Daniel Jones threw for 255 yards with a touchdown and an i n t e r c e p t i o n f o r Indianapolis,whichhaswon fiveofitslastsixgames.

Atlanta’s Michael Penix Jr threwfor177yardsanda touchdown. Bijan Robinson

rushedfor84yardsandTyler Allgeier added 57 more and two touchdowns for the Falcons (3-6), who have droppedfourinarow Dolphins30,Bills13 De’Von Achane ran for 174 yards and two touchdowns on 22 carries to lead Miami to a droughtsnapping victory over Buffalo in Miami Gardens, Fla.

Achane’s 59-yard touchdown run with 6:31 remaining in the fourth

Houston Texans quarterback Davis Mills (10) rolls out against the Jacksonville Jaguars during the first half at NRG Stadium. (Troy Taormina-Imagn Images)

quarter gave the Dolphins a 23-6 lead His 35-yard touchdownrunwith3:17left settled the outcome as MiamibeattheBillsforonly the third time in the teams’ past19meetings,snappinga seven-game losing streak in theseries. Bills quarterback Josh Allen completed 28 of 40 passes for 306 yards, two touchdown passes and one interception, but he lost a fumbleandwassackedthree times The Dolphins’

defense forced three turnovers and became the firstteamtoshutoutBuffalo inthefirsthalfsinceWeek6 in2023.

Inotherresults: Bears24,Giants20 Ravens27,Vikings19 Jets27,Browns20 Saints17,Panthers7 Rams42,49ers26 Patriots28,Buccaneers 23Seahawks44, Cardinals22 Lions44,Commanders 22(FieldLevelMedia)

NewEra-ExxonMobil Futsal in Linden wraps up day two action.

India win sparks surge in sales for T20 World Cup

BBC Sport - There has been a surge of tickets purchasedfornextsummer’s Women’sT20World Cup in England following India’s victoryinthe50-overWorld Cupfinalearlierthismonth.

Overall sales for the tournament, which runs from12Juneto5July,have increased171%comparedto the previous week with a 265% upturn in India fixtures.

All of the best-selling fixtures were India groupstage matches, including a repeat of their World Cup final against SouthAfrica at OldTraffordon21Juneand their meeting withAustralia atLord’son28June.

Tournament director Beth Barrett-Wild said: “Demand for tickets to next year’s ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in England & Wales has been incredibly high from the outset, propelled by a stellar summer of women’s sport which culminated in a thrilling finish to the ICC Women’sCricketWorldCup

inIndiaearlierthismonth.

“We’re thrilled to see

prompting a significant spike in ticket sales for n

’ s tournament, underlining

its truly global appeal, and demonstrating how women’s cricket is breaking firmlyintothemainstream.” A

Trafford and Lord’s, which will host the final, matches will also be held

Alexander SCORPI Dominoes competition

set for November 22-23

Al e x a n d e r

S C O R P I

D o m i n o e s competition is set for November 22-23 at Transport Sports Complex ground, Thomas Land, Georgetown

The format is 6 games-6 sittings with 2 In -1 Out with the action beginningat5pmbothdays. There will be a firstplace prize of $500,000 and a trophy, while the second-place will be collecting $300,000 and a trophy and third-place $200,000 and a trophy

Fourth-place will be receiving $100,000 and a trophy with MVP of the finals will taking home $50,000 and a trophy.

Registration is set for 230pm to 4:30 pm and drawing immediately after Registration fee for each male and female categories is $20,000 and $17,000 respectively For more information contact Jumbie (6598672) or Barbara (6638280) Meanwhile, proceeds w i l l g

O

a House and Bless the ChildrenHome

During the two days, there will be musical entertainment providing by Singer-Man Oneman band on Saturday and Stitchie VYBZ Machine the following day

Headingley,TheOvaland Bristol’s County Ground andin Southampton.

BCB states no decision made in connection to semifinal game between Young Warriors and Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club

Tomeetwithteamsshortly

BYSAMUELWHYTE

The Competitions

Committee of the Berbice Cricket Board (BCB) is stating clearly that no decision has been made in respecttothejustconcluded BCB2-daysemifinalcricket match between Young Warriors Cricket Club and Rose Hall Town Youth and SportsClub(RHTYSC).

The game between the two teams ended in a draw, with no first innings result. During the high scoring game which was played at theYoung Warriors ground, threehoursofplaywerelost duetorain.

was interestingly poised, with Young Warriors holding on, on 360 for 9, in pursuitof403for8declared, setbyRHTYSC.

The prizes up for grabs.

The BCB competitions committee is expected to meetshortlywithbothteams to decide on the way forward. At the end of play on the final day the game

Final scores were -Rose HallTownYouthandSports Club (RHTYSC) 403 - 8 declaredwith Kevin Sinclair top scoring with 175, Junior Sinclair54,JavedKarim44 andKevlonAnderson40. Bowling for Young Warriors, Shimron Hetmyer and Trevon Stanislaus pickeduptwowicketseach. Young Warriors in reply was 360-9 when the match ended with Seon Hetmyer scoring 106 and Suresh Dhanai61notout.

Bowling for RHTYSCMatthew Pottaya, Junior Sinclair and Keith Simpson pickeduptwowicketseach.

India beat South Africa on 2 November in Navi Mumbai to win their first women’s cricket world title. [Getty Images]

Mario Washington whips field to retain Mayoral Town Day Anniversary Cycle road race

Riding like a boss

a n d t h e d e f e n d i n g champion he is, National Cyclist, Mario Washington, belted the field to win the second annual Mayoral CycleRoadRacearoundthe townofNewAmsterdam.

Thesuccessfuleventwas organised by the FlyingAce Cycle Club (FACC) of Berbice. It was held as part of New Amsterdam Town DayAnniversarycelebration in observance of the town’s 134thAnniversary

The race pedaled off at the Esplanade Park at the junction of Vryheid Street andEsplanadeRoad.Mayor Wainwright McIntosh led the cyclists for one lap aroundthetown.

Theriderswerethensent on their way by Mayor McIntosh at the junction of Republic Road and Carlos Place.

The peloton then proceeded along Republic Road, turn left into Vryheid Street then left into Main Road,proceededalongMain road through Stanleytown, turn left into Tacama Turn, leftintoRepublicRoadfor8 laps before finishing at the pointoforigin.

race, Coordinator Randolph Roberts,allthesponsorsand the general public for their support.

He also had special wordsofthankstotheNew Amsterdam Town Day CommitteeandtheGuyana PoliceForce

Among the sponsors were Mayor Mc Intosh

Limited, Sukhpaul Gas S

Service and Building Enterprises, A Ally’s and Sons business enterprise,

Contracting &

Company,

The presentation of a w a r d s w a s d o n e immediately after the completionoftheevent.

Washington took all six primepointprizesavailable.

AclosebattlesawJunior Niles taking second prize withJaikarranSookhaithird.

Niles was the first veterantocrossthefinishing line with Sookhai second, SyborneFernandesthirdand SamuelMootoofourth.

Sidwell Sandy had some

The race, which was for cyclists in Region’s 5 and 6, was off to a blistering start. However, Washington took command early and dominatedfortherestofthe event, distancing himself with every pedal. As he produced his fireworks along the way riding all alone in the blistering midafternoonsun.

setbacks as he suffered a puncturebutreturnedtotake the top junior award Dinesh Sookhai won in the juvenilecategory

Franco Crawford Jnr madefulluseofthenewbike as he rode home first in the beginner’s category with Sachin Premkaran placing second.

Thereweresomespecial awards for cyclists in the Masters Category who were racing for a long time or returningtoracingduetothe efforts of Franco Crawford Senior.

Crawfordhimselfledthe way with Deon David, Shurland SuHang, Kaiso

David and Prem Karran receivingawards.

Special prizes went to BMXridersJeremySinclair, Justin Singh, Jaden Gladstone and Joziah

Gladstone.

Mayor McIntosh in a short thank you speech, expressed gratitude to the FACC for organizing the

Region6amongothers

The coordinator was veteran coach Randolph Roberts and he was assisted by Franco Crawford Senior (SamuelWhyte)

Mayor Wayne weight McIntosh and the female representative of Banks DIH presents winner Mario Washington (center) with his accolades as coordinator Randolph Roberts the other awardees pose for a photo.

Race winner Mario Washington all alone showing the No1 sign after winning the Mayoral Cycle Road race in New Amsterdam.

Mangal, Deo Cop Titles at Banks Banks

Rain in Nelson kept New Zealand

up in the series. (Getty Images)

The winners row takes a photo with sponsors representatives.