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AIETEUR NEWS

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Shattered joy: Wedding

Thursday Edition December 25, 2025 - Vol. 18 No. 51

celebrations cut short in Gaza after Israeli attack

Online: www.kaieteurnews.com Online Price $100 readership

yesterday, 37,916

$8.4B for Oil Giants, $2.6B for Guyana ...as PSA profit split comes under fire

Young dancers bring colour and energy to the lawns of State House at a concert hosted by President Dr. Irfaan Ali and First Lady Arya Ali on Tuesday

Businessman nabbed with AK-47 charged Q-man arrested in $154 million theft scandal

…accuses CANU ranks of robbing him of $1.1M, four iphones

Quincy ‘Q-man’ Baird

...Police say alleged crime committed over a four- year period 08

PAGE

Kaiteur Block faces abandonment …as Ratio warns of extension approval deadlock

Merry Christmas to all

We return with our next edition on Sunday December 28, 2025

PAGE 02

Kaieteur News

Thursday December 25, 2025

Thursday December 25, 2025

Kaieteur News

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Kaiteur Block faces abandonment …as Ratio warns of extension approval deadlock

R

atio Petroleum Energy has disclosed that the Kaieteur Block could be abandoned if required extensions and approvals are not granted by the Government of Guyana.

This is according to a December 1 disclosure filed with Israel's Securities Authority and Stock Exchange.

In the notice, Ratio said partners in the 3.3-millionacre offshore block were asked in December 2025 to indicate whether they intend to make an additional investment or abandon the acreage.

The company noted that any decision to continue operations depends on conditions set by the Government of Guyana and determinations by the Ministry of Natural Resources.

“As stated in section 1.1.2.2 of Chapter A of the Periodic Report, a partner that does not receive an extension during the extension period in order to make an additional investment in the Block is required to submit a request for extension as soon as possible, which request must be accepted and approved by the Government in order to allow continued operations in the Block.

If such an extension is not obtained, the partnership will be required to abandon the Block.Furthermore, after the expiration of the

extension period, a partner that does not receive approval to demand the return of the Block will be required to abandon the Block.

It is further clarified that any partner that does not find a suitable partner will be required to act in accordance with the conditions of the law, inter alia, to examine the possibility of abandoning the Block or part thereof, subject to additional sections, including section 1.1.2.2 of Chapter A of the Periodic Report,” the company said according to unofficial translation.

A few months ago, Ratio Guyana Limited (RGL), notified the government of the portion of the block it is prepared to relinquish while continuing its search for a new partner.

Ratio had submitted a request for an extension of the exploration period.

Before this, former operator ExxonMobil Guyana Limited (EMGL) had sought an extension citing the Coronavirus pandemic.

After Exxon and its partner H e s s w i t h d r e w, R a t i o applied for another extension on similar grounds.

Under the Kaieteur Petroleum Agreement, when applying to enter the second extension period, RGL and Cataleya Energy Limited (CEL) were required to commit to drilling a well before relinquishing 20 percent of the block, or, if

preferred, the entire contracted area.

Ratio had been seeking to bring in another partner or several, with the intention of one becoming operator and leading future drilling.

The company said it had contacted numerous energy companies since Exxon's exit, and while several expressed initial interest and reviewed data, all ultimately declined because of geological risks and challenges related to achieving a commercial discovery.

Ratio had previously stated that if no partner is found who can serve as an operator and conduct drilling in the block, and if no further extension is granted for the decision deadline, it will find it difficult to make a decision to proceed and commit to drilling.

The agreement for the Kaieteur Block was signed in 2017, under the condition that the oil companies were only allowed to conduct oil exploration in 40 per cent of the block, to steer clear of aggressive tactics from Venezuela.

A 3D seismic survey acquired for the southern portion of the block covered 5,750km2 and provided the foundation for a significant prospect inventory on the block.

N o t a b l y, a s i n g l e prospect has been drilled to date, which resulted in a subcommercial oil discovery.

The ExxonMobil-operated

Anadarko Stabroek Block Ratio ESSO Stabroek Block ESSO

Ranger

Venezuela Payara ESSO Pacora

CGX

Liza

Tullow

Longtail

Hammerhead Snoek Turbot Repsol

Guyana

Georgetown

CGX

Suriname Tanager-1 well, which was drilled in August 2020, encountered 16 metres of net oil pay, a discovery of approximately 65 million barrels of oil in the prospect area, based on independent

estimates by Netherland, Sewell & Associates Inc. (NSAI).

However, this discovery was considered to be noncommercial as a standalone development. In spite of a

number of postponements, ExxonMobil had decided not to exercise its option to drill a second well on t h e b l o c k a n d subsequently pulled out from the Kaieteur Block.

Kaieteur News

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Thursday December 25, 2025

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

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

EDITORIAL

A more than blue Christmas

H

ard hit Guyanese are forced to endure more than a Blue Christmas today. They are living with black-and-blue marks on this Christmas Day, like battered, shell-shocked victims of domestic violence. The violence is coming from the hands of those they elected to office, the same people who used them before, and now abuse them with a smile and a joke. How do we say Happy Christmas today to all Guyanese, when many are facing another grim day that lacks any cheer? The hoped-for goodwill of their leaders, what's due to every citizen, has vanished in a cloud of meaningless words made worse by poorly disguised humor that hurts so much.

A Blue Christmas is one from song that laments loss and emptiness, the heartbreak of being alone, with no shoulder to lean on, no caring heart to partner. A black-and-blue Christmas is an added penalty, a burden that is intolerable to those who already have too much load to carry, are bent at the knees.

The marks on Guyanese faces, the swollenness around their eyes, tell of their ordeals from the whiplashes of leaders who built them up with rosy promises, then served them a dish made of bitter vines and sharp nettles. This cannot be the fate of Guyanese on Christmas Day, or should it be for any other season, when this country is now renowned across the globe for its unending riches.

This has to be one of the biggest ironies in the world.

On the one hand, Guyana is now a country that routinely makes exciting headlines in the most respected worldwide journals. On the other, there is the obscenity of many of its citizens on their hands and knees, and not being given a hand to get off the ground. Guyana can top the world in the category of some of the best indicators of a country that is rich, and not just by the way rich, but glitteringly rich. Then there is the crying shame of many of its citizens, who have no choice but to be content with their lot at the bottom of the Guyana barrel.

Tell them how rich Guyana is, and their question is then why are they always hurting, always short of sustenance, always struggling to make it from one day to another? All too often, their challenge is how to make it from one meal to the next.

This should not be the case in a country that is ranked in the top ten of one global statistic or another, those that are highly regarded by experts and investors. In a country as rich with natural resources, such as an abundance of oil and gold, it is a crime for one Guyanese to be lost and hopeless, hungry and weeping, on Christmas Day. This has to be the height of leadership cruelty, where the bulk of the wealth is shared among the circle of fat cats, while the vast square of ordinary citizens, who need help the most, is dismissed to the life of a street dog.

Too many Guyanese are in pain on this Christmas Day, and they have black-and-blue marks to show. The bills they owe, and cannot pay, don't know how they will. The quantity and quality of nutritional foods they need (need, not want) but have no idea how they will ever get enough of either. The children without a Christmas gift, while their friends have something, and this has been their pain, and the humiliation of their parents, year after year in an oil rich country.

There is no doubt that Guyana is rich, but rich for which segment of Guyanese? When the riches goes to a chosen few, then it is inevitable that the many will be forced to fight and scrounge among themselves for the crumbs and scraps that are sometimes thrown in their direction.

On this Christmas Day, there will be Guyanese feasting on lobster, choice cuts, champagne. Separately, there's that large part of Guyana left to count their rice grains, bread crumbs. It's a blue Christmas and a bleak Christmas for the masses in this rich oil state. Some have a Merry Christmas.

Numerous Guyanese deal with one that horrifies.

Guyanese Cuisine versus Others at Christmas Dear Editor, I traveled the world, visited close to a hundred countries, some multiple times, comparing and contrasting Guyanese culture (including food) with theirs (others). Every place has its Xmas dishes! Our food is the best at Christmas and at all times as per my palate or taste. Away from the Guyanese or Caribbean community in USA, I miss my ethnic dishes.

E v e r y o n e h a s ethnocentric sentiments, feeling their culture (food) is the best. They grew up, immersed in their diet or food habits, developed a palate or gastronomy of their own cultural food, and one would naturally expect them to like, appreciate, understand, and indulge in theirs more than others without belittling or

disparaging others. I love (Indian) Guyanese and Trini culture (our cuisine) which is among the best globally and particularly during Christmas time. But I appreciate others, never denigrating or belittling others. No culture, other than West Indian, has as delicious food, cake, and drinks as ours; they are special for the season. I would expect people from other cultures or countries to say the same about theirs. I am not offended as each person has his own palate of likability and appreciation of foods.

But I won't trade mine for any other.

I always experienced problems with food in all my travels, including in India, my ancestral homeland that I traveled to some sixty times My stomach can't handle the spices and milk products; the

vegetables are great but dahi is a problem.

I don't consume beef, pork, and wild meats. I don't t really care for meat. So inevitably, food is a problem for me especially in European countries, China, Japan, Korea, Russia, Poland, Ukraine, and other Slavic countries where beef and pork predominate.

Thailand has the best orientalist food followed by Vietnam and Cambodia.

But for me, no cuisine is as delicious as Guyanese and West Indian (Trini and Jamaican being among the best). Food in Grenada, Antigua, Barbados, Tobago, St Kitts, St Lucia, Suriname, Turks, Bahamas, Curaçao, Aruba, St Martin are also very appetizing, closest to Guyanese cuisine although some of them can't make a good dhal puri like ours,

Trinis and Surinamese.

Trinis make the best dhal puri, Jamaicans the best curried goat, Suriname, the best bara, and Guyanese the best mutto and chowmein.

Guyana has the best and most varied fish in the region. Some foods, curried dishes in particular in the French (except Guadeloupe and Martinique) and Dutch islands are influenced by Guyanese. Guadeloupe and Martinique food is typical French with some Indian influence. French cuisine was or is not as tasty as West Indian. Spanish a little better than French. Italian is not a favorite of mine; I don't like the carbs and meat is a no.

Off course, every food depends on your palate and what you can consume. Meat is out for me. And in Europe and countries in the (Continued on page 5)

Need for Patriotic Education Dear Editor, Over the period of the PPP/C government, from 1992 to 2015 and 2020 to now, education has made a great leap forward. This is undeniable.

Before 1992 we were at the bottom of the ladder in passes at CXC and CAPE, compared to the rest of the region. That has changed and we are now producing the region's top students.

Now we are moving at another level. Free Education on an expanded curriculum, assistance for students to write exams.

Multiple assistances are given to our students at all levels to make it easy for them to study. Added to that

is the fact that the infrastructure in education has been and is being constantly modernised. All of these measures will produce more highly skilled people for our country, and I dare say for abroad as some continue to migrate.

While we are producing sound technical people, we are not providing the education that would produce patriots. Lacking from the curriculum in our education system, at all levels, is the teaching of our own history.

That is why I hear from many older Guyanese the complaint that our young people have never heard of many Guyanese whose

contribution to this country's progress have been monumental.

If a people do not know their own history, then they can be easily manipulated and mis-led.

They will feel no strong affinity to the nation and many, as we see even now, judging from the letter columns, taking very reactionary, even foreign positions as it relates to our country and the region.

Some through ignorance and others deliberately misrepresent our history.

I would therefore strongly advocate that history be thought at every level of our education system as a compulsory subject. If

CXC does not recognise it then we should make it a Guyanese exam in which all students must write.

Creating a conscious people, allowing them to know the journey our people travelled will give them strong roots. It is as important, if not more important than just moulding technical competent. We need our people to stand up for what is right and just, to be principled and to appreciate the struggles of those who came before us.

This character they would acquire if they have a sound knowledge of our history!

Regards Donald Ramotar Former President

Message of Hope and Unity for Christmas, 2025, from ANUG Dear Editor, As the soft glow of Christmas fairy lights illuminate our homes and the familiar chords of carols, in its original versions, or Reggae, Chutney or Soca, fill the air, the New and United Guyana Party - ANUG-extends the warmest wishes of the season to every Guyanese, at home and across the diaspora.

Christmas is a timeless story of new beginnings, of humble hope born under a guiding star. The Magi (Three Wise Men) is a story of teamwork, that resonates deeply with our national journey. Today, we stand at a unique moment in our history, filled with both tremendous promise and profound responsibility. As we gather with family and friends, let us

reflect on the core message of this season: peace, goodwill, and unity.

In the spirit of the Christ Child, who brought a message of love for all, we are reminded that our greatest strength lies in our togetherness. Our nation is a beautiful tapestry woven from the threads of diverse ethnicities, religions, and cultures. This Christmas, let us celebrate not only our own traditions but also the rich heritage of our neighbours.

Let the shared meal, the exchanged gift, and the simple wish of "Happy Christmas" be bridges that bring us closer, reinforcing the bonds that make us One Guyana.

This is also a season of giving and compassion. Let

us open our hearts to those who face hardship, to the lonely, and to the vulnerable among us. True national progress is measured not only by economic growth but by how we lift each other up, ensuring that no one is left behind in the shadows.

Let the joy we feel inspire acts of kindness, great and small, in every community, from the coastland to the deep interior.

The "New" in our name speaks to the fresh possibilities before us—a future of shared prosperity, sustainable development, and justice for all. The "United" is our sacred commitment and the only path to reach that future. As we look to the New Year, let us resolve to move forward

not as separate fragments, but as a united people, dedicated to building a nation where every citizen has the opportunity to thrive in peace.

May the hope of Christmas fill your hearts with courage. May its peace reign in our homes and across our beloved land. And may its joy inspire us to build a brighter, more united tomorrow.

From our ANUG family to yours, we wish you a Christmas filled with blessings, joy, and love.

God Bless You, and God Bless the Cooperative Republic of Guyana.

Merry Christmas!

Sincerely The New and United Guyana Party

Thursday December 25, 2025

Kaieteur News

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Modernising the Bank of Guyana: Promise, Practice, and Regional Lessons investment in econometric and supervisory training as well as close partnership with international institutions. If the Bank of Guyana is to manage a policy rate or open-market operations credibly, it will require similar technical depth and professional independence.

President Ali's emphasis on financial inclusion and the proposal for a junior stock exchange are well-conceived measures to broaden participation in national growth. However, as shown by Jamaica's microfinance and Trinidad's SME experiences, financial inclusion must be accompanied by robust regulation, investor education, and effective anti-money-laundering oversight. Without these

safeguards, liberalisation may deepen inequality rather than reduce it.

Guyana's structural dualities—between formal and informal sectors, and between coastland and hinterland—further complicate equitable access to finance. Additionally, persistent concerns about procurement transparency, foreign-currency leakages, and the politicisation of appointments undermine trust in institutions. The s u c c e s s o f a n y modernisation effort will thus depend on visible commitment to good governance and merit-based management.

In fairness, the

Guyanese Cuisine versus Others at...

Dear Editor, I would like to congratulate President Irfaan Ali and his government on the acquisition of the new and modern ferry for the Parika to Supernaam run.

From the photographs in the media, apart from being able to transport much more vehicles it has catered to the needs and comfort of passengers. I sincerely hope that the traveling public appreciate this factor and ensure that the facilities are treated with care and respect for other users.

I have read in last Sunday Stabroek newspaper a letter from Mr. Neville Bissember in which he dealt with the non-appointment of Mr. Azruddin Mohamed as the Leader of the Opposition of our Parliament. He illustrated the classic example of Mr. Bouterse of Suriname who although (1) being tried and convicted in absentia for drug trafficking in the Netherlands and sentenced to 11 years imprisonment and (2) being

Dear Editor, President Dr. Irfaan Ali's recent announcement to modernise the Bank of Guyana signals a positive and well-timed recognition t h a t e c o n o m i c transformation must be supported by an equally modern institutional and monetary framework. His call for a “data-driven, forward-looking” Central Bank capable of managing liquidity, inflation, and financial inclusion reflects a sound appreciation of the challenges confronting a rapidly expanding resource-based economy.

At the conceptual level, the government's plans align with the evolution of central banking across the Caribbean. The Central Banks of Jamaica, Barbados, and Trinidad and Tobago

From page 4 Americas, the choice is limited. I like the potatoes in Ireland and the mushrooms in Scotland. In Brazil, Argentina, Bolivia, Uruguay, Paraguay, people eat a lot of beef and pork. But one can get nice lamb and duck in Brazil and Argentina; the best fresh water fish is in Brazil; a lot more than we have in Guyana. Panama also has nice fish and vegetarian dishes though not as good as ours. Chile's food is okay although my time there was spent in the jungle.

One can get curried dishes in most countries.

Thailand has some of the tastiest curried dishes and a fabulous soup. Filipino food is also delicious, close to ours. India is too spicey for me but has the most assortment of dishes including vegetables. It also has the best dhals besides yellow or arhaar dhal. Naan is delicious. The best dhal is from Guyana, Trinidad, Suriname, and Holland.

Trinidad dhal is thicker.

India's deal is buttery. India makes lovely prawns. The best curry remains Guyana and Trinidad. Guyana also has the best fried fish.

Singapore and Malaysia have very good cuisine; the curry is very tasty and a meal is cheap, cheaper than India or Guyana.

have each undertaken reforms to enhance data quality, transparency, and policy credibility. Jamaica's a d o p t i o n o f inflation-targeting, Barbados's shift toward greater monetary autonomy, a n d Tr i n i d a d ' s modernisation of its payments and supervisory systems all demonstrate the merits—and difficulties—of evidence-based economic governance.

For Guyana, where fiscal expansion, exchange-rate pressure, and high import dependence interact with oil-driven growth, upgrading monetary governance is both prudent and necessary. The Bank's modernisation could strengthen confidence, support investment, and protect purchasing power.

I am spending the holiday season in Italy, not my first. I was here several years ago and multiple times before that. My palate does not fit in nicely with the h e a v i ly c a r b o h y d r a te d cuisine and all the sweet cannoli for dessert. I did have excellent fish in the Italian rivière some thirty years ago when the lira was the currency in use; now it is Euro. My first experience with Italy was as a student in the Vatican over 45 years ago. I came on a scholarship to study comparative religions. The food was very bland and tasteless. It is tasty now but still no comparison with West Indian. In 1985, hundreds of us were seated at different tables; we were fed en masse for each meal. A bowl was placed on the table for each one of us. A server came dropping some dried noodles in the bowl. Then another server poured boiling hot water in the bowl. That was soup —

Yet, as regional experience shows, success depends not on rhetoric but on disciplined execution and institutional coherence.

E ff e c t i v e m o n e t a r y policy cannot function in isolation. Guyana has long s u ff e r e d w e a k p o l i c y coordination—between the fiscal, investment, and trade authorities—resulting in liquidity surpluses, foreign-exchange tightness, and uneven development o u t c o m e s . T h e modernisation of the Bank of Guyana must therefore be anchored in stronger fiscal discipline, data reliability, and transparent communication with markets.

Human-resource capacity is also central.

Reforms in Jamaica and Barbados were enabled by

nothing else added to it, no salt, onion, season, ground provision.

For the main course, in the plate a server brought boiled spaghetti or noodles, another server poured hot tomato sauce. That was a meal — no seasoning or pepper. Today, the soup and cuisine are different. The soup has vegetables, potatoes, seasoning, and more items and very tasty.

The noodles or pasta, ziti, lasagna, spaghetti, etc actually has seasoning now unlike in the 1980. One can now manage the Italian food although it us still carb based.

Italy is also a different place. It is well decorated for the season. Rome and other cities rival Paris, Manhattan, Madrid, Singapore, Malaga, Los Angeles, etc. In 1985, there were hardly any Indians and Blacks. Today there are hundreds of thousands of South Asians and a large number of Ethiopians and

other Africans. All kinds of Indian foods are found including roti, seime, nainwah, loukie, karela, Guyanese kind pumpkin, baigan, etc. The place even has pumpkin soup.

For Christmas, Guyanese and Trini dishes are the best —nothing beats rice. dhal, a variety of curries, pachounie, dhal puri, chowmein (better than spaghetti and ziti) and so many other items. The best cakes are also from Guyana and Trinidad. Our rum cake has no comparison although Guyanese Americans seem to have the best recipe for cakes. The Trinis crave for our black cake. The Italians and other nationalities or ethnic groups would also feel their dishes and cakes are the best. I won't trade Guyanese food for any other and especially at Christmas— all those mouthwatering dishes.

Yours truly, Vishnu Bisram

government's record since 2020 shows important progress: rapid growth in bank account ownership, improved digital banking services, and nascent steps t o w a r d b e t t e r foreign-exchange management. These achievements demonstrate intent and potential. Yet, modernisation must extend beyond technology to include clear policy rules, accountability structures, and predictable implementation.

There are useful regional lessons. Jamaica's clear inflation-targeting communication, Barbados's careful sequencing of (Continued on page 9)

The delay in the appointment of the opposition Leader is unjustified accused for the murder of 15 persons, he was allowed by the International Community and Caricom to take part in Caricom meetings and to serve as Chairman of Caricom.

I had also read the pronouncement of AttorneyGeneral Anil Nandlall about the damage the appointment of Mr. Azruddin Mohamed can do to the image of Guyana. I note the seemingly utter reluctance of the Speaker of Parliament to convene the first sitting of Parliament when the appointment of the Opposition leader can take place.

T h e l e t t e r o f M r.

Bissember gave a strong reason why the delay in the appointment of the opposition Leader is unjustified and I do really look forward to a rebuttal and response from our Attorney-General. Please Mr. Attorney-General do not disappoint as it is a good debate.

Sincerely K.A. Juman-Yassin S.C.

Kaieteur News

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Thursday December 25, 2025

GPSU: 'Tis the Season for Peace and Goodwill!

The Guyana Public Service Union extends warmest Christmas Greetings of Peace, Hope, and Goodwill to all Public Servants, current and retired, to every worker and their families, and to all Guyanese at home and abroad.

As Guyanese, we celebrate this Season through cherished traditions that brings warmth and joy into our homes and communities, including festive decorations and carols that fill the air, church activities, family

gatherings, gift-giving, shared meals, the joy of Santa Claus, and the vibrant presence of masqueraders.

Beyond the festivities, Christmas is a sacred season.

At its heart is the birth of Jesus Christ, a timeless message of love, humility, peace, and service to humanity. It is a season that invites us to renew our commitment to values that transcends time: justice, compassion, dignity, and care for one another, especially the vulnerable, the elderly, the sick, and those facing

hardships.

While the spirit of the season invites hope and reflection, it also brings into focus the realities many Public Servants continue to face, including unmet expectations from their employers and ongoing challenges in meeting the needs of their families and dependents.

In a year marked by rapid economic expansion, national transformation, and evolving demands on the delivery of public service,

GAWU: It is a period that calls for reflection on faith, humility, compassion GAWU: The Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) extends sincere Christmas greetings and best wishes to all Guyanese, and in a special way to the Christian community, as the nation observes the holy and joyous season of Christmas.

Christmas holds profound spiritual significance for Christians, marking the birth of the Christ child and symbolising renewal, hope, peace, and redemption. It is a period that calls for reflection on faith, humility, compassion, and the enduring promise of a better tomorrow grounded in love and service to others.

In Guyana, Christmas holds deep cultural significance. It is a season

that transcends religious boundaries and is embraced

by Guyanese from all walks of life, irrespective of faith, e t h n i c i t y, o r s o c i a l background. Through shared traditions, fellowship, and community engagement, Christmas reinforces the values of togetherness and mutual respect that are fundamental to our multicultural society.

GAWU recognises that the core message of the Christmas season—unity, piety, charity, and goodwill to all—has particular relevance at this time in our national life.

Our country faces pressing challenges that demand collective effort, understanding, and solidarity. We therefore urge

all Guyanese to reject voices and actions that seek to divide our people, and instead to embrace dialogue, tolerance, and national unity in the interest of peace and progress.

As we celebrate, GAWU encourages all Guyanese to do so responsibly and safely, with consideration for one another and for the wellbeing of our communities.

On behalf of the leadership and membership of the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU), we wish all Guyanese a happy, peaceful, and prosperous Christmas season, and trust that the spirit of hope and unity inspired by Christmas will continue to guide our nation in the year ahead.

public servants have remained the backbone of our nation, delivering essential services, maintaining institutional stability, and upholding democratic governance, often under increasing pressure and expectation. The Guyana Public Service Union salutes your dedication, professionalism, and steadfast commitm e n t , which continue to sustain Guyana's growth and social cohesion. As a Union, we will continue our mission to engage in meaningful dialogue with all

stakeholders, advocating to ensure that national development translates into improved livelihoods for workers and their families, so that seasons such as Christmas are not a struggle to celebrate, but truly blessed and joyous occasions, filled with God's grace. Members be assured that your safety, wellbeing and welfare will always remain our unwavering priority.

We shall continue to advocate your right to earn a living wage and shall vigorously defend that your

Constitutional Right to due process be adhered to at all times.

As we look ahead to 2026, the Union encourages renewed unity, commitment, and collective resolve to continue pursuing fairness, dignity, and improved conditions of service for all.

May this Christmas bring comfort to your homes, peace to your hearts, and renewed faith in your dreams and in the future. On behalf of the Executive Council and Staff of the Guyana Public Service Union, we wish you a Happy and Blessed Christmas 2025.

ERC: use this season to strengthen bonds within families, communities The Ethnic Relations Commission (ERC) extends warm Christmas greetings to all Guyanese as the nation joins in observing this sacred and festive season.

Within Christianity, Christmas marks the birth of Jesus Christ, whose coming into the world symbolizes hope, redemption, and God's love for humanity.

It is a sacred occasion for Christians to reflect on Christ's teachings of peace, humility, compassion, and service to others, values that continue to guide us and inspire acts of kindness and goodwill. While Christmas holds deep religious significance for Christians, it is also embraced nationally

in Guyana as a time of shared celebration, reflection, and generosity.

In our diverse and multiethnic society, Guyanese of all backgrounds join in observing the season, that e n c o u r a g e s u n i t y, generosity, and togetherness, and reflects the respect we show for one another's faiths and traditions.

Christmas is a time that calls for reflection on shared values of love, peace, compassion, and goodwill, principles that transcend religious, cultural, and ethnic boundaries.

It is a period that reminds us of the importance of unity, mutual respect, understanding, empathy and

dialogue which are central to building and sustaining harmonious relations within Guyana's diverse society.

As we celebrate Christmas, the Commission encourages all citizens to use this season as an opportunity to strengthen bonds within families, communities, and each other, reaffirming our collective responsibility to promote peaceful coexistence and harmonious relations.

The ERC wishes all Guyanese a safe, peaceful, and joyous Christmas, and looks forward to continued collaboration with all stakeholders in the pursuit of unity and national harmony in the new year ahead.

Thursday December 25, 2025

Kaieteur News

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Kaieteur News

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Thursday December 25, 2025

$8.4B for Oil Giants, $2.6B for Guyana ...as PSA profit split comes under fire

E

xxonMobil, Hess and CNOOC raked in US$8.4 billion in profits from Guyana's Stabroek Block in 2 0 2 4 , w h i l e Guyana—entitled to a 50 percent share—received just US$2.6 billion, raising renewed concerns about how profits are calculated under the Production Sharing Agreement (PSA).

While one may argue that this key detail is public knowledge- Guyana gains 50% profit after the

operator deducts 75% for cost recovery- and 2% royalty from gross production, the Stabroek Block partners have been pocketing massive profits from the deal while the country which owns the resource sees paltry returns.

Exxon, a 45% shareholder in the block reported a profit of US$4,738,784,812 for the year ending December 2024. Financial statements for Hess, the 30% shareholder, shows the

company earned US$3,145,029,074 while CNOOC with the remaining 25% share bagged US$530,737,000 during the same period. This means that the partners together pocketed a massive US$8,414,550,886 for the year 2024.

Notably, Guyana should be receiving 50% of the profits from the Stabroek Block, or half of the revenue from crude sales in accordance with the provisions of the 2016 PSA.

However, Guyana received just about a quarter of the US$8.4B that the Stabroek Block partners gained from the deal.

Deposits into the Natural Resource Fund (NRF) in 2024 totalled just about US$2.6B raising questions about the method of calculation for profits under the contract.

During a media conference earlier this year, EMGL's Vice President and Business Services Manager, John Colling

Single mother of five receives new home from First Lady First Lady Mrs. Arya Ali and Ms. Teasha Spellen and her children

T

he lives of a single mother and her five children, ages three to 14, were on Tuesday transformed after they received a newly constructed three-bedroom home at Meten-Meer-Zorg, We s t C o a s t D e m e r a r a (WCD), from First Lady Mrs. Arya Ali. Ms. Teasha Spellen, who is now a first-time homeowner, previously lived with relatives alongside her children, all of whom are currently in school. The family shared a single bedroom which posed significant challenges for them daily.

In a press release the Office of the First Lady said the new home is valued at approximately $14 million which includes the cost of developing the land, fencing the yard, constructing the building, and furnishing the home. It was made possible by the Office of the First Lady with support from Courts Guyana, Comfort Sleep and Guyana

Breweries.

During the handing over of the new home, the First Lady reflected on her own personal challenges growing up in a single parent home.

“This new home provides you with a safe, stable, and dignified environment to ensure all of you have a better quality of life, and your children have a brighter future. I was raised in a single parent home so I know of some of the challenges.

But today you and your little ones have a place to call yours, so I want you to recognise how blessed you are,” Mrs. Ali said.

The First Lady also encouraged Ms. Spellen to ensure she continues to prioritise her children's education and support their endeavours. Overcome with emotion, Ms. Spellen described the new home as “life-changing” for her family, expressing gratitude for the opportunity to have a safe and comfortable place they can call home. “First of all, I want to thank God

First Lady Mrs. Arya Ali hands over a toy to one of Ms. Spellen's children

EMGL Business Services Manager, John Colling sought to lay concerns to rest about Guyana not being paid its fair share under the agreement. In response to a question from Kaieteur News regarding the huge disparity in the figure, Colling provided an answer which fueled further speculation about the arrangement.

He said that the company's reporting mechanism includes cost recovery, or the money the companies deducted for its investment in the block.

Be that as it may, this explanation too could not solve the equation, as cost recovery for the year 2024 was over US$13B according to information in the 2024 Bank of Guyana Annual Report.

According to Colling, “The accounting under IFRS is different than accounting under the Petroleum Agreement which governs the financial activities for the block. So under the petroleum agreement costs are recovered by ExxonMobil Guyana and its partners and then profits are split 50/50.

ExxonMobil Guyana, as I mentioned previously is G$700B in the red in terms of what we've invested

versus what we have received to date so when you look at the IFRS financial statements, certainly you will see a big accounting profit but that's really just an accounting profit.”

He continued, “In fact, a significant component of the revenues which have been achieved have gone to pay back- recovery oil. So its really that residual profit oil that's split 50/50 with the government and as we move forward into the future, once all of those development costs have been recovered, a larger component of the revenues will be available for profit oil for splitting between ExxonMobil Guyana Limited and its partners and the government of Guyana.”

The Business Services Manager was keen to note that the overall size of the revenue will increase overtime as production grows in the Stabroek Block. Furthermore, he highlighted that revenue flow to the government has steadily increased over the years, even as the country is poised to receive US$10B annually, by the end of the decade, after costs have been recovered.

Q-man nabbed in $154M theft scandal ...Police say alleged crime committed over a four- year period

Almighty for this new home.

And I want to say thank you to the First Lady and everyone who made this possible for us. This is life changing for my family because we've had it very, very hard,” Ms. Spellen said before she broke down in tears.

Ms. Spellen indicated that she will immediately move in to ensure her family

spends Christmas in their new home. She also shared her vision of using the remaining space in the yard to start a kitchen garden.

This is the fourth home Mrs. Ali has handed over to families in Region Three since assuming the role of First Lady, underscoring her continued commitment to the upliftment of families in vulnerable situations.

Police are investigating an alleged offence of Larceny by Clerk or Servant valued at $153.9M committed on a telecommunications company allegedly by 37year-old, Quincy Baird called Q-man of Herstelling, East Bank Demerara.

The act is reported to have occurred between July 1, 2021 and February 18, 2025.On Tuesday December 23, 2025 about 16:33hrs, ranks from the Criminal Investigation Department Headquarters conducted an operation on the East Bank Demerara where a male was

Quincy Baird contacted in relation to the allegation.

He was informed of the allegation, arrested and escorted to CID Headquarters where he remains in custody pending investigation. Investigations continue.

Kaieteur News

Thursday December 25, 2025

PAGE 09

Merry Christmas!

Ah, Christmas—the season of goodwill, good cheer, and, let's not forget, good riddance! It's that magical time when even the most hardened scoundrel can decorate a tree, stuff a chicken, and pretend they aren't the Grinch in human form. This year, in the spirit of enduring inclusivity, I've decided to extend my Christmas wishes to society's miscreants, crooks, and ne'er-do-wells. Because if Santa can tolerate naughty kids, surely, I can tolerate, well… this lot.

First, a tinsel-wrapped “Merry Christmas” to those who promised to renegotiate the lopsided oil deal, only to treat that pledge like a discarded campaign flyer.

You've managed to forget

“renegotiation” while the oil keeps flowing and the balance sheet stays suspiciously lopsided. You seem to be spurn ringfencing and world-class spill protections. Here's hoping Santa brings you a spine and a calendar. May the New Year grant you either the courage to finally confront the oil giants or a conscience clear enough to explain to a nation why the "greatest deal in history" for Guyana still seems to have someone else's name on the gift tag.

A blanket of disdain is wishes for the consortium of the corrupt—those who see the public purse as a personal trough. From the grand architect of the inflated contract to the petty clerk skimming a

"processing fee," you are united in a silent, parasitic fellowship, converting the people's monies into illicit private mansions and luxury vehicles. Your theft drains the lifeblood from schools, hospitals, and roads. But as the New Year approaches, may a collective and unrelenting karma find you.

May the walls of your deceitful schemes crumble under the weight of their own greed. Your greatest gift in 2026 should be the cold, clarifying clang of a cell door closing, finally ending your festive season of plunder.

To the newly-minted billionaires and overnight oligarchs emerging from the oil fog: Season's Greetings!

Your sudden empires, built

DEM BOYS SEH

Dis is what all the fuss was about Kaieteur News – Christmas Day does remind dem boys of dem times when dem does try fuh sneak out of dem boring office meetings. Dis day is one of de quietest day of de year. Yuh could literally hear a pin drop.

In the weeks leading up to this day, people been hustlin' and bustlin', decoratin' yuh place. Yuh been spending so much cash, yuh wallet lookin' like it's on a diet.

But Christmas mornin', it's like de whole world tek a break and whisper, “Easy, man.”

Yuh clean up, spruce up, dash decorations all over de place. And why? For Christmas Day to come and say, “Nah, bai, we chillin' today.”

People shop till dey drop like dem boys at a bar after payday, and then what?

Christmas Day come, and all yuh hearing is quietude. Yuh would have thought that

Christmas day would have ended in a big bang – a noisy culmination of all the sportin' and spending over the past month.

Ask people 'bout dey Christmas Day, and like clockwork, nine outta ten go say, “Quiet, man.” De odd one out probably get knocked out from partyin' like it's the end of the world on Christmas Eve. Sleepin' through de silence, so exhausted dey dreamin' of a second Christmas.

Imagine, dis de day we commemoratin' a baby born in a manger in a stable in a faraway land. We turn that into a carnival, and Christmas Day just sittin' back, smirkin', and askin', “What was the big fuss for?”

So, leh we enjoy dis Christmas Day, take a breather from the noise, and wish all dem Guyanese a Merry Christmas.

Talk Half! Leff Half!

on connections rather than competence, are a true Christmas miracle. May the New Year bring you a sudden interest in paying taxes and a fear of the coming anti-corruption commission.

A very special seasonal greeting to the “Lords of Lethargy”, the “Sultans of Stagnation”, and the undisputed champions of the public's purgatory—those masters of the public bureaucracy who have elevated delay and obstruction to a high art.

You, who guard your rubber stamps like holy scepters and treat each request, permit, or application as a personal imposition to be savored, then stalled. Your kingdom is the queue, your power drawn from the frustrated sigh of the citizen held hostage by "process."

But a new dawn th r eaten s y o u r d r ear y domain. The coming tide of e-governance—digital portals, transparent tracking, a n d a u t o m a t e d approvals—spells doom for your empire of inefficiency.

So, this Christmas, I offer a heartfelt wish: may the New Year's gift of this new technology be swift and merciless. May it render

your "file under review" obsolete, your "come back tomorrow" powerless, and your entire business of wasting people's time exactly what it should be—a bankrupt, forgotten relic.

Here's to seeing your reign of red tape replaced by the click of a button and the blessed sound of progress, finally moving at the speed of public need.

A special yuletide shoutout to the contractors of catastrophe, who've turned the infrastructure projects into quick-sand engineering.

Nothing says “holiday spirit” like a road that is behind schedule, a pump station unfinished and a major project built in the swamp. May your New Year's resolution be to use more cement and less sawdust.

To t h e c o n f i d e n c e tricksters and land hustlers preying on a population dizzy with displacement and skyrocketing rents: Merry Christmas, you heartless o p p o r t u n i s t s ! Yo u r “guaranteed” house lots in non-existent schemes and your predatory leases have turned the Guyanese Dream into a nightmare. May the New Year bring you a court summons and your victims a

rightful title.

Let's not forget the racial arsonists and unsavoury social media trolls on all s id es , w h o ' v e w o r k ed overtime this year to turn every policy debate into a sectarian war. Your gift of division is the lump of coal in every stocking. May the ghost of national unity visit you this Christmas and remind you that this country belongs to all of us, even if you spend all day pretending it doesn't.

Finally, to the all the rogues, rascals, and reprobates who've made this year in Guyana a spectacle of dizzying wealth, brazen corruption, and breathtaking inequality, I wish you a reflective holiday. And, in the immortal words of Kevin McCallister: "Merry Christmas, ya filthy animals!”

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

Modernising the Bank of Guyana...

From page 5 reform, and Trinidad's pragmatic approach to macro-prudential supervision underscore that modernisation is a process—not an event. For Guyana, success will require sustained investment in people, data, and coordination rather than one-off

announcements.

U l t i m a t e l y, t h e government's vision for a modernised Bank of Guyana represents a commendable step in the right direction. Its success will rest on governance coherence, transparency, and sustained institutional discipline. If

achieved, Guyana could evolve not only as an oil-rich economy but also as a regional model for credible economic management and inclusive financial development.

Yours faithfully, Fernando Balkaran Former Lecturer, UWI, UG

Kaieteur News

PAGE 10

S

UTH

D TR

HAR

HK

BY G

L

LAL

Thursday December 2025 Monday May 02,25, 2022

H@RD TRUTHS

BY GHK LALL

Six years of richness Merry Christmas, fellow citizens. Similar wishes are extended to strangers, visitors, partners, and others in Guyana's new and widening commercial family.

Six years of national richness ought to mean that Guyanese of all stations are in a better state financially, a happier state emotionally, overall.

Six years after bottomless depths of a natural resource was discovered, Guyanese should be on top of the world. Small population, the kind of money, American billions, that was never a part of the local language, is now as everyday as the sun, and just as brightening, blistering.

The world has stood up, been pushed to watch, then gush. Guyana is number one. Guyanese live in a situation that make them the cream of the world. The best.

Are they today, six years

after First Oil? Ask an ordinary Guyanese if he or she is better off today, and he glares, as if listening, talking, to a moron. Ask a Guyanese at the upper levels of this society, with hands deep into the national pie, and there is diplomacy and humility.

It is trickery, really. The superrich who leapt from being merely rich into the stratosphere aren't coming out straight and boasting about riches. It would expose how much the haves have gotten of the rich national black-cake, and how poorly the have nots have fared in the last six years.

Operating under the assumption that their wealth has been honestly earned, I say congratulations to the superrich-politicians, private enterprise, other princes of this realm-on this Christmas Day. So, what do I say in the next breath to the super-poor and poor in Guyana?

Condolences?

Condolences amid a basket of plenty? Hold strain, for better will come? When? It has been six years. Today, life is harder than yesterday, going all the way back.

When there was no money, the times were tough. But now that there is a wash of cash, an explanation is needed as to why things, the times, and life in general, are all tougher. I take a stab at this on this day of peace and goodwill to all men. Note: no names, no groups, no heat.

Simply care and warmth, almost like the inside of a private manger.

Prices have gone up astronomically, and that word may still not be doing justice to the situation.

Whatever distressed Guyanese could have afforded before, they can afford only less of those same items in this the Year of our Lord, 2025. Take basic food items, as an example. It is a stark one; alarming,

frightening. When prices for food are steeply higher (and going still higher [like some rocket]) then shorthanded citizens are forced to buy less. Thus, they are those many Guyanese, who are not just poorer in 2025, they are also hungrier, and probably more of them on that line that drives people up a wall.

What to do?

What's the way out of this predicament?

Christmas Season or all the other days of regular starvation season?

For emphasis, killer prices mean less food on the table, hence more hunger, and perhaps longer.

Statistics can be concealed, played games with; but a man or a child cannot hide hunger forever.

The stomach, entire system revolts, after a time, when less and less food is available to be eaten. Monthly bills are ignored. Other crucial elements of living-clothes, transportation, medicinesnot even considered. This is about food on a Christmas morning.

Whoever is reading, whoever can still be honest enough to think in a compassionate manner, the question lingers: are Guyanese better positioned today, in this Christmas Season, after six years of national riches?

Not Guyanese on the upper half of the national economic high-rise, but rank-and-file

Guyanese trapped on the lower floors of that same building.

If they are even marginally better off, then I would argue that a cash grant would not be so desperately needed. It is, isn't it? Or, it could be that poor, pullingout-their-hair-by-the-roots Guyanese are playing their own games, by faking hard times. In a nutshell, they are greedy, never satisfied, since so much has been done for them, given to them.

I n n o r m a l circumstances, this wouldn't be my first choice of subject to present on Christmas morning. Having known Christmases, in Guyana and the early days in America, that were tougher than nails, and sharper than toothaches, there is no choice.

I identify with the poor and anguished, and it is my duty to speak of their plight, highlight their condition.

When there is a dollar to share across a family, or a country, and one tiny section receives anywhere from 75 to 90 cents of that dollar (in some form), then the arithmetic is simple and staggering. The crumb of 10 to 25 cents is left to handout to the massive remaining segment of the family or country, leading to poverty, fear, and despair. It is just too little for too many, no matter how sliced or stretched.

Hundreds of thousands of Guyanese are hurting,

desperate for any port from the financial storms that batter them, leave them breathless.

I have spoken, written, about this so many times that I have lost count. Nothing, not the outputs of powers or principals, has done much to relieve the situation of those left with nowhere to turn to, and no one to go. No sparkling Facebook presentation, no self-serving picture, makes a difference to a father or mother, who cannot feed their children, let alone themselves. For t h i s t o b e t h e u g l y, paralyzing story of legions of poor Guyanese after six years of breathtaking national richness, has to qualify as an unequalled travesty. Just as King Herod sent his goons and hooligans to wipeout those infants in the time around that first Christmas, there is this eerie parallel in 21 st century Guyana. A land rich in so many ways, and one also rich in its multitudes of poor living in daily agony.

Still, I say Merry Christmas to my fellow Guyanese. Make the best of it, even if there is only black bread, and black-cake or Black Forest ham is the stuff of yuletide dreams.

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

Thursday December 25, 2025

Kaieteur News

PAGE 11

GLSC gets new offices in Bartica, Port Kaituma

T

he Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) has officially handed over newly constructed office facilities in Bartica and Port Kaituma to the Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission (GLSC), marking a significant milestone in strengthening decentralised land administration across Guyana's hinterland regions.

The handover ceremonies were held in Port Kaituma and at FAO's office in La Bonne Intention, FAO said in a press release. The official signing was officiated by Mr. Enrique Monize, Commissioner and Chief Executive Officer of GLSC, and Dr. Gillian Smith, FAO Representative in Guyana.

According to the FAO, Bartica, a rapidly growing township, now benefits from

the Commission has issued 1,255 leases covering approximately 3,202 acres of land and has regularised a significant number of areas within the region.

The Commissioner also expressed appreciation to FAO for its continued partnership in the successful implementation of the SLDM Project.

Mr. Monize further noted that the new Port Kaituma office represents a significant step toward advancing land development to meet the growing demand for services in the area.

He highlighted that the facility houses one of the eleven GPS base stations supporting the country's new digitised land surveying platform.

The building also includes modern staff accommodation on the upper level, ensuring improved working and living

The official signing by Enrique Monize, Commissioner and Chief Executive Officer of GLSC, and Dr. Gillian Smith, FAO Representative in Guyana a modern GLSC office and staff accommodation, while Port Kaituma has received its first-ever GLSC office.

Constructed through the Sustainable Land Development and Management (SLDM) Project funded by Guyana REDD+ Investment Fund (GRIF), these facilities are designed to strengthen GLSC's operational presence in Regions One and Seven, improve access to land administration services for communities, and support sustainable land development initiatives at the regional level.

Speaking at the ceremony, Commissioner Monize highlighted the critical role the new offices will play in improving the efficiency, transparency, and accessibility of land-related services, particularly for mining, forestry, agriculture, and Indigenous communities in the regions.

He emphasised the importance of GLSC's presence in Bartica, noting that over the past five years

conditions for personnel stationed in the region. In addition, boats and allterrain vehicles (ATVs) were provided to enhance m o b i l i t y, i m p r o v e efficiency, and support effective service delivery in Port Kaituma and surrounding communities.

Dr. Smith underscored that the Bartica and Port Kaituma offices form part of a broader SLDM investment aimed at strengthening i n s t i t u t i o n a l c a p a c i t y, advancing geospatial and land governance systems, and supporting practical, field-level sustainable land management interventions across the country.

She emphasised that improved physical infrastructure, combined with digital systems and trained human resources, is essential to achieving longterm sustainability and inclusive development.

Dr. Smith also thanked GLSC for its strong partnership and the opportunity to support its vision for modern facilities

The new office

that enable the decentralisation of land administration services nationwide.

Speaking at the ceremony in Port Kaituma, M r. B r e n t n o l A s h l e y, Regional Chairman of

Region One, stated that “this new building marks a historic milestone for the people of Port Kaituma and

the entire Region One. This is not just the opening of an office, but the beginning of a (Continued on page 30 )

PAGE 12

Thursday December 25, 2025

Kaieteur News

Baramita finally gets water wells H

ome to more t h a n 6 0 0 residents, the community nestled in Region One and accessible only by plane or the rugged trail from Matthew's Ridge or Port Kaituma, has long struggled with the challenges of its remote location in the Matarkai SubRegion.

The new water systems now mark a turning point, ending years of dependence on creeks and the long walks to distant standpipes for daily water needs.

The first site, commissioned on Monday at Barama, now provides clean water to over 400 people.

Water from the newly drilled well, which came with a price tag of $23 million, is distributed through a 2.3km network, powered by an ecofriendly photovoltaic pumping system.

The project was made possible through a partnership between GWI and the Baramita Village Council, reflecting the community's collaborative spirit.

The second well, situated at Return within the village of Baramita, is fully operational and supplies water directly to more than 40 households. Costing $21 million, it is a collaboration between GWI and the Village Council.

The new facilities were officially commissioned on Monday in a ceremony attended by Parliamentary Secretary Thandi McAllister, M.P.; Director General of MPUA, Alfonso

The first site, commissioned on Monday at Barama, now provides clean water to over 400 people.

DeArmas; and GWI's Chief Executive Officer, Shaik Baksh.

Residents gathered to celebrate their first-ever access to potable water at home, openly expressing gratitude for the Government of Guyana's unwavering efforts to uplift their quality of life.

Thandi McAllister emphasised that these new wells stand as a powerful testament to President Ali's pledge to drive development across Guyana. She reminded those present that just five years ago, Baramita had no wells.

Now, with over 90% of households benefitting from direct service, the community's progress is undeniable.

DeArmas echoed the same sentiments, noting that true development extends beyond the grand structures of Georgetown and must reach into the hinterland.

“The elders of the community, the children,

and families no longer have to walk far distances to

access water. Water scarcity is something of the past for

residents here in Baramita,” he stated.

Baksh commended the government's investment and President Ali's visionary approach to transforming the water sector.

He revealed that by the end of 2026, the target is 100% access to treated water along the coast.

Baksh added that GWI's strategic plan includes a program to extend coastal water treatment to the Hinterland.He said this will help people and enhance their quality of life.

The plan is to implement this over the next five years, making the future feel

attainable for Baramita.

Also present at this commissioning ceremony was the Director of Hinterland Services, Ramchand Jailall and other technical officers of GWI. The installation of water systems in Baramita proves that no community is too remote.

As clean water flows into homes for the first time, Baramita's transformation becomes a powerful beacon for other hinterland communities, demonstrating that dedicated investment and genuine partnership can decisively turn long-held dreams into reality. (DPI)

Nandlall signals major legal overhaul ...1893 Evidence Act, Companies Law, Trust Framework to be modernised Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall, SC, has announced that several key pieces of legislation, including the 1893 Evidence Act, the Companies Act, and the Trust Law will undergo significant amendments in the upcoming year.

These updates are intended to modernise outdated laws and align them with current legal, economic, and technological realities. During his weekly appearance on the “Issues in the News” program, Nandlall explained that many of these laws have become irrelevant in today's world and require modernisation. He emphasised that crucial changes are expected to come into effect by 2026.

Nandlall specifically highlighted the need for an overhaul of the Evidence Act, which is currently based on the 1893 law of the United Kingdom.

“Nothing that was relevant in 1893 can be relevant now,” he stated, adding that the existing Evidence Act is outdated and was created in a different era. "We are now moving into digitalization," he pointed out, noting that a modern Evidence Act must reflect this new reality.

The Attorney General stressed that under the new legislation, the way evidence is stored and presented in courts, tribunals, and other judicial and quasi-judicial bodies will be significantly altered. "A new Evidence Act is long overdue and is already in use in many countries around the world,” he said.

In addition to the Evidence Act, Nandlall also addressed the need to amend the Companies Act. While acknowledging that the current law, which has been in place for over 30

Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall, SC years, is a strong foundation, he emphasized that the commercial landscape has changed significantly.

“We have new and critical concepts that have emerged in commerce and business practices, particularly in areas like money laundering,” he explained.

“Our laws must be updated to meet international standards.”

Consultations on the proposed amendments to the Companies Act (Continued on page 26)

Kaieteur News

Thursday December 25, 2025

PAGE 13

Christmas, Performance and the Things We Don't Say

By Janelle A.N Persaud

F

or many years, Christmas had been a difficult season for me to

celebrate.

Somewhere along the way, the version of Christmas I knew quietly collapsed and never quite reassembled itself in the same way again.

When I was a child, Christmas felt magical. My mother would quite literally break up the house days before Christmas and on Christmas morning, we would wake up to a whole new house; new blinds, decorations, a tree, wax polished floors and sometimes even newly painted walls.

Then one Christmas morning, when I was about twelve years old, I woke up and my grandmother, who I slept next to, was not there.

The house was still a mess. Granny had been hospitalised.

Later that day, my mother came home with an unwrapped toy for my little brother. And that was it.

That day, something quietly shifted in me. I realised, perhaps for the first time, that what I thought Christmas was depended entirely on people holding it together. And when the people could not, the magic did not survive on its own.

Christmas was never quite the same again.

I never became the adult who tried to create that magic. “Santa” never got the credit for the gifts I got for my son because I had worked really hard to afford it.

For many other Guyanese families, Christmas is just as fragile. It is held together by

significant effort, great sacrifice, and often by money that barely stretches far enough. And when something goes wrong; illness, loss or unemployment, that illusion cracks. Perhaps that is why we cling so tightly to the performance of Christmas, as a people.

The food must be nuff. The drinks must flow. The music must be loud. Celebration, in excess, becomes a way of insisting that joy exists, even when the underlying conditions of life remain hard.

Christmas becomes a sanctioned moment of release. Another reason to over consume and another moment where survival dresses itself up as celebration.

Alcohol, in particular, has become a central feature of how we mark joy in Guyana; we are almost always looking for the next excuse.

We drink to celebrate, we drink to cope, we drink to forget, and we drink to endure.

Don't get me wrong, people are 100 percent allowed to celebrate, however they choose. They are allowed to release after a long, hard year; whether that year has been defined by struggle or by success.

Alongside that celebration, there is also something else happening.

There is pressure, performance and this quiet insistence that one must look okay, be okay and prove okay.

And in a society shaped by inequality, that pressure lands unevenly. Some people celebrate freely.

Others celebrate anxiously. So, while many of us enjoy, others are coping and surviving. These big

year end parties to me is where the greatest show takes place. In recent years, I've found myself stepping back from these events because I no longer have the patience for the performance that sometimes surrounds them.

The dressing up, the appearances, the quiet competition to signal that we are doing fine. I simply cannot anymore.

I find that this season is one that also exposes uncomfortable truths about inequality.

This year much of the national conversation was on whether people “behaved themselves” to receive a cash grant in time for Christmas.

I read too of the disappointment that it would now be given in 2026.

For many, that money is simply symbolic.

For others, however, it is the difference between food on the table and doing without. Between giving a child something small and giving nothing at all.

That difference matters.

It reminds us that while we often speak about Christmas as a shared national experience, it is not experienced equally. What feels like a bonus to one household feels like survival to another.

And no amount of seasonal cheer can flatten that reality. And yet, even within these inequalities, Christmas in Guyana has never been a season of doom and gloom.

When I recall the “Guyanese Christmas” I think of laughter and families coming together, even when money is tight.

It was Pepperpot that stretches for days, and black cake, sorrel and

ginger beer prepared with care. It used to be your neighbours coming over and the children playing “dolly house” with their new toys (I'm not sure this is still a thing). Music playing somewhere nearby. It really was one of the few times in the year when people paused long enough to be together.

I remember my grandmother soaking fruits months in advance for black cake.

I remember five-finger wine prepared long before December came around. Christmas really was something people made, not one that they bought. All that said, this season for me ultimately leads back to Jesus Christ. The truth at the centre of the story: that God entered the world in human form; quietly, vulnerably, without spectacle and He lived among the poor and the overlooked.

That He showed us what love looks like when it is rooted in service, justice, and compassion.

He provided a blueprint of how to live righteously and that He died so that humanity might have a chance at abundant life in heaven yes, but also here on earth.

These are the lens through which I see the world and choose to understand Christmas.

Because when I look at the example of Jesus, I am reminded that life was never meant to be about performance or accumulation or indeed proving

worth through appearance. It is about how we treat each other, uplift the vulnerable, live with integrity, and how we resist systems that strip people of dignity.

That is why Christmas still matters to me, even after the illusions fall away.

I am reminded to pause and strip back the noise and to celebrate joy without excess. To lime with your tribe without pretence and to give without needing recognition.

During this season, I hope we remember that dignity, love, and community are the actual point.

So, whether Christmas for you is about faith, family, tradition, or simply rest after a long year, I hope we allow ourselves to slow down enough to ask what truly sustains us.

And whether the lives we are building; individually and collectively, reflect the values we claim to celebrate.

For me, that reflection begins and ends with Christ.

When Children Are Trusted With Big Ideas, They Rise On any given Saturday at the STEMGuyana clubhouse, a quiet room fills with laptops, whiteboards, and animated conversation. It is the kind of focused energy more often associated with university labs than with children.

This is where the experimental 'Genius Creators' class took shape, guided by a simple but consequential question, what happens when young people are given permission, and structure, to think like innovators from day one.

What unfolded over the course of the program was both affirming and extraordinary. Students were immersed in the full lifecycle of innovation, from ideation and research to design, prototyping, testing, refinement, and rollout. They learned that building something meaningful requires discipline as much as creativity. They wrote specifications, debated trade-offs, tested assumptions, failed safely, and tried again. They were also taught how to explain their ideas clearly, how to

Children at STEMGuyana clubhouse think about users, how to position a product, and how to speak confidently with adults, including members of the press.

This approach is not accidental. At STEMGuyana, every student learns the engineering design process weekly as part of our STEM clubs. Teamwork is not optional. Collaboration is expected.

Confidence is cultivated deliberately.

Students are encouraged to speak clearly to any adult in the room, defend their ideas respectfully, and listen just as carefully. The Genius Creators class did not introduce a new philosophy. It brought together years of structured practice into a single, concentrated experience.

The outcomes speak for themselves.

Two student teams, none older than

fourteen, identified problems rooted in their lived realities. One team developed Z'ynex, a directory and rating system designed to help communities identify reliable service workers. The second team took on an issue far more complex and deeply personal, creating an addiction management support system intended to help peers navigate recovery. These were not hypothetical case studies. The students spoke openly about friends, classmates, and family members affected by addiction, and they approached the problem with empathy, seriousness, and care.

After completing their designs, students moved into development, using multiple AI models to support what is often referred to as vibe coding. They learned how to prompt effectively, review AI-generated code critically, debug errors, and iterate r e s p o n s i b l y.

Along the way, they were (Continued on page 27)

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Kaieteur News

Thursday December 25, 2025

U.S. Coast Guard lacks forces to seize Venezuela-linked tanker for now - sources say WASHINGTON/LOND ON, Dec 23 (Reuters) - The U.S. Coast Guard is waiting for additional forces to arrive before potentially attempting to board and s eize a Venezuela-linked oil tanker it has been pursuing since Sunday, a U.S. official and a source familiar with the matter told Reuters.

The ship, which maritime groups have identified as the Bella 1, has refused to be boarded by the Coast Guard.

That means that the task will likely fall to one of just two teams of specialists - known as Maritime Security Response Teams - who can board vessels under these circumstances, including by rappelling from helicopters.

The days-long pursuit highlights the mismatch between the Trump administration’s desire to seize sanctioned oil tankers near Venezuela and the limited resources of the agency that is mainly carrying out operations, the Coast Guard.

Unlike the U.S. Navy, the Coast Guard can carry out law enforcement actions, including boarding and seizing vessels that are under U.S. sanctions.

Trump earlier this month ordered a “blockade” of all sanctioned oil tankers entering and leaving Venezuela, in Washington’s latest move to increase pressure on Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.

The Coast Guard has in recent weeks seized two oil tankers near Venezuela. After the first seizure, on Dec. 10, U.S.

Attorney General Pam Bondi posted a 45-second video showing two helicopters approaching a vessel and armed individuals in camouflage rappelling onto it.

A Saturday social media post by the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees the Coast Guard, showed what appeared to be Coast Guard officers aboard the Gerald Ford aircraft carrier getting ready to depart and seize the Centuries tanker, the second of the ships boarded by the U.S. A U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the Coast Guard officials on the Ford were from a Maritime Security Response Team and at the time too far from Bella 1 to carry out a boarding operation.

“There are limited teams who are trained for these types of boardings,” said Corey Ranslem, chief executive of maritime security group Dryad Global and previously with the U.S. Coast Guard.

The Department of Homeland Security did not immediately respond to a request for comment and Reuters could not determine what, if any other reasons, have led to the Coast Guard not seizing the vessel yet. The administration could ultimately choose to not board and seize the vessel.

The White House said that the United States was still in “active pursuit of a sanctioned dark fleet vessel that is part of Venezuela’s illegal sanctions evasion.”

LIMITED RESOURCES The U.S. Coast Guard is a

branch of the armed forces but a part of the Department of Homeland Security.

The United States has assembled a massive military force in the Caribbean, including an aircraft carrier, fighter jets and other warships. Ospreys and additional MC-130J Commando II aircraft arrived in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico in recent days, according to a separate source.

The Coast Guard has far fewer resources in place.

The service has long said that it lacks the resources to effectively carry out a growing list of missions, including search and rescue operations and drug seizures.

In November, the Coast Guard announced that it had seized about 49,000 pounds of drugs worth more than $362 million in the eastern Pacific.

“The Coast Guard is in a severe readiness crisis that is decades in the making,” Admiral Kevin Lunday, who leads the Coast Guard, told lawmakers in June. For the fiscal year ending September 2026, the Coast Guard requested $14.6 billion in funding. It will receive an additional $25 billion through a sweeping spending and tax legislation, known as the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act.” “Our Coast Guard is less ready than in any other time in the past 80 years since the end of World War Two. The downward readiness spiral we are on is not sustainable,” Lunday said earlier this year.

Kaieteur News

Thursday December 25, 2025

CHRISTMAS:

By GHK Lall

I

t’s been six years since the first barrel of oil rolled out of G u y a n a ’s u n d e r w a t e r reservoir. A reservoir that, when taken collectively, is as big as an ocean.

An ocean of rich oil, not free water. It is six years later, and Guyanese eyes are watering, crying, cascading.

Not from smoke or soot, nor from seasonal allergies or life’s savageries. But from the piercings of an economy of which the world sings, and Guyanese cry.

Up, up, up go the production meters. From under a half million barrels daily not too many years ago, to almost a million nowadays.

Almost two million barrels are estimated to be daily before the decade is over. Guyanese from all walks ought to be the cock-

of-the walk, with a spring in their step, and jingle in their pockets and purses. The irony is that the more they hear of their oil wealth, the less they feel of its effects.

Christmas is a time of good cheer, but there are armies of citizens that are cheerless.

The oil came and further down the people went.

Oh yes, they have new roads to travel on, and bridges to cross. Gasoline is subsidized and so is a portion of electricity.

Certainly, without those life would have been harder. But what is the lot of a man and a mother, who are barefooted and whose table are bare?

Do they still tell the little ones: Merry Christmas, sweethearts? The ordinary citizen of Guyana is aware of those who live at extraordinary heights.

Diamond balls and silver bells, champagne and sirloin, while they stare at an empty plate and are told to be satisfied with their fate.

Look at how much has been given. Look at how much more has been done.

Think of how things would be, if those were not real. I agree. But I think also of what they don’t tell, and where they don’t want Guyanese to look.

The Guyanese who are without at Christmas, and for whom the oil has become an illusion.

Since it represents so much, then why am I so much in despair? The oil boat passed by; the leadership caravan flew over. And the money, where did all those hundreds of billions go, leaving me and my family (and neighbors), worse off than before?

Oil for poor Guyanese has become the lottery winning that can’t be cashed now. Payment held up. Sacrifice and delayed gratification, that is called.

Perhaps, some other day, but not today.

So how do the already fed and fatted still keep collecting and collecting.

And at Christmas, Guyanese are encouraged to make sacrifices. How come all are not sharing in the sacrifices?

Those who got more, get more.

See those luxury

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Numbers and numbness, production, destitution

vehicles, that’s them. See those flashier ones, those belong to their children. At the same time, poor children in the villages and hamlets and squatting areas and ghettoes of Guyana dream of what should be at Christmas.

It is what they have, that eternal gift of the man without a cent in his pocket and a morsel in his pot. They have dreams of what should be. But no pepper-pot. No bread. No roti and curry.

Neither cook-up rice nor callaloo. This is some oil country, isn’t it?

Less than one percent of Guyanese have Christmas every day, except that it is not declared an official holiday.

Some others have it almost as good. A multitude of other Guyanese have as their close companion what is bad for them. Bad for them at any time. Worse of all, when it is Christmas Time. All that Guyanese impoverished and struggling with destitution want for Xmas are two pints of rice, and when that’s out of reach, then two slices of bread will have to do, get passed around. Meanwhile, there is the sound of music,

the echoes of lavish celebrations on the top floors of Guyana. It is the tale of the two Guyanas. One that has everything going for it.

And the other heavily populated by Guyanese who have little to nothing going for them. If someone had said to me that a cash grant would become the be all and end all of Guyanese existence at this time of the year, the thought would have been that’s a madman or a sick woman. There are all these lush numbers, and somewhere around half of Guyana lives with ongoing numbness. Now, here we are deep in this season of Christmas, of comfort and joy, and the poor and hungry and weary wonder what will become of them.

Beyond Christmas.

Beyond 2026. Again, d i d t h i s country really find oil? If it did, some Guyanese, many of them, didn’t get their fair share.

There is growing destitution amid rising production.

Anxiety in the face of alltime high GDP. Must be fake news.

Someone mocking Guyanese, making fun of their pain, their fears.

I must be joining the parade of hypocrites, and their marching drums going full blast: Merry Christmas, sisters and brothers. Make the best of a rough situation.

Manage a smile for me, through the tears. Don’t let no one-no man, no leader, no power, not anyone or anything-take away dignity.

It is the last sanctuary of those living in poverty.

There is a time for everything under the sun.

Christmas is but one of them.

It is promised. I believe.

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Thursday December 25, 2025

Advent Praise 2025 reminded patrons that “it ain’t over” Trinidadian Kashif Wilson plucked both his guitar and the hearts of his audience.

By Shermon Hawker The evening of December 20, 2025 was the culmination of a very much taxing, yet successful calendar within the local Seventh-day Adventist arena, a night where the young and old converged to blend energies and form a massive coalition of worship, basking in the riveting exhibition of rich talent assembled for this year’s staging of the annual year-end concert, known far and wide as ‘Advent Praise’.

In tandem with Youth Congress, Advent Praise is one of the flagship events of the Guyana Conference of Seventh-day Adventists. It has been a must-have on the yearly calendar, and being hosted within the final days of the final month, gives the event strong symbolisms of toasting to a successful completion of the year, crowning it off with an emphatic celebratory statement. With an ever-infectious anticipation, the production by custom, is infused with savory singing, poignant poetry, and delightful drama from an illustrious array of wellendowed performers.

Beginnings The title ‘Advent Praise’ was coined in 2003 by the then Youth Ministries Director, Pastor Exton Clarke, now president of the organisation. However, the concept had its birth back in 1983, being the brainchild of Pastor Laurence London, whose yearend musical events made prototypes for what is now the most yearned for event of the year in the SDA community here. Some 42 years on, the Advent Praise stage has been a catalyst for many talents, both unveiling noteworthy performers to the world, as well as serving as a familiar sweet spot for the seasoned and established. The event is eloquent with purpose, and each song, poem and dramatic presentation is neatly stuffed into one concise idea of creating a profound worship experience.

It is part of a compound programme; its precursory event is the trailblazer/year-end convention held during the day for constituents’ summaries and awards, after which patrons would pour into the center that evening for the show.

2025 Lineup Purposely themed ‘It ain’t over’, this year’s edition featured Trinidadian guitarist Kashiff

Wilson, and vocalists Surinamese Denice PiquePollard, UK-based Guyanese De Andre Ifill, Shaquana Goodluck, Summer Gentle, and other prolific acts.

Ifill, who is all too familiar with the event, detailed two dreams since fulfilled: having the opportunity to stand in the spotlight on that grand stage, and also being invited from abroad to feature again. The vocalist summed up Advent Praise as “a big thing.”

“Attending Advent Praise is one thing, but being able to participate in Advent Praise is a totally different thing. In my younger years when I used to attend Advent Praise, sitting in the balcony or wherever, I always envisioned myself standing there and performing, and being able to be backstage with all the other performing artistes.... it’s a surreal feeling. It’s a dream come true and a blessing,” the singer pitched.

The buildup Trizanna Atkins, who heads the AP committee, expressed her excitement to deliver the production for 2025 with all its stunning twists, concepts and surprises. She promised prior to the event that it will be seasoned with laughter, worship- an all-round good time. “This year’s production, I would say it has a bit of variety to it. We’ll be having a children’s choir....and for the first time we’ll be having a triangulation of our guest artistes,” the vocalist noted in the buildup to the grand concert.

Customarily, the lineup includes local acts and prominent guest artistes headlining- in most cases, a foreign performer. The chief organiser explained that instead of one individual being branded guest artiste, three individuals featured.

“We’re putting the three of them together. That is our main artistes presentation. That is something I’m excited about.”

A prime focus over the last few years has been that of engaging local acts. Special consideration was made for these this time around too, Atkins stated. “Our local performers who have been producing their own music.... we are this year creating a stage and an atmosphere for UK-based Guyanese De Andre Ifill returned home for Advent Praise, belting out some originals and classic reggae gospel.

Surinamese Denice Pique-Pollard dialogued with souls through her graceful renditions. them to feature their music so that our Adventist population and other denominations, they’re going to be able to hear good gospel music.”

Persons quickly snatched their tickets to be a part of the worship celebration.

Cometh the hour In every regard the perfect event to wrap up the year, many individuals finally exhaled. Advent Praise was here. Everything promised was graciously delivered to satisfied patrons, from the meticulous and masterful strumming of the guitar by Wilson, which proved all too magnetic to an enraptured audience which handed him his deserved adulation, to Pique-Pollard’s soulful and therapeutic rendering, coated with elements of her native dialect which massaged many hearts into sweet surrender.

Ifill swayed and thrilled the audience with his thicklayered vocals encased in a reggae-styled performance as a highlight of the evening, while Summer and Shaquana, with original pieces from their budding catalogues, witnessed from their individual spotlights through stirring testimonies transported by the mesmerism and flavor of their exquisite vocal prowess.

The dramatic performances had no deficiency of its intended effects, and the message it sought to convey was resoundingly clear to the well-engaged audience.

Every act of the evening measured up to satisfaction.

Atkins summarised the event as a success, aligning her opinions too to feedback garnered post-production.

“Persons would have said it was a good production…..It was a good production and we look forward to bettering next year. The crowd was very receptive, and the message came out in every aspect of the production.”

An abiding and beneficent integer Throughout its history, the event has lent its unique spotlight to many prominent acts. Figures the likes of Trinidadian Bj’orn Pierre, as well as Guyanese gospel heavyweights Samuel Medas, Saiku Andrews, musician Earl Bishop and saxophonist Roy Stewart, among others have created lasting musical Continued on page 28

Thursday December 25, 2025

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Pepperpot, Family, and Faith:

Thursday December 25, 2025

A GUYANESE CHRISTMAS IN NEW YORK CITY

By Tracey Khan

I

n New York City, Christmas arrives with many accents, rhythms, and flavors but for Guyanese New Yorkers, the holiday is a full-sensory celebration rooted in culture, family, and joy.

From Queens to Brooklyn, homes transform into lively hubs where Caribbean traditions meet city hustle, and Christmas

feels less like a single day and more like an entire season.

As Christmas approaches, Guyanese families across the city are putting the final touches on their preparations. The streets of New York are bustling with shoppers, men and women hunting for the perfect cuts of meat for Pepperpot, the beloved Guyanese Christmas staple.

Kitchens have turned

into command centers, filled with the unmistakable aroma of the rich, slow-cooked stew made with cassareep.

Passed down through generations, Pepperpot is often prepared on Christmas Eve and reheated for days, with each serving growing deeper in flavor. Paired with homemade bread, plait bread, or roti, it’s a dish that ensures no guest ever leaves hungry.

For wealth builder

Jennifer Rampersaud, Christmas morning starts early. This year, she’s hosting most of her relatives and friends.

From carefully set tables to lavish décor that begins outside her home, lined with beautifully decorated trees, her house is ready for celebration.

Though Rampersaud has spent most of her life in New York and has only visited Guyana once, she has never

Mikey Mohanlall’s home shines bright for the holidays—bringing Guyanese Christmas spirit to life with stunning decorations, family warmth, and festive cheer in New York let go of her roots. She holds her traditions close, ensuring her daughter and grandson, Saint, understand their heritage and experience it fully.

Faith also plays a central role. Many Guyanese churches host Christmas services the night before, reminding families of the true reason for the season.

On Christmas Day, families dress in their finest, gathering in gratitude and fellowship before returning home to celebrate.

Queens neighborhoods such as Richmond Hill, South Ozone Park, and Jamaica feel especially alive during the holidays. Homes and businesses glow with colorful lights, and gatherings stretch from living rooms to backyards—even in the cold.

For Mikey Mohanlall and his family, Christmas

means going all out. Known for their stunning decorations, their home fills with food, laughter, and relatives who gather to eat, reminisce, and share memories of life back home.

Food, of course, remains t h e s t a r. A l o n g s i d e Pepperpot, tables overflow with cook-up rice, fried fish, garlic pork, chow mein, black cake soaked in rum, sponge cake, and pine tarts.

Drinks flow just as freely, sorrel steeped with ginger and cloves, mauby, g i n g e r b e e r, a n d t h e occasional homemade rum blend that comes with a friendly warning.

Gift-giving is joyful, but togetherness comes first. A Guyanese Christmas in New York is about community.

Visitors come and go without formal invitations.

Continued on page 31

Thursday December 25, 2025

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Kaieteur News

Thursday December 25, 2025

‘What I asked Santa for this Christmas’ Other than the tasty food, drinks and sweet treats, what kids look forward to the most at every Christmas is what Santa has delivered.

Now while their wish list is as long as an arm, receiving gifts is truly the most fulfilling part for them this time of the year.

So, while we won’t reveal who this generous Santa is, here is a compilation of what kids want for Christmas, the Kaieteur News edition:

Name: Elijah George of Queenstown Village, Essequibo Coast Age: 3 years “For Christmas, I want gaming toys. I like playing games on phones, so I hope Santa brings me fun games and new toys to play with.”

Name: Rickayla Sutherland of Moraikobai Village Age: 7 years “I want a teddy bear for Christmas.”

Name: Sheamus Henry of Moraikobai Village Age: 7 years “I asked Santa to bring me a monster truck.”

Name: Divina Etwaroo of Mahaicony Age: 5 years “For Christmas I want a Barbie Doll.”

Name: Davonte Farley of Georgetown Age: 3 years “I want a tablet for Christmas.”

Name: Danika Adrian of Moraikobai Village Age: 9 years “For Christmas I asked Santa for a really big teddy bear.”

Name: Alyssa Clinton of Moraikobai Village Age: 3 years “I want Santa to bring me a make-up set.”

Name: Liam Da Silva Age: 4 years “I want a Nintendo Switch, a Bluey phone and a trampoline for Christmas. I also want to go to America to make snow angel and shop at Target.”

Name: Aden Bell of Industry Age: 5 years “I like to play with cars and trucks and I would like Santa to present me a monster truck.”

Thursday December 25, 2025

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Thursday December 25, 2025

‘Night of Carols’ The Guyana Police Force hosted its annual ‘Night of Carols’ at the Police Officers’ Mess Annexe, Younge Street, Eve Leary on Sunday night.

The event featured some of Guyana’s top artistes and members of the force who showcased their talents. The audience was thrilled with the various performances. See photos of the night’s event.

(Guyana Police Force photos)

Thursday December 25, 2025

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Thursday December 25, 2025

‘No place like home for Christmas’ …overseas-based Guyanese reflect on Christmas

Toshauna Logan Burke, Patrick Burke, and their son Patrick Jr, US-based Guyanese As sure as the numeral 6 comes after 5, one can count on a Guyanese to book a flight to return home from abroad for the Christmas holidays.

Factually, many would stock a suitcase or two and depart these local shores for an altogether different cultural expedition elsewhere for ‘the most wonderful time of the year’, but whether they hanker for the thrill of frolicking in the snow or nestling in the prospect of a more grandiose celebration in more advanced economies, one conviction rings true: there’s no place like home in Guyana for Christmas.

Granted, many Guyanese who sought the proverbial greener pastures beyond may well be awe-stricken by the modern infrastructural marvels arranged in a much more lavish context, or captivated by the architectural and geographical wonders that our budding little homeland holds as aspirations, yet at first hint of the season, families are homebound, because nothing gives the unique texture and thrill as celebrating Christmas in Guyana.

To g i v e v a l i d a t i o n t o t h e aforementioned, this publication engaged several overseas-based Guyanese on what defines Christmas here as opposed to in foreign land.

Toshauna Logan-Burke, USA Toshauna Logan-Burke, who recently migrated to the United States of America, emphatically sounded that the holiday vibes in her present location are strikingly different from what she is used to in her motherland. She reflected on the ambiance here, abundant with lively music and carols bearing a distinct Caribbean flavour drifting through almost every neighbourhood, store and passing vehicle, while the bustle of holiday shop-goers scouting for curtains and furniture, etc confirm that it is that time of the year. In comparison, LoganBurke related a much simpler, and in some regards, a more cautious indulgence of the festive energy there, as the winter season and its associated factors could prove threatening if one is not properly equipped for the outdoors.

Not to pour cold water on Christmas in a new country however, she did note that celebrating Christmas in a new setting simply creates new experiences, new memories and new magical moments. The 31-year-old, who also appreciated being able to wallow in a different season from what she is

accustomed to here, did not conceal her delight in snow-playing, a desirable delicacy ranked high on the checklist of many Guyanese who would have only seen snow in Christmas movies, etc.

Given that Guyana is a tropical country positioned well near the equator, we do not experience the natural phenomenon of snow, and our prospect of a ‘white Christmas’ stands naturally impossible. Be that so, the mother of one holds firmly that the holidays take on a sweeter thrill at home than abroad.

The US-based Guyanese was born in Georgetown, but had most of her upbringing in Kwakwani. She also spent a considerable amount of time in South Ruimveldt, and Friendship on the East Bank of Demerara, before moving permanently to the United States of America.

“There is no way that it is better than Guyanese Christmas, because Guyanese Christmas is just completely different.

Yo u f e e l m o r e w a r m t h , m o r e togetherness being with your family, very rich culturally I would say. That’s

definitely hard to replace or to replicate.

Being home for me feels more relaxed, more time to spend with family.”

Keeping her Guyanese Christmas culture and conventions very close to heart while oceans away, Logan-Burke ensures that the home atmosphere is permeated with the aroma of Christmas must-haves: pepperpot and traditional holiday treats such as black cake and sponge cake. These are but few of the seasonal pleasures for the family of three, which also features: “Prioritizing family time where you would come together, play games and have fun, certainly sharing with others w h e t h e r i t ’s t h r o u g h a c h u r c h organization or just donating things to those that are less fortunate during this season.”

This would be her third Christmas overseas. She presently lives with her husband Patrick Burke and her five-yearold son Patrick Burke Jr. Thankfully for her, this Christmas will have more Guyanese orientation and input, as several other family members will be

Dr. Selwyn Semple, his wife Athea and their two children, UK-based Guyanese

Dedrick Thompson, UK-based Guyanese

Abigail Robertson, Canadian-based Guyanese

stopping by. This, she gleefully expressed, “should feel a little more close to home.”

Selwyn Semple, England For Selwyn Semple, based in England with his four-member household, the holidays just do not strike with the profound and arresting appeal as when he was home in Guyana. The change of environment warranted methodical adaptation to the season there, but the memories of exhilarating engagements and customary pleasurable undertakings at this time, most of which have since been discontinued, are etched deeply in his mind, even as he submitted the fact that indeed, there’s no place like home in Guyana for Christmas. Commemorative preparation for him while home in Guyana was not merely concentrated on the particular day of Christmas itself, but encased Old Year’s Day into New Year’s Day, for which the time-honored activities of cleaning, decorating and cooking were executed without drudgery, but with much elation as a family unit.

“Of course I do miss Christmas in Guyana. I miss the part where I could actually help with the cleaning up or preparation of the Christmas season….I literally enjoyed the part where we used to be scrubbing the steps, not with those fancy brushes, but we had the wire brush, or the pot scrubber. I enjoyed ensuring that the plant pots were painted.

Basically, I enjoyed the preparation part Continued on page 30

Thursday December 25, 2025

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Memories of Guyana Christmas of 1960s and 70s Victoria masqueraders entertaining in the streets

One of the many masquerade bands

By Dr Vishnu Bisram In the diaspora, Christmas and the end of year season is being observed by every Guyanese. (Size of the diaspora is not known but estimated a million in USA, half a million in Canada, quarter million in UK and Europe, quarter million in the Caribbean, Brazil, French Guiana, and Suriname and thousands more elsewhere).

Growing up in Guyana, Christmas season has always been the most favorite time of the year for all, especially children, regardless of ethnicity and faith. It was and still is the most wonderful time of the year filled with fond memories, customs, traditions unique to the Guyanese or West Indian culture — welcoming Father Christmas, masquerade bands, fun, laughter, food, family, friends, toys, gifts, playing, new movies, horse racing, new clothing, etc.

Communities and ethnic groups, including nonChristians, developed their own ways of celebrating the season. During this time of the year, people lived well.

There was no animosity or tension among the different religious and racial groups.

Everyone was extra kind, loving, generous. Race didn't come in the way to help others. It was a magical time of year when everybody became friendly and loving.

Whether they observed Christmas or not, people were in the hustle and bustle of the season with everyone making preparation to close out the old year and welcome the New Year.

From Vatican City (my third visit in multiple trips to

Italy with the first in 1985 on a scholarship studying comparative religions), observing Christians paying tribute to their God and people shopping, wining, dining, sightseeing and having a wonderful time, my thoughts, reflections, and memories harped back to growing up in rural Guyana and celebrating the season.

Everyone in Guyana celebrated the season regardless of financial status. The experiences have been etched deeply in memory and has become unforgettable. Christmas was peaceful and entertaining; today, there is so much hate and violence on account of differences and power play.

Communities and countries are being destroyed for power and resources.

Modern, cultural invasion from North America have outrun the country. Rising standards of living and gifts from North America from friends and families have changed the Christmas landscape during the time I grew up in the 1969s and 1970s in Ankerville, a sub village of larger Port Mourant, once the largest Plantation and village in Guyana, home of the great Cheddi Jagan, our hero.

I remember as a youth the various measures taken to prepare for the season.

Homes were festooned with simple decorations except for white managers' houses on sugar estates. The inside and outside of the home was spruced up. Everyone had to play their part in what was really a huge spring-cleaning at the end of the year. There was the cutting of grass and bushes, trimming of plants, sweeping and cleaning

around the yard, whitewashing of trees base and curb, and stones around the house and plants. People swept their dirt yards clean of dust with their coconut broom. Every house got a fresh coat of paint or white lime. There was a friendly competition of best looked home. If not cleaned, people said unkind things of your home.

New carpets Inside the home, bed sheets were washed or changed, oftentimes replaced by fancy patterns that is holiday related. Cloth had to be washed and starched and ironed stiff in all their neatness and creative glory to look great on different surfaces. Every single piece of curtain or drapery had to be taken down, washed, and prepared for hanging unless replaced by new ones. Live seats, cushions, seats and sets were also cleaned and with coverings that give a 'Christmassy' feeling.

Crochet and or purchased table cloths and flowers and other decorations were taken out from storage for the countertops and tables; ditto runners for the dressers, linen for the window blinds, and related decorations for every other such thing that are required for sprucing up inside and outside the home.

New carpets were bought or the old one properly cleaned to look new. Wooden floors were polished and kept spicy and span. Flowers were used to decorate trees in front of the house and also placed on tables. We made our own toys in school or at home to play with. We made our own decorations at school and our own Santa Claus. At school, we colored decorations and

cards and took home for loved ones.

Crockery, cutler, and glasses in the cabinet was taken out, washed, and put out for use. Special basins or buckets were cleaned for preparation of cakes, breads pastries, etc.

This was the time for making Christmas fruitcake, black and rich with fruits and rum, and the delicious sponge cake, both of which involved a lot of work. The kids were tasked with washing the (salted) butter, groaning and complaining, but it had to be washed for baking the cake and bread as per the elder's directive or else no cake or bread, bun, pastry and ginger bear (sorrel) for those who didn't help. And we get to lick the bowls with the leftover mix. sibling fights to get a share of the cake drippings. Most cakes were made with regular unsalted butter and imported or local dried fruits. People preferred foreign fruits like prunes, cherries, citrons, currants, raisins, etc.

They were so delicious.

The cake and pastries and the bread with cheese went well with sweet drink or pool aid. That was a time when drinks were sold in small glass bottles that were recycled. Red drinks like kola champagne and cream soda were my favourites.

One bottle of drinks was shared by three or four mouths unless you buy your own drinks with your holiday 'frek'. Besides aerated drinks, there was homemade drinks like ginger beer, sorrel, mauby.

Sorrel was always plentiful this time of the year. These drinks are available in stores over the last couple decades.

The adults engaged in drinking spirits including beer and wine. Females hardly drank spirits unlike

today. Boys didn't touch alcohol unlike today. We cut a good cut arse from the adults (any adult) if we got caught smoking or drinking spirits. It was only soft drinks.

At the Anglican or English School, I attended in Port Mourant, a largely Indian school, we (Hindus, Muslims, everyone) were forced to attend church.

(African kids went to nearby Scot school in Rose Hall or Roman Catholic school in Portuguese Quarter; many Indians also went to those two schools. We were handed sheets of carols to be sung. We practiced or rehearsed in classrooms.

And in the church in the mornings, we sang carols including: ”Oh Holy Night,” “Away in a Manger,”, “Star of Wonder, “12 Days of Christmas”, “We wish you a Merry Christmas”, and others.

In early grades, we brought a few cents and an egg as requested by our classroom teacher. And on the last day of school, the teachers organized parties.

We were served with cakes, soft drinks or pine drink or lemonade, toys like whistles, dolls, balloons, among others. There was usually also a school concert of singing, caroling, Bollywood dancing, plays, poetry, magic, etc.

For those who could afford it. Christmas lights were hung on everything.

Electric Current was not reliable and many could not afford lights or current that was very costly. Almost no one had an imported Christmas tree, but some homes strung lights on windows, inside and outside.

The bushes and trees were not spared. We were just fascinated by the lights at some homes as we walked around the village.

Christmas was a time for special music and masquerade bands. Radio stations played special Christmas songs not only western music including (reggae, calypso) but Indian Christmas related Bollywood songs. The music started three weeks before and continued till a d a y a f t e r N e w Ye a r.

Masquerade bands made their way in the villages (Ankerville, Free Yard, etc.) as well from nearby town of Rose Hall. They played music instruments sang and pranced through the streets of Rose Hall town onto neighboring villages. People got into the infectious rhythms and gave them coins for a wonderful performance.

Shopping gifts One of the biggest and most profound memories is going out in Christmas Eve to shop for late hour gifts and enjoy ice cream at Harris store in Rose Hall. The small town was bright. There were actually lights. There was a sea of colors related to the season. The atmosphere was electric and vibrant. There was the enchanting and or sweet smell of so many goodies—aromatic smell of channa, black eye cakes, sponge cake, ice cream, hot peanuts, and drinks was mesmerizing. The atmosphere was reverberating with a cacophony of sounds from all directions. Vendors shouting to market their toys and noise crackers or light or even foods. Many visitors came from far away for snacks. Many also went for midnight mass at the Anglican or Catholic or Scottish or Presbyterian church. The churches hosted nativity plays or scenes that the publish visited.

Christmas Eve was a time (Continued on page 26)

Kaieteur News

PAGE 26

Thursday December 25, 2025

BEYOND THE RUNWAY.... Entering a New

Year With Intention and Vision

By Sonia Noel

A

s we move beyond the Christmas season, I trust that many of us experienced moments of j o y, c o n n e c t i o n , a n d reflection.

My Christmas this year was very simple. It was not about elaborate plans or excess. It was about celebrating with loved ones in the most meaningful way.

Love was present and palpable. It was clear how deeply we care for one another, and I found myself overwhelmed with gratitude for my family.

As the decorations come down and the calendar begins to turn, we naturally shift our focus toward what lies ahead.

Even if Christmas did not unfold exactly as planned or if the gifts were not what we expected, there is still so much to be grateful for. Life itself is a gift.

This transition between years is a powerful time. It offers us the opportunity to reflect honestly and to become intentional about our next steps. As we close one chapter and prepare to open another, there are important questions worth asking ourselves.

What worked for me this past year. What did not.

Where did I grow ? Where did I hold back? How did I invest my time, my energy, and my emotional currency?

Who did I become along the way?

These questions are not meant to overwhelm us.

They are meant to ground us.

Reflection is not about living in the past. It is about learning from it so we can move forward with clarity and purpose.

This season of reflection has been especially meaningful for me. I have intentionally chosen to take a sabbatical. This is not a pause born out of exhaustion, but one rooted in purpose. It is a time I have set aside to go deeper into my mission, my vision, my core

values, and my purpose.

I have always valued the importance of pausing to reflect, but this season feels different.

It feels more intentional.

During this time, I am stepping away from constant engagement and social media, creating space to study the Bible more deeply, to listen more attentively, and to focus on becoming a better version of myself.

This sabbatical is about alignment. It is about ensuring that who I am becoming internally matches the work I am called to do externally. It is about g r o w t h , c l a r i t y, a n d obedience to the next level of purpose.

I will be ending my sabbatical one week before the Vision Life Book event, and I am truly looking forward to serving from a place of overflow, clarity, and renewed purpose. I am coming full, grounded, and ready to pour into others from a place of intentional preparation.

As I reflect on vision, I am reminded that vision is not just about goals or achievements. Vision is about direction. It answers the question of who we are becoming and how we choose to live our lives.

Over the years, I have facilitated vision board parties , and I have witnessed powerful manifestations come from them.

Vi s i o n b o a r d s a r e beautiful tools. They are visual and inspiring. They help us see what we desire and keep our dreams in front of us. However, as I continue to grow, I felt a strong nudge to take this work a step further.

This is where the Vision Life Book comes in.

A vision board focuses primarily on visuals. It answers the question of what we want. A Vision Life Book goes deeper. It helps us explore why we want what we want and how we plan to move toward it.

A Vision Life Book is a

structured and intentional guide for our life. It combines vision, reflection, journaling, planning, affirmations, and action steps in one place. It is not something you create and forget. It becomes a companion that grows with you and evolves as you do.

One of the greatest advantages of a Vision Life Book is depth.

It allows us to look honestly at every area of your life. It helps align our vision with our values and our daily actions. It encourages clarity rather than confusion and intention rather than reaction. Another powerful benefit is that a vision board can be extracted from a Vision Life Book.

Instead of starting with images alone, you begin with clarity. You reflect. You write.

Yo u d e f i n e y o u r intentions. From there, you create visuals that truly represent what you are intentionally building. This creates alignment between what you see and what you are working toward.

I speak about this with confidence because I have lived it. Creating my own Vision Life Book had a profound impact on my 2025 journey.

It helped me stay focused during moments of uncertainty. It guided my decision making. It reminded me of my priorities when distractions arose. It gave structure to my vision and direction to my actions.

Because of that experience, I am deeply excited to share this process with others. From January 16th to 18th, I will be hosting the Vision Life Book experience both in person and online.

You can participate from anywhere in the world, and you only need to choose one day to attend. Whether you join us virtually or in person, the experience is designed to be reflective, empowering, and practical.

This is not about rushing

Nandlall signals major legal...

From page 12 have already begun, with input from legal professionals, the accounting profession, and the Private Sector Commission. Another law Nandlall discussed was the Trust Act. He pointed out that Guyana currently lacks a formal Trust Act, which is essential for the country's

growing economy and expanding financial sector.

“The doctrine of trust and the machinery of trust are crucial components of equity law and are used for a variety of purposes,” he said.

"As our economy continues to grow and our financial sector becomes more sophisticated, it is important to have the legal

mechanisms that a Trust Act provides to protect our financial system."

Nandlall emphasised that these changes are necessary to ensure that Guyana's legal framework remains modern, competitive, and capable of handling the demands of a rapidly evolving global economy.

into a new year with resolutions that fade within weeks. It is about taking the time to design your life with clarity and purpose. It is about creating a blueprint that supports your growth throughout the year and beyond.

Scripture reminds us of the importance of vision.

Where there is no vision, the people perish. Proverbs 29 verse 18.

Vision gives direction.

Without it, we drift. With it, we move intentionally.

Dr Myles Munroe taught that vision is even more vital than sight. He described vision as a divine blueprint from God and the source of purpose, discipline, and motivation.

Vision allows you to see potential and what could be, not just what is. He often reminded us that the greatest gift given to humanity is not sight but vision, and he emphasized that if your vision dies with you, then you have not fulfilled your assignment.

One of my personal guiding quotes reflects this truth deeply.

When we keep a positive mindset through temporary setbacks, envision our future beyond present circumstances, and put God first, we unlock our full potential and attract the people aligned with our

purpose and vision. As we step into a new year, my encouragement is simple.

Take time to reflect. Ask yourself meaningful questions. Get clear about who you are becoming.

Choose tools that support intentional living, not just momentary inspiration.

If you feel called to explore a deeper level of vision and alignment, I would love for you to join us for the Vision Life Book experience.

An early bird special is available before December

31st. For more information or to register, you may email me at sonianoel@gmail.com or message me on WhatsApp at 592 684 8129. As we move beyond the runway, beyond the celebrations, and into a new season, may we do so with clarity, intention, faith, and love.

Vision is not just about the year ahead. It is about the life we are intentionally creating.I will love for you to share your vision with me as we celebrate this beautiful journey called life BEYOND THE RUNWAY.

Memories of Guyana Christmas...

From page 25 when boys were allowed to roam the village late at night without being flogged.

Few had a fridge which worked with kerosene.

Lights were a luxury for the poor. So, people prepared fresh foods. It was a time to purchase special items for holiday dishes —goat, mutton, duck, chicken.

Some families killed a goat or sheep and shared the meat with neighbors and families and friends.

The meat, usually mutton, would be cut up and seasoned for a few hours, then cooked as a spicy curry with potatoes which Guyanese love. Dhal was a must in almost every celebration. Rice has been a staple for over a century.

Phulourie and or bara and boiled channa were served before lunch or dinner and available throughout Christmas and New Year Day. Families and friends visited each other unannounced bringing cakes

and dhal puri and curried mutton or duck or chicken. I remember African friends from Rose Hall visiting Ankerville and other parts of Port Mourant, an almost exclusive Indian village.

They engaged in drinks and snacks.

I remember very well shops selling varied brands of wine imported from Madeira, peardrax, cydrax, nuts, chocolate, apples, grapes, cheese, and so many other items that were popular during the season.

Bellyful of happiness There was a bellyful of sheer happiness from a simple meal of dhal, rice, curry. dal puri, bara, phulourie, chowmein, cake, and drinks, etc. If lucky, we had a taste of wall nut and a small slice of red apple and a grape and a piece of Cadbury chocolate from England.

Boxing Day and New Year's Day celebrations were a repeat of Christmas Day. On Christmas, and or Boxing Day, and or New Year's Day we gathered around the

radios to listen to recorded messages from families overseas hoping our parent's name would be mentioned in holiday greetings.

The messages came from USA, UK, and Canada.

There was no TV until the late 1990s.

On Christmas Day, we went to the cinema to watch a newly released Indian film.

On Boxing Day, there was horse racing. In the other days, boys would go playing cricket or play around the village with their toy guns or wood guns that they made or play with yo-yo.

In the evenings, we burned and spun steel wool and star lights as our local fireworks. Oh yes, it was a wonderful, joyful time of the year. It still is. However, you celebrate the season, whatever customs and rituals you engage in, make every effort to enjoy the family, friends and have fun and show respect for others.

Please also share something with the less fortunate as we did in the old times.

Kaieteur News

Thursday December 25, 2025

PAGE 27

Extra pay or enduring wealth?

Expert urges structured use of bonus for disciplined services Following President Irfaan Ali's announcement of an additional month's salary for members of Guyana's disciplined services, Financial Readiness and Corporate Wealth Educator Athalyah Yisrael is urging a structured, cost-neutral approach to ensure the added income creates lasting benefits for ranks and their families.

Yisrael, Co-Founder of Outliers Zone Caribbean, emphasised that financial readiness is not about earning more, but about managing income with intention. “Financial readiness is the ability of individuals and families to meet today's obligations while deliberately preparing for future needs, risks, and opportunities—without financial stress or reliance on crisis support,” she explained. “In practical terms, income must be structured, not reactive.” She noted that additional income presents a critical choice.

“It can be treated as a short-term reward for past service, or it can be treated as a seed—an intentional investment in a family's future financial security.”

Without structure, Yisrael warned, extra income often disappears into immediate expenses, leaving long-term vulnerability unchanged. “In agriculture, if everything harvested is consumed and nothing is replanted, sustainability becomes impossible,” she said.

“Money works the same way. What is not structured cannot multiply.” Over the past eight years, Outliers Zone Caribbean has partnered with 42 organizations, supporting more than 3,000 employees in moving from paycheckto-paycheck living to structured money management and asset building—without salary increases or added payroll costs.

At the center of the organization's proposal is a Financial Readiness framework that guides ranks to intentionally allocate income across five strategic compartments: Tithe, Invest, Save, Donate, and Spend.

This model ensures that every dollar serves both present needs and long-term stability, reframing income as a tool for growth rather than consumption. “This

approach helps ranks see money not simply as something to spend, but as a resource to steward,” Yisrael said. “When income is structured intentionally, families reduce stress, build security, and strengthen independence.” The framework is further reinforced by Outliers Zone Caribbean's 7F's Holistic Financial Wellness Model, which expands financial readiness beyond money management to include Faith, Fitness, Family, Finance, Fun and Fulfillment, Future, and Friends.

This holistic lens enables disciplined service members to align not only their income, but also their time, energy, and resources toward building a meaningful and financially resilient legacy.

Designed specifically for the disciplined services, the Financial Readiness and Wealth Education initiative aims to strengthen financial discipline and resilience, reduce money-related stress and distraction, increase the real economic value of salaries, and enhance morale, focus, and long-term workforce readiness.

When Children Are Trusted...

From page 13 introduced to core concepts such as requirements gathering, user stories, wireframing, prototyping, testing for edge cases, and ethical responsibility when building tools that impact real people. The lesson was clear. AI is powerful, but it still requires human judgment, clarity, and accountability.

In structure and rigor, the 'Genius Creators' class stands comfortably alongside respected youth innovation programs globally.

In the United States, initiatives such as MIT Beaver Works Summer Institute emphasize hands-on, project-based learning where students solve real-world problems through building and iteration. In Canada, Shad has become a national benchmark for experiential STEAM and entrepreneurship education focused on teamwork and leadership. In the United Kingdom, the CREST Awards framework centers research, design, and applied problem-solving. Across Europe, initiatives such as EIT Climate-KIC Young Innovators explicitly prepare students to become changemakers through challenge-based innovation.

This comparison matters because it underscores a central truth. Guyanese children, when given access to first-class learning environments, are fully capable of performing at global standards. The education these students are receiving is not

remedial or aspirational. It is competitive.

Research consistently supports this kind of learning. Empirical studies on projectbased and inquiry-driven education show improvements in academic achievement, motivation, higher-order thinking, collaboration, and problem-solving skills.

Students engaged in authentic, multidisciplinary projects demonstrate deeper understanding and stronger longterm retention than peers taught through rote instruction. These are precisely the competencies demanded by top universities and future-facing careers.

The organization's intention is clear.

They are preparing students not only for competitive college applications, but for leadership in any field they choose to enter.

According to the organization's Director, Karen Abrams, “The Genius Creators class represents a pipeline strategy for developing the next generation of innovators, thinkers, builders, and advocates. It affirms that innovation is not reserved for a select few or for later in life. It begins when children are trusted with responsibility, challenged with real problems, and supported by educators who believe in their capacity.”

What this class proved, beyond any doubt, is that Guyana's students are already standing shoulder to shoulder with young innovators around the world. The future is not something they are waiting to inherit. It is something they are actively building.

“This is about protecting the intent behind the Government's investment in i t s p e o p l e , ” Yi s r a e l concluded. “With the right structure, this additional income can become a foundation for generational stability—not temporary relief.” Outliers Zone Caribbean has formally requested the opportunity to present this cost-neutral Financial Readiness framework to national leadership and relevant agencies.

Last week President announced the one-month tax-free bonus for members of the joint services while delivering an address at the annual Christmas Luncheon hosted by the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) at Camp Stephenson in Timehri.

He acknowledged the bravery and dedication of servicemen and women t h r o u g h o u t t h e y e a r, especially in protecting the nation's sovereignty, which he underscored cannot be measured in dollars and cents. The President said, “Every member of the force, regardless of rank, is essential to its strength and success and that respect flow in all directions. Every rank has its role and every role has its value.

Every contribution matter, from the newest

recruit to the most senior officer, the force operates as a single body with each part dependent on the other for strength and success…on behalf of the people of Guyana I thank you most sincerely for your service.”

To t h i s e n d , h e announced that the onemonth tax-free bonus will benefit more than 13,000 members of the disciplined services and will cost the treasury $2.1B. In prefacing his announcement, Ali pointed out the measures implemented by the government to compensate the disciplined services. He noted that over the last five years, his government has not only restored the payment of a one-month taxfree bonus but increased salaries, accelerated promotions, improved working conditions and expanded training opportunities.

He pointed out that the force over the past year continued to distinguish itself through its professionalism, disciple and dedication to duty and fulfilled its responsibility with resolve, often in demanding circumstances. “ Yo u h a v e p r o t e c t e d Guyana's borders, you have safe guarded our territorial integrity, you have upheld our sovereignty.

These are not abstract

Financial Readiness and Corporate Wealth Educator Athalyah Yisrael achievements nor are they matters that can be measured in dollars and cents.”

Ali went on to point out that the Christmas season deepens the meaning of the forces' responsibilities. “The message of Christmas does not deny the existence of conflict or danger but it insists that peace remains possible. Even in a troubled world when wisdom prevails over impulse and justice over force. As we celebrate this moment, let us remain alert to threats to peace even as we recommit ourselves to preserving it,” he urged.

The one-month tax-free bonus for members of the joint services came one day after the President announced that government will not be paying out a cash grant to the wider Guyanese population ahead of Christmas, although he previously hinted on the campaign trail that “you will have a bright Christmas.”

Public servants such as doctors, nurses and teachers will be expected for the first time in years to meet holiday expenses without any additional revenue from government to cushion their high expenses.

Kaieteur News

PAGE 28

Thursday December 25, 2025

EMBRACING LOSS TO LEADERSHIP…

Sir La Cruiz Joe and the Work of Belief in Paramakatoi’s Students

I

n Paramakatoi, education is not an abstract idea. It is lived. It is walked, waited for, translated, shared, and earned.

La Cruiz Joe, a teacher and coach at the Paramakatoi Learning Pod, understands this intimately. His journey into education was shaped early by loss.

Three years before he sat the Common Entrance examination, his mother passed away, leaving behind a newborn and children who had to grow up quickly. As the eldest child, responsibility arrived before readiness.

Grief followed him through primary and secondary school, weighing on both his confidence and his academic performance. For years, he underperformed, not because of a lack of ability, but because pain has a way of dulling belief.

What changed his trajectory was not punishment or pressure, but people. An aunt and uncle who provided patience and stability. A welfare officer who paid attention and intervened when it mattered.

Adults who saw promise even when results lagged. When La Cruiz Joe began to understand that others genuinely believed in him, he began to work harder and believe in himself. His grades improved, but more importantly, his sense of self returned. That experience now defines how he teaches. His grandparents, who raised him, were illiterate. They never attended school, could not speak English, and could not write.

Still, they believed deeply in education. They ensured school attendance every day, made sure

Students hard at work at the Paramakatoi Learning Pod

meals were ready, and reminded the children that farming life, while honorable, was hard.

School was often far, nearly forty minutes away in the farm area, and staying at the village home was rare. Education was treated as the doorway to opportunity, even if they themselves never passed through it. Like many young people, La Cruiz Joe went through a rebellious phase.

What stayed constant was guidance. People continued to support him, correct him, and offer second chances.

When he entered the teaching profession, he quickly recognized familiar patterns in his students.

Many were navigating grief, poverty, language barriers, and self-doubt. He began sharing his own story openly, not to seek sympathy, but to show what perseverance looks like in real terms. That honesty created trust.

Students listened because they felt seen. When he is not teaching or

coaching, La Cruiz Joe prioritizes time with his children. Loss has taught him that time is not guaranteed. Weekends are often spent on the farm, planting or harvesting to support the household. These moments are grounding. They reinforce the values he brings into the classroom; discipline, care, and responsibility.

The realities of education in Paramakatoi are demanding.

The community relies on one secondary school to serve several villages. Dormitories and classrooms are overcrowded, as many students must board to attend school. Internet access depends on unstable satellite connections, where even sending a simple message can take time. There is no fully equipped information technology lab, despite students’ eagerness to learn. Transportation is costly and unreliable, especially during the rainy season. For many students, English is a second language, with Patamona and

Macushi spoken first. Some children walk up to an hour daily to reach school. Others live away from home from as young as eleven. Citizens understand that teaching in Paramakatoi requires resilience, adaptability, and cultural sensitivity.

Resources that coastal schools take for granted are often unavailable. Parental involvement is limited, and students struggle with English and Mathematics under difficult conditions. Yet La Cruiz Joe remains motivated because he knows success is still possible. He is living proof. The Paramakatoi Learning Pod exists because of the kind sponsorship of the MODEC company and the collective efforts of students, parents and Ms. Krystal Fisher, a fellow teacher whose leadership plays a vital role in bringing the learning pod into the school and who continues to support the pod

La Cruiz Joe, a teacher and coach at the Paramakatoi Learning Pod daily. Ms Fisher’s commitment has helped sustain the program and strengthen its impact within the community.

For La Cruiz Joe, teaching is not about ideal conditions. It is about showing up anyway. It is about standing with students as they navigate hardship and helping them believe, sometimes for the first time, that their circumstances do not define their future. In Paramakatoi, that belief is not theoretical. It is practiced, every day, in classrooms filled with determination.

Advent Praise 2025...

From page 16 memories at the significant event.

The National Cultural Center in Georgetown has been home to Advent Praise for decades, but the event had a temporary relocation to the nearby Olivet SDA Church, due to the protocols surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic. Under new arrangements then, the event was meticulously coordinated with in-house performers for an online audience. This welcome improvisation was done in 2020 and again in 2021, but the feverish crave for the outdoor return of the production was an SDA pandemic in its own right.

Ever satisfied, ever desiring more “This is not just an Adventist audience, it’s a wide variety. And that support system, that joy, that excitement and the fact that people look forward to this production every single year, that is what drives us. It’s not just that. It’s worship at the end of the day, and any avenue, any event, any large gathering that can cause persons in a room to just have that one moment together praising God,

that is what pushes us to do what we do when we plan and when we prepare for the programme” Atkins affirmed.

Indeed, the concert reels in a net of every identification and smashes demographic barriers with its immense appeal to man, woman, boy and girl of all ages.

Ordinarily, as the last note of the evening fades into oblivion and the concert is wrapped up, merry hearts file out of the facility satisfied.

Almost immediately, however, there is a marked dullness that consumes many who hankers for the next event, ever wanting more of the beloved event. From rousing vocals and catchy lyrics that fasten themselves to the mind and escape the lips without conscious prompt, to punchlines from scenes that becomes popular byword for weeks, and the songs that worked emotional surgeries on an entire audience, this writer can attest to the heartbreak of its conclusion, and the anticipation that haunts for an entire year just for another experience of what’s truly the greatest night in Guyana’s Adventist sphere....

Advent Praise.

Thursday December 25, 2025

Kaieteur News

PAGE 29

PAHO’s year in health: 10 HIGHLIGHTS FROM 2025

P

A H O ’ s epidemiological intelligence activities analyzed more than 1.8 million signals and detected 128 new public health events, issuing early alerts to address threats such as avian influenza A(H5N1), yellow fever, pertussis, dengue, chikungunya, oropouche, influenza, and other respiratory viruses. In Colombia, a PAHO-led training on epizootic surveillance enabled the detection of a yellow fever outbreak based on three dead primates, preventing its spread to urban areas.

Countries across the region s t r e n g t h e n e d v e c t o r, laboratory, and community surveillance, reinforcing preparedness for health emergencies.

Progress in disease elimination The regional initiative to eliminate more than 30 diseases and related conditions by 2030 delivered concrete results: Brazil eliminated mother-to-child transmission of HIV, and Suriname was certified malaria-free.

Barbados, The Bahamas, and the Turks and Caicos Islands requested verification of elimination of mother-to-child transmission of HIV, and

syphilis—which has been increasing since 2020—and launched a new regional alliance to accelerate HIV elimination.

Sustaining immunization gains amid measles setbacks Although the Region of the Americas lost its measles elimination certification due to a prolonged outbreak in Canada, other countries in the region strengthened catch-up campaigns and surveillance, while maintaining achievements such as 31 years free of polio.

PAHO noted that while coverage for measles, mumps, rubella, and hepatitis B improved, more than 1.4 million children did not receive routine vaccines in 2024 and renewed the call to close these gaps. The Region leads globally in HPV vaccination, with 76% coverage among girls under 15, and Cuba became the last country in the Region to introduce HPV vaccination in 2025. Nevertheless, PAHO emphasized the need to sustain efforts to reach the g l o b a l t a rg e t o f 9 0 % coverage, a key goal for advancing the elimination of cervical cancer.

Emergencies: Hurricane Melissa and cholera in Haiti Hurricane Melissa tested

Chile requested verification of leprosy elimination.

Progress was also made toward the eradication of foot-and-mouth disease, with Bolivia and Brazil certified free of the disease without vaccination, and the Tr a c h o m a E l i m i n a t i o n Initiative was strengthened in nine countries in its second year, as part of a partnership with the Government of Canada.

PAHO introduced a technical tool to guide the best buys to disease elimination, a regional agreement to eliminate

Caribbean resilience. PAHO deployed technical teams and more than 23 tons of supplies to support Jamaica, Haiti, and Cuba, including 16 Emergency Medical Teams. Jamaica’s Smart Hospitals—retrofitted by PAHO and the United Kingdom—remained operational under Category 5 winds.

I n H a i t i , PA H O strengthened surveillance and response to a cholera outbreak, with 372 suspected cases and 17 deaths between September and November 2 0 2 5 . PA H O a l s o

inaugurated an Emergency Operations Center in Barbados to coordinate preparedness and response in the Caribbean.

Progress toward health self-reliance Argentina and Brazil expanded mRNA vaccine production capacity, and PAHO’s Revolving Funds delivered more than 200 million doses and expanded pooled procurement of diagnostics, treatments, and telehealth kits. PAHO launched its High-Cost Medicines Policy to improve access to therapies for rare and chronic diseases.

Notable milestones include the production of the PCV20 pneumococcal vaccine in Argentina and making the 9valent HPV vaccine available in 2025, to prevent cervical cancer.

These initiatives are consolidating a regional production hub that benefits Latin America and the Caribbean.

In addition, Brazil signed an agreement with PAHO’s Revolving Funds to update vaccines.

Preventing suicide through new regional initiative In response to a 17% increase in suicide death rate since 2000—the only region globally with a rising trend—PAHO launched an initiative to strengthen national plans, expand community-based mental health services, reduce stigma, and train health teams in early detection.

PAHO also joined the first Inter-American Mental Health Week with the OAS and launched an online course to improve the mental health care of children and adolescents in primary health care.

Noncommunicable diseases: Better Care for NCDs PAHO launched the initiative’s learning pathway, integrating more than 50 courses and reaching 360,000 trainees in 2025, including over 34,000 certified in the introductory course.

More than 10,000 primary health care facilities now implement HEARTS for hypertension and cardiovascular risk management.

T h e n e w H E A RT S Quality Framework, published in The Lancet Regional Health – Americas, provides a scalable model to improve blood pressure

control. Through a new report developed with Harvard, PAHO warned of t h e h e a l t h a n d macroeconomic burdens of noncommunicable diseases and mental health conditions i n S o u t h America—including cardiovascular disease, cancer, and diabetes—which remain the leading causes of death in the Americas. In this context, diabetes is one of the fastest-growing diseases in the Region.

To strengthen the quality of diabetes care, PAHO launched the course Caring for People with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus in Primary Health Care.

In addition, with the Organization’s support, nine countries are intensifying efforts to curb overweight and obesity, which affect 67.5% of adults and 37.6% of children and adolescents in the Americas.

Digital transformation accelerating access and surveillance Through the PanAmerican Highway for Digital Health, promoted with the IDB, 20 countries advanced integration of artificial intelligence, telehealth, and interoperability to strengthen decision-making and service delivery. Bolivia received 20 telehealth kits and five maternal-fetal m o n i t o r s v i a PA H O ’s

Revolving Funds to expand teleconsultations and remote monitoring in rural and hardto-reach areas. The ultraportable telehealth kits launched this year and available at one-fifth the cost of purchasing equipment separately, help expand access, improve continuity of care and decision-making, and ensure timely specialized diagnoses, especially in isolated communities.

Strengthening primary health care—PHC A report by the World B a n k – PA H O L a n c e t Regional Health – Americas Commission presented a five-point plan to improve resilient, people-centered primary health care (PHC) that protects health during and after emergencies.

PHC is the most inclusive, equitable, and cost-effective approach to improving physical and mental health. In addition, the Alliance for Primary Health Care, led by PAHO with the World Bank and the IDB, welcomed Chile, El Salvador, Panama, and Paraguay. As part of their accession, the countries established consultative platforms to coordinate investments, strengthen integrated services, and advance more equitable health systems. In El Salvador, a US$120 million project was launched to

expand access to PHC—the first loan negotiated under the Alliance.

Canada, the European Union, France, Korea, the Netherlands, Spain, and the United Kingdom; financial institutions such as CAF, the IDB, and the World Bank; and international agencies and funds including the Gates Foundation, Unitaid, the India–UN Development Partnership Fund, CEPI, and the WHO Foundation, among others, deepened partnerships with PAHO on immunization, resilient health systems, regional vaccine production, emergency response, and pandemic preparedness.

Strategic agreements were signed to expand access to health services, strengthen regulatory systems, organ donation, emergency response, and regulatory harmonization across Latin America and the Caribbean.

These joint efforts multiply the impact of health actions throughout the Region.

PAHO’s commitment to a healthier 2026 “Looking ahead to 2026, PA H O r e a f f i r m s i t s commitment to leaving no one behind,” said PAHO Director Dr. Jarbas Barbosa in his year-end message.

“Health is the foundation of development, security, economic stability, and social resilience.” This commitment, together with regional cooperation, will be realized in 2026 and beyond t h r o u g h PA H O ’s n e w Strategic Plan 2026–2031, approved by Member States in September 2025.

The Plan sets clear objectives: addressing NCDs, mental health, health security, system fragmentation, and the e l i m i n a t i o n o f communicable diseases, with measurable impacts such as reducing maternal mortality, lowering suicide rates, and eliminating diseases like leprosy and C h a g a s disease—consolidating health gains for all people in the Americas.

PAGE 30

Thursday December 25, 2025

Kaieteur News

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From page 24 of the entire holiday…it’s not just not Christmas, because even though we would prepare in time for Christmas, it was more about the Old Year’s Day and New Year’s Day,” Dr. Semple shared.

It is not likely that persons would be washing their houses where he is, or scrubbing wooden steps, he explained. Prior to their migration, Semple, a former nurse attached to the New Amsterdam Regional Hospital, resided in the New Amsterdam, Berbice community of Angoy’s Avenue with his wife Athea Semple, a former school teacher. Together they are gracefully nurturing their two children.

Asked what particular feature of his local holiday practice is maintained since he migrated, he explained that spending is norm for him whether in his homeland or where he is currently. “Both Guyana and the UK requires you to spend.”

Semple, a medical doctor, is strong on the notion of family bonding, mirroring the previously highlighted speaker, and notwithstanding being away from most of his extending family members and being extracted from his cultural base, the season is upheld as a time for closeness, even though there is a cultural scaling back on what was a constant for him.

“I would zero in on the point of family. In Guyana, during this season, family definitely was a big thing.

Family came first, and even though I’m in England, I continue to maintain that family comes first. Not just during this period, but the entire year.

However, around this period, the emphasis is mostly placed on family,” Semple added.

It has been some time since he last savored the local Christmas thrills.

Shopping with the family is a holiday staple even as he lives abroad, but the familiar mystique of home in Guyana, particularly New Amsterdam during the commercial peak period, with stalls and store shelves laden with tantalizing apples and juicy grapes, and the spontaneous bumping into known faces along the streets or between busy supermarket isles, as everyone does Christmas shopping

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while the air is arrested by the chime of holiday classics, is a sweetly enveloping sensation that cannot be rivaled elsewhere.

Absorbing all that he miss in celebrating the holiday in Guyana, Dr. Semple remains content all the same, with his present estate constituting his dear little family, and the warmth sourced from witnessing smiles on their faces is more than enough to counteract the harsh UK temperature.

His wife commits to lining the dinner table with customary holiday dishes to preserve the local culture, so that the family, though miles removed from the larger bracket, can yet indulge to their satisfaction in spirit with those over here.

“It’s just seeing your family members happy. Everyone under one roof, everyone laughing, everyone putting in their little bits to have a wonderful time basically….ensuring that everyone is just happy,” the medical official expressed.

Dedrick Thompson, England Even though he holds modified views of Christmas Day itself, Dedrick Thompson, like many persons home and abroad, enjoys the engrossing festive thrill, especially as it pertains to bringing individuals together. Being in the UK, with most of his relatives stabled in Guyana, there is only so much that one can do to substitute for the joys of many faces, many voices, many activities, and many moments.

“I do miss the whole vibe of the season. This particular season, it helps to reconnect and reunite people that you haven’t seen for a while….I think the thing I miss the most about the Christmas season is particularly the Christmas Eve Night stroll….I see it as an opportunity to just get out of the house and to go and chill and breeze, just enjoying the vibes and some music as well, of course with my friends.” In his younger years, Thompson anticipated the essential black cake prepared by the very competent hands in his family.

It being a jolly season, he

“goes with the flow” while out there, but the observance is indulged with more enthusiasm when basking in the pleasantries of family and friends at home, even though he is not too particularly big on Christmas. He last experienced Guyanese Christmas back in 2022.

“A few things that I really miss from back home….it’s the getting together of family. It’s the one thing that I look forward to since I was small, just meeting up with your siblings and other cousins and maybe just spend the day, chat, cook, eat…we reminisce on the year. That is basically what I miss. Unfortunately that doesn’t happen for me over here because I don’t have my parents and my siblings, my family here. I have a few cousins yes, but the distance to travel is far…it’s challenging,’ he shared, basing the last point on a stiff work regimen.

He too, like his fellow overseas-based Guyanese, confirmed the pronounced difference in the culture of Christmas observance abroad and at home.

Whereas the streets of Guyana would be congested with families and friends eager to sample the attractions and treats, and huddling together for photos against a general backdrop of bright, beautiful lights interspersed with vibrant rhythms, or persons walking up and down the streets in their choicest outfit, he stated that on Christmas Eve Night, there is hardly even a person on the road where he lives in the UK. Abigail Robertson, Canada Despite taking up residency in Canada for quite some time now, much of what she grew up with in Vryheid, West Canje, Berbice regarding the festive season is enshrined in her heart, and each year, Abigail Robertson slaps on her Guyanese labeling to many aspects of her holiday pursuits. Now relocated, she shared with this publication her observance of one holiday shaded by two cultures, both of which she appreciates.

“In Canada, Christmas is quiet, cold, and very cozy.

Everything feels carefully

planned—decorations go up early, streets glow with lights, and the season has this calm, almost storybook feel. Snow changes the pace of life; people stay indoors more, gather in small groups, and focus on warmth and comfort.

I enjoy the Christmas markets, the skating rinks, the long evenings watching holiday movies, and the sense of calm that comes with slowing down for the season. It’s a reflective kind of Christmas,” she detailed.

“But Guyanese Christmas is the complete opposite—in the best way. It’s loud, warm, social, and full of movement.

Music is always playing, people are always visiting, and the house never feels empty. There’s food everywhere, laughter everywhere, and a strong feeling of togetherness.

Christmas doesn’t stay inside the house; it spills into the yard, the street, the neighbourhood.”

Married to her culture, she makes Pepperpot, and for her, black cake, whether homebaked or purchased, has to be there, along with sorrel or ginger beer. Guyanese Christmas mixes make cooking and cleaning all the more delightful, with an instant magic that tingles when it begins to snow outside.

“I also keep the habit of calling family early Christmas morning before eating anything. That connection grounds me and reminds me where my Christmas really began,” Robertson affirmed.

‘Nothing like my home on Christmas morning’ Guyanese music retains a litany of Caribbean-styled Christmas hits that truly spurs on the feeling of Christmas, from The Four Lords’ ‘Happy Holiday’, to Mark Holder’s ‘Happy Christmas’, and Adrian Dutchin’s ‘Very Merry Christmas’, but perhaps the one that resonates with much more accuracy and relevance is Aubrey ‘Slingshot’ Drepaul’s venerable holiday anthem, ‘Christmas in Guyana’, the starting line of which encapsulates the collective sentiment of Guyanese at home and beyond.

GLSC gets new offices in Bartica...

From page 11 new chapter of access, equity, and opportunity for communities that have long endured challenges due to limited access to essential services.” He added that this people-centred approach recognises inclusivity for all, regardless of location, and delivers practical development with real impact. Residents, he noted, will no longer be required to travel long distances at significant cost to access land titles, leases, surveys, and other critical services.

Mr. Ashley further emphasised, “This means improved service delivery and greater security of land tenure. It means faster processes and empowerment—because land se-

curity is fundamental and foundational to housing development, livelihoods, and sustainable community growth.”

With the completion of these two facilities, the SLDM Project has supported the construction of three new GLSC offices (Bartica, Port Kaituma and Black Bush Polder) and the renovation of one office and staff accommodation in Mabaruma.

These investments in regional infrastructure, digital land administration, and capacity building reinforce the Government of Guyana’s commitment to responsible land governance, sustainable development, and its obligations under the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD).

Thursday December 25, 2025

Kaieteur News

PAGE 31

Businessman nabbed with AK-47 charged …accuses CANU ranks of robbing him of $1.1M, four iphones City businessman, Amar Persaud who was nabbed on Sunday evening with an AK47 rifle and other smalls arms was on Wednesday charged with unlawful possession of firearm and ammunition.

He has since accused ranks of Customs AntiNarcotics Unit (CANU) of robbing him.

In a statement to the media he said that at 10:00hrs yesterday he was brought before Acting Chief Magistrate Faith McGusty in handcuffs to answer charges related to the unlawful possession of one AK-47 rifle and 19 7.62x39mm rounds of ammunition for which he was not a licence holder. He was also charged with the unlawful possession of Taurus pistol without a licence.

“The prosecutor stated that on the evening of Sunday 21st December, 2025, the Customs and AntiNarcotics Unit received certain information and proceeded to Sheriff Street

where they approached a Toyota Premio with Persaud sitting in the front driver seat. The ranks conducted a search and found the rifle, hand gun and ammunition in a bag resting on the backseat of the car. The ranks also found a Glock 9mm pistol in the waist of Persaud. It was later found that Persaud possessed a valid licence for the Glock pistol and no charges were laid for that firearm as a result,” the statement said.

Furthermore, “Attorneyat-Law Siand Dhurjon entered an appearance to represent Persaud after Persaud pled not guilty.

Dhurjon stated that CANU had set up Persaud by using an individual who befriended Persaud two weeks prior. The individual directed Persaud to park at the specific location on Sheriff Street and met Persaud there under the pretense of purchasing and selling phones to him.”

It went on to explain that Dhurjon told the court that

Persaud buys and sells phones and prior to entering the vehicle the individual threw a bag into the backseat. He however contended that Persaud assumed that the bag contained only cellular phones and that he had no opportunity to access or inspect the contents.

“This was because in less than four minutes, officers of CANU arrived and blocked Persaud's car. The officers then dragged Persaud out of the car and pushed his face in to the road,” it said.

Additionally, “Strangely,” Dhurjon stated, the ranks demonstrated great familiarity with the individual and did not arrest him but interacted with him before he disappeared from Persaud's view. Dhurjon stated that Persaud saw when two CANU ranks stole $1,100,000 that belonged to Persaud from his car as well as four brand new iPhone 17 Pro Max phones in sealed boxes. The ranks then placed the remaining quantity of

Interest-free loans help persons with disabilities build businesses, independence

R

aquel Lam was among a group of persons living with disabilities who received an interest-free loan of $500,000 from the government on Wednesday.

The initiative was made possible through a collaborative effort between the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security and the Small Business Bureau (SBB).

Lam is thankful for the government's initiative and believes the loan will help improve her standard of living. “I think this will benefit us, because financially we're not able to work as normal people, and with this aid we will be able to provide for ourselves,” she told the Department of Public Information (DPI).

Lansford Jeffrey, who is visually impaired, is thankful for the loan. He said that he has a small business, and the loan will help him grow it. The financing incentive was launched in 2023 and is designed to promote economic independence and long-term sustainability among PWDs. It provides interest-free loans with no collateral

Raquel Lam

requirements, along with business and financial literacy training through the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security's Disability Services Unit.

The Minister of Human Services and Social Security, Dr. Vindhya Persaud, said the initiative goes beyond financing by equipping beneficiaries with the skills needed to succeed. “This is not only about providing financing to persons living with disabilities, but it is also a comprehensive pathway that prepares them to succeed.”

By the end of 2025, a total of 59 persons nationwide are expected to benefit from the initiative.

D r. P e r s a u d s a i d t h e programme reflects the government's commitment to inclusivity and accessibility across all regions, adding that beneficiaries are also eligible to reapply for financing. Minister Persaud congratulated the recipients and reaffirmed the government's commitment to providing continuous support to persons living with disabilities. (DPI)

iPhone 17 Pro Max phones into lawful custody but kept the rest in their pockets and on their persons much to the protest of Persaud. “ According to the statement during Persaud's bail hearing in court the prosecutor specifically mentioned that Persaud was the lone occupant in the vehicle at the time of his interception. The lawyer highlighted that that such particular care was taken to mention such “fact in the case file only because it was not true as at the material time prior to Persaud's arrest, the said individual who was named was in Persaud's front

seat.”

He then made a request for the body camera footage of the incident, declaring that it was most “improbable that it would be brought owing to the irregularities of the CANU operation. Persaud who has three small children ages 1, 2 and 5 years old was supported in Court by the presence of his family who were in tears. Dhurjon appealed to the magistrate and prayed that he would spend this Christmas with his family,” the statement read.

Dhurjon also submitted that there was a material defect in the charge and that

it hindered Persaud to take certain steps which under the law ought to be available to him. McGusty advised that the prosecutor should seek advice from the Director of Public Prosecutions on the aspect of the charge and fixed 21stJanuary, 2026 for the police to disclose all pertinent materials in the matter. She then granted bail in the sum of $500,000 to Persaud and as a condition he is required to report to the Kitty Police Station at regular intervals until the determination of the criminal charges against him.

Pepperpot, Family, and Faith: A Guyanese...

From page 18 You're fed before you're asked your name.

In recent years, community Christmas parties and toy drives hosted by Guyanese-owned businesses and organizations such as Cottage Home Care Services have become a hallmark of the season.

These events reflect the

culture's deep belief in giving back, ensuring every child experiences the magic of Christmas, regardless of circumstance.

What makes a Guyanese Christmas in New York truly special is its resilience.

Thousands of miles from home, traditions are preserved with pride and adapted with creativity.

Snow may replace sunshine, but the warmth remains the same.

In a city that celebrates Christmas in countless ways, one thing is certain: when you h e a r l a u g h t e r, s m e l l Pepperpot, and step into a house where everyone feels like family, even if they aren't, you've found a Guyanese Christmas.

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Thursday ThursdayDecember November25, 24,2025 2022

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T N U L B . . .

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L B T LUNT.. UNT...B BL B Thursday December 25, 2025

Kaieteur News

Christmas Day arrives amid economic strain, public anxiety, and loud predictions of harder days ahead. Yet this sacred morning calls Guyanese to pause, breathe, and lift hearts in gratitude.

Through storms seen and unseen, God has preserved lives, guarded homes, and carried families across another year.

Many rose today because mercy said yes.

While expectations of a cash grant remain unmet, the greater gift cannot be denied: life itself, shared with family, friends, and community. Around modest tables and simple prayers, hope still flickers.

Children laugh, elders remember, and faith steadies weary souls.

Christmas reminds us that value is not measured only in dollars, but in breath, belonging, and grace. As carols echo and bells ring, let thanksgiving rise above complaint.

PAGE 35

Kaieteur News

PAGE 36

Thursday December 25, 2025

Shattered joy: Wedding celebrations cut short in Gaza after Israeli attack (ALJAZEERA) Mustafa and Nesma al-Borsh’s wedding party was, understandably, a modest affair, considering the conditions in the Gaza Strip.

Nesma went to a beauty salon, rented a white dress, and took some photos with her groom, Mustafa.

The ceremony and party were held in a tent in eastern Gaza City’s neighbourhood of Tuffah, with only 40 people in attendance.

“I won’t say it was the wedding day I had always dreamed of, but given the harsh conditions we are living under, we tried to steal a few happy moments, and we did,” Nesma said. Those happy moments were stolen from Mustafa and Nesma. As last Friday’s celebration wrapped up, Israeli shelling hit a building next to the tent.

The targeted site was a vocational training facility run by Gaza’s Ministry of Education, but had been converted into a shelter during the war. The couple had been planning to live there after the wedding. Flames rose from the site; dust, smoke, and screams filled the area. The newlyweds stood in shock, unable to comprehend what was unfolding around them, as their wedding day turned into a tragedy.

From groom to rescuer “I immediately grabbed my

Long-postponed wedding ended in devastation after Israeli artillery hit a building in Gaza, killing family members.

Mustafa and Nesma were planning to get married in October 2023, but had to repeatedly delay their wedding because of Israel’s war on Gaza [Abdelhakim Abu Riash/Al Jazeera] than two hours for the ambulances to arrive, but they were not allowed to enter from the Israeli side,” he added. “The situation was indescribably terrifying. We could hear strikes and shelling around us.”

After more than two hours, ambulances were eventually allowed in to evacuate the wounded and the dead. After civil defence teams evacuated everyone from the building, instructing them to move to a safer location, they retrieved the victims.

Families were displaced, again, to shelters for internally displaced people inside the city, leaving

A photo from Mustafa and Nesma’s wedding photo session, just hours before their shelter was bombed [Abdelhakim Abu Riash/Al Jazeera] bride’s hand and sent her with my female relatives who had just left.

Then I took off my wedding suit jacket and rushed with the other men to rescue those inside the building,” Mustafa, 29, told Al Jazeera from Halawa, a displacement camp in Gaza City near Tuffah.

The shelling directly hit the second floor of the school, where Mustafa’s family were staying with others. It also hit the classroom that had been prepared for the couple to live in. Everything they had arranged for their wedding was burned. “I helped retrieve bodies and rescue the wounded, and I pulled out my nephew, who was critically injured all over his body,” Mustafa said. Ambulances were called, but emergency crews required Israeli coordination to enter the area. “We waited more

behind all their belongings. “Since that day, I’m still wearing my wedding suit,” the groom told Al Jazeera, pointing to his white shirt and trousers. “There is a bloodstain belonging to my eight-year-old nephew, Mohammad, who died two days later from his injuries,” Mustafa said.

The groom, Mustafa al-Borsh, and his bride, Nesma, are now living in separate tents with their respective families after their shelter was bombed and they lost all their belongings [Abdelhakim Abu Riash/Al Jazeera] Repeated delays Mustafa got engaged to the now 22-year-old Nesma several months before Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza began in October 2023.

Their wedding had been scheduled for that month.

“My apartment was fully ready:

the bedroom, sofa set, kitchen. My fiancée and I put great effort into choosing every piece,” Mustafa said, showing a photo of the apartment that had been part of his family’s home in Jabalia, northern Gaza. It was later destroyed.

The couple had endured b o m b a r d m e n t , h u n g e r, a n d repeated displacement with their families, making the idea of a wedding seem impossible. “ O u r f a m i l i e s occasionally pressured us to go ahead with the wedding since the war was dragging on, but we both refused,” Nesma said, with Mustafa nodding in agreement. “We kept asking ourselves how we could celebrate or hold a wedding amid war and displacement.”

What further distanced the idea of marriage was Mustafa’s grief after losing two of his older brothers during the war, one in December 2023, when their home in Jabalia was bombed, and another in March 2025, during the second half of the war. “Losing my brothers cast an overwhelming shadow of grief over us, especially my mother, who cannot stop crying whenever she remembers them,” Mustafa said, glancing at his mother as she listened to the conversation.

After a ceasefire began on January 19, 2025, the couple decided to proceed with the

wedding, believing the war had ended. But it quickly resumed. “At that time, my uncle’s house in Jabalia was still standing, so we decided to take an apartment there and started preparing it. My bride began preparing herself and her clothes.” “But we were shocked when the war broke out again in mid-March 2025,” Mustafa said.

With the return of the war, both were forced to flee with their families from northern Gaza to the west of Gaza City, where they lived in tents under harsh conditions until a second ceasefire came into effect on October 10, 2025.

Refuge After the October ceasefire was announced, Mustafa and his family moved to a shelter in the Tuffah neighbourhood, about half a kilometre (0.3 miles) from the socalled “yellow line”, beyond which Israel retains control in Gaza.

could. Other displaced families in the shelter helped me, and they provided a classroom for us.

Everything seemed to be going well,” Mustafa said.

Mustafa said he never expected the shelter to be attacked, as it was housing a large number of displaced families, the surrounding neighbourhood was densely populated, and the area lay outside the yellow line. The educational centre was located in an area from which Israeli forces had withdrawn, in line with the ceasefire agreement. Despite the truce, hundreds of Israeli violations have been recorded, with more than 400 Palestinians killed in repeated attacks over recent months.

Eight people were killed in the shelling of the building next to the wedding tent, all neighbours and relatives of Mustafa’s family, who had been sheltering on the second

This is the third time Mustafa and Nesma have prepared for marriage, only to lose everything [Abdelhakim Abu Riash/Al Jazeera]

“We wanted to escape life in the tents during the winter, so we decided to move into the school despite our concerns about its proximity to the yellow line,” he said. Following family discussions, both families agreed to hold the wedding on December 19, with a modest celebration in a tent adjacent to the shelter. “Once the date was set, I prepared what I

The groom, Mustafa al-Borsh, and his bride, Nesma, are now living in separate tents with their respective families after their shelter was bombed and they lost all their belongings [Abdelhakim Abu Riash/Al Jazeera]

floor, he said.

Displaced again “Among those killed were a mother, her husband, and their child, as well as my young nephew, who had been dancing with joy just moments earlier,” Mustafa said.

“What justification is there for targeting these people? And what crime did I commit for my bride and me to have our joy stolen on our wedding day?” The couple is now, once again, living separately with their families due to the renewed displacement and the lack of a place to live together.

“Every time, I have to start from zero again. Is there suffering greater than this?” Mustafa added in despair. “I am displaced, my bride is displaced, our families are displaced, living in tents with relatives.”

“We insisted on holding our wedding during the war, but the war returned in the blink of an eye on the very day of our wedding,” Nesma said, her eyes heavy with grief. “My joy is shattered. I have no desire for life. Everything feels dark here, and there is no space for happiness, not even one step.”

Kaieteur News

Thursday ThursdayDecember November25, 24,2025 2022

PAGE 37 19

Injured Archer out of Ashes, England drop Pope from Boxing Day test

England’s Ollie Pope walks after losing his wicket.

(REUTERS/As anka Brendon Ratnayake/Fil e Photo)

MELBOURNE, (Reuters) - A side strain ended England fast bowler J o f r a A r c h e r ’s A s h e s campaign on Wednesday while the beleaguered tourists dropped batter Ollie

Thursday December 25, 2025 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) You will be able to find a greater connection to your inner soul today, Aries. You will also find that you're more psychic than usual. The more you look inward, the more you're apt to find the solutions to your outward questions.

TAURUS (Apr. 20–May 20) You may have many irons in the fire today. People and projects could demand your attention, yet you may feel so dreamy and unmotivated that it could be hard to make progress on any of them.

GEMINI (May 21–June 20) This is going to be a great day for you, Gemini. Strangely enough, you will find that tension may help you get things done. There's an easiness today that will create openings for exploring creative outlets.

CANCER (June 21–July 22) You may need to let go and release your control, Cancer.

You know what you want, so just trust your intuition. If you continue to let your brain do all the work, you will probably miss valuable information.

LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) This is an excellent day for you. You will find that things automatically flow your way.

You will receive more attention than usual and be the center of any flattering discussions.

VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) You may feel a bit lazy and unmotivated today, Virgo. It could be hard to drag yourself out of bed. In terms of love and romance, there's apt to be some tension.

LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) Love and romance are apt to be going quite well for you now, Libra. You should find that it's easier to be yourself in a partnership. Let your romantic side shine through.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) You may feel a great deal of nervous energy today. Tension could come to you from all angles. Indecisiveness might be your biggest problem. You may be in a frenzy trying to figure out where to move next.

SAGIT (Nov. 22–Dec. 21) Issues having to do with love and romance are in your favor today, Sagittarius. You're more in touch with your emotions.

You will find that your attitude toward love is more grounded than usual. Feel free to let go of some control.

CAPRI (Dec. 22–Jan. 19) You may not feel in sync with the day's energy, Capricorn.

Something about it may not sit right with you. Your natural instinct to want to take the lead may be overshadowed by an unwillingness to even get up.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20–Feb. 18) Issues regarding love and romance should be going well for you now, Aquarius. You will find that your natural tendency to ground and plan is working perfectly with your desire to find what you want in a mate.

PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) You may want to escape into your dreams today, Pisces.

Trying to do something practical may be met with opposition, as the general mood of the day calls for things to be more ethereal and elusive.

Pope for the fourth test against Australia.

Surrey seamer Gus Atkinson will replace Archer in an England side down 3-0 in the five-test series and will be playing for pride in Melbourne and Sydney.

“Warwickshire’s Jacob Bethell comes into the side and will bat at number three,” the touring side said in a statement ahead of the Boxing Day test.

Archer has been arguably England’s best player on this tour, taking nine wickets, including a five-wicket haul in Adelaide, and scoring valuable lowerorder runs including a maiden fifty in the same match.

The injury casts doubts over Archer’s availability for the Twenty20 World Cup in February-March.

“The effort that he’s put in over these three games has been exceptional,” captain Ben Stokes said of the speedster on Tuesday.

“There were a lot of question marks around his ability or whatever it may be coming out to Australia, and he’s put in a great effort for the team.”

Pope, whose 46 in Perth remains his highest score in six Ashes innings on this tour, paid the price for his poor run of form, but opener Ben Duckett managed to retain his place for the fourth test despite faring worse.

Duckett has tallied 97 runs in six innings with a highest score of 29.

As if another botched Ashes campaign was not bad enough for them, England team director Rob Key said they would look into reports that players drank excessively during a break between the second and third Ashes tests this month.

An emotional Stokes on Wednesday said the mental well-being of his players was his main priority amid the media scrutiny of their performance and behaviour on the tour.

England XI for fourth test: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Jacob Bethell, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (captain), Jamie Smith (wicketkeeper), Will Jacks, Gus Atkinson, Brydon Carse, Josh Tongue

England’s Jofra Archer appeals unsuccessfully for the caught behind of Australia’s Mitchell Starc. (REUTERS/Asanka Brendon Ratnayake)

Kaieteur News

PAGE 38

Thursday December 25, 2025

Mahrez scores twice as Algeria beat 10-man Sudan BBC Sport Africa Riyad Mahrez's double helped Algeria to a dominant victory over 10-man Sudan in their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations Group E opener in Rabat.

The North Africans lifted the title in 2019 but have failed to progress past the group stage at the past two editions of the finals.

Former Manchester City winger Mahrez gave his side an ideal start with a trademark left-footed curling strike from 12 yards after being teed up by Hicham Boudaoui's smart backheel.

Yaser Awad Boshara twice called Algeria goalkeeper Luca Zidane into action but Sudan's task got harder when Salah Adel was sent off for a second bookable offence six minutes before the break.

Mahrez, 34, doubled the lead just after the hour mark with a composed finish inside the box from Mohamed Amoura's clever through-ball.

Wo l f s b u r g s t r i k e r

Riyad Mahrez won the Premier League with Leicester City and Manchester City and now plays in Saudi Arabia for Al-Ahli. (Getty Images) Amoura almost added a third when he rifled a volley against the right-hand upright.

Ibrahim Maza collected Baghdad Bounedjah's knockdown just outside the six-yard box to make it 3-0 with five minutes left Algeria's 100th goal in Afcon.

Sudan keeper Monged Elneel then made two fine saves during added time to deny substitute Adil Boulbina.

Algeria went top of Group E on goal difference ahead of Burkina Faso, who beat Equatorial Guinea 2-1 earlier on Wednesday, and will remain in the Moroccan capital to face the Stallions on Sunday (17:30 GMT).

Sudan travel to Casablanca to take on the Equatoguineans on the same day (15:00 GMT).

Algeria cruise to three points Algeria sacked Afconwinning coach Djamel

Belmadi after their failure at the 2023 finals in Ivory Coast and instead turned to former Switzerland boss Vladimir Petkovic.

The 62-year-old led them to qualification for the 2026 World Cup, with their attack largely built around the understanding between Mahrez and Amoura.

Petkovic could scarcely have asked for a better start in a Moulay El Hassan Stadium that was packed with fans supporting his side, with the scoreline allowing him the luxury of withdrawing Mahrez with 12 minutes remaining.

Algeria's every attack was greeted with a roar while keeper Zidane - son of France's World Cup-winning legend Zinedine - looked composed in goal.

The 27-year-old, who plays for Spanish second-tier team Granada, only made his full international debut in October after switching allegiance from the nation of his birth and made his Afcon bow after Alexis Guendouz damaged knee ligaments earlier this month.

Sudan's qualification for the finals was an impressive feat itself, having been forced to play all their games

outside of the country since civil war broke out in the capital Khartoum in April 2023.

Ye t t h e t a s k o f overcoming a side ranked 83 places above them in the world proved too much of a stretch after Mahrez's breakthrough and the red card.

Coach James Kwesi Appiah, though, may well have complaints over Adel's first yellow card, which was awarded for a seemingly innocuous challenge on Ramy Bensebaini.

But Algeria had too much quality.

Boxing Legend Mike Tyson Announces $50 Million Lawsuit

Kohli breaks a Tendulkar record, Rohit catches up with Warner Virat Kohli marked his Vijay Hazare Trophy comeback by getting to a milestone. (PTI)

ESPNcricinfo - Virat Kohli has gone past Sachin Tendulkar to become the fastest to 16,000 runs in men’s List A cricket, getting to the milestone in his 330th innings in Delhi’s Vijay Hazare Trophy match against Andhra in Bengaluru. Rohit Sharma, turning out for Mumbai, scored a century for against Sikkim in Jaipur to match David Warner’s record of most 150-plus scores in the format: nine.

Tendulkar had achieved the landmark of 16,000 in 391 innings, finishing with 21,999 runs from 538 innings in 551 List A games, of which 18,426 came from 452 ODI innings. Kohli has

14,557 runs from 296 ODI innings.

Kohli now has the record for being the fastest man to each block of 1000 List A runs from 10,000 onwards.

Tendulkar and Kohli are the only Indians in the top five on the list of fastest to 16,000 runs in List A cricket.

The others, below them, are Gordon Greenidge (422 innings), Ricky Ponting (430 innings) and Graham Gooch and Viv Richards (435 innings).

Like Kohli, Rohit is also making a comeback to the Vijay Hazare Trophy, India’s premier domestic 50-over competition. Kohli last participated in the

tournament in 2009-2010, while Rohit did so in 201718.

When Rohit got to his century on the day, it made him the second oldest, at 38 years and 238 days, to get to triple figures in a Vijay Hazare Trophy match.

Bengal’s Anustup Majumdar scored two centuries in the 2023-24 season when he was past 39. Rohit finished with 155 off 94 balls after having reached his century in 62 balls. He hit 18 fours and nine sixes in his innings as Mumbai won by eight wickets.

Kohli’s decision to play in the Vijay Hazare Trophy came after weeks of speculation, but his return also coincided with a rich vein of form. He was the Player of the Series in the ODIs against South Africa late last month, hitting two hundreds and an unbeaten half-century. Rohit, too, gave strong evidence that he was far from a spent force with a superb hundred in Australia, followed by two half-centuries in three innings against South Africa.

Both of them, retired from Tests and T20Is, are in the fray for the 2027 ODI World Cup.

Former champ Mike Tyson lay sprawled in the ropes in the fourth round of his fight with British heavyweight Danny Williams before more than 17,000 fans at Freedom Hall. Tyson untangled himself but could not get up before the referee’s count ended. (© Pat McDonogh / Courier Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images) The Spun - Former world heavyweight champion Mike Tyson is hoping to kick off 2026 with a huge win in court.

Tyson, 59, is widely regarded as one of the most iconic boxers of all time. At 20 years old, he became the youngest boxer to win a heavyweight title. He then went on to simultaneously hold the International Boxing Federation (IBF), World Boxing Association (WBA) and World Boxing Council (WBC) titles.

Earlier this week, Tyson made headlines for being involved in a 21-count lawsuit against Carma, a cannabis licensing company. He along with WWE legend Ric Flair have sued several former Carma executives for alleged fraud and breach of contract among other infractions.

The lawsuit claims that Carma participated in a “brazen RICO conspiracy involving criminal wire fraud, embezzlement, money laundering, and extortion, as well as securities fraud and shameless self-dealing that enriched the Defendants to the tune of tens of millions of dollars.”

“Throughout their time at CARMA, Bronstein and Wilks treated CARMA as their

own personal piggy bank, using more than $1 million to pay for unauthorized personal travel on private jets, costs associated with Bronstein’s personal yacht, renovations to Bronstein’s personal residence, a mortgage payment for Wilks’ personal residence, and lavish entertainment expenditures for Wilks, including exorbitantly priced meals and travel expenditures, as well as excessive and unapproved compensation and bonuses,” a court filing stated, via the New York Post.

Carma fighting back.

Chad Bronstein, Adam Wilks and Nicole Cosby were Carma’s leadership group when these alleged acts occurred. Their legal team has pushed back against these claims.

“The complaint is fiction dressed up as a lawsuit,” Bronstein and Cosby’s attorney told Front Office Sports. “Before filing, the plaintiffs tried to intimidate my clients with settlement demands that read more like a shakedown than a legal claim—demanding millions of dollars and attempting to force others to surrender their Carma shares. My clients won’t be bullied and are prepared to knock out this meritless lawsuit in court.”

It was reported that this lawsuit is seeking more than $50 million in damages and fees.

Kaieteur News

Thursday December 25, 2025

PAGE 39

NBA roundup:

Spurs knock off Thunder in matchup of West’s best Reuters - Keldon Johnson poured in 25 points off the bench and Stephon Castle added 24 as the host San Antonio Spurs waylaid the Oklahoma City Thunder 130-110 on Tuesday in a matchup of teams with the best records in the Western Conference.

The Spurs have won seven straight for the first time since a nine-game run in the 2018-19 season. Two of the victories in the current run came against Oklahoma City, the league’s top team all season.

Harrison Barnes scored 20 points for San Antonio, with Devin Vassell hitting f o r 1 7 a n d Vi c t o r Wembanyama scoring 12 off the bench. Wembanyama did not have a blocked shot, snapping a 101-game streak with at least one block.

Shai GilgeousAlexander produced 33 points and eight assists for the Thunder, who have dropped three of their past five following a 24-1 start.

Jalen Williams added 17 points and eight assists.

Mavericks 131, Nuggets 130 Cooper Flagg finished with a game-high 33 points along with nine rebounds and nine assists and Anthony Davis added 31 points and nine rebounds as Dallas halted Denver’s franchisebest road winning streak at

San Antonio Spurs forward Keldon Johnson (3) drives to the basket against Oklahoma City Thunder center Chet Holmgren (7) during the second half at Frost Bank Center.

(Scott Wachter-Imagn Images) 11.

Naji Marshall scored 15 points, Ryan Nembhard chipped in 11 points and seven assists and Brandon Williams, Caleb Martin and D’Angelo Russell all scored nine points off the bench for the Mavericks.

Jamal Murray led the way for the Nuggets with 31 points, a season-high 14 assists and seven rebounds.

Nikola Jokic added 29

points, 14 assists and seven rebounds. Tim Hardaway Jr. scored 23 points on a seasonhigh-tying seven 3-pointers and fellow reserve Bruce Brown filled up the statsheet with 13 points, seven rebounds, three assists, two steals and a block.

Hornets 126, Wizards 109 LaMelo Ball scored 23 with the help of four 3-point baskets and Charlotte beat visiting Washington.

Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball (1) drives past Washington Wizards forward Bilal Coulibaly (0) during the second half at the Spectrum Center. (Sam Sharpe-Imagn Images)

Brandon Miller poured in 20 points and Kon Knueppel provided 15 of his 19 points in the second half as the Hornets used a strong fourth quarter to secure the win. Miles Bridges added 10 points, nine rebounds and nine assists, while Moussa Diabate scored 12 points and grabbed a career-high 18 rebounds.

Khris Middleton led Washington with 16 points, Marvin Bagley III had 15 points off the bench, and Bilal Coulibaly and CJ McCollum both finished with 14 points.

Cavaliers 141, Pelicans 118 Donovan Mitchell scored 27 points and Sam Merrill tied his season high with 22 points and made six 3-pointers as Cleveland pulled away for a victory over visiting New Orleans.

Cleveland had nine players reach double digits in points for the second time in franchise history. Jaylon Tyson scored 18 points, Thomas Bryant had 15 points and Jarrett Allen logged 14 points and nine rebounds for the Cavaliers, who won consecutive games for the first time since Nov. 21-23.

Zion Williamson scored 26 points in 21 minutes off the bench for the Pelicans, who had their season-best winning streak snapped at five games. Rookie Derik Queen posted 19 of his 21 points in the second half,

while Trey Murphy III chipped in 14 points.

Suns 132, Lakers 108 Dillon Brooks scored 25 points, Devin Booker went for 21 points and 11 assists, and host Phoenix rolled past Los Angeles, which was

playing without the injured Luka Doncic.

After taking the lead for good late in the first quarter, the Suns steadily built on their advantage and blew the game open with a 45-point third quarter. Phoenix went on a 16-4 run coming out of intermission and held Los Angeles to just one made field goal for the first threeplus minutes of the second half.

Four Suns knocked down multiple triples, led by Royce O’Neale’s 4-of-5 shooting from deep. Mark Williams finished with 18 points on 7-of-8 shooting from the field and grabbed a team-high nine rebounds.

LeBron James led the Lakers with 23 points.

In other scores: Bulls 126, Hawks 123 Bucks 111, Pacers 94 Nets 114, 76ers 106 Ti m b e r w o l v e s 11 5 , Knicks 104 Raptors 112, Heat 91 Grizzlies 137, Jazz 128 Magic 110, Trail Blazers 106 Pistons 136, Kings 127 Clippers 128, Rockets 108 (Field Level Media)

Kaieteur News

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Thursday December 25, 2025

Amad gives Afcon holders Ivory Coast win over Mozambique BBC Sport Africa Manchester United forward Amad Diallo’s composed strike gave holders Ivory Coast victory over Mozambique in their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations Group F opener in Marrakech.

The Elephants, aiming to become the first defending champions since Egypt in 2010 to retain the title, squandered a succession of first-half chances against opponents ranked 60 places below them at 102nd in Fifa’s rankings.

Amad provided relief for Emerse Fae’s side four minutes after the restart, capitalising on static defending to meet Franck Kessie’s knockdown with a cool low finish that arrowed between Sunderland defender Reinildo’s legs on its way in.

M o z a m b i q u e goalkeeper Ernan was busy before the break, acrobatically tipping Yan Diomande’s miscued shot from Guela Doue’s delivery over the crossbar and denying Kessie when the midfielder sent a closerange header straight at him.

Amad Diallo ensured that Ivory Coast made the perfect start to the defence of the title they won on home soil in February last year. (Getty Images) Ghislain Konan should have opened the scoring when Amad tricked his way inside the box and teed the left-back up in space in front of goal, only to flash a shot comfortably wide.

Ivory Coast came close to a second with added time

looming, Kessie breaking clear but dithering before substitute Vakoun Bayo collected the loose ball and was denied by Ernan and midfielder Guima’s athletic clearance off the line.

Both sides play the second of their three group

stage games on Sunday, when Mozambique meet Gabon in Agadir (12:30 GMT) and Ivory Coast meet five-time champions Cameroon in Marrakech (20:00).

With a potentially much more dangerous game up next, Ivory Coast will feel

some relief at seeing off spirited underdogs on their way to going 14 opening matches unbeaten.

Mozambique have form for starting their campaign with a surprise, having only missed out on beating Egypt in their first game at the 2023 finals when Mohamed Salah

equalised for the Pharaohs in the 97th minute.

While they scarcely threatened to record their first win at an Afcon, Chiquinho Conde’s players were resolute, as well as occasionally offering a threat through the enterprising runs of forward Geny Catamo, whose shot from inside the box forced Yahia Fofana to make a fine stop with seconds of the contest remaining.

But the Mambas only remained in the contest thanks to the wayward finishing of the West Africans, with Fae looking on in disbelief when Konan spurned his straightforward opportunity to make the breakthrough.

A runner-up as a player in 2006, Fae masterminded his country’s surge to the title at the 2023 edition after JeanLouis Gasset was sacked following two successive defeats to end the group stage.

His squad and the Mambas were able to assess their next two opponents when Cameroon and Gabon met in in Agadir later y e s t e r d a y, We d n e s d a y (20:00 GMT).

Classroom excellence meets dominance in sports... The Kennard Memorial Turf Club

From page43 milestones, not the destination.

The core mission remains the cultivation of well-rounded individuals, students who excel academically while mastering a sporting discipline.

That philosophy has already produced a growing list of notable alumni, including Ashmead Nedd and Joshua Persaud in cricket; Kennisha Phillips and Claudrice McKoy in track and field; Jeremy

Garrett and Curtez Kellman in football; Phillip DeNobrega in swimming; Kaysan Ninvalle in table tennis; and Ashish Persaud across cricket and table tennis.

More recent standouts such as Elite League MVP for Slingerz FC, Darron Niles and Raydon Krammer (football), Tianna Springer, Narissa McPherson and Javon Roberts (athletics), and Shamar Yearwood (cricket) continue to validate the model.

Currently, the school

Slingerz FC begins journey...

From page 41 player for the tournament, which runs from December 6 to January 1.

The 22-year-old forward, who has netted 23 goals in 35 international appearances, recently found the scoresheet in friendly matches against Bonaire and Antigua & Barbuda, underlining his sharpness heading into the competition.

Shabazz confirmed that Glasgow received full approval from his Major League Soccer club, Chicago Fire, to participate, marking his first appearance in domestic football since leaving Western Tigers for the MLS, where he progressed from the NextPro side to the first team.

Slingerz have also bolstered their attacking options with the addition of Jamaican winger Carden Benbow.

The 30-year-old former Reggae Boyz international, who has represented Jamaica at the U15, U17 and senior levels, brings valuable experience from the USL and the Jamaican Premier League with Mount Pleasant and Waterhouse FC.

boasts a remarkable pool of emerging talent. In cricket, young Reyaz Latif is already enrolled and developing.

Football continues to thrive among both boys and girls, with names such as Bryan Wharton, Shaquan David, Neeiaz Baksh, Flavio LaRose, Nyron Barrow, Mark Glasgow, Leandra Henritto and Sabana Simon making their mark. On the track, young speedster Onesi Dunn has emerged as one to watch.

The ambition now is to create a defined, sustainable pathway from school sport to professional and international opportunities.

However, this next phase cannot be achieved in isolation.

This is where Corporate Guyana must step forward, not as spectators, but as partners in national development.

C h a s e ’s A c a d e m i c Foundation has already proven that the blueprint works. What is required now are the resources to scale it, including improved facilities, elite-level coaching support, athlete welfare systems, exposure opportunities and access to international competition.

is the place to be on Boxing Day Over 73 entries and $10M in prizes at stake

By Samuel Whyte The wait is over, and the place to be is the Kennard Memorial Turf Club (KMTC) tomorrow, Boxing Day, December 26.

All roads lead to the KMTC as thousands of fans are expected to pour into the famous venue for their annual Boxing Day Horserace meet where a bumper crowd is anticipated to gather.

Situated at Bush Lot Farm, Corentyne, Berbice, the venue is touted as the best in terms of hosting horserace meets. The venue is in excellent condition with the track ready for action and a riveting and pulsating day of racing is in store.

There are seven events listed for the day with a sumptuous sum of over $10M at stake in cash trophies and other incentives and 73 horses have entered to take to the track and the day’s event is expected to be entertaining.

The feature event, which is open to all horses in Guyana, will see the animals battling for the Sunny Kharag Memorial Stakes worth over $4M and trophy. An exhilarating battle is in the making with the likes of Beckham James, Stats, Stormy Victory, Loyal Company, Anthem King, Companheiro Leal, Mapa Do Brazil and Order and Progress looking to progress first to the line in their quest to take home the $2M winners’ money and trophy over one

mile.

The sprint classic event over five furlongs is expected to be fast as most of the top sprinters in the country have taken entry as they dash over the turf for the $700,000 and trophy available for the winner.

All of the other events have full gates with some having as much as 20 entries.

The other races on the cards are the G class event for a top prize of $500,000 and a trophy.

The event for Guyana-Bred 2-year-old maiden animals; One for “I” and lower horses; the race for L and K class animals and the event for L and lower horses.

Winners in those events will all take home $350,000 and a trophy.

There are 21 sponsors on board, which includes: Trophy Stall, P and P Insurance Brokers, Colin Elcock Delmur Company Limited, Kharag Family of USA, Nand Persaud and Company Limited, Patsan Trading Establishment, Mike’s Pharmacy, N and S Matai the Food Market, Js Supermarket, Poonai Pharmacy, Khanai’s Guyana Electrical Agency and Dalip Trading Limited.

Incentives will be presented to the outstanding jockeys, trainers and stable compliments of Ramesh Sunich of the Trophy Stall.

The event will be conducted using the rules of the Kennard Memorial Turf Club.

Bugle time is 12:30hrs.

Thursday December 25, 2025

Kaieteur News

PAGE 41

Slingerz FC begins National Draughts Association stages journey to Super 16 Hamper competition last Sunday title on Boxing Day ….Elite League champions to face Monedderlust

S

lingerz FC will step onto the turf at the National Training Centre at Providence on Boxing Day with more than just another match on their minds.

When the whistle blows at 9:00 pm on December 26, the Vergenoegen-based powerhouse will be firmly focused on adding the GFF Super 16 trophy to an already glittering cabinet, as they face familiar rivals Monedderlust in a quarterfinal showdown.

The encounter is a classic win-or-go-home affair, the kind that strips away margins for error. Earlier in the evening, at 6:30 pm, the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) will clash with Mahaica Determinators, setting the stage for what promises to be an electric night of knockout football.

For Slingerz FC and Monedderlust, the rivalry carries extra edge. The Berbice club were the last team to defeat Slingerz FC, edging them 1–0 in the GFF E l i t e L e a g u e p l a y - o ff tournament in early January 2024.

That result, however,

proved to be more spark than setback. Slingerz responded by embarking on an almost two-year unbeaten run, culminating in another Elite League title, while Monedderlust slipped toward the lower tier of the competition.

Since that upset, the sides have met four times, with Slingerz firmly asserting their dominance. The Elite League champions posted emphatic wins of 7–1, 10–1 and 4–1, while Monedderlust’s lone moment of resistance came in a hard-fought 2–2 draw in the second round of last year’s Elite League.

Monedderlust arrive at the quarter-finals after navigating the qualifying round, though their path to the main draw was far from convincing.

In contrast, Slingerz look every inch a team peaking at the right time, strengthened further by Coach Jamaal Shabazz’s recent additions to an already formidable squad.

Leading the charge is Guyana’s all-time leading goal-scorer, Omari Glasgow, who will feature as a guest Continued on page 40

Once again Draught players were treated with Christmas Hampers when the National Draughts Association held another successful Hamper tournament played last Sunday at the Transport Sports Club Pavilion. The game was played on the 10x10 boards as a prelude to n e x t y e a r ’s P a n A m championship in Paramaribo, Suriname next April.

Linden player, Floyd Cumberbatch with 13 points captured the first hamper.

President of Association Mr. Jiaram from Diamond EBD on 10 points took the second hamper. Georgetown player Steve Bacchus ended with 9 points ahead of Devanand Persaud from Tuschen EBD on 8 points. All four players were presented with hampers. The losers were given a surprise by receiving smaller hampers.

Heading the sponsorship list was Lalta Gainda, Manager Rubis Bel Air ECD, followed by Chunilall, proprietor Fast Relief Pharmacy on Durban Street Werk en Rust.

Other sponsorship came from PRO Sterling Products, General Manager GMC, Johnny P from Johnny P. Supermarket, Elias Gentle Attorney at Law and Super Graphics Ltd. Former Secretary of the National Draughts

From right: Steve Bacchus, Jiaram, Floyd Cumberbatch and General Manager Charles Greaves who stood in for Devanand Persaud.

Association, Mr. Ranol Gibbs, who is now Proprietor of Midnight Pharmacy on Robb Street and Midnight Boutique and cosmetics store on Cummings Street south

Cummingsburg, presented two vouchers worth $12,000 each to the top two finishers.

Recipients were Floyd Cumberbatch and Jiaram.

President of the National Draughts Association Mr.

Jiaram extended Christmas greetings to all the sponsors and players, while Dr. Ivor English, President of Transport Sports Club, expressed similar sentiments.

Kaieteur News

PAGE 42

Thursday December 25, 2025

Rawle Toney

Hear Me Out

Petra Organisation is the backbone of Guyana’s football development

By Rawle Toney

I

f we are serious about developing football in Guyana, then we must also be serious about recognizing, and protecting, the institutions that have quietly, consistently, and correctly done the work.

Petra Organisation is one of those institutions, and they deserve every ounce of corporate support they have received.

Just days ago, Petra wrapped up another successful edition of the KFC International Goodwill Schools Football Tournament, a competition that has become one of the most unique youth sporting events in the Caribbean.

Since its inception in 2018, the tournament has brought some of the region’s top high school football teams to Guyana, offering local players rare international exposure without ever having to leave home.

More importantly, the tournament marked the end of a full year of youth football activity in Guyana; a calendar almost entirely organised and sustained by Petra Organisation.

From primary school right through secondary school, Petra has been the constant, reliable engine driving youth football. That reality alone underlines their importance in Guyana’s football pyramid.

Founded in 2012, Petra Organisation stepped into a space that was largely unstructured and underdeveloped. School football existed, yes, but without consistency, identity, or long-term planning.

Petra filled that gap, working alongside the Ministry of Education to establish structured competitions across multiple school-age groups. Their stated priority has always been youth development and community engagement, and over the last 13 years, the results speak for themselves.

Every single player who has made a youth or senior national team debut during that period passed through Petra tournaments.

Guyana’s All-time leading scorer in international football, Omari Glasgow, competing for Annandale Secondary in the Petra Organisation KFC Goodwill International School’s football tournament.

Every single one of them. That list includes Guyana’s all-time leading goalscorer, Omari Glasgow, who featured extensively in Petra competitions while representing Annandale Secondary, even helping his school win titles along the way. Petra didn’t just provide games; they provided a pathway.

It is also important to acknowledge Petra’s deliberate inclusivity.

With the exception of the Courts Pee Wee Tournament, largely due to logistical challenges, hinterland regions have always been incorporated into Petra programmes. In a country where access often determines

opportunity, that matters.

E q u a l l y s i g n i f i c a n t i s P e t r a ’s commitment to both boys and girls, particularly through the Courts Pee Wee and ExxonMobil U14 tournaments, ensuring that football development is not confined by geography or gender.

To be honest, this column was originally going to take a different direction. I was prepared to focus on the deplorable state of the Ministry of Education Ground, especially during a match between Chase Academy and St Benedict’s College of Trinidad and Tobago at the KFC International Schools Tournament.

I was ready to argue that an international competition deserved an internationalstandard venue.

But after running the idea by a close friend, I was encouraged to shift the lens, and rightly so. The more important story isn’t the

venue. It’s the organisation that has kept youth football alive and relevant for more than a decade.

Petra Organisation is often mistakenly viewed as competition by the GFF. That thinking is both flawed and counterproductive. Petra is not a rival; it is a resource. In fact, the GFF should be working closely with Petra, learning from their model, their credibility, and their ability to mobilise corporate Guyana.

Take a moment, and think about that Petra Organisation, with corporate backing, has installed lights, constructed a new stand, and built washroom facilities at the Ministry of Education Ground. That is not the work of an organisation focused only on matches and trophies. That is the work of an entity investing in infrastructure, sustainability, and long-term impact.

It should be carefully studied why Petra Organisation has managed to attract consistent corporate support from across Guyana’s growing business landscape, while the GFF continues to struggle in this area.

Trust, transparency, delivery, and vision matter. Petra has earned credibility by delivering year after year.

What former national player Troy Mendonca and his partner Marlan Cole have built through Petra Organisation is worthy of national recognition. They have given schools football an identity. They have created a lane of their own. And they have proven that when youth development is done properly, the entire football ecosystem benefits.

So hear me out! Petra Organisation deserves every bit of corporate support it receives, and more. Because long before titles are won and national anthems are sung, development begins in schoolyards. And in Guyana, Petra has been guarding that foundation with purpose, passion, and proof.

Petra Organisation Directors, Marlan Cole (left) and Troy Mendonca.

Thursday December 25, 2025

Kaieteur News

PAGE 43

Classroom excellence meets dominance in sports at Chase’s Academic Foundation 2025.

That winning culture extended well beyond a single competition. Chase Academy claimed the Republic Bank School League titles in 2023, 2024 and 2025, while also asserting itself at the youth level by winning the inaugural ExxonMobil Under-14 Championship in

Henry Chase

By Rawle Toney

C

hase’s Academic Foundation has steadily emerged as a carbon copy of modern, high-performing educational institutions worldwide, places where academic excellence and sporting achievement are not competing priorities, but complementary pillars of development.

In an era where the global education model increasingly recognizes sport as a vehicle for discipline, leadership and opportunity, the institution has positioned itself at the forefront of that movement in Guyana.

That approach places the school firmly in alignment with President Irfaan Ali’s vision for the expansion and professionalization of sport within the national education s y s t e m . A t C h a s e ’s Academic Foundation, sport is not an extracurricular afterthought, but it is a strategic tool for youth empowerment and national development.

The philosophy begins at the top. Principal Henry Chase, himself a former school cricketer for East Ruimveldt Secondary School, understands the transformative power of sport from lived experience.

That early exposure ignited a lifelong passion, and one that

would later shape the direction, identity and culture of the institution he leads today.

The school’s sporting journey took a decisive turn in 2012 with its entry into the Petra Organisation’s MILO School Tournament. That moment marked the start of a structured and intentional investment in studentathletes.

Over the following three years, Chase’s Academic Foundation began offering scholarships to talented young athletes across cricket, football, track and field, swimming, and table tennis.

While excellence was encouraged across disciplines, football soon emerged as the flagship sport that would propel the school onto the national and regional stage.

By 2014, Chase had reached the final of the Digicel Schools Football Tournament (Georgetown Zone), narrowly losing to St. Mary’s High School. Rather than discouraging the institution, that setback became the foundation for sustained dominance.

I n 2 0 1 5 , C h a s e ’s Academic Foundation captured its first MILO title, successfully defending it in 2016 and 2017. The school reclaimed the championship in 2024, while finishing as runners-up in 2023 and

2018, before repeating the feat in 2024 and 2025.

It should be noted, that the school also entered a girls’ team in the ExxonMobil U14 tournament for the first time, finishing as runners-up and signalling a deliberate, progressive expansion into female sport development.

On the regional stage, the

KFC/Goodwill International Tournament, an elite end-ofyear Under-18 competition, tested the school against top institutions from selected islands and territories.

Chase Academy debut appearance in 2023 ended just short of glory, finishing b e h i n d S t . B e n e d i c t ’s College and Clarendon College. In 2024, the school

returned stronger and defeated St. Benedict’s College in the final.

Determined to close 2025 with authority, Chase Academy achieved a historic milestone by becoming the first school to successfully defend the KFC/Goodwill title. However, to Principal Henry Chase, trophies are Continued on page 40

Classroom excellence meets dominance in sports at Chase’s Academic Foundation

Chase Academy’s football team celebrating one of the Milo tournament titles.

ts r o p S

Hear Me Out

Slingerz FC begins Petra Organisation journey to Super 16 is the backbone of title on Boxing Day

Guyana’s football development

….Elite League champions to face Monedderlust

Darron Niles (left) and Kelsey Benjamin will be two key players for Slingerz FC.

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