release expected on Monday before Egypt Summit
debt
...Analysts warn Guyana risks sliding into a debt trap
contract for Stena drill rig to Dec. 2026
Exxon further extends with whopping as British commercial interests tighten their grip
-threatenscourtactionover suspensionofRegion10elections
- as country collects less than US$1B in royalties to date Exxon slaps Guyana
US$2.3B exploration bill
...Analysts
Last week, the United Kingdom increased its export credit financing limit forGuyanafrom£2.1billion to£3.0billion,amovebilled by both London and Georgetown as a vote of confidence in Guyana’s accelerating economic progress.
But amid the applause, commentators have sharply warned that Guyana must tread carefully A failure to do so, they say, risks plunging the country into a debt trap, especially given thevolatilityofoilpricesand the nation’s already heavy external and domestic obligations.
Kaieteur News reported that the announcement, madebyUKExportFinance (UKEF)followingameeting withPresidentIrfaanAliand his finance team, emphasised that the larger ceiling “reflects the UK’s confidence in Guyana’s economic trajectory and fiscal sustainability.” and marksafurtherdeepeningof bilateral relations between thetwonations.”Guyanaoil stocks President Ali, in outlining his priorities for UKEF support, said the announcement comes at a
“pivotalmoment”asGuyana ramps up infrastructure d e v e l o p m e n t a n d strengthens its position as a m a j o r i n v e s t m e n t destination “The British High Commission looks forward to supporting sustainable growth and shared prosperity through this collaboration between the UK and Guyana,” the statementconcluded.
The following day Finance Minister, Dr Ashni Singh said the extra financing capacity will help Guyan
te infrastructure development and support priority sectors over the next five years — including major road works, power transmission, health inf
ructure, and partnerships with British firms. Singh described the move as a “powerful signal of external trust” in the country’s macroeconomic management. The minister has expressed gratitude on behalfoftheGovernmentof Guyana, to the UK Government for their support over the years, which he said has been instrumental in fostering collaboration between the two nations, as Guyana continues to accelerate its
developmentandsolidifyits position as a leading investment hub in the Region.
DebtClimbing Guyana’s total Public and Publicly Guaranteed (PPG) debt stood at
US$5.993 billion at the end of 2024, up from about US$4.5billionayearearlier. External PPG debt loans from multilateral, bilateral, and other foreign creditors was roughly US$2.2 billion, while domestic PPG debt reached approximately US$3 7 billion Debt servicing costs also climbed
toUS$196.1millionin2024, up from US$177.5 million the year before. Of that, US$124.9 million went to external debt service and US$71.2milliontodomestic obligations Government
officials, however, frequentlypointtoGuyana’s decliningdebt-to-GDPratio, downfrom47.4%in2020to 24.3% in 2024, as evidence that debt levels remain within prudent limits— and that the country has room to borrowforstrategicprojects.
APromissoryNote
Political commentator and former Gold Board ChairmanGHKLallsaysthe British increase is “more t h a n g e n e r o s i t y ”
“Increasingthedebtlimitisa way of strengthening the hand of British commercial interests in big Guyanese projects. It is a promissory note that, once taken advantage of, becomes an IOU,” Lall told Kaieteur News
He cautioned that with oil prices projected to decline, Guyana should focus on fiscal discipline rather than “pie-in-the-sky” projects.
“The more spending there is, the more likely corruption is involved,” he added “The debt-to-GDP ratiomaybehealthynow,but if oil prices fall for a prolonged period, the complexion of that ratio changes The kleptocracy and plutocracy stand to be thebiggestbeneficiaries.”
IDB’sCaution
The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) warned in its 2023 flagship report Dealing with Debt: Less Risk for More Growth that public debt in Latin America and the Caribbean had risen sharply since the pandemic.Itcautionedthatif
Guyana risks sliding into a debt trap
borrowing is not managed with “sufficient caution,” interest costs could balloon, growth prospects could suffer, and “in the limit, a costly debt crisis may be provoked.” The IDB urged governments to improve spending efficiency, strengthen institutions, and ensure borrowing is used wisely.
RecklessBorrowing Opposition voices have echoed similar warnings When the Government movedtoraisedomesticand external debt ceilings in 2023,MPJurethaFernandes warned that volatile oil prices could lead to unsustainable debt servicing burdens that squeeze funding for essential services MP Ganesh Mahipaul called for clear definitionsofmajorprojects beforeincreasingdebtlimits, while civil society groups raised alarms about tied financing, opaque procurement, and weak oversight.
In an invited comment, Chartered Accountant Christopher Ram said the UK’smove“mayappearasa gesture of confidence” but raises deeper questions about fiscal prudence, d e p e n d e n c y, a n d geopoliticalinfluence.
Ram pointed out that Britain has long sought to cash in on Guyana’s oil w e a l t h , r e c a l l i n g documentation in Raphael Trotman’s book about the B r i t i s h H i g h Commissioner’s lobbying for TULLOW, a UK oil company that failed in its Guyana ventures. “What the British are doing is copying the Chinese model — give their people the contracts, and they’ll provide the financing.
The unspoken message: We know you have oil; our debt is therefore safe,” Ram observed.
He added that Brexit has pushed the UK to seek new tradefootholds,especiallyin resource-rich regions like the Caribbean “Foreign policy is inseparably tied to trade policy,” Ram said “They lost access to a massive market after Brexit and have been seeking alternativeseversince.”
Ram warned that while the higher ceiling gives Guyana access to faster financing,theGovernment’s lack of a clear borrowing policy and reliance on a “misleading” debt-to-GDP ratio are troubling “A significant portion of GDP — around 60% — does not belongtoGuyana,whileany debt incurred certainly does,”hesaid.“Weareusing oilasareasonforincreasing our debt, both in absolute and relative terms. There is no long-term economic planning.”
HestressedthatBritain’s motivation is not altruistic: “They’re calculating their benefit. There’s no reason we can’t exploit the opportunity, but we must negotiatehard.Identifywhat weneedandwhattheyoffer The Chinese excel in infrastructure; can the Britishmatchthat?”
BorrowingtoFuel Corruption Economist Elson Lowe agreed that while the UK is naturally seeking trade expansion,Guyanamustuse the funds “thoughtfully and strategically” “We must reformprocurementsystems to minimise corruption,” Lowe said. “Borrowing to fuelcorruptionisperilous,as we will not see the expected benefitsofourspending.”
He cautioned that oil pricevolatilityremainsareal threat.“Ifoilpricesfallfora prolongedperiod,adebttrap could result Guyana’s ability to execute large, complex projects — like the Gas-to-Energy plant remains doubtful,” Lowe said. While not opposing borrowing outright, Lowe stressed the need for planning and transparency: “We must borrow with a clear plan — the expected benefittosociety,thereturn, and the risk Without effectivegovernancereform, costs will continue to skyrocket and benefits to citizenswillremainlimited.”
Guyanahasbeenhanded a bill for approximately US$2 3B by ExxonMobil Guyana Limited (EMGL) for exploration activities conducted in the Stabroek Block, but to date, the country has accumulated lessthanUS$1Binroyalties
s i n c e p r o d u c t i o n commencedin2019.
Notably, oil-producing states around the world, including neighbouring Suriname have blocked oil companies from recovering costs spent to hunt for oil. Guyanaontheotherhandnot onlyallowsExxontorecover costs for wells successfully drilled, but even dry holes encounteredintheprocess.
Before production activities commenced, ExxonclaimedUS$1.6Bfor exploration activity in the Stabroek Block during the period 1999 to 2017 Additionally, the company’s
Annual Reports and financial statements for the period 2020 to 2024 show that another US$666 1M was racked up again for exploration activity It was reported that in 2020, some US$100M was spent to exploretheblock.
Meanwhile, in 2021, the
company said US$131 2M was spent and another US$43 7M in 2022
Moreover, Exxon handed
Guya
U S $ 2 7 7 5 M a n d
US$113 7M in 2023 and 2024,respectively
This means Guyana has received a whopping
US$2,266,100,000 for exploration works by the oil major
Since the country commencedproducingoil,it has received less than US$1Binroyalty,asatJune 30, 2025. The Natural Resource Fund (NRF) second quarter report, published by the Bank of Guyanaindicatesthatbythe end of June 2025, Guyana’s total 2% royalty, since the inception of the Fund, only a m o u n t e d t o US$955,781,444. The sweetheart deal signed by ExxonMobil in 2016 allows the company to recover costs related to its explorationactivities,evenif those efforts do not produce oil Additionally, the contract stipulates that the contractorshallpay2%ofall petroleum produced and sold, to the government as royalty
This provision, along with several others have been criticizedby both local and international experts in the past, who are adamant that all companies take on financial risk as the cost of doing business where they operate.
In its 2024 Annual Report published this year, Exxon stated, “Exploration and appraisal activity in the Stabroek Block is critical to enhance understanding of theblock’spotential,inorder toincreasevalueandinform future development opportunities.”
The company reported that eight exploration and appraisal wells were completed in 2024 with activityextendingacrossthe block in the northwest, southeast, and central areas. Meanwhile, the oil giant revealed that it will be targeting at least one more discovery this year to augment the 11 billion barrels of resources already discovered there So far, ExxonMobil has made 46 discoveriesinthe6.6million acres block, as pointed out by Finance Minister, Dr Ashni Singh in his 2025 Budgetpresentation.
The Georgetown
Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) has expressed concern over persistent shipping delays fromTrinidadcausedbyport congestion,arecurringissue that continues to hinder regional trade and disrupt localsupplychains.
According to the Chamber, its members, particularly those in the manufacturing, trade, retail, and construction sectors have reported significant setbacks in receiving shipments of raw materials. The delays have also led to increased demurrage and stor
G
ExxonMobil financial statements indicating the sum spent on exploration between 2021 and 2024
Revenue
Expenditures
essential cargo and restore effi
operations.
GCCI also proposed the facilitation of alternative routing and expedited clearance measures to cushion the impact on local businesses “The Chamber stands ready to work with regional partners and the privatesectortoimplement Continued on page 8
nd Trinidadian authorities, as well as port operators, to urgentlyaddresstheproblem t h r o u g h s t r a
g i c coordination. It emphasised
schedules and project timelines.“Thissituationhas not only disrupted operations but placed undue pressure on cashflow,” GCCIsaidinastatement. The GCCI is calling on b
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Itcanbesaidagainthatpoliticsmakesforthestrangestof bedfellows in Guyana. The political brotherhood of the PPP/CandAPNUisnotanyordinaryrelationship. Itisthe relationshipbetweenpoliticalbloodbrothersthatgoesdeep under the skin. They have the best arrangement in place, whathasworkedforthemfordecades. Intimespast,theold PPPandPNChavelookedoutforoneanother,rantotheside of the other, and taken care of each other What has left Guyanesewiththeirmouthsopenhasworkednicelyforthe reciprocal benefit of the two generational political behemothsinthelocalenvironment.
TheobjectiveisthatthemonopolyholdsthatthePPP/C and now APNU have over the hearts and thinking of Guyanese must continue unimpeded, regardless of the sacrifice that must be made by one or the other group. Regardless of the appearance that there may be some dark alliance, some backdoor dealing, going on between the PPPCandAPNU. ThePPPaddedtheC(Civic)component toitsname,andthereisstillthesamewheelinganddealing between the PPPC and the PNCR (the reform aspect notwithstanding). ThePNCblendedunderthebroadertent ofAPNU,andnothingchangedintermsofitsnuanced,and sometimesnot-so-nuanced,dancewiththePPP/C.
Werecallfromover50yearsago,thattherewasthePPP leader, Dr Cheddi Jagan, moving away from his hardline resistancetothePNCofhisarchnemesis,ForbesBurnham, through the timely concoction of “critical support.” There wereallthosedisturbancesfromthe1960s,andtheresulting devastations that have continued to this day (capital flight, intellectual capital flight), and there was Jagan and his brainchildof“criticalsupport.” Ontheonehand,therewere cane fields that became an outlet for political frustrations, with some of them going up in smoke. On the other, there was critical support, the mystery that was not so much of a mystery, with Venezuela and nationalization held aloft as contributing factors for Jagan's and the PPP's change of heart,sidingwiththedevil,Burnham.
In 2016, the APNU+AFC signed that disastrous Production Sharing Agreement with ExxonMobil, and Guyanese are still struggling to find ways out of that mess that gets worse when ExxonMobil's heavy-handed dominance becomes more obvious. Since then, different citizenshaveapproachedtheOfficeoftheCommissionerof Informationfordocumentsthatcouldshedsomelightonthe bases for the APNU+AFC sealing that deal with ExxonMobil,onlyforthePPPCGovernmenttostandasan unyielding block in their way The British-based Clyde report is being held under lock-and-key by the PPPC Government, through its Office of the Commissioner of Information. So,itisalsowiththeBridgingDeed,Escrow, and other documents, including requests that seek to get to thebottomofoilandgasdevelopments.
The PPPC was so much against (and laudably so) the ExxonMobiloildeal,onlyforittouseitsgoverningpowerto blockGuyanesefromaccessingwhatthelawallows. Why wouldthePPPChaveanyinterestinconcealingtheworkof theAPNU+AFC during its time in office, when the ruling party's leaders found so much that was offensive about the ExxonMobil deal? It is how the two political whales take careofeachotherbyclosingrankstokeeptheseawolvesat bay. Now the APNU has just returned the favour by coalescing with the PPPC in tense Regional Democratic Councils' elections, to push the We Invest in Nationhood (WIN)grouptothemargins. TheWINupstartsrepresenta clearandpresentdanger,andafuturepoliticalmenace,that couldcrackthePPPC-APNUcode,andputoneorbothofthe twosidesoutofbusiness.
Guyanese now get a tutorial on real politick, Guyana style. The question is what is the APNU getting for its betrayal of those 79,000 Guyanese that voted for it? State boardsandcommissionsrewards,concessionsatthevillage level could all be richly package. Never forget oil money sharing in this curious version of shared governance. The seismicshiftinthepoliticallandscapejustgotturnedupsidedownwiththoseAPNUcouncilmoves.
DearEditor, February 2025 marked 55 years the De Florimonte family has lived @ 5th Avenue Subryanville. My parentshad9children,andI am the 3rd from the bottom. MysiblingsandIspentmuch of our childhood between DYC (Diocesan Youth Centre) on 3rd Avenue, and Farnum Playfield. I broke my arm at 11 years old on Farnum, trying to climb to
thetopofthegoalpost.
Assoonasschoolclosed for the Easter, we would be carrying coconut branches andpiecesofwooddownthe road to Farnum Ground to build a “shelter” for the Easter holidays since we wouldbespendingdaysjust flyingourkitesthere.
Icouldclearlyremember arriving on Easter Monday one year to find a family from Gordon Street Kitty
already decked out in our makeshift tent with their blankets and baskets and children.
People came from Kitty and Campbellville for recreation on Farnum Ground.Thebestspotswere alwaysalongthe3rdAvenue fence, since you had the width of the entire field to raiseyourkite.
Both my brothers also played football with Kitty
Rangers FC on Farnum Ground for many years. I have these and many more MEMORIES to last a lifetime, and I hope that my grands, great nieces, nephews and children from t h e s u r r o u n d i n g communitiescancontinueto maketheirownmemorieson FarnumPlayfield. Yourssincerely, Zandra Perreira Née De Florimonte
DearEditor, Suddenly, APNU seems more interested in the WIN party leader's indictment charges after seeing a glimmerofhopeofregaining someformofpowerthrough technicality Is that a coincidence, or is it a vengefulreactionafterbeing embarrassingly beaten by a party that was catapulted to popularity in just three months?
Giventhisdesperategrab at straws, no doubt there are secret deals being drafted between the PPPC and APNU.Ifthatishappening,I
would surely like to know who stands to benefit. For a party to be in existence for some 68 years, holding power for 28 of those years, andthenbealmostwipedout by a three-month-old party, tellsmethattheirsupporters are extremely dissatisfied with its existence and chose to jump to a new party instead of supporting the rulingparty Editor, it is my opinion that the various challenges the WIN party is facing are direct acts orchestrated by therulingparty,whichIhave been saying over the years
seems very vindictive. Is it possible that our corrupt officials could have asked foreign companies, squandering our wealth, to pull strings to have actions taken against their threats?
My assumption is that the WIN party has been raising issues to make Guyanese aware of the level of corruptioninGuyanaandthe restrictivepoliciestheruling party has in place that keep the majority of the population in poverty Or, thenagain,itcouldsimplybe direct vindictive action because the WIN party's
leader is bold enough to standagainstthem.
The delay in convening Parliament tells me that plans are being executed to prevent the WIN party from entering.
To see APNU suddenly cajolingwithapartythatthe majority of Guyanese believe to be corrupt and incompetent is outright d i s g u s t i n g a n d embarrassing. At least the public could judge for themselves about their intentions.
Regards SahadeoBates
DearEditor,
“Every girl, everywhere, deserves equality, opportunity, and dignity.”UN Secretary-General, AntónioGuterres.
Historically and culturally, girls have been regarded as less important. In some cultures, female fetusesareabortedasgirlsas seenasaburdenonfamilies.
T h i s e n t r e n c h e d discrimination against girls hasgrownovertheyears.In Afghanistan girls are not permitted to have an education beyond grade 6. Alarmingly, 80% of schoolaged Afghan girls and women are out of school. Many are forced in marriages.
Thisretrogradepolicyby the Taliban controlled government has restricted and suspended the human rights of girls. Across the globe gender equality is frownedupon,givingriseto a rigid culture of patriarchy and controlled over the bodies and minds of girls. Toomanygirlsdonotasafe space whether at home or at school. Oftentimes schools are sites for conflict and trauma. Girls are frequently bullied and abused
Unfortunately, in many spaces,bullyinghasbecome normalised. Thispermissive culture of bullying in educational institutions runs counter to many girls achieving their true potential. On December 19, 2011, the United Nations General Assembly declared October 11 as the InternationalDayoftheGirl Child, to recognise girls' rights and the unique challenges girls face around the world. The day is set aside to promote girls' empowerment and the fulfillment of their human rights. This year's theme is, “The girl I am, the change I lead.”
Unquestionably, achieving gender equality and women's empowerment is integral to each of the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Girls have the right to a safe, educated, and healthy life, not only during their formative years, but also as they mature into women. If effectively supported and educated, girls have the potentialtochangetheworld both as the empowered girls of today and as tomorrow's workers, entrepreneurs,
mentors, household heads, political leaders, and mothers. An investment in realising the power of girls upholds their rights today and promises a more equitable and prosperous future, one in which half of humanityisanequalpartner in solving the problems of climate change, political conflict, economic growth, disease prevention, and global sustainability While gender equality has made much needed and positive strides forward, there is so muchfurthertogo.
The UN adds, globally, 650milliongirlsandwomen alivetodayhaveexperienced sexual violence in childhood.Nearlyoneinfive girls are married during childhood. Adolescent girls and young women aged 15–24arestilltwiceaslikely to not be in education, employment or training. In addition to being a basic human rights, gender equality is essential to fostering peaceful societies, with full human potential a n d s u s t a i n a b l e development. Moreover, it has been shown that empowering women spurs productivity and economic
growth.Unfortunately,there is still a long way to go to achievefullequalityofrights and opportunities between menandwomen.
OnthistheInternational Day of the Girl Day let us collectively use our platformstogiveavoiceand safe space to girls many of whom are marginalised. Let us imagine a world where girls are empowered to become agents of change. On this special day of the Girl, the global community should encourage girls to speak out but also to share girls' achievements, triumphs, and contributions as we build towards a brighter and more equitable future for girls everywhere. Happy, International Day of theGirl.
In the words of the United Nations, all human beings are born free and equalindignityandrights and that “everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration, without distinctionofanykind,such as race, colour, sex, language, religion, birth or otherstatus.
Regards WayneCampbell
DearEditor,
Salute to Ms Maria Corina Machado on being awarded the 2025 Noble PeacePrizeforherpartinthe struggle for democracy in Venezuela.
Democracyisnotmerely a way of managing social affairs: much more importantly, it is the expression of human freedominthesocialsetting. To eliminate or use various means to suppress it, particularly in an ethnic setting where group identity is important, is to institutionalise political alienation and ultimately giverisetosubstantialsocial conflicts.
During his presentation attheopeningofthe'Bharrat Jagdeo Demerara Harbour Bridge', President Dr Irfaan Ali waxed lyrical about the return to democracy on 5 October 1992. Interestingly, as he did with many other naming offers, when the old bridge was being launched, Forbes Burnham simply laughed at the suggestion that since it was then considered the world's 'longest floating bridge' it should have been called the Linden Forbes Burnham Bridge!
Even if we forget the
deliberate contextual limitation of the president's presentation, I have argued before that Guyana was demoted to being a dictatorial state under Dr Ali's watch by the 2025 report of the V-Democracy project, which is easily the world'smostcomprehensive and authoritative source dealing with nature of democratic governance (VV: 05/10/2025). Nothing has happened since that presentation to change my position.
Apart from saying that elections day 2025 was peaceful and efficiently administered,Icannotrecall that any of the major observer groups, referred to the process as democratic. Indeed, their critique of the pre-elections process substantiates the position takenbyV-Democracy,forit is well established that elections are better rigged long before elections day and in themselves do not es
Governments produced by electionsmaybeinefficient, corrupt, shortsighted, irresponsible, dominated by special interests, and
incapable of adopting policies demanded by the publicgood. Duringitstime in government, the PPP has exhibited and continues to display all these negative qualities.
Briefly, my assessment of the outcome of the 2025 electionsinthearticleabove remainsintact. ThePPPhas failedinitsdecades-longbid to deliberately impoverish Africans to force enough of them into its ranks to diminishtheAfricancasefor constitutional reforms to protect their interest. Even deploying the entire repertoire of pre-elections undemocratic behaviour could not accomplish this goal. Note that the actual voting population is only about 515,000 persons and the PPP is at present in government because of its usual strong ethnic support a n d t h e n o r m a l , comparatively large, coerced and manipulated Amerindian population that normally votes for it (VV: 13/07/2025).
Election behaviour must replicate itself for about threeelectionscyclesbefore one can do much more than speculate negatively or positivelyaboutit.
Whatiswithoutdoubtis
that We Invest in
Nationhood's (WIN)
p e r f o r m a n c e w a s substantially aided by the fragmentation of the PNC and this is unlikely to last
particularly since the escalation of its difficulties has now made the other partieswearyofdealingwith it!
Worldwide, in various ways autocrats have sought tocaptureandbendtheState to their wills. In this regard, political parties, like all social organisations, are prone to the 'iron law' of oligarchy i.e. capture by the smallleadershipcliquesthat control their day-to-day activitiesleavinglittlespace for the ordinary member to meaningfully impact policy making and organisational accountability
C o m m u n i s t arrangements such as 'democratic centralism' that severely curtail free, open, democratic participation only make the situation worse.
But then there is a widespreadsterileutilitarian view that democracy is merelyameansofmanaging the State. And like the iron lawofoligarchy,thissituates well with those who believe that political parties exist to win and wield political power on behalf of their membership. The notion that human freedom can only be properly expressed in the social setting by free democratic participation is trivialised in theory and practice and constitutes an essential dividing line between the autocratic and democraticmindset.
While the latter prioritises the construction of political parties with internal democratic arrangements that give the ordinary members maximum opportunity to participate, develop, and enforce policies, the former hascontributedsignificantly to the disintegration of PNC/APNU. Mr Aubrey Norton has been the victim ofthewrongheadedposition that outcomes of the democratic process can and should be conveniently disposed of. He and Dr Terrence Campbell, the presentleaderofthepartyin parliament, will have to confront and deal with this democratic deficit in the PNC if it is to remain and grow as a democratic institution.
M a n y l i b e r a l d e m o c r a c i e s h a v e established arrangements such as primaries to avoid the negative tendencies of oligarchies and enhance internal democratic participation. In 2011, after
multiple electoral defeats, internal convulsions and external criticisms, the PNC gave hope by establishing a primary-type system to choose its presidential candidate, and the present internal spasm is a sign that the democratic impulse has notbeenextinguished.
At the general level, Guyanaisadictatorshipthat lacksanadequateseparation of powers and other democraticarrangements.In the interest of human freedom and development, Mr Norton and Dr Campbell should prioritise
democratising general and in-party political relations, foronewillnotsubstantially materialise without the other Its recent utterings relating to development of G e
n d es
shmen
a permanent reliable cash grant, suggest that the PPP will continue to be obstructive to progressive democratic improvements, butifsensiblymassaged,the present parliamentary configuration portends greaterpoliticalactivism.
Sincerely Dr.HenryJeffrey
DearEditor,
In the World Cup qualifier match between Norway and Israel, Norway defeatedIsrael5-0.
Norwegian fans inthe stadium took a proPalestinian stance sending redcardmessagetoIsrael. It must be something, embarrassing, therefore, for the Nobel Peace Prize Committee that this year's
Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to someone who unflinchingly and unwaveringly supports Israel, and world opinion and criticism is the unfazed bombingsupportofGaza. Does this award match the ideals, values and moral beliefs of Alfred Nobel?
Regards Shamshun Mohamed
In light of the fallout from the recent R e g i o n a l Democratic Council (RDC) elections,whichsawintense clashes among opposition partiessuchasAPartnership for National Unity (APNU) andWeInvestinNationhood
(WIN), APNU's lead Parliamentarian, Terrence Campbell, has called for unity and collaboration as the country prepares for the nextparliamentarysession.
Campbell urged all politicalpartiesnottoletthe discord from the RDC electionshindercooperation in the National Assembly Speaking with Kaieteur News onSunday,hesaidthe failureofthecoalitionatthe regional level should not
affect the ability of opposition parties to work togetherinmakingdecisions forthenation.
“I believe that all parties shouldlearnfromthefailure to arrive at a compromise in relation to the elections of regional chairmen and vicechairmen. Our entry into Parliamentisanopportunity to reset the relationship so
t h a t c o m p r o m i s e ,
c o o p e r a t i o n , a n d collaboration prevail,” Campbellstated.
Heemphasisedthatthere aremanynationalissuesthat require open discussion and cooperation among all political sides. “There are a numberofissuesthatrequire
discussion among our party and the other opposition parties for decisions to be made A spirit of compromise should guide those discussions so that we do not return to the discord thatnowexists,”headded.
Campbell noted that while the People's
Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) gained control of eight out of ten regions, the APNU remains committed to representing those regions' residents in the National Assembly “Our councillors will vigorously represent the interests of the residents of those regions, bothwithinthecouncilsand outsideoftheformalwallsof the regional bodies,” he affirmed.
Additionally, with the allegation of the APNU siding with the PPP to rule against the WIN party, Campbell clarified that APNU did not collaborate withthePPPduringtheRDC elections.“TheAPNUnever sided with the PPP in these elections We entered discussions with all parties, but a dangerous narrative was spread that APNU was cooperating with the PPP to pressure us into taking positions against our own interest.TheAPNUactedin the best interest of the coalitionanditssupporters,”
Campbellstated.
In a separate Facebook post on Saturday, Campbell
responded directly toWIN's allegations of betrayal by APNU. “You have to be careful what you name your children. When you give your children a name like win,thenalltheyfocusonis winning. They ignore the other children in their class, children like cooperation, collaboration and coalition, and this often leads to disastrousresults,aswesaw yesterday,”hesaid.
Campbell added, “It is rich for anyone to come and saythatintheabsenceofan agreement, the APNU must notpushitscandidatestothe highestofficesintheregion. Thatiswhatwedid,andthat iswhatwehavearighttodo, and that's what our supportersexpectustodoin theabsenceofanagreement. Now our candidate wasn't successful in Region Four, but our candidate in Region 10didalotbetter
But here is what WIN is not telling you, their own candidateinRegion10wasa deeply unpopular and arrogant candidate, unpopular even amongst WINcounsellors,andthisis why the other parties decided to support us, that candidate had gone in the newspapers and claim that theyhadtheirsupport.They had it in the bag just before. SoWINhasonlyitsownself toblame.
Now I say toWIN when you come to Parliament, don't come again trying to grab everything to WIN everythingcome.Whenyou come there, you'll meet collaboration, cooperation and coalition. Work with them.”
Meanwhile, APNU member and soon-to-be parliamentarian Dr Dexter Todd, on Sunday, echoed Campbell's call for unity, urging all opposition parties toworktogetherforthegood of the country “Election 2025isover;wenowhavea G o v e r n m e n t a n d Opposition. I therefore call on all opposition parties to comprehend your role well and to stop the public fights foritwillserveyounogood. The WIN party share with APNU the same support basesodon'tforgetthat,”he stated.
Dr Todd emphasised
APNU's continued commitment to serving the
people, expressing his willingness to collaborate with other parties that share similar values. “I am proud to be a part of the team that will work to restore and strengthenthisparty I believe in the philosophy of the party, and any other party that share in thesameideologicalbeliefsI will endorse cooperation. In cooperation, political ideology and identity must never be lost. So to promulgate that PNC and PPPCarealliesbecauseofa RDCelectionisjustplaying childishpolitics,”hesaid.
He added, “The APNU and PNC cannot be killed, and the party will never die.
The political philosophies upon which this party was builtarestrong;nowindcan remove those pillars. I look forward to working with all forthebenefitofournation.”
TheRDCelections,held on Friday, saw surprising alliances form across regions.
In Regions Eight and Ten, old rivals APNU and PPP/C appeared to have voted together, prompting claimsof collusion from the WIN party WIN accused APNU of siding with the PPPtoblockitfromsecuring leadership positions in the regionalcouncils.
In Region Eight (Potaro–Siparuni), the PPP won control of the council with the support of the lone
APNU councillor, securing the chairmanship while awarding the vice-chair position to APNU WIN described this as “clear collusion.” The party said, “For decades, the Guyanese people were fooled into believing that the PPP and the PNC were enemies. Now, with the chance to defeat the PPP, they are joining forces to stifle WIN.”
Similarly,inRegionTen, long regarded as an APNU stronghold, WIN captured themostvotesintheregional elections but was unable to secure a clear majority The electionforChairmanended inatiebetweenWIN'sMark Goring and APNU's Dominique Blair, with nine votes each The final decision now rests with the Minister of Local Gover
, Priya Manickchand.
WIN's leader, Azruddin Mohamed,saidhewas“very surprised” by the outcome
“You can clearly see that the PPP,APNU,andFGMvoted together, while WIN stood alone The same thing happenedinRegionEight It looks like they are in talks,” hesaid Mohamedaddedthat WIN only sought the opportunity to represent the peopleofRegionTen,stating, “They don't want them; they wanted us The PPP,APNU, and FGM are working togethertokeepWINout”
‘It is the govt’s duty to advise rice farmers on alternative sources of income’-Former Finance Minister - says concessions are just sweeteners
Former Minister of Finance Winston Jordan on Sunday told the Kaieteur News that it is the government's duty to advise
the rice farmers on alternative sources of income.
While he acknowledged that there are concessions given to the farmers, he reasoned that these are just sweeteners and reiterated that the government has currentlydoneallitcouldin this regard. Over on the Essequibo Coast, farmers are urging government to introducealternativeincome options if rice continues to beunprofitable.
“Youcan'tsurviveatthis price,” said farmer Adjuda Narayan of Golden Fleece.
“If we can't plant rice, the government has to help us find something else to do.”
Another farmer lamented
communication from authorities.“Theyknowrice fromlastcropstilldehinthe system,” he said. “Why not tell us to plant less and give weotherwaystoearn?
During the interview Jordan said that there is nothing wrong with the government's overall objective of increasing food production but there should beamappedputstrategyon how much it should be increased by and how the increasewillbedealtwith.
He went on to explain thatthissimplymeansthatit should be made certain that the demand for whatever is being produced is proportionate, as farmers cannotbeoutherestretching their necks out to produce rice and there is no way of sellingit.
Whilefarmersshouldbe encouraged to increase productivity and should have the necessary experts advising them on fertilizer and how to avoid certain mistakes, so they can continuetomakeaprofitand sustainthemselves.
Highlighting all the concessions being given J o r d a n s a i d , “…notwithstanding the concessions that you might begiventotheindustry,itis the duty of the government to advise the farmer of coming out of that crop and plantingsomethingelsethat will supplement the income thathewasgettingorreplace the income that he was getting.”
Even if the new crop being pursued will not providethelostincomefrom
rice, farmers can be
encouraged to take additionaljobs,whetheritis in agriculture or in other expanding areas of the economy,headvised.
“You know, we it may sound far-fetched, but we used to be a nation of artisans and, you know, and farmers and all these other different things. The government is offering a lot of courses in the tech area and so on. So, all these can be areas where the farmers can be helped in, and then thegovernmentcancomein andsupportthefarmerinthe newareasthattheytakeup,” theformerministeradded.
Giving what he called a wild example, he said that there are opportunities in dress making and tailoring. If farmers are trained in these areas, the government
“So, you give them a, say, a three year or a four year, a five-year lead in where they have fixed markets and they the farmer themselves, can go and get
communitiesandsoon,you know, and in that way, the farmers not broke. The farmer is not burdened by debt every single crop,” Jordanadded.
Former Minister of Finance Winston Jordan
can then come in to provide and support readymade
transitioned farmers can provide clothing for the prisons,thehospitaloreven school uniforms. This way they will not have to be fiercely competing with anyoneformarket.
On October 11, this publication reported that rice farmers in Mahaicony arepressingaheadwiththeir harvests even as they await long-promised talks with government officials over the crisis-level prices being offered by millers this crop. FarmerRoopnarineEtwaroo told this publication on Wednesdaythatdespite (Continuedonpage16)
After days of unbearable gridlockthatleft thousands of commuters seething,PresidentIrfaanAli on Sunday exploded in frustration over the “tremendous hardship” caused by the chaotic rehabilitation and expansion works along the East Bank PublicRoad.
The visibly angry Headof-State summoned an emergency meeting with senior officials of the Ministry of Public Works, theGuyanaPoliceForce,the Coast Guard, the Chinese contractor China Road & Bridge Corporation (CRBC),andtheU.S.-based
consultant Sheladia Associates Inc , blasting themforwhathecalledgross
mismanagement and slackness. “It is clear to me that enough effort is not placed in the contract management and the
workflow plan,” President Ali fumed according to a Department of Public Information release. “As a result, you are causing tremendous hardship on the people who are using this road.”
President Ali told the companies that his patience had run out, warning that he would no longer tolerate poor project management, delays, or indifference to public suffering The Presidentannouncedaseries of tough new measures to restore order and speed up work. He directed that a daily work plan be shared with the traffic control team and ordered that “all areas opened overnight must be readyforusethenextday.”
To crack down on reckless driving and lawlessness, President Ali i n s t r u c t e d P o l i c e Commissioner Clifton Hicken to establish a permanent control base along the corridor, using containerised command posts and 24-hour drone surveillance to monitor trafficandidentifyviolators.
His Excellency President Dr. Irfaan Ali met on Sunday with contractor, China Road & Bridge Corporation (CRBC); consultant, Sheladia Associates Inc.; engineers; and a traffic management team working on the rehabilitation and expansion of the East Bank Public Road.
“All the trucks that are breaking the rules, all the trucks that are breaking the laws, forming three lanes andfourlanes—youhaveto charge the drivers,” the Presidentwarnedbluntly
Mr Ali also ordered the control room moved closer to the construction site and demanded a new work plan showing how additional machinery and manpower w i l l b e d e p l o y e d immediately to accelerate progress.“Iwasthereatone inthemorning,two-thirtyin the morning hardly anyone was working,” he said. “For this project to be completed and for less disruption to commuters, you have to put people in during the night, increase your machinery, andincreaseyourworkforce.
Isaidthismorethanonce.”
‘NoMoreExcuses’
The Head-of-State made it clear that penalties will follow for anyone contractors, consultants, or engineerswhofailtodeliver He also announced the creation of an early warning system using drones to detect congestion before it
spiralsoutofcontrol.“There must be coordination, teamwork, and precision in getting this work done,”Ali stressed.
In a dramatic twist, the President even ordered the Coast Guard and the Police MarineUnittostandreadyto ferry passengers to the Cheddi Jagan International Airport if traffic gridlock worsens. “The boats will be in place. We have the boats, sowecanhelppeoplegetto theairport,”Alisaid.“Thatis why I’ve asked the Coast Guard, Colonel Howell, the Commissioner, and the marine section of the police all to be involved ” Ali declared that this would be his final warning to all partiesinvolved,signallinga zero-tolerance approach to mismanagement and indiscipline on one of the nation’s most vital arteries. The government is pushing to complete the East Bank expansion swiftly as part of itswiderinfrastructuredrive launched in 2020. But for now, Guyanese stuck in the punishing traffic may find little comfort — except that the President himself seems tohavelosthispatience,too.
Frompage3
practicalremedialsolutions,”itstated.
Reflecting on similar disruptions last December, which led to widespread supply chain challenges and higher consumer costs, the GCCI cautioned against allowing the situationtoworsenaheadoftheholidayseason.
“Wecannotaffordasupply-chainparalysisaheadofthe holidayseasonswiftactionwilllimiteconomicharmtothe businesscommunityandconsumers,”theChamberwarned.
TheGCCIfurtherurgedauthoritiesinTrinidadtoreview port procedures and operations to ensure the reliability of regional trade. “Trade and stability cannot be held hostage byinefficiency,”thebodynoted.
Inpoliticsillusionishalf the act The People's Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C), flushed with the triumphal “landslide” victory, would have us believe it has achieved a mandate of historic proportions — a national outpouringof confidencein itsgovernance.
The red flags wave, the musicblares,andtheleaders pose with the self-satisfied air of emperors who think the empire still believes in them. But peel back the bunting and the illusion beginstofade.Thenumbers tell a different story — one of complacency, sloppy execution, and a victory not earnedbutinheritedfromthe e x h a u s t i o n a n d disorganisation of the opposition.
Yes, the PPP/C has retained power and by a comfortablemargin.Butthis comfort rests not on a surge in popularity, nor on a brilliant campaign strategy, butonthepoliticalinertiaof its rivals and the apathy of the electorate The cold arithmetic reveals the fraudulence of the celebration.Therulingparty gained a mere 9,000-plus votemorethanitdidin2020. Yet somehow, this modest bump translated into a near four-point percentage boost over 2020. The difference was not in the hearts won, but in the hearts that stayed home.
Thegreatlandslide,then, was built not on enthusiasm but on erosion — the slow crumbling of opposition turnout,thesplinteringofthe APNU coalition, and the quietdespairofcitizenswho have ceased to believe that politics can make any difference to their lives
WhatthePPP/Chassecured isnotanendorsementbutan emptyvictory
One need not be an oracle to see how the party broughtthisuponitself.The campaign, such as it was, stumbled from rally to rally like a tired circus troupe recycling its old tricks. The grand rallies, meant to projectmomentumandmass appeal, instead revealed fatigue The same faces, busedandrecycled,clapping to the same slogans, shouting to the same music. Even the drone footage — that modern tool of political vanity—couldnotdisguise the thinning crowds
Compared to the surging masses of 2015 and 2020, the recent gatherings were but shadows, their energy forced and their message stale.
Yet inside the party's echo chamber, the illusion metastasized into conviction: the rallies were “massive,” the enthusiasm
“unprecedented, ” the support “overwhelming ” The leadership, drunk on its own propaganda, mistook repe tition for evidence
And then came the advertisingcampaign.Itwas a masterpiece of selfsabotage. One is tempted to imagine the meeting in which this strategy was devised: a handful of consultants, armed with borroweddataandoverused buzzwords, convincing themselvesthatsocialmedia alone could swing the undecidedvoter Nevermind that political research — freely available, even to the lazy — has long established that persuasion, not visibility, wins elections, and that visibility without messageisnoise.ThePPP/C optedforthecheapfix:lowbudget social media ads, poorly targeted and easily ignored.
The irony is that the party, flush with the financial spoils of incumbency, could have afforded better Yet it chose the illusion of modernity over the substance of strategy — a digital mirage that impressed only itself. This was not a campaign designedtopersuade;itwas a performance designed to reassure. And so, when the votes were counted and the landslide declared,the party celebrated its own mediocrity Its share of the vote, in numbers, had not meaningfully expanded. Its rallies had not inspired new believers.Its messaginghad not moved the swing voter What saved it was the
Fuh weeks now, people missing dem flight like how man used to miss curfew in de old days. You plantoreachairportthreehoursbefore,and still end up waving goodbye to the plane from behind a truckload of cement blocks. Some people now living at CJIA permanent dey luggage done get citizenshipstamp.
But hear dis one: it tek de government weeks weeks! to “discover” the problem. Just like Christopher Columbus, demboysseh.Hesailalloverdeoceanand bump up pon a whole continent he ain't knowwasthere.
Samethingwiddembigonesnow East Banktrafficbeenmashinguppeoplesanity longbeforedefirsttruckloadofcrusherrun touch de ground, but only now dem “discover”it—afterhalfofTimehriturninto aparkinglotandvisitorsstartthreateningto nevercomeback.
OneoverseasGuyanesesehhedonewid it. He tell he family, “If I have to face that EastBankRoadagain,IstayinginNewYork where at least de traffic got rules.” Imagine that—Guyana losing tourist money not becauseofbanditsorblackouts,butbecause ofbaddrivingandoneeternalroadproject!
So now, we hearing de contractors and consultantsgetcallin.DemsehdeRiotAct
collapseoftheopposition— afragmentedAPNUfighting among itself, its supporters demoralized and its turnout pitiful. And WIN making major inroads. The PPP/C's “landslide”wastheresultof arithmetic, not affection The PPP/C's style this election was one of complacency dressed as confidence, spectacle standing in for persuasion. It was a campaign that promised everything and believed nothing The governingparty'sproblemis not that it cannot win; it is that it no longer knows how to earn victory Therein lies thedanger Victoriessuchas thisonebreeddelusion.The
readtodem.Butdemboysseh,deRiotAct shoulda been read long time ago—to de drivers!Becausedebiggestproblemain'tde roadworks;isdepeopleponderoad.Every morning, a two-lane road does magically turn into three lanes—all going one way Northbound? Forget it. You could pitch a tent and wait. Dem drivers creating new laneslikedemgotsharesinasphalt. And traffic control? Non-existent. De few traffic ranks you see does look tired of life. Some stand like statue, watching de chaos like dem waiting fuh divine intervention. What Guyana need right now ain't more consultants and “high-level meetings.”Weneedmoretrafficpolicewid chargesheets,andsomebarrierstostopdem indisciplinedriversfromboringandcreating chaos…
Ifdemputproperbarricadesandenough rankstocontroldeflow,trafficwouldmove steady—slow,butsteady Everybodywould reach de airport in time to catch dem flight insteadofcatchinghypertension. Dem boys seh, until dat happen, governmentgonkeep“discovering”deEast Bank traffic problem every few weeks, like Columbusfindingdesameislandagainand again.Anddeonlythingflyingregularoutta Guyanathesedays—ispeopletemper Talkhalf.Leffhalf.
leadership will read the numbersnotasawarningbut as vindication. The machinery of government will roll on, greased by the myth of popular approval. Meanwhile, the apathy deepens, the opposition fragments further, and the electorate grows more cynical. The PPP/C may think it has secured another fiveyearsofpower Intruth, it has secured another five years of disbelief Democracy,likeanymarket, depends on demand. When citizens stop demanding better,thesuppliersofpower stoptryingtoprovideit.The PPP/C's victory is the triumph of a system that no longerexpectsexcellence— from its rulers, its opposition, or even itself. Thelandslidewasnotawave of passion but a shrug of indifference. And for that, therulingpartyshouldnotbe jubilantbutuneasy
(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinionsofthisnewspaper.)
It took a while, but slowly dawns the reason why Bharrat Jagdeo was grinning like a Cheshire cat. A whole gang of laffin, smirking, purring felines Mark it down to the aging processonthisside,butthere are still those wits that recognise Guyana’s master politicalHoudiniatthetopof his game. When a man is good, I have no qualms in sayingthatheisgood. Look at what he did to the PNC, howhemadeCongressPlace into a floating riverboat of gamblers, connivers, and political chain snatchers (no to WIN). The PNC is now PPP,andgodhelpthosewho think of getting in the middle ‘Not me, I is smaatah dan dah. Eye jinin de PPP.’ Like de ‘maan’at GECOM once said, ‘goat ain’tbitehe.’ Ifnothe,then why not me? If the PNC done gone and left hopeful Guyanese voters on their own, then how could any Guyanese be asked to look uponthePPP(andJagdeo)as being part of the devil’s laboratory? If the PNC could do that much with the PPP to shaft the sweet folks in WIN, then there is no merit in people like me continuing down the
contrarianroad. WhatthePNCdidduring thoseconspiraciesinvolving Regional Democratic Councils is copout, sellout, sickout, fallout, and out of their minds at Congress Place. If not conspiracy, then what is the next best label? Whoseideawasthat? The better question is this one:whatisinitforthePNC, the ones who stayed faithful to the Palm Tree because they knew that good things from the PPP were on the way. Ihavetoadmitthatthat is looking at the PNC crossing the floor from a negative angle. There are other angles that add a positive sheen to the PPPPNCaxis(ofevil??)relative to those regional bodies. Things are now so bad for PNC diehards that even the little pride they had left has beentakenawayfromthem, sold from under their feet. Now try this little saving grace, this little face-saving effort, from my side of the aisle. Be informed upfront that it is all Bharrat (Dr.) Jagdeo. Did he perform an operation or what on the PNCandCongressPlace! It isJagdeoathisdevilishbest. Jagdeotheangler-usingthe
PNC to narrow down and squeezeouttheWINpeople. Jagdeo the composer of that RDChymnbookfromwhich the PNC sang lustily – to deliveraPearlHarborsneak attackleadingtotheFuneral MarchsymphonyforWIN. I can hear echoes of Franklin Delano Roosevelt, 85 years later, this day will live in infamy For unsuspecting Americans, it was Sunday, December1941. Forsleepy Guyanese, the picture of lethargy, it was Friday, October10,2025. Guyana’s own day when a foul wind blew across this nation, and sweptthePNCintothearms of the PPP. Cheddi Jagan mustbekickinguphisheels and rejoicing at that cometo-Jesusmoment(pardonthe sacrilege, please). Forbes Burnham must be chewing on his nails, kicking up a stink,whiletheotherpartof his head is thinking from where the hell did that one come. What took the PNC fromoutofthedungeonand into the PPP dumpsite at Haags Bosch. Toxic, this is not; only the newest edition ofPPP-PNCpolitics. Ifthis move by the PNC wasn’t so obscene, it would be comical. What is there to laffabout? Don’tlookatme.
Redirect attention to the peopleatWIN.
Further, it is Bharrat Jagdeo the conductor, swinging his baton in calculatedandsurearcs:not one wrong note: anyone but WIN. All the singers and dancersmovinginasmooth, seamless dance. It is the PPP-PNC danse macabre that makesWIN into a losel o s e p r o p o s i t i o n
Mastermind and master political footballer Jagdeo cannotstanduptoExxonfor the benefit of Guyanese.
‘But Jagdeo, the arranger and ultra-orchestrator can
getthePNCfuhtiebundle widheeandsendWINinto thewilderness.’ Iamalready there in that rocky place, so thereisablanketofkindness available to soften the fall andthehurt.
Dr Jagdeo is in theater, the uber orchestrator Go there! Do that! Sit down! Standup! Shut up! Step across.
Sorry for the low note letdown, folks. I think I’ll checkoutwhatthePPPhasin mind for me. Aside from goldsmuggling.
(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinionsofthisnewspaper.)
Happened before. One mantookrubberbulletsfrom thePPPandnowhasfallenin love with the party If he, then why not the other PNC stragglers checking out for themselveshowthePPPcan takecareofthem. ThePNC has exceeded ambitions, visions, expectations Bharrat Jagdeo is just his normal,oleself.
Attorney-at-law Siand Dhurjon, acting on behalf of members of the We Invest in Nationhood (WIN) party, has issued a formal notice to the Clerk of the Region 10 Regional Democratic Council (RDC), Dwight John, demanding that the election processforChairmanandViceChairmanbe resumed within 48 hours or face court action.
In a letter dated October 12, 2025, Dhurjon, representing WIN’s elected councillors Mark Goring, Denzel Chapman, Tamicka Duke, Nandy Miriam Fiedtkou, Michelle Hope, Leola Narine, Yoland Nedd, Judith Wade-Martin, and Hubert Williams—contended that John’s decisiontosuspendtheelectionprocesswas “ultra vires, contrary to statute, arbitrary, unreasonableandotherwiseillegal.”
The lawyer’s letter follows the Region 10RDCelectionheldonOctober10,which ended in a tie between WIN’s candidate, Mark Goring, and APNU’s Dominique Blair Afterthetie,Johnannouncedthatthe matter would be referred to the Minister of Local Government for a “deliberation” and “castingvote.”
Dhurjon has objected to this approach, stating that “You are hereby advised that your suspension of the election process of the RDC Chairman and your intention to seek the Minister’s ‘deliberation, pronouncement and casting vote’ is ultra vires, contrary to statute, arbitrary, unreasonableandotherwiseillegal.Thereis nolongeranypowerheldbytheMinisterto unilaterally determine and impose the Chairmanship of any Regional Democratic Council,withoutmore.”
He further advised that the Clerk must followtheproceduresoutlinedundersection 20(6)(a) to (h) of the Local Democratic OrgansAct, Cap. 28:09, which provide for multipleroundsofvotingtobreakatie,and, if necessary, the final selection of a Chairman “by lot through a public process theChairman.”
The attorney warned that failure to reconvene the council to lawfully complete
the election within 48 hours will result in legalproceedingsbeingfiledintheSupreme Court to compel compliance. He also cautioned the Minister of Local Government, who was copied on the correspondence, to “refrain from treading upon any path of illegality,” noting that she could also be named as a respondent in any court action should she intervene improperly
Voting for the Chairman was conducted by secret ballot. Goring raised concerns aboutthismechanismbeingusedinsteadof a show of hands. However, John dismissed thoseconcernsandproceededwiththeballot process.
Only two nominations were made for GoringandBlair Thecountendedwithatie nine votes each for Goring and Blair REO John explained, “According to Chapter 28:09,whenthereisatieforchairmanshipin any regional council elections, the Minister of Local Government and Regional Development,thepowerhasbeenvestedin him or her, in this case her to, after being written to by the RDC explaining what has happened, she will deliberate and give her pronouncementon this.” He added that this must occur before nominations for Vice Chairman can be conducted. The proceedings were then adjourned until the minister’sdecisionismade.
ExxonMobil Guyana Limited (EMGL) has extended its contract with Stena for the Stena Carron drill rig which has been operating offshore Guyana in the prolific StabroekBlock.
Kaieteur News had reported thatinJanuary2025,anewcontract extension was signed with Exxon forDecember2025,withanoption for further extension. In another update, Stena said Exxon further extended the contract for the entiretyof2026.
“In July 2025, a new contract extension was signed with Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited for Stena Carron extending this contract until December 31, 2026, with options for further extensions,” the companydisclosed.
Exxonhadcontractedfourdrill rigs from Noble: Noble Tom Madden, Noble Sam Croft, Noble Don Taylor, and Noble Bob DouglasandtwofromStena:Stena DrillMAXandStenaCarron.
However, earlier this year the Stena DrillMAX completed its
work programme with Exxon StenaDrillMAX joined Exxon’s Guyana fleet back in 2021. Last October, Stena DrillMAX arrived backinGuyana,toresumeworkfor ExxonMobil after exploration drillingoffshoreCanada.
In September 2024, it was announced that ExxonMobil has extended its contract with American offshore drilling company Noble Corporation for fourofitsdrillshipstoworkinthe StabroekBlock.
According to Noble, ExxonMobil awarded 4 8 additional rig years of backlog under the Commercial Enabling Agreement (CEA) which has been assignedevenlyacrossthefourdrill ships: Noble Tom Madden, Noble Sam Croft, Noble Don Taylor and Noble Bob Douglas, extending each rig’s contract duration from June2027toAugust2028.
InMay2023,Nobleannounced that ExxonMobil Guyana had extended its contract for the rental of the four ultra-deep-water drill ships to work in Guyana until the second quarter of 2027. Notably,
the drill rigs cost an average of US$420,000 (GYD$84 million) to US$500,000(GYD$100M)perday for each ship, based on current market-rate. Market-rate changes twice per year – March and September.
To date, Exxon has obtained approval from the Government of
Stena Carron
Guyana for seven development projects in the Stabroek Block –Liza Phase One, Liza Phase Two, Payara, Yellowtail, Uaru, Whiptail andHammerhead.
The first four projects are already in operation, producing an average 650,000 bpd, with an installed capacity of 900,000 bpd.
Construction is underway for the Uaru and Whiptail, with Uaru anticipated to start production in 2026, and Whiptail is anticipated forstartupin2027.Exxonisaiming tobringalleightdevelopmentsinto production by the end of the decade, targeting a combined outputof1.7millionbpd.
Guyana secured the Bronze Award for Exhibition Design under the sub-theme, “Connecting Lives” at Expo 2025 Osaka, Japan - one of three global themes alongside EmpoweringLivesandSavingLives.
ThisrecognitioncelebratesGuyana’screativity,cultural richness,andtheuniquewayourpavilionconnectedpeople throughstoriesofunity,sustainability,andsharedhumanity, The Guyana Tourism Authority said. Expo 2025 featured over 160 countries and regions showcasing their culture, innovation, and creativity, with more than 90 countries participating in the Commons Pavilion, a shared internationalplatformdividedintosixbuildings(A–F).This makesGuyana’sawardatrulyremarkableachievement.
Canadian miner, Gold Port Corporation has selected Jaisingh’s Equipment Rental (JER) of Georgetown Guyana for the construction of road access to its Groete Gold Copper Project.
JER is a provider of heavy equipment and road construction services. The programme will require the c o m p l e t i o n o f approximately13kilometers of dirt road access including some bridge and drainage construction.
A road currently runs from Manaka Landing to within 13 kilometers of the projectsite.Theconstruction initiative will complete this final stretch and include the building of bridges across White Creek and Black Creek, two small streams in thearea.
k
EssequiboRiveronthewest bank. Notably, Gold Port is expanding its management t
upcoming drill campaign. The company said it already owns the necessary drill equipment in-country, s
execution.
This development follows the company’s renewed interest in the project spurred by skyrocketing gold prices
Last year the company had the
ng p
s renewed for five years. The Government of Guyana throughtheGuyanaGeology and Mines Commission
Gold Port said once completed, the access road will allow for efficient transportation of drill cores to Georgetown, improving logistics as the company seekstounlockfurthervalue fromitsGroeteproperty The companywillalsomoveinto place its new MP Power track mounted core rig to initiatethedrillprogramme. Gold Port Resources Corporation is the 100% owner of the Groete Gold Project. The project area is located approximately 10
Eastern zone target area
(GGMC)grantedthemining permits, which cover 1,384 hectares,willnowremainin effectuntilJuly2027.
“During this five-year period, the company has the optiontodeveloptheproject and convert the mining permits into a mining license. The project is strategically located 64
kilometers west-southwest ofGeorgetown,thecapitalof Guyana, and 11 kilometers westoftheEssequiboRiver, a major transportation route in the country,” it was explained.
Gold Port had disclosed that it had completed a reviewoftheprojectinlight of soaring gold prices that
were seen last year Gold Portsaid,“Thecompanyhas recentlycompletedaproject review given the continued strong upward trend in the goldprice.”
The project boasts an inferred mineral resource estimate of 1.57 million gold-copper equivalent ounces, contained in 74 million tonnes at a grade of 0.66 grams per tonne gold equivalent, according to a 2019nationalinstrument43101 report The Groete Project has a long exploration history, dating back to the 1960s when it was first drilled by the UnitedNations,followedby additional work conducted in the 1990s by Coeur d’AleneMinesLtd. “The project has emerged as one of Guyana’s largest gold copper zones, and the only deposit with deep water access,” it was stated. Gold Port noted that theprojectwaslastexplored in 2012, which included a drill programme that allowedthecalculationofan Inferred Mineral Resource of 1 57 million gold equivalentounces(goldplus copper) at a grade of 0.66 grams per tonne gold equivalent. The company’s plan is to focus the next round of exploration on the higher-grade gold portion of thedeposit.
The long-anticipated
construction of the Guyana Law School is set to begin shortly, following the clearing of an eightacreplotoflandattheUniversityof Guyana’sTurkeyenCampus.
Attorney General and Minister ofLegalAffairs,AnilNandlall,SC, providedanupdateontheproject’s progress, confirming that preparatory works have been completed. On Sunday morning, Nandlall visited the cleared site, which will house the proposed Council of Legal Education (CLE) Law School, the fourth such institutionundertheCLE.
Nandlall said on his Facebook page, “I’m standing on the site where the new law school is expected to be constructed. The land itself is eight acres. You will recall that when I showed pictures of it previously, it was heavily overgrownwithvegetationbushes, jungle basically and we commissioned the clearing of the landandthelandisnowcleared.”
Theclearedarea,locatedonthe south western section of the UniversityofGuyana,willsoonsee construction activity “There’s a
Screen grab of the eight-acre plot of land cleared for the construction of LEC law school.
(Mohabir Anil Nandlall SC MP Facebook page)
road that we have cleared to come into because UG has reserved the front part of the lands for other purposes.Soweareattheback,so wehadtocleararoadtoaccessthe back.So,thisisthelandthatyouare seeing and we will start construction very shortly,”
Nandlallstated.
Currently, the Caribbean has
three law schools under the CLE: the Hugh Wooding Law School in Trinidad and Tobago and the Norman Manley Law School in Jamaica, both established in 1973, and the Eugene Dupuch Law School in The Bahamas, which opened in 1998. The new Guyana Law School will join this network, serving as the Caribbean’s fourth
regionallawinstitution.
The eight-acre development will not only host the law school itself, but will also feature other facilities related to legal education andtrainingwithintheregion.
Landclearingreportedlybegan in mid-September, transforming the heavily vegetated site into a construction-readyspace.
Guyana has long advocated for its own law school to better accommodate local law graduates, many of whom face challenges accessing the existing institutions due to limited placement quotas and the high costs of studying abroad.Currently,Guyanareceives just 25 placements annually at the Hugh Wooding Law School. The establishment of a local institution will allow students to complete their Legal Education Certificates (LEC)withoutleavingthecountry
On September 7, President IrfaanAliannouncedthatworkwill begin immediately to establish Guyana’sveryownlawschoolwith approval being granted by the Council of Legal Education. He was at the time making his first address to the nation after being
NA Mayor calls for all-inclusive approach to national development
ByShermonHawker
Mayor of New Amsterdam, Wainwright McIntosh is making a pitch for consistent dialogue and practical coordination with all national stakeholders for the development of not only his township and other local municipalities, but the nation at large, given the tangible resources atthecountry’sdisposal.
Themayor’scallcomesfroma renewed vigor drawn from his h participation in the 27 InterAmerican Conference of Mayors and Local Authorities, hosted by the Miami-Dade County International Trade Consortium in Miami, Florida on September 29 and30.
Participating in the major sessionaffordedhimdirectinsights on other local authority systems of many participating countries Guyana,hesummarised,isfarfrom where it ought to be as it relates to properlyandsufficientlybalancing localdemocraticorgans.
“In the Americas and in the Caribbean, municipalities are furnishedwiththekindofresources theyneedtomeetthedemandsofits citizens,”heobserved.
The two-day event brought together elected officials across Latin America and the Caribbean Region.Thefocusareas,according to the conference’s introductory summary, were Artificial Intelligence for Public Sector Efficiency, Green Energy, Economic Development and Bilateral Trade, Tourism Growth,
Aviation & Cruise Industry, Disaster Management and other relevanttrends.
“These interactions opened possibilities for municipal cooperation and technical exchange inareassuchaswastemanagement, tourism and youth empowerment, and partnership with international development organisations such as theOAS,tostrengtheninstitutional c a p a c i t y a n d p r o j e c t implementation at the lowest level,” the mayor told this newspaper While there, he e n g a g e d w i t h s e v e r a l representatives, congressmen and congresswomen from Brazil, El Salvador, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, the Dominican Republic, Miami-Dade, and other nations attendingthesignificantevent.
Havinghadafirsthandaccount of various guiding strategies and models from several of the more developed countries, McIntosh is inspired to adopt where practical,
someofthesekeypoliciesforNew Amsterdam,evenashepushesfora sustainednationalcollaborationon facilitating development across communities.
“The three tiers of government must work in order for us to really
democratic organs Central
government,themunicipalitiesand NDCs, they must work together in order to effect these changes,” the mayorurged.
A critical takeaway from the conference for the mayor was effective waste management as a top priority for sustainable development.
Withregardtothesoreissueof waste management in the town, “As you know, New Amsterdam has been significantly challenged o v e r t h e y e a r s w i t h flooding…significantlychallenged when it comes to our solid waste withinthetownofNewAmsterdam andillegaldumpingandlitteringon thepartofcitizens.Thishasbeena challenge,”heacknowledged.
He cited countries like El Salvador and the Dominican Republic,which,accordingtohim, were afflicted with waste managementwoes,butwereableto incorporate initiatives and policies through surveillance and rigid punitive measures to curb littering offenses.
“I find littering to be very offensive. I believe in the clean, well-kept New Amsterdam…the time has come when we must be
sworn in as the ninth Executive PresidentofGuyana.
Ali told the gathering on the lawns of State house of mostly party supporters that his government will be able to commence the work “…based on the recent approval granted by the CouncilforLegalEducation…”
He said with the setting up of theschool,hundredsofpersonswill beabletogetqualifiedasattorneys “right here in the country and they will be having the full rights to practiseinCARICOMcountriesas well.”
In November of last year, Kaieteur News reported that the governmentwasstillawaitingfinal approvalfromtheCouncilofLegal Education of the West Indies to move forward At the time, Attorney General Nandlall confirmed that while approval had beengrantedforafeasibilitystudy and preparatory groundwork, the fullestablishmentprocesswasstill underway
With the clearing of the land now completed, the long-awaited project reaches a step closer of reliefforlocallawgraduates.
forceful in implementing stringent measures for violators, persons who decide to throw their garbage here, there and everywhere,” he said, declaring the council’s notoleranceforlittering.Personshave already been placed before the courtforsuchoffences.
He also confirmed the Mayor and Town Council (M&TC)’s intention to engage the Regional DemocraticCouncil’sengineerand public works department for assistance with regard to CCTV andothertechnicalsupport.
In anticipation of the approachingnationalbudgetcycle, the mayor is proposing an acrossthe-board coordination, at every level.
Other key points from the conference retained for consideration and implementation to the town of New Amsterdam were: The benefit of promoting local economic development by supporting innovation, entrepreneurship, tourism, and engaging the youth; and the significance of continuous leadership training for elected
officials and senior administrators. On the latter, Mayor McIntosh recounted the tenure of former communities minister Ronald Bulkan, who facilitated an annual conference of mayors and local leaders,whichhelpedtobridgethe gap between local and central government.
McIntosh is optimistic that local municipalities, particularly New Amsterdam, could be modeled after those effective methods.
“As mayor, I am extremely humbled for this opportunity to place New Amsterdam on that internationalplatform.Wewilluse this opportunity to network internationally with municipalities in the Americas and across the Caribbean to foster friendship and goodwill, and share best practices in order to effect change for the greatergoodofeverycitizenwithin the town of NewAmsterdam,” the mayorexpressed.
The municipal leader was accompanied to the conference by Deputy Mayor Kirk Fraser, and TownClerk,SharonBacchus.
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‘It is the Govt’s duty to advise rice farmers on alternative sources...
From page 6 multiple appeals, there has been no direct engagement with government representatives.
“We're still waiting on thatappointmenttomeetwith the minister,” Etwaroo said. “Our farmers are harvesting, yes—butat$2,800abag,it's below the break-even point.
Wesimplycan'tsustainthis.” Farmerssaidthecurrentprice represents a sharp fall from the$4,000perbagearnedlast crop, even after factoring in the government's previous subsidy. Many warn that if thesituationcontinues,small rice farmers could go under Millers,however,maintain thatthepricedropmirrorsthe
international market. Carlos Carbo, General Manager of SAJ Rice Group at Mahaicony, explained that global rice prices have plunged by 45 percent over the past two years, forcing localratestofollow
Etwaroo said the combinationoflowyieldsworsened by 'blass' infestation — and
the price slump has pushed many farmers to the brink.
“Expenses going up, prices going down… at this rate, someofuswillhavenochoice buttowalkaway,”hewarned. Overthepastfewweeksseveral farmers in Regions Two and Five have complained and protested the prices being offered per bag of paddy
(Trinidad Express)
JUST one week after Garvin Medera resigned as chief executive officer ofCaribbeanAirlinesLtd (CAL), three more members of the Stateownedcarrier'sexecutive team have also stepped down, in what sources familiar with the airline's operations are calling escalating “chaos” at CAL.
Chief financial officer Varuna Kuarsingh, chief commercial officer Martin Aeberli, and Nalini Lalla, who has been the airline's corporatesecretaryforover adecade,haveallresigned, several sources with knowledge of the situation but who are not authorised to comment publicly told theSundayExpress.
These departures over the past two weeks follow the dismissal of Kern Gardiner last month from his position as executive manager, Finance, at CaribbeanAirlines.
Requests for comment sent to Caribbean Airlines and its chairman, Reyna K o w l e s s a r, w e n t unanswered up to last evening.
At the end of August, C A L ' s C o r p o r a t e Communications manager, Dionne Ligoure, resigned fromthecompanytoaccept a position at the Massy group.
On October 3, the
p
y repo
ted Medera's resignationaftereightyears atthehelm,makinghimthe airline's longest-serving CEO.
The recent changes to Caribbean Airlines' executive management come months after Prime Minister Kamla Persad-
Bissessar issued an ultimatum to the State airline's leadership, instructingthemto“sortout the mess” within two years
orfacereplacement.
Since the United
National Congress' (UNC) general election victory on April 28, there have been major shifts in both Caribbean Airlines' board andleadershipteam.
K o w l e s s a r w a s appointed chairman of a restructured board on June 24, replacing Shameer “Ronnie”Mohammed,who resigned following the generalelection.
Mohammed had been on the board since November2016.
The other members of the Caribbean Airlines board are vice-chairman Videsh Praim, Sharlene Maharaj, Prof Selwyn Cudjoe, Amit Krishan Mahabir, Larren Peart, Alicia Edwards and Adam Moss, according to the airline'swebsite.
Sources have raised concerns that the board seems to be operating like an executive board, in contravention of the Finance Ministry's State Enterprise Performance MonitoringManual.
Signs of possible turmoil at Caribbean AirlinessurfacedinAugust when Kuarsingh, who joined the airline in March 2023,wasplacedonleave.
Since then, Neera Ramai-Williams, senior manager,CostandManagementAccounting, has been acting as the airline's chief financialofficer
Kuarsingh has had a career spanning more than 25 years in accounting, finance and treasury, according to his bio on the CaribbeanAirlineswebsite.
LikeKuarsingh,Aeberli also joined Caribbean Airlinesin2023.
Aeberli has 28 years' experience in the airline industry, having led multinational teams in Europe, the Middle East andAsia,hisbiostates.
Dozens of Barbadians were back on the streets of Bridgetown on Saturday to protest sections of the proposed immigration and citizenship bills. They insist that, if approved, the laws could have lasting consequencesfortheisland's identity, resources and democraticintegrity
The demonstration, organised by the Loyal Opposition group, began
, S
Michael, where marchers gatheredbeforemakingtheir way to Independence Square Some protesters blewwhistlesandwavedthe national flag, while others carried placards bearing messages such as “freedom
Bajans protesting immigration and citizenship bills
is our right to question everything” and “we do not have a political system, we haveanauction”.
Organisers described the action as “peaceful but necessary noise” in their stand against what they called rushed and poorly considered changes to the immigration and citizenship lawsofthecountry
particular concern about the
p requirements, which the group argues would make it “too easy to obtain voting rights”, which has political implications.
The Loyal Opposition group made clear that the protest was not about opposing immigrants but
about protecting Barbadians and promoting earned citizenship. Concerns about the bills have also been raised elsewhere, including by Leader of the Opposition Ralph Thorne, KC, who questionedthelegalityofthe new freedom of movement policy, which took effect on October1.
(AL-JAZEERA) Israel says it expects to receive all its remaining living captives from Gaza early on Monday, akeystepintheceasefirenow ineffect
Speaking on Sunday, government spokeswoman Shosh Bedrosian said Israel anticipates all 20 living captives will be returned togetherintheearlyhoursof Monday
Asinpreviousexchanges during the two-year war, the captives will first be handed overtotheRedCross,which will transport them to an Israeli military base inside Gaza for initial medical checks before they proceed toIsraeltoreunitewiththeir families.
Once that process is complete, Israel will begin
releasing Palestinian prisoners, Bedrosian said. They will be freed “once Israel has confirmation that all of our hostages set to be releasedtomorrowareacross the border into Israel”, she added
Under the terms of the ceasefire, Israel is to release about 2,000 Palestinians it holds in detention, many withoutcharge Theprisoners include 250 Palestinians serving life sentences
Imprisoned Palestinian leader Marwan Barghouti, whose release Palestinians havelongsought,willnotbe amongthem,Israelhassaid. Some detainees will be released in the occupied West Bank, where relatives have been instructed by Israel not to hold celebrations or speak to the media.
Israelisalsopreparingto receive the bodies of 28 captives confirmed to have died in captivity, Bedrosian said 'Trump'sshow'
The planned exchange comesthreedaysafterIsrael's government approved the firstphaseof adealaimed at endingthewarinGaza–and justasUnitedStatesPresident Donald Trump, who spearheaded the agreement, is to visit Israel before a summitinEgypt.
“It is Trump's show,” Al Jazeera'scorrespondentNour Odeh said from Amman, Jordan, because the network is banned from Israel “He will be arriving in Israel, meeting with the families of captives, addressing the Knesset and then going to Egypt's Sharm el-Sheikh, wherehehassummonedthe leaders of more than 20 countries.”
As part of the Trump-led agreement,Israeliforceshave withdrawn from parts of Gaza, including Gaza City and other northern areas, although they still control morethanhalfofitsterritory
Palestinians returning to combat zones that they were displaced from have found widespread devastation –“wastelands” where their neighbourhoods once stood, Al Jazeera's Ibrahim alKhalili reported from Gaza City
Humanitarian aid has begun to trickle into the enclave as part of the ceasefire with dozens of trucks arriving on Sunday Butdistributionremainsslow for a population that has endured months of extreme deprivation, said Al Jazeera correspondent Hind Khoudary
“People are not waiting only for food but also for tents, mobile shelters, solar panels and desperately needed medical equipment andmedicines–itemslargely unavailable for the past two years,” Khoudary reported fromDeirel-Balahincentral Gaza. “Most people have lost their savings, have no access to bank accounts and
arecompletelydependenton humanitarian aid to survive.”
Leadersto conveneinEgypt
The Gaza summit, scheduled for Monday in Sharm el-Sheikh, will be cochaired by Trump and Egyptian President Abdel Fattahel-Sisi
It is expected to be attended by more than a dozen world leaders, including United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, Jordan's King Abdullah II and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Although both Israel and Hamas said they will not participate, Cairo has hailed the summit as a “historic” event that will seek “to end the war in the Gaza Strip, enhance efforts to achieve peace and stabilityintheMiddleEast”.
Egypt said a “document ending the war in the Gaza Strip”isalsoexpectedtobe signedatthesummit
'Hard work' to come
Despite the ceasefire progress, many details on phase two of the deal –which is still to be negotiated – need to be ironed out, including the exact makeup of a post-war administrationforGazaand thefateofHamas.
The second phase is expectedtoinvolveaphased Israeli withdrawal, Hamas's d i s a r m a m e n t , t h e establishmentofnewsecurity a n d g o v e r n a n c e arrangements, and reconstruction
“After the big day tomorrowforTrump,afterthe release of the hostages, then comes the hard work,”
A man pushes his bike as Palestinians make their way to Gaza City from Nuseirat in central Gaza on October 11, 2025 [AFP]
Adnan Hayajneh, professor of international relations at the University of Qatar, told Al Jazeera. “If you look at thesituationinGaza,it'slike an earthquake happened. There's no government There's no schools. There's nothingthere.”
US Vice President JD Vance appeared to acknowledge on Sunday that theroadtostabilitywouldbe difficult “It is going to take consistent leverage and consistent pressure from the presidentoftheUnitedStates on down,” he told US broadcasterCBS.
Meanwhile,Balakrishnan Rajagopal, the UN special rapporteur on the right to adequate housing said Israel mustallowtentsandcaravans to immediately be delivered totheGazaStrip,asdisplaced Palestinians returning to the north of the bombarded territory have found their homes and neighbourhoods destroyed.
The UN official said peoplearefindingnothingbut rubble in areas from which Israeli forces have withdrawninnorthernGaza.
“The psychological impacts and trauma are profound,andthat'swhat we are seeing right now as people are returning to northern Gaza,” he told Al Jazeera in an interview on Saturday
Tens of thousands of Palestinians have been streaming back into Gaza's north after Israeli forces pulledbackonFridayaspart ofaceasefirebetweenIsrael and Hamas to halt the twoyearconflict.
Palestinians across the coastal enclave have welcomed the suspension of
Israel'sbombardment,which has killed more than 67,700 people since October 2023 and plunged Gaza into a humanitariancrisis.
TheUNestimatedthat92 percent of all residential buildings in Gaza have been damaged or destroyed since thewarbegan,andhundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians have been forced to live in tents and othermakeshiftshelters.
Rajagopalnotedthattents and caravans were meant to bedeliveredtoGazaduringa ceasefire early this year but “almost none” of them was allowed in due to Israel's strictblockade.
“That is really to me the crux of the issue right now. Even immediate relief and aid to the people of Gaza is not possible unless Israel stopscontrollingalltheentry points.Thatisessential,”the UNexperttoldAlJazeera.
Rajagopal, who has used the term “domicide” to describe the decimation of homes across the Strip, said thedestructionofhousingin Gaza has been a central component of Israel's g e n o c i d e a g a i n s t Palestinians.
“The destruction of homes and clearing people fromtheareaandmakingthe area uninhabitable is one of the main ways in which the act of genocide has been committed,” he said, adding that the recovery process will ultimately take generations.
“It'slikeanotherNakba,” hesaid,referringtotheethnic cleansing of Palestine when Israel was created in 1948. “What has happened in the last two years is going to be somethingsimilar.”
The desperation of the once-formidable PNCR/APNU is both tragic and comical. Once a powerhouse, APNU has now stooped to sacrificing its stronghold in Region 4, its political heartland, just to tie a bundle for a vice chair post in a sparsely populated Region 8. Even more shocking, it has further cozied up to the PPP in Region 10, a territory where it was always rock solid over the years.
The humiliation at the recent general elections was bad enough, but last Friday’s RDC elections revealed the lowest of the low for this battered party.Wiped out in all the regions, APNU now stands no better than the AFC—reduced to clinging onto scraps, begging for crumbs, and depending on Jagdeo and the PPP to deliver what it once owned outright.
Gone are the days of bold opposition; from cussing the PPP, the PNC is now firmly in its bosom, waiting on handouts and political favours. The loss of Region 10, once a symbol of PNC strength, is the latest and most humiliating example
The trajectory is clear: a political force that once inspired fear now scrambles for relevance, its pride buried beneath opportunism and dependence. Utter shame.
NEWDELHI,(Reuters) - India remained on course for a 2-0 series sweep after enforcing the follow-on but West Indies produced a much improved batting display in their second innings to reach 173-2 on day three of the second and finaltestonSunday Beaten inside three days in the series opener in Ahmedabad, West Indies folded for 248 in the first
innings conceding a huge lead of 270 at Arun Jaitley Stadium.
T h e t o u r i s t s rediscovered their stomach for fight in their second innings with opener John Campbell, batting on 87, provingneitherthepitchnor the Indian attack was unplayable.
ShaiHopewasbattingon 66 at stumps with the tourists, still 97 behind,
hoping to avoid a second successiveinningsdefeat.
"Ithinkthetwobatsmen have laid the platform for us," West Indies spinner KharyPierretoldreporters.
"This is test match cricket.
The wicket is going to deterioratemoresothemore runs we could pile on, it could be a challenge for the Indianbatsmen."
India have been in the
Kuldeep Yadav gave Shubman Gill and India their first wicket of the day. (AFP/Getty Images)
ascendancy since amassing 518-5 before declaring their firstinningsonSaturday
Whenplaybeganonday three, Kuldeep Yadav (582) hollowed out the West Indies batting in their first innings after they resumed on 140-4 The onus was on Hope (36) to lead the tourists' fightback but after 30 minutes of lull, Kuldeep sparkedacollapse.
Hope lost his off-stump while Tevin Imlach and JustinGreavesfelllbwtothe left-armwrist-spinner
Seamer Mohammed Siraj cleaned up Jomel WarricanbutPierre(23)and Anderson Phillip (24 not out) refused to throw in the towel.
Jasprit Bumrah bowled Pierre and West Indies soon collapsed conceding a sizeable first innings lead. Spinner Ravindra Jadeja claimed3-46.
Indiadidnothavetowait longforabreakthroughafter askingWestIndiestofollow on.
Tagenarine Chanderpaul (10) tried to pull Siraj and India captain Shubman Gill dartedfromshortmidwicket and dived to take a smart catch.
Off-spinner Washington SundarbowledAthanazefor sevenwiththefinaldelivery before the tea break to keep Indiaontop.
Campbell and Hope combined in an unbroken 138-run partnership batting confidently against the Indianspinners.
Campbell survived three reviewsbeforesmashingthe first fifty by a touring batter in this match before Hope alsoreachedthemilestone.
India's assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate backed enforcing the follow-on but saidthepitchdidnotturnas
muchastheyhadexpected.
"Wethoughtthewicket's going to keep deteriorating but it just seems to slow down even more," the formerDutchplayersaid.
"We have found it tricky thisafternoonandShaiHope and John Campbell batted beautifully."
Scores: West Indies 248 (Athanaze41,Kuldeep5-82) and 173 for 2 (f/o) (Campbell 87*, Hope 66*) trail India 518 for 5 dec (Jaiswal 175, Gill 129*, Sai Sudharsan 87, Warrican 398)by97runs.
BBC Sport - Alyssa Healy's brilliant 142 helped Australia complete a record w o m e n ' s o n e - d a y international chase as they beatIndiabythreewicketsin theWorldCup.
On a featherbed pitch in Visakhapatnam, India posted a commanding 330 from48.5overs-thehighest total Australia had ever concededinanODI.
The platform for India was laid by a 155-run opening stand between Smriti Mandhana and Pratika Rawal, who accelerated quickly once theygotthemselvesin.
Mandhana was the chief aggressor, top-scoring with 80off66balls,whileastring of cameos from India's middle order continued the assault.
All-rounder Annabel Sutherland swung some of the momentum back Australia'swayinthesecond halfofIndia'sinningsasshe finished with impressive figuresof5-40.
Lesserteamsmighthave been daunted by the chase, but Australia captain Healy producedastoicknocktoput her side on course for victory
Healy's innings off 107 balls featured 21 fours and three sixes and was chanceless until she sliced ShreeCharani,whoclaimed 3-41,toSnehRana,grapsing a diving catch with her fingernailsatpoint.
With 66 required off 67 deliveries, Ash Gardner, who made 45, steered Australia close before Kim
Garth and Ellyse Perry got the World Cup holders withinstrikingdistance.
Perry had retired earlier inherinningswithcrampbut came back to finish the job and whacked a six off Rana togetAustraliaovertheline withsixballstospare.
Australia's recordbreakingODIchaseeclipsed the302madebySriLankato beat South Africa at Potchefstroom in April 2024.
Ice-coolHealy
This was a chase that required cool heads, and at times Healy appeared to haveicerunningthroughher veins.
The 35-year-old masterfully dictated the chase. Knowing when to retreat, seeing off moments of pressure, especially from Charani,andwhentoputher footdown.
Healy's effectiveness both sides of the wicket, sweeping and cutting to the tune of 118 of her 142 runs, proved to be key in unlocking India's bowling attack.
Hermentalfortitudewas equallyasimpressive,given she had kept wicket and captainedfornearly50overs before heading out to open the batting with Phoebe Litchfield.
Their partnership, worth 85 before the left-handed Litchfielddepartedfora39ball 40, was the launchpad forAustralia'srecordchase.
There was a brief acknowledgementandapuff of the cheeks from Healy when she reached three
figures - the value of a century is in the outcome of thematch.
Healy averages a shade under 35 in ODIs but has a knack of delivering in big moments.
It was the first time she had made an hundred in the formatsinceher170against Englandin2022.Thatmatch wastheWorldCupfinal.
Healy's Australia have a few things to iron out but look primed to go deep in this tournament with their skipperreturningtothiskind ofform.
Th e G u y a n a
B a d m i n t o n
Association (GBA) National Badminton Tournamentcontinuedatthe G u y a n a N a t i o n a l
G y m n a s i u m a n d competitors across the junior and senior categories battled fiercely in the quarterfinalsandsemifinals, producing thrilling matches andstandoutperformances.
In the Women's Singles
semifinal, Priyanna Ramdhani bested Ashley Khalil21-12,21-7tosecure aspotintheWomen'sFinals, whereshewillmeetMishka
Beharry who bested Leshaunte Berkley 21-14, 21-10.
On the men's side,Akili Haynes defeated Frank Waddell 21-3, 16-21, 21-16 to advance to the Men's Finals, where he will face TyreseJeffreywhodefeated NkosiBeaton21-17,21-15.
The junior divisions highlighted a promising generation of rising talent, with players demonstrating
r e m a r k a b l e s k i l l , determination, and sportsmanship throughout the competition. Speaking on the event's success, a representative of the GBA expressed gratitude to all participants, officials, coaches, and supporters for t h e i r u n w a v e r i n g commitment, noting that their collective efforts continue to strengthen the development of badminton acrossGuyana.
DAY2RESULTS–
OCTOBER10,2025
Women Singles QF: Leshaunte Berkley vs NevaehEastman21-7,21-6
Men Singles QF: Akili
Haynes vs Anthony Stephens21-3,21-5
BS U15: Liam Brumell
vs.LucasLeo21-6,21-14
BD U13 QF: Vaibhav Natarajan/Joshua Tan vs. Christopher Harrison/Nitin Chainani21-6,21-4
M e n S i n g l e s : Grandison Robinson vs. Ronit Gulchand 21-12, 1821,21-11
GD U13 QF: Ava Ching-A-Sue/Kathalina Havercome vs Hailey
G u r c h u r a n / S k y l e r Gurchuran21-12,21-17
BD U17: Micah
Holder/Hassani Robinson vs.NathanMorrison/Jaquan Nedd16-21,21-13,22-20
GD U17 QF: Galianna Frank/Sakina Klass vs Eyota Adams/Brianna Morgan21-11,21-16
Women Singles SF: Priyanna Ramdhani vs AshleyKhalil21-12,21-7
GS U19: Nevaeh Eastman vs. Alleyia Grant 21-7,21-3
Men Singles: Frank Waddellvs.JasonStephney 21-13,21-4
Men Singles: Nkosi Beaton vs. Gavin Cao 2113,21-8
Women Singles SF: Mishka Beharry vs Leshaunte Berkley 21-14, 21-10
GSU13QF: Anjaneysa
Godette vs Hannah Beharry21-2,21-9
XD U17 QF: Michah
H o l d e r / H a r s h i n i Muralidharan vs Lucas Leo/Galianna Frank 21-8, 21-6
Men Singles: Daniel Tan vs. Christopher Jordan 21-9,18-21,21-13
GD U17 QF: Malia Haley/Kristin Xavier vs. Kashish Chainani/Alleyia Grant21-12,21-18
XD U13 QF: Ethan R a m s a r a n / E m m a Ramsaran vs. Christopher Harrison/Chelsea Harrison
Strong performances highlight emerging talent and competitive spirit across junior and senior divisions
21-10,21-10
XD U13 QF: Vaibhav Nataranjan/Vaishnavi Nataranjan vs. Nathan Mohanlall/Xiamara Benn 21-11,21-18
M e n S i n g l e s : Joanathan Debidin vs Colin Bowry 21-14, 19-21, 21-17
BD U19 QF: Percival Chester/Ronit Gulchand vs Chike Nurse/Chioke Nurse21-10,21-10
BS U15 QF: Egan Bulkan vs. Zion Hickerson 21-9,21-9
Men Singles: Kenneth Thuang vs. Raah Russell 21-17,21-13
XD U19: Nikolas Pollard/Navaeh Eastman v s Y o n n e i l Benjamin/Anisha Bacchus 12-21,21-15,21-14
XD U17 QF: Eon Williams/AlleyiaGrantvs. Nathan Morrison/Eyota Adams21-14,21-12
BS U13 QF: Joel Rambiriche vs Nathan MohanLall21-8,21-5
XD U19: Darean Thomas/Gabriella Henry vs. Gabriel Felix/Gabrielle Felix21-10,15-21,21-14
B S U 1 7 : R u e l Rambiriche vs Nathan Henry21-4,21-9
XD U19: Ronit Gulchand/Xaty Bennett vs Chike Nurse/Brianna Morgan20-22,21-3,21-7
BS U13 QF: Caleb Tan vs. Ethan Ramsaran 21-8, 21-15
XD U19: Jaquan Nedd/Malia Haley vs Percival Chester/Eyota Adams21-12,21-14
BS U15 QF: Caleb Tan vs. Vaibhav Nataranjan 217,21-8
XD U15 QF: Ethan R a m s a r a n / E m m a Ramsaran vs Lucas Leo/Galianna Frank 21-11,
Part of the action on day 2 of the competition.
21-10
Men Singles: Tyrese Jeffreyvs.GabrielFelix2115,21-10
BDU19QF:Joanathan Debidin/Ruel Rambiriche vs Nathan Henry/Eon Williams21-10,21-14
B D U 1 9 Q F : C h r i s t o p h e r Jordan/Yonneil Benjamin vs.NathanMorrison/Jaquan Nedd21-4,21-7
GS U19 QF: Harshini Muralidharan Vs. Malia Haley21-18,22-20
RESULTS–DAY3–OCTOBER11,2025
Men Singles QF: Frank Waddellvs.DanielTan:2116,21-15
BS U13 SF: Ethan Bulkanvs.ZionHickerson: 21-9,21-6
BS U13 SF: Caleb Tan vs. Joel Rambiriche: 21-9, 21-3
BS U19 QF: Joanathan Debidin vs Nathan Morrison: 21-7,21-11
Men Singles QF: Akili Haynes vs Grandison Robinson:21-17,21-10
GS U19 QF: Navaeh Eastman vs Gabrielle Felix: 16-21,16-21
GS U13 QF: Vaishnavi Nataranjan vs.Ava-ChingA-Sue:21-2,21-4
BS U19 QF: Ronit Gulchand vs Yonneil Benjamin: 21-15, 15-21, 11-21
BS U15 SF: Caleb Tan vs.EganBulkan:21-14,1621,14-4retired
BS U15 QF: Joel Rambirche vs Liam Brumell21-12,21-15
-BS U15 QF: Ethan
Bulkan vs Nathan Mohanlall:21-3,21-7
Men Singles QF: Nkosi Beaton vs Joanathan Debidin21-10,21-14
B S U 1 9 Q F : Christopher Jordan vs
Darean Thomas 21-14, 2220
GS U13 QF: Lucy Leo vs.XiamaraBenn21-13,21-
9
BS U19 QF: Ruel Rambiriche vs Chioke
Nurse21-11,21-7
GDU13SF: Anjaneysa Godette/Vaishnavi Natarajan vs. Ava ChingA - S u e / K a t h a l i n a Havercome21-3,21-2
BD U15 QF: Liam Brumell/Nathan Mohanlall v s V a i b h a v Natarajan/Lucas Leo 1821,21-18,15-21
GS U13 QF: Emma Ramsaran vs Chelsea Harrison21-7,21-5
GS U19 QF: Mishka Beharry vs Gabriella Henry21-3,21-1
BS U17 QF: Hassani Robinson vs. Jaquan Nedd 21-8,21-10
XD U15 QF: Vaibhav Nataranjan/Vaishnavi Nataranjan vs Liam
B r u m e l l / R a f i q a h
Chichester21-19,21-11
BS U17 QF: Eon Williams vs Micah Holder 21-9,21-4
BD U19 QF: Nikolas Pollard/Gabriel Felix vs Kunal Alert/Darean Thomas20-22,12-21
GD U19 QF: Alleyia Grant/GabriellaHenryvs. Eyota Adams/Brianna Morgan21-9,21-9
GD U19 QF: Gabrielle F e l i x / H a r s h i n i
Muralidharan vs. Anisha Bacchus/XatyBennett21-9, 21-5
XD U15 SF: Vaibhav Nataranjan/Vaishnavi Nataranjan vs Ethan
R a m s a r a n / E m m a , Ramsaran22-20,21-12
XD U19 QF: Nikolas Pollard/NavaehEastmanvs. Darean Thomas/Gabrielle Henry21-23,10-21
XD U19 QF: Ruel Rambir
M
Gulchand/Xaty Bennett 218,21-7
XDU19QF:Joanathan Debidin/Lesha
B
Alert/Alleyia Grant 21-9, 21-16
GS U13 SF: Anjaneysa Godette vs. Lucy Leo 21-9, 21-6
BS U15 SF: Joel Rambiriche vs Ethan Bulkan12-21,13-21
MenSinglesQF:Tyrese Jeffreyvs.KennethThuang 21-6,21-11
GS U19 SF: Leshaunte Berkley vs Harshini Muralidharan21-9,21-4
GS U19 SF: Mishka Beharry vs. Gabrielle Felix 21-6,21-6
Men Singles SF: Akili Haynes vs. Frank Waddell 21-3,16-21,21-16
BS U17 SF: Nathan Morrison vs Hasani Robinson13-21,12-21
XD U13 SF: Joel Rambiriche/Anjaneysa Godette vs Ethan Ramsaran/Emma Ramsaran 21-14,21-12
GSU17:GabrielleFelix vs BriannaMorgan21-4,213
BS U19 SF: Joanathan Debidin vs Yonneil Benjamin 21-8, 18-21, 2114
BS U19 SF: Christopher Jordanvs RuelRambiriche 10-21,21-18,13-21
GD U19 SF: Leshaunte Berkley/Mishka Beharry vs Alleyia Grant/Gabriella Henry21-8,21-8
Men Singles SF: Nkosi Beaton vs Tyrese Jeffrey 17-21,15-21
B D U17: Micah Holder/HassaniRobinsonvs Nathan Henry/Eon Williams9-21,13-21
Spinner Junior Sinclair put on a show with the ball, ashis5-wickethaulcoupled with a scorching fifty, from K e v i n S i n c l a i r , singlehandedlygaveBerbice acommanding7-wicketwin over the GCB Select XI yesterday
Playing at Lusignan, the first Sinclair to dominate, Juniorsetaboutproceedings withtheballfirstbyspinning websaroundtheGCBXI;as his 5-25 kept the opposition to139alloutin37.3overs.
Berbice captain, fastbowler Nial Smith claimed 1-11, while fellow speedster Clinton Pestano (2-18) and spinner Zeynul Ramsammy (2-29) helped reinforce the assault.
Despite their woes, the GCB XI should have gotten more from Romeo Deonarine (13), Jayden Dowlin (14), Joshua Jones (16)andNityanandMathura (15)whomanagedtogetout oftheblocks.
TheWestIndiesTestallrounder Kevin, then led the easy chase with a blistering 74notoutoff63ballswith4 fours and 3 sixes, finding help from Ramsammy who finishednicely23tosteerthe Berbicians to 140-3 in 29.1 overs.
After losing openers Adrian Sukwah (6) and Rampertab Ramnauth (9) cheaply,followedbynumber 3 batsman Tomani Caesar (13);Berbicefoundstability intheformofSinclair
The all-rounder Sinclair,
Apart from veteran allrounder Kwesi Mickle who tried to resist with 49, the GCB XI never recovered from being 5 down for 50oddruns.
Narsingh Deonarine receiving the Player of the Match at a game in Pakistan Zamin Amin at the O60s WC in Chennai.
The Cricket West Indies
Masters Association (CWIMA) is in the final stages of preparation for the inaugural O40s T20 World Cup set to take place in Karachi, Pakistan next month. A robust squad has been selected, showcasing the talent and experience needed to compete for the championship.
The full 18-member squad includes: Narsingh Deonarine, Mahendra
Na
,
,
Pooran, Devindra Maharaj, RoystonCrandon,Lawrence Farnum,JoelLeacock,Larry Babb, Vishan Lall, Asif Chan, Antonnel Atwell, Reno Mittleholzer, Mohan
picked his spots and timed his shots to perfection as his strokeplay kept the Ancient County team in the hunt throughouttheentiretyofthe innings
The GCB XI bowling struggled with Mathura (136), Mickle (1-27) and fastman Joshua Jones (1-19) toilingastheysoughttobuy their team some time and a possiblewin.(CliftonRoss)
Chatram, Richard Latif, Devon Clements, Hemraj Garbarran,andZaminAmin. Players have been recruited from Guyana, Trinidad & Tobago, Barbados, the BritishVirgin Islands, and the USA, with Guyana contributing the largest number of players.
Narsingh Deonarine, a former West Indies test cricketer, is anticipated to captain the Caribbean team once again, having previously led them to the finalsoftheO40sWorldCup inPakistantwoyearsago. The squad features a balanced mix of youth and experience, with the eldest member,62year-oldZamin (Continuedonpage20)
