ArisMiningeyes
Toroparuas Guyana’snext mega-goldmine
Aris Mining Corp says its Toroparu gold project is poised to follow the fast-track developmentpathofGMiningVentures’OkoWest project, signaling a new era for large-scale gold mininginGuyana
The company highlighted that both Toroparu and Oko West each hold an estimated 54 million ounces of gold, positioning them among the country’s largest deposits “Like Oko West, Toroparuisasubstantial,open-pittablegolddeposit benefiting from growing government support for responsible mine development,” Aris Mining stated Lastmonth,GMiningVenturesannounced the start of full construction at its Oko West projectinRegionSeven,followingpermittingand financingmilestones.Theprojectcarriesaninitial capitalcostofUS$973millionandistargetingan average annual production of 350,000 ounces over 12.3 years, with first gold expected in the secondhalfof2027.
AsofSeptember30,2025,detailedengineering was 36 per cent complete The Oko West gold projectistargetinganaverageannualproductionof 350,000ouncesofgoldovera123-yearminelife Themineisestimatedtohold54millionouncesof gold TheOkoWestprojectisdesignedasalargescale open-pit mine with additional underground production planned, and is forecast to deliver an average 350,000 ounces of gold annually over 12.3years.
Meanwhile,ArisMiningiscurrentlyadvancing Toroparu through its pre-feasibility stage, with plans for a conventional open-pit operation supported by a seven-million-tonne-per-annum processingplant Toroparuisexpectedtoproduce anaverage235,000ouncesofgoldperyearacross morethan21years,alongwithvaluablecopperbyproducts.
On October 31 Aris Mining Corporation announced the results of a new Preliminary EconomicAssessment(PEA)forits100percentowned Toroparu Gold Project located along the Puruni River in the Toroparu Backdam, Region Seven(Cuyuni-Mazaruni)
ArisMiningdisclosedthatthePEAconfirmed plansforalarge-scale,long-lifeopen-pitoperation expectedtoproduceanaverageof235,000ounces ofgoldperyearovermorethantwodecades
The PEA outlines strong project economics, including a 213-year mine life, an after-tax Net PresentValue(NPV5%)ofUS$18billion,andan InternalRateofReturn(IRR)of252%,basedona gold price of US$3,000 per ounce The project’s life-of-mineproductionisestimatedat50million ounces of gold, 49 million ounces of silver, and 260millionpoundsofcopper
ChiefExecutiveOfficerNeilWoodyersaidthe results demonstrate a major new growth opportunity for Aris Mining He noted, “The Toroparu PEA outlines a major new growth and diversification opportunity forAris Mining After the GCM Mining and Aris Gold merger and the arrival of our management team in September 2022, we paused the Project’s previous construction plans to reassess the Project on a first-principlesbasis,whichincludedcompleting a new geological interpretation, updating the mineral resource estimate, and undertaking optimisation studies. The result is a robust PEA thatestablishesasolidpathforward.” Both mines come with multi-billion-dollar economicprojectionsandstronginvestment Initial capitalcostsareestimatedatUS$1billionforOko West and US$820 million for Toroparu Aris Mining believes that Toroparu can advance on a similar trajectory as the government strengthens oversightwhileencouragingnewinvestment
Location of both projects
The dynamics of both projects
‘Adaptorbeoutpaced’
- GCCI tells local businesses amid rising Chinese competition
ByDavinaBagot
Amid growing anxiety from small and micro businesses that the surge of Chinese stores and workers is threatening their livelihoods, Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) President, KathySmith,isurginglocalentrepreneursto adaptratherthandespair
In an interview with Kaieteur News, the Presidentofthelargestprivatesectorbodyin the country said she is aware of the concerns being raised by small shop owners in particular Shesaid,“Ithinkmaybeit’savalid concernontheirpart.”
The GCCI President went on to note that the Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, Susan Rodrigues have started to address these issues by identifying red tapes andprovidingguidancetocrosssuchhurdles.
In addition, she pointed out that the governmentwillberollingoutaDevelopmnet Bank with seed financing to assist locals in business development to assist in boosting confidence and ultimately aid in the competitionprocess.
Meanwhile, over at the Chamber, the Presidentnotedthatconversationsareongoing thatarenotfocusedontheproblem,butrather, thesolution
To this end, she explained, “My
encouragement to small business owners is thatletustryandpushourbusinesstoberobust andtobestrong Wewantthemtoturnupevery day,doingbusinessinawaytocompetewith anybodyaroundthem.”Shewaskeentonote that this means designing a framework to ensure sustainability, starting with a business accountandchasinggovernmentbids
Smith said the Chamber has not received any complaints regarding a takeover of business by the Chinese, Indians or other nationals Accordingtoher,“IthinkGuyanais seenasaplaceforinvestmentandasaprivate sector, us being the engine of growth, we welcome any investment in our country once therearelegalinvestment.”
She added that citizens are not merely Guyanese born but naturalised individuals whoarealsochasingbusinessopportunitiesin therapidlyexpandingeconomy
“So as a private sector, we cannot just separate the way of doing business based on nationality Welookedattheentireecosystem of business, and if it happens to be a foreign investor, somebody come from Trinidad, somebody come from New York, wherever they come from, and they’re doing business the right way, legal way, that is something that the private sector welcome because it’s created employment for Guyanese that is added towards the growth and development
Twodead,severalinjuredin LindenHighwaysmash-up
Two people were killed and five others injured in a two-vehicle collision on Sunday eveningalongtheLinden-SoesdykeHighway
Kaieteur News up to press time was unable to ascertain the identities of the deceased and injured.There was no official police report on the accident also. Kaieteur News understands that two persons were found motionless at the scene, while five others were transported to the Linden Hospital Complex for urgent medical attention. Details surrounding the accident remainunclear
However, a video circulated showing some of the injured and the severely damagedvehicles.Inthevideoawomanwas seenlyingmotionlessontheroadway,anda manwasfoundunresponsivebeneathoneof thedamagedvehicles.
Another woman appeared to be lying inside the toppled car. Passersby assisted the injured at the scene before they were transported to the hospital. Commander of Regional Division 4B, Stephens, confirmed that a report of the accident was made, and policerankswereonthegroundinvestigating
Meanwhile, between January 2024 and September 2025, Kaieteur News counted that 20 people lost their lives and several others were seriously injured in a series of tragicaccidentsalongtheSoesdyke–Linden Highway
Just last month this newspaper in an article highlighted the number of deadly crashesthathaveoccurredontheSoesdykeLinden Highway for the year thus far Back then Traffic Chief Mahendra Singh had stressed that the police have already implemented all possible measures to maintainsafety Heemphasisedthatultimate responsibility lies with drivers and vehicle owners, who must exercise caution and diligencewhenusingtheroadway
ofthiseconomy,”theGCCIPresidentsaid. Businessesandindividualsalikehavebeen complaining of being sidelined amid a high influx of Chinese nationals and businesses sproutingacrossthecountry
Previously, the Guyanese Businesses OwnersAssociation (GBOA), comprising 65 entities and individuals requested a meeting with President IrfaanAli to address concerns regardingtheproliferationofnon-naturalised Chinese owned businesses, predominantly supermarkets and hardware stores, throughoutcommunitiesinthecountry
TheGuyanesebusinessownerswerekeen tonotethatwhiletheyrecogniseandembrace healthy competition for the benefit of consumers, their primary concern pertains to the perceived lack of adherence by Chinese businesses to the same laws and regulations governingGuyaneseenterprises.
They argued, “Many of these Chinese stores fail to provide tax invoices automatically with purchases, and when requested, such invoices are begrudgingly provided Additionally, they neglect to display TIN (Taxpayer Identification Number) on invoices, omit charging VAT (ValueAdded Tax) on applicable items, and abstain from listing product descriptions on invoices.”
GBOAin itsApril 22, 2024 missive also noted that there have been instances where consumers unknowingly purchased expired fooditemsfromtheseestablishments,onlyto findnorecourseforproductsupport.
These flagrant breaches, according to the Business Association, raise questions about accountability and concerns about the oversight by relevant authorities To this end, the businesses said they cannot help but speculate whether these non-naturalised Chinese businesses receive preferential treatmentorspecialconcessions.
Meanwhile,inMaythisyeartruckdrivers turned to the street to protest over an alleged foreigntakeoverofthetruckingandbusinesses in Guyana Drivers accused the police of turning a blind eye to infractions by the Chinesenotingthatlocaldriversaremandated tostrictlyfollowtherules
One protestor claimed too those tolls are only mandatory for ‘small men’ and local drivers, while foreign trucks and large companiesarenotsubjectedtothesefees
Meanwhile, another protestor argued that Chinese were benefitting from majority of government contracts while locals were only receivingpartofacontractornoneatall
Retired Assistant Commissioner of Police and former Chairman of the Police Service Commission, Paul Slowe recently describedthehighwayasa“deathtrap”that requiresurgentattention.
In a letter to the newspaper Slowe had proposed the creation of a specialised HighwaySafetyUnit,equippedwithvehicles, safety gear, and electronic warning systems, operatingaroundtheclocktoaddresshazards such as broken-down vehicles, erosion, or water-loggedsurfaces “Themainpurposeof the highway patrol must be to identify potential dangers ie, broken-down vehicles, erosion, loose surface, water lodged on the road surface, etc and ensure that adequate warningsignsareputinplaceatareasonable distance from the potential danger I am sure that this measure, if immediately implemented,canhaveasignificantimpacton thesafetyofthisimportantartery,”hesaid.
However, in an interview with Kaieteur News, Singh explained that many of the suggested measures are already in place, particularly constant patrolling. He noted that during the rehabilitation of the Soesdyke–Linden Highway, the police implemented a more structured highway patrolsystemwithtraffic-focusedoperations from each division. “Previously, there was only a checkpoint where vehicles simply passed through a barrier Now, there is a fixed establishment with a building, mobile patrolsbyvehicle,andactiveengagementby ranks,”Singhstated.
He further explained that another measure, the highway patrol base, complements this system. He stated that since the highway serves as a vital link between Region Four (East Bank) and RegionTen(Linden),thetwodivisionsnow workincoordinationtostrengthentraffic Continued on page 15
GCCI President, Kathy Smith
KaieteurNews
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EDITORIAL
Time for action
WhenGailTeixeira,MinisterofParliamentaryAffairs, stood before an anticorruption workshop this week and declared that “every dollar lost to corruption is a road or schoolstolen,”shespokeatruththatresonatesdeeplywith the people of this country Yet the ringing words echo hollowlywhenmeasuredagainstthedecayingrealityofour institutions,thebrazenenrichmentofthoseinpower,anda government that too often appears unwilling or unable—to prosecute a single major case of corrupt officials.
The latest report from Transparency International (TI) makesforgrimreading.Guyana’sscoreslippedfrom40to 39 and our ranking dropped to 92 out of 180 countries.TI paints a clear picture: “In Guyana, state capture by economic and political elites fosters misappropriation of resources, illicit enrichment and environmental crime. Althoughthecountryhascreatedanticorruptioninstitutions andlaws,transparencyandlawenforcementareverylow.”
If MinisterTeixeira truly believes her own words, then she must accept that the government she serves is now failing the public.The very forces she pledged to confront appearinsteadtobeenvied,protectedandproliferating.For years, our reporting has catalogued how billiondollar contracts are awarded to friends and families of ministers, how state lands are handed out like favours, how public procurementbecomesaplaypenforinsiders.
Thecontradictionisjarring.Ontheonehand,aminister says the stolen dollar is a stolen school; on the other hand, themachineryofgovernmentappearstoshieldthethieves. While Teixeira complains of “soundbites,” the rest of us quiver at the daily litany of leaked documents, stories of front companies, conflicted interests and impunity TheTI reportlamentsthatlawenforcement“isverylow”andthat dissentingvoicesfaceintimidation.
We cannot ignore that this is not abstract. It is brutally tangible. When contracts meant to build roads vanish into substandardwork.Whenclassroomsareincomplete.When oilrevenuesswellthecoffersofatinypoliticalandbusiness elite,whileteachers,nursesandfarmersseelittlechange.As one previous Kaieteur News editorial put it: “under the PPP/CgovernmentimportantquestionsinParliamentwere often dodged, audits delayed, and whistleblowers intimidated.”
Minister Teixeira is correct: every dollar lost to corruption is a road or school stolen. But how many more roadsmustcrack,howmanymoreschoolsmustleakbefore we stop with the rhetoric and demand action?Thetruth is, leadershipatthetopmustshift.Wordsalonearenotenough. Ifthegovernmentisserious—thenitmust:
1 Openly support and empower independent institutions: the AntiCorruption Commission, the Special OrganisedCrimeUnit,theAuditorGeneral’sofficemustbe notonlyindependent,butresourcedandfreefrompolitical interference.
2. Prioritise real prosecutions: It is not enough to issue statements.Citizensmustseeministers,seniorofficialsand their cronies in court, facing justice. No more cosy settlementsorquietresignations.
3.Improvetransparencyinprocurement,landallocation and resource management: Especially as the oilboom expands, ensuring resources benefit the many rather than the few is critical. TI warns that corruption now threatens ourclimateactioneffortsandenvironment.
4. Protect whistleblowers and the press: The report stresses that attacks on dissenting voices are “increasingly common.” A healthy democracy cannot survive if fear silencesscrutiny
5.Linktheministerialrhetorictomeasurableoutcomes: WhenTeixeiraspeaksofstolenschools,thentheMinistryof Education must report on each instance of diverted funds, and the government must publish clear figures on infrastructure built, funds recovered, and prosecutions made.
What we are witnessing is a
textbook case of political pyromaniacs posing as firefighters
DEAREDITOR
,
The Government of Guyana is desperately attempting to position itself as the saviour of Georgetown through its socalled “Georgetown Restoration Plan.” But the nation must not be fooled. What we are witnessing is a textbook case of political pyromaniacs posing as firefighters, the very people who set the blaze now rushing in with cameras and hoses to pretend they are rescuingthecity
It is an uncomfortable truth, but one that must be stated plainly, the People’s P
governmentcreatedmanyof theconditionsthathavelong crippled the capital city Equally sad is the fact that the Granger administration failedtotakedecisiveaction to correct these structural issues during it shorten time inoffice.
Forovertwodecades,the PPP refused to hold Local Government Elections
Instead of restoring democracy, they opted to createtheLocalGovernment Commission and repeal critical parts of the Local GovernmentAct,movesthat gave the Commission and the Minister unprecedented powers over l
governance Rather than empowerment, the Georgetown Municipality received central control, political manipulation, and deliberatemarginalisation.
For decades, successive PPP governments starved t h e G e o r g e t o w n municipality of resources while exerting tight central government influence. The result was predictable: a municipal council stripped of autonomy, starved of finance, dependent on ministerialapprovalforeven the most basic works, and eventually rendered a shadow of what a functioning local authority shouldbe.
T h i s c h r o n i c underfunding and political strangulation directly contributed to the steady decline in the city’s infrastructure, sanitation, andoverallmanagement.
Yet, now, post-elections 2025, the same political architects of Georgetown’s decline are parading themselves as heroic rescuers. They behave as if the Council had been wellfunded but negligent. This couldnotbefurtherfromthe truth. It is ironic, if not insulting,thatthesepolitical pyromaniacscontinueto
(Continuedonpage06)
What happen to us the Wales Estate laid off workers
DEAREDITOR, Minister Zulfikar
Mustapha, -Who is looking out for theWales Estate laid off Sugar workers and their families that applied, for some of the Wales Estate landtodofarming?
Editor, can you publish this workers letter in your widely circulated news media. We the Wales Estate Laid off sugar workers are very happy for all the other farmers and village that are getting land, loan, training, etc…. According to GyTimesnewsNovember16th, 2025, “a news release from the Ministry of Agriculture, Minister Mustapha highlighted the significant progress already underway in pasture development, explaining that 60 five-acre plots (300 acres) have been developed for small ruminant farmers across the region”,referringtoRegion# 5 & Region #6. What happen to us, the Wales EstatelaidoffSugarworkers from Region # 3, that want and applied for land to do agriculture, chicken and
animalrearing?
Editor, this letter is an open letter to President Ali, Guyana government Ministers and all MPs that since Wales Sugar Estate closed down in 2016, no representative (s) from the Ministry of labour, Ministry of Agriculture and the two sugar workers Union, (GAWU and NAACIE) came to meet, listen and make representation for us, the laid off Wales Sugar Estate Workers to get skills retraining, land for farming, chicken and animal rearing, Agri-Loan, House lots, etc….Since2023,overthree hundred and fifty (350) laid off Wales Estate Sugar workershavesignedpetition and submitted it to the OP, Government and GAWU unionleadership.
President Ali, It is reported that the Gas to Shore project and Gas Generation Plant will only useonehundredacresofthe land for the project situated approximately 3 5 to 4 Kilometer, South of Wales Village,attheMariasLodge
We write this not simply out of frustration, but out of hope.Thiscountryhasenormouspotential—itspeopleare smart,resilient,creative.Theoildiscoverycouldhavebeena blessing; instead, it risks becoming another curse if governancefails.
Ti’swarningisurgent.Guyanacannotcontinuedrifting silentlydownward.
The ordinary Guyanese knows it: the problem starts at the top. When the President or Vice President have no credible response to allegations, when ministers and their associates shuffle from contract to boardseat to tender without oversight, then corruption becomes institutionalised. An earlier Kaieteur News editorial said:
area,ontheWestBankofthe Demerara River The Ministry of Housing proposed new housing s c h e m e m a y u s e approximately1,500acresof the land and just before the 2025 National & Regional election, it is reported that Minister Zulfikar told some Vreezeland-Free & Easy residents(squatters) that he will give them 200 acres of the sugar cane land for pasture.
PresidentAli,sothereare still thousands of acres of these sugar cane land availablethatcanbegivenin plots of 10 to 15 acres each, totheinterestedWalesEstate laid off Sugar Workers that want to do agriculture, chicken and animal rearing, etc….PresidentAli,youand the PPP-CC \ Exec should knowthatmostoftheWales Estate Sugar Workers and theirfamiliesarefromCanal #2Polder,Toevulgt-Patentia District, Vreezeland-Free & Easy Village and are supporters and some are members of the ruling PPP They were also members of
the GAWU and NAACIE, paying pay roll deduction Unionduesandmembership fee. But for some strange reason or reasons the Ministry of labour, Ministry of Agriculture and sugar workers union forget us, the laid off Wales estate sugar workers.
PresidentAilsomeofthe workers have follow your suggestion and organise and elect a Sugar Workers land use Committee, headed by Mr. Kris Budhoo, Mr. Etwaroo, Mr. Twaheer, Mr. Hercules, Ms. Judy Singh, Mr Mohammed, Mr Balkarran,S.Gaindalalland others This Workers Committee collected over threehundredfifty(350)laid off sugar workers name and signaturesappealingforland to do farming, chicken and animal rearing, etc…. Since 2023, this Workers Committee have submitted copy of the signed workers petitiontotheOP,OPM,VP, MinistryofLabour,Ministry of Agriculture, GAWU, NAACIEandanother (Continuedonpage06)
“Whentenderingandprocuringareamazeofcontradictions thatiscorruption.”
MinisterTeixeiramustknowthatcitizensaretired.They arewearyofdeclarations,speechesandpromises.Theywant visiblechange. They want to know: How many officials have been indicted this year? How many contracts reviewed? How many funds recovered? How many schools actually built insteadofplanned?
Ifthosequestionsgounanswered,thenherpromiseand will ring hollow Because a stolen dollar is indeed a stolen road.Andanationcannotbuildwithstolenroads. Itistimeformorethanwords.Itistimeforaction.
DEAREDITOR:
President Trump, Guyana, and Nobel Peace Prize The school feeding programme
DEAREDITOR
, The US has been the stabilising factor in the Caribbeanregion. Closerto home, the US military presence has stopped Nicholas Maduro in his tracks in his planned design to capture two thirds of Guyana. President Trump has ordered the toppling of Maduro who stole the 2024 elections. A huge flotilla of navalvesselsisverycloseto Venezuela, Guyana, and Trinidad to ensure Maduro does not attack neighbours opposedtohimandpossibly toousthim.PresidentTrump has prevented Maduro from pursuinghismilitarydesigns overGuyanaandinsodoing is maintaining peace in Guyana-Venezuela border and the region Maduro knows the consequences of attacking Guyana or Trinidad.
Trump’smilitaryactivist approach and diplomacy in endingconflictafterconflict and bringing about genuine peace, continuing in 2025 what Trump started in the latterperiodofhisfirstterm. This and other peace initiatives to end conflicts make him a deserving candidate for the Nobel PeacePrize.
Trump has been under global spotlight again (following his first term January 2017-2021) ever since he won re-election in the November 2024 Presidential elections Leader after leader sent congratulation and sought a meeting with him even before he was sworn in on January20,2025.
Dr Donald Trump has beenasignificantandactive global peacemaker since returningtotheWhiteHouse inJanuary2025.
HeistheonlyAmerican Presidentwhodemonstrated a capacity to end war after war and several of them withoutfiringoneAmerican bullet.
His global diplomacy hasbeenfarreachinglikeno otherAmerican President or leaderofanycountry.Hehas hadapositiveinterventionin many crises including the UkraineandGazawars.
He met with President Putin of Russia and President Zelensky of Ukraine to agree to a ceasefire. There has been a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas. And Trump has ended other conflicts and had peace agreementssignedthatwere
thought to be impossible. His administration has continued to stand with Guyana on the border controversy claims by Venezuela of territory His administration has also protected operations of Exxon and other oil companies operating in Guyana Because of Washington, Nicholas Madurohasavoidedmilitary incursion in Guyana Maduro was warned about theconsequencesofmilitary intervention in Guyana. His administrationhasalsosided with the government of Prime Minister Kamla Persad-BissessarofTrinidad andTobago.
Dr Trump has been the most consequential Presidenttoeveroccupythe White House When he spokeortookactions,world leaders pay heed World leaderslineuptomeethimat theWhiteHouse. They respect him out fear of the consequences of notworkingwithhim.
They yield to his demands. He has exercised power the way no predecessoreverdid.Hehas notbeenafraidtousepower as has been clearly demonstrated in bombing drugboatsoffVenezuela. Hegetsthejobdonethat other found difficulty He has diplomatic prowess and globalinfluencewithhardly a leader saying no to him. AndnopoliticianinGuyana has the courage to oppose him.
Trumphasbeentryingto bringordertowhathasbeen achaoticworldinthe2020s. His major peace initiative centered on brokering normalisation of relations between Israel and several Arab or Islamic states known as the ‘Abraham Accord’ and negotiating ceasefires and peace frameworks in various global conflicts And he recently brought Thailand and Cambodia to sign a peacedeal.
President Trump claimed he has “ended 8 wars in just 8 months” in a social media post with the title“thepresidentofpeace”. The President claimed that he“endedseven‘unendable’ wars”. Andindeed,priorto his intervention, these have been ongoing, decades or hundred years conflict or long-standing tensions These include between the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Rwanda,
between Armenia and Azerbaijan and Israel-Gaza Ceasefire Others include Serbia and Kosovo to normalise relations, Taliban Peace Deal in his first term, and meetings with North KoreanleaderKimJongUn in Singapore (2018) and Hanoi (2019) to address denuclearisation and ended testing of missiles during Trump’sfirstPresidency He intervened in the conflict between Israel and Iran, Pakistan and India prevailing on the former to seek peace, and Egypt and Ethiopia. He brought the Pakistani political and military leaders to Washington twice to push forpeace.
He has also tried negotiations with Nicolas Maduro of Venezuela on a variety of issues including ending cocaine shipment, illegal immigration, and peaceful transfer of power He spoke well of Guyana to PresidentAli.
He has brought the Syrian leader, once a condemned terrorist, to the WhiteHouseasagestureof peaceinthatcountry
He has threatened Nigeria with military action unless that country ends the persecution and killings of Christians.And he has been pursuing balanced trade deals.
Millions of lives have been saved as a result of President Trump’s intervention to achieve peace that only he could have delivered.As someone commented President Trump is proving that “nationsacrosstheglobecan move beyond longstanding conflictsofthepasttowarda shared future of peace, prosperity,andsuccess”.
President Trump’s ability to end wars and sign friendshiptreatiesaswellas ceasefire agreements is an indicator of his potential eligibility for the Peace Prize.
Yourstruly,
DrVishnuBisram (PhD)
The recent decision by theMinistryofEducationto conduct a full review of the National School Feeding Programme is a longoverdue admission of profound systemic failure. W
Minister Sonia Parag must becreditedforinitiatingthis scrutiny, this situation exposed that apparently there was a major cover up for years under former Minister of Education Priya Manickchandthatfestereda crisis of accountability, oversight,andexecution.
For years, evidence of t h e p r o g r a m m e ’s collapse from nutritional inadequacy to food safety hazards was met with denial and public relations maneuvers rather than corrective action. But this is classic Priya – another Instagram and Facebook moment, rather than deal with the substance of the matter The chasm between the Ministry’s assurances and the documented reality in schools represents not merely a performance gap for years, but an abject failure of ministerial stewardship.
Guyana has to be fortunatethatMr Azaraudin Mohamed and the WIN Teamhasbeenexposingthis wrong doing on their social media page and I encourage them to bring this matter to the Parlaiment in a formal submission.
Thelegacyofthisfailure canbeexaminedacrossthree criticaldomains:
1. The Ministry’s continued defense, as articulated by Coordinator Mr Mahendra Phagwah, that official records “do not reflect widespread disparities,”isacasestudyin bureaucratic abdication and cover-up This stance deliberatelyignoresspecific, alarmingevidencepresented by the public, including reportsof“rottenandworminfested” fruit and meals consistingoflittlemorethan dry cereal. To dismiss these as “isolated incidents” is to ignore a clear pattern of
systemic breakdown. If the Ministry’s own verification mechanisms failed to capture these widespread issues, it indicts the monitoring system itself as fundamentally useless. The defense that serving 51,000 meals daily is inherently challenging is not a justification for negligence; itisanargumentforthevery robust, professional systems that were conspicuously absent The scale of operations in global food service where entities reliablyproducehundredsof thousands of culturally d i v e r s e m e a l s daily demonstrates that such challenges are manageable with competent logisticsandqualitycontrol. Take the case of Qatar Airlines that produces 210,000mealsperday. That is one company. This is an entirecountry
2 The program’s operational flaws were defended under a guise of flexibility The argument that a “single standardised menu” was abandoned due to“culturalpreferences”and “supply cycles” reveals a startling lack of leadership. The solution to regional variation is not a decentralised free-for-all that leads to gross disparities, but the development of multiple, standardised, and nutritionally-vetted menu options from which schools can select. Furthermore, the alleged accountability mechanism devolving quality control to headteachers to “reject meals on delivery”—is an unfair and inefficient passing of responsibility It places the burden of identifying failure on overworked educational administrators who need to be focus on educating the children, absolving the ministry of its core function to implement a structured, proactive, and centralised inspectionregime.
3. The most serious allegations concern the mismanagement of a multimillion-dollar taxpayer-funded initiative
Assertionsthatcaterersmay be delivering sub-standard portions while receiving payment for nutritionally complete meals point to potential fraud and a fundamental lack of value f o r m o n e y T h e coordinator’s technical denial regarding invoice processes does not address the core concern: that the payment structure may be enabling and obscuring the delivery of inadequate meals.
This situation demands more than a ministerial review; it necessitates an immediate forensic audit by the office of the auditor general to determine the precise flow of funds and identify any breaches of fiduciaryduty.
While we cannot blame Minister Parag for this one, her commitment to a review is a good first step, but her administration must now demonstrate it has the political will to enact transformative change P r o m i s e s o f “ n o compromise” ring hollow without immediate, tangible actions Mr Phagwah should be immediately be transferred out of the program to another part of the Ministry and a new managementinstalled.
To restore public trust and ensure the health of the nation’s children, the Ministrymust:
1 Commission an independent, forensic audit of the programme’s finances.
2 O v e r h a u l t h e programme’sleadershipand hold accountable those who presidedoveritsdecline.
3 Implement a new f r a m e w o r k w i t h standardized nutritional options, defined portion sizes, and a transparent, centralised monitoring system. This is not a public relations challenge; it is a crisis of governance. The children of Guyana, and the taxpayerswhofundthisvital program, deserve nothing less than a complete and uncompromisingresolution.
Regards LancelotHyman
U.S. aircraft carrier arrives in the Caribbean Sea in major buildup near Venezuela
(AssociatedPress)-The nation’s most advanced aircraftcarrierarrivedinthe CaribbeanSeaonSundayin a display of U.S. military power, raising questions aboutwhatthenewinfluxof troops and weaponry could signal for the Trump administration’s drug enforcement campaign in SouthAmerica.
The arrival of the USS Gerald R. Ford, announced by the U.S. military in a newsrelease,marksamajor moment in what the Trump administration insists is a counterdrug operation but has been seen as an escalating pressure tactic against Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
Since early September, U.S. strikeshavekilledatleast80 peoplein20attacksonsmall b o a t s a c c u s e d o f transporting drugs in the
Caribbean and eastern PacificOcean.
The Ford rounds off the largest buildup of U S firepower in the region in generations, bringing the total number of troops to around 12,000 on nearly a dozen Navy ships in what Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has dubbed “OperationSouthernSpear.”
The Ford’s carrier strike group, which includes squadronsoffighterjetsand guided-missile destroyers, transited the Anegada Passage near the British Virgin Islands on Sunday morning, the Navy said in a statement. Rear Adm. Paul Lanzilotta, who commands the Ford’s carrier strike group, said it will bolster an already large force of American warships to “protectournation’ssecurity andprosperityagainstnarco-
The USS Gerald R. Ford, anchored in the Bay of Palma, in Palma de Mallorca, Spain, on Oct. 3. (Jaime Reina / AFP - Getty Images file)
terrorism in the Western Hemisphere.”
The administration has insisted that the buildup of warships is focused on stopping the flow of drugs into the U.S., but it has released no evidence to support its assertions that thosekilledintheboatswere “narcoterrorists.”Trumphas indicated military action would expand beyond
strikes by sea, saying the U.S. would “stop the drugs cominginbyland.”
The U.S. has long used aircraft carriers to pressure and deter aggression by other nations because their warplanes can strike targets deep inside another country
SomeexpertssaytheFordis ill-suited to fighting cartels, but it could be an effective instrument of intimidation
for Maduro in a push to get himtostepdown.
SecretaryofStateMarco RubiosaystheUnitedStates does not recognise Maduro, who was widely accused of stealing last year’s election, as Venezuela’s legitimate leader Rubio has called Venezuela’s government a “ t r a n s s h i p m e n t organisation” that openly cooperates with those
traffickingdrugs.
Maduro, who faces charges of narcoterrorism in the U.S., has said the U.S. government is “fabricating” a war against him Venezuela’s government recently touted a “massive” mobilisation of troops and civilians to defend against possibleU.S.attacks.
Trump has justified the attacks on drug boats by saying the U.S. is in “armed conflict” with drug cartels while claiming the boats are operated by foreign terror organisations.
He has faced pushback from leaders in the region, the U.N. human rights chief and U S lawmakers, including Republicans, who have pressed for more informationonwhoisbeing targeted and the legal justification for the boat strikes.
Silent Skies, Gathering Storm: Guyana Must Wake Up
DEAREDITOR, Guyanatodaystandsata perilous crossroads. While the government projects confidence in its economic andindustrialambitions,the airisthickwithunease.The flurry of appearances by President Dr Irfaan Ali and his team opening
factories, attracting investors, and promoting Guyana as a new industrial hub—has sparked national optimism.
Yetbehindthiscurtainof development, the silence on a growing external threat grows more haunting by the day
ThediscreetvisitofU.S. Admiral John Holsey,
a c c o m p a n i e d b y confidential meetings with
senior Guyanese officials, did not go unnoticed. We have also witnessed US marines based at the Embassy giving “military style medical training” to Guyana’s soldiers. It may well signal deeper regional preparations tied to the escalating tensions between the United States and Venezuela.
Reports of a sustained buildup of A
can military assets across the region suggest that the question is no longer if conflict will come but when.
Venezuela has declared itselfready Itsarmedforces are reportedly in heightened alert mode, and its rhetoric against Guyana has only
hardened.
Our own na
ion, h o w e v e
,
e m a i n s disturbingly quiet. There have been no public advisories or detailed statements from the government to reassure an anxious citizenry The vast, porousborderwesharewith Venezuela extends for
dangerously exposed. The silence from the authorities leaves one to wonder: what istheplan?
G
defensive infrastructure minimal, and its people largely uninformed about contin
What happen to us the Wales Estate...
Frompage04
Ministry. But to date we h a v e n o t g e t n o acknowledgement, call and or meeting to help us secure ourlandforfarming. Donot destroy these cane field developedlanddrainageand irrigation infrastructure for housing.
President Ali, it is reported that the Wales Sugar Estate have over nine thousand (9,000) acres of abandon sugar cane land. With the most advance, laid out drainage and irrigation infrastructure within this Wales Sugar Estate sugar cane land, in Guyana and probablytheCaribbean,best suitableforagriculture.
You know, it will be more prudent to leave these land for agriculture and develop new land inland away, from the Atlantic Ocean for housing. It was reportedthatsincein1970s, the UN agency for the Environment have been advising the Guyana Government to move the population inland, away from the Atlantic Ocean, because of Global warming and rising sea water level andnowwithincreasingrain fall.
PresidentAli,asaformer Minister for Housing and Water Ministry, you and the Ministry of Housing should know ofthehugecosttofill
up the canals, drains and levelupasugarcanefieldto create house lots. So just compare the cost to make one house lot in a sugar can field and the cost to make onehouselotfurtherinland on new land, which most likely will be on higher ground. And also, the cane field will aid the rapid developmentandincreasein agriculture (other crops) production and animal rearing on these sugar cane land.
Thankyou,
YoursRespectfully, FortheWalesSugar EstatelaidOffSugar Workers
hostilities erupt. The perception that we are relying entirely on the United States for protection is both dangerous and disempowering National
sovereignty demands national preparedness—not meredependence.
This is no longer just a matter for policymakers or diplomats Every citizen mustrecognisethegravityof
what may lie ahead. It is a moment that calls for vocal advocacy demanding transparency from those who govern, accountability from those who plan, and honesty from those who know ThepeopleofGuyana deserve to be briefed, not blindsided in the face of an impendingwar
In times of uncertainty, silence is not strength—it is
surrender. Guyana must speak, plan, and act with unity and foresight. The gathering storm on our borderisnotsomeoneelse’s battle; it is our collective responsibility to safeguard our homeland. History will judgeharshlythegeneration that looked away when vigilancewasmostneeded
Sincerely, HemduttKumar
Whatwearewitnessingisatextbook...
Frompage04
pour billions of taxpayers’ dollars into GUYSUCO, a sector they openly admit is underperforming, while refusing the Georgetown Municipalityevenafraction of this financial attention. Overthelasttwoyears,more than $28 billion has been pumped into GUYSUCO, only for the President to publicly scold its management for poor performance at the opening of GUYEXPO and threaten to bring in new leadership. Taxpayers fund endless bailouts, yet the capital city receivescrumbs.
One must ask: Why could the Georgetown Municipality not receive even a small percentage of these wasted billions? The answerissimple:powerand control.
The PPP has never controlled the Georgetown Municipality Therefore, theirstrategyfordecadeshas beentostarveandweakenit,
hoping this would provide them a political advantage. GUYSUCO, on the other hand, represents a loyal voting bloc. So, despite its failures, it receives unlimited taxpayer-funded lifesupport.
The rise of WIN and the electorate’s rejection of APNU/PNChaveshiftedthe politicallandscape.ThePPP now senses what they believe to be a golden opportunity to finally seize control of the municipality, and, by extension, advance their long-term goal of achieving political dominance across all levels ofgovernance.
Citizensmustunderstand this: the PPP is not fixing Georgetown because they care. They are intervening becausetheyaredetermined to control every democratic space. Their sudden interest in “beautifying” the capital is not about civic pride. It is aboutpoliticalconquest. These actions form part
of a broader pattern of politicalmaneuveringaimed at long-term dominance, even edging toward the creation of a de facto oneparty state. Imagine, even briefly, a Guyana where the PPP holds unchecked authority at every tier of governance,withoutastrong opposition or any counterweight to their power That is the path we arebeingleddown.
So let the political pyromaniacs continue to paradeasheroicfirefighters. Let them clear drains, paint parapets, place bins and planttrees.
The people are finally getting some of the services long denied to them by the veryPPP Butwewillnotbe gullible, nor will we forget who lit the fire in the first place, we see through the
m a c h i n a t i o n s a n d understand exactly what is happening
Regards ClayonF.Halley
‘Govt.hijackingGYEITI’
The Transparency Institute of Guyana Inc (TIGI) has condemned the appointment of Dr Ivor English as Civil Society Convenor on the Extractive
Industries Transparency Initiative in Guyana (GYEITI), in light of his
massive gold and diamond concessions, reportedly being operated through 17
Govt-appointed Civil Society Convenor on the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative in Guyana (GYEITI), Dr. Ivor English
licenses across a whopping 19,586 acres in the Cuyuni MiningDistrict.
The appointment of English was announced by the Ministry of Natural Resources on November 8, 2025. As the Civil Society Convenor, English who is a member of the religious and mining community will be expected to speak freely on transparency and natural resource governance issues andbeabletooperatefreely and express opinions about the EITI without restraint, coercionorreprisal.
TIGI has made it clear that the appointment of English is null and void, as the body pointed to the flawed process of selection, against the EITI protocols.
“Ivor B. English publicly disclosed to the Press on 9 November this year that he may reactivate these mining licenses. The EITI Standard prohibitspersonsinvolvedin the extractive industries from representing Civil Society–and,therefore,this appointment of Mr English is null and void,” the watchdog body said in a statement on Sunday, penned by former TIGI President,FrederickCollins.
Collinspointedoutthata listofbonafide,independent CivilSocietyrepresentatives w a s a p p r o v e d o r recommended through the PolicyForumGuyana(PFG) processandsubmittedtothe relevant Minister for Letters of Appointment in March/April 2025. This met the requirement in the 2023 EITI Standard which states (1.4a(ii):“Each stakeholder group must have the right to a p p o i n t i t s o w n representatives, taking into account pluralistic and diverserepresentation”.
AccordingtoTIGI,there was no response to the list presented to the minister until the International Secretariat informed PFG in lateSeptember2025thatthe Minister had launched a parallel process for the selection/appointment of civil society members to the MSG. To date, the parallel listhasnotbeenmadepublic whileneitherPFGnoranyof the MSG-Civic appointees
provided with any rationale for the rejection of the list submittedbythegroup.
TIGI was keen to note that PFG has served honourably as the GYEITIMSGCivicConvenor,witha robust procedure for nominationsandselectionof t h e M S G C i v i c representatives,who,inturn, have well served the GYEITI MSG up to December2024.
It therefore believes that thegovernmentisseekingto destroy the guardrails of the GYEITI through its singlehanded appointment of a convener Itshouldbenoted that the Ministry had appointed Private Sector Chairman,Mr KomalSingh as Civil Society Convenor but was forced to replace him, after questions were raised about his eligibility under the rules of EITI Standard (Section 1 3) which debars private sector persons to represent Civil Society Singh’s replacement is equally unacceptable accordingtoTIGIwhomade it clear, “The EITI Standard prohibitspersonsinvolvedin the extractive industries from representing Civil Society and, therefore, this appointment of Mr English isnullandvoid.”
The Transparency Institute went on to explain that EITI protocols require Civil Society to be fully, actively and effectively engagedintheEITIprocess. Itstated,“Thegovernmentis required to ensure that there are no obstacles to civil society participation in the EITI process (and)…must refrain from actions, which result in narrowing or restricting public debate in relation to implementation oftheEITI.”
The Multi-Stakeholder Group (MSG) must be independent and able to exercise active and meaningful oversight of all a s p e c t s o f E I T I implementation. The multi stakeholder group must i n c l u d e a d e q u a t e representation of key stakeholders appointed in open,fairandtransparent
Continuedonpage9
Justice Persaud’s ruling on post-clearance duties is sound in law
Much of the adverse public commentary surrounding the recent judgment delivered by Justice Gino Persaud in the m a t t e r i n v o l v i n g businessman Azruddin Mohamed has been misplaced and, in some c a s e s , d o w n r i g h t misleading. The ruling is being caricatured as an “ouster” of the Guyana Revenue Authority’s power to recover customs duties after goods have been cleared. But that, in my humble opinion, is not what theCourtheld.
In my opinion, what the judgment does—and does correctly—is to implicitly affirm a long-standing and
fundamental distinction between post-clearance tax recovery for customs duties and post-assessment recovery for income taxes. These are governed by two entirely different statutory regimes, with separate enforcement mechanisms, thresholds, and legal consequences And the jurisprudence, both local and Commonwealth, supportsthedistinction. For decades, the courts have recognised that taxes on income and taxes on imported goods operate under distinct statutory f r a m e w o r k s T h e assessment regime under income tax statutes allows theCommissionertomakea
best-judgment assessment, subject to objection and appeal,andthatrecoverycan
proceedings regardless of intention or fault. The logic is simple: income tax is an
Commissioner’s power to reassess is the backbone of the system. Customs duties, by contrast, fall into the category of transactional taxes—taxes tied to a single event: importation The
primarily the Customs Act, which treats undervaluation and false declarations not merely as civil noncompliance but as criminal offences.
‘Govt. hijacking GYEITI’
Frompage8 constituency procedures; make decisions in an inclusive manner; and report to wider constituencies.
Notably, each stakeholder group must have the right to appoint its own representatives, taking into account pluralistic and diverse representation Further, the nomination process must be independentandfreefromanysuggestionof coercion. Moreover, civil society groups involved in the EITI as members of the multi-stakeholder group must be independent of government and/or
companies,bothoperationallyandinpolicy terms. Earlier this month, PFG accused government of making a second attempt to control civic appointments in GYEITI throughsecretiveprocedures.
“TheMinister’sinsistenceoncontrolling civic appointments is concerning, particularly given that GYEITI Reports document widespread irregularities and unlawfulpracticesinGuyana’sgold-mining sector,” PFG noted in a statement. Read m o r e h e r e : https://kaieteurnewsonline com/2025/11/11 /gyeiti-appointment-sparks-outrage/
DEM BOYS SEH
Cake-Shop management and de Georgetown restoration
Dem boys seh de government get one big, fancy plan to “restore” Georgetown to its glory days.Buthearnah—halfah depeopletalkingboutglory dayswasn’tevenbornwhen Georgetown did really glorious, and de other half can’trememberifisdereal city or de postcards dem grannykeepinplastic. Sodebigbrainssehdem bringing in “de King Foundation.” Now, dem boys ain’t sure which King maybe is King Charles, maybe is Burger King but if it is the f o r m e r , d e m l e f Georgetownlong,longtime ago. And if it is de latter, well it arrive not so long ago. But leh we be fair, government decide to start
with drainage And everybody clap, because with Georgetown drainage, ifrainfallfuhfiveminutes, de whole place start
swimming like de
Olympics trials. But before de applause finish echo, dem come up with de next bright idea: concrete de maindrains.
Concrete! Imagine oletime Georgetown without de mud-banked canals. De Dutch who build dem canals must be rolling in dem graves like dem pon a treadmill.
So dem boys hear a multi-agency task force get form to tackle de “cleaning anddraining”ofdecity.Big thing! Committees! Experts!Engineers! Butbeforedetaskforce could even find pen and paper to start sketching a plan-bingbing!-summonto State House or some big office.Whendeteamreach, thinking dem going to discuss strategy and master
plan, dem get one instruction: “Fellas, start with KingstonandTigerBay.” Justsuh.Likeisacake-
Itisnotnovelorunusual for the courts to rule that post-clearance recovery of evaded duties depend on demonstrating the commission of an offence such as fraudulent concealment or underdeclaration, and that c u s t o m s r e c o v e r y mechanisms hinge on whether statutory conditions particularly t h o s e l i n k e d t o declarations have been satisfied. In other words: incometaxrecoveryiscivil; customs tax recovery is offence-driven unless expressly stated otherwise. Justice Persaud’s judgment simply respects this historical and statutory divide.
Criticisms of the recent judgmentrevolvearoundthe idea that the judgment prevents the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) from reassessing duties. That is inaccurate.What the rulingimpliesisthatthereis no general authority for the G R A t o s i m p l y d e c i d e a f t e r clearance that it now believes duties were underpaid,raiseanarbitrary assessment, and file a civil claim.Customslawdoesnot workthatway
Importdutiesarefixedat the point of entry, based on thedeclarationmadeandthe
goods examined If the Authority later discovers that the declaration was false, or that the value was deliberately understated, thatisnotacivilissue—itis a criminal one. The GRA mustinvokethemechanisms provided in theAct: charges for false declaration, undervaluation, or evasion. What the Judge held is implicitly straightforward: First, customs duties may be recovered post-clearance only by following the mechanism the law provides—criminal charges including for false declaration, improper classification, or evasion
TheGRAmaynotbypassthe statutory process by fabricating an arbitrary assessment.
The GRA did in fact charge the importer for alleged under-declaration of duties. That is the proper mechanism under the Customs Act But those criminal charges were recently withdrawn by the Director of Public Prosecutions The GRA therefore is fully aware of whatitneedsorneededtodo torecovertaxes.Itneededto file criminal charges and prosecute them. Thus, if the GRAisaggrieved,itsquarrel is not with Justice Persaud but with the DPP’s decision towithdrawthecharges.The
withdrawal of those charges had the legal effect of collapsing the only mechanism through which post-clearance recovery could occur Far from granting immunity to importers, Justice Persaud’s judgmentupholdstheruleof law Itconfirmsthatrevenue cannot be recovered using powersthatdonotexist. And secondly that criminality must be proven before criminal-contingent remedies are invoked. This is not only correct; it is necessaryinaconstitutional democracy The ends of taxation, however important, do not justify unlawfulmeans.
If Parliament believes the GRA should possess post-clearance civil reassessment powers, it is free to amend the Customs Act. Until then, the Court is right to prevent the Authority from exercising powersitdoesnothave.That is not an ouster That is the law
(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinionsofthisnewspaper.)
shop order: One pine tart, two tennis roll, and clean Kingston and Tiger Bay beforelunch.Demboysseh this is classic cake-shop management:youappointa team to decide what to do, then you call a meeting to telldemexactlywhattodo. Is like hiring a doctor then diagnosingyuhself.
So instead of planning drainagefuhdewholecitySouth, North, East, West, everywhere-de task force now scrubbing two wards like dem on community service. One step forward, two steps backward, and then a lil shuffle in de middle Dem boys seh perhaps de government should forget this drainage business and just open a bakery At least in a real c a k e s h o p , micromanagement does produce something sweet. Right now, all Georgetown getting is half-baked decisions.
Foreignersnowattheapexofinterest
Foreigners have progressed from prized possessions to developing obsession Registration
Recommendations about registration. A bomb that blights a Sunday night
changes everything overnight. Fromvotesatthe fingertips to menaces to be enrolled, possibly watched.
The illegal ones now under the radar, the numbers that no one wanted to talk about from the comfort of their highoffices.
Let Guyanese worry about such, ah, trivialities. Until, they can no longer be categorisedassuch. Trythis thoughttoseeifanythingcan bemadeoutofit:cananyone see the vicious bad guys, with malice aforethought inside,puttingonashirtand a smile, and turning up at a registrationsite?
Or,therealsophisticated ones, that are part of the foreign legion of Fifth Columnists already deeply
enmeshed here, not presenting themselves to obtain the cover of registration, to blend seamlessly into the system?
Distressing that it took a narrowescapetogetGuyana racing to this place to cover loopholes, even identify sleeping threats. Pardon is
askedforusingthelicenseof narrow escape. A young child died, seven others injured,andallGuyanesesee shadows, where there aren’t any
From official inertia to somelevelofhysteria. From political sleepwalking to national mobilising and galvanising Foreigners make for a cunning voting subsidy Itisunderstoodthat somealreadyhavetheirown NationalIDcards. Allisfairandpoliticsand war Well, this is war, however looked at, in w
whatever the objectives are. What I do appeal to my fellow Guyanese-from officials to individuals-is thattheydonotbegintolook at every foreign-looking, foreign-sounding, and foreign-behaving (if there is such a creature)-as if they representamortalthreat.
T h e c o c o o n o f complacency in which this country has lived has been turnedupsidedown,andthat bottom side of it doesn’t have much about it that is
soothing, inspiring
Whether Cuban or Venezuelan, Columbian or Trinidadian, who is friend andwhoisfoetobefeared?
Guyanese know about fear: invisible, yet palpable (their own people) Guyanese are familiar with those who claim to be friends, but are watched as one regards a venomous snake. Crossitspath,andit could the end of the honeymoonthatwasthought wouldlastforever Atleast, for the first five years, then the next; once everyone behaved themselves in the properlyacceptablemanner
With so many powerful and rambunctious friends in the local environment, there wasn’tmuchtimeorinterest to focus on foes. Foes! In thisparadise? Thedomestic ones are a known bunch, branded as naysayers, pseudo scientists, and undesirables, dealt with accordingly, if only to squeeze them into a corner, andshutthemup. Now every Guyanese is looking northward, and it is nottoNorthAmerica,butto the left side of the compass, and there is Caracas. What the hell are they thinking over there? What could be stirring and with the worst possibilities in store for Guyana?
The Regent and King Streetsgasstationexplosion revealedtothiscountryhow
vulnerableitis. Andwhothe realenemiesare. Nothingis going to change relative to that from the higher elevations,suchasOfficeof the President, similar such offices a notch or two downwards Nothing is going to change, be it on predawn mornings or Thursdayafternoons.
Registration in its most well-intended and most comprehensive sweep will not net the highly trained molesandplantsthatlurkin ambush Then what?
Anothersofttarget,acouple morevictims,anotherround of psychological terror? Recall that I was around the World Trade Center on that destructive Monday morning24Septembersago.
Only to find myself some distance from anotherblast,thistime on a Sunday night in October 24 years later I haveseenterrorfirsthand.
Guyanese get to know it closeup,nowhaveanideaof what it is to live with it. Could be from the bushes and with a bag. Or some other shadowy place and with other devices. Which one of those characters will see the benefit of having their faces and prints on a Guyanaregister?
The truly bold may decide that the best decision is to stand in plain sight and getregisteredandanID. But if they commit a crime, I don’t think that Guyanese should expect any sticking
around. I am still surprised that Senor Peodomo was so untutored, so cavalier Perhaps, he loves Guyana that much. It could be also that a statement was being made,whichdidn’toriginate with him. I hear about readinesswithdeathpenalty Isayletusnotdieinthebrain first, then watch the rest of thebodywither
(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinionsofthisnewspaper.)
Caribbeanunitestobuildaresilient futureatlandmarkinfrastructuresummit
CDB President Daniel Best delivers closing remarks at the Caribbean Sustainable Infrastructure Conference.
The inaugural Caribbean Sustainable InfrastructureConference(CSIC2025)hasset the stage for a bold new era of regional transformation, bringing together governments, private sector leaders, and development partners to forge a unified agenda for climate-resilient and inclusive growth
Hosted from November 3–5 by the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) in partnershipwiththeUKFCDOandAFD,with EU support, the conference underscored a shared conviction: resilient infrastructure is the backbone of the Caribbean’s economic competitiveness, social inclusion, and environmentalprotection
From climate-resilient ports and housing tonature-basedcoastaldefensesandinclusive urbandesign,thethree-dayeventunderscored how the Caribbean can move from vulnerability to vitality by building infrastructure that not only safeguards communities but also fuels opportunity, equity,andinnovation,theCDBsaidinapress release
According to the CDB, discussions yieldedactionablepathwaysandstrengthened partnerships to accelerate climate resilience, deepen social inclusion, and unlock innovativefinancingforsustainablegrowth
Participants discussed how using data, smartdesign,andapproachesthatincorporate gender and disability inclusion can make
infrastructure more adaptable They also explored tools like CDB’s Road Sector Resilience Index and climate finance initiatives,whichhelpscaleupinvestmentin resilientandinclusivedevelopmentacrossthe region
Adding a forward-looking perspective, students from the Barbados Community College and the University of Technology, Jamaica, showcased innovative sustainable design concepts to revitalise Bridgetown Their presentations demonstrated how youth creativityandacademiccollaborationcanhelp toreimagineCaribbeanurbanspacesthatmeet diverse needs of communities and mitigate environmentalandsocio-economicrisks
In his closing address, CDB President Daniel Best encouraged participants to continue discussions after the event to find solutions that will strengthen climate resilience, promote equity in access to services, and mobilise finance for withstanding future shocks while supporting inclusivegrowth “Sustainableinfrastructure is more than concrete and steel; it is a commitment to balance It demands that we harmoniseenvironmentalstewardship,social equity and economic viability, while always placingthepeopleofourregionatthecentreof everydecision,”highlightedMr Best
The British High Commissioner to Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean, HE Simon Mustard reminded participants that resilience must be a shared mission stating, “Resilience is not a luxury; it is a necessity Thisconferencehasshownuswhatispossible when we work together Let’s continue to build trust, deepen engagement, and work together to deliver infrastructure that is resilient,inclusive,andtransformative”
AFDRegionalProjectManager,Financial Institutions, Mrs Mylène Lerigab, reflected on conference key themes and urged participantstoviewresiliencethroughhybrid solutions by integrating nature-based approaches,modernengineering,andstate-ofthe-art materials She emphasised that the ultimate goal is the well-being of Caribbean peoplethroughsustainabledevelopmentand Continued on page 16
‘Fromstigmatoshowcase’ — President announces radical reset for Tiger Bay
President Irfaan Ali on Sunday announced that Tiger Bay will become the first pilot “modern neighbourhood” in Georgetown under the newly launched Neighbourhood Love Programme, an initiative within the broader RescueGeorgetownProgramme
The announcement was made during the president’s walkabout in the Kingston and Tiger Bay communities, where he engaged residentsonthegovernment’splans for urban renewal and community upliftment.
PresidentAli explained that the project will focus on renovating buildings, supporting businesses to createjobs,andimprovingsafetyin
the community as part of efforts to remove long-standing stigma attachedtothearea
“We are making it the model neighbourhood because we have every type of problem and every type of solution within this neighbourhood,” he said “Coming fromKingstonalltheway,youhave the prime minister’s residence, you have the people’s residence, you haveallthebigbusinesses,youhave the business.And then we have the greatestofsocialissuesinthesame community. And that is what we havetofixasacommunity So,this isamodelthatwearedevelopingfor the rest of Georgetown and the rest of the urban and suburban areas
acrossthecountry.”
Accordingtothepresident,akey priority is to ensure the area’s transformationsupportstourismand publicsafety
“Wewantthiscommunitytobea safecommunity,”hestated “Partof the conservation programme is to make this route from the seawall going to Avenue of the Republic, down to South Road, back into the Botanical Gardens, the walking cultural and walking tourism lanes of Guyana. The most important thing is that people must know they’resecure,they’resafe Andwe have to be honest we have to remove a big stigma from the area And we are going to remove it as a
neighbourhood”
President Ali also announced plans to launch additional programmes focused on children, women, and families to strengthen community safety and sustainability He revealed that governmentwillallocatethreeplots of land in the area for the constructionoffutsalandbasketball facilities equipped with night lights in Tiger Bay area. Kingston SecondarySchoolisalsopartofthe redevelopmentinitiative.
Ministers, councillors, and private sector members joined the president during the walkabout, including Minister of Labour and Manpower Keoma Griffith and
Highlightingtheapproachofthe programme, the President noted, “This is important because you can have one of the nicest parts of the neighbourhood lose value because anotherpartoftheneighbourhoodis not upkept. So, we want the entire neighbourhood to work together to helpuslifttheentireneighbourhood together.”
The Tiger Bay upgrade forms part of the wider Georgetown City Revival Plan, unveiled by the presidentinSeptember Theplan
Continued on page 16
MinisterofLocalGovernmentPriya Manickchand MembersoftheMen onMission(MOM)groupwerealso present
Tiger Bay residents with Minister of Local Government Priya Manickchand during the walk about.
GDFhonoursveteransatannualceremony
The Guyana Defence Force (GDF) last week Thursday paidtributetothenation’sveteransatitsAnnualVeteransDay Wreath-Laying Ceremony at the Veterans Monument, Base CampAyanganna.
The solemn event brought together national leaders, servingmembers,andveteransforreflection,remembrance, and gratitude. The ceremony began with the Last Post, followed by a moment of silence and the Reveille. Wreaths werelaidbyPrimeMinisterBrigadier(Ret’d)MarkPhillips, MSS, Chief of Defence Staff Brigadier Omar Khan, MSS, and veterans including Lieutenant Colonel (Ret’d) George Gomes,Sergeant(Ret’d)ClaudetteThorne,and99-year-old LanceCorporal(Ret’d)JamesSamuels.Samuels,oneofonly four surviving World War II veterans in Guyana, captivated attendeeswhenherosefromhiswheelchairtolayhiswreath, honouringcomradesfromeightdecadesago.
According to GDF press release, speaking on behalf of President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali, Prime Minister, Phillips reaffirmed the government’s commitment to the welfare of veterans HeemphasisedthatasGuyanagrowseconomically, veterans will continue to benefit from improvements in housing,infrastructure,andhealthservices “Thecourageand sacrificeofourservicemenandwomenareinterwovenintothe very fabric of our nation’s integrity Their valour ensures that Guyanastandsstrong,united,andindivisible,”heaffirmed President of the Guyana Veterans Legion, Lieutenant Colonel (Ret’d) George Gomes, highlighted key initiatives benefiting veterans, including renovations at the Legion Headquarters,theupkeepoftheVeteransRestHome,andthe monthly medical outreach carried out by the GDF Medical Corps. He also stressed the importance of nutrition and healthy lifestyles to prevent non-communicable diseases amongveterans. Continuedonpage15
A section of the veterans at the wreath laying ceremony
One of the army veterans makes his way to the ceremony
Govt. pushes to make Region Five livestock hub
…as
Black Belly sheep programme expands
Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha
has reaffirmed the government’s commitment to strengthening Guyana’s livestock sector during a meeting with small ruminantfarmersinWestBerbice.
The minister highlighted ongoing initiatives aimed at expanding economic opportunitiesforruralproducersandbuilding a competitive, commercially viable Guyanese brand. Minister Mustapha noted that 60 five-acre pasture plots—totaling 300 acres have already been developed to support small ruminant farmers in Region Five.Heemphasisedthattheseeffortsarepart of a broader plan to reduce Guyana’s dependenceonimportedmutton,particularly from New Zealand, while positioning the
countryasaregionalsupplier
“We are making major investments to modernise the livestock sector, and pasture development is one of the most important foundations. We have already developed 60 five-acreplotsforpasturesforsmallruminant farmersfromregionfive.Wearebuildingan industry, a brand for Guyana and the Caribbean. Our goal is to develop a modern, commerciallyviablesmallruminantindustry that supplies Guyana and becomes a major exporter within CARICOM,” he explained accordingtoapressreleaseformhisoffice.
Hefurtherstatedthatthegovernmenthad collaborated with Barbados to import 1,000 BlackBellySheeptoboostthecountry’s Continued on page 16
Some of the small ruminant farmers who attended the meeting
More ‘boots on the ground’ as ‘B’ Division rolls out Christmas Policing Plan
Severalpolicingdivisions across the country have laid out comprehensive measures andoperationalstrategiesfor theChristmasseason,which are geared towards crime tackling and traffic coordination.
Similarly, the leadership of ‘B’ Division, Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) on Saturdayrolledoutaslewof measurestobeimplemented for the region, mounting strategiccollaborationswith the private sector and other stakeholders.
Regional Commander, Assistant Commissioner
Shivpersaud Bacchus unveiled the Christmas Policing Plan 2025 in the boardroom of the regional police headquarters in the presence of senior regional and police officials, where hestressedtheimportanceof a multi-stakeholder involvement.
“The police can’t work alone We need the community’s support and
involvement,” he implored The detailed plan hinges on all aspects of law enforcement.
“What we’re looking at: economic and business activities, vehicular and pedestrian, criminal activities,” the commander noted Emphasis will be placed on “adequate traffic management,” where traffic
operations will be coordinated to have more relevant ranks positioned at critical sections to ensure a smoothflowoftrafficandto also enforce the road safety regulations.
Hesaidknowncharacters in the division and persons recentlyreleasedfromprison willbemonitored.
Citizens can also expect stronger police presence by way of foot patrol, in anticipationoftheheightened commercialactivitiesduring theseason.Rankswillpatrol busy areas such as markets, towns and central locations, as well as the not so busy
GDFhonoursveteransat...
Frompage12
ChiefofDefenceStaffBrigadierOmarKhan,MSS,paid tributetotheveterans’contributiontotheForce.“Onyour shouldersreststheearlysurvivalandstabilityofthisForce. Withoutyoursacrifice,discipline,andresilience,theGDF couldnothavegrownintotheinstitutionitistoday,”hesaid, reaffirming the Force’s commitment to remaining connected with and supporting its veterans. Following the formal proceedings, veterans were treated to a luncheon, wheretheysharedmemories,offeredadvice,andinteracted withservingmembersoftheForce.Theeventconcludedin thespiritofcamaraderie,reflection,andnationalpride.
Through this event, the GDF once again demonstrated its unwavering commitment to honouring those who defended Guyana’s freedom and territorial integrity, ensuringthattheirlegacycontinuestoinspirethemenand womenservingtoday
Twodead,severalinjured...
Frompage3
management and enhance preventative road safety While acknowledging the rise in fatal accidents along the Soesdyke–Linden Highway, Singh said back then that responsibilityalsolieswithdrivers.
“Thattakesawaynogrievancethatthereareaccidents, butwhenitcomesdowntoresponsibility,itisnotapolice issue alone. The Soesdyke–Linden Highway is still undergoing transformation as part of the rehabilitation works. We issue traffic advisories weekly, and there are constantlecturesdeliveredtodriversacrossRegionTenand theEastBank.Wekeeppreachingtothem,remindingthem, urgingthem,”hesaid.
Singh also highlighted the problem of immobile vehiclesleftonthehighway “Whenimmobilevehiclesare seenonthehighway,theyarenottherebychance.Itisthe responsibility of the driver to call 911 and report it to the police,it'sfree.Oncenotified,wetakeintoaccountthatthe driver may not have cones or reflectors available.We then respond immediately, take photographs, place cones, and issuetrafficadvisory
Thisalertsotherroadusersandpreventsfurtherdanger,” he explained Singh also underscored poor vehicle maintenance, speeding, and driver fatigue as persistent challenges. “When they are not so capable, they feel tired; youtotaketimeoffyoucan'tproceedinthesamemanner Wehaveexperiencedthisinthepast.Personshavecrashed becausetheyweretired,”Singhsaid.
areas. In addition, there will be stop and search exercises and raid operations, which will be backed by intelligence gathered. Ports ofentry,entertainmentspots, supermarkets, cars and bus parks, are considered hotspots. Banks and post offices will also have ramped up monitoring by uniformed and plain clothes ranks.
“With all of this, we intend to reduce crime and trafficaccidents”
Affirming the division’s multi-sectoral approach, the commander stated that one crucialpartneristheBerbice River Bridge Company, onboard for the purpose of sharing vital information as the link between Regions FiveandSix.
Another main focus will be the monitoring of the borders ThepoliceinRegion Six will utilise DGS boats, two of which are in the BerbiceRiverandoneinthe Corentyne river for this undertaking.
The Guyana Revenue Authority will also play a major role in the Christmas
policing plan, and the commander explained that the collaboration will be for the tax regulatory agency and the Customs AntiNarcotics Unit (CANU) to derail the smuggling of contraband into the region from neighbouring Suriname.
An increase, with daily deployment, will be implemented for special patrols by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and
motorcycle, vehicle, marine
andmounted.Marinepatrols will be deployed to curb cattle rustling, a criminal activity prevalent in the Berbice River and Canje Creek The business communitywillbebriefedon security strategies for both customerandbusinesssafety Even though the measures are ready for implementation, Bacchus acknowledged the potential challenges, several being a surge in traffic, increase in alcohol consumption, and druguse.
These arrangements,
Bacchus disclosed, “will be intensified from the 15th of November, as customary, to the15thofJanuary2026.”
The primary objective of the programme is to ensure the securi
the approximately 144,000 citizens within Region Six, which has three towns and 19 Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDCs).
Further, the region is sustained with law enforcement through 11 police stations and five outposts
Regional Chairman Junior Bassant, ‘B’Division Commander Shivpersaud Bacchus and other officials at the launch of the Christmas Policing Plan Junior
Commander Bacchus detailing the division’s year-end security plans
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APNU calls on Govt. to publish Tiger Bay revamp plan before commencement of work
The A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) on Sunday wants the government to publicly release its detailed plans for the proposed “modern neighbourhood” in Tiger Bay, Georgetown.
This follows President Irfaan Ali’s walkabout in the Kingston and Tiger Bay communities on Sunday, during which he announced that Tiger Bay would become the first pilot “modern neighbourhood” under the Neighbourhood Love Programme, a key component of the broader Rescue Georgetown Programme.
According to the president, the project aims to renovate buildings, support businesses to create jobs, and improve community safety efforts intended to eliminate long-standing stigma associated with the area. Similar initiatives, he said, will be implemented across other urban areas in Georgetown.
While APNU said it endorses the idea of community upliftment, the party stressed that the government must publish its plans in detail before any work begins. “We all want communities uplifted, families empowered, and opportunities expanded, especially for those who have waited too long for meaning-
APNU Shadow, Ministry of Housing S herod Duncan, M.P ful attention. As a party, APNU has always believed in housing our people, and we remain steadfast in our view that every young Guyanese should receive free land at the bare minimum, as a foundation for building a life, a future, and a stake in their country. Our commitment is simple: Guyanese must be housed with dignity, not with uncertainty or political theatre,” the party stated.
However, APNU argued that such an initiative cannot rely on announcements alone. The party noted that the “model neighbourhood” proposal does not appear in the 2025 National Budget, raising concerns about its legitimacy and funding. “If this initiative is as important to the govern-
ment as the headline suggests, why was there no budgetary allocation, no project description, no capital plan, and no submission to the national assembly?” the party questioned. APNU added that “major urban redevelopment cannot be sprung on residents without a single published document or line item. Guyanese deserve clarity, not a publicity reveal without parliamentary accountability.” The party further emphasised the potential displacement of long-standing residents, many of whom lack formal land titles. “In a community like Tiger Bay, such vagueness is more than an administrative oversight, it is a threat. Families there have lived for generations without formal titles. Any redevelopment immediately raises fears of relocation, eviction, or gentrification masquerading as upliftment. Will current residents be allowed to stay? Will they receive secure titles? Will renters be protected? Or will the area be beautified for outsiders while the original community is displaced? Without clear guarantees, residents cannot trust that this initiative is meant for them and not for someone else,” APNU argued. Highlighting the “human
realities” behind such a redevelopment project, the party insisted that a true model neighbourhood must address youth development, anti-violence programmes, livelihood training, education support, domestic-violence protections, and community policing. “These issues are even more pressing now that domestic murders in Guyana have doubled, even as the Government pushes a ‘crime is down’ narrative. Transformation must be built on social protection, not public-relations optics,” the statement added.
APNU concluded that Tiger Bay deserves “real answers, real protection, and real investment, not another grand announcement without a roadmap.” The party called on the government to immediately table the full plan, including the budget, procurement documents, and records of community consultations. “Anything less is not development, it is optics. Development must transform communities with their participation, not in their absence. If Tiger Bay is to be a model neighbourhood, let it be a model for transparency, fairness, and dignity, not for secrecy and uncertainty,” the party stated.
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From page 10 mindset change explaining, “It is clear that we need to find resources to build projects, to be innovative to do more, as new financial products, public development fund guarantee of course. But, the first thing we need is to change our mind for sustainability. We need to change our mindsets to convince ourselves and those
From page 11 focuses on revitalising the capital through targeted investments in infrastructure, drainage, roadworks, sanitation, and urban beautifica-
Minister of Planning and Development for Barbados, Dr. the Honourable William F. Duguid, J.P., M.P., underscored the importance of collective action adding, “The coming together of a wide range of local, regional and international practitioners to
deliberate on themes such as tackling climate risks, promoting equity and gender inclusion, advancing innovationled economic development and strong governance through collaboration is both timely and critical.
The Caribbean must design finance and build as though its survival depends on it – because it does.”
CSIC 2025 closed with a
‘From stigma to showcase’
tion, aligned with the Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) 2030. Key priorities include housing expansion, improved waste management, flood resilience,
heritage preservation, and the development of a modern transport system to ease congestion.
In October, the president disclosed that a comprehen-
strong call to action to advance initiatives that protect communities from climate shocks, expand access to essential services, and create equitable opportunities for all.
This shared resolve underscored a collective vision for a more resilient and inclusive Caribbean driven by partnership and innovation.
sive mapping and condition survey of every drain in Georgetown is already underway, forming the technical foundation for long-term urban improvements.
Govt. pushes to make Region Five livestock...
From page 14 genetics and breeding stock, and forms part of a variety of initiatives being spearheaded by the administration to bolster production and diversify the economy.
Minister Mustapha reminded farmers that many of them have already benefited from improved genetics and increased breeding stock through this initiative.
He further confirmed that the distribution of Black Belly rams has begun, emphasising the importance of farmers upholding the guidelines of the
programme to ensure its success. “We have started the distribution of breeding rams, but this support will only achieve its full potential if farmers follow the programme’s management practices.
We have to make a concerted effort to develop this industry, and we need your partnership to make sure the benefits reach everyone,” he stressed.
Emphasising the vision of His Excellency President Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali, Minister Mustapha said the adminis-
tration remains focused on transforming Region Five into the livestock capital of the Caribbean.
“This region has the land, the farmers, and the commitment to lead the Caribbean in livestock production.
We are building the infrastructure, providing the breeding animals, and delivering the technical support so that Region Five becomes the heart of livestock development in CARICOM,” he noted.
Following the meeting, the Minister also inspected the ruminant abattoir at
Onverwagt, which is scheduled to be commissioned in the coming weeks. He noted that the modern facility will provide farmers with a certified, high-standard processing space that meets both local and regional market requirements.
“This abattoir is another major investment that will help you get your products into premium markets. Once commissioned, it will significantly elevate the value chain for ruminant farmers all across the country,” Minister Mustapha noted.
DDL donates to Jamaica relief efforts
De m e r a r a
D i s t i l l e r s
Limited (DDL) hasdispatchedcontainersof relief supplies to Jamaica following the recent hurricane that caused widespread devastation on theisland.
The shipment, which
departed last week, comprises 3,376 cases of DiamondMineralWaterand 1,428 cases of TOPCO juices. This humanitarian contribution is being made with the support of DDL’s associatecompany,National Rums of Jamaica (NRJ), to aid communities impacted bythehurricane.
On arrival in Jamaica, the consignment will be processed and distributed through a coordinated effort betweentheJamaicanStock Exchange (JSE) and NRJ, who will manage all
clearance and distribution activities The containers werepreparedandloadedby DDL staff at the company’s Diamondcomplex.
DDL noted that its response reflects the company’s longstanding commitment to supporting Caribbean neighbours in times of crisis, and to working closely with partners across the region whenever urgent assistance is needed Chairman of DDL, Mr Komal Samaroo,
1,428 cases of TOPCO juices were also donated
Fallen tree branch kills logger at Mabura
A 63-year-old man was on Saturday killed after he was struck by a fallen tree
branch at a logging concession at 43 Miles, Mabura Road, Upper DemeraraRiver
The deceased has been identified as Chris Hall, called “Chatch”, a Logger and Skidder Operator of
said: “DDL is committed to supporting our Caribbean neighbours, especially in times of difficulty Our donationisintendedtoassist communities in Jamaica as they work toward recovery, and we are pleased to provideessentialsuppliesat thiscriticaltime.Wearealso grateful for the support of our associate company, National Rums of Jamaica, as we stand with the people of Jamaica during their rebuildingefforts.”
Two arrested, gun seized overfare dispute
Police in Regional Division #1 are investigating the recovery of a suspected illegal .22 pistol following an incident in Mabaruma,NorthWestDistrict.
According to a police report, initial information indicates that on November 15, 2025,a50-year-oldtaxidriverofMabaruma was allegedly assaulted and threatened by a man who reportedly brandished a firearm duringafaredispute.
“The matter was subsequently reported and acting on information received, ranks
conductedafollow-upoperationintheearly hours of Sunday November 16, 2025 at Mabaruma, where two male suspects , a 21year-old and a 23-year-old, both Construction WorkersofParika,EastBankEssequibo were located and detained,” police said During further inquiries, one of the suspects led investigators to a bushy area in Mabaruma, where a suspected 22 pistol believed to have been used in the incident was recovered The firearm has been lodged, and both suspects remainincustodyasinvestigationscontinue
GrantSandRoad,Soesdyke, EastBankDemerara.
According to police reports,initialinvestigations revealed that, “Hall was working within the concession when he was struckbyafallentreebranch and subsequently became motionless.”
reported and ranks later visited the scene. Halls was takentotheLindenHospital Complex where he was pronounced dead on arrival. His body has since been taken to the Pensioners Mortuary awaiting a postmortemexamination.
Inve
ongoing.
Thieffleeswithhairdye,tools, clothesfromEssequibohome
A51-year-old businessman’s h o m e a t Hampton Court, Essequibo Coast, was broken into on Saturday, and several householditemswerestolen.
According to police reports, the incident occurredonSaturday Initial
investigations revealed that a windowonthelowerflatofthe house had been prised open, and police believe the suspect gainedentrythroughthatpoint “Theinteriorofthehomewas foundransacked,”policesaid
Police further stated that severalitemsofclothingand other personal effects were
UG’s Dr. Estherine Adams wins Int’l prize for groundbreaking research on women in colonial jails
Dr Estherine Adams, Head of the Department of History and CaribbeanStudiesattheUniversity of Guyana, has been awarded the ASSLH Edna Ryan Prize for Best Article on Women’s History (2023–2024) for her paper, “‘At Work, in Hospital, or in Gaol’: Women in British Guiana’s Jails, 1838–1917,” published in the JournalofLabourHistory
The prestigious Australian Society for the Study of Labour History (ASSLH) recognised Dr Adams’sworkforitspowerfuland original exploration of how colonial prison systems in British Guiana controlled and exploited African and Indian indentured women. The judges praised the article as “original, clearly positioned in recent literature, and beautifullywrittentoilluminatethe lives of female indentured labourers,” noting its important argument on the intersections of coerced labour, capitalism, and colonialism.
Dr. Adams said she was “genuinely stunned” to learn that her paper had won the prize,
especiallysinceshehadnotknown it had been submitted. “I had no idea the journal had entered my article, so the email arrived completely unexpectedly. There wasamomentofdisbelieffollowed by deep gratitude. As researchers, we often work in solitude — in archives, writing late at night — wondering if the nuance and humanity we try to convey will reach anyone. To learn that the article resonated that strongly was both affirming and humbling,” she said.
Accordingtoapressreleaseby UG, the judges’ comments held special meaning for her, as they recognised not only the academic strengthofherresearchbutalsoits human depth. “They recognised notjusttheacademiccontribution, but the humanity of the women whose stories I reconstructed from archivalsilences.Whentheynoted that the article was beautifully written to illuminate these lives, I feltseenasascholar,notsimplyfor producing research, but for recovering lives erased from the historicalrecord,”shereflected.
Her motivation for exploring thissubjectwasguidedbyacentral question: Where were the women in the carceral histories of slavery and indentureship? According to Dr.Adams,“Theprisonwasoneof the earliest colonial institutions designed to regulate and exploit labour, yet women — particularly African and later Indian indentured women were almost invisible in thearchive Iwantedtocentrethem not as footnotes to male histories, but as labouring subjects whose experiences reveal how power operated through gender, race, and the prison system” She shared that one of her main challenges was the lack of detailed records on incarcerated women To address this, she employed what she calls a “fragmentary methodology.” “In many cases, women appeared only as numbers or anonymous references buried in disciplinary reports To overcome this, I read against the grain, analysing what therecordleftoutasmuchaswhat it included, and pieced together details across inventories, health reports, punishment books, and
plantation records. If the archive whispered, I tried to listen as closelyaspossible,”sheexplained.
Dr. Adams hopes that this international recognition will inspiremoreresearchersinGuyana and across the Caribbean to interrogate history courageously
“Myhopeisthatthisawardsignals the value of work that confronts historical silences, especially in colonial archives. Guyana and the Caribbean are full of stories that remain un
en If this recognition encourages emerging researchers to take risks, ask uncomfortable questions, and challenge dominant narratives, thenithasalreadydonemorethanI couldhaveimagined,”shesaid.
She also reflected on what the award means for the University of Guyana “At UG, we teach, research, advise, and carry heavy administrative responsibilities, oftensimultaneously Thisawardis a reminder that world-class scholarship can be produced from Guyana,byGuyanesescholars,for globalaudiences.Italsomodelsfor ourstudentsthattheirstories—the
discovered outside near the opened window However, the suspect managed to escape.
The discovered items were lodged at the Anna ReginaPoliceStation.
Police are currently reviewing CCTV footage as investigationscontinue.
Dr. Estherine Adams, Head of the Department of History and Caribbean Studies in the Faculty of Education and Humanities at the University of Guyana
stories of this land and this history — are worthy of study and will be heard.Theawardisnotjustmine;it belongs to the Department, to the studentswhositinourclassrooms, and to the women whose lives I tried to honour in the research.” The University of Guyana congratulatesDr.EstherineAdams on this outstanding achievement. Herworkcontinuestoadvancethe institution’s mission to contribute meaningfullytonationalandglobal scholarship, while inspiring future generations of researchers to uncover and honour the untold storiesofourregion.
Israeli attacks kill 3 in Gaza; teen shot dead in West Bank raids
(AL-JAZEERA) - At least three Palestinians have been killed in Israeli attacks insouthernGazaonSunday
A young Palestinian teen wasalsokilledbyIsraelifire during a raid on the Askar refugeecampeastofNablus, thePalestinianRedCrescent toldAlJazeera.
Israeli forces also shot a young Palestinian man as theyraidedthecamplocated south of the city ofTubas in the occupied West Bank –before preventing the paramedics from assisting him Al Jazeera’s factchecking unit, Sanad, has verifiedtwovideospostedto Telegramfromtheshooting.
One shows a young man, injured by Israeli forces, lying on the ground while surrounded by a number of soldiers. A second verified video shows a large bloodstain on the ground in theshapeofahumanbody Palestinian news agency Wafa reported that three young men were injured in the raid, but ambulance crews were only allowed to treattwoofthem–a16-yearoldandan18-year-old,both of whom received shrapnel wounds.
Citing security sources, Wafa said Israeli forces
A displaced Palestinian girl helps her mother as they try to repair their tent, which was damaged by heavy rain and wind, in central Gaza [Mahmoud Issa/Reuters]
“arrested”thethirdboyafter hewasshotandrefusedtolet ambulancecrewsnearhim.
Despitetheceasefirethat wasmeanttounleashaflow ofaidintoGaza,restrictions on trucks carrying food and other assistance, especially iflinkedtoUNRWA,remain inplace,saysTamaraAlrifai, UNRWA’s director of communications.
“UNRWA is under double the amount of scrutinyandrestrictionsthan other agencies despite being the largest agency there,” Alrifai said, adding that the UN agency has enough supplies to fill 6,000 aid trucks from its warehouses
inEgyptandJordan.
Ontopofthat,thelimited number of crossings into Gaza means there are long queues of trucks waiting to enter. There are also limitations on what is allowed into the enclave as the Israeli authorities label certainessentialsasitemsof dual use, saying they could be used for military purposes, and therefore ban them,Alrifaisaid.
“Israel, during the inspection and the scrutiny, would take out many items that are extremely needed, especially in this winter situation ” Meanwhile, dozens of Palestinian
prisoners are being held
detention facility, deprived of sunlight and subjected to extre
iolence, Palestinian lawyers say, as more reports of abuse emergefromthedevastation ofIsrael’swaronGaza.
LawyersforPalestinians held at Rakevet, an underground wing of the Ramla (Nitzan) prison complex in central Israel, said their clients have been assaulted, starved, and denied medical care despite seriousinjuries.
“When the prisoners arrivefortheinterview[with
their lawyer], their faces show what they’ve endured,” lawyer Nadia Daqqa told Al Jazeera “Particularly in this prison, prisoners are afraid to talk. The [interview] room is one square metre and the guards refusetoleave.”
Despite that, Daqqa and otherlawyershavecollected testimonials from prisoners held at Rakevet One detainee, referred to by the initials YH, had a broken jaw, shoulder and ribs, yet had received no medical treatment. Another, known as KHD, said Israeli prison guards punish the prisoners “by breaking their thumbs”.
The reports are the latest to detail wide-scale abuse in Israel’sprisonsystem,asthe country has ramped up its arrests of Palestinians amid its two-year genocidal war ontheGazaStrip.
More than 9,200 Palestinians are currently detained in Israeli prisons, according to the latest figures from Palestinian prisoner rights group Addameer The majority are in what’s known as administrative detention, heldwithoutchargeortrial.
Scoresofdetaineesfrom Gazahavealsobeenheldina
notorious Israeli military detentioncampknownasSde Teiman, where reports of killings, torture and sexual violence,includingrape,have been rife since the Gaza war beganinOctober2023
While the Israeli authorities have denied allegations of abuse, Palestinian prisoners who were recently released from the facilities as part of last month’s Gaza ceasefire deal describedharrowingabuses.
The bodies of slain Palestinian detainees returned to the coastal Palestinian enclave under the ceasefire agreement also showed signs of torture, mutilationandexecution,with somereturnedwithropesstill tiedaroundtheirnecks.Several human rights groups in Israel have described the country’s prisonsanddetentionfacilities as a form of torture and cruel andunusualpunishment “ H u m a n r i g h t s organisations documented widespread abuses, including physical beatings, sexualviolence,harassment, and threats – pointing to systemic and deliberate mistreatment,” the Public Committee Against Torture in Israel (PCATI) said in June.
FAOfoodoutlookpointstobroad-based increaseinglobalfoodcommodityproduction
Current conditions point to broadbased increases in global food commodity production,alongsidestrong consumption growth and a recovery in inventories, although weather variability and a clouded trade outlook could pose risks, according toanewreportpublishedlast week by the Food and Agriculture Organisation of theUnitedNations(FAO). Global wheat and coarse grain outputs are on track to set new records, with the same applying to rice production in Asia and the Latin America and Caribbeanregion.Stocks-touse ratios for these key staples are also forecast to rise, according to the new FAO Food Outlook. The
biannual publication provides updated market assessments and forecasts for the production, utilisation, trade, and stocks of major food commodities including cereals, oil crops, sugar, meat, dairy products, and fisheries The new
edition offers additional insights into olive oil, fertiliser markets, and the globalfoodimportbill.
“The rebound in global food production marks a positive turning point for market stability But behind these numbers lie persistent risks, from extreme weather tofragiletraderelations,that can quickly reshape global supply and access. Building resilience across the agrifood system remains our greatest challenge,” said FAO Chief Economist MaximoTorero. Wheat, maize and rice markets are marked by abundant exportable supplies,whichhaveexerted downward pressure on international prices. Meanwhile, utilisations of wheatandespeciallyriceare expected to increase significantly, led by faster consumption growth in Low-Income Food Deficit Countries(LIFDCs). Salient takeaways from the commodity analyses include: Global wheat
inventories are expected to expandby3.6percentinthe year ahead to reach their highest-everlevelbytheend of seasons in 2026, while worldricestocksareforecast to increase by 2.2 percent to anewrecordhigh.
-World meat production is expected to rise by 1.4 percent,ledbypoultry,while bovine meat output will likelycontractduelargelyto reduced cattle inventories in Brazil and the United States ofAmerica.
—Global sugar stocks areanticipatedtoincreaseas bumper harvests in Brazil, alongwithstrongoutturnsin India and Thailand, are foreseen to drive production up much faster than consumption.
—Global vegetable oil consumption, by contrast, is forecast to outpace production, influenced by reduced soybean outputs, resulting mainly from reduced planting areas in Argentina, India, Ukraine and the United States of America.
—Global fisheries and aquaculture production is forecast to increase by 1.7 percent,withexpectationsof a 2.5 percent increase in per capita food consumption of aquaculture products offsetting a decline in consumption from capture fisheries.
Specialchaptersonolive oil trends and fertiliser markets
The FAO Food Outlook offers a detailed assessment of the olive oil market, predicting a recovery from recent drought conditions that curtailed output and droveupprices.-
Wholesale prices in Spain, the world’s leading producer, and Greece have dropped by more than half since early 2024, although they remain at relatively high levels in Italy. Ample rainfall throughout the growing season in Tunisia points to a record-breaking productionofmorethan400 000 tonnes, which could makethecountrytheworld’s second-largest olive oil
producer in 2025/26. Lower prices are underpinning a consumption recovery, and globaltradeinoliveoilcould hit a historical high in the season ahead, although tariffsintheUnitedStatesof America may curb overall trade volumes. In separate analysis, FAO finds that global fertiliser utilisation rebounded in the 2024/25 season,followingaperiodof reduced application due to reduced availability and affordability The average price of a stylised fertiliser basketstoodatUSD489per tonne in September 2025, down 40 percent from the record peak of April 2022, although still higher than in 2024. Nitrogen fertilizer supplyisexpectedtoremain adequate in the short term, supported by China’s return to global markets with increased export quotas for 2025and2026.
Foodimportbill
The Food Outlook also presents FAO’s updated estimate for the global food import bill (FIB) in 2025,
which is expected to rise by nearly 8 percent from the previousyeartoreach$2.22 trillion. The increase in the global food import bill is drivenlargelybyanaverage 34.5 percent jump in the prices of higher-value products,notablycoffeeand cocoa, primarily imported byhigh-incomecountries.In Least-Developed Countries, meanwhile, expenditures on animalandvegetableoilsare estimated to rise by 58 percent compared to 2024, broadly split between quantity and price effects, with the latter particularly impacted by higher import prices for palm oil, raising concernofaffordability Bycontrast,lowerprices for cereals and sugar, are estimated to result in significant declines in the aggregate import bills for those commodities. The combined food import bill forLow-IncomeCountriesis expected to decline slightly comparedto2024,whilethat for sub-Saharan Africa shouldrisemodestly
South Africa shock India in low-scoring thriller
BBC Sport - South AfricasecuredtheirfirstTest victoryinIndiasince2010as they triumphed in a lowscoring thriller inside three daysinKolkata.
The Proteas, who won t h e W o r l d T e s t Championship at Lord’s in the summer, had trailed by 30runsonfirstinnings-but reversedthattopulloffa30-
run victory as the hosts, needing only 124 to win, werebowledoutfor93in35 overs.
Veteran spinner Simon Harmer, 36, did the damage with four wickets in each innings for match figures of 8-51.
India were a batter short in their second innings after captain Shubman Gill
suffered a neck injury and retiredhurtondaytwo.
Gill remains in hospital for observation, with India having announced before play on Sunday that he wouldtakenofurtherpartin thegame.
South Africa had begun day three on 93-7 in their second innings, a lead of only 63, but captain Temba Bavuma - the only batter to pass40intheentirematchforgedhiswaytoadefiant55 notoutfrom136balls.
South Africa’s last Test win on Indian soil came at Nagpur in February 2010. (Getty Images)
toleaveIndia1-2.
Monday November 17, 2025
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If people hassle you or give you a hard time about your appearance today, pay them nomind,Cancer Youhavethe righttoliveyourlifeanyway youwantto.
LEO(July23–Aug.22)
Reachforthepotofgoldatthe end of the rainbow, Leo. It's closerthanyouthink.Indeed, your dreams are completely within your reach, and there are huge forces at work helping you achieve your goals.
VIRGO(Aug.23–Sept.22)
Today is your day to dream and dream big, Virgo. Think aboutwhatitisthatyouwant most out of life. Aim your arrow to the stars and pull back your bow as far as possible. There's no limit to howfaryoucango.
LIBRA(Sept.23–Oct.22)
Expand your mind to its furthest reaches today, Libra.
opportunity opening up for you in which you can make great strides in a creative realm.Followthemusic.
SCORPIO(Oct.23–Nov 21)
Your mind may seem rather cloudy today, Scorpio, but don't let this hinder you. In fact, you'll find that you can use this feeling of fantasy to your advantage. Try to bring moremagicintoyourlife.
SAGIT(Nov 22–Dec.21)
Today is an excellent day for you,oneinwhichyou'llfinda great deal of strength in your emotions, Sagittarius Trust that your instincts are serving youwell.
CAPRI(Dec.22–Jan.19)
Things might get a bit confusing for you today, Capricorn. Don't feel like you needtomakesenseofitall.In fact, this task may be impossible. Just be yourself. Let your creative nature shine through.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20–Feb. 18)Mixyourrealitywithabit of fantasy today, Aquarius. Allowyourfeettocomeoffthe ground for a little while. Give yourselfarest.Takesometime to meditate and clear your mindofyourdailyworries.
PISCES(Feb.19–Mar.20)
Let yourself go into high creative mode and drift into a whole other world, Pisces. Escape your present reality and explore your fantasies through any sort of artistic endeavor Dreamasbigasyour mindallows.
Aidedbysomebigblows from Corbin Bosch (25), Bavuma shepherded the tail well to get them to 153 all out.
Left-arm seamer Marco Jansen quickly had both openers Yashasvi Jaiswal andKLRahulcaughtbehind
Although Washington Sundar provided some resistance with 31 from 92 balls, he eventually fell to the part-time spin of Aiden Markram,whileHarmerand fellow spinner Keshav Maharaj (2-37) ripped through the middle order as India lost their last five wicketsinthespaceofeight overs.
The second and final Test begins in Guwahati next Saturday, 22 November
Scores: South Africa 159 (Markram 31, Bumrah 5-27) & 153 (Bavuma 55*, Jadeja4-50)
India 189 (Rahul 39, Harmer 4-30) & 93 (Sundar 31,Harmer4-21).
Result:SouthAfricawon by30runs.
Wharton’s four enough to keep
Chase’s Academic on top, Welcome score twice in 3-0 win Republic Bank U18 SSFL...
Donavon Welcome (with ball) pressing towards goal during round-5 clash with Dolphin Secondary
The high-octane Republic Bank
S e c o n d a r y
S c h o o l s F o o t b a l l Championship is charging toward its decisive final stages after four intense round-five matchups yesterday at the Ministry of EducationGround.
Chase’s Academic once again proved why they are thefavouritestoliftthetitle, extending their flawless recordtofivewinsfromfive with a commanding 4–0 victory over Charlestown Secondary.
The afternoon belonged
to Bryan Wharton, who delivered one of the most dominant individual performances of the tournament so far The informstrikersingle-handedly dismantled third-placed Charlestown, scoring all four goals to keep Chase’s perfect run intact and firmly secure their position at the top of the table with 15 points. Wharton wasted no time asserting his presence, striking in the 5th and 7th minutes to put Chase comfortably ahead at the break. He continued his
masterclass in the second half, lofting a brilliant effort over the goalkeeper in the 31st minute before hammering home his fourth goaljusteightminuteslater His clinical display not only sealed Chase’s fifth consecutive win but also underlined his status as one of the competition’s most lethalfinishers.
Meanwhile, Donovan WelcomedeliveredamatchwinningbracetoguideWest Ruimveldt Secondary to a smooth 3–0 win over DolphinSecondary,keeping them firmly in second place
on12points.
After an early 13thminute opener from Jeremiah Griffith, the game opened up for Welcome in the second half. Dolphin’s defence unraveled, and the West Ruimveldt forward punished them with trademarkprecision,scoring inthe60thand64thminutes. His two-goal burst not only sealed the victory but also showcased his growing reputation as the team’s reliable closer in tight moments.
In other action, Three Mile Secondary continued
vDefending champions Chase’s Academic Foundation stay on top, crushing Charlestown Secondary 4-0 in round 5.
their impressive campaign with a commanding 4–1 triumph over bottom-table President’s College. Joshua James and Haydock Parris struck in the 16th and 18th minutestosetthetonebefore Danil Alexander briefly pulled one back in the 37th. However, Leron Mendonca responded immediately, scoring seconds later and completing his brace in the 39th to keep Three Mile hanginginfourthplace.
South Ruimveldt Secondary climbed to third on 10 points after Abram Zuil Secondary failed to show,
ng in a walkover victory for The GreenRangers. Roundsixcontinuesthis Sunday at the same venue, withCharlestownandThree Mile Secondary set for a crucialmatchupasthechase for semifinal places intensifies.
The tournament is sponsoredbyRepublicBank (Guyana) Limited, with support from MVP Sports, Ronoca Concrete Inc , Demerara Mutual, and Guyana Beverage Inc (Busta). It is sanctioned by theMinistryofEducation
Wiruni Conquerors and Kimbia win in latest BCAT20 cricket
The Berbice River
C r i c k e t Association BCA
T20 cricket competition continued on Wednesday last with second round matches as two more games were played in the Berbice Riverarea.
Results of those games saw Wiruni Conquerors and Kimbiascoringvictories.
In the game between Friendship Cavalier and Wiruni Conquerors at the Kimbia,FriendshipCavalier batted first and were dismissed for 120 with Tedroy Singh 25, Dineal Leacock 22 and Ronald Singh 18, John Leacock 13 and Joshua Leacock 12
b e i n g t h e i r m a i n
contributors Extras contributed21.
Bowing for Wiruni Conquerorstherewerethree wickets each for Melroy Osborne and Sylvester Osborne, while Nelon Thomastookone.
WiruniConquersreplied with 125 for 4 in 16 overs with Melroy De Sliva scoring46withsupportfrom Phillip Osborne 20, Mark Sampson 20 and Lindon Sampson14notout.
Bowing for Friendship Cavalier there were one wicket each for Wacker Mc Kenzie, Daniel Leacock, Brian King and Tedroy Singh. In the second game Kimbia defeated Geatroy (Travelers United) by 55 runs in their game played at Kimbia.
Bowling for Geatroy, Ralph Fleming took four wickets while there were three apiece for Lynford PetersandMiltonLeacock. Geatroy in reply were dismissed for 74 with Jason 15 and Oniel Marchal 12 withextras16.
Bowling for Kimbia, DelonLindiepickedupfour wicketswhilethereweretwo apiece for Jeffery Marshall and Samuel Seegobin with onegoingtoRaxtonHarris. Round three games was scheduledforyesterdaywith Wiruni Conquerors playing Royal Challenge and Friendship Cavaliers versus TravelersUnited.
Batting first Kambia made129withMartinAngel 35, Kamon Morris 26 and Roddy Da Silvia 19. Extras being12.
Guyana finish historic second at FIBA Women’s Caribbean Championship
…Joy Adams, Amisha Ramlall earn All-Star honours
Guyana delivered its most inspired r e g i o n a l basketball performance in nearly three decades, finishing second at the 2025 FIBA Women’s Caribbean Championship, defeating Jamaica 83-74. It is the country’s highest placement since winning the title back in1996.
In front of an ecstatic crowd at the CliffAnderson Sports Hall, they closed out
the tournament with memorable individual performancesthatsignaleda new era for women’s basketballinthecountry Guyana’s campaign was
highlighted by two major honours with captain Joy Adams and sharpshooting guard Amisha Ramlall both being named to the Championship’s All-Star Five.
In the decisive matchup againstJamaica,Guyanaput on an offensive clinic, pouring in 83 points on an impressive 53.3% shooting fromthefield.
Joy Adams once again proved why she is the heartbeat of Guyana’s lineup.
The forward was simply unstoppable, dropping 23 points,grabbingastaggering 17 rebounds, and shooting
10-of-15fromthefield.
Whether powering throughcontact,cleaningthe glass, or pushing the fast break,AdamsgaveGuyanaa presence that Jamaica struggledtocontainallnight. Her efficiency rating of 36 was the highest in the game and a testament to her dominanceonbothends.
Ruth Adams provided strong support with a brilliantandentertaining24point performance, hitting 56% of her shots, despite going3-of-7frombehindthe arc.
Amisha Ramlall, who earnedAll-StarFivehonours for her consistency and big-
USVI win FIBA Women’s Caribbean Championship with perfect record
shot ability, added 11 points while knocking down three triples.
Amisha’s twin sister, Arshia Ramlall, chipped in with 8 points off the bench, shootinganefficient3-of-6.
Centre,AnayaMcDavid, finishedwithsixpoints,four rebounds, and three assists while committing no turnovers.
Meanwhile,theyoungest oftheRamlallsisters,Ashna contributed 11 points, includingthreecrucialthreepointers before going into foultrouble.
On the defensive end, GuyanadisruptedJamaica’s rhythm, forcing 15 turnovers and limiting their opponents to just 43% shooting
Jamaica’sTiffany Reynolds (23 points) and Jessica Fairweather (19 points), Guyana controlled the
tempo, owned the boards (33 rebounds to Jamaica’s 29), and outpaced their rivals with better ball movementandspacing.
The US Virgin Islands stamped their authority on
Caribbean women’s basketball, storming to the 2025 FIBA Women’s Caribbean Championship title with a flawless 4–0
record, capped by a
commanding 105–81 victory over the Bahamas last evening at the Cliff AndersonSportsHall.
The USVI held the Bahamas to a 29–19 first quarter and never took their foot off the gas, winning every period behind a dominant offensive rhythm and a bruising interior presence.
Anisha George was unstoppable in the paint,
Anisha George was unstoppable against the Bahamas in the USVI’s final match of the 2025 FIBAWomen’s Caribbean Championship. (FIBA)
putting up a monster 26point, 21-rebound doubledouble on 10-of-13 shooting. She towered over the Bahamian defence, controlling the glass as ISV outrebounded their opponents56–31. J-Naya Ephraim added 17 points and six assists, while captain Imani Tate delivered a complete performancewith22points, sixrebounds,andsixassists.
The USVI attack was balanced and efficient, shooting 50.7% from the field and hammering the Bahamaswith31madetwopointers Their defensive pressure also forced 14 turnovers, fueling transition buckets that blew the game
wideopen.
Despiteaheroic37-point explosion from Bahamian starLashannHiggsanda32point effort from Valerie Nesbitt,theBahamassimply could not slow down the tou
mos
disciplined and dynamic team. With the victory, the USVI not only close out the tournament unbeaten but also reaffirm their status as
’s top
programme, clinching the regional crown in emphatic,
fashion. They will advance to next year’s CentroBasket as the Caribbean’s top qualifier
Captain Joy Adams and Amisha Ramlall were named to the tournament’s All-Star five.
GBF and Minister Dr. Vindhya Persaud hosts children at FIBA Women’s Caribbean C/ships
The Guyana
(GBF), in partnership with Minister of Human Services and Social Security, Dr Vindhya Persaud, hosted nearly 30childrenfromvarious children’s homes to
Suriname at the FIBA Women’s Caribbean Championships. W
support from Wendy’s Guyana, the children
cheering on every play during the team’s commanding 106–42 victory overtheirlongtimesportingrivals.
Minister Persaud also engaged the GBF in discussions about deploying coaches to the various children’s homes, noting that many of the children have a strong passion for sports, especially basketball
CWIMA secures hosting rights for the 2026 Over-40s World Cup in the Caribbean - Guyana or Barbados being earmarked for hosting
Raj Singh
The Cricket West Indies
Masters Association (CWIMA)hasinformedthat it has been officially chosen to host the Over-40s World Cup,whichissettounfoldin the West Indies during October and November 2026. This groundbreaking decision, made by International Masters Cricket (IMC), signifies the inaugural occasion that this prestigious Masters cricket tournament will be held in theCaribbean.
The 2026 event is expectedtowelcomeasmany as 16 international teams, making it the largest Over-40 World Cup ever held Teams from diverse regions, including Asia, Africa, Europe, Oceania, and the Americas, will compete in what is sure to be an electrifyingdisplayoftop-tier cricket Importantly, the tournamentwillbeconfinedto a single venue, with Guyana andBarbadosemergingasthe leading candidates Barbados boastsastrongtrackrecordof hosting similar events along with its appealing tourism attractions Meanwhile, Guyana is rapidly gaining recognition as one of the world’s fastest-growing economies and is heavily investing in sports tourism infrastructure, including new roads, bridges, and an expanding inventory of hotel accommodations
“Thisisanextraordinary honour for CWIMAand for the entire Caribbean,”
remarked Raj Singh, Chairman of CWIMA
“Hosting 16 nations in the West Indies is a remarkable opportunity We are excited to showcase our rich cricket heritage,vibrantculture,and the renowned hospitality of the Caribbean. In 2026, the world will truly experience
the essence of West Indies cricket.”
CWIMA’ssuccessfulbid reflects its organizational growth, strong regional partnerships, and active participation in global M a s t e r s c r i c k e t Preparations are already underway, with the top two Caribbean venues being evaluated to ensure a memorable experience for bothplayersandfans.
A Regional Event with Global Significance The anticipated 2026 Over-40 WorldCupaimsto:
- Bring together up to 16 teams and hundreds of international players, coaches,andofficials
- Drive significant sports tourism benefits across variousCaribbeanislands
- Offer extensive global broadcastanddigitalexposure fortheregion
- Foster the development ofMasterscricketthroughout theWestIndiesCWIMAand IMCwillconfirmtheofficial matchschedule,venues,and tournament framework by late2025.
CWIMAhas previously hosted successful mini world cups in Barbados, including an 8-team tournamentfortheOver-50s in November 2022 and a 6team Over-60s tournament in February 2023 Additionally, a successful Windies Masters Cricket Extravaganza occurred in November 2024, featuring players from the Over-40s, Over-50s, and Over-60s categories.
“Our ambition is to deliverthemostexhilarating Masters cricket event ever,” C h a i r m a n S i n g h emphasized “We will combine world-class cricket with the vibrant energy and spiritoftheCaribbean.”
Minister Persaud applauds the action during the match between Guyana and Suriname.
The group stage of the 4th Annual ExxonMobil
Futsal Championship wrapped up on Saturday following a series of highenergy clashes at the Retrieve Tarmac in Linden.
Defending champions
YMCA advanced in
commanding fashion, overpowering Spaniards 6–2.
JonahSimonwasthestar of the night for YMCA, recording a hat-trick in the dominantwin.KevinGittens added a double, and Jamal Bentickchippedinwithone. Spaniards managed two
consolations through AndrewMurrayJr andTyler Lyle. In other action, Salah Family and DC Ballers produced an eight-goal thrillerthatended4–4.Salah Family’s attack was led by Cecil Jackman with a brace, while Andre Mayers and Nicholas Gentle each found the net once. DC Ballers responded through a double from Stephon Jupiter, with Shane Luckie and Amoniki Buntinscoringoneeach.
Hard-knocks and Bombers also settled for a draw, finishing 2–2. Kwesi Quintin and Kenard Simon registered goals for Hardknocks, while both of Bombers’goalscamefroma DequainSamuelsbrace.
Young Gunners and Silver Bullets closed out their matchup in a tight 1–1 draw Jermaine Mason scored for Young Gunners,
andSigmundCobenastruck forSilverBullets.
FiggyFCadvancedafter earning a walkover victory againstHHBallers.
The tournament now shifts into the elimination phase,withthequarterfinals kickingoffonFriday
A lucrative prize pool awaits the top finishers: the champions will walk away with $1,500,000, while the runner-upsecures$750,000. Third and fourth place will receive $350,000 and $200,000respectively,along withtheirtrophies.
On the individual side, the Most Valuable Player will be awarded a motorcycle. In addition, a $300,000 academic grant will be given to a selected playerorfantosupporttheir educational pursuits—each teamisrequiredtonominate a candidate for this scholarship.
Afulllistingofresults andtheupcoming quarterfinalfixtures appearsbelow
CompleteResults
Game-1
FiggyFCvs.HHBallers
Figgywonviawalkover Game-2
YoungGunners-1vs. SilverBullets-1
YoungGunnersscorer:
JermaineMason-1
SilverBulletsscorer: SigmundCobena-1
Game-3
SalahFamily-4vs.DC Ballers-4
YMCAthumpsSpaniardsin ExxonMobilGuyanaFutsal
Salahscorers:
CecilJackman-2
AndreMayers-1
NicholasGentle-1
DCBallersscorers:
StephonJupiter-2
AmonikiBuntin-1
ShaneLuckie-1
ExxonMobil Futsal Championship moves into quarterfinals this Friday.
Game-4
Hard-knocks-2vs. Bombers-2
Hard-knocksscorers: KwesiQuintin-1
KenardSimon-1
Bombersscorer
DequainSamuels-2
Game-4
Spaniards-2vs.YMCA6YMCAscorers: JonahSimon-3
KevinGittens-2
JamalBentick-1
Spaniardsscorers:
AndrewMurrayJr-1
TylerLyle-1
Quarterfinals
(1)Hard-knocksvs YoungGunners (2)Bombersvs.Silver Bullets
(3)YMCAvs.Salah
Family(4)DCBallersvs. FiggyFC
Team Guyana after their second-place finish last evening, beating Jamaica at the CliffAnderson Sports Hall. (FIBA)
Guyana finish historic second at FIBA Women’s Caribbean Championship
…Joy Adams, Amisha Ramlall earn All-Star honours
