Guyana Times - Friday, October 17, 2025

VP Jagdeo reaffirms LNG development

says

National procurement website to be launched in 2026 – new system to boost transparency, accessibility, and cost-efficiency

BRIDGE OPENING

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Friday, October 17 –14:10h–15:40h and Saturday, October 18 – 14:50h–16:20h.

FERRY SCHEDULE

Parika and Supenaam departure times – 05:00h, 10:00h-12:00h, 16:00h, 18:30h daily.

WEATHER TODAY

Sunny skies interrupted by midday and afternoon cloud coverage are expected during the day, and clear skies are expected at night. Temperatures are expected to range between 23 degrees Celsius and 33 degrees Celsius.

Winds: East North-Easterly to Easterly between 1.78 metres and 4.47 metres.

High Tide: 14:08h reaching a maximum height of 2.31 metres.

Low Tide: 07:38h and 20:01h reaching minimum heights of 0.91 metre and 0.90 metre.

Jagdeo reaffirms LNG development a national priority

– rejects ExxonMobil’s “not a priority” claim; says Govt will determine country’s gas strategy

ice President Bharrat Jagdeo has reaffirmed that developing Guyana’s Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) resources remains a top national priority, rejecting ExxonMobil Guyana President Alistair Routledge’s recent claim that LNG is “not a priority” for the company at this stage.

Speaking during his weekly press conference at Freedom House on Thursday, Jagdeo made it clear that the Government of Guyana — not ExxonMobil — would determine the country’s gas monetisation strategy.

The Vice President underscored that Guyana intended to chart its own course when it came to resource management, ensuring decisions serve national interests rather than corporate convenience.

“Guyana will determine its own destiny regarding gas monetisation,” he said firmly. “We will not allow anyone to take options off the table that can benefit our people.”

The Vice President’s remarks come as the Government continues discussions with Fulcrum LNG, a company selected to collaborate with ExxonMobil to monetise the country’s offshore gas resources, which are estimated at over 16 trillion cubic feet. However, no formal agreement has yet been signed.

Jagdeo stressed that while the feasibility of different gas development options remained under study, LNG could not be dismissed or sidelined prematurely.

“This project has to happen, and it has to happen soon,” Jagdeo declared. “It must become a priority for everyone — for Exxon, for the Government of Guyana, and for the other partners. We want a revenue stream to flow from gas early to Guyana.”

“Developers must look at every option — bringing gas onshore for industrial use, producing LNG through a floating platform, or transporting it to Trinidad,” he explained. “But if you take LNG off the table now, you limit our options. That’s premature. We don’t want that.”

Energy policy

In the same press conference, Jagdeo also addressed regional comparisons, particularly a report that Suriname had walked back its earlier pledge to pay out oil royalties directly to citizens. He said this development vindicates Guyana’s more cautious, calculated approach to managing oil and gas revenues.

“When Suriname made that promise, there were calls for Guyana to do the same,” Jagdeo recalled. “But our approach is to remain disciplined and sustainable. The priority now is building long-term value for the country, not quick, politically-driven handouts.”

The Vice President reaffirmed that the Administration’s energy policy was guided by national interest, economic diversification, and transparency — ensuring that every project, from gas-to-energy to LNG, strengthened Guyana’s development trajectory.

The US$759 million Gasto-Energy (GtE) Project will see the construction of a 300-megawatt (MW) combined-cycle power plant and a Natural Gas Liquids (NGL) facility at Wales, West Bank Demerara (WBD). The project aims to utilise the rich gas resources that will be brought onshore from the Stabroek Block, where oil production activities are ongoing.

Construction of both the power plant and NGL facility is underway. The contractor, Lindsayca CH4 Guyana Inc – a United States-based

consortium of Lindsayca and CH4 – is expected to deliver power mid-2026. Once operational, Guyanese are expected to benefit from a 50 per cent reduction in electricity costs and a more reliable power supply.

The NGL facility will also create opportunities for downstream industries, which refine and convert oil and gas into finished products such as cooking gas –a key area of interest for Guyana.

which is currently under construction at Wales, WBD. The Government anticipates that the GtE Project could generate as much as US$500 million in annual savings, derived from reduced electricity costs and the sale of excess gas. Additionally, it is projected that the liquids extracted during gas processing – such as Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) – could be sold, further boosting national earnings from the project.

In addition, the Government has been actively exploring ways to monetise its gas resources. To this end, it has contracted Fulcrum LNG, a US-based company, to develop monetisation options. Fulcrum is expected to work in a tripartite arrangement with the Government of Guyana and ExxonMobil to advance another potential gas project.

One avenue through which the Government plans to utilise gas is in Phases One and Two of the GtE initiative, the first phase of

Meanwhile, invitations for proposals have been issued for the design, construction, and operation of a 250 MW combined-cycle power plant to deliver 2100 gigawatt-hours (GWh) of electricity per year for sale to the Guyana Power and Light (GPL) Inc. These invitations also include the development of another NGL facility, expected to produce approximately 6000 barrels of NGL products daily, including propane, butane, and C5+ gasoline.

Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo

Editor: Tusika Martin

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Warning signs of abusers

In the struggle to get a handle on the burgeoning problem of domestic and intimate partner abuse, one of the areas that have not received much attention in Guyana has been the dynamics operating between couples. Nowadays, arranged marriages are way passé and couples date or otherwise have a relationship for extended periods before actually getting married. An ever-growing phenomenon, of course, are the couples who ‘live home’ even after children are produced out of the relationship. The phenomenon of “child mother and child father” is increasing in Guyana.

Are there signs of an abuser that can be discerned early on in a budding relationship, which can then be nipped before matters proceed too far? While Guyana has not ‘progressed’ to the stage of having dating services, some interesting warning signals have come out from those studies in the countries that we imitate in our social relations. The concept is the same as where the individual in Guyana reveals his/her personality after a few dates.

A paper published in the journal Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin examined the influence of prior experiences on partner preferences. The researchers themselves constructed a believable-looking “online dating service”, and thus were able to track the study participants’ preferences and selection of various partners. Although the study participants didn’t know it, the researchers had carefully chosen the profiles so that they differed in systematic ways.

For their first study, the researchers focused on heterosexual women’s preferences, and the men’s profiles that they looked at differed in how much they signalled potential for psychological abuse in intimate relationships. The profiles themselves were actually real, with the profiles of potentially abusive men written by men who scored high on characteristics associated with abusive personality: impulsivity, anger, jealousy, low selfesteem. A separate sample of participants independently confirmed that the profiles gave off warning signals of potential abuse.

The researchers’ results are sobering: Women who had a history of being psychologically maltreated in a prior relationship were three times more likely to choose potentiallyabusive dating partners than women without this history. In other words, women who are at risk for being abused in their relationships are more likely to be attracted to the very features that others see as clear precursors of abuse. Often, these choices are rationalised: intense jealousy is misinterpreted as caring, and anger is romanticised as “dangerous”.

In a second study, the researchers turned the tables around, and focused on heterosexual men’s preferences. Their question was this: Who do potentially-abusive men prefer? The results showed that men who scored high on a measure of inflicting psychological abuse were 1.5 times more likely to choose a partner who is high on attachment anxiety. Attachment anxiety is a disposition associated with victims of abuse, and is characterised by an intense anxiety over rejection.

As such, people high in attachment anxiety are particularly vulnerable to being “treated like a god” during the courtship phase of a relationship: being flooded with flowers, adulated, constantly called. Fears of rejection overwhelm the ability to detect an unhealthy balance between independence and interdependence in their relationships. What does one do in the face of such data, with people high in attachment anxiety and their potentially-abusive partners essentially judging each other as highly compatible?

Simple as it may sound, one powerful answer is to rely on your social networks. Listen to what your friends are saying. In fact, people in new relationships should actually ask friends their opinions about prospective partners, and these friends should be honest in their evaluation. This is critical advice both if you are attracted to a potentially-abusive mate, or if someone you care about begins describing abusive relationship patterns. Sometimes, we need to rely on other people to help us see what we cannot.

Most abuse and violence are committed by “significant others”. We bear much of the responsibility for choosing them. Let us become educated for the signals sent out by abusers.

Renewables have now passed coal globally – and growth is fastest in countries like Bhutan and Nepal

By Reihana Mohideen

For the first time, renewables have toppled coal as the world’s leading source of electricity, in keeping with International Energy Agency projections for this historic shift.

But progress is uneven. The shift away from fossil fuels has slowed in the United States and the European Union – but accelerated sharply in developing nations.

China attracts headlines for the sheer scale of its shift. But many smaller nations are now taking up clean energy, electric vehicles and battery storage at remarkable speed, driven by Governments, businesses and individuals.

Importantly, these moves often aren’t about climate change. Reasons range from cutting dependence on expensive fossil fuels and international market volatility to reducing reliance on unreliable power grids to finding ways to boost livelihoods.

Pakistan’s enormous solar boom is partly a response to spiking power prices and grid unreliability. Meanwhile Pacific nations see clean energy as a way to slash the crippling cost of importing diesel and expand

electricity access.

My research has given me insight into the paths four countries in South Asia have taken to seize the benefits of clean technology, each shaped by unique pressures and opportunities. All are moving rapidly, blending necessity with ambition. Their stories show the clean energy path isn’t one-size-fits-all.

The landlocked Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan has long relied on hydroelectricity. But the country faces a persistent challenge: seasonal variability.

Most of Bhutan’s plants are run-of-the-river, meaning they don’t have large dams. As a result, power generation drops sharply during dry winter months when river flows are low, particularly between January and April.

At the same time, rapid industrialisation has driven up demand for power, outstripping winter capacity. Climate change is expected to worsen this variability.

During these months, Bhutan shifts from its role as clean-energy exporter to an importer, buying electricity from India. But imports aren’t a long-term solution.

To secure reliable supply year-round, Bhutan’s Government is diversifying

energy sources. To that end, up to 300 megawatts of solar is expected to be installed, potentially as soon as next year. Bhutan’s first utility-scale solar farm is under construction.

Over time, Bhutan will blend hydro with solar, wind and biomass to create a more balanced clean energy mix.

Nepal has long imported all its petrol from India. But when India launched an unofficial blockade in 2015, vital supplies and fuel tankers stopped coming. Fuel prices surged. People queued for days at petrol stations, while black-market prices soared and public transport collapsed. Households, already enduring many hours of daily blackouts, faced even worse conditions.

The crisis exposed Nepal’s deep vulnerability. The mountainous nation makes its own electricity, largely through hydropower. But it had to import petrol.

In 2018, authorities launched an ambitious programme to shift to electric vehicles and free the nation from dependence on imports. Electric vehicles would charge on domestic hydropower and reduce Kathmandu’s well-known air pollution. The plan called for electric vehicles to reach

90 per cent share of new commuter vehicle sales (including popular two-wheelers) by 2030.

This year, the electric vehicle share for new fourwheel vehicles reached 76 per cent, jumping rapidly in just the past year. Exemptions and incentives have supported this growth. As electric vehicles surge, new charging station and maintenance businesses have emerged. It’s not all smooth sailing. A protest movement recently overthrew Nepal’s Government, creating uncertainty. Analysts warn stable government policy and infrastructure investment will be essential.

Between 2022 and 2023, a serious economic crisis hit Sri Lanka. Citizens reeled from severe energy shocks, such as fuel shortages, 12hour blackouts and punishing electricity price hikes of over 140 per cent. Half a million people were disconnected from the grid as they were unable to pay.

The crisis showed how fragile the island nation’s energy system was. Authorities looked for better options. Hydroelectricity has long been a mainstay, but solar and wind are growing rapidly.

Hosted by the Office of the First Lady and the Agriculture Ministry, a farmers’ market was held at the Kingston Seawall Esplanade in Georgetown on Thursday, October 16. The event highlighted Guyana’s abundant agricultural production along with its variety of agroprocessing industries

Guyana’s forward-thinking Genetic Improvement Programme

Dear Editor,

I write to commend the Ministry of Agriculture for the remarkable progress made under the Government’s Genetic Improvement Programme, recently described by Minister Zulfikar Mustapha as “a clear success”. This initiative represents not just a win for livestock farmers, but a forward-thinking vision for the future of agriculture in Guyana.

Too often, agricultural policy is reactive and focused

on short-term relief and immediate outputs. The Genetic Improvement Programme, however, demonstrates strategic foresight. By investing in improved breeding lines, artificial insemination, embryo transfers, and livestock infrastructure, the Government is laying the genetic and institutional foundation for long-term productivity, resilience and food security.

It is particularly noteworthy that the animals showcased at the recent Guyana

Livestock Development Authority (GLDA) Ruminant Expo were owned by farmers themselves not loaned from the State. This underscores that the programme is not creating dependency but building capacity and ownership among local producers. Farmers are now the custodians of advanced breeds and the drivers of innovation in the livestock sector.

Equally visionary are the supporting initiatives – the planned abattoir at Onverwagt, a new process-

ing facility for small ruminants, a 5000-acre livestock training and support centre, and ongoing pasture development projects. Together, these investments ensure that improved genetics are matched with modern facilities, technical support, and market access.

Guyana’s collaboration with international partners, such as the Brazilian company developing a dairy farm in Ebini and the upcoming embryo transfer programme, further reflects an openness

to global best practices and technology transfer. These partnerships place our agricultural system firmly within the framework of 21st-century innovation.

As Minister Mustapha rightly noted, the achievements displayed are proof of the resilience and evolution of Guyana’s livestock industry. This is not just about better breeds, it’s about a mindset shift. By prioritising genetics, infrastructure, and farmer empowerment, the Government is thinking

ahead to a future where agriculture is competitive, sustainable, and globally relevant.

Guyana’s approach provides a blueprint for developing nations: invest in foundational assets, foster partnerships, and build systems that empower farmers to lead. It is heartening to see such forward-thinking leadership at the helm of our agricultural transformation.

Yours sincerely, Fawaz Harry

Manifesto promise – Early identification & intervention: Building brighter futures together

Dear Editor,

The Government of Guyana’s initiative to place emphasis on early identification and intervention is commendable as it is instructive. The world over faces challenges in the education sector as the number of learners struggling continue to rise and in addressing those challenges is the matter of early identification and intervention to mitigate challenges for both the learner and the education sector in later years. Every child deserves the chance to reach their full potential. Yet for many children with devel-

opmental, learning, or behavioural challenges, that opportunity depends on one crucial factor — how early their needs are recognised and addressed. Early identification and intervention can change the course of a child’s life. When children receive the right support at the right time – across home, school, health, and community systems – they are more likely to thrive academically, socially, and emotionally.

Research consistently shows that the earlier challenges are identified, the better the outcomes. The first five years of life are a

critical period for brain development. During this window, the brain is highly adaptable — it can form new connections, strengthen skills, and respond to supportive environments. Early intervention is not about labelling a child. It is about understanding their unique needs and giving them the tools and support they need to succeed. This can start with early screening at both educational and health facilities.

A cross-sector approach brings together professionals from multiple disciplines — teachers, social workers, psychologists, ed-

ucational diagnosticians, paediatricians, and community organisations — to collaborate in identifying concerns early and designing coordinated interventions. Such collaboration helps ensure that health screenings in clinics link to follow-up support in preschools and schools, teachers who notice early learning struggles can refer families for developmental assessments done at education level, and community agencies can provide family counselling or housing support when needed. Delays in identification and intervention can have

Renewables have now passed...

Sri Lanka runs on about 50 per cent renewables, with hydro the largest contributor by far. By 2030, the goal is to reach 70 per cent renewable energy.

While renewables offer cheap power, they have to be coupled with energy storage and new systems to integrate them into the grid.

In response, universities, international partners and companies have worked to integrate renewable energy in the grid, developing artificial intelligence-based systems to improve reliability and supply to consumers. For instance, they can reduce voltage fluctuations associated with high uptake of rooftop solar. Importantly, some of these projects have a gender focus, prioritising women-led small enterprises and training for women engineers.

The crisis may prove a turning point by exposing vulnerabilities and pushing Sri Lanka to adopt new energy solutions.

Few countries are more vulnerable to fossil fuel dependence than the Maldives. Spread across 1000 islands, the nation relies on imported diesel for power generation, with high transport costs and exposure to oil price swings.

In 2014, Maldivian authorities launched the Preparing Outer Islands

for Sustainable Energy Development project as part of a plan to reach net-zero by 2030. The project focuses on around 160 poorer islands further from the capital, progressively replacing a reliance on diesel generators with solar arrays, battery storage and upgraded power grids.

Women’s economic empowerment is a priority, as women-led enterprises run solar systems and utilities train female operations officers. The Maldives Government released a 2030 roadmap, which has a welcome focus on the “just energy transition” – ensuring communities benefit equitably.

For the Maldives, renewables are more than an environmental choice — they are a lifeline for economic survival and resilience.

While these energy transitions rarely make global headlines, Bhutan, Nepal, Sri Lanka and the Maldives show how smaller economies are finding their own pathways to cleaner, more resilient energy.

Their reasons to act stem from different crises, from blockades to economic upheaval. But each nation is working to turn challenge into opportunity.

Dr Reihana (Sithy) Mohideen is an electrical engineer and author of Women

and the Energy Revolution (Palgrave. 2020). She was formerly the Associate Dean (Diversity and Inclusion), School of Engineering, and Senior Research Fellow at the Department of Electrical

and Electronic Engineering. She is at present Principal Advisor, Social Implications of Technology, Nossal Institute for Global Health, the University of Melbourne.

lasting effects. Children who do not receive timely support may experience school failure, emotional distress, or social exclusion. Moreover, late intervention is more costly — emotionally for families, and financially for communities. Preventing problems early saves time, resources, and potential lifelong struggles. Early support is an investment that pays dividends for society as a whole.

For early identification and intervention to succeed, policy and practice must be aligned. Government and service agencies can strengthen outcomes by establishing shared referral systems between health, human services, and education sectors, providing joint training for teachers and health professionals, developing community-based intervention centres, and ensuring consistent data

sharing and follow-up between sectors. Such integration ensures that every child, regardless of background or ability, receives consistent, coordinated, and compassionate care.

Early identification and intervention are not the responsibility of any one profession – they are a shared social commitment. When education, health, human services, and families unite around a common goal, they create a powerful safety net for every child. Inclusion begins with awareness, grows through collaboration, and blossoms when every child is given the chance to shine.

“It takes a village to raise a child — and a team to support one. Early intervention is not just good practice; it’s a promise of equity and hope.”

sincerely,

(RB) 08:00

Yours

Keon Cheong

FROM PAGE 4

Page Foundation

Beaded corn craft

Supplies needed:

4 tan pipe cleaners

Beads

Note: Place beads into bowls to keep them within easy reach while beading pipe cleaners.

Instructions

First, twist the pipe cleaners together in the centre and fan out.

Bead each piece, leaving about 2” unbeaded at the ends

Fold the spokes up, and twist the ends of the pipe cleaners together to create the corn husk.

Adjust the beaded pieces until they look like corn. Voila! (happinessishomemade.net)

By RoBeRt FRost

The line-storm clouds fly tattered and swift, The road is forlorn all day, Where a myriad snowy quartz stones lift, And the hoof-prints vanish away. The roadside flowers, too wet for the bee, Expend their bloom in vain. Come over the hills and far with me, And be my love in the rain.

The birds have less to say for themselves In the wood-world’s torn despair Than now these numberless years the elves, Although they are no less there:

All song of the woods is crushed like some Wild, easily shattered rose. Come, be my love in the wet woods; come, Where the boughs rain when it blows.

There is the gale to urge behind And bruit our singing down, And the shallow waters aflutter with wind From which to gather your gown. What matter if we go clear to the west, And come not through dry-shod? For wilding brooch shall wet your breast The rain-fresh goldenrod.

Oh, never this whelming east wind swells But it seems like the sea’s return To the ancient lands where it left the shells Before the age of the fern; And it seems like the time when after doubt Our love came back amain.

Oh, come forth into the storm and rout And be my love in the rain.

Write a story that includes someone swimming in water or diving into the unknown.

Authorities must investigate officials who helped Mohameds smuggle gold, evade US$50M in taxes – Jagdeo

Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo on Thursday called for a fullfledged investigation into officials who assisted the Mohamed family with smuggling gold out of the country, resulting in some US$50 million in lost taxes and royalties to the Government of Guyana.

“The GRA, the Police must immediately start the investigation of all of those corrupt officials who collaborated, and the Gold Board, who collaborated with the Mohameds in smuggling the gold, in every period, in the APNU period as well as the period under the PPP,” Jagdeo said during a press conference.

“I expect that a fullfledged investigation would be launched into those people from the Gold Board… who may have been complicit in assisting the Mohameds to evade the massive sum of taxes,” he added.

Jagdeo went on to explain that venturing into politics would not stop authorities from prosecuting the Mohameds. Against this

backdrop, he further warned that citizens caught interfering with the process would face the full brunt of the law.

“There’s one procedure here in Guyana that is in our law as to how a government must deal with extradition requests. That is the procedure that we will follow. If there are attempts to disrupt the country or the Police in doing their work, that will be dealt with sepa-

rately and appropriately,” he added.

Sanctions

The Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC)sanctioned Guyanese businessmen Nazar Mohamed and his son Azruddin Mohamed have been indicted by a grand jury in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida.

A 12-page indictment

highlighted 11 criminal charges ranging from wire fraud, mail fraud and money laundering, primarily connected to the export of gold to the United States by Mohamed’s Enterprise.

The Mohameds are currently facing sanctions from the US Department of the Treasury’s OFAC for gold smuggling.

Based on the documents filed, the Mohameds are accused of conspiring to defraud the US and Guyanese Governments between 2017 and June 11, 2024. The father-son duo is accused of using a scheme to unlawfully obtain property by transmitting communications via interstate and foreign commerce in violation of US laws.

According to the Prosecutors, the goal was to enrich themselves and defraud the Government of Guyana by evading taxes and royalties on gold exports.

They allegedly reused Guyana Customs declarations and official seals on multiple shipments to make

it appear that taxes and royalties had been paid when they had not. The indictment stated that Mohamed’s Enterprise would pay taxes and receive official Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) and Guyana Gold Board (GGB) seals for one shipment, then reuse those same seals and documents on subsequent, untaxed shipments.

The indictment further alleges that the Mohameds arranged for empty wooden boxes bearing intact GRA and GGB seals to be shipped from gold buyers in Dubai to Miami, and then sent to Guyana. These boxes were then used to export gold while falsely appearing to have cleared customs and tax obligations.

US authorities allege the scheme resulted in more than US$50 million in lost taxes and royalties to the Government of Guyana.

The documents also detail similar conduct involving shipments of gold, emails allegedly from Nazar Mohamed requesting the sealed boxes from Miami, and exports of over 165 kilo-

grams (kg) of gold per shipment destined for Dubai.

Charges six to nine focus on mail fraud, referencing the shipment of sealed empty boxes from Dubai to Miami while charge 10 addresses money laundering which alleged that the Mohameds knowingly transferred funds within the US with the intent to promote unlawful activity.

Another charge alleges that Azruddin Mohamed purchased and imported a Lamborghini sports car to Guyana in 2020. The indictment alleges he directed someone to purchase the car for US$680,000, then falsify the invoice to state a value of US$75,300 to understate import taxes. The US Government is seeking forfeiture of certain assets connected to the accused. If convicted, most charges carry a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and fines of up to US$250,000 while the money laundering charge carries a fine of US$500,000 or the value of the laundered property.

Massy supports inclusion of Guyana’s Gondola displays in Massy Caribbean stores

Massy Group of Companies has confirmed its decision to support the inclusion of Guyana’s Gondola displays in Massy Stores across the Caribbean, providing a strategic platform to showcase and distribute locally-made products.

This follows the successful launch of two Gondolas at their Turkeyen and Providence, Guyana locations, facilitated by the Guyana Office for Investment (GO-Invest) in collaboration with Massy, the Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS), and the Guyana Marketing Corporation (GMC).

Massy Group of Companies, including the Group’s CEO and

other senior representatives, on Wednesday met with Guyana’s Chief Investment Officer, Office of the President, Peter R Ramsaroop, for a follow-up meeting to advance partnership discussions.

The discussions also focused on expanding collaboration in the agro-processing sector to create more opportunities for Guyanese producers to access regional and international markets.

Further discussions will include exploring additional areas of cooperation to strengthen Guyana’s export-driven initiatives and expand trade linkages within the Caribbean.

The Guyana Office for Investment had stated that the expansion will allow Guyanese products to reach

new markets in Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados, St Lucia, St Vincent, Jamaica and beyond, amplifying regional trade and creating greater economic opportunities for Guyana’s agro-processors and manufacturers.

“The overwhelming response to the Brand Guyana Gondola reflects the growing recognition of our products, not just here in Guyana, but across the Caribbean,” Dr Ramsaroop had noted at the launch of the Guyana Gondolas back in September. “Through our strategic partnership with Massy Stores, we’re proud to support regional integration that promotes trade, strengthens our Caricom ties and showcases Guyanese excellence on a broader scale.”

Businessman Nazar Mohamed and his son, Azruddin Mohamed (OilNow photo)

The successful September launch of Guyana’s Gondola display at Massy

Massy Group of Companies met with Guyana’s Chief Investment Officer, Office of the President, Peter R Ramsaroop on Wednesday

19-year-old remanded for murder, gets bail as charge reduced to manslaughter

Naderia James, 19, of Baramita, Region One (Barima-Waini), who was remanded to prison for the murder of her abusive boyfriend, has now been granted bail in the sum of $200,000.

This is according to her attorney, Sanjeev Datadin.

James had been arrested and charged with murder following the death of 20-year-old Kevin Smith, a miner from the same community.

Police reports indicated that the incident occurred on September 18 around 17:00h at a wooden and plastic camp where James and Smith had been living together for about a year.

Investigators stated that James returned home after consuming alcohol and found Smith lying in his hammock. The victim allegedly grabbed a cutlass and struck James on her left shoulder and right hand, which led to

an altercation.

During the confrontation, James reportedly pulled a handmade knife

from her waist and stabbed Smith in the left side of his chest. Smith then exited the camp and collapsed in a nearby patch of bushes.

Following the incident, James went to the Baramita Police Station and gave a statement.

According to Datadin, he also made representation to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for the charge to be reduced to manslaughter.

“…there was sound legal reason for this I felt. I’m pleased the DPP agreed,” the lawyer noted in a social media post.

“It’s not over as we still have a PI [for] manslaughter to get done. That will take place in the coming weeks. I’m making every effort to get this teenage girl back to her family as quickly as possible,” he added.

17-year-old arrested for illegal gun, ammo possession

Ranks of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) attached to the Ruimveldt Police Station have arrested a 17-year-old male following the recovery of a firearm and several rounds of ammunition during a Police operation on Tuesday evening.

Around 19:05h, a mobile patrol acting on intel-

ligence pursued two male suspects who were observed on a red motorcycle in the vicinity of Durban Street. During the chase, the suspects lost control of the motorcycle while crossing the bridge at Sussex and Hill Streets, Albouystown, causing both men to fall onto the roadway.

The pillion rider fled

the scene on foot, but was promptly apprehended by the responding ranks on Howes Street, Albouystown, following a brief pursuit. The rider, meanwhile, picked up the motorcycle and rode away heading south along Hill Street.

A search was conducted on the apprehended suspect, during which a 9mm

pistol with a magazine containing five live rounds was found in his possession. He was cautioned and taken into custody along with the recovered weapon and ammunition which have since been lodged.

Efforts are currently underway to locate the second suspect. Investigations are ongoing.

Tightening…

…Maduro’s noose

Well, well, well…on Wednesday, Pres Trump confirmed he’d authorised the CIA to conduct covert operations inside Venezuela and said he was weighing following up with “land operations”!! Now, it’s the most open “secret” in the world that the CIA – “The Agency” – has operatives or “field agents” in almost every country of the world!! They’re typically under “cover” in their embassies pretending to be doing quite innocuous jobs – while they’re really gathering “information”. This would then be processed by their analysts to become “intelligence” – “intel” for short – for them to take whatever action their higher-ups decide are necessary!! So for instance, if the US suspects some Guyanese smart alecks are smuggling gold to, say, Miami, their local field agents would’ve investigated and passed on the “intel” upwards! This could then lead to OFAC sanctions or visa cancellations. The intel MIGHT be shared with the local law enforcement units.

So who does the actual interventions – like we saw when Bin Laden was taken out in his hideout in Pakisan – and hopefully in this instance, Mad Maduro?!! This is the job of the “Special Activities Division” (SAD), of the CIA. Their role is to lead the covert military operations, behind enemy lines – which the President orders – as President Trump just announced he did for Venezuela. They’re usually supported by special forces units such as Navy Seals, and Delta Force. So, in the case of Bin Laden, it was really the CIA that led the mission. Seal Team 6 was their backup!!

If the operation is likely to trigger significant military reprisals, then larger forces might be called in!! Like when Drug smuggling President of Panama Noriega was arrested in 1989 – almost 20,000 US troops eventually were involved!! And it’s for this reason, most analysts believe that the US$50 million bounty was placed on Mad Maduro’s head. The CIA/SAD team woulda been sent into the country, undercover, months ago. Working undercover, they would’ve been recruiting officials at different levels in the govt apparatus who have access to the madman with the incentive of the bounty.

They would’ve scouted out the locations that Mad Maduro frequented, gathered intelligence and planned the mission. Now all that would be needed will be Commander-in-Chief Donald Trump’s go-ahead and send in the necessary military support!! Just as Obama did for Bin Laden!! But in the case of Venezuela – with its decadeslong experience in dealing with US regime-change missions – we know Mad Maduro’s prepared to go down fighting!! He can count on the support of the generals at the top –who he’s rewarded with control of the economy – and at the bottom, the People’s Militia – fiercely loyal to Chavisa!!

The US ain’t risking too many body bags!!

…gold controls

Now that gold’s broken the US$4000 per ounce barrier, as your Eyewitness said, it’s a sign that “money as a store of value” – especially since the US dollar played that after WWII– ain’t generating the confidence it once did. And when that happens, folks turn to gold – hence the phrase “gold standard”! And of course, with increased demand, its price goes up – DOUBLING in the last five years – so the process is accelerating!!

Now, as a gold producing country – since the 1890s! -- we’re therefore in the fortunate situation of having two natural resources that the world will beat a path to our door just to get a piece of our (hot) action!! Since we know we were screwed royally on the Exxon oil contract – but has learnt from that humiliation in writing the terms of our new oil contracts – your Eyewitness hopes we’ll also be tightening the screws on the gold mining contracts pouring in!!

Screw us once, shame on you…screw us twice, shame on us!!

…Surinamese belts

When Suriname signed their oil contract, critics of our Exxon contract pointed out they were getting 6.5% royalty to our measly 2%. They’d promised to dole out that royalty to citizens as cash grants!!

That’s now scrapped for infrastructure!!

Naderia James

CCJ President meets with DPP, staff

Guyana-born jurist, Dr Arif Bulkan to sit as a Judge of the CCJ.

Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) President, Justice

Winston Anderson on Wednesday paid a courtesy call on Guyana’s Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Shalimar Ali-Hack, SC, at the Office of the DPP, Eve Leary, Kingston, Georgetown.

On arrival at the DPP’s Chambers, Justice Anderson was graciously received by the DPP and her legal and non-legal staff.

Justice Anderson was in Guyana on a visit primarily for the swearing-in of

ln brief remarks, he expressed his delight at meeting with the DPP, with

whom he discussed issues pertaining to the upcoming CCJ’s Academy for Laws’ Eighth Biennial Conference scheduled for November in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago.

Ali-Hack expressed her appreciation to Justice Anderson for his visit and noted that the visit present-

ed an opportunity for the State lawyers to meet him in person since they would appear before him in criminal appeals heard at the CCJ.

“lt has been a tradition of the legal profession for a lawyer to first be introduced to the Judges before appearance,” the DPP stat-

ed. Justice Anderson also had a tour of the DPP’s Chambers.

Since its inauguration 20 years ago on April 16, 2005, the CCJ has heard 18 criminal appeals from Guyana in all of which the lawyers of the DPP’s Office have appeared.

CCJ President, Justice Anderson along with the staff of the DPP Office

Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Shalimar Ali-Hack receiving Caribbean Court of Justice President, Justice Winston Anderson at the DPP Chambers on Wednesday

National procurement website to be launched in 2026

– new system to boost transparency, accessibility, and cost-efficiency

The Government of Guyana is expected to roll out a national procurement website in 2026, designed to advertise all public contracts and make the procurement process more transparent, accessible, and cost-effective, Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo announced on Thursday during his weekly press briefing.

Currently, Government contracts are advertised primarily through newspapers. In 2024 alone, Jagdeo revealed, nearly $800 million was spent on newspaper advertisements. He explained that beyond the cost, the system limits accessibility, as ads are typically only available for a single day, and readers must manually search the papers to find op-

portunities.

“So, in 2024 alone, the cost to the Treasury of putting out those ads in the newspapers was nearly $800 million. That went to the newspapers. And once it goes in, one day it’s in the newspaper, except for the online edition, if people go and read it, it’s not -- it disappears. People can’t read it the following day because it’s not in the newspaper for the following day. If we have a procurement site now, once it goes up there, people can go to that site and for the duration of their period when the tender is valid for, that is the advertisement, it shall be on the site. So, you can then go there, you will see what the opportunities are.

People don’t have to go and

buy newspapers now and scan the newspapers. For this they can check from their phones wherever they live across the country,” Jagdeo said.

To facilitate the smooth implementation of the pro-

posed site, the Government will also amend legislation to support the initiative and expand the use of online media outlets to carry contract advertisements.

On this point, the Vice President explained that

ERC resumes school visits to foster

The Ethnic Relations Commission (ERC) continues its vital public education drive by engaging students from Grades Four to Six of three primary schools in Linden, Region 10, on Wednesday, October 8, 2025, and three primary schools in Berbice, Region 6, on Friday, October 11, 2025.

Staff from the ERC’s Public Education and Awareness Unit visited Christianburg Primary, Mackenzie Primary, Bamia Primary, Fyrish Primary, All Saints Primary, and Rose Hall Primary to conduct interactive sessions focused on the Commission’s

mandate.

The presentations were specifically tailored to help the young students understand the purpose, role, and importance of the ERC in promoting a unified and harmonious Guyana.

The sessions were designed to be engaging, encouraging active participation from the pupils. Following each presentation, students were given the opportunity to answer questions about the topics discussed. Those who provided correct answers were awarded prizes, adding an element of excitement to the educational initiative.

This outreach is a

while traditional newspaper ads would not be eliminated entirely, the focus would shift towards more democratic and efficient access to procurement information, reducing unnecessary costs.

“So, we are not going to cut out ads totally but we can cut down the cost or give online media outlets that get no share of this ad, although they reach more viewers often than the newspapers themselves… But that will be something that we want to do and it’s all in keeping with what the President said in his inaugural address. I want to make this system more transparent, more accessible to every Guyanese and because definitely that would be accessible. Anybody from their own home, in their own

home, they don’t have to hunt down now newspapers to look for ads any longer. That will be a very efficient system. So ,look out for that. We’re already working on it,” he added.

The Vice President also spoke about the need for the procurement system to be widened to cater for more small contractors.

He noted that the Government was already working on this, and also emphasised the need for better quality work among contractors.

While the Government was looking ramp up Guyana’s public procurement system, the Administration pledged to continue tightening loopholes in the system.

harmony and understanding

key component of the Commission’s strategy to engage Guyanese from a young

zens as they grow older. The Commission believes that by reaching children

ate the country’s rich diversity as its greatest strength. The ERC remains com-

age. The overall intention of the school visits is to instil the core values of tolerance and mutual respect for all ethnic groups, preparing students to become conscientious and accepting citi-

at this formative stage, it is planting the seeds for a more inclusive and understanding mindset among the youth. Of crucial importance is helping students appreci-

mitted to its constitutional mandate of promoting harmony and good relations among all Guyanese and will continue its educational outreaches in communities across the country.

Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo

Rose Hall Primary

Fyrish Primary

President urges Guyanese to nurture inner light, values at Diwali Deep Jale

President Dr Irfaan Ali urged Guyanese to consistently nurture their inner light and values,

annual Deep Jale at the Kitty Roundabout to usher in the festival of Diwali on Wednesday evening,

the Sabha’s leadership for keeping the light of spirituality, culture, family, and values alive for generations, a Department of Public Information (DPI) report noted.

The President stated that the large presence of youth at the event was a powerful testament to the Sabha’s success in keeping traditions relevant and vibrant.

“That tells a story, that this organisation has not only kept the values and traditions, but has kept a culture and spirituality alive through their work,” the President said, calling for resounding applause for the Sabha.

Reflecting on the deeper meaning of Diwali, President Ali reminded the gathering that the festival’s true message goes beyond the lights and decorations; it lies in

as this not only uplifts individuals but also strengthens families, communities, and the wider nation.

Speaking at the Guyana Hindu Dharmic Sabha’s

President Ali congratulated the religious organisation for its enduring role in preserving Guyana’s spiritual and cultural heritage. The President praised

That individual light within each of us is more essential today than it was 51 years ago,” he emphasised. “That one single light can change the fortune of all the dark corners in a room, bringing hope and positivity.”

He urged citizens to nurture and keep their inner

light of hope, compassion, and spirituality burning.

He highlighted that the late founder of the Sabha, Pandit Reepu Daman Persaud, exemplified this enduring light, one that continues to shine through his legacy, family, and the work of the organisation.

The President also expressed pride in how Guyanese society continues to embrace cultural inclusivity, noting the growing participation of businesses, Government agencies, and communities in Diwali observances.

each person’s ability to illuminate the world around them through kindness, empathy, and moral strength.

“We live in a world filled with darkness and troubles.

Some of the cultural displays at the Guyana Hindu Dharmic Sabha’s annual Deep Jale

President Dr Irfaan Ali speaking to the large turnout at the Deep Jale, the Kitty Roundabout Wednesday evening

A section of the crowd during the event

CCJ President calls for substantive Chancellor, Chief Justice in Guyana

...says time has come for permanent appointments to be made

Newly appointed President of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ), Justice Winston Anderson, has sounded calls for the swift appointment of a substantive Chancellor of the Judiciary and Chief Justice in Guyana – which the country has been without for more than two decades.

“It is a concern. The judiciary, of course, would like to see the Chancellor and the Chief Justice confirmed in their positions. I'm not speaking of any particular person, but the Office of Chancellor and the Office of Chief Justice ought to be occupied by persons who are confirmed,” Justice

with local stakeholders including President Ali; current acting Chancellor of the Judiciary, Justice Roxane

Anderson contended during an interview with reporters on the sidelines of an event at the Office of the President in Georgetown on Thursday.

Article 127 (1) of the Constitution of Guyana states: “The Chancellor and the Chief Justice shall each be appointed by the President, acting after obtaining the agreement of the Leader of the Opposition.”

This ‘agreement’ stipulation, however, has consistently resulted in political deadlock spanning over two decades and affecting five successive presidential administrations.

But the CCJ President recognises that there is a willingness on both the current Guyanese government and opposition sides to end this impasse. During his four-day visit to Georgetown, which wraps up today, Justice Anderson had a series of engagements

George; Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister, Anil Nandlall; and representatives from the impending Parliamentary Oppositions – the We Invest in Nationhood (WIN), the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) and the Forward Guyana Movement (FGM).

“So, the matter was raised and both sides are committed to working towards a resolution of that problem. I know it has existed for a very long time. Indeed, I believe the last Chancellor we had was Chancellor [Désirée] Bernard, which was something like 20 years ago. That's a pretty long time.”

“So, I do know that there are peculiar issues [and]… peculiar considerations to bear in mind, but I do think the time has come for permanent appointments to be made. I believe that the gov-

ernment is working towards resolving the issue. I believe that with our meeting with the parties in opposition in the Parliament, that they're also aware of the difficulty, and they're also working towards a resolution of the problem,” the CCJ President told reporters.

Guyana’s last substantive Chancellor was Justice Desiree Bernard, who served until 2005 when she left to joined the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ). Since then, Justice Carl Singh was appointed acting Chancellor – a position he held until his retirement in 2017 without being confirmed.

Justice CummingsEdwards was then appointed acting Chancellor in 2017 by former President David Granger. He had also appointed Justice Roxane George as acting Chief Justice in 2017.

Prior to this, the late Justice Ian Chang was appointed acting Chief Justice in 2005 and served in position until his retirement in 2015.

With Justice CummingsEdwards proceeding on pre-retirement leave, President Dr Irfaan Ali in August last sworn in Justice George as acting Chancellor of the Judiciary and Justice Navindra Singh to perform the duties of the office of Chief Justice.

Recurring calls Guyana’s failure to have substantive appointments in its two top judicial posts have been lamented on both locally and regionally including by successive CCJ Presidents.

Calls for the substantive appointments of these two top judicial positions have been a recurring demand from legal professionals, civil society groups, and international organisations, who argue that the long-standing acting appointments undermine the stability and perception of the Judiciary’s independence.

CCJ President, Justice Winston Anderson

President Dr Irfaan Ali appointed Justice Roxane George as acting Chancellor and Justice Navindra Singh as acting Chief Justice in August of this year

“A national honour” – Pres Ali says as Justice Arif Bulkan sworn in as CCJ Judge

Guyanese judge, Justice Christopher Arif Bulkan, is the newest member on the bench of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) – an appointment which, according to President Dr Irfaan Ali, is not just a matter of national pride but regional celebration.

Justice Bulkan took his Oath of Office on Thursday to become the third Guyanese to sit as a judge on the CCJ, which is Guyana’s highest appellate court. He was swornin by President Ali in the presence of family, friends, judicial colleagues and government officials at the Office of the President in Georgetown.

The Guyanese Head of State hailed the appointment, noting that Justice Bulkan’s elevation to the CCJ bench honours his family, the country and the noble ideal of Caribbean justice that the regional court represents.

“Guyana celebrates Justice Bulkan today, and hails his appointment to the Caribbean Court of Justice.

Justice Bulkan’s appointment to the Caribbean Court of Justice is both a personal trial and a national honour. We are certain that he will bring to the court the same clarity of thought, the depth of analysis, and balance of judgment that have characterised his distinguished career,” Dr Ali stated.

Describing him as one of Guyana’s distinguished sons, President Ali said Justice Bulkan is a man of intellect whose career is a model of public service. The Guyanese leader said the judge served Guyana in multiple capacities including within the Office of the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), as a Magistrate and a Justice of Appeal in the Court of Appeal.

He added that in addition to his judicial service, Justice Bulkan has also made invaluable contribution as a scholar and teacher, advancing the study of constitutional human rights and administrative law.

“As he takes up this new responsibility, we wish him a successful tenure. May his service further strengthen the CCJ, standing as a symbol of

regional excellence and an enduring demonstration to the Caribbean's belief in itself… Guyana and the Caribbean salutes you,” President Ali noted.

Unwavering commitment Justice Bulkan’s appointment came after he was selected by the Regional Judicial and Legal Services Commission to join the CCJ as a Judge.

With 35 years of judicial experience, the newest member of the CCJ bench assured of his commitment to upholding efficiency and integrity in the execution of his duties at the regional court.

“I am acutely conscious of what this court represents in terms of colonisation and regional integration. And it’s an honour and privilege to have the opportunity to participate in this journey… Be assured, ladies and gentlemen and all the people in the region, that I am committed to performing my functions with competence, efficiency and unwavering integrity,” he stated.

According to Justice Bulkan, his appointment is especially deeply meaningful given the extensive talents within the Caribbean region from which the CCJ had to select. He also highlighted importance role the CCJ plays within the region.

“It’s meaningful to me because of what the court represents in terms of our road to full independence. We didn’t achieve full independence with political independence. What’s very important as well is self-determination, and this court is a court of us and by us, for us. And it’s because I believe so strongly in Caribbean identity that it resonates with me, being on the court,” he told reporters after the swearing-in ceremony on Thursday.

The Guyanese judge was appointed to fill a vacancy on the bench created by the recent elevation of Justice Winston Anderson to the presidency of the CCJ.

Justice Bulkan’s work

In welcoming Justice Bulkan to the bench during the swearing-in ceremo-

ny in Georgetown, Justice Anderson lauded the distinguished legal profession of the Guyanese judge, whom he described as an attorney, academic, author, international law expert and advocate in addition to being a judge.

“Justice Bulkan’s work reflects his deep commitment and unwavering dedication to the principles of social justice, equality and of the rule of law. These attributes, alongside his wisdom, depth of knowledge and wealth of experience, will serve him in good stead as he embarks on service at the highest judicial level in our region… We look forward to the lasting contributions that you make to the court and continue to make in the region,” Justice Anderson posited.

According to the CCJ President, Guyanese have very good reasons to be proud of Justice Bulkan and his elevation to the CCJ. In fact, this sentiment was shared by Guyana’s Chancellor of the Judiciary (ag), Justice Roxane George, who was a batchmate of Justice Bulkan at law school.

“Speaking on behalf of the judicial officers in Guyana, we believe, beyond a reasonable doubt, that Justice Bulkan will be an asset to the CCJ – our apex court. Justice Bulkan, we look forward to your judgments, which will shape our jurisprudence and the future of the court more so at this time, when the legal landscape is evolving rapidly, both substantively and procedurally. We are assured that in this, the 20th year of the CCJ, that your appointment builds on the legacy of the court and secures and fortifies the continued commitment of the court to excellence. We as a nation are proud of your achievements [and] proud of your elevation,” Justice George stated.

Justice Bulkan is the third Guyanese to serve on the CCJ bench after the late Justice Désirée Bernard and Justice Duke Pollard.

Justice Bulkan was admitted to the Bar in Guyana in 1990 and thereafter practised law at the Chambers of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) from 1990 to 1996, rising to the rank of Assistant DPP. He was in private practice from 1997 to 2004. Justice Bulkan sat on the Court of Appeal of Guyana in 2018, and since May 2022, has served a Judge of the Court of Appeal of Belize.

Between 2008 and 2022, Justice Bulkan taught in the Faculty of Law of The University of the West Indies. He was also an expert member of the United Nations Human Rights Committee, serving as one of the Committee’s Vice Chairpersons from 2019 to 2022. He was elected in June 2023 to the InterAmerican Commission on Human Rights for a four-year term and is currently serving as the Commission’s Second Vice-President.

President Dr Irfaan Ali along with newly appointed CCJ Judge, Justice Arif Bulkan and his family at the Office of the President on Thursday

Justice Arif Bulkan took his Oath of Office on Thursday as a Caribbean Court of Justice Judge

90% of equipment for GtE project already in Guyana – LINDSAYCA Guyana Inc Chairman

...68% of work on facility complete

Chairman of LINDSAYCA Guyana Inc., Nelson Drake, on Wednesday noted that 90 percent of the equipment for the Gas to Energy (GtE) Project in Wales, West Bank Demerara (WBD) is currently in Guyana, with some 68.3 percent of the work on the facility complete.

Delivering a keynote address at the International Business Conference (IBC) on Wednesday, Drake informed that the prefabricated components of the Liquid Natural Gas (LNG) process facility is also 100 percent complete.

However this component still remains to be shipped to Guyana due to lack of storage space for any further equipment at this time. The component is expected to be shipped before the end of the year.

“Today, we are at 68.3% [completion]: 89% of the engineering is done, 90.46% of the procurement is done, and only 23% of the construction is done. A lot of people would look at this and say this is backwards. Usually the civil work is done and they’re waiting to get the equipment. Today over 75% of the equipment is in Georgetown; the turbines, the horse skids, the vests all of it is in Georgetown,” Drake explained.

“All major equipment is on site. Turbines are in Georgetown, transformers are in Georgetown, the cooling towers are in Georgetown, the chemical feed skids, 90% of everything is in Georgetown. The LNG process facility is 100% done. It’s in Houston, it’s going to ship. Why hasn’t it been shipped? We have no room to store it. We can’t put it at the site and the port is full. So we need to manage that – by the end or before Christmas everything will be on site. The only thing that won’t be on site is what you cannot preserve on site and whatever it gets in the way of the execution plan.”

The assemblage of the equipment is currently awaiting the completion of the foundation upon which the facility will be resting. However, Drake explained, this involves a lot of intricate work.

“Those foundations have been done. The thing about this foundation is you have to pour them at night because they’re so massive. We actually put sensors in the rebar and we measure the temperature throughout the evening. Usually start at 5 – 6 o’ clock in the afternoon and finish up at 3 – 4 o’ clock in the morning,” Drake noted.

Guyana has a US$759

million contract with Lindsayca to build the GTE Natural Gas Liquids (NGL) facility and the 300-megawatt (MW) combined cycle power plant at Wales. The components are being assembled at the company’s factory in Houston Texas.

“Everything is built like a Lego. It is done in Houston in a controlled environment. This saves you a lot of time. A lot of people don’t understand that you rather spend your money manufacturing in an enclosed environment controlled environment. Don’t do it in the field. Everything in the field is more expensive,” Drake explained.

The GtE project consists of five key components: laying the pipeline to bring the gas onshore, constructing the power plant and NGL facility, installing transmission lines, building a new control centre, and upgrading the aged power distribution system.

ExxonMobil, along with its co-ventures are operating the oil-rich Stabroek Block offshore have laid 250 kilometres of 12-inch pipelines that will bring the gas onshore.

Pouring of concrete for the foundation of the first gas turbine at the GTE began last month, with the project now scheduled to

come on stream in 2026. Initially, the project was scheduled to be completed by 2024 year-end but following setbacks in handing over some components including site preparation works, particularly stabilisation of the soil.

On Wednesday, Drake explained that given the technical nature of the project, waiting on the soil stabilisation to be completed was absolutely imperative. This took 14 months, and US$100 million.

“You can throw as much money as you want on a site but the land is going to react the way the land reacts. So you have to wait until it is completely stable before you can start building this

very expensive, very delicate equipment. That’s why we’re behind. It took 14 months to stabilise and over US$100 million,” Drake noted.

“The land over on that side of the river has a very rare mix of sands…you had a liquefaction going on at the site. That means the site is not fit for construction. The equipment that we’re putting on the site is basically a gas process facility, which can easily become a bomb at any time if it is not done properly, and also the Siemens turbine and the power island have to be perfectly aligned. There’s no tolerance here for that land to move. Therefore, you have to stabilise, consolidate, and de-water the land. So we

used top of the line technology and we spent over US$100 million stabilising that.”

Upon completion, the project is expected to substantially lower electricity generation costs, which have significant benefits for the Guyanese economy, fostering more competitive production costs and stimulating broader economic growth.

ExxonMobil Guyana Limited (EMGL) has already finished constructing the gas pipeline, and the transmission lines and substations required for integration of the project are significantly advanced, with completion anticipated later this year.

Review of EoIs for construction of resorts in final stages – Minister Rodrigues

As the review process for Expressions of Interest (EoIs) to construct several resorts in Guyana nears completion, the government will soon advertise these projects to get them off the ground.

This announcement was made by Tourism, Industry and Commerce Minister Susan Rodrigues during an event on Wednesday at the (GNSC) Guyana National Shipping Co.

“[T]hose EoIs are almost completed. We have about 11 areas of interest based on the President's instruction. When he spoke, he mentioned some specific areas that we want to focus on, so those will be advertised very

shortly,” Minister Rodrigues stated.

In August, President Dr. Irfaan Ali announced that the government would launch EoIs for all-inclusive resorts. According to the Head of State, these resorts are planned for locations including Lethem, Leguan, Linden, #63 Beach, and Orinduik, among other areas.

“In the next term, we will be issuing Expressions of Interest for all-inclusive resorts…We expect strong local and international partnership and participation in this,” the President said, emphasising the need for collaboration between Guyanese businesses and

CCJ President calls for...

In the past, Attorney General (AG) Anil Nandlall, SC, along with past Bar Association President Pauline Chase, had advocated for a reevaluation of the constitutional provisions governing these appointments. They have suggested this issue be addressed during the country’s much-anticipated constitutional review process.

Similarly, Canada had called on Guyana to review its constitutional provisions that hinders the appointment of a substantive Chief

Justice and Chancellor of Judiciary. This call came from the Second Secretary at Canada’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations Office in Geneva, Amélie Goudreau, during a review of Guyana’s human rights record at the OHCHRUN Human Rights Council Universal Periodic Review (UPR) in Switzerland, back in May.

Nevertheless, with the entire Constitution of Guyana slated to be under review during the reform process, it is more than like-

FROM PAGE 12

ly that the provisions for these key appointments will also be under consideration.

Back in December 2024, President Ali had assured that the substantive appointment of the Chancellor and Chief Justice is being continuously looked at.

Meanwhile, the Bar Association earlier this year reiterated concerns about the prolonged lack of permanent appointments to these top judicial positions, describing the situation as “untenable.”

international investors.

Speaking at the International Business Conference (IBC) 2025 on Tuesday, Minister Rodrigues noted that Guyana’s investment climate is highly conducive to new ventures.

A speaker on the panel for “Regional Powerhouse in Action – Guyana and Regional Partners, Shared Vision for growth”, the minster emphasised the strides in Guyana’s Tourism and Hospitality sector, while highlighting the rapid expansion of the country’s tourism sector.

“The moment you touch down at the airport, those

who operate in transportation, food services, tour guiding and related areas – all these are MSMEs [Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises], and they stand to benefit enormously form investment in this sector,” she stated.

In addition, Minister Rodrigues noted the collaborations with regional partners such as Barbados, Dominican Republic and Trinidad & Tobago, which are aimed at enhancing Guyana’s overall tourism market.

“We can learn from these countries to strengthen our economy and sector. Guyana is not traditionally a service-based economy, but we are learning and taking deliberate action by investing in key areas, providing concessions, and fostering a friendly business climate for regional investors,” the Minister pointed out.

She highlighted government’s strong focus on capacity building, noting that over 8,500 persons have been trained in various aspects of hospitality over the past five years.

She added that the Tourism and Hospitality Training Institute will soon provide world-class training for Guyanese, complemented by the GOAL Scholarship Programme, which contin-

ues to offer courses in tourism studies.

Additionally, she assured of the Government’s commitment to ensuring that the country’s rapid tourism expansion remains inclusive and impactful. “Our approach has always been to ensure that growth in the sector will benefit our people, particularly for small and medium-sized enterprises that are the backbone of our economy,” she stated. Minister Rodrigues also noted that standards and training are central to the country’s strategy for sustainable tourism. “We have made significant progress in helping small businesses become compliant, ensuring they are registered and that they adhere to the Quality Management Framework to assure their competitiveness.”

Also on the panel, were, H.E Andrew Baasaron – Minister of Economic Affairs, Entrepreneurship and Technological Innovation and H.E Melvin Bouva, Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Business and Cooperation of Suriname, along with Robert Persaud, Foreign Secretary – Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation. The IBC concluded Thursday, October 16.

Tourism, Industry and Commerce

Minister Susan Rodrigues

Government exploring light rail, mass transit for Linden-Lethem Road

Public Works Minister

Bishop Juan Edghill has announced that the Government of Guyana is actively exploring the possibility of introducing a light rail and mass transit system along the Linden–Lethem corridor leading to Brazil.

“It is active on the burn-

er. We are exploring possibilities for mass transit as well as a railway system along the same alignment of the road to Brazil,” Minister Edghill stated.

The Minister made the remarks while providing an update on major infrastructural projects currently un-

derway across the country.

Meanwhile, he revealed that Lot 2 of the Linden–Mabura Road Project officially commenced on Thursday morning at 9:00h.

“We have kick-started the engagement for Lot 2, and we will continue efforts to complete the 600-metre

bridge across the Essequibo River to connect the road for 24-hour use,” he said.

Edghill further noted that Phase 1 of the Linden–Mabura Road was initiated during the 2022–2025 period and that negotiations are now ongoing for Phase 2, which will extend from Mabura Hill to Kurupukari.

“This particular road is one of the flagship projects in our infrastructure development agenda,” the Minister emphasised.

While providing the updates on major infrastructural works being undertaken in the country, Edghill confirmed that the Government has secured a contractor for the construction of the Corentyne River Bridge, which will further enhance connectivity between Guyana and Suriname.

The US$190 million Phase One of the project will see 121 kilometres of asphaltic road being built from Linden to Mabura Hill in Region 10 (Upper Demerara- Berbice).

The project is being funded through the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) via a US$112 million loan, a

grant of £50 million (US$66 million) from the United Kingdom’s Caribbean Infrastructure Partnership Fund (UKCIF), and an input of US$12 million from the Guyana Government. That was the largest grant Guyana has ever received from the British Government.

Phase Two of this project will see the all-weather road being extended to Lethem in Region Nine (Upper

Takutu-Upper Essequibo). Currently, this road network is being utilised by an estimated 50,000 travellers who transport goods from the coast to the inland regions of Guyana and even into neighbouring Brazil. Guyana and Brazil are presently exploring financing options for that section of the road that will also serve as a critical transport link for the two countries.

SAG collaborates with Port of Port of Spain to address cargo delays

Seeking to strengthen trade efficiency between Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago, the Shipping Association of Guyana (SAG), under the leadership of Chairman Dr Komal Singh, engaged in high-level discussions with Port of Port of Spain Chief Executive Officer Robert Ramsubhag and his senior officials to address prolonged cargo movement delays impacting Guyanabound containers.

Dr Singh also met with the Comptroller of Customs in Trinidad to discuss challenges within the department that are contributing to logistical issues at the port. He emphasized that both his organization and the Government are com-

mitted to implementing changes that will positively impact the cargo movement process.

As Guyana continues to experience delays in the delivery of containerized cargo, the meeting aimed to gain a deeper understanding of the challenges faced at the Port of Port of Spain and within the regional logistics chain.

The Shipping Association stressed the importance of resolving these issues promptly, particularly with the busy Christmas season approaching, when import volumes typically surge.

Additionally, global shipping challenges are having a ripple effect, contributing to delays at ports

across the region, especially in Trinidad and Jamaica. These delays are having a negative impact on transshipment containers.

The average transshipment time has improved from 24 days to approximately 15 days, with around 594 containers currently at the Port of Port of Spain. However, stakeholders remain optimistic that further improvements can be made through swift and coordinated action by all parties involved.

Chairman Singh reaffirmed SAG’s commitment to working closely with regional partners to improve operational efficiency, stating:

“This engagement is part of our ongoing effort

to strengthen collaboration within the Caribbean shipping network. We are committed to finding practical solutions that enhance cargo movement and ensure Guyanese businesses and consumers are not adversely affected by regional bottlenecks.”

Both the Shipping Association of Guyana and the Port of Port of Spain have agreed to hold regular meetings to monitor progress and explore specific measures that individual shipping lines can take to alleviate current challenges. It was also noted that not all shipping lines are experiencing delays.

The SAG remains dedicated to fostering stronger regional partnerships to ensure reliability, predictability, and efficiency in maritime logistics serving Guyana and the wider Caribbean.

Public Works Minister Juan Edghill

A section of the completed asphalt road between Linden and Mabura Hill

Chairman of the Private Sector Commission, Komal Singh alongside other officials

Renewed push for all Caricom Member States to accede to CCJ

Calls were reiterated on Thursday for the full accession of all Member States of the Caribbean Community (Caricom) to the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ), which serves as the final appellate court for the region.

Currently, only five of the 15 Caricom countries have acceded to the CCJ.

Guyana is one of the countries in the region that uses the CCJ as its highest

and final appellate court –something which President Dr Irfaan Ali says must be done by other Caricom Member States as well.

“We look forward to the day when all members of the Caribbean Community will surmount the constitutional, legislative and political hurdles that still stand in the way of fully embracing the Caribbean Court of Justice as their final Court of Appeal. That day must

come, and it must come sooner rather than later, for it will make the completion of a journey that began with independence itself. When every Member State entrusts its highest judicial authority with the CCJ, we will at last, realise the full promise of Caribbean sovereignty,” President Ali stated on Thursday.

Seated in Trinidad and Tobago, the CCJ was inaugurated in 2005 with

Barbados and Guyana, two of the ‘Big Four’ – the four Members States that signed the Treaty of Chaguaramas to form Caricom. They acceded to the court’s appellate jurisdiction in 2005 while Belize joined them in 2010, and Dominica followed in 2015. St Lucia was the most recent member join, acceding to the CCJ appellate jurisdiction in 2023.

Since its establishment, the CCJ has embarked on a mission of trying to convince the signatory Caricom Member States that the court is a great utility at their disposal. However, those member states that have not yet acceded to full membership of the court continue to send their appeals to the Judicial

Committee of the Privy Council (JCPC) in London. Most Caribbean states only accede to the CCJ’s original jurisdiction in regard to interpretation and application of the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas.

Legal obligation

But according to newly appointed CCJ President, Justice Winston Anderson, these Caricom countries are legally required to accede to the regional court.

“I think what is important for us to do, though, is to recognise that there is a legal obligation on these Member States to join the Caribbean Court of Justice. When you sign up to be a member, you can, in fact, enter a ‘reservation’, which means that you are not interested in joining this aspect of the regime. So, Suriname, for example, said we are not going to be joining the appellate jurisdiction because, obviously, they have a different system.”

“I believe St. Vincent and the Grenadines, as well, entered a reservation, but Trinidad did not, and Jamaica did not either. So, I think it is fair to call at-

tention to that fact and to ask various governments to consider that there is, in fact, a binding legal obligation on them to join on to the court. I think beyond that, it is not for the court [to pursue],” Justice Anderson told reporters on the sidelines of an event in Georgetown on Thursday.

At his inauguration sitting as the CCJ president earlier this month, Justice Anderson urged Caricom countries to become full members of the court, which he said has a proud record since its establishment 20 years ago.

Meanwhile, President Ali contended that that the establishment of the CCJ was a defining moment in the Caribbean’s history, noting that the court is not merely a judicial body but a monument regional collaboration and self-determination.

“This is our court –the region’s court. The Cooperative Republic of Guyana is proud to have been among the earliest states to embrace the court and to place our full confidence in its judgements. We have accepted the CCJ

as our final appellate court, recognising in it the highest expression of judicial independence and regional integrity. We view it as both a protector of justice and a custodian of Caribbean sovereign,” the Guyanese Leader stated.

He added that, “…the CCJ belongs to every citizen of the Caribbean community, to every island and mainland territory that has contributed to its creation and sustains its purpose. It reminds us that justice in the Caribbean does not flow from a distant metropole, but from within the Caribbean itself, from our own conscience, culture and commitment to fairness.”

President Ali made these remarks during the swearing-in ceremony of Guyanese judge, Justice Arif Bulkan, as the newest member of the CCJ bench.

In fact, even Justice Bulkan pointed out that the Caribbean’s journey to independence was not fully achieved with just political independence. Like President Ali, the newly appointed CCJ judge believes in the region’s self-determination.

“The journey towards full independence is not over… accession to the CCJ, is thus a regional imperative. And not just for the practical benefits, though that's important – practical benefits like access to justice… but also because of what it means for our self-determination in the region… As the Court continues to fashion a truly Caribbean jurisprudence, mindful of our shared history and values and responsive to our needs in the Caribbean, hopefully the day will soon come when there will be complete accession by all [Member States],” he asserted.

Justice Bulkan believes that the court’s records over the last two decades highlights its sound jurisprudence and commitment to the rule of law.

President Dr Irfaan Ali

CCJ President, Justice Winston Anderson

Newly-appointed CCJ Judge, Justice Arif Bulkan

Queen’s College stages “50 Years of Girls” Exhibition

...as alumna Minister Priya Manickchand delivers feature address

Local Government and Regional Development Minister Priya Manickchand on Thursday delivered the feature address at Queen’s College’s “50 Years of Girls”

Exhibition.

Minister Manickchand, an alumna of Queen’s College who attended from 1987 to 1992, was a proud member of Durban House. Her children, who currently

attend the institution, and their father, are all members of Pilgrim House.

In her address, Minister Manickchand reflected on the legacy of the college and the responsibility that comes with being part of its rich history. She posed a thought-provoking challenge to current students and alumni alike:

“As I close, I ask you; what is the college we would like to see? What is the QC we would like to see? What human product should live here? What kind of training ground are we to imagine and to realise on this campus?

“I’d like to see a college where the girls and boys who pass through these

12 GDF ranks complete Grade 2 Maintenance Technician course

Twelve Guyana Defence Force (GDF) ranks on Wednesday graduated following their successful completion of the Grade Two Maintenance Technician Course.

The simple ceremony was held at Headquarters, Air Station London (ASL), Timehri.

The course, which ran from August 11, trained personnel in advanced maintenance skills to ensure operational readiness of the Force’s air fleet.

The curriculum covered essential areas, including Theory of Flight and Aerodynamics, Aircraft Structures, Workshop Practices, Basic Electrical Systems, Turbine and Piston Engines, and Aviation Regulations.

Students also participated in practical, hands-on training on aircraft under the supervision of senior maintenance staff.

Commanding Officer of ASL, Lieutenant Colonel Josyln Assanah, in his feature address, emphasised the importance of regulation, documentation, and legal requirements in this critical field.

comes an equally great responsibility to be socially, politically, and personally accountable. To be responsible to yourself, to your peers, and especially to those who never had the opportunity to come here.

“I’d like to see a college that nurtures courage; where students and alumni are unafraid to speak up, to lead, and to hold people and leaders accountable, regardless of the consequences. A college that shapes individuals who look out for each other and for the wider society, always pushing for a better country. That, to me, is the true spirit of Queen’s College.”

Minister Manickchand’s words served as both a tribute and a call to action, reminding the audience that

Queen’s College has long stood as more than an academic institution, but a place where ideals are shaped, values are tested, and leaders are born.

As the school celebrates “50 Years of Girls at Queen’s College”, her message resonated deeply, urging students and alumni to continue building on the foundation laid by those before them, to honour the legacy of excellence, and to use their education as a force for good.

The milestone serves not only to reflect on how far the institution has come since girls first entered its halls, but also to envision a future where equality, leadership, and service remain at the heart of the QC experience.

2 men charged for dangerous driving

“Every signature, every inspection report, every maintenance record is a critical part of ensuring that the aircraft remain safe and airworthy. Understanding and following these regulations are not optional; it’s your professional responsibility,” he charged.

and the respect of this profession.”

Lieutenant Colonel Assanah also urged the ranks to let self-discipline, commitment, and accountability serve as the pillars on which they build their careers. “Only through consistent self-discipline, a commitment to learning and holding ourselves accountable can we ensure the continued safety of our skies

Prizes were awarded to outstanding performers, with Lance Corporal Trevin Williams recognised as Best Graduating Student and Corporal Elijah Alexander named runner-up.

The GDF Air Station London continues to boost the skill of its personnel as the Force, via the State, expands its fleet and upgrades its infrastructure.

Berbice woman arrested for fireworks haul during Police operation

A30-year-old woman of Number 78 Village, Corentyne, Berbice is in custody, assisting Police with investigations into the seizure of

a large quantity of fireworks. According to Police, on Tuesday, 47 boxes of explosives (fireworks) were found concealed at her residence,

during a Police exercise. The haul required a “canter truck” to transport it. The investigation is ongoing.

Thirty-two-year-old

Rayan Rahayvida, a labourer of Lot 98 Onderneeming, Essequibo Coast was charged for the offence of dangerous driving, which occurred on Saturday, October 10 on the Capoey access road, Essequibo Coast.

According to Police, the first charge, and a second – driving with an obscured mark – were laid under Section 36 (1) of the Motor Vehicles and Road Traffic Act, Chapter 51:02 and Section 13 of the Motor Vehicles and Road Traffic Act, Chapter 51:02.

The case was heard at Charity Magistrate’s Court before Magistrate Ravindra Mohabir on Monday, October 13, when the charges were read to the de-

fendant and he pleaded not guilty to both charges. Bail was granted in the sum of $150,000 Then, on Wednesday, October 15, Samuel Tulasaram, a 38-year-old driver of Lot 26 Richmond, Essequibo Coast was fined $50,000, with an alternative sentence of two months’ imprisonment, after pleading guilty to the charge of dangerous driving. The offence was committed on Sunday, September 21, at Richmond Public Road, Essequibo Coast, on 45-year-old plumber Collis Mckenzie, of Lot 45 Henrietta Housing Scheme, Essequibo Coast. The case was heard at Anna Regina Magistrate’s Court before Mohabir.

Rayan Rahayvida Samuel Tulasaram

Some of the fireworks found at the residence

halls grow into women and men who understand that with the great privilege of attending this institution

Trinidad citizens believed killed in US airstrike off Venezuela coast identified

Family members and neighbours have identified two men from Trinidad and Tobago who are believed to be among six people killed in a US airstrike on a boat allegedly transporting drugs from Venezuela.

Without providing evidence, Donald Trump said on Tuesday that the strike in international waters had killed six “narcoterrorists” and claimed that “intelligence confirmed the vessel was trafficking narcotics” and it was “associated with illicit narcoterrorist networks”.

Trinidad police said they were still confirming whether Trinidadians were among the dead, but residents of the north coast fishing village of Las Cuevas told the Guardian that two locals, Chad “Charpo” Joseph and Rishi Samaroo, were on the sunken vessel.

Samaroo was released from prison in 2021 after serving time for his role in a 2009 murder of a street vendor.

Speaking with local media outlets, Joseph’s moth-

er, Lenore Burnley, said her 26-year-old son was not involved in drugs and lamented that the family had no body to bury. “I leave everything in God’s hand,” she said.

Burnley told AFP by phone that people her family knew in Venezuela “told them he was on the boat”.

“According to maritime law, if you see a boat, you are supposed to stop the boat and intercept it, not just blow it up. That’s our

Trinidadian maritime law and I think every fisherman and every human knows that,” she said.

Burnley said her son was planning to return to Trinidad and Tobago after spending three months with family in Venezuela, just 6.8 miles (11km) away.

Joseph’s grandmother Christine Clement also rejected claims of trafficking, calling the attack “wickedness”. (Excerpt from The Guardian)

Uruguay legalises euthanasia after 10-hour debate

Uruguay has legalised euthanasia, becoming the first country in Latin America to pass a law that allows assisted suicide.

The Dignified Death bill was passed in the senate on Wednesday, with 20 out of 31 legislators present voting in favour.

The bill allows mentally sound adults in the terminal stage of an irreversible disease to choose euthanasia to be performed by a healthcare professional.

Uruguay has a history of passing socially liberal laws, legalising marijuana, samesex marriage and abortion long before many others.

While the 10-hour debate was mostly respectful, some

onlookers watching the debate cried out “murderers” after the bill passed.

“Public opinion is asking us to take this on,” Senator Patricia Kramer of the governing leftist coalition told lawmakers in the capital, Montevideo.

Some 62% of Uruguayans were in favour of euthanasia legalisation, according to the consulting firm Cifra.

Most opposition to euthanasia came from the Catholic Church.

Those wanting to end their life must request euthanasia personally and in writing, provided they are a Uruguayan citizen or a foreign resident, the law states.

Euthanasia will be performed so that their death

occurs in a “painless, peaceful, and respectful manner”, it says.

Reacting to the news, Beatriz Gelós, a 71-yearold woman who has been living with neurodegenerative ALS for two decades, told the AFP news agency the law was “compassionate, very humane”.

She said opponents “have no idea what it’s like to live like this”.

While Uruguay becomes the first country in predominantly Catholic Latin America to allow euthanasia through legislation, Colombia and Ecuador decriminalised the practice through Supreme Court decisions. (Excerpt from BBC News)

1 dead, dozens injured as Peru’s new president faces widespread protests

At least one person was killed and dozens of police officers injured in widespread protests overnight in Peru against President Jose Jeri, who assumed power just days ago, the state ombudsman’s office said on Thursday.

The protest on Wednesday night, called by young Gen Z protesters, transport workers and civil groups, was the latest in a series of demonstrations against corruption and rising crime, which led to the dramatic midnight ouster of former President Dina Boluarte last Thursday.

Thousands of protesters amassed around the country, with hundreds clashing with police outside Congress in Lima. Police fired tear gas while some protesters hurled fireworks, rocks and burning objects.

“Everyone must go!” protesters chanted when they reached Congress and tried to tear down metal barriers protecting the building, lead-

ing to clashes.

A 32-year-old man, Eduardo Mauricio Ruiz, was killed during the protest and his death will be investigated, said Fernando Losada, a representative from the country’s Ombudsman’s office.

Peru’s prosecutor’s office said Ruiz died after being shot, but did not say who had fired. Jeri expressed regret over the death in a post on X, saying the death would

be “objectively” investigated. Jeri earlier said 55 police officers and 20 civilians were injured in the protest, blaming “delinquents who infiltrated a peaceful demonstration to sow chaos.” Wednesday’s protests were a bellwether for how Jeri’s short-lived presidency, which ends next July due to scheduled elections, could play out. (Excerpt from Reuters)

Student found dead at UWI in suspected suicide

AUniversity of the West Indies (UWI) student was found dead by her room mate on

Thursday in what is suspected to be a case of suicide. She has not yet been identified but she was a res-

of the Faculty of Social Sciences. (Jamaica Observer)

Antigua PM confirms procedural breaches in Govt vehicle purchases; Comptroller’s resignation linked to “wilful neglect”

Antigua Prime Minister and Finance Minister Gaston Browne has confirmed that procedural breaches occurred in the acquisition of government vehicles, acknowledging that some purchases were made without Cabinet approval despite a policy mandating centralized oversight.

Browne made the disclosure in Parliament after Opposition Leader Jamale Pringle questioned him about reports of irregularities, recent staff transfers, and the resignation

of Comptroller of Customs Raju Boddu.

The Prime Minister said Cabinet had implemented a policy two years ago requiring all government vehicle purchases to receive prior approval to prevent abuse. However, he noted that this procedure was ignored in several cases.

He confirmed that one official had resigned following what he described as “wilful neglect,” adding that such a finding “suggests culpability.”

Browne also cited broader reasons for personnel

changes, including protecting the integrity of the public service.

Boddu, who served as Comptroller of Customs for several years, submitted his resignation earlier this week citing health reasons. However, his departure has fueled speculation that it may be connected to the probe into the unapproved vehicle acquisitions. Government officials have not yet announced who will act in his position pending a formal replacement. (Excerpt from Antigua News Room)

Explosions hit Ecuador; local criminal gang, ex-FARC dissidents blamed

Explosions have rocked different parts of Ecuador, with officials accusing a local criminal gang and Colombian ex-FARC dissidents of targeting two bridges in retaliation for a major military operation against illegal miners.

It is the latest wave of violence to have engulfed the South American nation in recent years. The government of President Daniel Noboa has been struggling to beat back criminal groups, who have shifted their drug smuggling from more militarised countries like Colombia to histori-

cally peaceful Ecuador. Explosives were placed on bridges “to block traffic”, Transport Minister Roberto Luque wrote on X on Wednesday, describing the acts as “terrorism”. No casualties have been reported, though roads leading to the affected areas remain closed.

Interior Minister John Reimberg accused Ecuadorian gang Los Lobos, which is designated as a “foreign terrorist organisation” by the United States, and former rebels of the now-defunct movement Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, with

ties to the gang, of being behind the blasts. Reimberg said the attacks

came after security operations destroyed “illegal mining operations” in northern Ecuador

and detained ex-FARC members.

No group immediately claimed responsibility for the blasts, and no arrests have been made.

The Associated Press news agency obtained a police report that confirmed the bridge structure in the city of Naranjal, about 290km (180 miles) southwest of the capital, Quito, sustained damage “from the suspected detonation”.

Images released by local media showed rubble, twisted metal from the bridge, and shattered windscreens on at least two buses.

The bridge explosions occurred just hours after a car bomb went off outside a shopping mall in Guayaquil, Ecuador’s largest city, killing one person and injuring many. A second vehicle containing explosives was found nearby but was deactivated.

The other explosion occurred on a bridge connecting the provinces of Azuay and El Oro in southern Ecuador. The emergency services reported on X that the route was closed due to a “possible collapse” of the structure.

(Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

Rishi Samaroo, left, and Chad "Charpo" Joseph

ident of the George Alleyne Hall and a member

Structural damage to the Churute-Naranjal Bridge in Guayas (Photo: La Hora)

OIL NEWS

Oil steady, possible Indian halt of Russia imports lends support

Oil prices were stable on Thursday as traders prepared for a potential halt to India’s Russian oil imports, which could reshape flows and boost demand for supplies from elsewhere.

Brent crude futures were down 28 cents, or 0.45%, to $61.63 a barrel at 12:40 p.m. EDT (1640 GMT). U.S. West Texas Intermediate futures were down 19 cents, or 0.33%, to $58.08.

U.S. President Donald Trump said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had pledged on Wednesday that India would stop buying from Russia, which is India’s top oil supplier, accounting for about one-third of its oil imports.

“This is a positive development for the crude oil price as it would remove a big buyer of Russian oil,” said Tony Sycamore, a market analyst at IG.

Both contracts on Wednesday touched their lowest since early May on U.S.-China trade tensions and concerns about a looming supply glut.

Some Indian refiners are preparing to cut Russian oil imports, with expectations of a gradual reduction, three sources familiar with the matter told Reuters.

However, India said on Thursday that its two main goals were to ensure stable energy prices and secure supply, making no reference to Trump’s comments.

Russia said it was confident that its energy partnership with India would continue.

Meanwhile, Russian products supply has been hampered by persistent Ukrainian drone strikes on its refineries.

Russia’s energy minister said on Wednesday that Russian refineries would postpone planned maintenance to saturate the market.

Ukraine attacked the Saratov refinery overnight, while Rosneft’s Ufaneftekhim halted crude processing in one of its four crude units after an attack on Wednesday.

Elsewhere, a U.S. report showing bigger-than-expected crude inventories as refineries go into fall turnarounds weighed on prices. (Excerpt from Reuters)

Trump says he will meet Putin in Hungary for Ukraine talks

Donald Trump says he will meet Vladimir Putin in Hungary for more talks on ending the war in Ukraine, following a “very productive” phone call between the pair.

Trump says fresh talks will be held between “high level advisers” next week, led on the US side by Secretary of State Marco Rubio

A Kremlin aide says the talks were “substantive” and took place at Russia’s request.

The conversation comes a day before Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is due to visit Trump in Washington DC Zelensky is likely to ask the US to send long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles to Ukraine to help fight Russia – Trump has previously said he is considering this.

Hungary as the location for the next Trump-Putin summit puts a sharp focus on those two leaders and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban increasingly rejecting established norms of international law.

Hungary is a member of the International Criminal

Court (ICC) and a signatory to the Rome Statute, which established the court. The ICC indicted Putin in March 2023 on charges of war crimes related to the forced deportation of Ukrainian children.

Russia, which is not a party to the ICC, rejects the charges and says court’s move is meaningless. Under its treaty agreement Hungary is still obliged to honour the ICC arrest warrant for Putin if he steps foot on its soil.

But officials for Orban have previously made clear they would not arrest Putin during any visit, and Hungary has since announced it will withdraw from the court, becoming effective next year.

The ICC has already initiated non-compliance proceedings against Hungary for its failure to arrest Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a visit in April this year. Netanyahu is wanted by the court for alleged war crimes relating to the war in Gaza, which he rejects, calling the court anti-Israel. (Excerpt from BBC News)

Around the World

Head of US military for Latin America to step down

The admiral who leads US military forces in Latin America will step down at the end of this year, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced on Thursday, in a surprise move amid escalating tensions with Venezuela.

Alvin Holsey took over the US military’s Southern Command late last year for a position that normally lasts three years. A source familiar with the matter told Reuters that there had been tension between him and Hegseth and questions about whether he would be fired in the days leading up to the announcement.

Hegseth, in his social media post, did not disclose the reason for the depar-

ture of Holsey, who is one of only two Black four-star offi-

cers leading a US combatant command.

On X, Holsey said he would retire on December 12, but did not give a reason.

“It’s been an honor to serve our nation, the American people and support and defend the Constitution for over 37 years,” he said.

Holsey’s departure comes against the backdrop of a military buildup in the Caribbean that includes US-guided missile destroyers, F-35 fighter jets and around 6,500 troops as President Donald Trump escalates a standoff with the Venezuelan government. (Reuters)

At least 2 killed as Police in Kenya fire shots to disperse fmr PM mourners

At least two people have been killed after Police in Kenya fired shots to disperse crowds of mourners gathered to view the body of opposition leader and former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, who died earlier this week in India.

The country’s head of Police operations, Adamson Bungei, confirmed the shooting at the 60,000-capacity football stadium in the capital, Nairobi, where the viewing was to take place on Thursday ahead of the funeral over the weekend.

“We have at least two deaths,” Bungei told The Associated Press news agency, describing the incident as a “confrontation.”

Local media outlets KTN News and Citizen TV later said the death toll had increased to four, with dozens of people injured. After secu-

rity forces fired shots, Police lobbed tear gas to disperse thousands of mourners, the two broadcasters showed, leaving the stadium deserted.

Thousands of Odinga’s supporters began gathering on Nairobi’s streets from

early morning on Thursday, with crowds congregating at Nairobi’s Moi International Sports Centre for the viewing.

Tensions increased when some people breached a gate in the arena, with security forces firing shots and tear

gas in response. As mourners fled, a stampede erupted near the stadium gates.

Tensions had began earlier in the day when thousands of mourners briefly stormed Nairobi’s international airport, interrupting a ceremony for Ruto and other officials to receive Odinga’s body with military honours. The incident prompted a two-hour suspension of airport operations.

Crowds also gathered in Bondo, the family’s ancestral seat in western Kenya, where Odinga is due to be buried on Sunday.

Odinga, affectionately known as “Baba” (father) and a key figure in African politics, died at the age of 80 on Wednesday during a trip to India for medical treatment, according to local Police and hospital officials.

(Source: Al Jazeera)

Pentagon journalists vacate workspace as new restrictions take effect

Dozens of journalists who cover the U.S. Defense Department vacated their offices in the Pentagon and returned their credentials on Wednesday as new restrictions on press access took effect.

The Defense Department had set a Tuesday deadline for news outlets to either sign a new Pentagon access policy or lose access to press credentials and Pentagon workspaces.

At least 30 news organizations, including Reuters, declined to sign the new policy, citing a threat to press freedoms and their ability to conduct independent news-gathering on the world’s most powerful military.

The policy requires journalists to acknowledge new rules on press access, including that they could be branded security risks and have

their Pentagon press badges revoked if they ask department employees to disclose classified and some types of unclassified information.

The Pentagon Press Association, which represents more than 100 news organizations, including Reuters, said in a statement that Wednesday was “a dark day for press freedom that raises concerns about a weakening U.S. commit-

ment to transparency in governance, to public accountability at the Pentagon and to free speech for all.”

The Pentagon’s new policy is the latest expansion of restrictions on press access under Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, a former Fox News host. Fox News is among the news organizations that has refused to sign on to the new press restrictions. (Excerpt from Reuters)

Trump threatens "to go in and kill" Hamas in Gaza over

nited States

UPresident Donald Trump has threatened to break the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas if the Palestinian group continues to target gangs and alleged Israeli collaborators in Gaza.

“If Hamas continues to kill people in Gaza, which was not the Deal, we will have no choice but to go in and kill them,” Trump wrote in a social media post on Thursday. “Thank you for

internal clashes

your attention to this matter!”

The statement appears to signal an about-face from Trump, who earlier this week expressed support for Hamas’s crackdown on gangs in the Palestinian territory.

There have been deadly clashes reported between Hamas and armed clan members in Gaza, who have been accused of looting humanitarian aid and working for Israel. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

US Navy Admiral Alvin Holsey, commander of US Southern Command (SOUTHCOM), hosts the South American Defence Conference (SOUTHDEC), in Buenos Aires, Argentina, August 20, 2025

Supporters of Kenyan Opposition Leader Raila Odinga run for cover after shots were fired during a gathering for the public viewing of his coffin

SUDOKU

Give your all and reap high returns. Let your imagination take precedence, and you’ll find ways to prosper. Success comes from organization and a frugal lifestyle.

Mixed emotions will be a warning to ask questions and decipher what’s real and what’s fake. Truth and acceptance are where opportunities present themselves.

Initiating a connection with someone well-informed will encourage you to up your game by pointing you in the right direction. Be open and receptive to what others reveal.

Mix business with pleasure, and you’ll gain insight into how to ahead. A disciplined attitude will be admired and respected. A lifestyle or domestic change is a good investment.

Invite change, and it will help you gain perspective regarding the best way to move forward. Refuse to let emotions interfere when principles or expenditures are an issue.

Let your emotions stir things up. When you face multiple choices, you’ll find a way to figure out what’s best for you. Simplicity and a minimalist attitude will pay off.

Act on your own behalf and enforce practicality. Don’t over- or underestimate situations or people. Take nothing for granted, do what’s necessary and collect your prize.

Complete every task. Loose ends will ruin your downtime, causing emotional trauma and unnecessary costs. Undertaking a creative project, interacting with children or a romantic adventure will soothe the soul.

Keep your thoughts to yourself until you have a failproof plan in place. Conversations will offer insights into possibilities. Aim to love who you are, what you do and where you are heading.

Verify everything you hear before passing information along. Your reputation will suffer if you are too quick to judge or trust someone. Avoid taking unnecessary risks that can lead to ill health or injury.

Embrace change, put your best foot forward and let your creativity lead the way. A new look, passion or attitude can help you develop resilience to move forward with fresh ideas and a vision.

Set yourself up for success. Think innovatively, use your cash wisely and interact with people who stimulate your creativity. Your happiness depends on the choices you make, not on appeasing others.

ARCHIE

This one followed the script, even if it wasn't a flawless performance by Australia.

With back-to-back centuries, Alyssa Healy led Australia to a 10-wicket victory against Bangladesh in Visakhapatnam, some 24 hours after the Colombo weather intervened to ensure there would be no twist featuring Pakistan and England in what has been a predictable World Cup results-wise so far.

An unbroken partnership worth 202 with Phoebe Litchfield, who was unbeaten with 84, kept defending champions Australia unbeaten during this edition and moved them ahead of England at the top of the points table, guaranteeing a place in the semi-finals.

Alana King was pivotal in restricting Bangladesh to 198 for 9 with an impressive 2 for 18 from her 10 overs, which included four maidens. Fellow legspinner Georgia Wareham finished with 2 for 22 from seven.

Meanwhile, Australia coughed up a rare six dropped catches, missed an appeal for another, and leaked 28 runs from the last three overs of the Bangladesh innings, most of them to Sobhana

ICC Women's World Cup

Mostary, who posted a spirited 66 not out.

But with only Rubya Haider joining Mostary in passing 19 among the Bangladesh batting line-up, their total looked too lean.

So it proved as Healy followed her 142 against India at the same venue with 113 off just 77 balls to lead her side to the highest successful run chase without losing a wicket at a Women's World Cup and the second highest in women's One-Day Internationals (ODIs).

She finished with a flourish, striking three consecutive fours through the offside off Ritu Moni and Litchfield ended their pursuit with 25.1 overs to spare via backto-back boundaries in the next over off Fariha Trisna.

That said, Trisna, playing her first match of the tournament while fellow seamer Marufa Akter was rested, opened with a maiden and Nishita Akter Nishi, brought in for injured spinner Nahida Akter, conceded just three off her first over as Healy and Litchfield settled into a rhythm.

But from there, Australia's top-order duo pressed the pedal, racing to 78 without loss at the end of the first power play,

Healy managing to slash one through Fahima Khatun's hands at midwicket and edging just shy of her off stump for back-to-back fours in the 10th over.

Litchfield was particularly proactive early, advancing down the pitch and manipulating her crease en route to a 46-ball fifty shortly after Healy raised her half-century off 43.

Nigar Sultana, the Bangladesh Captain and regular wicketkeeper gave the gloves to Rubya and directed traffic from the outfield, but Ritu looked aghast when Rubya fumbled a stumping chance off her bowling when Litchfield was on 46. Healy received her own slice of luck when her top-edged sweep off Shorna Akter was put down at short fine leg.

King and Wareham had kept Bangladesh in check despite Mostary's efforts as she scored the second half-century of her ODI career – and second at this World Cup –to help Bangladesh to their highest ODI total against Australia.

Rubya added a valuable 44 runs amid an uncharacteristic rash of missed opportunities by Australia. She was twice dropped on

22, Litchfield failing to hold a tough chance at slip off Megan Schutt and Healy spilling one behind the stumps off Darcie Brown. She moved to 44 off 59 balls before picking out Tahlia McGrath at mid-on to give Ash Gardner her first wicket.

King took two wickets for just one run in the space of 23 balls through the middle overs. She extended Nigar's lean run with one that enticed her out of her crease and then turned away as Healy whipped off the bails in time, and then drew Shorna into an edge which went low to Beth Mooney at slip.

Wareham tightened Australia's grip with her first five overs yielding just six runs and the wickets of Ritu and Rabeya Khan to make it 162 for 8. Interspersed with those dismissals, Annabel Sutherland removed Fahima and Nishita, the latter after overturning an lbw decision, and she now sits at the top of the leading wicket-takers' list outright for the tournament with 12.

Mostary could have been gone on 32 when she flicked at a short ball down the leg side from Brown that was signalled wide to a muted

Australian appeal with replays showing it had come off her glove before Healy gathered.

Mostary launched a campaign for late runs, steering a Gardner delivery through deep third for four to bring up her fifty. Gardner saw Mostary put down twice off consecutive balls when Sutherland could not hold

Bangladesh Women Innings 198-9 (50 Ov)

Fargana Hoque c Mooney b Schutt 8

Rubya Haider (wk) c McGrath b Gardner 44

Sharmin Akhter c Sutherland b Gardner 19

Nigar Sultana (c) st Healy b King 12

Sobhana Mostary not out 66

Shorna Akter c Mooney b King 7

Ritu Moni c McGrath b Wareham 2

Fahima Khatun c Mooney b Sutherland 4

Rabeya Khan c Gardner b Wareham 6

Nishita Akter Nishi lbw b Sutherland 1

Fariha Trisna not out 1

Extras (b 4, lb 2, w 22) 28

Total (9 wkts, 50 Ov) 198

Fall of Wickets: 32-1 (Fargana Hoque, 8.6), 73-2 (Rubya Haider, 17.5), 84-3 (Sharmin Akhter, 21.5), 104-4 (Nigar Sultana, 26.6), 127-5 (Shorna Akter, 34.3), 131-6 (Ritu Moni, 36.6), 153-7 (Fahima Khatun, 41.4),

with figures of 10-4-18-2

what would have been an excellent catch running to wide long-on and Wareham parried one to the boundary rope from deep midwicket. But Australia's efforts with the ball and the bat papered over some cracks they will certainly be aiming to fill permanently ahead of next Wednesday's clash with England.

162-8 (Rabeya Khan, 44.2), 1659 (Nishita Akter Nishi, 45.5)

Bowling: Megan Schutt 5-111-1; Darcie Brown 9-0-520; Ashleigh Gardner 9-048-2; Annabel Sutherland 10-1-41-2; Alana King 10-4-182; Georgia Wareham 7-1-22-2;

Australia Women Innings 202-0 (24.5 Ov) Alyssa Healy (c & wk) not out 113 Phoebe Litchfield not out 84 Extras: (b 0, lb 0, w 5, nb 0, p 0) 5 Total (no wkts, 24.5 Ov) 202 Did not Bat: Ellyse Perry, Beth Mooney, Annabel Sutherland, Ashleigh Gardner, Tahlia McGrath, Georgia Wareham, Alana King, Megan Schutt and Darcie Brown. Bowling: Fariha Trisna 5.5-1-470; Nishita Akter Nishi 4-0-24-0; Rabeya Khan 4-0-34-0; Ritu Moni 7-0-54-0; Fahima Khatun 2-024-0; Shorna Akter 2-0-19-0.

Australia book their spot in the semi-final

Healy and Litchfield put on an unbroken 202-run stand

Alyssa Healy celebrates her century Alana King finished

With all systems in place for the kickoff of the sixth Petra-organised Secondary Schools Football League on Sunday, the coordinating body, alongside this year’s title sponsor Republic Bank, conducted its customary ball distribution exercise on Thursday.

The complement of balls was distributed to all of the eight participating teams, to ensure that the schools have adequate supplies to prepare for the competition.

During a simple event at Republic Bank’s New Market Street head office on Thursday, Petra Organisation’s Co-Director Troy Mendonca shared why the upcoming competition was one of their favourites.

“I’ve said before, the importance of a league in a football setup, how important it is. You’re not just playing two or three matches and then you get knock out and you gone home, but

you have an opportunity to play each other team in the tournament,” Mendonca divulged.

He added, “So, from a development standpoint, this is one of our favourite tournaments.”

Meanwhile, Republic Bank Internal Audit Manager Oral Rose not only shared the company’s elation at the investment it made, but also had encouraging words for the players present.

Rose stated, “This league forms part of our social investment Power To Make A Difference programme and it helps us to invest in our young people across the country and we’re happy to invest in our communities, imparting our sponsorship on this event.”

He went on, “And, as you embark on this tournament, which starts on Sunday, I want you to play with passion, I want you to

play with zeal and respect each other as you have very good competition. And remember to have fun while doing it.”

Abram Zuil Secondary (Region Two); Bush Lot Secondary (Region Five); President’s College (Region Four); defending champions Chase’s Academic Foundation (Region Four); Charlestown Secondary (Region Four); West Ruimveldt Secondary (Region Four); Dolphin Secondary (Region Four) and Three Miles Secondary (Region Seven) are the schools that will be competing in the Republic Bank League.

The teams will be competing for a $300,000 grand prize to be given in kind while second, third and fourth place will cash in on $200,000, $100,000 and $50,000 respectively. Two spots in the KFC Goodwill International tournament, scheduled for later this year, are also on the line.

Cricket West Indies (CWI) on Thursday confirmed a seven-match Youth One-Day International (ODI) series between the West Indies Men’s Under-19 team and England Under-19s, scheduled from November 16 to December 1, 2025 at the Grenada National Stadium in St George’s.

The series forms a crucial part of the squad’s build-up to the International Cricket Council (ICC) Men’s Under-19 World Cup in January 2026, following their hard-fought 4-3 series win over Sri Lanka in Antigua in August-September.

All fixtures will be played at the Grenada National Stadium after the series was relocated from St Vincent.

CWI made the request to the National Sports Council of St Vincent and the Grenadines in March 2025; however, recent correspondence from the council in-

dicated the grounds were unavailable owing to international scheduling.

Both teams arrive in Grenada on November 8, with three days of training scheduled at the venue. A warm-up match between England Under-19s and a Grenada Under-25 Select XI will take place on November 12 ahead of the opening ODI.

CWI Director of Cricket, Miles Bascombe welcomed the visiting English contingent, stating: “This series against England forms an important part of our strategic plan to refine the squad through consistent, high-quality competition. The group has already gained valuable experience and confidence from the recent seven-match series win against Sri Lanka, and this next assignment provides another crucial opportunity for growth.

“England always fields a strong and

Flying Stars Cycling Trifecta 4th Memorial Races start

Saturday

…pedal off with Aubrey Gordon race in Mahaicony

This year’s fourth edition of the Flying Stars Cycle Club’s Memorial event will be a trifecta affair, and Club President Victor Rutherford, a resident of Florida, United States of America, is here in Guyana for the annual spectacle as usual.

Speaking about the event, Rutherford, a former national cycling champion himself, informed Guyana Times Sport that the first event was scheduled for Saturday, October 18 in Mahaicony, while the second was in the mining town of Linden and the third was in the capital city of Georgetown.

He indicated, “We will be having criterium races where all the top cyclists will be involved and also some international cyclists from the Caribbean and from North America.”

The opener on Saturday at Mahaicony starts at 07:30h, outside the Mahaicony Circuit by the ball field and would go around for five laps, with the country’s top cyclists in action.

According to the Flying Stars top official, they will be catering for male and female cyclists and youngsters.

The event will then move to the mining town of Linden next Monday, where, he noted, “Linden we know was the mecca of cycling. It’s Monday, Diwali Day the holiday, at the Amelia’s Ward Circuit starting at 10:00 outside Bernard’s Variety Store, and with races for all categories, including women and kids.”

Variety Store, Maggie’s, DaSilva’s Optical, Sarah Parris, Singh’s family, Dr Rhonda Archer, Louis London Jr, Michael Rogers, Avery Trim, Wayne Henry, Michelle Binning, Oscar Sandiford, and the Rutherford family.”

The trifecta event at Mahaicony will honour Aubrey Gordon, while at Linden those to be remembered for their role in promoting the sport include the late Haslyn Parris, “Chex Doc” Anderson, George “Speedy” Binning, and Michael “Brother Mike” Sampson.

The final criterium race next Saturday in Georgetown will be in honour of the late Rudolph “Duckie” Singh, Charles Chichester Sr, Donald Robinson, and Barry Massay Sr.

well-prepared Under-19 team, and we expect another highly-competitive contest in Grenada. These matches are vital in ensuring our players continue to develop their skills, temperament, and match awareness, so that by the time the World Cup arrives, they will have significant exposure to the intensity and demands of international youth cricket.”

All matches start at 09:00h and are scheduled to end by 17:00h.

Rutherford continued, “Following that the action switches to Georgetown next Saturday, starting outside the Guyana Defence Force at 14:00 in the afternoon. Once more the local cyclists will face the challenge of international cyclists.”

Prizes at stake throughout the trifecta include trophies and cash incentives.

Rutherford shared, “We are grateful to those sponsors, including the Office of the Prime Minister, the National Sports Commission, Republic Bank, ANSA McAL Trading, Linden Electricity Inc, Lorraine Darnley, Bernard’s

Flying Stars Cycle Club President Victor Rutherford

Republic Bank Internal Audit Manager Oral Rose

Queensway Senior Inter-County Super50…

Essequibo registered their first win in the Queensway Security Service National Super50 tournament with a dominant 118-run victory over Berbice at the Lusignan Community Centre Ground on Wednesday, October 16, 2025. Winning the toss and opting to field first, Berbice failed to contain a resilient Essequibo batting line-up.

Openers Kevon Boodie and Kanhaiya Ramkarran provided a solid platform with a 46-run opening stand be-

fore Veerasammy Permaul trapped Ramkarran leg before for 13.

Kevin Sinclair then struck twice in quick succession, removing Kemol Savory (4) and Ricardo Adams (19) to put Essequibo under pressure at 86 for 3. However, Boodie and Keemo Paul turned the tide with a crucial 73-run partnership. Paul played the aggressor, striking two fours and two sixes in his lively 37 from 35 balls before being dismissed by Omesh Mathura.

Boodie went on to anchor

the innings with a composed 74 off 111 deliveries, featuring eight fours and two sixes, while Quentin Sampson made a strong return to form after a first-ball duck in the previous match. Sampson capitalised on a few dropped chances to hammer 55 from 44 balls, including four sixes and two fours.

Late cameos from Anthony Adams (21) and Thaddeus Lovell (31 off 15 balls) lifted Essequibo to an imposing total of 288 for 9 in their allotted 50 overs. Mathura finished as Berbice’s best bowler with 3 for 51, while Sinclair and Zeynul Ramsammy took two wickets each.

In reply, Berbice’s chase

faltered early when Ronsford Beaton bowled Leon Andrews for five. Garfield Benjamin (33) and Rampertab Ramnauth (11) tried to steady the innings, but wickets continued to tumble at regular intervals.

Sinclair looked dangerous with the bat, striking two sixes in succession before being brilliantly caught by Paul for 27. Golcharran Chulai then tore through the middle order, claiming 4 for 48, while Anthony Adams supported well with 3 for 48 as Berbice slumped to 139 for 8 by the 32nd over.

Despite a valiant half-century from Tomanni Caesar (57 off 52 balls – 3 fours, 3 sixes), the lower order offered little

resistance. Berbice were eventually bowled out for 170 in 39.5 overs, handing Essequibo a comfortable 118-run victory.

The win marks Essequibo’s first of the tournament, and

Women’s Division One League… Police go top with victory over Mainstay …Santos

Now around the tournament’s halfway stage, the intensity is brimming in the Guyana Football Federation’s Women’s Division One League.

The race for the top spot is on and though they were made to fight tooth and nail for it, the Guyana Police Force’s Women now occu py the coveted position, fol lowing a 3-0 victory against Mainstay Goldstar FC on Wednesday night.

Mainstay stunned their opponents, holding them nil-all at half time after shutting down all of their advances. However, a few changes by Head Coach Vurlon Mills for Police at the half, brought fa vour almost immedi ately when Alleia Alleyne found the back of the net in the 36th minute.

One minute later, Shanic Thornhill was able to slip one past the keeper for Police’s second. In con trast to all of their high-scor ing victories thus far in the competition, Police were only able to produce one more goal when teenaged Lezandra Henrito sent a rebound shot back into the right corner of the goal for their third in the 57th minute.

Also on Wednesday

night, Santos FC, after being at a one-goal deficit, flipped the script to defeat Den Amstel FC 5-1. Afeena

grab 3rd win

then Gabriel Rivera’s long shot from outside the box pierced the net in the 54th minute.

Thirteen-year-old Kelly Ann Ellis had earlier broken the ice in the encounter, registering Den Amstel’s consolation in the 18th minute.

The Guyana Police Force are now at the top of the Women’s Division One League points table with 18 points from six wins in as many games while the Guyana Defence Force have 15 points from five wins in as many games. In third place are Santos FC with nine points from three wins and two losses. Both Fruta Conquerors FC (two wins, one draw, two losses) and River’s View FC (two wins, one draw, one loss) have seven points, but the Tucville-based outfit sit higher at fourth on account of goal difference.

The Guyana Defence Force (GDF) FC will have the opportunity to unseat Police’s Women and reassume the top spot when they go into action today, Friday, October 17, taking on Monedderlust FC from 18:30h. Then at 19:30h, Western Tigers will battle River’s View FC; both matches at the GFF’s National Training Centre (NTC) at Providence.

LGC Secretary Bowling proud of podium finish as focus shifts to Guyana Open

Lusignan Golf Club (LGC) Secretary Chet Bowling says standing on the podium at the recently-concluded DSB Suriname Invitational 2025 is both a personal and national achievement, marking another proud moment for Guyana’s golfers on the international stage.

Reflecting on his performance, Bowling said his podium finish represented years of dedication and steady growth, not just for himself but for the Lusignan Golf Club community as a whole.

“It’s an achievement for me to stand on the podium at an international event; it says a lot about the level of golfing at the Lusignan Golf Club,” Bowling said. “Our members are dedicated, supportive, and encourage

each other. On a personal level, I’m excited, grateful, and thankful. On a club level, I’m proud of how we performed and how we represented Guyana.” He noted that LGC’s strong presence at the Invitational highlighted the club’s commitment to raising the standard of golf in Guyana. “We really dominated the prize-giving ceremony,” Bowling added. “It proves that Lusignan has some of the top players in the region, and the golf being played at our club is truly at an international level.”

Bowling emphasised that the success was not just about skill but about teamwork, unity, and shared motivation among the members. “The support and encouragement within the club drive us to do

better. That’s what makes Lusignan special, it’s not just a club; it’s a family.”

Looking ahead, Bowling believes the momentum from the Suriname Invitational sets the perfect tone for the Brava Guyana Open, scheduled for November 1-2, 2025, at the Lusignan Golf Club.

“The competition will be stiff,” he noted. “Many players used the Suriname Invitational as preparation for the Guyana Open, so I expect this year’s event to be very competitive and exciting.”

Bowling also extended an invitation to the Surinamese golfers, saying he hopes they will return to Guyana to continue the friendly rivalry. “After our performance, I’m sure they’ll want to come back and try to get revenge.”

Team Guyana will be ready for the Guyana Open slated for November 1 and 2

Afeena Baptiste (on ball) netted a hat-trick for Santos FC

they will now look to continue their momentum when they face the winless Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) Select XI on October 18 at the same venue.

Golcharran Chulai receives the Player-of-the-Match accolade from Chairman of the Competitions Committee, Shaun Massiah

Quentin Sampson during his innings of 55

More scenes from the Senior Inter-County clash on Thursday

Mainstay Goldstar (black) fought hard