AmCham Guyana elects 1st female President
The American Chamber of Commerce of Guyana (AmCham Guyana) at its Annual General Meeting, held December 5, elected Iman Khan-Cummings as the Chamber’s first female President. According to AmCham Guyana’s statement, her election signals a renewed chapter in its mission to advance strong, mutually beneficial commercial ties between the United States (US) and Guyana.
In her acceptance remarks, Khan-Cummings reaffirmed her commitment to strengthening bilateral economic cooperation, pledging to “continue deepening the commercial relationship between Guyana and the US” She emphasised her focus on “building bridges, expanding opportunity and
promoting shared prosperity for businesses across both countries.”
In its statement, the Chamber noted that Executive Director Richard Leo presented an overview of its achievements over the past year and its pivotal role in fostering bilateral trade. Highlights included the Chamber’s first outbound trade mission to the Caribbean Business Conference, which opened new commercial opportunities for Guyanese and American firms, and the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the US Foreign Commercial Service on June 30, enhancing collaboration in business matchmaking, market intelligence and trade support. Outgoing President Devindra Kissoon was recognised for his exemplary leadership, under which the Chamber strengthened its financial position and expanded its membership. Tandi Rampersaud was also acknowledged for her dedicated contributions to deepening US–Guyanese economic engagement. US Ambassador, Nicole Theriot, expressed appreciation for Kissoon’s stewardship and affirmed the Embassy’s support for Khan-Cummings’ leadership, noting her confidence in continued commercial growth and strengthened bilateral relations.
Board of Directors elected for 2025-2027
AmCham Guyana announced the election of Board members, representing a diverse cross-section of American and Guyanese business entities. Executive Positions: Iman Khan-Cummings, President – Corum Restaurant Group Inc.; Shyam Nokta, First Vice President – Environmental Management Consultants Inc.; Devindra Kissoon, Second Vice President/ Secretary – London House Chambers; Eduardo Reple, Third Vice President –Guyana Marriott Hotel; and Fitzroy McLeod, Treasurer – National Milling Company of Guyana Inc.
Directors: Eshwar Thakurdin – One Communications; Alan Pitts – HESS Guyana Exploration Ltd. Guyana Tourism Packages; German Consuegra – Machinery Corporation of Guyana Inc.; Melissa Varswyk –Georgetown American University; Narvan Singh – Baker Hughes Guyana Inc; Navindra Thakur –Massy Distribution Guyana Inc.; John Colling – Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Ltd; Rosh Khan – ACE Consulting Group; Vahman Juraia – Halliburton Guyana Inc; Rafael Nabi – Nabi Construction; Valeri Khan –Queens Atlantic Investment Inc; Sarah Shaffie –InVentive Capital Logistics;
Ayanna Watson – SOL Guyana Inc; and Martin Cheong – SBM Offshore.
About AmCham Guyana
According to its website, AmCham Guyana is a voluntary, non-profit, membership organisation committed to promoting and enhancing commercial relations between the US and Guyana. The chamber’s focus includes representing the collective opinions of the members, providing a network and support structure for US enterprises doing business in Guyana and creating new opportunities to help build mutually beneficial business relations between Guyanese and American companies. On January 23, 2018,
Zulfikar Ally, Clairmont Cummings and Iman Khan met with Devindra Kissoon in his law office at London House Chambers to initiate the legal framework for the formation of AmCham Guyana. The establishment of the chamber was enthusiastically embraced by the then US Ambassador, Perry Holloway and by the local private sector community. The group approached representatives of 17 prominent companies from both American and local origins, and on June 1, 2018 an interim board comprising of the initial members was installed to guide the new chamber through its first year and towards its accreditation process.
AmCham President Iman KhanCummings
AmCham Board of Directors for 2025-2027
BRIDGE OPENING
The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Monday, December 8 –06:55h–08:25h and Tuesday, December 9 – 07:50h–09:20h.
FERRY SCHEDULE
Parika and Supenaam departure times – 05:00h, 10:00h-12:00h, 16:00h, 18:30h daily.
WEATHER TODAY
Thundery showers are expected throughout the day and into the night. Temperatures are expected to range between 22 degrees Celsius and 29 degrees Celsius.
Winds: Easterly to East North-Easterly between 3.13 metres and 4.92 metres.
High Tide: 06:44h and 18:56h reaching maximum heights of 2.44 metres and 2.55 metres.
Low Tide: 12:28h reaching a minimum height of 0.81 metre.
Region 1 District Hospital commissions $60M Digital X-Ray System
iagnostic services in Region One (BarimaWaini) have been significantly enhanced with the commissioning of a stateof-the-art $60 million GE digital X-ray system at the Kumaka District Hospital. During the commissioning ceremony on Sunday, Health Minister Dr Frank Anthony underscored the Government’s commitment to modernising healthcare infrastructure and ensuring equitable access to world-class medical services across Guyana. He highlighted that the installation of the digital X-ray machine marks a major leap forward from the outdated analogue, film-based systems that had been in use for decades.
gion for X-rays. The images produced will be of the highest quality,” he stated. As part of additional upgrades,
bility ensures that doctors here can access specialist support whenever needed. It significantly improves diag-
“For many years, we struggled with old X-ray equipment, some as old as 25 to 30 years, which relied on films and darkroom processing. We therefore made a deliberate decision to phase out all analogue X-ray units and standardise modern digital systems across the country,” Anthony said. To support this national upgrade, the Ministry has adopted three internationally recognised imaging brands, Siemens, Philips and General Electric (GE), as the national standard for digital radiography, citing their reliability and exemplary imaging quality.
The new GE digital X-ray system installed at Kumaka is considered among the best in the country. Substantial infrastructural and electrical works were completed to facilitate the new unit. “These systems are extremely sensitive and require stable power. We installed specialised electrical wiring, voltage stabilisers, backup power systems and a modern generator, ensuring that the X-ray service remains operational even during power outages,” the Minister explained. He further noted that staff are undergoing training to ensure efficient use and management of the advanced equipment.
“We are training the team here to fully operate and manage the system. Once the unit is fully operational, patients will no longer need to leave the sub-re-
the Ministry will soon install a Picture Archiving and Communication System (PACS). This system will allow digital images to be transmitted to specialist radiologists in Georgetown for expert interpretation, often within minutes. “This capa-
nostic accuracy and patient care,” the Minister added. AI system pilot Dr Anthony also revealed that the Ministry is currently piloting an Artificial Intelligence (AI) system for automated X-ray interpretation at the Enmore Regional
Hospital. “There are AI systems today that can interpret X-rays with up to 99 per cent accuracy. If our pilot proves successful, we intend to expand this technology to other hospitals, including Kumaka, allowing AI to assist in reading X-rays and other imaging studies,” he noted. He went on to reaffirm that these investments form part of the Government’s wider modernisation agenda aimed at strengthening regional health services and ensuring that all Guyanese, regardless of location, have access to timely, high-quality diagnostic care.
Strengthening Region 1 healthcare Meanwhile, Regional Vice Chairman Paul Pierre also commended the Ministry of Health for their continued investments in strengthening healthcare delivery across Region One. He emphasised that the commissioning of the digital X-ray system at Kumaka District Hospital reflects a broader commitment to improving health services even in the most remote communities.
Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony delivering remarks at the commissioning of the digital x-ray system at the Kumaka District Hospital
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Dangers of ultraprocessed foods
Chronic non-communicable diseases (CNCDs) such as hypertension, diabetes and heart diseases have long been among the leading causes of death in Guyana, and that trend has shown an uptick. However, with funds available at long last from our oil revenues, as the Government has unfurled and started to implement plans to modernise the local health sector, it has taken aim against these diseases to improve our quality in general and increase our local life expectancy in particular. However, the same increase in our overall income levels from oil revenues that have made this possible has paradoxically produced a situation that facilitates the cause of CNCDs.
For most Guyanese, higher incomes mean an opportunity to emulate the lifestyles of the developed countries, especially the US and the UK. And a paper just published in the Lancet medical journal, 43 scientists and researchers joined forces to review studies from across the world to confirm that ultra-processed foods (UPFs) are a leading cause of the "chronic disease pandemic". These UPFs are industrially manufactured products that contain little or no whole foods and are made mostly from refined ingredients and additives.
They are typically formulated to be hyper-palatable, convenient, and shelf-stable and usually contain refined starches, sugars, oils, protein isolates, artificial flavours, colours, sweeteners, emulsifiers, stabilisers and preservatives. As one researcher pointed out, "We took the fat out first, then we took the sugar out. We replaced the sugar with the sweeteners, the fats with gums. These products have been extensively reformulated and we have seen obesity, particularly obesity in childhood, and other rates of dietrelated disease persistently go up in line with reformulation.”
Even a cursory gaze at any of the crowds inhabiting our malls, would reveal the increase in obesity. A tip-off on UPFs is an extensive list of ingredients indicated on the label. Examples include ice cream, processed meats, crisps, mass-produced bread, some breakfast cereals, biscuits, many ready meals, and fizzy drinks.
The study also shows that in the developed countries, UPFs are "displacing" fresh foods and meals and worsening diet quality. The dietary share of UPFs is 50% in the US and the UK but remains below 25% in countries such as Italy, Cyprus, Greece, Portugal and across Asia. While they did not have data that could be included in the study, from anecdotal evidence it seems our share of UPFs at this time should be comparable to that of Asia. But based on the exponential growth of supermarkets that consciously imitate and replicate the food choices of the US and the UK, it is clear that the trajectory is a steep and dangerous incline.
The global team putting out the study noted that, although some countries have brought in rules to reformulate foods and control UPFs, "the global public health response is still nascent, akin to where the tobacco control movement was decades ago". In Guyana, the Ministry of Health should take a lead role in both sensitising the public to the CNCD risks associated with UPFs. The Government’s efforts to promote a greater consumption of local foods should explicitly link it to avoidance of UPFs that are all foreign-sourced presently.
As far as persuading the manufacturers of UPFs to desist, the study emphasises that the profit motive overcomes all restraint. It said, "The key driver of the global rise in UPFs is the growing economic and political power of the UPF industry, and its restructuring of food systems for profitability above all else. The industry comprises UPF manufacturers at its core, but also a broader network of co-dependent actors who collectively drive the production, marketing and consumption of UPFs. And remember that built into the definition of ultra-processed food is its purpose. Its purpose is for profit. And so, as long as you're reformulating, if your purpose is still profit, you're unlikely to cause positive health outcomes."
The experts argue that the "continuing rise of UPFs in human diets is not inevitable" and, while research into their effects continues, this should not delay policies aimed at promoting diets based on whole foods. Government policies can mirror the strategy used against tobacco smoking.
Military service is just what our lazy, selfish youth need
B y W illiam S it W ell
It’s a constant, historical irritant when our friends across the Channel do things that we ought to.
I’m principally thinking of chopping off the heads of revolutionaries and having Gallic chefs in the kitchen. But this week, the French once again made us look like the poor relation with their reintroduction of military service.
More than a quarter of a century after conscription was phased out, young men and women will be able to step forwards for 10 months of paid military training. Announcing the scheme at an infantry base near Grenoble, President Emmanuel Macron said France needed “to mobilise” amid growing fears over the threat posed by Russia. “The only way to avoid danger is to prepare for it,” he said.
The youth of France are not quite quivering at the prospect, because it is a voluntary service. But while numbers will be restricted to 3000 in the first year, by 2035 they are expected to rise to 50,000. And in the same way that you can be sure a mid-course of cheese will lead to a nimble
and tasty dessert, a tart tatin or a crème brûlée, you can be sure that, in the face of growing aggression from Moscow, this scheme will slide from voluntary to compulsory.
Many countries across the Continent already make service mandatory, from Latvia and Lithuania to Finland and Greece. Such schemes primarily serve to ready a nation for possible conflict. But it is widely understood that they deliver much wider benefits too, including boons to physical and mental health.
A study from Finland showed improvements in the waist circumferences and cardiorespiratory fitness of young conscripts who had been unfit upon entering the ranks. But the civic responsibility instilled in young soldiers can also make them more socially aware, and more outward-looking and confers the holistic satisfaction that is derived from engaging in duty.
Just a year, as Greece requires, can instil a level of discipline and order in individuals that shapes the rest of their lives.
As a Cypriot-born neighbour and friend of mine, George Panayiotides,
whose nation of birth now mandates 14 months of service, says: “You come out of military service with a different and better mindset, your discipline as a person changes and you learn to respect the rest of society. There are also more opportunities in life presented because you emerge as a more mature person.”
Macron will surely have all of this in mind, and be hoping that the new bout of military service will reflect the spirit of the original 1798 decree that formulated conscription. The Jourdan-Delbrel Law, formulated by the French General Jean-Baptiste Jourdan, posited that “every Frenchman is a soldier and is bound to the defence of the homeland”.
But how might Britain’s leaders react to our neighbours’ efforts to unify young people, to give them purpose and shore up their nation’s defences?
Well, this week in her Budget, Chancellor Rachel Reeves signalled her approach to the issue of motivating the listless, the unemployed and the welfare-dependent. She scrapped the two-child benefit cap. In the words of Kemi Badenoch: “Labour are hiking taxes on people
who work, to fund bigger handouts to those on benefits.”
Meanwhile, the courts fill up with what an Old Bailey Judge (a friend of mine) describes as “children” on trial for murder – the tragic, time-consuming upshot of gang violence. One benefit of David Lammy’s plan to scrap jury trials is that it will fast-track a few of these habitués of British courtrooms to Wormwood Scrubs.
Perhaps he might also propose powers for teachers to be able to instil discipline without fear of sacking or worse. And empower the Police to dish out clips round the ears when warranted.
But, above all, I hope he looks across the Channel and then considers military service for our own fractious, duty-averse, lazy, selfish, social media-obsessed, inward-looking, self-identifying-as-jackfruit youth.
(The Telegraph)
William Sitwell is The Telegraph’s Restaurant Critic as well as a writer and broadcaster for radio and television. He has written four books including The Restaurant: A History Of Eating Out.
The IAC Building was the first office project designed by now late renowned Canadian-American architect Frank Gehry at 555 West 18th Street, Chelsea, Manhattan, New York City, and serves as world headquarters for IAC (InterActive Corp). Its entire facade is covered in glass, and the building is built to resemble a tall ship in full sails. Gehry, considered the most recognisable American architect since Frank Lloyd Wright, died on Friday at his home in Los Angeles following a brief respiratory illness. He was 96
New Bell helicopters to enhance GDF security capabilities, strengthen operations – Pres Ali
The Guyana Defence Force (GDF) has officially welcomed two new additions to its fleet — a Bell 407 and Bell 429 helicopter, which are expected to significantly bolster the army’s operational capabilities. This is according to Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, President Dr Irfaan Ali. “These helicopters will significantly enhance the GDF’s national security capabilities, improve emergency response and strengthen rapid-deployment operations across the country”, the Head of State said in a social media post on Sunday. The two helicopters arrived in Guyana on Saturday and will now undergo full certification before being deployed on official duties. The GDF said the acquisition of both helicopters, which were manufactured in the United States (US) are part of its recapitalisation
plan. Based on recent reports, the two newly-acquired choppers left the US on November 21 and made several stops before finally arriving on local shores over the weekend.
Back in October 2024, the Guyana Government had signed a US$16 million contract with US-based Bell Textron Inc. for the supply of two advanced rotary wing aircraft. “This agreement is not merely us pursuing our defence objective to enhance our rotor-wing capability. In the main, it represents the Government’s consistent approach to recapitalising the Force through strategic acquisition and infrastructure development”, Chief of Staff, Brigadier Omar Khan, had stated at the signing. Notably, Brigadier Khan outlined that the GDF has been operating the Bell brand since the 1980s with the initial purchase of five aircraft
Statements
during that period. A further two similar brands were purchased in 2007 and an additional two were acquired in 2021 and 2023. While the Force only has one Bell product in service to date, the Army Head posited that the acquisition of two more comparable products will better position the Force to enhance the conduct of missions in remote areas of our country. Also at the contract signing was Finance Minister Dr Ashni Singh, who had noted that this transaction represents yet another instalment in the Government’s very significant investments in the capitalisation and recapitalisation of the GDF. In fact, it was noted that the several billions of dollars in investments are targeted towards improving all aspects of the Force’s operations (Air Corps, Marine, Infantry, etc) as well as supporting surveil-
lance of Guyana’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and joint service operations.
Dr Singh also used the opportunity to thank Bell Textron’s team for the support they have given to Guyana thus far and reiterated that the Government looks forward to seeing more USA companies investing in Guyana and doing business in Guyana and with Guyanese companies. The new rotary wing aircrafts will empower the GDF to effectively conduct a range of missions, including search and rescue, disaster relief and border security operations. Equipped with the most recent modern technology, these helicopters demonstrate the proactive steps the Government of Guyana is taking to strengthen its defence capabilities and ensure that Guyana remains
prepared to address emerging challenges.
As part of the contract, Bell Textron Inc will be providing comprehensive training and maintenance support for these two aircraft thus ensuring that the GDF can maximise the benefits of this investment for years to come. In addition to company support for the two helicopters under contract, the US Embassy in Georgetown, in coordination with US Southern Command, approved funding for a US Air Force team to provide operations, logistics and maintenance training to the GDF Air Corps to strengthen their ability to sustain the air fleet. US Ambassador to Guyana, Nicole Theriot, who had also witnessed the contract sign-
ing, had said that the partnership represented more than just a commercial transaction.
“It speaks directly to the core values and priorities that define the relationship between the United States and Guyana, and it underscores our mutual commitment to safety and security. These Bell helicopters enhance Guyana’s capabilities in disaster response, search and rescue and overall public safety – it is an investment in protecting the lives of the Guyanese people. Coupled with training and maintenance, these aircrafts will bolster Guyana’s ability to respond to emergencies swiftly and effectively,” she had noted.
by the WIN Party on the Amerindian Hostel are not founded on fact
Dear Editor,
The recent statements made by the WIN Party in respect of the Amerindian Hostel in Georgetown contain inaccuracies and need clarification supported by verifiable information. I am writing to outline the factual status of the facility for public record, as an Amerindian Member of Parliament who engages both the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs and the operations of the Hostel.
The Amerindian Hostel serves as a support facility for patients and travellers from hinterland regions accessing services in Georgetown. The conditions described by the WIN Party simply do not reflect the current operating conditions of the facility. Today, the Hostel boasts strengthened administrative systems, set guidelines, and enhanced comfort and security features. These were
achieved under the PPP/C Government following years of deterioration under the previous APNU/AFC administration, in which senior members of the WIN Party served. Enhancements undertaken include expanded accommodation capacity, improved sanitation infrastructure, upgraded kitchen services, increased security presence, and strengthened management oversight. These measures are aimed at ensuring safety, order, and at least a minimum acceptable standard of welfare for the Indigenous people depending on the facility. Assertions by the WIN Party do not align with these documented developments.
In addition, the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs has also submitted a proposal to construct and equip a new, modern Amerindian Hostel in 2026 that will increase the
capacity and enhance service delivery to hinterland residents. The planned facility aligns with the PPP/C Administration’s long-term policy direction on Indigenous development.
The WIN Party’s commentary does not take into account the wider investments being rolled out across the hinterland health sector. Upgrades of hospitals, health centres, maternity units, and telemedicine services throughout hinterland regions are being executed by the PPP/C Government. These investments fortify regional health systems and reduce the number of patients that will need to be referred to Georgetown, thereby lessening dependence on the Hostel’s capacity.
Statements by the WIN Party are not founded on fact. They do not refer to the enhancements that are taking place and the further devel-
opments that are planned. The engagements with patients and staff at the Hostel suggest that the operating environment is better under the oversight of the PPP/C Government.
The factual position remains as follows: the Amerindian Hostel currently operates an upgraded system; a proposed new facility is to be constructed; and hinterland health services have been undergoing continuous modernisation. Those improvements are not changed by politicised commentary.
The PPP/C Government will continue to implement policies and programmes in support of the Indigenous communities and ensuring consistent improvement in service delivery.
Yours sincerely,
Alister S Charlie, MBA, MP
Cartoons
Stop Suffering
S5 E13
of Cards S2 E12
Book II: Ghost S4 E9
MONDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2025
The Guyana Defence Force received two new Bell helicopters to bolster operations
The GDF’s newly-acquired Bell 407 and Bell 429 helicopters
Page Foundation
Polygons
A polygon can have any number of sides greater than two. The number of sides equal the number of angles. Many polygons are named for the number of sides.
Penta = 5, hexa = 6,
10
= 7, octa = 8,
Exercises: Identify the polygons
These fun ornaments are easy to create with coloured craft sticks. Add your own personal flair using colouring pens to bring each decoration to life.
What you'll need Coloured popsicle/craft sticks
Pens Super glue
Tip: If you can only find plain brown popsicle/craft sticks, colour them with markers or paint them a variety of colours
How to make
Step 1: Print the template (see below) onto cardboard and cut out the circles.
Step 2: Colour in the pictures using colouring pens or pencils.
By Thomas hardy
Christmas Eve, and twelve of the clock. “Now they are all on their knees,” An elder said as we sat in a flock By the embers in hearthside ease.
We pictured the meek mild creatures where They dwelt in their strawy pen, Nor did it occur to one of us there To doubt they were kneeling then.
So fair a fancy few would weave In these years! Yet, I feel, If someone said on Christmas Eve, “Come; see the oxen kneel,
Step 5: Add a hanging string to the top so your decoration is ready to display!
Top Tip Swap the printable for a photo or your own design to add a fun twist to the decorations. (Adapted from bakerross.co.uk)
Step 3: Create your star: Arrange 6 craft sticks into two triangles, then overlap them to form a star shape. Glue the sticks together and let them dry. Step 4: Attach the picture: Once the star is dry, stick a coloured circle onto the front of each one.
“In the lonely barton by yonder coomb Our childhood used to know,” I should go with him in the gloom, Hoping it might be so.
Write a poem about unrelenting rain.
hepta
nona = nine, deca =
Land identified, design being fine-tuned for new Amerindian hostel – Minister
...says funding being sought in 2026 Budget; raps Opposition’s “bullying” on hostel issue
Amerindian Affairs
Minister Sarah Browne-Shadeek on Sunday disclosed that the design for a new Amerindian Hostel is being finalised and the land has already been located.
This is in keeping with a previous commitment made by President Dr Irfaan Ali on the 2025 campaign trail during an engagement at Moraikobai, Region Five, where he announced plans for a new hostel facility.
According to Browne, since assuming office, she has been working on fulfilling this promise made.
“I would have been working with the Central Housing and Planning Authority. Their engineer would have met with us [and] their architect. We have gone through a design. I already have that design…[but] we still have to fine-tune the design,” she stated on Sunday.
In addition, BrowneShadeek disclosed that they have already identified the land where the new hostel would be built. She also indicated that they have fair knowledge of what this facility is going to cost and have since submitted proposals for
funding in the 2026 national budget.
“I was actually at the budget meeting [on Friday], where we presented [the ministry’s] budget. And in that budget, there are sums there for us to start a new Amerindian Hostel,” she noted.
But even as the government is building a new facility, the Amerindian Affairs Minister acknowledged the need to continue to support and maintain the existing hostel located on Princess Street, Georgetown, where indigenous citizens would usu-
ally go to seek refuge after travelling from their remote communities to the capital city.
At the time of her remarks, Minister BrowneShadeek was at the hostel, where she came face-toface with members of the main parliamentary Opposition, We Invest in Nationhood (WIN), who had gathered outside the facility in a disruptive and chaotic manner.
In a post on social-media, WIN’s leader and United States-indicted businessman, Azruddin Mohamed, had complained about the deplorable state of the hostel – something which the Amerindian Affairs Minister acknowledged.
However, Minister Browne-Shadeek contended that the state of the age-old facility is largely as a result of the fact that the building, which was constructed since 1972, has outlived its capacity. This is due to the fact that government refuses to turn back anyone who seeks refuge there despite being fully occupied, thus leading to an overcrowding situation.
The facility accommodates Amerindians who
travel to Georgetown for various reasons and do not have anywhere to stay. Among its occupants are persons who are ill and are seeking or have sought medical attention.
“For this year alone, we have seen over 1,275 between patients and persons who are passing through…they stop here for a little housing,” she noted, adding that these persons are provided with free meals and assistance in various forms including financial, medical and transportation to return to their respective hinterland villages.
It is against this backdrop, Minister BrowneShadeek condemned the opposition’s actions on Sunday and accused them of engaging in bullyism.
“What is happening here, it's not activism at no point in time. It's bullyism. If anyone wants to highlight an issue, this is not the way to highlight an issue with the behaviour that's ongoing… Mind you that while that behaviour is happening out there, we have persons in this facility who are sick,” she pointed out.
According to the Amerindian Affairs
Minister, she would not be bullied or intimidated by the opposition’s confrontational behaviour.
“Like they mentioned, I'm young so, I'm thinking that they came here to intimidate me and trying to gaslight me into saying whatever it is that suits their agenda. But I would not be bullied. I may be young, but I refuse to be bullied…”
“I don't see it as leadership. And this is not what I would want. And I spoke to the residents who are here that they can see for themselves that activism and bullying is something different. If you want better for our people, there's a way to go about doing it. And this is not a way by coming here to intimidate people…and use our Indigenous people as pawns in your political gimmick...” she asserted.
WIN leader Azruddin Mohamed and his father Nazar Mohamed are currently facing extradition proceedings at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court in order to be extradited to face fraud and money laundering indictments related to gold smuggling at a court Florida, US.
Amerindian Affairs Minister Sarah Browne-Shadeek being confronted by WIN Leader Azruddin Mohamed outside the Amerindian Hostel on Sunday
State drops murder-plot case against businessman after victim refuses to testify
Mark Grimmond
The State’s case against businessman Mark Grimmond and alleged hit-man Chatterpaul
“Kevin” Singh, who were accused of plotting to murder Lethem businessman Dwayne Grant, has collapsed after the victim informed prosecutors that he no longer wished to give evidence, telling them he had been paid. The disclosure was made in court this
week prompting the State to discontinue the matter. Grimmond, owner of Mark Interior Communication Inc. and operator of Mark’s Pool Side and Fun Park at Diamond, East Bank Demerara (EBD) and Singh, a miner from Cummings Lodge, were first brought before the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts on June 13, 2019. They were jointly charged with conspir-
Chatterpaul Singh called ‘Kevin’
ing with persons known and unknown to murder Grant between April 1, 2018, and June 7, 2019, in Georgetown. The charge was indictable, and the men were not required to plead. During the initial court proceedings, Grimmond was represented by Attorneys Bernard DaSilva and Mark Waldron, who described him as a 57-year-old father of 11 who also managed Rockies Bar and Hotel in Georgetown. Singh, then 36, appeared unrepresented and was described by the court as no stranger to law enforcement, having previously faced attempted murder and fraud charges.
Police Prosecutor Inspector Gordon Mansfield had outlined the prosecution’s case, telling the court that Grant received a tipoff that Grimmond had hired Singh to execute him. Fearing for his life, Grant made a report to the police. Investigators later descended on a hotel in Lethem, where Singh was found in possession of an illegal firearm. Mansfield told the court that Singh gave a caution statement admitting he had been contracted to kill Grant, and that police recovered telephone records between the two men. Because of the seriousness of the allegation, the prosecution strongly objected to bail, and Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan remanded both men. The case remained before the courts for years, with repeated adjournments, until it came to an abrupt end this week. Prosecutors informed the court that Grant had withdrawn his cooperation and stated he would not testify, claiming he had been paid. With no witness and no remaining evidence capable of sustaining the conspiracy charge, the State moved to discontinue the matter.
White light campaign nets 16 traffic violations on EBD roads
Alate-evening traffic operation carried out by ranks of Regional Division 4B , East Bank Demerara (EBD) resulted in the detection of sixteen traffic offences along the Little Diamond Public Road, EBD, as the Guyana Police Force (GPF) continues its intensified crackdown on vehicles displaying improper or non-functional lights. According to police reports, the exercise, conducted on Friday, between 19:00 h and 22:00 h, was led by Inspector Jadunandan, along with Sergeant Rodrigues, Sergeant Fraser and Corporal Smith. The ranks specifically targeted vehicles operating in breach of lighting regulations, as part of the ongoing “White Light Campaign.” The initiative focuses on ensuring that all motor vehicles display proper white front lights during the hours
of darkness, in keeping with national road safety laws. During the threehour operation, officers recorded sixteen offences. These included three cases of unlighted motor vehicle fronts, three instances of obscured identification marks, three cases of unlighted rear lights and seven instances of breach of prescribed fitness. Police further reported that seven Certificates of Fitness were revoked as a result of the violations discovered. The “White Light Campaign” is part of a broader effort by Regional Division 4B to promote safer roadways and enforce compliance with long-standing traffic regulations. Since 2021, the GPF has intensified its nationwide crackdown on vehicles fitted with coloured or improper lighting systems, a trend that has noticeably increased over the years. Law en-
forcement officials have repeatedly warned that coloured lights are not only illegal but also pose a serious threat to road safety, as they can distract or temporarily blind oncoming motorists, significantly elevating the risk of collisions. The campaign draws its authority from Regulation 34(1)(a) of the Motor Vehicles and Road Traffic Act, Chapter 51:02, which mandates that every motor vehicle (with the exception of motorcycles and certain small carriages) must display two lamps showing a white light to the front during hours of darkness. The regulation, highlighted by the GPF in an April 2019 public advisory, remains a fundamental component of ensuring visibility and safe navigation on the nation’s roadways. Friday night’s operation is one of several similar exercises expected
to continue along the East Bank corridor and other high-traffic areas as police maintain their push to reduce road accidents and promote responsible driving behaviour. The GPF has reiterated its commitment to ongoing enforcement, noting that compliance with lighting rules is essential for reducing nighttime hazards and safeguarding all categories of road users.
Floods… …and renewal
While Prezzie announced only in September that he was gonna lead a Herculean effort to rehabilitate – that is, literally, to make it “habitable”!! – we gotta give kudos to his better half!! Didn’t the First Lady launch all those initiatives to return some dignity to our capital city’s appearance since 2021?? As best as your Eyewitness can remember, first there was the complete makeover of the seawall from the bandstand to the Pegasus!! It just took his breath away! It’s been drawing both tourists and locals – and lovers, illicit and otherwise!! – to return to one of our most noted landmarks – the bandstand. It had, unfortunately ,become a haven for vagrants.
Then there was the ongoing development of the Railway Embankment from the old terminal to Camp Street into a mixed-commercial and family recreational hub by the Central Government led by Prezzie and his indefatigable Minister of Public Works, Edghill. The embankment –stretching all the way to Vlissengen and further to Sheriff St has seen various desultory attempts to put it to practical use. But it was too haphazard and certainly looked it! With the launch of the Railway Courtyard last week, there’s talk of extending the initial initiative to the full length of the embankment. The Vlissengen median to the seawall has already been paved into a walkway!
And Central Government’s taking the bull by the horns to de-gut City Hall and rebuild it to its old Gothic splendour has become reality. Keats said, “A thing of beauty is a joy forever” – but only if it is maintained, no?? How many times hadn’t we thrown money down that black hole –including the Private Sector and foreign donors? But then nothing leaves a black hole, can it? Save in the pockets of the occupants!!
But let’s face the truth, shall we? No matter what the Central Government does, the responsibility for MAINTAINING AND EXTENDING what can only be a demonstration of POSSIBILITIES lies with City Hall!! And from the Mayor’s reaction to the rehab efforts we know than once again, this effort ain’t gonna lead to the makeover being maintained. And look at all the criticisms being levelled by the Opposition who dominate the M&CC at the Central Government for the latest Georgetown floods after that heavy downpour!! As the old people would say while shaking their head sadly, “Good na deh heah.”
Your Eyewitness recommends that the Government doesn’t continue on this Sisyphean hill – here the rock won’t just roll down through gravity but will be kicked down by the perennial PNC mayoralty. The President has already floated the idea of Silica City in our interior. Make it the Administrative Capital and leave Georgetown to its chosen fate.
Who na hear mus feel.
…and sugar
We’d been told back last month that the projection for sugar production was once again revised downward. And with the December rains arriving in style to ensure dew won’t fill what rain couldn’t (pun intended!!) looks like Prezzie’s keeping his word that there’s gonna be a shakeup of those who’ve been responsible for the industry!! Your Eyewitness notes that Prezzie just held discussions with some investors and sugar experts from India – and he hopes that some kinda deal goes through.
But back to the production travails. Climate change has precipitated heavier rainfall patterns. Even if we don’t have annual floods, we gotta expect increased waterlogged soils and lower yields. Your Eyewitness remembers several GuySuCo estates used to produce plantation white sugar for local consumption – including Albion and Uitvlugt. The technology ain’t new!! Shouldn’t we ask these new players to integrate this in their plans to raise value? We just can’t keep packaging our sugar into packets and call it “diversification”!!
Let’s put on our thinking caps while moving ahead.
…and Christmas prep
NEVER let it be said your Eyewitness ain’t Guyanese to the bone. So this Sunday he started sampling the ginger beer – and his missus’ famous Black Cake as “quality control”!!
It’s a tough job, but…!!
The white light campaign on the East Bank corridor
Home Affairs Minister says new tint policy aims to restore order after years of unregulated use
ome Affairs
HMinister Oneidge Walrond has defended Government’s overhaul of Guyana’s tint regulations, saying the initiative is intended to restore order to an area that had gone unregulated for far too long.
In a statement posted to her official Facebook page, the Minister stressed that the issue goes beyond the darkness of vehicle windows, noting that the previous environment allowed widespread misuse. She said the absence of proper controls resulted in motorists using tint without permission; some of whom took advantage of the loopholes to conceal illegal activities, evade police detection, and engage in reckless driving.
According to Walrond, the new measures bring structure, uniformity, and accountability to a system that had become inconsistent and vulnerable to selective enforcement.
She emphasised that every motorist will now be allowed to install tint, once it meets the required 35 per cent light penetration, under what she described as a fair, transparent, and enforceable framework designed to support public safety and effective policing.
“That era is over. This policy brings structure, uniformity, and accountability to an area that was chaotic and abused. It closes the gaps, removes the excuses, and eliminates the selective practices of the past. And let it be clear -
ly understood: Every motorist in Guyana can now have tint, but within safe, transparent, and enforceable limits that protect the public and support effective policing. This is what fairness looks like. This is what responsible governance looks like. And this is how we build safer roads and a more law-abiding society”, the release read.
More than a week ago, the Government announced sweeping changes to the country’s tint regulations, granting universal approval for tint with at least 35 per cent light penetration and eliminating the long-standing waiver system.
The decision was confirmed by Minister Walrond in a published video message on November 29, where she noted that the revised rules take immediate effect and will soon be formalised through amendments to the Traffic Enforcement Regulations.
The overhaul came just days after the Minister instructed all ranks of the Guyana Police Force (GPF) to remove non-compliant tint from their private vehicles unless they possessed valid permits. That announcement triggered an “exponential increase” in waiver applications, along with mounting complaints about misuse of the system and allegations of unscrupulous practices.
Under the previous policy, tint use was technically prohibited unless a waiver was granted, and even those permits allowed only
up to 65 per cent light penetration. Factory-installed tinted windows were also generally disallowed, creating additional bureaucratic hurdles and inconsistent enforcement.
The new framework introduces three categories of restricted waivers reserved for specific high-security groups, including diplomats, Government officials, and individuals assessed as national-security risks. These waivers require direct approval from the Home Affairs Minister. All other motorists will
out any application pro
To support a smooth transition, the Government has set a compliance deadline of December 31, 2025. After that date, the GPF is authorised to begin aggressive nationwide enforcement operations, with violators facing statutory fines, charges, and court action.
Officials say the updated rules are intended to eliminate manipulation of the old system, standardise enforcement, and improve safety on the nation’s roadways.
Home Affairs Minister Oneidge Walrond
Tinted car
NDIA launches major desilting operations across Georgetown to boost flood prevention
The National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) has commenced extensive desilting and dredging operations along several major drainage channels in Georgetown, as Government ramps up preparations for the ongoing rainy season and seeks to reduce the city’s vulnerability to repeated flooding. According to NDIA, works are already underway along the Commerce Street outfall channel as well as the Avenue of the Republic drainage corridor, two key pathways responsible for diverting large volumes of stormwater from the commercial district. The inter-
ventions are intended to improve water discharge, address accumulated silt deposits, and enhance the efficiency of the system during periods of heavy rainfall and high tides. In the coming days and weeks, NDIA will expand its dredging programme to several additional outfalls across the capital, including Cowan Street, Church Street, Princes Street, Sussex Street, La Penitence, South Ruimveldt, North Ruimveldt and Rome. These works target chronic blockages that have restricted water flow in both residential and high-traffic commercial zones. Alongside
dredging activities, NDIA is also clearing and excavating under the bridge along the South Road drainage channel. This operation is expected to significantly improve the movement of water to the nearby sluice, an area that often experiences backups due to heavy traffic and structural bottlenecks. The intensified flood-prevention push comes on the heels of several hours of heavy rainfall in Georgetown on Friday, which left sections of the city waterlogged and triggered widespread public concern. Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha told the media that all available measures are being ac-
tivated “behind the scenes” to prepare for the rainy season and minimise future flooding. He noted that all 13 drainage pumps in Georgetown and surrounding areas were operational during Friday’s downpour, while kokers and sluices were monitored closely to ensure effective discharge despite high tides. Minister Mustapha stressed that while the Mayor and City Council (M&CC) carry certain responsibilities for urban drainage maintenance, the central Government continues to intervene where necessary to ensure pumps are functional and critical infrastructure re-
mains in working order. On Friday, the Minister toured sections of Main Street and other affected districts following reports of flooding that caused traffic backups, submerged pavements and forced pedestrians onto roadways. The recent installation of a drainage pump ahead of the Christmas Village event was not sufficient to counter the intensity of the rainfall, leading to drains overflowing in the area. During visits to the Liliendaal, Kingston, Kitty, Lombard Street and Princes Street pump stations, all units were observed operating continuously, even as the tide remained high, to
push excess water into the Atlantic Ocean. However, several Georgetown neighbourhoods, including Bel Air Park, Regent Street, Avenue of the Republic, Smyth Street, Quamina Street and sections of Lombard and High Streets, experienced significant pooling. In flood-prone zones, clogged drains filled with bottles and waste further hampered water flow. While areas along the lower East Coast of Demerara also saw considerable water accumulation, conditions there were less severe than in the city. Floodwaters gradually receded once rainfall subsided.
The commencement of the dredging operations
National Biodiversity Information System will be groundbreaking – EPA Head
...outlines plan to use digital-twin technology for environmental monitoring
Executive Director of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Kemraj Parsram, says the National Biodiversity Information System (NBIS),which Guyana is working to develop with United States-based Yale University, will be groundbreaking for environmental monitoring and protection.
The NBIS, which was launched at the inaugural Global Biodiversity Alliance (GBA) Summit held back in July of this year in Georgetown, will collect and analyse data on the country’s plants, animals, and ecosystems, and help guide decisions and policies that support sustainable development and conservation.
On the sideline of the summit, Guyana had signed an agreement with the Yale Centre for Biodiversity and Global Change to implement the world’s first fully standardised, border-to-border national biodiversity monitoring system by 2030.
During a recent appearance on the Starting Point podcast, the EPA Head expressed his excitement for this “groundbreaking” development. He noted that while Guyana has already demon-
strated stewardship in its environmental credentials, it is important to know what resources are there and how to leverage them – something which the NBIS will play a major role in ascertaining.
“It is collecting all the existing knowledge about biodiversity and ecosystems and putting it into the system so that you can ask questions of the system. What if you put a development here, what will happen to our biodiversity, for example? What if we want to make some sort of informing policy or guidance to His Excellency, that information could be analysed and create policy briefs, for example. But critically, it is having a system that is linked to onthe-ground, real-time monitoring of our biodiversity,” Parsram posited.
Digital twin technology
To do this, the EPA Head highlighted plans to create a digital twin of the country’s ecosystem, including its marine environment.
“We can create a digital twin of our oceans, of our EEZ (Exclusive Economic Zone) [and] what is below the water, by using LiDAR and ROVs and all these other things that will create
a live image to this NBIS, or create this digital twin. You can see what is happening at those locations in real-time. You can see the trees, you can see the fauna, you can see the flora, and you can see if there are any environmental impacts. It is mind-breaking. You may not be able to see it, but it is happening elsewhere. Guyana is looking to leverage that,” he noted.
According to Parsram, the development of the biodiversity information system is crucial not just for monitoring and ensuring the protection of the environment but also to leverage its value as part of a new financing mechanism.
“Once we know what we have and whatever interventions we are making to protect it is effective, we can value that biodiversity and convert that to things like biocredit. We can sell the biocredit to international organisations so we can benefit, communities can benefit, and other biodiversity financing mechanisms like the green bonds and so on [can be tapped into]. So, this National Biodiversity Information System is what we are working on for the next five years and it is going to be groundbreaking. The digital
Region 1 District Hospital...
“I can tell you that the number of health facilities built in some of our most remote areas tells a powerful story. We continue to see meaningful development and it shows that the Government of Guyana is serious about making healthcare accessible to all the people of Region One,” Pierre said. He further noted that the regional health system has progressed considerably compared to five or 10 years ago. “We recognise that health services have improved significantly over the years, and I can assure you that they will continue to improve,” he added. “As a member of the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) and in our recent budget discussions, I can say that a substantial portion of our proposed budget is being directed toward the health sector, toward training more health workers, nurses, doctors and strengthening our services. That alone demonstrates that we have a bright future in healthcare.” Pierre expressed gratitude to the Minister of Health and all regional health-sector partners for their continued efforts, noting that “Health is important. Without good health, there isn’t much to look forward to.” He added, “We are seeing real progress, and under this Government, we can look forward to a stron-
ger, more resilient health system and a more resilient country.” Rawle Hendricks, Toshao of Santa Rosa Village, also commended the Government for its continued efforts to upgrade the health system and provide quality healthcare to the people of the Moruca SubDistrict. He noted that he, along with the residents of Moruca, is eagerly anticipating the commissioning of the
FROM PAGE 3
Moruca Regional Hospital, scheduled for 2027. Also present at Sunday’s commissioning ceremony were Regional Health Officer for Region One, Dr Steven Cheefoon; Senior Operations Manager – Regional Health Services, Michael Gouveia; Hospital Administrator, Ms Elaine LaRose, along with other doctors and medical professionals of the Kumaka District Hospital.
twin is mind-boggling, but it is the way to go,” the EPA Head declared.
During the announcement of the NBIS back in July, President Dr Irfaan Ali had noted that Guyana is looking to lead the globe in biodiversity conservation, adding that this initiative will create a new global standard for biodiversity accountability at the national level.
“Guyana is taking a bold step in being the first globally to adopt such a system, the development of the National Biodiversity Information System to serve as a digital backbone for conservation finance and policy,” the Head of State had noted.
In fact, the Guyanese leader took his biodiversity conservation model to world leaders during the COP30 summit held last month in neighbouring Brazil. While there, President Ali highlighted that the world has already lost more than 70 per cent of its biodiversity as he impressed the importance of putting this ecosystem on the COP agenda.
“According to the WWF Living Climate Report of 2024, there has been a catastrophic 73 per cent decline in biodiversity…over the last 50 years. Freshwater populations have suffered the heaviest decline, falling by 85 per cent; followed by terrestrial, 69 per cent; and mari-
ne population, 56 per cent.“
“95 per cent of biodiversity loss was recorded in Latin America and the Caribbean… And we know that the Caribbean is exposed to the greatest climate events and destruction, and we have 95 per cent biodiversity loss in Latin America and the Caribbean,” the President had pointed out during a panel discussion on the sidelines of COP30.
According to President Ali, it is important to raise awareness, build solidarity among all the stakeholders in understanding the importance of biodiversity, and highlight the critical role everyone has to play in conservation efforts instead of calling for financing at the initial stages.
To this end, the Guyanese Head of State had indicated he is ready and willing to make the investment necessary to have a global Centre of Excellence for biodiversity in Guyana.
According to the EPA Head, this is demonstrative of Guyana’s continued unwavering commitment to environmental protection at a time when the country is simultaneously developing it’s oil resources.
“What that international research center will do is create that facility where local scientists [and] students can be twinned with international scientists and conduct research within Guyana to help understand what we have, how we're going, as well as contributing globally to the understanding of how biodiversity is conserved, and innovative ways of conserving biodiversity. So, in essence…you're developing your country, you're utilising this [oil] resource, but at the same time, investing in environmental protection, investing in knowledge-building and biodiversity conservation at the same time,” Parsram asserted.
EPA Executive Director Kemraj Parsram
UGBC holds 2025 convocation ceremony ... brings down curtains on UG’s 59th convocation
From its opening convocation on November 20, to its final on December 6, 2025, the University of Guyana (UG) celebrated its largest graduating class in history, with 3,600 students from across the Turkeyen and Berbice Campuses formally conferred during six Convocation Ceremonies. On Saturday, the University of Guyana Berbice Campus (UGBC), which recently celebrated 25 years since it first opened its doors on November 6, 2000 with an initial intake of 150 students, hosted the final graduating ceremony of UG's 59th Convocation.
Vice-Chancellor Professor
Paloma Mohamed Martin hailed the Class of 2025 as the university’s most resilient cohort, noting that they were shaped by the unprecedented challenges of the COVID-19 era and are among the first to graduate under full institutional accreditation and state-funded tuition. She commended the graduates, their families, lecturers and support staff for their perseverance and contributions to UG’s continued growth, adding that the Class of 2025 now enters a vibrant alumni network. The ceremony also featured virtual presentations from both the Minister of Education and President Dr Irfaan Ali, who deliv-
ered powerful messages underscoring the national significance of this year’s graduating class. The Minister reminded graduates that their academic journey marked by sacrifice, resilience and determination, represents not only personal achievement but also a national investment in Guyana’s future. She applauded parents, lecturers and staff for supporting the graduates and urged the class to lead with integrity as Guyana undergoes rapid development driven by new industries and emerging opportunities. Meanwhile, President Ali, in his address, emphasised that Guyana’s transformation is not powered by oil, but by people, stressing that free tertiary education is a major step in building a modern, knowledge-driven
society. He called on graduates to embrace lifelong learning, noting that the greatest skill in a changing world is the ability to keep learning, keep adapting and keep growing, as they prepare to shape a globally competitive and technologically advanced Guyana.
Valedictorian
Valedictorian Rajendra Deonarine, a 30-year-old teacher, mentor, musician and skilled carpenter, used his address to reflect on the personal journey that shaped him and the collective triumph of the graduating class. He spoke proudly of his humble beginnings as the eldest child of a carpenter and a home operations manager, noting that every role he has played, whether in the classroom, the workshop, or in music, helped define his purpose of uplifting others.
Deonarine reminded graduates that their growth came in small steps, through challenges that tested their strength, joking that his own battles with physical chemistry sometimes felt like “training for the Olympics of confusion.” He expressed deep gratitude to his lecturers, whose guidance and acts of kindness shaped his academic journey and supervision pushed him to excellence. The Skeldon Line Path Secondary School teacher, called the graduation ceremony a moment of reflection as they step into a new chapter.
Visually - impaired graduates
Among those graduating also were Lata
Devi Jagmohan and Omesh Jhagroo, two visually impaired persons. Jagmohan, who was the best graduating student with a Bachelors of Social Science in Social Work, described her journey as one marked by uncertainty, courage, and technological adaptation. She credited screen-reading tools such as JAWS and her lecturers’ willingness to format course materials in accessible ways, for enabling her to complete her programme successfully. “What is success without a challenge?” she said, explaining that despite difficulties accessing some resources, with the encouragement of peers and supporters, she persisted. She urged prospective students not to fear pursuing higher education, reminding them that “limitations should never dictate what we believe we can achieve.” Her classmate Omesh Jhagroo, who is completely blind, also shared his remarkable path to earning a degree in Social Work.
Jhagroo, who lost his sight at age 25 due to Uveitis, said he chose social work to help advocate for persons with disabilities and vulnerable groups. He highlighted the role of assistive technology, accessible mobile features, and training he received through the Blindness Unit and the Board of Industrial Training (BIT), that helped him navigate university life. Despite challenges using platforms like Moodle and Zoom initially, he adapted over time and credited his wife, parents, extend-
ed family and community for sustaining him. “Five years ago, I never imagined graduating from the University of Guyana,” he said, adding that losing his sight taught him strength, resilience and purpose. He encouraged others living with disabilities to pursue their goals boldly, saying, “Disability does not hinder you, it gives you more strength to move forward.”
Meanwhile, as UGBC prepares to expand through new research institutes and enhanced academic offerings under “Blueprint 2040,” the 2025 ceremony stood as a powerful testament to perseverance, equality of access, and national development.
UGBC has grown into a multi-faceted academic hub, offering more than 32 diploma and degree programmes across agriculture, education and humanities, natural sciences, business, medical sciences and social sciences, supported by a student population of nearly 1,200. The campus is also expanding its research footprint through the newly established Institute for Marine and Riverine Ecologies and Economies (IMAREE), which is expected to bolster national development through scientific exploration of Guyana’s riverine and coastal systems. From Government commitment to free university education to inspiring personal stories of triumph, the convocation affirmed that higher learning in Guyana is not only thriving, but transforming lives and communities across the country.
UGBC Valedictorian, Rajendra Deonarine
Omesh Jaagroo
Lata Devi Jagmohan
$47M Maternal Waiting Home commissioned at Kumaka
With the aim of promoting safer pregnancies and reducing maternal mortality in the hinterland, a newly completed $47 million, 12-bed Maternal Waiting Home was commissioned on Sunday. Located within the compound of the Kumaka District Hospital in the Moruca Sub-District, Region One (Barima-Waini), this facility is purpose-built to provide expectant mothers from remote communities with a safe and comfortable environment to stay both before and after delivery. The Waiting Home features consultation and examination rooms, as well as a fully equipped laundry area and kitchen, ensuring both medical care and dayto-day convenience are readily available. During the commissioning ceremony, Health Minister Dr Frank Anthony reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to reducing maternal deaths nationwide, particularly in hinterland regions including Regions One, Seven (CuyuniMazaruni), Eight (PotaroSiparuni) and Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo). Historically, pregnant women from remote villages often embarked on long and challenging journeys to hospitals only after labour had begun, sometimes resulting in deliveries en route and preventable complications.
“Most maternal deaths are preventable and we must take deliberate actions to avoid them,” Dr Anthony stated, emphasis-
ing the importance of early access to care. To address this challenge, the Ministry has been constructing Maternal Waiting Homes at various interior hospitals. These facilities allow pregnant women, particularly those at risk or residing in remote areas, to travel to hospital ear-
waiting homes have been established. The Kumaka Maternal Waiting Home will provide mothers with a secure and comfortable environment before and after delivery. Following childbirth at the adjacent hospital, mothers can return to the facility until they are ready to reunite
ly, stay nearby and access professional care when labour begins. The Minister highlighted that maternal mortality has decreased in all hospitals where such
with their families and travel back to their communities.
Minister Anthony noted that the facility was intentionally designed
with maternal comfort in mind, reflecting the significant investment made. The commissioning of this facility is part of the Government’s broader strategy to strengthen maternal and child health services, particularly in hinterland regions where geographic barriers lim-
health facilities and services. “Over the past few years, there has been significant improvements, not only with new equipment and infrastructure but also with increased staffing so we can deliver better service,” he said. The Minister noted that these improvements extend beyond Kumaka, with enhancements implemented across several health centres in the sub-region. He commended the local health team for their technical leadership and dedi-
it access to care. Minister Anthony also expressed his satisfaction at returning to the Moruca sub-region and observing the ongoing transformation of
“Today, we are commissioning digital X-rays and a maternal waiting home where mothers can relax in comfort, be closely monitored and deliver healthy babies. A healthy baby is the first step to a successful future,” Dr Cheefoon said. He reaffirmed the region’s commitment to eliminating maternal deaths, stillbirths and preventable complications, goals that are now within reach.
“Let us all share in this joy today. This is a milestone for Moruca and a proud moment for Region One,” he added. The Ministry of Health remains committed to expanding similar initiatives across Guyana, ensuring that every mother can deliver safely and every child has a healthy start to life. Currently, eight Maternal Waiting Homes are operational across Guyana, providing a combined capacity of approximately 169 beds.
cation in driving these positive changes. Meanwhile, Regional Health Officer (RHO) for Region One, Dr Steven Cheefoon, expressed deep appreciation for healthcare workers who have witnessed the region’s transformation. He recalled the challenges faced during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, when Moruca lacked X-ray services and a functional laboratory.
Preparatory works underway for construction
of $4.6B
Excavation works have commenced at the site of the new $4.6 billion Moruca Regional Hospital in Region One (Barima-Waini) marking another major expansion of healthcare services for hinterland communities.
During a visit to the region over the weekend, Health Minister Dr Frank Anthony toured the site and highlighted the advanced facilities and comprehensive services that the hospital will provide upon completion.
The new 50-bed hospital will offer a wide range of modern healthcare services. It will feature an Accident & Emergency Department equipped with state-of-theart medical equipment, a fully operational pharmacy, and a modern laboratory. An advanced imaging suite, including X-ray and CT scan facilities, will also significantly enhance diagnostic
Moruca Regional Hospital
capacity in the region. Moreover, the hospital will also include operational theatres capable of performing both routine and complex surgical procedures, as well as intensive care units for adults and children.
Additionally, maternal health will be strengthened through a specialised delivery suite, while inpatient rooms will be designed
for comfort, accommodating no more than five beds per room, each with a private toilet and bath.
The new hospital will also house specialised departments, including ophthalmology for eye care services, audiology for hearing assessments, and a fully equipped dental department. To address challenges highlighted during the
COVID-19 pandemic, the facility will also feature an on-site oxygen plant, enabling local production and dispensing of oxygen. This development will reduce reliance on imported oxygen and ensure timely access for patients in the region.
Minister Anthony emphasised that the Moruca Regional Hospital represents a substantial upgrade from existing fa-
cilities, both in terms of infrastructure and the quality of care provided.
“This facility will transform healthcare delivery in the region. From advanced diagnostics and surgical capabilities to comfortable inpatient accommodations, the Moruca Regional Hospital will set a new standard for healthcare services in hinterland communities,” said Minister Anthony.
Back in November 2024, the sod was turned for the construction of the stateof-the-art hospital in the Moruca Sub-district. The hospital is being funded through a collaboration between the Government of Guyana and the InterAmerican Development Bank (IDB).
The proposed 57,210 square feet regional hospital is expected to be constructed during a 24-month timeframe by PCI Sinopharmintl Consortium.
The hospital is part of the government’s objective to build out a world-class healthcare system across the country.
The Ministry of Health said it remains committed to improving access to high-quality healthcare across Guyana, ensuring that residents in hinterland regions receive the same standard of care available in urban centres.
Inside the newly - built Kumaka Maternity Waiting Home
Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony joined regional officials to commission the new Maternity Waiting Home at Kumaka
Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony was updated on the project during a recent site visit
Design of the new $4.6B Moruca Regional Hospital
The $47M Maternity Waiting Home at Kumaka, Region One
GPF Consumers’ Co-op Society, Special Constabulary reflect on welfare, development initiatives at annual Christmas breakfast
The Guyana Police Force (GPF) Consumers’ Cooperative Society Limited Board, in collaboration with the Special Constabulary Board, convened its Annual Christmas Breakfast on Sunday at the Police Officers’ Mess Annexe, Eve Leary, bringing together senior leadership, region-
al commanders, officers, ranks, and invited guests to reflect on the organisation’s accomplishments and reinforce its welfare-driven mandate. The programme was chaired by Senior Superintendent K. Das, Chairman of the Consumers’ Co-op Society, and opened with an invocation delivered by Pastor Jean Roberts, who prayed
for continued protection, prosperity, and unity within the Force. The gathering also featured cultural and musical presentations by the GPF Band MS, including a performance of the award-winning piece “Good Vibes” by Sergeant Roberts.
Formal greetings and seasonal messages were delivered by commanders
GPL commissions 1st 35MVA mobile substation
Guyana Power and Light Inc (GPL) on Saturday, 6 December 2025, commissioned its first 35-megavolt-ampere (MVA) mobile substation at the New Georgetown Substation, marking a significant step towards strengthening the reliability and flexibility of the national electricity grid. According to GPL, the 35MVA Mobile Substation is
a fully equipped, transportable power unit designed for deployment and grid connection within a fixed substation premises. Its mobility allows for relocation and setup for network support. This unit will add redundancy to the grid by supplying temporary backup power during network maintenance, system upgrades and network emergencies. This will min-
imise downtime and significantly reduce the likelihood of service interruptions for customers. This investment is part of the Government of Guyana's vision to modernise GPL's infrastructure and improve the reliability of electricity supply to its customers.
Additional mobile substations will be acquired for Essequibo and Berbice.
from all twelve regional divisions along with senior officers and the Chairman of the Police Service
Society in supporting the wellbeing and advancement of its members. He reaffirmed the Force’s
Commission who commended the Society for its longstanding contribution to the welfare and financial resilience of police ranks. Delivering the feature address, Commissioner of Police Clifton Hicken underscored the central role of the Consumers’ Co-op
commitment to modernisation and capacity-building, highlighting a new initiative that will allow any rank without Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) qualifications to pursue further studies under the Force’s support system. This effort, he noted,
aligns with the Strategic Plan’s pillar of “Developing Our People,” which prioritises education, career growth, and institutional strengthening. In a significant moment for the Force, the Commissioner announced the promotion of Dawn Smartt, who has served for 27 years, and Marvis Garraway, with 24 years of service, to the rank of Sergeant. Their on-the-spot elevation was met with loud applause and celebration among colleagues. The event also served as an opportunity for leadership to reaffirm support for the continued growth and expansion of the Consumers’ Co-op Society, which has consistently provided essential assistance and services to ranks throughout the years. Attendees included Deputy Commissioner (Administration) Ravindradat Budhram, Deputy Commissioners Karimbaksh and McBean, senior and junior officers, members of the Police Service Commission and other invited guests. The programme concluded with a vote of thanks delivered by Senior Superintendent Das, who commended participants and organisers for their contributions to a successful and meaningful gathering.
The 35 MVA (Megavolt-Ampere) is a fully equipped, transportable power unit
GMSA, PSC express support for launch of Guyana Digital School
Describing the launch of the Guyana Digital School Platform as “a bold step towards reshaping how our children learn, how teachers facilitate learning and how our nation prepares for a future defined by innovation, accessibility, and lifelong digital fluency”, the Guyana Manufacturing and Services Association (GMSA) in a statement Saturday expressed its “support and excitement” for the digital initiative. It further stated that the GMSA, “through its ICT (Information and Communications Technology) Sub-Sector, stands ready to collaborate with Government agencies, educational institutions, technology partners, teachers and private-sector stakeholders to build content, strengthen digital access, support platform adoption and deepen digital literacy. For too long, access to
Reg
quality education and worldclass resources has been limited by geography, infrastructure or financial constraints. With this platform, learning becomes democratised: whether through mobile devices, community learning hubs, school networks, or home access, every student now has the
opportunity to participate, learn confidently and succeed. Transformational digital infrastructure can be, not for business performance, but for families, communities and national competitiveness. The Digital School Platform bridges the gap between aspiration and accessibility. It empowers stu-
7 cops find ganja,
gun & ammo during riverine patrol
Police in Regional Police Division #7 (Cuyuni-Mazaruni) have discovered a quantity of narcotics, a firearm and ammunition during an intelligence-led riverine patrol on Saturday morning.
The operation was conducted at around 08:45h in the vicinity of Bamford Point, Essequibo River, and resulted in the discovery of suspected cannabis and ammunition. This find subsequently led to the recovery of a suspected firearm at Ramsheep Backdam, Mazaruni River.
During the patrol, ranks intercepted a wooden boat and a search was conducted during which a quantity of leaves, seeds and stems suspected to be cannabis was found along with two magazines containing eleven (11) .45 live rounds and five (5) 12-gauge cartridges.
The operator of the vessel, a 35-year-old Gold Miner of Zeelugt, East Bank Essequibo was arrested and escorted to the Bartica Police Station, along with the suspected cannabis which was
dents and educators with practical tools to excel in a modern digital economy, fosters a culture of continuous learning and strengthens Guyana’s position among other nations that prepare their youth for the future of work.” According to the association, the launch also sends a powerful message to businesses, investors, and international partners that Guyana is serious about building a knowledge-driven, digitally empowered workforce. A strong educational backbone, supported by technology, content and training, is the foundation for innovation, entrepreneurship, economic diversification, and inclusive development. Meanwhile, the Private Sector Commission (PSC), in a post on its official Facebook page on Sunday, declared that the Commission was proud to support the launch of the
historic Guyana Digital School, which it described as a truly transformational investment that will reshape education delivery across Guyana and the wider CARICOM region. This initiative will be especially transformative for students in our remote and hinterland communities, ensuring greater access, inclusion and opportunity as Guyana advances into the fourth industrial revolution, it noted, adding that the PSC fully supports the visionary step toward a more connected, innovative and future-ready nation.
Knife used in fatal stabbing of Cuban national recovered – Police
Police ranks in Georgetown (Regional Division 4A) have recovered the knife suspected to have been used in the murder of a Cuban National who was reportedly stabbed to death during a robbery on Saturday afternoon at Middle Road, La Penitence, Georgetown.
The dead man has been identified as 48-year-old Ariel Betancourt Ramiel, who resided in the area.
weighed in his presence and amounted to 28.90 grams after which it was lodged along with the ammunition pending investigation.
Later that day, checks were made at the suspect’s mining camp at Ramsheep Backdam, Mazaruni River in his presence, where a suspected Glock 9mm pistol with a magazine was recovered.
The suspected firearm and magazine were lodged and the suspect remains in custody as investigations continue.
This publication was told that Ramiel was walking on the road when he was approached by two men, one of whom was armed with a knife, and they attempted to steal his gold chain.
However, the victim put up a fight during which he was stabbed by the armed bandit.
Police in a statement said that they are investigating the alleged murder, which occurred December 6, 2025 about 14:00h on Middle Road, La Penitence, Georgetown, and resulted in the death of Ariel Betancourt Ramiel, a 48-year-old Cuban National of the said area.
Preliminary investigation revealed that the victim was found lying motionless on the access road with what appeared to be stab wounds. He was examined by a doctor on duty from the Georgetown
Public Hospital Corporation and pronounced dead at the scene.
A knife suspected to have been used in the incident was subsequently retrieved from a nearby drain and lodged as part of the ongoing investigation.
The body was transported to the Memorial Gardens Funeral Home, where it awaits a Postmortem examination.
CCTV footage is currently under review and investigators are pursuing several leads.
No arrests have been made, and investigations are ongoing.
EBD truck stop facility construction ongoing; expected to ease congestion with truck parking
Dr Martin Pertab, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA), and a team of engineers, recently visited the site within the industrial area of Grove, East Bank Demerara (EBD) that is being developed as a truck stop/parking fa-
cility. According to the CH&PA, with Guyana’s growing economy driving a surge in the construction sector, the number of large trucks on the roads has increased. The new facility is designed to enhance safety and ease congestion caused by trucks parking on roadways. Dr Pertab noted that the parking fa-
cility is strategically situated in the industrial zone of the developing scheme, ensuring that surrounding residential communities remain unaffected.
“This is part of an industrial area, so any heavy-duty services or vehicles operating here will not impact nearby residents,” he explained. The
CEO added that the site will serve as more than a parking area: functioning as a hub offering support and maintenance services for heavy-duty equipment. Addressing contractors on-site, the CH&PA noted that Dr Pertab emphasised the importance of timely project completion and that efficient execution ensures that the construction sector continues to meet the country’s growing in-
frastructure demands. He highlighted that contractors’ performance on current projects will be a key factor in their consideration for future contracts.
The CEO also stated that plans are also in-line for the establishment of similar trucking facilities in various locations in the country. During a recent Cabinet Outreach in Region Six, President Ali announced that the
Ministry of HousingCH&PA will develop two 30-acre sites in Region Six, located at Palmyra and Number 76 Village for trucks and heavy-duty equipment. The Head of State had said that the initiative is expected to deliver improved safety and smoother traffic flow. (Photos & Drone: Sydel Thomas, Central Housing and Planning Authority, PR Department)
Guyana participates in 23rd Edition of Doha Forum –
as international discussions, investments highlight sidelines
Over the weekend, the Government of Guyana participated in the 23rd edition of the Doha Forum, where Chief Investment Officer (CIO) Peter Ramsaroop used the opportunity to engage global leaders on a number of development initiatives. The event was host-
ed by the Amir of the State of Qatar, His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, from 6 to 7 December in the Qatari capital, Doha. Ramsaroop attended the forum on behalf of the President of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, His Excellency (H.E.) Dr Irfaan Ali, follow-
ing an invitation extended by His Highness.
This year’s Forum, convened under the theme “Justice in Action: From Promises to Progress,” focuses on advancing meaningful pathways toward social, economic and political justice at a time marked by rising inequalities and global uncertainty.
On the sidelines of the Doha Forum, Ramsaroop used the occasion to meet with the Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Panama, Carlos Hoyos, to discuss Guyana as a Hub for South America and the Caribbean, particularly in relation to the Deep Port project and the potential applicability of Panama’s Special MultinationalHeadquarters Regime (SEM) Law. He also met with Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands, Marcel de Vink, to further discuss the outcomes of the recent European visit by a Guyanese delegation.
“Guyana’s presence at the Forum underscores our nation’s ongoing commitment to diplomacy, dialogue and strengthened international cooperation, as the global community seeks practical solutions and strategic partnerships to drive sustainable devel-
opment and equitable progress,” a brief statement from the Guyana Office for Investment (GO-Invest) detailed. Along with Safraaz Ahnad Shahood, Guyana’s Ambassador to Qatar, Ramsaroop also met with executives of National Fire Fighting Manufacturing FZCO (NAFFCO) at the Guyana Embassy in Qatar where discussions focused on potential investments in fire equipment manufacturing in Guyana, to serve local and wider Caribbean and South American markets. NAFFCO is a leading Dubai
based global manufacturer and supplier of comprehensive life safety, firefighting, and security solutions. In addition, the CIO was invited by the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Clinton Global Initiative, to discuss Guyana’s sustainability and climate security projects, which highlighted the country’s commitment to environmental stewardship and biodiversity conservation. According to GO-Invest on Sunday, he engaged with international leaders and experts on critical global issues and
tilateral cooperation. The day’s programme featured former United States (US) Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump Jr, who also contributed to wide ranging discussions on diplomacy, development and international collaboration.
The Doha Forum continues to serve as a premier global platform for dialogue, bringing together Heads of State, Ministers, Ambassadors, policymakers and international partners to address key global challenges.
mul-
CH&PA CEO, Dr Martin Pertab visited the site with a team of engineers and spoke with contractors
The area being prepared for the construction of the truck stop/parking facility
Guyana’s Chief Investment Officer Peter Ramsaroop held highlevel engagements with global leaders during the Doha Forum
Guyana participated in the 23rd Edition of the Doha Forum in Qatar
By Dr Tariq Jagnarine Fam meD
Disability is often spoken about socially or emotionally, but far less through the structured medical lens that define how a person experiences their health, function, independence, and quality of life.
Clinically, disability is not just a diagnosis; it is the result of an impairment that limits a person's ability to perform daily tasks, interact with their environment, or participate fully in society. It includes physical, sensory, intellectual, developmental, psychological, and chronic disease-related limitations. The clinical goal is not merely to label the condition, but to evaluate how it affects function, prognosis, care planning, and longterm well-being.
The World Health Organisation’s International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) reframed disability beyond disease labels, helping clinicians assess what a patient can do – not only what they cannot. Instead of focusing solely on impairment, it considers activity limitation, participation restriction, environmental barriers, and clinical intervention needs. This shifts disability from a static deficit to a dynamic interaction between the individual and their surroundings.
Types of disability –medically defined
From a clinical perspective, disability spans a broad
HEALTH TIPS
Disability – a clinical lens on function, health, and human potential
spectrum of conditions:
● Physical and mobility-related – spinal-cord injuries, amputations, cerebral palsy, stroke sequelae, and neuromuscular disorders, etc.
● Sensory impairments – visual, hearing, tactile, speech, and communication disorders.
● Intellectual and developmental – autism spectrum disorder, Down syndrome, learning disabilities, ADHD, and others.
● Psychiatric and psychosocial – depression, schizophrenia, anxiety disorders, bipolar disorder, and others.
● Chronic systemic conditions – diabetes, chronic kidney disease, epilepsy, sickle-cell disease, advanced HIV, and Multiple Sclerosis.
Each category requires different assessment tools, therapeutic pathways, and rehabilitative strategies, yet all share the fundamental goal of preserving function.
Clinical relevance – why it matters in medicine
Disability is a critical public-health concern. Globally, over 1.3 billion people live with some form of disability, making it one of the largest patient populations clinicians interact with. These patients often experience delayed diagnoses, reduced access to specialised services, and increased risk of complications from preventable conditions such as pressure ulcers, malnutrition, respiratory infections, poor oral health, unmanaged pain, social isolation, and depression.
Chronic illness and disability often coexist. A patient living with advanced diabetes may lose visual acuity, require assistive mobility, or develop neuropathic complications. Someone recovering from a stroke may have preserved cognition but impaired function. A child with autism may have perfect hearing yet struggle with sensory over-
load. In each scenario, disability is not the disease; it is the functional outcome of it.
This reinforces the clinical responsibility for early screening, functional assessment, multidisciplinary care, and continuous follow-up.
Signs, symptoms, and clinical presentation
Disability presents differently depending on aetiology. A newborn with birth asphyxia may present with delayed milestones, abnormal muscle tone, or poor feeding. A middle-aged adult post-stroke may exhibit hemiparesis, speech
tal screening tools, audiometry, visual field testing, psychological evaluation, or neurocognitive assessment. The diagnosis must inform function: Can the patient walk independently?
Feed themselves? Socialise? Communicate? Learn in a mainstream classroom?
Diagnosis becomes meaningful only when it guides personalised care planning.
Treatment: A multidisciplinary continuum
Management of disability is not a single intervention – it is a continuum that may begin at birth and ex-
apy; sensory integration therapy; assistive devices (wheelchairs, hearing aids, orthotics, prosthetics); medications for spasticity or mood regulation; behavioural interventions or surgical correction. The most transformative outcomes occur when treatment is ongoing – not episodic.
Complications and clinical risks
Patients with disabilities face a higher risk of preventable complications, including:
• Pressure ulcers from immobility
difficulty, or dysphagia. A visually-impaired patient may report difficulty reading, orientation deficits, or loss of balance.
Clinicians, therefore, assess disability through layered observation, physical exam findings, neurological evaluation, sensory testing, cognitive assessment, and psychosocial evaluation. Family reports are critical, as functional regression often appears gradually before clinical consultation.
Diagnosis : Beyond a Label
Clinical diagnosis requires identifying both:
1. The underlying condition causing impairment
2. The level of functional impact on daily living
Diagnostic tools may include imaging (MRI, CT, ultrasound), metabolic and genetic panels, developmen-
tend through the lifespan. The most effective approach is multidisciplinary, involving physicians, rehabilitation therapists, speech and language therapists, audiologists, prosthetic technicians, psychologists, social workers, nutritionists, special-education teachers, caregivers, and policy-makers. Treatment goals differ by condition but generally aim to:
�� Improve functional ability
�� Support cognitive and developmental growth
�� Enhance communication and independence
�� Prevent secondary complications
�� Promote social inclusion and well-being
Therapy may involve physiotherapy; occupational therapy; speech ther-
• Contractures from muscle spasticity
• Malnutrition or obesity from feeding challenges
• Chronic infections, aspiration pneumonia
• Behavioural distress, anxiety, depression
• Poor oral health and dental caries
• Increased incidence of abuse or neglect
Without proactive management, disability can progress from functional limitation to life-threatening morbidity. Prevention, therefore, must be embedded in care.
Prognosis: A Spectrum, not a Sentence
Prognosis depends on aetiology, early intervention, family support, and access to care. Many individuals with disabilities live full, independent, and productive
lives with proper clinical guidance. Early diagnosis in developmental conditions can dramatically improve long-term outcomes. Even in permanent disability, function can improve with rehabilitation and assistive technologies – independence is often attainable.
Disability becomes crippling not by biology, but by the absence of support.
Prevention and Clinical Dos/Don'ts
Prevention varies widely:
�� Safe pregnancy and delivery practices lower cerebral palsy.
�� Early diabetes and hypertension control prevent visual and mobility disability.
�� Vaccination against rubella and meningitis preserves hearing and cognition.
�� Timely physiotherapy prevents muscle contractures and gait loss.
Clinicians should not only treat – they must advocate.
Do:
→ Screen early, intervene early, follow up consistently.
→ Educate families without judgment.
→ Promote autonomy, ability, and dignity.
Don’t:
→ Equate disability with inability.
→ Delay referrals to specialists.
→ Ignore the psychological burden on families. From a clinical perspective, disability is not simply a diagnosis, nor is it a limitation. It is a complex interaction between health, environment, and social structure. Medicine must approach disability not as a condition to cure, but as a life to support – with empathy, science, accessibility, and respect.
Disability does not define a patient’s worth.
But our response to disability defines our health system.
PAHO launches tool to improve care for women who survive sexual violence
The Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) on Thursday launched a rapid assessment tool to improve care for women survivors of sexual violence amid persistently high levels of violence against women in the Americas, where an estimated one in three women has experienced physical and/or sexual violence in her lifetime. PAHO noted that the tool offers the region’s public health sector a practical, evidence-based instrument to evaluate ser -
vices in emergency rooms and clinics, identify critical gaps in post-rape care and strengthen the health care provider’s response to one of the region’s most pervasive human rights and public health challenges. The new tool, which was unveiled in a webinar about improving care for women survivors of sexual violence, with over 400 participants, will enable countries to translate regional commitments on violence against women into concrete improvements in health facilities,
by measuring how well services meet survivors’ needs and guiding next steps to strengthen care.
“Every woman and girl who has been sexually assaulted deserves timely, sensitive and comprehensive health care,” said Britta Monika Baer, PAHO’s Advisor on Violence and Injury Prevention. “Health systems are not just responders, they are lifelines whose actions can restore dignity, prevent lifelong injury and trauma and break the cycle
of violence. By prioritising survivor-centred care and equipping health workers, we can ensure that no survivor is left behind.”
The rapid assessment tool builds on PAHO’s Strategy and Plan of Action on Strengthening the Health System to Address Violence against Women 2015-2025, which recognises the central role of the health sector in both responding to and preventing violence.
When health Ministers requested practical tools to
monitor progress against regional indicators and improve services with limited resources, PAHO developed this rapid assessment tool with support from the Government of Canada.
In the Americas, where rates of sexual and physical violence remain high, timely and compassionate post-rape care is critical to prevent unintended pregnancy, HIV and other sexually transmitted infections, and to safeguard the safety and well-being of survivors.
The first-of-its-kind
tool was initially designed in Spanish and tailored to health services in the Americas. The evaluation tool draws on World Health Organisation (WHO) clinical and policy guidelines on intimate partner violence and sexual violence, as well as existing quality-assurance instruments from partners. PAHO adapted these guidelines to the context of the region, with a focus on core elements of post-rape care and frontline support competencies.
(PAHO)
UWI sets up AI centre
From 2026, strategies to embolden many of T&T’s top industries through the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) will be studied at the University of the West Indies, St. Augustine Campus.
On Friday coming, the public will be officially introduced to the Artificial Intelligence Innovation Centre (AIIC), which has been tasked with advancing several of the Caribbean’s major industries, from creative arts to renewable energy.
“As you know, UWI has a regional mandate. I think that everyone, all of the viewers and us, I think we can agree that artificial intelligence is both an enabler and an industry at the same time.”
“So currently, the Artificial Intelligence Innovation Centre is the largest AI, research and development commercialisation and training centre in the Caribbean. We are housed right here at St Augustine campus, and our mission is to advance research and innovation in intelligent systems, integrated enabling technology”, said Dr Craig Ramlal, executive director of the AIIC.
The AIIC is set to collaborate with around 20 to 30 partners, including various Caricom governments, private sector entities, NGOs, and multilaterals, to digitise materials, develop AI strategies and provide training programmes to achieve these goals.
Ramlal said the centre has nine research clusters currently with plans to expand.
However he highlighted programmes that are of major interest for T&T and the region currently. The centre also acknowledged cybersecurity as crucial, given that the Caribbean and Latin American companies have been a major target for cyberattacks in recent years.
The UWI team is also looking at strategies which could be used to bolster the agriculture sector given concerns about food security in the region.
The centre will offer courses, many of which will start from September next year.
Dr. Ramlal said,”With the centre and the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, we are releasing five postgraduate programmes, a postgraduate certificate, a postgraduate diploma, Masters of Applied Science, a Master’s of Philosophy and a doctoral programme in AI.”
The AIIC will be launched next Friday, December 12 at the Radisson Hotel in Port of Spain. (Excerpt from Trinidad & Tobago Guardian)
Woman pleads guilty to threatening life of T&T PM
A30 year-old woman, who appeared in a TikTok video calling on Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro to kill Trinidad & Tobago Prime Minister Kamla PersadBissessar, will be sentenced on December 18 after she pleaded guilty before a Chaguanas magistrate.
Alianna Samaroo, 30, a mother of two boys, pleaded guilty to the offence on Wednesday, when she ap-
peared before Magistrate Marissa Gomez, who accepted Samaroo’s guilty plea to a charge under the Emergency Powers Regulations 2025.
Police alleged that on October 30 Samaroo posted a TikTok video under the username “alianna265” in which she urged Maduro to kill Persad-Bissessar and members of the Cabinet.
Samaroo was granted TT$50,000 bail.
Her mother, Elizabeth
Vasquez-Rosales, had issued a public appeal for forgiveness, saying she hoped the arrest taught her daughter not to disrespect the prime minister or Parliament.
Late last month, Commissioner of Police, Allister Guevarro warned social-media users who issue threats or attempt to destabilise the country will face prosecution. (Excerpt from Nation News)
Attacked boat may have been heading to Suriname, not US – sources
The boat attacked by the US military in international waters near Venezuela in early September was likely destined for Suriname, according to two US Congressional sources who attended a private briefing with the Navy admiral who ordered the attack. The Associated Press confirmed this account.
During that briefing, it was reportedly announced that the so-called "drug boat" was heading toward a larger vessel, whose ultimate destination was Suriname.
According to CNN, US intelligence agencies concluded that the attacked boat was supposed to rendezvous with that second ship to transfer drugs, but the military was never able to locate the second vessel.
On September 2nd, the first fire was opened after the crew were suspected of transporting drugs to the US. The boat was destroyed. A second attack followed shortly thereafter, killing two survivors clinging to the wreckage.
CNN argues that the new information challenges the Trump administration's justification. President Trump wrote on the day of the attack that "terrorists were in international waters transporting illegal drugs en route to the United States," emphasizing an imminent danger to the US. The alleged destination of Suriname would undermine that narrative.
However, Admiral Frank Bradley stated, according to CNN, that there was still a chance the drugs would ultimately reach the US via
Suriname.
Bradley defended himself to members of Congress by stating that he ordered the second raid because, according to his information, there were still bales of cocaine in the fuselage. The goal was supposedly to prevent cartels from recovering the drugs later.
The Trump administration maintains that the strikes were necessary to protect Americans and are part of a broader maritime counter-drug campaign. The September 2nd operation marked the first time the US military has completely destroyed a suspected drug vessel. More than twenty vessels have since been sunk, and over eighty people have died. (Excerpt from Suriname Herald)
Ex-Ohio missionary charged with sexually abusing minors in Haiti
Aformer missionary with an Ohio-based ministry has been indicted on federal charges of engaging in illicit sexual conduct with four different minors in Haiti over multiple years.
Jeriah Mast, 44, of Millersburg, Ohio, was indicted for alleged actions during his multiple visits to Haiti between 2002 and 2019. Mast — who according to authorities admitted to abusing about 30 victims in Haiti and more in Ohio — worked for part of that time for the Millersburgbased Christian Aid Ministries (CAM), which coordinates missionary ac-
tivities for Amish, conservative Mennonite and related groups. It marks the second court case against Mast, who was sentenced in Holmes County court in 2019 to nine years in prison after pleading guilty to sexually abusing two minors in Ohio.
Mast was arrested on the federal charges on Nov. 5 and formally indicted on Tuesday. He is scheduled to be arraigned Thursday in federal court in Cleveland.
“Crimes against children, like those mentioned in these allegations, are reprehensible,” U.S.
Attorney David M. Toepfer for the Northern District of Ohio said in a statement.
The charges are based on a U.S. law that prohibits citizens from “traveling in foreign commerce and engaging in any illicit sexual conduct with another person,” according to court filings.
The federal charges accuse Mast of abusing four different minors in 2004, 2007 and 2011. One was a 13-year-old boy Mast met through his missionary work and allegedly molested in a tent, according to the criminal complaint.
(Excerpt from The Haitian Times)
St Vincent’s international airport temporarily downgraded
As runway potholes continue to plague St Vincent’s Argyle International Airport (AIA), an American Airlines flight to Miami on Saturday was cancelled, and a NOTAM (Notice to Airmen/Missions) on Sunday revealed that the AIA is now temporarily downgraded.
The NOTAM, which was seen by St Vincent Times, revealed that the airport is temporarily downgraded to accommodate aircraft with an MTOW (Maximum TakeOff Weight) below 225000 lbs.
Sources tell the St Vincent Times that Virgin Atlantic has cancelled its flight into St Vincent today
due to unsafe runway conditions. This information was confirmed up to press time.
Maintenance teams struggled on Saturday night to repair the damaged runway as AA pilots refused to take off.
AA flight 3098 bound for Miami left on Sunday morning (7 December), after a 16-hour-plus delay. The flight is expected to land at MIA around 1.47 p.m.
There are no changes to the American Airlines flight to the AIA today, which is expected to arrive at 3.56 p.m.
In January, AIA, in response to photos of potholes on the runway, said, in a press release, that the pho-
tos did not reflect the current condition of the runway.
“The airport continues to execute regular maintenance on the aerodrome. The AIA Inc. remains committed to the highest standards of safety and operational excellence, and we encourage the public to rely on official sources for accurate information,” the release stated in January.
There have been speculations on social media as to whether the holes or cracks could have played a role in the incident where an American Airlines plane on January 20th burst two tires as it landed on the runway. (St Vincent Times)
Car bomb outside Mexico Police station kills at least 3
At least three people have been killed and six injured in a car explosion outside a police station in Mexico’s western state of Michoacan, according to local and federal security officials.
The blast on Saturday took place at a central avenue in Coahuayana, the attorney general’s office said in a statement.
“The driver died at the scene, while two other peo-
ple died in the regional hospital, and six others were injured,” it added.
The two victims who died in the hospital were community police officers, said Hector Zepeda, commander of the Coahuayana community police. He said the remains of some of the victims were found scattered in the area of the explosion, which also damaged nearby buildings. Images circulating online showed a com-
pletely burned-out vehicle. Michoacan is a key importer of chemical precursors for synthetic drugs. In the last two months, 17 drug laboratories were dismantled by Mexican authorities there. The state also produces avocados exported to the US and is a major producer of limes, sectors extorted by cartels for years. (Excerpt from Reuters)
Runway troubles disrupt flights at Argyle International Airport
Russia welcomes Trump’s revised US security strategy
The Kremlin has praised a new national security strategy adopted by US President Donald Trump, saying it aligns closely with Russia’s own view of global affairs.
The US document published last week warns that Europe faces what it calls “civilizational erasure”, identifies ending the war in Ukraine as a “core” US interest, and signals a shift towards restoring what Washington describes as strategic stability with Moscow.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said on Sunday that the changes “correspond in many ways to our vision”.
He also welcomed language in the strategy about ending “the perception … of
the NATO military alliance as a perpetually expanding alliance”. Moscow has long opposed NATO enlargement, citing its security concerns.
But Peskov cautioned that the position of what he called the US “deep state” –a term the US president has used to accuse officials who he believes are undermining his agenda – may differ from Trump’s new security strategy.
The new security strategy places the Indo-Pacific at the centre of US foreign policy, describing it as a “key economic and geopolitical battleground”. It pledges to expand US military power to deter conflict between China and Taiwan.
Meanwhile, Russia, isolated by Western sanctions
over the war in Ukraine, has deepened its economic and political ties with China.
Trump in March told Fox News that “as a student of history, which I am, and I’ve watched it all, the first thing you learn is you don’t want Russia and China to get together.”
Experts say the document marks Trump’s desire to overhaul the US-led post–World War II order, reshaping global alliances through a so-called “America First” lens.
It also emphasises defending what it calls the “Western identity” of Europe and preventing “civilizational erasure”, language that analysts say aligns with farright narratives within the European Union and the US.
(Excerpt from Al Jazeera)
US may end support for Ukraine war effort, says Donald Trump Jr
Donald Trump may walk away from the Ukrainian war, the US president’s oldest son has said in comments to a Middle East conference.
In a lengthy tirade against the purpose of continued fighting in Ukraine, Donald Trump Jr also said Ukraine’s “corrupt” rich had fled their country leaving “what they believed to be the peasant class” to fight the war.
Trump Jr has no formal role inside his father’s administration, but is a key figure in the Maga movement. His intervention reflects the antipathy among some inside the Trump team towards the Ukrainian government, and comes as Trump’s negotiating team is putting pressure on Kyiv to give up territory.
Trump Jr said the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, was prolonging the war because he knew he would never
win an election if it ended.
He said Zelenskyy was a borderline deity on the left, but argued that Ukraine was far more corrupt than Russia.
He also railed at the EU’s foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, saying European sanctions were not working since they had simply increased the price of oil, from which Russia could pay for its war. He described the European plan as “we are going to wait for Russia to go bankrupt – that is not a plan”.
He said he had only encountered three people during his canvassing of voters in the 2022 election campaign who thought the Ukraine war was a top-10 issue. The risk of Venezuelan boats bringing the drug fentanyl into the US was, he said, “far more a clear and present danger than anything that is going on in Ukraine or Russia”.
Asked if it was possible his father – who ran for
Around the World
Nightclub fire in India's Goa kills 25 staff and tourists
Afire at a popular nightclub in India's coastal region of Goa has killed 25 people, local officials say.
Police believe a gas cylinder exploded in the kitchen of the Birch nightclub, located near a popular beach. The venue was packed with revellers who had come to hear a Bollywood DJ.
Four people from the same Delhi family and 21 staff were among the victims, Goa police said, adding that most had died of suffocation.
The nightclub's manager has been arrested and an arrest warrant for the owner has been issued.
Goa is a former Portuguese colony on the Arabian Sea. Its nightlife, sandy beaches, and resorts attract millions of tourists annually.
Eyewitnesses told the BBC of scenes of panic in the bustling nightlife area.
One said that he had been outside the club on what was a usual Saturday night with holidaymakers enjoying themselves when he heard
screams.
"I didn't initially understand what was going on," he said. "In a bit, it became clear that a massive fire had broken out. The scenes were just horrific."
Though the main entrance is wide, the crossing over a small lake leading to the main structure is narrow and that made it difficult for firefighters to reach the spot.
The BBC saw what appeared to be melted remains of chairs, tables and plants in one corner of the club.
election claiming he could bring peace to Ukraine –would simply walk away, Trump Jr said maybe he would, adding that his father is one of the most unpredictable people in politics. He vowed that the US was no longer going to be “the idiot with the chequebook”. (Excerpt from The Guardian)
Awater leak in late November damaged several hundred works in the Louvre’s Egyptian department, the Paris museum said on Sunday, weeks after a brazen jewel theft raised concerns over its infrastructure.
“Between 300 and 400 works” were affected by the leak discovered on 26 November, the muse-
Benin's government said on Sunday its armed forces had foiled a coup attempt after a group of soldiers in the West African nation claimed on national television to have seized power.
The attempted coup was the latest threat to democratic rule in the region, where militaries have in recent years seized power in Benin's neighbours Niger and Burkina Faso, as well as in Mali, Guinea and, only last month, Guinea-Bissau.
At least eight soldiers, several holding weapons, went on state television on Sunday morning to announce that a military committee led by Colonel Tigri Pascal had taken over and was dissolving national institutions, suspending the constitution and closing air, land and maritime borders.
A few hours later, Interior Minister Alassane Seidou
Officials said 20 of the workers who died were from the Indian states of Jharkhand, Uttarakhand, Maharashtra, Assam, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal and Karnataka. One worker was from Nepal.
Four of the victims were tourists from Delhi, they added.
On Sunday, emergency teams were combing through the charred wreckage.
An inquiry into the cause of the fire has been launched, the chief minister said.
Goa's chief minister Pramod Sawant told journalists three people had died from burns, while others had died of suffocation. Six others are in a stable condition in hospital.
(Excerpt from BBC News)
Benin Government says armed forces foil coup attempt
said the West African country's armed forces had thwarted the attempted coup.
"Therefore, the government urges the population to go about their business as usual," he said.
A government spokesperson, Wilfried Leandre Houngbedji, said that 14 people had been arrested in connection with the coup attempt as of Sunday afternoon, without providing details.
Foreign Minister Olushegun Adjadi Bakari had earlier told Reuters that "a small group" of soldiers had attempted to overthrow the government but that forces loyal to President Patrice
Talon were working to restore order.
He said the coup plotters had only managed to take control of state television, which was cut after the soldiers read out their statement. It resumed broadcasting shortly afterwards, allowing the interior minister to read his statement saying the coup bid had been foiled. Gunfire could be heard earlier on Sunday in several neighbourhoods of Cotonou, the country's largest city and economic hub, as residents were trying to make their way to church early on Sunday morning. (Excerpt from Reuters)
Water leak in the Louvre damages hundreds of works, museum says
um’s deputy administrator, Francis Steinbock, said, describing them as “Egyptology journals” and “scientific documentation” used by researchers.
The damaged items dated from the late 19th and early 20th centuries and were “extremely useful” but “by no means unique”, Steinbock added.
“No heritage artefacts
have been affected by this damage,” he said. “At this stage, we have no irreparable and definitive losses in these collections.”
The Louvre said there would be an internal investigation into the November leak, which was caused by the accidental opening of a valve in the heating and ventilation system that led to water seeping through the
ceiling of the Mollien wing, where the books were stored. The “completely obsolete” system had been shut down for months and was due to be replaced from September 2026, the museum administrator added.
The works will “be dried, sent to a bookbinder to be restored, and then returned to the shelves”, Steinbock said. (Excerpt from The Guardian)
Police believe a gas cylinder exploded in the club's kitchen, causing a blaze to rip through the venue
The soldiers appeared on State TV early on Sunday morning to say they were suspending the constitution
US President Donald Trump greets Russia's President Vladimir Putin on August 15, 2025 at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Alaska, the United States
SUDOKU
Observe, listen and learn. The information you gather and the ideas that arise from your encounters will motivate you to rethink what you want to accomplish.
Question everything, set a budget and use your energy wisely, and you will be happy with the outcome. Knowing how to relate and respond to people will help you inch your way onward and upward.
Change begins with you. Be the host, and the response will make you feel good about yourself and the difference you can make to those you touch emotionally with your warmth and consideration.
Speak boldly, but share your thoughts and feelings in a peaceful and loving manner. You'll get far more in return if your demeanor is positive and you are willing to see and understand other people's perspectives.
How you engage in social or networking events will determine what you get in return. You'll gain the most through kindness, consideration and understanding. Personal progress and love are in the stars.
Be observant. Pay attention to what's unfolding at home. Set a price and stick to your budget. Anger will adversely affect the outcome of a tricky situation. Choose your words and actions wisely.
Activity, fitness, health and working to look and feel your best will be uplifting. Explore what intrigues you and expand your interests to meet your demands.
Concentrate on what's essential. Participation encourages learning and doing things differently. It's time to make updates across the board.
Having a plan in place will help you head toward the end of the year with less stress. Consider what you enjoy doing most and set your routine around what makes you happy.
Call for help if that's what's necessary to get things done or to be the one to make a difference. Be open and upfront, and show dedication and willingness to do your part.
You are in a good position. Your dedication, insight and ability to motivate others will encourage positive change and provide an opportunity to make a difference.
Emotions will surface if you overreact or offer too much before you find out what you'll get in return. You have plenty to gain if you are patient and willing to compromise.
ARCHIE
England batted against type and belatedly produced a rearguard, but it was in vain as seamer Michael Neser justified his contentious selection with a five-wicket haul to lead Australia to a crushing second Test victory.
Just six days in, Australia have a stranglehold of an Ashes series that is quickly becoming decidedly one-sided. But they were made to work on day four with England skipper Ben Stokes and Will Jacks stonewalling for almost half a day in a 96-run seventh-wicket partnership lasting almost 37 overs.
But Neser, surprisingly selected ahead of offspinner Nathan Lyon, dismissed both batters as England quickly fell away much like they have done numerous times in this series. Neser was sensational on the back of a deadly spell with the pink ball under lights on day three.
He was aided by outstanding fielding, a notable contrast between the teams after England dropped five catches in Australia's first innings.
Skipper Steven Smith snatched a
stunning one-hander low to his left to end Jacks' 92-ball grind, while wicketkeeper Alex Carey completed a stellar effort with the gloves by holding on to a nick up at the stumps to dismiss Stokes.
Any hope of a miracle ended with the sight of a forlorn Stokes trudging off the Gabba having given his all with 50 off 152 balls.
Needing just 65 runs for victory, Travis Head came out blazing as Australia raced to 33 for 0 after five overs, but dinner was still taken despite fears of stormy weather closing in on the Brisbane area.
Head could not carry over the momentum on resumption, chopping on to Gus Atkinson, who also nicked off Marnus Labuschagne. There were unexpected late fireworks when Smith and Jofra Archer had a war of words.
But Smith, fittingly, came out on top with a hooked six off a 150 kilometres per hour (kph) Archer bumper before sealing the victory in style with a huge blow over deep square off Atkinson. Smith finished 23 not out off just nine balls to ensure England left the field in need of plenty of soul searching ahead of the
Neser 5-for trumps England's belated resistance as Australia take 2-0 lead
third Test in Adelaide.
England will rue several passages of brainless play earlier in the match as their hopes of regaining the Ashes appear shot. Had they batted with the application and grit that Stokes and Jacks exhibited earlier then the match might have taken a different course.
But Australia thoroughly deserved their victory after such an even team performance. They outclassed and outsmarted England in another impressive effort without quicks Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood.
Smith continues to provide an excellent stand-in for Cummins as Australia's mastery and experience of day-night cricket overwhelm a ragged England.
The main question at the start of the day was how long would play last, with the result basically a formality. England resumed their second innings in dire trouble at 134 for 6 and still 43 runs from making Australia bat again. With the knives out, a belea - guered
50 balls before cracking a superb cover drive off Brendan Doggett in the highlight of a dour 28-run opening hour. There wasn't much out of the ordinary apart from when Stokes backed away anticipating a bouncer and proceeded to forehand smash the ball, forcing Doggett to do his own fielding to the boundary at long-off.
his seam bowling in the last over before tea as Stokes and Jacks defied the odds in the first wicketless session of the series. It was much the same early in the second session with Stokes digging in while Jacks, playing just his third Test, looked composed and balanced at the
England's only hope seemingly rested on Stokes replicating his Headingleyesque heroics. Going against type, a backs-tothe-wall approach was needed. Unlike a slew of his teammates, Stokes had been very watchful late on day three to survive Australia's onslaught and finish unbeaten on 4 from 24 balls. Under the baking sun, Stokes encountered far easier conditions with minimal swing on offer in a sedate start to the day's play. He crawled to 12 off
Australia's quicks bowled excellently without reward and they tried different tactics in search of a breakthrough. In what had seemed unlikely at the start of the day, England hauled in the deficit prompting a standing ovation from the Barmy Army.
The 50-run partnership between Stokes and Jacks was brought up a run later to a ripple of mostly ironic cheers from the terraces. They scored at 2.45 – the slowest scoring rate of the 164 partnerships of 50-plus in the Bazball era.
Stokes had a nervous moment just before the elongated tea break when a short delivery from Scott Boland hit the shoulder of his bat and flew over a leaping Cameron Green in the gully.
With a wicket proving elusive for the quicks, Smith might have wished he could throw the ball to Lyon, but, instead, he gave Head's part-time spin a go. Labuschagne also unfurled
crease. Jacks brought up his first boundary of the day when he clipped beautiful-
ly through midwicket as he passed his previous Test high score of 31. Smith had started to look frustrated in the field, but his mood brightened considerably when he took it upon himself to produce a moment of magic to end Jacks' resistance.
Stokes had barely acknowledged his hard-fought half-century, knowing there was so much work still to do. But he soon walked off disappointed after falling to Neser, throwing his head back in agony with the bitter realisation that the match was effectively over.
England lost their last 4 for 17 in their latest collapse as Neser claimed his first five-wicket innings haul of his brief Test career when he dismissed Brydon Carse. Smith equalled Rahul Dravid to sit second alltime in outfield catches and he celebrated with gusto knowing Australia were on the brink of another big win over their hapless opponents. (ESPNcricinfo)
Neser walks off with the ball raised (Getty Images)
Travis Head carves a shot away (Getty Images)
Michael Neser celebrates a wicket (Getty Images)
Jake Weatherald embraces Steven Smith after Australia's win (Getty Images)
Jofra Archer and Steven Smith exchanged words (Getty Images)
GCB names U13 team for Barbados series
The Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) has named the national Under-13 squad for a five-match 40-over home series against Barbados, scheduled for December 12 to December 20, 2025.
According to the Board, encampment for the team is set to begin immediately after the conclusion of the GCB Women’s Tournament on December 11.
The squad features Lomar Seecharran as Captain and wicketkeeper, with Sahid Gajnabi as Vice Captain, alongside Nathaniel Ramkhelawan, Timothy Ramdat, Afraz Ali, Makai Dowlin, Afraz Khan, Fayyad Baksh, Ashton Collins, Deshawn Ramnauth, Adrian Emmanuel, Jasani Craig, De Marcus Thomas, and Jaden Ganpat.
Standby players include Aaron DaCosta, Khemraj Bharrat, Markanthong Obermuller, Tilak Eshwar, Kelvin Henry, and Mario Singh.
Coaching responsibilities for the team will be handled by the competent Ameer Rahaman, Kumar Bishundial, and Clive Holder.
The Barbados Under-13 team are expected to arrive in Guyana on December 12, and the series will begin the following day at the historic GCC Bourda with Guyana fac-
ing Barbados.
The second match will also be played at GCC Bourda on December 14.
After a rest and tour day, the third match of the series will be held at GCC Bourda on December 16, followed by the fourth match at Everest Cricket Ground on December 17.
After another rest and tour day, the final match of the series will be played at Everest Cricket Ground on December 19, with the Barbados team departing Guyana on December 20.
All matches are scheduled to begin at 10:00h and will be played in white clothing.
Earlier this year, the GCB and the Barbados Cricket Association signed a historic agreement to facilitate an Under-13 cricket tour to Guyana.
The agreement was signed by the Head of the GCB, Bissoondyal Singh, and the Head of the Barbados Cricket Association, Calvin Hope.
The GCB has extended its best wishes to the Under-13 squad as they prepare to host Barbados for this important developmental series, aimed at showcasing young talent and strengthening regional cricket ties.
Atearful Lando Norris won his first Formula 1 drivers’ championship by securing the third place he needed in the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
The 26-year-old took the title by two points from Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, who won the race to take his eighth victory of the year, one more than the Briton and his McLaren team-mate Oscar Piastri.
McLaren were always in control of a race packed with tension even though Verstappen was on course for victory from the first lap, because Piastri finished second and was in a position to help Norris if needed.
Norris becomes the 11th British F1 world champion at the end of his seventh season in F1, a year that he started slowly, but in which he came on strong in the second half of the year.
And it is McLaren’s first drivers’ and constructors’ title double since 1998.
“I’ve not cried in a while and I didn’t think I would cry, but I did,” said a jubilant Norris.
“I mean, it feels amazing, I now know what Max feels like. I want to congratulate Max and Oscar, my two biggest competitors the whole season.
“It’s been a pleasure to race against both of them and an honour, I’ve learned
Briton Norris wins his 1st F1 title in Abu Dhabi
a lot from both of them as well.
“I’ve enjoyed it and it has been a long year, but we did it and I’m so proud of everyone.”
While the McLaren has been the fastest car on balance this season, Norris’s championship will be given added credibility by the fact that he won it in the face of a tough challenge from Verstappen, who is widely acknowledged as the finest driver of his generation.
Norris cried in his car on the slowing-down lap as he accepted the congratulations of his team and thanked them and his family for getting him into a place to fulfil his lifetime ambition.
The key stories of the race were:
Norris and McLaren’s calm and controlled drive to the title
A battle between Norris and Red Bull’s Yuki Tsunoda as the Japanese sought to help out Verstappen midrace and a brief threat of a penalty for the McLaren driver
A dominant victory from Verstappen to crown perhaps the most impressive year of his career
McLaren and Norris deal with the pressure
As the race finally started after a nervy weekend for McLaren, the pressure was
high after the team had suffered two difficult races in the grands prix preceding this one.
A double disqualification in Las Vegas followed by a botched strategy that handed Verstappen victory in Qatar had upped the stakes for McLaren at the end of a year in which they won the constructors’ title with six races to go.
Norris took a cautious approach to the start, not engaging with Verstappen as the Dutchman aggressively defended his lead from pole position on the run to the first corner.
Halfway around the lap, Piastri swept around the outside of Norris at the long left-hander of Turn Nine.
The move had been previously discussed in McLaren strategy meetings as a way to bring the Australian into play for the victory against Verstappen. Norris did not make it difficult for his teammate to pass.
Piastri was on hard tyres and Verstappen and Norris on medium, so the plan was to run long and give Red Bull something to consider and reduce the risk of him backing up the field to Norris’s disadvantage.
Norris was left to battle with Ferrari’s Charles
Leclerc for third place, but was always in control.
And after a second tyre stop for Norris to mirror Leclerc’s two-stop strategy, the Briton closed in on Piastri in the final laps.
“It’s incredible. It is pretty surreal, you know?” said Norris. “I’ve dreamed of this for a long, long time. Everyone does.
“A lot goes into a season like this, a lot of ups, a lot of downs. But none of that matters as long as you try and come out on top, and that’s what we have managed to do.
“It’s not just this year, it has been over the last seven or eight years being with McLaren, with the last 16, 17 years of my life, trying to chase this dream, and today we all did it, so I’m pretty happy.”
Verstappen, who was aiming to equal Michael Schumacher’s record of five consecutive drivers’ titles, said: “I kept looking up at the screen and hoping something would pop up. Every straight, I kept looking to see if something was happening, but it didn’t and that is racing, and I am not too fussed about it.
“I have no regrets about my season.”
The nerviest moment for Norris came after his first pit stop, when he came up behind Tsunoda in a battle for third place.
Red Bull had started the Japanese driver on hard tyres for the express purpose of trying to affect the race of Verstappen’s rival, in the way his predecessor Sergio Perez had with Lewis Hamilton in the controversial decider here in 2021.
Red Bull made it clear that he “knew what to do” after being told to do everything he could to hold up Norris.
He weaved down the straight on lap 23, but Norris committed for the inside, and kept his foot hard down even as he was edged slightly off track.
The incident was put under investigation by the stewards and the question was whether Norris would receive a penalty for overtaking off the track.
The stewards took no further action on that charge, but did penalise Tsunoda for making too many moves in defence.
From then on, Norris had only to hope his car kept going to the end, which it did, as he sealed an achievement
3.
4.
5.
6.
9.
10.
Norris resists Red Bull’s Tsunoda tactics
that crowned his career, that he said on Thursday he had been working for, for 16 years and to underline a superb season for McLaren.
It is the first drivers’ championship won by the team since Lewis Hamilton’s first title in 2008.
Abu Dhabi GP top 10 1. Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
2. Oscar Piastri (McLaren)
Lando Norris (McLaren)
Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)
George Russell (Mercedes)
Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) 7. Esteban Ocon (Haas)
8. Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari)
Nico Hulkenberg (Sauber)
Lance Stroll (Aston Martin) (BBC Sport)
Lomar Seecharan is set to captain Guyana’s U13 team
Lando Norris is the 11th Briton to win the F1 drivers’ championship
The 54th edition of the Inter-Guiana Games (IGG) lit up local venues across Guyana over the past three days, culminating in a second-place finish for the hosts as neighbouring Suriname claimed the top spot.
On Sunday morning, Guyana romped to a firstplace finish in the futsal event, on the back of a 6-4
Guyana end up 2nd after thrilling IGG weekend
ute. For Suriname, Revuillio Samson (16th) and Dareal Oemar (18th) added their names to the scoresheet.
victory over Suriname in the second of their two matches during the competition.
Isaiah Ifill opened the scoring for Guyana in the fifth minute. However, Suriname’s Requil De Mees levelled the scores in the eighth minute.
The scores soon moved to 3-3 in the blink of an eye as Guyana’s Ifill completed his brace in the 17th minute, while Quaency Fraser began his attack in the 16th min-
It was at that point that the encounter became tense, as both teams made a move to come away with the win. Seon Grant added one to Guyana’s tally in the 28th minute and Fraser completed his second hattrick of the competition in the 37th and 40th minutes
Suriname (gold) and French Guiana (silver). Guyana had five individual and five relay medals for a total of 10 over the three-day com-
women’s team consisting of Aditi Joshi, Maliah Rajkumar, Ciel Clement, and Italy Ton-Chung accumulated 11 points over
to push Guyana’s tally to 6. For Suriname, they could only respond through J-CI Mackin Dawoot in the 42nd minute.
In swimming, the Guyanese team were not so fortunate, capturing a bronze medal behind
petition at the National Aquatic Centre. Champions Suriname claimed 33 individual medals and six relay medals for a gold medal-winning 39, followed by French Guiana with 24 medals (18 individual and 6 for relays).
Over in chess, Guyana’s
the course of the competition for a second-place finish. Suriname claimed first place in the women’s division, with 11.5. On the other hand, Guyana’s open team consisting of Kyle Couchman, Sachin Pitamber, Micaiah
Enoe and Alexander Zhang racked up 12 points, defeating Suriname by one point, forcing them to settle for second place.
Overall, Guyana claimed the gold medal in chess, with a total of 23 points. Suriname ended up second with 22.5 points while French Guiana were only able to accumulate 2.5 points.
In the athletics arena, Guyana came away with yet another dominant win, racking up 442 points overall. The next best team were French Guiana, coming in second with 300 points while Suriname had to settle for third place with 213 points.
Overall, French Guiana accumulated 73 points to claim third place in the IGG. Guyana finished second with 75 points and the champions, Suriname accumulated 83 points across the six-discipline competition.
Further, it was announced that Suriname will be next year’s hosts of the IGG.
Santa Rosa edge Waramuri to lift Girls’ Pee-Wee title
The trophy exchanged hands and new champions were crowned, but ultimately the glory stayed in Region One (Barima-Waini) when Santa Rosa Primary’s girls pipped their regional mates and defending champions Waramuri Primary in a heart-thumping conclusion to the MVP Sports Girls’ Under- 11 Pee-Wee football tournament.
Tensions were high as old rivalries between the two hinterland villages were reignited at the Ministry of Education (MoE) Ground, Carifesta Avenue on
Saturday afternoon. The final clash was fittingly supported by the Minister of Amerindian Affairs, Sarah BrownShadeek, a Region One native herself, who vibrantly cheered on the teams alongside her fellow villagers.
Eventual Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the tournament, Roveena Johnson struck first, capitalising on some chaos in the box to slip the ball past the keeper in the 12th minute. However, before the half could expire, the tournament’s defending champions, Waramuri, got a lifeline when Alita Marks
outran the Santa Rosa defence and sent a right-footed shot blasting past the outstretched hands of the keeper in the 23rd minute.
The half expired with the scores still locked 1-1, but that would soon change after the second-half resumption. Johnson, again, made a charge down the field, this time choosing to pass it across the goal to Naomi Henry, who made no mistake with finishing in the 28th minute.
The many Santa Rosa supporters, clad in a similar lilac as their team, burst into animated screams again when Johnson sent another shot past the keeper in the 38th minute.
Waramuri, again, had a chance to rescue their title defence when a handled ball in the box by a Santa Rosa player gifted Waramuri a penalty opportunity. Alita Marks completed her brace, perfecting the shot in the 39th minute, but alas, it
was a little too late for the little Waramuri ladies as time expired with the score 3-2, in Santa Rosa’s favour.
Earlier in the afternoon, Marian Academy had a reprieve from their semi-final loss, needling St John the Baptist Primary to take home the third-place trophy. Haley Habekorn was the striker to watch, netting the game-winner in the 21st minute.
Santa Rosa’s Jamiera was adjudged the best goalkeeper of the tournament while her team-mate, Johnson was both the MVP and the tournament’s highest goal-scorer, netting 19 goals in her team’s unbeaten run. The tournament champions were rewarded with $100,000 in kind while the runners-up will receive $75,000, also in kind.
Roveena Johnson receives her MVP award from MoE’s Marti DeSouza
Santa Rosa Primary’s girls celebrate their MVP Sports U11 championship win
Santa Rosa (lilac) in control of possession during the MVP Sports final
Inter-Guiana Games! Suriname – first place (centre) – Guyana – second place (right) – and French Guiana – third place (left) – pose for a photo opportunity after receiving their medals
A glimpse of the closing basketball action on Sunday afternoon
Guyana’s chess team grabbed the overall chess gold
Team Suriname break into celebration following the announcement of their win
Minister within the Ministry of Culture, Youth & Sport, Steven Jacobs addresses the closing ceremony of the IGG Games in Guyana
