Guyana’s President
reaffirms commitment to serve all Guyanese – to name new Cabinet, key appointments soon
Congratulatory messages for President Ali on re-election AFC accepts election results, congratulates President Ali
Incoming Caricom Chair calls for “Atlantic Bridge” of hope at Africa Summit
J’ca immigration agency targeted in "cyber incident"
Largest Russian air attack of war sets fire to Ukrainian
Guyanese CAL pilot found alive after abduction in Trinidad
BRIDGE OPENINGS
The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Monday, September 8 – no retraction and Tuesday, September 9 –03:55h–05:25h.
The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Monday, September 8 –16:40h–18:10h and Tuesday, September 9 – 05:20h–06:50h.
FERRY SCHEDULE
Parika and Supenaam departure times – 05:00h, 10:00h-12:00h, 16:00h, 18:30h daily.
WEATHER TODAY
Sunny conditions are expected during the day, interrupted by thundery showers in the latemorning to late-afternoon hours. Clear skies are expected at night. Temperatures are expected to range between 22 degrees Celsius and 32 degrees Celsius.
Winds: North-Easterly to South-Easterly between 0.89 metre and 3.13 metres.
High Tide: 17:07h reaching a maximum height of 2.84 metres.
Low Tide: 10:44h and 23:01h reaching minimum heights of 0.39 metre and 0.33 metre.
Dr Irfaan Ali
Dr Irfaan Ali was on Sunday, September 7, sworn in as the Ninth Executive President of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, after a landslide win at the General and Regional Elections, which were held September 1.
Dr Ali took his oath of office, which was administered by the Chancellor of the Judiciary (ag), Justice Roxane George, at about 10:20h before a packed gathering on the lawns of State House in Georgetown, where his inauguration ceremony was held, and culminated with a grand cultural presentation and brunch at the Esplanade, Kingston Seawalls.
In his first Address to the Nation after being sworn in for his second term as President, Dr Ali reaffirmed his commitment to be a president who represents all Guyanese.
“As I first declared on August 2, 2020, I am not the President of some Guyanese, I am the President of all Guyana. That principle has guided me and the government for the last five years, 20202025, and it shall remain my compass in the years ahead. My mission is unchanged. It remains to serve every citizen of this land, irrespective of creed, community, or conviction, ensuring that every Guyanese has a place in our national family and a stake in our shared future,” he stated.
The President went on to assure persons who did not vote for him at the September 1 General and Regional Elections that he will still work to enhance their lives and communities.
“One Guyana is not a slogan — it is a lived ethic. Each of us are equal in dignity, equal in opportunity, and equal in respect.
over, placing the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) back into Parliament with a stronger role, the Head of State underscored the importance of fostering national unity, and offered a hand
vealed that the PPP/C has secured 36 seats in the 65-member National Assembly. The We Invest in Nationhood (WIN) gained 16 seats and has effectively ousted the PNC-led A Partnership for National
To those of us who did not support me, know this: I am your president too,” the newly re-elected Guyanese leader committed.
Unity and nation-building With the elections now
in partnership for the future of the nation.
In its declaration of the 2025 elections results on Saturday evening, the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) re -
Unity (APNU) as the main parliamentary opposition after it only managed to earn 12 seats.
Dr Irfaan Ali taking his Oath of Office as Guyana's Ninth Executive President
The President delivering his first Address to the Nation after being sworn in for a second term in office
President Dr Irfaan Ali and Prime Minister, Retired Brigadier Mark Phillips lead a procession from State House to the Esplanade on the Kingston Seawall for a cultural programme as part of Sunday’s inauguration ceremony
Editor: Tusika Martin
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Irfaan Ali: President
Mohamed Irfaan Ali has been sworn in for a second term as President of Guyana, to place him as the Head of State and the Executive Branch of Government until 2030. In our parliamentary democracy, with his PPP party securing 36 seats in our 65-member National Assembly, he has a comfortable legislative majority to support his Government’s programmes in the next five years. With the success of the new WIN party to secure 16 seats and the PNC-dominated APNU dropping precipitously to 12, he will be facing a divided opposition in our historically partisan political landscape.
This in itself will be a challenge facing the President because with WIN pulling most of its votes from traditionally PNC enclaves, those two parties will be vying to prove which of them best represents the interests of their overlapping constituencies. It is hoped that WIN would orient itself to activities within the arena of Parliament and work to become at least an effective opposition party there, if not a “loyal opposition” that is the ideal. However, political outbidding against the PNC for the support of the large lumpen elements who have defined themselves as “scrapeheads” presents the danger of extra-parliamentary threats which President Ali must prepare the appropriate State apparatus to deal with condignly. In his favour is the widely-conceded fact that in his personal capacity, he has played an outsized role in the decreased salience of the historic racialised voting pattern that has bedevilled our nation. His grassroots-style political persona should go a far way in widening the PPP/C’s support in all sections of our nation.
In terms of the economic well-being of the people of Guyana, President Ali’s PPP has crafted a very comprehensive Manifesto, which we know from experience he and his administration will work most diligently to implement. We do not have to reiterate all of the details of that Manifesto, save to emphasise that it places the development of people at its centre. The criticism that in his first term his programmes focused too much on infrastructure with our oil revenues is quite misplaced. “Human development” –measured by health, education and standard of living – is quite dependent on infrastructure for its improvement. For instance, hospitals are necessary to ensure higher longevity; schools for further specialised and higher education, and higher generation of electricity and improved roads and bridges to attract businesses which will deliver jobs and improved standards of living. The PPP/C has also announced a welter of initiatives to deal with the most vulnerable sections of the populace. In his first term, Pres Ali oversaw our UN Development index increase every year since 2021 to reach .776 by 2024; placing us 89th amongst 193 counties. The next five years should see an acceleration of this progress.
The increase in our oil production will continue unabated in the next five years to take our production beyond one million barrels per day (bpd). In addition to President Ali being in a strong position to fund his Manifesto’s pledges, this will give him a platform on the world stage as a leader of consequence. He can uniquely present Guyana as a responsible energy producer, diversified food producer and environmental conservationist. Pres Ali has also found himself a world leader at a time when the post WWII international order is in a state of flux as it moves contradictorily into a greater nation-centric multipolar configuration while the old multipolar institutions like the United Nations and World Trade Organisation are declining. Pres Ali has shown that he is quite adept at traversing this new terrain in the furtherance of our national interests.
In the present, Pres Ali will have to use the opportunity presented by the US ramping up its “war on drugs” programme against the Maduro regime in Venezuela, which has presented a clear and present danger to our national existence through their specious claim on our Essequibo. He was the first to declare his support for the US sending a fleet to interdict drug shipments from Venezuela. He should now boost our military capabilities to act as a deterrent against Maduro’s military adventurism.
Mediterranean wildfires are no accident
By AlejAndro PedregAl
From Turkiye to Greece, from France to Spain, this summer’s Mediterranean wildfires make one thing clear: Something has changed. These are no longer occasional dry spells or extreme seasons. The so-called sixth-generation fires are fuelled by a climatic and social logic deeply embedded in the machinery of global disaster capitalism.
The scale is staggering. By August 26, more than one million hectares (3860 square miles) had burned across the European Union in 2025 – four times the historical average of the past two decades. In Spain, the devastation jumped from 40,000 to more than 416,000 hectares (155 to 1,606 sq miles) in just a matter of weeks, making 2025 the year with the largest area burned this century, while fire-related emissions reached the highest annual total in the record dating back to 2003. The fires have forced tens of thousands of people to flee and claimed at least eight lives, among them firefighters and volunteers. Critical infrastructure, including the rail link between Madrid and Galicia, was disrupted. And beyond the flames, the toll of heat itself is just as brutal: As of August 22, the Spanish National Research Council’s MACE system estimated that nearly 16,000 people have already died from heat this summer –6000 more than just two weeks earlier.
These fires are neither isolated nor “natural” phenomena. They are expres-
sions of a system in combustion, accelerated by climate change induced by our socioeconomic order and aggravated by land-use policies subordinated to accumulation, profit and growth. Instead of prioritising prevention and care, many institutions have slashed resources to the point where investment in fire prevention and firefighting has been cut in half over the past 13 years. Add to this a chronic neglect of rural areas and a land-use model dictated by corporate and financial interests – above all, the short-term gain of tourism at the expense of long-term survival.
The expansive inertia of capital, which commodifies everything and subordinates care and prevention to profitability, has reshaped the landscape. It has broken the ties between communities and their environment, weakened local agriculture in favour of predatory agroindustry, and transformed vast territories into monocultures, urban sprawl and inhospitable spaces. In this context, wildfires are no longer accidents. They are loyal bearers of a social order advancing as an “automatic subject” – relentless, unstoppable and driving ecosystems, labour and life itself to the limit.
Their effects also reflect the unequal exchange – both economic and ecological – at the heart of our societies. Workers, rural populations, migrants and those from depopulated regions are the ones most exposed to the flames. The threat spreads along the rifts of this system: class,
race, gender, geography. And the people deemed “disposable” tend to be the same, time and again.
In much of the Mediterranean, fire is becoming faster, more unpredictable and harder to control. A “new climate normal” has taken hold, in which heat and drought lock arms with increasingly flammable landscapes. Forests, with no adaptive margin left, turn into ticking time bombs: Biomass accumulates unchecked, monocultures expand alongside rural abandonment, and institutions are left overwhelmed.
Public discourse, meanwhile, veers in erratic directions. Just weeks ago, the President of Catalonia, Salvador Illa, declared, “There are too many forests.” But in a region like the Mediterranean – where the sea itself is boiling and extreme events like fires, droughts and flash floods intensify – the last thing we need is less forest cover. Even degraded, forest ecosystems play crucial roles. They capture carbon, cool their surroundings through their low albedo and stabilise their environment through their high ecological multifunctionality.
The way forward lies in forging an adaptive relationship with forests – a management, if you will –that reviews their architecture, protects and promotes biodiversity, reduces accumulated biomass without eroding soils and, above all, restores the link between community and territory. This is essential to rebalance the city-country divide, where the countryside has
been reduced to little more than a supplier of goods and a dumping ground for urban waste. What is needed is ecosocial planning and investment guided by a political vision that transcends short-termism.
And yet, amid systemic combustion, resistance is rising. Communities practising agroecology (sustainable farming rooted in ecological principles and social justice), people defending their territories against neoliberal grabbing or colonial occupation from the Amazon to Palestine, and climate justice movements illuminating other ways of inhabiting the world. These experiences show that as the forests burn, so too burns the order that ignited them. They demand policies that confront segregation, extreme inequality, and that, beyond mitigation and adaptation, re-centre life itself in our territories and commit to collective emancipation.
Because as long as accumulation, exploitation and dispossession continue to govern our social and ecological relations, summer fires will burn earlier and fiercer. Wildfires are evolving in step with the system that fuels them. If we do not want this to become our everyday reality, we must put life at the centre. The fire we need is the one that lights the path to care, meaning and a future. There will be no firebreak against disaster without ecological and social justice. (Al Jazeera) Alejandro Pedregal is a writer, filmmaker and Research Council of Finland Fellow at Aalto University.
The First Family poses for a portrait at State House on inauguration day, Sunday, September 7, 2025
Beginning from the projections of a landslide victory in Guyana’s 2025 General and Regional Elections to inauguration day, on September 7, messages of congratulations from the local and world communities have steadily arrived for President Dr Irfaan Ali on his re-election for a second term, as well as for the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C).
British High Commission
The British High Commission congratulates the people of Guyana for a successful and peaceful election, the People's Progressive Party/Civic, and President Mohamed Irfaan Ali on his re-election as the Executive President of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana. We commend the Guyana Elections Commission, its electoral staff, the party agents, observers, and the security services for their efforts in ensuring that the process was peaceful and orderly.
The UK, alongside other diplomatic missions and international organisations, observed the elections and saw the free exercise of the people of Guyana to choose their government.
We noted issues around accessibility for the elderly and people with disabilities and hope these will be addressed in future elections. We also support the findings and recommendations of other observer missions, notably the EU observer mission, and encourage the new government to engage with and implement these recommendations early in its new term.
As a friend of Guyana and its people, the UK stands ready to support these efforts, and looks forward to deepening the bonds of friendship that bind our two nations in the years ahead.
China
China extends its congratulations on the re-election of His Excellency, Dr Irfaan Ali as President of Guyana. China attaches high importance to enhancing the friendly relations with Guyana and is willing to join hands with the new Guyanese Government to promote the building of a more close-knit ChinaGuyana community with a shared future.
ERC
The Ethnic Relations Commission (ERC) extends congratulations to His Excellency, Dr Irfaan Ali, on
Congratulatory messages for President Ali on re-election
his re-election as President of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana and Commanderin-
Chief of the Armed Forces.
The Commission also conveys congratulations to the Prime Minister and Ministers who will form the Government for the next five years and offers best wishes for continued success in their service to the nation.
The ERC acknowledges the peaceful and orderly conduct of the electoral process and the participation of citizens across the country. As Guyana moves ahead, the Commission encourages continued emphasis on togetherness, healing, and reconciliation in keeping with the ideals of “One People, One Nation, One Destiny.”
The Commission looks forward to ongoing engagement with President Ali and the Government in support of efforts that strengthen harmony, inclusivity, and respect among all citizens.
The ERC reaffirms its commitment to working with every stakeholder towards advancing national unity and celebrating Guyana’s cultural and ethnic diversity.
EU
The European Union extends its congratulations to His Excellency, President Dr Irfaan Ali, and the People's Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) on their successful re-election following the September 1, 2025 elections.
The European Union also commends the Guyanese electorate and the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) for ensuring that the elections were conducted in a calm and peaceful manner, reaffirming Guyana's steadfast commitment to the democratic process.
We concur with the assessments made by both international and local observer missions that emphasised the peaceful nature of these elections.
The European Union greatly values its long-standing and multifaceted partnership with Guyana, a relationship built on the shared principles of democracy, human rights, and the rule of law. Looking ahead, we are excited to further strengthen these bonds.
Our collaboration is driven by a shared ambition to promote sustainable development and addressing climate change. Additionally, we are committed to fostering inclusive economic growth and diversification through our Global Gateway
Initiative and continuing our efforts to bolster democratic institutions and promote good governance.
The European Union remains a committed partner to Guyana, and together, we will strive to build a future that is more prosperous, sustainable, and secure for all.
GAWU
The Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) extends its heartiest congratulations to His Excellency, President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali, on his re-election to a second term in office following the successful conclusion of the September 1, 2025 National and Regional Elections.
The Union notes that President Ali and the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) have secured an increased electoral support and a larger parliamentary mandate, a clear testament to the confidence and trust the Guyanese people have placed in his leadership and vision for our country.
GAWU also warmly congratulates the people of Guyana for again exercising their democratic franchise in a spirit of peace and responsibility. We are particularly proud that the electoral season and Election Day itself were punctuated by calm and order, demonstrating our nation’s growing maturity in safeguarding and upholding democracy.
We commend the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) for ensuring an efficient electoral machinery that facilitated the smooth conduct of these important polls, thereby strengthening public confidence in the electoral process.
As a proud representative of the workers of Guyana, GAWU emphasises its strong desire to continue working alongside the new Government to advance national development, promote pro-people and pro-worker initiatives, and uplift the masses of our country.
We believe that under the leadership of President Ali, supported by Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo, the Prime Minister, and the leadership of the PPP/C, Guyana is poised to achieve even greater heights of progress, unity, and prosperity.
Once again, we extend our warmest congratulations to President Ali and the PPP/C on their resounding victory at the polls, and we look forward to a future of continued collaboration in the service of the working people and all Guyanese.
GCCI
The Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) extends its congratulations to President, His Excellency Dr. Irfaan Ali and the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) on their reelection to office in the General and Regional Elections 2025.
The Chamber is committed to collaborating with the Government for the continued development of Guyana and the upliftment of the people.
GMSA
The Guyana Manufacturing & Services Association (GMSA) extends heartiest congratulations to the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) on their victory in the General and Regional Elections held on Monday, September 1, 2025. We also congratulate President Elect, Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali, as he commences his second term as President of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana.
The GMSA looks forward to working closely with the Government of Guyana in achieving the vision plan outlined in their 2025 manifesto to further advance the development of Guyana’s economy. The manifesto, over the next five years, presents a framework for achieving a new era of economic growth and industrial modernisation, based on strategic investments, targeted policies, and collaborative efforts across all sectors of society.
We also commend the public for their peaceful participation in the elections and the professional and diligent work by the Guyana Elections Commission. This demonstration of democratic maturity reflects the unity and resilience of our people as we continue to build a stronger nation.
The GMSA extends congratulations to all other political parties that participated in the elections. Their involvement enriches our democracy and ensures that the voices of all Guyanese are represented in the national dialogue.
As we move forward, the GMSA remains confident in Guyana’s future. With collaboration and shared vision, our country is poised to achieve sustainable growth and prosperity for all.
IDB Congratulations to President Irfaan Ali on his re-election as President of Guyana.
The IDB Group and Guyana have built a strong partnership over the last five decades, and we look forward to continuing our collaboration to foster social development and sustainable growth.
Together, let’s keep improving lives for all Guyanese people!
PSC
The Private Sector Commission (PSC) of Guyana extends sincere congratulations to His Excellency, President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali on his re-election to serve a second term as President of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana.
This renewed mandate is a clear reflection of the confidence that the people of Guyana have placed in his leadership and vision for a modern, united, and prosperous nation. The Private Sector Commission commends the peaceful manner in which citizens exercised their democratic right, and acknowledges the efforts of the Guyana Elections Commission in administering the process under significant scrutiny.
The Commission looks forward to continuing close partnership with the administration in advancing inclusive growth, expanding opportunities for investment and employment, and ensuring that the benefits of Guyana’s economic transformation are shared equitably across all communi-
ties. The Commission also welcomes the Government’s commitment to transparency, good governance, and the strengthening of democratic institutions, which remain vital to investor confidence and sustainable development.
The PSC reaffirms its unwavering support for working collaboratively with the Government to build a diversified economy, enhance competitiveness, and secure Guyana’s place as a leader in regional and international markets. The Commission extends best wishes for every success in this new term and remains committed to advancing the development and progress of our nation.
USA
Congratulations to President Ali on his re-election. The United States looks forward to continuing to work with the Government of Guyana to further strengthen the bilateral ties between our two countries. Our commitment to Guyana's continued growth and development remains strong and unwavering.
We commend the Organisation of American States (OAS) and other international observers for their impartial monitoring and thorough analysis, which have been instrumental in promoting transparency and accountability in this election.
Page Foundation
Reading is much more than just a means to pass the time or get information. It is a very strong mental workout that changes the way our brains work for the rest of our lives. This simple practice has a big effect on brain development from childhood to old life. It is the best exercise for the mind because it strengthens our mental abilities and makes new neural connections with every word.
Reading changes the way you think
Making the brain stronger
Reading is a direct boost to our brains that makes them work better. Making neural networks stronger and connecting various parts of the brain in a way that no other activity can. Reading makes you think critically by making your brain work to understand information, and follow complicated stories. It is a basic way to make your thinking sharper and more flexible.
The empathy and imagination boost Reading has a big impact on our social and emotional intelligence, beyond only rationality. Reading fiction, is shown to make us more understanding through us seeing things from someone else’s point of view. This allows us to view things from other people’s points of view, helping us know the world better. Practice also enables people to think creatively and come up with great new
Tideas.
Reading is a simple way to exercise your mind as this helps people become smarter, stronger, and more caring. It can also help you understand other people’s feelings and come up with new ideas. It’s the best thing we can do for our own brains.
Make space for reading
Find a daily time to read
Reading is a fun and enjoyable way to spend family time. If you are able to make it part of your daily or weekly routine, it will most certainly become a moment that everyone looks forward to. Tip: it does not have to be bedtime. Whatever works for you.
Get engaged with reading together
There are lots of ways to make reading together enjoyable. You can take turns on each page, or assign a character to each family member. Try getting into the characters by using silly voices.
Talking about the story is another way to share, discuss feelings, and bolster reading comprehension skills.
Read together or independently. Just read It’s all right if children wants to “interrupt” and share during the story. What’s happening in the book might spark a memory or idea your child wants to tell you about. That’s a wonderful thing! Other times your kids may not be in a sharing mood. In fact, there may be days in which it’s better to invoke “reading time” rather than “reading together.” Each family member can set themselves up in their own spot, with their own book or reading material, and read independently. Afterwards, you can each discuss what you’ve each read, or let everyone be, and think about it on their own.
Discover a wide range of reading materials
Read fiction and nonfiction. Check out magazines,
newspapers, and pamphlets, too. When choosing books from the library, consider topics children have learnt about in school and particularly enjoyed, like outer space or animals. Sometimes, you can find books that are slightly different or go deeper than the lessons covered in the classroom. Checking these books out is a way for reading skills to reinforce other subjects, leading to more overall academic success.
Reading is a lifelong skill and can be a cherished activity. By sharing stories as a family, you are setting in motion the ability for your child to use their imagination and learn so much more about the world around them. The time spent reading, learning, and sharing together is absolutely priceless.
Reading challenge
Taking part in a reading challenge is a great time to share and talk about books as a family and to celebrate reading achievements. Sitting down with your own book, newspaper or magazine sets a good example to children – they will copy you – and reading together can really encourage a love of stories.
Join the Reading Challenge by following Summer of Reading @ facebook and sending a video of you reading your favourite book. Get rewards, play games, and earn badges as you discover books to read! (Sources: readab. com, pbs.org &Summer of Reading @ facebook)
his engaging craft allows children to express their artistic flair while making beautiful, wearable art.
Take a section of red clay and roll it into a small ball. Then use your hands, or a rolling pin, to squash the ball to create a flat circle, approximately 4cm in diameter.
Take a tiny section of white clay and roll it into a very small ball. Then press it onto the centre of the red circle.
Take more tiny sections of white clay and push them around the white circle on the red clay.
Create three long oval shapes out of the blue clay and attach
them to the back of the red circle. Then use a cocktail stick to make a small hole in the top of the red circle.
Create beads using red, black and blue clay, by taking small sections of clay and rolling them into a small ball. Then push a cocktail stick through the centre of the circles to make a small hole in them.
Air-dry the pieces.
Once the pieces are dried, thread the beads and pendant onto some black elastic, then trim the ends and tie them together in a double knot. (bakerross.co.uk)
By Wilson Harris
Blue is the journey I long to go
White is the gate I open to show the sun my face. Brown is the road that leads to space where the sky falls down like the highest hill.
Dark is the river where green trees sail, where nothing learns to stand quite still on the visionary road across the hill.
Lofty is the spirit that waves on high Like a flag of wind that is flown awry It is visible now to my naked eye to my naked eye and my naked mind the flag blows out and wind blows in they are one and the same like flesh and skin.
My wood and my bone are burnt in the sun I wave like smoke, crackle like gun March to meet the starry ground
Where the camps are lit and the spirits sound Their bugles for burning bone and tongue.
Words of my mother
Base a piece of writing on words of your mother that help guide your life.
CLE approves Guyana law school; paves way for 1st of its kind locally
... Regions 2, 3, 6 & 9 to open medical, engineering schools
After years of various attempts, Guyana is now closer to setting up its own law school, following the much-anticipated approval from the Council of Legal Education (CLE). This was announced by President Dr Irfaan Ali during his inauguration speech on Saturday morning after being sworn-in for a second term in office following the September 1 General and Regional Elections.
“Based on the recent approval granted by the Council for Legal Education, we will commence work immediately on the establishment of Guyana’s very own law school,” the Head of State declared. Over the last two years, the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Administration has been working to get permission from the CLE to establish a much-needed law school here. The CLE is a regional organisation which operates the Hugh Wooding Law School in the Republic of Trinidad & Tobago, the Norman Manley Law School in Jamaica, and the Eugene Dupuch Law School in The Bahamas. Guyana had previously conducted a feasibility study for the establishment of a local law school and the findings were handed over to the CLE last September. Additionally, a high-level subcommittee was appointed to review Guyana’s application. The sub-committee comprises Attorney General (AG) Anil Nandlall, SC; Justice Liesel Weekes, SC, Chairperson of the CLE; Reginald Armour, SC, AG of Trinidad and Tobago; Justice Louise Blenman, Chief Justice of Belize;
and Jacqueline SamuelsBrowne, a member of the CLE as well as Jamaican lawyer Dr Lloyd Barnett. Meanwhile, the Guyana Government has already identified land for the construction of the school. Previously, then AG Nandlall had revealed that approximately seven acres of land within the precincts of the University of Guyana (UG) Turkeyen Campus, Greater Georgetown, Campus were identified for the establishment of the law school. According to President Ali on Saturday, the law school will “…enable hundreds of persons to qualify as Attorneys-atLaw right here in Guyana, with full rights to practice in CARICOM countries.”
For nearly three decades, Guyana has been trying to establish a law school within its jurisdiction since law students are forced to attend the Hugh Wooding Law School in Trinidad. However, only the 25 top law students from Guyana are allowed each year into the programme. UG’s Law Degree programme usually sits about 40 students per year. Moreover, the high cost of living in Trinidad has deterred many persons from further pursuing a legal career; but in response, the Guyana Government now offers limited fully-funded scholarships to Hugh Wooding Law School. The journey to setting a local law school started some three years ago when Guyana’s proposal to set up its own law school was accepted by the CLE in September 2022. The CLE subsequently outlined the requirements that the country needed to fulfil, including the conducting of a comprehensive
feasibility study in which Guyana has to illustrate the number of students the school will attract and accommodate, as well as Government’s capacity to fund the construction of the facility and its initial operation cost. Under the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) Coalition Administration, attempts were made to establish the Joseph Oscar Fitzclarence Haynes Law School. However, the CLE was not approached about the project initially and when permission was eventually sought, it was denied in late 2017. However, the PPP/C Government had previously declared that any law school that is established in Guyana will be done under the ambit of the CLE – something that will also allow the country to capitalise on the overcrowding at the other institutions across the region.
Schools of Medicine & Engineering
Meanwhile, President Ali on Saturday also announced plans for the expansion of the University of Guyana’s (UG) medical and engineering programmes to several regions across the country. This will see some 200 seats now being available in the next six weeks for persons in Regions Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam), Three (Essequibo IslandsWest Demerara), Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) and Nine (Upper TakutuUpper Essequibo), who will now be able to pursue professional training in these two disciplines without having to relocate to the capital city or even abroad.
“These skills type are in high demand and we’re going to ensure that Regions Nine, Two, Three and Six in six weeks, will be in a position to deliver education in every field of the College of Medicine and the University of Guyana, Faculty of Engineering” President Ali stated during his inauguration speech.
This developments form part of a broader national strategy to decentralise higher education, strengthen professional capacity, and ensure equitable access to training across all regions. Only last month, the Guyanese leader had revealed plans to have a branch of UG’s College of Medical Sciences to be established at the newly-commissioned $930 million Tuschen Secondary School on the East Bank of Essequibo in Region Three. He said the school will be utilised for this purpose in the evening and doctors will have an opportunity to have a second job at lecturing.
UG currently offers about 17 programmes in its College of Medical Sciences and since the Government made it tuition-free to study at the institution, there have been hundreds of applications. Ali had disclosed that over 200 of those applications are from Region Three but only 86 were accepted at the Turkeyen
campus due to space limitations. As such, the decision was taken to make the Tuschen Secondary School a dual-purpose facility so that no applicant is denied the opportunity to pursue their education. Similarly, on the 2025 elections campaign trail last month, Dr Ali announced plans for
seats in the TVET Centre at Leonora, and give you a Faculty of Engineering right here,” he had told residents of Region Three. According to Ali, “No longer must ‘no’ be the answer for the children of our country. We will break every barrier to give them the opportunity they want
his new Government to establish a UG Faculty of Engineering at Leonora, West Coast Demerara (WCD).
“Today, some young kids came to me and they said we applied to do civil engineering at the University of Guyana, but they were told that they are out of seats… I said nonsense! We will build the
[so that] they can be the best they want to be… No one will tell you that there are not enough seats at the University. We will invest in those seats so your children will be the doctors, the lab technicians, the dental technicians, the biochemists – whatever they want to do, they can do right here in Region Three.”
President Dr Irfaan Ali
“Lola Doll”
shooting 1 arrested, 1 wanted for attempted murder
Local singer and social media personality Lolita Callender, widely known as “Lola Doll,” is battling for her life after being ambushed and shot multiple times outside her East Ruimveldt home late Saturday night. The 33-year-old was attacked just after 23:00h as she pulled into her driveway at Texas Square, East Ruimveldt. According to police, the mother of two is presently at the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPHC) in critical condition after receiving bullet wounds to her neck, face, hands and right leg.
“Information received that she was shot in her motor car by a male on a motorcycle, in front of her house. Ranks are presently in search of the male and CCTV cameras are being checked”, the police report read.
However, persons close to Callender revealed that CCTV footages show a lone gunman approached her parked vehicle and opened fire before flee-
ing on a waiting motorcycle. Neighbours reported hearing a rapid burst of gunshots before discovering Callender slumped and bleeding in the driver’s seat.
Family members rushed her to GPHC, where doctors confirmed she had sustained gunshot wounds to several parts of her body, including her neck. She remains in a critical condition under emergency care. Investigators have since taken one man into custody in connection with the incident. He is being questioned about his alleged involvement, though no charges have yet been laid. Detectives are reviewing surveillance recordings from the neighbourhood and examining video footage of the attack that has been circulating online. Nevertheless, on Sunday afternoon, investigators confirmed that another person is wanted as part of the probe into the attack. The man wanted in connection with the shooting has been identified as Paul Daby Junior,
called “Randell”.
Daby’s last known address was listed as Lot 127 D’Aguiar Park, Georgetown. Police said he is wanted for attempted murder committed on Callender.
Daby Jr is already familiar to authorities. In June of this year, the United States (US) Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) listed him among six individuals sanctioned for alleged drug trafficking. He was identified as a 40-year-old Georgetown businessman, also known as “Daby Ramsuchit”, accused of participating in the trafficking networks that move cocaine from Colombia and Venezuela through Guyana to North America, Europe, and the Caribbean. The US sanctions also named Senior Superintendent Himnauth Sawh of the Guyana Police Force (GPF), businessman Mark Cromwell, Randolph Duncan and two Colombian nationals. OFAC pointed to Guyana’s rivers, jun-
gles and porous borders as key routes exploited by traffickers, noting that cocaine has even been discovered buried in pits on illegal airstrips in Regions One (Barima–Waini) and Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni).
The GPF has urged anyone who sees him or has information on his whereabouts to immediately contact the nearest police station or call the following numbers: 227-1149, 2258196, 227-1611, 268-2328, 268-2329, 226-3405, 2256978, 333-3876, 225-8196. The shooting has left the East Ruimveldt community shaken, with residents expressing shock over the violent assault on the wellknown entertainer, who built a following both as a singer and a vibrant online personality.
Lola Doll is also known for her expletive-filled tracks, flamboyant parties, frequent online spats and past assault charges. Police have not yet established a motive, but the investigation is ongoing.
AFC accepts election results, congratulates President Ali
The Alliance For Change (AFC) in a Sunday press release said that it accepts the Guyana Elections Commission’s declaration that the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) has won the 2025 General and Regional Elections and extended its congratulations to the newly-inaugurated President
Dr Irfaan Ali. “...now that the Commission has officially announced that the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic has won these elections, we accept the declaration and extend congratulations to Dr Irfaan Ali,” it said in its brief. The AFC failed to garner any seat in the National Assembly, with just 3,610 votes from
all 10 districts.
However, the party also took the opportunity to note that its interaction with GECOM during the period “was not without its challenges” and added that it hopes comments by the observer missions translate to meaningful changes by GECOM and the PPP/C Government in the future.
The party thanked the
people of Guyana for exercising their right to vote and for their conduct in the peaceful elections and also expressed its gratitude to its supporters.
“We remain committed to good governance in Guyana and will continue to advocate for justice, a fair share, equality and equity for all citizens”, the statement concluded.
Moving… …ahead
Well, there you have it!! After all the drama and fussing, President Irfaan Ali’s again the President of the Republic of Guyana and world leaders are tripping over each other to congratulate him!! He’s a man of substance!! He ain’t just about us set to soon exceed Venezuela’s oil production of 900,000 bpd, but also being able to feed a whole lotta mouths in the world through increasing and diversifying our food production in grains, meat and fish!!
But sadly, his programmes gonna just be sniped at by new Opposition Leader, Sanction Man – and his WIN scrapeheads he’ll be sending to Parliament!! Inquiring minds wanna know if Sanction Man knows that he gotta speak extemporaneously there – and can’t bring along his teleprompter!! VP Jagdeo was so taken by this possibility – for its entertainment value, obviously!! – that he’s considering attending some sessions in the National Assembly!! But then Sanction Man can always choose one of his MPs to speak for him. But can you imagine the kerfuffle that’s gonna erupt when Doggie refuses to be guided by the Speaker on him refusing to address Norton as “the Honourable Member” – rather than his trademark expletives – in the hallowed chambers of Parliament?? Your Eyewitness is stocking up on popcorn for the fun and games!!
You asked why would Doggie be addressing Norton, Dear Reader, since you thought he’d have slinked off into the sunset in shame for consigning Burnham’s party to playing second (discordant!) fiddle to a three-month-old party whose leader’s sign of intelligence (according to his proud papa) is he used to memorise car plates’ numbers when he was a kid!! Linden Forbes must be turning in his grave and demanding that the Reg 10 township return his name “Linden” – since Norton allowed them to slip into the hands of a fella who’d have a problem pronouncing “paramountcy”!!
But your Eyewitness is still having some problems with Norton not stepping off the stage. Is he a glutton for punishment? His visage would suggest that, but you’d think there’s a limit on how much he wants “his people” to wash their mouth on him, wouldn’t you?? Or does he think that once Sanction Man opens his mouth in Parliament –or more likely, he DOESN’T because he can’t!! – he’ll look that much better!! But he should know after his time on the hustings that while he can utter words, he just can’t connect to people!! A communicator he ain’t!!
So, as far as moving ahead, we have an Opposition that’s gonna be so paralysed by their contradictions that apart from the aforementioned entertainment value, in no way, shape or form they’re gonna be doing their Opposition duty to scrutinise the PPP’s actions!!
And present alternatives!!
…out Mad Maduro
Now we’ve got the elections out of the way, your Eyewitness at long last can lift his eyes a bit off the local scene and chat a little bit about what’s been going on in our nation’s neighbourhood!! And his first thought is “plenty”!! We can do worse than look at what Pres Trump has called his “war on drugs” (WOD). Now this had been going on for decades, but since the 1990s the US had launched their “War on Terror” (WOT) – which made them swivel their attention to the Middle East – from Lebanon and Iraq to Afghanistan.
In the meantime, the cunning Chinese were making hay while the US shone its light away from Latin America where the WOD had been fought. They moved in not with bullets – but with investing the US dollars they’d squirrelled away after the Yanks made them their manufacturing hub!! And within two decades their trade grew from US$26Billion to US$300+Billions!! While drugs continued to inundate America!!
Hence, the new, improved WOD!!
…influencers
In this era of social media, your Eyewitness must confess he’s behind the eight ball when it comes to the goings-on of the “influencers”. But he’s had to concede their success with Sanction Man’s scrapeheads in politics!!
Wanted: Paul Daby Junior
Injured: Lolita Callender, known as “Lola Doll”
Dr Irfaan Ali sworn in to serve 2nd term...
Forward Guyana Movement (FGM) copped the remaining one seat, while the Alliance For Change (AFC) and the Assembly for Liberty and Prosperity (ALP) did not gain any seats.
“I congratulate every party that has secured representation in our National Assembly. Now the time has come to embrace the higher call of nation-building. With elections behind us comes the responsibility to transform competition into cooperation, to build a partnership; the spirit of inclusion is not a passing sentiment but the foundation of my presidency.”
“Democracy is made richer by inclusion, and now the time has come to put aside the partisan banners and flags of campaign, the sheaths of campaign rhetoric, and to embrace the higher call of nation-building,” he noted.
According to the Head of State, such a mission is not and cannot be the work of one man, party or administration alone. He said it is through the collective work of a people bound together and united in vision and purpose, that progress can be achieved.
“Today, I recommit myself to that unity. I pledge to be a President for every community, every sector, and every Guyanese. The journey of the next five years will demand the best of all of us. It is only by standing as one people, united in purpose, that we can rise to meet the weight of this moment and the magnitude of what lies ahead. The next five years will be the most consequential in our nation. History has placed in our hands the resources, the leadership, the opportunities, the partnerships and the international goodwill to transform promise into reality. But this transformation will not happen by itself. We need everyone on board,” he asserted.
Tackling poverty
Among the most urgent priorities in the next five years would be a fight against poverty. The President said a “national crusade” would take place, not only against visible hardship, but against the structural burdens that prevent families from rising.
He further pledged to expand homeownership, strengthen financial inclusion, and ensure that every small entrepreneur has the support to start, grow, and thrive. Noting that community development will be central to his mission, the President outlined plans to install street lights, expand roads, improve sanitation, and beautify neighbourhoods.
Safety will be enhanced through decentralised policing and technology-driven solutions, while national security will be fortified with the most modern defence ecosystem in Guyana’s history.
Moreover, women, youth, and the elderly will see targeted support with health and education slated to also be transformed.
To confront the cost of living, the President pledged to halve electricity costs, keep water tariffs from increasing, and ensure that no new taxes are imposed. He also promised to intervene against unfair pricing, and to boost local food production, including poultry, fish, and vegetables, to ensure markets are filled with affordable, fresh, locally-produced food.
“Our vision is Guyana as the Rising Frontier–where oil fuels ambition, sugar and rice sustain, bauxite, gold, and diamonds anchor prosperity, and fertile lands feed a region; where vast forests and rivers prove that wealth and environmental stewardship can coexist; where a resilient people turn challenge into achievement; and where a small nation rises to shape the future of its region and the world,” the Head of State noted.
New Cabinet
But this vision, according to President Ali, will not materialise without a plan, adding that the PPP/ C’s manifesto–together with a broader strategy for Guyana’s development beyond 2025, has set out the framework to turn ambition into reality.
To achieve these plans, however, the Guyanese leader recognised the need to fortify a team that will carry forward this mission.
“In the coming days, I shall announce my new
Guyanese people,” he asserted.
In fact, President Ali outlined the importance of building a highly efficient, service-oriented public service – one that places the citizen at the centre of every action.
Cabinet – men and women chosen for their competence, their character, and their fidelity to the people of Guyana. I will also announce a wide range of other key appointments across the public sector to ensure that the entire system is led by people committed to delivering effective service to the
He committed to dismantling the bottlenecks that frustrate citizens, cut away the red tape that slows delivery, and modernise the systems that too often stand in the way of progress.
“We will refashion a public service that delivers more online services, works for the people, responds with urgency, and executes with excel-
lence. Because only then can the promise of development be fully realised,” he stated.
In the same breath, however, the Guyanese leader stressed that corruption undermines the efficiency, fairness, and credibility of public service, hence he detailed plans to strengthen anti-corruption efforts by establishing a dedicated AntiCorruption Unit. The unit will be tasked with excising this cancer from institutions and holding public officials to the highest standards of integrity.
“Every official will be required to account for their
personal assets, and anyone who cannot do so will face the full force of the law. We will pursue both the corrupted and the corrupters, leaving no room for impunity,” the Head of State cautioned. He went on to note that the government does not have a system of lobbying, and any person representing themselves as lobbyists or peddling access to anyone in government is misrepresenting themselves and misleading others.
“A special mechanism will be set up to deal with such individuals,” he warned.
President Dr Irfaan Ali, his wife Arya Ali and sons Zayd and Ilan along with Prime Minister Mark Phillips and his wife Mignon Bowen-Phillips at the Esplanade
A section of the massive audience at President Dr Irfaan Ali’s inauguration ceremony at State House on Sunday
“We seek peace with all our neighbours” – President Ali in inauguration address
Newly re-elected
President Dr Irfaan Ali has reaffirmed his Government’s commitment to peace and security in the Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) region.
Speaking at his inauguration ceremony on Sunday, where he was sworn in as Guyana's Ninth Executive President for a second term, Dr Ali pledged to deepen economic ties with neighbouring countries, expanding trade, investment, infrastructure, and knowledge exchange.
This, he noted, will ensure that growth in Guyana strengthens the wider LAC community, and in turn, prosperity across the region creates new opportunities for Guyanese.
Turning his attention to more pressing matters, President Ali reaffirmed, “We seek peace with all our neighbours and defend our sovereignty with a quiet confidence in the law and a steady strength of unity. Just as efficiency, integrity, and service must define how government works at home, so must collaboration and cooperation define how we engage abroad.”
According to the Guyanese leader, he remains committed to engaging international partners in ways that safeguard Guyana’s sovereignty and advance the country’s national interests.
“We will strengthen cooperation where it brings tangible benefits to our people, while ensuring that our resources and opportunities are managed to secure prosperity for this and future
generations,” he asserted.
One of Guyana’s strongest allies when it comes to advancing the country’s interests is the United States. This was demonstrated when two U.S. Marine Corps AV-8B Harrier II aircraft took part in a closely coordinated flyover of Georgetown alongside the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) during President Ali’s inauguration celebration.
The US Embassy in Georgetown said the flyover, which was done with the consent of the Guyana Government, “…symbolises the United States’ full solidarity with the people of Guyana as we advance our shared goals of peace, prosperity and regional security.”
In a move to crackdown on drug cartels in the Latin American and Caribbean region, Washington recent-
ly deployed three warships off the coast of Venezuela.
US officials say that designated narco-terrorist organisations like Venezuela’s Cartel de los Soles are using the region’s air and sea corridors to funnel drugs into the US, thus posing a direct threat to American lives and security.
Just last month, the Guyana Government threw full support behind the US operations, stating: “Such criminal networks have the capacity to overwhelm state institutions, undermine democracy, pervert the rule of law and threaten human dignity and development. The Government of Guyana underscores the necessity for strengthened cooperation and concerted efforts at the national, regional, hemispheric and global levels to effectively combat this menace.”
The Guyana Government had also reaffirms its commitment to, and support for, a collaborative and integrated approach to tackle transnational organised crime by working with bilateral partners to dismantle criminal networks to safeguard the region’s shared security.
These sentiments were reiterated by President Ali, the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, during a subsequent engagement with reporters on August 22.
“As President, part of my duty is to ensure our sovereignty is maintained and that we continue to live in peace here… We’ve always said we support this region being a zone of peace and we understand the importance of our sovereignty and we’ll
do everything to protect our sovereignty,” Ali had told reporters last month.
In March 2025, President Dr Ali and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who had visited Georgetown, signed an enhanced Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to deepen cooperation in areas such as transnational organised crime, narcotrafficking, money laundering, and other forms of smuggling.
Key frameworks for information sharing and military-to-military collaboration were also established.
During his inauguration speech on Sunday, the Head of State pledged to take decisive action to clamp down on transnational crimes and other threats that undermine Guyana’s security and
development.
“Importantly, we'll align ourselves with our allies and international partners to cripple transnational crime, drug trafficking, human trafficking, and every act of criminality that threatens or undermines peace, freedom and democracy,” he stated.
President Ali went on to assure that there will be tangible action from his government to ensure Guyana is protected from criminal networks that operate across the region.
“My fellow Guyanese, in the next five years, we will convert ambition into action and action into transformation. We will not speak in half-measures, and we will not hesitate to deliver,” the Head of State declared.
President Dr Irfaan Ali addressing the gathering at his inauguration on Sunday
Two US aircraft joined the Guyana Defence Force to conduct a low-pass flyover over Georgetown during Sunday’s inauguration ceremony
PPP/C secures 2nd term with strong majority: A mandate for unity, development
By Ron Cheong
The Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM)
on Saturday, September 6, announced the final vote tally and allocation of parliamentary seats, confirming the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) resounding return to office. With 242,500 votes, for a commanding 55% of the national total, the PPP/C secured 36 of the 65 parliamentary seats. President Dr Irfaan Ali will now serve a second term with a strong majority and a renewed mandate to advance his administration’s development agenda outlined in the party’s manifesto.
Government performance as vote driver
The election results mark a decisive endorsement of the PPP/C’s performance in government, which proved central to the landslide. Major investments in job creation, training programs, infrastructure, healthcare, housing and education gave voters tangible reasons to renew the PPP/C’s mandate.
Projects such as the Demerara River Bridge are a symbol of progress, while reforms in education, healthcare upgrades and their housing program reinforced the
government’s image as responsive and people-centered.
The party made historic inroads in winning Region 4, long an opposition bastion, while dramatically improving its performance in places like North Georgetown and surrounding areas. This along with the APNU’s loss in Linden to the new We Invest in Nationhood (WIN) party, marked a seismic shift in Guyanese politics.
Youth and crossdemographic gains
A big factor in the victory was the PPP/C success with the growing youth electorate. With the voter roll growing by 13.2%, engaging young people (ages 18–34), particularly the fastest-growing Mixed Heritage demographic, was critical.
The party emphasised in-
clusion, and strengthening support among Black, Mixed Race, and Amerindian voters through grassroots outreach and development programs.
Vice-President Jagdeo credited a 15,000 strong youth movement drawn from all regions and ethnic groups with spearheading this effort. Despite lower turnout nationally, PPP/C increased its share of active voters by 4.6%.
Jagdeo noted the campaign success lay in delivering on promises, offering a credible plan for the future, the proven capability of their leadership team, and calling for unity. “Not because we are special, but because we have kept faith with the people,” he said.
In total the party triumphed in 8 of 10 regions (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, and 9), consolidating its national domi-
nance.
APNU: A party in decline
The opposition A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) suffered a disastrous collapse, winning only 17.8% of the vote and 12
seats – a staggering loss of 19 seats for this hitherto juggernaut party.
Driven largely by APNU’s supporters staying home, turnout across all parties fell from 70% to 58%. This combined with massive cannibalisation of the base by the newly formed WIN, caused the party’s vote to tumble 64% or 139,930. Simultaneously, WIN picked up 109,066 votes.
APNU had initially welcomed WIN as a common cause against PPP/C, only realizing late in the campaign that WIN was actually siphoning its voters rather than the PPP/C’s.
In contrast to APNU’s fall the PPP/C vote was up 4%.
Under Aubrey Norton’s leadership, APNU was
plagued by internal disunity, defections, and failed coalition talks with the AFC. The party did not muster even a token attempt at grooming new leadership – several prominent APNU figures were sidelined, while others, such as their popular Member of Parliament James Bond, crossed the floor to the government’s side in the leadup to the polls. This failure manifested in other ways – AFC insiders criticised Norton’s inability to connect with the broader electorate in the failed coalition attempt. These and other ongoing polarising actions are factors that undermined support for both Norton and his party.
Left to right: Foreign Minister Hugh Todd; Prime Minister, Brigadier (Retired) Mark Phillips; Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo and President Dr Irfaan Ali campaigning (News Room photo)
Scenes from the inauguration
of His Excellency, Dr Irfaan Ali
Cassava bread – A cultural treasure meets national standards Guyanese CAL pilot found alive after abduction in Trinidad
As we celebrate Amerindian Heritage Month this September under the theme “Igniting Unity, Celebrating Progress and Advancing Our Culture”, it’s the perfect time to highlight the importance of preserving indigenous foods and traditions while ensuring safety and quality.
The Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS) has adopted the Guyana Standard, GYS 246:2010 – Specification for Cassava Bread to guide the making of this product. This standard was prepared under the supervision of the CARICOM Regional Technical Committee for Foods and was developed to ensure adequate, hygienic production and consistent quality of cassava bread and related products derived from bitter cassava for human consumption. The standard requires cassava bread to be manufactured, packaged, transported, stored and sold in accordance with the CARICOM Regional Code of Practice for Food
Hygiene or other international codes. It specifies that cassava bread must be crisp with a uniform texture, agreeable flavour, free from bitterness, moulds, rancid odours, or any signs of infestation. Importantly, cassava bread must also be free from harmful metals such as lead, cadmium, copper, iron, and zinc in amounts that could pose a health risk. To guarantee product safety and reliability, the standard outlines testing and sampling precautions. Samples must be taken in clean, dry conditions, stored in airtight, food-safe containers and labelled with identifying details.
Packaging too plays a vital role. Cassava bread must be protected from breakage, using new, clean, food-grade materials that ensure the product reaches consumers intact. The premises and equipment used in production must also be properly maintained, cleaned, and safeguarded against pests to minimise contamination risks.
By adhering to this national standard, local producers not only protect consumers but also preserve a cherished cultural tradition. The GNBS continues to encourage cassava bread makers to use the standard as a guide to deliver safe,
high-quality products that honour our heritage while supporting consumer confidence.
So, the next time you enjoy cassava bread, whether with stew, Pepperpot or simply toasted with cheese, remember that there is a National Standard behind its crisp texture and rich flavour developed specifically to ensure its safety, quality and the preservation of our cultural pride. The GNBS remains committed to preserving the Indigenous culture while promoting the use of standards to guide the sustainable production of foods, art, and craft. Available standards for Indigenous products include the Specification for Cassava Bread, Specification for Indigenous Furniture (bamboo, rattan, wicker, and nibbi), and the Code of Practice for the Manufacture of Wooden Craft Items. To access copies of these and other standards, and for more information, contact the GNBS at 219-0062-66 or visit www.gnbsgy.org.
Caribbean Airlines (CAL) Guyanese pilot Daniel Kawall, who was reported missing earlier this week, has been found alive following a harrowing abduction ordeal. The 59-year-old aviator was discovered in the Maraval area of Trinidad, just hours after authorities issued a public appeal for information. Kowal’s disappearance on September 3 sent shockwaves through the aviation community and the public. He was last seen leaving his residence in Valsayn North, with his vehicle, a Toyota Hilux registered TCM 1784, also unaccounted for. The sudden vanishing prompted widespread concern and a coordinated search effort by local law enforcement agencies. The breakthrough came when Kowal was located in Maraval, a suburb in the northwest region of Trinidad. While details of his condition upon discovery remain limited, initial reports indicate that he was found alive, offering a sense of relief to his family, colleagues and the
PPP/C secures 2nd term with strong
AFC: Diminished and disillusioned
The AFC fared even worse, failing to secure a single seat. The party remained tarnished by its role in the disputed 2020 elections, during which it enabled efforts to overturn the results.
It took five months for the APNU’s then leader, David Granger, to relinquish power, doing so only after sustained pressure from the United States through its ambassador Sarah Lynch, along with the Canadian High Commissioner, the UK High Commissioner, CARICOM, the Commonwealth, the European Union and the Guyanese public
Current AFC party leader, Nigel Hughes, has since been dogged by his controversial “33 is not a majority of 65” legal argument which somehow reached all the way to the Caribbean Court of Justice. His demand for 40% of government positions and his insistence on being the coalition’s presidential candidate doomed talks with APNU in 2025. The fallout damaged both parties. The AFC was shut out of parliament, while even the just months old Forward Guyana Movement (FGM), led by Amaza Walton Desir, one of those on the long list of talent sidelined by APNU, won 1 seat under the largest remainder method.
WIN: The surprise challenger
The breakout story of the election was the new WIN party, led by businessman Azruddin Mohammed. Despite facing U.S. sanctions for alleged tax evasion on gold shipments, WIN secured an impressive 16 parliamentary seats –displacing APNU as the official opposition. Well-financed and digitally savvy, WIN’s campaign targeted youth via social media, Amerindian communities, and disaffected APNU supporters. Its most remarkable feat was capturing Region 10 (Linden), long considered unassailable APNU territory.
Critics contend Mohammed entered politics to shield himself from foreign legal pressure and argue that WIN’s gains were largely the result of APNU defections looking for a place to park their vote. This is given credence by the large turnout drop in APNU strongholds and areas where they lost markedly significant share of the vote.
Fortuitously for WIN, the party launch occurred at the perfect time to take advantage of APNU disaffection. Whether they will hold those voters in the longer term remains to be seen. Nevertheless, their success at ballot box in this election cannot be dis-
missed. The big test and the proof of the pudding will be whether Mohammed can transform from campaign rhetoric into credible parliamentary leadership.
A well-run election
By all accounts, the 2025 elections were conducted smoothly and efficiently. Many voters reported casting their ballots within minutes, with polling staff widely described as courteous and professional
With 2,790 polling stations serving 757,690 eligible voters, the process was closely monitored by both local and international observers, including: The Carter Center, The
broader community. Authorities have not yet disclosed the circumstances surrounding Kawall’s abduction or any potential motives. The investigation is ongoing, with law enforcement officials working diligently to piece together the events leading up to his disappearance and subsequent rescue. However, it was reported that Kawall was rescued following a coordinated investigation led by the Anti-Kidnapping Unit (AKU). During the operation, one suspect was killed. Police also arrested two suspects who were intercepted early Sunday, shortly after they allegedly used Kawall’s bank card to withdraw cash from an ATM. Before all of this, according to Trinidadian authorities, a ransom demand had been made for his safe return. As the investigation unfolds, the community remains hopeful that justice will be served and that the circumstances surrounding Kowal’s abduction will be fully understood.
majority...
Organization of American States (OAS), The European Union (EU), The Commonwealth Observer Group and CARICOM.
In total, roughly 200 international and 500 local observers participated. Their preliminary reports commended the professionalism of GECOM staff and confirmed the integrity of the voting process. Each political party also deployed polling agents to observe the process and sign off on results at every station.
Credibility and electoral fallout
Despite the smooth conduct, APNU requested recounts in two districts within Region 4 and Region 5, reviving memories of the disputed 2020 elections. As the recount entered its second day –with a substantial number of boxes already verified and no meaningful changes - APNU’s leader shifted course, abruptly demanding the results be annulled and a forensic audit to be conducted.
This move further eroded APNU’s credibility and reputation. Such behavior was a key reason many traditional supporters abstained from voting, contributing to the party’s collapse.
Ironically, the recount completed Friday night reduced APNU’s totals slightly, while the overall re-
sults remained unchanged. GECOM Chair Justice (ret’d) Claudette Singh convened a session to certify the results, but the three APNU-nominated commissioners failed to attend. The meeting was postponed for the statutory 24 hours before certification proceeded without them. However, they did attend on Saturday night and the results were certified. And Ali was declared President-elect. President Irfaan Ali is scheduled to be sworn in for a second term on Sunday, September 7, 2025, at 10 a.m. by acting Chancellor of the Judiciary, Justice Roxanne George.
A new political era
The 2025 elections reshaped Guyana’s political landscape. The PPP/C secured a strong second mandate, APNU collapsed into near-irrelevance, the AFC vanished from Parliament, and WIN emerged a beneficiary of the APNU collapse replacing them as the official opposition.
Guyana now enters a new political era, one defined by the continuity in government, but also the uncertainty of a fragmented opposition, and lingering questions about whether the new official opposition is either capable or willing to take on that role and whether WIN can effectively fulfill its role as a parliamentary counterbalance.
The Commonwealth Observer Group photo
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2025|
President Ali outlines vision for Guyana’s future
President Dr. Irfaan Ali was officially sworn in on Sunday as the Ninth Executive President of the Co-operative Republic of Guyana, embarking on a second term with a renewed mandate from the electorate. The ceremony took place on the lawns of State House in Georgetown, attended by thousands of citizens and dignitaries. The Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) had earlier confirmed the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) secured a commanding 55% of the national vote, translating to 36 of the 65 parliamentary seats.
In his inaugural address, President Ali emphasised his administration’s commitment to transforming Guyana into a modern, diversified economy. He outlined a comprehensive five-year development plan aimed at enhancing national infrastructure, education, healthcare, and digital
Mechanic homeless after West Berbice fire
One person is now homeless after a fire destroyed a two-storey building at Plantation Ross, Region Five (MahaicaBerbice) on Sunday afternoon. The blaze also destroyed five motorcycles and a generator belonging to customers of Leon Fraser, 45, a mechanic who lived alone at the lot 13 Plantation Ross. Fraser told this publication that at about 13:30h
on Sunday he was repairing a motorcycle when he heard shouts of fire. The father of one said that when he looked up he saw smoke coming from one of the widows and ran upstairs into the house, where he saw the mattress in his bedroom on fire.
“I try to pull it to throw it outside but I couldn’t make it; the heat was too much… I mess up. This is not my house alone – it’s siblings
and they leave me to live here,” the mechanic who seemed confused said. “…I mess up, I does smoke,” he added.
Firefighters from the nearby Onverwagt Fire Station responded and were able to contain the blaze to the one building. Fraser said he has nowhere to live.
Persons wishing to make contact with him can do so on telephone number 6423727.
connectivity.
“Our mission is to turn ambition into reality,” he declared, highlighting initiatives such as the construction of Silica City, a new smart city envisioned to be a hub for innovation and sustainable living. Additionally, he announced plans to establish a shipping and logistics hub linking Brazil and CARICOM countries, thereby creating new markets and opening up new opportunities.
The administration’s focus on inclusive growth is evident in its proposed policies, including free college tuition, increased pensions, higher minimum wages, and reduced power costs.
These measures aim to address the socio-economic disparities that persist despite the nation’s burgeoning oil wealth. President Ali acknowledged the crucial role of the private sector in driving economic growth, urging businesses to uphold social responsibility and contribute to the broader well-being of society.
“The private sector must stand ready to drive wealth and job creation while ensuring fairness to its workers,” he stated.
International observers, including the United States and the United Kingdom, have congratulated President Ali and the people of Guyana for a
peaceful and orderly election process. The U.S. State Department expressed interest in collaborating on shared priorities, particularly the defence of Guyana’s sovereignty over its oil-rich Essequibo region, which remains contested by Venezuela. As President Ali embarks on his second term, the nation stands at a pivotal juncture. With the promise of significant infrastructure development and social reforms, the coming years will be crucial in determining whether the benefits of Guyana’s newfound oil wealth can be equitably distributed to all citizens.
Incoming Caricom Chair calls for “Atlantic Bridge” of hope at Africa Summit
The Incoming Chairman of Caricom, Hon. Dr. Terrance Drew, Prime Minister of St Kitts and Nevis, has called for a bold, action-driven partnership between Caricom and Africa, urging leaders to turn historical tragedy into a platform for progress and shared prosperity.
“What was once a devastating tragedy for our people – the Atlantic Slave Trade – should now be translated into the Atlantic Bridge, a bridge of hope, a bridge of advancement, a bridge that will ensure that our people take their rightful place in this world,” Prime Minister Drew said at the opening of the Second Caricom-Africa Summit, held at the Nelson Mandela Hall of the African Union Commission in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
This summit marks the first in-person meeting of Caricom and African Heads of State since the inaugural virtual summit in 2021.
Prime Minister Drew described the gathering as a pivotal moment “to reinforce historical bonds and explore deeper strategic partnerships,” while advancing South-South cooperation and amplifying a unified voice on global platforms on issues including peace, security, climate change, and multilateral reform.
The summit also provides a forum to advance the 2024 AU-Caricom Memorandum of Understanding on Upscaling Engagement and Linkages with People of African Descent, with a focus on “strengthening interregional economic partnerships and enhancing people-to-people ties,” the Incoming chair emphasised.
Prime Minister Drew un-
derscored the urgency of action across shared priorities such as “reparations, global financial reform, climate action, education, health, trade, and cultural exchange,” while commending Afreximbank and its leadership. “Commendations are due to Afreximbank and numerous African leaders who, through concrete initiatives, are encouraging trade, investment, cultural and sporting exchange, and other forms of collaboration between Caricom and Africa. And I dare say, it has begun,” he said.
Highlighting the need for improved infrastructure, he added: “We need increased transportation linkages to reinforce our bonds as our peoples should travel freely and unabated to Africa and Caricom. We need increased trade and investment, building on the experience, potential, and amplification of the cultural, historical and economic linkages between our Regions.”
Prime Minister Drew also paid tribute to the host nation and other African leaders, thanking Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed
for the “excellent arrangements and hospitality,” and acknowledging Angolan President João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço for supporting the engagement.
He framed the summit as an opportunity to reshape historical outcomes, saying: “We have the opportunity to rewrite historical outcomes and to be champions of our own destiny. Caricom remains committed to the Caricom-AU partnership on this fifth anniversary of Africa-Caricom Day, as we celebrate the enduring kinship and deepening partnership between our people, between the Caribbean Community and Africa. Let this celebration be a demonstration of this new relationship that we are forging.”
The summit represents a renewed effort to translate centuries of shared history into concrete cooperation, emphasising economic collaboration, cultural exchange, and mutual advancement for both Caricom and African nations.
The blaze destroyed the house along with five motorcycles and generator belonging to customers
Firefighters were able to contain the blaze to the house only
Dr Irfaan Ali taking the oath of office as the Ninth Executive President of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana (DPI photo)
Chairman of Caricom, Dr Terrance Drew, Prime Minister of St Kitts and Nevis
2nd Caricom-Africa Summit marks milestone in bridging historical divide – Caricom SG
Describing the Second Caricom-Africa Summit at the Headquarters of the African Union (AU) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, as a “homecoming,” Caricom SecretaryGeneral (SG) Dr Carla Barnett, said the event also represented a “tangible manifestation” of their commitment to bridging the historical divide and reaffirming familial bonds.
“I am moved by its significance as leaders from the African continent and the African diaspora, the Sixth Region of the African Union, assemble to build on the foundation of our shared history and the fraternal bonds forged by our forebears,” the SG said at the opening ceremony.
After centuries of separation by an ocean, a colonial system and an international economic order, she underscored that Caricom and Africa remain “connected through an enduring spirit and a shared heritage.”
“This shared heritage, informed by a horrific range
of violent displacements and the ensuing struggles for freedom and self-determination, has produced a vast diaspora of people of African descent, defining themselves differently, yet all looking to Africa as our historical birthplace.”
Recalling the first Summit, she noted that it generated commitments to collaborate in areas such as health,
J’ca’s
mass media, transportation, trade and investment, and in reigniting people-to-people contact. Since then, Caricom and the AU have begun to operationalise the Caricom-AU Memorandum of Understanding, which establishes a supportive institutional mechanism to advance their partnership.
This includes the launch of the Health Development
Partnership for Africa and the Caribbean (HeDPAC), along with a draft action plan for its first year, aimed at enhancing Caricom-AU capacity to meet health sector development needs.
In this context, Dr Barnett added that the second meeting between Caricom and African Ministers of Health, held ahead of the Summit, served
to solidify the foundation for ongoing active engagement and collaboration.
Similarly, Caricom’s partnership with the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) is deepening, with the establishment of its Caribbean Headquarters in Barbados and the hosting of the AfriCaribbean Trade and Investment Forum (ACTIF) in four Caricom Member States since 2022. “These initiatives address priority areas for both Caricom and Africa, and this cooperation will contribute positively to sustainable development and facilitate better livelihoods for our people,” the SG told the Summit.
Noting that “there is still much more to be done,” she outlined the need to explore joint advocacy on reforming the international financial infrastructure, grounded in the Bridgetown Initiative, as well as coordinated responses to climate change, which increases vulnerabilities in both the Caribbean and on the African conti-
nent.
“We, together, account for approximately six per cent of the global emissions that cause the global warming that fuels climate change, but we are bearing an inordinate burden of the impact,” Dr Barnett stated. Touching on the critical need for increased transportation connectivity between the Caribbean and Africa, she highlighted the value of a multilateral air services agreement, adding that this will be further discussed. Against this backdrop, she pointed out positive action on the bilateral front, such as the joint venture between Antigua and Barbuda and Nigeria for LIAT 2020, which aims to provide necessary inter-island connectivity for the movement of goods and people.
“Increased trade and investment by our private sectors remain urgent and critical if our two regions are to attain the development potential that is both necessary and possible,” she urged the Summit. (Caricom)
political bet bust
...Shock defeat of betting favourite Ann-Marie Vaz stuns punters, bookies
Jamaica’s two leading betting companies have reported record wagers and tens of millions in payouts for the September 3 General Election, but the twist that stunned both punters and bookmakers was the upset defeat of the Jamaica Labour Party’s (JLP) Ann-Marie Vaz, on whom most win wagers were placed.
Island Bet Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Adam Epstein revealed that, among the wagers, Vaz topped the chart as the most heavily backed Member of Parliament (MP) to win re-election. However, when the ballots were counted at the end of the polls, based on the preliminary count, she was the only one among the five most-bet-on MP candidates who fell — losing her Portland Eastern constituency to political newcomer Isat Buchanan of the People’s National Party. The final counting of ballots is continuing across the island.
“She [Vaz] came off at 1.5 odds and, before we closed, we only took three candidates off the board early, and she was one of them. Her last odds that were visible for her to bet on
The upset defeat of the JLP’s Ann-Marie Vaz stunned punters and bookmakers
was 1.09,” Epstein told the Jamaica Observer.
He explained that the betting company had only placed seats they considered to be battlegrounds on the board. However, Vaz was taken off the board because the bets placed on her indicated that Portland Eastern was a safe seat, and there would be too much risk for the house if she had won. In a turn of events, however, the preliminary count showed that the outgoing MP was defeated by Buchanan, who amassed
8,316 votes to Vaz’s 8,181 votes, which were 90 fewer than she’d polled in the 2020 General Election as a newcomer. The Jamaica Progressive Party’s TracyAnn Gillespie-Harris, who polled 29 votes, also contested the seat.
“We were stunned, but from what I have seen, the people of Portland have spoken and they have chosen their candidate,” said Epstein.
Other favourites who lived up to the expectations of bettors included Floyd
Green in St Elizabeth South Western, Dayton Campbell in Westmoreland Eastern, Dr Andrew Wheatley in St Catherine South Central, and Richard Azan in Clarendon North Western.
Meanwhile, Epstein noted that the person who placed the largest wager on the September 3 General Election stands to collect more than $7 million once all the results are finalised.
Supreme Ventures Gaming, through its JustBet brand, also saw unprecedented action on election night.
Acting CEO Stefan Miller told the Sunday Observer that betting activity tripled compared to the 2020 General Election, with overall payouts climbing to as much as $15 million. In Westmoreland Eastern, the People’s National Party (PNP) Campbell received 7,558 votes to unseat the incumbent Daniel Lawrence of the JLP, who attracted 5,624 votes — just over 750 more votes than he polled in the 2020 General Election to win the seat. In St Elizabeth South Western, Green secured victory with 9,705 votes — just over 500 more than he polled in the 2020 election — over PNP newcomer Miranda Wellington who amassed 8,462 votes.
The JLP’s Andrew Wheatley secured 7,630 votes to the PNP’s Kurt Matthews’ 2,905 to win the St Catherine South Central seat, while Richard Azan of the PNP edged out the JLP’s Warren Newby in Clarendon North Western, polling 6,989 votes to Newby’s 6,490. In his comeback to the helm of the constituency Azan pulled more than 1,000 additional votes than he had when he lost the seat to the JLP’s Phillip
Henriques, who polled 6,075 votes, in the 2020 General Election. In contrast, Epstein said bets on either the JLP or the PNP to win the election were “down the line equal”, with no one party having an edge on the other. “I was not surprised to see that at all. I say that because, based on our numbers when we put the odds out, I knew this was going to be a very tight election. I thought there would be a few surprises, and I thought that no matter what there would have been no landslide of victory and the incoming Government would have won majority by a very slim margin. I do think JLP has won by a slim margin, and now it is up to them to show the country whether they are the better of the two,” he said.
According to the preliminary count, the JLP edged the PNP 34 seats to 29. As the final counting of the ballots continues across island the JLP on Friday picked up another seat — Kingston Central — bringing the new seat allocation to 35 in favour of the Dr Andrew Holness-led JLP and 28 for the Mark Golding-led PNP. (Jamaica Observer)
CARICOM Secretary General, Dr Carla Barnett
Regional
Fugitive wanted for child rape in Jamaica deported from US
The United States (US) Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency says officers from its Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) in Boston, Massachusetts, have deported a Jamaican criminal fugitive and alleged child rapist who had been illegally residing in Stamford, Connecticut.
According to ICE, on Thursday, officers deported Albert George Davis, 59, to Jamaica and turned him over to the authorities, who sought his arrest for the rape of a child in 2020.
“Albert George Davis fled
to Connecticut in an apparent attempt to avoid prosecution for the disturbing victimisation of a child in Jamaica,” said ERO Boston Deputy Field Office Director David Wesling. “He had been hiding out in our community for five years, but now he will be forced to face justice in his native country.”
ICE said that Davis entered the US lawfully in New York City on June 14, 2020, on a non-immigrant visa.
On July 1, 2020, Jamaican authorities issued a warrant for Davis’s
arrest for the offence of rape and sexual intercourse with a person under 16 years of age.
It said the US State Department subsequently revoked Davis’s non-immigrant visa.
ICE said officers from its Boston Hartford field office arrested Davis in Stamford, Connecticut on May 29, 2024 and placed him into removal proceedings, and on March 4, 2025, a US Justice Department immigration judge ordered Davis removed from the US to Jamaica. (Jamaica Observer)
J’ca immigration agency targeted in “cyber incident”
Services at the Jamaican Passport, Immigration & Citizenship Agency [PICA] were affected by a cyber incident on Saturday.
PICA, confirming the breach, said quick and decisive action by the ICT team limited the impact of the breach, with its responses including containing the threat, notifying the rele-
vant regulatory authorities, and beginning the process of systems and operational recovery.
As a precaution, PICA has moved some of its systems offline. It said, based on preliminary investigations, there was no indication that any personal data have been compromised.
Investigations are still underway to determine the
full scope of the incident.
As the response teams continue to probe the incident, members of the public may experience some delays in accessing some services, according to PICA.
The agency said it is continuing to work with the MOCA and Jamaica Cyber Incident Response Team to restore full operations.
(Radio Jamaica News)
B’dos Education Ministry updates guidelines on student mobile
Students from fourth through sixth form in Barbados will be allowed to use mobile phones as learning tools, but only under teacher supervision and with principal approval.
These are part of the updated guidelines issued by the Ministry of Educational Transformation ahead of the 2025 to 2026 Michaelmas Term, which starts on Monday.
In a video message on social media, Chief Education Officer Dr Ramona Archer-
Bradshaw, said these changes apply to students in fourth, fifth, upper 5th, lower and upper sixth form.
“This is an important step in integrating technology responsibly into our schools,” she stated.
For all other students, cell phones must be switched off completely – not on vibrate – and stored securely in bags during the school day.
Archer-Bradshaw reminded students of the Computer Misuse Act,
phone use
which carries penalties for sending indecent, threatening, or menacing messages.
“Failure to comply with these guidelines may result in confiscation of the device for the remainder of the day, if the principal deems it necessary. Please note that repeated breaches may lead to further disciplinary action,” she added.
The guidelines aim to foster a safe, focused, and productive learning environment across all schools.
(Source: Nation News)
US flight ban to Port-au-Prince extended
The US Federal Aviation Administration announced Friday that it is extending restrictions banning flights from the United States to Port-au-Prince until March 7, 2026, citing the threat posed by armed groups to civil aviation in the Haitian capital.
The decision keeps Haiti’s main city cut off from U.S. carriers for another year, forcing travelers to resort to costly detours via regional airports or neighboring countries.
Argentine court blocks Journalists from publishing recordings attributed to Karina Milei; sparks concern about press freedom
Lawyers, human rights watchdogs, and lawmakers condemned an Argentine court’s order to block journalists from publishing audio recordings attributed to Presidency Secretary Karina Milei.
Karina, who is also president Javier Milei’s sister, is being accused of heading a corruption ring in the government’s disability agency.
“This precedent could represent a direct attack by the government and the judiciary on freedom of expression and society’s right to information, which are fundamental pillars of the rule of law,” the Argentine branch of NGO Amnesty International posted on X.
On Friday, Argentine media outlet Carnaval leaked two audio recordings attributed to Karina Milei. Presidential spokesman Manuel Adorni called them an “unprecedented scandal,” hinting that they were recorded inside the Casa Rosada.
Earlier last week, the Security Minister Patricia Bullrich requested the judiciary to halt the publication and search Carnaval’s offices, as well as the homes of journalists who had released the audios.
Shortly after the com-
plaint was filed, Judge Alejandro Maraniello ordered to block the publication in both traditional and social media.
However, he did not respond to the ministry’s requests to raid the homes and offices of the journalists who published them.
In a Monday statement, the Argentine Journalism Forum (FOPEA) rejected the judge’s order, calling it “an act of prior censorship”
and warning of the “institutional gravity” posed by the searches requested by Bullrich.
Three associations representing Buenos Aires City’s lawyers also rejected the ruling, describing it as “a clear case of prior censorship, which has been abolished by the Constitution.”
Members of Congress also rejected the court ban. (Source: Buenos Aires Herald)
SVG cop implicated in brutal stabbing of ex-girlfriend
ASt Vincent police officer is currently in custody after allegedly launching a savage attack on his ex-girlfriend.
The brutal assault occurred in Villa, where the officer is accused of breaking into the victim’s home through a window and launching a vicious attack that left the young woman with over 20 stab wounds according to sources.
The victim was rushed to the MCMH hospital after sustaining multiple crit-
ical injuries and significant blood loss. Her current medical condition remains uncertain up to press time.
A police source confirmed to St Vincent Times that the suspect, a serving police officer, is assisting with investigations into the alleged domestic violence incident.
The case has raised serious concerns about domestic violence and the potential abuse of power within the police force.
“This is a deeply troubling situation that goes
beyond a typical domestic dispute,” said a local community leader who wished to remain anonymous. “When those sworn to protect us become the perpetrators of such violence, it shakes the very foundation of trust in our community.”
The St. Vincent Police Force has not yet released an official statement about the officer’s current status or the specific circumstances leading to the attack. (St Vincent Times)
Since the ban, major U.S. airlines, including American, Spirit and JetBlue, have suspended flights indefinitely.
The restrictions leave Cap-Haïtien Hugo Chávez International Airport and Antoine Simon Les Cayes International Airport as
The FAA first imposed the ban in November 2024, after gunfire hit three U.S. planes attempting to land in Port-au-Prince. While flights subsequently resumed to Cap-Haïtien, the country’s second-largest city, and five other Haitian airports, the capital remained off-limits. Authorities have reported that armed groups now control nearly 90 percent of Port-au-Prince and its surrounding roads, making flying conditions too dangerous for commercial carriers.
the only options for direct commercial flights from the United States, operated by Sunrise Airways and other smaller carriers, which cannot replace the volume of travel through Toussaint Louverture International Airport, a major hub on which millions of travelers rely for business, family reunification, and medical reasons.
The FAA said it would continue to monitor security conditions before making any further decisions, but until then, Haitians wishing to travel abroad will have to travel through Cap-Haïtien, the Dominican Republic, or the Bahamas. (Excerpt from The Haitian Times)
Sexual violence crisis deepens in Haiti
Gender-based violence (GBV) has reached alarming levels in Haiti as criminal gangs tighten their grip on the Caribbean nation, with more than 6,200 incidents reported between January and July by service providers there.
Rapes accounted for nearly half the cases, with armed groups carrying out 62 percent of them, according to the data gathered by UN aid coordination office, OCHA.
While mostly affecting adult women, “one in seven survivors is a child,
a girl under 18,” said UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric, briefing reporters in New York on Friday.
More than half of the incidents involved internally displaced people, yet only one in four rape survivors accessed care within the crucial 72-hour window, he added.
The lack of access reflects long-standing stigma associated with GBV in Haiti, the country’s insecurity, the weak referral systems, and chiefly, the lack of health facilities in the country.
To address this, UN
agencies and their humanitarian partners have assisted nearly 20,000 people, OCHA reported in an update on Friday. This includes medical care, psychological support, legal aid, dignity kits, emergency shelter, and case management. Issues persist as services are predominantly concentrated in the country’s capital, Port-au-Prince, and in the Artibonite Department, whereas other regions, including Centre and the Grand Sud, systematically receive less support.
(Excerpt from Caribbean News Global)
Karina Milei with President Javier Milei
OOIL NEWS
OPEC+ agrees further oil output boost from October to regain market share
PEC+ has agreed to further raise oil production from October as its leader Saudi Arabia pushes to regain market share, while slowing the pace of increases compared with previous months due to an anticipated weakening of global demand.
OPEC+ has been increasing production since April after years of cuts to support the oil market, but the Sunday decision to further boost output came as a surprise amid a likely looming oil glut in the northern hemisphere winter months.
Eight members of OPEC+ agreed on Sunday in an online meeting to raise production from October by 137,000 barrels per day, it said in a statement, much lower than the monthly increases of about 555,000 bpd for September and August and 411,000 bpd in July and June.
The Sunday deal also means OPEC+ has begun to unwind a second tranche of cuts of about 1.65 million bpd by eight members more than a year ahead of schedule. The group has already fully unwound the first tranche of 2.5 million bpd since April, equivalent to about 2.4 percent of global demand.
OPEC+, made up of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries plus Russia and other allies, found it easy to raise production when demand was growing in summer, but the real test will come in the fourth quarter with expected slowing demand, Leon said.
OPEC+ said it retained options to accelerate, pause or reverse hikes at future meetings. It scheduled the next meeting of the eight countries for Oct. 5.
OPEC’s output increases this year also come as Saudi Arabia has sought to punish other members such as Kazakhstan for overproducing, and as the United Arab Emirates has built new capacity and sought higher targets.
Earlier this year, U.S. President Donald Trump put pressure on the group to boost output as he sought to fulfil his election promise to bring down domestic gasoline prices.
The increases in output have led to a fall in oil prices of around 15% so far this year, pushing oil companies’ profits to their lowest since the pandemic and triggering tens of thousands of job cuts.
Oil prices have not collapsed, however, trading at around $65 a barrel, supported by Western sanctions on Russia and Iran. That has emboldened OPEC+ to continue increasing output.
OPEC+’s hikes have fallen short of the pledged amounts because most members are pumping near capacity.
As a result, only Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates are able to add more barrels into the market, analysts have said and data have shown.
OPEC+ had two layers of cuts before the Sunday deal - the 1.65 million bpd cut by the eight members, and another 2 million bpd cut by the whole group in place until the end of 2026. (Reuters)
Largest Russian air attack of war sets fire to Ukrainian Cabinet building
Russia has launched its largest ever air attack on Ukraine, hitting a key government building in Kyiv for the first time and killing at least three people, including a mother and her baby, and drawing widespread condemnation, including a fresh threat of further US sanctions.
The bombardment of the capital with a large number of drones and missiles injured at least 18 people and set scores of buildings on fire. Explosions were also reported in the cities of Odesa, Kharkiv, Dnipro, Zaporizhzhia and Kryvyi Rih. Authorities triggered a countrywide air-raid warning at 6.06am local time and later accused Russia of deliberately striking civilian targets.
The Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, called the attack “a deliberate crime and prolongation of the war” when “real diplomacy could have already begun long ago”. Smoke was seen billow-
ing from the roof of the Kyiv building that houses the offices of Ukraine’s cabinet ministers, as firefighters fought flames pouring out of an upper storey, although it was not immediately clear wheth-
er the fire was the result of debris or a direct hit, which would mark an escalation in Russia’s air campaign. Government buildings in the city centre have previously not been targeted by Russia. Sunday’s attack was the largest Russian drone strike since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, with nine missile hits and 56 drone strikes in 37 locations across Ukraine. Debris from shotdown drones and missiles fell on eight locations.
Later in the day, it emerged that a mother and her baby had been killed after they were thrown on to the street by a pressure wave caused by a drone explosion in Kyiv, according to the Kyiv Independent. (Excerpt from The Guardian)
Thousands throng Jerusalem to press Netanyahu to make hostage release deal
More than 15,000 people have taken to the streets in Israel to call for an end to the war in Gaza and urge Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to agree to a deal to free the remaining hostages.
Families and supporters of the hostages still being held by Hamas thronged Jerusalem’s Paris Square, with others gathering in Tel Aviv.
Of the 48 hostages still being held in Gaza, as many as 20 are believed to be alive.
Israel has yet to formally respond to a deal that would see the release of some hostages, but has previously demanded the return of all the hostages in any agreement.
Netanyahu insists total victory over Hamas will
US to target more businesses after Hyundai raid, top official says
President Donald Trump’s administration plans to target more businesses for immigration enforcement after a raid on a Hyundai facility in Georgia led to hundreds of ar-
rests, a top White House official said on Sunday.
Speaking on CNN’s ‘State of the Union,’ White House border czar Tom Homan said the administration would intensify the focus on workplaces.
“We’re going to do more worksite enforcement operations,” Homan said. “No one hires an illegal alien out of the goodness of their heart. They hire them because they can work them harder, pay them less, undercut the competition that hires U.S. citizen employees.”
Opponents of Trump’s crackdown and some business groups say major U.S. industries - including agriculture, hospitality and meatpacking - depend on immigrants without legal status.
U.S. immigration authorities arrested 475 people on im-
migration violations during the raid of the Hyundai facility on Thursday, most of whom were South Korean nationals.
The South Korean government said on Sunday that the workers would be returned once administrative procedures were completed.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
A U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement official said during a press conference on Friday that some of the people arrested at the facility had crossed the border illegally and overstayed visas.
A separate ICE official told Reuters that many had visas for tourists and business travelers that do not include a work permit.
(Excerpt from Reuters)
bring the hostages home.
Hamas took 251 hostages back to Gaza after its attack in southern Israel on 7 October 2023, in which some 1,200 people died.
Israel launched a massive retaliation campaign to destroy Hamas which has resulted in the death of at
5
least 64,368 Palestinians, according to figures from the Hamas-run health ministry. The UN considers the figures reliable, although Israel disputes them.
Voices of protest on Israeli streets and international demands from some of its allies to stop the military
offensive in Gaza have been growing steadily.
Yet all the signs are that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) are preparing to intensify the war, as the Netanyahu government vows to gain full control of the Gaza Strip and finally defeat Hamas.
On Saturday night, Tel Aviv and Jerusalem saw some of the biggest protests in recent months calling for the release of remaining hostages and an end to the war.
Within earshot of Netanyahu’s residence in the city, speaker after speaker called for him to strike a deal with Hamas that would see the safe return of their loved ones, almost two years after their abduction.
(Excerpt from BBC News)
persons dead as rescue boat overturns in Pakistan floods
At least five people have lost their lives and more than a dozen had to be rescued in Pakistan’s flood-affected southern Punjab province after a boat carrying evacuees capsized.
According to the disaster management authority, the boat overturned on Saturday in Multan district because of strong currents, but the majority of passengers were saved.
Flooding from the Ravi, Sutlej and Chenab rivers has affected more than 4,100 villages, forcing over two million people to flee their homes, according to figures shared on Saturday by Punjab Relief Commissioner Nabil Javed.
Nearly 900 people have been killed in monsoon floods in Pakistan since June, according to figures from the United Nations.
Al Jazeera’s Kamal Hyder,
villagers by boat from the Muzaffargarh district in Punjab province September, 3
reporting from Multan, said entire villages in the region have been abandoned due to the floods.
“People have left their belongings and are trying to save their lives,” he said. “Most people have no protection. Tens of thousands of acres of land with standing crops are lost.
Mango orchards are all submerged.” Hyder said that by September, the monsoon season would typically have ended but the Meteorological Department was predicting a 10th monsoon spell to arrive soon. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)
Emergency workers extinguish a fire in an apartment building on Sunday after Russia’s attack on Kyiv
Pakistani soldiers evacuate flood-affected
Protests led by hostages’ families have intensified recently
SUDOKU
You'll be challenged by people eager to compete with you. A unique approach will make it difficult for competitors to oust you from your position.
Pay attention to detail, and it will help you avoid situations that lack rules or regulations. Take care of personal business and keep up to date with what's trending.
Participating in events or organizations that interest you will require restraint. Sticking close to home and tending to unfinished business will lead to the best outcome.
Let your intuition take the lead, and you'll avoid mistakes. Choose personal growth over costly physical changes that may soothe your ego but deplete your assets.
The more you do for yourself, the better off you'll be. Ask for proof of qualifications, references and costs. Be sure to get everything in writing.
Do your part, volunteer, ask questions and make suggestions, and you can make a difference. A positive change in where or how you work is apparent.
A change to your environment will give you the boost you need to follow your heart. Traveling, reconnecting with people from your past and reorganizing your time will change your mindset.
Be careful how you use your energy. Offer suggestions, but don't waste time elsewhere when achieving your goals is your focus. Review your relationships, set clear boundaries and strive for balance and equality.
Be wary of hype and people trying to manipulate situations to fit their needs. Now is not the time to be reckless; question everything, and don't be afraid to do your own thing.
An aggressive offer will require due diligence. Don't take on someone else's problem. Set a budget and be willing to walk away from a bidding war or a manipulative pitch.
Address domestic issues and shared expenses, and seek out innovative possibilities that could make your life easier. Home improvements that serve your needs will improve your mindset.
A change of scenery will offer insight into new possibilities. Network, be open to suggestions and prepare to find the most cost-effective and efficient way to accomplish tasks.
GRepublic Bank
Caribbean Premier League (CPL) saw Barbados Royals chalk up their first win of the tournament by defeating top-of-the-table Saint
been toppled with a com prehensive all-round perfor mance.
Kings Captain David Wiese won the toss in Bridgetown and elected to
SCOREBOARD
b Green Ackeem Auguste c Green b Simmonds Roston Chase c Bosch b Green
Tim David c †de Kock
b Sams
Aaron Jones c van der Dussen
b Sams
Delano Potgieter c Bosch
Rovman
Did not bat: Daniel Sams, Ramon Simmonds, Eathan Bosch, Jomel Warrican Fall of wickets: 1-15 (Quinton de Kock, 2.5 ov), 2-68 (Brandon King, 8.3 ov), 3-90 (Kadeem Alleyne, 11.5 ov), 4-120 (Rassie van der Dussen, 14.4 ov), 5-120 (Sherfane Rutherford, 15.2 ov) •
Delano Potgieter 3-0-32-1
St Lucia Kings
(T: 192 runs from 20 ovs)
Tim Seifert † b Warrican 24
Johnson Charles c King
b Simmonds
David Wiese (c) c & b Simmonds
Alzarri Joseph c van der Dussen
b Sams
Khary Pierre not out
Tabraiz Shamsi not out
Extras (lb 7, w 7) 14
Total 20 Ov (RR: 8.20) 164/9
Fall of wickets: 1-16 (Johnson Charles, 1.2 ov), 2-17 (Ackeem Auguste, 2.1 ov), 3-26 (Roston Chase, 3.5 ov), 4-43 (Tim Seifert, 6.1 ov), 5-61 (Aaron Jones, 9.1 ov), 6-94 (Tim David, 11.6 ov), 7-116 (Delano Potgieter, 14.2 ov), 8-152 (David Wiese, 17.3 ov), 9-161 (Alzarri Joseph, 18.5 ov) • DRS
Bowling O-M-R-W
Jomel Warrican 4-0-41-1
Chris Green 3-0-11-2 Ramon
field first, but the Royals piled on the runs to make a formidable total of 191-5 off their 20 overs. Quinton de Kock fell early for just one run, but after that a much-improved team batting performance from the Royals saw the rest of the batting card all make double figures.
Brandon King made 42 off 21 balls from the top of the order and Captain Rovman Powell bookended the innings with the next biggest score – 41 off just 17 deliveries.
After winning five matches in this year’s CPL and falling to defeat only to Trinbago Knight Riders earlier in the competition, Wiese’s men would have been confident of hauling in the Royals total.
Regular wickets proved their undoing, Tim David looked to play an anchoring role, but he was caught behind off Daniel Sams, the Australian left-armer impressing with 3-31 off his four overs, including the Kings’ engine room of Aaron Jones and Delano Potgieter.
25 not out with the bat with 2-11 with the ball to cap off a fine performance. Down but crucially not out,
the Barbados Royals are up and running with a win on the board.
Brandon King again got his side off to a good start
Chris Green produced an excellent all-round performance
Ramon Simmonds picked up three wickets
Tim David’s 44 was not enough to save the Kings from defeat
Trinbago Knight Riders
Captain Nicholas Pooran lamented the powerplay phase of the game after they lost to the Guyana Amazon Warriors by three wickets at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence as the Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League (CPL) continued on Saturday.
Pooran and his side, who were the first team to qualify for the play-offs, will now travel to Barbados to play the Royals on Friday, September 12.
“Brilliant game of cricket. Kudos to Guyana as well, they bowled really well in the powerplay. It was a little tough for us. Kacey and Bravo, that partnership was outstanding and the way Polly came and finished gave us some hope at the end. I think 168 was a re-
ally good score on this pitch. We were really happy to defend this, but we disappointed ourselves in the powerplay after getting two wickets. We got into the game again with Sunil and Akeal there, but we let ourselves down towards the end,” Pooran said.
A T20 globetrotter, Pooran, who retired from West Indies cricket, noted that conditions play a role at the toss.
“T20 cricket is really difficult, CPL is difficult. Conditions play a massive role in that, the toss as well plays a massive role. We need to understand and accept that. The guys fought till the end which is for me the biggest thing. We are going to be coming back here. We’ll take all the positives to Barbados,” Pooran added.
TKR are currently missing
stalwart Mohammad Amir. According to Pooran, Amir will be ready to go in Barbados and he will return to Guyana for the play-off games.
“As a group, we understand that we are not going to win every single game and it’s not going to be easy. We are looking forward to that Barbados leg. He (Amir) should be fine,” Pooran said at the post-match briefing after the Guyana Amazon Warriors match.
TKR had defeated the Amazon Warriors in their first league meet this season by six wickets at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy. Warriors returned the favour with a thrilling three-wicket win at Providence. These two teams are expected to meet again at a crucial play-off fixture in the coming days in Guyana.
TKR let themselves down in powerplay, says Pooran
Women’s Division One League…
Fruta Conquerors stamp authority with latest win
Fruta Conquerors’ women pushed their points tally to seven on Friday night with a comfortable victory over Den Amstel’s women when the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) Women’s Division One League continued.
Coming off of a draw alongside Western Tigers’ women in their last outing, Fruta Conquerors were keen on making the most of their third game in the league, sending five goals past the Den Amstel goalkeeper Sabrina Peters.
Makeisha Dash wasted no time in handing Fruta Conquerors the lead, capitalising on a mistake from the opponents’ goalkeeper to tap the ball in behind Peters for their first goal in the sixth minute.
Akilia Bluhcer was the next to find the back of the net, doing so in the ninth minute.
Bluhcer found favour
A look at the one-sided battle between Fruta Conquerors and Den Amstel FC
again in the 25th minute and then, with an assist from Dellana Small, Bluhcer was able to complete her hat-trick in the 47th minute.
Mariah Campbell made the most of her second-half substitution, slipping one past the Den Amstel keeper in the 55th minute.
On the other hand, Den Amstel had quite a few op-
portunities, especially in the second segment, but none were quite good enough to save the West Side outfit.
The Women’s Division One League will continue this Friday, September 12 at the same venue.
At 18:00h, Ann’s Grove United will take on Rivers View FC while at 19:30h Monedderlust FC take on
Guyana to host CBC Women’s Basketball Championship in November
The Guyana Basketball Federation (GBF) is proud to announce that Guyana has been awarded the hosting rights for the Caribbean Basketball Confederation (CBC) Women’s Championship, set to take place November 9-17 at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall in Georgetown.
The return of the CBC Championship marks a historic moment for regional basketball, as the tournament will be staged for the first time since 2018, when Suriname played host.
This year’s championship is expected to feature 10 of the Caribbean’s top basketball nations, all vying for coveted spots at the Women’s CentroBasket Tournament, a key qualifier for the prestigious International Basketball Federation (FIBA) Women’s AmeriCup.
GBF President Michael Singh said the announcement
reflected both Guyana’s readiness and FIBA’s confidence in the Federation’s leadership.
“Guyana stands ready to host the championship, especially given that it will be the return of this marquee tournament after seven years,” Singh noted.
The GBF President thanked FIBA for showing confidence in the local federation, and accepting Guyana’s
bid, adding, “It shows that they’re paying attention to the work we’ve been doing over the past couple of years, and more importantly, Guyana’s ability as a country to host international sporting events.”
through the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport and the National Sports Commission (NSC) to ensure the successful staging of the championship.
Special attention will be placed on the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall, which will undergo necessary preparations to meet international standards.
A Local Organising Committee (LOC), Singh said, will soon be established to spearhead the execution of the tournament.
Singh added that the GBF would immediately shift into operational mode, working in collaboration with the Government of Guyana,
The CBC Women’s Championship holds special significance for Guyana, as the country has etched its name in the Region’s basketball history books.
In 1996, the Guyanese women’s national team captured the nation’s first Caribbean title at the then Caricom Basketball Championship in Port-ofSpain, Trinidad and Tobago.
Led by Head Coach Linden “Sancho” Alphonso and standout player Karen Abrams, who has since gone on to build a successful career as a tech entrepreneur, the team defeated Jamaica 67-55 in a memorable final at the Jean Pierre Sports Complex.
Mainstay Goldstar FC. The teams in the Women’s Division One League are competing for a $1 million grand prize, after which they will participate in a play-off competition, which will offer a $300,000 first prize.
Guyana is slated to host the CBC Women’s Championship in two months’ time
Nicholas Pooran and his side will now travel to Barbados then return to Guyana for playoff fixtures
Tthe Massy Women’s Caribbean Premier League (WCPL) saw Barbados Royals women beat Guyana Amazon Warriors women by seven wickets with four balls remaining.
The match was curtailed by a floodlight failure, which saw Duckworth-Lewis-Stern (DLS) method come in to
use. The Warriors had won the toss and elected to bat
first in sunny conditions at Providence.
Shemaine Campbelle’s side putting on an impressive display – posting 154-4 in their 20 overs with Realeanna Grimmond starring for the Warriors with 61 off 57 balls to score her maiden WCPL fifty and post the first half-century by any player in this year’s competition.
The Royals set about overhauling the target with gusto; their top order of Chamari Athapaththu (29 off 24); Qiana Joseph (22 off 22) and Georgia Redmayne (33 off 29) gave them a solid foundation on which to haul in the adjusted target of 137 from 18 overs.
With Royals on 87-3 at the start of the 13th over after Courtney Webb was bowled by Laura Harris for just six runs, the match was evenly poised heading into the final stages.
Enter Royals skipper Chinelle Henry, who blitzed 37 off 19 balls with two fours and four sixes to ace the chase for her side. The win sees the Royals leapfrog the Warriors to the top of the table on net run rate (NRR), with a game in hand.
It’s early days in the competition, but the sides in this year’s WCPL look evenly matched and tough to split so far.
Realeanna Grimmond crafted a half-century
Laura Harris’s blitz got the Amazon Warriors past 150
Sheneta Grimmond delivered a tight spell
Ashmini Munisar again had good returns
CPL 2025:
Bursting under pressure, a sombre silence blanketed the Guyana National Stadium at Providence, East Bank Demerara (EBD) on Sunday night as the hosts, Guyana Amazon Warriors, slumped to their third loss of the 2025 Caribbean Premier League (CPL) season.
Winning the toss and electing to bowl first for the second game on the trot, the Amazon Warriors did well to restrict their opposition, but fell agonisingly short in a nail-biting chase
Gudakesh Motie, save for his last over, was again a key component for the Amazon Warriors’ bowling attack. However, his early brilliance was overshadowed by a gritty innings from Mohamed Rizwan who displayed his international class at the Providence Stadium.
Dwaine Pretorius had a dream start to the innings, conceding just two runs in the first over. Motie came into the attack surprisingly early, serving up the second over and though he was dis-
patched over the ropes by Andre Fletcher for a maximum, the Berbician had his revenge two balls later as Shimron Hetmyer took a textbook catch on the boundary. Another simple catch went the way of Hassan Khan in the fourth over as Romario Shepherd accounted for Kyle Mayers before he could get comfortable.
The Amazon Warriors found themselves on a hot streak with Leniko Butcher heading back to the dugout in the fifth over after miscuing his shot.
At 26-3 in the fifth over, the Patriots were in a spot of bother and unfortunately, the Amazon Warriors were unable to keep the noose around their opponents’ neck.
Instead, Rizwan stepped up to find the boundary ropes at regular intervals to keep the Patriots’ scorecard ticking.
At the other end, South African international Rilee Rossouw struggled to get the ball away, a situation which culminated in him trying to launch the ball down the ground, but eventually finding the safe hands of Shamar Brooks, who had to sprint up from the long-on boundary to take a stunner.
Jason Holder’s stay at the crease was short- lived, but Rizwan finally found the perfect second fiddle in Navin Bidaisee.
Rizwan slammed eight fours and three sixes in his excellent 85 off 63 deliveries before becoming the victim of a cheeky run-out in the 20th over and likely injuring himself in the process. But, the damage was already done and the Amazon Warriors would find themselves chasing a 150-run score for the second consecutive night, after starting well with the ball.
Bidaisee was unbeaten with an almost run-a-ball 22 as the Patriots got to 149-6 in their 20 overs.
After a 17-run last over, Motie ended with 2-44 from his four while Khan also picked up two wickets for 21 runs in the same number of overs.
Chasing 150 for victory at a required rate of 7.50, the Guyana Amazon Warriors opted for a fresh opening combination in Ben McDermott and Moeen Ali. The pair gave the hosts a steady start, adding 38 runs before Ali was dismissed for a run-a-ball 19, bowled by Waqar Salamkheil. With the required rate well under control, the Warriors closed the powerplay comfortably placed at 41 for 1.
After another promising start, McDermott’s innings ended on 21 from 18 balls when he was stumped by Rizwan, giving Ashmead Nedd his first wicket of the night. Local favourite Hetmyer could not make an impact either, as he attempted to clear the boundary only to inside-edge the ball onto his stumps for 9, handing Pakistani pacer Naseem Shah his first breakthrough. With Khan joining the in-form Shai Hope at the crease, the Amazon Warriors were left needing 83 runs from the final 60 deliveries.
The pair steadied the
chase with a 34-run stand before Khan was dismissed for 11 off 9 balls, chipping a simple return catch to Dominic Drakes. Soon after, the Patriots struck a major blow when leg-spinner Bidaisee produced a beauty to bowl the talismanic Hope, who had made a composed 31 from 27 deliveries. With two new batters now at the crease and the Warriors wobbling at 96 for 5, the Patriots suddenly sensed an opening.
Disciplined bowling from the Patriots tightened the screws on the hosts, leaving the Amazon Warriors needing 41 runs from the final 24 deliveries. This time, there were no heroics from Pretorius, as he mistimed a lofted shot and Mayers held on to the catch. Romario Shepherd survived a scare soon after, with a caught-behind appeal turned down and the Patriots opting not to review. Shepherd and Keemo Paul briefly lifted spirits with a towering six apiece, trimming the target to 26 from 12 balls. But Holder delivered a crucial blow, removing Shepherd for 8 and silencing the Providence crowd.
Quentin Sampson gave the Warriors late hope, striking two crisp fours to bring the equation down to 11 from the final six balls. But Naseem Shah held his nerve under pressure, removing Paul with the first delivery to swing momentum back to the Patriots. Motie managed a single off the next ball, before Sampson collected a brace from the fourth delivery. Shah followed up with a dot, leaving the Warriors needing 8 from 2. Sampson scrambled two more down the ground, setting up a last-ball thriller with six required. Shah, however, was unshakable, firing in a perfect yorker to seal a tense five-run win for the Patriots.
The Republic Bank CPL will take a two-day break before the action resumes at the
aaa
St Kitts and Nevis Patriots (20 ovs maximum)
Andre Fletcher c Hetmyer
b Motie 7
Mohammad Rizwan † run out (†Hope) 85
Kyle Mayers c Hassan Khan
b Shepherd 4
Leniko Boucher c Hetmyer
b Hassan Khan 1
Rilee Rossouw c sub (SSJ Brooks)
b Motie 14
Jason Holder (c) b Hassan Khan 7
Navin Bidaisee not out 22
Dominic Drakes not out 1
Extras (lb 5, w 3) 8
Total 20 Ov (RR: 7.45) 149/6
Did not bat: Naseem Shah, Ashmead Nedd, Waqar Salamkheil
Fall of wickets: 1-9 (Andre Fletcher, 1.5 ov), 2-25 (Kyle Mayers, 3.5 ov), 3-26 (Leniko Boucher, 4.3 ov), 4-64 (Rilee Rossouw, 9.6 ov), 5-87 (Jason Holder, 12.3 ov), 6-148 (Mohammad Rizwan, 19.4 ov) • DRS
Bowling O-M-R-W
Dwaine Pretorius 4-0-25-0
Gudakesh Motie 4-0-44-2
Romario Shepherd 2-0-17-1
Hassan Khan 4-0-21-2
Moeen Ali 2-0-18-0
Imran Tahir 4-0-19-0
Guyana Amazon Warriors (T: 150 runs from 20 ovs)
Ben McDermott st †Mohammad Rizwan b Nedd 21
Moeen Ali b Waqar Salamkheil 19
Guyana National Stadium on Wednesday, September 10, where the hosts Amazon Warriors will do battle with the Antigua and Barbuda Falcons from 19:00h.
Naseem Shah held his nerve to bowl a superb last over
The Amazon Warriors bowlers did well to restrict their opposition
Shai Hope top-scored for the Amazon Warriors