The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:
Sunday, November 30 –12:05h–13:35h and Monday, December 1 – 13:00h–14:30h.
BRIDGE OPENINGS FERRY SCHEDULE
Parika and Supenaam departure times – 05:00h, 10:00h-12:00h, 16:00h, 18:30h daily
WEATHER TODAY
Thundery showers are expected during the day, with cloudy skies giving way to thundery showers at night. Temperatures are expected to range between 23 degrees Celsius and 29 degrees Celsius.
Winds: North Easterly to East North Easterly between 1.34 metres and 3.57 metres.
High Tide: 12:35h reaching a maximum height of 2.43 metres.
Low Tide: 06:03h and 18:36h reaching minimum heights of 0.77 metre and 0.85 metre.
President Ali calls for fiscal prudence even in “Golden Era”
– says annual fiscal packages carefully crafted to withstand pitfalls in oil price
resident Dr Irfaan Ali issued a pointed call for fiscal prudence on Friday, warning that global oil price volatility poses serious risks to national budgeting if not approached with caution and stressing that the country’s financial planning must reflect the realities of an unpredictable global environment.
The Head of State made the remarks while attending the annual Guyana Oil and Gas Energy Chamber awards and induction ceremonial dinner at the Guyana Marriott Hotel. Speaking before an audience of industry executives, investors, and policymakers, he emphasised that the global oil market is not a linear or stable one, and even a single geopolitical or regional disruption can change price benchmarks instantaneously. He cautioned strongly against the belief that current revenue security provides longterm insulation, noting that the notion of being "flush with money" is only "currency of the moment", a fleeting mindset that could place the economy under strain if current expenditures grow disproportionately now.
“For a matter of fact, there are various debates now as to where do we set oil prices globally in crafting international budgets and markets, because one incident in different regions can change the benchmark instantaneously. That is why, as a Government and as a people, we have to exercise care and caution in the way we develop our budgets to avoid the pitfall of running up current expenditure to the extent that it becomes difficult to manage in the future. So, the idea that you're flush with money is an idea of currency of the moment. But as policymakers, as a respon-
sible Government, we must make decisions that will enable generations after generations to enjoy the prosperity we are building today. So, the resources exist not just to meet needs but to leapfrog us into the future. And that is what we are doing,” the Guyanese leader stated. The President said that while Guyana is currently operating in what is described by many as the nation’s "Golden Era", the period must be defined by strategic investment, not unchecked consumption. He pointed to ongoing Government efforts to convert natural resource earnings into durable, productive national assets –specifically investments in
infrastructure, fabrication, logistics, training, construction, technology, catering and other service-based pillars already experiencing unprecedented demand growth due to the development surge in the oil sector. The Head of State further underscored that a responsible Government must take the long-term route, even when that route is not the easiest or most popular. He said the nation’s resource strategy is being used to leapfrog Guyana into future prosperity through the creation of productive assets, expansion of economic pillars, job creation, and income generation – decisions he said are intended to safeguard pros-
perity for generations after generations, not just address present-day needs.
In highlighting the global supply-demand outlook, President Ali pointed directly to projections from the International Energy Agency, which show that global oil demand will continue to grow modestly from 2025 to 2030, though at a slowing rate – rising by less than one million barrels per day annually in the mid2020s, reaching approximately 105.5 million barrels per day by 2030.
“On the supply side, however, the world is expected to add significantly more capacity than demand requires. Non-OPEC (Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries)-plus producers, including the United States (US), Brazil, Canada, and new producers, such as Guyana, are forecasted to drive the bulk of this growth. So that's the complexity of the market we are operating in. That is why managing the costs and cost centres is so critical, because this is the real environment. By 2030, global supply capacity could rise to 114 to 115 million barrels per day, well above projected demand, resulting in a persistent supply overhang. Unless large cuts or disruption occur, the market will likely remain comfortably supplied through the decade. No major mismatch in supply and demand is projected,” he explained.
President Dr Irfaan Ali addressing the Guyana Oil and Gas Energy Chamber awards and induction ceremonial dinner
Everyone in the region is waiting for the next American foot to drop in their standoff with Venezuela to eradicate the Cartel de los Soles narco-syndicate headed by Nicolás Maduro. Starting in August, they have inexorably tightened their noose – comprised of one-quarter of their entire navy, including their largest and most modern aircraft carrier, the Gerald R Ford – in the Caribbean Sea. In our November 10 editorial, “Scenarios for US-Venezuelan Operation”, we presented five possibilities as envisaged by Vijay Prashad, an analyst friendly to Venezuela. Presently, while the jury is still out as to which scenario will play out, from the latest developments, it would appear that the analyst was correct in predicting it would not be the “Panama Option”, which most observers believe to be the most likely.
“In 1989, the US bombed Panama City and sent in special operations troops to capture Manuel Noriega, Panama’s military leader, and bring him to a US prison while US-backed politicians took over the country. Such an operation would be harder to replicate in Venezuela: its military is far stronger, trained for protracted, asymmetric conflicts, and the country boasts sophisticated air defence systems (notably the Russian S-300VM and Buk-M2E surface-to-air systems). Any US air campaign would face sustained defence, making the prospect of downed aircraft –a major loss of face – one Washington is unlikely to risk.”
We just learnt from a report in the credible New York Times that President Trump personally called Maduro last week, and we can conclude that the American leader is at least willing to conduct dual-track diplomacy to offer him a way out of facing the full force of the massed armada. Earlier, he had revealed that the CIA was already operating inside Venezuela, and he was considering action on “land” to complement his navy blowing narco-boats out of the water. Against the background of Trump’s other forays against those leaders he considers to be acting against American interests – such as Iran, where he bombed their nuclear programme off the face of the earth – it might well have been an ultimatum delivered. But what about the caution offered by Prashad, to the effect that an invasion is “unlikely”?
Another analyst fleshed out Prashad’s thesis: “Venezuela hosts one of the most complex networks of armed non-state actors in the Western Hemisphere. Start with the colectivos – farleft paramilitary groups numbering 8000 individuals operating in 16 states and controlling approximately 10 per cent of Venezuelan cities. These aren’t poorly armed street gangs; they possess AK47s, submachine guns, fragmentation grenades, and tear gas –much of it supplied directly by the Venezuelan Government.
“Colombian guerrilla organisations have also established a significant presence on Venezuelan territory. The National Liberation Army (ELN) maintains operations in 13 Venezuelan states… with armed cells in roughly 10 per cent of Venezuela’s more than 300 municipalities, with roughly 1000 fighters in Venezuela and 6000 members in total. Segunda Marquetalia, dissidents of the Revolutionary Armed Forces (FARC), operates with an estimated 1000 members. Other FARC dissident factions add approximately 2000 more fighters. These groups maintain Marxist-Leninist, antiimperialist ideologies and view the United States as the primary threat to revolutionary movements. Combined, these irregular forces are in the tens of thousands with substantial weapons, territorial control, and operational experience.
“It should be stressed that Venezuela’s official military doctrine has been explicitly designed around asymmetric warfare against a hypothetical US invasion since the Chávez era. The strategy assumes initial conventional defeat followed by sustained guerrilla resistance – making occupation costly and politically unsustainable.
“Nevertheless, Venezuela won’t just roll over without a conventional fight. It boasts mobile Russian S-300VM and BukM2E air defence systems and KH-31 anti-ship missiles. Additionally, Venezuela boasts 24 Su-30MK2V Flanker fighters (approximately 21 operational) capable of carrying anti-ship missiles and, critically, components of Russia’s C4ISR system – integrated digital warfare networks previously shared only with Belarus.
“Most significantly, Russia signed a comprehensive 10-year strategic partnership with Venezuela in May 2025, ratified in October 2025, covering more than 350 bilateral agreements on security, defence, and technology. Russian cargo aircraft have recently been landing in Caracas with additional military supplies. In October 2025, Maduro requested Russian assistance in enhancing air defences, restoring Su-30 aircraft, and acquiring missiles.”
Forewarned is forearmed.
COVID, coughs and complacency
By Dr Joel Teelucksingh
It starts with a tickle. A dry little throat-clearing sound that seems innocent enough. Then, hours later, the tickle turns into a barking, hacking, chest-rattling orchestra that wakes the neighbours, frightens the pug and has your family wondering if you’re starting a new pandemic. Welcome, dear reader, to the season of the cough.
This year’s chorus seems louder than ever. Half the country is coughing – at home, in offices, in taxis, in line at the pharmacy. Everyone’s doing it: the doctors, the nurses, the patients, even the security guards at the gate. It’s as if we’re all part of an unintentional choir.
And of course, everyone has their theory.
“It’s the Sahara dust,” says one.
“It’s the air-condition in that bloody office,” says another.
“It’s just a lil’ viral ting,” insists the friend who always has medical degrees from WhatsApp University.
But then you lie down. And suddenly, it’s like your lungs turned into a leaky tap. You cough till your ribs hurt. You cough till you consider sleeping in a chair. You cough till you start hearing phantom advice from your grandmother: “Boil garlic with Vicks.”
I’ve seen coughs of every
shape and sound. The dry tickle of a nervous talker. The wheezy gasp of an asthmatic. The gurgle of someone with fluid in their lungs – a sound that makes you sit up straight because you know it’s not just a “lil’ cold.” In the hospital, we’ve become trained to distinguish them by pitch: the barking cough, the brassy cough or the “wet” cough that sends every medical student running for a stethoscope.
And lately, the coughs are back with a vengeance. Post-viral, post-COVID, post-common sense. Because while the coughs are back, the tests are not. “No rapid tests available,” they tell you at the pharmacy. “You could swab if yuh want, but them kits expired since 2023.”
Someone decided COVID was over. Just like that. Vanished! Apparently, if you stop testing, the virus goes away—an epidemiological miracle that no textbook ever described. But the truth is, COVID left behind an even more fragile healthcare system.
I had a patient last week, coughing till she could barely talk.
“Doc, it cyah be COVID,” she said confidently. I asked why.
“Because I doh have time for that right now.”
Well, there you have it. A virus defeated by scheduling conflicts.
Then there are the others – the ones who glare at
you when you wear a mask in public, as if you’ve personally insulted their immune systems. “You still wearing dat?!” they ask, incredulous. I also wear seatbelts, use sunblock and wash my hands.
Every year brings a new generation of home cures. And my patients are happy to share them.
One swears by lime juice with garlic and a sprinkle of black pepper.
Another drinks coconut oil before bed “to lubricate the lungs”.
Someone told me they put Vicks on their feet, then wear socks.
Then there are the “oldtime” cures that refuse to die: bay leaf tea, ginger and honey. Let’s not forget the one my patient swore by: “Doc, I gargled Puncheon rum and saltwater, and the cough gone!”
Yes, it was gone – mostly because her throat was numb for three hours.
Let’s talk about cough syrups – the sweet, sticky elixirs that promise relief but mostly deliver disappointment (and diabetes risk). Many of these overthe-counter potions contain enough sugar to sweeten your morning coffee for a week and enough alcohol to qualify as a mild cocktail. They lull you into thinking they’re helping because they soothe the throat for a few minutes, but in truth, most do little to actually stop a
cough. In fact, for many viral coughs, time, hydration and rest are far better medicines.
Of course, doctors aren’t immune. Sometimes it’s just the irony of the season: the healer hacking, the counsellor coughing. You’ve never heard a more pitiful sound than a doctor with laryngitis trying to instruct a patient. It’s like mime medicine.
Because behind that cough is often a story: diabetes uncontrolled, hypertension untreated or a respiratory infection that went unchecked because the clinic had no medication that week.
Many of our patients are still gasping – literally –from the long-term effects. They have lungs scarred from infection, hearts weakened by inflammation and wallets emptied by private lab fees. And when they can’t access care, they cough at home until they collapse. Then we see them in emergency rooms with oxygen levels.
Now, I’m not here to preach doom. Coughs are annoying but often harmless. The body’s way of clearing airways – it’s built-in broom. Still, they can linger for weeks after infections, especially in our dusty, air-conditioned, perfume-heavy world.
Simple advice: Drink warm fluids (not puncheon).
Little professionals. Children dress up as career options at the opening of Rupununi Expo 2025 on November 28, 2025. The two-day event is themed “Roots to Riches: Cultivating Heritage & Enterprise”
On the Orange Economy – Region 6 outreach was consultative
Dear Editor, I welcome the engagement by Hemdutt Kumar on the matter of the Orange Economy (OE). Allow me to first deal with an overarching generalisation by Mr Kumar before I proceed to the concerns about the OE.
According to Kumar, “As it [the OE] is in its conceptual stage, I think it would be prudent to add some valuable insights that would see us moving away from the current disconnected, piecemeal and usual ad hoc manner of implementing new policy agendas, instead pursuing such
lofty goals in a more holistic, constructive and meaningful way.”
This is an uncalled-for criticism because the record of successive PPP/C Administrations has proven otherwise. The PPP produced a massive, multi-volume National Development Strategy in the late 1990s. In 2009, the LCDS was fully articulated. The latter itself was revised in the form of the LCDS 2030. There is a track record of moving from ideas to policies and policies to outcomes.
Now, on the Orange Economy – Kumar worries that there might
We must also
be insufficient consultation with the public. Two points are in order here.
Firstly, the Region Six outreach was exactly what Kumar says does not exist, namely, consultation with villagers, civic groups, and issue/sector-orientated constituents. The entire PPPC cabinet, plus PPP MPs and Presidential Advisers, were engaged in the process. For instance, Minister Ramson and I had extensive consultations at Line Path, Skeldon. The same happened at Lochaber (Canje West), where Minister Waldron
and I engaged over 60 persons from that area.
Secondly, I don’t think it has yet occurred to Kumar that he is doing exactly what public participation looks like, namely, engaging the idea of the Orange Economy in the media.
White papers are the outcomes of an iterative process. You just do not get a few experts and send them off to come back with a document devoid of debate and input from the public. The Ali administration is engaged in this process in multiple ways, the Region Six outreach being clear evidence for my claim.
Finally, Kumar should know that Guyana has extensive experience with ideas-based value (IBV) creation. The LCDS, which is a quintessential IBV economic strategy, has earned this country close to US$ 1 billion to date. The task at hand now is to build out the tangible and intangible infrastructure. This is well on the way and will be reflected in the next budget.
Yours sincerely,
Dr Randy Persaud Office of the President
take responsibility for the cleanliness of our surroundings
Dear Editor,
A member of the opposition in the minority has posted on Facebook a video showing a large heap of garbage in the midst of the living area of a poor community. The opposition member goes on to berate the Minister of Local Government with personal attacks, and he also speaks poorly of several other cabinet members. Clearly blaming them for the presence of the large amounts of garbage heaped up in the midst of the community. It should also be noted that this was not a garbage heap on the parapet. So, the finger-pointing between the M&CC and the Central Government may also not be appropriate. CRG may not always agree with those in Government,
but it is important to correctly place responsibility where it belongs.
During the 1980s, as Guyana descended into poverty, the culture in the country was such that people still took pride in having clean surroundings and a healthy environment in which to live. Garbage was not seen along the roadways, and there was a popular saying back then of “cleanliness being next to godliness”. Each person took responsibility for maintaining the cleanliness of their own surroundings, and the decency of our society did not allow one to be disrespectful and throw garbage wherever he or she wished. This perspective is being shared as a reminder that it is within the power of the residents to keep
the surroundings of where they live clean. Poverty is not an excuse for filthy surroundings and unhygienic behaviour.
Whether as a part of Government or in opposition, we must remember that the main purpose of the Government is to provide the resources and the opportunities for each of us to live better. It is the responsibility of us, the people, to make the effort to make the most of the available resources and opportunities provided. One can understand if the residents were prevented from properly disposing of the garbage in their midst, but it is quite
different if they were involved in making their own situation worse. As a people we must regain pride in the
cleanliness of our surroundings and demand that those around us also help in maintaining the little we have in
good and healthy condition.
Yours sincerely, Jamil Changlee
COVID, coughs and...
Avoid smoke and dust.
Sleep with your head elevated if the cough worsens when lying down.
Try the lime and honey.
Don’t talk too much if your throat’s sore – your friends will thank you.
And if you’ve been coughing for more than three weeks, or your cough is accompanied by weight loss, fever, or night sweats
– don’t assume it’s “just dust”. Get checked. We live in a region where tuberculosis still whispers in the background, and postCOVID complications are still very real.
So when someone next to you coughs like a two-stroke engine, don’t roll your eyes or mutter “COVID done.”
Maybe offer a lozenge. Maybe suggest a test (if you can find one). Maybe just
step back politely – distance still works better than denial.
So yes, curse the people who say COVID is over. Curse the complacency, the amnesia, the reckless coughers who walk into crowded rooms unmasked. Because every cough reminds me not just of a virus, but of a system that’s forgotten how to breathe. (Trinidad & Tobago Guardian)
Page Foundation
How Whales Learned to Live Underwater
Marine mammals are well adapted to living in the sea. For example, whales and dolphins are excellent divers, hold their breath for long periods, and can sleep underwater. However, this was not always the case. In fact, whales and dolphins (collectively known as cetaceans) evolved from mammals that once lived on land! How did cetaceans develop these abilities to live underwater?
A group of chemicals called neuropeptides may hold the answer. These chemicals play important roles in numerous bodily processes, including sleep, feeding and the maintenance of blood pressure.
Did you know that cetaceans (whales, dolphins, and porpoises) are mammals?
About 50 million years ago, their ancestors lived on land. They later evolved to live in marine environments. Such an extreme habitat transition required many adaptations One remarkable example is how cetaceans sleep: one half of their brain rests, while the other half remains active – this is called unihemispheric sleep!
This ensures cetaceans are always watching out for predators and food. Other adaptations helped cetaceans hunt their prey underwater.
For example, reduced oxygen demands allowed them to dive for longer and control their blood pressure at great depths. Thick layers of fat also helped insulate them from cold waters. There are many molecules that control physiological traits like sleep, blood pressure, and temperature control. Among them, neuropeptides are especially important. Neuropeptides are chemical messengers. They relay signals from one nerve cell to another, triggering a physiological change. They can also have more than one role in the body.
But how did these neuropeptides change as mammals evolved? This information can help us understand how mammals
adapted to living in the ocean. Neuropeptides are microscopic, so it is hard to detect differences between them. An easier way to compare neuropeptides is to look at their DNA sequences. DNA is like an instruction manual. A specific sequence can build a specific molecule (in this case, a neuropeptide). Researchers identified 12 neuropeptides and gathered their DNA sequences from online databases for 202 mammal species, including 41 cetaceans. A computer program then used these DNA sequences to predict whether each neuropeptide would function properly, scoring them from 0 to 5. A score of 0 meant the neuropeptide was likely functional, while scores from 2 to 5 suggested
it would not work. We then compared these scores for all 12 neuropeptides between cetaceans and land mammals. It turns out cetaceans have lost the ability to make many of the neuropeptides found in land mammals. We found that many cetacean neuropeptides had scores higher than 2. Cetaceans also had fewer DNA sequences that made functional neuropeptides than any other group of mammals. For example, neuropeptide B helps mammals sleep and suppresses hunger. Most cetaceans do not have the correct DNA sequence to build neuropeptide B. Neuropeptide B in cetaceans has a slightly different DNA sequence than land mammals. This results in a molecule that doesn’t function. The loss of neuropeptide B in cetaceans is associated with changes in sleep pattern (one brain hemisphere active, the other resting) and feeding activity (does not suppress appetite).
There were some DNA sequences that created neuropeptides that worked. For example, cetaceans still produce neuropeptide Y. This controls blood pressure, fat storage, and sleep.
Why would cetaceans have lost the ability to make many of the neuropeptides that land mammals still have?
Over time, DNA can collect mutations. Sometimes these mutations create new traits that are beneficial. Sometimes they don’t do anything. But at other times they can mess up the instructions the DNA carries. This means that whatever the DNA sequence makes, it won’t work properly. This is probably what happened to these neuropeptides.
The ancestors of modern cetaceans probably didn’t need a lot of those neuropeptides in their new marine environment. So when the DNA mutated, it didn’t matter. They may have even benefited by losing the ability to make specific neuropeptides.
For example, they may have lost the ability to make neuropeptide B (which suppresses hunger and induces sleep). This allowed cetaceans to eat lots of food and keep one half of their brain awake. Luckily, most neuropeptides have more than one role.
So cetaceans didn’t completely lose the ability to sleep or regulate their appetite. The evolution of cetaceans from land mammals is complex. But it is clear that the loss of working neuropeptides played a role. Their loss allowed early cetaceans to thrive in a marine habitat.
Understanding how cetaceans have adapted to the marine world could help us understand how other mammals have evolved in their new environments. After all, transitioning from land to water is not the only major habitat change mammals have undergone. For example, bats transitioned from climbing trees to flying.
Unfortunately, many animals and plants are facing habitat loss. Find out about local plants and animals in your area and how you can help protect them!
Glossary of Key terms
Adaptation - traits or behaviors that help an organism survive.
Cetaceans - a group of closely related marine mammals, including whales, dolphins, and porpoises.
DNA - material foun in the cells of all living organism that carries the information to build parts of the body.
Molecules - dusters of atoms that are chemically bonded together.
Mutation - a change in a DNA sequence.
Neuropeptides- a group of neurotransmitter chemecials. Each neuropeptide is coded for by a specific gene. Neuropeptides can have multiple roles in the body.
Physiological – relating to physiology: the way in which organisms or body parts function.
Unihemispheric sleep – a sleep state in which one half of the brain rests while the other remains active.
MOH to expand modern dentistry in Guyana
– as new dental simulation and digital labs launched
The Ministry of Health is pushing forward with plans to modernise dentistry nationwide, following Friday’s commissioning of the new Dental Simulation and Dental 3D Digital Lab at the Cheddi Jagan Dental School.
Delivering keynote remarks at the opening ceremony, Minister of Health Dr Frank Anthony revealed that discussions are underway with major international partners to expand the use of next-generation dental technology in Guyana.
nology there is. We have also, during this year, been talking to a number of other partners, and I'm hoping that in the new year, that we can build some new relationships and that we can even advance further with newer technology in dentistry. We have been talking to one of the big companies that does all kinds of equipment and different things in dentistry, and hopefully we'll get them to come to Guyana and to work with us. So, the future of dentistry, I would say, is very progressive and
and digital labs
The Dental Simulation Lab represents a transformative upgrade in Guyana’s dental education infrastructure. Equipped with 15 advanced dental simulators, the facility will support hands-on, competency-based training for dental therapists (Dentex) and dental surgery students. Designed to enhance instruction in endodontics, periodontics, and restorative dentistry, the lab replaces equipment that was originally donated many years ago – demonstrating the Ministry’s strongest commitment yet to developing the next generation of skilled dental professionals.
Complementing this investment is the newly commissioned Dental Digital Lab, outfitted with cutting-edge technology such as digital intraoral scanners and dental 3D printers. Together, these tools enable full in-house production of dental crowns and bridges, dramatically improving the accuracy, efficiency, and quality of care.
One of the most impactful features of the Digital Lab is its service delivery model: all digital dental services will be provided free of cost to the public. With a single dental crown typical-
According to the Minister, engagements have already begun with a global industry leader in dental equipment, with hopes that formal collaboration will be secured in the new year. He expressed optimism that the partner – one of the world’s largest suppliers of advanced dental machinery – can be encouraged to visit Guyana soon to support ongoing transformation efforts.
“I’m very pleased that we are leading in this direction and that we are breaking new ceilings, if you like, frontiers, so that we can make sure that we're always training our students with the most up-to-date tech-
bright,” the Minister disclosed.
Dr Anthony noted that the vision for the institution today reflects a dramatic shift from what once existed. Years ago, he said, the school did not meet the standard Guyana required for both service delivery and medical training. This realisation, he added, triggered deliberate, sustained action to re-engineer the institution into a dual-purpose national asset – one that offers quality care while producing a workforce trained at a world-class level.
Dental simulation
ly costing around $150,000, patients will now benefit from significant financial savings. Additionally, the new technology reduces production times from weeks to as little as two to three days, with same-day service available for urgent cases.
Dentistry training essential Dr Anthony emphasised that while the institution now serves as one of the country’s premier dental facilities, it is also central to producing professionals who will operate in public health dentistry across every region. The goal, he reiterated, is to ensure Guyanese
students receive training that matches or exceeds standards anywhere in the Caribbean and beyond.
The institution, he added, must continuously evolve to reflect emerging trends in medicine, particularly digital dentistry, which remains one of the most critical frontiers for 21st-century healthcare.
“You can move from being a dental technician with additional studies to become
a dentist. There's nothing that stops you from doing that. And we want you to think like that and to explore the opportunities and pathways that can get you on this journey to become a dentist, even a specialist in dentistry. That's where we want you to go. So don't limit yourself. This is just one of those steps in your career.
And I am hopeful that if you adopt that attitude, that you would be able to utilise your
full potential.”
“Guyana is growing, and there are many, many opportunities that are available. Twenty years ago, we couldn't imagine some of these things that we are doing today. And you see, like, the lab that we'll be opening, this 3D printing lab, and all these fancy things that we have. We couldn't even dream of it because we didn't have the resources to do it,” he added.
Minister of Health, Dr Frank Anthony, at the commissioning of the new Dental Simulation and Dental 3D Digital Lab at the Cheddi Jagan Dental School
Neverending…
…struggle
Your Eyewitness returns once again to the vexed subject of vendors in Georgetown – but this time with the ones in the area in front of the Stabroek Market. Now we gotta call it for what it is – vending’s gone beyond being a nuisance in terms of anyone wishing to traverse Georgetown on foot!! It’s a hazard that has been allowed to get completely out of hand, and as such today, it defies all efforts to bring some kinda order to the practice. If he sounds a tad hysterical, it’s because he was once robbed at knife-point in that locale – while vendors just snickered at his predicament!!
The problem is we don’t have proper rules and regulations to control vending: it seems anyone willing to pass a bribe to any city Constable can literally set up shop wherever he or she pleases!! Compare this with, say, NYC, which most of us consider to be lawlessness incarnated!! Maybe it is – but under rules!! Take vending – which we all know abounds in the Big Apple!!
Their rule is simple – every vendor gotta be licensed within the limits for every category of vending for every area!! Then about the specific spot – the rule is: “Vending is only allowed on a sidewalk that has a 12-foot clear path for pedestrians; No vending is allowed within 20 feet of a building entrance or within 10 feet of any subway entrance or crosswalk; Certain vending is not allowed on any ventilation grill, cellar door, or on the sidewalk abutting a no-standing zone that is adjacent to a hospital. There are limits on the size of vending tables, pushcarts, and vehicles. Additionally, MFVs are subject to various health, food safety, and sanitation requirements in the City Health Code and State Sanitary Code and enforced by DOHMH.” See??
So how come those insisting GT is their personal fiefdom – first the PNC and now WIN – don’t suggest that the “beautification program” of the Stabroek Market environs by the Local Government Ministry isn’t an opportunity to introduce such rules?? The approach by PNC’s Ganesh Mahipaul – the “shadow” of WIN’s “shadow” to Local Government Minister Priya Manickchand!! – is rather typical. He complained that “no meaningful consultation was conducted with the many ordinary Guyanese who earn their livelihood in this space – vendors, single mothers, fathers, youths, and small entrepreneurs – who rely daily on this area to make an honest living”!! They were being inconvenienced for two weeks while a concrete stage was being constructed for them to ply their wares!!
Now this is the lawlessness your Eyewitness is speaking about!! Which of those vendors are ‘making an honest living’?? Can they produce licences and certifications that they aren’t nuisances – but legitimate vendors??
Who’ll stop this confounded nonsense??
…mayhem
There used to be an old caution for drivers – “speed kills”!! But it’s clear that in Guyana another mantra prevails – “speed thrills”!! And it would seem that the risk that the speedsters – who emulate Formula One driving on Guyana’s roads as if we were the Monte Carlo tracks – court for being killed is part of the thrill. And they’re thrilled to death that the Government seems to be facilitating their death wishes by rolling out highways like mothers used to roll out rotis!!
The problem with this point of view is that in many instances the wannabe F1 drivers also kill those on the highways and roadways – who’re moseying around carefully complying with the speed limits!! Well, the Government’s trying to get some control over the carnage on our roads by finally using those cameras they’ve installed on the highways – to penalise those who habitually drive like maniacs on the highways!!
Can you imagine one person chalking up $412,500 in fines?? Jail them and throw away the keys!!
…standoff
Seems that Sanction Man’s learnt a lesson from his antiextradition manoeuvres!! He ain’t going to court to break the 9-9 tie between WIN and APNU over the Region One chair. Says that would delay the vote!!
Addressing Guyana’s social pathologies
After five years of oil revenues flowing into our national coffers, it appears that as far as alleviating our social pathologies, there is some truth in the old folk verity, “Things will get worse before they get better.” Much of this is because the social ailments arise from deep structural, cultural, and economic factors that developed over hundreds of years. Consequently, even as programmes are unfurled across the spectrum to address them, there is not only an inevitable lag between policy, implementation and effects, but also the complex intertwining of causes and effects that may not be in sync. Change is always problematic.
Take for instance the patriarchal norms fostered after slavery and indentureship, which inculcated men into not expressing emotional “weakness” and women enduring what they “must”. This was situated within the meta plantation ethos of handling conflict through domination rather than communication. This mentality fuels domestic violence, alcohol dependence as coping and male suicide, which is the highest in the world here. As we have stressed, our rum culture was fostered by the plantation owners and is now deeply embedded in village rum shops, workplaces, social life, wakes, celebrations, and cultural events. Being comparatively cheap, widely available, and socially expected, this increases violence, road accidents, depression, chronic diseases, alcoholism, and child neglect.
While the oil revenues have made it possible for the Government to fund interventionist programmes, it has increased the cost of living and pressures for men to fill their roles as “providers”. With more women not only supplementing their wages but frequently becoming breadwinners, especially in singleparent families, the husband-wife dynamics have become fraught as traditional roles are sundered.
The question, of course, is how can we deal with these pathologies holistically? Much emphasis must be placed on education – in the widest use of the word and not just to create workers. The latter, of course, is not inconsequential since qualifications for the new higher-paying, skilled jobs can deliver the wherewithal to share in the “good life” that is now expected in the “fastest growing economy in the world”. The increase in technical training institutes and institutions by the Government is a good start which should be extended into polytechnics rather than the old-line traditional universities.
At the local level, there is much truth in the saying “it takes a village to raise a child”, but in Guyana we have to remember that our villages – even the slums of Georgetown – refract the values of the plantation. However, in one experiment starting in 1947, when the sugar planters decided to move out the workers living in the 1247 “logies” surrounding the 15 sugar factories, there was a conscious attempt to inculcate more positive values. The salutary experience was to be achieved in the new “extra-nuclear housing schemes” via a thoroughgoing “Social Welfare and Personnel Programme” run by a trained National Welfare Officer (NOW). As early as 1959, this individual had bemoaned, as we do today, “The influence of the priests and religious leaders on the younger generation had weakened, and the conflict of cultures resulted in waywardness and lack of respect for authority.”
The major innovation was the creation of community centres with varying numbers of programmes but all adjoining large playing fields catering for cricket, soccer and track-and-field activities. The advice of the NWO is still relevant: “Our job, therefore, was seen as one of reducing tensions, providing avenues for social satisfaction, channelling the abundant energies of the under-employed youth into socially acceptable patterns, initiating and giving guidance and direction to the changes which obviously had to take place, and of educating and training the people to deal with the new situations which would arise as a result of such change. In other words, it is a project in changing attitudes and teaching new skills and providing opportunities for social relationships which would result in increased satisfaction among the mass of the people.”
Each community centre had several sports clubs and the larger ones, debating clubs; musical bands; educational movies and newsreels; home economics and woodworking facilities; indoor games like table tennis; a scout troop and, very critically to the baby boomers, a library with books and magazines that opened eyes to a wider world. Land was allocated for mandirs, masjids and churches to be constructed.
The Government can do worse than adopt the successful features of the community centre approach to people’s development by resuscitating and supplementing the programmes with new ones such as substance-rehab programmes and mentalhealth counselling.
Ravi Dev
“All reports point to an election that was free and fair” - President Ali
President Dr Irfaan Ali on Thursday pointed out that all of the reports on the September 1 General and Regional Elections (GRE) released thus far, as well as the recent comments by the Canadian High Commissioner, have underscored that the elections were free, fair and efficiently run.
Speaking with reporters on the side-line of a ceremony at the Office of the President, Dr Ali was questioned about the election reports and subsequent comments made by Canadian High Commissioner Sébastien Sigouin on his official social media page.
In his post, Sigouin commented that “much work is needed to continue strengthening the electoral process”
in Guyana; however, in the post, Sigouin was clear in noting that “improvements have been made, that election day was calm, the process well managed and result credible”.
“The Canadian High Commissioner said very clearly that the elections were free and fair. “He said that to me privately, and said that publicly,” the President emphasised.
“All the reports that we have seen so far, the UNDP and everyone, have said that the election was one of the most efficient elections, an election that was free and fair, elections that gave the results that it brought. We are elected without a shadow of doubt. All the reports point to an election that was free and fair. All the reports also point to continuous im-
provement in the system.”
Sigouin’s comments on the elections were related
to findings in the final elections report released by the European Union Election
Observation Mission (EUEOM), which was released last week Tuesday.
The report was presented to the Guyana Elections Commission by the mission’s chief observer, Robert Biedroń.
The report notes that “the 2025 General and Regional Elections in Guyana were peaceful and well-run, with Election Day and tabulation processes administered efficiently”, while also noting that “the legal framework is broadly adequate”.
UNDP report
In addition to the EU’s report, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has also released official remarks about Guyana’s 2025 elections. In their report the UNDP described the 2025 elections as “one of the most transparent, credible, and professionally managed elections in the country’s modern history.”
Guyana’s 2025 GRE saw just over 442,000 Guyanese turning out to cast their votes to elect the next Government. The results saw the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) taking an overwhelming win with 242,498 votes and returning President Dr Ali to a second term in office. The party’s improved performance saw
it gaining additional seats in the National Assembly, moving from a previous 33 seats to 36 seats. Other parties winning seats included the We Invest in Nationhood (WIN) with 16 seats, A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) with 12 seats and the Forward Guyana Movement (FGM) with one seat.
“They all shouted from the top of the mountain that these elections were not only free and fair but also conducted in a way that was efficient and reliable. There was no doubt from the inception that we have delivered as a Government, and the people rewarded delivery,” the President noted.
As it pertains to calls for continued amendments to the electoral framework, the President pointed out that the Government continues to work towards improving Guyana’s electoral landscape via the legislative architecture.
With changes being made as recently as 2022, when the Government successfully passed amendments to the Representation of the People’s Act (ROPA).
“We have said as a Government that there is a constitutional reform process ongoing and more reforms will come. I’m sure from that process,” the President noted.
President Dr Irfaan Ali
Pregnant women must test for HIV amid increase in cases – Health Minister
– as behavioural gaps stymie progress
Minister of Health, Dr Frank Anthony, has issued a strong call for pregnant women – and the wider public – to get tested for Human Immunodeficiency Viruses (HIV), warning that preventable infections continue to occur despite the availability of modern treatment and prevention tools.
He made the appeal during his address at the World AIDS Day Conference on Friday, where he underscored the urgent need for education, early testing, and consistent treatment to curb new infections.
A key concern raised by the Minister is the number of HIV-positive pregnant women who do not attend clinic during their pregnancy, resulting in babies being born with the virus – an outcome he stressed is entirely preventable. He noted that treatment is readily available to ensure HIVpositive mothers deliver HIV-free infants, but behavioural gaps continue to undermine progress.
“We have also seen over the years that there are a percentage of pregnant women who are HIV positive. And if during their pregnancy they don’t come to the clinic, then when they deliver that baby, that baby can end up being born with HIV. We have had cases of this. And again, this is totally preventable. So, even if you are HIV positive during your pregnancy, come to the clinic.
Treatment will be given so that your baby is going to be born free of HIV. So again, we have to educate people,” Dr Anthony disclosed.
Spreading awareness
Dr Anthony highlighted the critical role of workplaces, Non-Government Organisations (NGOs), and community organisations in spreading awareness of the tools available to prevent HIV and other sexually transmitted infections. He urged participants to share this information within their organisations so that
more people can make informed decisions to protect themselves.
Guyana has just completed a detailed dossier for submission to the Pan American Health Organization, requesting an evaluation to determine whether the country has achieved the elimination of mother-to-child HIV transmission. The Ministry hopes that an assessment next year will confirm this milestone, though Dr Anthony cautioned that sustaining elimination requires continuous education of both mothers and fathers.
The Minister also pointed to new prevention methods being explored, including long-acting injectable pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), which offers six months of protection with a single dose. Although these medications are currently extremely expensive, he said the Government is actively working with partners to make them accessible in Guyana, anticipating that future generic versions could reduce costs significantly. Many global advocates, he noted, consider long-acting PrEP a potential “game changer” in reducing new infections.
“We are actively exploring how we can access these injections so that we can bring them to Guyana. And for those persons who would be at risk, that we are able to make this available to them. Now, right now, these injections are very expensive. Extremely expensive. But our hope is that by working with other partners, that we’ll be able to make these medications available here in Guyana. And that, for many people, they have been advocating that this is going to be a game changer in terms of the reduction of new cases, not just here in the Caribbean, but across the globe,” the Minister explained.
He stressed that eliminating HIV as a public health threat by 2030 is now realistically with-
in reach – something once unthinkable 38 years ago when treatment options
were limited and stigma was widespread. However, he warned that this fi-
nal push requires more testing, more individuals starting and remaining on treatment, and stronger behavioural change efforts.
Health Minister Dr Frank Anthony delivering remarks at the 2025 World AIDS Day Conference
Expos are strategic platforms for investment – Tourism Minister
...as businesses at Rupununi Expo encouraged to build new partnerships, explore opportunities, demonstrate region’s economic potential
The future of commerce in Guyana’s hinterland took centre stage on Friday evening as regional leaders, diplomats, entrepreneurs and special invitees gathered for the formal opening of the 2025 Rupununi Expo.
Keynote speaker and Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce,
Susan Rodrigues, was joined by Minister of Amerindian Affairs, Sarah BrowneShadeek; Consular General to Brazil, Rodger King; Deputy Mayor of Lethem, Indira Singh; along with representatives from the Georgetown diplomatic community and other distinguished guests and special invitees.
In her address to exhibitors and attendees, Minister Rodrigues emphasised that a number of expos have been held across the country throughout the year, describing these events as more than ceremonial gatherings but strategic platforms for engagement. According to Rodrigues, expos provide critical avenues for businesses to interface, promote their products, exchange ideas and showcase Guyana’s capacity across all economic sectors.
Turning her focus specifically to the Rupununi, the Tourism Minister described this expo as particularly distinctive, given Region Nine’s cultural richness and evolving market potential. She urged exhibitors not to treat the event as mere display booths but as opportunities to forge new alliances, identify expansion openings, and actively demonstrate the region’s economic strength.
Rodrigues also made it clear that Region Nine
will not be left behind in Guyana’s national development agenda. She reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to ensuring that Region Nine continues to advance at the same pace as coastal regions, despite historical logistical constraints. Her remarks echoed an ongoing national priority to balance growth across all 10 administrative regions.
Major national infrastructure, she added, is expected to become the game-changer for hinterland commerce. Rodrigues noted that the comple-
when Rodrigues revealed that for the first time in history, the Ministry of Tourism, Industry and Commerce has secured representation on the planning committee for the Rupununi Rodeo. This new inclusion signals what insiders believe could be a turning point for how events, tour-
tion of the Linden–Lethem Road Corridor and the Kurupukari Bridge will drastically improve access to Rupununi communities, reduce travel time, increase safety for commuters, and strengthen the movement and preservation of livestock and agricultural goods.
With improved infrastructure in motion, the Linden–Lethem corridor is expected to transition beyond a road network into a thriving economic zone. Rodrigues predicted that once the corridor is complete, surrounding businesses will experience heightened economic flow involving fresh produce, livestock and value-added goods moving more freely into wider markets, including Brazil and coastal Guyana. She urged businesses operating along this corridor to start preparing now for the surge of commercial activity expected in the coming years.
Another major development milestone for the region was also announced
ism and commerce are integrated for hinterland economic expansion.
With intentions already underway to enhance the annual rodeo season, Rodrigues encouraged business owners to begin expanding accommodation capacity to meet increased demand, particularly during peak rodeo periods. She noted that visitors have steadily increased for hinterland cultural events and highlighted the urgency for private sector investment in new guest housing, lodges and commercial stay facilities to avoid market accommodation shortages. Rodrigues painted a clear picture of an emerging Region Nine economy carrying far greater potential than what currently exists.
Her remarks were direct: the region is positioned for major growth. Businesses willing to network, invest and cooperate regionally and bilaterally – particularly with Brazil – stand to benefit from what is coming.
Extradition case against US-indicted Mohameds
“I don’t know why he believes he is in charge of the court” – Pres responds to claims
by Azruddin Mohammed that court case could take 5 years
resident Dr Irfaan
PAli has criticised comments made by US-sanctioned businessman Azruddin Mohamed, leader of the We Invest in Nationhood (WIN) party, regarding remarks that the ongoing extradition case against him and his father, Nazar Mohamed, could take up to five years to prosecute.
Speaking on the sidelines of the swearing-in ceremony at the Office of the President on Thursday, the President was asked about Mohamed’s claim that the extradition matter could drag on for as long as five years.
Ali remarked that such a public statement would be alarming, given that the statement suggests an inappropriate presumption of influence over the judiciary.
“It’s very interesting that Azruddin Mohamed reported that the procedure could take five years or more. I don’t know why he believes he is in charge of the court. It is a concern that he can be bold enough to make such a statement, as if of the belief that he is in control of the judiciary to make such a conclusive statement,” President Ali stated.
“Making a definitive statement like this is concerning to me, and I’m sure it is concerning to the judi-
ciary, because he’s making a statement that is very bold; as if he’s aware of a system that would deliver to him certain results. That is concerning for all of us, concerning for the judiciary and concerning for me as President,” he added.
The President stressed that the matter is solely within the purview of the courts and emphasised the Government’s commitment to due process.
“We believe in due process. The Mohameds must have due process, and they are having that due process. But it’s not for the courts in Guyana to try this case,” he said.
The President highlighted that the local courts are not trying a case against the Mohameds but simply determining if enough evidence exists to ratify the extradition order.
“It is for the Magistrate to determine if there is enough evidence that constitutes a crime in the US for the extradition to take place based on that. What we have seen so far is that all the documents relating to the [alleged] crimes have been submitted… It is a grand jury of 12 persons in the US who would’ve concluded that there is enough evidence to determine the extradition. This grand jury has already
Azruddin Mohammed
determined that – so I think it’s a simple proceeding. We have seen that the grand jury would’ve already determined that there is enough evidence for the extradition to take place.”
The Mohamed fatherand-son duo returned to court on Monday as their extradition case continued before Magistrate Judy Latchman at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.
Prosecutor Terrence
Williams told the court that full disclosure of documents supporting the US extradition request has been made. Defence Attorney Siand Dhurjon, however, disputed this, insisting that not all supporting documents were handed over and demanding full disclosure by Friday, November 28.
Both men remain on $150,000 bail.
The Mohameds are accused of conspiring to defraud the US and Guyanese
Governments between 2017 and June 11, 2024. They face 11 US criminal charges, including alleged gold smuggling, money laundering, mail fraud, and wire fraud. They were sanctioned by OFAC in 2024 and later indicted by a US grand jury. Azruddin is also embroiled in a local case involving alleged tax evasion linked to the under-declaration of a Lamborghini valued at US$695,000 but declared at US$75,300.
Meanwhile, the President has also dismissed that there is anything concerning about the timeline being taken for the swearing in of the Leader of the Opposition (LOO) in the National Assembly, a position Azruddin is hopefully assuming.
Responding to questions about claims that the election of the new Leader of the Opposition (LOO) is being intentionally delayed, the President said he was unaware of any unusual holdup. With 16 seats in the 13th Parliament, WIN is the largest opposition party in the National Assembly, and Azruddin is expected to assume the LOO position.
He explained that, based on reports, the Speaker of the National Assembly is currently overseas, which would make the procedure unable to be executed since it is the Speaker of the National Assembly that has to call the meeting of the opposition members to elect the LOO.
“From what I’ve seen in the news, the Speaker is travelling, so you can’t expect the Speaker to convene a sitting while he’s travelling or he’s overseas. I’m sure that the Speaker and the National Assembly would convene the meeting at the appropriate time and have that process complete,” the President said.
Mohamed and other WIN officials have claimed political victimisation and insist the LOO election is being purposely stalled, though no evidence has been presented to support those allegations. The 13th Parliament convened on November 3, but the LOO has yet to be elected.
“I don’t know that the process is going on for a while,” he responded. “There are three branches of Government, the executive, the legislature, and the judiciary. The legislature, within its rules, I’m sure, will constitute their meeting at the relevant time to have the Leader of the Opposition elected. That’s in their domain.”
Private sector urged to form consortium to support vessel operations in Guyana
President Dr Irfaan Ali on Friday challenged the local private sector to form a robust shipping consortium capable of integrating into the energy support–vessel ecosystem, including supply and auxiliary vessels servicing offshore oil and gas operations. The President issued the direct call while attending the Annual Awards and Induction Ceremonial Dinner hosted by the Guyana Oil and Gas Energy Chamber (GOGEC) at the Guyana Marriott Hotel.
In issuing the challenge, the President noted, “... we must be able to put together a consortium here in Guyana that can be part of the ecosystem in terms of the supply vessel and other support vessels to the operations,” he said, underscoring the urgency of the initiative. He added that the shipping and support-vessel segment is one of the first strategic mechanisms the Government intends to aggressively advance in the new year, citing rising demand and long-held doubts that have already been disproven in other sectors.
Referencing past national efforts that faced scepticism, the President noted that similar concerns surfaced during the formation of the national public health consortium behind Vreed en Hoop. He recalled that several specialised engineers had predicted failure, but the project was ultimately completed, strengthened, and placed on the global stage as proof of local competence.
Ali stressed that the cur-
rent commercial climate offers no excuse for hesitation. Massive offshore operations, fabrication, logistics and pipeline-linked infrastructure now require an equally strong marine-support framework. He maintained that local businesses must collaborate quickly and strategically to take part directly in the shipping segment that underpins offshore production support, rather than remain observers to the flow of goods, services and equipment moving into the energy economy. The President again made it clear that the proposed consortium is not intended to substitute foreign operators but to complement them, expanding local economic impact. This, he noted, would keep the industry aligned with broader national pillars being built out alongside offshore production – where logistics and marine-support infrastructure serve as economic multipliers fuelling longterm stability.
Ali said bold national ambition must now match industry timelines. As exploration scales and offshore production intensifies, Guyana must secure local operating mechanisms in marine support, ensuring that private-sector collaboration moves rapidly from planning to implementation in 2026.
Expanding maritime sector
The President Ali-led Government has already signalled its commitment to expanding Guyana’s maritime sector. As the sector continues to expand with the acquisition of new ves-
sels, Government officials are turning their focus toward increasing dockyard facilities for maintenance and servicing, a move Public Works Minister Juan Edghill announced on Friday during the commissioning of Guyana’s two new pilot vessels.
Back in October, Edghill emphasised the need for modern and efficient infrastructure to meet the growing demands of the maritime industry. “So apart from expanding the channels, we have to look at more efficient dockyards that will ensure maintenance is kept on schedule and that the demand being required is met.
The partnership should grow and expand, which would ultimately grant MARAD (Maritime Administration Department) good success,” he stated.
The Minister revealed that within the coming
months, several new vessels will be added to the national fleet as part of the Government’s plans to expand and modernise Guyana’s maritime trans-
port network. “There are a lot of other things happening, and we’re glad that this partnership is evolving. We look forward to continued participation. What we have achieved over the last five years will soon pale in comparison to what must be accomplished now. In the next five years, the agenda is greater – broader in scope and impact. We need everyone to understand that Guyana is not just changing but has changed,” Edghill underscored.
A few weeks before this announcement, two new state-of-the-art marine pilot boats, Haiakwa and Haimai, were officially commissioned at the Transport and Harbours Wharf on Water Street, Georgetown, marking the fulfilment of a commitment made by President Irfaan Ali in 2023. Valued at over US$5 million, the vessels form part of a four-boat
procurement programme and were constructed by renowned French shipbuilder OCEA. Built to withstand the challenging conditions of Guyana’s waterways, the Haiakwa and Haimai feature modern hull designs, advanced stabilisation technology and enhanced manoeuvrability, enabling pilots to safely guide large vessels in and out of ports, even during adverse weather conditions. In addition to their structural advancements, both boats are fitted with specialised boarding systems that ensure the safe transfer of pilots, a critical component for operations in rough seas. They also support 24-hour operations and are equipped with cutting-edge navigation and communication systems, significantly strengthening Guyana’s maritime safety and operational capacity.
Police Sergeant injured in ATV’s collision with truck
APolice Sergeant attached to the Brickdam Impact Base was seriously injured following an accident involving an ATV that he was driving and a motor lorry along Lamaha Street, Tucville, Georgetown on Friday.
According to the Police, at around 12:30h on Lamaha Street, Tucville, Georgetown, the ATV CR6202 was proceeding west along Lamaha Street when motor lorry GAG
7559, which was travelling in the opposite direction, allegedly swerved into its path, resulting in a head-on collision.
The Sergeant was thrown onto the roadway and sustained injuries to his body.
He was picked up in a conscious condition and taken to the Guyana Fire Service (GFS) Headquarters after which he was transported to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) where he is current-
ly being treated. He reportedly suffered a fractured left leg and other injuries. The driver of the motor lorry, a Cuban national was taken into custody and the lorry lodged at the East La Penitence Police Station, as investigations continue. CCTV footage on social media however, shows the police sergeant swerving into the truck that had slowed down for other traffic on the road when the ATV slammed into it.
Berbice man killed after car slams into utility pole
A44-year-old driver from East Bank Berbice (EBB), Region Six (East BerbiceCorentyne-Berbice), is now dead following a Friday morning car crash along the Good Hope Public Road, Mahaica, East Coast Demerara (ECD), Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica). The crash occurred around 03:38h on November 28.
Dead is Julius Mandella Haniff, of Lot Edinburgh, EBB. He was driving mo-
tor car PAG 9310, owned by Paray Kuldip. Also in the vehicle at the time was his 39-year-old wife, Yurajwatie Hussain, who resides at the same address and is currently pregnant.
According to a police report, the car was travelling west along the south-
ern lane of the Good Hope Public Road when the driver reportedly lost control on the wet roadway, which was slippery due to rainfall. The vehicle veered off course and slammed into a concrete utility pole on the southern grass parapet. Both Haniff and Hussain sustained injuries. Public-
spirited citizens rushed to assist and transported them to the Mahaicony Cottage Hospital, where they were examined by medical personnel. Hussain was treated and later discharged.
Haniff, however, succumbed to his injuries at approximately 10:10 h on Friday morning. Police say investigations into the fatal accident are ongoing.
President Dr Irfaan Ali attending the Guyana Oil and Gas Energy Chamber awards and induction ceremonial dinner
The collision brought down utility poles along the road
The aftermath of the crash
Dead: Julius Haniff
Haniff and his wife, who was injured in the crash, Yurajwtie Hussain in happier times
Tourism Ministry launches 6 new Rupununi experiences – 2nd product launch for Tourism Awareness Month
The Ministry of Tourism, Industry and Commerce and the Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA) on Friday hosted their second product launch ceremony for Tourism Awareness Month, unveiling six new community-led and nature-based tourism experiences in the Rupununi.
Delivering the feature remarks, Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce Susan Rodrigues commended the participating communities and partners for their leadership in developing authentic, community-driven tourism products.
She reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to supporting village-led initiatives and strengthening the Rupununi as a key destination for meaningful, nature-focused travel. The Minister noted that today’s event builds on earlier launches this week and reflects the rapid development taking place within the sector.
The six new experiences launched are Camp & Catch: Fishing Adventure by Tara’s Choices and Tours; Wontai Birding Experience by Dexter Da Silva; Quarrie
Nature Escape by Quarrie Village; Sip, Splash and Splatter by Kumu Village; Moco Moco Camping Experience by Moco Moco Village; Capybara Camping Experience by Karanambu Lodge; Kwaimatta Village and Quatatta Village.
Director of the GTA, Mr Kamrul Baksh, opened the event by highlighting the steady growth of community tourism in Region Nine. He noted that the new products demonstrate strong collaboration between villages, operators and conservation partners and reflect the national focus on expanding and diversifying Guyana’s tourism sector. He also emphasised that each experience supports jobs, skills training and long-term sustainability within the host communities.
As Tourism Awareness Month winds down, Friday’s launch brings the total to 15 new experiences launched this year, surpassing the
Active cases
During his address at the World AIDS Day Conference on Friday, the Minister made an urgent appeal for national vigilance after approximately 449 new HIV infections were diagnosed locally over the past year, amid continued regional transmission across the Caribbean.
Data released by the Joint United Nations
initial target of 10. This achievement underscores the continued progress being made through community collaboration, innovation and sustainable development across Guyana’s tourism landscape.
Last Tuesday, seven new tourism experiences were launched during an Immersive Tourism Product Launch and Cocktail Evening at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC).
Operators introduced their new tourism products that included Bush Bar & Bites by Touring Guyana; Kumerau Expedition by Blackwater Adventures; Essequibo Got Taste by Eco Destination Tours Guyana; Kids Botani Tour by Trail Masters Adventure Tours; Cook Like a Guyanese Tour by Wanderlust Adventures; Celebrating the Coconut by Eco Destination Tours Guyana; and the Guyana Flying Dress Experience
by Wanderlust Adventures. November is observed as Tourism Awareness Month under the theme “Tourism: A Transformational Pillar of Guyana’s Economy”.
Delivering the feature address on Tuesday, Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce Susan Rodrigues spoke of the ongoing transformation of Guyana’s tourism landscape and its increasing potential to become a major pillar of the national economy. She reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to supporting tour operators as small businesses, noting that this approach aligns with the administration’s broader policy of small business development.
“We are investing this time because we want to really grow Guyana’s tourism experience, elevate our visibility on the global platform, welcome our visitors and give them a truly immersive experience,” the Minister said.
Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) confirms that over the last year, 15,000 new infections were recorded across the Caribbean, with 340,000 persons now living with HIV regionally. The same reporting body verified that Guyana’s confirmed 449 new cases form part of this broader epidemiological movement, a trend public health experts note remains deeply influenced by preventable behavioural risk factors.
With this in mind, the Minister affirmed that Guyana has made formidable strides in transforming HIV from a terminal diagnosis into a manageable health condition – with the tools for prevention, early care, viral monitoring, and widespread treatment now institutionalised within the national system.
Rupununi operators introducing their tourism experience at the launch
Mithai, Sal Sev and Fudge are beloved Guyanese staples – nostalgic snacks many of us first enjoyed during our school days and still reach for today, whether homemade or neatly packaged on supermarket shelves. It is this enduring love for traditional treats that inspired Maliyah’s Kitchen, a Guyanese business located on Pike Street in Georgetown. Born during the stillness of the COVID-19 pandemic, the venture began when founders Mark and Alyssa Singh turned their passion for authentic local snacks into a new income stream, ultimately transforming it into a thriving enterprise.
Now, the business is successfully certified under the Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS) Made in Guyana Certification Mark programme and the GYS 901 Certification programme.
Mr Singh recalled that during the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to the closure of businesses, public transportation and more, the idea was born. “Most of the time was spent at home during the pandemic, and we would watch movies and eat. While purchasing items like mithai, Sal Sev, and fudge, we started paying attention to how other agro-processors and
businesses packaged their products. We then said to ourselves, ‘Why don’t we try making and enhancing these products to make them more attractive and into a business?’”
They then decided to start producing Mithai, Milk Powder Fudge, and Sal Sev, aiming to make their snacks stand out from others on the market.
But transforming a cherished passion into a credible business was no easy feat, he emphasised, highlighting that the learning curve was both steep and rewarding. As the entrepreneurs work to scale up production without compromising flavour, securing funds from banks and other financial institutions, accessing markets, and understanding food safety regulations are among their biggest challenges. However, with constant work, he said, “What inspired us to start this venture is to have proper, local, authentic and traditional snacks well-packaged in the supermarkets and shops.”
Determined to preserve authenticity, they adhered to traditional recipes while incorporating modern production techniques to ensure their snacks remain authentic and meet market demands.
The Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS) played a piv-
otal role in their journey. As the family worked to transition from homemade lunches and snacks for parties and other customers to supermarket shelves, they learnt about the GNBS and its Made in Guyana Standards Mark at a GuyExpo event.
Mr Singh said after learning about the programme and understanding the benefits it could bring to their products, the decision to pursue it came naturally. Following a rigorous process, the business received its certification on April 22, 2024.
“When people, both locally and regionally, hear that you are vetted by the GNBS, they know you have gone through a rigorous process. We always wanted to stand out from everyone else,” the businessman said.
The Made in Guyana standards mark is a registered mark that aims to provide recognition to locally manufactured products. It focuses on enhancing the national competitiveness of authentic Guyanese products certified under the programme, while also building and promoting brand recognition for those products.
Achieving the Made in Guyana Standards Mark boosted the business’s visibility, strengthened consumer confidence, and opened new business opportunities. “It gives you more visibility. It gives more assurance to the consumers and retailers that this is a good product... We feel privileged to know that we have been recognised at that level. We are very proud,” Singh explained.
As the business continued to evolve, Alyssa decided to take another significant step, pursuing certification under the GNBS 901 programme. To her, this programme represented more than compliance; it was a strategic investment in the company’s internal foundation.
This programme is based on the National Standard “GYS 901 – Quality Management System for Micro, Small, and Medium-Sized Enterprises (MSMEs).” It outlines a quality management system tailored to MSMEs, incorporates essential occupational safety and health requirements, and serves as
a stepping stone to ISO 9001:2015 certification.
Achieving this certification, she said, is a milestone that reflects the brand’s maturity and direction. “I think it is a very positive development for us and MSMEs. It is a proud moment. It is a great accomplishment. I feel honoured to have it. I will adhere to the rules you have to follow to keep the standards. It is something I want to do because it helps to make my business better and manage paperwork...” Alyssa said.
The business received its certification on November 26 at the GNBS’ National Quality Awards (NQA) ceremony. The certificate was handed over by Prime Minister Brigadier (ret’d) Mark Phillips to Alyssa and Mark Singh.
Having worked with the Bureau on two certification programmes, she noted that the agency’s staff were very encouraging. “You guys helped us 100 per cent. Whenever we needed help, we could have called anytime and were provided with assistance. The team guided us every step of the way,” she shared.
For other small businesses considering certification with the GNBS, she offers simple yet powerful advice: “Start early, stay committed, and don’t shy away from the process.”
Looking ahead, Maliyah’s Kitchen GY has no intention of slowing down. Plans include expanding the product line, increasing production capacity, building a more substantial online presence, and entering regional markets, while continuing to serve authentic Guyanese flavours and uphold the highest standards of excellence.
Businesses thinking about applying for the Made in Guyana Standards Mark or any other GNBS certification can contact the GNBS’s Certification Services Department. The application forms, along with detailed requirements, can be found on the GNBS website https://gnbsgy.org/certification/
For further information, please contact GNBS on telephone numbers 219-0064-66 or WhatsApp 692-4627 or visit the GNBS website: www.gnbsgy.org.
Founders Mark Singh and Alyssa Singh with the GNBS Made in Guyana Certificate
Alyssa Singh receiving the GYS901 certificate from Prime Minister Brig Ret’d Mark Phillips at this year’s NQA
North Georgetown Primary now 5th ERC Harmony Club
The Ethnic Relations Commission (ERC) Friday completed its fifth Harmony Club with a launch at North Georgetown Primary School, Woolford Avenue, as part of its ongoing collaboration with the Ministry of Education to establish Harmony Clubs across primary schools in Georgetown under the Commission’s pilot programme.
The initiative is designed to strengthen cultural and religious awareness among young learners, promote tolerance and appreciation for diversity, and counter ste-
reotypes from an early age. These objectives align directly with the ERC’s constitutional mandate to promote harmony, good relations, and understanding among Guyana’s ethnic groups.
Speaking on behalf of the Commission at the launch, Commissioner Reverend Rodwell Porter underscored the importance of nurturing respect and understanding in the formative years.
“The Harmony Club teaches our children that even though Guyana is made up of many different cultures, religions, and ethnic backgrounds, we can
harmonious citizens.”
Headmistress of North Georgetown Primary,
live, learn, and grow together. I grew up learning how harmful stereotypes can be, and I want this new generation to embrace the truth that our diversity is a strength. When children share, learn, and under-
celebrate different traditions, and they learn to value those differences. When our children understand one another, they become the true stars of harmony in their classrooms and in our country,” she posited while
stand one another, they help build the harmony we want to see in every school, every community, and eventually all across Guyana,” he said.
Delivering remarks on behalf of the Ministry of Education, Jonell Waldron, Literacy Officer, highlighted the positive values the Harmony Club cultivates in students.
“The Harmony Club is not just another activity; it is a space where children learn kindness, respect, and unity. Here, pupils discover why people may look different, speak differently, or
expressing appreciation to the Commission for its leadership in piloting the initiative.
“I want to sincerely thank the Ethnic Relations Commission for introducing the Harmony Club to our schools. This initiative gives our children the chance to learn about each other in meaningful ways and to build the values of respect, empathy, and togetherness. We are grateful for the ERC’s continued partnership and for creating opportunities that help our learners grow into well-rounded,
Donette Liverpool, expressed her school’s appreciation for being chosen as part of the pilot programme. She shared that the school has put systems in place to ensure the long-term sustainability of the club.
“It is an honour to collaborate with the ERC on establishing this Harmony Club. We have developed a sustainability plan to ensure its continued success, with six
the wider school community. We are truly delighted to be selected by the ERC as pioneers of the Harmony Club.”
According to the ERC, Harmony Clubs are intended to provide safe, inclusive, and engaging environments where young pupils explore and appreciate the rich diversity of Guyana’s ethnic, cultural, and religious landscape. Through guided activities, storytelling, cultural exchanges, and interactive learning sessions, students are encouraged to embrace differences, value shared experiences, and develop the interpersonal skills needed for peaceful coexistence.
The five Georgetown schools participating in the ERC’s Pilot Programme will help shape the model used for national rollout. Lessons learnt from the pilot will inform the development of structured modules, coordinated student activities, and long-term engagement frameworks to support expansion into other regions.
The latest launch follows the establishment of Harmony Clubs at Stella Maris, St Gabriel’s, Comenius, and St Ambrose Primary Schools, respectively.
The ERC extended its sincere appreciation to the Ministry of Education,
teachers from Grades One to Six designated to coordinate the club’s activities. The Club promotes a simple yet powerful idea: that even though we come from different backgrounds, we can live, learn, play, and work together as one. I am hopeful that this initiative will foster unity, tolerance, and social cohesion among our pupils, staff, parents, and
school administrators, teachers, Parent-Teacher Associations, and students for their enthusiastic support.
The launch at North Georgetown Primary marks another significant step in the Commission’s efforts to nurture a more respectful, understanding, and harmonious society, it added.
Govt soon to unveil 5-year plan for economic expansion, transformative infrastructure
President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali on Friday evening announced that the Government of Guyana will soon unveil a comprehensive national economic expansion and infrastructure integration plan.
The President said it will include the sweeping transformation to take place over the next five years, one he described as unmatched in scale, ambition, and national impact, a Department of Public Information (DPI) report stated.
Delivering the feature address at the Guyana Oil and Gas Energy Chamber’s Annual Awards Presentation Dinner at Georgetown’s Marriott Hotel, President Ali said the plan will reflect the country’s rapidly accelerating development trajectory, driven by historic investments across the energy sector, infrastructure, logistics, and diversified industries.
“This journey is now getting fired up,” the President told the packed gathering of industry leaders, policymakers and private-sector executives. “In the coming days, I will open with great
clarity the economic expansion, infrastructure integration and development projections for our country over the next five years.”
US$10B development at Wales and Berbice
The President said that Guyana is entering a phase of unprecedented investment, with Wales and Berbice emerging as the nucleus of a new national energy ecosystem.
In Wales, more than US$4 billion will be invested over five years in the Gasto-Energy project, power plants, fabrication facilities, industrial zones, marine infrastructure, and logistics services.
In Berbice, a second gas project, a deep-water port, industrial expansion, and the massive gas pipeline, estimated alone at over US$2 billion, will anchor another wave of national development.
Combined, these regions will drive close to US$10 billion in new infrastructure and energy-linked investment.
“This is remarkable,” President Ali said. “If this
does not excite us as a people, I don’t know what will.”
1.3 million barrels of oil per day by 2030
Guyana is projected to end the year producing approximately 930,000 barrels of oil per day (bpd), up from 650,000 barrels earlier in the year. By 2030, production is expected to reach a conservative 1.3 million bpd.
The President, however, cautioned that the global energy outlook indicates an oversupply environment between 2025 and 2030, meaning Guyana must continue to build a competitive, efficient, and technologically advanced energy ecosystem.
“This industry is price, cost, technology and regulatory sensitive,” he stressed, noting that every risk associated with global commodity markets is magnified in oil and gas. “That is why disciplined, careful planning is essential.”
Building a workforce to match expansion
President Ali emphasised that the nation’s success depends heavily on hu-
GPL signs US$235M contracts for modernisation, improved connectivity
Guyana Power and Light on Saturday reported that it has signed US$235M in landmark contracts
man capital readiness.
“The greatest complaint in the private sector today is a shortage of human capital,” he said, urging workers to embrace upskilling, higher productivity, and a culture of excellence to match the pace of national transformation.
A lack of workforce maturity or inefficiency, he
warned, can threaten competitiveness and undermine national development.
Despite Guyana’s rapid ascent, the President urged discipline and long-term thinking.
“We cannot afford to be swept away by the tide of optimism,” he cautioned. “Our future is glorious, but we must temper expectations.”
He reaffirmed that the Government’s approach is to convert oil wealth into productive assets such as roads, ports, energy infrastructure, human capital development, and diversified industries.
“The economy is in safe hands, your hands, our hands, the nation’s hands,” he affirmed.
Car bursts into flames after crashing into lamp post at Rose Hall
car engulfed in flames
Amotor car was destroyed by fire after it collided with a lamp post at Rose Hall, East Canje, Berbice. The incident occurred sometime around 10:00h, prompting an immediate response from the New Amsterdam Fire Service.
According to information released by fire officials, the Fire Service received the emergency call at 22:01h Thursday night, reporting a vehicle engulfed in flames. Firefighters were dispatched to the scene, where
they found a white motor car, PKK 1039, already extensively damaged by fire.
They reportedly used one jet to bring the blaze under control.
Investigations revealed that the fire began after the car reportedly collided with a lamp post, rupturing its fuel line. The leaking gasoline then came into contact with high temperatures in the engine compartment, igniting almost instantly. The flames quickly spread throughout the vehicle, re-
sulting in severe damage. No injuries were reported, and authorities have not released information on the driver’s condition or whether anyone else was inside the vehicle at the time of the crash. Meanwhile, fire officials are urging motorists to exercise caution, noting that ruptured fuel lines combined with hot engine components can lead to rapid and uncontrollable fires, particularly after collisions.
Police say the matter remains under investigation.
Garden of Eden substations.
Meanwhile, the US$35.93M CMC contract was signed for the construction of more than 193 km
with Kalpatru Projects International Ltd. (KPIL) and China National Machinery Import & Export Corporation (CMC), paving the way for major grid expansion, modernisation, and improved national connectivity.
Speaking at the signing, Minister of Public Utilities and Aviation Deodat Indar said that these unprecedented agreements will also
address existing network issues and improve connectivity and redundancy while aligning GPL’s infrastructure with Guyana’s rapid development.
According to GPL, the KPIL contract for US$199M was signed for the construction of 42 kilometres (km) of new 67 kilovolt (kV) transmission lines; construction of four new 69/13.8 kV substations; construction of a total of 18 new primary distribution feeders for the new substations; and for the upgrade and expansion of the new Georgetown and
of new distribution feeders with smart equipment; the supply of advanced smart distribution equipment; and to address unserved areas in Demerara and Berbice.
The four new substations are to be located at Hydronie, East Bank Essequibo; Princess Street, Georgetown; Kurukururu, Linden-Soesdyke Highway; and Williamsburg, East Berbice-Corentyne.
CEO of the Guyana Power and Light (GPL), Kesh Nandlall, and CMC at the signing event
Minister of Public Utilities and Aviation, Deodat Indar, looks on at the signing of the KPIL contract.
The
GCCI lauds Gender Equality & Empowerment Seal initiative
As Guyana observes “16 Days of Activism to End Gender-based Violence”, the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) recognises the importance of safe working environments for women as well as equal opportunities for employment as a means of empowerment. As such, the Chamber was pleased to participate in the launch of the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security’s “Gender Equality & Empowerment Seal” on November 26 at the Roraima Duke Lodge.
This Gender Equality and Empowerment Seal initiative promotes safe, inclusive, and discrimination-free workplaces across the country, targeting issues such as sexual harassment, workplace safety, empowerment, and conduct.
Secretary of the GCCI, Kristia Ramlagan-Prescott, in her remarks at the
launch, described the initiative as pivotal to positively impacting the lives of women. Noting that gender-based violence remains a deep concern, she highlighted the vulnerability of women who are dependent on their partners in an abuse dynamic. She stated that the GCCI believes that creating employment opportunities and support mechanisms are crucial in empowering women in escaping abusive relationships and preserving their well-being, as it removes that vulnerability due to absolute dependence. She commended the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security for taking strategic measures to provide much-needed resources in this regard.
This initiative comes on the heels of the Ministry’s Day and Night Care Programme that was launched at the GCCI Secretariat by Hon Dr
Vindhya Persaud. Through that programme, members of the Chamber committed to providing childcare facilities at their offices to allow working parents to have after-school and daycare options at their place of work. By creating an avenue for women in particular to have a safe place for their children to have super-
GPF, MOH collaborate for community health fair
The Guyana Police Force (GPF) on Saturday, November 29, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, hosted a comprehensive Community Health Fair for shoppers and residents in the Water Street, Muneshwer area. The initiative forms part of the GPF’s, ongoing commitment to community po-
general medical check-ups; blood pressure and blood sugar testing; eye care and vision screening; nutritional counselling and wellness education; vaccination services and public health awareness activities.
Superintendent L. Smith of the GPF Community Relations Department underscored the significance of
Muneshwer area, fostering a strong bond of trust and mutual respect. We encourage all residents to take advantage of these vital, free services.”
A representative of the Ministry of Health reaffirmed the Ministry’s commitment to accessible healthcare: “The Ministry is committed to ensuring every Guyanese
licing—strengthening public trust, improving quality of life and fostering meaningful engagement through strategic partnerships. The joint outreach offered a wide range of essential, free health services, including medical vouchers;
the event, stating: “Our mission extends beyond crime prevention; it is about building a safer and healthier community. By partnering with the Ministry of Health, we are bringing critical health services directly to the residents of Water Street and the
has access to quality primary healthcare. Collaborating with the Guyana Police Force allows us to reach citizens in a truly community-focused setting, promoting preventative care and early detection, which are crucial for national well-being.”
vised care while they work, GCCI members are equipping them with the abili-
ty to support themselves and their families. She underscored that employment
is empowerment – and employment with support and resources paves the way for independence.
The GCCI Secretary noted that as an organisation where close to 50 per cent of its membership are either women-owned or women-led businesses, the GCCI workplan heavily focuses on the development of women entrepreneurs. She highlighted the Micro and Women Entrepreneur Learning Centre that aims to support the advancement of women in business. She reiterated the GCCI's support for this initiative and the journey ahead in its implementation.
GPHC Pathology Dept earns 2025 NQA
The Pathology Department of the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) has once again demonstrated its commitment to excellence by winning the prestigious National Quality Award (NQA) at the 2025 ceremony organised by the Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS).
The NQA, first introduced in 2017 with only a few participants, has grown substantially over the years, with over 100 entrants in this year’s competition. The programme evaluates organisations across small, medium, and large categories, assessing their performance against the internationally recognised ISO 9001 Quality Management Principles. These principles cover areas such as customer focus, leadership, people engagement, process approach, continuous improvement, evidence-based decision-making, and relationship management.
During assessment, the auditors conducted a complete evaluation, reviewing documented evidence, examining process flows, interviewing staff and observing daily operations. The department’s systems proved strong, consistent and fully functional without any additional preparation.
This unfiltered performance ultimately helped the department secure the overall award in the Small Business category. Although the NQA is based on ISO
9001, an international standard for overall organisational quality management, the excellence of the Pathology Department has been significantly shaped by its ongoing pursuit of international ISO 15189 and ISO 15190 accreditation, specialised standards for laboratory quality and safety.
Earlier this year, the department also achieved certification under the GYS 170 standard, which includes national requirements for laboratory quality and safety. As the team transitioned from these local standards to the internationally recognised ISO 15189 and 15190 frameworks, they had already implemented many systems and processes aligned with ISO 9001.
Winning the National Quality Award is more than an organisational milestone; it signifies a direct benefit to every patient served by GPHC.
This achievement con-
firms that GPHC’s pathology services meet international standards for quality and safety. Patients can trust in the accuracy, reliability and integrity of laboratory results. The department’s strong systems improve efficiency, patient satisfaction and responsiveness.
The 2025 NQA solidifies the GPHC Pathology Department’s position as a leader in quality healthcare delivery in Guyana. It communicates to the country and the region that the hospital operates to international standards and remains fully dedicated to ongoing improvement, patient-focused service, and excellence at all levels. As the department awaits the outcome of their ISO 15189 and 15190 accreditation audits, the NQA serves as a strong endorsement of their preparedness, capability, and firm commitment to high-quality care.
A participant has her eyes examined at the health fair
The event included public health awareness activities
New $30M water supply system commissioned at Silver Hill
– a ‘dream come through’ for residents
After decades of trekking to a creek for water, residents of Silver Hill along the Soesdyke–Linden Highway are now turning on taps at their homes, thanks to a new $30 million water supply system that has transformed daily life in the community.
The system, commissioned on Friday, now provides potable water directly to about 90 per cent of households in the area. The remaining residents are being served through standpipes installed at key locations across the community.
The project entailed the drilling of a new well, the installation of a photovoltaic (PV) pumping system powered by solar energy and the laying of roughly three kilometres (km) of distribution lines to reach homes and yards. Officials say the intervention has effectively ended the community’s dependence on creek water for drinking, cooking and household use. For lifelong resident Raffina Lund, the commissioning of the new system marked the end of
a struggle she has known since childhood.
“I was born and grew up at Silver Hill and I’ve been a resident for actually my entire life,” she told the gathering at the commissioning ceremony. “Growing up and living without water close to the home, it was a struggle. With this well, I just want to say thank you. Thank you so much. This is like actually a dream come true.”
Another villager, Raymond Baldwin, said the project has brought not only relief, but also pride, since residents were directly involved in installing the network.
“For years we have been using creek water for everything,” Baldwin recalled.
“Since the beginning of this project, I have helped with the laying of pipes and it has been very beneficial for me and the community, because now everybody is getting potable water, and it even helps in the little kitchen gardens we have in the yard.”
He described the new system as a sign that small-
er roadside communities are no longer being overlooked. “I think it is a good step that the Government has taken for small communities along the highway,” Baldwin said. “We look forward to taking care of this well as the years go by.”
Minister of Public Utilities and Aviation, Deodat Indar, who officially commissioned the water system, told residents that tests show the water produced from the new well is low in iron and safe for consumption. He said similar projects have been rolled out in scores of hinterland and remote communities.
According to the Minister, about 131 wells of this type have been drilled by Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI) over the last five years, as part of a push to expand access to treated water nationally. “We have to modernise, we have to move away from relying on water from creeks and rivers,” Minister Indar said. “So through GWI we are divulging those resources to ensure that we have universal access to water
Mocha Arcadia squatters begin processing ownership documents
The Ministry of Housing, through the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA), continues the regularisation of the Arcadia (Mocha) squatting area, offering security of tenure and bringing relief to dozens of families.
CH&PA commenced the processing of ownership documents with the issuance of Allocation Letters and Agreements of Sale on November 27, 2025, continuing the exercise on November 28. Director of Community Development Gladwin Charles presented ownership documents to several beneficiaries.
This latest step follows consistent engagement, onthe-ground assessments, and months of collaboration between the Government and residents.
One beneficiary, Jocelyn Ambrose, expressed her appreciation for the Ministry's direct involvement and sustained support throughout the process, noting that the effort has brought ease to
her family.
"We worked together, and it was good all the time," she stated, commending the Government for the transparent execution of the regularisation process.
Occupation of the Arcadia area reportedly began approximately ten years ago, with a noticeable increase in squatting activities between 2015 and 2020. Following necessary groundwork, CH&PA began regularisation in 2024.
Survey works were completed in early 2025, providing the foundation for allocation, planning, and document issuance. Of the 104 lots containing structures, 68 are occupied. To date, 36 of the occupied lots have met the eligibility requirements for allocation and processing of Agreements of Sale.
This ongoing intervention forms part of President Ali’s Operation Clear-Up, a national initiative designed to ensure that families residing in informal settlements that can be regula-
that is clean, and usable for cooking.”
While most households in Silver Hill now benefit from water connections directly to their premises; those who are not yet linked to the network can access potable water from strategically placed standpipes. Residents say
the new system is already reshaping their routines: children and adults no longer have to walk long distances to the creek, families can better manage hygiene and household chores, and small farmers are using the improved supply to support kitchen gardens and back-
yard farming. For communities like Silver Hill, where development has often felt slow in coming, the steady stream of water from a tap just outside the door is more than an infrastructure upgrade – it is, as Lund put it, “a dream come true”.
28 GDF ranks complete instructor training
rised are transitioned into secure, sustainable, and fully formalised communities.
According to a Department of Public Information (DPI) report, the area comprises five fields and falls under the purview of the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo).
Outlining the regularisation plan back in 2023, the Housing Minister had stated that the three fields, which are densely populated, will be regularised. Those residing outside of the three fields will be moved within the designated alignment. Additionally, a number of persons who fall within the buffer zone of the four-lane highway will be moved further inward.
The progress at Arcadia reflects the Government’s continued delivery on its promises, its proactive approach to community development, and its commitment to ensuring that every Guyanese family has access to land, dignity, and opportunity as the country advances, the Ministry noted.
Twenty-eight ranks of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) have successfully completed two key instructor training programmes, strengthening the Force’s capacity to deliver professional, disciplined and high-quality military instruction.
Seventeen Senior NonCommissioned Officers graduated from the Skill-at-Arms Instructor Course (SAAIC), while 11 ranks completed the Drill Instructor Course (DIC). The newly trained instructors are expected to play a pivotal role in next year’s intensive training schedule, enhancing the GDF’s ability to maintain high operational standards. Staff Sergeant (SSGT) Dewayne Stephen was named Best Graduating Student on the SAAIC course. Other top performers included Sergeant (SGT) Nicholas Richards,
who received the Runnerup Student award, and SSGT Jancyah Cummings, who earned Best Teaching Practice.
In the Drill Instructor Course, SGT Oswin Gray distinguished himself by securing both Best Graduating Student and Best Teaching Practice. SSGT Kevor Williams was recognised as the Runner-up Student.
Delivering the closing remarks, Warrant Officer Class One (WO1) Mark Yaw emphasised the importance of drill and skill-at-arms to the discipline and effectiveness of the military. “Drill is the foundation of military discipline—it shapes the bearing, confidence, and unity of our ranks. Skill-at-Arms is the core of our profession, ensuring every soldier remains competent, safe, and effective,” he said. “By completing these courses, you have
demonstrated readiness to uphold these standards and pass them on.”
WO1 Yaw also reminded the graduates of the responsibility that accompanies their new qualifications.
“The Guyana Defence Force depends on instructors who can lead professionally, patiently and with the highest regard for safety and discipline. The soldiers you train will reflect your example, your voice, your attitude, and your commitment to excellence.”
The GDF continues to invest heavily in the development of its human capital, viewing instructor training as essential to sustaining high standards across the Force. With these newly certified instructors, the Training Corps is better equipped to shape the discipline, competence and professionalism of current and future soldiers.
The officers who completed instructor training
J’ca: PM vows to fight lies, misinformation about Melissa’s recovery efforts
Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness has declared that his administration will not sit idly by while misinformation and deliberate falsehoods are spread to confuse and divide the Jamaican people.
Holness declared his intention to wage battle against those who seek to distort the truth in the wake of criticism over the government’s handling of the Hurricane Melissa recovery efforts.
Speaking during the official opening of the newly constructed Little London Police Station in this parish on Friday, the Prime Minister lamented what he described as a “growing culture of deliberate mischief” in public discourse
who want to talk, mek meme, gwaan; mi will go wid yuh toe to toe. Every nonsense you talk, I will respond to it,” Holness declared, adding that he will not allow lies to take hold.
whereby some individuals intentionally twist facts in order to mislead the public.
“If it is one thing that you can say about me, mi nuh fraid ah nuhbody. All
“As I have said, it is not just managing the disaster; it is managing the false information, and we have to go to war with that too. Much false information distracts people when we need to have a positive mindset for recovery. So, I urge everyone here today: let us have a positive mindset for recovery. All the people who are vested in creating lies and rumours, I urge you to think as well about your country and what you’re doing,” he urged. (Excerpt from Jamaica Observer)
T&T: Opposition slams PM over shifting explanation on US troops
T&T: Opposition slams PM over shifting explanation on US troops
Opposition Leader Pennelope Beckles is demanding clarity from the government after Prime Minister Kamla PersadBissessar reversed her account of why US military personnel are in Trinidad and Tobago. Speaking outside the Red House yesterday, Beckles questioned why neither Tobago’s Chief Secretary nor the wider public had been consulted, saying the Government’s shifting explanations have fuelled anxiety rather than eased it.
She pointed to visible activity on the island and raised concerns over whether the Environmental Management Authority was ever approached for
the mandatory approvals and public consultations.
Beckles compared the government’s approach to that of Grenada, where the Prime Minister publicly invited feedback on similar requests from US officials. She said that level of transparency should have been adopted.
Pressed on whether the radar installation could strain relations with Venezuela, Beckles said the Prime Minister must address the nation directly, noting that citizens appear to be learning more about the situation from foreign news outlets and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio than from their own government.
“A lot of the information that we are receiving is through CNN, through BBC, through Marco Rubio.
Even as it relates to what’s happening with the marines that are here, I mean, they (Venezuela) were the ones that made reference to Trinidad being occupied by the marines.”
Meanwhile, Opposition Chief Whip Marvin Gonzales intensified the criticism, accusing the Prime Minister of misleading the country on the US–Venezuela matter.
Gonzales said he understands that Tobagonians are “traumatised” by the unfolding situation, pointing to the THA Chief Secretary’s admission that he was never briefed on the arrival of US personnel. He warned that the public should be “very concerned” over the lack of transparency and repeated calls for the government to communicate openly about its decisions. (Excerpt from Trinidad Guardian)
Pete Hegseth denies that he gave orders to “kill everybody” on alleged “narco-boat”
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth declared recent reporting that he may have illegally ordered all people to be killed in a military strike in the Caribbean as “fake news” on Friday evening, adding that the series of strikes of people on boats have been “lawful under both US and international law”.
Hegseth lambasted reports about his role in the strike as “fabricated, inflam-
matory and derogatory reporting to discredit our incredible warriors fighting to protect the homeland”.
The remarks came after a Washington Post report this week alleged that Hegseth ordered defence officials to “kill everybody” travelling on a boat that was being surveyed by analysts on September 2, the first strike of many carried out in recent months by the Trump Administration. The White
House said – without proof –that the people in the boats in the Caribbean, killed in Pentagon operations, were drug smugglers.
Following the Washington Post’s reporting, two senators – Republican Roger Wicker and Democrat Jack Reed – released a statement saying the Senate Armed Services Committee will be investigating the boat strikes. (Excerpt from The Guardian)
Venezuela steps up surveillance near T&T
Venezuela’s security apparatus has increased its presence in areas in the eastern end of the country that face Trinidad and Tobago and other Caribbean nations, according to media reports there.
The development comes as Venezuela’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Yván Gil, expressed the South American country’s concerns regarding the US military presence in the region during a meeting with officials from the United Nations.
On Thursday, Gil held a meeting with Gianluca Rampolla, the United Nations’ resident coordinator in the country.
“We stress the urgency for the United Nations system to adopt a firm stance in defence of our Latin American region as a Zone of Peace, and for all states to respect the Charter of the United Nations,” he emphasised in a statement on his Instagram page.
The meeting, he added, aimed to strengthen “our cooperation, based on respect for sovereignty and the
leadership of the organised Venezuelan people.”
This comes as there could be a new phase in the US war on drugs.
On Thursday, US President Donald Trump suggested that the US is preparing to take new action against alleged drug trafficking networks in Venezuela, telling service members during a Thanksgiving call that efforts for strikes on land will be starting “very soon”.
Given President Trump’s latest pronouncements and
the heightened activity of the US military in T&T, Venezuela’s security apparatus has set up an increased presence in eastern Venezuela, which faces T&T and the Caribbean, according to reports coming out of the country.
Following the bombings carried out by the US against alleged drug-laden vessels near its coasts, the Venezuelan state of Sucre has experienced weeks of tension and intensified surveillance. (Excerpt from Trinidad Guardian)
Trump to pardon ex-Honduras leader serving US sentence after drug trafficking conviction
President Donald Trump said he will grant a pardon to former Honduras President Juan Orlando Hernandez, who is serving a 45-year prison sentence in the US after his conviction on drug trafficking and firearms charges, even as the Republican leader casts himself as being tough on combating drug problems.
In a post on Truth Social on Friday, Trump also reiterated his backing for Honduran presidential candidate Nasry Asfura of the conservative National Party and said, “If he doesn’t win, the US will not be throwing good money.”
Asfura’s party forged a close partnership with Washington under Hernandez, who governed from 2014 to 2022 and was
arrested shortly after leaving office.
A Manhattan jury found Hernandez guilty in March 2024 of accepting millions of dollars in bribes to protect US-bound cocaine shipments belonging to traffickers he once publicly proclaimed to combat.
He was sentenced in June last year and called his conviction wrongful.
“I will be granting a full and complete pardon to former President Juan Orlando Hernandez, who has been, according to many people that I greatly respect, treated very harshly and unfairly,” Trump said in his post. (Excerpt from Reuters)
Venezuela calls Trump’s airspace
closure warning “colonialist threat”
Venezuela has accused US President Donald Trump of making a “colonialist threat” after he said the airspace around the country should be considered closed.
The country’s Foreign Ministry called Trump’s comments “another extravagant, illegal and unjustified aggression against the Venezuelan people”.
The US does not legally have the authority to close another country’s airspace, but Trump’s online post could lead to travel uncertainty and deter airlines from oper-
ating there.
The US has been building its military presence in the Caribbean, which officials say is to combat drug smuggling. Venezuela’s President Nicolás Maduro has dismissed US claims of drug trafficking as an attempt to oust him.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump wrote, “To all airlines, pilots, drug dealers, and human traffickers, please consider THE AIRSPACE ABOVE AND SURROUNDING
VENEZUELA TO BE CLOSED IN ITS
ENTIRETY.”
The White House did not immediately respond to the BBC’s request for comment. Trump’s comments come days after the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) warned airlines of “heightened military activity in and around Venezuela”. Venezuela on Wednesday banned six major international airlines – Iberia, TAP Portugal, Gol, Latam, Avianca and Turkish Airlines – from landing there after they failed to meet a 48-hour deadline to resume flights. (Excerpt from BBC News)
Members of the Bolivarian National Intelligence Service (SEBIN) march in a government-organised civic-military rally in Caracas, Venezuela, on Tuesday
Opposition Chief Whip Marvin Gonzales contributes to the debate on a private motion by the Leader of the Opposition in Parliament yesterday
Honduras’s former president, Juan Orlando Hernandez, is escorted by authorities as he walks towards a plane of the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) for his extradition to the US
Trump says he's cancelling all Biden orders signed using an autopen
President Trump said he is cancelling all orders signed by former President Joe Biden using an autopen, a mechanical device that reproduces signatures.
"Any document signed" by Biden via the use of an autopen "is hereby terminated and of no further force or effect," Mr Trump wrote on Truth Social.
"I am hereby cancelling all Executive Orders and anything else that was not directly signed by Crooked Joe Biden, because the people who operated the Autopen did so illegally," Mr Trump said. "Joe Biden was not in-
volved in the Autopen process, and if he says he was, he will be brought up on charges of perjury."
Biden signed 162 executive orders during his presidency, according to the American Presidency Project. It's unclear how many were signed using an autopen, though it's not unusual for Presidents to revoke their predecessor's directives.
Mr Trump has already rolled back dozens of Biden's executive orders. The President rescinded nearly 70 of Biden's executive orders shortly after he was sworn in on January 20 for his sec-
ond term and another 19 on March 14, according to the White House.
Mr Trump previously ordered an investigation into the Biden White House's use of the autopen to sign Presidential documents like pardons, claiming there was a "conspiracy" to "abuse the power of Presidential signatures through the use of an autopen to conceal Biden's cognitive decline."
In March, Mr Trump acknowledged he has also used an autopen, but "only for very unimportant papers".
(Excerpt from CBS News)
Hong Kong begins three days of mourning after deadly apartment fires
An outpouring of grief was set to sweep Hong Kong on Saturday as an official three-day mourning period began with a moment of silence for the 128 persons killed in one of the city’s deadliest fires.
City leader John Lee, along with senior ministers and dozens of top civil servants, stood in silence for three minutes on Saturday morning outside the Government headquarters, where the flags of China and Hong Kong were flown at half-mast.
Hours before that, citizens placed flowers near the charred shell of Wang Fuk Court, the residential complex that burnt for more than 40 hours.
“May your spirits in heaven always keep the joy alive,” read a note of remembrance placed at the site.
Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee (centre) and other Government officials observe three minutes of silence on Saturday to mourn victims of the Wang Fuk Court residential estate fire
Around the World
Flooding in southern Asia leaves 600 dead
Torrential rains have triggered floods and landslides across parts of southern Asia, killing about 600 persons.
Monsoon rain exacerbated by tropical storms caused some of the region's worst flooding in years, with millions affected in Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Sri Lanka.
An exceptionally rare tropical cyclone, named Cyclone Senyar, caused catastrophic landslides and flooding in Sumatra, Indonesia, with homes swept away and thousands of buildings submerged.
With hundreds still missing, the death toll is likely to rise. Thousands remain
stranded, some awaiting rescue on rooftops.
As of Saturday, more than 300 persons had died in Indonesia and 160 in Thailand. There were also several deaths reported in Malaysia.
In Sri Lanka, which has been battered by Cyclone Ditwah, more than 130 persons are dead and some 170 missing, officials said.
Indonesia's disaster agency said on Saturday that nearly 300 persons were still missing after flooding devastated Sumatra.
In Thailand's southern Songkhla province, water rose 3 metres, and at least 145 persons died in one of the worst floods in a decade.
The city of Hat Yai experienced 335 mm of rainfall in a single day, the heaviest in 300 years. As waters receded, officials recorded a sharp rise in the death toll.
In neighbouring Malaysia, the death toll is far lower, but the damage is just as devastating.
Flooding has wreaked havoc and left parts of northern Perlis state under water, with two persons dead and tens of thousands forced into shelters.
Sri Lanka is also grappling with one of its worst weather disasters in recent years, and the Government has declared a state of emergency. (Excerpt from BBC News)
Russian attack on Kyiv cuts power to half of city, leaves 2 dead
TSeparate supply stations for clothes, food and household goods were set up at a public square near the towers, as well as booths providing medical and psychological care.
A spontaneous community effort to help firefighters and those displaced has become a well-oiled machine.
Condolence points have been set up across Hong Kong for the public to sign condolence books, the Government said. Families have been combing hospitals and victim identification stations hoping to find their loved ones, with about 200 persons still listed as missing and 89 bodies unidentified.
So much was donated that organisers put out a call on social media saying no more was needed. (Excerpt from The Guardian)
Israeli forces injure hundreds of Palestinians in raids on Tubas, West Bank
Israeli forces have wounded more than 200 Palestinians in raids on the West Bank governorate of Tubas, as a major offensive on northern parts of the occupied territory that began on Wednesday continues to inflict widespread destruction.
The Palestinian Red Crescent Society (PRCS) told Al Jazeera that 78 of those wounded in Israeli attacks on Tubas since Wednesday required treatment in hospital.
After withdrawing from Tammun and Far’a refugee camp on Friday, Israeli soldiers have shifted the focus of raids to the city of Tubas, as well as the nearby villages of Aqqaba and Tayaseer.
Local officials said Israeli forces have detained nearly
200 Palestinians in the past four days. Most were interrogated on site and let go, but at least eight persons were arrested and taken to Israeli military jails.
At least nine Palestinians were detained in other military raids in Qalqilya, Jenin and Nablus. The Wafa news agency quoted local sources as saying on Saturday that two children and a woman were among five arrested at dawn in Qalqilya.
PRCS also said 10 Palestinians were injured in an Israeli settler attack near the village of Khalayel al-Louz, east of Bethlehem, Wafa reported. Of those, one person was shot in the thigh, and three others were beaten and taken to hospital.
Since October 2023, Israeli soldiers have killed at least 1086 Palestinians across the occupied West Bank, including 223 children. At least 251 were killed in 2025.
At least 10,662 Palestinians have also been wounded since the start of Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza, with more than 20,500 rounded up. As of the beginning of November, there were 9204 Palestinians in Israeli jails, 3368 of whom are detained without charges.
Palestinian deaths have also surged in the custody of both the Israeli army and the Israel Prison Service, with at least 94 deaths documented since October 2023. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)
wo persons were killed and 37 injured by a Russian drone and missile attack on the Ukrainian capital that cut power to the western half of the city, leaving at least 500,000 residents without electricity.
Nearly 600 drones and 36 rockets were fired into the country in an attack that its President, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, said highlighted Ukraine’s need for Western help with air defence, as well as other financial and political support.
A third person was killed in the surrounding Kyiv region, officials said. Two waves of attacks could be heard across the capital, the first starting at about 1am and the second around 07:00h before an all-
clear was given just before 09.30h.
Ukraine is hoping EU leaders will agree to a €140bn loan secured against Russian central bank assets to shore up its
budget from next year, but opposition from Belgium, where most of the money is held, has dimmed hopes of reaching an agreement by the end of the year. (Excerpt from The Guardian)
Ukraine hits two Russian “shadow fleet” tankers with drones in Black Sea
Ukrainian naval drones hit two sanctioned tankers in the Black Sea as they headed to a Russian port to load up with oil destined for foreign markets, an official said on Saturday, as Kyiv tries to pile pressure on Russia's vast oil industry.
The two oil tankers identified as the Kairos and Virat were empty and sailing to Novorossiysk, a major Russian Black Sea oil
terminal, the official at the Security Service of Ukraine told Reuters.
Naval drones could be seen speeding towards hulking tankers, followed by powerful explosions that caused fires on the vessels, video footage shared by the official showed.
"Video shows that after being hit, both tankers sustained critical damage and were effectively taken out of service. This will deal a
significant blow to Russian oil transportation," the official said in a written statement. Ukraine has been attacking Russian oil refineries for months, using long-range aerial drones to strike far behind the front lines of Moscow's fullscale war against Ukraine. The strikes on the tankers represent a different kind of attack. (Excerpt from Reuters)
Sri Lanka's Government has declared a state of emergency and appealed for international assistance
Vehicles burning in Kyiv after the attack, during which hundreds of drones were launched into Ukraine
TAURUS (April 20May 20)
GEMINI (MAY 21June 20)
CANCER
VIRGO (Aug. 23Sept. 22) (March 21April 19)
Energy and enthusiasm well spent will lead to knowledge and better choices. Interact, engage, ask questions, and pursue positive change. You have plenty to gain if you put yourself out there and participate in events and activities that interest you. Explore the possibilities, and financial gain and positive lifestyle changes will follow. Say no to temptation and indulgence.
Fix up your surroundings to meet your needs. Clearing a space specifically for a project you want to pursue will encourage you to stop procrastinating. Make an effort to affirm your feelings for someone using both words and gestures, and the response will be telltale and confirm whether or not to move forward with your plans.
Indulge in activities that are conducive to meeting new people or developing a closer connection to someone you love. Positive change begins with you and how you conduct yourself physically, intellectually, and emotionally. Refuse to let insecurities cost you due to an inability to tell it like it is. A change of heart requires action.
Participation and interaction will lead to opportunities for positive lifestyle changes. Think outside the box, use your imagination, and be the one to make things happen. Utilize your skills to fit demands, and financial gains will follow. A networking event or reunion with past associates will result in unexpected offers that are worth checking out.
LEO (July 23Aug. 22)
LIBRA (Sept. 23Oct. 23)
SCORPIO (Oct. 24Nov. 22)
CAPRICORN (June 21July 22)
Mix business with pleasure, attend networking events, trade shows, or put your feelers out into the job market to see what s new and exciting. Consider new ways to market what you have to offer, and you ll find a way to combat boredom. Social events, romance, and challenging yourself physically will boost your ego.
Keep tabs on what s happening at home and with meaningful relationships. It s best to nurture any signs of discontent before they grow into something unmanageable. A change of scenery can provide a different perspective on your personal situation and help you identify ways to improve it. Communication is in your best interest.
Keep your life simple, discard what you no longer need or use, and focus more on learning, discovery, and adjusting your lifestyle to embrace what s meaningful to you. Focus your energy on rearranging your space to promote better workouts, healthier dietary habits, and increased productivity. Make changes that attract positive people and outcomes, fostering love and affection.
Share your story, engage in activities that raise your level of awareness. Broaden your mind, scope, and infrastructure to meet the demands you embrace and move forward to ensure you don t miss out on any opportunity you encounter. Personal gain, interaction, and initiating change are within reach. What you put out, you ll get back in spades.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23Dec. 21)
Evaluate your home environment, finances, and health. Incorporate a positive lifestyle and consider how you can utilize the skills and attributes you enjoy most to earn an income, and rethink how best to market what you can offer. The time you spend with someone you love will enhance your relationship. Romance is favored.
AQUARIUS
(Jan. 20Feb. 19) (Dec. 22Jan. 19)
PISCES
(Feb. 20Mar. 20)
Stop waffling, check out the possibilities, and enforce positive changes that will make your life easier, your relationships better, and your day more enjoyable. Socializing and working alongside those who share your concerns can be exhilarating, encourage lifelong friendships, and lead to extra earning potential. Travel will be enlightening and redirect your creative imagination. Romance is in the stars.
It s what you do that counts. Expect to face interference, making it essential to abide by the rules and regulations to avoid financial and physical setbacks. Do your best, but be mindful of what s right and wrong, and you ll find it easier to maintain your current status. Avoid taking risks that could compromise your physical well-being.
Enforce the changes you want to make and follow through. Don t expect everyone to concur with your plans, but be willing to leave them behind if necessary. Set boundaries and build alliances with those who share your values and long-term goals. Growth depends on good choices, letting go of the past, and heading in a positive direction.
ARIES
Peanuts
Calvin and Hobbes
Pickles
Big wins for Hot Flashes, OFHC Top Form on day 2 of indoor hockey tournament
The 20th edition of the Diamond Mineral Water Indoor Hockey Tournament continued in thrilling fashion on Friday evening as teams across the Open, Over-40, and Over50 categories battled for crucial points in a packed day of competition at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall (CASH).
Day Two opened with a convincing win for Saints, who outplayed TTPS in an Open Women’s matchup, finishing 4–1. OFHC Inferno quickly followed with a disciplined 2–1 victory over GBTI GCC, setting an early tone for competitiveness. In the Over-40 division, OFHC Expendables edged Hickers 2–1 in one of the tighter contests of the session.
As the afternoon progressed, the goals came in flurries. TTPS managed a narrow 3–2 win over Hikers in Open Women, while OFHC Top Form delivered a strong statement in Open Men with a 6–1 triumph over TTPS. OFHC Inferno also added to their momentum, defeating Saints 4–3 in a clash that kept supporters on their feet.
between Hickers and GCC
The Over-40 showdown
The sequel ended in a hardfought 2–2 draw, showcasing gritty defending and late equalisers. In Open Women, Hikers powered to a commanding 4–1 victory over Hot Flashes, while the evening’s first men’s fixture
Piastri cuts Norris’ title lead with Qatar GP sprint race win
Oscar Piastri cut McLaren team-mate Lando Norris’ championship lead by two points with victory in the sprint race at the Qatar Grand Prix.
The Australian led an uneventful race from start to finish as Norris trailed home behind Mercedes’ George Russell, the top three finishing in the order in which they started.
Red Bull’s Max Verstappen moved up from sixth on the grid to finish fourth, losing one point to Norris in the championship. Norris now leads Piastri by 22 points and Verstappen by 25 heading into today’s grand prix.
If Norris wins the grand prix, he will be champion. If either Piastri or Verstappen does, then the battle will go to the final race in Abu Dhabi next weekend.
Verstappen made up two places at the start as he followed teammate Yuki Tsunoda past the Aston Martin of Fernando Alonso, who had excelled in putting his uncompetitive car fourth on the grid, and the Japanese then let the Dutchman past.
Verstappen challenged Norris for the first few laps, even feigning an overtaking attempt on the Briton at one point, but eventually began to drop back, complaining of
bouncing and jumping from his car.
After the first three corners, the only overtaking move in the points positions was when Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli took advantage of Alonso running wide out of the final corner at the end of lap 12 to pass down the inside of Turn One at the start of the following lap.
Both Tsunoda and Antonelli were given five-second penalties for exceeding track limits too
many times, leaving both in the same fifth and sixth positions.
Alonso took two valuable points for Aston Martin in seventh, while Williams’ Carlos Sainz earned the final point in eighth.
Ferrari had a dire race. Charles Leclerc dropped from ninth on the grid to finish 13th after two offtrack moments, while Lewis Hamilton finished 17th after starting from the pit lane. (BBC)
saw Saints claim an 8–4 win over Bounty GCC, one of the highest-scoring games of the day.
In the Over-50 division, GCC Vintage held firm for a steady 5–2 win against TTO Masters, demonstrating experience and composure under pressure. The Open Women’s bracket closed its
penultimate matchup with GBTI GCC topping TTPS 3–1.
The night concluded with an action-heavy series of Open Men contests. Hot Flashes outlasted OFHC Inferno 4–2 before OFHC Top Form defeated Bounty GCC 4–2 in another energetic affair. The final match
Dorne's unbeaten 102 leads WI U-19 to series win against England
The West Indies secured a 4–2 series victory with a game to spare after a confident run chase handed them a six-wicket win on Saturday at the National Stadium, Grenada.
With the visitors needing a win to keep the series alive, England elected to bat first after winning the toss, but a disciplined West Indies bowling effort kept them in check.
England captain Farhan Ahmed led from the front with a composed 54 off 76 deliveries, striking two boundaries and a lone six. Isaac Mohammed added a solid 45, while wicketkeeper Joe Moores contributed 42 in the middle order.
Despite these efforts, England failed to construct a defining partnership and were eventually bowled out for 221 in 47.5 overs. Jonathan van Lange produced a superb spell, claiming 4 for 17, while Vitel Lawes and Matthew Miller picked up two wickets apiece.
of the day saw Pepsi Hikers and Saints end locked at 4–4, a fitting finish to a day defined by intensity and competitiveness. With the tournament now entering its decisive stages, Friday’s performances have set the stage for a gripping weekend as teams push to climb the table.
ry, West Indies cap tain Joshua Dorne once again proved the backbone of the in nings with a mag nificent unbeat en 102 from 101 balls. His knock fea tured 10 fours and two towering sixes as he anchored the chase with authority.
38.1 overs, finishing on 223 for 6.
England’s James Minto and Manny Lumsden each claimed two wickets, but the visitors were unable to halt the Caribbean dominance. With the victory, West Indies lock up the series 4–2, heading into Monday’s final match at the National Stadium with confidence and momentum.
Kunal Tilokani provided crucial momentum, smashing a blistering 49 off just 29 balls, decorated with eight boundaries and a six. Matthew Miller also chipped in with an important 43, ensuring the hosts remained in control of the chase throughout. West Indies reached get in
Joshua Dorne once again played a captain's innings
Action from the night (GHB)
Veteran Guyanese boxer
Al Thomas laid to rest
Former national light-heavyweight boxing champion Alsyd “Al” Thomas was laid to rest on Saturday following a funeral service attended by relatives, friends, former students, and members of the boxing fraternity.
Thomas passed away on October 10, 2025, at the New Amsterdam Hospital at the age of 81.
Born Alsyd Wills but known in the boxing frater-
nity as Al Thomas, he carved out a lasting legacy during the late 1960s and 1970s – a period considered one of the defining eras of local boxing.
Though many of his professional records were never formally archived, Thomas was widely recognised as a disciplined and dangerous light-heavyweight who rose to become Guyana’s national champion.
His most celebrated moment came in 1978 when he
famously sparred with the legendary Muhammad Ali at the Albion Sports Complex during Ali’s visit to Guyana.
After retiring from active competition in 1979, Thomas dedicated his life to coaching and youth mentorship. For decades he served as a senior instructor at the Tiger Eye Boxing Gym in Canje, where he shaped countless young fighters –many of whom credit him for teaching them not only box-
ing technique but also the values of discipline, respect, and perseverance.
At Saturday’s service, emotional tributes highlighted his gentle nature, his commitment to youth development, and his quiet but powerful influence on Berbice’s sporting landscape. One former trainee described him as “a man who saw potential in every youth who walked into his gym.”
Thomas was interred at the Bermine Cemetery, closing the final chapter on a life defined by service to sport and community. He is survived by his family, former students, and a grateful boxing community that continues to honour his legacy.
Tourism Awareness Month’s triathlon set for today with millions in cash up for grabs
The Tourism, Industry & Commerce Ministry, in collaboration with the Guyana Tourism Authority, is set to host the Triathlon Mixed Relay today, Sunday, November 30, 2025, in observance of Tourism Awareness Month 2025.
The event will commence at 05:00h at ISKCON, UG Road, Greater Georgetown, and will feature three races: a 200m sprint for the differently abled, the female triathlon (4.5km), and the Open mixed relay, which covers a distance of 11.7km.
For the triathlon mixed relay, the first leg will be speed walking and will start at ISKCON, proceeding to
Railway Embankment and then to the Giftland Mall Road intersection.
The second leg will be cycling, starting at the intersection of Giftland Mall Road, then to Conversation Tree, into Rupert Craig Highway, onto Kitty Public Road, into Vlissingen Road, then to Irving Street, into Lamaha Street, proceeding to Camp Road, and ending at Carifesta Avenue.
The third leg will be running, starting at Carifesta Avenue, into Seawall Public Road, and ending at Seawall Bandstand.
For the female triathlon, which covers 4.5 km, the first leg – speed walk-
ing – will start at ISKCON, UG Road, then proceed to Railway Embankment and then to the Giftland Mall Road intersection. The second leg – cycling – will start at the Giftland Mall Road
intersection and proceed to Conversation Tree and into Rupert Craig Highway.
In the third leg, the runners will start at Rupert Craig Highway, go onto Kitty Public Road, and end at
Seawall Public Road.
The event will see millions of dollars in cash and prizes up for grabs. In the 200m sprint for the differently abled, the first-place winner will receive a $200,000 cash prize and a trophy, while the second-place winner will receive $100,000 and a trophy, and the thirdplace winner will take home $50,000 and a trophy.
In the 4.5-kilometre female triathlon, the first-place winner will take home $1 million and a trip for three to Kaieteur Falls, while the second-place winner will walk away with $500,000 along with a tour for three at Elite Kayaking & Nature Tours,
and the third-place winner will receive $300,000 and a Georgetown Bicycle Tour with Ride Along GY for three.
In the biggest race of the day – the 11.7-kilometre open mixed relay – the winner will take away $1.5 million and a trip for three to Kaieteur.
The second-place winners will receive $1 million and an ATV tour & paintball with Savannah Tours for three, while the team that comes in third will collect $500,000 and a day tour to Linden with kayaking with Elite Kayaking & Nature Tours. Competitors can participate solo, or in teams of up to three.
Berbice, Essequibo open campaigns with
The Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) Women’s Inter-County Super50 Tournament bowled off with high drama and historic milestones in the opening round of matches.
In Friday’s match at Lusignan, Demerara won the toss and chose to bat first, but their innings never found momentum. Opening batter Naomi Barkoye showed resistance with a patient 12 from 33 balls, while Cianna Barkoye and Letisha Jordon chipped in with 11 apiece.
Despite these efforts, Demerara struggled against disciplined bowling and were dismissed for 77 in 32 overs.
opportunities for women’s cricket across Guyana.
perienced pair of Crystal Durant (8 from 12) and Captain Grimmond (3 from 5) calmly guided their team to 35 for 2 in just 5.3 overs,
Essequibo’s attack was led by the impressive Cyanna Retemiah, who delivered excellent figures of 3 for 11. She was supported by the experienced Shonette Belgrave, who claimed 2 for 12 to keep the pressure on throughout the innings.
In reply, Essequibo’s
chase began shakily as Tilleya Madramootoo and skipper Kaysia Schultz struck early to remove the openers. A stabilising partnership between Tramaine Marks and Kumarie Persaud appeared to put Essequibo on course, but Demerara clawed back strongly. Jordon produced a decisive spell, trapping Marks LBW for a well-played 26 off 27 balls before Persaud was run out for 13. Jordon continued to tear through the middle order, finishing with excellent figures of 4 for 20.
At 63 for 9, Essequibo were staring at defeat, but the lower order held their nerve. Belgrave (9 from 15) and Yonette Welcome (4 from 10) carefully inched their side past the target, steering Essequibo to 78 for 9 in 23 overs – sealing a thrilling one-wicket win.
The opening game of the
tournament was shortened to 20 overs per side due to rain but still carried historic weight, marking the debut of the Hinterland Women’s team – the newest addition to the Inter-County structure and a major step in the GCB’s efforts to broaden
Sent in to bat under overcast conditions, the Hinterland team struggled against a ruthless Berbice bowling attack and were dismissed for just 34 in 9.3 overs. Malina Peters was the lone bright spot, top-scoring with 16 from 22 deliveries. Plaffianna Millington starred with the ball for Berbice, claiming remarkable figures of 3 for 5, while captain Sheneta Grimmond and Danellie Manns picked up two wickets each.
Berbice wasted little time in the chase. Despite losing Jada Fraser for 13 and Hicks for a first-ball duck – both wickets claimed by the promising Tiffany LaRose (2 for 10) – the ex-
Plaffiana Millington receives the Player of the Match trophy from Women’s Committee Chairman Shaun Massiah Player of the Match Tramaine Marks For the first time in the tournament’s history, Hinterland takes part in the Women’s Inter County Tournament
Former Guyanese boxer Alsyd “Al” Thomas
Guyana, Barbados Cricket Boards ink historic agreement for U-13 cricket tour to Guyana
Head of the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) Bissoondyal Singh and his colleague from the Barbados Cricket Association (BCA), Calvin Hope, have signed a historic agreement to facilitate an Under-13 cricket tour to Guyana.
The tournament is scheduled to take place from December 12 to 20, 2025, and will feature a five-match series, providing young players from both countries with early exposure to competitive cricket and the opportunity to develop their skills in a structured, cross-territory environment.
“The exchange programme between Guyana and Barbados is more than just a series of matches,” Singh said.
“It represents a shared vision of nurturing talent, fostering camaraderie, and creating opportunities for our young cricketers to thrive. By engaging players at the under-13 level, we are laying the groundwork for a sustainable and competitive future for cricket in the Caribbean.”
Commenting on the agreement, Hope said, “This exchange programme offers massive benefits for our young cricketers. It provides them with invaluable expe-
rience, exposure to different playing conditions, and an opportunity to build friendships and networks beyond our borders. Initiatives like this are critical for developing the next generation of talent and ensuring the long-term growth of cricket in the Caribbean.”
The GCB emphasised
that this initiative is part of a comprehensive, long-term strategy aimed at strengthening grassroots cricket across Guyana and the Caribbean.
By providing structured opportunities for young players to compete in international age-group competitions, the programme
seeks to identify and nurture emerging talent from an early age, equip them with the skills, discipline, and competitive experience needed to excel, and create clear development pathways that lead from grassroots cricket to national and regional representation.
Furthermore, the initiative reflects the GCB’s commitment to enhancing collaboration between cricket boards across the Caribbean, fostering knowledge-sharing, best practices in coaching and administration, and a united approach to developing cricket at every level, thereby securing a strong and sustainable future for the sport regionally.
It must be noted that the GCB, in the recent past, had successfully conducted an Under-13 exchange programme with Trinidad and Tobago, further demonstrating its commitment to providing young players with exposure to competitive cricket across the region.
Looking ahead, the GCB is excited to welcome the Barbados team, as together we ignite the dreams and talents of our young cricketers, shaping the next generation of West Indies cricket superstars and setting a new benchmark for youth development in the Caribbean.
Drag Wars 4 Int’l Showdown is today at South Dakota
A(GMR&SC) final event on its
Superbikes 1000CC.
This makes it one of the largest participant turnouts in recent years.
A significant highlight of this year’s edition is the expected arrival of a large
2025 calendar, for Drag Wars 4 International Showdown.
The event will serve as the decisive finale of the 2025 drag racing season, where champions across multiple classes of the GMRSC Drag Racing Championship will be officially crowned.
Organisers are anticipating more than 100 competitors in various categories, including the Female Class; the 16, 15, 14, 13, 12, 11, 10 and 9-Second Classes; Superbikes 600CC; and
Surinamese racing contingent, preparing to challenge the Guyanese competitors
in an intense quarter-mile showdown.
Their participation adds a strong international element to the event, enhancing regional rivalry and raising competitive expectations.
The event is set to race off at 08:30h, and a full day of high-speed action, technical displays, and crowd-pleasing matchups is expected as drivers push their machines to the limit in pursuit of season-ending glory.
Admission for the event is $3000 for adults and $1000 for children.
Drag Wars 4 concludes a successful year of motorsport activities, marking the final opportunity for fans to witness top-tier drag racing for the 2025 season.
included GFF President Wayne Forde and General
who engaged Amiel on key areas of strategic development and partnership. Discussions focused on strengthening critical programmes, including infrastructure upgrades, youth and grassroots expansion, and technical development initiatives. Both parties reaffirmed their shared commitment to building a sustainable and modern football structure. The GFF continues to advance its mission to grow and professionalise the sport nationwide.
ll roads will lead to the South Dakota Circuit, Timehri, East Bank Demerara (EBD) today for the Guyana Motor Racing & Sports Club
The Guyana Football Federation (GFF) met with FIFA MA Development Manager, Mohammed Amiel, on Friday to discuss short- and long-term development priorities for football in Guyana. The meeting
Secretary Pushpargha Chattopadhyay,
Two cars at the start line in the last drags in Berbice
Imran Auto Works’ car running in the 11-second class
President of the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) Bissoondyal Singh
Champions of U-13 Inter-County Cricket – Demerara
Final day of the Gokarn Ramdhani Memorial Tournament… Beaton/Tan duo upsets favourites, Haynes/Jeffrey to take doubles title
The final day of the Gokarn Ramdhani Memorial Tournament produced thrilling matchups, standout performances, and a major upset in the Men’s Doubles division.
In one of the biggest surprises of the tournament, Nkosi Beaton/Daniel Tan upset favourites Akili Haynes/ Tyrese Jeffrey – 21-17, 17-21, 21-16.
The match was a gripping three-game battle, showcasing excellent resilience and teamwork from Beaton and Tan.
In her closing remarks, the president of the Guyana Badminton Association thanked all the athletes
and extended her heartfelt congratulations.
“Whether you secured a medal or not, your effort, dedication, and love for the game made this event a success. You have represented yourselves, your clubs and Guyana with pride.”
“This tournament is more than just a competition; it is a celebration of Gokarn’s lifelong commitment to badminton and the foundation he built for the sport in Guyana. Watching our athletes compete with such passion reminds us that his legacy continues to live on in every shot played and every young player inspired.
A very special thank you
goes out to our sponsors. Massy Distribution, under the Blue Waters and Ocean Spray brands, and SOL Guyana, your generous support has once again strengthened this tournament and helped create a memorable experience for all. The Guyana Badminton Association deeply values your continued partnership.”
The team also acknowledged the ongoing support of the National Sports Commission and the Ministry of Culture, Youth & Sport, who remain instrumental in the growth and development of badminton across the country.
“As we close this year’s event, we, the GBA, remain committed to advancing
badminton throughout Guyana, expanding opportunities for our youth, and building stronger pathways for excellence. Together, with the continued support of our partners and the dedication of our badminton community, we will carry badminton forward.”
This year, the Gokarn
Under 23 Men Singles:
3rd Ruel Rambiriche
3rd Yonneil Benjamin
2nd Christopher Jordan
1st Frank Waddell
Under 23 Women Singles:
3rd Gabrielle Felix
3rd Anjaneysa Godette
2nd Alimah Eastman
1st Mishka Beharry
Men Doubles:
Ramdhani Most Outstanding Player of 2025 was presented to Mishka Beharry.
In 2023, this prestigious title was awarded to Akili Haynes, and in 2024 to Frank Waddell. Mishka, our U19 Girls Champion, exhibited exceptional performance, discipline, and unwavering determination throughout 2025, which truly exemplify the spirit of excellence that this honour represents. Congratulations to Mishka on this well-deserved recognition. The perpetual trophy, donated by Trophy Stall, will be presented by Medhi Ramdhani.
WINNERS:
3rd Ruel Rambiriche & Gabrielle Felix
2nd Nkosi Beaton & Mishka Beharry
1st Akili Haynes & Asiyah Eastman
Day 3 Matches – November 29th, 2025
Under 23 Women Singles Semi-Finals: Alimah Eastman vs. Gabrielle Felix 21-7, 21-19
Under 23 Women Singles Semi-Finals: Mishka Beharry vs. Anjaneysa Godette 21-8, 21-11
Under 23 Men Singles Semi-Finals: Frank Waddell vs. Yonneil Benjamin 20-0 retired
Under 23 Men Singles Semi-Finals: Christopher Jordan vs. Ruel Rambiriche 21-17, 21-11
3rd Vereendra Bhagwandin & Jason Stephney
3rd Frank Waddell & Ruel Rambiriche
2nd Akili Haynes & Tyrese Jeffery
1st Nkosi Beaton & Daniel Tan
Women Doubles:
3rd Asiyah Eastman & Alimah Eastman
3rd Gabrielle Felix & Menikshi Jaikissoon
2nd Anna Perreira & Amande Low
1st Mishka Beharry & Leshaunte Berkley
Mixed Doubles:
3rd Grandison Robinson & Amande Low
Under 23 Women Singles Final: Mishka Beharry vs. Alimah Eastman 21-8, 21-14
Under 23 Men Singles Final: Frank Waddell vs. Christopher Jordan 24-26, 21-8, 21-9
Men Doubles Final: Nkosi Beaton/Daniel Tan vs. Akili Haynes/Tyrese Jeffrey 21-17, 17-21, 21-16
Women Doubles Final: Mishka Beharry/ Leshaunte Berkley vs. Amande Low/Anna Perreira 21-19, 21-17
GFF to invest $150M in U13, U15 & U17 leagues over next 4 years
The Guyana Football Federation (GFF) successfully hosted its annual Ordinary Congress on Saturday at the Pegasus Suites and Conference Center in Kingston, Georgetown, where several landmark decisions were ratified to drive a transformative new era for football in Guyana.
The high-level meeting brought together members of the national football community to unveil the GFF Strategic Plan 20252028, outlining an ambitious roadmap focused on youth development, international alignment, professional growth, and integrity across all levels of the sport.
Strategic Plan Prioritises Professionalisation & Global Alignment
Under the banner
“The Final Third”, the new plan introduces structural adjustments to align Guyana’s football season with global standards, particularly FIFA’s international match
windows and professional transfer periods.
As part of the realignment, the GFF Elite League, the premier senior competition in Guyana, will now run from August to April starting in the 2026-2027 season. This shift resolves long-standing scheduling challenges faced by local clubs and national team preparations.
Complementing the Elite League, the Federation announced the Elite League Cup (February-March 2026) and the Federation Cup (AprilMay 2026), ensuring yearround football. Senior Men’s Regional Member Association (RMA) leagues will operate September 2026-April 2027, and the Women’s Division One League will run SeptemberDecember 2026.
Historic $150M Investment in Youth Football
One of the day’s most significant developments was the announcement of over $150 million investment into
Officials
national youth leagues over the next four years, targeting Under-13, Under-15, and Under-17 age categories.
GFF Technical Director Bryan Joseph emphasised the importance of closing gaps in the developmental pathway and revealed expanded roles for RMAs in implementation and league management.
Infrastructure Expansion – The Home of Football Advances
Second Vice-President Rawlston Adams confirmed
major progress in infrastructure development, including:
• FIFA’s approval of the final design for the Blue Water Shipping Stadium at D’Urban Park
• Ongoing upgrades at the National Training Center (NTC) Providence, including a newly outfitted gym and modern dormitories.
Executive Leadership & Match Integrity Strengthened To support the professionalisation of
football governance, the GFF will launch an Executive Leadership Programme in 2026 to train executive committee members, club leaders, and football administrators nationwide.
Additionally, the Congress approved the adoption of a Match Integrity Policy, formalising the protection of ethical standards and implementing education workshops, whistle blower protections, monitoring procedures, and investigative
mechanisms to combat corruption and match manipulation.
A Transformative Future
The decisions made at the 2025 Ordinary Congress are expected to strengthen competitive structures, elevate development pathways, and cement Guyana’s position as a rising football nation across the region.
The next GFF Ordinary Congress is scheduled for November 28, 2026.
Men’s Doubles: 1st Nkosi Beaton & Daniel Tan, 2nd Akili Haynes & Tyrese Jeffrey, 3rd Verendra Bhagwandin & Jason Stephney, 3rd Frank Waddell & Ruel Rambiriche
