Woman pleads guilty to manslaughter in 2022 fatal stabbing
3 arrested in CANU cocaine bust at Hydronie
Prosecutors in Mohameds extradition case represent US Govt not Guyana –AG Nandlall dispels misinformation Guyana hands over relief aid to hurricanebattered Jamaica More than 200 hinterland teachers graduate from CPCE
Rice farmers from Yakusari and Mibicuri, Black Bush Polder, and Number 52-74 area, Upper Corentyne Coast on Saturday met with Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha who reaffirmed President
Irfaan
NOVEMBER 9,
The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:
Sunday, November 9 – 07:10h–08:40h and Monday, November 10 –08:10h–09:40h.
BRIDGE OPENINGS FERRY SCHEDULE
Parika and Supenaam departure times – 05:00h, 10:00h-12:00h, 16:00h, 18:30h daily
WEATHER TODAY
Clear skies interrupted by brief morning thunderstorms and cloud coverage are expected during the day, and thundery showers with occasional cloudy skies are expected at night. Temperatures are expected to range between 23 degrees Celsius and 30 degrees Celsius.
Winds: Easterly to East North Easterly between 3.12 metres and 5.36 metres.
High Tide: 06:53h and 19:03h reaching maximum heights of 2.45 metres and 2.56 metres.
Low Tide: 12:36h reaching a minimum height of 0.83 metre.
Norway to continue forest preservation collaboration with Guyana – PM Støre
– says eager to share experiences, lessons with Guyana
Building on the historic 2009 agreement, the Kingdom of Norway is ready to continue its long-standing collaboration with Guyana on forest preservation.
This was revealed by the Prime Minister (PM) of Norway Jonas Gahr Støre following a recent meeting with President Dr Irfaan Ali on the sidelines of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Conference of the Parties (COP30) in Belém, Brazil.
In a social media post after the meeting on Friday, President Ali said, “Our discussions focused on strengthening the longstanding partnership between Guyana and Norway on forest preser-
vation through the Guyana REDD+ Investment Fund.”
Back in 2009, the two countries inked the historic Guyana-Norway Agreement that saw Guyana receiving about US$220 million as results-based payment for preserving its forest under the first phase of the Bharrat Jagdeo-crafted Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS).
Following Friday’s engagement, the Norwegian PM highlighted that the 2009 forest pact had positive effects for Guyana, especially its Indigenous people.
“We are small countries; we work together… So, I think investing in sustainability, in management, preserving the forest, and building an energy economy which is not overheated – that is the critical thing. We have our experiences in Norway, and some of them are pretty Norwegian, but I think there are also lessons we can share, and that’s what I did with the President,” PM Støre indicated.
With a tropical forest that takes up 86 per cent of its landmass, Guyana has the second-highest percentage of forest cover on earth
and one of the lowest deforestation rates. The country’s forest is over 18 million hectares – the size of England and Scotland combined – and stores over 20 gigatonnes of carbon and sequesters more than 153 million tonnes annually.
LCDS 20230
Guyana had used revenues generated from the 2009 deal with Norway to invest in the country’s low-carbon development, financing renewable energy, flood protection, and green job creation, as well as land titling and development of funds for indigenous peoples.
In 2022, Guyana and Norway expanded their collaboration under the Aliled Administration’s revised LCDS 2030 initiative – working together this time on renewable energy.
This new partnership saw Guyana and Norway teaming up with the InterAmerican Development Bank (IDB) to finance one of the largest solar projects here that will benefit thousands of Guyanese.
For this project –Guyana Utility-Scale Solar Photovoltaic Programme (GUYSOL) – Guyana will use funds received for its low deforestation rates to finance eight large-scale solar energy projects. In total, the projects will provide 27,000 households with cheap, clean energy – benefiting approximately 70,000 persons.
Solar power investment
GUYSOL will invest in eight utility-scale, photovoltaic solar projects totalling 33 megawatts peak (MWp), with associated 34 megawatt/ hour (MWh) energy storage systems distributed across three areas in Guyana. The programme will be implemented by Guyana and the IDB.
Only in June last year, a US$38 million contract was signed between GUYSOL
and Chinese company SUMEC to construct solar farms in Regions Two, Five, Six and 10.
Last week, a 5-megawatt solar PV farm was commissioned at Onderneeming on the Essequibo Coast in Region Two.
Dubbed Guyana’s largest hybrid solar-plus-storage power facility to date, the US$10.4 million solar farm marks a historic expansion of power capacity on the Essequibo Coast, increasing the region’s generation from 16 MW to approximately 22.5 MW.
At the November 1 commissioning ceremony, Prime Minister Brigadier (Retired) Mark Phillips said this project, along with the 3 MW solar farm at Charity that is now under construction, will see Essequibo benefitting from a combined output of 12,300 MWh annually – meeting more than 20 per cent of the region’s projected 2026 energy demand.
He said the Onderneeming installation alone will produce approximately 7700 MWh per year, saving an estimated G$447 million in fossil fuel costs
and reducing 6000 tonnes of carbon emissions annually. Turning to the human and operational dimensions of the GUYSOL programme, the Prime Minister highlighted the project’s inclusive approach with provisions for training, employment and capacity-building. Under this project, 31 women, including nine from Region Two, have been trained and employed in solar PV installation, while 20 apprentices – among them six persons with disabilities – are gaining experience in engineering, finance and project management.
Meanwhile, the Government’s utility-scale solar programme is advancing across multiple locations, with the largest of these farms being developed in Linden, Region 10, with a planned capacity of 15 megawatts.
Collectively, these initiatives are expected to increase Guyana’s renewable generation capacity to over 39 megawatts by 2026, strengthening energy security and supporting sustainable growth in both coastal and hinterland communities.
Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Norway Jonas Gahr Støre
President Dr Irfaan Ali and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre met on the side-lines of COP30 in Belém, Brazil, on Friday
Through daily, mind-numbing reports, we read of violence against women by men in our society continuing unabatedly: molestations, beatings, rapes, maiming and murders of women of all ages, social strata and races are now practically staples of our media. That the same pattern exists in other societies does not in any way make the phenomenon any less reprehensible but, as a matter of fact, suggests that its causes may phenomenologically lie deep in the male psyche itself.
The commendable efforts by our authorities to deal with the problem of male-against-female violence – either in domestic settings or in more anonymous, random and brutal encounters – unfortunately confront the consequences and not the deeper causes of the acts. The result is bound to be frustrating for the powers that be, while deepening the cynicism of women that anything can be done to resolve their dire situation. There are, of course, several theories as to why men on the whole are more violent than women – all essentially variants of the “nature and nurture” arguments. Since it does not appear likely that genetic re-engineering of the male human is on the near horizon, we will have to revisit the “nurture” arguments – how the male psyche is formed and why it is so violence-prone and misogynistic. In other words, we will have to re-examine and hopefully come up with initiatives to alter our conceptions of what “manhood” ought to be.
Going back to the hoary theories about the early specialisation of the stronger male in the violent art of hunting other animals for food, we continue to inculcate in men the belief that they need to be “tough”, to prove their physical strength and never show emotions. This is the “macho man” ideal. In our own Caribbean setting, this ideal was exacerbated in the brutal world of slavery and bonded labour.
In the post-emancipation milieu, the best we accomplished in modifying this image was to define “manhood” as a description of a man who was capable, managed his household and had a strong sense of respect and respectability. Men were expected to be the providers and protectors and to be self-sufficient. This orientation was most inculcated in the middle classes, but of late, the scions of these classes have made a U-turn and re-joined the underclass outlook that “manhood” means someone who is tough, a player, competitive, acting as a protector and a virile male.
Men learn to deny their emotions and focus all their needs regarding physical affection and nurturing into the sex act. It is not surprising that, in the words of one researcher, they become “both emotionally incompetent and emotionally constipated”. “Manhood”, however, is still associated with power which, because of our oppressive past, is seen as the capacity to dominate, to control, and to act in “masterful” ways – especially with women. The bequeathed image of “woman”, unfortunately, was that of a concubine, dedicated to serving the whims of the “master” – especially bearing and rearing his children.
Any variance by the woman from her perceived role in this scheme of things historically brought down the “rod of correction” by the man. Very sadly, most women also inculcated this perspective and accepted her abuse as proper – some even saw it as an expression of “love”! In Miguel Street, Naipaul recounted the story of the woman who oiled the cricket bat from which she received her weekly Saturday ministrations.
As a society influenced by this patriarchal structure, we still unrealistically hang on to the traditional definition of what it means to be a man, irrespective of the high unemployment rate and weakened traditional values –compounded by the increase in the number of women who are educated. Men turn to violence against women as their sense of “manhood” is threatened by changes in the status quo – and the latter process is occurring at an everincreasing pace.
In addition to redefining what “manhood” means in our society, especially as it relates to women, we will have to devise ways for men to maintain their “masculinity” and to sustain their self-esteem.
From Matthew to Melissa: The cataclysmic wake-up call
By Priesnell Warren
Just a few years ago, in the shadow of Hurricane Matthew, I asked: Do we have a plan? Today, in the devastating aftermath of Category 5 Hurricane Melissa, we have our answer. The plan we had was a good start, but it was tragically insufficient for a storm of this magnitude.
The preliminary figures are not just numbers; they are a nation’s trauma quantified. According to Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness, Jamaica is estimated to have suffered US$6-7 billion in damage –a staggering blow that wipes out nearly a third of our gross domestic product (GDP). This, in my opinion, is not a temporary setback; it is an economic obliteration that has set our development clock back by years, if not decades. The scientific predictions we once discussed as future threats are now our painful present, with wet seasons becoming flash floods and dry seasons turning into prolonged droughts, creating a vicious cycle of financial strain, food insecurity, and public health vulnerability.
The bitter irony, and perhaps our one stroke of providence, is that the Kingston Metropolitan Area, housing over one million Jamaicans and the nation’s economic heart, was spared a direct hit. Let us be unequivocal: had Melissa’s eyewall made landfall there, Jamaica as a functioning state would have ceased to exist. The complete shutdown of Government, finance, and logistics would have been inevitable. The severe damage inflicted last year by Hurricane Beryl on St Elizabeth, Westmoreland, Hanover, and St James –even without a direct landfall
– was not a near miss. It was a dress rehearsal we failed to fully heed.
There is, as always, plenty of blame to go around. But assigning it now is a luxury we cannot afford and a distraction that wastes precious recovery time. The immediate, singular focus must be on a coordinated, unprecedented national effort to build back. Not to what we were, but to what we must become – Jamaica’s development miracle.
Our membership in the Caribbean Catastrophe Risk Insurance Facility (CCRIF) since 2007 and the development of a catastrophe bond (a first of its kind) could, collectively, provide up to around US$221 million for the National Natural Disaster Reserve Fund (NNDRF) established in June 2024. These instruments provide critical emergency liquidity – the financial first aid to stabilise the patient immediately after the shock.
However, as Melissa has brutally demonstrated, these funds are a mere drop in the Caribbean Sea compared to the tropical wave of capital required for reconstruction. They are designed for response, not for rebuilding an entire country’s infrastructure, housing stock, and agricultural sector. The gap between what these funds cover and what is needed is where our national survival now hangs in the balance.
This is our moment of reckoning. The scale of the destruction presents a horrific but clear slate. We cannot simply replace what was lost; we must build what is necessary to withstand the next Melissa, because there will be others as our territorial waters become warmer, creating fertile grounds of low pressure that drive tropical cy-
clones.
This catastrophe must be the foundation for Jamaica’s economic and development miracle, a new programme that goes far beyond Vision 2030, forged in the weather of repeated tropical cyclones over the last half-century.
We are resilient and proud. Out of many, one people positively impacting the world around us. This can be seen by the outpouring of love and tangible support from our neighbours, near and far alike.
The build-back requires all hands on deck, bringing Jamaicans from all walks of life together. The Government and the Opposition People’s National Party must lead a unified coalition with local private sector groups and civil society, supported by regional and international development partners.
Here are the next critical steps to get us across this chasm:
1) A resilient rebuild code: A mandatory national building code for all new construction and major repairs, enforced without exception. This means concrete-reinforced structures, elevated foundations in flood zones, and wind-resistant designs.
2) Strategic spatial and urban planning: We must decentralise our economic and Governmental functions. The near miss of Kingston was a potential warning. Critical data centres, Government archives, and key economic operations need secure, hardened locations outside of the capital. We must incentivise development in less vulnerable areas and protect natural buffers like mangroves and reefs. This has been the plea from our environmentalists for years.
3) A national utility hard-
ening programme: Our power, water, and communication grids are Achilles’ heels. The recovery cannot be complete until these systems are not just restored but buried, reinforced, and solarised to create a decentralised, resilient network. Every school and community centre should be equipped as a hardened shelter with independent power and water.
4) Mobilise a resilience bond with international partners: The Government should immediately lead the creation of a multi-billion-dollar, longterm Jamaica resilience bond, or similar facility, backed by a consortium of multilateral development banks (World Bank, Inter-American Development Bank, Caribbean Development Bank), climate finance funds, and private impact investors. This cannot be another shortterm loan; it must be a longterm, low-interest investment in Jamaica’s survival.
5) Agriculture 2.0 – climate-smart and protected: Our food security depends on a radical shift to climate-smart agriculture – greenhouses, hydroponics, and drought-resistant crops, as well as secured storage and value-added processing facilities located in several parishes.
The storm has passed. The blame game is a distraction we cannot afford. The task before us is Herculean, a challenge worthy of Leonidas and his 300 Spartans, but it is also our greatest national opportunity. Let the legacy of Hurricane Melissa not be one of loss, but the catalyst that finally forced Jamaica to build a nation as resilient and indomitable as the spirit of its people. (Jamaica Observer) (Priesnell Warren is managing director of Frontier Business Advisory Limited.)
Members of the Scout Association of Guyana on Saturday participated in a march past at the start of its Anniversary Camp held over the weekend, during its 116th anniversary celebrations. Minister within the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports, Steven Jacobs, received the salute. According to the Association, scouting started in British Guiana in 1909 (Hon Steven Jacobs, Minister within the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports Facebook photo)
Blame the Government syndrome
Dear Editor, Times are changing for the better in this country, and one such heartening change is the fact that people, big or small, are made to pay for their crimes. The person who comes immediately to mind is Mr Azruddin Mohamed, who was recently sworn in as a Member of Parliament and vowed to uphold the laws of this country. But this man has a remarkable strategy: just blame the Government.
This billionaire-turned-politician seems to believe that he can break Guyana’s laws with impunity. In the past it would seem that he allegedly bribed some Government officials to facilitate his illegal gold smuggling activities, for which he is currently on the extradition list, and no doubt “very soon” or “shortly” he will get a free ride to the US to face related charges and probably a long jail term, but right now this man is still of the mindset that he can violate the laws at his whims and fancies by driving a reportedly uninsured and controversial luxury vehicle to
Dear Editor,
The Auditor General’s “Performance Audit: A Review of Asset Management at the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA)” was tabled in the National Assembly to assess how well the NDIA managed public assets between January 2021 and June 2024. However, a closer examination reveals that the report, though titled a performance audit, functions instead as an administrative and operational audit. It focuses on internal compliance and documentation rather than evaluating the NDIA’s effectiveness in fulfilling its statutory mandate. SphereX’s analysis concludes that this misclassification undermines the audit’s credibility and analytical value.
Audit Misclassification
The report claims to be a performance audit but fails to measure the NDIA’s performance in achieving its core mandate – drainage, irrigation, and flood control outcomes. It focuses instead on compliance with internal processes and documentation standards. Such audits are properly classified as operational or administrative, not performance audits as defined under INTOSAI ISSAI 3000.
Disregard for Management’s Responses Management provided
Parliament and his family members driving heavily tinted vehicles without insurance. He claimed that the Government instructed the non-renewal of his vehicle’s insurance. It would seem that all this man’s legal woes are the Government of Guyana’s doing, not his. Commit a crime and then blame the Government and call it persecution, not prosecution. He broke the laws, yet he is not culpable in any way. If a vehicle is not insured, do not drive it; if it is heavily tinted, then remove it and put on those within acceptable levels of window tint opacity. He smuggled billions of dollars in gold, and when he is caught, he blames the Government. Yet some asinine social media commentators cannot see the plain, unadulterated truth because of their innate hate for the PPP. This man believes that if he lies all the time, then those lies can be transformed into facts. He is a strong disciple of Goebellism – “repeat a lie often enough and it becomes the truth”. Azruddin Mohamed is now
following in the footsteps of PNC when in opposition – he now claims that the 2025 General Elections were massively rigged, denying him the presidency. Even the PNC had some shame; they had claimed that they had the winning SoPs for the 2020 General Elections. Of course, those cannot be presented until now, but Azruddin did not make such a claim; he felt that it was enough that he claimed that the PPP/C massively rigged the elections and people should believe him. Again, he blames the PPP/C for denying him the presidency. Is this man for real? This man needs help. He is dangerously delusional, and as the Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall, SC, warned that Azruddin’s false narrative is an insight into his mentality and is not only reckless but also reflects ‘psychological disorders at play’. The AG further stated that what is alarming is that it appeared that Azruddin actually believed that the PPP/C rigged the 2025 elections without an iota of ev-
idence. Most Quixotic. Will his supporters endorse such a baseless claim when they know the contrary? Our country will be better off when his extradition takes effect.
We are witnessing an unprecedented level of ostentation and arrogance from Azruddin when he drove his luxury vehicle to Parliament claiming that he brought it for Dr Jagdeo to see since “I think he loves the car more than me. He’s obsessed over the car, so he can see it in person.” He fidgeted with his gold tie and had his driver opening the car door for him to make his dramatic entry. That same controversial vehicle is the subject of a massive fraud and tax evasion scandal, and using it to show off is sending the wrong message to the public. Again, he believes that he did nothing wrong or illegal even though all evidence states otherwise. It is important to note that the discontinuation of the tax evasion charges by the GRA does not mean that there is no evidence and is not a celebrated victory for him but
because all hurdles are removed to facilitate and speed up his extradition process. Underestimating his precarious predicament, Azruddin is bent on warbling his swan song.
Moreover, the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) strongly condemned giving charity to be seen by others, referring to it as “Riya” (showing off), which he called “minor shirk” (minor polytheism). Actions done with the intention of gaining praise or recognition from people, rather than solely for the pleasure of Allah, have their rewards nullified, and on the Day of Judgement such a person will be told to seek their reward from those whom they tried to impress. Muslims are wary of this nullification of their good deeds, and hence, they give charity in utmost secrecy without an iota of ostentation. I was disappointed that Azruddin was at No. 63 Beach giving “charity” to many poor and unfortunate persons and used it as a photo opportunity to publicise the photos on the Team Mohamed FB
page. These pictures showed many of these unfortunate persons, which include the elderly and children, sitting with outstretched hands with Azruddin hovering above them, placing money in their hands. One was extremely touching: an elderly woman with a notice which read “Please help” displayed on the front of her clothes. Islam spoke about protecting the dignity of those in need, but here is a newly sworn MP and another WIN MP embarrassing them at a Hindu religious event, Kartik Purnima. There was no need to post these pictures on Facebook to publicly embarrass and degrade these poor people. This aspiring politician has broken not only his country’s laws but also the moral and spiritual laws and should change his future course of action so that he does not lose this world and the hereafter. Blaming the Government will not resolve your self-imposed crisis.
Yours sincerely, Haseef Yusuf
adequate responses to the audit findings, acknowledging some and contesting others. However, the audit narrative ignores these explanations. The responses are not synthesised or reconciled within the main analysis. Findings are presented as final and uncontested – contrary to the INTOSAI requirement for balanced representation of differing views. This omission undermines fairness, violates INTOSAI principles of balanced reporting, and creates an impression of confirmation bias.
Implications for Integrity and Credibility
By neglecting to incorporate management’s positions, the audit loses transparency and analytical balance. Its methodology does not withstand scrutiny under the ISSAI 3000–3100 standards, which emphasise fair treatment of the audited entity’s views, evidence-based conclusions, and evaluation of performance in relation to mandate fulfilment. The result is a report that reads more like a compliance inspection than an evaluative performance audit.
Systemic Weaknesses in Public Audit Governance
This case reveals a broader issue within public audit governance and capacity. Performance audits risk devolving into administrative
reviews if not underpinned by robust methodological design and trained auditors. Failure to apply INTOSAI standards can distort institutional accountability and weaken stakeholder trust.
The absence of management reconciliation erodes the legitimacy of the audit process and the Audit Office’s credibility as an independent oversight body.
Recommendations for the Auditor Genera SphereX recommends several institutional reforms for the Auditor General’s Office:
Clarify audit typology within legislation and practice to distinguish between performance, operational, and compliance audits.
Institutionalise adherence to INTOSAI ISSAI 3000–3100 standards.
Introduce independent peer reviews to strengthen audit quality and impartiality.
Enhance reconciliation protocols to incorporate management responses before reports are finalised.
Build auditor capacity in performance evaluation and results-based assessment.
Recommendations for the NDIA
Given that this audit was tabled in the National Assembly, NDIA’s response must go beyond administrative clarifications. It should present empirical, outcome-based data to demon-
strate measurable results in alignment with its statutory mandate.
SphereX recommends that NDIA submit a Performance Accountability Addendum to Parliament with data on asset utilisation, efficiency, and outcomes, including:
Total book value of assets and annual maintenance costs.
Number and value of new assets added during 2021–2024.
Asset utilisation and downtime rates.
Kilometres of drainage canals maintained or constructed.
Number of sluices, pumps, and irrigation structures maintained or built.
Total acreage served and farming households benefiting.
Maintenance cost per kilometre and per acre serviced.
Ratio of recurrent to capital expenditure.
Timeliness of planned projects completed within budget.
A Call for Methodological Recalibration
The Auditor General’s intervention into NDIA’s asset management was well-intentioned but methodologically misdirected. The failure to distinguish between operational compliance and performance evaluation –combined with the neglect of management’s formal re-
sponses – undermines the audit’s credibility and limits its utility for reform.
SphereX concludes that a recalibration of performance audit methodology is essential. Without it, future audits risk being perceived not as instruments of accountability and learning, but as procedural critiques detached from performance reality.
Yours sincerely, Joel Bhagwandin Executive Director, Financial & Economic Analysis SphereX Professional Services Inc
Page Foundation
Anodising – How Metals Get Their Super Shield
Since the Bronze Age (about 3300–1200 BC), we have been enjoying what is called a metal-based civilisation. Metals are used everywhere. If you look around, you will probably spot at least one object that contains metals, for instance, a bridge, a bike, or a soda can. Metals such as alu-
which consists mainly of aluminium oxide. An oxide is a metal that is combined with oxygen. To transform an oxide into a metal, such as making bauxite into metallic aluminium, all the oxygen must be removed from the rock. This requires a lot of energy. The environment around us – the air we
jacket when it is cold outside or wearing sunscreen or sunglasses on a sunny day. The same principle can be applied to metals. In certain environments, some metals can protect themselves by forming a thin, highly stable layer of oxides known as a barrier layer. Aluminium immediately creates this barri-
minium (Al), titanium (Ti), and magnesium (Mg) are attractive for manufacturing because they are light, strong, and abundant. These light metals are widely used in many objects, such as cars, planes, computers, phones, and even in medical implants and batteries.
Like most of the metals we use, light metals must be extracted from a rock (or ore) because they do not exist as pure metal in the Earth’s crust. Aluminium, for example, is extracted from an ore called bauxite,
breathe and the water we drink – contains oxygen. Metals can react with environmental oxygen and turn back into oxides. Rust is the oxide that iron or steel forms when they react with their environment. The scientific name for rusting is "corrosion". Corrosion can eventually lead to the metallic object breaking.
To prevent corrosion from happening, metals must be protected from their environment. It is a bit like the way we protect ourselves from our environment by putting on a
er layer when it is in contact with air or tap water. As a can, aluminium can meet acidic environments such as tomato sauce or soft drinks, and its barrier layer can no longer protect it. So, we need to protect it with a different protective coating. The coating can be paint, a layer of another metal, or a layer of oxide that we grow in a controlled way.
Most of the time, corrosion needs to be prevented because it is uncontrolled. But if we can control it, we can use it for good! By cor-
roding the surface of light metals in a controlled way, we can create a robust, protective coating that shields the metal from the environment. This process is called anodisation, a word that comes from “anode”, the metal that oxidises.
The anodisation process is quite simple. We just need a battery, a container, and an appropriate liquid, which can be as sim-
ple as Coca-Cola or lemon juice. Anodising is an electrochemical reaction that involves passing an electric current between the metal to be protected and another metal that does not react (called an inert metal).
To do this, the metal to be protected (aluminium, for example) is connected to the positive pole of a battery. This is the anode, the metal that oxidises. On the
other side, the inert metal is connected to the negative pole. This is the cathode.
Think of the cathode as where the electricity goes.
To close the electrical circuit between the anode and the cathode, we need a special liquid that conducts the electricity (for instance, Coca-Cola). This liquid is called the electrolyte.
Glossary
Oxide: A metal combined with oxygen. For instance, alumina, Al2O3, is one type of Al oxide.
Corrosion: Corrosion is the gradual degradation of a metal object by reaction with its environment. When iron or steel corrodes, they form an orange product known as rust.
Anodisation: An electrochemical process that, by oxidising a metal, forms a stable and protective oxide layer on a metal.
Electrochemical Reaction: An electrochemical reaction is when electricity and chemicals work together to make changes in a material.
Anode: The side of an electrochemical system where a chemical reaction happens that gives off electrons (oxidation). The electricity goes away from the anode.
Cathode: The side of an electrochemical system where a chemical reaction happens that receives electrons (reduction). The electricity comes into the cathode.
Electrolyte: A special liquid or paste that conducts electricity using the movement of tiny, charged particles called ions. For anodising, it can be as simple as CocaCola or lemon juice.
Porous: A material full of tiny openings, like a sponge. In anodising, a porous layer is a coating with tiny holes that can be filled with dyes or other substances. (kids. frontiersin.org)
Prosecutors in Mohameds extradition case represent US Govt not Guyana – AG Nandlall dispels misinformation
– says US has jurisdiction to prosecute Mohameds before a Magistrate
Attorney General (AG) and Minister of Legal Affairs Anil Nandlall, SC, has clarified that the prosecutors appearing in the extradition proceedings against Azruddin and Nazar Mohamed are representing the Government of the United States of America (USA), not the Government of Guyana, as misinformation circulating in sections of the media has suggested. Speaking during a recent interview on the matter, the AG firmly rejected claims that the case is politically motivated or locally driven, explaining that the US Government – as the requesting state – has jurisdiction to prosecute the accused.
“The offences that are charged are not political in nature in any form or fashion,” Nandlall said. “After the US sanctions were announced and it became clear that extradition requests would follow, one of the subjects entered politics. He made it political and is now using politics as a shield.”
The Guyanese businessmen are to be extradited to the US to face charges of fraud and money laundering. In fact, the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC)-sanctioned Mohameds have already been indicted by a grand jury in the US District Court for the Southern District of Florida on 11 criminal charges ranging from wire fraud, mail fraud and money laundering, primarily connected to the export of gold to the US by their company Mohameds’ Enterprises. The father-son duo was sanctioned by OFAC in 2024.
According to AG Nandlall, extradition law
requires countries to make necessary domestic adjustments to facilitate such requests under their respective treaties. “It is an accepted and established principle of extradition law that domestic arrangements must be adjusted to accommodate extradition. All countries are required to do it,” the AG explained. Addressing confusion about the legal representation, Nandlall stated, “The prosecutors who are appearing in this matter are representing the Government of the United States of America. That fact is not yet appreciated. The Jamaican lawyers – very seasoned veterans –are representing the US’ interest, not Guyana. It’s an American request that they are prosecuting.”
Tax recovery
The AG also dismissed suggestions that Guyana has “given up” potential tax revenues by cooperating with the extradition request. On Thursday last, the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) confirmed that tax charges against the Guyanese businessmen and gold dealers were withdrawn and discontinued due to a request from the US for their extradition.
In a statement, the GRA said the charges, originally filed on October 24, 2025, were “withdrawn and wholly discontinued” following the Government of Guyana’s decision to comply with the US extradition request. The agency cited legal principles including international comity, appropriateness, and fairness as guiding the decision.
The charges stemmed from an extensive GRA audit of Mohamed’s Enterprise’s
gold export records and financial statements. The review of income and property tax returns for years of assessment 2020 to 2024 (income years 2019–2023) had found that the Mohameds failed to submit true and correct returns, resulting in $34.07 billion in understated taxes and total sums due, including interest, calculated at $191.17 billion.
Against this backdrop, AG noted that Guyana retains full legal authority to recover outstanding taxes through separate civil and administrative processes.
“These charges are criminal in nature. One can go to jail and still not recover taxes. The penalties involve either treble the value of what was evaded or imprisonment. Serving a sentence does not recover the taxes,” he clarified.
Conspiring to defraud
The Mohameds are accused of conspiring to defraud the US and Guyanese Governments between 2017 and June 11, 2024. The father-son duo is accused of using a scheme to unlawfully obtain property by trans-
mitting communications via interstate and foreign commerce in violation of US laws. According to the prosecutors, the goal was to enrich themselves and defraud the Government of Guyana by evading taxes and royalties on gold exports. They allegedly reused Guyana Customs declarations and official seals on multiple shipments to make it appear that taxes and royalties had been paid when they had not. The indictment stated that Mohamed’s Enterprise would pay taxes and receive official GRA and Guyana Gold Board (GGB) seals for one shipment, then reuse those same seals and documents on subsequent, untaxed shipments.
The indictment further alleges that the Mohameds arranged for empty wooden boxes bearing intact GRA and GGB seals to be shipped from gold buyers in Dubai to Miami and then sent to Guyana. These box-
es were then used to export gold while falsely appearing to have cleared customs and tax obligations. US authorities allege the scheme resulted in more than US$50 million in lost taxes and royalties to the Government of Guyana.
Additional indictments detail similar conduct involving shipments of gold, emails allegedly from Nazar Mohamed requesting the sealed boxes from Miami, and exports of over 165 kilograms (kg) of gold per shipment destined for Dubai. Charges six to nine focus on mail fraud, referencing the shipment of sealed empty boxes from Dubai to Miami, while charge 10 addresses money laundering, which alleges that the Mohameds knowingly transferred funds within the US with the intent to promote unlawful activity.
The other charge has to do with Azruddin Mohamed’s purchase and importation of a Lamborghini sports car to Guyana in 2020. The indictment alleges he directed someone to purchase the car for US$680,000, then falsify the invoice to state a value of US$75,300 to understate import taxes. The sanctioned businessman, who is now also the leader of the We Invest In Nationhood (WIN) Party, is presently before the local courts in relation to the importation of the sports vehicle, and more so, for evading more than $380 million in taxes in violation of Section 217 of the Customs Act. He has also been charged with fraudu-
lent declaration under the same act. The US Government on their part, is seeking forfeiture of certain assets connected to the accused. If convicted, most charges carry a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and fines of up to US$250,000, while the money laundering charge carries a fine of US$500,000 or the value of the laundered property. The indictment follows sanctions imposed over a year ago by the US Government on the Mohameds, their businesses, and Guyanese Government Permanent Secretary (PS) Mae Thomas in relation to the same allegations. The sanctions are related to the evasion of taxes on gold exports, with OFAC noting that between 2019 and 2023, Mohameds Enterprise omitted more than 10,000 kg of gold from import and export declarations and avoided paying more than US$50 million in duty taxes to the Government of Guyana. Since the imposition of the sanctions, the Guyana Government had suspended the licences of the Mohameds’ various businesses, highlighting that the US-sanctioned businessman is a risk and a threat to Guyana’s financial stability, sovereignty, and diplomacy. Subsequently, several Government entities and local businesses, including commercial banks, have cut ties with the Mohameds, citing risk assessment procedures and international banking regulations.
Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister Anil Nandlall
Leaving…
…oil in ground!!
If you wanna know how gullible – “schupid” in Guyanese!! – some Guyanese are, you just gotta listen to them joining the developed countries in demanding we “leave our oil in the ground”!! Or in our case, under the Atlantic!! What’s interesting is most of them reside luxuriously in the said developed countries – which became developed by using machinery powered by burning (polluting) oil they extracted from every country they could get their (oily) hands on by hook or (mostly) crook!!
We know – as they know – however, that those countries that created the crisis being unleashed on us –who’re calling on us to leave our oil to “save our planet” – aren’t only continuing to burn oil – literally like it’s going out of style!! They’re devising new ways of getting out even microscopic droplets from under shale rocks – with techniques like “FRACKING” used by the Yanks. Here, they force water, sand, and a mix of chemicals into horizontally drilled wells, causing the shale to crack and release natural gas or oil. The technique makes them the largest oil producers on planet Earth!!
So it was to address these virtue-signalling trolls that at COP-30 in Brazil, Pressie didn’t mince words: calling a spade a spade, he said such calls are “protectionism for the wealthy countries”!! So we should remain in our centuriesold state of misery and underdevelopment and not use our oil to fund our way out while they continue to follow the motto “Burn, baby!! Burn!!” – oil, that is?!! And get a free ride on our misery as they lend us money – from their oil sales at exorbitant interest – to fund development but actually sell our future!!
What makes Pressie’s calling them out even more noteworthy is the rank hypocrisy shown by many of them at earlier COPs when they promised to contribute stated amounts of their GDP to halt global warming beyond the tipping point of 1.5 degrees centigrade!! Implicitly conceding that they caused the crisis and buying their way out!! But they’ve all reneged, as they demand we leave our oil under the ground AND switch to renewables!! Showing that they really have no consciences: their rule is to always look out for number one!!
Another outrage is that some of them are denying the very reality of global warming – to get out of making their contributions. If there ain’t no problem, what’s there to fix? But we can be an example for a principled path on reducing global warming – just by showing that through our conservation of our carbon-sequestrating forests and increasing our production of electricity from natural gases and renewables, we are actually negative on carbon contribution!!
Pressie showed that we get to eat our cake and have it too!! Virtuously!!
…the gridlocked??
Your Eyewitness is quite amused by Sanction Man’s handlers’ audacity to dare talk about lack of “democratic norms” in scheduling the next National Assembly’s and Reg 10 RDC’s sittings. Was handing out money to get people to vote for WIN a “democratic norm”?? In the former, let’s not get carried away that WIN’s just chomping at the bits to debate the Government in the hallowed chamber!! They just wanna have Sanction Man elected “Opposition Leader”!!
And just as his only motive was to follow Pablo Escobar and become “legitimised” by handing some ordinary folks houses, etc., his motive to become “Opposition Leader” is solely to claim he’s being “politically persecuted” when his inevitable extradition order is issued!! And on the Reg 10 matter, since APNU and FGM joined with the PPP to checkmate him – nine to nine at the RDC – doesn’t he realise with such divergent groups a lot of negotiation gotta take place??
He thinks this is simple – like bribing Government officials to smuggle gold??
…Mad Maduro stewing
A lot of folks are getting antsy about whether President Trump is pacing about the White House mumbling (Hamletlike!!) “To strike or not to strike (Mad Maduro)!!” The decision’s already been made – just the timing’s left!!
Public Works Ministry moves to inspect T&HD vessels
– as Edghill declares no-tolerance policy on negligence within department
Within a day after a meeting with senior staff of the Transport and Harbours Department (T&HD), Minister within the Ministry of Public Works Madanlall Ramraj on Saturday inspected several vessels at the Parika Ferry Stelling.
The early-morning visit saw the Minister aboard several vessels: the MV Sabanto roll-on/roll-off (RoRo), the MB Sandaka, and the MV Makuria vessels. He was accompanied by T&HD Board Member Louise Williams, representatives from the T&HD, the Stelling Superintendent, and the captains and crew of the respective vessels.
During the visit, Minister Ramraj indicated that several immediate measures would be implemented to
ensure the vessel continues to operate efficiently and reliably. He emphasised that these interventions
are essential to maintaining smooth service delivery and minimising disruptions to commuters and trade activities.
“We are focused on ensuring that the Sabanto remains fully functional and continues to serve the people efficiently. This maintenance effort is necessary to sustain smooth operations and maintain public confidence in the ferry service,” the Minister stated.
The Sabanto is one of two RoRo vessels – along with the Kanawan – that operate the Parika to Supenaam route in Region Two. Together, the vessels facilitate the movement of passengers, vehicles, and essential supplies for commerce and daily life. The service operates four return trips daily and five on Mondays
and Saturdays.
The inspection revealed that critical maintenance works are set to begin on the Sabanto RoRo vessel to improve efficiency on the Parika–Supenaam route.
Upgrading the ferry experience
In addition to technical and maintenance improvements, Minister Ramraj highlighted that several passenger-focused upgrades are planned for the Sabanto and other vessels. These include enhanced seating, upgraded washroom facilities, and other user-friendly amenities designed to improve comfort and boost tourism
ry experience, Minister Ramraj also discussed several planned upgrades to improve passenger comfort and appeal, including improved seating, upgraded washroom facilities, and other user-friendly, tourism-focused amenities.
Each vessel currently has a dedicated cleaning arrangement with a weekly rotation to maintain hy-
appeal.
“Our goal is to make the ferry service not just reliable but also comfortable and attractive to passengers. We’re working to raise the standard of public transport on our waterways,” Minister Ramraj added.
Along with the inspec-
giene and cleanliness standards aboard.
The Government had instituted a strict no-tolerance policy for the mismanagement of vessels under the T&HD, as it moves to tighten oversight, improve safety standards, and strengthen accountability across the
tions, the Minister also received a status update on the Hercules vessel from T&HD officials.
He was briefed on ongoing maintenance schedules and dedicated cleaning arrangements, which rotate weekly to maintain hygiene and cleanliness standards aboard all vessels.
As part of the Government’s ongoing efforts to enhance the fer-
maritime sector.
Meeting to address ongoing issues
The announcement followed a high-level meeting held on Friday afternoon between Minister of Public Works Bishop Juan Edghill and Minister within the Ministry Madanlall Ramraj with senior staff of the T&HD at the Ministry’s boardroom.
The MV Sabanto RoRo vessel
Public Works Minister Juan Edghill
Senior staff of the T&HD at the Ministry’s boardroom
Minister Ramraj inspecting vessel
Drunkenness and culture
Daily newspaper reports remind us that alcoholrelated violence is very prevalent in the Indian Guyanese community. The causes of this reality go back to our insertion into British Guiana as indentured labourers, and if we want to address its deleterious effects, we must appreciate that reality. Distilled alcoholic drinks like rum were not present in rural India in the 19th century when immigration flourished, and the fermented concoctions such as toddy and those from the Mahua flowers were quite mild in their effects. Ganja boiled in milk – bhang –was consumed during some religious festivals to induce a state of ecstasy but was not abused.
Rum, however, was deliberately introduced to the indentured Indians as a means of immiseration and control on the sugar plantations. In the logies of my village of Plantation Uitvlugt, by the 1940s, there were at least a dozen rum shops – primarily owned by Chinese and Portuguese since the 1860s – between the pay office and their hovels. These did not exist during slavery. What anthropological studies have shown is that cultures into which alcohol was forcibly introduced as a measure of control within a very compressed time had no time to evolve positive drinking norms. In fact, they imbibed the foisted notion that the alcohol was a precursor to “letting off steam”. This was the case with Indians in Guyana. “The major colonial powers exported to those areas of the globe that fell under their control not only models of drunken behaviour but also a host of beliefs about the effects of alcohol on human beings. It may be that the widespread belief in alcohol as a disinhibitor is nothing but an ethnocentric European folk belief foisted on subject peoples around the world during the heyday of colonialism.”
Alcoholism and violent behaviour are thus not only matters of high alcohol consumption. One study of Irish-Americans in Boston over a 40-year period found that they were “7 times as likely to develop alcohol dependence as Italian-Americans – this despite the Irish-Americans having a substantially higher abstinence rate.” The Irish have a history of being violently dominated by the English and took their heavy drinking from Ireland to the US. It suggests that alcohol abuse is not an individual idiosyncrasy and that socio-cultural factors are as crucial as physiological and psychological ones. “Ways of drinking and of thinking about drinking are learnt by individuals within the context in which they learn ways of doing other things and of thinking about them – that is, whatever else drinking may be, it is an aspect of culture about which patterns of belief and behaviour are modelled by a combination of example, exhortation, rewards, punishments, and the many other means, both formal and informal, that societies use for communicating norms, attitudes, and values.
In a nutshell, the reaction to alcohol is socially constructed. For Indians on the plantations, as we know, periodically, when they expressed their frustrations against the oppressive conditions, they were answered by the “leaden argument” of the police after the “Riot Act” was read. They were “persuaded” to express their quotidian frustrations by venting their anger violently on each other. Violence – especially against wives, friends and children – and alcoholism became a feature of Indian plantation life that continues into the present.
As pointed out above, aggression is not ineluctably linked to alcohol consumption, as is commonly accepted by Indian Guyanese. “The way people comport themselves when they are drunk is determined not by alcohol’s toxic assault upon the seat of moral judgement, conscience, or the like, but by what their society makes of and imparts to them concerning the state of drunkenness.”
“Cross-cultural evidence from diverse populations around the world shows that some have habitual drunkenness with little aggression, others show aggression only in specific drinking contexts or against selected categories of drinking companions, and so forth. Such widespread and diverse variation contradicts the view – shared by both ‘common sense’ and much scientific writing – that characterises alcohol as having a relatively direct pharmaconeurological effect in triggering aggression.”
To deal with the scourge of drunkenness and its associated violence in the Indian community, the authorities and Indian cultural and religious institutions have to investigate their cultural premises towards alcohol and introduce programmes that encourage more positive values and behavioural patterns.
Ravi Dev
“Guyana not a place to do business”
– authorities warn narcotraffickers
– as CANU destroys over $4B in seized drugs
Guyanese authorities are sending a strong message to narcotics traffickers that they will lose billions of dollars in in-
vestments if they continue to use the country as a transhipment destination to push drugs across the region as well as internation-
ally.
This warning came as the Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) on Saturday destroyed some 926.56 kilograms (kg) of drugs seized during various operations from 2022 to 2024. The narcotics, which included 618.26 kg of cocaine and 308.30 kg of cannabis along with small quantities of methamphetamine and ecstasy, are valued at over $710 million on the local market and more than $4 billion internationally.
The drug destruction exercise took place at an empty lot along Homestretch Avenue in Georgetown – a short distance from CANU’s headquarters. It was witnessed by Home Affairs Minister Oneidge Walrond along with other officials.
According to Minister
Walrond, this exercise sends a very strong signal to drug traffickers that Guyana
should no longer be used for transhipment.
“Guyana is not the place to make this kind of investment because this is hundreds of millions of dollars going up in smoke, literally. And so, it sends that clear message that Guyana
the coast of Africa, Europe, or even the United States,” Singh noted.
The CANU head went on to point out that this success in arresting the drug trade within the local borders is as a direct result of the continuous support that
is very serious about our country being used as a transhipment point, and we will seize and destroy your drugs. What drug traffickers will consider a great investment is going up in flames?” the Home Affairs Minister emphasised.
Meanwhile, similar sentiments were shared by the Director of CANU, James Singh, who declared, “We want to highlight the fact that Guyana is not a place to do business. If you try to bring it in, we will stop it.”
He pointed out that most of the drugs that were seized, especially the cocaine, were meant to be transhipped, mainly to Europe or to West Africa and then onwards, while the marijuana was going mainly to various parts of the Caribbean.
“It clearly shows that, despite the fact that – as it’s labelled – we have porous borders, we’re still intercepting the drugs when they get into the country and preventing them from being further transhipped, whether it’s off
the Guyana Government gives to both his unit and the Guyana Police Force.
He added too that many of the operations where these drugs were confiscated were carried out in close cooperation with colleagues from Suriname, the United States (US)’s Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the French.
“This, again, is an indication that CANU, while we are working locally, are also working internationally with colleagues to put a dent in the drug trade… And the fact that we have not seen seizures outside of Guyana is a demonstration that what we’re doing is effective,” the CANU Director stated.
Only on Friday night, CANU seized over 52 lbs of cocaine at Hydronie, Parika, on the East Bank of Essequibo.
Singh told reporters on Saturday that an overseas-based Guyanese is involved in that matter.
Over 926 kg of narcotics were destroyed by CANU
The narcotics being prepared for destruction on Saturday
Home Affairs Minister Oneidge Walrond (centre), Director of CANU James Singh (left), Permanent Secretary at the Home Affairs Ministry Andre Ally (right) and other officials at Saturday’s drug destruction exercise
More carbon credit deals to come before year end – Pres Ali
– says Guyana pushing nature-based solutions at COP30
Guyana is to increase the amount of revenues earned from selling its forest carbon as the country continues to push the importance of nature-based solutions to the global climate change fight.
“Hopefully, we will be able to announce before the end of this year, some more agreements on forest carbon and to have more partners aligned with us,” President Dr Irfaan Ali revealed during an interview on the sidelines of the United Nations Framework Convention on
Climate Change (UNFCCC) Conference of Parties (COP30) in Belém, Brazil.
While the COP30 negotiations are slated for November 10 to 21, 2025, the Guyanese leader last week participated in the World Leaders Summit, where he delivered presentations at the opening ceremony as well as at a roundtable discussion on energy transition.
In the interview streamed on his official Facebook page on Saturday, President Ali said he was able to not only demonstrate Guyana’s lead-
ership on sustainable development but also position the country in a pole position on tropical forests and biodiversity.
“At this COP, we were able to continue advancing our case, but more importantly, sending a strong signal that nature-based solutions cannot be avoided, overlooked, or excluded from any system that we are moving forward with… These are some of the challenges that we have to fight – tropical forests, getting nature in there. And this has been
Guyana's position from day one.
“We must not be arguing whether tropical forests and nature products and biodiversity should be on the agenda. These are important aspects of the climate equation and achieving net zero, but more than achieving net zero, achieving sustainable living, sustainable livelihood, and an ecosystem that supports the livelihood of countries and people in a holistic way,” the Head of State explained.
Monetizing forests
COP30 is being held in the city of Belém, in the Brazilian State of Pará, and marks the first time that the
tainable development in the country.
This strategy was revised under the last Ali-led administration and reintroduced in 2022. Under the LCDS 2030, Guyana has launched various initiatives over the last three years that have seen the country earning millions of dollars, especially from the sale of its carbon credits, which have been certified by the Architecture for REDD+ Transactions (ART) TREES mechanism.
In December 2022, Guyana was issued with 33.4 million tonnes of ARTcertified carbon credits – the first jurisdictional-scale programme in the world. Days later, the country entered
global climate change summit is seated in the Amazon region, the world’s largest tropical rainforest – parts of which run through Guyana. With a tropical forest that takes up 86 per cent of its landmass, Guyana has the second-highest percentage of forest cover on earth and one of the lowest deforestation rates. The forest stores 19.5 gigatonnes of carbon and sequesters more than 153 million tonnes annually.
Guyana began monetising its forest in 2009 when then President Bharrat Jagdeo struck a US$227 million deal with the Kingdom of Norway for the sale of its forests' carbon. This agreement came under Guyana’s Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) – a national plan crafted to drive sus-
into a historic US$750 million multi-year deal with United States energy major Hess Corporation for the sale of the high-quality carbon credits until 2030, starting with retrospective credits that fill the revenue gap for 2016 to 2020.
Then in 2024, Guyana was issued 7.14 million carbon credits dating back to 2021, marking the first time carbon credits have been issued that can be used by airlines in an effort to meet their carbon emission targets for the 2024-2026 period in the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA) market – the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO)’s global emissions reduction programme.
Guyana’s forest stores 19.5 gigatonnes of carbon
President Dr Irfaan Ali participated in a roundtable discussion on energy transition at the World Leaders Summit in Belém, Brazil, where COP30 is being held
GDFS Shahoud completes historic port call to French Guiana
The Guyana Defence Force Ship (GDFS) Shahoud has successfully completed a seven-day port call to the naval base at Dégrad des Cannes, French Guiana, marking the first-ever visit by a Guyanese naval vessel to the territory and a historic milestone in regional military cooperation and maritime diplomacy.
In his address at the event, the commanding officer of the vessel, Lieutenant Commander Ronald McIntyre, delivered remarks on behalf of the Government of Guyana and the GDF. He described the occasion as both an honour and a privilege, symbolising not only friendship but also a growing partnership grounded in mutual respect and shared purpose.
Lt Cdr McIntyre observed that “the Atlantic that separates Guyana and French Guiana is not a divide, but a shared space –a bridge of cooperation and opportunity.”
Before the vessel’s departure, the Commanding Officer of the Coast Guard, Commander David Shamsudeen, commended the crew for their professionalism and sense of duty. He reminded them of the mission’s strategic importance in fostering regional collaboration to confront common maritime challenges such as illegal fishing and transnational organised crime.
His remarks underscored the deployment’s value as a step toward deeper operational cooperation between the Guyana Defence Force and the French Navy.
During the visit, the crew participated in joint exercises and knowledge-sharing engagements aimed at strengthening interoperability and enhancing maritime coordination. A formal reception was also hosted on board the vessel, attended by representatives of the French Prefect, the Commander of the Joint Forces of French Guiana, Major General Gérard Laborie, officers of the French Armed Forces, members of French naval units, and other invited guests.
The visit represented a tangible outcome of the
Third Strategic Dialogue of the Guiana Shield, held in Guyana in April 2024, which reaffirmed the shared vision of greater defence and security cooperation among partner nations.
The Shahoud’s successful completion of this historic port call stands as a testament to the Guyana Defence Force’s expanding maritime capabilities and its continued commitment to strengthening regional partnerships, promoting security cooperation, and safeguarding the region’s maritime domain.
3 arrested in CANU cocaine bust at Hydronie
Three suspects were arrested Friday with over 52 lbs of cocaine seized by officers attached to the Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) at Hydronie, Parika, on the East Bank of Essequibo (EBE). Reports say that acting on information received, CANU officers conducted an operation at a residence located in Hydronie, Parika, where a search of the residence led to the discovery of several parcels containing a whitish powdery substance suspected to be cocaine.
The three suspects were arrested and escorted to CANU’s headquarters along with the suspected narcotic, which tested positive for cocaine and weighed 23.958 kg (52.818 lbs). Investigations are ongoing.
ICAG celebrates 59 years with seminar on tax reforms and Government efficiency
The Institute of Chartered Accountants of Guyana (ICAG) is celebrating its 59th anniversary with a two-day seminar that will bring together accounting professionals, tax experts, and Government representatives to discuss issues shaping the accounting landscape in Guyana and across the region.
The seminar, forming part of the Institute’s annual Accountants Week activities, will explore –among other topics – three major topics: plans to improve the efficiency of Government services, the CARICOM Double Tax Treaty, and withholding tax obligations for non-residents. Speaking with Guyana Times, Harryram Parmesar, Council Member of the ICAG and the main organiser of the event, said the seminar reflects the Institute’s ongoing effort to keep its members informed on evolving standards and practices.
Parmesar explained that hosting regular educational sessions is part of the ICAG’s professional mandate, especially given the rapid pace of change in both international accounting standards and local business regulations.
“As part of our responsibility, we are supposed to have regular seminars to update our members on current business and accounting practices,” he said. “This month also marks our 59th anniversary, so we decided to align this seminar with the celebrations.”
He added that the event is expected to feature a mix of technical discussions and practical updates designed to strengthen professional knowledge across the sector. One of the core focuses of the seminar will be taxation, an area Parmesar described as “critical and often misunderstood.”
He noted that as Guyana continues to attract foreign workers
and companies, there has been increasing confusion surrounding the application of withholding tax for non-residents.
“There are a lot of foreigners coming in to do work, and some stay for short periods while others spend longer stretches. Under the law, non-residents are required to pay withholding tax, but there are grey areas in interpreting exactly how that applies, depending on how payments are made and where.”
To address these challenges, the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) will deliver a presentation aimed at clarifying the obligations of both businesses and non-resident workers. Parmesar said this is intended to help reduce compliance issues and promote a clearer understanding of Guyana’s tax framework.
Another major component of the seminar will focus on the CARICOM Double Tax Treaty, which seeks to eliminate the double taxation of income within CARICOM member
states and promote greater regional integration.
According to Parmesar, with more regional trade and cross-border employment taking place, it is important for professionals to fully grasp how the treaty applies in practice. “We’re seeing increased movement of people and services across CARICOM,” he said. “So, we want our members to understand how the tax treaty works, especially when it comes to determining where taxes should be paid.”
Beyond taxation, the seminar will also examine Government efficiency, with presentations expected from the Minister responsible for public service and administrative reform. Parmesar said the Institute hopes to hear how the Government plans to streamline operations within key agencies such as the GRA and the National Insurance Scheme (NIS).
“We hope the Minister will share his plans for improving ef-
ficiency in Government services; that kind of transformation benefits not just accountants but every citizen.” Reflecting on the ICAG’s legacy, Parmesar pointed out that Guyana has long been a leader in the Caribbean accounting fraternity. Since the early 1990s, Guyana has been among the first regional countries to adopt International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) – a move that has since become the foundation of the country’s accounting framework.
“We’ve been fully compliant with international accounting standards for decades,” he said proudly. “We’re also members of the International Federation of Accountants, which shows our alignment with global best practices.”
To ensure continued professional integrity, the ICAG has also implemented practice monitoring, where members in public practice – particularly auditors – are periodically reviewed by external assessors from the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA). These reviews ensure that audits are conducted according to international standards.
“This process helps maintain high levels of compliance and professionalism,” Parmesar said, noting that the ICAG has seen “significant success” in this area. Over the years, the Institute’s contributions have extended beyond national borders. Parmesar shared that three Guyanese accountants have gone on to serve as Presidents of the Caribbean Institute of Chartered Accountants, highlighting Guyana’s strong influence in shaping regional accounting standards. As the Institute marks its 59th year, he believes the focus remains clear – to strengthen the profession, uphold integrity, and ensure that accountants continue to play a key role in national development.
The parcels of cocaine that were discovered
Members of the Guyana Defence Force Ship (GDFS) Shahoud
MoE hosts 1st public consultation on AntiViolence and Anti-Bullying Policy for schools
The Ministry of Education (MoE) has officially launched its first public consultation on the national Anti-Violence and Anti-Bullying Policy for Schools, marking a major step toward creating safer and more inclusive classrooms across Guyana.
The event, held at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre on Saturday, brought together educators, students, parents, law enforcement officials, and community leaders to discuss solutions to combat violence and bullying within the education system.
The consultation is part of the MoE’s broader initiative to implement a comprehensive national policy that promotes zero tolerance for violence and bullying in schools. The policy will include mechanisms for investigation, disciplinary action, and awareness campaigns, ensuring that every stakeholder plays a role in building a culture of respect and protection for students.
Speaking on the sidelines of the event, Minister of Education Sonia Parag underscored the significance of the consultation as the beginning of a national dialogue.
“I think it’s a very signifi-
cant event, and this is to get the ball rolling on the conversation on bullying and violence in schools especially. This can transcend sectors and communities, and we want it to be a national event that will get different sections of society speaking, giving their suggestions, and being an active part of coming up with policies and, at some point, legislation in relation to bullying,” Minister Parag said.
She emphasised that the response from the public –both in person and online –reflects the urgency and importance of the issue.
“All the stakeholders that are coming into the convention today, it shows the value placed on this initiative. We are seeing a number of persons on the virtual link as well, which tells you the importance being placed on this initiative. Moving forward, you will see more of this coming out,” she added.
Meanwhile, Minister of Home Affairs Oneidge Walrond also shared remarks, highlighting the need for empathy, understanding, and appropriate interventions for both victims and perpetrators of bullying.
“Obviously, the topic and subject matter is not a pleas-
urable one, but it’s good to hear from people who have experienced bullying – our teachers, parents, and community leaders. It’s always good to understand how people are feeling, their perspectives, so that we can properly shape an anti-bullying policy that is fit for purpose,” Minister Walrond stated.
She explained that cases of bullying, especially those involving students who feel unsafe, are treated as public security issues under the Ministry of Home Affairs. While acknowledging that most perpetrators are themselves minors, she emphasised a rehabilitative approach rather than purely punitive measures.
“The interventions we make should, as much as possible, be rehabilitative. These are minors, and we try to put different programmes and measures apart from incarceration or charging. However, there are some cases so aggravated that such action becomes necessary,” she said.
On the other hand, Minister of Human Services and Social Security Dr Vindhya Persaud underscored the need for continuous engagement with students and other stake-
More carbon credit deals to...
In the past year, Guyana has sold credits to some 20 airlines through a partnership with the International Air Transport Association (IATA), as well as to USbased technology giant Apple Inc. – something which President Ali previously said demonstrates the integrity and credibility of the country’s system to the most demanding buyers in the world.
Guyana’s current Vice President, Bharrat Jagdeo, on Thursday last pointed out that while Guyana has made some small sales in the CORSIA market, the country is pursuing high prices, such as in the Hess deal.
Only last week,
President Ali revealed that total revenues from carbon credit sales for 2025 would near US$200 million by the end of this year, taking the amount of revenue received over the last three years under the revised LCDS 2030 to around US$400 million. Moreover, the Guyana Government has been investing the monies earned from the carbon credit sales into the country’s LCDS priorities, with a portion of these revenues – a guaranteed 15 per cent, but 20 per cent in practice – going directly into some 240 Amerindian and Hinterland communities for various economic development projects.
During Saturday’s interview, President Ali pointed
out that the Tropical Forests Forever Facility (TFFF), being piloted by Brazil, is an addition to the many options available for forested countries. The TFFF is a $125 billion investment fund that pays countries in return for protecting and preserving their forests.
It complements the Forests and Climate Leaders Partnership (FCLP) – a group of almost 40 countries, co-chaired by Guyana and the United Kingdom, that works together and with other partners to develop the Forest Finance Roadmap, a shared plan setting out a menu of six complementary options to halt and reverse forest loss by 2030.
holders, including teachers.
“Excellent initiative, and it’s one that we will fulsomely support through the human services ministry because I have always believed that if you have a structured, coordinated, and collective approach to very serious issues like violence and bullying, you will have more impactful reach, more successes, and you will be able to have the kind of interventions that take into account the wide nature of bullying and violence. So I’m happy to be here, happy to be a partner in this.”
“I want to say bullying is something that happens to many people. You can be young; you can be an adult. But it is not something that you should see as you are struggling your battle alone. There’s a whole support ecosystem out there that is there to help you, to help you to understand maybe why this happens, but also to help you to find confidence and to find the tools to cooperate, to deal with it and to triumph. Because when someone is bullied, it
has lasting scars. They hurt, and sometimes those cars are carried all the way into adulthood. Sometimes they become bullies. So what we’re doing here today is directly going to impact you,” the Minister noted.
The Ministry’s new policy represents a nationwide effort to address rising concerns over school-based violence and bullying. The consultation provided an opportunity for participants to share their experiences and recommendations, ensuring that the final policy reflects
the realities on the ground. As the Ministry continues its consultations across the country, the initiative is expected to culminate in a finalised Anti-Violence and Anti-Bullying Policy backed by strong legislative and institutional support.
The Ministry of Education reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring that every child in Guyana can learn in a safe, supportive, and respectful environment – a goal that will require collaboration across all sectors of society.
Public Works Ministry moves...
According to the Ministry, the meeting aimed to address a series of ongoing issues affecting the department’s vessels, including the maintenance of equipment, safety inspections, and onboard living conditions. The Ministers also discussed emerging concerns about potential acts of sabotage that could undermine operational efficiency and passenger safety.
Both Ministers Edghill and Ramraj had expressed concern over the recurrence of technical and administrative lapses, calling on senior staff to account for the state of operations and to present immediate solutions.
Emerging from the meeting were a number of new measures, effective immediately, designed to improve performance and ensure greater compliance across the fleet.
These included mandatory inspections with routine
engine servicing, supported by a new operational checklist to ensure passenger safety; enhanced maintenance procedures with strict adherence to maritime safety regulations; and heightened regulatory standards for operators, including random testing for alcohol and drug use among boat captains and crew.
Minister Edghill had emphasised that the implementation of these measures signalled the Government’s firm stance on safety, accountability, and efficiency within the T&HD.
“We cannot and will not tolerate negligence or mismanagement. These vessels carry people’s lives every day, and ensuring their safety and reliability must remain a top priority,” the Minister had said.
He further reiterated that the Ministry remains committed to ensuring that all vessels operate at the
highest standards of safety and service, consistent with national regulations and international maritime practices.
The initiative forms part of a broader Government effort to reform and regulate the transportation sector, ensuring that public trust and operational integrity are maintained across Guyana’s waterways.
Minister Ramraj’s Saturday visit underscored the Government’s commitment to ensuring that all operational issues are addressed and that the ferry service remains dependable for residents and businesses alike.
The Ministry of Public Works has said that it continues to advance major transformation initiatives within the maritime transport sector, ensuring safer, more efficient, and passenger-orientated services across Guyana’s waterways.
Ministers of Education, Home Affairs, and Human Services and Social Security interacted with stakeholders and attendees at the consultation
Attendees at the event
Second shade house training programme advances climate-smart agriculture
The Environmental Management Consultants Inc (EMC), in collaboration with the National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute (NAREI) and the Guyana School of Agriculture (GSA), has successfully concluded the second Shade House Training Programme, further advancing Guyana’s and the Caribbean’s transition toward climate-smart agriculture and sustainable food systems.
Building on the success of the first training held earlier this year, this second session brought together 27 participants, including representatives from Indigenous communities, Saint Lucia, and Grenada, and students from the Guyana School of Agriculture, as well as agricultural professionals.
Over the course of one week (November 3–7), participants received a blend of technical instruction and
practical experience in areas such as shade house design and construction, crop management, pest control, and post-harvest handling.
The initiative forms part of a broader effort to enhance climate resilience, improve productivity, and empower local farmers and community leaders to adopt sustainable and innovative agricultural practices. The training is supported through the Climate Resilience Grant, funded by the ExxonMobil Foundation.
Delivering the keynote address at the certification ceremony. Minister of Amerindian Affairs Sarah Browne congratulated participants for their dedication and hard work, describing the initiative as a symbol of national progress and empowerment.
“Completing the shade house training should not be looked at as a small achievement,” Minister Browne stated. “It represents your commitment to learning, to growth, and to building a better future – not only for yourselves, but for your families, your communities, and for Guyana and the Caribbean as a whole.”
Minister Browne highlighted the Government’s continued investment in
modern agriculture, emphasising its importance in ensuring food security, strengthening livelihoods, and building a resilient economy.
“Agriculture has been the backbone of our country,” she noted. “While it carries centuries of tradition, it is also a field that continues to evolve and innovate. That is why our Government continues to invest heavily in agriculture, because we know its power to sustain livelihoods and strengthen our economy.”
The Minister also reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to reclaiming
Guyana’s title as the food basket of the Caribbean, referencing initiatives such as the distribution of 216 tractors with implements to hinterland communities and the construction of 119 shade houses between 2023 and 2025.
“These numbers represent lives being transformed and communities becoming more self-sufficient,” Browne said. “Shade houses are transforming the way we grow food, allowing us to produce more, waste less, and adapt to changing climates.”
She urged participants to see their certification as the
beginning of a longer journey of innovation and leadership: “Use what you have learnt, share it, inspire others, continue to grow, to innovate, and to dream big. We are all part of a national movement toward self-reliance, resilience, and prosperity.”
Meanwhile, Deputy Managing Director of EMC, Malisa Nokta, underscored the importance of the training in building regional capacity for climate-smart agriculture, noting that it has helped participants translate theory into practice through applied learning.
More than 200 hinterland teachers graduate from CPCE ...as 2025 sees 92% of hinterland teachers trained compared to 43% in 2020
Atotal of 269 newly trained teachers from various hinterland regions have graduated from the Cyril Potter College of Education (CPCE), bringing the percentage of hinterland-trained teachers now to 92. Minister of Education Sonia Parag made the revelation during CPCE’s 92nd graduation ceremony at the National Stadium in Providence on Friday, where a total of 1,345 stu-
dents graduated. According to the Department of Public Information (DPI), this number is significant since only 43 per cent of hinterland teachers were trained in 2020. Region One now boasts 135 graduates, a significant increase from previous years. Region Seven now has 35 newly trained teachers, while Region Eight received an additional 23 graduates. “That should be applauded because Region Eight is a very
difficult region in terms of its geography,” the minister said. Meanwhile, Region Nine has produced 76 graduates, underscoring the government’s ongoing investment in teacher training and education delivery in every corner of Guyana.
“There weren’t many mathematics teachers back at my school in Paramakatoi Secondary,” Chevy Edwin told the DPI about why she pursued the teaching profession.
This motivated the young educator to study at CPCE, and she is now qualified to deliver a high standard of teaching to her students back home.
The second session brought together 27 participants who received their certificates on Friday
Amerindian Affairs Minister Sarah Browne congratulated participants for their dedication and hard work
Hinterland TVET teachers who graduated
The hinterland teachers who graduated in early childhood education
Graduates from Maruranau, Region 9
Awarewaunau, Deep South Rupununi, Region 9 graduates
Guyana hands over relief aid to hurricane-battered Jamaica
Critical relief supplies, including tarpaulins, generators and chainsaws that were gathered by the Guyana Government in collaboration with local stakeholders, have arrived in Kingston, Jamaica, and were officially handed over to authorities there to aid the ongoing recovery efforts.
The Caribbean island nation was hit by the category-five Hurricane Melissa last Tuesday, causing significant destruction to properties and infrastructure, widespread disruption of essential services, and dis-
placement of communities across affected areas.
Jamaican Prime Minister (PM) Andrew Holness said at least 32 persons have died since the storm ravaged the country last week, causing some US$7 billion in damage.
Last Sunday, Guyana dispatched its first shipment of essential equipment and materials to aid in the immediate recovery and humanitarian response efforts in Jamaica. The items were mobilised by Guyana’s Civil Defence Commission (CDC) in collaboration with the local Private Sector
Commission (PSC).
According to reports from Jamaica, the shipment was dispatched from the Dominican Republic and arrived at Kingston Wharves in downtown Kingston on Friday.
The Guyana Defence Force (GDF), on Saturday evening, disclosed that it coordinated the handover of the humanitarian assistance on behalf of the Guyanese Government.
Relief items were transported by FARSAN to a warehouse in Kingston that served as the central handover point for the ongoing re-
sponse to communities affected by Hurricane Melissa.
The handover brought together the GDF delegation, including Captain (Coast Guard) Vernon Burnett, MSM; Major Michael Andrews; and Lieutenant Dowayne Tobin. Other Guyanese representatives included Ambassador and Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Sheila Sealey Monteith, and former Chair of the PSC Komal Singh.
They were joined by senior Jamaican officials, including Minister of Local Government Desmond McKenzie; representatives of the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPM); FARSAN representative Dennis Valdez; and members of the Jamaica
Defence Force.
Brief remarks acknowledged the cooperation between government agencies, the private sector, and defence forces in mobilising and delivering the supplies.
The speakers also highlighted the importance of timely assistance and the ongoing partnership between Guyana and Jamaica in disaster response efforts.
The ceremony concluded with the signing of the official handover certificate, marking the formal transfer of the relief items to Jamaican authorities.
Immediately after the hurricane, President Dr Irfaan Ali had assured PM Holness of Guyana’s readiness to support the Caribbean nation.
Meanwhile, as part of the Guyana Government’s wid-
er commitment to regional disaster relief and humanitarian cooperation, several teams of local experts have been deployed to Jamaica to assist with the island’s recovery efforts.
Among those deployed is a seven-member Transmission and Distribution (T&D) team from the Guyana Power and Light (GPL) Inc., who will support power restoration efforts in Jamaica, where more than two-thirds of the country was left without power or phone signal after the catastrophic storm. GPL had said that the deployment reaffirms its strong commitment to regional partnership and mutual aid within the Caribbean energy sector, especially during natural disasters and emergencies.
Guyana-China Joe Vieira Friendship Park nears completion – to transform recreation on West Bank
The Guyana-China Joe Vieira Friendship Park, a landmark $12 million recreational development, is nearing completion and is expected to open to the public in the first quarter of 2026. The project, funded through a grant from the Government of China and coordinated by the Protected Areas Commission (PAC), is designed to provide worldclass sporting, cultural, and leisure facilities for residents of Region Three and beyond. Construction of the park is reportedly 83 per cent complete as of October 2025, with significant prog-
ress on both sporting and recreational components.
Officials from the Ministry of Public Works and PAC, alongside project contractors, have expressed satisfaction with the pace and quality of work, noting that the park remains on schedule for its planned opening. The park’s design priorities active recreation and youth engagement. A full-size professional football field, complete with spectator stands, will provide a venue for local leagues, tournaments, and training sessions. Basketball and tennis courts, alongside a table tennis area, will cater
to both structured competition and casual play. A dedicated children’s playground is also under construction, offering a safe and engaging space for younger visitors. Beyond sports, the park aims to serve as a central community hub. Expansive landscaped green areas will provide opportunities for picnicking, leisure, and outdoor gatherings. Shaded seating and strategically placed benches are designed to encourage social interaction, relaxation, and connection with nature.
The Guyana-China Joe Vieira Friendship Park remains on schedule for planned opening
Relief supplies from Guyana have arrived in Jamaica
Jamaican Minister of Local Government Desmond McKenzie received the shipment of relief supplies from Guyana
Buxton vendors to relocate to facilitate road construction project
Vendors who conduct business along the Railway Embankment in Buxton, along the East Coast of Demerara, will soon be relocated to allow the completion of the ongoing roadworks, a Department of Public Information (DPI) report has said.
On Friday, Minister of Public Works Bishop Juan Edghill and his technical team inspected the area that will be constructed into a market tarmac. The vendors will still be able to continue their 24-hour operations.
According to the DPI, the Minister made it clear
that the property is the Government’s and falls under the Buxton-Foulis Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC).
With 42 vendors already identified for relocation, the Minister has asked the NDC to select representatives from among them to advocate for their collective interests.
The market tarmac will be upgraded to create a more attractive and comfortable environment for vendors, with newly designed stalls. It will include modern amenities such as washroom facilities and adequate lighting. The work is anticipated
to be completed within three weeks.
“You’re going to continue to vend until the tarmac is completed, and then we’ll transition. I’ll come back within three weeks, which will take us to the end of November, and you will have your facility for Christmas,” the Minister noted.
Minister Edghill also spoke with residents whose properties are in the alignment of the ongoing road-widening project.
He informed them that the structures must be removed in the coming week to allow the works to proceed.
“Guyana not a place to do...
The more than 926 kg of narcotics destroyed on Saturday were drugs that were previously used as exhibits in a number of court cases – all of which have since been completed.
Just last month, Singh disclosed that CANU had taken more than 1600 kilograms of narcotics off the streets so far this year. These narcotics, including some 112 kg of cocaine and 1500 kg of marijuana seized up to October 9, 2025, were estimated at over GY$1.5 billion if they had reached the US and over GY$2 bil-
lion once they reached Europe.
With Guyana mainly used as a transhipment destination, the CANU Head had stressed that local authorities have been making major dents in the regional drug trade network. However, he pointed out that more than the seizure is gathering tangible evidence that could hold up in court as well as lead to masterminds in the drug trade network.
Previously, Singh had revealed that the majority of the narcotics found
in Guyana originate from Venezuela for transhipment to other parts of the world, such as North America, West Africa and Europe.
Initially, these drugs were mainly being shipped to North America, but there has since been a shift in the destinations given that the US is clamping down on drug trade in the region.
In fact, the Trump Administration is currently carrying out a major operation offshore Venezuela to block drugs from leaving the Spanish-speaking nation.
Second shade house...
“This training represents an important step in strengthening capacity for climate-smart agriculture in Guyana and across the Caribbean,” Nokta stated. “It combines technical expertise, research, and innovation to build capacity and support food security.”
She also announced that as part of ongoing efforts, a new solar agriculture pilot project will soon be introduced under the same programme. This initiative will integrate solar energy with shade house farming, repre-
senting another innovative approach to sustainable agriculture in the region.
“This solar-powered project marks a forward-thinking step in combining renewable energy with agricultural innovation,” Nokta explained. “We look forward to sharing more about this development in the coming months.”
Through initiatives such as the Shade House Training Programme and the upcoming solar agriculture project, EMC, NAREI, and GSA continue to play a
Woman pleads guilty to manslaughter in 2022 fatal stabbing
Twenty-three-year-old Shamirika Gibson has pleaded guilty to the lesser offence of manslaughter in relation to the 2022 killing of Carol Davidson. The plea was entered before Chief Justice (ag) Navindra Singh at the High Court in Demerara.
Gibson, who previously resided at the North-East La Penitence Squatting Area, Georgetown, was initially indicted for murder but opted to plead guilty to the reduced charge following the presentation of a statement of agreed facts to the court.
She is being represented by Attorney-at-Law Madan Kissoon, while the case for the State is being led by State Counsel Simran Gajraj, Christopher Belfield, and Geneva Wills.
Chief Justice Singh accepted Gibson’s plea and ordered the preparation of pre-sentencing reports, including probation, prison conduct, and victim impact statements, to assist in determining an appropriate sentence.
The prosecution has also
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leading role in fostering climate resilience, innovation, and self-sufficiency across Guyana and the Caribbean.
The training not only equips participants with the skills to enhance local food production but also strengthens the collective effort toward achieving sustainable, energy-efficient, and inclusive agricultural development – one that supports the Government’s “One Guyana” vision and its goal of regional food security.
Dead: Carol Davidson Shamirika Gibson
been instructed to present aggravating circumstances, while the defence will submit mitigating factors for consideration.
Gibson has been remanded in custody until November 19, 2025, when she is scheduled to be sentenced.
According to the facts of the case, on June 6, 2022, 21-year-old Carol Davidson was in a yard at East Ruimveldt Squatting Area, Georgetown, when she was attacked by Gibson and her
sister. During the altercation, Gibson reportedly drew a knife from her jacket and stabbed Davidson. The injured woman ran to the back of the yard but collapsed shortly after.
During the investigation, Gibson gave a video-recorded statement admitting to causing the injury and later accompanied investigators to the scene to reconstruct the events.
A post-mortem examination revealed that Davidson died from a stab wound to the chest, which resulted in a perforation of the heart.
Public Works Minister Bishop Juan Edghill with Buxton residents and vendors (DPI photos)
Vendors visiting the proposed location for the market tarmac
Monkey Mountain’s Natalie King said she wanted to become a role model in her community, and so she made the bold step of pursuing an education at the CPCE. But her
journey was not easy. “I am very proud of myself,” she said while speaking with the DPI. The People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Government has
pledged to ensure that all teachers in Guyana’s hinterland regions receive professional training by 2026. (CPCE-Aishalton Centre, South Rupununi, Region 9 photos)
Hinterland Primary teachers who graduated from CPCE
SBM Guyana’s Vendor Day strengthens partnerships, promotes local capacity building
More than 50 representatives of local suppliers came together at the Pegasus Suites to strengthen their role in Guyana’s oil and gas supply chain at SBM Offshore Guyana’s annual Vendor Day, an initiative designed to deepen local partnerships and support local business development in the sector.
In his opening remarks, SBM Offshore Guyana’s General Manager Martin Cheong noted, “At SBM Offshore, partnership lies at the heart of everything we do. We recognise that our success in Guyana depends not only on the strength of our operations but also on the strength of our relationships with local businesses,
with communities and with the many talented individuals who contribute to the country’s development.”
Participants were engaged in areas such as compliance, finance, HSSE, local content and inclusion, diversity and equity, all aimed at strengthening the efficiency and transparency of SBM Offshore Guyana processes. Through these engagements, local suppliers gained valuable insight into the company’s procurement processes and expectations, helping to strengthen their capacity to support the oil and gas supply chain.
During his remarks, Area Operations Manager for SBM Offshore Guyana, Ricardo Pinto, underscored
Moraikobai toddler missing, feared drowned
Atwo-year-old boy is now missing and is feared to have drowned after going for a swim with siblings on Saturday.
The child has been identified as Kevin Jacobs.
The incident occurred at Moraikobai, located up the Mahaicony Creek, Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice).
Toshao of Moraikobai Derrick John confirmed the incident but could not sup-
ply many details. “He was in the creek swimming with his siblings, and they did not notice when he went under the water and drowned,” the Toshao said.
Meanwhile, reports are that a search for the child up to press time proved futile.
Police from the Mahaicony Police Station have since visited the community to conduct an investigation.
the importance of the event to the mutual success of the local business community and the company.
He stated, “As we continue to expand our operations in Guyana, it is crucial that we strengthen this partnership even further. This means maintaining open
communication, supporting capacity building and creating opportunities for mutual success.”
Echoing his sentiments, Michael Munroe, Director of the Local Content Secretariat, also highlighted the importance of activities like these that foster mean-
ingful conversations.
He noted, “Contractors and subcontractors must create forums like these. We believe fundamentally that once we have dialogue, then we can make local content more impactful.”
This year’s Vendor Day was also attended by members of SBM Offshore’s global leadership team, including Group Supply Chain Director Johann Declercq and Product Supply Chain Manager Sebastien Brossard. Their presentations reinforced the company’s commitment, both locally and globally, to developing sustainable, mutually beneficial partnerships that contribute to long-term growth.
Declercq, in his address, highlighted the importance of strengthening supplier relationships across SBM Offshore’s global network, emphasising that Guyana plays a strategic role in the company’s long-term growth vision.
Brossard shared insights on SBM Offshore’s procurement processes and sustainability priorities, encourag-
ing local vendors to continue developing innovative, reliable solutions that align with the company’s international standards.
Vendor Day serves as a key platform for engagement between SBM Offshore Guyana and its vendors, fostering transparency, knowledge exchange and alignment with the company’s standards of excellence.
The company’s Local Content Lead, Garri Fraser, expressed that the company’s goal is to ensure that locals benefit from its operations.
“One of our goals is to ensure we engage with locals first to ensure that local vendors receive opportunities,” he noted.
The initiative underscores SBM Offshore Guyana’s ongoing commitment to local content development. By fostering collaboration, innovation and shared learning, Vendor Day continues to strengthen a capable, competitive local supplier network contributing directly to Guyana’s sustainable growth.
De Kinderen Regional Hospital redefines community healthcare
Residents of Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara) are now accessing world-class medical services much closer to home, thanks to the newly commissioned De Kinderen Regional Hospital, located on the West Coast Demerara (WCD). Since its launch, the hospital has already transformed healthcare delivery across the region. The development was highlighted during the Ministry of Health’s “Health Matters” television programme, where Dr Fiaaz Hassan, Medical Superintendent and General Surgeon at the hospital, detailed the facility’s state-of-the-art design and expanding range of services. “Region Three has long waited for a facility like the De Kinderen Regional Hospital,” Dr Hassan said on the programme. “It’s one of the most modern infrastructures, and the excitement among healthcare staff and patients is something you can see and feel.”
Strategically located in one of the region’s most populated sub-districts, the hospital serves not only residents on the mainland but also riverine and island communities, including Wakenaam. According to Dr Hassan, the site was carefully selected. “It was well chosen by the Government to make advanced healthcare easier to access for residents of the main islands and nearby communities,” he explained. The hospital’s modern layout enhances ef-
ficiency and patient safety. The emergency department sits adjacent to the outpatient department, ensuring quick triage and immediate treatment for critical cases. “There’s a critical bay inside the emergency room, and right next to it is an operating theatre,” Dr Hassan said. “So, a trauma or heart attack patient can be stabilised and moved directly into surgery within minutes.” Upstairs, there are two additional operating theatres, one adjoining the maternity suite for emergency caesarean sections. The hospital also houses a modern Intensive Care Unit (ICU), the first of its kind in Region Three.
The new facility offers services previously unavailable in the region’s public healthcare system, including 24-hour CT scans, digital dental x-rays, ultrasound services, and, soon, dialysis.
“This is a significant improvement to healthcare in Region Three,” Dr Hassan said. “Transporting critical
patients to Georgetown was always risky. Now, those services are available right here, free for all Guyanese and even non-Guyanese residents or visitors.”
Patients are also benefiting from a digital database system, which streamlines appointments and patient flow. “We moved from calling out names in waiting areas to a modern system where patients see their names on screens and hear them announced,” Dr Hassan noted. Since its opening six weeks ago, the hospital has seen a surge in patients – averaging 130 daily in outpatient services and 50 to 60 in the emergency department.
“We’ve reached capacity quickly, but we’ve still managed to provide 24-hour service,” Dr Hassan said. “The cleanliness, semi-private wards, and comfort have made a huge difference.”
Training is another key focus. The hospital plans to conduct continuous onsite training and accredited courses in basic and ad-
vanced life support, trauma care, and paediatric emergency management for both doctors and nurses. The “Health Matters” programme also highlighted several national initiatives aimed at improving preventive care. These include the Cervical Cancer Screening Voucher Programme for women aged 21 to 65, valued at $8000; the Eye Testing and Spectacles Programme for children and seniors; and the Universal Health Voucher, valued at $10,000, which offers early screening for non-communicable diseases such as diabetes and hypertension. Dr Hassan encouraged citizens to make use of these free services and adopt regular health check-ups. “See a doctor first and get professional advice. Not because these services are free means you can just walk in and get it done – it should be medically indicated,” he advised. In closing, Dr Hassan expressed gratitude to the Government for its ongoing investment in healthcare modernisation. “We must thank the President and the Ministry of Health for decentralising tertiary healthcare and continuing to advance healthcare in Guyana,” he said. The De Kinderen Regional Hospital stands as part of the Government’s wider plan to strengthen regional healthcare infrastructure, ensuring that residents across Guyana, from the coast to the hinterland, have access to the same level of quality medical care.
Director of the Local Content Secretariat Michael Munroe engages the audience on the Secretariat’s objectives for supplier development
Dr Fiaaz Hassan
Govt confirms $300 per bag of paddy relief to cushion impact of low prices
– Farmers to receive payments directly from GRDB – Mustapha
Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha has announced that rice farmers across Guyana will receive $300 for every bag of paddy produced during the current crop as part of a Government relief initiative to cushion the impact of declining paddy prices.
The announcement was made on Saturday, during the Minister’s agri outreach in Region Six, in keeping with President Ali’s earlier remarks during an interview in Brazil, where he had travelled to ahead of COP30.
“As I said a few months ago, we will examine the prevailing condition, and we will take necessary steps to intervene… We will produce in this second crop more than nine million bags of paddy… And at a minimum, I can say to you now that we’re going to give, like we did in the first crop, another $300 per bag subsidy. That will be an injection of more than $2.7 billion to our rice farmers, and that is outside of the
help [of $400,000]…that they will get for every 15acre plot when you calculate it,” the President had declared.
“We are about to conclude this crop, and you all heard that the President made an announcement that every bag of paddy sold this crop, [Government] will contribute $300,” Mustapha reminded the farmers. “With the amount of paddy projected to be harvested — almost nine million bags — the Government will be contributing about $2.7 billion to assist farmers,” he reiterated.
GRDB payments
However, the Minister explained that, unlike a previous pay-out mechanism, the funds will not be distributed through millers but will be sent directly to individual farmers based on verified sales records. “I instructed GRDB (Guyana Rice Development Board) not to give the millers the money any more. Based on the number of bags of pad-
dy you sold, we will pay you directly. If you sell 10 bags, you’ll receive $3000 from us. Some people were misled by millers in the past, but this time, you’ll get a cheque directly from GRDB,” Mustapha said. He noted that the initiative reflects the Government’s continued commitment to supporting rice farmers through fluctuating global market conditions. He said efforts are also being made to ensure that farmers can benefit from improved world market prices in the upcoming crop. “I am hoping that next year we can have a better price in the world market. So I am encouraging you all to go back and continue planting.”
During the first rice crop of 2025, the Government had also extended several forms of support to the sector, including fertiliser assistance, drainage and irrigation work, seed paddy distribution, and infrastructural upgrades to key farming areas such as Black Bush Polder, Mahaicony, and
Guyana-China Joe Vieira...
Plans for an outdoor theatre or amphitheatre will allow for cultural performances, public screenings, and community events. The park’s layout also emphasises accessibility and visitor convenience, with three main entrances, upgraded surrounding roads, and a new exit road at Schoonord to improve traffic flow and ensure easy access. Multiple restroom facilities, including accessible options for visitors with disabilities, are included throughout the site.
A defining feature of the park will be the
Guyana-China Friendship Monument, commemorating over 50 years of diplomatic relations between the two nations. Officials have described the monument as a central feature that embodies international cooperation, cultural exchange, and the shared commitment of both countries to fostering community development. PAC and Ministry of Public Works representatives have highlighted the park’s potential to support healthier lifestyles, youth engagement, and family recreation. The project is part of a wid-
er Government initiative to invest in infrastructure that directly benefits citizens, creating spaces that connect communities, encourage physical activity, and offer eco-friendly environments for relaxation and leisure.
Once completed, the Guyana-China Joe Vieira Friendship Park is expected to emerge as a premier recreational destination in Region Three, combining modern infrastructure with natural beauty, and serving as a hub for sports, culture, and community engagement for years to come.
Regions Two and Three. Those interventions helped farmers recover from challenges posed by unpredictable weather patterns and increased input costs. Minister Mustapha emphasised that the rice industry remains a vital part of Guyana’s economy, and the Government will continue to invest in farmers’ resilience and productivity. “This is about ensuring our farmers stay in production and continue contributing to national food security,” Mustapha affirmed, while adding, “Our farmers are the backbone of the rice industry, and we will keep standing with them.”
BritCham Guyana, Maxi Priest Raise
£21,035
for Jamaica Hurricane Relief
The British Chamber of Commerce Guyana (BritCham Guyana) partnered with international artist Maxi Priest to host a charity auction during its Business Forum & Networking Event at Chelsea Football Club, Stamford Bridge, on November 6th, 2025.
The live auction, jointly hosted by Chairman Faizal Khan and Maxi Priest, raised a total of £21,035 to support relief efforts in Jamaica following the recent hurricane.
The event formed part of a high-level business forum that featured Government Ministers, Sir Trevor Phillips OBE, and representatives from major international companies, including ExxonMobil, among many others, highlighting the growing partnership between the United Kingdom (UK), Guyana, and the wider Caribbean.
“Jamaica has shared its ‘one love’ message with the world for decades, and it’s truly heart-warming to see that love and unity return in our time of need,” said Maxi Priest, sharing his heartfelt sentiments.
“Unity is a healing power, and I’m so happy to see it at work. I want to thank everyone who made the BritCham Guyana and Maxi Priest Auction for Jamaica Hurricane Relief possible, those who donated items, those who bid, those who attended, took photos, listened to the music, and kept the vibe alive for the auction after an all-day business forum. From the President of Guyana, H E Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali, who took his personal painting off his wall and made sure it was carried safely and arrived at Chelsea Football Club in time for the auction, to the professional footballers and cricketers, sponsors, artists, the
Chelsea and BritCham staff, Faizal and the executives of BritCham, and even the cameramen, singers, and audio teams who stayed back to make the event amazing with such a fantastic spirit of unity, thank you all. A special thank you as well to the incredible artists Luciano and Aswad, whose performances lit up the night with love and energy, and to Ali Campbell of UB40, whose generous donation helped make the auction a success. It was incredible to see the ‘One Love’ spirit flow from Guyana and the UK back into Jamaica.”
Faizal Khan, Founding Chairman of BritCham Guyana, added, “This initiative embodies the spirit of regional unity and the power of partnerships. Guyana stands at the heart of the
Caribbean’s growth, and BritCham is committed to not only fostering business but also being a force for good across the region. I am proud to see how quickly both the Guyanese and UK communities have come together for this cause. The generosity and spirit of the people who attended this event show how business, culture, and community can unite to uplift our region. We are proud to stand with our Caribbean family in times of need, and this auction is a testament to what we can achieve together.”
All proceeds will go directly to organisations coordinating recovery and rebuilding efforts in Jamaica. If you’d like to donate to this ongoing initiative, please contact the BritCham Guyana Secretariat.
Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha
Some of the farmers at Mibicuri Black Bush Polder listening to the Agriculture Minister
Maxi Priest with a signed guitar auction item by Ali Campbell from UB40
Regional Tornado in southern Brazil kills six, injures hundreds
Atornado accompanied by strong winds and heavy rain struck the southern Brazilian state of Paraná, killing six persons, the state Government said on Saturday.
The town of Rio Bonito do Iguacu was hit hardest late Friday, with the state’s civil defence agency reporting that over half of the urban area suffered roof collapses, along with multiple structural failures.
Roads were blocked and power lines damaged.
Authorities said 437 persons were treated for injuries, and about 1000 were displaced. The nearby city of Guarapuava was also affected.
According to the Parana Meteorology and Environmental Monitoring System, the tornado’s winds reached speeds between 180 kph and 250 kph.
Institutional Relations
Minister Gleisi Hoffmann said she would travel to the area on Saturday with acting Health Minister Adriano Massuda and other federal officials to support relief efforts and reconstruction.
“We will continue to assist the people of Paraná and provide all the help needed,” President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva wrote on X, expressing condolences to the victims’ families (Excerpt from Reuters)
Argentina will build reserves, buy back bonds, Caputo tells bankers
Argentine Economy
Minister Luis Caputo told investors in New York the country plans to repurchase sovereign bonds and begin building foreign reserves, even as the peso trades within its band, Bloomberg News reported on Saturday, citing people with direct knowledge of the matter.
President Javier Milei does not intend to float Argentina’s currency but will keep it trading within established bands, Caputo said in a meeting with about 40 investors hosted by JPMorgan Chase on Friday, the report said.
Caputo may acceler-
Spanish
Paz sworn in as Bolivia’s President, promises “capitalism for all”
Rodrigo Paz has been sworn in as Bolivia’s President, ushering in a new era for the South American nation after nearly 20 years of governance by the Movement for Socialism (MAS) party.
Paz, the 58-year-old son of a former President and a pro-business conservative, drew applause at the swearing-in ceremony on Saturday at the Bolivian seat of congress.
“God, family and country: yes, I take the oath of office,” said Paz, who won a run-off election last month.
In his inauguration speech, he later said Bolivia would now be open to the world after two decades of left-wing governance.
The Movement Toward Socialism party, founded by charismatic former President Evo Morales, had its heyday during the commodities boom of the early 2000s, but natural gas exports have sputtered, and its statist economic model
of generous subsidies and a fixed exchange rate has collapsed.
Paz will have to address Bolivia’s worst economic crisis in 40 years, with year-on-year inflation at more than 20 per cent and a chronic shortage of fuel and dollars.
On the campaign trail, the Christian Democrat Paz promised a “capitalism for all” approach to economic
reform, with decentralisation, lower taxes and fiscal discipline mixed with continued social spending. He also promised to maintain social programmes while stabilising the economy, but economists have said the two things are not possible at the same time. Paz has promised to restore ties with the United States. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)
Barbados pensioner homeless after court orders demolition
Aments to 1.5 per cent per tion and peso demand, the rently the upper and lower limits of the trading range are adjusted by one per cent a month, allowing the peso
Caputo plans to present the full proposal within 30
Argentina’s Economy Minister Luis Caputo
days, which includes a timeline for reserve accumulation, the debt buyback and a debt-for-education bond, the report said.
JP Morgan and
Argentina’s Economy Ministry did not immediately respond to Reuters’ requests for comment outside business hours.
Earlier this month, JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon said Argentina may not ultimately need a bank loan and that Milei is doing a good job overhauling the country’s troubled economy.
Milei’s party cruised to victory in midterm legislative elections in October as voters handed him a mandate to keep pushing through his overhaul of the economy, which has included deep austerity measures.
(Excerpt from Reuters)
Police arrest 13 suspected members of Venezuela’s Tren de Aragua gang
Spanish Police arrested 13 suspected members of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua across five cities, seized a stash of illegal drugs and dismantled two drug laboratories, authorities said Friday.
The arrests followed an investigation Spanish Police opened last year after the brother of “Niño Guerrero”, the leader of the Tren de Aragua gang, was arrested in Barcelona under an international arrest warrant issued by Venezuelan authorities, Police said. This was Spain’s first operation meant to dismantle a sus-
pect cell of the Venezuelan prison gang, Police said in a statement.
The two laboratories that Police dismantled had been used to make tusi, a mixture of cocaine, MDMA and ketamine, Police said. Video shows authorities finding packages and a pink substance inside a residence. The arrests took place in the Spanish cities of Barcelona, Madrid, Girona, A Coruña and Valencia.
The Tren de Aragua gang originated in Venezuela more than a decade ago at an infamously lawless prison with hardened criminals in the cen-
tral state of Aragua. The gang has expanded in recent years as more than 7.7 million Venezuelans fled economic turmoil and migrated to other Latin American countries, the US and Spain.
The gang has become a key reference in the Trump administration’s crackdown against alleged drug smugglers. The administration announced yet another deadly US strike on a boat officials said was trafficking narcotics in the Caribbean Sea on Friday. At least 18 such strikes have killed at least 70 persons. (Excerpt from CBS News)
n 86 year old Christ Church pensioner has been left without a home after High Court marshals demolished the house he had lived in for three decades, despite a bid through the courts to buy the land he lived on under the Tenantries Freehold Purchase Act.
Through his attorney, Lalu Hanuman, Brian Chester of Gillian’s House, Lot 3, Walls Tenantry, Silver Sands, Christ Church, on Monday applied to the High Court for an indefinite stay of an eviction and demolition order, which was originally
scheduled to be carried out on Friday but was brought forward to Wednesday.
Chester wanted the court to stop the demolition until it had heard and ruled on an urgent application for him to buy the land under the landmark 1979 land tenure law, which enabled former plantation tenants to own the land they occupied for generations.
In his court filing, Chester claimed he faced eviction because the landlord had flagrantly breached the Tenantries Freehold Purchase Act by failing to honour his obligation un-
der the law to facilitate Chester’s purchase of the land since June 17, 2016, when an application was made to buy it.
Chester asked the court for a series of declarations, including that the land be conveyed to him on payment of the appropriate sums of money, that he be reimbursed all ground rent paid since 2016, and that there be a finding of negligence against the Attorney General for failing to adhere to statutory obligations to establish a Small Holdings Committee. (Excerpt from Barbados Today)
A&B strengthens bilateral tourism relations with United Arab Emirates
On the sidelines of the 26th United Nations (UN) Tourism General Assembly, the Hon H Charles Fernandez, Minister of Tourism, Civil Aviation, Transportation and Investment of Antigua and Barbuda, engaged in a high-level bilateral meeting with His Excellency Abdulla Bin Touq Al Marri, Minister of Economy and Tourism of the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
The meeting, held in Riyadh, focused on advancing mutual interests between Antigua and Barbuda and the UAE, particularly in the areas of air connectivity, tourism collaboration, and global partnership. Both Ministers exchanged
views on strengthening cooperation through the potential commencement of Emirates Airlines flights to Antigua and Barbuda, as well as the development of a joint tour package to promote multi-destination travel between the Caribbean and the Middle East.
Minister Fernandez and His Excellency Al Marri also discussed Antigua and Barbuda’s support for the UAE’s candidacy within international tourism and economic fora, recognising the UAE’s leadership in tourism innovation and its growing role in shaping global economic transformation.
Minister Fernandez underscored the importance of sustained bilateral en-
gagement within the tourism industry, emphasising that such partnerships not only enhance connectivity but also drive economic diversification and resilience across regions.
“Strengthening partnerships like these helps to bridge markets, cultures, and opportunities. Antigua and Barbuda remains committed to fostering strategic alliances that promote sustainable tourism growth, trade expansion, and mutual prosperity,” Minister Fernandez noted.
Minister Fernandez was accompanied at the meeting by H E Theon Ali, Ambassador to Qatar and Deputy Head of Mission at the Embassy of Antigua and Barbuda in the UAE (Antigua Newsroom)
An aerial view of the damaged buildings after a tornado hit Rio Bonito do Iguacu, Parana state, Brazil
Bolivian President-elect Rodrigo Paz speaks during his swearingin ceremony at the Plurinational Legislative Assembly in La Paz, Bolivia
OIL NEWS
Trump finalises US Gulf oil lease sale, proposes Alaska sale in 2026
The Trump Administration will hold an auction for drilling oil and gas off the United States (US) Gulf next month and has proposed another in a waterway in southern Alaska, it said on Friday.
The lease sale in the US Gulf of Mexico, which President Donald Trump refers to as the Gulf of America, will make about 80 million acres available. The sale, which will take place on December 10, will be the first of 30 sales in the region through 2040 that were included in Trump's tax law, which he signed in July.
The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, an office of the Interior Department, also proposed to make about one million acres available for leasing in Alaska's Cook Inlet. The sale, scheduled for March 4 next year, would be the first of at least six Cook Inlet lease sales required by the law, scheduled annually from 2026 to 2028 and from 2030 to 2032.
The sales align with Trump's policy of maximising oil, gas and coal output while slashing regulations on fossil fuels and subsidies for green energy.
"BOEM is now moving forward with a predictable, congressionally mandated leasing schedule that will support offshore oil and gas development for decades to come," Matt Giacona, acting director of the office, said in a statement.
BOEM has set a 12.5 per cent royalty rate, the lowest rate allowed, for both shallow- and deep-water leases in both places "to encourage strong industry participation." (Excerpt from Reuters)
Six dead as Russia hits energy, residential sites in Ukraine
At least six persons have died after Russia launched hundreds of missile and drone attacks on energy infrastructure and residential targets in Ukraine overnight.
A strike on an apartment building in the city of Dnipro killed two people and wounded 12, while three died in Zaporizhzhia.
In all, 25 locations across Ukraine, including the capital city Kyiv, were hit, leaving many areas without electricity and heating. Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko said on Telegram that major energy facilities were damaged in the Poltava, Kharkiv and Kyiv regions, and work was under way to restore power.
The Ukrainian air force said Russia had launched more than 450 exploding bomber drones and 45 missiles. Nine missiles and 406 drones were reportedly shot down.
The Ukrainian Energy Ministry said there were power cuts in the Dnipropetrovsk, Chernihiv, Zaporizhzhya, Odesa and Kirovohrad regions, but restoration work was ongoing.
Svyrydenko said critical infrastructure facilities have already been reconnected, and water supply is being maintained using generators.
Russia argues its attacks on energy targets are aimed at the Ukrainian military.
Russian attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure ahead of winter are now a familiar part of this war. But ministers in Kyiv are acutely concerned that Moscow is not just trying to damage the morale of Ukraine's people but also bring its economy to a standstill by collapsing its energy network. (Excerpt from BBC News)
Around the World
Philippines braces for Typhoon Fungwong after earlier storm kills over 200
Typhoon Kalmaegi has left a trail of devastation across Southeast Asia, killing hundreds in the Philippines and at least five in Vietnam, flattening homes, uprooting trees and knocking out power to millions, but there could be more suffering to come.
Rescue operations were suspended, and mass evacuations began yesterday as another storm, Typhoon Fung-wong, approached the Philippines, just days after Kalmaegi killed at least 204 people.
Authorities warned that Fung-wong, expected to strengthen into a super typhoon before landfall, could blanket nearly the entire country. “Its radius is so wide it could cover almost the whole
Philippines,” a Government meteorologist said. Officials have urged residents in coastal and low-lying
areas to seek safety, fearing more flooding and landslides after last week’s destruction.
Emergency shelters were
prepared nationwide as the country braces for what could be one of the season’s most powerful storms. In the Philippines, grief and exhaustion swept through the province of Cebu in Kalmaegi’s destructive and deadly wake. Families gathered around rows of white coffins, mourning loved ones lost to floods and landslides.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr has declared a state of national emergency as the country braces for Typhoon Fung-wong, which is expected to strike early next week. Marcos said the sheer volume of rainfall had overwhelmed flood defences, forcing residents to flee to rooftops for safety. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)
Thousands of Sudanese flee to overcrowded camps after paramilitary captures El Fasher
Tens of thousands of Sudanese have fled to overcrowded camps to escape reported atrocities by a paramilitary force since it captured El Fasher in the western Darfur region, an aid group said Saturday. The United Nation (UN)'s human rights chief warned that many others are still trapped.
Those who reach shelter in Tawila, about 43 miles from El Fasher, find themselves stranded in a barren area with barely enough tents, many of them improvised from patched tarps and sheets, according to a video posted by the group Sudan's IDPs and Refugee Camps. It shows children running across the area as a few adults carry a large pot of food, hoping it will be
enough to feed the growing crowds of displaced.
Since the Rapid Support Forces seized El Fasher from the rival military on October 26, more than 16,200 persons have fled to the camps in Tawila, said Adam Rojal, spokesperson for the aid group. The International Organization for Migration estimates that around 82,000 people had fled the city and surrounding areas as of November 4, heading to safe spots including Tawila, an area already overcrowded with the displaced from previous attacks, with some making the journey on foot.
The RSF and the Sudanese army have been at war since April 2023, following simmering tensions over control of
Africa's third-largest nation.
At least 40,000 people have been killed, according to the World Health Organization, though the actual toll might
be many times higher. Some 12 million people have been displaced, and nearly half the population is facing acute food insecurity.
US forces working with Israel on Gaza aid, Israeli official says
United States (US) forces are taking part in overseeing and coordinating aid transfers into the Gaza Strip together with Israel as part of US President Donald Trump's ceasefire plan, an Israeli security official said on Saturday.
The Washington Post reported on Friday that the USled Civil-Military Coordination Center (CMCC) will replace Israel in overseeing aid into
Gaza. It cited a US official and people familiar with the matter as saying Israel was part of the process but that CMCC would decide what aid enters Gaza and how.
The Israeli security official said that Israeli security services remain part of policy, supervision and monitoring with decisions made jointly, and that the integration of the CMCC was already underway.
A spokesperson for the US
embassy in Jerusalem told Reuters that the US was "working hard, in tandem with Israel and regional partners, on the next phases of implementing" the President's "historic peace plan". That includes coordinating the immediate distribution of humanitarian assistance and working through details.
The US is pleased by the "growing contributions of other donors and participating countries" in the CMCC to support
humanitarian aid to Gaza, the spokesperson said. Israel and Palestinian militant group Hamas agreed a month ago to the first phase of a peace plan presented by Trump. It paused a devastating two-year war in Gaza triggered by a cross-border attack by Hamas militants on October 7, 2023, and secured a deal to release Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners. (Excerpt from Reuters)
Businesses worldwide brace for extra Trump tariffs on steel imports
Businesses around the world are steeling themselves for another round of Donald Trump’s tariffs, this time on goods ranging from bicycles to baking trays, as United States (US) industry embraces a call for more products to be taxed on import.
Small, medium and large American companies have asked the US Department of Commerce to add about 700 more items to
an August list of 407 products already facing extra tariffs because of their steel content, which hit items such as Ikea tables with metal nuts and bolts and German combine harvesters.
The demands are ringing alarm bells across Europe, where industry leaders are fearful of a rolling and growing list of “steel derivatives” that will now face levies because they contain the metal.
Manufacturers across Europe had reluctantly reconciled themselves to higher border taxes under the new trade frameworks struck with Trump. The UK’s deal included a baseline tariff on all goods of 10 per cent and a 25 per cent one for steel, while the EU agreed to rates of 25 per cent and 50 per cent, respectively.
However, exporters say the new derivative tariffs make a
mockery of these agreements, because they mean many goods could soon face paying the higher rate on their steel content –on top of the baseline rate on the cost of the whole item.
The latest requests for tariffs on products with steel elements came before an October 21 deadline set by the US Commerce Department, the second consultation in three months. (Excerpt from The Guardian)
The apartment building struck by Russian forces
Men sit amid the remains of destroyed houses that were swept in the floods brought on by Typhoon Kalmaegi in Talisay, Cebu, Philippines
Displaced women and children from El Fasher at a camp where they sought refuge from fighting between Government forces and the RSF (Photo: Norwegian Refugee Council)
Put your head down, focus on what you want to achieve, and avoid letting outside influences stand between you and what makes you happy. Use your intelligence and a high-energy approach to money management, formulating long-term plans, and satisfying your needs. How you handle and implement change will determine your next professional or financial move.
Too much in too short a time will cause problems. Stick to your routine and budget to make your life easier. Refuse to let others talk you into something you don’t need or want. Protect your physical and emotional well-being. If someone asks for too much, be ready to decline and walk away. Choose common sense.
Refuse to jeopardize yourself by fitting in or taking the fall for someone else’s shortcomings. Honesty and integrity are your best options regardless of what others do. A shift is underway, and being on the right side of destiny is up to you. Choose wisely and head in a positive direction with a healthy attitude.
You can gain ground if you interact. Put your best foot forward and network and socialize your way forward. Let your charm and imagination take over, and you’ll own the spotlight. An interesting prospect that grabs attention will motivate you to make a lifestyle or physical change. Romance is in the stars.
Ease up on yourself. Reflect on what you are good at and the things you do that bring you pride. Participate in an event that addresses what concerns you and rub elbows with those who chant the same mantra. Stand up, say what’s on your mind, and be the leader who makes a difference.
What you do will be the deciding factor in what you receive in return. Promises without following through are a waste of everyone’s time. Take the first step and establish a lifestyle and routine that leads to better health, a more fulfilling life, and more profound love. Reach out to those who matter.
You are walking a tightrope when it comes to excessive behavior or promising the impossible. Choose your words wisely and show passion in how you approach what and who matters to you. An unusual opportunity will unfold if you participate in functions that are work-related or offer insight into prospects that interest you.
Engage in something that interests you, and it will lead to opportunity. Open communication will be a telltale of what’s possible and the best way to fulfill your needs. Explore the possibilities before investing money, and you’ll avoid the stress that accompanies uncertainty. Stop trying to impress others. Do what makes you feel good about yourself.
Look before you leap. Opportunity is apparent, but how you go about taking advantage of a situation without overspending or taking on more responsibility than you can handle is the question. Proceed with caution and obtain everything in writing. You are best to stick to domestic improvements that lower your overhead or add to your convenience.
Get involved in the conversation, share your insight, and include what you are willing to contribute. A partnership or sharing costs or expertise with someone willing to match your input and donation will lead to a match made in heaven. Social and networking events, along with romance and commitment, are favored. Proceed with passion.
Check your schedule, how you handle your routine, and what you can do to reconfigure your time-management to ensure your work and play ratio balance. Taking better care of yourself is necessary if you want to give and do your best. A lifestyle change is within reach; all you need to do is put it into place.
Engage in events that offer insight into new possibilities. The chance to head in a different direction is within reach. Be cautious of offers that sound too good to be true while searching for your passion. Love is apparent, but so is excessive and indulgent behavior. You can’t buy love, but you can earn it.
Calvin and Hobbes
Pickles
Madhia Movements Family donates cricket gear to Reliance Hustlers Sports Club
adhia Movements
MFamily Hotel and Bar from 111 Miles Mahdia, Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni) recently donated a substantial quantity of cricket equipment to the Reliance Hustlers Sports Club.
The donation was made on Wednesday at the Reliance Sports Ground, Essequibo Coast, Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam), by national fast bowler Neil Cadogan, who represented the Managing Director of the establishment, Rajkumar Singh.
Receiving the gear on behalf of the club were President Trevis Simon, Secretary Mark Austin, and Coach Nathan Persaud.
Simon expressed heartfelt appreciation to Singh for his generous support toward the club’s development and noted that since Reliance Hustlers has been conducting regular coaching programmes for young cricketers, the newly donated equipment will greatly assist Coach Persaud in furthering the players’ growth.
According to him, the youths are thrilled to have access to more cricket gear and are optimistic that this act of generosity will inspire them to take their training more seriously.
“Thanks to Mr Singh and his company for this mammoth contribution to our club’s youth coaching programme and this donation
will definitely be of great help for our youths in an effort to improve their game generally and become accomplished cricketers in
Toney appointed to CBC 3x3 Working Group
The Guyana Basketball Federation (GBF) is celebrating another major milestone for the country’s basketball development, as its Vice President Rawle Toney has been appointed to the Caribbean Basketball Confederation’s (CBC) 3x3 Working Group.
The appointment, which takes immediate effect and runs until the end of the current CBC Executive term in 2027, underscores Toney’s long-standing contribution to the growth of 3x3 basketball both locally and regionally.
According to CBC President Leslie Collymore, the Working Group is tasked with promoting, developing, and regulating 3x3 basketball across the Caribbean in alignment with FIBA standards.
Collymore noted that Toney’s appointment will see him directly contributing to shaping the CBC’s strategic plan for the format, overseeing regional events, enforcing competition standards, and driving grassroots and youth engagement initiatives.
vital community support is to nurturing future talent.
“We are confident that your expertise will be invaluable in advancing the growth of 3x3 basketball within the region,” Collymore said in his letter of appointment to Toney.
Meanwhile, GBF President Michael Singh praised Toney’s appointment as “a reflection of the Federation’s commitment to the advancement of the 3x3 discipline,” noting that the GBF has made tremendous strides in establishing the fast-paced format in Guyana.
“Having Toney on the CBC Working Group and our General Secretary Patrick Haynes serving on the FIBA 3x3 Commission shows that Guyana is well represented at both the regional and international levels,” Singh said. “It speaks volumes of the impact we continue to have on the development of basketball globally.”
Toney, who is also the founder and organiser of the popular Rawle Toney 3x3 Classic, expressed his gratitude to the CBC for the appointment and to the GBF for its continued support.
“I’ve put a lot of effort into 3x3 over the years, both personally through the Classic and through the Federation’s initiatives,” Toney said.
He added, “This appointment allows not just me, but the GBF, to play a vital role in shaping the future of 3x3 basketball across the Caribbean.”
He revealed that Guyana will soon roll out a series of pilot projects aimed at expanding 3x3 at the school level, with hopes of replicating the model regionally.
Under Toney’s leadership, along with Singh, GBF Vice President Jermaine Slater, and other executive members, Guyana made history by hosting the first-ever 3x3 Quest in the Englishspeaking Caribbean, which featured 19 teams from 17 countries vying for a spot at the FIBA 3x3 World Tour.
That historic tournament was won by Carolina of Puerto Rico.
Simon also underscored the importance of such support and urged Coach Persaud to continue working with the young players in a diligent and dedicated manner. He said gestures like this reflect the true love for the game and show how
Speaking via telephone during the presentation ceremony, Rajkumar Singh encouraged the club members to remain competitive and reminded the youths that the gear should serve as motivation to excel.
Singh acknowledged that while his business “is not the largest in the County of
to contribute in such a meaningful way, especially toward youth development.
He assured the gathering that he would continue to support the club and intends to extend assistance to other clubs across Guyana, particularly those focused on youth programmes.
Shepherd, Chase, Holder among biggest movers in T20I rankings
Wwhich the West Indies swept 3-0. Chase scored 67 runs in two innings at an average of 67 and picked up a solitary wicket from his seven overs. Shepherd remains as the 11th-ranked all-rounder in T20Is, while Holder, who ended the series tied with Shepherd for the most wickets (seven), moved up one place to 14th. However, the most progress was made in the bowling rankings, with the trio once again taking centre stage.
Holder climbed nine places and is now ranked 23rd, Chase rose 13 spots to 38th, and Shepherd moved up 10 places to 63rd on the list.
Left-arm spinner Akeal
Hosein maintains his spot as the second-ranked T20I bowler in the world. Among the batters, Ackeem Auguste leapt an incredible 102 spots and is now ranked 83rd among T20I batsmen in the world, Alick Athanaze rose 32 spots to 84th, and Amir Jangoo moved up 27 places to 87th.
Chase was also a big mover once again, jumping 28 spots to 78th, with captain Shai Hope moving up two places to 12th. Rovman Powell dropped four places to 34th, Brandon King is now 35th after moving down seven places, and Sherfane Rutherford dropped five spots to 75th. (CMC)
Roston Chase, and Jason
Fast bowler Neil Cadogan hands over the cricket gear to Secretary of the club, Mark Austin while other members look on
Guyana Basketball Federation Vice President Rawle Toney
Romario Shepherd is still the 11th-ranked all-rounder in T20Is
the future,” President and Captain of the Reliance Hustlers Cricket Team, Trevis Simon stated.
Essequibo (Region Two),” he was delighted
Roston Chase continues to climb
The curtains of the ENet Caribbean Clash of Champions were pulled on Sunday, November 2, 2025, which saw high-level competition in all categories and, more so, the introduction of the GT3 Class.
At the end of an incident-free day, there were some riders and drivers who outshone their competitors.
For instance, Guyanese ace rider Matthew Vieira was crowned the Guyana Motor Racing Champion for 2025 after he dominated the Super Stock A.
On the final day, however, competition from British riders Daniel Linfoot and Gregg Black did not deter him from pushing. In the
GMR&SC releases official results of ENet “Caribbean Clash of Champions” 2025
Alves was the winner in the Street Tuner, and Ryan Rahaman in the Sports Tuner. Afraz Allie secured the overall winner in the Starlet Cup. In the Female Class, Malicia Lawrence drove her way to the top.
Meanwhile, in the highly anticipated showdown in the GT3 Class, British rider Will Redford dominated the tracks, securing wins in all three races. His competitor, Mark Vieira, was smoked, while
Street Class, Elan Rahaman dominated the track, while Alain Hopkinson was victorious in the Super Stock B. However, the king of the track, Andrew King, exhibited his experience and driving skills to come out as the winner of the Group Four category, while Afraz Allie emerged on top in the Group Three category, followed by Shan Seejatan in Group Two.
Ahead of the finals of the Vitz Cup A and B Class Championships, there were some tensions, but that was all put to rest when Rameez Mohamed took the checkered flag in Class A and Bishram Rajaram in Class B. In addition, Naresh
Guyanese in camp ahead of WI Test tour of New Zealand
Cricket West Indies (CWI) on Friday announced the start of a high-performance preparation camp in Antigua, running from November 4 to 18, as part of the build-up to the December 2 to 22 threematch Test series leg of the West Indies Men’s tour to New Zealand.
The camp will feature a select group of senior and developing players identified for their potential to feature in the series and future international assignments. It will focus on technical and tactical refinement, match simulation, and mental readiness to adapt to New Zealand’s challenging conditions.
Training sessions will be held at the Coolidge Cricket Ground (CCG), with support from CWI’s high-performance coaching and sports science teams. Players will also undergo structured load monitoring, wellness oversight and gym-based strength and conditioning programmes, all aligned with CWI’s high-performance protocols. The camp will be led by the head coach of the West Indies Academy, Ramesh
Subasinghe, and the assistant coach, Rohan Nurse, who will oversee tactical and technical development.
CWI’s Senior Talent Manager, Jamal Smith, along with developing pathway coach, Shane Dowrich,
will provide additional coaching and coordination support over the two-week period.
CWI Director of Cricket Miles Bascombe commented, stating, “This camp is designed to give players a fo-
cused opportunity to prepare for the specific challenges of playing in New Zealand. For the batsmen, it’s about targeted work on areas where they’ve shown vulnerability and adapting to the conditions they’ll face. For the bowlers, it’s about managing their workloads effectively and identifying the lengths and areas that have proven successful in New Zealand.”
“It’s a practical, purposeful camp – one that allows the group to refine key aspects of their game while building cohesion and clarity ahead of the tour. The goal is to make the most of this preparation window, so the players are ready to compete with confidence and intent.”
Participating in the camp will be recent Test match selectees Tagenarine
Chanderpaul, Tevin Imlach, Anderson Phillip, Johann Layne, Kevlon Anderson and John Campbell, who scored his maiden century against India in the second Test at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi on October 9. Other participants include Ojay Shields, Kavem Hodge and veteran fast bowler Kemar Roach. (CWI)
his Trinidadian colleague Franklyn Boodram's machine did not arrive in
time for the November 2 Caribbean Clash of Champions.
Anderson Phillip
Tagenarine Chanderpaul
Assistant Coach Rohan Nurse
Tevin Imlach
Group Four winner Andrew King
AJM team members collecting on behalf of Will Redford
Championship holder Matthew Vieira
Elite League VII champions, Slingerz Football Club, receive $2M prize money
Aweek after the conclusion of Guyana's Elite League 2025 season, the Slingerz Football Club (FC) champions have collected their winnings during a presentation ceremony hosted by the Guyana Football Federation (GFF).
The event, held at the National Training Centre (NTC) in Providence, saw the GFF distribute a total of GY$4,925,000 in club prize money and individual awards to the top-performing teams and players from the Elite League Season VII.
In a positive step for Guyanese football, the timely pay-out represents a departure from previous seasons, ensuring that clubs have access to crucial finan-
cial support for immediate planning and preparation ahead of the next campaign.
The GFF General Secretary, Pushpargha Chattopadhyay, commended the winning team on an exceptional season in which they went unbeaten throughout their campaign.
Slingerz capped off their dominance with a 0-0 draw against the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) in late October, completing an undefeated record of 16 wins and two draws. The champions had already secured the title with two matches remaining.
Their outstanding performance across the 90-match season earned them the top prize of $2 million and automatic qualification for the CONCACAF Caribbean Club Shield.
The Elite League was dubbed the nation's premier professional football tournament.
However, during the presentation ceremony, Slingerz FC walked away with $2 mil-
lion as the first-place winners, followed by the Guyana Police Force (GPF) FC, which bagged $1.2 million, and the Guyana Defence Force (GDF), which carted off $800,000. The fourth-spot winners, Western Tigers FC, went away with $500,000. Meanwhile, the Most Valuable Player (MVP) prize of $150,000 went to Darron Niles from Slingerz FC; the top goal scorer prize of $100,000 went to Neron Barrow from the Guyana Police Force FC, while the best goalkeeper prize of $100,000 went to Akel Clarke from Slingerz FC, and the Best Young Player prize of $75,000 went to Malcolm Hendrick from Santos FC.
says team will travel to Trinidad to compete if invited
Team AJM’s Porsche GT3, driven by 20-year-old Will Redford of Britain, dominated the GT3 Spec Class at the November 2 Caribbean Clash of Champions at the South Dakota Circuit, and with this success, businessman Nasrudeen Mohamed’s eyes are now set on purchasing another machine in time for the April 2026 showdown.
This is the first year the Guyana Motor Racing & Sports Club (GMRSC) has introduced the GT3 category of racing aimed at revolutionising regional motorsport, and it has done so.
Redford, who has never driven a GT3, proved that his experience as a Radical driver pays off. In fact, Mohamed stated that it was the best choice to have him drive the car on race day.
"We are excited that Will showed his versatility; taking into consideration he has never driven one of these cars, his experience as a Radical driver was all we needed..."
He added that it was a last-minute decision to fly in Redford to drive since he was not too comfortable at this time transitioning from a Group Two driver to a GT3 driver. "The team
spoke, and after consulting with Terry, our lead mechanic, it was decided to let Will race... I was not ready to drive the car due to safety reasons coming from Groups Two to Four... I was a little concerned."
Nevertheless, he added that the team is excited to have won three in three on race day and further stated that giving the foreign driver the opportunity to race on the Guyana track is setting him up for bigger things in his own country and here in Guyana.
"Will will return with us next year... and by then we should have a new GT3,
and I think I will be more confident to drive alongside the other competitors in this class... in the meantime, I am using the simulator at home in preparation for race day in April."
more advanced than theirs.
Nonetheless, he noted that the absence of Franklyn Boodram at the November 2 meeting was unfortunate, but he is sure that he will be here in April 2026. Mohamed admitted that Team AJM was looking forward to racing against both Vieira and Boodram, adding that both of their vehicles are
"But before April, my team and I are ready and willing to travel to Trinidad for their motorsport events once we are invited... It's all about competition, and Team AJM will remain competitive in the motorsport area for a long time... it is all about investing in your team and getting the best to get the job done..."
Mohamed also related that the team will continue to have two cars in the rookie category, which he noted will be used to groom the young drivers to handle faster machines. "We will always keep two cars in that category... we want the young drivers to grasp the skills so that they can move on to drive faster cars... it is all about the skills, mindset, investments, and giv-
ing them the opportunity to shine." He added that while the South Dakota Circuit might not be as smooth as the international racetracks, it is one of the best in the Caribbean. As such, he too was happy to hear that the facility will strictly be used for motor racing and no other purposes. This, he noted, will be a game changer – one that will give the drivers and riders more time to practise not only during racing periods but all year round. When asked about his intention to have a rider on the track as well, Mohamed noted that it is all in the making. He expressed gratitude to his team and partners – Jumbo Jet and SVC Racing – for their hard work and support in making his dream come true.
Nasrudeen Mohamed Jr (left) along with Will Redford (centre) and Mark Vieira (extreme right) with racing fans
AJM’s Porsche GT3
The head coach of the GPF FC collecting the cheque on behalf of the team
The West Tigers FC coach collecting his team’s winnings
Guyana's Elite League 2025 season MVP Darron Niles
The head coach of GDF FC receiving the cheque from GFF General Secretary Pushpargha Chattopadhyay
GFF General Secretary Pushpargha Chattopadhyay along with MVP Darron Niles, Slingerz FC Head Coach Jamaal Shabazz and Best Goalkeeper Akel Clarke (Elite League)
