PNCR in turmoil
PNC Chairman, City Councillor quit in party's continued meltdown
In the latest of what is becoming a perpetual unravelling of the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR), the party’s Chairman, Shurwayne Holder, and City Councillor, Robert Maison, on Monday resigned, just hours after an interview aired with party Leader, Aubrey Norton, espousing that “the party is a united party”.
Holder and Maison’s resignation also come just hours after longstanding PNCR Executive, Mervyn Williams strikingly made his resignation announcement during a live airing of the party’s weekly programme “Nation Watch”, which he hosted for a number of years. Williams was at the time concluding his interview with the party’s newest lead parliamentarian, businessman, Terrence Campbell. In a Sunday night interview on the “Sources” Talk Show that the party was already rid of its bad apples, and marching forward as one.
“As far as I’m concerned, the party is united at this stage. Most of the people who generated the problems have gone about their business so it’s a good opportunity for us to now consoli-
date with a united party,” Norton said in responding to a question about the party has been “highly divided” in recent times, particularly as the party headed into the September 1 General and Regional Elections (GRE). The party’s dismal performance at the recently concluded GRE was a crowning wound in its tragic descent. The party, which ran under the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) coalition, managed to garner a subpar 77,998 votes, which landed them just 12 seats in Guyana’s National Assembly, a steep decline of over 139,000 votes
when measured against the 217,920 votes the party got in 2020 when it coalesced with the Alliance for Change (AFC) and earned 31 seats in the 12th Parliament.
Exclusion
According to reports, it is Holder’s exclusion from APNU’s list of 12 persons headed to Parliament that has sparked his and Maison’s resignation. A former Member of Parliament (MP), Holder had previously served as the APNU Geographical Candidate for Region Two in the 12th Parliament.
Speaking with the Guyana Times on Monday afternoon, PNCR General Secretary (GS) Sherwin Benjamin noted that he had not yet seen the official resignation from either Holder or Maison, and noted that he was still trying to wrap his head around this latest development. However, Benjamin noted that Holder had exited a social media group for the party’s Central Executive Committee (CEC).
“I have not received any official documentation from [Holder] or Mr Maison. I did see that he (Holder) exited the CEC group. At the
moment, I cannot say I am trying to make contact with Shurwayne to make sense of what is happening because I am getting these calls and I want to talk to Shurwayne before I make any announcement,” Benjamin noted. Another member of the party explained that if Holder had resigned, due to his position as the Chairman of the party his resignation would have to be addressed directly to Norton. Considered a close ally of Norton, Holder first became a member of the PNCR executive in 2018. He was elected to the CEC during the party’s 21st Biennial Delegates Congress held that year.
At the subsequent Biennial Congress in 2021 Holder was elected to the Chairmanship, a position he was re-elected to in 2024 when the party’s election was rift with accusations of lacking transparency, accountability and fairness.
This latest series of resignations follows what is becoming a regular year on year occurrences for the PNCR over the past few years. The thinning of the herd has included the resignation of many long-
standing stalwarts including former GS Amna Ally, who resigned earlier this year. Former Georgetown Mayor, Patricia Chase Green, and City Councillor Trichria Richards, resigned in 2023 ahead of the Local Government Elections, where they debut as members of PNCR’s main political rival the People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPPC). Longstanding party member Ronald Backer, and party Treasurer Fiaaz Mursaline, resigned in 2022.
Youth activists Thandi McAllister and Brian Smith, resigned in 2021. Former
General Secretaries Geeta Chandan-Edmond, and Dawn Hastings-Williams resigned those positions in 2022 and 2024 respectively. Region 10 Executives and former Parliamentarian Jermaine Figueira and Vanessa Kissoon, both also resigned this year, as did Former Executives and Parliamentarians James Bond, Amanza WaltonDesir, Natasha Singh Lewis.
Former Region Four Regional Chairman Daniel Seeram and Vice-Chairman Samuel Sandy also resigned this year ahead of the 2020 elections where they both endorsed the PPPC. McAllister, ChandanEdmond, Figueira, and Bond have all also crossed the floor and joined the PPPC. Hastings-Williams and Natasha Singh-Lewis have joined the United States (US) sanctioned Azruddin Mohamed’s We Invest in Nationhood (WIN) party, which won 16 seats in Parliament in the September 1 elections, and Walton-Desir has formed her own party, the Forward Guyana Movement (FGM) which won a single seat at the GRE.
PNCR Chairman Shurwayne Holder
PNC City Councillor
Robert Maison
BRIDGE OPENINGS
The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Tuesday, September 16 – no retraction and Wednesday, September 17 – 00:50h–02:20h.
The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Tuesday, September 16 –12:35h–14:05h and Wednesday, September 17 – 13:45h–15:15h.
FERRY SCHEDULE
Parika and Supenaam departure times – 05:00h, 10:00h-12:00h, 16:00h, 18:30h daily.
WEATHER TODAY
Sunny skies are expected during the day. Mostly clear skies are expected at night. Temperatures are expected to range between 23 degrees Celsius and 33 degrees Celsius.
Winds: East North-Easterly to Easterly between 2.23 metres and 4.02 metres.
High Tide: 12:15h reaching a maximum height of 2.02 metres.
Low Tide: 18:05h reaching a minimum height of 1.24 metres.
Load testing begins on US$262M Demerara River Bridge
Load testing has officially begun on the new US$262 million Demerara River Bridge, marking one of the final stages before its highly anticipated opening later this month. On Monday, engineers conducted the first round of testing on the bridge’s western approach, using heavyweight trucks to assess structural integrity. Public Works Minister Juan Edghill explained that the exercise involves positioning 16 trucks at various points on the bridge to simulate maximum load pressure.
Flyovers
Even with expanded road networks to accommodate the traffic from the new Demerara River Bridge, the Guyana Government is exploring the construction of flyover infrastructure to add efficiency to the growing traffic that is anticipated with the completion of the bridge project. To support the new bridge, approach roads are being constructed at both ends of the bridge, which land at Nandy Park on the EBD and at La Grange on the WBD. On the eastern end, a four-la-
Politecnica as the supervisory consultant, is one of Guyana’s most significant infrastructure upgrades to date. President Dr Irfaan Ali, who inspected works at
the eastern approach road earlier this month, confirmed that the final phase of roadworks is progressing well ahead of the bridge’s opening.
Testing is expected to continue over the next two weeks, with the eastern approach scheduled for September 16 and a critical high-span test set for September 25.
The new four-lane, 2.6-kilometre (km) bridge stretches from Nandy Park on the East Bank of Demerara (EBD) to La Grange on the West Bank of Demerara (WBD). With a fixed-high span of 50 metres, it will allow Handymax vessels to pass unobstructed beneath. The bridge is designed with a lifespan of 100 years and will operate toll-free, 24/7, with a maximum speed limit of 80 km/h. Its design will also feature the Cacique Crown of Honour (CCH), the country’s second-highest national award.
Once commissioned, the bridge will replace the aging Demerara Harbour Bridge (DHB), a floating structure that has long struggled with congestion and frequent closures. The DHB will be removed and repurposed to bridge other waterways across the country. The project, undertaken by China Railway Construction (International) Limited with
ne road is being built out to take the bridge traffic directly onto the Heroes Highway, where a roundabout is currently under construction. According to the Head of State, “The ultimate goal, for the greatest efficiency, is to have two flyovers: one on the Heroes Highway and one on the West Bank.” However, the President noted that these are projects that his Government is looking at undertaking in the future and not immediately. In the meantime, the Heroes Highway is being expanded to add two collector lanes to receive the bridge traffic and send it on to the four-lane Haags Bosch road, which connects to the Ogle-Eccles Road link.
Editor: Tusika Martin
News Hotline: 231-8063 Editorial: 231-0544, 223-7230, 223-7231, 225-7761
Marketing: 231-8064Accounts: 225-6707
Mailing address: Queens Atlantic Industrial Estate Industrial Site, Ruimveldt, Georgetown
Email: news@guyanatimesgy.com, marketing@guyanatimesgy.com
Guyana’s shift towards a true correctional service
The Guyana Prison Service (GPS) is undertaking a transformation, signalling an essential shift in the country’s approach to incarceration. Moving away from a system traditionally defined by punishment, the Service is embracing a correctional model focused on rehabilitation, reintegration, and the restoration of human dignity. This development, while long overdue, marks a critical juncture in the evolution of the nation’s criminal justice landscape.
Historically, prisons in Guyana, as in many jurisdictions, have been viewed primarily as sites for confinement, a response to crime that relies on restriction and control. This punitive model, while straightforward in its intent, has yielded limited success in addressing recidivism or preparing inmates for constructive roles in society upon release. Recognition of these limitations has prompted a reevaluation of the core purpose of incarceration, one that prioritises the transformation of lives over the mere enforcement of sentences.
Officials of the GPS have been explicit about this reorientation. Speaking on the monthly programme Prison in Focus, Deoraj Gyandat, Officer-in-Charge of Lusignan Prison, highlighted that the punishment is the deprivation of liberty itself, not the experience of suffering within prison walls. “Sent to prison is the punishment, not sent to prison for punishment,” he stated. This perspective represents a conscious effort to reposition correctional institutions as centres for learning, skillbuilding, and personal development.
Central to this shift is the introduction of vocational workshops, training wings, and dedicated spaces for skills development. Inmates now have access to accredited programmes in carpentry, joinery, masonry, and other practical trades, facilitated by qualified instructors. These initiatives are designed to equip inmates with marketable skills, fostering employability and the ability to reintegrate productively into society. Beyond employment, such programmes provide a sense of purpose and structure, contributing to the broader objective of reducing re-offending rates.
Rehabilitation efforts extend beyond technical training. Family engagement has been recognised as a critical component of successful reintegration. Deputy Director of Prisons, Kevin Pilgrim, emphasised initiatives that maintain and strengthen family ties, noting that reconciliation programmes and structured visitation schedules are integral to sustaining support networks outside prison walls. In doing so, the Service acknowledges the central role of social bonds in promoting behavioural change and long-term stability.
The transformation is equally evident within the ranks of prison staff. New training facilities aim to instil a correctional ethos among officers, moving away from a culture focused solely on control and surveillance. Officers are being prepared to assume mentorship roles, guiding inmates in their rehabilitation journeys while upholding humane treatment and professional standards. This dual focus, on both inmates and personnel, reflects an understanding that meaningful reform requires cultural as well as structural change.
The GPS’s reform agenda is unfolding against a backdrop of enduring challenges, including overcrowding and contraband. Nevertheless, officials maintain that substantial investments in modern infrastructure since 2020 have laid a robust foundation for this transition. Facilities have been constructed in accordance with international best practices, providing environments conducive to rehabilitation and humane treatment. Director of Prisons, Nicklon Elliot underscored that modernisation extends beyond physical infrastructure to encompass operational policies, legal frameworks, and strategic planning, all aligned with contemporary correctional standards.
Adopting principles reminiscent of the Nelson Mandela approach, the Service is committed to ensuring prisoners are afforded humane conditions, access to legal and health services, and opportunities for personal development. This commitment aligns with international human rights norms and the global shift toward correctional practices that prioritise rehabilitation over retribution. By embedding these values into everyday operations, the GPS seeks to cultivate a correctional culture capable of transforming both individuals and society.
The ongoing reforms signify an administrative change and represent a philosophical redefinition of incarceration itself. By recognising that punishment resides in deprivation of liberty, while rehabilitation lies in opportunity and support, Guyana is positioning its prison system to achieve outcomes that extend well beyond the prison walls. In an era when effective criminal justice is measured by the ability to reduce recidivism, restore social cohesion, and prepare citizens for productive engagement, the GPS’s initiative offers a blueprint for a correctional service that is both modern and humane.
The success of this transformation will depend on sustained investment, the consistent application of correctional principles, and the engagement of society at large. If executed faithfully, this approach has the potential to redefine the nation’s penal system, making it a model of rehabilitation and social reintegration.
Continuing the aggressive fight in “changing the narrative on
Dear Editor,
On September 10, Guyana and the world at large observed ‘World Suicide Prevention Day’ and country is promising a ‘strong commitment’ to ‘Mental Health Reform.’ Guyana realises that ‘indeed a concerted effort is needed for ‘Suicide Prevention’ and this year it was under the theme “Changing the Narrative on Suicide.” As the Ministry of Health pointed out, this year’s theme challenges governments, institutions, families, and individuals to transform how suicide is discussed and addressed within society.
In this regard, I think we should acknowledge that suicide is a very major public health challenge, across all nations, as suicidal deaths account for nearly 720 000 people every year, and vital to note is that each life lost has profound social, emotional, and economic consequences, that deeply affect families, friends, workplaces, and entire communities around the world.
Just look at this, and see why it is fitting that Guyana stay focus on fighting suicide. The 720 000 plus people who die due to suicide every contribute statistically to make suicide the third leading cause of death among 15–29-year-olds. This is a big blow to future generation. Also, seventy-three per cent of global suicides occur in low-middle income countries. Evene graver is that for every suicide, there are many more people who actually attempt suicide, and it is well-established that a prior suicide attempt is an important risk factor for suicide in the general population, and of course, this is being addressed as well.
The reasons for suicide still seem baffling and overall, these are multi-faceted, being influenced by things like social, cultural, biological, psychological, and environmental factors present across the life-course. No wonder Guyana is so committed in its ef-
fort and investment in this area.
In recent years, the Ministry of Health has shown notable progress in suicide prevention and mental health care. We may recall that "mental health catering" was emphasized within the Guyana 2025 Budget (to the tune of $143.2 billion) for things like drug procurement and infrastructure. Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony, at that time of the Budget presentation, did state that mental health will be a critical aspect of the public health system, as triggered by available scientific research on the country's existing mental health challenges.
Another thing that we must remember is that in November 2022, the passage of the seminal Suicide Prevention Act meant the ‘decriminalizing’ of attempted suicide. This pivotal law not only removed a legal barrier but also reduced traditional and silly stigma surrounding the issue. We know too that the act led to a number of good things, such as the establishment of a National Suicide Prevention Commission, the launch of the Government National Mental Health Action Plan and Suicide Prevention Plan 2024–2030, the launching of 915, the first 24/7 National Suicide Prevention Helpline, which provides for a confidential ‘crisis intervention’ and ‘community’ mental health support system. Even before all of this, between April and May 2024, more than 750 Gatekeepers were trained across all 10 regions to identify and respond to suicidal behaviour, and this was in partnership with the International Development and Relief Foundation (IDRF) and Global Affairs Canada.
Let me not belabour the point, as I think that no one can doubt that Guyana is in a good phase in terms of acknowledging the seriousness of suicide, and aggressively seeking to coun-
suicide”
ter it. To these kinds of inputs, the Pan American Health Organisation/World Health Organisation (PAHO/WHO) has already recognised the country’s significant decline in suicide rates in recent times, and thus commending the country’s integrated and compassionate approach.
As far as I know, the triennial theme for World Suicide Prevention Day (2024–2026) is “Changing the Narrative on Suicide”. This theme means that we need, personally and collectively, to ‘challenge harmful myths, reduce stigma, and foster open, compassionate conversations about suicide.’ It is very vital that a shift in mindset take place-from silence and misunderstanding to openness, empathy, and support, and so create a fraternizing environment, where people feel comfortable to talk about their situation and turn for accompanying help.
My plea is that we must not let World Suicide Prevention Day be just another occasion. We need to be behind the Ministry of Health as the call goes out to all citizens “… to continue breaking the silence surrounding mental health (as) we all have a role to play in changing the narrative—by replacing silence with understanding, stigma with compassion, and punishment with care.” Let’s remember that every suicide is a tragedy, and to some degree a mystery. The word is that “Suicide often stems from a deep feeling of hopelessness. The inability to see solutions to problems or to cope with challenging life circumstances may lead people to see taking their own lives as the only solution to what is really a temporary situation, and most survivors of suicide attempts go on to live full, rewarding lives.
Yours truly, Raymond Anderson
President Dr Irfaan Ali showing off some moves with WCPL stars and sharing laughs with former New Zealand player and now commentator Danny Morrison during a lively cricket meet-up at the End of Season party on Monday evening at Tribe Gastronomic Lounge, Church Street, Georgetown
Another misrepresentation of press freedom in Guyana
Dear Editor, The September 12 statement assessing the Government of Guyana’s relationship with the media by Reporters Without Borders (RSF) warrants scrutiny, as it is clearly a misrepresentation of the state of press freedom in this country. First, it is not coincidental that the RSF statement came just a few days after the Guyana Press Association (GPA) used its congratulatory message to President Irfaan Ali to chastise him for what it described as an “attack” on a ‘journalist’ – the same ‘journalist’ who, just a few weeks before the General and Regional Elections, made a false claim to his more than 270,000 followers that several members of President Ali’s Cabinet were to be sanctioned by the US government. This is the same ‘journalist’ who was at the center of a highly controversial interview – which was coincidentally ‘leaked’ days before the general elections – in which unsubstantiated allegations of widespread corruption were made against President Ali and members of his imme-
diate family. It was also this same ‘journalist’ who, earlier this year, published an entire interview with a woman who falsely claimed she lost her twins during delivery at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC). Editor, Guyana’s media landscape is one of the most pluralistic in the Caribbean. According to the Guyana National Broadcasting Authority (GNBA), there are currently more than two dozen licensed television broadcasters, more than a dozen radio stations, several privately owned daily and weekly newspapers, and an expanding number of independent online platforms. These operate alongside stateowned outlets, creating a highly competitive media space. Anyone who spends ten minutes browsing social media or reading a single edition of the Kaieteur News or Stabroek News will observe the wide latitude enjoyed by journalists and citizens alike, including robust and often harsh criticism of President Ali’s government. For instance, Tony Vieira, who previously owned Channel 28, ac-
cused the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) of rigging the 2025 General and Regional Election, in a September 12 letter in the Stabroek News. Of course, by this, he implied that GECOM rigged the election to return Dr Ali to office. Vieira’s view is in stark contrast to what all election observer missions have concluded – that the elections were free, fair and orderly –but he (Vieira) continues to enjoy his right to free speech even when it conflicts with the truth. Further, there is no merit to RSF’s claim that the President’s power to appoint members of the Guyana National Broadcast Authority (GNBA) affects the independence of the country’s media outlets because those “allies” allegedly have the power to revoke broadcast media licences. Regulatory frameworks for broadcasting exist in every democracy. In the United Kingdom, the communications regulator Ofcom is appointed by government; in the United States, members of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) are nominated by the President and
confirmed by the Senate. These appointments, like those in Guyana, are legitimate exercises of democratic authority. What matters is not the method of appointment but whether arbitrary revocations or denials are used systematically to silence opposition voices. RSF has not, and would not be able to provide any evidence that Guyana’s media environment is shaped primarily by fear of such revocation. On the contrary, critical reporting against the government remains readily available across both traditional and digital platforms. Like the GPA statement, RSF’s statement repeatedly refers to “hostility” by government officials towards the media. However, it is important to distinguish between hostility and legitimate self defence. Article 146 of Guyana’s Constitution guarantees freedom of expression, while Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), to which Guyana is a signatory, makes clear that freedom of expression carries responsibilities, including the protection of reputations. When public
officials respond firmly to criticisms – like President Ali did – or even mount legal challenges against reporting they deem defamatory, this does not in itself constitute an assault on press freedom. The right to freedom of expression in democratic societies such as ours is reciprocal. Journalists enjoy the right to publish, but politicians and citizens also retain the right to defend themselves through lawful means. To demand silence from political leaders – including the President – in the face of consistent and relentless attacks from journalists and media operatives with discernible partisan agendas would undermine the very principle of free expression that RSF seeks to uphold. Surely RSF and the GPA can agree that healthy tension between the media and political power is inherent to democracy. Constructive reforms to further guarantee fairness and access are welcome, but any balanced analysis of Guyana’s press freedom must acknowledge that the current environment already provides one of the highest levels
of journalistic freedom in the region, a fact borne out by the daily reality of uncensored, opposition-leaning criticism. I close by recalling that in 2020, when President Ali announced his Members of Parliament (MPs) for the 2020–2025 term, a former President of the GPA posted the list on their Facebook page with the caption: “What fresh hell awaits us.” Although the post was later removed, records of it still exist. Against this backdrop, and when one further considers that the current GPA is led by two individuals who were directly employed by the APNU government – including one who served in the then President’s Office –and that not a single state media worker sits on the present executive, concerns about impartiality are neither trivial nor unfounded. I firmly believe that this political imbalance is an indication that we can expect heightened levels of antagonism towards President Ali and his government over the next five years.
Yours faithfully, Ravin Singh
Well done, GPF and GDF
Dear Editor, President Irfaan Ali, on behalf of so many, said that ‘You held the line,’ referring to the occasion where “Several members of the Disciplined Services were awarded the Joint Services Medal Class A for their meritorious and dedicated service in support of Law and Order, during the just concluded elections.” I followed the happenings, preceding and following the just concluded elections, and it is now quite appropriate that our Armed Forces be commended for “… their unwavering commitment to duty and their vital role in ensuring the safety and security of the nation, during the recently held 2025 general and regional elections.”
Let me point out that our security sector is always under pressure. If it does not deliver (in the eyes of some), there is condemnation, and when it does, there is the fear of being criticised by some segments in the country. The job is not an easy one. The Guyana Police and Defence Forces have sworn allegiance to the country, and many times, especially with the GPF, the members are scorned because ‘some segments’ want them to ‘turn a blind eye’ to crim-
inality, especially during a protest, more so at the time of elections. I think, that under the People’s Progressive Party, we are seeing a dramatic move towards professionalism, and the ability by both the GDF and GPF, to dispense duties in accordance to ‘good governance’ and law. So, the recent presidential commendations are quite in order.
As per the dailies, President Irfaan Ali stated that “You held the line, calm, silent, but decisive in your action, and this, of course, allowed the people’s will to be expressed without disruption,” explaining that “Elections can be moments of strain. They stir passion by debate. They expose the division. Yet Guyana passed the test, and we passed it because the Joint Services ensured that passion did not become provocation and division did not descend into disorder. Their vision, their vigilance gave us peace; their discipline gives us stability.”
Editor, after noting the president’s note of encomium, my mind went back to the pre-election pronouncement from Commissioner of Police Clifton Hicken, that “… the police will be present at elections to protect, not interfere …” His assur-
ance, quite timely and necessary was the Guyana Police Force (GPF) will be focussed on protecting the constitutional rights of citizens on election day. In his own words he stated that “Police officers and ranks will be in all 10 of the administrative regions…not to interfere, but to protect your constitutional rights to participate peacefully and safely.”
So, on a job well done, without fear nor favour, the chorus of ‘gracefulness’ must be repeated and remembered. Here is an example of what I mean. On August 31, 2025, when the GDF had reported that while escorting GECOM officials and ballot boxes along the Upper Cuyuni River in the vicinity of Bamboo, near the GuyanaVenezuela border, a Joint Services patrol came under fire from the Venezuelan shore. (However) The escort team, comprising ranks from the Guyana Defence Force
and the Guyana Police Force, conducting official duties in support of GECOM’s ballot distribution to remote polling stations in Region Seven, returned fire, and successfully manoeuvred the escort team out of danger. In the end, no injuries were sustained by any personnel, and no election materials were damaged nor compromised.
Let us, then as safe Guyanese, concur with the president that “We must offer the nation’s gratitude, gratitude not only in words, but in deeds, gratitude that will be reflected in our commitment to support and strengthen the Joint Services to provide you with the tools and resources you need to ensure that your welfare be prioritised and that your service be honoured, not just ceremonially, but substantively, to the people of Guyana.”
Yours truly, Hargesh B Singh
Page Foundation
Circle Graphs or Pie Charts
A circle graph compares parts of a whole to a whole. They are also called pie charts because each looks like a pie that has been sliced up. When you read a pie chart, it does not always matter how big the whole is, because you are comparing parts to each other and the whole. However, sometimes you can calculate a whole exactly.
Examples:
Which kind of bank note did Patricia save the most?
Step 1: Find the biggest segment of the pie chart.
Step 2: Read the label for that segment. Patricia saved more $20 bills than any other kind of bank note.
Patricia saved a total of 98 bank notes. How many of them were $20 bills?
Step 1: Look at the whole circle. You may not be able to tell exactly how big each part is. However, you can estimate. The $20 bills segment accounts for roughly one half of the circle.
Step 2: Multiply ½ x 98 = 49. There are 49 $20 bills.
Calculate the value of the $20 bills segment: $20 x 49 = $980. Types of pie charts
For this project you will need: Leather, felted wool, or vinyl measuring about 8" x 18" (per pouch), small pieces of contrasting scrap leather for details, three strips of fabric measuring about 2" x 42", waxed linen cord, a needle made for leather work, an awl, a cutting mat, sharp scissors, and a craft knife
1. Cut out eyelashes and a nose or any other details you'd like to add to the top flap.
2. Round off one short end of the leather. I used a Pyrex dish and pen to trace a nice round edge and then cut along my line with my shears. Then, I measured about 6" from that rounded edge and made a rounded triangular cut with my craft knife to create ear flaps. The negative space will be used for the straps to be stitched in.
3. I placed my eyelashes and nose in place on the open flap and used my awl to poke holes through both layers of leather.
4. I then separated them and made bigger holes before stitching them to the front flap. If you are using felted wool or vinyl you may just be able to use a fabric or gorilla glue to adhere your detail pieces.
5. I braided my three strips of fabric to create my strap and stitched each in to the inside of the ouch with the straps coming out of the ear holes.
6. Finally, I folded my pouch up and poked holes through one side at a time with my awl before stitching them shut. I started on the inside near the top, stitched to the bottom, and then stitched back up to the top in the opposite direction. (abeautifulmess.com)
By Elly NilaNd
Hopes lead fears in equal doses. Heaving sea, alone, in an open Boat with a quarter-rum. Buoyed up.
Thinking
That nature does not defeat man Man defeats man Though age has trimmed my sails now, I’ve learned the pleasure of doing nothing. Just being. Watching all the channels in the sky And water frothing, battering the shore. A drama of ribbons and ruffles, Tulle and lace seething. There are times I stand up and applaud.
Write a poem about the times when you’re happiest.
“Reset”, “rethink” services delivery for nation’s benefit – new Home Affairs Minister tells HoDs
Minister Oneidge Walrond officially assumed leadership of the Home Affairs Ministry on Monday, following a formal handover by Senior Advisor in Home Affairs and Natural Resources and former Minister, Robeson Benn. Minister Walrond convened her first meeting with the Ministry’s Heads of Department on Monday in the Boardroom, where she was welcomed by senior officials and staff. She emphasised the importance of collaborative leadership and called for open dialogue on both challenges and solutions within the Ministry.
Ex-ANUG
“This is an opportunity for a reset, a rethink of how we deliver services to our citizens in a growing country. I want to hear from each of you, not only about the challenges but also about the solutions, so that together we can be better, do better, and ensure our nation benefits,” Walrond said. She also highlighted her legal and judicial experience, particularly in juvenile justice, as an asset in shaping the Ministry’s policy direction.
Meanwhile, Permanent Secretary (PS) Andre Ally extended a welcome on behalf of the Ministry’s staff, noting the team’s readi-
ness to work under the new leadership. “Minister, you have before you a very talented and diverse team.
We do face many challenges, but we also have solutions. With your leadership, and the support of Senior
Advisor Mr Benn, I am confident that we will be able to achieve our mandate. We are fully behind you and committed to progress,” Ally said. In the symbolic handover, Robeson Benn commended the Ministry’s leadership team and expressed his support for Minister Walrond. “We have set a strong foundation, and I am confident that with continued synergy across agencies, the Ministry will further enhance its delivery of security and public service,” he stated. The Home Affairs Ministry oversees several key agencies, including the Guyana Police Force (GPF), Guyana Prison Service (GPS), Guyana Fire Service (GFS), Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU), General Register Office (GRO), Juvenile Justice Department, Guyana Forensic Science Laboratory, National Community Policing of Guyana, and Immigration Support Services. The handover ceremony included a performance by the GPF Band, which played My Guyana (My Guyana Eldorado) by F.P. Loncke and I Am a Guyanese by Adrian Dutchin, adding a note of patriotic pride to the proceedings.
Executive calls out WIN over ‘cut-throat’ politics
…says ANUG’s snubbing from parliamentary list a betrayal of partnership
ormer executive of
FA New and United Guyana (ANUG), Althia King, has accused the United States sanctioned businessman’s Azruddin Mohamed’s We Invest in Nationhood (WIN) Party of betraying the spirit of its political partnership, describing the seat allocation arrangement as a “cutthroat” act that has left ANUG fractured and disillusioned.
King, who in January 2024 was nominated as ANUG’s parliamentary representative under the joinder agreement with the Liberty and Justice Party (LJP) and The New Movement (TNM), resigned earlier this year alongside party co-founders Ralph Ramkarran, S.C., and Timothy Jonas, SC.
The resignations followed revelations that ANUG, under the leadership of Dr Mark France, had quietly entered into an agreement with WIN, led by US-sanctioned Mohamed.
In a strongly worded social media post, King revealed that a draft legally binding contract had promised ANUG one parliamentary seat if WIN secured at least five seats, and two seats if it won sixteen. However, when WIN published its official parliamenta-
ry list after securing sixteen seats in the September 1 polls, no ANUG nominees were included.
“Despite those doubts, many of us hoped for the best for ANUG and kept an intent watch on WIN’s pursuit to succeed in the elections,” King wrote. “Naturally, we all hoped those sacrifices would at least amount to something that could give us some form of gratification for what essentially tore the party apart.”
On Saturday last, President Dr Irfaan Ali swore in his 25 ministers to his Cabinet, and subsequently after a list displaying WIN’s parliamentary contenders begun
circulating on social media.
Among the most recognisable names on the proposed parliamentary slate are former APNU-AFC ministers and MPs: Dawn HastingsWilliams, ex-Minister of State and a respected Indigenous leader from Region Seven; Tabitha Sarabo-Halley, once Minister of Public Service; and Natasha Singh-Lewis, another APNU defector who adds parliamentary experience to WIN’s bench. The list shared by WIN’s General Secretary Odessa Primus and ANUG Chairman Mark France did not include the name of a single ANUG party member, not even France himself.
In light of this, King questioned the rationale behind WIN’s decision to exclude ANUG, pointing out that even if there was no confidence in Dr. France, other competent executives.
“But what is WIN gaining from cutting ANUG out of one seat from sixteen seats?” King asked, suggesting that even if WIN had no confidence in Dr. Mark France, there were “competent ANUG executives like Niall Stanton, Dexter George and Akeem McDonald” who could have represented the alliance in Parliament,” she said.
“I’m disappointed yet again by a party in which so many placed their trust in, despite the risks and reputations involved,” she wrote. “If this is how WIN treats their small partners, then what hope is left for any political dealings at all?”
Resignations
King isn’t the first ANUG party member to raised concerns about the merger agreement. In fact, Co-founders of ANUG, Ralph Ramkarran, S.C., and Timothy Jonas, S.C., resigned after it was announced that the party signed a coalition agreement with, We Invest in Nationhood (WIN) –
a new party founded by United States (US)-sanctioned businessman Azruddin Mohamed.
It was reported that Ramkarran had advised France against coalescing with WIN. He explained that his resignation came because he did not want to be seen as supporting the coalition deal with WIN – something which he does not want to be associated with.
Shortly after, Senior Counsel Jonas, who previously served as ANUG’s Chairman, also indicated via a Facebook post that he, too, has resigned from the party.
WIN founder WIN’s founder, Mohamed, is currently facing sanctions
from the US over gold smuggling and public corruption allegations.
Back in June 2024, the US had sanctioned Guyanese businessmen Nazar and Azruddin Mohamed, along with their businesses: Mohamed’s Enterprise; its subsidiary, Hadi’s World; and Team Mohamed’s Racing Team, over gold smuggling and public corruption allegations.
According to the US Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), Mohamed’s Enterprise smuggled some 10,000 kilogrammes (kg) of gold out of Guyana between 2019 and 2023, thus avoiding paying more than US$50 million in duty taxes. Shortly after the sanctions, Guyana had requested the relevant information and documentation from the US Government to conduct its own investigations.
In March of this year, local law enforcement agencies, including the Guyana Police Force (GPF) and the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA), received a ‘sufficient volume’ of evidence to take action against the businessmen. Those investigations are ongoing.
New Home Affairs Minister Oneidge Walrond meets with Heads of Department of the Ministry Police Officers during the welcoming ceremony
Home Affairs Minister Walrond being welcomed by the Ministry’s staff
ANUG’s leader, Mark France and WIN leader US-sanctioned businessman Azruddin Mohamed signing the deal for the former party to be absorbed under the banner of WIN
Former Executive of A New and United Guyana (ANUG), Althia King
2020 election fraud trial TCI’s Rhonda Lam testifies to vote count manipulation, flash drive, fake numbers
Presidential Candidate for The Citizen’s Initiative (TCI) political party Rhonda Lam, on Monday morning testified to a “methodical raising of votes for the APNU+AFC (A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance for Change) and lowering of votes for the PPP/C (People’s Progressive Party/Civic)” in variation of the actual numbers on the Statement of Polls (SoPs) when the tabulation of the 2020 General and Regional Elections (GRE) for Region Four was initially tabulated on March 4, 2020 at the Ashmin’s Building. Lam also testified to having 330 verified SoPs in her possession at the time of the tabulation,
“There was a pattern. What we saw were increments of 10... I saw the APNU+AFC votes being raised by 10 votes, 20 votes, 30 votes sometimes as much as 50 votes and at the same time the votes for the PPPC being lowered by those same increments... Mr Livan indicated that he was tired and that is why he was making mistakes... that is when he attempted and succeeded in leaving the room with the flash drive.” Lam noted that she was able to identify the discrepancies between the voting results of what was on the SoPs and what was being called out by the GECOM officials based on the fact that she had pictures of some 330 verified SoPs at the time, over 100 of which she had verified herself.
“In my possession when I entered GECOM (Ashmin’s Building) I had just about 330 SoPs that we verified. Personally, I verified 102, the total came from the rest of the party members. I had the images on my phone and a populated spreadsheet,” Lam said. A witness for the prosecution, Lam took the stand and testified of various events occurring between 4 - 12 March, 2020, when then Returning Officer (RO) for Region Four, Clairmont Mingo, made two different attempts to declare results for Region Four with numbers later deemed fraudulent. Lam testified of the commotion that ensued when
pering with the flash drive,” Lam said.
“Mr Lowenfield entered the room and he had some police officers with him along with Mr Livan... Mr Yearwood from ANUG (A New and United Guyana) was shouting: ‘They are attempting to rig the elections. Mr Lowenfield instructed Mr Livan to plug in the flash drive. When it opened it was at a ballot box that we had not yet reached... I observed we were at a different box when that file opened up. When we stopped, we were at a specific box on the East Bank Demerara (EBD) [but] when the file opened up it was [now] at a box on the East Coast Demerara (ECD). We had not yet gotten to that box for verification.” According to Lam the tabulation continued through to approximately 03:30hrs on March 5, 2020, at which point Lowenfield instructed the election agents and observers to return at 09:00hrs for the continuation of the tabulation. However, the tabulation would never continue as Mr Mingo would later attempt to declare a result without the completion of the tabulation. “Just about 1PM [on March 5] Mr Mingo entered the room, he spoke about his illness and when I thought that he was going to restart the verification process he started to make a declaration of results. he was standing directly in front of me,” Lam said. “I objected be-
and witnessing then Clerk for the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), Enrique Livan, who was calling out the SOP numbers, removing a flash drive from the main tabulation area, and then later returning with a flash drive. Lam made these declarations as she began her testimony as the court case into the elections fraud case before Magistrate Faith McGusty continued in Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts. “What I observed based on what [my party] had independently verified there was a methodical raising and lowering of votes. Raising in favour of the APNU+AFC and lowering was to the disadvantage of the PPP/C [then] opposition party,” Lam testified.
Clerk for GECOM, Enrique Livan, at the time was seen removing a flash drive from the main tabulation area and entering a side room with a computer. Lam testified that she witnessed Livan leaving the room with a flash drive and subsequently returning with a flash drive. She also testified witnessing interactions between Livan and the then Chief Elections Officer (CEO), Keith Lowenfield, and other party officials noting the suspicious activity that ensued as this situation played out. “I heard a commotion and I stepped to the door and I asked [Liberty and Justice Party] Mr [Lennox] Shuman what was happening and he said they discovered Mr Livan with other agents in a back room tam-
cause we had not completed the verification and any declaration without verification would have been illegal. Mr Mingo walked out of the room without completing that attempt at a declaration… I remained in the tabulation room because I was in shock that we had results declared and we had not had the ballot boxes verified.” Those results announced by Mingo initially would have led the win to the then ruling APNU/AFC, however this proved fraudulent as it was later revealed that the elections were won by the PPP/C. Mingo’s attempt was met with swift resistance from the other political parties and the international community including the elections observers.
Methodical lowering and raising
Following the March 5 declaration attempt and commotion, subsequent court matters saw Mingo being ordered by the Chief Justice (ag) Roxane George to display and use the SoPs in the tabulation process. The tabulation process was moved from the Ashmin’s Building to GECOM’s building to continue from March 12, 2020. Lam testified that notwithstanding the CJ’s ruling discrepancies continue to abound in the tabulation process. “Again we saw that methodical lowering and raising of votes from the SoPs that they had in their possession. For instance, there was a ballot box for Diamond Secondary School [polling station] whereby the ballot box numbers were inflated for APNU+AFC and decreased for PPPC,” Lam testified.
However, objections to the situation were struck down by Mingo instantly.
“When we started to look at the SoPs the numbers were off again... The SoPs appeared to not be original SoPs. I could see variations of the writing. I objected and asked if I could verify that indeed we were using [original] SoPs and I was told that no I could not see.... I asked Mr Mingo, he refused,” Lam noted.
“Mr [Nigel] Hinds from Change Guyana called it a farce and left. One by one the party reps left. I stayed because I wished to serve a letter of recount to Mr Mingo.”
Lam noted that once Mingo concluded his version of the tabulation, he declared the results and while she attempted to serve him her recount request document, she was unable to as he was whisked away under police security. During the afternoon session of the case, Yearwood was cross examined by Defence Attorney Nigel Hughes. Yearwood testified that in the subsequent tabulation process on March 12 Mingo was not compliant with what he was ordered to do by the court.
“He wasn't following the Chief Justice’s instructions. I knew he wasn't following the CJ instruction,” Yearwood noted. Testimony in the case will recommence on Tuesday and continue for the rest of the week.
Mulling…
… the PNC’s future
Reeling from the body blows and uppercuts delivered on Sept 1st, Aubrey Norton was forced to throw in the towel – after his claim of receiving some low blows was rejected!! “No mas! No mas,” he finally cried: he wasn’t going back to Parliament, but stay on as leader of the PNC. Simon and Garfunkel’s “The Boxer” – their classic meditation on calling it quits came to your Eyewitness’s mind: “In the clearing stands a boxer/ And a fighter by his trade/ And he carries the reminders/ Of every glove that laid him down/ Or cut him 'til he cried out/ In his anger and his shame/ "I am leaving, I am leaving"/ But the fighter still remains.” Norton’s face displays his “reminders”!!
He's been in the PNC his entire life – starting in the YSM of Burnham, who insisted he’d “mould the nation” starting with the youths who he dragooned into all sorts of organisations for them. Paul Simon again: “I am just a poor boy/ Though my story's seldom told/ I have squandered my resistance/ For a pocket full of mumbles// Such are promises/ All lies and jests/ Still a man hears what he wants to hear/ And disregards the rest.”
He believed in Burnham’s lies, not realising he was just a Pied Piper leading a whole generation to their doom. As he agonised the path ahead, Norton plaintively echoed Burnham’s Biblical plea to his supporters when HE’d faced a dark defeat back in the day. It was Jesus’s chiding of Peter after he found his disciples asleep: “Would ye not watch with me one hour?” Your Eyewitness wonders who was gonna be Norton’s Peter since Burnham had Ptolemy Reid as the rock on which the PNC would be reinvigorated. Looking back, Norton reflected on the PNC’s electoral history and the stumbling blocks of new parties erupting: “In the 1957 elections, we did well. Then, in the 1961 elections, the United Force emerged as a new party, and we lost seats to them. In 2006, the AFC came as a new party, and we lost seats to them again. In 2025, WIN came as a new party, and we lost seats to them.” In 2025, of course, PNC didn’t just “lose” seats to WIN, but actually for the first time in the PNC’s history it bled so many seats it ain’t even the SECOND largest party in the country. The PNC under his watch had become an “also ran”!!
Norton concluded that the PNC would need to understand “the phenomenon of why, when new parties emerge, our support base seems to go in another direction.”
He must focus on the role of the shepherd in the flock straying!!
…a stalwart’s departure
We know that after he took over the helm of the PNC in 2021, Norton faced a seemingly endless stream of executives departing – most to his arch-enemy the PPP!! And they were of all races, classes and strata as Burnham would say!! Your Eyewitness had assumed Norton woulda been introspecting since then. And this would’ve been reflected in the twelve disciples….erm…MPs…he selected to spread the (PNC) gospel to the equivalent of Galilee and Samaria in Guyana!!
But when he bypassed quite a number of PNC stalwarts for the likes of the racist rabble rouser David Hinds, he should’ve expected a blowback. It just came in the most public resignation by Mervyn Williams – an IndigenousGuyanese 40-year PNC veteran from the PNCR’s Central Executive – on the PNC’ s programme “Nation Wach”!! He’d just interviewed newbie MP, Chicken Man Terrence Campbell, who Norton had appointed Parliamentary leader – even though not even a PNC member!! Was that the straw that broke the stalwart’s back after asking himself “Wha’ happen? Goat bite me”???
…the CPL finals
Well, once again, our Guyana Amazon Warriors have qualified for the play-offs!! OK,,,you might be saying that’s expected since they’re done so more than any other team!! But this year it’s all the way!!
The Citizen’s Initiative (TCI) political party's Rhonda Lam
Top row, from left – Volda Lawrence, Keith Lowenfield, Denise Babb-Cummings, and Michelle Miller. Bottom row, from left – Enrique Livan, Sheffern February, Clairmont Mingo, and Carol Smith-Joseph [Some of the individuals facing charges in relation to electoral fraud]
Gas-to-Energy Plant
120-day deadline set for completion of turbine foundations
The foundation works for the Wales Gas-toEnergy (GtE) Project are expected to be completed within the next 120 days, according to the contractor, LINDSAYCA. This timeline was disclosed during a site visit to the project at Wales, Region Three, led by Prime Minister Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips and the newly appointed Public Utilities and Aviation Minister, Deodat Indar.
The construction of the 300-megawatt (MW) power plant, which forms the core of the GtE Project, is currently 78 per cent complete,
ed that the power plant is expected to cut electricity costs by 50 per cent, making it a transformative investment for Guyanese households and businesses.
“The Government is eager to have this project completed so that citizens can begin to reap the benefits of reliable and affordable power,” Minister Indar said during the visit. The Wales GtE Project is considered one of the most striving undertakings in Guyana’s energy sector, and its timely completion is expected to significantly reduce the country’s dependence on ex-
while overall works stand at 68 per cent. On September 22, the contractor will commence the concrete pour for the second foundation. Similar pours for the third and fourth foundations will follow at seven-to-ten-day intervals. These foundations are essential to support the plant’s gas and steam turbines, which make up its combined-cycle system.
Each of the four gas turbines will have a capacity of 57-MW, while the two steam turbines will collectively provide the remaining output to deliver a total generation capacity of 300MW. Once the foundation works are completed within the 120-day deadline, the project will move closer to its targeted completion in 2026.
Minister Indar underscored the importance of the project, describing it as one of the Ali Administration’s most significant manifesto commitments. He not-
pensive imported fuel.
The GtE Project, long positioned as the flagship of Guyana’s strategy to leverage natural gas from the Stabroek Block, holds the promise of delivering cheaper, more reliable electricity to a country where high energy costs have historically restrained growth. The initiative is a strategic decision to convert natural resources into tangible benefits for households, businesses, and future generations.
The establishment of the Wales Industrial Zone, mapped to accommodate a data centre, fertiliser production and manufacturing facilities, further reflects the intent to create a broader industrial ecosystem around the energy hub.
The strategic rationale behind the GtE Project has always been clear, to move away from dependence on imported heavy fuel oil and transition toward cleaner, more affordable, and more stable electricity genera-
tion. By harnessing natural gas from the Stabroek Block through a 250-kilometre (km) high-pressure pipeline and marrying it with cutting-edge combined-cycle technology, Guyana positions itself to reduce electricity costs by a significant margin. In turn, lower energy costs are expected to
cascade into reduced production costs, more competitive exports, and a more diversified and resilient economy. According to the Government, large-scale in-
frastructure developments of this nature are complex and capital-intensive, demanding rigorous oversight and the contract awarded to LINDSAYCA for US$759
million to construct the 300-MW power plant and Natural Gas Liquids (NGL) facility demonstrates the magnitude of financial commitments involved.
Major expansion for waste management as dumping at Haags Bosch hits 400 trucks daily
Newly appointed Local Government and Regional Development, Minister Priya Manickchand, has announced that the Government will be significantly expanding its waste management capacity as the volume of waste entering the Haags Bosch landfill has tripled in recent years.
Speaking during a site visit, Manickchand described solid waste management as “a huge area and a big concern” for residents across the country, stressing that safe, sanitary, and well-managed communities remain a priority for the administration. At Haags Bosch, once designed to handle around 400 tonnes of municipal
solid waste daily, dumping has surged from 100 trucks per day to between 300 and 400, pushing daily waste intake to more than 1,200 tonnes. Residents of nearby communities, including Eccles, Prospect, and Windsor Estate, have repeatedly complained about smoke and unpleas -
tions and limited training have hampered its effectiveness.
To address growing pressures, government in January awarded more than $700 million in contracts for the development of a state-of-the-art recycling centre and a hazardous waste cell at the site.
ant odours from the site.
“We have to now increase our capacity of management,” Manickchand said. “I’ve already met with the engineers and management here, and we’re putting systems in place. The work has to ensure that our children and families can enjoy the outdoors without the scent and smoke affecting their lives.”
The minister noted that her ministry will be working closely with First Lady Arya Ali, who has spearheaded village beautification projects nationwide, to complement the broader strategy for cleaner and greener communities.
The Haags Bosch landfill, established in 2011 and utilising the Fukuoka Method for waste decomposition, is a key part of Guyana’s waste management system. Despite its design to curb emissions and landfill fires, challenges such as weather condi -
The $210 million recycling centre will focus on reducing landfill volumes through sorting and repurposing plastics and other recyclable materials, while the $556 million hazardous waste cell will provide a secure system for treating and disposing of toxic substances.
“These projects will not only improve efficiency but will also help us protect public health and the environment,” Manickchand said, adding that works are expected to be completed on strict timelines with high quality standards.
The minister emphasised that while Haags Bosch remains a central pillar of Guyana’s waste management framework, attention will also be given to smaller villages, neighbourhood councils, and regional facilities to ensure countrywide improvements in waste collection and disposal.
Local Government and Regional Development Minister Priya Manickchand during a site visit at Haags Bosch landfill on Monday
Single mother of 3 gets new home through Home Support Programme
Having a place to finally call her own is now a reality for Colleen Benn and her three children, ages 13, 14, and 5. After decades of renting and moving between relatives’ homes, Benn on Monday received the keys to her brand-new house at Lust-en-Rust, West
Bank Demerara, under the Housing Ministry’s Central Housing and Planning Authority’s (CH&PA) Adequate Housing and Urban Accessibility, Core Home Support Programme.
According to the Housing Ministry, to date, 124 families have been selected to benefit from the
Core Home initiative on the West Bank of Demerara. Of these, 51 homes have already been handed over, 50 are currently occupied, and 43 remain under construction.
Sharing in Ms. Benn’s proud milestone were Minister of Housing, the Hon. Collin Croal, and Minister within the Ministry, the Hon. Vanessa Benn, both of whom commended the programme’s transformative impact on improving the lives of ordinary Guyanese.
Reflecting on her journey, Benn expressed heartfelt gratitude and a sense of relief.
“I had been renting for decades and also staying with relatives, but those days are gone. I feel more relaxed now having my own space,” she said, having received the keys to her new home.
The Core Home Support Programme is designed to assist vulnerable families by providing them with safe, durable, and affordable housing solutions, while simultaneously promoting urban accessibility and community development.
2 men jailed for trafficking over 20 kilos narcotics
wo men were on
TMonday sentenced to prison and fined after pleading guilty to separate drug trafficking offences.
Guyanese honoured at NYC’s inaugural Human Service Excellence awards
Guyanese born educator, Krystal Astwood was recently recognized at New York City’s inaugural Excellence in Human Service Delivery Awards (EHSDA). This historic event, hosted at Gracie Mansion by Mayor Eric Adams and the Mayor’s Office of Nonprofit Services, honored outstanding nonprofits and public servants whose work uplifts vulnerable New Yorkers.
Astwood, a Guyanese American professional, was spotlighted among this year’s honorees for her exceptional commitment to community service and innovation within the human services sector. Her recognition not only underscores her individual dedication and leadership, but also highlights the meaningful impact of Guyanese women on international stages of public service and advocacy.
“This award is a testament to the resilience, compassion, and vision of women from Guyana who continue to shape communities far beyond our borders,” said Iman Cummings, Vice President of AMCHAM Guyana. “Krystal Astwood embodies the very best of our diaspora: service,
strength, and a deep sense of responsibility to others.”
The EHSDA ceremony drew leaders from across New York’s nonprofit and public sectors, with more than 100 nominations reviewed by a selection committee. Honorees included both nonprofit organizations and city employees who demonstrate excellence in customer service, innovation, operational efficiency, and community impact.
The EHSDA is part of NYC Nonprofit Week and celebrates the critical collaboration between nonprofits and city agencies. The awards shine a spotlight on individuals and organi-
zations that advance the wellbeing of New Yorkers through housing, healthcare, youth programs, legal aid, and more.
Krystal Astwood is the Founder of the Reggio Emilia Montessori Center (REMC). Originally from Guyana, she currently lives in Brooklyn, where her formal work in schools began. She holds a BA in Philosophy from Boston College and a Master of Education from Teachers College, Columbia University. Krystal hopes to one day establish similar programs in Guyana, focused on fostering child development, strengthening education, and building social safety systems.
At the Sparendaam Magistrate’s Court, Colin Moore appeared before Magistrate Nurse and admitted to being in possession of 16.784 kilograms of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking. He was sentenced to four years’ imprisonment and fined $25,170,000.
In a separate case, Jason Bascom appeared before
Magistrate Azore at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts. He pleaded guilty to being in possession of 4.078 kilograms of cannabis for the purpose of trafficking. Bascom was sentenced to three years’ imprisonment and fined $30,000.
Newly-appointed Minister within the Housing Ministry, Vanessa Benn hands over the keys to the single mother, Colleen Benn
Guyana-born educator Krystal Astwood (right)
Jailed: Jason Bascom
Jailed: Colin Moore
New Home Affairs Minister Oneidge Walrond welcomed by staff of the Ministry as the Guyana Police Force Band delivered stirring musical renditions (Home Affairs Ministry photos)
Minister within the Local Government Ministry, Pauline Sukhai being welcomed on Monday (Local Government Ministry photo)
Local Government Minister Priya Manickchand being given a bouquet by new Education Minister, Sonia Parag (Local Government Ministry photo)
New Education Minister Sonia Parag being welcomed at the Ministry (Education Ministry photo)
Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha welcomed new Minister within the Agriculture Ministry, Vikash Ramkisson on Monday
Labour and Manpower Planning Minister Keoma Griffith being greeted by the staff of the Labour Ministry on Monday (Labour Ministry photos)
New Tourism Minister Susan Rodrigues being welcomed at the Ministry by staff on Monday (Tourism Ministry photos)
Newly-appointed Minister within the Ministry of Housing, Vanessa Benn being welcomed by Housing Minister Collin Croal and staff of the Ministry (Housing Ministry photos)
The Ministry of Public Works hosted a welcome ceremony for the reinstated Minister of Public Works, Bishop Juan Edghill, and newly-appointed Minister within the Ministry of Public Works, Mandalall Ramraj (Ministry of Public Works photos)
Guyana Association of Women Judges launches 1st edition of “Justice” magazine
The Guyana Association of Women Judges (GAWI) launched the first edition of its much-anticipated magazine, Justice, on Wednesday last at Cara Lodge. The event was attended by distinguished legal professionals, judiciary members, and supporters of GAWI’s vision to empower women in law and amplify the voices of vulnerable communities across the nation.
During the launch, the
and showcase the humanity behind the robe.”
Justice Chandra-Hanif further explained the history and mission of the association, noting, “Our association was founded in 2016 under the astute leadership of our visionary Chancellor, the Honourable Madam Justice Yonette CummingsEdwards OR CCH, and our indefatigable Chief Justice (ag.), the Honourable Madam Justice Roxane George CCH SC. With the
who are often silenced by systemic inequities, shedding light on social justice issues and championing the rights of underrepresented groups.
The inaugural edition features insightful articles, thought-provoking commentary, and inspiring stories from women judges. Justice serves as a platform not only for the judiciary but also for legal professionals, academics, and social advocates to engage with critical issues affecting women, children, and families in Guyana.
Collaboration and empowerment
The magazine highlights the ongoing work of GAWI to foster collaboration, education, and empowerment in the legal community. Justice Chandra-Hanif emphasized, GAWI seeks
President of the Guyana Association of Women Judges, Hon. Madam Justice Priscilla Chandra-Hanif, shared her thoughts on the significance of Justice. She stated, “Justice is not just a magazine. It is a platform. A platform for reflection, for education, for inspiration. It will highlight not only the voices of women judges, but also the issues that affect women, children, families, and communities across our nation. It will encourage dialogue, promote mentorship,
establishment of this organization, we called on judicial officers to work aggressively and collaboratively to alleviate inequities that plague our society, especially in relation to families, women and children, and vulnerable groups.”
Referencing a quote by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Malala Yousafzai, she added, “Raise up my voice not so that I can shout, but so that those without a voice can be heard.” The magazine aims to amplify the voices of those
to “share knowledge, experiences, and innovations in the field of law” while empowering vulnerable communities through public education, mentoring, and legal advocacy.
GAWI is actively engaged in numerous initiatives, such as mentoring junior lawyers, working with law students, tackling trafficking in persons, promoting road safety, and supporting women in carceral settings. The association’s members believe in the pow-
er of collective action, understanding that their voices are stronger together.
“We know that our collective voices and efforts
The launch of Justice marks a significant milestone in GAWI’s ongoing efforts to advance equality and justice in Guyana.
She also extended her heartfelt gratitude to Justice Nicola Pierre, the magazine's Editor-in-Chief, for her hard work in bring-
are stronger than the individual. To enable meaningful change, we foster exposure, dialogue, knowledge exchange, and mutual support among women judges
Despite the progress, the association acknowledges that much work remains to be done.
“We celebrate our progress and achievements, but
ing the publication to life. Hard copies of Justice are available for purchase for G$5000 at
worldwide,” stated Justice Chandra-Hanif. GAWI is part of the Caribbean Association of Women Judges (CAWJ) and the International Association of Women Judges (IAWJ), which provides a strong platform for global advocacy on issues such as human rights, gender-based violence, and judicial reform.
we recognize that there is still much work to be done. Through our collective efforts, GAWI will continue to thrive and expand. With our relentless perseverance in the administration of justice, we hope to be a catalyst for change that will bring fairness, equality, and justice for all,” said Justice Chandra-Hanif.
Additionally, electronic copies can be accessed online through the following link: https://heyzine.com/flipbook/5d8d0d5291.html.
With Justice, GAWI has created a powerful tool for advocacy, education, and social change that will continue to empower women and strengthen the legal profession in Guyana.
Scenes from the magazine launch
the Chambers of Madam Justice Priscilla Chandra-Hanif.
The magazine
New Local Govt Minister pledges to advance regional development
…as new Education Minister expresses determination to ensuring sector goals realised
New Local Government and Regional Development Minister, Priya Manickchand officially as-
sumed office on Monday. She was accompanied by Pauline Sukhai, who will serve as Minister within the Ministry, and Anand
Persaud, Director General. Manickchand, a release from the Ministry stated, was warmly welcomed by the staff of the Ministry,
East Street acid attack Man confesses acid attack plot after ex exposed affair to his wife
Keron Mervin Daniels, a 32-year-old resident of Uitvlugt Pasture, West Coast Demerara (WCD) has confessed to planning the East Street, Georgetown acid attack that has left two women injured. In addition to confessing to being the mastermind of the attack, Daniels named two other individuals, one of whom committed the act and the other being associated with the incident.
Police are on the hunt for both suspects.
The September 3 incident resulted in two cashiers attached to the Balwant Singh Hospital being injured. At around 15:30h, Jillicia Leitch of Tuschen Housing Scheme, East Bank Essequibo (EBE) and 20-year-old Nirmala Sukraj of Good Hope Phase 1, East Coast Demerara (ECD), left the hospital compound to purchase food. According
to reports, as the women made their way along East Street, a white motorcar approached them from behind. From inside the vehicle, the suspect hurled a glass bottle containing a corrosive liquid in their direction before speeding away.
The liquid, believed to be acid, splashed onto both women. Leitch sustained serious burns to her face, stomach, and left hand, while Sukraj suffered minor burns to her body. Publicspirited persons in the area rendered assistance, and the victims were rushed for medical treatment. Leitch was admitted to the Burn Unit of the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPHC) where her condition has been listed as stable. Sukraj was treated at the Balwant Singh Hospital and later discharged the same evening. In his confession, Daniels claimed that Leitch was his target. The man told detectives he and Leitch shared a relationship, and he wanted to end it after the woman informed his wife about the affair. Daniels reportedly confessed that his relationship with Leith had deteriorated and that he intended to harm her.
who pledged their full support as the new leadership takes office. In her new role, Manickchand will lead the Ministry’s mandate of strengthening local governance, empowering communities, and advancing regional development across the country. With the support of Minister Sukhai, Director General Persaud, and the staff of the Ministry, the team is expected to build on existing initiatives while
driving new programmes that improve services and bring development closer to the people. The Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development, in a release said that it remains committed to ensuring that every region benefits from effective governance, community participation, and sustainable development. Meanwhile, Minister Sonia Parag was also welcomed at the Education Ministry.
In a gesture of continuity, former Education Minister, Priya Manickchand and the staff of the Ministry extended their support as the leadership baton was passed. Minister Parag, thanked all staff for their dedication and assured them of her opendoor policy, her readiness to work hand in hand with every member of the Ministry and her determination to ensure that the goals of the education sector are realised.
Arrested: Keron Mervin Daniels
The Local Government and Regional Development staff at the welcoming of Priya Manickchand; Pauline Sukhai, who will serve as Minister within the Ministry, and Anand Persaud, Director General. The staff also hosted a farewell for former Minister, Sonia Parag, who is now the new Education Minister
New Local Government and Regional Development Minister Priya Manickchand and new Education Minister Sonia Parag
4 Caricom states to allow nationals to live, work, access services freely from Oct 1
Four Caribbean Community (Caricom) Member States, Barbados, Belize, Dominica and St Vincent and the Grenadines, are on track to implement full free movement among themselves from 1 October this year. In a release on Monday, the Caricom Secretariat said that by
implementing the full free movement regime, these four countries have agreed to grant their nationals the right to enter, leave and re-enter, move freely, reside, work and remain indefinitely in the receiving member state, without the need for a work or residency permit. Their nationals will also be able to access emergen-
cy and primary health care, and public primary and secondary education, within the means of the receiving Member State. This is in keeping with the Caricom Heads’ decision taken at the 49th Regular Meeting of the Conference of Caricom Heads of Government this year. Representatives from these four Member States
have been meeting and working to ensure the required measures to support the full free movement of their nationals will be undertaken and commence on 1 October 2025. According to the Secretariat, this free movement arrangement falls within the new Enhanced Cooperation Chapter of the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas. Under that Chapter, the Conference of Caricom Heads can allow groups of at least three Member States to seek to advance integration among themselves where the Conference agrees that
“This free movement arrangement falls within the new Enhanced Cooperation Chapter of the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas. Under that Chapter, the Conference of Caricom Heads can allow groups of at least three Member States to seek to advance integration among themselves where the Conference agrees that the targeted objectives cannot be attained within a reasonable period by the Community as a whole” – Caricom
the targeted objectives cannot be attained within a reasonable period by the Community as a whole.
“This type of free movement expands what is offered under the Caricom Single Market and Economy (CSME). It is available to all Caricom nationals of the participating four countries.
The other Member States participating in the
CSME will continue to operate free movement under the existing Regimes (Skills, Services, Business Establishment and general facilitation of travel),” the release stated.
Caricom was established on July 4, 1973 with the signing of the Treaty of Chaguaramas, which was revised in 2001 to allow for the establishment of a single market and economy. Caricom comprises fifteen Member States and six Associate Members and is home to approximately sixteen million citizens, 60 per cent of whom are under 30 years old. Caricom’s work rests on four main pillars: economic integration; foreign policy coordination; human and social development; and security cooperation.
Prime Minister of Barbados, Mia Mottley
Prime Minister of St Vincent and the Grenadines, Ralph Gonsalves
Prime Minister of Dominica, Roosevelt Skerrit
Prime Minister of Belize, John Briceño
3 killed in US strike on 2nd alleged Venezuelan drug boat, Trump says
President Donald Trump said Monday that he ordered another military strike against a boat that he insists was carrying illegal drugs from Venezuela to the U.S., telling reporters the operation left three people dead and "big bags of cocaine and fentanyl" floating around in the ocean.
"The Strike resulted in 3 male terrorists killed in action," he wrote in a social media post. "No U.S. Forces were harmed in this Strike. BE WARNED — IF YOU ARE TRANSPORTING DRUGS THAT CAN KILL AMERICANS, WE ARE
HUNTING YOU!"
The strike was the second of its kind in less than two weeks in what appears to be an unprecedented use of lethal military force against a criminal enterprise. In the past, the U.S. government has relied on the U.S. Coast Guard and law enforcement personnel to board vessels for inspection, much as it did on Friday.
But earlier this year, Trump insisted that drug cartels should be in the same legal category as foreign terrorist organizations, paving the way for the kind of lethal military force reserved under the
law to prevent an imminent kinetic attack against Americans.
Critics of his administration have questioned this legal justification and whether it amounts to a war crime. While much of the pushback came from Democrats, Kentucky GOP Sen. Rand Paul said he disagreed with Vice President J.D. Vance that it was a noble use of the military.
"What a despicable and thoughtless sentiment it is to glorify killing someone without a trial," Paul wrote on X earlier this month.
It was not immediately clear where or how the boat was struck in the latest in-
Venezuela's Maduro says US behaviour is "aggression", communications largely cut
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said on Monday that recent incidents between his country and the United States are an "aggression" by the U.S., not tensions between the two countries, and that there is no communication between the governments.
The administration of President Donald Trump has ratcheted up U.S. military presence in the southern Caribbean as part of what it says is a crackdown on drug smugglers.
This month, a U.S. military strike killed 11 people and sank a boat from Venezuela that the Trump administration said was transporting illegal narcotics.
The U.S. government is trying to justify the launch of a "criminal attack" on his country, Maduro said during a press conference attended by top military brass and other officials.
"This isn't tension. It is an aggression all down the line, it's a judicial aggres-
sion when they criminalize us, a political aggression with their daily threatening statements, a diplomatic aggression and an ongoing aggression of military character," Maduro said.
Maduro, whose government has historically met with U.S. officials to negotiate everything from hostage releases to conditions for elections, had said this month that communications between the two governments were damaged. On Monday he said communications had been "thrown away," though he later added there was still basic communication to facilitate the return of Venezuelans from the United States.
"The communications with the government of the U.S. have been thrown away, they have been thrown away by them with their threats of bombs, death and blackmail," Maduro said.
The Trump administration has provided scant information about last week's attack, despite demands from U.S. Congress mem-
bers that the government justify the action.
The Venezuelan government, which says it has deployed tens of thousands of troops to fight drug trafficking and defend the country, has said none of the people killed belonged to the gang Tren de Aragua, as the U.S. has alleged.
Maduro has repeatedly alleged the U.S. is hoping to drive him from power.
The Trump administration has been supportive of the country's opposition, which says it won last year's presidential election, not Maduro.
The Venezuelan government said over the weekend that a U.S. destroyer illegally intercepted, opens new tab, boarded and occupied a Venezuelan tuna fishing vessel for eight hours in the waters of the South American country's Special Economic Zone.
Maduro repeated the accusation on Monday, saying the U.S. was "looking for an incident." (Reuters)
cident and whether a drone was used in the attack. In a video Trump posted to a social media, a small boat can be seen bobbing the water before being struck, resulting in a cloud of black smoke.
U.S. Southern Command, which oversees military operations in the region, referred questions to the White House, which did not immediately provide details.
When asked by reporters about the strike, Trump said the incident occurred in international waters and insisted "we have proof" that the boat was carrying drugs because of the cargo in the ocean.
"Big bags of cocaine and fentanyl all over the place," he said.
Trump also said there was "recorded evidence" of wrongdoing, but did not provide specifics on what kind or what was said.
"We've recorded them those very careful because we know you people would be after us. We're very careful," he said.
On Sept. 2, Trump announced the military struck another boat, killing 11 people on board. Trump insisted the boat was carrying a "massive amounts of drugs" and was operated by members of the South American gang Tren de Aragua.
He also insisted the boat was headed toward the U.S., although there appears to be questions about the boat's intentions. According to one person familiar with the operation, the boat had turned around and was headed back to shore shortly before the strike. That detail was first reported by The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal last week.
Venezuela's interior minister, Diosdado Cabello,
said last Thursday on state television that none of the members of the crew were part of Tren de Aragua or drug traffickers. In a separate incident on Sept. 12, U.S. personnel boarded a civilian fishing boat. A U.S. official told ABC News that Coast Guard personnel stationed aboard the U.S. Navy destroyer USS Jason Dunham searched the boat for drugs following a tip but did not locate any contraband.
Trump has overseen a significant buildup of troops in the region, with eight Navy ships and 10 F-35 fighter jets assigned to U.S. Southern Command, sources say. According to photographs published by Reuters, at least one armed MQ-9 Reaper drone has also been located at a civilian airport in Puerto Rico. The administration has not provided its legal justification for the Sept. 2 military strike, although officials say they have designated the cartels terrorist organizations.
In an interview with Newsmax, Trump's counterterrorism adviser Sebastian Gorka said the cartels have declared war on the US. and that's why Trump opted to designate them as terrorists.
"When you do a foreign terrorist organization designation, a panoply of options opens up for you that you otherwise don't have," he said. (ABC News)
President Donald Trump delivers remarks before signing a Presidential Memorandum in the Oval Office, September 15, 2025 in Washington
A screen grab from a video posted to social media by President Donald Trump, September 15, 2025, of what he said was a US military strike on a boat allegedly carrying drugs from Venezuela
Regional
Lula hails Bolsonaro verdict, tells Trump Brazil’s democracy not negotiable
Brazil’s President, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, has dismissed criticism from the United States over the conviction of the country’s former leader, Jair Bolsonaro, on coup charges, and slammed Washington’s sweeping tariffs on Brazilian products as “misguided” and “illogical”.
The comments, published in an op-ed in The New York Times on Sunday, came as Bolsonaro, 70, made his first public appearance since last week’s conviction for a hospital visit.
In his essay, Lula said he wanted to establish “an open and frank dialogue” with US President Donald Trump over his Administration’s decision to impose a 50 per cent tariff on Brazilian products, including coffee and beef exports, in the wake of Bolsonaro’s trial.
He noted that the US has a trade surplus with Brazil, accumulating a surplus of $410 billion in trade over
the past 15 years, making it “clear that the motivation of the White House is political”.
The tariffs, Lula wrote, are aimed at seeking “impunity” for Bolsonaro, whom he said orchestrated the riots in Brasilia on January 8, 2023 when the former leader’s supporters stormed the presidential palace, the Supreme Court and the Congress in protest over his election defeat the previous year.
The events in the Brazilian capital echoed the storming of the US Capitol by Trump’s supporters on January 6, 2021, after he insisted for months, without evidence, that there had been widespread fraud during the election he lost to his Democratic rival, Joe Biden.
Lula described Bolsonaro’s actions as “an effort to subvert the popular will at the ballot box” and said he was proud of the Brazilian Supreme Court’s “historic decision” on Thursday to sentence the for-
mer President to 27 years and three months in prison.
“This was not a ‘witchhunt’,” he wrote.
“The judgment was the result of proceedings carried out in accordance with Brazil’s 1988 Constitution, enacted after two decades of struggle against a military dictatorship,” he said. “It followed months of investigations that uncovered plans to assassinate me, the Vice President and a Supreme Court Justice. Authorities also discovered a draft decree that would have effectively annulled the 2022 election results,” he said.
Bolsonaro’s conviction, he continued, “safeguards” Brazil’s institutions and the democratic rule of law.
Lula’s op-ed comes after Trump’s Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, threatened more action against Brazil over Bolsonaro’s conviction. In addition to the tariffs, the US has so far sanctioned Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes, who has overseen Bolsonaro’s trial, and revoked visas for most of the high court’s justices.
For his part, Trump, who has repeatedly labelled the judicial proceedings a “witchhunt”, has said he was “surprised” by the ruling.
In his op-ed, Lula said the US’s decision to turn its back on a relationship of more than 200 years means that “everyone loses” and called for the two countries to continue to work together in areas where they have common goals. But, he said Brazil’s democracy was non-negotiable. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)
UN condemns gang attacks in Haiti that killed 40
nited Nations
USecretary General Antonio Guterres, has condemned the weekend murders of at least 40 people during a string of brutal incidents and ongoing gang violence that have plagued the French-speaking Caribbean Community (Caricom) nation of Haiti.
In a statement, Guterres expressed “heartfelt condolences” to the victims’ families and urged Haitian authorities to pursue justice.
Maduro says Kamla has lost her mind, calls for respectful relations
enezuelan
VPresident Nicolás Maduro believes that Trinidad Prime Minister Kamla PersadBissessar has "lost her mind" over her comments in support of the US military presence in the southern Caribbean.
Speaking at a press conference in Caracas on September 15, Maduro responded to a question about recent statements made by Venezuelan Defence Minister Vladimir Padrino López.
"I do not know what substances she is on," he said in a sharp rebuke that signals rising diplomatic tension.
Despite the criticism, Maduro also appeared to extend an olive branch, calling for bilateral relations "based on respect".
Maduro said nev -
er before has any T&T Government taken such a stance against Venezuela, their close neighbour.
His comments come after López issued a stern warning to both T&T and Guyana, as military and political tensions in the region escalate.
Venezuela has accused the US of plotting regime change under the guise of fighting narco-trafficking.
The Venezuelan Government has specifically warned T&T that it would retaliate if US forces used the country's territory to launch attacks against Venezuela.
Maduro also referred to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio as the "lord of death and war," saying wherever he goes, he causes havoc. (Trinidad Newsday)
US decertifies Colombia as ally in drugs fight – Petro
The United States has decertified Colombia as an ally in the fight against drugs, Colombian President Gustavo Petro said Monday, confirming a
decision that could cost the country hundreds of millions of dollars in US military support.
“The United States is decertifying us after dozens of
deaths of Police Officers and soldiers” in the fight against drug cartels and leftist guerrillas funded by drug trafficking, the leftist President told a Cabinet meeting. (AFP)
T&T PM vows to expose forex cartels; pushes
for law to make Central Bank release allocation
tels that are strangling local businesses.
Two weeks ago, Guterres addressed the UN Security Council, painting a grim picture of Haiti’s unravelling state. “The state authority is crumbling,” he said, as armed groups tighten their grip on Port-au-Prince and surrounding regions, forcing families to flee and disrupting daily life.
With six million people in need of aid and 1.3 million displaced, Haiti’s humanitarian crisis is deepening. Yet
“The Secretary General is alarmed by the levels of violence rocking Haiti,” said Stéphane Dujarric,” the UN spokesman, adding “he calls on Member States to expedite support for the Multinational Security Support mission to assist the Haitian National Police”.
less than 10 per cent of the US$908 million appeal has been funded.
“Shamefully overlooked and woefully underfunded,” the UN chief said, warning that 1.7 million persons may receive no assistance at all.
Guterres is calling on member states to accelerate efforts to strengthen the Kenya-led MSS by providing it with the necessary logistics, personnel, and funding to effectively support the Haitian National Police in combating gang violence in Haiti, in full compliance with international human rights law. (Excerpt from CMC)
Trinidad and Tobago
“There are tens of thousands of businesses in our country, but many are driven into failure and bankruptcy by the cartels at banking institutions,” Persad-Bissessar said. “The situation at the EximBank is bad enough, but what happens in the commercial banks is even worse.”
The Prime Minister’s comments followed a daily newspaper article that published data from EximBank showing that pharmaceutical and chicken companies have dominated foreign exchange allocations over the past five years.
She also declared that EximBank (Export-Import Bank of Trinidad and Tobago) has “failed to function properly and fairly” and accused commercial banks of operating as forex car-
Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar has delivered a scathing critique of the country’s foreign exchange system, saying the Government intends to bring legislation that will allow the Central Bank of Trinidad and Tobago to reveal all forex allocations.
Data from EximBank showed that from 2020 to mid-2025, it distributed US$1.4 billion in forex to 123 companies under the essential window. (Excerpt from Trinidad Guardian)
US President Donald Trump and Brazil's President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva
Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro
T&T Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar
Oil steady as market weighs supply risk from attacks on Russian refineries
Oil prices held steady in early trade on Tuesday after rising in the previous session, as market participants contemplated potential supply disruption from Russia after Ukrainian drone attacks on its refineries.
Brent crude futures edged up four cents to US$67.48 a barrel by 0000 GMT while West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude was at US$63.32, up 2 cents. On Monday, Brent settled up 45 cents at US$67.44 while WTI settled 61 cents higher at US$63.30.
London-listed miner Anglo American said today it has agreed a merger with Canada's Teck Resources.
Ukraine has intensified attacks on Russia's energy infrastructure in an attempt to impair Moscow's war capability, as talks to end their conflict have stalled.
"Heightened fears of supply disruptions from Russia, a key producer accounting for over 10 per cent of global oil output" is helping oil prices, IG market analyst Tony Sycamore said in a client note.
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Monday said the Government would not impose additional tariffs on Chinese goods to encourage China to halt purchases of Russian oil unless European countries hit China and India with steep duties of their own.
Investors are also watching out for the US Federal Reserve's September 16-17 meeting at which the bank is widely expected to cut interest rates. Lower borrowing costs could boost fuel demand.
"A weaker US dollar, driven by expectations of a Federal Reserve rate cut this week, further supported crude oil," Sycamore said.
The US dollar index, which measures the greenback's strength against six peers, slipped to a nearly one-week low. A weaker dollar makes oil less expensive for holders of other currencies.
Adding to the risk profile of Middle Eastern oil supply, the Israeli military launched a ground offensive on Monday to occupy Gaza City, Axios reported citing Israeli officials.
Meanwhile, US and Chinese officials said on Monday they have reached a framework agreement to switch short-video app TikTok to US-controlled ownership in a rare breakthrough in months-long talks.
Previous instances of easing US-China trade tension have boosted risk sentiment and increased oil demand expectations. (Reuters)
US, China reach framework deal on TikTok; Trump
and Xi to speak on Friday
US and Chinese officials said on Monday they have reached a framework agreement to switch short-video app TikTok to UScontrolled ownership that will be confirmed in a Friday call between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping.
The potential deal on the popular social media app, which counts 170 million US users, was a rare breakthrough in months-long talks between the world's number one and number two economies that have sought to defuse a wide-ranging trade war that has unnerved global markets.
After a meeting with Chinese negotiators in Madrid, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said a September 17 deadline that could have disrupted the popular social media app in the US encouraged
Israel threatens Hamas “wherever they are” as Qatar hosts summit
sraeli Prime Minister
IBenjamin Netanyahu said he did not rule out further strikes on Hamas leaders "wherever they are", as the Heads of Arab and Islamic States held a summit to back Qatar after Israel's attack last week in the Gulf State.
The September 9 strike targeting leaders of the Palestinian militant group in Doha was a significant escalation of Israeli military action in a region shaken by conflict since the Hamas-led October 7, 2023 attacks that ignited the Gaza war.
While the assembled Arab and Muslim leaders
were expressing solidarity with Qatar, US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio met Netanyahu and gave strong backing for Israel's hardline stance, although Washington has expressed unease over the Qatar strike.
Speaking alongside Netanyahu in Israel, Rubio said the only way to end the war in Gaza would be for Hamas fighters to free all hostages and surrender. While the US wants a diplomatic end to the war, "we have to be prepared for the possibility that's not going to happen", he said.
Washington has said it was not warned in advance
before Israel attacked Qatar, which houses the biggest US military base in the Middle East. President Donald Trump said on Sunday that Israel had to be "very, very careful".
"They have to do something about Hamas, but Qatar has been a great ally to the United States," Trump said.
Qatar denounces “cowardly and treacherous” strike
Hamas has said the Israeli strike killed five of its members, including a son of its exiled Gaza chief, but its leadership survived. Qatar says one of its security agents also died.
urged the summit to take "practical and decisive steps" in response to the "cowardly and treacherous" strike, saying it occurred as Hamas leaders were studying a US ceasefire proposal. The final communiqué of the summit, which brought together States including Iran, Turkey and Saudi Arabia, did not contain language that appeared in a draft seen by Reuters which said the Israeli attack and other "hostile acts" threaten coexistence and efforts to normalise ties in the region. (Excerpt from Reuters)
After Charlie Kirk's death, Trump team calls for dismantling leftist groups
Vice President JD Vance and another top official in President Donald Trump's Administration on Monday argued that serving the memory of Charlie Kirk means pursuing left-leaning groups they portray as bent on undermining national unity.
for a coordinated effort against unnamed left-wing groups accused of promoting violence, pledging the federal government would use "every available resource" to dismantle them.
Chinese negotiators to reach a potential deal.
He said that deadline could be extended by 90 days to allow the deal to be finalised, but declined to discuss specifics of the deal.
Bessent said when commercial terms of the deal are revealed, it will preserve cultural aspects of TikTok that Chinese negotiators care about.
"They're interested in Chinese characteristics of the app, which they think are soft power. We don't care about Chinese characteristics. We care about national security," Bessent told reporters at the conclusion of two days of talks.
Trump, when asked if China would hold a stake in the company, told reporters, "We haven't decided that but it looks to me, and I'm speaking to President Xi on Friday, for confirmation of that." (Excerpt from Reuters)
Vance, who guest-hosted the slain conservative activist's livestream show, amplified right-wing calls for a broadside against leftist groups after Kirk was assassinated last week as he addressed college students.
White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller, Vance's guest on the programme, said Kirk's final message to him called
Belarus
"With God as my witness, we are going to use every resource we have at the Department of Justice, Homeland Security and throughout this government to identify, disrupt, dismantle and destroy these networks and make America safe again for the American people," he said. "It will happen, and we will do it in Charlie's name."
Later, Miller told reporters at the White House that the Trump administration is looking at holding crimi-
nally accountable a network of "nonprofit entities" that organise attacks on law enforcement, use doxxing and supply materials used in riots. He did not provide evidence of such wrongdoing. Meanwhile, the suspect accused of assassinating the right-wing activist in Utah wrote a text message before the shooting that he planned to kill Kirk, FBI Director Kash Patel said on Monday.
York
In an appearance on Fox News' "Fox & Friends", Patel said investigators believe Tyler Robinson also wrote a physical note saying he had the "opportunity to take out Charlie Kirk" and would do so. (Excerpt from Reuters)
and Russia's show of firepower appears to be a message to Europe
In a large field 45 miles (72 kilometres) from Belarus' capital Minsk, a battle is raging.
There are giant explosions as Sukhoi-34 bombers drop guided bombs. Huge plumes of smoke darken the sky.
The whole area echoes to the sound of exploding mortar and artillery shells. Helicopter gunships join the attack, while surveillance drones sweep overhead to view the damage.
It's only an exercise,
though.
Together with other international media we've been brought to the Borisovsky training ground where Belarusian and Russian forces are taking part in joint manoeuvres.
It's part of the Zapad-2025 ("West 2025") military drills. Military attachés, too, from a variety of embassies are observing the drill from a viewing platform.
These are planned exercises – "West 2025" takes
place every four years.
In 2022, 200,000 troops took part, while this year's exercises involved fewer soldiers.
Moscow and Minsk maintain that the drills are of a purely defensive nature, that they're designed to strengthen the security of Russia and Belarus and to counter any potential external threat.
I remember hearing similar claims three and a half years ago.
In February 2022 I vis-
ited Belarus to report on the Belarusian-Russian military exercise "Union Resolve". When the exercise was over, instead of returning home Russian troops invaded neighbouring Ukraine from the territory of Belarus.
This time Belarus insists it has nothing to hide. Representatives of 23 states, including the US, Turkey and Hungary, watched the military exercise. (Excerpt from BBC News)
Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad AlThani
Attendees of the emergency Arab-Islamic leaders' summit to discuss the Israeli attack on Hamas on Qatari territory pose for a family photo, in Doha, Qatar, September 15, 2025 (Qatar News Agency/Handout via Reuters)
Vice President JD Vance hosts an episode of “The Charlie Kirk Show” at the White House, following the assassination of the show's namesake, in Washington, DC, US, Sept 15, 2025 (Doug Mills/The New
Times/Pool via Reuters)
Focus, and finish what you start. Don't take on too much, or overreact to situations that might cause relationship problems. Join groups that encourage you to choose an active lifestyle.
Spend more time working from home. Too much activity happening around you will be distracting. Avoid discussions with disgruntled associates. Take better care of your health.
Keep your thoughts to yourself until you are ready to proceed. A change will point you in a new direction and encourage you to acquire additional knowledge, certifications or other assets.
An open and honest approach to personal and professional affairs will help avoid discord. Use your charm and intellect to persuade others to support your plans.
Hard work will pay off. What you do will be noticed. Stand tall and be proud of what you can offer, and you will receive more than anticipated in return.
Get ready to roll up your sleeves and do the work yourself. Take pride in what you do, and the rewards will be forthcoming. An opportunity to spend time with someone seasoned will be informative.
Keep your feet firmly planted on the ground and your mind focused on what's necessary and how quickly you can achieve what you set out to do. Your attention to detail will pay off.
You need a break. Shake things up and redirect your energy toward something you feel enthusiastic about, and the tables will turn. Put yourself first and do something that brings out the best in you.
Change your surroundings to make your life easier and more comfortable. Stop worrying about what others want, say or do when your focus should be on doing what's best for you.
Get out and communicate with people who share your interests. Traveling, reuniting with people from your past and paying more attention to those you care about will help you get your life in order.
Today is all about how you make and spend your cash. Look for higher-paying jobs, send out resumes and network with people who share your skills, and you'll gain insight into who's hiring.
Mix business with pleasure and expand your connections and ability to get ahead. Discipline and hard work alone won't be enough; you'll also need allies and a desire to stay on top.
ARCHIE
Nepal squad announced for T20I series against
The Cricket Association of Nepal
(CAN) announced a 16-member team that will face two-time T20 World Cup champions, the West Indies, at a three-match T20 International series in Sharjah at the end of September.
The squad, which was announced on Monday, will be captained by Rohit
Kumar Paudel with the world’s number three T20I all-rounder, Dipendra Singh Airee, as the Vice Captain.
Left-arm spinner Lalit Narayan Rajbanshi, who was bereaved of his mother last month and missed the Top End T20 Series and five friendlies in Australia, is also returning to action.
Rajbanshi has 29 wickets in his 31 appearances
for the Rhinos in T20Is, making him the sixth-most wicket-taker for the national side in the shortest format.
The other members in the squad include Aasif Sheikh, Kushal Bhurtel, Lokesh Bam, Kushal Malla, Mohammad Adil Alam, Aarif Sheikh, Sundeep Jora, Gulsan Kumar Jha, Nandan Yadav, Karan KC, Sompal
Kami, Sandeep Lamichhane and Shahab Alam.
The upcoming series, in which the matches will be played at Sharjah Cricket Stadium in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on September 27, 29 and 30, has been named the ‘Unity Cup’ by the CAN.
According to the CAN, the name for the series was decided in honour
the youth-led protests on September 8 and 9.
“We believe in the power of sports to unite hearts and inspire a nation,” the CAN wrote on its social media on Sunday. “Unity Cup is our call to heal and rejuvenate with passion and harmony to forge a eryone together.”
The West Indies are believed to be fielding a strong squad for the series. They have been actively playing cricket. They faced England, Ireland, Australia and Pakistan since June. (The Kathmandu Post)
Nissanka helps Sri Lanka edge sloppy Hong Kong in thriller
APathum Nissanka fifty at the top of the innings and a Wanindu Hasaranga cameo at the end saw Sri Lanka survive a scare from the group's lowest-ranked team, Hong Kong. In two disciplines, Hong Kong were valiant. Anshy Rath batted with determination to score 48 and Nizakat Khan with verve to make 52 not out off 38, the pair driving Hong Kong to a total of 149 for 4.
The bowlers then created chances right through the innings. They never allowed Sri Lanka to truly dominate a phase, then took three quick wickets, Yasim Murtaza and Ehsan Khan striking to have Sri Lanka at 127 for 6, need-
ing more than a run a ball to win.
But their catching was poor. Nissanka was dropped no fewer than three times –twice by Ehsan, who could not hold sharp return chances. Kusal Perera was also dropped twice in the same Ayush Shukla over, though one of those chances was exceedingly difficult. Had some of those stuck, though, Hong Kong could truly have made Sri Lanka sweat.
In the end, Hong Kong's bowlers made too many mistakes at the death, and Sri Lanka had the depth to capitalise, Hasaranga making his presence felt from number eight. He made 20 not out off eight balls. Nissanka had struck 68 off 44.
Nissanka sets Sri Lanka up again Nissanka was dropped on 43, 63, and 68, but outside of
Sri Lanka overcame a scare
interesting one – only four of his 48 runs came behind the wicket.
Nizakat, however, was much more aggressive, using strong wrists to whip the ball to leg, and slice it through
those errors played another efficient innings, finding boundaries before the pressure really built on him and ensuring that Sri Lanka kept ticking even as Kusal Mendis and Kamil Mishara soaked up balls early. He was especially good at the lap-scoop, targeting that area behind short fine leg when Hong Kong strayed into his pads. This was his third T20 International fifty in five innings, in what continues to be a rich year across formats.
Nizakat and Rath help put up a defendable score
Long before that late drama, however, Rath and Nizakat had helped Hong Kong make a creditable impression in their last showing of the tournament. Rath played a measured innings, rarely going much faster than a run a ball. But it was also an
Hong Kong (20 ovs maximum) Zeeshan Ali † c †BKG Mendis
b Chameera 23
Anshy Rath c PHKD Mendis b Chameera 48
Babar Hayat st †BKG Mendis
b Hasaranga 4
Nizakat Khan not out 52
Yasim Murtaza (c) c Chameera
b Shanaka 5 Aizaz Khan not out 4
Extras (b 1, lb 7, nb 1, w 4) 13
Total 20 Ov (RR: 7.45) 149/4
Did not bat: Kinchit Shah, Ayush Shukla, Ateeq Iqbal, Ehsan Khan, Shahid Wasif
Fall of wickets: 1-41 (Zeeshan Ali, 4.5 ov), 2-57 (Babar Hayat, 8.4 ov), 3-118 (Anshy Rath, 15.5 ov), 4-127 (Yasim Murtaza, 17.2 ov)
Bowling O–M–R–W Nuwan Thushara 4–0–36–0
Dushmantha Chameera 4–0–29–2
Maheesh Theekshana 4–0–22–0
Wanindu Hasaranga 4–0–27–1 Charith Asalanka 3–0–22–0 Dasun Shanaka 1–0–5–1
the offside. He was dropped twice, but was responsible for Hong Kong's quicker progress through the final overs. This was his first T20I half century against a full-member nation. (ESPNCRICINFO)
Sri Lanka (T: 150 runs from 20 ovs) Pathum Nissanka run out (Murtaza/Shahid Wasif) 68 Kusal Mendis
Pathum Nissanka has two fifties in two games in the Asia Cup
Hong Kong gave Sri Lanka a scare, but a slew of dropped chances meant they could not pull off the upset
Minister Steven Jacobs ready to bring “athlete’s perspective”
F
ormer national cricketer Steven Jacobs has embarked on a new innings. He will now serve in the Cabinet as Minister within the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport. Jacobs is no stranger to politics, as he served as a City Councillor.
Speaking after the official swearing-in on Saturday evening, Jacobs highlighted that he was ready to bring an athlete’s perspective to the table.
“I want to thank the
Almighty, and I want to thank His Excellency, Dr Irfaan Ali for giving me the opportunity to serve in the Cabinet. I would bring an athlete’s perspective in the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport,” Jacobs said.
The former West Indies Under-19 Captain and renowned businessman of Jacobs Jewellery and Pawn Shop has served his community, and now, he is ready to serve the country.
Elite League…
“We also need to look at more empowerment for young people. I am
Slingerz Football Club is set to be crowned champions of the Guyana Football Federation’s Seventh Elite League, at the end of the season, as it now holds an unassailable 12-point lead at the top of the points table.
Interestingly, Slingerz FC still has three games left to play in this year’s League, giving the
in the eighth minute, while the tournament’s leading goal-scorer Kemar Beckford added another hat-trick to his personal tally, striking in the 24th, 30th and 54th minutes.
Kelsey Benjamin added his name to the scoresheet in the 29th minute while Derrell Garcia netted a brace in the 45th+ 2 and 53rd minutes.
Darron Niles (48th);
the law enforcers resulted in a 2-2 draw for defending champions Guyana Defence Force (GDF) and the Guyana Police Force (GPF) FCs.
Police’s Neron Barrow struck first in the 18th minute, but Malcom Miggins soon equalised in the 24th for GDF. The fans at the NTC were sent into a craze when Simeon Moore was quick with the reply in the 25th minute to re- extend Police’s lead.
team a chance to further extend the lead over the rest of the competition.
Slingerz’s early grasp of the title comes on the heels of an 11-0 victory over Fruta Conquerors FC at the weekend.
Lloyd Matthews opened the scoring for Slingerz FC
Austin (79th) and Rashaun Ritch (89th) later netted one apiece, in addition to an own goal for Slingerz’ massive victory.
Also on Saturday night, at the GFF’s National Training Centre (NTC) at Providence, a battle of
GDF had, minutes later, found the back of the net but after that strike was deemed illegal owing to an offside play, GDF found themselves chasing the equaliser for much of the contest.
It was only until the 71st minute when Chris Macey had the awareness to back-heel the ball into the net that GDF breathed a sigh of relief, avoiding another loss this season. As such, the contest ended 2-2.
While Slingerz FC sits at the top of the table with 43 points, from 14 wins and one draw in 15 games; Police sit in second place with 31 points from 14 games. With an identical 31 points (from 16 games) are Western Tigers, who are occupying the third position owing to a lesser goal difference than Police.
GDF FC are fourth with 29 points from 14 games while Monedderlust FC completes the top five with 20 points from 15 games.
very happy to be part of this Cabinet. It’s about to work and serve, and we are ready to go,” the new Minister explained.
The 37-year-old Jacobs will work along with the current Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, Charles Ramson Jr to continue Guyana’s rapid transformation in sports. In addition to his 26 FirstClass matches, 38 List A games and 46 T20s, Jacobs is equipped with a Level II coaching certificate. He also served
as Vice President of the India-Guyana Chamber of Commerce.
Jacobs’ educational background is also solid as a back-foot-punch. He pursued Sports Management at the University of the West Indies, and he is currently pursuing his master’s in public administration and policy.
On Saturday evening, Jacobs was among the 25 new Ministers officially sworn in by President Ali at State House.
Sri Lanka U19s end series on high, but West Indies take series 4-3
Sri Lanka’s Under-19s produced a dominant performance in the seventh and final Youth One-Day International (ODI) at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, defeating West Indies Under19s by 130 runs under the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern (DLS) Method. Despite the emphatic win, the hosts sealed the seven-match series 4-3.
With the game reduced
ported by Kavija Gamage, who compiled a composed 51 off 38 deliveries, including six boundaries and a six. Openers Viran Chamuditha (25) and Dimantha Mahavithana (26) also made useful contributions at the top. For the hosts, Isra-el Morton was the pick of the bowlers with 3 for 30.
In reply, the West Indies batting faltered under relentless pressure.
to 26 overs per side due to rain, Sri Lanka posted a commanding 180 for 5 after being asked to bat first. Captain Vimath Dinsara led the charge with a fluent 58 from 39 balls, striking three fours and three sixes. He was well sup-
None of their top order settled as they crumbled for just 62 in 14.2 overs. Only Joshua Dorne (16) and Pajay Nelson (10) managed double figures. Gamage capped a fine all-round display by taking 4 for 9, while Sethmika Seneviratne,
Rasith Nimsara, and Vigneshwaran Akash shared two wickets apiece to complete the demolition. Though Sri Lanka ended on a high, the series belonged to West Indies, whose 4-3 triumph will provide a timely boost ahead of future youth assignments.
Steven Jacobs will now serve President Dr Irfaan Ali’s Government as Junior Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport
A look at the battle between Slingerz FC and Fruta Conquerors
Police and GDF battled to a 2-all draw
Local franchise Guyana Amazon Warriors, playoffs newcomers Antigua and Barbuda Falcons, the experienced Trinbago Knight Riders and defending champions St Lucia Kings
of the top two spots; that was our goal from the start to get into the top two, to give yourself that second bite at it in case things don’t go well in the play-offs. The guys are feeling confident, we’ve got a cou-
forward to the next couple of days, but from a group perspective, we know we have our work cut out to do. Coming here to Guyana hasn’t been easy for us over the last couple of years, we know the surface over here is a bit tricky – both first and second innings, so that’s something that we need to sit, discuss, plan how we actually want to go about our innings.”
this year’s Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League (CPL) finalists.
With the league phase closing with a win for the Amazon Warriors on Sunday night, the local franchise has jumped up two places to second position. St Lucia Kings remain in first, while the Knight Riders and Falcons have dropped one place to
up,” Captain of the defending champions, Wiese shared. Representing the second-place league finisher, Shepherd noted, “We’re fairly confident. You know, that was one of our goals to actually qualify first and second just to get that extra cushion like David also mentioned. Also, from a psychological point of view, you know
fantastic, I think the first box has been ticked, getting into the play-offs. Three wins away from the finals, these con ditions, they suit us. The thing is, all of them, all the teams are fan tastic, so, on a given day whoever can beat whoever. We just want to showcase good talent, enjoy the game and entertain the fans, that’s about it,” Wasim shared at
On a winning streak now, Amazon Warriors’ Shepherd expressed his confidence in their new playing XI, but admitted some more consideration will be had before taking on St Shepherd explained, “With Shamar coming into the team, like Pooran mentioned the surface and how tricky it is, he [Shamar] has the extra pace and he shows how difficult it is to hit someone bowling that pace and the ball also keeping a bit low. So, I think that’s a good XI, but all in all, we’re fac ing St Lucia, so, obviously, we have to go back to the selection meeting and see what’s the best XI for that game and hopefully we come up with a good XI to win that game.”
to fight. It’s crunch time and we all need to put our hands up and let it be counted.”
On the other hand, their challengers, the Antigua and Barbuda Falcons are approaching tomorrow’s clash with a positive mindset as Captain Wasim even repeated some of the encouraging words he shared with his team.
Wasim shared, “I always say
a time, do your things right. Like I said before, our pieces of puzzle are getting together, which I really like going into the play-offs, playing against any of the teams because they’re so experienced, they’ve done that before, it’s going to be a massive task, but like Nicky said, if you want to win the tournament, you have to beat every team and these ae the best teams in the competi-
Romario Shepherd relished being able to secure two chances at the final. Meanwhile, Nicholas Pooran and Imad Wasim are a stark contrast in playoff experience.
“We’re quite happy to secure one
and go forward.”
Pooran said, “For us, we believe if we have to be successful, we have to beat everyone. Play-offs is a different type of cricket, different type of pressure and we’re accustomed to that. So, we’re looking
Meanwhile, as Eliminator One bowls off tomorrow between the Knight Riders and Falcons, Pooran is keen on turning around the Knight Riders’ momentum which saw them losing three on the trot, while admitting that the Falcons have given them a run for their money.
“Falcons have definite ly been a team that has chal lenged us in the past,” Pooran admitted, “And we’re looking for ward to see that game. As I said, playoff games are completely differ ent. Imad just mentioned that they like the conditions, it more favours them as well, so, again, for me it’s on the day. We’re not going to al low the toss to have an impact on the game, but we’re looking for
The TKR skipper went on to share about their back-to-back losses, “Yeah for sure, if I look at the tournament and how it went for us, I don’t think we won any toss on the road. For us, we just felt like it has been two dif ferent tournaments for us. When we batted first, it’s been quite tricky in that power play and we have been losing a lot of wickets in the power play and that’s something we want to get better at. But when we have batted second, we have won the game quite convincingly, so it’s just something for us to continue
Obviously, Jayden is playing for West Indies, doing very good, so I think attitude matters, they are fantastic players and I wish them all the best in future.
I hope that tomorrow they stand
the same time on Wednesday, September 17.
of times, but I think young guys need to step up.”
"It’s simple, just play one game at a time, do not think about winning the final. Yes, you are here to win that trophy, but one game at
tonight at the Guyana National Stadium while Qualifier 1 between the Amazon Warriors and Kings will commence at
the final league match of the Massy WCPL will be played today between the Royals and Knight Riders’ Women while the final is set for Wednesday, September 17 at 15:00h.
Guyana Amazon Warriors Vice Captain Romario Shepherd
Trinbago Knight Riders Captain Nicholas Pooran
Antigua and Barbuda Falcons Captain Imad Wasim
St Lucia Kings Captain David Wiese
From left: Founder of Digicel, Denis O'Brien; President of Cricket West Indies, Dr Kishore Shallow; President Dr Irfaan Ali; CEO of CPL, Pete Russell and Chairman of Guyana Amazon Warriors, Dr Ranjisinghi Ramroop
When cricket meets the dance floor: President Ali gets taught some moves by Shakera Selman and the WCPL stars
President Ali and Founder of Digicel, Denis O'Brien sharing a moment
Commentator Alex Jordon chats with President Ali and CPL CEO Pete Russell