Kaieteur News

US$300M in mismanaged oil and gas revenue could fund Christmas cash grant

- economist says

Chevron to spend up to US$19 billion next year in focus on US, Guyana oil production

HOUSTON,Dec3(Reuters)-Chevron said on Wednesday that capital expenditure for 2026 will be between US$18 billion and US$19 billion as the oil major focuses on production in the U.S. and investments connected to a recently-acquired oil stake in Guyana.

The range is at the low-end of previous guidance that put annual investment between $18 billion and $21 billion through 2030. The second-largest U.S. oil producer outlined a plan last month to cut costs, operatemoreefficientlyandincreasereturns to investors through the end of the decade. "Our 2026 capital program focuses on the highest-return opportunities while maintaining discipline and improving efficiency,enablingustogrowcashflowand earnings," Chevron CEO MikeWirth said in astatement.

About US$17 billion will be spent on upstream, roughly US$9 billion of which is allocated to the United States. Chevron said itexpectstospendUS$6billiononAmerican shale and plans to produce more than 2 millionbarrelsofoilequivalentperdayfrom the country next year. Spending on offshore production will total about US$7 billion to support Guyana, projects in the Eastern MediterraneanandproductionfromtheU.S. GulfofMexico.

Downstream spending will be about $1 billion, slightly lower compared with this year

Chevron closed its US$55 billion acquisition of Hess in July, with the main asset being a 30% stake in the prolific Stabroek Block in Guyana. The deal also came with new assets in the Bakken shale formationintheU.S.

KaieteurNews

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EDITORIAL

Oppositionleadercrisis

Speaker of the House, Manzoor Nadir, has had his struggles with holding the reins of leadership tightly in a disorderlyhouse,whenmembersgetoutofline. Currently, theSpeakeriscalledupontorepresentaprincipledlineon the impasse over the election of the Opposition Leader Speaker Nadir has not put his best foot forward, made himselflookshabbyintheproceedingsthathisactionsand absence have left suspended. For the first time in recent elections seasons, Guyanese have experienced what has been described as relatively calm and peaceful in the completedelectionsofthisyear Itwouldbeatragicirony that the elections process was calm and peaceful, but the subsequent parliamentary process to elect the new Opposition Leader is a matter of upheaval, an issue that disappoints,inviewofwhereitisstuck. InSpeakerNadir’s hands rest the responsibility to get the selection method moving, as powered by Guyana’s Constitution, and the parliamentary rules over which he stands as the chief referee. Wemustbefrank,consideringwheretheSpeaker’s hands are on how he approaches the Opposition Leader crisis. From all indications, he has tied his hands rather unwisely,andtheynowgiveoffanodoroftaint.

Not unexpectedly, the Leader of the Opposition-inwaiting,AzruddinMohamed,hasgonebeyondtheSpeaker inanefforttoinvolveotherstobreaktheheadlockthatthe latter has imposed. The We Invest in Nationhood (WIN) leader,beingtheinterestedpartywiththemostatstake,has now approached the head of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), Secretary General Carla Bennett to assist in thesituation. Itisagoodmove,butCARICOMshouldbe only the beginning of a wider push to get other voices to weigh-inandaddsomepressureforaquickandcompetent resolution to what is now an embarrassing situation. The European Union sent a fairly sizable team as a close observerofthelastelections,andshouldbewrittentolend itsvoicetobreakthisOppositionLeaderstalemate. Infact, every international group that participated in some way in thelastelectionsshouldbeinvitedbytheWINpartytohave asayontheshiftinessoftheSpeakerthataddsanothernotch in Guyana’s long list of national embarrassments. If they prefernottocallouttheSpeaker,thentheycanappealtohim togetmoving,andtostopmakinghimselflooklikeapuppet danglingonsomeinvisiblerope,andrespondingtoitsevery tugandnudge.

DuetothefactthatCARICOMisfromtheregion,and hasbeenusuallydeeplyinvolvedinGuyana’selectionsand theiraftermaths,itcannotbecontenttobeasilentbystander to what has happened so far in parliament and how the Opposition Leader’s role is being thwarted and stifled. CARICOMhastodomore,mustnotbeafraidtogetitshead wet, and it must do so now We recall how in the controversy-plagued2020elections,CARICOMwasinthe thick of developments. In fact, CARICOM was closely involvedintherecount,anditsleadershipwasboldenough to take a principled stand on which party emerged as the winner,andwhichonelost. Itlostsomefriendsbackthen, buttherightcallwasmade.

We at this paper believe that the Opposition Leader impassedoesnothavethedailydramaandsharptensionsof thefive-monthholdupwiththe2020elections. Therefore, thisstillrespectedandgotogroupintheregionshouldmake itsvoiceheard,throughaclearpositiontaken. Thedelayin electing the Opposition Leader is approaching over a month,andthatisamonthtoolong. Whatshouldhavebeen partoftheparliamentaryroutinehasnowdeterioratedtothe rigmarole of Speaker Nadir There may be some who see the intellectual in his postures, when what he has set in motionismoreofthecomical.

Thisisgettingtobetoomuch,anditmakesGuyanainto a global laughingstock. Guyana cannot run proper elections, so it always depends on foreign help. Now, Guyana grapples with electing an Opposition Leader CARICOMshouldintervene,walkawayastheicebreaker

Census data silence:AGuyanese paradox of progress and deception

DEAREDITOR

For three years, a data vacuum has paralysed nationalplanninginGuyana. Despitethecountryboasting the title of the “fastestgrowing economy on the planet,” the $2 billion (GYD)2022Populationand Housing Census—the most

lockedaway

Thissilence,justifiedby the Ministry of Finance and the Bureau of Statistics as “validation,” is not just an administrative failure; it is a

transparencythatiscrippling thenation’sabilitytoplanits future.

The Paradox: Growth WithoutNumbers

between the Government’s

Guyana” marketing and its refusal to publish basic demographic data creates a glaringparadox:

• Planning Blindness: The government is drafting

Budgets, allocating billions for housing, healthcare, and infrastructure, without knowing how many people live in the country, where they reside, or their age profile This reduces

national planning to guesswork and makes responsible resource allocation impossible. Key economic indicators, like GDP per capita, largest oil producer per capita are rendered unreliable, fallacious statements, impacting international investmentconfidence.

• Legal Obligation

Ignored: The Statistics Act and the Population and Housing Census Act legally mandate the Bureau of Statistics to collect, analyse, and publish this data. The prolonged delay is a clear violation of statutory obligations and undermines institutional credibility, raising deep concerns about democratic governance and accountability

T h e T h e o r y o f

Deception: Why the HoldUp?

While the Bureau officially cites commitment toprofessionaldiligenceand methodological challenges, the political opposition and civil society speculate that the delay is a deliberate, calculated strategy for partisanpoliticaladvantage:

• Protecting the

Narrative: An accurate census risks revealing uncomfortable truths that

puncture the oil boom narrative, such as high emigration of skilled Guyanese(thebraindrainof teachers, doctors, and engineers). Releasing this data would expose a weakness in the workforce capacity needed to staff the expandingextractivesector

• Managing Political Demographics: In Guyana’s ethnically-sensitive politics, the census is a critical tool.

Speculation is rife that the data may show shifts in the traditional ethnic balance

that are politically inconvenient for the ruling party, potent

ally undermining their ethnic advantage.

The delay provides time to shore up political support amongkeycommunitiesand managethepoliticalfallout.

•TheMigrantFactor:An official count of recent Venezuelan, Cuban, and Haitian migrants would force the government to address the resultant strain on national social services (schools, hospitals) and, most contentiously, the voters’list.

The European Union

Election Observation Mission has already flagged the absence of updated census data as a significant

weakness in electoral transparency

Conclusion: Data BelongstothePeople

The $2 billion Census belongstothetaxpayersand isnotapoliticaldocumentto be manipulated The continued silence fosters a national vacuum that fuels speculation, undermines transparency, and leaves essential services u n d e r f u n d e d o r misallocated.Foranationon the cusp of unprecedented economic transformation, relying on three-year-old, or even decade-old, estimates for critical policy decisions isnotmerelyunusual—itisa profound failure of evidence-based governance. The government must immediately provide a transparent explanation, a breakdown of the expenditure, and a definitive, actionable timetableforthepublication ofthisvitalnationaldata.

The opposition and civil society have consistently demanded answers over this prolonged delay, accusing the government of violating its statutory obligations and undermining the foundation ofourdemocracy

Sincerely HemduttKumar

Persons Living With Disabilities Deserve Dignity, Not a One-Off Handout

DEAREDITOR

As a resident of Region 10 and an activist with the United Workers Party, I feel deeply troubled by the Government’s recent announcement of a one-off $50,000 grant for persons living with disabilities. On thesurfaceitmayseemlikea kindgesture,butwhenwelook closer, when we listen to the realstrugglesofrealpeople,it becomes painfully clear that thisisfarfromenough

Everyday,personsliving with disabilities in our country wake up and fight battles that many of us cannot see and will never fully understand. They face additional medical expenses, mobility challenges, social barriers, and often limited employment opportunities Manyrelyonspecialiseddiets, extra transportation costs, and assistive devices that are expensive to maintain or replace These are not luxuries;theyarenecessities foradignifiedlife.Andallof

this is happening at a time when the cost of living continuestorise Familiesare stretching every dollar to afford food, medication, transportation, and basic household items For a disabled person or their caregiver, the burden is even heavier In today’s Guyana, $50,000cannotmeaningfully support anyone, much less thosewhoseneedsaregreater than most That is why this one-off grant feels less like support and more like a political gesture, a quick announcement meant to createtheappearanceofcare without offering any longterm solutions.Whatpersons living with disabilities truly need is consistent support, accessible health services, pathways to employment, proper infrastructure, education,andpoliciesthatare shapedbylisteningtothem,not speakingatthem

We must never forget that behind every policy number is a human being, a

child who needs therapy, an adult who struggles to find work,anelderlypersonwho needs mobility support These are our brothers, sisters, neighbours, and friends. They deserve more than a one-time payment; they deserve a country that sees them, respects them, and builds systems that allow them to live with dignity and independence.

As a nation, we should be lifting up the most vulnerable among us, not offering them temporary reliefwhilethedeeperissues remainignored.Guyanacan do better Guyana must do better

Sincerely, LorenzoJoseph UnitedWorkers Party(UWP)Activist Region10

Old age pension

DEAREDITOR

In June 2023, President

Dr Irfan Alli announced, Old Age Benefit (pension) re National Insurance Scheme (N I S) will be paid on the first day of each month similar to that of SeniorCitizenPensiondate. Every pensioner welcomed theannouncement.

T o a v o i d t h e overcrowding and long waiting (2 hours) at Post Offices etc I requested N.I.S. to remit my monthly

pensiontomyBankaccount. (details provided) from December2025.Onthe2nd Dec2025Icheckedwithmy bank and was told that no remittance from N I S was made.

I immediately contacted N.I.S. and was told that remittances to Banks are made on the 24th-25th of e a c h m o n t h T h i s octogenarian instead of waiting2hrsnowhastowait 24days.Insteadofreceiving (Continuedonpage06)

Fostering disability inclusion The Stabroek Market dilemma

DEAREDITOR

An estimated 1.3 billion

people experience significant disability This represents 16% of the world’spopulation,or1in6 ofus.IntheCaribbean,there are over 1 million persons living with some form of disability this amount to more than the population of certain countries in the subregion Across the Caribbean, persons with

n and exclusion. Social exclusion is caused by underlying systemic barriers that limit themeaningfulparticipation of persons with disabilities in social, economic and political life. Persons with disabilities have lower outcomes in education, employment and health compared to other populationgroups.

Persons with disabilities have twice the risk of developing conditions such as depression, asthma, diabetes, stroke, obesity or poor oral health. Each year the global community observes International Day of Persons with Disabilities on December 03 The observance of the Day aims topromoteanunderstanding of disability issues and mobilise support for the dignity, rights and wellbeing of persons with disabilities. It also seeks to increase awareness of gains to be derived from the integration of persons with disabilitiesineveryaspectof political, social, economic andculturallife. Thetheme of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities 2025, “Fostering disability inclusive societies for advancing social progress”, builds on the reaffirmed commitment of world leaders gathered at the Second World Summit for SocialDevelopmenttobuild a more just, inclusive, equitable and sustainable world. The United Nations Disability Inclusion Strategy provides the foundation for sustainableandtransformative progress on disability inclusionthroughallpillarsof the work of the United Nations Through the

Strategy,theUnitedNations systemreaffirmsthatthefull and complete realisation of the human rights of all persons with disabilities is an inalienable, integral and indivisiblepartofallhuman rights and fundamental freedoms. Unfortunately, even with the best of intentions and advocacy

concerning disability inclusionwestilloperateina world of exclusion. Often there are multiple barriers that can make it extremely difficult or even impossible forpeoplewithdisabilitiesto function. The World Health

Organisation (WHO) describes barriers as being more than just physical obstacles.TheWHOdefines barriers as the factors in a person’s environment that, through their absence or presence, limits functioning and creates disability These includeaspectssuchas:

AttitudinalBarriers

Attitudinal barriers are themostbasicandcontribute to other barriers For example, some people may notbeawarethatdifficulties in getting to or into a place can limit a person with a disability from participating ineverydaylifeandcommon dailyactivities.Examplesof attitudinal barriers include: Stereotyping: People sometimes stereotype those with disabilities, assuming theirqualityoflifeispooror that they are unhealthy becauseoftheirimpairments

Withinsociety,theseattitudes may come from people’s ideasrelatedtodisability

PhysicalBarriers

Physical barriers are structural obstacles in natural or manmade environmentsthatpreventor block mobility (moving around in the environment) or access Examples of physical barriers include: Steps and curbs that block a person with mobility impairment from entering a buildingorusingasidewalk. Additionally, the absence of ramps to facilitate access to buildings is a problem. In a number of instances many schools are not equipped with ramps. As a result, students and staff who use wheelchairs find it difficult

toaccesscertainspaces. The society needs to revisit how best to accommodate women with mobility impairment to access Mammography equipment and other health related services. The absence of a weight scale that accommodates wheelchairs orotherswhohavedifficulty steppingupisanotherareaof concern.

TransportationBarriers

Transportation barriers areduetoalackofadequate transportationthatinterferes with a person’s ability to be independent and to function in society Examples of transportation barriers include:

The lack of access to accessible or convenient transportation for people who are not able to drive because of vision or cognitive impairments is causeforconcern.

PolicyDriven

How serious are we in the pursuit of a society that embraces disability inclusion? Undoubtedly, those who are tasked with making disability inclusion policies must include those persons with the lived experiences.Policiescrafted in abstract will not address the unique needs of this often-marginalised group in the society Many societies have legislation to address some of these issues of the disable community however;theissueathandis oftentimes one of enforcement Obviously, more intentional strategies and programmes are needed to eradicate the stigma and discrimination attached to the disabled community in order to embrace a society thatisinclusive.

In the words of Robert M Hensel, there is no greater disability in society, than the inability to see a personasmore.

Regards WayneCampbell

DEAREDITOR

, I’ve watched the situation at Stabroek evolve for years, and it’s clear that whatwe’redealingwithnow didn’t appear overnight Stabroek has become a textbook example of what happens when institutions hesitate for too long Lawlessness never emerges in a vacuum. Instead, it grows in the gaps where authority sends mixed signals, where rules are enforced only when convenient, and where officials hope that passive engagement will somehow maintain order Anyone familiar with public administration knows that onceapatternlikethattakes hold,deviantbehaviorstarts tolooklegitimate.Indeed,it becomes part of the culture and, before long, tests the limitsofthestate’sauthority That is exactly what happened outside the market People like to pretend vendors suddenly materialisedundertheclock andacrosseverysquarefoot ofthepublicspace,butthey didn’t. Their expansion was slow and predictable. The cityallowedit.Enforcement softened Political actors avoided confrontation Consequently, parking bays

and access lanes began to function as vending strips. Over time, the informal arrangement felt normal, evenpermanent. Here’s the part many prefernottoconfront.When informal vending becomes the de facto regulator of a busy public square, any efforttorestoreorderwillbe describedasdisplacementor oppression.Yet,theareawas neverdesignedtooperateas a retail corridor. Stabroek is one of the most important transportation hubs in the capital. It moves thousands of commuters, drivers, delivery trucks, and

pedestrianseveryday When a bus can’t make a simple turn without executing a three-point maneuver, you’re not managing a city you’re managing chaos.

This is why the government’s upgrades, though disruptive, are necessary After years of drift,youcan’trestoreorder with gentle suggestions Ultimately, recalibrating a system that has normalised disorder requires clear and decisive intervention. Strong political leadership has to step in, reassert the rule of law, restore confidence, and reinforce thestandardsthatholdacity together Waiting only increases the political and social cost of fixing the problemlater

Twothingscanbetrueat the same time Vendors deserve stability and support. The wider public deservesorderandmobility However, what cannot continue is a downtown corridor shaped by hesitation and tolerated disorder For Stabroek to functionasatruecapitalcity hub, the country must confront reality and restore balance with firmness and clarity

I don’t blame the vendors After all, they respondedtothesignalsthey were given. If a system rewards encroachment with tolerance, people will naturally adapt to that environment. At the same time,Ican’tpretendthestate is wrong for reclaiming the space either A functioning city needs predictable routes, safe walkways, and public infrastructure that supports movement, not congestion Public space mustworkforeveryone,not justthosewhohavebecome comfortableoccupyingit.

Respectfully BRIANAZORE

The Maduro regime

DEAREDITOR

Congratulations are in orderfortherelevantsubject matter of the Peeping Tom column titled “The Puppet’s Rewards” in Kaieteur news December 2, 2025 edition. The article in essence dealt with the significance of the Maduro regime in Venezuela, the massive armada in the Caribbean, andourbelovedGuyana.

I had written earlier about my own family experience with a first cousin back in the 40s who visited believing and

contending that Essequibo belonged to Venezuela where he was born and educated.

If, by whatever means, the present leadership in Venezuela is overturned, Guyanese must not be excited nor believing that a change in Venezuela will alter and improve our conditions, with respect to absurdborderclaim.

I know that the majority of Guyanese have a close family member resident in the United States of America, and generally

enjoy the bounty of its wealth and opportunities, andthereforemanyofuspre andpost-independencehave developed a love and admiration for the United StatesofAmerica. I am among those persons who have always maintained an abiding interest, deep affection, and admiration for the United States of America, a people who severed the umbilical cord from our erstwhile masters England in July of 1776,Imuse“Remember (Continuedonpage06)

We must also take responsibility for the cleanliness of our surroundings

DEAREDITOR

,

A member of the opposition in the minority has posted on Facebook a video showing a large heap ofgarbageinthemidstofthe living area of a poor community. The opposition membergoesontoberatethe Minister of Local Government with personal attacks, and he also speaks poorly of several other cabinetmembers.

Clearlyblamingthemfor the presence of the large amounts of garbage heaped up in the midst of the community Itshouldalsobe noted that this was not a

garbageheapontheparapet. So, the finger pointing between the M&CC and Central Government may alsonotbeappropriate.CRG may not always agree with thoseingovernment,butitis important to correctly place responsibility where it belongs.

During the 1980’s as Guyana descended into poverty, the culture in the countrywassuchthatpeople still took pride in having clean surroundings and a healthy environment in which to live. Garbage was notseenalongtheroadways

(Continuedonpage09)

Old age pension...

Frompage04

two pensions in 30 days ie 1st November, 1st December now it’s 55 days,1st November to 24th December Iamappealingto theManagementofN.I.S.to beproactiveandadjustyour bank remittance dates

accordingly The 1st of the monthisnotthe24thor25th. It is our money you must comply Yourdutyistoremit ourpensiontobepayableon thespecifieddate.

Regards

AlfredKhan Octogenarian

The Maduro regime...

Frompage05

the Alamo”. Just as within thefamilyifyouhaveadeep affection for a family member that should not allow you to ignore the proclivities, foibles and faultsofyourbelovedfamily member Let us look at this triangle - a massive US armada,theabsurdclaimby Venezuela to Essequibo and our massive oil, gold, and other resources - by itself a fascinating situation worthy ofaHollywoodmovie.

Ifthereisachangeinthe administrationinVenezuela, we must not believe that such a change could overnight create, as one friend once said, an attitudinal metamorphosis, in fact if Maduro is replaced with an administration, with plenty ofmuscle,littleGuyanamay find itself as the old folks say; “jumping out of the fryingpanandintothefire”. Others have alluded to the prospect of a mass influx of Venezuelans through our porous and poorly maned border, putting much pressure on housing, health and educational institutions. We lack the capacity to determine whether our new uninvited guest will be of sound character or otherwise.

We heard coming from the top brass of the present administration,drumbeatsto welcome all and sundry, in our new world no sensible governmentwillhave,aswe h e a r d l a s t y e a r , unconditional welcoming to all and sundry, a dangerous situation, a situation that demands the wisdom within our government to go beyond pronouncements, using their control of the severalmediaoutlets.

The situation requires a government to bring onboard all sections; political, religious, regional and in particular our youth.

To p r e p a r e t h e m physiologically and otherwise for this possible assault into our country, a place blessed by the creator with untold wealth and no naturaldisasters,asweseein Indonesia, and many other places.

Historywillnotjudgeus kindly if the president and those in charge of everything, fail to carry out the sentiments contained in that old folk song “All a we ah one family” popular at “Quehqueh”celebrations.

Sincerely, ElderHamiltonGreen

32 contractors bid to reconstruct fence at St. John’s College 32 contractors bid to reconstruct fence at St. John’s College

The Ministry of Education has received 32 bids from contractors competing

toreconstructthefenceatSt. John’s College, located along Waterloo Street, Georgetown.

Below are the companies and their bids: GuyanaPower&Light Constructionofa13.8KVPrimary DistributionNetworkfromSeweyoto MoblissaalongtheLindenSoesdykeHighway

MinistryofLabour&ManpowerPlanning Constructionoftrainingbuilding.

GuyanaElectionsCommission SupplyandDeliveryofNewVehicles.

SupremeCourtofJudicature RewiringofNewAmsterdamHighCourt.

MinistryofEducation RepurposingofExistingBuildingfor DiningHall/StudyHallatETIRegionTwo.

GeneratorSystematKwakwaniSecondarySchool.

T h e N a t i o n a l Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB) recently

revealed that contractors have bid between $10 millionand$21millionfor theproject

GeneratorSystematChristChurchSecondarySchool.

Tougher tint rules signal wider crackdown on road lawlessness - Nandlall

With the new vehicle tint policy set to take effect after December 31 carrying a $75,000 penalty, other traffic-related offences will soon see increased fines as well.

This was announced by Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, AnilNandlall,SC,duringhis weekly Issues in the News

programme Nandlall acknowledged the public's concernoverthetintpolicy's penalty but clarified that broader reforms to traffic

laws are underway, particularly for offences that commonly lead to road accidents He noted that fines for speeding, previouslysetat$7,500,will

beincreased.

“Government has already signalled that reformsaregoingtobemade in relation to road traffic lawsandregulationsbecause the spate of accidents on our roads, the spate of fatal accidents on our roads, the great misuse and negligent use of our public roadways continue to be matters that greatly concern our government.

And these are matters that we will continuously monitor very closely and makereformswhenwethink thatitisinthepublicinterest to do so,” the Attorney Generalstated.

He highlighted the role of the e-ticketing system in

addressing two major offences speeding and non-wearingofseatbeltsand indicated that stricter penalties for these violations are expected to further reduceaccidents.

“I have no doubt that when the statistics are properly analysed, one will see a reduction in vehicular accidents and traffic accidents generally on our roadways because of the approach we have taken in relationtospeedingandnonwearing of seatbelts via the e-ticketing measure. But we haveotherreformsthatarein the pipeline,” Nandlall added.

He stated that the g

reviewing regulations related to motor vehicle and driver's licences, with plans to add more violations to the listofticketableoffences.

“You will now get eticketsforalargernumberof offences And of course, harsher penalties will be imposed for speeding, among other legislative reforms,”hesaid.

Addressing the tint policy specifically, Nandlall reaffirmed that the standard remains35%tintonthesides and back of vehicles, and 70% tint on the front

windshield. He noted that while some members of the public disagree with the measure, the policy itself is clear

“You may disagree with

Attorney General and Minister of LegalAffairs, Anil Nandlall, SC,

themeasure,butthemeasure is not unclear I want to draw a distinction between a lack of clarity and whether you oppose or support the measure,”heexplained.

Man killed by girlfriend during row

Police are currently investigating the fatal stabbing of a 42-year-old porter identified as Michael Rawlins which occurred at Recht Door Zee, West Bank Demeraraataround17:00hrsonWednesday

The now deceased was stabbed by his partner

In a statement released to the media on Thursday police said that investigations revealed that the deceased and the suspect, a 27-year-old female Special Constable who resided at the said address. The man

sustained a stab wound to his upper right leg duringanallegedargument.

An injured Rawlins was rushed to the West Demerara Regional Hospital and was subsequently pronounced dead by a doctor on duty during the course of receiving treatment.

The female was arrested and remains in police custody assisting with the ongoing investigation Rawlings' remains are presently at the Ezekiel Funeral Home awaitingapost-mortemexamination.

LindenMantospendChristmas injailovergun,ammocharges

Martin Fraser, a 28-year-old male Contractor of Castello Avenue, Central Amelia's Ward, Linden has been charged in connection with firearm-related offences which occurred on Monday December 1, 2025.

The allegations are that Fraser had a firearm and ammunition in his possession withoutafirearmlicence,ContrarytoSection 16(2)(a) of the Firearm Act, Chapter 16:05. On Thursday December 4, 2025 at 10:20hrs, Fraser appeared at the Linden Magistrate's Court before Her Worship Rushelle Liverpool, where the charges were read to him. He pleaded not guilty to both offences. Bail was refused and he was remanded to prison. The matter was adjourned to January 8,2026.

A changing Christmas in a changing Guyana

The celebration of Christmas in the Caribbean began, assomanyculturalpractices here did, with colonial imposition.WhentheBritish entrenched themselves across the region, they brought with them not only governance and plantation systems but also their religiouscalendar Christmas rooted in Christian tradition but heavilyshapedbyEuropean customs was planted in Caribbean soil alongside churches, schools, and administrative structures Over time, the celebration took on localized forms.We infuseditwithourfood,our music, our communal ethos and, eventually, our own meanings. As with Carnival

in Trinidad or Hosay in Jamaica, Christmas became a Caribbean creation in its own right: part European pageantry, part local

generosity,andwhollyours.

Christmas gained universal appeal in the Caribbean not simply becauseitwashandeddown bycolonialmasters. It embedded itself th

ed experiences of plantation life and post-emancipation c

e enslaved,Christmaswasone of the few periods when work slowed and gatherings werepermitted.

For the free villages that e m e

g

d

t e r Emancipation, it became a time of reunion, music,

heightened spirituality, and communalfeasting.

The season, in the main, aligned with the rhythms of rural life—crop cycles, the closingoftheyear,thedesire for reflection and renewal. By the mid-20th century, Christmas in the Caribbean had long transcended its origins. It was a cultural festival as much as a religious one. In places like Guyana, where religious pluralism is profound, the season became a national, not denominational, observance.

For decades, Guyanese of every religion participated Hindu and Muslimfamiliesboughttoys for the children, exchanged gifts, cooked lavish meals, andvisitedfriends.Christian f

We must also take responsibility...

Frompage06 andtherewas apopularsayingbackthenof “cleanliness is next to godliness”. Each person took responsibility for maintaining thecleanlinessoftheirownsurroundingsand thedecencyofoursocietydidnotallowone to be disrespectful and throw garbage whereverheorherwished. This perspective is being shared as a reminder that it is within the power of the residents to keep the surroundings of where they live clean. Poverty is not an excuse for filthy surroundings and unhygienic behaviour Whetherasapartofgovernment orinopposition,wemustrememberthatthe mainpurposeofthegovernmentistoprovide

the resources and the opportunities for each of us to live better It is the responsibility of wethepeopletomaketheefforttomakethe most of the available resources and opportunitiesprovided.

Onecanunderstandiftheresidentswere prevented from properly disposing of the garbageintheirmidst,butitisquitedifferent if they were involved in making their own situationworse.Asapeoplewemustregain pride in the cleanliness of our surroundings anddemandthatthosearoundusalsohelpin maintaining the little we have in good and healthycondition.

Bestregards, Mr JamilChanglee

DEM BOYS SEH

No more old Bridge, no more excuse

Dem boys seh when de new

D e m e r a r a River Bridge open, plenty peopleclapandcheer

Butisonlyaftertwodays some of dem same people starttobawlquietly

Yuh see, long before de new bridge, de old Harbour Bridgewasdebestinvention ever-NOT because it good, butbecauseitbad Detraffic wassohorriblethatitprovide de perfect, readymade

excuse fuh lateness, slackness,andeverykindof “I could explain, darling” story Bossmanusedtocall: “Why you late again?”And de worker would answer smooth-smooth, “Boss, de traffic crawling on de West

Side of de bridge ” Wifewouldask: “Why yuh now coming

home 10 o’clock?” Anddemanwouldwhisper,

“Sweetheart, de traffic

w a s m u r d e r o u s ” Alldetimeisnottrafficdem man stuck in. Is GT bar, Uncle Joe rumshop, or de cornershopplayingpools. But now, with de new bridge, all dem nice, sweet lies done. Traffic flowing likefreshbreeze.Demboys seh is so fast now, if yuh blinkyuhmightenduppon de West Coast and miss de turn-off.

Some man vex bad Dem whole lifestyle get disrupt Dem can’t go limingtillmidnightandthen pretend traffic hold dem hostage. One man tell dem boysheactuallyprayingfuh alilcongestion. He seh, “If not a breakdown, at least a lil slowdown-just a fiveminutejam,Bossman!”But de bridge behaving too good. It refuse to cooperate

withdeold-timestories.

W i v e s s m i l i n g nowadays.Deygettingback dem husbands early-early Childrensurprised:“Daddy, you live here?” Bosses walking round happy too. Dem staff showing up BEFORE time. Man seh he reach so early de security ask if he spend de night in town.

Demboyssehonlysetof people vex is de chronic latecomers and de weekend drinkers who does rehearse traffic stories. But tell dem brace up. De excuse bank run dry No more “bridge traffic,” no more “line long,” no more “one-lane traffic.”

New bridge bring progress, development, and efficiency But most importantly, it expose nuff lies. Talkhalf.Leffhalf..

f

ll backgrounds. The spirit of giving, the emphasis on family, and the delight of children made Christmas a unifyingforce.

Even those who did not mark it religiously felt no contradictioninembracingit culturally.Christmaswasan expression of togetherness in a society that often struggleswithdivision.

But something is changing. It is not loud or confrontational, not dramatic or divisive. It is s u b t l e a l m o s t imperceptible unless one listens carefully to the conversations happening quietly across communities. In recent years, more Guyanese from nonChristian traditions have begun to step back from the active celebration of Christmas.

They respect the season, admire the joy it brings others,anddonotopposeit. Yet they choose not to participate, deciding instead to align more closely with theirownreligiousidentities andobservances.

This development is neither hostile nor reactionary; it is reflective anddeliberate.Itsignalsthat more Guyanese are consciouslyreclaimingtheir religioustraditions,marking clear boundaries between what they consider cultural participation and what they

seeasreligiousobservance. Inadeeplymulticultural society,thisisnotsurprising. It is perhaps an expected outcome of increasing religious education, e x p a n d i n g g l o b a l influences, and a renewed prideinone’sowntraditions. Many young non-Christians now say, “We respect Christmas, but we do not celebrate it.” Not because they feel excluded—quite theopposite.Theyfeelmore rootedintheirownreligious identities.

If this trend continues, Christmas in Guyana may change—not in spirit, but in scale It may no longer command the same nearuniversal participation it oncedid.

The season may shift from being a national celebration that everyone shared,toanationalmoment that everyone respects but many observe from a slight culturaldistance.

This should not be a causeforalarm;itisasignof maturation in our multiculturalism True multiculturalism does not require uniformity It allows for celebration and abstention,participationand distance, without judgment

o r r e s e n t m e n t I t acknowledges that Guyanese identity is not monolithic, and that our festivals do not need to be universally adopted to be nationallycherished.

Still, this shift invites reflection What does it mean for a society where Christmas was once as expected as the rainy season? How do we understand national culture when participation becomes moreselective?Perhapsthis ispartofabroadertransition toward deeper authenticitywhere festivals are embraced not merely out of habit or social expectation but out of conviction and personalmeaning.

Christmas will remain a belovedseasoninGuyana.It willcontinuetolighthomes, cheer children, and stir generosity But its universalitymaydiminishas moreGuyaneseleanintothe comfortandidentityoftheir own religious traditions And that, too, is a kind of progress, one that respects diversity while preserving harmony

In a society as richly variedasours,theevolution ofChristmasisnotalossbut areminderthatculturelives, breathes, adapts. And so do we.

(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinionsofthisnewspaper.)

H@RD TRUTHS

Census

In this the time of post elections postmortems, the census has floated into the consciousness again, and is making the rounds again. One senior govt minister promised that its grand appearance will be 'very soon ' Another political figure spoke of the census in terms of planning. I think of the long-delayed census results and see a vehicular analogy

The results of a census that are delayed for three years indicate that what is involved is not kicking a tire to pass time, or changing a bulb,butmore. Athree-year delay would strongly

suggestthattheresultsofthe census prompted looking into an engine and conducting an extensive overhaul The Chief Statistician, Dr Errol de la Cruz is a resourceful and adaptable numbers man Hence, I think he would agree with the numerically challenged that the post census mechanics covering approx. 800,000 citizens, a fewtrees,andasmatteringof cows, sheep, and dogs, shouldn't occupy all of three years. Perhaps-anditisabig maybe-if 80 million (100 times 800,000) citizens were part of the mix, then there could be agreement that the

extrathreeyearsarejustified before the results could be released to civilised people. Reasonably speaking, to be madetowaitthreeyearsafter the fieldwork for the results for a census of 800,000 people, give or take, stretches the patience, undermines the credibility, and leads to too much speculation about factors goodandbad,mostlybad.

It seems that even a regal character committed to doing the right thing, as Dr Ashni K. Singh, came to his senses that three years was the equivalent of a lifetime on death row (or isolation), andthattheresultsshouldbe before the public soon enough. How much longer canthreeyearsbepulledand twisted to get into the shape desired? Relative to the illustrious and sagaciousAK Singh, one would hope that his definition of 'soon' is not another six months. It is h e a r t e n i n g t h a t h e rediscovered his vocal cords and inspired them to move from an inaudible croak to a thundering crescendo. Soon

suits me, whatever the opposition may find it pleasingtosay

Well, I heard about the census results being a valuable component in planning Planning in Guyana? Since when there is that beast that rises out of the abyss, and registers its presence? Not for the census, but a footprint in the environment. Planning in Guyana doesn't depend on some damn census results. PlanninginthisnextXanadu amounts to what some official smarty wakes up one morning around 11 a.m., and decidethatiswhatisgoingto be. Because there is a financial killing that could bemade. Ichallengeanyone (makethatexhortinthespirit of Xmas) to present one project that wasn't graced with that essential, nonnegotiable component

To repeat: where's the beef formeandtheparty Strange how all those who professed to be vegetarians turn out to be bigger carnivores than me. Must be the one-a-year feasting on meat and eddoes

aroundthistime.

Census,census, census! a census to facilitate the kind of elections that Guyanese just had. There were so many Guyanese, but so few v o t e r s , t h a t t h e Commonwealth had to be expanded, and an exemption made for Spanish speakers.

Imagine that! Cuba and Venezuelanowcountingasa part of the British Commonwealth. Britannia rules! There is a section of thesolutiontothemysteryof the three long years and the Guyana census results. On another note, Guyanese should brace themselves for the next phase in this delaying game. If it could take a thousand days and some to push the census results towards the first rays of light, a precedent may have been set. The post elections process of identifyingandfinalisingthe n e w L e a d e r o f t h e Oppositioncouldtakejustas long, if the Speaker of the House decides that it is time for him to enjoy all his

c a r r i e d o v e r a n d accumulated long leave entitlements, plus no-pay leave for spite. A curious strain of animal this country Guyana is. Fourteen years and counting for a few slivers of information, or daring to seek access to such information. Threeyearsfor the results of a census to come out of the heads of the maharajahs who sleep, snore, and wake on Facebook. And now three months and going for the naming of an Opposition Leader? Isthisacountryora calamity? I am not saying, since to do so could lead to accusations of toying dangerously close with subversion,ifnottreason. (The views expressed in this article are those of the a u t h o r a n d d o n o t necessarily reflect the opinions of this newspaper.)

BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT

The tint policy

BLUNT BLUNT BLUNT BLUNT

East Coast Road project 84% completed – Minister Edghill

T h e E a s t C o a s t Demerara (ECD) Road Widening and Improvement Project is 84% completed, Minister of Public Works Juan Edghill disclosed on Thursday.

The minister via a Facebook post said that works on the Railway Embankment have made significant strides in the area between Sheriff Street and theOgleRoundabout.

He informed that the asphalt road along this alignment has been fully paved, providing commuters with a smoother and more resilientsurface.

“The next immediate works to be done along the same alignment include the completion of the road markings, installation of traffic lights and signage as well as lighting along the new four-lane carriageway,” hereported.

Additionally, the Public Works Minister stated that along the project alignment, work continues on the reconstructionofseveralkey bridges at Plaisance, Success, La Bonne Intention (LBI), Mon Repos and Foulis.

“Thebridgeworksbegan in November and have a completiontimeframesetfor January 2026. Notably, the bridge at Foulis is already

Works along the Railway Embankment Road on the East Coast of Demerara which has been completed.

substantially complete, with finalapproachandrailworks remaining,”heprovided.

The project includes the extension of the Railway Embankment Road into four lanes from Sheriff Street to Orange Nassau extension of the main East Coast Roadway from Orange Nassau to Mahaica, as well as rehabilitation of the existing ECD road from Belfield to Orange Nassau, which will allow for additionallanes.

Additionally, along the Railway Embankment, the project encompasses a c o m p r e h e n s i v e reconstruction of the alignment, which includes the construction of 42 new bridges and 77 culverts, of which 29 bridges and 70

c u l v e r t s

completed.

The governments of Guyana and China in December 2022 signed a Framework Concessional Loan Agreement to the tune ofUS$192milliontofinance Phase II of the East Coast RoadProject.

China Railway First Group Co. Limited secured the contract for the works following the national biddingprocessin2022.The widening of the ECD highway began under the APNU+AFC government The first phase started in 2017 and was completed in 2020bythesamecontractor

The East Coast corridor upgrade is aimed at easing traffic congestion and decreasingcommutetime.

AFC calls for election of Opposition Leader

The Alliance for Change (AFC) has added its voice to growing calls for Speaker of the National Assembly, Manzoor Nadir, to convene the meeting required for the election of the Leader of the Opposition.

In a statement on Thursday, the AFC warned that the Constitution of Guyana must not be taken lightly,urgingtheSpeakerto follow the law “The

p r o v i s i o n s o f o u r Constitution are regarded as sacrosanct and are not to be trifled with, ignored, or whimsically reinterpreted In fact, with almost sixty years of independence and constitutional governance, somethings should be easier to accept, understand and implement. However, this seemsnottobethecasewith respect to the simple task of convening a meeting of the elected Members of Parliament who are in the opposition benches,” the partysaid.

The AFC pointed to Article 184, which requires the Speaker to convene a meeting of Opposition Members of Parliament so they may elect one of their own as Leader of the

Opposition.

“The role of the Speaker is, at best, perfunctory He has only to convene the meetingandnotgetinvolved or embroiled any further While no specific time is p r e s c r i b e d i n t h e constitution, the framers of Article 184, no doubt, must have expected this meeting to be held within a reasonable time of the conveningoftheParliament, after the holding of general and regional elections. We are now well past the reasonable deadline for the holding of that meeting,” the partynoted.

Clerk of the National Assembly, Sherlock Isaacs, has noted that while the Constitution outlines the procedure for electing an

Opposition Leader, it does not specify when the meeting must occur “The constitution doesn't say when the meeting is to be held, if it's at the first sitting or the second sitting or third sitting; it's at the discretion of the speaker,” Isaacs explained.

T h e r e a r e t h r e e opposition parties in the National Assembly: We Invest in Nationhood (WIN) with 16 seats, A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) with 12 seats and Forward Movement Guyana (FGM) with one seat. The presumed Leader of the Opposition will be WIN's Azruddin Mohamed. AFC added that while it is expected that the leader will come from WIN given its numericalmajority,

what is crucial now is for the meeting to be convened so MPs can “get on with their business” and restore democraticnormalcy

The 13th Parliament c o n v e n e d i n e a r l y November,withgovernment and opposition MPs taking their oaths. Since then, no date has been announced for the Speaker to preside over the meeting to elect the Opposition Leader Last

Thursday, President Irfaan Ali said the Speaker is currently out of the country, and the

cannot take

Firestormatfirstsitting…Reg. Six RDC erupts minutes into inaugural meeting

Region Six's newly i n s t a l l e d R e g i o n a l Democratic Council wasted no time diving into chaos Wednesday, as its very first statutory meeting exploded intoheatedexchangeswithin minutesofcomingtoorder

C h a i r m a n J u n i o r Bassant, sworn in just last weekbyPresidentIrfaanAli, opened the 10:00 a m session in New Amsterdam with Vice-Chairman Wajid Shaheed Khan and REO Narindra Persaud at his side. But calm quickly crumbled. Thesparksflewearly APNU Councillor Collin Moore clashed sharply with PPP/C Councillor Shawn Smith over a proposal to remove urgent matters from the council's agenda, an agenda Moore argued members w e r e n o t p r o p e r l y acquaintedwith.

Chairman Bassant then had his first standing as mediator of such formal contentions swiftly calming the ensuing wrangling between the two councilors. Headvisedthattheagendais a creature of the council, whichretainssuchdiscretion as would see it being modified where and when necessary

“Asitrelatestotheissues of matter of urgent public interest, to the best of my knowledge I understand that there is no single piece of universal legislation that governs these things. This is

an agenda that was created by this RDC, and it can be corrected, fashioned and reshaped by this RDC,” the chairmanposited. Moore heat to the meeting

Briefly it seemed that there was some calm restored, until Moore resumed with much vigour, directing same this time to Regional Health Officer for Region, Dr Vineshri Khirodar The impassioned APNU councilor pursued details from the senior official regarding the whereabouts of the baby who was removed from his family days ago while warded at the New Amsterdam Hospital He also sought answers

pertaining to investigations on the maternal incident that occurred two weeks ago at the same facility, where 36year-old Latoya Griffith and hernewborndied.

In relation to the maternal death, Moore enquired whether there was an investigation, and what were the findings. He also asked directly where the newborn child was, who had been removed from his mother In a firm response, Dr Khirodar confirmed to the council that a probe is ongoing, and the process is phased. She also explained that such an undertaking is not one she can execute alone.

"The RHO cannot be

Khirodar stated that the mother did not act in the safety of the child, and underwent self-delivery of the child, during which she also reportedly severed the umbilical cord herself " u n d e r u n s a n i t a r y conditions.”

Theseactionsassociated with several other flagged issues prompted the doctors tocallinthewelfareofficers. The mother was discharged while the child was held for observation, as per the recommendation of the welfare officers, Dr Khirodarexplained.

investigating a maternal and child death by herself...the internal investigation has to be done by the hospital.This investigation is furnished to myself and the CMO (Chief Medical Officer, and there the CMO summons another investigation and makes a deliberationonthis.

W h e n t h e C M O deliberates on this and makes a decision, then the RHOisgivenlibertythrough thechairtospeak."

She pointedly informed Moore and the council that p e r t a i n i n g t o t h e investigation, the CMO will be in the Region on Friday She affirmed that all necessary answers being sought will be provided at the conclusion of the probe. With regard to the baby that was removed from the ward,

Moore,however,wasnot satisfied and probed emphatically on the child's whereabouts, to which the RHO stressed that she did state that the baby was admitted at the NAHospital. Maintaining that her job is not to manage the welfare officers, but to ensure that the child remains healthy, Dr Khirodar said, too, that "the RHO is not answerable to the welfare officers, and I'm certainly not answerable toMr Moore."

That remark would further incense the APNU councillor, who interrupted and informed the RHO that she is accountable to the council, and a defiant Moore would hold his positions even at the request of the chairman for him to stay calm.

Other matters

Meanwhile, the regional chairman allowed for the

submission of names of councilors who will constitute the several subcommittees of the council. Names were presented for the Finance, Health, Education, Works, Sports and Culture, Women and Gender Affairs, National Events, andAgriculture subcommittees The alli m p o r t

representation for the PPP/C in the persons of the chairman, the vice-chair, the REO, and Deputy REO Mary Samaroo. Noticeably, no names was submitted from the APNU nor We Invest in Nationhood (WIN) camps for this critical committee.

Declaring the present outline of the council as “historic,” Bassant informed the body that “for the first t i m e , w e h a v e a representative from BaraCara, representing the People's Progressive Party W

om Sandvoort here that is representing our party and our interests, and they are representing all of the interests of the people of RegionSix.”

We Invest in Nationhood (WIN) sits on the council with six seats, while APNU retains three representatives. The AFC has come up short at the last General and Regional Elections, failing tomusterenoughvotesinthe Regiontoearnaseat.

Entertainment Kaieteur Entertainment Kaieteur

Returns to Main Street with Grand Opening Concert

Georgetown's beloved Christmas Village is set to illuminate Main Street onceagainthisholidayseason,withthe grand opening scheduled for tonight, December 5, 2025, at 5:30 PM. The event promises to deliver a true Guyanese Christmas experience, marking the official start of the festive seasoninthecapitalcity Tourism, Industry and Commerce Minister Susan Rodrigues announced plans for the opening, which will featureamegaconcerthighlightingthe best of Guyanese entertainment. The opening night celebration promises to setthetoneforwhathasbecomeoneof Georgetown's most spectacular holidaytraditions.

This year's celebration is expected to grow even bigger and brighter The event transforms Main Street into a festive wonderland, complete with dazzling lights, vibrant decorations, and a showcase of local culture that distinguishes Guyana's Christmas

celebrationsfromtherestoftheworld.

The Christmas Village will once againfeaturethepopular"OneGuyana Supermarket," a showcase aimed at promoting local small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and agricultural produce. The marketplace gives local businesses an invaluable platform to display and sell their products during one of the busiest shopping periods of theyear

Visitors to the Christmas Village can expect an array of authentic Guyanese experiences, from local culinary delights to handcrafted gifts and holiday decorations. The event transforms Main Street into a festive hub for local businesses, cultural displays, and food, creating a unique atmospherethatcapturestheessenceof aGuyaneseChristmas.

The Christmas Village is part of a larger "Guyanese Christmas tourism package" that the Ministry of Tourism is developing to incorporate various

activities designed to offer visitors a magical holiday experience The comprehensive package includes accommodations, city tours, visits to attractions like Kaieteur Falls, and the Christmas Village experience on Main Street.

The Christmas Village has become a staple of the Guyanese holiday season, bringing together families, locals,andvisitorsfromnearandfarto celebrate in true Guyanese fashion. The festive atmosphere, combined with the spirit of community and national pride, creates an experience that showcases Guyana's rich cultural diversityandholidaytraditions.

As the countdown to Christmas begins, the December 5 opening promises to be an unforgettable evening of music, culture, and celebration. The public is encouraged to come out in large numbers to experience the magic of a Guyanese ChristmasonMainStreet.

Carlvin Burnett unleashes "Lunatic”

– A power soca anthem with international ambitions

Guyanese music

s e n s a t i o n

Carlvin Burnett is turning heads once again with his latest release, "Lunatic", a high-energy power soca track that marks a bold departure from his signature sound and signals his growing ambitions beyondGuyana'sshores.

The infectious anthem, producedbyHeatwaveBand members Josh, Earl, and David, with production handled by Selector Andre

Studio, has already generated buzz in the local entertainment scene. Road Manager Chenille and AJ Records also played crucial roles in bringing the project tolife.

"I wanted to make it fun, relatable, crazy," Burnett explained in a recent interview "Initially when I was playing around with the idea in my head, I asked myself what can I say on stage to cause chaos in any crowd I'm performing for, and this Lunatic concept is what I came up with Something like that soca song 'pick up something, anything...' I wanted us to have a Guyanese song that builds that same energy, and nowwehaveLunatic."

A New Sound, A Bigger Vision

"Lunatic" represents a strategic pivot for the Berbician artist, who is best known for his melodious vocalsandchart-toppinghits

like "Handyman," which earned him the Soca Monarch crown in 2024 on his debut performance. This

time, Burnett is venturing into power soca territory with a Jab-style sound, a calculated move inspired by h i s e x p e r i e n c e s a t CARIFESTA earlier this year

"The exposure to all the various cultures, it broadened my horizons," Burnett shared, reflecting on his time at the regional festival. It was there that he connected with Grenadian socaMonarchMrKilla,who expressed interest in exploring a potential collaboration. "But after that conversation and much thought, I realized I hadn't any song with the power tempo and sound that Mr Killa has. So Lunatic is inspired by my hopes to secure a collaboration with any other Caribbean artist withthatstyle."

F o r B u r n e t t , collaborations represent more than just musical experimentation, they're a pathway to achieving his ultimate goal of taking Guyanesemusictotheworld stage.

"Iwanttopushmymusic further and with a collaborationwecantapinto each other's resources, like have the song played in both of our countries and get coveragefrommediainboth countries, gain relevance for their carnivals and shows," he explained. "And collabs also foster more friendships, working relationships

Hopefully the music transcendsborders."

The Mashramani Question

W i t h t h e overwhelmingly positive reception to "Lunatic", fans are already crowning him "2X Soca Monarch" before h e ' s e v e n e n t e r e d , speculation is mounting about whether Burnett will compete in the upcoming Mashramanicompetitions. However, the artist is (Continued on page 23)

Woman killed by speeding car on Aubrey Barker Road

A50-year-old woman was killed on Thursday after she was struck by a speeding car while crossing Aubrey Barker Road, South Ruimveldt, Georgetown.

The victim has been identifiedasShondellDundas, a mother of one from Festival City, North Ruimveldt According to a relative, the incident occurred around 12:30hrs. Dundas had just left a Chinese supermarket across the street and was returning home when the accident occurred.

An eyewitness recounted that Dundas was midway across the road when she noticed a fast-approaching car and attempted to retreat to the corner However, the driver reportedly swerved and hit her “The lady was standing when she see the car was coming, she tried to pull back but then he end up hitting her and pitch up in the air The window screen broke,” the

witness said. Dundas died at thescene.

The witness further alleged that the driver appeared to be travelling at an extremely high speed, saying, “He was speeding he looked like he was going 200 or 180 ” Another resident recalled speaking with Dundasearlieraboutherplans for the Christmas season. “We were chatting about Christmas. She told me she was going to collect some money this week to buy a Christmastree.

She had already finished decorating her house,” the woman shared, describing Dundas as a “cool,” wellknown member of the c o m m u n i t y D e p u t y Commander of Regional Police Division 4A, Senior Superintendent John Barker, confirmed that the driver is currently in police custody and that investigations are ongoing.

Businesswoman arrested after smashing canter window with metal pipe

Police in Regional Division #4'C' are investigating an alleged incident of malicious damage to property, which occurred about 07:10hrs on Wednesday December 3, 2025 at Mon Repos School Road, EastCoastDemerara.

Bothvehiclescontinuedon theirway

However, while the driver ofthecanterwaswaitingatthe traffic light on the said road, the female driver approached, stopped her vehicle, exited with a metal pipe and struck thecanter,damagingawindow glass and the right-side rearviewmirror.

The businesswoman was later arrested and escorted to the Mon Repos Police Outpost where she was placed into custodypendinginvestigation. Investigationsareongoing.

Enquiries revealed that motorcanterGAC7299driven by a 49-year-old male of Good Hope, ECD was proceeding northalongMonReposSchool Road when an encounter occurred with motorcar PAG 4521, driven by a 42-year-old businesswomanofMonRepos North, ECD who was proceeding in the opposite direction.

Cop thrown in jail over AK-47 gunplay

A20-year-old member of the Guyana Police Force was on Thursday remanded to prison afteraviralvideoshowedhimbrandishingan AK-47riflewhilereportedlyintoxicated.

The accused, Daniel Henry, who is attached to Regional Police Division #1, has been charged with possession of a firearm withintenttoinjure,anoffenceunderSection 37 of the Firearm Offences Act, Chapter 16:05.

Henry appeared via Zoom before Magistrate Rabindranauth Singh at the Port KaitumaMagistrate'sCourt,wherethecharge was read to him. He was not required to enter a plea and was subsequently remanded to prison. The case has been adjourned to January14,2026.

According to reports Henry was placed under close arrest on November 30, after a videocirculatedonsocialmediashowinghim walking through Port Kaituma, North West District, with a force-issued AK-47 while allegedlyintoxicated.

The video depicts the rank, dressed in casual clothing, holding the rifle and arguing with another individual. At one point, he threatened to shoot the person while pacing upanddownthestreet.

During the exchange, two gunshots were heardandseveralpersons,whoreferredtothe rankas“Henry,”attemptedtocalmhimdown andeventuallygothimtowalkaway

Following the video's circulation, the

Guyana Police Force (GPF) issued a statement indicating that the Commissioner of Police had ordered a thorough investigationintotheincident.

“The contents of the video form part of the ongoing investigation, which will determinethefullextentofbothdisciplinary and criminal actions to be taken,” the GPF stated.

The Force added that it remains committed to maintaining the highest standards of professionalism and accountability and will release further informationastheinvestigationprogresses.

Miner wanted for narcotics possession arrested during intel-led operation at Agatash Village

A gold miner who was wanted for the possession of narcotics was arrested on Wednesday during an intelligence-led operation in Agatash Village, Essequibo Riverandchargedyesterday

A c c o r d i n g t o information provided by the police, the suspect identified as Nicholas Allen was

charged with “Possession of Narcotic for the Purpose of Trafficking.”

He made his appearance before His Worship Tariq Mohamed, at the Bartica Magistrate's Court, pleading guilty, and was sentenced to a year imprisonment along witha$30,000fine.

"The suspect was also

The discovered narcotics.

wanted on a warrant issued by the Suddie High Court in relation to a Rape offence," policesaid.

Additionally, during the same operation a search of the camp resulted in the discovery of a quantity of leaves, seeds and stems suspected to be cannabis, which was weighed in the presence of the suspect and amounted to 298.4 grams. The narcotics was processed and lodged and a 17-yearold female who was present atthelocationwasalsotaken intocustody

Video of US military strike shows survivors in 'clear distress,' lawmaker says

WASHINGTON, Dec 4 (Reuters) - A senior U S lawmaker said a video shown to lawmakers on Thursday of a military strike against a suspected drug vessel was "one of the most troublingthings"hehadseen as it showed survivors in cleardistresswhentheywere killed.

T h e r e m a r k s b y Representative Jim Himes, the top Democrat on the

H o u s e I n t e l l i g e n c e Committee, ratchets up

pressure on officials involved in a September 2 U S military attack on a suspected drug boat in the Caribbean that killed 11 suspected traffickers Officials have said the operation included a followon strike against the vessel after an initial attack when there were still survivors, raising questions about the legality of the operation and U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth'sroleinit.

Hegseth has already come under fire this year

a f t e r a P e n t a g o n investigation faulted him for using Signal on his personal device to send sensitive information about planned strikes in Yemen. Admiral Frank Bradley, who was the head of the Joint Special Operations Command at the time, and top U.S. general Dan Caine on Thursday briefed lawmakers including Himes on the operation and showed an unedited video of thefollow-onstrike.

"What I saw in that room was one of the most troubling things that I've seen in my time in public service, " Himes told reporters after the briefing. "Youhavetwoindividualsin clear distress, without any means of locomotion, with a destroyed vessel, who were killed by the United States." But he also said that Bradley and Caine "did the right thing" and that he respected the admiral, who is now the head of the U S Special Operations Command Before the briefing, a U.S. official said Bradley would tell lawmakers that the survivors were legitimate targets for a second attack because their vessel was still believed to contain illegal narcotics.

The Pentagon did not respond to a request for comment.

STRIKES PART OF TRUMP'S CAMPAIGN AGAINST CARTELS

Sofar,therehavebeen20 U.S. military strikes in the Caribbean and Pacific

against suspected drug vessels this year that have killed more than 80 people. Killing suspected drug traffickers who pose no threat of causing imminent serious injury to others would be murder under U.S. and international law

However, the United States has framed the attacks as a warwithdrugcartels,calling them armed groups The Defense Department's Law of War Manual forbids attacks on combatants who a r e i n c a p a c i t a t e d , u n c o n s c i o u s o r shipwrecked, provided they abstainfromhostilitiesorare not attempting to escape

The manual cites firing upon shipwreck survivors as an exampleofa"clearlyillegal"

orderthatshouldberefused.

Hegseth said on Tuesday he had watched the first U.S. strike in September on the suspected drug-smuggling vessel in real time, but did notseesurvivorsinthewater or the second lethal strike that he described as being carried out in the "fog of war."

B

Bradley's decision to carry outafollow-upstrike.

"Admiral Bradley made the correct decision to ultimately sink the boat and

,"

Hegsethsaid.

HEGSETH IN FOCUS OVER STRIKES, SIGNALUSE

Tr u m p , w h o t o l d reporters on Air Force One

on Sunday that he would not have wanted the second strike,largelyvoicedsupport for Hegseth and the operation on Tuesday, while also saying he hadn't been aware of the second strike. The lethal strikes on drug vessels, including the early September one, are part of a broader campaign that the Trumpadministrationsaysis aimed at cutting off the supply of illegal drugs into the U.S. The administration has said drug cartels pose an immediate threat to the UnitedStatesandjustifiedits s t r i k e s b y e q u a t i n g suspected drug traffickers with terrorists, though many legal experts dispute the v a l i d i t y o f s u c h a characterisation.

Hegsethremainsinfocus for

he mili

y campaign as well as his use ofSignal.

The Pentagon Inspector General report, which was released on Thursday, said Hegseth's use of Signal c o u l d h a v e endangered U S t r o o p s i f intercepted. "(The) Secretary's actions created a risk to operational security that could have resulted in failed U S m i s s i

U.S. Navy Admiral Frank "Mitch" Bradley arrives for a classified briefing for leaders of the Senate Armed Services Committee on U.S. strikes against Venezuelan boats suspected of smuggling drugs, on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., U.S., December 4, 2025.

nd potential harm to U S pilots," the report said Prominent Democrats, i

p Democraticlawmakeronthe House Armed Services Committee, said the Signal investigation showed

Hegsethlackedthejudgment required of the leader of the U.S.armedforces.

UN's Guterres says Israel's conduct of war in Gaza 'fundamentally wrong'

Aljazeera - United Nations Secretary-General

Antonio Guterres has condemned the way Israel has waged its war on Gaza, d e s c r i b i n g i t a s “fundamentally wrong” and saying “there are strong reasons” to believe that I s r a e l i f o r c e s h a v e committed war crimes in the Palestinianterritory

Guterres made the comments on Wednesday in an interview with Reuters Editor-in-Chief Alessandra Galloni at the news agency's NEXT conference in New York.

“I think there was something fundamentally wrong in the way this operation was conducted with total neglect in relation to the deaths of civilians and to the destruction of Gaza,” Guterressaid.

“The objective was to destroy Hamas Gaza is destroyed, but Hamas is not yet destroyed So there is something fundamentally wrong with the way this is conducted,”hesaid.

When asked if he

believed Israeli forces may be guilty of carrying out war crimes since the conflict began more than two years ago,Guterressaidthat“there are strong reasons to believe that that possibility might be areality”.

RespondingtoGuterres's comments, Israel's UN ambassador Danny Danon accused the UN chief of using his “elevated platform to lambast and condemn Israel and Israelis at every opportunity”.

“ T h e o n l y c r i m e committed is the moral abomination that more than two years after the horrific massacres of October 7, the UN secretary-general has still not visited Israel,” he toldReuters.

In October 2024, then-

Israeli Foreign Minister

Israel Katz, now the country's defence minister, declared Guterres “persona nongrata”inIsrael,accusing him of giving “backing to terrorists, rapists, and murderers” for failing to condemn Iran's missile attack on the country that month.

More than 70,000 people have died in Gaza since October 7, 2023, when Israeli forces launched an all-out assault in response to a Hamas-led attack on southern Israel that saw more than 1,200 people killedand251takencaptive.

A fragile United Statesbrokered ceasefire – a 20point peace plan pushed by US President Donald Trump – has been in place since

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres speaks with Reuters Editor-in-Chief Alessandra Galloni during the Reuters NEXT conference in New York City on December 3, 2025 [Brendan McDermid/Reuters]

October 10 But Israeli forces have repeatedly violated the truce with strikes and demolitions, claiming to be targeting Hamas infrastructure in Gaza.

Israel's most recent violations on Wednesday r e s u l t e d i n s e v e n Palestinians being killed, including two children aged eight and 10, in attacks on thecoastalenclave.

According to Gaza's authorities, Israeli forces haveviolatedtheceasefireat least 591 times since it came

into effect, killing at least 360 Palestinians and wounding922others.

In his Reuters interview, Guterres also praised the US for being instrumental in improving aid access in G a z a , s a y i n g t h e humanitarian situation has “considerably improved” because of pressure exerted byWashingtononIsrael.

“They have leverage that, of course, we [the UN] donot,”hesaid.

“There is an excellent c o o p e r a t i o n i n t h e humanitarian aid between

the UN and the US, and I hope that this will be maintained and developed,” headded.

Israel has continued to restrict the entry of aid into Gaza, despite a key condition of the initial phase of Trump's peace plan being that it let humanitarian aid intotheenclaveandopenthe vital Rafah crossing separatingitfromEgypt.

O n We d n

military unit called Israel's C

GovernmentActivitiesinthe Territories (COGAT) said the “Rafah Crossing will open in the coming days exclusively for the exit of residentsfromtheGazaStrip toEgypt”.

The announcement, signa

ing o n l y o n e direction of travel, has raised fears that Gaza r e s

permanently displaced, s

ministers in Israeli Prime M

government have promoted formonths.

GPL pumps $75M into Linden forest revival

The Guyana Power and Light (GPL) on Thursday said that through its Programme Execution Unit (PEU), it signed a $75 million Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Guyana Forestry Commission (GFC) to advance reforestation and environmental restoration effortsintheDacouraareain Linden,Region10.

According to a statement from GPL, under the MOU eight hectares of previously replanted degraded land will be rehabilitated, and an additional five hectares will be planted with native tree species Across these 13 hectares, the project is expected to support the growth of 13,000 to 26,000 trees, based on standard reforestationdensity.

contribute to carbon storage

and offsetting, with projections showing that they can collectively store 286 to 572 tonnes of Co₂ annuallyoncethetreesreach maturity Over a 20-year

growth pe

“These restored forest areas will significantly

, this represents an estimated 5,000 to 11,000 tonnes of CO₂absorbed,strengthening Guyana's long-term climate mitigation efforts,” GPL noted.

Executives of the Guyana Power and Light Inc. and the Guyana Forest Commission at the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on Thursday.

The agency added that currently, there are some three solar farms totalling 15 Megawatt peak (MWp) with 22 megawatt-hours (MWh) of battery storage, under the Guyana Utility Scale Solar PhotovoltaicProgram,under developmentinLinden.

This initiative GPL noted, forms part of the Guyana Utility Scale Solar Photovoltaic Program (GUYSOL) commitment to offset environmental impacts from utility-scale solar projects and strengthen Guyana's natural carbon sinks.

“ B e y o n d c a r b o n benefits, the reforestation of Dacoura will help restore

native biodiversity, stabilise soils, reduce erosion, and protect the local watershed that supports Linden. The expansion of green cover will also enhance resilience against climate risks and contribute to healthier ecosystems for wildlife and surrounding communities,” GPLexplained.

Speaking on the MOU, Leader of the Executive Management at GPL, Kesh Nandlall said “The conservation and protection of our environment and natural resources must always be a priority, and we remain committed to advancing Guyana's Low C

Strategy.”

On behalf of the Forestry Commission, Commissioner for Forest, Edward Goberdhan, noted that GFC welcomed the collaboration, noting the ecological importance of the Dacoura area and the value of restoring it for future generations.

In closing, the Power Company mentioned that it continues to support the Guyana's Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) by investing in naturalclimatesolutionsthat preserve the country's e n v i r o n m e n t w h i l e advancing renewable energy developmentprojects.

Woman pleads guilty to threatening the life of Prime Minister Persad-Bissessar

CMC - A 30-year-old woman, who appeared in a TikTok video calling on Venezuelan President NicolásMadurotokillPrime Minister Kamla PersadBissessar will be sentenced on December 18 after she pleaded guilty before a Chaguanasmagistrate.

Alianna Samaroo, 30, a motheroftwoboys,pleaded guilty to the offence on Wednesday, when she appeared before Magistrate Marissa Gomez, who accepted Samaroo’s guilty plea to a charge under the Emergency Powers Regulations2025.

Police alleged that on October 30 Samaroo posted a TikTok video under the username “alianna265” in which she urged Maduro to kill Persad-Bissessar and membersoftheCabinet.

Samaroo was granted TT$50,000 (One TT dollar=US$0.16cents)bail.

Her mother, Elizabeth Vasquez-Rosales,hadissued

a public appeal for forgiveness, saying she hoped the arrest taught her daughter not to disrespect the prime minister or Parliament.

Late last month, Commissioner of Police, Allister Guevarro warned social-mediauserswhoissue threats or attempt to destabilise the country will faceprosecution.

On Tuesday, the police said a 48-year-old man had been charged after he threatened to kill former foreign affairs minister Dr Amery Browne and membersofhisfamily

The police said that the male suspect had been chargedwiththreecountsof threatstokillandfourcounts of misuse of an electronic d

investigation into threats made on social media againstBrowne.

The police said that on November 19 this year, Browne discovered threatening comments posted by a Facebook user on his personal Facebook page.

“Thecomments,madein response to public posts from November 8th 2025

and November 9th 2025, contained threats to kill the victim and his children. The victim confirmed to investigators that he had no priorconnectiontotheuser,” thepolicesaidinastatement.

Meanwhile, six people, includingtwowomen,some of whom were previously held under ministerial preventative detention orders (PDO) during the previous state of emergency (SoE),andlaterchargedwith conspiracy to murder, were discharged by the High Court after prosecutors failedtofileanindictment.

The group had been charged with conspiring to murder a prison officer, but the court ruled it could not proceed because the state submittednoevidence.

Defence attorneys argued the state also missed all disclosure deadlines set byaschedulingorderissued April 14, which required an indictment, statements, and allintendedevidencebyJuly 31.

Bethelmy ruled that, under section 11 of the Administration of Justice (Indictable Proceedings) Act,andwithnoapplication from the State to extend the deadline, the court had no indictment to consider and no evidence on which it couldact.Sheorderedallsix discharged under Rule 5(9)(5)(c) of the Criminal ProcedureRules.

The six accused were alleged to have participated in a plot to kill a prison officer between January 15 and29.Theywereheldheld under PDOs in February during the previous SoE, declared on December 30, 2024.

MasterDeliciaBethelmy made the ruling after being told the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) had received no police file and had not filed an indictment required for the sufficiency hearing.

Opposition urges PM: Come clean on radar

Trinidad Express -

OPPOSITION Leader Pennelope Beckles wants to know what else Prime Minister Kamla PersadBissessar is “keeping secret”.

Beckles said yesterday Trinidad and Tobago deserved to know the details, including cost, behind the installation of radar equipment at the A N R R o b i n s o n International Airport in Tobago by the United States military and questioned what else was being kept from the population.

Speaking at a People’s National Movement (PNM) news conference at the Office of the Opposition Leader in Port of Spain, Beckles said it was “about time the Prime Ministertellsusthetruth” Beckles recounted the activities of the US military in the past two

months,including21drone strikes off the waters of Venezuela against vessels which were deemed to be drugcarriers.

She also noted the presence in Tobago last month of US military aircraft, questioning whether a particular plane had gone to the sister isle forrefuelling

Beckles said while it was understandable that some issues related to national security could not be disclosed, it was not for Persad-Bissessar to simply tell the people that the issuehadtobekeptsecret Expressing concern at Persad-Bissessar’s handling ofquestionsabouttheradar, Beckles said people were entitled to know the cost. She went on to ask who installed the equipment, what data was being collectedandwherethiswas beingdone,aswellaswhere thedatawasgoing.

OPPOSITION

Leader Pennelope Beckles

Beckles asked whether T&T has access to the information and what the datawouldbeusedfor She also questioned whether any locals have

beentrainedtooperateitand said she had been informed thattheradaratCrownPoint was the same item which wasrejectedbyGrenada. Becklessaidinformation

available, showing that it is capableoftrackingmissiles.

The radar has the capability for 360-degree surveillance, andamaximumrangeof170 miles,shesaid.

“I am calling on the Prime Minister to come clean with the population,” Becklessaid.

Shesaiditwas“notgood enough” for the PM to tell the people of the sister isle that Tobago House of Assembly (THA) Chief Secretary Farley Augustine could not be told about the radar because he was not on the National Security Council(NSC).

Beckles recalled the November 25 visit to Trinidad by chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, GeneralDanCaine.Beckles said Persad-Bissessar reportedofthatmeetingthat nodiscussionsonVenezuela tookplace.

She said it was “ironic”

that the radar appeared in Tobago shortly after and calledforanswersastowhat wasbeingdoneinTobagoby UStroops.

She stated that PersadBissessar can’t run from accountingtothepublic.

She said the Prime Minister only responded on the issue following public pressure and should tell the country why she requestedtheradar Beckles also took the PM to task over her remarks that the PNM supported a narco-regime and had financiers in the drugtrade.

Beckles called PersadBissessar’s statements “reckless” She said the PNM would not be distracted and advised Persad-Bissessarthat“ifyou havetheinformation,takeit tothepolice”.

Shesaidshewouldalso be exploring her legal options

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PAHO ramps up support to Caribbean health systems one month after Hurricane Melissa

Washington, D.C., 3 December 2025 (PAHO) – One month after Hurricane Melissa tore through the Caribbean, the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) continues working closely with national health authorities of Jamaica, Haiti, and Cuba to restore essential services, prevent and respond to disease outbreaks, and strengthen health systems in the hardest-hit countries.

Among pressing health risks, Jamaica has confirmed multiple cases of leptospirosis, Cuba is dealing with the spread of mosquito-borne diseases like chikungunya and dengue, and Haiti continues to face a cholera outbreak that began in October 2022.

On October 28, hurricane Melissa made landfall in Jamaica as a Category 5 storm. The next day, Melissa hit Cuba as a Category 3 storm and impacted neighbouring countries, including Haiti. The storm has affected more than five million people, displaced over 54,000 people, and resulted in 88 deaths. In Cuba, the storm damaged 95,000 homes, exacerbating housing shortages and increasing vulnerability to ongoing rainfall and future storms. Across the region, 747 health facilities were damaged (Cuba 642, Jamaica 124, and Haiti 9), severely disrupting access to essential health care.

“At this stage, PAHO is providing support to rehabilitate and restore damaged health facilities in order to reestablish essential health services, as well as prevent and control outbreaks,” said Dr. Ciro Ugarte, PAHO Health Emergencies director. “Our priority is to ensure that communities have access to safe, quality health care while remaining vigilant to rapidly detect and respond to health threats that linger in the aftermath of the hurricane.”

PAHO’s response

Since the onset of the emergency, PAHO has mobilised technical teams and more than 23 tons of medical supplies and equipment from its Regional Strategic Reserve in Panama, to support affected countries and restore health care services. PAHO is also supporting Jamaica’s Ministry of Health and Wellness to strengthen and expand the provision of psychosocial and mental health services. In Cuba, PAHO delivered over 11.5 tons of medical equipment and supplies, including electric generators, tents, medicine, and health care kits, with support from Direct Relief, the U.N. Central Emergency Response Fund, and the European Union.

To support continuity of care in Jamaica, PAHO has coordinated the deployment of sixteen Emergency Medical Teams (EMTs) to alleviate overstretched health services and reinforce health care delivery. Type 2 EMTs are selfsufficient field hospitals with personnel capable of delivering inpatient and surgical care.

Three Type 2 EMTs were set up close to hospitals in Black River, Falmouth, and Savannah-la-Mar, three medical facilities heavily affected by the storm. These EMTs are being operated by Samaritan’s Purse, Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation, and the Barbados Defence Force.

In addition, thirteen Type 1 EMTs, rapid-deployment outpatient teams that provide essential primary care and basic emergency services, were established in affected communities to deliver essential primary health care. These teams are supporting health facilities in Black River, Middle Quarters, Darliston, Whitehouse, New Works, Savannah-la-Mar, Noel Homes, Chester Castle, Cornwall, Cambridge, Bethel Town, Wakefield, and helping restore access to basic services for thousands of people. Other PAHO re-

sponse actions include: Strengthen disease surveillance and laboratory diagnostics: PAHO has shipped PCR testing kits for dengue, chikungunya, Zika, and leptospirosis, and is reinforcing laboratory capacity with additional equipment, including ELISA readers and pipettes.

In Haiti, PAHO, alongside UNICEF, has distributed cholera kits to improve surveillance.

Improve access to safe water and sanitation: PAHO has delivered critical hygiene supplies, emergency shelter materials, and specialised equipment to improve sanitation and ensure safe water treatment and the continuity of essential WASH services. Improve coordination of humanitarian assistance: PAHO has actively supported partner coordination through national networks, interagency platforms, and technical working groups. In Jamaica, the Health Cluster mapped and coordinated the efforts of nearly 45 organisations to ensure integrated support for the hurricane response and outbreaks.

One month later: Strained health systems

On November 24, Jamaican health authorities declared a leptospirosis outbreak, now with 18 confirmed cases, 39 cases under investigation, and six related deaths. Leptospirosis is a bacterial infection that spreads when people come into contact with water contaminated with the urine of infected animals. Surveillance teams in Jamaica are also investigating rising trends in fever, gastroenteritis, and vector-borne diseases.

A total of 124 health facilities in Jamaica sustained damage, including five of the country’s major hospitals. While electricity and water supplies are still being gradually restored, intermittent connectivity and water shortages persist in the Western and Southern regions. Despite the widespread damage, several health centers that were retrofitted under PAHO’s Smart

Hospitals program— including Saint Ann’s Bay, Mandeville, and Santa Cruz—remained operational after the storm. These facilities, upgraded to withstand extreme weather and maintain critical services, suffered only minor damage, underscoring the importance of investing in resilient health infrastructure to save lives during emergencies.

Reaching the affected communities

In Haiti, the government declared a three-month state of emergency—from 3 November to 3 February 2026— across six departments to accelerate assistance and restore essential services.

The current cholera outbreak that re-started in late 2022 remains a major public health concern, now intensified by storm-related displacement and reduced access to safe water.

In Cuba, recovery efforts are complicated by blocked roads, collapsed bridges, and ongoing rainfall. The hurricane coincided with a surge in arbovirus transmission, particularly dengue and chikungunya. Flooding has further increased the risk of waterborne illnesses. The generous contributions from PAHO’s strategic donors and partners -namely the Government of Canada, UN CERF, the European Union and the United Kingdom - are allowing PAHO to ramp up its support to affected countries and address immediate and shortterm emergency health needs. Full recovery will require sustained collaboration and resources. PAHO recently published its Strategic Response Plan for Hurricane Melissa 2025, requesting US$25,217,000 from donors and partners to address priority health needs. PAHO will continue working with health authorities in Jamaica, Haiti, and Cuba to help recover care delivery capacity, strengthen epidemiological surveillance and respond to outbreaks and other acute health needs that have emerged in the wake of the hurricane.

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Masicka, Tommy Lee throw lyrical jabs

- insiders say ‘war of words’ good for dancehall

( J A M A I C A OBSERVER) - It’s officially ‘war season’ in dancehall, and Masicka and Tommy Lee Sparta have eachthrowndownthelyrical gauntlet.

The pair managed to i g n i t e t h e l o c a l entertainment scene with fiery ‘diss’ tracks that have left fans anxious for the coming rounds in what promises to be an explosive showdown.

Although neither Masicka nor Kartel have confirmed a brewing beef, the dancehall grapevines havebeenabuzzwithtalkof thetwobeingatloggerheads since Reggae Sumfest in July

Masicka sent tongues waggingatthesummershow when he referred to himself as the GOAT — greatest of all time — amidst Vybz Kartel’sofficialcrowningas theKingoftheDancehall.

It is believed that the ongoing war of words over titles may have led to the current feud between TommyLeeandMasicka.

Tommy Lee, in his first round diss track, took direct aim at Masicka, gaining early momentum especially among dedicated Gaza fans who lauded the Spartan for seizing the opportunity to seemingly “put Masicka in his place” and defend his mentor Buthiseffortdidnot only gain praises from fans, it also earned the wrath of Masicka, who returned fire inhistrack,Vain. Referring to himself as the G.O.A.T once more,

Masicka — while declaring Tommy Lee an unfit challenger—saidtheUncle Demon deejay has been riding Kartel’s wave as his solo career sinks. Pointing outthathecanwalkproudly up the ladders of the dancehall hierarchy, Masickasaid,unlikeTommy Lee, he has ascended to the pinnacle of dancehall with zeroassists.

Masicka accused

Tommy Lee of “begging” foracollaborationduringhis stint behind bars between 2021 and 2023 — a request hedeclined.

As the two engaged in another round, Masicka replied to Tommy Lee’s Destroyer with his single Tears on Wednesday In the trackDestroyer,TommyLee called out Masicka for

‘crown-chasing’ and

Masicka on the Sumfest stage (Aceion Cunningham)

declared the Genasyde boss unfit for

In his response, dubbed Tears, Masicka made it clear that if a ‘come up’ in dancehall was dependent solely on raw talent Tommy Lee would havenevermadeit.

The lyrical war has captivated music lovers locally, with both artistes being praised for their potency by each of their fan bases.

They are even being encouraged to continue the showdownsolongastheydo not get physical. Listeners have so far determined that the war of words is a good lookforthedancehallspace.

Popular selector BoomBoomagrees

“Fi tell you the truth, mi play both songs a Uptown

Mondays, and it was a good look on the streets… As a youth weh grow on clash culture, we know this is the timeofyearforallwar,andit make the place nice again,” hesaid.BoomBoomshared that, on a positive note, the vibe on the street was so good.

“We know, based on history, war can get drastic, butmehaffigiveituptothe fans of both artistes, dem stay while each of the songs playedandjustholdavibe,” hesaid.

“A two bad artiste dem, and mi just wah dem keep it lyrical and make we enjoy themusicsameway.”

Heavy D, artiste manager and veteran industry insider, shared similar sentiments. “A dis dancehall build up off of, clashes, wars and the whole

Carlvin Burnett unleashes “Lunatic”

Frompage16 takingameasuredapproach. “The competitions usually exhaust me, and I cannot do asmuchasIwanttoafterthe competitionends,andIwant to focus on releasing more music, and touring more next year to perform in various countries,” Burnett admitted. Still, he’s leaving thedooropen.“Despitethis, ifmyfansarecallingforitto be entered into competition, there is a possibility I will enter.”

The hesitation is understandable for an artist who has already proven himself in competitivearenas,having claimed the 2022 CPL Soca Monarch, 2024 Soca

Monarch, and 2025 Dancehall Monarch titles

throughout his career. A Prolific Season Ahead “Lunatic” is just the tip of the iceberg for Burnett’s ambitious release schedule The track is one of five soca releases p l a n n e d f o r t h e Mashramani season, to be rolled out between now andthefirstquarterofnext year A music video for “Lunatic” is slated for releasenextweek.

But Burnett’s creative vision extends far beyond soca Once the carnival season winds down, fans can expect a Valentine’sthemedsong,asoloreggae track, and a highly anticipated collaboration withNaturalBlack “I don’t want to box myself in one genre, and

regardless of what people may think I like to defy the odds and refuses to be one dimensional,” Burnett declared.“SoIwillcontinue toreleasemusicofallgenres to demonstrate my versatility.”

From Church Drums to RegionalStages Burnett’s journey from singinginchurchatagefive in Berbice to becoming one of Guyana’s most recognizable entertainers has been marked by consistentevolution.

The lead vocalist of Guyana’spremierHeatwave Band and a Digicel brand influencer, he has built a reputation not just for his vocal prowess, but for his

deep commitment to representing Guyanese

vibe. It goes way back, and it’s a very important part of our culture. Two talented artisteswhobigindemown rights, so that can only be good for dancehall seeing this kind of showdown, and at this point me like it,” he said.“Bottomlineisthatthis isourcultureonfulldisplay, and I know it will help both artistes, especially at this level. We nah declare no winner yet, we a gwaan watchandlisten.”

h

The two entertainers

culture and talent.His patriotic anthem “Born and Grow” and the spirituallydriven “Guide My Way” showcased his ability to blend personal storytelling with broader cultural themes, a skill he continues tohonewitheachrelease.

As “Lunatic” gains momentumandBurnettsets his sights on international stages in 2025, one thing is clear: the Berbician star is determined to ensure that when people ask “who Guyanagot?”, as he himself posed in a previous interview, the answer will resonate far beyond the country’s borders.

“Lunatic” is now available on all major streamingplatforms.

dancehall by offering a platform for the lyrical combat

Killer, Beenie Man, and Vybz Kartel in 2000; Ninja Man vs Vybz Kartel in 2003; Vybz Kartel vs Mavado in 2008; Beenie Man vs Bounty Killer and Shabba Ranks, Super Cat, and Ninjaman in the early 90s However, the show has not been able to return to its glory days,

Masicka and Tommy Lee highlyunlikely

promoters to take the lyrical showdown to the stage come December 26 Sting, in its prime, was the ultimate battleground for feuding artistes The stage show has helped

Celine Dion releases a powerful Thanksgiving message

Celine Dion

(CNN) Celine Dion had an important reminder in light of the holiday The famed singer posted a Thanksgiving message on her verified Instagram account “Dear friends, todayisabeautifulreminder to slow down, take a deep breath,andgivethanks,”she said in the opening of the clip. “There’s something so powerful about gathering with the people you love, whether around the full table, over the phone, or evenjustinyourheart.”

In2022sherevealedthat she had stiff person syndrome.

The disorder is “a rare, progressive syndrome that affects the nervous system, specifically the brain and spinal cord,” according to the National Institute of

Neurological Disorders and Stroke. The following year it was announced she had canceled her “Courage World Tour,” with a source close to her telling CNN at thetimethatshe“willlikely nevertouragain.”

Duringherholidayvideo Dion said she was “so thankful to my family and our moments together that mean the world to me.” “MayyourThanksgivingbe filled with joy, with peace, and with gratitude for everything even the little things,” she concluded her m e s s a g e “ H a p p y Thanksgiving from me and my family to you and yours ” In 2024 the documentary “IAm: Céline Dion” was released, which documented her painful battlewiththesyndrome.

Vatican commission says ‘no’ to women as Catholic deacons

VATICANCITY,Dec4 (Reuters) - A high-level Vatican commission voted against allowing Catholic women to serve as deacons, maintaining the global Church’spracticeofall-male clergy, according to a report given to Pope Leo and released on Thursday The commission, in a 7-1 vote, said historical research and theological investigation “excludesthepossibility”of allowing women to serve as deacons at this time but recommended further study oftheissue.

Discussions about the possibility of women deacons, who are ordained and can assist with Church servicesbutcannotcelebrate Mass, have convulsed the 1.4 billion-member Church forthepastdecade.

DEACONSCAN FULFILLMANY DUTIESBUTNOT CELEBRATEMASS Catholic deacons can baptize people, witness marriages and preside at

funerals,amongotherduties. In some areas of the world, theycanalsoleadparishesin theabsenceofapriest,buta priestmuststillcelebratethe Mass.Therole,forcenturies considered only a stepping stone to the priesthood, was reenvisionedasapermanent post for married Catholic menafteraseriesofreforms bytheChurchinthe1960s.

Some women have said they believe God is asking them to take on the post, which is understood by the Churchasaroleofservice.

POPEFRANCIS OPENEDTHE DISCUSSIONON WOMENDEACONS

The panel, led by a cardinalandapriestfromthe Vatican’s top doctrinal office, included men and women church scholars They said in the report that their assessment against women deacons was strong, but “does not as of today allow a definitive judgment tobeformulated”.

The late Pope Francis

opened the conversation, after a request in 2016 from the Rome-based umbrella group representing the world’s Catholic sisters and nuns. Francis instituted two commissions to study the matter, which deliberated in secrecy Thursday’sreportis the first time that the results ofthediscussionshavebeen madepublic.

One of the members of Francis’ first commission, who had argued for women deacons, criticised the new report. Phyllis Zagano, a scholaratHofstraUniversity in New York, said the text “does its best to present the topic in a negative light, selectively choosing comments from previous reports without providing complete context”. Several groups advocating for reforms in the Catholic Church also criticised the report.GermangroupWeare Churchbrandedthedecision against women deacons as questionable “theologically, anthropologically and

Women participate in a protest titled “Don’t kick the can” claiming for the ordination of women to priestly office ahead of the opening of the Synod of Bishops near the Vatican, in Rome, Italy, October 2, 2024. REUTERS/Remo Casilli

pastorally”. The Women’s Ordination Conference, a U.S.-based group, criticised the commission for not soliciting input from more womeninitsdiscussionsand called the decision a “deep, and theologically unsound, insult”.

DESIRETO

‘BROADEN WOMEN’SACCESS’TO MINISTRY

Thenewreportcomesin a letter sent to Pope Leo by Italian Cardinal Giuseppe Petrocchi, who led the second commission created by Francis. The letter is dated September 18 but was

released by the Vatican on Thursday The second commission voted in a July 2022 meeting against the possibilityofwomenserving asdeacons,itsaid.

The report also said the commission voted 9-1 in a meeting this February that the Church should “broaden women’saccess”toministry opportunities, without givingspecifics.

“It now falls to the discernment of pastors to evaluate which further ministriesmaybeintroduced fortheconcreteneedsofthe Churchofourtime,”saidthe

report Leo, a relative unknownontheglobalstage beforehiselectioninMay,is not known to have commented on the issue of womendeacons.

Pope John Paul II reaffirmed the ban on women serving as priests in 1994,butdidnotspecifically address the issue of women deacons.Advocates point to evidencethatwomenserved as deacons in the early centuriesoftheChurch.One woman, Phoebe, is mentionedasadeaconinone of the letters of the apostle St.Paul.

Atleast4countriespulloutof2026Eurovision contestasIsrael’sparticipationsowsdiscord

GENEVA (AP)

Public broadcasters from at least four countries including Spain and the Netherlands—onThursday pulled out of next year’s Eurovision Song Contest after organisers decided to allowIsraeltocompete.The developments expose how political discord has taken center stage over a usually joyful celebrating harmony throughmusic.

Thepullouts,whichwere joined by Ireland and Slovenia, came after a general assembly of the European Broadcasting Union — a group of public broadcasters from 56 countries that runs the event — met to discuss concerns about Israel’s participation, which some countries oppose over its conduct of thewarinGaza.

Earlier, EBUs members voted to adopt tougher voting rules in response to allegations that Israel manipulated the vote in favor of their contestants, buttooknoactiontoexclude any broadcaster from the

competition.

The feel-good pop music galathatdrawsmorethan100 million viewers every year hasbeenroiledbythewarin Gazaforthepasttwoyears A report on the website of Icelandic broadcaster RUV, meanwhile, said it would hold a meeting next Wednesday to discuss whether Iceland would take part,afteritsboardlastweek recommended Israel be barred from the contest in ViennanextMay

The broadcasting union, inastatementemailedtoThe AssociatedPress,saiditwas awarethatbroadcastersfrom four countries — RTVE in Spain, AVROTROS in the Netherlands,RTEinIreland, and Slovenia’s RTVSLO — hadpubliclysaidtheywould nottakepart.

“We await formal confirmation of their decision,” the union said. A final list of participating countries will be announced by Christmas. Israeli President Isaac Herzog said on X that he was “pleased” Israel will again take part,

“and I hope that the competitionwillremainone that champions culture, music, friendship between nations, and cross-border culturalunderstanding.”

“Thank you to all our friends who stood up for Israel’s right to continue to contribute and compete at Eurovision,”headded.

Austria, which is set to host the competition after Viennese singer JJ won this year with “Wasted Love,” s u p p o r t s I s r a e l ’s participation. Germany, too, wassaidtobackIsrael.

Dutch broadcaster AVROTROS said that the participation of Israel “is no longer compatible with the responsibility we bear as a publicbroadcaster.”

Spain’sstatebroadcaster RTVE echoed similar concerns:“Wewouldliketo express our serious doubts about the participation of Israeli broadcaster KAN in Eurovision 2026,” said Secretary General Alfonso Morales. The EBU said the new rules would strengthen “transparencyandtrust”and

participate.

“Eurovisionisbecoming a bit of a fractured event,” said Paul Jordan, an expert on the contest known as Dr Eurovision. “The slogan is ‘United by Music’ unfortunately it’s disunited throughpolitics.”

“It’s become quite a messy and toxic situation,” hesaid.

Dividedoverpolitics

The contest, whose 70th edition is scheduled for ViennainMay,pitsactsfrom dozens of nations against one another for the continent’smusicalcrown.

It strives to put pop before politics, but has repeatedly been embroiled in world events. Russia was expelled in 2022 after its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The war in Gaza has been its biggest challenge, with proPalestinian protesters demonstrating against Israel outside the last two EurovisioncontestsinBasel, Switzerland, in May and

Malmo,Sweden,in2024.

Iceland, Ireland, the Netherlands, Slovenia and Spain had previously threatened to sit out the contest,ifIsraelwasletin.

Opponents of Israel’s participation cite the war in Gaza, which has left more than 70,000 people dead, according to the territory’s Health Ministry, which operates under the Hamasrun government and whose detailed records are viewed as generally reliable by the internationalcommunity

Israel’s government has repeatedly defended its campaign as a response to the attack by Hamas-led militantsthatstartedthewar on Oct 7, 2023 The militantskilledaround1,200 people — mostly civilians —intheattackandtook251 hostages A number of experts, including those commissioned by a U.N. body, have said that Israel’s offensiveinGazaamountsto genocide, a claim that Israel — home to many Holocaust survivors and their relatives —hasvigorouslydenied.

Earlier, it wasn’t clear whether a decrease in violence in Gaza, where a U.S.-brokered ceasefire is holding, or planned EBU plans to change voting processes would placate some broadcasters who o p p o s e d I s r a e l ’s participation A boycott by some European broadcasters could have implications for viewership and money at a timewhenmanybroadcasters are under financial pressure from government funding cuts and the advent of social media The pullouts include some big names in the Eurovision world. Spain is one of the “Big Five” largemarket countries that contribute the most to the contest Ireland has won seven times, a record it shareswithSweden.

The controversy over Israel’s 2026 participation alsothreatenstoovershadow the return next year of three countries Bulgaria, Moldova and Romania — after periods of absence because of financial and artisticreasons.

New Amsterdam man arrested for gun found in drawer

Police have arrested a 25-yearold Tucber, New Amsterdam resident after a firearm was found in thehouseheoccupied.

In a statement, police said that at around 03:00h duringanintelligence-led operation, the weapon wasfoundinadrawer

“During the operation, ranks conducted a search at the premises where a 25-year-old male was the sole occupant. A.22 calibre firearmwasfoundinadrawerinside thehouse,”policesaid.

Thegunwasseizedandislodged at the Central Police Station, pendingfurtherinvestigations.

The firearm which was discovered.

completes two-phase upgrade at NTC

The Guyana Football Federation (GFF) is moving full speed ahead on a rapid development trajectory for the sport and especially national players, who will now benefit from two new additions to the National Training Center (NTC) at Providence, East Bank Demerara(EBD).

The Federation was able to recently complete the dormitories ($9.9M GYD)

and a new state- of- the- art gym ($12.3M GYD) at the Providence facility; which was displayed to media operatives during a walkthrough exercise on

Wednesday

Thedormitoriesandgym are the initial two phases completed in an overall project which will include the Technical offices, laundry and other aspects that will amount to a

combined$190,000USD.

The air- conditioned dormitory is now sporting new bunk beds with a capacity of up to 38 players atthemoment.Inaddition,a separate self- contained roomforanewinitiativethat the Federation is exploring alsohighlightsthefacility

Speaking at the simple ribbon- cutting event on Wednesday, GFF President Wayne Forde gave some

insight into the dorm’s purpose.

Forde explained, “The contacttimebetweenplayers and coaches are very important to their development and if we have good facilities where the boysandgirlscanenjoyand look forward to coming out here and spend weekends and weeks at a time during their preparation processes, then that will certainly bode well for the contact goals thatwe’vesetourselves.”

Friday December 05, 2025

ARIES(Mar.21–Apr.19)

Youshouldenjoytheintense energy of today, Aries. The mud is finally beginning to clearaway Exposethetruthin every issue and get ready for the gremlins that may be unearthed.

TAURUS(Apr.20–May20)

Todaymarksthebeginningof a new cycle for you, Taurus. Collect and consolidate your recent ideas and focus them outwardly The time is right foryoutoact.

GEMINI(May21–June20)

Take a cold shower to jumpstart yourself today, Gemini. It'sfineifyoulazearoundabit in the morning, but by evening, you should be working at full capacity. You will be called into action whetheryouwanttobeornot.

CANCER(June21–July22)

Today may start out sluggish foryou,Cancer,butbytheend of the day the energy will move fast and furious. Your thoughts will be buzzing around your head like bees aroundahive.

LEO(July23–Aug.22)

Enjoythecalmmorning,Leo, because things are going to getcrazierandmoreenergetic as the day goes on. Emotions willrunhigh,andpeoplewill be more opinionated than usual.

VIRGO(Aug.23–Sept.22)

You will experience an intense amount of energy today,Virgo.Yourdreamstate willbemoreactivethanusual, and you will find that people aredrawntoyoulikemothsto light.

LIBRA(Sept.23–Oct.22)

It's time to get up and get moving, Libra You have tremendous ideas and vision forthefuture.Youhaveallthe informationyouneed.Nowall youhavetodoisact.Stepupto the plate and hit one over the fence.

SCORPIO(Oct.23–Nov.21)

Theearlypartofthedaymight find you sluggish and indecisive, Scorpio, but later youshouldbepsychedupand ready to go. Today marks the beginning of a new period in which you should set your ideasinmotion.

SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21)

Today's energies will get progressively more intense as the day goes on In the morning, you may be in an easygoing, dreamy state, Sagittarius.

CAPRI(Dec.22–Jan.19)

For the past several weeks you've felt like you've been dragging your heels, Capricorn Decisions may have been hard to make and people may have seemed wishy-washy.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20–Feb. 18) The morning might find you sitting like a stick in the mud, Aquarius. People might begettingdownonyoufornot contributing, but tell them to bepatient.Youwillberaringto gobynightfall.

PISCES(Feb.19–Mar 20)

Things are moving your way, Pisces.As the day progresses, you will find that the energy intensifies.Conflictsmayarise nearsundown,butdon'tworry aboutittoomuch.

opportunity to design and implement programmes to help with the strength and conditioningofourplayers.”

It was also revealed that the GFF will be moving to relocate its Technical Department to the NTC, so as to foster a more hands on approachbythoseofficials.

“That room is dedicated for a parent who, once a youth national team comes intocamp,wewillinterview the parent, of course do our due diligence and background and we will identify a parent who is willing to come and spend some time. Of course, we will compensate them for thattimeandbeasecondpair of eyes for the GFF,” Forde added regarding the additionalroom.

With equipment geared at improving strength and conditioning amongst national players, the ribbon wasalsocutforanewgymin thelowerflatoftheNTC.

Technical Director, Bryan Joseph said about the spanking- new facility, “I think this is another step in therightdirection.It’spartof the transformation that we’ve been going through with all our national teams. We have, over the past couple of years, improved our performances at all the youthnationallevelsbutthis component was always missing,notjustforfootball. So, this gym gives us the

“ T h e Te c h n i c a l department would be relocated from the Guyana Football Federation secretariat and Mr Bryan Joseph and his team will be working completely out of the National Training Center Itmakesallthesense in the world, here is where thecoacheswillbe,whereall the programmes will be run

so we want to bring the technical team closer to the action,” President Forde noted.

The GFF President also expressed a desire to make the facilities available to other sport disciplines, at a cost, should they make a request to utilise the GFF’s dormitory and gym facilities.

Frompage34 volleyball at the National Gymnasium from 4:00 pm, where Guyana and French Guiana will face off in both maleandfemalematches. The action continues at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall from 5:00 pm, beginningwiththewomen’s basketball showdown betweenGuyanaandFrench Guiana,followedbyamen’s encounter between French Guiana and Suriname. The first day’s festivities conclude with futsal, where Suriname and French Guiana will collide under thelights.

until

West Indies Tour of New Zealand 2025… Ravindra, Latham bat Windies out of the Test

(Cricinfo) - Centuries from Tom Latham and R a c h i n R a v i n d r a underpinned New Zealand’s domination on Day 3 in Christchurch, as the hosts transformedamodest64-run advantage into a towering lead that now feels insurmountable.

The pair’s third-wicket stand of 279 ensured a potentially gripping third day went flat halfway through.West Indies merely went through the motions, sittingbackandhopingfora declaration to bring them some relief from being run ragged This was New Zealand’s highest partnership against West Indies since 1987surpassing Martin Crowe and John Wright’s 241-run stand.

Things could’ve been a lotdifferenthadtheycaught better.

Ravindra’s innings began under a cloud of uncertainty On 8, Kemar Roach grassed a sumptuous flick at midwicket as he

threwhimselfattheballonehanded On 14, Kavem Hodgeputdownaregulation catch at slip, leaving Justin Greaves to wear the frustration of being the unluckybowlertwiceintwo overs. The charmed streak continued when another thickoutsideedgeflewover theslipson17.

For the first half hour after lunch, Ravindra seemed to live on borrowed time. But once he survived that turbulent spell, the tentativeness gave way to assurance, and the elegance that has come to define his best batting was out in full glory He raced to 176, before being knocked over late in the day by an Ojay Shieldsyorker Bystumps,NewZealand had added 395 to lead by 481. For the record, West Indies will have to achieve the highest successful chase to win at Hagley Oval - 285 is the highest fourth-innings score chased down at this venue.

BeforeRavindraarrived,

Devon Conway and Latham played a solid first hour, focusing on crease occupation in a bid to lay a strongplatform.

Latham left well early on, while Conway exhibited his artistry - playing the cover drives and on-drivesearlyintheinnings.

Roach moved the ball awayappreciablyearlyonto

StrugglingClippers releaseNBAgreatPaul

(BBC Sport) - The Los Angeles Clippers have released 12-time NBA AllStar Chris Paul following the side’s dreadful start to theseason.

The Clippers, who have lost 14 of their past 16 matches, announced Paul’s departurebeforetheirmatch againsttheAtlantaHawks.

Paul, 40, is regarded as one of the best players in NBA history and is competing in his 21st and finalseasonintheleague.

“We are parting ways with Chris and he will no longer be with the team,” Clippers chief Lawrence FranktoldESPN.

“Chris is a legendary Clipper who has had a historic career I want to make one thing very clear No one is blamingChris for ourunder-performance.

“I accept responsibility for the record we have right now There are a lot of reasons why we’ve struggled.We’regratefulfor the impact Chris has made

onthefranchise.” In a post on Instagram, Paul confirmed his departure, writing “just found out I’m being sent home”.

Paul and Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue had not been on speaking terms for “several weeks” before his departure, according to ESPN.

Paulspentsixseasonsat the Clippers from 2011 to 2017, before rejoining the

have Conway in a hint of trouble,whileJaydenSeales gottheballtoliftoffalength to have Latham looking scratchyearlyon.

The first 17 overs produced just 35; Latham survived a thick edge that raced between second slip andgullyon29.

Conway set himself in, andwasoutslashingtodeep

point for 39 as Hodge pluckedasuperbcatchwhile moving halfway in from the ropes. Initially off balance, Hodge back-pedalled to complete the catch One wicket became two when RoachhadKaneWilliamson nickingbehindwithaperfect out-swinger

Having got off the mark with a top-edge for six off Greaves, Williamson was troubled by his late movementbeforeRoachhad him in the last over before lunch, with New Zealand effectively 164 for 2. The spellafterlunchwasperhaps West Indies’ best chance to get into the game as they routinely created chances, onlyforthemtobegrassed. If the first session was about the hard grind, the second was about accumulating and pressing home the advantage. Ravindra didn’t take long to marchintothe40s,andeven got into a bit of a scrap with Seales.

Thepairbroughtuptheir century stand off just 126

deliveries, with Ravindra’s enterprise allowing Latham to also open up after getting pasthishalf-century

Latham was particularly punishing square of the wicket on both sides, with the cuts and pulls, as he pouncedonatiredattackthat kept pounding the ball in evenasthesurfaceappeared to have lost a lot of the venom seen on the first two days.Lathambroughtuphis centuryfirst,whileRavindra gottherewithapullthrough midwicket - his second successivecentury

After he passed a hundred,asWestIndieswent defensive, Latham brought out the inventive batter in him-scoopingandpaddling his way to a couple of boundaries.

It seemed inevitable the pairwouldbatthrough,buta lapseinconcentrationlatein the day saw them fall in back-to-back overs But eventhosetwowicketswere no consolation for West Indies as they face an uphill battleforsurvival.

Iran to attend World Cup draw after boycott threat

Iran coach Amir Ghalenoi is one of two people in Iran’s delegation to travel to the US (Getty Images)

franchiseonaone-yeardeal inJuly

Paul is second on the NBAall-time list for assists with 12,552, behind John Stockton’s15,806.

He is also second in steals with 2,728, trailing onlyStockton’s3,265.

Paul has not won an NBA title, getting to the NBA Finals only once with the Phoenix Suns in 2021, when they lost to the MilwaukeeBucks.

(BBCSport)-AdelegationfromIranwill attendthe2026WorldCupdrawintheUSon Friday after threatening to boycott it over a visarow

Iranappliedforninevisasbutwereissued four, with Mehdi Taj, president of Iran’s football federation (FFIRI), among those rejected.Tajsaidthisweekthathespokewith Fifa president Gianni Infantino and that noonefromIranwouldattendthedraw“unless allvisasareissued”.

However, Iran coachAmir Ghalenoi and Omid Jamali, head of international relations at the FFIRI, have travelled to the US and couldbejoinedbymoredelegates.

The draw will take place in Washington

DConFridayat17:00GMT

Iran have qualified for their seventh WorldCupandfourthinsuccession.

The US, which is co-hosting the tournament with Canada and Mexico, has long-standing strict visa restrictions on Iraniansforpoliticalandsecurityreasons.

In June US President Donald Trump signed an executive order banning nationals from 12 countries from entering the US, citinganefforttomanagesecuritythreats.

Iran is among the countries affected by the ban, although the executive order is supposed to exempt athletes and coaching staff travelling for the World Cup and 2028 OlympicsinLosAngeles.

PromoTech Guyana Inc. partners with LGC for inaugural Tournament

Theholidayseason is about to get even brighter at the Lusignan Golf Club, as PromoTech Guyana Inc partners with the Club to launch the first-ever PromoTech Guyana Inc Golf Tournament, set for Sunday, December 7, 2025, withteeoffat8:00amatthe LusignanClubhouse.

This exciting new tournament promises to usher in a celebratory tradition for golfers across G u y a n a , b l e n d i n g sportsmanship, community spirit,andthefestiveflairof theChristmasseason.

The initiative highlights PromoTech’s ongoing commitment to uplifting communities, supporting localtalent,andinvestingin activities that bring people together during one of the mostjoyfultimesoftheyear

LGC Secretary, Chet

Bowling, expressed enthusiasm ahead of the event.

“We at the Lusignan Golf Club recognize and truly apprec

ate the tremendous support we are receivingfromPromoTech,”

growthandpositivechange. We are delighted to bring some holiday excitement to the golfing community, and we look forward to seeing players enjoy a day filled

competition, and festive celebration.”

A d d i n g t o t h e merriment, players will be treatedtoLunchandDrinks, along with opportunities to compete for Attractive

Prizes and Trophies, all designed to make the inaugural tournament a standout event on the holidaycalendar

competition, community

Bowling said “Their commitment to corporate social responsibility is evidentinthewaytheyhave embraced this tournament.

Players can look forward to lucrative prizes, beautiful trophies, and an atmosphere full of holiday cheer

PromoTech’s Country Manager, Bala Vinjimoor, has also promised that this willnowbeanannualevent.

We anticipate a festive and wonderful tournament, perfect for the season and enjoyable for golfers of everylevel.”

PromoTech Guyana Inc , widely known for delivering innovative and reliable tech solutions

across the country, emphasized that their investmentinthiseventgoes farbeyondbusiness.

The company views sports as a powerful force that strengthens unity, inspires discipline, and helps cultivate local talent A representative of PromoTech noted, “Our

Lusignan Golf Club reflects ourbeliefintheroleofsports as a catalyst for community

excitement, the PromoTech

Tournament is poised to become one of the most anticipated annual events at theLusignanGolfClub.

BentSt‘A’turnonthestyletoclaimVP ‘ChampionofChampions’Futsalcrown

Bent St ‘A’ lit up t h e C l i f f Anderson Sports Hall on Wednesday night, turning thehomestretch courtintoacauldronofnoise as they powered past Back Circle 4–1 to hoist the 2nd VPChampionofChampions Futsal Cup. In true smallsidedfashion,thetempowas relentless, the touches tight, andthefinishesruthless.

The hosts drew first blood in the 11th minute, thankstoasharpflatballthat zipped across the danger zone from a Back Circle player,the misdirected poke

was redirected by a challenging defender eventuallyendingupintothe backofthenet,pushingBent Stahead1-0.Itwasthekind of pressure-induced miscue that futsal punishes without mercy

Both sides then traded rapid-fire attempts; stepovers,wallpasses,andlongrangetestersbutwithkeepers anddefendersstandingfirm, BentStAcarriedaslim1–0 leadintotheinterval.

BackCirclefinallyfound their rhythm in the 23rd,

when Ravin Naughton smashed a right-side effort low into the far corner, drawing a thunderous roar from their travelling supporters. But just as the game seemed to tilt, Bent St Astruck back. Five minutes later, Colin Nelson restored the advantage with a sly finish after a slipped pass to Bevney Marks somehow ghosted through the legs of thedefenderandnestledinto thenet.

From there, Bent St A shifted into full futsal flow Marks, buzzing around the left channel, made it 3–1 in the 35th minute with a cheeky rolled finish that left the keeper stranded. And with the clock winding down, he completed his brace, this time by unleashing a rocket into the roof of the net from a tight angle inside the left of the area—icing the contest in emphaticstyle.

BentSt‘A’walkedaway $1,000,000 richer, and with the championship trophy in hand, while Back Circle claimed $500,000 and silverware for their spirited

Third place playoff! Team Spirit prevailed to 3-2 win over Bent Street ‘B’to secure third place trophy

run. Meanwhile in the thirdplace playoff, Team Spirit edged Bent St B 3–2 in the earlier high-tempo affair, earning $300,000 and a

trophy Bent St B secured $200,000 and hardware of theirown.

The U-17 finale delivered its own drama, as Back Circle outlasted

Bent Street ‘A’takes 2th Annual VP ‘Champions of Champions’Futsal crown

Kingston 4–3 on penalties after a tense 1–1 stalemate. The youth champs pocketed $100,000 and a trophy, with Kingston earning $50,000 andrunners-uphonours.

The action was relentless, Back Circle running out of options as Bent St ‘A’surge 4-1 win in the final to walk away with VP ‘Champions of Champions’Futsal trophy

A

Flashing skill Clinical finishing.

Andahostteamcrowned champion futsal nights don’tgetmuchbetter

Arguably one of the gutsiest performances of the tournament paid off for the Essequibian Ladies who not only upset but snatched the title from grasps of the Berbicians to create history by becoming new champs, following yesterday’s thrilling final at the LBI Ground.

Defending champs Berbiceenterednotonlythe finalsbutthecompetitionas favorites, having overcome the mighty Demerara and newcomers Hinterland Women;inordertosetupa final versus a team which they steamrolled a few roundsback.

Opening the batting in the most important game of the tournament, Tiea Isaacs stood tall amongst her teammates, carving 47 from 87withsixfoursandshould have gotten a half-century for carrying the Berbicians to 134-10 by the end of the 38thover Berbice reshuffled the batting order a bit, which allowed the other in-form b

2025 GCB Senior Women’s 50-Over Inter-county tournament finals… GutsyEssequibodethrone

Berbicetoclaimmaidentitle

- Latoya (32*)/Laurene Williams (35) star in historic win

game back in favor of Essequibo.

Essequibo, after losing the big wickets of openers Marks (16) and Persaud (0), w h o g a v e g o o d performances earlier with theballalongwithnumber3 batsman, ShonetteWelcome (8),whohungaroundbefore joining the two openers as victims of a rampant

Millington.

Despite crossing 50 in reasonable time, Essequibo with their top-order back in the pavilion, then looked to Williams alongside a decent lotoftheremainingbatsmen tohelptakethemhome.

Laurene and Latoya, were then tasked with dropping anchor as

Essequibo’s target entered

into the 80’s with almost 30 oversleftinthegame.

continued to press onwards as she took the deficit to single digits with 2 of her mates left to come but essentiallygotovertheropes withtime,wicketsandovers remaining.

Cyanna Retemiah (8*)

playedanimportanthandto help ease the pressure, as she and Williams were greeted by members of an ecstaticEssequibocamp. Millington ended with 3-19 with support coming from Campbell (2-26) and Durant(1-18).

Players will now turn their attention to the T20 Series (CliftonRoss)

2

PlaffiannaMillington(12)to have a bit more time in the middle.

Despite losing the big wicketsofCrystalDurant(0) and Sherica Campbell(7), it was Isaacs who kept the innings alive as she dug in alongside the other main scorers to help ward off a brilliant 3-headed attack fromEssequibo. No other Berbice player got going apart from the aforementionedtrio,acredit to the Essequibians bowlers led by the trio of Nikesha Narine, who had a brilliant spell returning 4-33 with help from a few of the competition’s leading bowlers in Tramaine Marks (2-22)andKumariePersaud (2-22).

Essequibo then fumbled their start to what should be considered a gettable total, before recovering thanks to the Williams sisters, Finals MVP Latoya for her unbeaten, gritty 32 off 69 (2x4) and Laurene’s 77-ball 35,whichinitiallyswungthe

GOAlinksathletefundingtoresults underrevampedgrantsystem

The Guyana Olympic Association (GOA) has i n t r o d u c e d a strengthened oversight framework for its PanAm Sports Support Grant, signaling a shift toward heightened accountability and performance-based funding for nationalathletes.

At a media briefing on Wednesday at Olympic House, GOA officials outlined the revamped system to athletes, coaches, and federation representatives, emphasising that continued access to the grant will dependonconsistentreportingand tangibleathleticprogress.

The programme currently assists72athletesandtheircoaches from disciplines such as athletics, boxing,andracquetsports.

Each athlete is allocated US$200 ($40,000) monthly, disbursed every quarter, seen as a

significant increase from the G$20,000previouslyprovided.

According to GOA President Godfrey Munroe, however, the focushasnowshiftedfromsimply offering financial help to ensuring that the investment yields improvedperformances.

Munroe explained that in past cycles, some beneficiaries neglected to submit required updates on their training and competition activities, a lapse that created challenges for the GOAin meeting its accountability obligations to PanAm Sports and the International Olympic Committee.

To correct past shortcomings, the GOA will enforce a more structured reporting system Athletes and coaches must now complete detailed evaluation documentsoutliningtheirtraining, performance metrics, and use of

funds Additionally, a new monitoring mobile app, set to launch within two weeks, will allow for real-time tracking of training sessions, workload management, and performance statistics.

As part of the enhanced structure, Munroe also revealed that the collective group of supported athletes will now be officially branded as “The Olympic Team,” giving greater visibility and prestige to those selected.

GOA Vice-President Christy Campbell underscored the renewed emphasis on discipline and organisation, noting that the reformsareintendedtostrengthen the administrative systems of the federationsresponsibleforputting athletesforward.

The 72 athletes nominated by their respective associations

represent a wide cross-section of sports:

Tennis (9) – Kalyca Fraser, Leyland Leacock, Jonathan Fagundes, Kimora Erskine, Afruica Gentle, Gavin Lewis, Nathan DeNobrega, Paula Kalekeyzi,ZephanHenry

Table Tennis (8) – Colin France, Candacy McKenzie, Jasmine Billingy, Thuraia

Thomas, Samara Sukhai, Jonathan Van Lange, Elishaba Johnson, Niran Bissu Squash (9) – Carl Ince, Nyron Joseph, Kirsten Gomes, Emily Fung-AFat, Ethan Bulkan, Jason-Ray Khalil, Samuel Ince, Nicolette Fernandes, Mary Fung-A-Fat

Weightlifting (4) – Sean Cozier, Tyson English, Delice Adonis, ShammahNoel

Boxing (7) – Michael Parris, Lennox Daniels, Jeff Roberts, Abi

Vancooten, Terron Wintz, Ken Harvey Badminton (3) – Akili Haynes, Priyanna Ramdhani, Frank Waddell Cycling (3)

Newton, Sidney Sandy Athletics (17) – Lyndon Wilson, Johnny Gravesande, Keisa Burnette, Quinse Clarke, Robin Phillips, M

Millington, Noelex Holder, Shemar Horatio, Tishawn Easton, KaidonPersaud,SavannahAdams, Cassie Small, Analissa Redmond, Akeem Stewart, Deshanna Skeete, KenishaPhilips,LeslainBaird Archery (4) – Umasankar Madray, Jeewanram Persaud, Faraad Gani, Devin PersaudPermaul Bodybuilding (4) –Christina Ramsammy, Julio Sinclair, Emmerson Campbell, Videsh Sookram Rugby (3)

Griffith,LionelHolder

The spirit of regional unity takes centre stage today as the Inter Guiana Games (IGG) officially begin, bringing together student-athletes ages 14 to 18 from Guyana, French Guiana,andSuriname.

The prestigious trination event opens with a galaceremonyat9:30amat theNationalTrackandField Centre, West Demerara, marking the start of three

days of competition, camaraderie, and cultural exchange.

Government officials from all three participating nations will join athletes,

coaches, and dignitaries in declaring the Games open, reinforcing the longstanding diplomatic and sportingtiesthattheIGGhas nurtured for nearly six decades.

This year’s edition features competition in swimming, track and field, futsal,chess,andbasketball, with male and female categoriesineachdiscipline, except futsal, which will be contestedsolelybytheboys.

Theeventremainsavital

h development, allowing young athletes to showcase

significancetotheregion.

“The three countries share a rich history, and the IGG has played an integral role in shaping our diplomaticrelationsoverthe years. It’s something that this Government under President Irfaan Ali and Minister Charles Ramson takes seriously,” Ninvalle said.

to Suriname by thenPresident Forbes Burnham to collaborate on establishing the framework of what would become a cornerstone of regional youthsport.

continuity of the IGG are priorities for the National Sports Commission (NSC), adding, “It is our responsibility to ensure the Games are executed at the highest standard,” he stated.

“We owe it to the young athletes and to the legacy of cooperation built through sport.”

n international stage while strengthening bonds among theGuianas.

“We’re expecting an exciting IGG,” Director of Sport Steve Ninvalle said, emphasizing the Games’

TheIGGwaslastheldin French Guiana in 2024, continuing a tradition that beganin1967.Interestingly, that inaugural event was shaped by the efforts of former national footballer ‘QT’Donald, who was sent

Football was the first discipline contested at the IGG, with Suriname and Guyana competing for the Forbes Burnham/Johan Pengel Trophy, named in part after Suriname’s Prime Minister at the time, Johan Adolf Pengel Basketball later joined the roster in 1972.

Ninvalle underscored that the preservation and

Competition officially gets underway today at 11:30 am with Guyana looking to defend its track andfieldtrophy

Later in the afternoon, attentionshiftstochessatthe NationalRacquetCentreand (Continuedonpage29)

ANSA McAL, Lucozade onboard Goodwill Football Series with Petra for KFC Int’l

Asthecountdown begins to the Petra–KFC International Secondary Schools Goodwill Football Series, longtime corporate partner ANSA McAL has onceagainsteppedforward, reaffirming its support through the Lucozade brand for the sixth consecutive year

The announcement was made yesterday during a brief but meaningful

presentation at the company’s Beterverwagting

headquarters Petra Organisation Co-director Troy Mendonca met with ANSA McAL executives,

Divisional Head of Beverage, DarshanieYusufAbel, and Lucozade Brand Manager,ChristinaBeepatto

finalise this year’s sponsorshippackage.

Mendonca emphasised that the partnership has grown stronger with each editionofthetournament.

“Today is significant for us because it reflects how

this relationship has strengthened over the years,” he said “ANSA McAL has supported this tournament from its inception, and that speaks volumes about the trust, commitment and shared vision we’ve built together We’re very grateful to Ms. Yusuf-Abel and her team, and especially to Mr Troy Cadogan for their continued belief in what this event represents On behalf of myself and co-director Dr Marlan Cole, we extend our

Lucozade Brand Manager, Christina Beepat speaking during yesterday’s sponsorship presentation

sincere thanks and look forwardtomanymoreyears ofcollaboration.”

Beepat echoed this sentiment, highlighting Lucozade’s commitment to youth development.”We at ANSA McAL are proud to sponsor the KFC Goodwill Football Tournament,” she said.

“Our company is dedicated to supporting young athletes, and Lucozadeisdesignedtofuel performance with clean, long-lasting energy that benefitsbothbodyandmind.

As kickoff approaches, we wish all teams the very best in what promises to be an excitingcompetition.”

This year’s tournament, which runs from December 14–21, will see Guyana hosting five international secondary school teams, including Kingston College of Jamaica, St Benedict’s College of Trinidad and Tobago, Nickerie Technical Institute of Suriname, Anglican Central Education Authority (Combined) of The Bahamas, and Jose Viera De Sales Guerra of Brazil.

They will join local

contenders Chase’s Academic Foundation (defending champions) along with West Ruimveldt Secondary and Annai Secondary, who have secured places in the 2025 championshiplineup.

Witheightoftheregion’s top secondary schools

confirmed, the Petra Organisation has welcomed

ANSA McAL’s continued sponsorship as an important pillar in elevating the premierGoodwillSeries.

Kickoff is scheduled for Sunday (December 14) at the Ministry of Education Ground.

IGG begins today with Grand Ceremony and high