Guyana Times - Monday, November 3, 2025

New Mackenzie-Wismar Bridge

1st girder successfully launched October 30

– remaining 24 girders to be installed over next 2 weeks

The Ministry of Public Works has announced that the first girder of the new Mackenzie–Wismar Bridge was successfully launched on October 30 – an achievement that signifies steady advancement toward the completion of this transformative infrastructure ini-

tiative by April 2026. According to the official release from the Ministry, the remaining 24 girders for the new bridge are scheduled to be installed over the next two weeks, marking another major milestone in the progress of the US$35 million project.

Spanning 220 meters, the modern bridge will feature four lanes, two side walks, and five spans supported by a total of 48 girders. With construction progressing ahead of schedule, the Ministry noted that the upcoming girder installations represent a critical

phase that will bring the project closer to its final structural form.

“This latest development underscores the dedication, precision, and teamwork of all partners involved—from engineers and local contractors to technical experts— working to deliver a reliable link that will not only strengthen regional connectivity but also stimulate economic growth in Region 10 and beyond,” the release disclosed.

Just five days ago, the Public Works Ministry reported that construction on the New Mackenzie–Wismar Bridge had reached 83.5 percent completion.

China Railway Construction (Caribbean) Cooperated Limited, the project’s contractor, continues to main-

tain impressive momentum, with the fabrication of 26 precast concrete girders already completed and onsite assembly of the girder launcher well underway.

Recent works also include the completion of backfilling at Pier 6 (P6) and ongoing settlement monitoring, as well as shaping of the embankment and partial placement of rock fill along the riverside toe piles. Reinforcement and formwork for the P0 abutment wing and back wall are progressing steadily, while Piers P3, P4, and P5 are fully complete with only minor surface corrections remaining.

Although pile cap construction at P1 and P2 experienced a three-week delay, this setback remains outside

the project’s critical path and will not affect the overall delivery timeline.

When completed, the New Mackenzie–Wismar Bridge will mirror the design of the newly commissioned Bharrat Jagdeo Demerara River Bridge, featuring a prestressed, post-tensioned concrete box girder structure. The bridge will accommodate four vehicular lanes and two pedestrian walkways, while maintaining clear passage for hopper barges beneath it. Once commissioned, the bridge is expected to significantly reduce traffic congestion and travel time for residents, boost trade and mobility, and position Region 10 as a key hub for industrial and economic development.

BRIDGE OPENING

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Monday, November 3 –14:20h-15:50h and Tuesday, November 4 – 15:00h-16:30h.

FERRY SCHEDULE

Parika and Supenaam departure times – 05:00h, 10:00h-12:00h, 16:00h, 18:30h daily.

WEATHER TODAY

Thundery showers are expected during the day, with late-afternoon sunshine. Partly-cloudy skies and thundery showers are expected at night. Temperatures are expected to range between 23 degrees Celsius and 31 degrees Celsius.

Winds: East North-Easterly to Easterly between 1.34 metres and 4.02 metres.

High Tide: 14:51h reaching a maximum height of 2.75 metres.

Low Tide: 08:24h and 20:49h reaching minimum heights of 0.56 metre and 0.41 metre.

13th Parliament convenes today

been put in place for today’s convening of the new parliament.

“Everything is ready… We have all the documents and so already in place,” he said in a brief comment to this newspaper.

Isaacs had indicated to reporters on September 25 that he had received from the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), the names of all 65 persons to be seated as Members of Parliament (MPs) following the September 1 polls.

The 13th Parliament is set to be convened today with the first sitting slated to be held at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC), Liliendaal, Greater Georgetown.

Just last month, President Dr Irfaan Ali announced the date for the first sitting of the new parliament in pursuance of Article 69 (1) of the Constitution of Guyana.

According to Article 69 (1), “Each session of the Parliament shall be held at such place within Guyana and shall begin at such time (not being later than six months from the end of the preceding session if Parliament has been prorogued or four months from the end of that session if Parliament has been dissolved) as the President shall appoint by proclamation.”

Since the 12th Parliament was dissolved on July 4, 2025, to facilitate the holding of the September 1 General and Regional Elections, the President was required to convene the 13th Parliament by November 4 in keeping with the constitutional provisions.

Ahead of today’s first sitting, President Ali over the weekend had underscored the importance of national strength and unity being displayed in the country’s Parliament.

“A nation united in purpose and spirit becomes an immovable pillar against those who may seek to exploit international divisions, original instability or their own dark designs,” the Head of State noted while addressing a Guyana Defence Force (GDF) event on Saturday.

He went on to say, “To the Speaker of the National Assembly…that unity and strength of a nation must be reflected in what comes

out of our Parliament. A nation at peace with itself is the best antidote to threats against its sovereignty. And this, my friends, is the peace we must preserve, the peace we must defend, the peace we must protect at all costs.”

President Ali had directed his remarks to Speaker, Manzoor Nadir, who presided over the last Parliament and still holds the post until a new Speaker is appointed.

Officials have been mum on whether Speaker Nadir will return to preside over the 13th Parliament.

‘Everything is ready’ Nevertheless, Clerk of the National Assembly Sherlock Isaacs told the Guyana Times on Sunday, that all preparations have

The parties to be represented in the National Assembly are the ruling People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) with 36 seats, We Invest in Nationhood (WIN) with 16, A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) with 12, and Forward Guyana Movement (FGM) with 1 seat.

The WIN party, founded by US-sanctioned and indicted businessman Azruddin Mohamed, who along with his father is now facing extradition, managed to cop the spot as the main Parliamentary Opposition after demoting the PNC-led APNU and completely booting APNU’s former coalition partner, the Alliance For Change (AFC), from the House.

First sitting

Today’s first sitting will commence with a roll call of all 65 members, followed by the election of the Speaker of the National Assembly and the swearing in of a Deputy Speaker, after which the new Members of

Parliament will take their Oaths of Office.

Isaacs had previously explained that the Leader of the Opposition would be selected at a separate meeting to be convened by the Speaker and include only Opposition parliamentarians, who would be asked to nominate a candidate for that post.

The WIN founder, US-sanctioned Azruddin Mohamed, has already indicated his intention to take up the role as Leader of the Opposition.

In addition to the sanctioned Mohamed, WIN’s Parliamentary representatives include former APNU+AFC Ministers and MPs Dawn HastingsWilliams, Tabitha SaraboHalley and Natasha SinghLewis, along with Duarte Hetsberger, who was the personal assistant to embattled former Chief Elections Officer Keith Lowenfield.

Editor: Tusika Martin

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Mailing address: Queens Atlantic Industrial Estate Industrial Site, Ruimveldt, Georgetown

Email: news@guyanatimesgy.com, marketing@guyanatimesgy.com

Terrorism in Georgetown

The bombing of the gas station in the commercial district of Georgetown has been described as an act of “terrorism” by our security agencies and all other analysts. Returning from a trip that took him out of the jurisdiction at the time of the blast, President Irfaan Ali, who would have been briefed by the security agencies, said on his return, “This attack bore all the hallmarks of terrorism. It was an attempt to sow fear and chaos, to destabilise, to create tension.” He went on to promise, “The investigation will continue. The motives behind this heinous act will come to light. We will pursue justice relentlessly. And we will take every lawful measure to protect our people and deter those who may contemplate similar actions.”

Terrorism is defined as “the unlawful use of violence and intimidation, especially against civilians, in the pursuit of political aims.” It makes the important distinction between acts of terrorism and other acts of violence against civilians – its motive is “in the pursuit of political aims”. What it means therefore, by defining the bombing as “terrorism” we know that the motive was political. As such, when Pres Ali talks about identifying “the motives behind this heinous act”, he is getting more granular. We have to identify the specific political goals of the specific persons or organisation that is behind the bombing.

What do we know to date? That the bomber is a Venezuelan national, Daniel Alexander Ramirez Peodomo, who entered Guyana by boat with the bomb on the morning of the day of the blast that was set off around 7 pm. It is clear, then that Peodomo was on a mission, which he completed and was captured at Vergenoegen, EBE, based on a tip after a $5 million reward was publicised. He was accompanied on his mission by at least three other individuals, two Venezuelans (one female) and a Guyanese, who would have already been in Guyana. It was reported that a total of nine individuals were arrested to date. It could be that Peodomo was attempting to return to Venezu ela since his image, caught on CCTV, went viral. He confessed he is a member of the “Organisation R” Sindicato Gang that is based across the Cuyuni River in Venezuela’s “Arc of Mining” area.

The Arc of Mining was created by the Chávez regime to open up southern Venezuela to large-scale mining but has become a “wild south” where the Sindicato Gangs, of which there are several, violently prey – with the connivance of the military and political officials – on the small miners who now predominate. According to one report by the reputable Insight Crime that covers Latin America and the Caribbean, “Over the years, the OR also expanded into Essequibo, where it control illegal gold mines…These criminal groups (the Sindicato gangs) offer a form of deniable force, a tactic the Venezuelan state has utilised in the past.” Weapons and bombs are readily available to them and over the years, they have attacked several GDF patrols on the Cuyuni.

As a member of Organisation R, we can surmise then that Peodomo was sent by it either for their own – or the “Venezuelan state’s” – purposes. From the individuals inside Guyana who accompanied Peodomo on his mission, Organisation R already had a cell in Guyana embedded among the Venezuelan migrants who fled Maduro’s regime. There were the prior terrorist bombings in May of the East Ruimveldt Police Outpost and the nearby GPL substation on Mandela Ave. Three men were involved – two Venezuelans and a Brazilian who were transported by a Guyanese bus driver, who was questioned by Police. However, while none of those terrorists were captured, Peodomo and his fellow detainees should be interrogated about their possible connections with Organisation R or other Sindicatos.

The “Venezuelan state” through its Foreign Minister last week reiterated VP Delcy Rodriguez’s earlier threat against Guyana (and T&T) for supporting the US naval build-up by warning they “would suffer the most tragic consequences of any (US) intervention”.

Was the bombing a more directed warning??

Perspectives, priorities and specialisation

By Jason McKay

Recently I was part of a Police party that conducted raids in the rain. There’s nothing like the rain that fell recently. It was not a storm, but it had been raining enough to create flooding.

The whole dynamic of the squatter settlements change when it rains. It really doesn’t take long to flood because squatter settlements aren’t planned settlements. You may not realise it, but the reason your home is not flooded out every time it rains is because of this little thing called town planning. That’s why you require a permit to build, and it is restricted to the blueprint you submit.

So, as I said, the dynamic is different because the yards are flooded, the lanes to the yards are flooded, and more times than not the houses are flooded. The ground becomes muddy very quickly, and there is never any grass. Due to the existence of unapproved septic pits, the sewage also rises and is often part of the muddy water that you are walking through whilst conducting the raids. Then you have to enter into a high-risk environment in many dwellings often not related to your target suspect. This is because gangsters sleep in any house they choose. I bet Jamaicans for Justice never told you that piece of information!

So the already besieged community now has to contend with Police stepping into their homes with their muddy government boots.

So, on this day we were raiding this squatter settlement in southern St Catherine. It was a five-man team. This is where we look on perspective and priorities. As I approached the puddles, what was foremost in my mind was the illegal electric wires that are always on the ground in these lanes and yards. The water can serve as a conductor, and in my limited knowledge of electricity, I believe it can electrocute me.

Beside me, there is a young man. He is not really concerned about the electricity, he is wor-

ried about the crocodiles in the neighbouring swamp that often come across during heavy rains. The other Police Officer, a veteran of many operations and in his 40s, is more worried about the noise we are making by splashing in the water because the target of the raid is said to have a rifle. This officer was shot within the last year, and he was shot badly. This, I think, makes him more cautious than he used to be. He is perfectly right though. We are making too much noise.

The approach down the lane is between high zinc. This concerns the fourth Police Officer, as the human rights angels can fire, without us seeing them, from behind the zinc. The veteran officer had been ambushed this way before, so his concern is the high zinc.

The fifth officer is younger than my youngest child, he worries about nothing important or logical because he is protected by his youth and inexperience. The job will teach him, and he will learn, but right now he is worried about his cellphone getting wet. God forbid he may have to spend a day off TikTok. Others have their own perspectives and priorities. Many people are involved in Police operations, of course, they are all worried about our safety.

The intelligence guy is worried about anything that could compromise his source. The administrator is worried about us adhering to the policies of the organisation. If this operation turns into a shooting, then Independent Commission of Investigations (Indecom) has a guy with his own perspective and his own list of things that are important. He doesn’t give a row of pins if we are shot because we are making too much noise splashing; he does not care if we are ambushed from behind the high zinc; he does not care if the crocodiles eat us like roast beef; and he does not care if we get our hair straightened by electricity. His perspective is his priority. What is important to him is that we are wearing a body-worn camera with a red blinking light in this dark, wet, muddy lane, so “he” can see what happened. As for

me, I’m still focusing on being electrocuted.

Gunfire erupted when we were halfway up the lane. I could not tell you where it was coming from.

Training kicked in, and I went low in the mud. So did all of the team, cellular phones and all. I couldn’t fire because I didn’t see who was firing at us.

I didn’t know if it was coming from the high zinc or if it was a gunman using a muzzle flash. I didn’t know if it was other Police Officers firing as there were other officers in the area.

The firing subsided and one of the officers shouted that we had to get out of the fatal funnel (the lane is narrow so it is considered a fatal funnel) so we retreated tactically to the end of the lane. I was no longer worried about electricity, my colleague didn’t seem to be worried about crocodiles, and the young fellow we still believe should be in school had totally forgotten about his cellphone.

When I got to safety it occurred to me that nobody fired. This was good, as firing would have been reckless. It also occurred to me that Indecom would not be involved with this investigation. It is of no concern to them because we didn’t fire. If all five of us had been killed, whether by electricity, gunfire or crocodiles, they would not be involved, they would not care, as long as we did not fire! Neither would Jamaicans for Justice care.

Let us assume that we did fire. Let us assume that the born-again Christian that just happened to have an AK-47 in his possession was shot by us. He would represent a statistic that would be used against us when they recklessly and randomly check off numbers with no column that shows the type of gun he was using. Ironically, there is a column for whether we are wearing body-worn cameras.

All of the people mentioned here are good people, other than the gunman. Yet, we all have different perspectives, priorities and specialisations. I can identify with the five-man team having different perspectives and priorities because of

individual experiences, and even phobias. Try as I may, I can’t understand why some good men and women are not only more concerned with the lives of gunmen, but are “only” concerned with the life and safety of gunmen. Remember, I said these are all “good” people. What causes this type of thinking? When did we become like this?

There have been studies conducted into “why” people follow orders, irrespective of the fact that what they are doing is counter to the benefit of other human beings, or society at large. Some studies speak to psychological conditions such as obsessive compulsive personality disorders, or even antisocial personality disorders. I have seen too many people from Indecom and from Jamaicans for Justice to believe it could be driven by psychological disorders. I am more looking on something called deontological ethics or duty-based ethics.

The definition: “This ethical framework judges the morality of an action based on whether it adheres to a rule or duty, rather than the consequences of the action. A person strictly following this approach might perform their job diligently, even if the outcome is negative for society, believing they are doing the ‘right thing’ by following the rules.”

This type of thinking is what got good people to turn in Jews in hiding during the holocaust. Or work in death camps. They do their job without any consideration for the bigger picture. Let me make one thing clear, good people work at Indecom. Good people are members of criminal rights organisations, to include Jamaicans for Justice. Both organisations are primary contributors to the existence and continuance of gang domination in Jamaica.

This is because they have separated themselves from the challenges the Police face and are focused on achieving their mandate without any consideration of the Police Officers’ safety, mental state, or future.

Health Minister urges greater use of AI, computational biology in medical studies

– as he outlines vision for advancing life sciences and research in Guyana

Health Minister Dr. Frank Anthony has reaffirmed Guyana’s commitment to scientific innovation and medical advancement, urging greater integration of artificial intelligence (AI) and computational biology in the country’s research and healthcare systems.

Speaking at the opening of the 18th Guyana Medical Research Conference, held at the Pegasus Suites and Corporate Centre in Kingston, on Sunday, Minister Anthony said the event remains a cornerstone for advancing evidence-based medical practice and fostering collaboration among researchers, academics, and healthcare professionals.

The annual conference continues to provide a platform for sharing scientific findings and shaping the future of medical research in Guyana and the wider Caribbean.

“These conferences allow us to study our local setting and develop practical solutions that can inform health policy and improve delivery,” Dr. Anthony stated. “We have already seen how past research findings have been applied to strengthen the health system, and this must continue.”

He announced plans to establish a national biobank in Guyana to support genetic and tissue-based research, positioning the country to participate more meaningfully in global biomedical studies. The Minister further emphasised the need to incorporate emerging technologies such as AI and computational biology into medical

research and diagnostics, noting their potential to transform patient care and accelerate scientific discovery.

“Guyana has the potential to become a hub for medical innovation in the region,” he said. “We must build institutions that not only deliver clinical excellence but also produce world-class discovery science.”

Minister Anthony also highlighted the Government’s recent introduction of clinical trials legislation designed to create a robust governance framework for ethically conducted research in Guyana. This, he noted, will strengthen public trust and attract international research partnerships.

He reaffirmed the administration’s broader health agenda, which includes expanding infrastructure through the construction of new hospitals, improving service delivery, and building human resource capacity through research training and international scholarships.

The Health Minister further called for deeper academic linkages between

Guyanese institutions and European universities, stressing that such partnerships would be key to developing local expertise and positioning Guyana as a regional leader in health science innovation.

Since assuming office in August 2020, the Guyana Government through the Ministry of Health have made significant strides in advancing bilateral talks with international companies and forging partner-

ships that have and will continue to play a pivotal role in delivering worldclass healthcare services to citizens.

Just days ago, Dr Anthony had revealed that discussions are underway with several international pharmaceutical companies interested in partnering with Guyana to produce biosimilars, medicines equivalent to well-known drugs such as Ozempic.

“These partnerships will open doors for industrial pharmacy and local pharmaceutical manufacturing. We are laying the groundwork for a future where Guyana not only delivers high-quality healthcare but also contributes to global pharmaceutical innovation,” Dr. Anthony said at the time.

He further outlined the government’s long-term vision to transform Guyana into a biomedical and life sciences hub, an initiative

The Berbice Expo has lost sight of its true purpose

Dear Editor,

Over the years, the Berbice Exposition and Trade Fair has grown in size and spectacle but not necessarily in substance. What was once a proud showcase of local talent, innovation, and entrepreneurship has gradually strayed from its original purpose. The event was built to spotlight small businesses, creative minds and unique local products that reflected the heart and ingenuity of Berbice. Today, however, it seems that the focus has shifted elsewhere.

Instead of being a hub for innovation and commerce, the Expo increasingly resembles a large entertainment fest, where alcohol booths and party vibes dominate the scene. Don’t get me wrong having a good time is part of any celebration and the entertainment aspect certainly adds energy to the event. But somewhere along the way the balance has tipped too far. The creative and entrepreneurial elements that once defined the Expo have been overshadowed by the

lure of music, drinks and nightlife.

Another issue worth noting is the stretched schedule. Four nights of activities sound impressive on paper but in reality, it’s too long. By the third night, many exhibitors begin packing up, leaving fewer booths and displays for visitors to enjoy. The final day often feels like an afterthought rather than a grand finale. Shortening the event and refocusing its core could help restore the energy and engagement that used to

define it.

The Berbice Expo still has tremendous potential but it needs a creative reset. Let’s reimagine it as a true platform for small businesses, artisans, and innovators to shine, while still maintaining the entertainment factor in moderation. It’s time to return the Expo to its roots: a celebration of Berbician creativity, enterprise and pride.

Yours sincerely,

Maria Singh

designed to foster pharmaceutical research, innovation, and manufacturing.

“We aim to move beyond clinical care and become a producer of pharmaceuticals. Our biodiversity provides a rich source of natural compounds that can lead to new medical discoveries. We need scientists and pharmacists who can help us harness these resources responsibly and effectively,” he said.

To advance this goal, Guyana is preparing to sign an agreement with one of Europe’s largest life sciences parks, located in southern Belgium, to support the establishment of a local life

sciences park. Additionally, the government is finalising an agreement with a French aid organisation to facilitate capacity-building initiatives, including postgraduate training opportunities in France, Germany, the Netherlands, and other European countries.

The minister added that as part of the health sector’s modernisation efforts, the Ministry is currently overhauling the Materials Management Unit (MMU) to enhance efficiency, transparency, and accountability in the storage and distribution of medicines across the public health system.

Perspectives, priorities...

Just as the five of us walking down that lane, hoping to recover that weapon, were worried about five different things but were focused nevertheless on recovering that rifle and bringing that man to justice, it is the same way the Indecom investigator is focused on getting his evidence, irrespective of the risk that body cameras represent to the officers, the risk that he insists we take for his benefit without even discussing the ‘blinking red light’. We will never win this war if we approach it this way, as a country, as a society. All good people, although we may differ in job description, have to prioritise the safety of law enforcement and of good people,

irrespective of perspective, priority or specialisation. I found out who fired at us that night. He did in fact fire from behind the zinc, just as my colleague feared. He was never tried for shooting at us. Intelligence can’t be presented in court, just evidence. But he is before the courts for another police-related shooting and I hope he will spend the rest of his life in prison.

I also hope that the ‘pencil pushers’ at Indecom will begin to concern themselves, even a little bit, about the safety of the men and women who serve their armed forces and who they are advocating should put a ‘red, blinking light’ on their chest. (Jamaica Observer)

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2025

Page Foundation

1 pint = 2 c

1 quart = 2 pt

1 gallon = 4 qt

You can compare these units to each other.

Liquid volume is the amount of liquid a container can hold. The customary units of liquid volume (that is the units commonly used) are cups (c); pints (pt); quarts (qt); and gallons (gal).

Example:

How many cups are in a gallon?

Step 1: You know that there are 4 quarts in a gallon, and there are 2 pints in a quart. So multiply the number of quarts x 2 to find out how many pints are in a gallon.

Step 2: 4 x 2 = 8 pints in a gallon.

Step 3: You know that there are 2 cups in a pint. So multiply the number of pints x 2.

Step 4: 8 x 2 = 16 cups in a gallon.

The standard units of measurement that should be used in Guyana are the metric measurements. It is necessary to know customary units of length to convert them to metric units.

Remember:

You do not have to add the plural s when you abbreviate units of measurement.

1) 1 gallon is how many pints?

2) 4 quarts is how many gallons?

3) 200 cups is how many pints?

4)10 quarts is how many cups?

5) 12 pints is how many gallons?

In November, we remember those who served and those who died in war by wearing red poppies. The red poppy is a symbol of hope and remembrance.

Remembrance Sunday is commemorated on the second Sunday of November, this year November 9, days before Armistice Day, also called Remembrance Day or Veterans Day, on November 11 – the anniversary of the end of hostilities in World War I – at the eleventh hour on the eleventh day of the eleventh month – we will remember them (war dead).

You can make your own handprint poppy wreath using simple craft supplies like red and green finger paint, coloured paper or card, and a nice circular cardboard cutout for the base. It’s a fun and meaningful way to show your respect.

Exercises: Convert

Instructions Step 1: Start by painting the palm

By Marvin Bell

of your hand red and the underside of your fingers green.

Step 2: Print your hand onto white cardboard, making sure to use as much space as possible! Use a paint brush to fill in any blank gaps.

Step 3: Once your handprint flowers are dry, brush black paint onto your thumb and print centres onto the flowers, using a circular motion.

Step 4: Once the paint is dry cut out your handprint poppies.

Step 5: Arrange the flowers and glue them onto your wreath to secure.

Step 6: To finish thread a piece of red ribbon through the wreath hole so that you can hang your creation up! (Adapted from bakerross.co.uk)

Start or end your story with a cat or another animal stuck in a tree on an Arabian island.

Over 200 EoIs received for construction of houses – Min Croal

Housing Minister Collin Croal has disclosed that more than 200 companies – local, regional and international – have formally indicated their interest in constructing houses across Guyana, as part of the Government’s commitment to deliver 40,000 homes to Guyanese.

These companies have submitted their Expressions of Interest (EoIs) during the Housing Ministry’s recent application process.

Only last week, Minister Croal disclosed during a visit to Linden, Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Upper Berbice) that the invitation for the EoIs was closed recently and the technical teams are now conducting the necessary engagement and evaluation on the submissions.

He subsequently confirmed to the Guyana Times, that there was a good response with the initial number of EoIs received being pegged at over 200.

As part of its housing programme, the People’s

Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) had committed in its 2025 manifesto to construct 40,000 houses across Guyana over the next five years.

“We want to push home ownership – that's the bottom line. And we want to… push the whole aspect of giving persons an opportunity to own their home as quickly as possible, not having to have to go through the hassles of dealing [with the process] on their own to find time off from work to dealing with contractors, and all the nuances that happen when you're building your own home.”

“All of us, we're excited [about] what is to come, because in the Expression of Interest, we didn't give the parameter of the design. What we gave was the size of the houses, the criteria that they should satisfy. So, many of them have been innovative in terms of their design. So, you can rest assured that those contractors that we'll be moving ahead with for the home construc-

tion, you will see new designs outside of what we normally do,” Croal recently declared.

The Housing Minister went on to explain that they are targeting to build at least 8,000 houses per year and with a lot of time lost already, the contractors would have to ramp up work once the contracts are awarded.

“We'll have to aim for more than 8,000, by year two… So, it's a lot of work ahead, but we're up to the challenge, and the government is committed, as we've always been for the housing sector, to ensure that we also make a difference for persons and their lives,” he asserted.

Expanding contractor search

Back in September, Minister Croal had explained to reporters the ministry had to expand their search for contractors beyond Guyana given that the current construction boom here has caused a shortage of contractors. However, he had noted that

13th Parliament convenes...

On the other side, the PPP/C Government will see a return of most of its MPs from the last Parliament including its 25-member Cabinet that comprises: Anil Nandlall, SC, as Attorney General (AG) and Minister of Legal Affairs; Gail Teixeira as Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance; Hugh Todd as Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation; Dr Ashni Singh as Senior Minister in the Office of the President with Responsibility for Finance; Dr Frank Anthony as Minister of Health; Vickram Bharrat as Minister of Natural Resources; Vindhya Persaud as Minister of Human Services and Social Security; Kwame Mc Coy as Minister within the Office of the Prime Minister: as well as Minister of Public Works Juan Edghill, who will be supported by Madanlall Ramraj; Minister of Agriculture Zulfikar Mustapha with Vickash

Ramkissoon as his junior; Housing Minister Collin Croal with Vanessa Benn as his junior; Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports Charles Ramson with Steven Jacobs as his junior; Priya Manickchand as Minister of Local Government and Regional Development with Pauline Sukhai as the Junior Minister; Sonia Parag as Minister of Education; Oneidge Walrond as Minister of Home Affairs; Susan Rodrigues as Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, and Deodat Indar as Minister of Public Utilities and Aviation. Additionally, the new faces that have been introduced to the Cabinet include Zulfikar Ally as Minister of Public Service, Government Efficiency and Implementation; Sarah Browne-Shadeek as Minister of Amerindian Affairs; and Keoma Griffith as Minister of Labour, Manpower Planning.

These 25 Ministers will be joined in the Parliament by James Bond, Zamal Hussain, Seepaul Narine, Bagmatie Veerasammy, Suresh Singh, Vishwa Mahadeo, Jennifer Westford, Alister Charlie, Anand Persaud, Lenox Shuman, Peter Ramsaroop, Sanjeev Datadin, and Sonia Latchman.

Moreover, Thandi McAllister and Mischka White Griffith were named as Parliamentary secretaries for the PPP/C.

In the APNU camp, leader Aubrey Norton will not return to Parliament, sending instead businessman Terrence Campbell to lead the party’s Parliamentary group that includes Juretha Fernandes, Ganesh Mahipaul, Sherod Duncan, attorney Dexter Todd and David Hinds.

Meanwhile, Amanza Walton-Desir will be taking up the lone seat secured by FGM on the opposition side.

Feedback

Guyanese companies will be priority.

“We're not looking locally alone. We're going even further afield [but] we want to, first of all, maximise those contractors we have locally for the construction of the houses, and then bring in others who will be able to keep it our price. The price that for the houses are set by us at the governmental level, through the CHPA (Central Housing and Planning Authority). So, they will have to bring it in at a particular cost,” the minister told reporters during a site visit to several housing projects along the Soesdyke-Linden Highway on September 21.

At the time, he noted that given its promise to deliver 40,000 houses, the Housing Ministry will be strengthening its monitoring capacity to ensure that quality homes are delivered to Guyanese citizens.

On Sunday, the Housing Minister conducted a site visit at the highly-touted Silica City, where some 110 homes are under construction along the SoesdykeLinden Highway. While inspecting the works, Croal underscored the importance of building quality homes.

“The construction of houses will play a major role in terms of fulfilling our target for this period [in office]. So, it therefore means we’ll have to do some strengthening at our Project Department,” he had stated.

According to Croal, the Housing Ministry has been receiving a lot of feedback from existing homeowners on the quality of work done during the last term. To this end, he had revealed plans to establish action sheet system that will track progress and identify issues in these construction projects.

“So, we want to ensure that quality [work] is part of what we’re delivering on …and we’ll be strengthening that aspect of the Project Department, because monitoring is very important. We

don’t want when the houses are complete, then you have the beneficiaries complaining about the quality. This is something we should be picking up very early,” the minister posited.

Meanwhile, newly-appointed Minister within the Housing Ministry, Vanessa Benn, had also underscored the importance of ensuring quality products are delivered to citizens.

“My goal is not just to monitor progress but to assist staff in overcoming challenges that may hinder quality construction. Quality does require more time, but improving efficiency within the ministry is a key focus,” she said.

In fact, Minister Benn explained that the ministry is already looking at ways to make the processes there more efficient specifically through the digitisation of systems to streamline land applications and building plan approvals, thereby reducing delays and frustrations for citizens. Collaboration with other agencies, she added, will also be vital to this process.

Brazilian miner fatally stabbed at Sand Hill Landing, Reg

Police in Regional Division #7are on the hunt for a Brazilian national, who fatally stabbed one of his countrymen in Guyana’s CuyuniMazaruni region, Region Seven, where they both work as gold miners.

Dead is 34-year-old Francis Diago Alivera, a Brazilian national and gold miner. He was stabbed to death at about 01:45h on Saturday at Sand Hill Landing, Cuyuni-Mazaruni region.

According to the Guyana Police Force (GPF), initial enquiries disclosed that the deceased and the suspect, a 24-year-old Brazilian national also employed as a gold miner in the area, were known to each other and had been socialising on the evening prior to the incident.

However, during the early hours of Saturday, an altercation reportedly developed between the two, during which the suspect allegedly armed himself with a knife and inflicted multiple injuries upon Alivera.

The injured man was assisted by public-spirited persons and subsequently transported to a nearby mining company outpost, where he received initial medical attention. He was later transferred to the Bartica Regional Hospital,

7

where he was receiving treatment but subsequently succumbed to his injuries.

Police ranks led by senior detectives visited both the hospital and the scene at Sand Hill Landing. The area was processed by crime-scene investigators, who recovered a knife suspected to have been used in the attack.

Several persons were also interviewed and statements have been obtained.

The GPF said on Sunday that the suspect fled the scene and is currently being sought.

Meanwhile, the body of the deceased is presently at the Bartica Regional Hospital Mortuary awaiting a post-mortem examination.

Investigations are ongoing.

Teen labourer stabbed to death at Loo Creek; co-worker arrested

A17-year-old labourer, Gaurav Bhagwan of Cane Grove on the East Coast of Demerara, was allegedly stabbed to death by his coworker.

The incident occurred at about 21:30hrs on Saturday at Loo Creek, Soesdyke-Linden Highway. The 36-year-old suspect, who is also a labourer of La Belle Alliance on the Essequibo Coast, is presently in police custody

assisting with the investigation.

Preliminary investigations revealed that Bhagwan and several co-workers were part of a team engaged in a road and drainage project in the Loo Creek area.

On Saturday evening, one of the workers reportedly heard a loud scream and upon checking, discovered Bhagwan lying motionless, with what appeared to be stab wounds

about his body. The suspect was seen nearby and was restrained by his colleagues until the arrival of the police.

Bhagwan was transported to the Diamond Regional Hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival by a doctor on duty. The body is currently at the hospital’s mortuary awaiting a post-mortem examination.

Investigations are ongoing.

Police

find over 164 lbs ganja in Route 50 minibus

Ppresence of the driver and amounted to

The exhibits and vehicle have been lodged and the driver remains in Police custody as investigations continue.

Dealing with… …Venezies

After the mid-town bomb blast set off by a Venezuelan Sindicato Gang member (Organización R), a robust – to put it mildly!! – debate’s has been triggered about all the Venezies who’ve flocked to our shores – or jungles!! Now this influx’s been going on for years…but accelerated exponentially following Venezuela’s meltdown with the collapse of their oil industry after nationalisation of the foreign oil companies. Now humanitarianism is all well and good, but our concern gotta be the impact of the Venezies on our less than 800,000 population.

The acceleration started around the time the PPP was checkmated by APNU and the AFC in 2011 – and by 2019 there was a report of 36,000 of them as refugees here!! The UN system had gotten involved with humanitarian outreaches as they crossed the Cuyuni into our Region 1. After a while, we’d decided to not let them in beyond Mabaruma but never instituted the systems to do so effectively. There were three reasons for this – firstly many were Indigenous Peoples for whom it was an ageold tradition of migratory habits to make a living.

The second were Venezuelans who entered via Boa Vista to Lethem and then to G/town – and others who landed in boats on the Essequibo Coast and gravitated East to the West Coast, Georgetown and East Bank. Many of us felt sorry for these poor wretches – excepting local women who saw their husbands being lured into dalliances by the more desperate female refugees! Soon, every village between Pomeroon and Rosignol had their Venezuelan posse.

Finally, there were the returning Guyanese – or their children – who’d gone over since the 1970s as OUR economy and society had imploded under Burnham’s “innovations” – which Chávez ironically copied!! These were a whole different kettle of fish. By law, they were Guyanese citizens with all the privileges that implied. And this brings in the crux of the battle of words before the elections – with the Opposition claiming the PPP was registering ALL Venezies – not just returning Guyanese!! –to vote for them since they were their benefactors!!

But the bottom line is right now, we need to get a grip not just on Venezuelans but on all foreigners immigrating here. The President and the Minister of Home Affairs have mentioned the imminent introduction of an E-ID card that’s gonna be issued to everyone resident in Guyana legally. It’ll distinguish between citizens, residents and others – the last getting a limited time to get their status regularised.

Seems fair to your Eyewitness. Wasn’t this the route we had to take when half our population fled north?? In these matters there must be enforcement institutions to enforce the rules of residence.

Not operating like the US ICE…but you get the idea!!

…danger

During the Cold War, the Americans had a question for anyone trying to enter their country: “Are you now, or ever been a member of a communist party”. The reason, of course, is they didn’t want to allow Fifth Columnists into their country who could be activated some time down the road to subvert the country from within!! Our Question to all Venezuelan “refugees” must be – who owns Essequibo!!

This should be the retort to those who say we should allow all Venezies because they allowed so many Guyanese to enter their country- when the shoe was on the other foot. But the two situations aren’t equivalent, innit?? Unlike Venezuela, we’ve never claimed two-thirds of their territory and could later exploit the sentiments of the “refugees” to call upon their “mother country” to rescue them from persecution or whatever!!

Isn’t this why, say, Turkey invaded Cyprus and partitioned it into Greek and Turkish enclaves?? All non-Guyanese persons from Venezuela have to either naturalise their status or it’s “Adios, amigo!!”

…Russia

Referring to the US naval fleet blockading narco-boats from Venezuela, Russia announced it “firmly denounces the use of excessive military force in carrying out actions in anti-drugs operations”!!

Does this mean we’ll reprieve the 1962 Cuban missile crisis??

BritCham Guyana partners with Maxi Priest for Jamaica hurricane relief effort

The British Chamber of Commerce Guyana (BritCham Guyana) has announced a major collaboration with internationally acclaimed reggae artist Maxi Priest to raise funds in support of hurricane relief and recovery efforts in Jamaica, following the recent devastating storm that struck the island.

The initiative forms part of BritCham Guyana’s upcoming Business Forum and Networking Event, to be

held on Thursday, November 6, 2025, at Chelsea Football Club’s Stamford Bridge in London.

The event will feature a dedicated fundraising segment aimed at mobilising financial and in-kind support from businesses and individuals across the Caribbean, the United Kingdom, Guyana, and the wider global community.

The evening’s programme will include a live charity auction, exclusive

memorabilia displays, and cultural and sporting showcases, featuring iconic trophies and exhibits designed to inspire generosity and unity among attendees. All proceeds raised will go directly toward organisations actively coordinating hurricane relief operations on the ground in Jamaica.

BritCham Guyana is calling on companies and individuals attending the event to support the cause through donations or pledges, em-

phasising that collective effort is crucial to help affected communities rebuild.

Chairman of BritCham Guyana, Faizal Khan said the collaboration underscores the Chamber’s commitment to solidarity and regional cooperation.

“BritCham Guyana stands with our Caribbean brothers and sisters in times of need,” Khan stated. “This partnership reflects our shared commitment to community and resilience.”

Maxi Priest, known globally for his chart-topping hits and philanthropic involvement, echoed the sentiment.

“Music and unity have the power to heal and rebuild,” Priest said. “I’m honoured to lend my voice to help those affected in Jamaica.”

The BritCham Guyana Business Forum & Networking Event serves as a key platform for fostering UK-Guyana business relations, bringing together investors, policymakers, and

industry leaders. This year’s edition aims not only to strengthen commercial ties but also to channel goodwill and tangible support to a neighbouring Caribbean nation in crisis.

Hurricane Melissa has left Jamaica battered, with deaths, mass destruction, floods and more than twothirds of the country without power and in shelters.

The Category 5 storm made landfall in Jamaica on Tuesday as the strongest hurricane in the island’s history, with most of the destruction recorded in central and western Jamaica.

After battering Jamaica, Hurricane Melissa left the island and made landfall in Cuba on Wednesday last as an “extremely dangerous” Category 3 storm, according to the National Hurricane Center in Miami.

By 11:00h, the hurricane had moved off of Cuba as a Category 2 storm and was in the Atlantic Ocean heading towards the Bahamas, where it was expected to

bring heavy rains and flooding. Additionally, Hurricane Melissa caused deadly flooding in parts of Haiti, with at least 20 deaths reported.

The Guyana Government through close collaboration with the Private Sector Commission (PSC), the Guyana Defence Force (GDF), and the CDC have already coordinated Guyana’s humanitarian response to the recent devastation caused by Hurricane Melissa in Jamaica.

The initial phase of Guyana’s relief efforts will include the provision of essential supplies such as generators, tarpaulins, and chainsaws, to be mobilised through a joint initiative between the Government and the private sector, under the coordination of the CDC.

Guyana’s stand in solidarity with the Government and people of Jamaica during this challenging time reaffirms the nation’s commitment to regional cooperation and collective resilience within Caricom.

ERC gaining professional guidance through cultural exchange, training seminar in China

The Ethnic Relations Commission (ERC) of Guyana has fielded its second batch of participants in a series of training seminars in China, comprising Commissioners and Secretariat staff.

The seminar is being held from October 31 to November 20, 2025, and themed “Exploration and Practices of Chinese Modernization for Developing Countries.” The delegation is led by Commissioners Deon Dick (Ras Khafra) and Chandrowtie Sarran.

The training initiative aims to share China’s development experiences across a range of sectors with officials from developing nations. Participants will receive professional guidance and assistance tailored to their practical needs, fostering interdepartmental exchanges and cooperation between China and respective countries.

Key seminar topics include an introduction to China’s national conditions, the implementation of new developmental concepts, building a modern econom-

ic system, and an overview of China’s macroeconomic landscape, among other areas.

During the exchange programme, the ERC delegation will also visit several provinces to observe local development models and policy practices.

The Joint Opening Ceremony for the seminars on “Exploration and Practices of Chinese Modernization for Developing Countries” and “Cybersecurity Technologies for Developing Countries” was held on October 31, 2025, at the Beijing Fenghui Hotel.

The event featured key speakers including Director of the Industry Development Division, International Cooperation Center, National Development and Reform Commission (P.R.C.) Song Guoxuan; Principal Media Relations Officer, Office of the Speaker of the Senate, Republic of Kenya Maricus Owino Agutu; and Head of the IT Forensic Directorate of the Forensic and Judicial Expertise Center, General

Inspectorate of Police, Ministry of Internal Affairs, Republic of Moldova, Ion Gaina.

In his welcome address, Guoxuan warmly greeted participants and highlighted the Center’s dedication to building a global platform for knowledge sharing and

policy dialogue. He stated, “The Chinese path to modernisation is firstly to have a peaceful development and secondly, lies in the fact that the Chinese modernisation embraces a harmony between man and nature.”

This vision of peaceful development and harmony strongly aligns with the ERC’s mission of fostering social cohesion and ethnic unity in Guyana. Through such international collaborations, the Commission continues to build its insti

tutional capacity and advance its core mandate of promoting equality, mutual respect, and national harmony for all Guyanese.

The ERC has embarked on a series of training programmes as part of its commitment to maintaining peace and harmony, with the most recent training seminar focusing on ‘Poverty Reduction and Development’ under the Global Development Initiative (GDI) in the People’s Republic of China.

The delegation, led by Commissioner Neaz Subhan, was in China from October 14 to 31, 2025 for this capacity-building programme hosted by the International Poverty Reduction Centre in China (IPRCC).

During the visit, the team travelled from Beijing to other provinces to understand the ethnic diversity and learn of strategies used to enhance inclusion and development. According to the Commission.

“This initiative forms part of the ERC’s ongoing commitment to strengthen its institutional capacity and promote social harmony in Guyana.”

The seminar brings together participants from several countries to share knowledge and strategies aimed at addressing social challenges that can threaten peace and cohesion.

This particular seminar brought together participants from several countries to share knowledge and strategies through this engagement, the ERC said it is seeking to deepen its understanding of social development and sustainable growth strategies, which will inform its national programmes and advocacy work.

Guyana inks deal with Saudi Eksab to explore investment opportunities

The Guyana Government and Saudi Eksab, a newly launched strategic investment company, recently signed an MOU to explore

investment collaboration opportunities across key sectors to drive sustainable

2025 Hyundai SUV up for grabs in Massy’s 20252026 Christmas promotion

Massy Stores has officially launched its 2025–2026 Christmas Jackpot Promotion, offering customers a chance to win a brandnew 2025 Hyundai Creta Advance SUV as the grand prize, in what has become one of the country’s most anticipated holiday promotions.

Now in its fourth consecutive year, the promotion also features several high-value consolation prizes, including refrigerators, washing machines, and other household appliances, giving customers multiple chances to win.

According to Massy Stores, shoppers will receive one coupon for every $8,000 spent in a single transaction at any of its locations nationwide. Online shoppers purchasing through shopmassystoresgy.com will also qualify for entry.

The consolation prize draw is scheduled for

December 18, while the grand prize draw will take place following the close of the promotion on January 31, 2026.

Massy’s Marketing and Promotions Coordinator, Chrystel Taylor, said the annual giveaway has become a hallmark of the company’s engagement with its customers.

“Our customers have been incredibly supportive throughout the year, and this promotion is our way of giving back,” Taylor stated. “The Christmas Jackpot has become a joyful tradition that our shoppers eagerly anticipate. Seeing the excitement on our winners’ faces every year reminds us why we continue to do it—it’s about celebrating the people who make Massy what it is.”

Over the years, the promotion has produced several notable winners. In 2024, Corencer Mentore won a 2024 Nissan Qashqai SUV;

in 2023, Dr. Tara MartinezDias took home a 2024 MG ZS SUV; and in 2022, Colin Weeks won the 2023 Nissan X-Trail T32.

The company said the continuation of the promotion underscores its commitment to rewarding loyal customers, particularly during the festive season.

With the grand prize now upgraded to the 2025 Hyundai Creta Advance SUV, Massy officials said the company expects even stronger participation this year. The vehicle, known for its modern design, advanced safety features, and fuel efficiency, is expected to generate significant public interest as the promotion unfolds over the coming months.

The Christmas Jackpot Promotion will run until the end of January 2026, with shoppers across Guyana encouraged to participate for a chance to win big this holiday season.

growth and diversification.

President Dr Irfaan Ali witnessed the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), which took place on the sidelines of the 9th Future of Investment Initiative (FII9) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, last week.

The MoU, signed by Guyana’s Minister of Public Service and Government Efficiency Zulfikar Ally and the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Saudi Eksab Yazeed Al-Yahya, will explore investment opportunities and strengthen collaboration between Guyana and Saudi Eksab.

The partnership opens a pathway for joint efforts on new investment ventures and knowledge transfer between the two nations. It also reinforces

Saudi Eksab’s current role as a trusted partner in supporting Guyana’s economic transformation.

According to a statement, Minister Ally said Guyana is eager to explore this partnership, which will contribute to the transformative environment in the country.

“Guyana is entering a transformative phase of development. Through this collaboration with Saudi Eksab, we are eager to explore partnerships that accelerate infrastructure development and economic diversification while fostering global cooperation,” Ally said in the statement.

Meanwhile, Alyahya noted, “This partnership marks an exciting step forward in our mission to identify high-impact invest-

ment initiatives that drive shared economic growth. We look forward to identifying meaningful opportunities.”

Just last Wednesday, Saudi Arabia launched the Eksab company for strategic international investments. Saudi Eksab describes itself as “an international investment entity guided by purpose, powered by investment rigour.”

The company’s website further states, “We provide the bold, strategic capital needed to unlock the potential of frontier and emerging markets. Led by a team with technical expertise across a variety of investment types and international markets, we deploy capital with ambition. To increase prosperity denied by financial exclusion.”

GDF Thanksgiving Service ushers

Scenes from the Guyana Defence Force’s Thanksgiving service, which was held Saturday, November

in 60th anniversary observances

November 1, at the National Cultural Centre to usher in the Force’s 60th anniversary observances

Berbice Expo showcases grassroots innovation ...as

small business owners blend tradition, family and passion

The 2025 Berbice Expo has once again proven to be a hub of creativity and inspiration, shining a spotlight on local entrepreneurs who continue to transform homegrown ideas into thriving small businesses. Among

the products offered under Countryside Flavor originated from her husband’s grandmother’s recipes, passed down through generations. “It was my husband’s idea. The lime sour was his grandmother’s, then his mother continued it, and now we’ve built it into something of our

the many exhibitors at this year’s event were Rowena Khan of Countryside Flavor, Alison Gillard of Alison’s Hair and Skincare Products, Dawn EdwardsDickson of Dex Seasoning Products, and Kishar Ramjattan of Richard’s Local Made — each with a unique story of resilience, innovation, and the drive to succeed against the odds.

A family recipe becomes a community brand — Countryside Flavor

For Rowena Khan, the business of coconut oil, lime sour, and pepper sauce is more than just an enterprise – it is a continuation of family heritage. Khan explained that

own,” Khan said. The business, based on the West Bank of Berbice (WBB), also produces local honey, flour, and plants. Khan proudly sources most of her raw materials from local markets, ensuring that her products remain truly, “home-grown and community-based.” Her booth at the Expo featured neatly bottled oils and sauces that caught the attention of many visitors, all eager to taste the blend of tradition and freshness that Countryside Flavor represents.

Turning a child’s diagnosis into a national skincare brand

For Alison Gillard, her thriving brand, Alison’s

Hair and Skincare Products, was born out of a deeply personal journey. “It all started when my first son was diagnosed with atopic dermatitis, which pushed my husband and me to start experimenting with natural ingredients for his skin, and that’s how the business began,” Gillard shared with this publication.” Today, Alison’s products — ranging from coffee, neem, noni, turmeric and charcoal soaps, to body scrubs, lip balms, and facial treatments, have become wellknown for their effectiveness and organic feel. “At Alison’s Hair and Skincare Products, we cover from the head to the toes. If you have sunburn, acne, dark marks, or hyperpigmentation, we have something for you,” she said with a smile.

The brand has grown beyond Berbice, now serving customers in Georgetown through the Guyana Shop, while handling local deliveries personally.

“The support here at the Berbice Expo has been amazing. The turnout, the feedback, it shows how much people appreciate local, natural products,” Gillard said.

Dex Seasoning: Adding spice and quality to every meal

From mango achar to fish dips and pepper sauces, Dawn EdwardsDickson, founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Dex Seasoning Products, has been redefining the local seasoning market. Her products, she explained, are not just about flavour but about quality and consistency.

“We want people to get more out of their meals than just taste. We focus on aroma, texture, and the right balance of ingredients,” Edwards-Dickson

said.

Dex Seasoning currently produces a wide range of items, including green seasoning with variations of onion, garlic, pepper and ginger, as well as mustard

other natural products, sourced from various parts of Guyana. “The honey comes from Nappi Village in Region Nine, the crab oil from Region Five, and the castor oil from Pomeroon.

Innovation grounded in tradition What tied these four entrepreneurs together at the Expo was not only their creativity but their deep connection to culture, fam-

oil, tamarind balls, sugar cake, and other traditional treats. Though officially registered just over two years ago, the company has grown quickly, with products now stocked in 11 supermarkets nationwide, including Real Value, Raps Variety, Fresh Cool, and major outlets in Linden and on the West Coast Demerara (WCD).

“It’s been a journey with no regret. We’re proud of our growth, and we’re looking forward to even more supermarket shelves carrying our brand,” EdwardsDickson added.

From honey to crab oil

— Richard’s Local Made expands its reach

Perhaps one of the most passionate voices at the Expo was Kishar Ramjattan, owner of Richard’s Local Made and Richard’s Hobby Centre. Starting in 2018, with a small honey business, Ramjattan has since expanded into crab oil, castor oil, coconut oil, and

So it’s really three regions coming together in one product line,” he explained.

Ramjattan, who often travels to expositions across the country, said that small business owners like himself continue to face steep financial and logistical challenges, particularly with financing, transport, and export certification. “The cost to meet export standards can go into millions. We need real support, not just training, so that small producers can upgrade facilities to meet international requirements.” Despite these hurdles, he credited the Small Business Bureau (SBB) for partially covering costs to participate in expos like Berbice, noting that such exposure helps local businesses gain visibility and connect with customers.

“When people see us beside big companies, it shows that small businesses are just as capable. We just need a fair chance to grow,” Ramjattan said.

ily, and community. Their products, from coconut oil and green seasoning to herbal soap and natural honey, represent the best of Berbice’s entrepreneurial spirit: innovative, authentic, and proudly local.

As the Berbice Expo 2025 came to a close, these exhibitors stood as living proof that small businesses, with the right support and visibility, can become powerful engines of economic growth. “This is what the Berbice Expo is all about… Ordinary people doing extraordinary things, right here in our own backyard,” said one visitor.

This year, Berbice Expo is being held at the Welfare Community Centre Ground in East Canje. The fourday exposition opened on Friday and closes this evening. It is being held under the theme, “Harnessing New Wealth: Modernising Traditional Sectors for Sustainable Economic Development”.

Belvedere labourer beaten to death, carpenter arrested after drunken brawl

– Police probe another, separate Corentyne death as decomposed body found same day

Police on the Corentyne, Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) are investigating the brutal death of a 56-year-old labourer of Belvedere Village.

The victim has been identified as Imran Kadir, also known as “Shut Pon Shoulder”, a well-known labourer of the village. His body was discovered lying motionless in his yard on Sunday morning, following what police suspect was a drunken brawl the previous night.

A police statement said the body bore signs of violence, and a bloodstained piece of wood believed to be the murder weapon was recovered near the scene.

Investigators say Kadir was reportedly drinking with a 32-year-old carpenter

from the same community when an altercation broke out. The suspect has since been arrested as investigations continue.

The incident is the latest in a troubling series of violent killings that have rocked the Corentyne Coast.

When the media visited the community on Sunday, resident Khemraj Ganputh, who lives a few houses away from the victim, recalled seeing the suspect on Saturday afternoon walking with a piece of wood, one which he later recognised as possibly being the same object police retrieved from the scene.

“I see he with a piece of wood ‘bout one, two o’clock. When they show me the piece of wood with blood, I said, ‘Well, it got to be the same piece of wood,”

Ganputh told reporters.

He said the suspect appeared to be under the influence of alcohol and agitated when he passed through the area.

“He high, high. I try stop he from going in my yard, but he still go in… Later we didn’t hear no noise or hollering. This morning when I go over, we see the man flat on the ground; blood deh pon he,” the neighbour related.

According to Ganputh, the two men were known to drink together often and had no known history of arguments.

“Them does drink together all the time. Imran is a good man, but when he taking a drink, he does get mischief on,” Ganputh recalled.

“Is sad, bai,” Ganputh

said quietly as he watched police remove the body. “We grow up together round here. This kinda thing happening too much now.”

Suspect arrested as focus turns to increasing alcohol-related homicides

The suspect, identified only as Joel “Joke” Ramsammy, was taken into custody early Sunday morning by ranks from the Albion Police Station.

The killing adds to a disturbing pattern of murders in the Corentyne area over the past year, many of which have been tied to alcohol-fuelled disputes among acquaintances.

In the past six months alone, there have been at least five recorded homicides in communities stretching from Albion to Number 72 Village — several of which stemmed from domestic or drunken altercations.

Residents say the incidents highlight the need for stronger community intervention and policing presence in the rural Corentyne areas, where small-scale drinking sessions often escalate into deadly confrontations.

A senior police source in Region Six confirmed that investigators are examining whether substance abuse

and mental health issues are contributing factors in several of the recent homicides.

Community in shock

At Belvedere, the mood on Sunday was sombre. Neighbours gathered quietly near the cordoned-off yard where Kadir’s body was found. Many described him as a friendly man who did odd jobs and was always willing to lend a hand.

“He don’t trouble people, but when he get a lil’ rum, he mouth does run,” one resident said. “Still, nobody expect something like this.”

Kadir’s body was taken to the Port Mourant Hospital mortuary, where it awaits a post-mortem examination.

Police have since assured the public that a thorough investigation is underway and that charges are expected soon.

Police probe 2nd fatality on Sunday

The death of Kadir comes with the discovery of a badly decomposed body in a grassy area along a track at the No. 43 Village seashore, Corentyne, Berbice, early on Sunday.

Based on police reports, inquiries revealed that a 31-year-old fisherman of No.

35 Village, Corentyne, who was walking along the No. 43 seashore after experiencing an issue with his fishing boat that was stuck due to low tide, detected a strong stench and subsequently discovered the remains.

Police were summoned and ranks processed the scene, after which the body was escorted to the Port Mourant Public Hospital. Due to the advanced state of decomposition, the identity of the deceased and cause of death could not be immediately determined. The remains have since been placed in cold storage at Ramoo’s Funeral Home pending identification and a post-mortem examination. Investigations are ongoing.

Guyana launches bamboo pilot to advance forest restoration, sustainable livelihoods

The Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR), through the Guyana Forestry Commission (GFC), recently launched “Piloting Bamboo for Restoration and Sustainable Livelihoods in Guyana”

The new project, launched October 27 at the GFC Multiplex Building, Kingston, marks an important step in integrating bamboo into Guyana’s forest restoration and sustainable development agenda.

The initiative is supported by the European

Union Delegation in Guyana through the financial framework of the EUROCLIMA Programme, and implemented with technical support from Expertise France, the International Bamboo and Rattan Organisation (INBAR) and the Forest Resources Management Division of the GFC.

Expanding on restoration work being undertaken by the GFC and Guyana Geology & Mines Commission (GGMC) under MNR’s National Forest Restoration Initiative

(NFRI), this bamboo pilot project seeks to assess the potential of naturally occurring bamboo species in promoting ecological restoration of degraded lands for climate change mitigation while simultaneously providing alternative forest-based livelihood options for forest-dependent peoples and communities.

The project positions Guyana to diversify the forest economy with new bamboo-based products and value chains.

Technical exper-

tise will be provided by INBAR’s Latin America and Caribbean Regional Office in Ecuador, along with international specialists in taxonomy, soils, and environmental and social assessment. Local participation will be central, with community partners from Maria Elizabeth, Three Friends, Coomacka, Old England, Nottinghamshire, Richmond Hill, and Siberian actively engaged in the design and implementation of a pilot site on bauxite minedout lands in Region Ten.

Honourable Vickram

Bharrat, Minister of Natural Resources, in his feature address, identified bamboo as a key part of Guyana’s vision for a diversified, low-carbon forest economy, and emphasised the importance of all actors working in synergy to create and sustain production and markets for bamboo.

Significantly, bamboo is a versatile and rapidly renewable resource that holds great potential with numerous co-benefits for environment, economies, and peoples.

The launch reaffirms Guyana’s commitment to sustainable forest management, climate resilience, sustainable livelihoods and the creation of a diversified, inclusive forest economy. According to the MNR, through the pilot project, bamboo will be explored as a fast-growing, renewable resource that supports Guyana’s Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS 2030) while creating new income for Indigenous people and local communities.

$248M Kwakwani Airstrip

to be completed

this week

…residents to benefit from improved safety, connectivity

Ais ex-

ccording to an update provided by the Ministry of Public Works, completion of the new $248 million

pected to be finalised by November 8. The new facility, a

Department of Public Information (DPI) report said, will enhance access to the mining and logging community while addressing safety concerns that have previously prevented or limited some airlines from operating in the area.

According to the report, the new 2,500-foot-long and 50-foot-wide airstrip now features an asphalt surface, designed to improve durability and extend the runway’s lifespan – a major transformation from the previous grass patch

surface. The project is being executed by Associated Construction Services, with the supervision of the Ministry’s engineers.

When operational, the airstrip is expected to significantly improve connectivity for residents, businesses, and essential services in the Upper Demerara-Berbice Region, and also unlock new opportunities for tourism and trade in the mining and logging town.

The project was previously hindered by per-

sistent rainfall but Minister Edghill had assured residents at the time that once weather conditions improve, work will resume to ensure the timely and safe completion of the project. He also took the opportunity to acknowledge the effort of the local council in securing the site by installing a fence to keep animals off the airstrip. In addition, all road constructions within Kwakwani are said to be executed by small contractors from the area.

62-year-old businesswoman arrested in Itaballi narcotics bust

Police ranks at the Itaballi Police Checkpoint in Regional Division # 7 have arrested a 62-year-old businesswoman of North Ruimveldt, Georgetown, following the discovery of a quantity of suspected cocaine and cannabis during a stop-and-search operation Sunday. According to police,

during the exercise, ranks stopped a pickup driven by a 38-year-old driver of Byderabo Road, Bartica and conducted a search of the occupants and their belongings.

A multi-coloured bag in the woman’s possession was found to contain several bulky parcels suspected to be cocaine, along with a smaller parcel con -

taining leaves, seeds and stems suspected to be cannabis. The suspected narcotics were weighed in her presence and amounted to 261 grams of cocaine and 102 grams of cannabis. The exhibits were lodged and the woman remains in Police custody. Investigations are ongoing.

Guyana sends 1st shipment of hurricane relief supplies to Jamaica

Guyana has dispatched its first shipment of essential equipment and materials to aid in the immediate recovery and humanitarian response efforts in Jamaica, which was recently battered by Hurricane Melissa. This was disclosed by President Dr Irfaan Ali in a social media post on Sunday eve -

ning. The Guyanese Head of State had previously reassured Jamaican Prime Minister (PM) Andrew Holness of Guyana’s full readiness to offer support to the Caribbean country and its people.

The Guyana Government, through the Civil Defence Commission (CDC) in coordination with key national agencies and

private sector partners, has been mobilising emergency relief supplies to support the Government and people of Jamaica in the aftermath of the natural disaster. Hurricane Melissa made landfall in Jamaica last Tuesday as a category 5 storm with winds of up to 185 mph, causing significant destruction to properties and

infrastructure, widespread disruption of essential services, and displacement of communities across affected areas.

Over the weekend, PM Holness reported that the death toll rose to 28 and hinted that this number could further increase. The western part of the island faced the worst of the destruction with some communities still under water.

Last Thursday, Guyana’s CDC said they were leading the mobilisation of Humanitarian Relief Support for the island nation including critically-needed supplies such as generators, tarpaulins, and chainsaws to support immediate response efforts on the ground. PM

Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips had convened a high-level coordination meeting with the CDC, the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) and the Private Sector Commission (PSC) to finalise Guyana’s support actions for the devastated Caribbean Island. This support is being executed through a collaborative Government-private sector initiative under the coordination of the CDC and the leadership of the PM. PM Phillips had told the Guyana Times that Jamaica’s Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM) has put out a document outlining the immediate needs of the country and it based on that

list, which is being regularly updated, that the local stakeholders are mobilising relief. Moreover, the CDC has been continuously working closely with the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA) and other regional partners to support ongoing relief efforts. Director General of the CDC, Colonel (Ret’d) Nazrul Hussain, has also indicated that Guyana stands ready to provide additional technical, logistical, and humanitarian assistance as recovery needs evolve. Key teams, including the GuyanaCARICOM Disaster Relief Unit (G-CDRU) and the CARICOM Operational Support Team (COST), are currently on standby for deployment to assist with response and recovery efforts on the ground. Additionally, the PSC has been raising monetary donations. Meanwhile, the category five hurricane - the strongest type – has also caused dozens of deaths across the Caribbean, bringing powerful winds and landslides to Cuba and Haiti.

Ongoing works advance on $880M multi-purpose wharf at Charity, Region 2

The long awaited construction of the new $880 million multi-purpose wharf at Charity, Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) has officially commenced.

The transformative piece of infrastructure is expected to boost commerce, transportation, and safety for residents and businesses along the Pomeroon River.

The $880 million project, awarded to S. Jagmohan Construction and General Supplies Inc., aims to modernise the riverfront and enhance the region’s trade and transportation infrastructure.

The new facility will position Charity as a key economic hub, particularly for agriculture and commercial trade. The project will include a modern port facility with loading ramps, allowing for smoother operations for cargo and passenger vessels.

Earlier this year, Minister of Public Works Juan Edghill reaffirmed the government’s commitment to building a modern and resilient facility that meets the community’s needs.

“A wharf is not a luxury here—it is a necessity,”

Minister Edghill said. “We would like to give you the assurance that the government is not going to build a wharf that is going to put people’s lives at risk.”

According to ministry engineers, extensive geotechnical and bathymetric studies were carried out to ensure the project’s safety and durability. Borehole tests were conducted at depths exceeding 140 feet, while riverbed surveys assessed structural conditions and sediment composition.

Preliminary findings confirm that the selected site provides sufficient stability to support the design requirements. Engineering assessments also verified that the area’s existing revetment is strong enough to withstand the planned construction without destabilising the riverbank.

As part of the preparatory phase, test piles approximately 150 feet long will be driven to evaluate the soil’s load-bearing capacity before full-scale construction begins. This testing will ensure

that the foundation can adequately support the wharf’s structural demands.

Minister Edghill further emphasised that the project will be executed with minimal environmental impact and without compromising surrounding infrastructure.

Pile driving and the movement of heavy equipment will be conducted entirely from barges on the river, not from the river dam

“The wharf that is being built is not going to be pulling on the land. It is a platform that is separate and distinct. All the weight load on that will be separate from the road and the dam.”

The Charity Wharf Project forms part of the government’s broader national infrastructure agenda, aimed at improving connectivity and commercial access across Guyana’s regions. Once completed, the modern wharf will accommodate cargo handling, passenger movement, and other critical operations, helping to strengthen Charity’s role as a key hub for trade and transport in the PomeroonSupenaam region.

Regional

Hurricane Melissa death toll rises to 28 in Jamaica

The number of people killed in Jamaica as a result of Hurricane Melissa has risen to 28, the Caribbean nation's prime minister has announced.

Andrew Holness confirmed nine other deaths on Saturday, adding that there were reports of possible fatalities still being verified –suggesting the figure may yet rise.

Emergency responders and aid agencies have struggled to reach certain parts of the island in the aftermath of the storm due to blocked roads, debris and flooding.

The category five hurricane – the strongest type –has caused dozens of deaths across the Caribbean, bringing powerful winds and landslides to Cuba and Haiti.

The full scale of the destruction Melissa wrought on Jamaica has only become clear in the past few days as the hurricane knocked out communication systems

and power to much of the island after it made landfall on Tuesday.

Communities on the island's western portion, such as Black River and Montego Bay, have seen the worst of the destruction.

Images have emerged showing buildings razed to the ground, debris and belongings strewn on streets, and whole neighbourhoods still under floodwater.

The Red Cross says that 72% of people across Jamaica still do not have electricity and around 6,000 are in emergency shelters.

Jamaican officials confirmed to news agency AFP that multiple field hospitals were being established to treat people in the worst-affected areas in the west.

Aid reaching those in need was initially held up by the temporary closure of Jamaica's airports.

Now that it is arriving in the country, landslides, downed power lines and fallen trees have made certain

roads impassable – complicating its distribution.

With so many in need of clean drinking water, food and medicine, there have been reports of desperate people entering supermarkets and pharmacies to gather what they can.

Melissa has become the most powerful storm on record to hit Jamaica, and one of the strongest seen in the Caribbean.

At its peak, the hurricane had sustained winds of 185mph (295 km/h). A category five hurricane - those capable of catastrophic damage – has winds in excess of 157mph.

At least 31 people have been killed in Haiti as a result of Melissa, while at least two deaths have been reported in the Dominican Republic.

In Cuba, thousands of people have been evacuated as more than 60,000 homes have been damaged or destroyed. (Excerpt from BBC News)

Blaze at Mexico store kills 23, including children

Afestive holiday weekend turned tragic for families in northwestern Mexico on Saturday when a deadly blaze engulfed a discount store in the city center of Hermosillo, killing at least 23 people and injuring a dozen.

Mexico celebrated the Day of the Dead this past weekend with colourful festivities in which families honor and remember deceased loved ones.

Most of the deaths appeared to have been from inhalation of toxic gases, said Gustavo Salas, the state's attorney general, citing its forensic medical service.

The Sonora State Attorney General’s office (FGJE) reported that six people remain hospitalised.

The cause of the fire, now doused, was still unclear, though some media blamed an electrical failure. According to local news-

paper, El Debate, initial lines of investigation point to a possible accident involving a transformer within the building, however investigators have not yet been able to fully access the site as the Fire Department continues debris removal and structural assessment.

City officials said the store, part of popular discount chain Waldo's, was not the target of an attack.

(Source: Reuters, El Debate)

Fear of deportation triggers Venezuelan exodus from T&T

Following Trinidad and Tobago (T&T) Ministry of Homeland Security’s October 27 statement, many Venezuelans –both documented and undocumented – began giving up their rental homes, selling what little they own, and leaving their jobs in factories, farms and workshops over the past weekend.

On October 27, the Ministry of Homeland Security issued a statement ordering the detention and deportation of all irregular migrants.

The Ministry said: “All illegal immigrants detained are to remain at the Immigration Detention Centre until their repatriation. No further Orders of Supervision shall be issued.”

According to the Ministry, the measure aims to “control illegal migration.” But for the Venezuelan community, it represents fear, desperation, and an urge to flee.

The fear of being detained or deported has sparked a new wave of internal displacement and plans to leave for other countries in the region.

The Hispanic Cultural Centre La Casita in Arima, on October 29 called on the government and society to remain calm and avoid what it described as a “migrant hunt.” Its director Andreina Briceño VenturaBrown warned that the situation is spreading fear and misinformation.

“The misinformation is misleading the population and undermines the protection process. Many people who hold UNHCR cards may still face harassment or persecution because they are considered irregular under local laws. That is one of our biggest concerns,” she said.

She added that the organisation has received

dozens of calls from desperate families who are packing or giving up their rented homes.

“Many feel that the country which welcomed them now pushes them to leave.”

On Facebook and WhatsApp, posts by Venezuelans selling appliances, motorbikes, or furniture are multiplying as they prepare to leave.

Mariana Lopez, a 34-yearold Venezuelan living in Arima, said she didn’t wait any longer:

“I sold my things and gave up the rent. I don’t want to be caught and sent back. I’ll go to Brazil even if I have to start from zero.”

Jesus Andrade, a mechanic in San Fernando, also made a tough choice:

“I quit the workshop. I’d rather leave before they detain me. The hardest part is leaving my job, but fear weighs more.”

Others denounced the government’s lack of compassion.

Rosa Medina, a mother of two, said: “They talk about human rights, but they show no humanity to us. Many of us have been here for years working and paying taxes.”

Eduardo Ramirez was more direct: “This government wants Venezuela’s gas but treats Venezuelans here like garbage. It’s double standards.”

Even those with legal status say they are suffering unfair situations. One Venezuelan family with work permits shared: “We have all our papers in order, but our children can’t go to school. There are spaces in classrooms, but the process for student visas is stuck at the Ministry of Homeland Security. They don’t respond, and meanwhile, the kids lose classes.”

This exodus goes beyond TT. Many Venezuelans are making plans to move to countries like Guyana,

Brazil, Argentina, and Colombia, where governments have begun opening their doors to Venezuelan workers and small investors.

Some are already preparing documents, while others are selling their belongings to afford tickets or ground transportation to those destinations.

Shipping agencies operating between Trinidad and Venezuela confirmed an increase in ticket requests.

In Venezuela, travel agencies also reported a rise in bookings to South America, especially to Manaus and Boa Vista (Brazil), Buenos Aires (Argentina), and Georgetown (Guyana). Some travellers are inquiring about mixed routes that combine flights with ground travel.

Speaking to Newsday on October 31 from Venezuela, travel agent Luis Arias explained that in recent weeks, “requests from Venezuelans in TT wanting to travel from Venezuela to Brazil, Argentina and Guyana have tripled.” He added, “Entire families are buying one-way tickets. Many say they prefer to leave now before it’s too late.”

Before closing its operations in TT in August 2025, the latest reports from the UNHCR indicated that the country hosted 3,282 recognised refugees, 31,260 asylum seekers, and 5,517 people in need of international protection. In total, more than 40,000 people were under some form of humanitarian assistance or protection – the vast majority of them Venezuelans. For many, TT was once a land of opportunity. Today, Venezuelans are selling their belongings, giving up their rentals, and abandoning their jobs – running from fear. (Source: Trinidad & Tobago Newsday)

In move to reach survivors in Haiti, millions for hurricane

In the wake of Hurricane Melissa’s deadly passage, a number of organizations announced they will provide funds, supplies and support to groups in Haiti closest to victims instead of going through the Haitian government. Totalling nearly $10 million, the aid will cover emergency supplies, hygiene kits, medical care, and food for Haiti and other affected nations.

Working alongside Haiti’s Civil Protection Directorate, the international organizations have already begun relief efforts in the regions most affected

relief bypass Govt

by Melissa. In Petit-Goâve, the hardest hit area that lost 23 of the 30 lives reported killed by the storm, both non-governmental organizations (NGO) and foreign governments — including World Vision Haiti, which announced $300,000 in aid — say they are aiming to support grieving families and survivors directly.

The Haitian government also mobilized in response to Hurricane Melissa, although no specific funds have been announced.

Operating as a provisional council, it has mobilized three disaster management and recovery units.

On Saturday, Haiti continues to count its victims. According to the Director General of Civil Protection, Emmanuel Pierre, 10 of the 30 confirmed dead are children. Twenty have been reported missing and another 20 sustained injuries. Pierre said the toll may rise once Civil Protection authorities begin to access previously unreachable disaster areas. With more than 1,046 homes flooded and sections of roads cut off or blocked by landslides, about 2,400 families, totaling 15,861 people, are staying in shelters, Pierre said. (Source: The Haitian Times)

US military kills 3 in another strike on Caribbean vessel

The United States has carried out another strike on a ship in the Caribbean, according to Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, killing at least three men on board the vessel.

In a post on X late on Saturday, Hegseth said the attack was carried out on the orders of US President Donald Trump and targeted a vessel that “was known by our intelligence to be involved in illicit narcotics smuggling”.

He said “three male nar-

co-terrorists” were on board the vessel during the strike, which was conducted in international waters.

All three were killed, he added.

The attack on Saturday follows another on Wednesday that killed four men and a series of bombings that killed 14 others on Monday.

The operation, which began in early September, has killed more than 62 people, including nationals from Venezuela and Colombia,

and destroyed 14 boats and a semi-submersible.

The Trump administration has said the attacks are targeting alleged drug smuggling, but has yet to present any evidence to the public to substantiate its claims.

Critics have called the strikes a form of extrajudicial killing and a violation of international law, which largely prohibits countries from using lethal military force against noncombatants outside a conflict zone. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

5 German climbers die in Italian Alps after being swept away by avalanche

Five German climbers, including a 17-year-old girl, have died after being swept away by an avalanche in the Italian Alps, rescuers have said. Italian media said three groups of climbers – believed to have been travelling independently of one another –had been caught in the torrent of snow as it pulsed down a mountain near the Swiss border in the north-eastern region of South Tyrol on Saturday.

“The first group, consisting of three people, was completely buried,” Italy’s alpine rescue services said on social media. The bodies of the three – two men and a woman – were recovered on Saturday.

Two of the climbers were reportedly ahead of the others and managed to escape the cascade of snow and ice.

After sounding the alarm, they were taken to a hospital in the nearby city of Bolzano, where they were reportedly treated for shock.

By nightfall on Saturday, two others – a man and his 17-year-old daughter – remained missing. Rescuers had little hope that they would be found alive, given that they had fallen about 200 metres (656ft), Olaf Reinstadler, a spokesperson for the Sulden mountain rescue service, told the German news agency dpa late on Saturday.

As daylight broke on Sunday the search, involving a helicopter, drones and thermal imaging, resumed. Soon after, the bodies of both the missing mountaineers were found.

“They had been dragged to the lower part of the gully where the avalanche occurred,” Federico Catania, an Alpine rescue spokesperson, told the Associated Press. “Rescue teams are now returning to the valley, also considering the worsening weather conditions at high altitude.”

The avalanche hit at about 4pm on Saturday while the

climbers were using crampons and ice axes to summit Cima Vertana, in the Ortler mountain range, at an altitude of more than 3,500 metres (11,500ft).

They were believed to be

UK

just a few hundred metres from the summit at the time, rescuers said, adding that it was not known why the climbers had been approaching the summit at such a relatively late hour. (The Guardian)

Police say train stabbings carried out by lone attacker, not terrorism

A32-year-old British man was the sole suspect accused of a mass stabbing on a train in England, after another man arrested in the case was released on Sunday with no charges.

British police said the knife attack that put 11 people in hospital was not a terrorist incident. A 35-year-old man who had been arrested earlier was released after officers concluded he was not involved in the attack.

By late on Sunday, five of the injured had been discharged from hospital. Among those still being treated was a member of the train crew who tried to stop the attacker and was in a life-threatening condition, police said.

Counterterrorism police had helped with the initial

FBI thwarts "Islamic Stateinspired Hallowe’en terror attack"

The FBI has said it thwarted a “potential” Islamic State-inspired Hallowe’en attack by a group seen practising reloading AK47s at a shooting range.

Several arrests were made in Michigan on Friday as part of a federal probe into the plot, said to be planned for this weekend, said Kash Patel, the director of the FBI.

The plot was inspired by IS and the group allegedly planned the attack in an online chatroom which had been

infiltrated by an undercover FBI agent, CNN reported.

The group allegedly made references to “pumpkin day” and last week went to a shooting range with AK-47s, where they fired ammunition and practised tactical high-speed reloads, according to reports.

Two people were arrested, while three others were questioned, law enforcement sources told NBC News.

They were all reportedly naturalised US citizens, from an unidentified Middle

Eastern country, who had access to firearms and firearms training.

Following the arrests, Jordan Hall, an FBI spokesman in Detroit, said: “There is no current threat to public safety.”

FBI and state police vehicles thought to be involved in the investigation were seen in a neighbourhood near Fordson High School in Dearborn, a district of suburban Detroit. Personnel wearing FBI shirts were spotted entering a house and carrying evidence bags. It was not immediately clear if the suspects had the means to carry out an attack, but the reference to Hallowe’en prompted the FBI to make the arrests on Friday, a source told the Associated Press.

Sources said the group had been tracked leading up to the arrests. It was not clear if any specific targets for the attack had been identified. (Source: The Telegraph)

Trump remodels Lincoln bathroom in latest White House renovation

Trump shared before-and-after photos on Truth Social, showing the transformation from green tile installed during Harry Truman's presidency (L) to an all-marble design featuring gold fixtures on the faucet and shower handle, a silver chandelier, and a white robe bearing the presidential seal displayed on a golden hook

US President Donald Trump has unveiled renovations to the bathroom in the Lincoln Bedroom, as his remodelling of the White House continues.

Trump has been a vocal critic of Truman's 1945 redesign of the Lincoln Bedroom and its bathroom. “The bathroom was done by the Truman family a long time ago, and

it's done in a green tile and it's done in a style that was not exactly Abe Lincoln,”

investigation after the mass stabbing of passengers on a train in eastern England on Saturday, but police later said there was nothing to suggest that the incident was terrorism.

Work was now ongoing to establish the events leading up to the attack and the suspect's background, police said. A knife had also been recovered from the scene.

Police described the sole suspect as a Black British national from Peterborough, 100 miles (160 km) north of London, who had boarded the train there.

The suspect was arrested by armed police after the train made an emergency stop at Huntingdon around 80 miles north of London.

(Excerpt from Reuters)

Landslides in Kenya’s Rift Valley leave 21 dead, 30 others missing

Heavy rains have triggered landslides in Kenya’s western Rift Valley region, killing at least 21 people and destroying more than 1,000 homes, according to officials.

Kenyan Cabinet Secretary for the Interior Kipchumba Murkomen, in a statement on X on Saturday, said at least 25 people with “serious injuries” have been airlifted from Elgeyo-Marakwet County to the city of Eldoret for medical attention, while at least 30 remain missing.

The landslide occurred overnight in ElgeyoMarakwet County’s hilly area of Chesongoch in western Kenya, which has been bat-

tered by heavy rains amid the country’s ongoing short rainy season.

Local Stephen Kittony told the Citizen Television station that he heard a deafening sound and, together with his children, rushed out of his house and ran in different directions.

The Kenyan Red Cross shared aerial images from the region that showed massive mudslides and flash flooding stretching over vast distances.

“Access to some of the affected areas remains extremely difficult due to flooding and blocked routes,” it said in a statement on X. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

Trump said earlier this month at a White House dinner for ballroom donors. “It's a style that is not good. It is actually Art Deco and Art Deco doesn't go with 1850 and civil wars.”

Trump added, “So I ripped it apart and we built a bathroom. It's absolutely gorgeous and totally in keeping with that time...”

He shared photos of the new bathroom on social media, saying the old bathroom had been "renovated in the 1940s in an art deco green tile style, which was totally inappropriate for the Lincoln Era". He claimed the new black and white marble is "very appropriate for the time of Abraham Lincoln and, in fact, could be the marble that was originally there!".

It is the latest change Trump has made to the White House this year. In October, its East Wing was demolished to make way for his new multi-million dollar ballroom.

(Source: AOL, BBC News)

It's all about attitude, confidence and poise. Of course, knowing what you're doing helps, so make sure you are up to date with what's cutting-edge. Avoid excess and indulgent people.

SUDOKU

Slow down, plan carefully and budget wisely. Refuse to let anyone talk you into something that isn't realistic or to your benefit. Success demands thought, precision and persistence.

A shift is taking place; pay attention, be ready to act and embrace positive change with open arms. Let your voice lead the way and your enthusiasm infect those you want to enlist in your plans.

Mix business with pleasure. Networking events will lead to new beginnings. Don't be afraid to voice your opinion. Don't overspend trying to make an impression.

You can dream, but don't trick your mind into thinking the impossible is tangible. Use your imagination, and you'll come up with an innovative, budget-friendly plan.

Expand your mind and update your technology. A change may seem tempting, but acting on it prematurely could bring unintended consequences. Weigh the pros and cons before taking a chance.

Pay attention, and don't offer what you cannot deliver or spend what you do not have. Rethink your lifestyle and explore ways to cut corners or generate additional income.

Participate and make a difference. Opportunities develop when you aren't afraid to take a chance, stand up for others and approach situations with a positive demeanor.

Tidy up loose ends in your domestic or personal life so you can move forward without regret or uncertainty. Take nothing for granted, do what you do best and be grateful.

Take better care of yourself physically. Indulgence won't solve anything, but sticking to a balanced diet, fitness routine and healthy lifestyle will point you in the right direction.

Having something relaxing to look forward to will have a positive impact on how you look, feel and portray yourself to others. Take control of how you achieve happiness.

Take a break if it will rejuvenate your mind, body and soul. Feeling good will help you shake up a situation and possibly come out on top. Choose being calm over being frantic.

brought temperatures down well before night fell.

This had been India's World Cup all along. As hosts. As the emerging global powerhouse of women's cricket. As the team that have pushed the sport's hegemonic force harder than any other, defeating it twice in semifinals. As the team whose time had been too long in coming.

On Sunday, India made it their World Cup by winning it. Shafali Verma capped an extraordinary week with an extraordinary display in the final: 87 off 78 balls to set up a total of 298 for 7, and two unexpected wickets of characteristic cheek at a crucial juncture in a chase that threatened more than once to turn into a nailbiter. Deepti Sharma, a world-class offspinner who has raised her batting to a new level this year, backed up a run-aball half-century with a fivewicket haul that combined old-school overspin with newage defensive skills. India won by 52 runs, and that margin disguised how much tension this final contained.

This was a meeting of two teams nursing histories of heartbreak, and one had to lose. That fate was South Africa's, cruelly for their Captain Laura Wolvaardt, the tournament's highest rungetter, who followed a careerdefining semi-final century with an innings just as good. This was anyone's game as long as she was in, given South Africa's immense depth, until she was seventh out for 101 off 98 balls, miscuing Deepti high into the Navi Mumbai night.

Nadine de Klerk, the match-winner in the leaguestage meeting between these teams, kept faint hopes alive with her hitting, but 78 to get with only Numbers 10 and 11 for company was too much of an ask even for her.

South Africa won what looked to be an important toss, but the dew that Navi Mumbai has always brought to run-chases didn't quite materialise, possibly because the showers that pushed the match back by two hours

This equalised conditions for both teams, and India, in the end, had personnel better suited to a pitch where the ball stopped and gripped: more in-form batters adept at riskfree manipulation of spin, and spinners who posed a greater attacking threat. As long as dew didn't complicate Deepti and Shree Charani's job, South Africa were going to find it difficult to chase 299 on this pitch.

The chase put India's innings in perspective. Their total was the second-highest ever achieved in a Women's World Cup final, but given the events of Thursday's semi-final on the same ground, and given South Africa's depth, it looked less than intimidating.

And recent events were fresh in the mind. India had been 200 for 3 after 35 overs. They only scored 98 in their last 15 overs, and only 69 in their last 10.

But the key passages may have come earlier.

When the skies cleared and the match began, Shafali and Smriti Mandhana got off to a start as ominous as Australia's on Thursday; 58 for no loss in eight overs. Ayabonga Khaka struggled to control the sometimes extravagant swing she found, and Marizanne Kapp didn't find much at all with her new ball. Both erred frequently.

Shafali, stepping out to the seamers whenever she could, drove and flicked her way to five fours in her first 19 balls, and Mandhana, less overtly aggressive, had unfurled her two favourite shots, the backcut and the cover drive, against Khaka in a 14-run sixth over.

But South Africa pulled things back courtesy de Klerk's straighter lines and left-arm spinner Nonkululeko Mlaba's pace variations, with India only scoring 13 runs in the five overs from the ninth to the 13th.

The boundaries began to flow again thereafter, though, with Shafali launching de Klerk down the ground for the first six of the innings in the 15th over, but just when India seemed to be pulling away from South Africa's reach, Mandhana was out edging a late-cut to the keeper, bringing a 104-run opening stand to an end.

This pull-push continued all the way through the innings, in conditions where neither the

ICC Women’s World Cup...

bowlers nor batters could quite get on top. A tiring, cramping Shafali fell after adding 16 runs to her previous One-Day International (ODI) best of 71*, holing out while looking to hit straight and big. Jemimah Rodrigues, and Harmanpreet and Amanjot Kaur all got off to starts, but couldn't convert, two of them falling to balls that seemed to stop on the pitch.

India's lack of a big finish owed a lot to how well South Africa exploited this tendency of the pitch, with Khaka making up for her expensive new-ball spell (3-0-29-0) by conceding just 29 runs in her last seven overs while picking up the key wickets of Shafali, Rodrigues, and Richa Ghosh.

Ghosh walked in at 245 for 5 in the 44th over and launched her second ball for an effortless six over the covers. She remained the only India batter to defy the conditions and hit the old ball cleanly through the line, pouncing on South Africa's shift in strategy from stump-to-stump cutters to yorker attempts that came with a smaller margin for error.

Khaka's dismissal of Ghosh in the 49th over, however, seemed to even up the contest once more. Right through that over, Khaka kept cramping Ghosh with pinpoint yorkers that followed her attempts to manufacture room, before a last-ball flick ended up in deep backward square leg's hands.

De Klerk followed up with a final over in which Deepti and new batter Radha Yadav were only able to take singles, and India had ended up two short of 300.

Deepti had been a busy presence through the last 20 overs of the innings, slogsweeping with authority when she could, and keeping the strike turning over when she couldn't. She didn't quite find the next gear, however, to lift India to the 320-plus total they had seemed set for, for so long.

The magnitude of India's 298, however, began becoming clear from the time they began

defending it. Their seamers didn't make the line-and-length errors that South Africa's did with the new ball, with Renuka Singh causing problems in particular with her booming inswing. She unsuccessfully reviewed a not-out lbw appeal against Tazmin Brits early on, and then nearly had her spoon one to a cleverly-positioned short mid-on.

But it took a brilliant bit of fielding for India to get their breakthrough, with Amanjot pouncing to her wrong side from midwicket and throwing down the stumps at the bowler's end to find Brits short while attempting a quick single.

Two overs later, South Africa were two down, as Anneke Bosch ended a miserable tournament with a six-ball duck, misreading Charani's length and getting trapped right in front while playing back to a ball of fullish length.

Wolvaardt, though, was already on 35 off 30, and already looking ominous, having broken free of early pressure with a series of legside swats and a clean, straight six off Deepti. Just when she needed a partner to stay in with her, she found one in Sune Luus, whose trademark mix of square and fine sweeps quickly began putting India back under pressure.

But just when the thirdwicket stand had crossed the half-century mark, India found their golden arm. Shafali, who had taken just the one wicket with her part-time offspin in 30 previous ODIs, sauntered to the crease and prised out Luus with her second ball, delivering something like a slow legcutter or a carrom ball without the finger flick. Expecting turn in one direction and finding it in another, Luus closed her bat face and popped back a return catch. Kept on for another over, she struck again with her first ball, this time turning an offbreak big to have Kapp strangled down the leg side.

With parts of Mumbai experiencing rain at that

moment, South Africa had been ahead of the DuckworthLewis-Stern (DLS) par score before Luus' dismissal. At 123 for 4 in the 23rd over, they were well behind it.

And they slipped further behind when Sinalo Jafta, batting ahead of more proven, more powerful names despite an ODI average in the midteens, began to dot up against the spinners. By the time she spooned Deepti to midwicket, she had scored 16 off 29 and 25 off 44 with Wolvaardt.

But even with 151 required from 123 balls, this match wasn't done. Annerie Dercksen silenced a packed stadium with back-to-back sixes off Radha, the first off a high full-toss no-balled for height. Wolvaardt ended Shafali's spell – perhaps ambitiously stretched into a seventh over – with a pair of fours drilled through the covers and down the ground.

With 11 overs to go, South Africa needed 92.

But they still had the tournament's highest wicket-

aaa

India Women (50 ovs maximum)

Smriti Mandhana c †Jafta b Tryon 45

Shafali Verma c Luus

b Khaka 87

Jemimah Rodrigues c Wolvaardt

b Khaka 24

Harmanpreet Kaur (c) b Mlaba 20

Deepti Sharma run out

(Tryon/†Jafta) 58

Amanjot Kaur c & b de Klerk 12

Richa Ghosh † c Dercksen

b Khaka 34

Radha Yadav not out 3

Extras (lb 2, nb 1, w 12) 15

Total 50 Ov (RR: 5.96) 298/7

Did not bat: Shree Charani, Kranti Gaud, Renuka Singh

Fall of wickets: 1-104 (Smriti Mandhana, 17.4 ov), 2-166 (Shafali Verma, 27.5 ov), 3-171 (Jemimah Rodrigues, 29.4 ov), 4-223 (Harmanpreet Kaur, 38.6 ov), 5-245 (Amanjot Kaur, 43.1 ov), 6-292 (Richa Ghosh, 48.6 ov), 7-298 (Deepti Sharma, 49.6 ov)

Bowlin O-M-R-W

Marizanne Kapp 10-1-59-0

Ayabonga Khaka 9-0-58-3

Nonkululeko Mlaba 10-0-47-1

Nadine de Klerk 9-0-52-1

Sune Luus 5-0-34-0

Chloe Tryon 7-0-46-1

taker, and an end-overs ace, to contend with. Deepti, in the second over of a new spell, produced a quick yorker out of nowhere that Dercksen couldn't put bat to. And then, in her next over, she slowed one down, inviting Wolvaardt to go big. Dip produced the mishit, but it still needed to be taken, and Amanjot, walking in from deep midwicket, did on the third – or was it the fourth? – attempt, falling to the ground, but somehow holding on.

Three balls later, Deepti's white-ball smarts put India another massive step closer, a quicker, cross-seam ball beating Tryon to rap her front pad; given out on the field, DRS upheld it on umpire's call. There was still work to do, and still nerves to get past, but the World Cup, so elusive for so many years, was beginning to loom into India's view.

(ESPNcricinfo)

…Eagles beat Jets to take 3rd place

Georgetown’s top club, Ravens staved off the challenge of Linden’s best, Victory Valley Royals to cart off this year’s men’s Brusche's Basketball Classic and bragging rights with $450,000 winners’ purse last Saturday, when the final was played at the Community Hard Court in the mining town.

Royals, with their support base, were up by two points when the first stanza closed, with them leading, 15-13.

However, the visitors, with a clear height advantage hinged around Akil Hodges among others, were clearly going to pose problems for their shorter, running rivals.

With seconds to go for the half-time whistle, Nikkolai Smith pulled and nailed a ‘trey’ that broke a 26-26 deadlock, as the city team nudged into the lead 29-26.

Within the first minute of the second half, Royals

tied things up at 29, but Smith, who would get the Most Assists award in this final, pushed his side into a 38-36 edge.

This was helped by the introduction of Owan Walton, who banged home one from beyond the arc; and when the third quarter ended, Ravens were comfortably ahead by 10 points 50-40, after a 21-14 run.

Despite a charge by the

Royals in the final quarter, they were not equipped to handle the Ravens’ inside game, and were unable to close the scoring difference enough to force a win.

Hodges, playing well on both ends of the floor, topped his team’s scoring with 19 points, as Smith netted 15, Walton, 11 and Jude Corlette, eight points.

In addition to getting the cash incentive, Ravens

received the championship trophy and replicas.

The best shots for the night for Royals were Vibert Benjamin with 14 points, Rakin McDonald and Kobe Tappin got eight each, and Yannick Tappin, seven.

For their efforts the Royals collected $225,000 and a trophy with replicas, while Georgetown’s Eagles who defeated Linden’s

Amelia’s Ward Jets, 6452, won for themselves $110,000 and a trophy. Present at the final was United States-based former national captain James Brusche of the Brusche’s Basketball Foundation, and he helped with the handing over of the various prizes, along with the President of the Linden Amateur Basketball Association, Dawn McCammon Barker.

Washington, Arshdeep star in India's series-levelling win

India made three changes for the third T20 International (T20I) against Australia and all three made an impact as the visitors levelled the series with a five-wicket win in Hobart. Tim David (74 off 38) and Marcus Stoinis (64 off 39) struck quick-fire fifties, but Arshdeep Singh's three-wicket haul ensured Australia did not cross 200 as they finished with 186 for 6. In reply, most of the India batters got off to starts, but it was Washington's unbeaten 49 off 23, along with Jitesh Sharma's 22 not out off 13, that took India over the line with nine deliveries

aaa

to spare.

Abhishek Sharma gave India a brisk start in the chase, launching a flat six over point off Xavier Bartlett before taking on Sean Abbott – who came in for Josh Hazlewood – with two fours and a six in the second over. Bartlett responded with a tidy third over and then played a hand in Abhishek's dismissal, as the left-hander top-edged a pull off Nathan Ellis to depart for a 16-ball 25, with Bartlett completing a fine catch. Suryakumar Yadav's sixes off Ellis and Abbott took India past fifty, but Shubman Gill fell in the sixth over – trapped in front

SCOREBOARD

Australia (20 ovs maximum)

Travis Head c Yadav

b Arshdeep Singh 6

Mitchell Marsh (c) c Tilak Varma

b Varun 11

Josh Inglis † c Patel

b Arshdeep Singh 1 Tim David c Tilak Varma

b Dube 74

Mitchell Owen b Varun 0

Marcus Stoinis c sub (RK Singh)

b Arshdeep Singh 64

Matthew Short not out 26

Xavier Bartlett not out 3

Extras (lb 1) 1

Total 20 Ov (RR: 9.30) 186/6

Did not bat: Sean Abbott, Nathan Ellis, Matthew Kuhnemann

Fall of wickets: 1-6 (Travis Head, 0.4 ov), 2-14 (Josh Inglis, 2.3 ov), 3-73 (Mitchell Marsh, 8.2 ov), 4-73 (Mitchell Owen, 8.3 ov), 5-118 (Tim David, 12.6 ov), 6-182 (Marcus Stoinis, 19.3 ov)

Bowling O-M-R-W

4-0-35- 3

Arshdeep Singh

Jasprit Bumrah 4-0-26-0

4-0-33-2

Varun Chakravarthy

Axar Patel 4-0-35-0

Shivam Dube 3-0-43-1

Abhishek Sharma 1-0-13-0

India (T: 187 runs from 20 ovs)

Abhishek Sharma c †Inglis b Ellis 25

Shubman Gill lbw b Ellis 15

Suryakumar Yadav (c) c Ellis b Stoinis 24

Tilak Varma c †Inglis b Bartlett 29

Axar Patel c Bartlett b Ellis 17 Washington Sundar not out 49

Jitesh Sharma † not out 22

Extras (nb 2, w 5) 7 Total 18.3 Ov (RR: 10.16) 188/5 Did not bat: Shivam Dube, Arshdeep Singh, Varun Chakravarthy, Jasprit Bumrah Fall of wickets: 1-33 (Abhishek Sharma, 3.3 ov), 2-61 (Shubman Gill, 5.3 ov), 3-76 (Suryakumar Yadav, 7.3 ov), 4-111 (Axar Patel, 11.1 ov), 5-145 (Tilak Varma, 14.2 ov) Bowling O-M-R-W Xavier Bartlett 4-0-30-1 Sean

by Ellis for 15 after striking a boundary – as India closed the power play at 64 for 2.

Suryakumar's outing ended on 24 as he chipped a catch to cover to give Stoinis a wicket. Tilak Varma's positive start – including a six off Matthew Short –- and Axar Patel's boundary off Bartlett lifted India to 105 for 3 after 10 overs. Ellis, however, struck again to end the stand, dismissing Axar for 17 and picking up his third wicket. Washington Sundar, replacing Kuldeep Yadav, made an instant impact with a six off Ellis and a four off Matthew Kuhnemann. He then took a particular liking to Abbott, smashing a four and two sixes in the 14th over. Bartlett returned to remove Tilak, who scooped a catch to the wicketkeeper, before Jitesh – India's third change, in for Sanju Samson – struck a boundary to take India to 152 for 5 after 15 overs.

Needing 35 off the last five overs, Jitesh executed a clever scoop off Ellis in the 16th over for his second boundary. Washington then saw Stoinis tipping the ball over the boundary for a six as India brought down the equation to 16 off 18. Jitesh got a lucky break as he was put down by Mitch Owen off Stoinis and, in the same over, Washington hit another four. Washington moved to 49 when he saw Jitesh finish it off with a four in the 19th over off Abbott as India completed a comfortable win. Earlier, opting to bowl, India struck early as Arshdeep, who came in for Harshit Rana, had Travis Head miscuing to mid-off in the opening over. The leftarm seamer struck again in his next, dismissing Josh Inglis who top-edged a pull. David, in at number four, got going with a boundary off Jasprit Bumrah, followed by a four and a six off Varun

Chakravarthy. He was also given a reprieve when Sundar put him down at backward point in Bumrah's over, with Australia ending the power play at 43 for 2.

David provided the momentum in the middle overs, launching two sixes off Axar in the seventh over and following them up with three boundaries off Shivam Dube to raise a 23ball half-century. Australia, however, lost ground soon after as Varun dismissed Mitchell Marsh and Owen off successive deliveries. Stoinis struck a four off Axar, helping Australia to 84 for 4 in 10 overs. David's counterattack continued with two more sixes off Varun in the 11th over, while Stoinis struck a pair of maximums off Dube. Their 45-run stand was eventually broken when David picked out long-off to give Dube his first wicket. Stoinis added a couple more fours to take Australia to 130 for 5 after 15 overs.

India introduced Abhishek in the 16th over, and he was taken for a six and a four by Short. Both Short and Stoinis then found boundaries off Dube in the next over. Arshdeep's 18th went for 18 runs, with Stoinis smashing three fours to bring up a 32-ball fifty. Bumrah bowled a tidy 19th, conceding just six to finish with 0 for 26 from his four overs, while Arshdeep gave away 10 in the final over, dismissing Stoinis after being hit for a four. Australia scored 102 in the second half of their innings, but still fell short of the 190 mark.

(Cricbuzz)

Atrue under - dog story unfolded and ended in fairytale fashion on Saturday evening as Leonora Primary School won their first-ever Courts Optical Pee-Wee Under-11 football title, defeating opponents St John the Baptist Primary 6-5 on penalties.

The final was a sight to behold as the Region Three and Region Seven sides brought out their best shots and tactics in a bid to get ahead.

However, it was the little forward who is affectionately referred to as ‘Messi’ by his peers, 10-year-old Jhonathan Melvin who gave Leonora the lead. Capitalising on a set piece from the corner, Melvin planted himself at ‘last post’ needing only to slip the ball into the goal in the 17th minute for the lead.

However, Leonora’s hopes were dashed late in

the second half when an infraction in the box handed SJTB the golden opportunity to equalise. Aaron Christian made no mistake, sinking the penalty opportunity in the 35th minute.

When extra time bore no fruit, the contest boiled down to a tense, nail-biting penalty shoot-out in which Leonora came out on top 6-5.

Melvin was later hailed as the tournament’s Most Valuable Player (MVP) while Christian picked

up the highest goal-scorer award with 12 goals in the competition. Leonora’s Akeem Johnson was adjudged to be the tournament’s best goalkeeper, following two brilliant saves in the final’s penalty shootout. Earlier in the afternoon at the Ministry of Education (MoE) Ground, West Ruimveldt Primary got the better of Redeemer Primary in the third-place playoff. West’s Ceon Rajkumar hit the game-winner in the 37th

Sun, skill, and spectacle: Brava Guyana Open blazes off at LGC

80 golfers from across the Americas light up the greens

Beneath golden sunshine and a soft coastal breeze, the Lusignan Golf Club (LGC) transformed into a scene of precision, passion, and prestige as the Brava Guyana Open 2025 officially teed off on Saturday, November 1, 2025.

The emerald fairways shimmered under the morning light, the greens rolled to perfection, and excitement rippled through the crowd as more than 80 golfers from the United States, Canada, Barbados, Trinidad, Suriname, Mexico, and other nations took to the course in pursuit of the coveted title.

The results for Day 1 were as follows:

Men’s 9 & Under

1. Marlon Abena –HC 0, Gross 76, Net 76

2. Ridel Doeko – HC -1, Gross 76, Net 77

3. Kirs Jaddenauth –

HC 2, Gross 77, Net 75

Men’s 10-18

1. Rakesh Harry – HC 11, Gross 78, Net 67

2. Richard Haniff –HC 13, Gross 82, Net 69

3. Spencer Hutchins –HC 18, Gross 84, Net 66

Men’s 19-28

19, Gross 84, Net 65

2. Raj Misir – HC 22, Gross 91, Net 69

3. Sheldon Davis –HC 21, Gross 93, Net 72

Ladies 0-36

1. Christine Sukhram – HC 9, Gross 90, Net 81 (better back 9)

2. Joaan Deo – HC 14, Gross 90, Net 76

3. Shanella London –HC 9, Gross 91, Net 82

Seniors 0-28

1. Bholaram Deo –HC 21, Gross 95, Net 74

2. Seto Persaud – HC 23, Gross 99, Net 76

3. Carlos Adams – HC 23, Gross 102, Net 79

According to LGC Public Relations Officer, Dr Joaan Deo, the course conditions have been exceptional, providing the perfect environment for competitive play.

“The course is in excellent condition, the fairway cut and the greens rolled beautifully. We’ve put in a lot of work and have the mindset that champions are built, not born. As we head into Day 2, I’m looking forward to an even better day of golf,” Dr Deo noted.

minute, during the 1-0 affair.

The top three teams were rewarded with trophies,

medals and flat-screen televisions while the individual prize winners carted off vouchers, phones, and tro-

CWI announces T20 squad for New Zealand tour …Motie

excluded for “dip” in form and rehabilitative work

Cricket West Indies (CWI) on Sunday announced the squad for the five T20 Internationals (T20Is) against New Zealand scheduled for November 5 to November 13.

pected to play a key role.

phies. Schools placing from fourth to eighth also received trophies for their efforts.

at the LGC Clubhouse, a night of elegance and anticipation that set the tone for the tournament ahead.

Delivering remarks at the reception, Culture, Youth, and Sport Minister Charles Ramson Jr commended the Lusignan Golf Club for its growth and partnership with the Ministry. He noted, “This tournament has grown significantly since I first started attending. The facility has developed tremendously, and it shows what can be achieved when we work together.”

The Minister added that “golf has a bright future in Guyana”, emphasising that the sport teaches “patience, discipline, and self-mastery”. He reaffirmed his and President Dr Irfaan Ali’s commitment to supporting the continued development and expansion of golf across the country.

The Men in Maroon sojourned to New Zealand on November 1 following the T20 series triumph over Bangladesh and will continue to fine-tune preparations for the International Cricket Council (ICC) T20 World Cup in 2026, with the nucleus of the squad being retained from the previous series.

Matthew Forde, who suffered a shoulder injury in the summer, has been recalled after successfully completing the rehabilitation and return-to-play protocols process.

He will be joined by Shamar Springer, who has been included to bolster a seam-bowling unit which has suffered several recent injuries, including Ramon Simmons and Jediah Blades, who have both been ruled out for this series.

A significant addition has also been made to the management team, with clinical psychologist Krisnan Hurdle coming on board as Mental Skills and Performance Coach starting with the New Zealand tour. Plans for this appointment were first announced during CWI’s quarterly media briefing held on October 1, after being identified as one of the immediate action items coming out of the emergency Cricket Strategy and Officiating Committee meeting held in August.

Manager: Rawl Lewis

Director of Cricket, Miles Bascombe explained that the appointment of Hurdle is a strategic move to align with global practices while enhancing output for the senior team in the international arena.

“The addition of a Mental Skills and Performance Coach reflects our commitment to developing the complete cricketer. At the elite level, success is as much about mindset and composure as it is about technical ability. Strengthening this area ensures that our players are provided with the necessary non-technical support geared towards equipping them to manage pressure and maintain focus.”

Assistant Coach (Batting): Floyd Reifer

Assistant Coach (Bowling): Ravi Rampaul

Assistant Coach (Fielding): Rayon Griffith

Physiotherapist: Dr Denis Byam

Mental Skills/

Performance Coach: Krisnan Hurdle

Strength & Conditioning Coach: Darc

Browne

Massage Therapist: Fitzbert Alleyne

Performance Analyst: Avenesh Seetaram

Content & Media Officer: Jerome Foster

T20 Match Schedule

1. Rohan Albert – HC

The weekend’s festivities began with a Cocktail Reception on Friday, October 31, 2025, hosted

As Day One came to a close, the Lusignan course glowed under the late afternoon sun, a fitting reflection of the energy and optimism defining this year’s competition. With fierce rivalries forming and new talents emerging, Day Two is set for even greater drama.

Left-arm spinner Gudakesh Motie will also miss the series following a recent dip in form attributed primarily to a technical issue with his action. With conditions in New Zealand not expected to be as conducive to spin bowling, the opportunity will be taken for him to work with specialists, through collaboration with the Royals Sports Group – owners of the Paarl Royals franchise South Africa, prior to his participation in December’s SA20 to address the issue and rebuild confidence ahead of the T20 World Cup, where he is ex-

West Indies T20 squad vs New Zealand: Captain Shai Hope, Alick Athanaze,, Ackeem Auguste, Roston Chase, Matthew Forde, Jason Holder, Akeal Hosein, Amir Jangoo, Brandon King, Khary Pierre, Rovman Powell, Sherfane Rutherford, Jayden Seales, Romario Shepherd, and Shamar Springer.

1st T20I: November 5 – Eden Park, Auckland @2:15am AST/1:15am in Jamaica

2nd T20I: November 6 – Eden Park, Auckland @2:15am AST/1:15am in Jamaica

3rd T20I: November 8 – Saxton Oval, Nelson @8:15pm AST/7:15pm in Jamaica

4th T20I: November 9 – Saxton Oval, Nelson @8:15pm AST/7:00pm in Jamaica

5th T20I: November 12 – University Oval, Dunedin @8:15pm AST/7:15pm in Jamaica …over

Described as a gem and inspiration to not only female bodybuilders but all of Guyana’s athletes, Rosanna Fung was moved to tears late on Saturday night upon her return home.

Returning from a historic International Fitness and Bodybuilding Federation (IFBB) World Championship win in Dubai, Fung became emotional as she descended the air bridge

at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) and was met with musical stylings, flowers, cheers and an outpouring of support and love during the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport (MCYS)/Government of Guyana-planned welcome ceremony.

Aside from family and friends, several sport stakeholders, including Ministers Charles Ramson Jr and Steven Jacobs were on hand for the grand welcome ceremony, in addition to the

Director of Sport (DoS), Steve Ninvalle; Assistant DoS Franklin Wilson; Guyana Bodybuilding and Fitness Federation (GBBFF) President Roger Callender; National Sports Commission (NSC) Chairman Kashif Muhammad and NSC Vice Chair Cristy Campbell.

Fung was also presented with a plaque on behalf of the GBBFF, hailing her historic achievement.

AJM dominates GT3 showdown, Matthew Vieira rides off with championship

Team AJM’s Porsche GT3 driven by 20-year-old Will Redford of Britain dominated the GT3 Spec Class while Guyanese ace rider Matthew Vieira was crowned the overall champion on Sunday at the South Dakota Circuit. This is the first year the Guyana Motor Racing and Sports Club (GMR&SC) has introduced the GT3 category of races aimed at revolutionising regional motorsport. For years, the Region has struggled to attract new Group 4 machinery, which has limited its competitiveness and fan excitement. In 2023, GMR&SC shifted its focus beyond the Caribbean to Latin America and the broader motorsport world, where the GT3 has become the global benchmark. Featuring iconic machines such as Lamborghinis, Ferraris, McLarens, Audis, and Porsches, GT3 racing is expected to draw fans and deliver consistent, world-class competition.