Guyana Times - Sunday, September 7, 2025

Whim Golden Generation Hub opens doors to empower seniors in Region 6 P 17

Businessman shoots alleged robber during armed holdup at Zeelugt

2 taxi drivers, 16-Y-O under investigation for rape of schoolgirl

Ministry of Agriculture driver shot dead, a victim of “old grudge”, says family Body of man found in Central Rupununi savannahs

US Coast Guard seize 3,100 pounds in drugs during multi-mission patrols in Caribbean Sea, Windward Passage

BRIDGE OPENINGS

The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:

Sunday, September 7 – 04:15h–05:45h and Monday, September 8 – No Closure.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:

Sunday, September 7 – 16:10h–17:40h and Monday, September 8 –16:40h–18:10h.

FERRY SCHEDULE

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

Dr Irfaan Ali declared President

The Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) late Saturday night officially declared Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali as the President of Guyana and the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) the winning party at the September 1, 2025, General and Regional Elections.

The declaration was done at a late-night meeting held at GECOM’s Headquarters, where Chief Election Officer Vishnu Persaud presented the report for the seven-member Elections Commission to certify the election results.

Consequently, the PPP secured 36 seats in the National Assembly, while We Invest in Nationhood (WIN) gained 16 seats, A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) gained 12 seats, and Forward Guyana Movement (FGM) gained one seat.

The Alliance For Change (AFC) and the Assembly for Liberty and Prosperity (ALP) did not gain any seats, GECOM said in a statement minutes before midnight today.

At yesterday’s latenight meeting, all six Commissioners, the three Opposition-aligned and the three PPP-nominated Commissioners – Sase Gunraj, Clement Rohee and Manoj Narayan – showed up along with the GECOM Chair.

However, although the Commission had a full quorum during Saturday’s meeting, the Oppositionnominated Commissioners –Vincent Alexander, Charles Corbin, and Desmond Trotman – sought to abstain from voting to certify the 2025 election results.

This was after the three opposition commissioners were a no-show at a previous meeting called by GECOM’s chairperson, (Ret’d) Justice Claudette Singh, at 23:00h on Friday for the seven-member commission to conclude the near-week-long electoral process.

The no-show by the Opposition Commissioners caused the Commission to lose quorum, which is required for such a meeting.

A quorum requires at least two commissioners from the Government and two from the opposition to be present, and since this requirement was not met, Friday’s meeting was adjourned and fixed for 24 hours later, that is, 23:00h on Saturday.

The law provides that a 24-hour notice is given to all Commissioners, and failure of a Commissioner or set of

Commissioners to turn up at this second meeting allows for a quorum to be met by the presence of any four Commissioners, including the Chairman.

Speaking with reporters outside the GECOM Headquarters after the meeting, Commissioner Gunraj explained, “…the other Commissioners chose to abstain from supporting the results… No reasons were given for the abstention, and no issues were raised with the report… A vote was required, and a vote was taken.”

Commissioner Alexander subsequently told reporters that his decision to abstain from the vote was indepen-

dent of his colleague’s action, citing several concerns about the electoral process to defend his position.

Victory doesn’t exclude anyone

Now that GECOM has officially declared the results of the 2025 General and Regional Elections, a notification will be sent to the Chancellor of the Judiciary, who is authorised to administer the “Oath of a President”. Justice Roxane George is currently the acting Chancellor.

Guyana Times understands that the formal swearing in of President Dr Irfaan Ali and the PPP/C for a second term in office will be

held this morning during an inauguration ceremony at State House in Georgetown.

President Ali will be sworn in as the ninth Executive President of the Co-operative Republic of Guyana today. The ceremony will take place at 10:00h at the State House in Georgetown.

In a live message on Saturday, just after GECOM’s declaration, President Ali said the formal results of the 2025 elections demonstrate that democracy has triumphed and “the will of the people is sovereign”.

“This is a victory that does not exclude anyone. Every community counts. Every citizen matters. And every dream deserves a chance to flourish,” he said in his live broadcast.

He reminded the nation that, regardless of their choice to vote for the PPP, they are united as citizens of Guyana above all else, and he pledged that under his leadership, no one would ever be overlooked or forgotten.

The head of state also praised the Guyanese people for turning out in large numbers to exercise their right to vote peacefully and for the patience they showed while awaiting the results.

He said the electorate’s patience sends a message to the world that democracy is “alive, robust and vibrant.”

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After the elections

Now that at long last the Presidential candidate of the PPP, Irfaan Ali, has been sworn in for his second term as the President of Guyana, maybe we can offer a short retrospective and prospective look at its attendant circumstances. The elections campaign started out with six parties; PPP, PNC/APNU, AFC, three-month-old WIN, and two splinter groups from the PNC – Amanza Walton-Desir’s FGM and Simona Broomes’ ALP. From the 14 July Nomination Day, the outcome was presaged by the numbers of followers who showed up and which were maintained until Sep 1, Elections Day; PPP, followed by WIN, PNC/APNU, FGM, AFC, and ALP.

The results, compiled by GECOM from SoPs that were posted on its website, accessible to the world, showed that the PPP had increased its number of seats from 33 to 36 while WIN incredibly compiled 16 seats – primarily drawn from the PNC’s bases since they were reduced from 32 seats to 12. The AFC disappeared as FGM acquired 1 seat through pipping it, based on the “greatest remainder” – commonly dubbed “left over” – principle. Disappointingly, the PNC and WIN challenged the results with the former being successful in demanding a recount in District 4, Sub-District 4 and District 5. The latter demanded recounts in all of Reg Four, and Reg Eight but was denied since their filing was defective.

Evidently, all parties wanted a recount of Reg Four’s Sub-District 4 (East Coast Demerara) because of the PPP winning Reg Four for the first time in history and SubDistrict 4 has been the core of PNC’s support during that time. From GECOM’s declaration, 182,209 persons voted in the entire Region with PPP securing 87,536 votes, followed by APNU with 46,956; WIN with 41,607; FGM 2431; AFC 1765 and ALP 497. In the 2020 General Elections, the PPP had won 80,920 votes and APNU/AFC coalition 116,941 out of a total of 203,742 votes cast then. Due to its campaign strategy of overly courting votes from the PNC’s traditional constituency, the PPP increased their share by 6616 votes and WIN snagging its amazing 41,607 votes primarily from the PNC.

While one may sympathise with PNC’s leader Aubrey Norton’s humiliation at such a resounding trouncing, it is difficult to understand his motive for demanding a recount since it was impossible for GECOM’s electoral mechanism of checks and cross-checks to permit the gap between his party’s votes and those of the other parties. His claim that the PPP had allowed finagling of the votes meant they did so to benefit WIN and not themselves. Notwithstanding, the recount left the original count practically unchanged, with the PPP actually picking up an additional handful.

GECOM’s CEO, however, was unable to officially inform the Commission of the amended results because the three Opposition-appointed Commissioners absented themselves from the scheduled 11pm Friday night meeting. Complying with the law, they met last night at eleven with the requisite four Commissioners – the Chair being considered as one –and declared Ali elected President. Unlike in 1997 when the PNC of Desmond Hoyte obtained an Order Nisi to prevent Janet Jagan from being sworn in as President, such a move was later barred by the Courts. Norton’s only recourse is to proceed with an elections petition.

What is of importance at this juncture is for the choice of the people to select the PPP to appoint the President and his Executive in our Parliamentary Democracy must be complied with. In that framework, Azruddin Mohamed, as leader of WIN, should become the Leader of the Opposition (LOO) that will include the PNC. Calls for Aubrey Norton to resign as leader of the PNC/APNU have already been made and it is hoped good sense will prevail and he will do so after he engages in the process of selecting the 12 MPs to represent APNU in Parliament. There have been doubts expressed on the new LOO performing his official role because of his OFAC sanction, but the US Ambassador has indicated her Government will “work around” that status.

This newspaper offers its congratulations to President Ali.

Free speech really is under threat in Britain, but social media has driven us collectively mad

By Janet Daly

There is no doubt that freedom of speech is under attack in this country. When a small platoon of police arrives to arrest a comedian who has posted online what, at worst, might be considered a tasteless joke, you know you have a problem.

What is going on? How does a country until recently renowned for its tolerance of differences and its sense of humour end up in this mess? “Mess” is the operative word here: what we have before us is not a planned, consistent policy of tyrannical oppression but a mix of confused absurdity, contradictory messages and, not least, utter stupidity. Doctrines that were originally framed in terms of “kindness” now involve threats of imprisonment and the extinction of careers.

But this Terror is not, as many people (including me) might have been inclined to assume, just going to collapse under the weight of its own ridiculousness. It is going to have to be deliberately and systematically dismantled and officially denounced because the great virtues of the British national character are under genuine threat.

Yes, something has certainly changed, but it is not

the general temperament of the population, which seems to me, in the normal transactions of social and professional life, to be as rational, temperate and good-humoured as it always has been. (If anything, rather more so – perhaps because there is still a sense of post-lockdown relief at being able to have casual encounters with other human beings.)

Certainly there is real anger about migration –especially when numbers in particular communities threaten a local sense of identity – but it is still nothing like the racist mob violence of the 1960s and 70s. What we have now are largely peaceful demonstrations at hotels housing asylum seekers which sometimes get infiltrated by football hooligans looking for a ruck. But back then we had gangs of skinheads attacking Asian shops, and houses in the West Indian neighbourhoods of Notting Hill were being burnt down. This is the puzzling thing: Britain is probably more relaxed about social and racial minorities – and about personal life choices – than it has ever been. Bigotry, even in its subtle forms, is now more unacceptable than ever across all classes. And yet, supposedly, we are in the midst of a hate crime epidemic so se-

vere that the police must monitor the utterances of the whole population. What is it that has provoked this urgent demand for surveillance and punishment?

It is not real, everyday life, with its inevitable ups and downs of social friction, but the parallel universe of online communication which has brought us here. Welcome to the age of social media. I say “communication”, but what goes on in this bizarre alternative form of human utterance is often the opposite: it is a kind of anti-communication, which is not intended to evoke a meaningful response and certainly not designed to invite actual argument or to provoke discussion.

Indeed, many of the political forces who claim to be leading the charge to restore freedom of expression have troll armies which demand the shutting down of any voice that criticises them. The prevailing tone of the social media vendetta is designed to do precisely the opposite of reviving freedom. Its clear intention is to prevent debate or even any expression of opinions that it dislikes.

It might have been helpful if Nigel Farage had addressed this apparent contradiction in his party conference speech. Surely he is not unaware of the infantile abuse and threats of

vengeance which his followers heap on anyone who presumes to criticise him? How is this consistent with the commitment to free speech which he avowed to the US Congress last week?

Social media has become the happy refuge of people who have suddenly found themselves able to put anything at all – even the most vile or crazy things that they might never have dared to utter in real life – into the public domain. Where once their isolation might have made them invisible and inaudible, they can now become a presence in the world with a false equivalence to any utterance in national (or even international) life. What an ecstatic fantasy world this opens to those who never dared to dream that they might, even through an assumed alter ego (as many of these social media activists use), achieve what seems like global power.

Now you may think this sounds like snobbery or professional protectionism from someone who does, after all, have a media position from which to pontificate and possibly wield influence. Why shouldn’t ordinary citizens be able to shout out their views alongside journalists and opinion formers who happen to be professionally licensed to do so?

Implausible! Really? Wake up, Aubrey

Dear Editor,

The National and Regional Elections of 2025 in Guyana are over. The international observers who came to Guyana to observe the electoral process have all, without fail, reported that GECOM conducted elections that were marked by efficiency and that were free, fair and credible.

One significant result of the elections is the crushing blow dealt to Aubrey Norton and his PNC/WPA/APNU coalition. In relation to this group, I have heard one reporter referring to APNU as having been “hammered” and “devastated” by the electorate.

One example of this “hammering and/or devastation” occurred in District 4, which historically, the PNC described as its stronghold, and indeed it has been. In the just concluded 2025 elections, the APNU secured significantly fewer votes than it did in 2020. Aubrey Norton, presidential candidate of the APNU, has deemed this result implausible. Norton’s response demonstrates his stark unawareness of the prevailing political realities prior to the 2025 elections. His response reveals that he

was completely out of touch with the mood, reactions and considerations of a significant number of his party’s supporters.

Prior to 1992, election results showed incredible numbers of votes for the PNC despite well-known public resentment for that party in Guyana. The rigging of elections by the PNC prior to 1992 has been well documented in print and film. Post 1992, through elections that were free and fair, the PNC secured votes consistent with its dwindled support. For the sake of argument, momentarily putting the rigging phenomenon aside, in 1992, one sees the decline of support for the PNC. In 1980, in elections of that year, the PNC, with total control of the electoral machinery, claimed to have won those elections with 312,988 votes. Similarly, in 1985, the PNC claimed to have won 228,718 votes. However, in 1992, the PNC were only able to muster 128,286. Quite a significant decline for a party that previously laid claim (falsely, as we know) to overwhelming national support.

So in 2025, Aubrey

Free speech really...

Answer: because that licence to influence comes with serious liability. Journalists are subject to additional laws – both civil and criminal. (Breaking the sub judice rule can legitimately result in a prison sentence.) They are bound even more strictly now by the IPSO code of practice in which all newspaper trainees are instructed.

But it is not just print and broadcast journalists whose expression is susceptible to legal restrictions. Any publication which expresses political views, whether it is a campaign pamphlet, magazine or one-off election leaflet, is required to have a clearly visible imprint containing the name of the organisation responsible for it and the name and address of the printer who has produced it. The kind of anonymity (or pseudonymity) which prevails in social me-

FROM PAGE 4

dia is a new and unprecedented force in modern democratic life.

It permits deception, dishonesty, and total irresponsibility on a scale previously undreamt of. One person, publishing under many fake identities, can give the impression of a mob. A handful of people can invent fictitious characters, false narratives and faked photographs, and so appear to be a significant force in national life.

The bots whose automatic responses unsubtly spring into action whenever their programmers’ chosen targets appear are pretty easy to detect. They simply utter an identical hostile response without mention of the actual content under discussion. But much of the time we are living in a world in which fantasy – sometimes of a particularly vicious kind – is indistinguishable from reality. (Telegraph UK)

Norton describes the decimation of APNU by his political opponents as implausible. I say quite categorically, it was not! Explanations exist for the fate of Aubrey Norton and his APNU in the 2025 elections. Dennis Wiggins, in a letter to a local newspaper, wrote: “So, in this election period, APNU supporters were uninspired. Not only with their candidate, but their campaign was the worst political campaign I had seen in my years as a passionate political observer.”

In sum, Aubrey Norton and his APNU failed to mobilise their supporters, failed to connect with them and failed to convince them that he and the APNU were the right choice for Guyana. In short, (not that they themselves were electable), the AFC were right in their prediction that Aubrey Norton was not electable.

But there is another significantly contributing element to Aubrey Norton’s political demise. I call it the David Hinds factor. Hinds projects himself as a political maestro/strategist. He makes reference to “intellectuals like myself”. He makes a point of noting that certain sections of the Guyanese population deliberately refuse to refer to him as “doctor” or “professor”. These are titles that carry respect, but I believe that because of much of what David Hinds represents, there is little respect for him in Guyana. Hinds’ political strategy is a

race-based one for which he offers no apology. I respect his position, but it must of necessity be contrasted with those of other competing political parties, particularly the PPP, that had a broadbased multi-ethnic appeal.

David Hinds declared that APNU should ignore the issue of crossover votes and contended that Indians would vote solidly for the PPP. He urged that we should focus on “our base”. He repeatedly referred to Afro-Guyanese as “our people”. He chastised operatives of political parties who endeavoured to convince Afro-Guyanese to vote for their parties. He referred to such persons as going into “our communities” to influence “our people”. Dennis Wiggins also commented: “Surrogates of the PNC/ APNU spent a lot of time chastising African Guyanese who decided to exercise their right to support another political party of their choice…” The APNU, which consists largely of the PNC and the WPA, is an Africancentred coalition. Its surrogates raised only concerns and grievances that pertain to African Guyanese interests. It has no messaging or marketing strategy to create a space for disaffected voters of other ethnic groups.”

David Hinds was shortsighted. He showed that he was not such a good intellectual or political strategist after all. His efforts to lay a claim of ownership of the AfroGuyanese voter did considerable damage to the

fortunes of Aubrey Norton and the APNU. David Hinds and his postulations were rejected by those he sought to own in significant numbers.

For those Afro-Guyanese who chose to give their support to the PPP, David Hinds was harsh and unforgiving. He described such persons, exercising their undisputed right to association and free choice, as “lick BT Africans”, “lick bamsi Africans”, and “lick bottom Africans”. Having offered such distasteful and demeaning descriptions to such Afro-Guyanese, Hinds remarked, “I am so ashamed of some of the Black men.” Aubrey Norton did not condemn Hinds for his offensive, insulting, demeaning and degrading remarks to Afro-Guyanese.

David Hinds’ claim that he was engaged in raising the ethnic consciousness of Afro Guyanese was something that was seemingly considered unnecessary, and it is not unreasonable to conclude that Hinds’ efforts were rejected as unappealing, divisive and counter to the ideals and spirit of One Guyana.

On the other hand, David Hinds drove fear into the minds of large numbers of Guyanese, including large numbers of Indo-Guyanese, and in a sense, he helped to consolidate and strengthen the support for the PPP. Consequent upon the riotous and terrifying behaviour of a group of largely AfroGuyanese young men, fol-

lowing the post-mortem of a young child at the Georgetown hospital which was marked by societal commotion and looting, David Hinds was recorded as saying, “You all are concerned about looting. This story is not about looting. “Our people” last night took control of Guyana. What you all got last night, you all took in you all behind. I am not interested in looters. The looting is not my business. I stand behind them, and I will give them agency.” Those were, by any measure, frightening words for a political aspirant in multi-ethnic Guyana to utter.

Aubrey Norton has now experienced the devastating consequence of political association with David Hinds. The results of the elections equate to a condemnation of the APNU’s association with David Hinds and the WPA and their overly race-based politics. For this reason, if Norton stopped for a moment to reflect, he would undoubtedly realise that the 2025 election results for the APNU are not implausible. The conclusion relating to Aubrey Norton is best captured in the words of Guyanese social and political commentator Freddie Kissoon, who wrote recently, “Perhaps, at no time in the history of this country has one person so damaged a national political party as what Norton did to the PNC in 2025.”

Yours sincerely, Selwyn Persaud

Bullying or cyberbullying is when one child picks on another child repeatedly. Bullying can be physical, verbal, or social. It can happen at school, on the playground, on the school bus, in the neighbourhood or through mobile devices like cell phones.

When your child is bullied

Alert school officials to the problems and work with them on solutions.

Teach your child to be comfortable with when and how to ask a trusted adult for help. Ask them to identify who they can ask for help.

nature of bullying and acknowledge your child's feelings about being bul lied.

to respond by teaching your child how to:

in a difficult situation.

"I don't like what you are doing."

"Please do NOT talk to me like that."

Encourage your child to make friends with other children.

Support outside activities that interest your child.

Make sure an adult who knows about the bullying can watch out for ty and well-being when you cannot be

When your child is the bully

Be sure your child knows that bullying is never OK. Set firm and consis-

tent limits on your child's aggressive behaviour.

Use effective, non-physical discipline, such as loss of privileges.

Focus on praising your child when they behave in positive ways such as helping or being kind to other children as opposed to bullying them.

Develop practical solutions with the school principal, teachers, school social workers or psychologists, and parents of the children your child has bullied.

When your child is a bystander to bullying

Monitor your

teractions so you

Help your child learn empathy for other children by asking them to consider how the other child feels about the way your child treated them. Ask your child how they would feel if someone bullied them.

Be a positive role mode. Show children they can get what they want without teasing, threatening or hurting someone.

Some children need extra help organising their homework. Checklists, timers, and parental supervision can help overcome homework problems.

Create an environment that is homework-friendly starting at a young age. Children need a consistent workspace in their bedroom or another part of the home

Encourage your child to tell a trusted adult about the bullying. Encourage your child to join with others in telling bullies to stop. Help your child support other children who may be bullied. Encourage your child to include these children in activities. (Adapted from kidshealth.org)

that is quiet, without distractions, and promotes study. Schedule ample time for homework. Build this time into choices about participating in after school activities.

Establish a household rule that the TV

and other electronic distractions stay off during homework time. Supervise computer and Internet use.

Take steps to help ease eye fa-

fatigue and brain fatigue while studying. It may be helpful to close the books for a few minutes, stretch and take a break periodically when it will not be too disruptive. If your child is struggling with a particular subject, speak with their teacher for recommendations on how to help your child at home or at school. If you have concerns about the assignments your child is receiving, talk with their

“We’re not

...says

Ggoing to stop working” – Jagdeo

focus shifts to development bank, zero-interest loans, housing in new term

eneral Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) Dr Bharrat Jagdeo has assured Guyanese that the re-elected Government will waste no time in delivering on its promises, stressing that “there is no rest” after President Irfaan Ali’s swearing-in.

On Monday, Guyanese went to the polls for the 2025 General and Regional Elections, and on Saturday night, the official results declared by the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) showed that the PPP won the 2025 General and Regional Elections by more than 242,000 votes, giving them a significant majority in the National Assembly with 36 seats.

WIN gained over 109,000 votes for 16 seats in the Parliament; APNU earned more than 77,000 votes and 12 seats; and the Forward Guyana Movement (FGM) won one seat, with more than 2000 votes.

Immediate priorities

With the president slated to be sworn in today, Jagdeo outlined the PPP’s immediate priorities, including the establishment of a US$200 million Development Bank to provide zero-interest loans to small businesses, the acceleration of housing initiatives, and critical infrastructure projects such as the Berbice River Bridge expansion and community concrete drainage systems.

“We promised a develop-

ment bank. So, we have to start from scratch now to put together this development bank. We have to put the money in the bank. We'd said about US$200 million. We'd have to raise the money and put it in the bank. We then have to establish the procedures to access the zero interest rate loans to small businesses. So that requires work. You have to start from tomorrow to start getting that work done.”

“We're the biggest political party in the country too. All the people of Guyana can expect the continuation of us working in their benefit for their children, for them and for their families. They can expect that from us. The hard work to bring our country together, to make sure that more people have jobs, better-paying jobs. They have help with their chil-

dren. All of our promises still hold true with housing, getting them better housing, a lot of those things, and lower taxation that we mentioned on the campaign trail. We intend to fulfil our promises for all the people of Guyana,” Jagdeo said.

The PPP’s manifesto also includes completing the Berbice Bridge project, rolling out 96,000 street lights before early next year, and installing 4000 security cameras nationwide over the next three years to enhance public safety.

Guyanese have entrusted the PPP/C with a fresh mandate Jagdeo acknowledged that some of these projects may temporarily disrupt communities – such as when bridges are rebuilt to accommodate new concrete drains – but insisted they are es-

sential for long-term development.

With this in mind, he emphasised that Guyanese have entrusted the PPP with a fresh mandate, and the Government’s responsibility is to deliver without delay.

“We promised to start looking at concrete drains in people's communities. We have to start thinking about how we get this done. You're going to have a lot of disruption, maybe because when you're working in the communities, if you have to break a person's bridge to now go, you have to fix it back… A lot of those small

things may sound small, but you have to; that's what Governments do – get to work. And we've been at it a lot. There's no time to rest. A lot of people have been trying to see us before the elections. I have to see them, like a long list, next week. That kind of thing. We're not going to stop working,” he added.

The People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) launched its 2025 elections manifesto back in August with pledges of creating a modern and international model for development in its plan for the next five years of Guyana.

Themed “One Country, One People, One Future Forward Together for a Better Guyana”, the manifesto, according to the party, was crafted with careful attention to potential risks such as falling oil prices, Dutch Disease, climate change, and global shocks. Notable promises include the expansion of Guyana’s housing programme to 40,000 new homes in the next five years, the development of an aviation school, a deep-water port, and a rail link, 100 new schools, and an anti-corruption unit, among others.

Ministry of Agriculture driver shot dead, a victim of “old grudge”, says family

Relatives of 49-yearold Gavin Major, a driver attached to the Ministry of Agriculture who was fatally shot in Georgetown on Thursday, believe it was the result of a long-standing “grudge” by a man identified only by his alias, “Shelow”, who is considered a suspect in the fatal shooting.

Major, of Lot 11 Charles Street, Charlestown, was a father of three.

In an interview with his brother Gairy Major on Saturday, he said that Gavin had left home on Thursday evening just before 11:00h in his car to pick up a cousin from East Ruimveldt, Georgetown. It was there that he encountered the suspect, who in the past had allegedly threatened him by brandishing a firearm or discharging shots into the air.

“The suspect, like, had some old grudge, some old grudge with Major. So, apparently, like, he had a firearm. So, every time he saw Gavin Major pass, he used it to discharge from the area or in the air.”

According to Gairy, the suspect was known to his brother, but they were not friends or acquaintances.

“We just know him by seeing him; they are not

friends or anything. We don’t even know his name. All we know is his name is “Shelow”…. We don’t even know if he is picking up some grudge from somebody else or something,” the dead man’s brother said.

On the day of the fatal incident, Gairy said his brother was passing in the East Ruimveldt area when the suspect, upon seeing him, whipped out his gun and reportedly began firing shots into the air once again.

Gavin allegedly stopped his car, reversed, and questioned the suspect, asking why he was constantly showing or firing his weapon whenever they crossed

paths. The exchange led to words being passed between the two men.

Family members said Gavin then got out of his car and attempted to walk over to the suspect’s cousin to make a complaint about the repeated harassment. It was at this point that the suspect allegedly pulled out a firearm and shot Gavin three times.

He reportedly collapsed on the ground and was rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

Gairy told this newspaper that, to his knowledge, Gavin and the suspect had never been in any physical confrontation before.

“My brother and the individual never had a physical – my brother and this guy never had a physical altercation before, so I don’t know how it escalated to murder. I don’t know if “Shelow” was drunk, if he was smoking… Because if you and a man had a curse out, you curse me and I curse you, how it reach you pulling out a gun and killing my brother?” Gairy asked.

Following the shooting, the suspect reportedly fled the scene and, up to press time on Saturday, remained on the run. Relatives said they have since made official

reports and provided statements to police.

Gary described his brother as a quiet, kind, and hard-working man who was devoted to providing for his three children.

“We as a family would have to be there for his children… We would have to find a way to provide for his children and surround his children. But Gavin was quiet; he was alright, really alright… If I could say something to Shelow, I would advise him to turn himself in,” he said.

Meanwhile, detectives visited the scene and found spent 9mm shells. They were retrieved, and an investigation is ongoing.

Following the man’s death, the management and staff of the Ministry of Agriculture via its Facebook page extended heartfelt condolences to the family, friends, and loved ones of Gavin Major.

“We are deeply saddened by this loss and share in the grief of all those who knew and loved him. During this difficult time, we offer our thoughts and prayers to his family and friends. May you find strength, comfort, and peace in the days ahead, and may his soul rest in eternal peace,” the post read.

2 taxi drivers, 16-Y-O under investigation

for rape of schoolgirl

Two taxi drivers, along with a 16-year-old student are under investigation for the alleged rape of a 15-year-old schoolgirl, an incident that reportedly occurred in June 2025 on the East Bank of Demerara (EBD), according to Police Headquarters.

The suspects have been identified as Matthew Burnett, called Delwyn, a 24-year-old taxi driver from Diamond New Scheme, EBD, and Rakchand Harnath, called Kevin, a 30-year-old taxi driver from Best Village, West Coast Demerara (WCD). The

16-year-old student is also from Best Village. According to reports, the victim and the suspects are known to each other. The 15-year-old female victim stated that she and the suspects would communicate via WhatsApp. She also said that on two different occasions, she

had met with the suspects, where she had sexual intercourse with them. The victim also stated that the suspects had made videos of her having sex with them without her knowing and threatened that they would post the videos. The victim and her mother were later referred to the Childcare and Protection Agency (CPA). According to Guyana’s laws, rape is an indictable matter, and when the matter is brought before the court, the alleged perpetrator is not required to plead (guilty or not guilty) to the crime.

The matter would first go to the Magistrate’s Court for a preliminary inquiry (PI) – which is done by the Magistrate. The prosecution would produce the evidence to the court and at the end, the Magistrate can either commit the alleged perpetrator to stand trial for rape in the High Court or dismiss the case because of insufficient evidence or other reasons. Someone who is found guilty of rape is liable on conviction to serve life imprisonment. Likewise, someone who is charged with rape of a minor is liable on conviction or indictment to life imprisonment.

Wasting…

… Guyana’s time

Your Eyewitness is never surprised at the temerity of some political leaders to take their supporters for granted. Take a look at the schupidness that Aubrey Norton’s going on about with his recount demands and now an election petition. Obviously, he’s smarting at being bitchslapped by Sanction Man something silly! But does he think that if he imitates the latter’s schupidness he’ll get back those scrapeheads who decamped en masse from him?? Let’s face it… scrapeheads just love schupidness!! In fact, schupidness describes their ontological condition!!

But Norton earned his spurs as the leader of his generation of scrapeheads who were then called “lumpen elements”! That was decades and decades ago when even the lumpens not only had an inkling about a bigger picture but cared about parts of that picture!! While Norton might LOOK like a troglodyte and speak in grunts – if you have the patience of Job, you’ll notice he tries to make sense!! Not so with Sanction Man!! He wouldn’t know sense if it crept up on him and bit him in his nether region!!

Do you think Norton would’ve had a fellow like Doggie doing PR for him – even in Bam Bam Alley?? Did you see Doggie in the suit and tie he donned a month ago to declare at his press conference that he was “a beautiful Guyanese citizen” – taking on, say, Jermaine Figueira?? Did he realise when he took that phone call during the presser and answered Sanction Man with at least TWENTY-SIX “yes sir”s, he was being a “Yes Man”??!! But these are the new scrapeheads who see Norton as yesterday’s news ‘cause he’ll expect more than two-word answers to questions!! Norton should realise that after struggling for FIFTY years to earn his shot at the top rung, he’s tried to fit into a mould that’s now irrelevant to the Doggies and Fattas under Sanction Man’s money tree. Your Eyewitness thinks he can do one of two things. He can try sticking with the older PNC types who voted for him for old time’s sake, or he can hand over the reins of the PNC to a bona fide scrapehead who could out-scrape Sanction Man!! The real Scrape deal, so to speak!!

For the old-type PNC-ites who aspire to the pretensions of their founder-leader Burnham – they’ve never seen Norton as “one of them”!! As you can tell from Winson Jordan telling him to step down when he didn’t even lift a pen to defend Norton!! They’d given Norton a basket to fetch water and sniped at him when he couldn’t fill up the tank!! In both scenarios, the constant is Norton getting off the stage.

Go swiftly into the night, Norton!! Don’t waste more of Guyana’s time!!

…Political Capital

Another fella from the Opposition camp who’s waaaaay past his expiration date is the Black Pudding Man from Buxton. He seemed to’ve convinced Norton that he was “educated” because he had some letters in front and behind his name – and for a guy from Norton’s generation, that really matters. But that’s fifty years ago – when Dr Lloyd Best from T&T declared we Caribbean people practised “Doctor Politics”!! You had to be a “professional” with letters before and after your names!!

But this Black Pudding Man comically tried to be a scrapehead by calling PNC folks – who might wanna exercise their democratic right to support another party of their choice who they think might better address their needs – BT Lickers!! Because they didn’t understand they owed some sorta loyalty to “their people”!! He was so out of touch with today’s reality that he didn’t realise scrapeheads didn’t need no reason for doing things!!

In fact, it’s a turnoff!! WIN and PPP got more votes from Buxton than APNU!!

…GECOM’s time

It’s deeply disappointing to your Eyewitness that the Opposition-nominated Commissioners nixed GECOM’s scheduled Saturday night meeting to declare Irfaan Ali President – again!! They were simply delaying the inevitable – and prolonging the embarrassment of those who stuck with PNC!!

Explaining the election results Norton concedes defeat, calls on supporters to rally with party

In my last Sunday’s column before the elections, I predicted, “…the PPP/C…will obtain a comfortable majority of some 36 seats with APNU 23, WIN 5 and AFC 1”. This meant that the PPP/C would increase its support from 2020, while the three-month-old WIN would perform very credibly by also pulling votes from PNC/APNU and AFC. It turned out that even after a recount demand by APNU in Regions Four and Five, the announced results confirmed that the PPP/C did in fact garner 36 seats, while WIN decimated the PNC/ APNU even more decisively by gaining 16 seats to the latter’s 12 seats. The AFC was pipped by Amanza Walton-Desir’s FGM, which picked up the one seat from the old AFC demographic. PPP’s Irfaan Ali is again President of Guyana.

APartnership for National Unity (APNU) leader

The thrust of my analysis, then, was fundamentally sound and bears repeating. I wrote: “The results of the 2011, 2015 and 2020 elections reflected the (altered) racial demographic shifts (created by differential racial emigration) with the PPP/C only securing the Presidency and Executive in 2011 with a plurality; the APNU/AFC coalition winning in 2015 by one seat brought in by the AFC, mainly from their Indian Guyanese supporters. APNU/ AFC’s shuttering of four sugar estates with 7000 mostly IndianGuyanese jobs lost cost them that constituency, along with the 2020 elections, to the PPP/C.

“The inflow of oil revenues by then, however, allowed the PPP/C to change the economic relations between racial/ethnic groups from a zero-sum game to a win-win one. They jettisoned Marxism as their guiding ideology and overtly accepted the salience of race in making political choices. They campaigned heavily in African-Guyanese communities – along with Amerindians – while pointing to their just-as-determined efforts to include them in economic development. The African-Guyanese community – especially youths – has responded positively in significant numbers. The APNU, however, which because of their historic minority status should have appreciated the importance of cross-racial votes, gave it short shrift. This might be so because election rigging had made it irrelevant. Tomorrow, the PPP/C will definitely pull a significant chunk of African-Guyanese votes, which would have traditionally gone to the PNC.

“One feature of Guyanese politics has been the presence of ‘third parties’ which assert they are the ‘true’ multiracial alternative to the PPP and PNC. However, they appear, burn brightly for a while, then fade like the WPA. This seems to be the fate of the AFC, which appeared in 2006 and pulled significant votes from the PNC when an ex-PNC African executive was head of its slate and from the PPP in 2011 and 2015 when an ex-PPP Indian executive was leading. Dissatisfaction with the larger parties and not “non-racial” voting appeared to have played out.

“For tomorrow’s elections a new “third force”—WIN—has replaced the AFC but with a twist. Unlike its ideologically driven predecessors, it has taken a totally populist approach to politics. While there are several variants of populism, there is always a maximum leader who claims to represent “the common people” against a corrupt elite – whether political, economic or social. Here, Azruddin Mohamed, who was sanctioned by the US OFAC, has had a meteoric rise, as his populist message to promise them all the things they want, combined with generous giveaways, bought out our self-defined scrapeheads underclass from the PNC, along with some of the traditionally disaffected members of other groups, including Indians. Even though the PPP/C has worked strenuously to develop Amerindian communities, their position as the most dispossessed and ostracised, combined with their transactional approach to politics, has given WIN’s populist strategy traction in their communities. It should be pointed out that one of the features of populist leaders is they do not speak in the bland, jargon-laden language of educated professionals but that of the underclass. Significantly, even the major parties have been forced to affect this language.”

It appears that dissatisfaction with the leadership of Aubrey Norton, who ironically had been selected as the leader of the PNC/APNU because he was seen as capable of mobilising the lumpen elements now defining themselves as “scrapeheads”, lost corn and husk because while refusing to bring them out, he followed David Hinds’ advice that it was not worth vying for Indian-Guyanese votes.

After losing his recount challenge, Norton should step aside for new leadership to rise in the PNC. WIN’s challenge as the new major opposition party will be to show they can curb the nihilistic impulses of their scrapehead base to function effectively in a Parliamentary democracy.

Aubrey Norton, noting that this is the first time the party is not in Government or the main opposition, has conceded defeat in the September 1 General and Regional Elections, while claiming that the polls were neither free nor fair and assuring supporters that the party will rebound from defeat. In his address on Saturday, ahead of the official Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) declaration, Norton thanked party members and supporters for their efforts during the campaign, but insisted that the electoral process was riddled with irregularities – despite no such observations by local and international observers – while also referencing the 1997 General and Regional Elections in his argument regarding the irregularities he claims plague Guyana’s elections.

However, Norton cast APNU’s failure to secure the presidency or the status of main opposition as an opportunity for political renewal. He assured supporters that the coalition will not be silenced and will continue to fight for democracy in its new role. “As a major political party, it is necessary that we maintain and utilise that space for the ongoing mobilisation of our people

and all relevant forces in order to attain the kind of society in which the mores and the culture of democracy are firmly embedded,” he noted.

“APNU, of which the PNC (People’s National Congress) is a major Party, has a wealth of experience in weathering the political storm. We will come through this and we will be stronger and better,” he stated.

Following Monday’s elections, the country’s main political opposition, the PNCled APNU, lost significant support in its strongholds including Region Four and 10.

The newcomer, We Invest

in Nationhood (WIN) party headed by United States (US)-sanctioned Azruddin Mohamed, was able to garner a substantial number of votes from the electorate, and weakened APNU’s parliamentary standing.

Following the completion of the recount requested by APNU and WIN, and tabulation of votes cast in Regions Four and Five, the APNU received fewer votes than initially declared.

The recount saw the APNU losing votes and the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) gaining votes. In Region Four, the PPP picked up two votes, moving from

87,536 to 87,538. However, after gaining 46,956 votes in the original count, APNU dropped to 46,949 in the recount.

APNU’s opposition partner, the Alliance for Change (AFC), also dropped by six votes, moving from 1765 to 1759. Conversely, the Forward Guyana Movement (FGM) ended up picking up six votes, moving from 2431 to 2437.

In Region Five, in the original count, APNU had 6480 votes, but the recount showed that they had received 6477 votes – a decline of three.

WIN’s votes remained constant after the recount.

Dr Irfaan Ali declared President for...

Appreciation and gratitude

Turning to the PPP supporters, the head of state expressed heartfelt gratitude to them for standing by his side throughout the campaign trail, emphasising that their incredible sacrifices of time and energy were instrumental in securing this resounding victory. He described the landslide victory as a “vindication of our stellar record over the past five years,”

emphasising that “Delivery matters. Promises kept are stronger than promises made. Progress speaks louder than propaganda.”

President Ali also praised the disciplined services for the role they played in keeping order and extended his gratitude to polling staff and party agents, whom he described as the “quiet heroes and heroines” for ensuring that every vote was properly cast and counted.

“This is our shared destiny. This is the journey we will walk together, hand in hand. Let us continue the work of building the Guyana we all deserve,” the President affirmed.

The GECOM meeting was called following the conclusion of two approved recount requests for the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) in SubDistrict Four of Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica) and a partial recount in Region

Five (Mahaica-Berbice). Notwithstanding the APNU requesting the recount elections, agents from the party were a no-show as the recount got into day two on Friday. The We Invest in Nationhood (WIN) party, which had also been vociferous about recount requests, also did not have any agents present at the second day of the recount.

PPP’s winning votes increased

Following the conclusion of the tabulation of the recount, the new declarations for Region Four and Region Five reaffirmed a win for the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C), giving a second term to President Ali.

The recount saw the APNU losing votes and the PPP gaining votes. APNU’s opposition partner, the Alliance for Change (AFC), also dropped votes. Conversely, the Forward Guyana Movement (FGM) ended up picking up votes.

In Region Five, in the original count, APNU had 6480 votes, but the recount showed that they had received 6477 votes, a decline of three.

Region Four has historically been a district won by the APNU coalition’s largest partner, the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR). However, in the 2025 declaration for the District, the APNU declined by almost 70,000

votes when compared to the 116,941 votes that the party received in the General Elections in 2020, when it coalesced with the AFC.

APNU’s lost votes were picked up by the newcomer WIN party headed by US-sanctioned businessman Azruddin Mohamed. In Region 4, WIN received 41,607 in the general elections and 41,930 in the regional. WIN’s votes remained constant after the recount.

The AFC, on the other hand, struggled to garner impactful results in Region Four or in any district across the country. Another political newcomer, the FGM, headed by former PNCR Executive Amanza WaltonDesir, also appeared to have walked away with some of APNU’s votes. Countrywide FGM gathered over 4100 votes, while the AFC garnered approximately 3600.

The APNU and its Presidential candidate, Aubrey Norton, have been left reeling and have been utterly flabbergasted by the extent of the party’s 2025 decline and its ousting as the main parliamentary opposition.

In what is largely being viewed as a conceding video statement on Saturday, Norton said, “…our Party has found itself in virgin territory of not being the governing Party or the main opposition Party. APNU, of which the PNC is a major party, has a wealth of expe-

rience in weathering the political storm. We will come through this, and we will be stronger and better.”

He added, “I give you the assurance that APNU will never abandon or desert you, however difficult the circumstances… I appeal to all APNU supporters to watch with us at this critical hour. We are like the oak tree. We will re-emerge better and stronger.”

The sting has been all the harder for the party to deal with, given that the party has also lost its most loyal stronghold of Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Upper Berbice), where WIN led the district with 10,458 in the General Elections. APNU trailed behind with just 5334, while the PPP/C took 4260 votes. The AFC landed with a negligible 210, while in their first showing, FGM walked away with 662 votes.

In a last-ditch effort, Norton on Friday wrote to the GECOM Chairman, (Ret’d) Justice Claudette Singh, calling for a “forensic audit of the elections”, while simultaneously demanding that the entire 2025 elections be aborted.

The Chairman has since responded to Norton, informing him that the redress which he seeks must be done through an Elections Petition, which must be filed with the High Court after GECOM has declared the results.

OAS lauds peaceful, orderly conduct of Guyana’s elections

The Organization of American States (OAS) Electoral Observer Mission (EOM) has commended Guyana on what it has described as a peaceful and orderly conduct of Monday’s General and Regional Elections. “We want to begin by commending you on the peaceful and orderly conduct of Monday’s general and regional elections,” Head of the OAS/ EOM Bruce Golding said in a recent video statement to deliver the groups preliminary report. “We saw firsthand the civic commitment of the Guyanese people, the professionalism of the poll workers and the hard work of the police officers, party agents, and electoral officials. It is through these efforts that this election was conducted in such a peaceful and orderly manner and we applaud you all.”

Golding, a former Prime Minister (PM) of Jamaica, led the 27-member OAS/ EOM to monitor the 2025 General and Regional Elections in Guyana held on September 1.

The organisation comprised 27 experts and observers from 18 countries, who arrived in Guyana in a staggered manner and began its work on August 20 and were able to monitor the

conduct of the Disciplined Services voting two days later.

Elections Day

On elections day, the OAS observers visited 637 polling stations at 269 polling centres in seven of Guyana’s 10 regions. They followed the entire process from the opening of the polling stations all the way through the counting and tabulation of results. “On elections day, we saw a steady and calm voting process. While areas for improvement to the process remain and while voter participation was lower than in previous years, the rules governing the electoral process were generally respected in the polling locations visited by the members of the mission,” Golding stated. In the report, the OAS Mission noted that while provisions were typically made to ensure the secrecy of the votes cast by electors by the strategic placement of the voting compartment, in some instances, however, this secrecy was at risk with the placements of some voting compartments. “Another issue of concern in the voting centres was the placement of the voting booths, which, in many cases observed by the OAS/EOM did not secure the secrecy of the vote.

The Mission observed that there seemed to be layout inconsistencies even within polling centres, based on the individual interpretation and disposition of polling officials regarding the right of polling officials and party agents to see the entire person of the voter, in order to determine whether the voter might attempt to take a photograph of his marked ballot,” the report detailed. To ensure certainty, transparency and inclusion, the OAS/ EOM recommends making statutory provisions regarding the presence and or use of cell-phones in the polling booth and establishing clear guidelines on the placement of the voting booths and en-

suring election officials are trained to set them up properly.

The OAS/EOM also recommended guaranteed accessibility options for voters with special needs as well as formalising and enforcing policies to expedite the voting process for electors with special needs including educating all voters about priority access rights and ensuring that adequate assistance is provided when needed.

After the close of polls

After the close of polls, the mission said the ballot count followed the established processes in place. But while OAS Chief Observer lauded the uploading of the

Statements of Poll (SoPs) to GECOM’s website, he cited delays in this process.

“This delay,” he noted, “…meant that operators had to continue scanning documents into the night and the next day. We recognise and commend the electoral authorities for the improvement they have made to this process, which support transparency. At the same time, it would be beneficial to identify ways in which the statements of poll could be published more speedily.”

Given that the hours following elections are critical for providing reliable and timely information to citizens and avoiding spec-

ulation and mischief, the Mission recommends implementing a preliminary results transmission system from voting centres to provide citizens with information from official sources while the other legal processes stipulated by the legislation for obtaining the final results are completed. In his preliminary report, the OAS Chief Observer went on to commend Guyana’s Government officials and electoral authorities for their commitment to and support for democracy.

While here, the OAS mission had “very constructive dialogue” with electoral authorities, Government officials, political parties, civil society organisations and the international community among others. Golding said this wide-ranging engagement allowed the mission to gain diverse perspectives on the context and organisation of the elections, as well as the overall electoral framework. These engagements, coupled with the mission’s observations and analyses, will help the OAS-EOM in crafting a detailed final report, which will outline their findings and recommendations to help enhance Guyana’s democratic system.

India, T&T Prime Ministers congratulate

Pres Ali on “resounding” election victory

President Dr Irfaan Ali and the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) continue to be showered with congratulatory messages from leaders across the world after securing a landslide victory at the 2025 General and Regional Elections in Guyana.

The Dr Ali-led party will serve a second term in office after earning some 242,498 votes at the September 1 polls – more than double the figures of its closest political rival in this year’s elections, earning them a much larger

Parliamentary majority in the 65-seat National Assembly.

In a post on X, formerly Twitter, Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi congratulated President Ali on his “resounding success” at Monday’s elections. The Indian leader, who visited Guyana last November, said he looks forward to continuing to work with the Guyanese leader to build the already strong and cordial relations between the two nations.

“Heartiest congratulations to President Irfaan Ali on the resounding success

in the general and regional elections. I look forward to further strengthening the India-Guyana partnership anchored in strong and historical people-to-people ties,” PM Modi said in his congratulatory message.

Guyana and India established formal diplomatic ties in May 1965.

Civic on their decisive victory in the General Elections of September 1, 2025,” the T&T Prime Minister stated.

She went on to commend Guyanese for their discipline and civic responsibility, which ensured that the will of the people was expressed peacefully and resolutely. PM Bissessar reaffirmed her

and energy security, expanding trade, and deepening integration.

“That solidarity will continue to guide us as we confront both opportunities and challenges, ensuring that our cooperation remains a source of strength for the entire Caribbean family. As Prime Minister, I reaffirm my

Trinidad and Tobago

Meanwhile, joining regional leaders to congratulate President Ali on his electoral victory was the recently elected Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago, Kamla PersadBissessar.

“On behalf of the Government and people of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, I extend my warmest congratulations to His Excellency Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali on his re-election as President of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, and to the People’s Progressive Party/

Government’s steadfast commitment to strengthening the partnership between the two Caribbean nations.

“Trinidad and Tobago will work closely with President Ali and his new Government. Together, we will ensure that our friendship not only endures but also flourishes, bringing greater prosperity, resilience, and unity to our peoples, while amplifying our region’s collective voice and influence on the global stage,” she stated.

According to the T&T Prime Minister, the relationship between Trinidad and Tobago and Guyana is rooted in history and shaped by a shared destiny, grounded in ties of family, commerce, culture, and enduring friendship.

“At a time when Guyana has faced renewed threats to its territorial integrity, the bonds between our nations assume even greater significance. Indeed, these challenges remind us that sovereignty, democracy, and peace cannot be taken for granted, and that as Caribbean people we must remain united and vigilant in their defence,” PM Bissessar stated.

The T&T leader further noted that within the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), Trinidad and Tobago and Guyana have long stood shoulder to shoulder in advancing regional food

Government’s steadfast commitment to strengthening this partnership…”

“I wish President Ali and his incoming Government every success in their new mandate. May God bless them with wisdom, courage, and resilience, so that their service may always advance the welfare of the people of Guyana and contribute to a Caribbean region that is strong, secure, united, and progressive,” the T&T prime minister said.

Earlier in the week, Opposition Leader of the People’s National Movement (PNM) in Trinidad, Pennelope Beckles-Robinson, also extended wishes to President Ali on his “resounding” electoral victory – a triumph she says that not only represents a personal vindication for the Guyanese Leader but also a powerful reaffirmation of the trust and confidence that the people of Guyana continue to place in the PPP/C.

Meanwhile, other regional leaders who have also sent congratulatory messages include the Prime Minister of Barbados Mia Mottley, the Prime Minister of Dominica Roosevelt Skerrit, the Prime Minister of St Lucia Philip Pierre, the Prime Minister of Grenada Dickon Mitchell, the Prime Minister of St Maarten Dr Luc Mercelina, and the newly re-elected Prime Minister of Jamaica Andrew Holness, who sent reciprocal

congratulations to President Ali after receiving similar wishes from the Guyanese leader on Thursday last.

Moreover, Guyana’s neighbour, Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, also extended his sincere congratulations on Ali’s re-election and praised the peaceful electoral process, which he said “reflects the maturity and strength of [Guyana’s] institutions, as well as the consolidation of a plural and democratic society, with growing international relevance and promising economic prospects.”

President Lula reaffirmed his country’s commitment to broaden and deepen its partnership with Guyana and assured President-elect Ali of Brazil’s willingness to work with Guyana for the benefit of both countries and the region.

On Monday last, Guyanese went to the polls to cast their ballots in what both local and foreign observers have described as a generally peaceful and smooth process with little to no disturbances.

However, the official declaration of the results by the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) was delayed since there was a recount for parts of Regions Four and Five, at the end of which showed no significant changes and confirmed PPP’s victory.

OAS lauds peaceful, orderly...

“We sincerely hope that these recommendations, particularly those that have been made before by different OAS missions, will be seriously considered by the competent authorities. We believe strongly that their implementation will contribute to strengthening future electoral processes and ultimately, democracy in the country.”

“To the people of Guyana, we want to express our deepest admiration for your commitment to democracy. We saw first-hand your peaceful participation and your patience in exercising your civic duty. It is this spirit that is the true foundation of a strong nation,” Golding

stated. Meanwhile, the OAS mission continued to monitor the electoral process including the recounts that were done for parts of Regions Four (Demerara-Mahaica) and Five (Mahaica-Berbice), reaffirming that the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) has won those two districts and has emerged with a landslide victory at this year’s polls. At Guyana’s 2020 elections, Golding had also headed the OAS mission here and had said in his preliminary report that he “has never seen a more transparent effort to alter the results of an election.” This was after the senior officials of the Guyana Elections Commission

(GECOM) attempted to inflate voting figures from Region Four – Guyana’s largest voting district – in favour of the then A Partnership for National Unity and the Alliance for Change (APNU/ AFC) Coalition regime. Golding had said in his statement at the time that, “It takes an extraordinarily courageous mind to present fictitious numbers when such a sturdy paper trail exists.” The deployment of the 2025 OAS-EOM was financed with contributions from the Governments of Brazil, Canada, Chile, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Morocco, Peru, Spain and the United States of America (USA).

35 families benefit from antitrafficking outreach in Mahdia

Thirty-five families in Mahdia, Region Eight, were the focus of an anti-trafficking outreach conducted by the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security’s CounterTrafficking in Persons (C-TIP) Unit, in partnership with the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Guyana Police Force.

The four-day exercise, held from August 26 to 29, 2025, aimed at raising awareness and building community capacity to prevent exploitation.

Held under the theme

“Building the Bridge and Bridging the Gaps”, the interactive sessions engaged households on strengthening family life through effec-

tive parenting techniques, monitoring children’s use of cell phones, fostering positive parental influence, and creating open and supportive home environments.

In addition, capacity-building sessions targeted Government officials and representatives of the Guyana Defence Force, Ministry of Education,

Ministry of Health, and other regional agencies. Training covered the definition and forms of human trafficking, how to identify indicators of exploitation, referral pathways, and procedures for reporting suspected cases.

Overall, the collaborative effort sensitised more than 1200 people across the region, significantly boosting awareness and strengthening local capacity in the fight against human trafficking.

In 2024, Guyana recorded 416 victims of human trafficking, despite a goal to reduce the number of reported cases to 250 in 2025.

According to the US State Department’s 2024 Trafficking in Persons Report, Guyana identified 407 victims – comprising 274 women and seven girls in sex trafficking, and 116 men and 10 boys in labour trafficking – highlighting gender-specific vulnerabilities across both sexes.

National data reveals that 87 per cent of trafficking cases in Guyana involve female victims, many of whom are foreign nationals, particularly from Venezuela.

Notably, Guyana has

sustained a Tier 1 ranking from the US Department of State for its efforts to combat human trafficking for the seventh consecutive year – a testament to the Government’s consistent efforts in victim identification, awareness raising, and proactive investigations.

Bar Association congratulates GECOM on recount efficiency and transparency

The Guyana Bar Association (GBA) on Saturday issued a statement applauding the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) on the efficiency and transparency with which the electoral body carried out the recently concluded recount and tabulation process, and called on political parties to accept the results of the September 1 General and Regional Elections now that the tabulation and district declarations have concluded.

According to the Association’s statement, given their observation of the elections process including the recount, of Sub-district four of District four and 77 boxes of District five, the Association is “satisfied that GECOM addressed challenges and difficulties professionally, and within the law”.

“The Bar Association wishes to congratulate GECOM for the manner in which the tabulation and recount were carried out, the efficiency with which they were completed and for the transparency of the process. It recognises that GECOM officials worked with patience and calm in trying circumstances, including heat and space, without adding any undue escalation,” the statement said.

“The Bar Association of Guyana wishes to thank its volunteers for their selfless dedication to observing the process at every stage. It urges all political parties who contested the elections to accept the results of those elections for a peaceful and speedy return to normalcy,” the Association added.

The GBA was among a number of local and international observers

that fielded teams to carry out observations before, during and after elections day last Monday. Observing the counting of votes at the polling stations, as well as the tabulation of the Statement of Polls (SOPs) for the various districts.

Several international observers have already released their preliminary findings, also commending the elections.

Earlier this week the European Union Election Observation Mission (EU EOM) described the September 1 polls as being conducted in a peaceful and orderly fashion, with high levels of professionalism by polling staff across the country. The EU visited more than 250 polling stations across all 10 regions, including coastal communities and indigenous villages in the hinterland. An Electoral Observer Mission from the Organisation of American States (OAS) and a CARICOM Elections Observer Mission (CEOM) all subsequently also described the elections as peaceful, orderly and without significant incident. With a smooth elections process Guyanese are now only awaiting the official declaration of the results for the country to move

forward. However, several Opposition political parties have been called out for employing delaying tactics and attempting to smear the elections. Following the conclusion on Friday night of approved recounts of Sub-district four of District four and 77 boxes of District five, that was sought by the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU), all 10 voting districts across Guyana have declared their official results for the elections, which shows a win for the People’s Progressive Party /Civic (PPP/C), giving a second term to President Dr Irfaan Ali.

In an ironic twist, the recount saw the APNU losing votes. The GECOM Chairperson, (Ret’d) Justice Claudette Singh on Friday night called a meeting of the seven GECOM Commissioners to certify the election results. However, the three GECOM Opposition Commissioners – Vincent Alexander, Charles Corbin and Desmond Trotman –were a no-show in what has been seen as a delaying tactic since a quorum could not be reached for the meeting to proceed. At Friday’s meeting a quorum required at least two commissioners from the Government and two from the opposition to be present. However, the law provides that if a second meeting occurs, a quorum is met by the presence of any four Commissioners, including the Chairman, whether opposition or Government. Another meeting has been called for Saturday night at 23:00hrs, after which it is expected that the official declaration will be made, setting the stage for President Dr Ali to be sworn in by the Chancellor of the Judiciary as Guyana’s 9th Executive President. In anticipation of Saturday night’s declaration an inauguration Ceremony has been set for 10:00hrs on Sunday at State House in Georgetown.

Women now make up half of wildlife conservation workforce in Rupununi

Women now account for 50 per cent of participants in the Sustainable Wildlife Management (SWM) Programme in the Rupununi – a dramatic rise from just 30 per cent when the initiative began four years ago.

The shift signals a major breakthrough for gender inclusion in conservation and community development, with women taking on more leadership roles in wildlife monitoring, environmental education and eco-tourism.

To date, the programme has trained 491 women in technical fields, engaged 450 girls in environmental education and created jobs for 177 women.

The programme has also improved women’s economic opportunities, with 51 per cent of trainees in eco-tourism and hospitality being women, helping them secure

livelihoods while strengthening Rupununi’s tourism sector.

The results, according to the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) and its partners, go beyond numbers –they mark a cultural transformation where women are no longer bystanders in conservation but central drivers of change. One standout example is Lorrie Ann Thomas, a turtle conservationist who involves children in egg-rescue missions.

Her work highlights how women are not only protecting wildlife but also passing knowledge on to future generations. Recognising the importance of teaching children about natural resource management, Thomas and her team take young wildlife club members on monitoring missions. During these trips, they rescue turtle eggs from

flooding beaches, teaching the children valuable conservation skills and fostering a sense of environmental stewardship. When asked about the importance of involving more women in turtle conservation, Thomas said, “It is important to have women on board because as mothers, we see the need to pass on this knowledge to our children. That is important for this work to keep going.”

Her work has already shown results, with more turtles now basking on the sand banks than ever before. The SWM Programme’s approach goes beyond training and employment. It has integrated social safeguard strategies to ensure women are involved in decision-making processes. The programme actively works to remove barriers that have historically limited women’s participation in sustainable wildlife

management. One such barrier is the lack of representation in leadership roles. By providing women with the skills and opportunities to engage in wildlife management, the programme ensures they have a seat at the table. Women like Lorrie Ann Thomas are leading the way, demonstrating that conservation efforts become more sustainable and impactful when women take the lead.

A model for the future, the SWM Programme’s approach to wildlife management and community development in the Rupununi is a model that can be replicated elsewhere. By placing people’s rights at the centre of conservation efforts and recognising the unique role women play, we can achieve conservation needs and sustainable livelihoods. It is also a testament to the power of community-driven conservation. It demonstrates that

when local communities – especially women – are empowered, they become the most effective stewards of their natural resources. By ensuring women have equal seats at the decision-making table, the SWM Programme is redefining conservation as a gender-inclusive, community-driven model – one that could serve as a blueprint for other regions around the world. The Rupununi is a region of breathtaking beauty. Rolling savannahs, majestic mountains, and lush waterfalls form the backdrop of a rich tapestry of biodiversity. It is also home to approximately 24,000 persons, predominantly from three Indigenous groups, whose lives are intertwined with the wildlife and ecosystems around them. Wildlife provides these communities with food and income, while also holding deep cultural significance.

However, the delicate balance between human needs and wildlife conservation is increasingly under threat. Addressing these challenges requires innovative solutions, and women are at the heart of this transformation.

SWM

The SWM Programme, supported by the European Union (EU) and implemented by a dynamic consortium of four partners, including the FAO, has been working to develop such solutions in fifteen countries. In Guyana, FAO supports the Centre for International Forestry Research and World Agroforestry (CIFORICRAF) in implementing this approach, which recognises that sustainable wildlife management must be community-driven and inclusive, with women playing a pivotal role in conservation efforts.

Whim Golden Generation Hub opens doors to empower seniors in Region 6

Senior citizens in Whim Village now have a new space dedicated to their growth, wellness, and community engagement with the launch of the Whim Golden Generation Hub last Thursday.

The hub, designed to create an inclusive environment for older persons, offers programmes that go far beyond traditional senior activities. From fitness and wellness sessions aimed at

encouraging healthy lifestyles to digital literacy training that equips seniors with essential skills to navigate today’s technology-driven world, the initiative seeks to promote active and healthy ageing.

But the hub is more than just a centre for activities. It has been carefully envisioned as a safe and supportive sanctuary – a place where seniors can connect, combat isolation, and share

the stories and wisdom gained over decades. For many, the hub represents not only a chance to rekindle old friendships but also to forge new ones while learning and growing together.

“Too often, our elders feel overlooked in society, but with this hub, they are given a seat at the table, an opportunity to stay engaged and empowered,” said a representative at the

launch. “We are celebrating the fact that ageing does not mean stepping back, but rather stepping forward with strength, wisdom, and purpose.”

The Whim Golden Generation Hub is part of a national effort to improve the quality of life for older persons, building on the government’s vision of creating more inclusive communities.

Region Six officials high-

lighted the hub as a model of how local spaces can make seniors feel valued while providing meaningful opportunities for learning and recreation.

In addition to wellness and digital literacy training, the hub also features recreational programmes –from cultural activities to skills workshops – all designed to empower seniors to maintain their independence and continue contrib-

uting to their communities. For residents of Whim and surrounding villages, the hub signals a renewed commitment to celebrating the wisdom and contributions of Guyana’s elderly population. By fostering interaction across generations, it helps strengthen the social fabric and ensures that the voices of older persons remain central in shaping the future of their communities.

Amerindian Heritage Month 2025 opens with Interfaith Service celebrating unity in diversity

The month-long celebration of Amerindian Heritage Month 2025 was officially launched with a vibrant interfaith service that brought together representatives from Guyana’s diverse faith communities, cultural performers and Government officials under the theme “Igniting Unity, Celebrating Progress, Advancing Our Culture.” The service featured an atmosphere of reverence, song and cultural pride, as prayers were offered by Christian, Hindu, Muslim and Anglican leaders, each extending blessings to Guyana’s Indigenous peoples and calling for peace, prosperity, and greater unity across the nation.

The programme opened with a song and dance by the Sawariwau Dance Group, and a performance by the Family Fest SeventhDay Adventist group from Montrose, Region Four, whose rendition of a gospel

hymn set a reflective tone. This was followed by prayers from Pandit Sukhdeo of the Hindu community, who chanted Sanskrit verses and invoked blessings of wisdom, success and peace for Amerindian leaders and communities.

The Baha’i community delivered a moving song and reading centred on the values of unity in diversity. Using the metaphor of a gar-

den of many-coloured flowers, they emphasised that cultural and spiritual diversity strengthens harmony, much like varied notes blend into a perfect chord.

In his closing prayer, Carl Peters of the Anglican community urged national leaders to listen to the voices of Amerindian communities, uphold justice and land rights, and ensure that Indigenous culture not only survives but thrives. He further invited attendees to the Anglican Church’s own Heritage Service on September 22 at Austin House. The programme also included the singing of “Bind Us Together, Lord” by all attendees, symbolising the spirit of togetherness that Amerindian Heritage Month seeks to foster. Special acknowledgments were made to cultural groups, alongside faith representatives and Government officials in attendance, including the Finance Secretary of

the Ministry of Finance. In his remarks, a Ministry of Amerindian Affairs representative underscored the importance of the service as a symbol of national solidarity. “The Amerindian Heritage Interfaith Service brings together Guyana’s religious traditions in prayer and reflection, honouring the spirituality, culture and enduring contributions of our First Peoples, while promoting unity, peace and inclusivity across our beloved nation.”

The event concluded with a sharing of Amerindian cuisine, allowing attendees to experience Indigenous culinary traditions while reflecting on the day’s theme of unity and cultural celebration. Amerindian Heritage Month 2025 will continue throughout September with a calendar of cultural, educational and community activities nationwide, showcasing the richness of Guyana’s nine Indigenous nations.

South Rupununi District Council honours Wapichan women on International Indigenous Women’s Day

The South Rupununi District Council (SRDC) has joined the global observance of International Indigenous Women’s Day, paying tribute to the resilience, leadership, and enduring contributions of Indigenous women, with special recognition for the Wapichan women of the South Rupununi.

In its message, the SRDC hailed Indigenous women as the “keepers of our culture, the protectors of our land, and the teachers of generations,” noting that their sacrifices and courage continue to inspire both their communities and the wider society.

“You are more than mothers to us; you are the foundation of families, villages and nations. We see you, we honour you, and we stand with you,” the statement read.

While celebrating their strength, the SRDC also underscored the challenges Indigenous women continue to face. These include defending ancestral lands against encroachment, safe-

guarding cultural traditions, and breaking barriers in education, leadership and community development.

Despite these struggles, the council highlighted that

Indigenous women have remained pillars of resilience – leading grassroots movements, advocating for environmental protection, and shaping the future through their roles as educators, farmers, and community leaders.

International Indigenous Women’s Day is observed annually on September 5, a date chosen in memory of Bartolina Sisa, an Aymara leader from Bolivia who was executed in 1782 after leading uprisings against colonial oppression. The day

has since become a symbol of Indigenous women’s struggles and achievements worldwide. In Guyana, Indigenous women – particularly in hinterland and rural communities – continue to play a crucial role in sustainable development,

cultural preservation and food security. Organisations such as the SRDC and the National Toshaos Council have long advocated for the inclusion of Indigenous women in decision-making processes, both at the community and national levels.

A Call to Action

The SRDC stressed that honouring Indigenous women goes beyond ceremonial observances. It called for greater respect for traditional knowledge, stronger protections for Indigenous rights and genuine inclusion of women’s voices in shaping Guyana’s future. “We celebrate you not only today, but every day. May we continue to uplift your voices, respect your knowledge, and ensure your rightful place in every decision that shapes our future,” the message stated. As the celebrations unfolded in South Rupununi and beyond, the SRDC reaffirmed its commitment to stand in solidarity with Indigenous women – not only in Guyana, but across the globe.

Body of man found in Central Rupununi savannahs

Residents of Central Rupununi were in shock on Friday morning after the body of a man, so far only identified as “Uncle Elias”, was discovered lying motionless in the burnt savannahs.

The deceased, who hailed from Parishara Village in Region Nine (Upper Takutu–Upper Essequibo), was said to be well known in the area. Villagers described him as a familiar figure “who is a big supporter of the PPP”. His body was reportedly found by pass-

The man who was allegedly found dead by residents in the Rupununi savannahs

ers-by, who later alerted community members.

While the cause of death has not yet been determined, some villagers speculated that Elias may have consumed alcohol before the incident. Up to press time on

Saturday, police had not released any official report on the matter.

His death comes at a time when Region Nine has been battling a surge in wildfires that residents say are destroying farmlands and dis-

placing wildlife.

Last year, villagers in Moco-Moco and Nappi reported that fires, fuelled by dry and windy conditions, had devastated large portions of the savannahs and farmlands in Central Rupununi.

Community members have urged one another to monitor traditional slashand-burn practices more carefully, warning that uncontrolled fires not only destroy crops and habitats but also pose serious risks to human life.

Businessman shoots alleged robber during armed hold-up at Zeelugt

A40-year-old businessman opened fire on an alleged robber during a dramatic attempted hold-up at his Zeelugt North, East Bank Essequibo, home and business place on Saturday afternoon.

The businessman, Teyon McPhoy, who operates a Superbet outlet from his residence, was reportedly confronted around 13:40h by 35-year-old Deol Narayan, a taxi driver of No. 70 Village, Corentyne, Berbice.

According to reports, Narayan had visited the out-

let earlier in the day, where he placed several bets but lost. He allegedly continued crediting bets from McPhoy, which eventually racked up to $140,000. A short while later, the suspect asked to use the washroom and was shown to the back of the premises by McPhoy. Moments later, Narayan allegedly confronted the businessman, ordering him to hand over cash, before removing a quantity of $5000 notes from a nearby wooden box. A scuffle ensued, during which the suspect attempted to flee. In the pro-

cess, a handgun he was carrying fell to the ground.

Narayan reportedly ran outside and jumped into a waiting motorcar. McPhoy picked up the fallen firearm and discharged about three rounds in the direction of the vehicle. The suspect then lost control of the car and crashed into a heap of sand along the roadway.

When McPhoy opened the driver’s side door, Narayan was found bleeding from a head wound. The police were called and later arrived on the scene, where McPhoy handed over a .32

pistol.

Both men were taken to the De Kinderen Regional Hospital. Narayan was later transferred to the Georgetown Public Hospital, where he remains admitted in a serious condition.

Crime scene ranks recovered one spent .32 shell, one warhead, and one live .32 round of ammunition.

McPhoy was taken into custody and is assisting investigators in Regional Division #3 (Essequibo Islands – West Demerara) with enquiries ongoing.

GTA trains 35 Marriott staff in first aid, CPR as part of licensing requirements

Ten staff members from the newly opened Courtyard by Marriott Hotel at Timehri have successfully completed first aid and CPR training, facilitated by the Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA).

The session, conducted by Deon Worell of the St John’s Association of Guyana, combined both practical and theoretical methods to equip participants with essential life-saving skills.

Just a week earlier, 25 additional hotel representatives underwent the same training, bringing the total number of Courtyard by Marriott staff certified to 35.

This forms part of the GTA’s mandatory process

for tourism businesses seeking official licensing.

The GTA has emphasised that first aid and CPR training is not just a licensing requirement but also a critical tool for hospitality professionals, especially in Guyana’s expanding tourism industry.

With hotels, tour operators, and other service providers frequently engaging with international guests, staff preparedness in handling emergencies is vital to ensuring visitor confidence and safety. According to the GTA, such training builds resilience within the sector and aligns with global best practices, where certified safety training is standard across hospitality services. This ensures that in the

event of a medical emergency – whether in a hotel, at a tourist site, or on a tour –staff can provide immediate assistance until professional medical help arrives.

Building Capacity in the Tourism Sector

The First Aid and CPR initiative is part of a broader suite of capacity-building programmes being rolled out by the GTA to professionalise the industry and prepare for a projected increase in visitor arrivals.

These programmes include training in areas such as customer service, tour guiding, culinary arts, and sustainable tourism practices.

Director of the GTA, Kamrul Baksh, has repeatedly underscored the im-

International Day of Clean Air for Blue Skies 2025

Theme: “Racing for Air. Every Breath Matters”

Every breath we take connects us to the world around us. Clean air is not a luxury; it is a basic human right. On September 7, Guyana joins the global community in observing the International Day of Clean Air for Blue Skies, a reminder that protecting the air we breathe is protecting life itself.

This annual observance, established by the United Nations in 2019, is a reminder of how vital clean air is to our health, our environment, and our future. First celebrated in 2020, the day calls on governments, communities, and individuals everywhere to work together to reduce air pollution.

Why Clean Air Matters?

Air pollution is often called a “silent killer” because we cannot always see it, but its impact is very real. The World Health Organization estimates that it contributes to 8 million premature deaths every year. Children, the elderly, and people with asthma, heart disease, or other chronic conditions are especially at risk.

But this is not just a health issue. Air pollution damages crops, harms ecosystems, and worsens climate change through pollutants like methane, black carbon, and ground-level ozone. The costs are also felt in the economy, with billions spent annually on health care and lost productivity.

Air Quality Challenges in Guyana

-Construction-related dust

With rapid development, dust from roads and building projects often affects nearby communities, causing discomfort and health risks, especially for those with respiratory conditions.

-Open burning Burning garbage, vegetation, and farm waste remains common. The smoke and particulates harm local air quality and put children, the elderly, and vulnerable groups at risk.

-Vehicle emissions

The growing number of older vehicles on the road releases exhaust pollutants that reduce air quality in urban areas. Poor maintenance worsens the problem.

-Industrial activity Sawmills, quarries, and factories can create dust and smoke if not well-regulated, leading to localized air pollution around communities.

-Household pollution

In some areas, the use of wood, charcoal, and kerosene for cooking contributes to indoor and outdoor air pollution, affecting family health.

-Climate vulnerability

Hotter temperatures and changing weather can trap dust and smoke in the air longer, intensifying pollution’s impact.

What is EPA Doing?

The Environmental Protection Agency, under the Environmental Protection Act (Cap. 20:05), is actively working to safeguard Guyana’s air quality through a range of initiatives. The Agency has already established five permanent air quality monitoring stations across regions 2, 4, 6, and 10, with eight additional stations planned for installation in 2025. To strengthen enforcement, mobile and handheld tools are used during inspections to detect pollution in real time.

The EPA also regulates emissions by issuing environmental permits with strict conditions and requiring Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) for projects that may pose air quality risks. Beyond regulation, the Agency encourages better practices by working closely with the construction sector to improve dust control and mitigation, while also running public awareness campaigns to educate citizens about the impacts of air pollution. Collectively, these measures support Guyana’s Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) 2030, which aims to balance national development with environmental sustainability.

Shared Responsibility

The EPA cannot tackle air pollution on its own. Protecting the quality of the air we breathe requires the combined efforts of citizens, communities, industries, and policymakers. Clean air is a shared responsibility that demands action at every level of society.

• Citizens Every individual can play a role in reducing air pollution. By reporting problems such as dust nuisances, illegal burning, or excessive smoke, citizens help the Agency respond more effectively. Practicing proper waste disposal instead of burning garbage, maintaining vehicles to reduce emissions, and choosing cleaner energy sources where possible all contribute to better air quality. Citizens can also monitor the air quality by using the link - https:// www.iqair.com/guyana. Doing this will protect them, particularly sensitive receptors, such as children, the elderly, and people who suffer from respiratory illnesses.

• Polluters

portance of standards and certification in positioning Guyana as a competitive destination.

Over the past year, the GTA has facilitated numerous first aid and CPR sessions across the country, targeting not only hotels but also tour operators, resorts, and community-based tourism enterprises. This ensures that from Georgetown to the hinterland, service providers are trained to international standards.

For further details on upcoming training opportunities, tourism stakeholders are encouraged to contact the GTA’s Training Department at 219-0055 or via email at tidd@guyanatourism.com.

Businesses and individuals who generate emissions must recognise their duty to respect the rights of fellow Guyanese to breathe clean air. This means, complying with environmental regulations, adopting dust and emission control measures, and investing in cleaner, more sustainable technologies. Taking responsibility is not only a legal obligation but also an ethical one.

• Communities Stronger, healthier communities can help sustain clean air initiatives. Planting trees, preserving green spaces, and supporting eco-friendly practices provide long-term benefits by filtering pollutants and improving local air quality. Communities also play a crucial role in raising awareness and fostering sustainable lifestyles, in keeping with Guyana’s Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) 2030.

Moving Forward

The International Day of Clean Air for Blue Skies reminds us that protecting the air we breathe is essential to our health and future. For Guyana, it is a chance to celebrate progress, confront challenges like dust and open burning, and commit to stronger action. With continued monitoring, stricter enforcement, and greater public awareness, we can preserve clean air as a national priority. By working together, government, communities and citizens can ensure that every breath we take supports a healthier and more sustainable future.

You can share your ideas and questions by sending letters to: “The Environmental Protection Agency”, C/O Communications Department, Ganges Street, Sophia, GEORGETOWN, or email us at: communications@epaguyana.org. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram and subscribe to our YouTube channel.

Recount of votes “conducted in free, fair, credible manner”- PSC

– less than half per cent change recorded

The Private Sector Commission (PSC) has declared that the recent recount of votes in sub-districts of Regions Four (Demerara-Mahaica) and Five (Mahaica-Berbice) was conducted in a “free, fair and credible manner,” reaffirming the integrity of the September 1 General and Regional Elections.

In its statement on Saturday, the PSC Observer Mission noted that the recount, which it witnessed in full, was well organised, secure and strictly aligned with the Representation of the People Act (ROPA).

“No legitimate signs of tampering were observed,” the PSC affirmed, adding that the exercise mirrored the original tabulation with a variance of less than 0.5 per cent. “This recount has

underscored the strength of our electoral system. It demonstrates that the will of the people was accurately recorded on Election Day and has served as an important confidence-building measure following the challenges of 2020,” the PSC said. The body commended the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), party agents and local and international observers for their commitment during the marathon exercise.

However, the PSC flagged the need for greater voter education, particularly on what constitutes a spoiled or valid ballot, noting that agents often raised concerns later clarified by law or GECOM’s guidance.

“We also observed room for improvement in the way discrepancies were raised

and in the understanding of what constitutes a spoiled or valid ballot. Many concerns were promptly clarified by the law and GECOM’s guidance material, and with

more education for agents, the process could be made even more efficient”.

The PSC expressed optimism that with stronger systems now in place, the time-

ly declaration of results will follow and Guyana can move forward with confidence in its democratic institutions.

“The exercise was well organised, secure and closely monitored, with GECOM staff adhering strictly to the Representation of the People Act. We commend GECOM for its hard work and dedication over the last two days, as well as the commitment of party officials and both local and international observers who remained present throughout. All stakeholders worked tirelessly around the clock, ensuring that the process was transparent and that any issues raised were addressed promptly and fairly,” the statement said.

Rejected ballots

While the recount con-

firmed electoral integrity, official results show that 4126 ballots were rejected across the 10 districts–nearly identical to the 4211 recorded in 2020. District Four, the country’s largest voting district and home to the capital, registered the highest number of rejected ballots at 1417. District Six followed with 650, District Three with 563, and District One with 364.

District Eight recorded the fewest rejected ballots with 103. Other tallies included District Two with 266, District Five with 293, District Seven with 133, District Nine with 151, and District Ten with 186.

Rejected ballots can result from unclear or absent markings, ballots bearing identifying marks, or those missing the official stamp.

CARICOM SG calls for strengthened health collaboration between Africa, Caribbean

CARICOM SecretaryGeneral (GS) Dr Carla Barnett has reaffirmed CARICOM’s commitment to advancing health as a cornerstone of sustainable development during her remarks at the Opening Ceremony of the Second Joint Meeting of Ministers of Health of the African and Caribbean Regions, held in

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on Saturday, September 6.

Dr Barnett expressed gratitude to the Government and People of Ethiopia for their warm hospitality and acknowledged the African Union and the Health Development Partnership and Cooperation (HeDPAC) for their collaboration in convening the meeting.

She highlighted CARICOM’s longstanding focus on health, guided by the Caribbean Cooperation in Health (CCH) framework, which has enabled Member States to align strategies, mobilise resources and take collective action on priority health issues.

“Health has long been a central focus of the region-

al development agenda in CARICOM. Guided by the Caribbean Cooperation in Health framework now in its fourth iteration. Our Governments have collectively identified and continue to address priority health concerns that affect the people of the Caribbean Community. The Caribbean Cooperation in Health framework has provided the platform for aligning strategies, mobilising resources and advancing joint action on Health across Member States,” Dr Barnett stated.

She also reflected on CARICOM’s leadership in addressing non-communicable diseases (NCDs), referencing the 2007 Portof-Spain Declaration that

catalysed global attention and led to the United Nations (UN) High-Level Meeting on NCDs in 2011.

She noted regional initiatives such as Caribbean Wellness Day, fiscal policies targeting unhealthy products and community-driven campaigns like Caribbean Moves, which promote active lifestyles and healthier environments. Further, she acknowledged CARICOM’s achievements in maternal and child health, HIV prevention and emergency response, particularly the role of the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) during the COVID-19 pandemic. “These are achievements of which we are proud. They re-

flect the strength of regional integration and the good outcomes that are possible when the small states are determined to act together for the common good,” she said.

Dr Barnett emphasised that the pandemic exposed critical vulnerabilities, including gaps in health financing, workforce retention and supply chain security. She expressed appreciation for the African Medical Supplies Platform, which provided essential support during the crisis. Recognising shared challenges, such as high NCD burdens, infectious disease risks, and limited fiscal space, Dr Barnett called for deeper cooperation between Africa and the Caribbean. She pointed to the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between CARICOM and HeDPAC as a framework for collaboration in areas such as health workforce development, joint procurement, sustainable financing and primary health care. “This second joint meeting is a clear signal that Africa and the Caribbean are working more closely together,” she said. “We are bound by history, and we share a vision for the future. Our responsibility is not only to exchange ideas, but to agree on concrete actions that can be pursued collectively by our Governments and supported by our Regional Institutions and partners.” (CARICOM)

“Lola Doll” shot multiple times at East Ruimveldt home

In a still-developing story, popular social media personality and makeup artist Lola Callendar, who goes by the social media presence “Lola Doll”, was on Saturday night reportedly shot five times at her East Ruimveldt, Georgetown home.

According to persons in her neighbourhood, she had just returned from a music studio and was still in her car when she was approached and shot by an unknown assailant described

US

as being dressed in a hoodie and on a motorbike.

Because she had just arrived home and was alone in the vehicle, no one was immediately aware that she had been shot. It was a little while after, when someone looked out, that they noticed she had been shot and took her to the hospital, reports say.

Her condition up to press time could not be confirmed.

More details in our Monday edition.

COVID-19 exposed gaps in Caribbean health security – CARPHA Director ...as agency

Trolls out new, 5-year strategy from lessons learned

he Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) says the COVID-19 pandemic left the region with a stark lesson: despite decades of progress, critical gaps remained in the region’s ability to detect, coordinate, and respond to fast-moving health threats.

Dr Lisa Indar, the Executive Director of CARFA, during a recent edition of Health Matters, expanded more on this point. “COVID taught us that there were gaps, gaps in surveillance or in lab, in coordination…So from that, we grew, and we developed interventions more in surveillance, lab response, workforce capacity, and also in coordination,” CARPHA explained. The admission comes as the agency rolls out its new five-year strategy, which it says is anchored in lessons from the pandemic. Officials stress that the plan is not only about strengthening systems but also about ensuring sustainability in a region where resources are often thin and spread across multiple small island states. One of the centrepieces of the new approach is an early-warning system to spot outbreaks faster and alert Governments in real time. According to Dr Indar, “early warning systems for emergency and response… we want to put some alert mechanism, so countries

Coast Guard seize 3,100 pounds in drugs during multi-mission patrols in Caribbean Sea, Windward Passage

The crew of Coast Guard Cutter Vigilant returned to Cape Canaveral, August 19, following a 59-day patrol in the Caribbean Sea and Windward Passage where, during the patrol, Vigilant’s crew interdicted 3,100 pounds of illicit drugs in the Caribbean Sea while underway in the Coast Guard Southeast District’s area of operations.

Vigilant’s crew deployed in support of the Joint Interagency Task Force –South (JIATF-S) mission of detecting and monitoring illegal drug shipments in the maritime domain for subsequent interdiction and apprehension.

On July 25, a maritime patrol aircraft notified Coast Guard Cutter Vigilant’s crew of a suspicious go-fast vessel approximately 180 miles south of the Dominican Republic. Vigilant’s boarding team interdicted the vessel, seizing more than 1,410 pounds of cocaine and 80 pounds of marijuana.

On August 15, a maritime patrol aircraft notified Coast Guard Cutter Vigilant’s crew of a suspicious go-fast vessel approx-

imately 35 miles south-west of Haiti. Vigilant’s boarding team interdicted the vessel, seizing more than 1,615 pounds of marijuana.

These drug seizures contributed toward the Coast Guard’s largest drug offload in history.

Vigilant’s crew initially deployed in support of Operation Vigilant Sentry (OVS) while on patrol in the Windward Passage, working alongside other Coast Guard assets to deter illegal alien migration along the coast of Haiti.

“I am incredibly proud of this crew’s dedication, performance and resilience during a challenging 59-day patrol in support of Coast Guard and national objectives to secure our maritime borders and safeguard lives at sea,” said Cmdr. Steven Welch, commanding officer of Vigilant.

“Working closely with our Department of Defence and law enforcement partners, as well as multiple partner nations, we seized or disrupted over 3,100 pounds of illegal narcotics bound for the United States (US). Additionally, we safeguarded lives at sea by preventing dangerous and il-

will know what’s happening…immediately or in real time as possible.”

She said in small states, where a few cases can spread quickly, that immediacy can mean the difference between containment and crisis. “You can have…rapid intervention because you don’t want spread, especially in small islands,” the agency added. Laboratory testing was one of the most strained areas during COVID-19, with many territories dependent on CARPHA’s central lab in Trinidad. To fix this, the agency has since moved to decentralise its testing capacity.

cials emphasised that the agency is also changing how it measures success. Too often, they said, projects are judged on activity rather than impact. “We use those indicators to measure how effective we are…we measure the impact…not just to go and say we do something in a country…what is the impact of that training?”, Sammy asked. This results-based management approach is meant to ensure that investments in surveillance, labs and workforce training actually lead to improved public-health outcomes across member states.

oping countries and developed countries are more inward looking,” Dr Sammy acknowledged. The agency insists this means looking for “innovative ways…one of the major ways that we’re looking at is the collaboration.” That collaboration, Dr Sammy says, will take the form of joint missions, shared services and eliminating overlap between regional health bodies.

“We have to work better, collaborate more… do more joint missions, do things together, reduce duplications,” he said, underscoring the need to maximise every available dollar.

legal migration attempts across the open ocean in unseaworthy vessels. We look forward to returning home to our families and friends and beginning the arduous process to prepare Vigilant and her crew for the next deployment.”

Detecting and interdicting illicit drug traffickers on the high seas involves significant inter-agency and international coordination because 80 per cent of drugs are interdicted on the high seas. US Southern Command’s Joint Interagency Task Force –South based in Key West conducts the detection and monitoring of aerial and maritime transit of illegal drugs. Once interdiction becomes imminent, the law enforcement phase of the operation begins and control of the operation shifts to the US Coast Guard throughout the interdiction and apprehension. Vigilant is a 210foot, Reliance-class medium endurance cutter. The cutter’s primary missions are search and rescue, counter-drug operations, alien interdiction and enforcement of federal fishery laws.

(Excerpt from Caribbean News Global)

“We’ve boosted the St Lucia lab, as well as the Jamaica lab…so OECS (Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States) countries can send their samples now to St Lucia to test instead of Trinidad,” Dr Mark Sammy, Director of Corporate Services at CARPHA, said. He also noted that this reduces turnaround times and builds resilience.

Beyond hardware, offi-

Collaboration as funding becomes difficult

But progress will not come easily. With donour fatigue setting in and Governments under pressure at home, the pool of resources for regional cooperation is shrinking. “The resources, financial and otherwise that were available for regional action is no longer available…devel-

For CARPHA’s leadership, the lessons of COVID are not just technical but philosophical. The agency sees its role not as static but as a driver of change in a shifting environment. The agency’s challenge now is to turn that philosophy into practice, building early-warning systems, boosting labs, training health workers and finding new ways to pay for it all before the next crisis arrives.

Postal traffic to US fell 80% after Trump administration stopped exemption on low-value parcels

Postal traffic into the United States (US) plunged by more than 80 per cent after the Trump administration ended a tariff exemption for low-cost imports, the United Nations (UN) postal agency said Saturday. The Universal Postal Union (UPU) says it has started rolling out new measures that can help postal operators around the world calculate and collect duties, or taxes, after the US eliminated the so-called “de minimis exemption” for lower-value parcels. 88 postal operators have told the UPU that they have suspended some or all postal services to the US until a solution is implemented with regard to US-bound parcels valued at $800 or less, which had been the cutoff for imported goods to escape customs charges. “The global network saw postal traffic to

the US come to a near-halt after the implementation of the new rules on Aug. 29, 2025, which for the first time placed the burden of customs duty collection and remittance on transportation carriers or US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agency-approved qualified parties,” the UPU said in a statement. The UPU said information exchanged between postal operators through its electronic network showed traffic from its 192 member countries — nearly all the world’s countries — had fallen 81 per cent on August 29, compared to a week earlier. The Bern, Switzerlandbased agency said the “major operational disruptions” have occurred because airlines and other carriers indicated they weren’t willing or able to collect such duties and foreign postal operators

had not established a link to CBP-qualified companies. Purchases that previously entered the US without needing to clear customs now require vetting and are subject to their origin country’s applicable tariff rate, which can range from 10 per cent to 50 per cent. While the change applies to the products of every country, US residents will not have to pay duties on incoming gifts valued at up to $100 or on up to $200 worth of personal souvenirs from trips abroad, according to the White House. The UPU said its members had not been given enough time or guidance to comply with the procedures outlined in the executive order President Trump signed on July 30 to eliminate the duty-free eligibility of low-value goods.

(Excerpt from CBS News)

By Dr. Tariq Jagnarine –Family meDicine, enDocrinology & DiaBeTes

Anew school year brings excitement, opportunity, and fresh beginnings. To make the most of it, both families and schools must collaborate to ensure that children are healthy, safe, and well-prepared to learn. Here are some health tips for parents, teachers, and schools to help create a strong foundation for the year ahead.

FOR PARENTS & FAMILIES

Nutrition Matters

• Start with breakfast: Fuels concentration and energy. Options include oatmeal, fruit, or eggs.

• Healthy lunches: Balance proteins,

HEALTH TIPS FOR BACK TO SCHOOL

whole grains, fruits, and vegetables. Limit sugary snacks and sodas.

• Hydration: Encourage kids to carry reusable water bottles.

Prioritize Sleep

• Kids need proper rest:

• 6–12 years: 9–12 hours

• Teens: 8–10 hours

• Create screenfree wind-down time before bed.

Germ Protection

• Practice handwashing routines at home. Keep children home when sick.

• Ensure vaccinations are up to date.

Backpack Safety Keep bags light (no more than 10–15% of body weight).

• Choose padded straps and always use both shoulders.

Emotional Health

• Talk about feelings, peer pressure, and stress.

• Watch for signs of anxiety or withdrawal.

• Normalize asking for help from adults.

FOR TEACHERS

Promote a Healthy Classroom

• Reinforce hand hygiene and coveryour-cough practices.

• Allow students to refill water bottles

throughout the day. Ensure proper ventilation in classrooms.

Watch for Warning Signs

Eye strain: squinting at the board or books

• Hearing problems: difficulty following instructions

• Emotional distress: frequent absences, decline in grades, or changes in friendships

FOR SCHOOLS

Health & Safety Policies

• Review school health policies before reopening.

• Ensure sick bays are functional and stocked.

• Partner with local health author-

• Promote waste disposal in designated bins.

School-Wide Mental Health Support

• Train teachers to recognize early signs of anxiety or bullying.

• Provide access to guidance counselors or referral systems.

• Develop anti-bullying programs and peer support networks.

Safety Measures

Ensure safe pedestrian crossings, school zone markings, and security at gates.

• Establish clear emergency proto-

Support Mental Well-Being

• Create a welcoming environment where students feel safe to express themselves.

• Be alert to changes in behavior: irritability, lack of focus, or withdrawal.

• Encourage kindness, inclusivity, and peer support. Encourage Healthy Movement Incorporate short stretch breaks or brain breaks during lessons.

• Promote participation in sports, clubs, or active play.

ities for vaccination drives or vision/hearing screenings. Healthy Environment

• Provide access to clean drinking water

• Encourage healthy canteen/ snack shop options.

• Reduce exposure to junk food advertisements within the school.

Hygiene & Cleanliness

• Regularly disinfect high-touch surfaces.

Maintain clean bathrooms with soap and water.

cols for fire, natural disasters, or health emergencies.

• For older students, include workshops on safe internet and social media use.

Healthy children learn better—and schools thrive when teachers and families work together. With the right balance of good nutrition, proper rest, hygiene, safety, and emotional support , this school year can be not just successful but also empowering for every child.

Carter Center urges acceleration of constitutional reform process

Chairman of the Carter Center’s Board of Trustees, Jason Carter, has suggested that Guyana’s political leaders make constitutional reform a top priority in the new Parliament, stressing that the strength of the country’s democracy depends not only on elections but on the institutions that govern between them.

Carter welcomed the previous administration’s establishment of a Constitutional Reform Commission and also urged the new Parliament to accelerate the process, even if the commission has to be reconstituted with the new set of Members of Parliament (MPs).

“We could not be more pleased that in this last term, the Government established a Constitutional Reform Commission. And we would really like to see that commission – if it needs to be reconstituted, because you’ve got a new array of people in the National Assembly – great.

Let’s do that quickly and start accelerating the process of constitutional reform,” Carter emphasised. The Carter Center had observed Guyana’s September 1 General and Regional Elections and deployed 50 observers across all 10 electoral districts, covering 234 polling stations and all 17 tabulation centres. During a recent post-election press conference at the Pegasus Corporate Suites, Georgetown, the Mission’s Leader Jason Carter noted that while Guyanese have fought hard for their democracy, the erosion of democratic traditions and systems can often occur gradually rather than through dramatic takeovers.

“Guyanese have fought for their democracy, and it’s a precious thing, and I think most Guyanese know that,” Carter said. “But there are a lot of different ways you can lose a democracy… it can be the traditions of democracy, the systems of democracy, the software of democra-

cy eroding over time. That is why we make this point about the need to focus on what democracy means in between elections.”

Constitutional Reform Commission

Guyana’s 21-member Commission has already been tasked with reviewing

the Constitution of Guyana and holding widespread stakeholder consultations on areas to be reformed. The 2022 Constitutional Reform Commission Act has outlined several areas for potential reform, including Indigenous peoples’ rights, fundamental rights, children’s rights, eradication of discrimination, enhance-

ment of race relations, and electoral reform, among others.

While 18 of the 21 members were initially sworn in by President Ali on April 3, 2024, the remaining members did not take their Oaths before the Head of State until May 28, 2024. This was among the factors that prevented the Commission from holding its first meeting.

These 20 members have to be drawn from political parties (five from the ruling party, four from the main Opposition, and one from the joinder parties), while the 10 remaining persons would be drawn from the three main religious groups, the Private Sector, the Guyana Bar Association, the National Toshaos Council, the Labour Movement, women’s organisations, as well as nominees representing farmers and youths.

During the April 3 swearing-in ceremony, President Ali told the Commission members that while these areas are wide-ranging,

they are not exhaustive in their scope of work. He further noted that the reform must be drafted in clear and accessible language that is comprehensible to the average individual. This, according to the Head of State, would ensure that all citizens understand their rights and obligations, thereby facilitating active participation in the democratic process, and reinforcing the mutual understanding between the Government and the governed.

The People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Government has already assured the public that it will play an integral role in deciding which reforms are undertaken.

Constitutional reform was promised in the PPP/C 2020 Manifesto, where it was further outlined that consultation with the populace and important stakeholders and a broad-based Constitutional Reform Commission would drive the process.

WHO updates list of essential medicines to include treatments for cancer, diabetes

With a significant step toward expanding access to new medicines, on Friday the World Health Organisation (WHO) released updated editions of its Essential Medicines List (EML) and Essential Medicines List for Children (EMLc) to include new treatments for various types of cancer and for diabetes with associated co-morbidities such as obesity, including “glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists” such as Ozempic, Wegovy, and Mounjaro.

According to a statement from the global organisation, the update added 20 new medicines to the EML and 15 to the EMLc, and new use indications for seven already-listed products.

The updated lists now include a total of 523 essential medicines for adults and 374 for children, reflecting the most pressing public health needs.The revisions mark the 24th edition of EML and the 10th edition of EMLc.

“The new editions of essential medicines lists mark a significant step toward expanding access to new med-

icines with proven clinical benefits and with high potential for global public health impact,” said Dr Yukiko Nakatani, Assistant Director-General for Health Systems, Access and Data, according to the press release.

Medicines for cystic fibrosis, psoriasis, haemophilia and blood-related disorders were among the additions. The WHO Expert Committee on the Selection and Use of Essential Medicines reviewed 59 applications, including 31 proposals for the addition of new medicines or medicine classes.

Launched in 1977 largely to promote better access to medicines in developing countries, the WHO Model Lists are a trusted global policy tool for decisions related to the selection and universal coverage of medicines within all health systems.

WHO EML and EMLc include medicines for priority health needs of populations. They are adopted in over 150 countries, serving as a basis for public sec-

tor procurement, supply of medicines and health insurance, and reimbursement schemes.

Cancer and diabetes treatments

Cancer treatments have been a major focus of the WHO EML for the past decade.

“With cancer medicines accounting for about half

of all new drug approvals by regulatory agencies. The Expert Committee applies rigorous criteria to recommend only those therapies that offer the greatest clinical benefit. As a result, few approved cancer medicines are included – only those proven to prolong life by at least four-six months,” the statement said.

Seven applications en-

compassing 25 cancer medicines were evaluated.

The Committee also considered several expert-recommended strategies – highlighted in the cancer experts' report – aimed at improving access to and affordability of cancer treatments. It endorsed evidence-based clinical and health system strategies, including dose optimisation approaches, to

improve access.

The Committee emphasised that while health system reforms require time and government action, clinical strategies can be implemented immediately to deliver faster benefits, especially in resource-limited settings.

In the case of diabetes and obesity, the WHO Expert Committee reviewed strong scientific evidence on glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists, which include Ozempic, Wegovy, and Mounjaro.

GLP-1 receptor agonists – semaglutide, dulaglutide and liraglutide – and the GLP-1/glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) dual receptor agonist (tirzepatide) have been added to the EML.

“This provides clear guidance to countries on which patients can benefit most from these therapies,” the statement said.

“WHO will continue monitoring developments, support fair pricing strategies, and help countries improve access to these life-changing treatments.”

CDB commits 35% of project approvals to climate finance

– calls for end to “fragmented responses” to region’s growing exposure to risk

The Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) has noted a commitment to a significant ramp-up in climate-related investments, with 35 per cent of all project approvals over the next five years to be directed toward climate finance, with that allocation being increased to 40 per cent for climate resilience projects under the Bank’s US$460 million Special Development Fund (SDF).

According to a statement from the Bank, this initiative was highlighted by CDB President Daniel Best at the 2nd Wider Caribbean Regional Risk Conference, which opened last week in Barbados.

The event was co-hosted by the CDB, the Caribbean Catastrophe Risk Insurance Facility Segregated Portfolio Company (CCRIF SPC) and the CAF – Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean.

The 2nd Wider Caribbean Regional Risk Conference ran from September 3-4 in St Philip, Barbados.

The event brought together Governments, development partners, private sector leaders, and civil society to confront the region’s growing exposure to interconnected risks by devising integrated strategies to

strengthen resilience and safeguard sustainable development.

The forum aims to design integrated resilience strategies that will enable the region to withstand and recover from the complex, overlapping challenges it faces.

’Fragmented responses

Best used his keynote address to call for an end to “fragmented responses” to the region’s growing exposure to risk. Stressing that the Caribbean faces a “web of risks” – including climate change, economic instability, and social inequality. He urged Governments to adopt integrated, cross-sectoral strategies.

“Fragmented responses are no longer viable. We cannot afford to respond to interconnected crises with disconnected strategies,” he said, outlining a six-pillar strategy to guide resilience planning: policy coherence, cross-sector collaboration, data-driven risk mapping, community engagement, innovative financing, and regional cooperation.

He called for Governments to align climate, economic, and social policies so that they reinforce rather than undermine one another, ensuring that

national budgets embed disaster risk, climate resilience, and social protection that can scale in times of crisis.

“What we cannot see, we cannot measure, and we therefore cannot solve,” Best said, emphasising the need for robust data and geospatial systems to better allocate resources and target interventions, and also emphasising the power of data and technology in mapping overlapping vulnerabilities.

Noting that crises often transcend national borders, the CDB President also called for deeper regional collaboration. He urged Caribbean Governments to

harmonise policies, share data, and pool resources in the fight against multi-dimensional risks.

Best highlighted the CDB’s growing capacity to deliver climate finance, noting the Bank’s expanded accreditation with the Green Climate Fund, which now allows it to finance projects up to USD 250 million.

On economic resilience, the CDB’s Private Sector Development Strategy is increasing access to finance for micro, small, and me-

dium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), women-led businesses, and export-orientated sectors.

Additionally, digital trade solutions, such as the electronic Port Community System in Barbados, are helping to reduce bureaucracy and improve competitiveness.

To advance social inclusion, the Bank is implementing targeted initiatives such as the Caribbean Gender Equality Market Sustainability Project

(Caribbean GEMS) and its flagship Basic Needs Trust Fund. These efforts are supported by next-generation poverty assessments that combine data mapping with community-based approaches.

Internally, the Bank is reforming its operations to strengthen its own risk framework. Key changes include a new Enterprise Risk Management Framework and an Exposure Exchange Agreement to expand lending space.

Latin American, Caribbean propose global pact for inclusive social development

Second Africa-CARICOM Summit set for Addis Ababa C

Heads of State and Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), the CARICOM SecretaryGeneral, and other regional and international representatives will join their African counterparts in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, today, September 7, for the Second Africa-CARICOM Summit.

Convened on the third CARICOM-Africa Day, under the theme “Transcontinental Partnership in Pursuit of Reparatory Justice for Africans and People of African Descent through Reparations”, the Summit aligns with the principles of the African Union (AU)CARICOM Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on strengthening engagement and fostering linkages between CARICOM and Africa.

The Summit is expected to welcome the presi-

dents of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund and heads of the African and Caribbean Development Banks, as well as the Afreximbank. Representatives from the broader AU and UN systems, along with other strategic regional and global partners, including the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States; the Permanent Forum of People of African Descent; civil society; and diaspora organisations, are also expected to attend.

On September 6, the African Union Commission hosted a high-level side event focusing on reparations, memory and sovereignty, where Ministers of health from Africa and the Caribbean convened for a joint meeting hosted by the Ministry of Health of Ethiopia, the African Union Commission, CARICOM,

and HeDPAC. Caribbean nationals in Ethiopia will also host a diaspora event focused on strengthening Caribbean-Africa relations.

The opening ceremony on September 7 is expected to feature addresses by the incoming Chair of CARICOM, Hon Dr Terrance Drew; CARICOM Secretary-General, Dr Carla Barnett; Chairperson of the African Union Commission, HE Mahamoud Ali Youssouf; Prime Minister of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, HE Abiy Ahmed Ali; and the President of the Republic of Angola, HE João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço.

Plenary sessions and a general debate will be other key features of the summit. The opening ceremony will be streamed live on CARICOM’s social media platforms. (Source: Caricom)

ountries participating in the Sixth Session of the Regional Conference on Social Development in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), which concluded Friday in Brasilia, Brazil, agreed to take as a region to the Second World Summit for Social Development to be held in Qatar in November, the proposal to adopt a global pact for inclusive social development, with a view to attaining the social targets of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and proactively and effectively addressing the challenges of the coming decades.

In the Conference’s resolution, the countries request “the Government of Brazil to disseminate, in its capacity as chair of the presiding officers of the Regional Conference on Social Development in Latin America and the Caribbean, the messages from the region contained in the document ‘Latin America and the Caribbean 30 Years on from the World Summit for Social Development: Towards a Global Pact for Inclusive Social Development in the activities of the Second World Summit for Social Development’, to be held on November 4-6, 2025 in Doha.”

The delegates from the participating LAC countries stressed “the importance of eradicating poverty and hunger and significantly reducing the inequalities that persist in Latin America and

the Caribbean” and called for “greater regional coordination and cooperation to strengthen efforts to address those issues effectively, efficiently and sustainably, with policies that are tailored to new challenges.”

The intergovernmental meeting – held on September 2-4 in Brazil’s capital – was organised by the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), the Government of Brazil and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), which held its 17th Ministerial Forum for Development in Latin America and the Caribbean simultaneously. The closing ceremony featured a greeting (by video) from Wellington Dias, Minister of social development and assistance, family affairs and the fight against hunger of Brazil, along with presentations by Osmar Ribeiro de Almeida Júnior, executive secretary of the same Ministry; Almudena Fernández, UNDP’s Chief Economist for LAC; and Alberto Arenas de Mesa, director of ECLAC’s Social Development Division.

“The wealth of experiences we have seen here – regarding social protection, care systems, food and nutritional security, primary health care, education and productive inclusion – confirms Latin America and the Caribbean’s vitality and leadership in efficacious social policies. This is a living heritage that inspires the

world and that we must continue strengthening,” emphasised Osmar Ribeiro de Almeida Júnior, executive Secretary of the Ministry of social development and assistance, family affairs and the fight against hunger of Brazil.

“The discussions in the last two-and-a-half days reminded us that the fight against poverty, hunger and inequalities continues to be the starting point for any social pact,” said Almudena Fernández, UNDP’s Chief Economist for LAC. She further emphasised: “Although the challenges have changed, inclusive social development cannot be viewed solely as a sectoral matter or just another social policy, but rather as a compass that must guide the entire development model in our countries. Inclusive social development is not an option: it is a vital condition for the future of Latin America and the Caribbean.”

The Conference’s presiding officers is made up of Brazil as chair and Barbados, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Guatemala, Panama, Paraguay and Uruguay as vice-chairs.

Finally, the countries welcomed Paraguay’s offer to host the Seventh Session of the Regional Conference on Social Development in LAC and UNDP’s 19th Ministerial Forum for Development in LAC, in 2027. (Caribbean News Global)

Climate-change-driven wildfires increasing air pollution across the globe: UN

Wildfires made significant contributions to air pollution last year, according to the United Nations’ (UN) weather and climate agency.

In a report released on Friday, the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) said wildfires, likely to have been made more frequent by climate change, are releasing a “witches’ brew” of pollutants that can end up wrecking air quality a continent away.

Such blazes in the Amazon, Canada and Siberia have brought home how air quality can be affected on a vast scale, the WMO said in its fifth annual Air Quality and Climate Bulletin.

above-average PM 2.5 levels in Canada, Siberia and central Africa, the WMO noted. The biggest PM 2.5 surge, however, was in the Amazon basin.

WMO Scientific Officer Lorenzo Labrador, who coordinated the bulletin, said wildfires in Canada also ended up causing air pollution in Europe.

“We had that last year and this year as well. So you have a degradation in air quality across continents when the meteorological conditions are right,” Labrador told a news conference.

“What we have from these fires is essentially a witches’ brew of components that pollute the air.”

quality, the improvement can be clearly seen in meteorological data, said Paolo Laj, the WMO’s global atmosphere chief.

“Look at Europe, Shanghai, Beijing, and cities in the United States: many cities have taken measures, and you see in the long term a strong decrease in recorded air pollution," he told the AFP news agency.

“Over a 10-year period, Chinese cities have improved their air quality in a dramatic way. It’s really impressive what they have done.”

“Wildfires are a big contributor to particle pollution, and the problem is expected to increase as the climate warms, posing growing risks for infrastructure and ecosystems and human health,” the WMO said in a statement.

PAHO

“Climate change and air quality cannot be addressed in isolation. They must be tackled together in order to protect our planet, our communities,

and our economies,” added Deputy Secretary General Ko Barrett.

Highlighting the role of tiny particles called aerosols in wildfires, winter fog, shipping emissions and urban pollution, the WMO

said particles with a diameter of less than 2.5 micrometres (PM 2.5) are considered particularly harmful since they can penetrate deep into the lungs or cardiovascular system.

Wildfires in 2024 led to

The WMO has called for improved monitoring and better policies to safeguard human and environmental health and reduce agricultural and economic losses.

When countries take measures to combat poor air

In eastern China, PM 2.5 levels continued to decline last year, which the WMO has put down to sustained mitigation measures.

Laj said that while there was no all-purpose measure that could bring about drastic change in tackling air pollution, “when measures are taken, it works.” (Al Jazeera)

launches award to recognise Caribbean leadership in fight against superbugs

The Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) has launched the Suzan McLennonMiguel Caribbean Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) Leadership Award, a new regional honour recognising exceptional leadership in the fight against antimicrobial resistance – a growing global health threat often referred to as the “silent pandemic”.

The award celebrates the legacy of Dr Suzan McLennon-Miguel, a Jamaican veterinarian whose three-decade career spanned veterinary public health, disaster response, food safety, and AMR advocacy. Affectionately known as “Doc Sue”, she was a passionate champion of the One Health approach, which unites human, animal, and environmental health to tackle complex health challenges like AMR.

PAHO welcomes the nominations of individuals or organisations from across the Caribbean who have demonstrated outstanding commitment to addressing AMR. Eligible nominees may include those who have led impactful community-based AMR initiatives, contributed to education, policy, or public health solutions, or advanced research or innovation using a One Health lens. Self-nominations are encouraged.

Nominations are open until September 30, 2025,

and the winner will be announced on November 18, 2025, during World Antimicrobial Resistance Awareness Week.

Celebrating a legacy of Caribbean leadership

Dr McLennon-Miguel passed away in July 2023 after a battle with cancer, but her influence continues to shape public health in the Caribbean. She led animal health responses during

the 2021 volcanic eruption in St Vincent and served as a food safety specialist at the Caribbean Agricultural Health and Food Safety Agency (CAHFSA) in Suriname.

Her impact extended beyond science and policy. In Jamaica, she created “Doc Sue’s Happy Rooms” – colourful spaces in hospitals where sick children could play, learn, and dream. “It’s more than a playroom,” she

said. “It’s a place where children can start dreaming of what they want to be in the future.”

The awardee will be invited to PAHO’s Headquarters in Washington, DC for meetings with regional experts, participation in strategic AMR discussions, and the opportunity to showcase their work. They will also receive a commemorative plaque.

“AMR threatens lives across the Caribbean, from routine infections to critical treatments like cancer care,” said Pilar RamonPardo, Chief, Antimicrobial Resistance Special Program at PAHO. “This award celebrates Dr McLennonMiguel’s legacy by recognising leaders who are building a healthier future.”

A panel of experts from PAHO and international partners will select the winner based on impact, innovation, collaboration, and sustainable contributions to AMR efforts.

Why AMR matters Antimicrobial resistance occurs when bacteria, viruses, fungi, or parasites stop responding to the medicines used to treat them. This makes common infections harder – and sometimes impossible – to cure. In the Caribbean, AMR threatens everything from routine infections to surgeries and cancer care, placing decades of public health progress at risk.

PAHO is stepping up its efforts to combat AMR in the Caribbean by strengthening surveillance, expanding laboratory capacity, promoting responsible use of antibiotics, and fostering One Health partnerships. These efforts are supported by the United Kingdom’s Government’s Fleming Fund and new South-South cooperation initiatives. By honouring leaders like Dr McLennon-Miguel, this award aims to inspire bold action to curb superbugs and safeguard the region’s health. (PAHO)

Regional

Former T&T football director pleads guilty to gun-smuggling

Former Trinidad & Tobago youth football director Shem Alexander has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to smuggle firearms from the United States (US) to Trinidad and Tobago.

Alexander is the former managing director of Gateway Athletics, which managed the Republic Cup national youth football league between 2022 and 2024. He also coached at MIC Matura United and Hillview College.

He was one of five defendants who admitted involvement in the case. The US Attorney’s Office said the group concealed pistols, revolvers, a shotgun, AR-15 components, ammunition, and magazines inside two punching bags shipped to Piarco in April 2021.

US prosecutors had previously described the 35-year-old as the leader of a transnational criminal group, but the plea agreement reduced his possible sentence to a maximum of five years.

Shem Alexander

Other defendants, including nationals Tevin O’Brian Oliver and Jameal Kaia Phillip and American Edward Solomon King III, were sentenced for related offences. In June 2025, Florida teacher Shannon Lee Samlalsingh also pleaded guilty to making false statements to a firearms dealer to facilitate straw purchases.

In a statement, the US Embassy said the TT Police service’s transnational organised crime unit and special investigations unit, Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, US Customs and Border Protection, the US Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs, US Citizenship and Immigration Services, the Jamaica Constabulary Force, the Jamaica Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions and the Jamaican Ministry of National Security played key and co-operating roles critical to Alexander’s arrest and extradition.

Chargé d’Affaires Charlie J Franta III said, “Illegal firearms trafficking fuels violence and undermines security across our region.

“The successful prosecution of this case is a direct result of the strong partnership between the US, Trinidad and Tobago, and Jamaican law enforcement. Our nations remain committed to dismantling the transnational criminal networks that threaten the safety of our citizens.”

Alexander was arrested in Jamaica on November 15, 2024, on a provisional arrest request and was extradited to the US on December 20, 2024. (Excerpt from Trinidad & Tobago Newsday)

Bahamas says, “No entry to Haitians coming

for US visa”

The Bahamas Administration says it will not allow Haitian nationals to enter The Bahamas to apply for United States (US) visas, insisting that a new American policy designating Nassau as the processing site will not change the country’s entry rules.

In a statement, the Office of the Prime Minister noted that the US in June restricted Haitian nationals from entering its borders. Against that backdrop, it said yesterday’s announcement that Haitian immigrant visa applications will be processed at the US Embassy in Nassau “will result in no additional entries to The Bahamas for the purpose of US visa applications. Because US policy fully restricts entry to their country by Haitian nationals, we will not grant entry to The Bahamas for the purpose of applying for a US visa.”

The combination of the State Department naming Nassau as the processing site, Washington’s ban on Haitian nationals entering the US, and the Bahamian Government’s refusal to admit them for visa purpos-

es created a messy picture Thursday.

Speaking in Exuma, Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis reinforced the Government’s position, saying the Bahamas will not be “used” for visa processing. “We are not going to be just used for the purposes of allowing… “Because what happens if someone comes here and that visa is denied?” he said. “There’s no need to come to The Bahamas. Visas – you can go online and apply, and if you meet the criteria, it could be done.”

He said Haitian nationals already require Bahamian

visas, and the Government has been reviewing stricter entry requirements for the past six months, with further tightening to come. “ It was tightened at that time, and we will tighten it again.

The new US policy, posted on the State Department’s website, takes effect on November 1 and follows the suspension of routine visa services in Port-au-Prince amid Haiti’s worsening instability. The decision to make Nassau the processing post had triggered widespread concern on social media about its implications for The Bahamas. (Excerpt from The Tribune)

OAS urges voter list overhaul after Jamaica’s General Election

The Organisation of American States (OAS) Electoral Observation Mission (EOM) has released its findings and recommendations following Jamaica’s September 3 General Election, pointing to strong management of polling day operations but also highlighting concerns over voter turnout, the accuracy of the voters’ list, accessibility, and the use of new technology.

According to the Electoral Commission of Jamaica (ECJ), preliminary turnout stood at 39.5 per cent, with the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) securing a majority in 35 constituencies and the People’s National Party (PNP) winning 28. The OAS noted that turnout has been declining and may be linked to issues surrounding the size and accuracy of the voters’ list, which grew by 26 per cent between 2011 and 2025.

The mission observed that while the ECJ updates the list twice a year, challenges remain in re-

moving ineligible voters, including deceased persons, due to the absence of a centralised reporting system. The OAS recommended that authorities conduct a thorough assessment of the list to determine whether a new nationwide enumeration exercise is needed, alongside more frequent cleansing and stronger information-sharing mechanisms with relevant agencies.

The OAS also flagged accessibility concerns for persons with disabilities and the elderly, noting that while current laws allow assistance by presiding officers or companions, civil society groups have called for additional measures such as portable ramps, technology for deaf voters, and ballots in Braille. The mission recommended inclusive consultations and the introduction of vehicle tags for transporting persons with disabilities.

Technology was another focal point of the report. For this election, handheld biometric devices

were piloted in seven constituencies to identify voters through fingerprints. However, glitches led to delays, overcrowding, and inconsistent implementation when the devices were temporarily paused. The OAS urged stronger training for polling staff and clearer procedures for handling cases where fingerprints cannot be identified.

In addition, the mission pointed to difficulties citizens faced accessing online election-related data in the lead-up to polling day, as the ECJ migrated its website to enhance security. It recommended storing historic and regulatory information separately from live election data to ensure continuous public access.

Despite these challenges, the OAS praised the overall administration of the vote, noting the ECJ’s commitment to strengthening Jamaica’s electoral process. Its recommendations, it said, are aimed at ensuring future elections are more inclusive, efficient, and transparent.

(CNW)

Trump says Venezuelan jets will be shot down if they endanger US ships

Donald Trump has warned that, if Venezuelan jets fly over US naval ships and “put us in a dangerous position, they’ll be shot down”.

The President’s warning comes after Venezuela flew military aircraft near a US vessel off South America for the second time in two days, US officials told the BBC’s US partner CBS News.

The reports follow a US strike against what Trump officials said was a “drug-carrying vessel from Venezuela” operated by a gang, killing 11 people.

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has said that the US allegations about his country are not true and that differences between the nations do not justify a “military conflict”.

“Venezuela has always been willing to talk, to engage in dialogue, but we demand respect,” he added.

When asked about the build-up of military assets in the Caribbean, Trump said, “I think it’s just strong. We’re strong on drugs. We don’t want drugs killing our people.” Trump is a long-time

critic of Maduro and doubled a reward for information leading to his arrest to $50m (£37.2m) in August, accusing Maduro of being “one of the largest narco-traffickers in the world”.

During Trump’s first term in office, the US Government charged Maduro and other high-ranking Venezuelan officials with a range of offences, including narco-terrorism, corruption and drug trafficking.

Maduro has previously rejected the US allegations. (Excerpt from BBC News)

Bermuda: BA passengers stranded

Two flights between Bermuda and Britain had to be postponed this week after a prolonged delay, forcing travellers to rearrange their plans.

Skyport, the operator for LF Wade International Airport, said the inbound British Airways flight on Thursday night was delayed for several hours before getting postponed.

It meant the outbound flight to Heathrow the next day also had to be put on hold. Both flights were rescheduled, the operator said.

Passengers who boarded the inbound flight attribut-

overnight

ed the delay to a child passenger, who they said came on board but was subsequently found to be without the proper paperwork for flying unaccompanied.

While neither the airline nor any of the authorities have confirmed the reason for the delay, one passenger, who wished to remain unnamed, said an unaccompanied minor had been aboard the flight and was questioned along with other adults.

The passenger said that, following questions, the Police were called.

The source told The Royal Gazette, “Police in-

terviewed the child and other adults. They were all escorted off the plane.

“One hour later, the luggage was off, and then the captain said, ‘I do not have good news; the food needs to be cooked within four hours, and we cannot get new food. Flight cancelled…’”

Another passenger from the aircraft gave a similar account on social media.

A separate source said the flight could not take off, as the crew would have had to work longer than mandated without a break.

BA declined to comment.

(Excerpt from The Royal Gazette)

OIL NEWS

OPEC+ will likely raise oil output further from October, sources say

OPEC+ will likely raise oil output on Sunday but probably add less oil from October than in recent months, as global demand might be slowing with the end of the driving season, OPEC+ sources said on Saturday.

OPEC+ has reversed its strategy of output cuts from April and has already raised quotas by about 2.5 million barrels per day (bpd), about 2.4 per cent of world demand, to boost market share and under pressure from United States (US) President Donald Trump to lower oil prices.

But those increases have failed to significantly dent oil prices, which are trading near US$66 a barrel, supported by Western sanctions on Russia and Iran, encouraging further production gains in rivals such as the US.

Another output boost would mean OPEC+, which pumps about half of the world’s oil, would begin to unwind a second layer of cuts of about 1.65 million bpd, more than a year ahead of schedule.

Talks are focusing on unwinding that whole cut in gradual monthly increments, and the group has reached an agreement in principle to raise output by at least 135,000 bpd from October, two sources said.

A third OPEC+ source said October’s hike could be closer to 200,000-350,000 bpd.

At their last meeting in August, OPEC+ raised production by 547,000 bpd for September.

OPEC+, which includes the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries plus Russia and other allies, will hold an online meeting on Sunday at 12:30h.

OPEC+’s hikes have fallen short of the pledged amounts because most members are pumping near capacity. As a result, only Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates are able to add more barrels into the market, analysts have said, and data has shown.

OPEC still has in place two layers of cuts – the 1.65 million bpd cut by eight members – and another 2 million bpd cut by the whole group in place until the end of 2026. (Excerpt from Reuters)

Two children dead after “targeted” Australia stabbing attack

Two children have died after being stabbed in Melbourne’s outer west, Australia.

Emergency services were called to Marble Drive in Cobblebank just before 8pm on Saturday after reports a person had been seriously injured.

They found a 12-year-old boy with critical injuries and tried to revive him, but he

died at the scene.

A short time later police found a 15-year-old boy seriously injured nearby on Cobble Street. He also died at the scene.

Homicide Squad detectives are treating the incident as a targeted attack and believe the deaths are connected.

The investigation continues. (ABC Australia)

South Sudan returns deportee from US to Mexico

South Sudan on Saturday repatriated a Mexican national who had been deported to Juba by the United States (US) in July, the foreign Ministry said.

South Sudan said Mexico had provided assurances the national would not face torture, inhumane treatment or unfair prosecution upon arrival.

Jesus Munõz Gutierrez was handed over to Mexico’s designated am-

bassador, Alejandro Ives Estivill, who arrived in Juba on Friday, the statement said.

It was not immediately possible to reach Gutierrez for comment.

Juba said it remained committed to working with international partners to ensure the safe and humane return of six other third-country nationals currently in South Sudan after being deported from the US. (Reuters)

Around the World

England to move asylum hotel migrants to military barracks

British migrants in asylum-seeker hotels will be moved into barracks on former military bases under plans to be unveiled within weeks.

The new Secretary of State for the Home Department, Shabana Mahmood, is set to announce the policy imminently, after being instructed by United Kingdom (UK) Prime Minister (PM) Sir Keir Starmer to “get a grip” on the small boats crisis.

Dozens of asylum hotels are to be closed after they became the focal points for nationwide protests against illegal migration.

It comes amid growing criticism of the Prime Minister’s pledge to smash people-smuggling gangs, with

Labour MPs urging him to take a more radical approach.

Reform UK and the Conservatives have both recently announced that they would ramp up the detention and deportation of Channel migrants.

Ms Mahmood, the former justice secretary, has been promoted to the Home Office with a licence to draw up harsher measures to stop the boats.

The PM is understood to have told the department he wants it to have closed all asylum hotels well before Labour’s target date of 2029. The plan to move migrants into much more rudimentary military accommodation comes amid claims they are living a “luxury” lifestyle at the expense of the taxpayer.

Currently, there are two former bases being used to house asylum seekers: MDP Wethersfield in Essex and Napier Barracks in Folkestone.

Both were opened by the previous Tory Government amid significant opposition from pro-migrant groups, who have compared them to prisons. (Excerpt from BBC News)

Thousands bid silent farewell to Giorgio Armani in Milan

Thousands of mourners visited Milan’s fashion district on Saturday to pay their respects to Giorgio Armani, Italy’s most famous designer, who died this week at the age of 91, filing in silence past his coffin.

His wooden casket, with white roses placed on top, lay in the vast dark exhibition space at his company’s headquarters, where catwalk shows are held, surrounded by dozens of small lanterns on the floor.

The passing of Armani has sparked an outpouring of grief, with tributes flowing in from Hollywood celebrities and or- dinary people alike. Over a career spanning five decades,

he built a business empire ranging from haute couture to home furnishings, with his name becoming synonymous with elegant simplicity.

Armani, who had no children, has put in place measures to ensure continuity and independence for his business, which he ran with trusted family members and long-time colleagues.

Early visitors also included Milan Mayor Giuseppe Sala. Italy’s fashion capital, where Armani relocated with his family after World War Two, will hold a day of public mourning on Monday. (Excerpt from Reuters)

US considers banning Iranian diplomats from shopping at Costco during UN meeting

The Trump Administration already has denied visas for Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas and his large delegation to attend a high-level UN meeting this month and is now considering ramping up restrictions on several other delegations that would severely limit their ability to travel outside New York City.

While the potential restrictions are still under consideration and the circumstances could change, the proposals would be another step in the Trump Administration’s crackdown on visas, including a wide-ranging review of those already holding legal permissions to come to the US and those seeking entry to head to the UN meeting.

The movements of Iranian diplomats are severely limited in New York, but one proposal being floated would bar them from shopping at big, members-only wholesale stores like Costco and Sam’s Club without first receiving the express permission of the State Department.

Such stores have been a favourite of Iranian diplomats

posted to and visiting New York because they are able to buy large quantities of products not available in their economically isolated country for relatively cheap prices and send them home.

It was not immediately clear if or when the proposed shopping ban for Iran would take effect, but the memo said the State Department also was looking at draughting rules that would allow it to impose terms and conditions on memberships in wholesale clubs by

all foreign diplomats in the US.

For Brazil, it was not clear if any potential visa restrictions affect President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva or lower-level members of the country’s delegation to the UN gathering.

Lula has been a target of US President Donald Trump, who objects to his Government’s prosecution of his friend, former President Jair Bolsonaro, on allegations of leading an attempted coup.

One country that will see

fewer restrictions is Syria, whose delegation members have received a waiver from limitations that have been put on their UN travel for more than a decade.

That waiver was issued last week, according to the memo, and comes as the Trump Administration seeks to build ties following the ouster last year of Syria’s President, Bashar Assad, and integrate the once-pariah nation into the Middle East. (Excerpt from CNN)

China battles mosquito-borne virus

Since July, the province of Guangdong alone has reported more than 10,000 cases of chikungunya fever, a mosquito-borne viral disease that mostly circulates in tropical regions.

Foshan, a manufacturing hub in densely populated Guangdong, has been the hardest-hit Chinese city – recording over 600 new infections per day at its peak, more than the combined total of 519 cases reported across mainland China from 2010 to 2019.

The unprecedented outbreak prompted Chinese authorities to adopt a containment strategy akin to the country’s strict zero-Covid policy – a “detect and eliminate” approach.

The outbreak in China was triggered by warmer weather this year and a fast-spreading virus strain, Liu Qiyong, chief expert of vector control at China’s Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, told state-run broadcaster CCTV.

But the surge in chikun-

gunya cases extends far beyond China as global warming accelerates the spread of infectious diseases, including dengue fever and malaria, a 2025 study found.

The chikungunya virus, first identified in Tanzania in 1952, has spread for decades mainly in the Americas, Africa and Asia. It is transmitted primarily through the bites of infected mosquitos and does not spread directly from person to person. (Excerpt from NBC News)

TAURUS (April 20May 20)

GEMINI (MAY 21June 20)

CANCER

(June 21July 22)

LEO (July 23Aug. 22)

VIRGO (Aug. 23Sept. 22) (March 21April 19)

LIBRA (Sept. 23Oct. 23)

SCORPIO (Oct. 24Nov. 22)

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23Dec. 21)

(Jan. 20Feb. 19) (Dec. 22Jan. 19)

PISCES

(Feb. 20Mar. 20)

Don’t lose sight of reality. Take pride in what you know and can do to improve your life. Hang in there; the best is yet to come. Trust and believe in yourself, and those you encounter will follow suit.

Work quietly behind the scenes where interference is easier to control. Building a solid foundation that offers peace of mind will be worth far more than the stress that comes from comparing yourself to others.

Turn your attention to your surroundings and make improvements that ease stress and make your life easier to navigate. Avoid criticism and those who make you feel inadequate.

Broaden your awareness and surround yourself with people and possessions that contribute positive vibes to your environment. Protect against injury, insult and ill health.

Esthetics will play a role in how you feel and what you can do to improve your life. Whether you want to make physical changes to your appearance or your surroundings, the timing is good.

Stick to the facts and be sure to share the truth with those blowing situations out of proportion. Positive change begins with honesty, trust and compromise.

Pump it up and make things happen. Don’t be a slouch when there is so much you can do to advance. Get in the game and do your part, and you’ll rise to the top.

Share your thoughts and feelings and align yourself with those who have similar concerns. A smile and a positive attitude will help you gain momentum and achieve excellent results.

Choose your battles wisely and channel your energy appropriately. Take the high road and bring about positive change and self-improvement. Physical activity will ease internal stress.

Place your attention on money, health and looking and doing your best. Plan your day strategically and optimize your time to suit your goal. Protect your assets.

Put pressure on yourself to adjust to the changes happening around you and to move forward. Get a handle on what makes you tick, and try to incorporate a passionate attitude into your everyday routine.

The ability to bend and work your way through times of trouble will strengthen your character and help you gain respect. Follow through with promises. Actions speak louder than words.

New Batch of Tickets Released for Republic Bank CPL Eliminator & Massy WCPL Final Group Match Double Header

The Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League (CPL) has announced that additional tickets are now available for one of the season’s most anticipated days of cricket. Fans can secure their seats online or at the box office for the double-header on Tuesday, September 16, which will feature two high-stakes matches for a single, great-value price.

The action begins at 15:00h with the final group

Ticket prices for this fixture are as follows:

match of the 2025 Massy Women’s Caribbean Premier League (WCPL), as the Trinbago Knight Riders face

the Barbados Royals. This decisive clash will determine supremacy in the women’s tournament and promises

The Guyana Under-20 Women’s National Team has achieved another historic milestone, breaking into the top 10 of CONCACAF’s women’s football rankings for the very first time. The Lady Jags climbed from 11th to 10th following their outstanding unbeaten run in the recent Concacaf U-20 Women’s Qualifiers in February, where they earned their spot in the Championship play-offs in May.

The campaign, staged at the Antigua and Barbuda Football Association (ABFA) Technical Centre, saw the Lady Jags deliver results that will be remembered as defining moments for women’s football in Guyana. They began with a hardfought 0-0 draw against Belize before powering to a commanding 5-0 victory over hosts Antigua and Barbuda. The team then made history with a 1-0 triumph over Haiti – a nation Guyana had never defeated at this level – securing both qualification and a statement of intent for the future.

This landmark achievement is part of the Federation’s collective push towards its long-term vision: breaking into the Top 50 in the world, Top 10 in Concacaf, and Top 5 in the CFU. The Lady Jags’ rise reflects a growing foundation of youth development and investment in women’s football, proving that Guyana is steadily moving closer to those ambitious goals.

Bryan Joseph, Technical Director of the Guyana Football Federation, praised the players and the broad-

er support network that made this possible:

“It stands as a testament to the talent, dedication, and resilience of this exceptional generation of female players who now wear the Golden Arrowhead with pride. The Lady Jags have shown that Guyana’s football is not only evolving – it’s making its mark.”

As such, the GFF shared in a statement via social media, “The Guyana Football Federation extends its deepest gratitude to His Excellency President Dr Irfaan Ali for his invaluable support, which included vis-

With the U-20 Lady Jags leading the way, the future of women’s football in Guyana shines bright. That future

iting the girls to share words of encouragement ahead of the tournament and his financial contributions towards their travel and training camp expenses. We also wish to thank the International Supporters Group (ISG), the coaching and technical staff, the parents, and the entire nation whose belief and encouragement continue to lift the players to new heights.

also includes the U-14 girls, who recently competed in the CFU Challenge Series, where they went unbeaten until the semifinals, further proving that a vibrant new generation is emerging. Together, these young players embody the growth, resilience, and promise of Guyanese football as the nation steps confidently onto the regional and international stage.”

world-class entertainment for fans.

Following the WCPL fixture, focus shifts to the men’s playoffs, with the Republic Bank CPL Eliminator starting at 20:00h. The third- and fourth-placed teams from the group stage will battle to keep their title hopes alive, ensuring fans an evening of high-

stakes, thrilling cricket.

Both matches are included in a single ticket, offering supporters exceptional value and the opportunity to enjoy two marquee fixtures in one day.

Tickets are available now at cplt20.com and at the Amazon Warriors Box Office, 233-234 Camp Street,

Georgetown. Fans are encouraged to secure their seats early, as demand for this double-header is expected to be high.

Don’t miss the chance to witness the conclusion of the WCPL group stage and the start of the CPL playoffs — all in one unforgettable day of cricket.

Persaud-McKinnon elected to World Archery Gender Equity and Inclusion Committee …As

Archery Guyana has announced that its President, Mrs Vidushi Persaud-McKinnon, has been elected to the Gender Equity and Inclusion Committee of World Archery at the 56th World Archery Congress in Gwangju, Korea. Her election marks a significant milestone for Guyana’s representation on the international stage and coincided with the appointment of Greg Easton (USA) as the new President of World Archery, succeeding Prof Dr Ugur Erdener after two decades of transformative leadership.

Mrs Persaud-McKinnon’s election represents a historic achievement for Guyana, as it is the first time the nation has secured a seat on one of World Archery’s permanent governance committees. The Gender Equity and Inclusion Committee plays a pivotal role in shaping global policies that promote fairness, diversity, and equal opportunity throughout the sport.

“This moment is a proud one for Guyana,” said Persaud-McKinnon. “As World Archery enters a new era under President Greg Easton, I am honoured to con-

tribute to advancing inclusion and equity worldwide. It is a privilege to represent Guyana, the Caribbean and the Americas on the international stage, ensuring that voices from small nations are part of the global conversation.”

Easton’s election continues a legacy of leadership in the sport, as he is the son of former president James Easton. His decisive win reflects the confidence the global archery community has placed in his vision for the future. Together, his presidency and the strengthened representa-

tion of women and smaller nations such as Guyana signal a new era of governance defined by excellence, inclusivity, and global reach. With this achievement, Archery Guyana reaffirms its commitment to inclusivity, youth development, and international representation. Mrs Persaud-McKinnon’s appointment ensures that Guyana will not only participate but also play an active role in shaping the global future of archery, while Easton’s presidency ushers in renewed leadership at the helm of World Archery.

The 2025 Massy Women’s Caribbean Premier League got underway in historic fashion as the tournament made its first-ever stop in Providence, Guyana. Match one delivered a great battle with the home side, Guyana Amazon Warriors Women, facing Trinbago Knight Riders Women.

The Knight Riders won the toss and chose to bowl first. The Warriors accepted their fate, but things did not go according to plan early on, as Amy Hunter was dismissed in the second over while attempting a sweep shot, falling for a duck. That early setback brought seasoned campaigner Stafanie Taylor to the crease alongside local rising talent Realeanna Grimmond, and the pair began the repair work. Mixing caution with aggression, both batters found the boundary at regular intervals during the powerplay. By the end of six overs, the Guyana Amazon Warriors had steadied themselves at 35 for 1.

The partnership continued to flourish beyond the powerplay as Grimmond and Taylor kept the scoreboard ticking with smart rotation of strike while still managing to find the occasional boundary. Grimmond took on the role of anchor, providing stability at one end, while the experienced Taylor played the aggressor, applying pressure on the Trinbago Knight Riders’ bowlers. Their balanced approach ensured the Amazon Warriors maintained control of the innings, reaching 68 for 1 at the halfway stage after 10 overs.

The promising 70run stand was eventually broken when Realeanna Grimmond, looking to accelerate her scoring, mistimed a shot and was caught at deep mid-wicket off the bowling of Jahzara Claxton. Grimmond’s composed in-

Amazon Warriors Defeat TKR to Open 2025 Women’s CPL Campaign

nings came to an end on 33 from 36 deliveries,

aries and a wellstruck six. Her dismissal left the Guyana Amazon Warriors at 73 for 2ing the momentum slightly back in favour of the Trinbago Knight

Samara Ramnath struck again soon after, removing Shemaine Campbelle for just five as the batter attempted a wild swipe across the line and was bowled, leaving the score at 89 for 3. The Trinbago Knight Riders then found further success when the well-set Stafanie Taylor was run out by a sharp piece of fielding from Deandra Dottin. Taylor’s crucial knock of 45 from 37 deliveries, scored at a strike rate of 121.62 and featuring five boundaries and a six, came to an unfortunate end. By the close of the 15th over, the Amazon Warriors found themselves in a tricky position at 91 for 4.

With five overs left in the innings, the hosts were

eyeing a strong finish, but the Trinbago Knight Riders’ bowlers executed their plans brilliantly at the death. Shikha Pandey kept things tight with figures of 1 for 29, while Jess Jonassen was outstanding, finishing with 2 for 18. Despite the pressure, Chedean Nation provided some late resistance with an unbeaten cameo of 21 from 15 balls, ensuring the Amazon Warriors pushed their total to 129 for 7 at the end of their 20 overs.

Chasing 130 for victory at a required rate of 6.5 runs per over, the Trinbago Knight Riders looked set for a strong start. However, an early let-off came when Rashada Williams was dropped on zero by Karishma Ramharack. Williams failed to make the most of the reprieve, as she was soon trapped LBW by off-spinner Ashmini Munisar for just one. Meanwhile, Lizelle Lee took charge at the other end, finding the boundaries regularly and keeping TKR

in control, with the team reaching 35 for 1 after the powerplay.

seas duo of Lizelle Lee and Jess Jonassen steadily kept the scoreboard moving, ro tating strike and finding oc casional boundaries. The Amazon Warriors bowlers largely maintained disci plined lines and lengths, but with TKR needing 75 runs from the final 10 overs and still holding 9 wickets in hand, the chase remained very much within reach for the visitors.

The Amazon Warriors finally broke the key partnership thanks to a superb catch by Molly Penfold on the boundary rope, taking Jess Jonassen’s wicket for 22. Ashmini Munisar struck once again, this time dismissing the well-set Lizelle Lee, who had played a polished innings of 36. By the 13th over, the Trinbago Knight Riders were in a slightly precarious position at 71 for 3.

After striking a few lusty blows, Harris delivered the breakthrough by removing the dangerous Deandra Dottin for 14. With five overs remaining, TKR re-

quired 36 runs for victory, with Shabika Gajnabi and Jahzara Claxton at the crease. However, pressure mounted when Karishma Ramharack’s tough day in the field continued as she dropped Claxton on 10 –though Harris quickly made amends, bowling her for 15. Ashmini Munisar then returned to cap off a brilliant spell, dismissing Jannillea Glasgow for two and finishing with outstanding figures of 3 for 21, swinging the momentum heavily in favour of the home side. The collapse continued as TKR’s innings unravelled with sloppy play, including two run-outs, before they stumbled to 123 for 9. The Guyana Amazon Warriors sealed a thrilling victory, winning the opening match of the tournament by 6 runs to delight their home crowd.

‘Warrior Nation’ showed up in their numbers at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence on Saturday night for one of the most anticipated clashes of the Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League season.

Proudly clad in their player replicas, the CPL fans were able to take in a thrilling contest.

TGAW holds nerves to exact revenge on TKR

ing Colin Munro for 17 in the third over, followed by Romario Shepherd dismantling Alex Hales’ stumps in the very next over.

The National Stadium erupted when Moeen Ali castled the dangerous Nicholas Pooran, leaving the Knight Riders reeling

he Guyana National Stadium, Providence, hosted a battle that lived up to its “blockbuster” billing on Saturday night as the Guyana Amazon Warriors (GAW) secured sweet revenge over the Trinbago Knight Riders (TKR) in their Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League (CPL) rematch.

After 39 overs of a seesaw contest, the match came down to the final over with the Amazon Warriors needing nine runs from six deliveries. Kieron Pollard, armed with all his trademark tactics, took the ball, but Dwaine Pretorius’ composure and power carried the hosts to victory – earning the South African international the Man of the Match award.

Earlier, GAW won the toss and elected to field, sending the Knight Riders in to bat. The visitors posted 1675, largely thanks to Pollard’s explosive 18-ball blitz. The Warriors got off to a flying start with Pretorius dismiss -

Daren Bravo and Keacy Carty steadied the innings with a 56-run partnership, but their scoring rate remained slow, with just 95 runs accumulated in 15 overs.

Following the dismissals of Bravo and Carty for 33 and 29 respectively, Pollard delivered a match-changing performance for the TKR, smashing a 17-ball half-century and finishing with 54 runs off 19 deliveries, including five fours and five six- es.

Despite this late flourish, the Amazon Warriors were left to rue their death bowling after a costly first half, as TKR set up a challenging target.

Pretorius, Shepherd, Imran Tahir, and Ali each claimed a wicket, with Ali producing the most impressive figures at 1-11 from four overs.

Chasing 168 for victory, GAW had to restructure their opening partnership after Ben McDermott suffered a

shoulder injury in the first innings. The change brought little early reward, as Ali was dismissed for just 4 in the opening over, caught at deep square-leg by Nathan Edwards. Keemo Paul, making his first appearance of this year’s CPL, followed soon after, falling to an ambitious reverse sweep that handed Akeal Hosein his second wicket of the night.

With the score at 14 for 2, pressure mounted on the Warriors, but local favourite Shimron Hetmyer joined forces with in-form Shai Hope to shift the momentum. The pair counterattacked brilliantly, clearing the ropes six times during the powerplay and lifting the team to 66 for 2 after six overs.

The partnership continued beyond the powerplay, with Hetmyer and Hope demonstrating composure and maturity to keep the scoreboard ticking. They rotated the strike efficiently and punctuated their running with well-timed boundaries, keeping the required rate under control and putting the Warriors in a strong position heading into the final 10 overs.

Sunil Narine provided the breakthrough for Trinbago, dismissing the dangerous Hetmyer and ending a crucial 83-run partnership. Hetmyer fell just short of a half-century, finishing with a scintillating 49 off 30 balls, featuring two fours and four towering sixes.

Hope continued with purpose, but the Warriors suffered another setback shortly after. Hassan Khan’s attempt to accelerate backfired, as he was bowled for just 3, leaving the hosts at 109 for 4 after 13.1 overs.

Hope continued his determined innings, reaching a well-constructed half-century, before TKR’s talisman Narine struck again, trapping him LBW for 53 off 46 balls. Narine capped off a superb spell with economical figures of 2 for 12 from four overs, leaving the Warriors with plenty of work still to do.

With Pretorius and Shepherd at the crease, the Warriors needed 44 runs from 24 deliveries. Shepherd started aggressively, launching Andre Russell over his head for a massive six, but Russell struck back im-

mediately, removing the all-rounder for 9. Pretorius, however, refused to yield, counterattacking with two huge sixes off Russell to bring the chase back into balance, leaving 19 runs needed from the final 12 balls.

With nine runs required from the final over, Trinbago turned to veteran Pollard to defend the total. However, Pretorius held his nerve, smashing the third ball over

deep mid-wicket for a crucial six. Gudakesh Motie then guided the Warriors home, securing a thrilling three-wicket victory for the hosts.

The Guyana Amazon Warriors made a statement with their first home win of the season, defeating their biggest nemesis in front of an ecstatic Providence crowd, making the victory all the more memorable.