3
Ali
…PM urges Guyanese to spread goodwill, reflect on challenges to overcome as a country
Diwali transcends boundaries of religion; ignites spirit of unity; radiates hope, happiness – Pres
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$7B Lima Regional Hospital on track for April 2025 completion – Dr Anthony Judiciary must “step up” – Jagdeo on important cases languishing in courts
Under the inky night sky, thousands of gleaming diyas formed the shape of Guyana, illuminating the National Track and Field Centre in Leonora with a spectacular display of light. This mesmerising scene at the Deepavali Mahotsav captivated hearts, celebrating the essence of Deepavali on Wednesday evening
The Guyana Hindu Dharmic Sabha's Diwali Motorcade lit up Wednesday evening with a dazzling display of illuminated floats, vibrant colours, and joyous chants. Each vehicle, adorned with intricate designs and glowing lights, brought the magic of the Festival of Lights to life, spreading messages of love, unity, and positivity. Together, under the night sky, the celebration painted the East Coast of Demerara with a kaleidoscope of radiance, inviting all to join in the spirit of Diwali (Jemima Holmes and Tourism Guyana photos)
BRIDGE OPENINGS
The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:
Thursday, October 31 – 03:45h-05:15h and Friday, November 1 –03:45h-05:15h.
The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:
Thursday, October 31 –15:45h-17:15h and Friday, November 1 – 16:10h-17:40h.
FERRY SCHEDULE
Diwali
transcends boundaries of religion; ignites spirit of unity; radiates hope, happiness – Pres Ali …PM urges Guyanese to spread goodwill, reflect on challenges to overcome as a country
Parika and Supenaam departure times – 05:00h, 10:00h-12:00h, 16:00h, 18:30h daily.
TODAY
grees Celsius.
Winds: North-Easterly to Easterly between 1.34 metres and 4.02 metres.
High Tide: 15:48h reaching a maximum height of 2.65 metres.
Low Tide: 09:26h and 21:44h reaching minimum heights of 0.66 metre and 0.53 metre.
iwali in Guyana has always been a community affair, given that the Festival of Lights is one of the most anticipated religious observances for the calendar year.
As customary, Guyanese nationwide gather together to witness the country transform into a spectacle of lights and colours as homes, temples, and public spaces of the Hindu community are adorned with intricate rangoli patterns, diyas, and other symbolic elements.
While highlighting the timeless message of the triumph of good over evil, and knowledge over ignorance, families share sweetmeats, savoury delights, exchange gifts and reflect on the humble beginnings with the Indian Diaspora – a true testament of Guyana’s diverse cultural threads and harmonious tapestry.
On the occasion of Diwali 2024, President Dr Irfaan Ali extended greetings to the Hindu community, urging all to “move forward together with the light of love, unity, and mutual respect guiding our way”.
In his Diwali 2024 message, President Ali also shared that the vibrancy associated with Diwali transcends the boundaries of religion, ignites the spirit of unity, and radiates hope and happiness.
The Guyanese leader added that Diwali inspires us to seek truth and justice in our daily lives, no matter the challenges we face, and reminds us that the light of goodness and integrity will always prevail over the forces of darkness, confusion, and deceit.
“As we light our diyas this year, let us also ignite within ourselves the spirit of unity and love for one another. Let us strive to build a society where everyone is treated with dignity and respect, regardless of ethnici-
ty, religion, or economic status. The values that Diwali teaches – kindness, compassion, and the relentless pursuit of good – are principles that should guide us as we work together to build a better Guyana for all. Each one of us has a role to play in shaping the future of our nation, and Diwali serves as a timely reminder that the journey toward peace and prosperity begins with the choices we make in our own lives. By fostering love, kindness, and understanding, we build a country in which everyone has a stake and where everyone can thrive,” Ali said.
According to the President, it is important that Guyanese remember what Diwali represents, devote time to reflect on the blessings bestowed by Lakshmi and continue working for a future that is brighter, more inclusive, and filled with opportunities for all Guyanese.
“Just as light has the power to dispel physical darkness, so too must we work to dispel the darkness within ourselves. In this season of reflection and renewal, let us each take a
moment to examine our own hearts and minds, recognising the vices that keep us from true enlightenment. Hatred, anger, envy, greed –these are the shadows that cloud our souls and prevent us from living in harmony with each other. Diwali calls upon us to cast away these negative forces and to cleanse ourselves of the emotions and actions that hinder personal and societal progress,” the Guyanese Leader added.
Enriched traditions
Similarly, Prime Minister, Brigadier (Retired) Mark Phillips shared that Diwali carried with it a universal message of hope, light, and renewal, while simultaneously showcasing Guyana’s enriched traditions.
“We are blessed to live in a country where the observance of religious festivals like Diwali allows us to appreciate our shared heritage as “One People, One Nation, One Destiny”. These celebrations offer an opportunity for reflection and renewal. They also remind us that we must embrace the lessons of love, unity, and forgiveness so that we can build a stronger and more harmonious
country,” the PM shared.
On this point, the Prime Minister urged Guyanese to spread goodwill and reflect to overcome challenges the country face, as a collective.
“The lighting of the Diya, which is central to Diwali, is a powerful symbol that holds significant meaning for each of us. It reminds us that no matter how overwhelming the darkness may seem, even the smallest flicker of light has the power to dispel it. This light is both a physical and symbolic representation of the inner qualities we strive to nurture, qualities such as compassion, kindness, and understanding. It is a call for all of us to be examples of hope and positivity in our communities, spreading goodwill and bringing people together”.
“This Diwali, I urge that we all take a moment to reflect on its important message. Let the light of the diya inspire us to overcome the challenges we face, both as individuals and as a country. May we live out the principles of Diwali –kindness, generosity, and righteousness so we can continue to nurture peace, understanding, and prosperity in our beautiful country,” he added. (G1)
President Dr Irfaan Ali addressing the Deepavali Mahotsav, held in the National Track and Field Centre, Leonora, Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara)
Prime Minister, Brigadier (Retired) Mark Phillips
Editor: Tusika Martin
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Diwali illuminates path to unity & prosperity
Today the Hindu community gathers in celebration of Diwali, the festival of lights, on the year’s darkest night.
For Guyana, being near the equator, the lengthening of night may not be as striking as in northern countries; but in regions like North India —home to the ancestors of nearly half of our population — this season once marked the end of harvest and preparation for winter. Lights were lit to celebrate the bounty and to honour the life-giving return of the sun, a practice that became the foundation of Diwali.
Diwali celebrates Goddess Lakshmi, the giver of wealth and light, symbolizing prosperity, health and hope. For early civilizations, wealth came from a successful harvest, making the worship of Lakshmi a gesture of gratitude. Hindus understand that wealth is a duty, essential for fulfilling life's responsibilities, but equally emphasize its just and generous distribution to uplift society. The wisdom "Earn with a hundred hands; give with a thousand" embodies the need for both prosperity and charity.
Each day, Hindus recite a prayer while looking at their open palms: "Lakshmi (Wealth) is on my fingertips; Saraswati (Knowledge) is in the middle; and Govinda (Protection) is at its base." This reminds us that individuals are responsible for earning wealth, guided by knowledge, and for using it to protect family, community, and country.
The symbolism of lighting lamps also holds a personal message. For ancient peoples, a single light may not have held back the night, but several lights shining together could evoke the return of the sun. Diwali calls on society to ignite individual lights for the common good. Each person can dispel personal darkness by reaching out, mending fences with neighbours, and working through challenges with friends and co-workers. In these small acts we keep the light of unity burning.
Diwali’s customs provide valuable lessons for building bonds and harmony. Hindu families clean their homes together to welcome Mother Lakshmi, symbolizing a fresh start; and prepare sweetmeats to share, building closer family ties. Sharing these sweets with neighbours spreads warmth and goodwill across communities. In multi-ethnic, multireligious Guyana, it’s inspiring to see other groups join in the celebration, embracing a tradition that supports our nationbuilding efforts. Hindus, too, have increasingly taken Diwali into public spaces, inviting all Guyanese to celebrate in the light of unity.
Diwali, then, is more than a festival; it is a tool for unity, reminding that despite our diverse ethnic, cultural, and religious backgrounds, we can come together in the shared values of harmony, prosperity, and mutual respect. This Diwali, may each lamp that is lit bring hope, peace, and unity to every corner of Guyana.
Diwali’s message of light dispelling darkness carries unique significance for Guyana, a vibrant nation of diverse ethnicities, cultures, and religions. As our Hindu community illuminates homes and communities, the festival becomes a bridge connecting the entire society across differences, encouraging all to share in the universal themes of goodwill, harmony, and unity. By coming together for Diwali, we honour not only Hindu traditions, but also the deeper values that resonate across all cultures and beliefs —compassion, respect, and hope for a brighter future.
This unity is particularly vital as Guyana works toward a more inclusive and prosperous society. Diwali reminds us, as a society, that while each of us may have our distinct beliefs and practices, the underlying light we seek is common. By embracing these shared values and celebrating together, we strengthen the bonds that make us a resilient, multi-ethnic community.
May this Diwali inspire all to move forward hand-inhand, building a future rooted in peace, understanding, and collective progress.
Happy Diwali, Guyana! May this festival fill every home and heart with light, prosperity, and joy.
PPP places emphasis on unity, prosperity, an inclusive future in Diwali greetings
The People’s Progressive Party (PPP) extends its warmest greetings to all Guyanese, particularly the Hindu community, on the auspicious occasion of Diwali, the festival of lights.
Diwali holds deep cultural and spiritual significance, representing the triumph of good over evil, light over darkness, and hope over despair. It is a time for reflection on the values of righteousness, unity, and the importance of working together for the greater good.
As we celebrate Diwali, we are reminded of the need to build a society rooted in respect, harmony, and tolerance, where every individual can prosper and live in peace. Diwali’s message of light dispelling darkness is especially relevant as we continue to strive for a Guyana that is inclusive and progressive.
The PPP reaffirms its commitment to the development and wellbeing of all Guyanese, regardless of race, religion, or creed. As the lights of Diwali illuminate our homes and communities, let us renew our resolve to work together for a brighter, more prosperous future for our nation.
We take this opportunity to wish everyone a safe and joyous Diwali. May this festival bring happiness, health and prosperity to all homes across Guyana.
Glow of diyas should inspire sense of peace, compassion – GAWU
TDiwali: Lighting the diya within
By Brahma Kumari Centre
As the vibrant festivities of Navratri and Diwali unfold, they bring with them a profound message of spiritual awakening and self-realization. During Navratri, fasting is observed as a vow to overcome vices like anger, criticism, and irritation.
Consuming Sattvic food reminds us that everything we read, listen, eat and drink needs to be high vibrational in order to purify the mind and body. Jagran is the call to awaken to a righteous way of thinking and living. At its core, Navratri celebrates invoking of the divine feminine, the 'Ashta Bhuja Dhari' Maa Shakti, the embodiment of 8 inner powers within each soul. Each power, when awakened, leads us towards self-realization.
he Festival of Lights —Diwali — illuminates the profound truth that good ultimately triumphs over evil. This celebration honours Lord Rama's return to Ayodhya, after 14 years of exile during which he vanquished the demon king Ravana.
Diwali represents not just Lord Rama's homecoming, but the victory of righteousness over darkness, highlighting the enduring power of love and loyalty to overcome life’s challenges.
The story of Diwali carries a poignant lesson for all of us. It reminds us that, even in the darkest times, righteousness can triumph over evil. Our nation has faced numerous challenges throughout the years, and there were moments filled with doubt and fear about our ability to emerge victorious. However, history has shown that, as a people, we have persevered and triumphed.
Today we still confront issues, like racial division and economic disparities that weigh heavily on our hearts, yet we also see the dedication and efforts of many who strive to bring about positive change. Diwali encourages us to hold on to hope and believe that we can overcome these challenges together.
Diwali is a time for celebration and reflection, reminding us of the importance of compassion for those less fortunate. This holiday inspires us to commit to helping those in need, while encouraging gatherings with family and moments of prayer. Embraced by both Hindus and non-Hindus, Diwali unites us, highlighting the shared humanity that binds us all together.
In this beautiful season of Diwali, the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) warmly extends heartfelt greetings to the Hindu community and to all fellow Guyanese. We hope that the gentle glow of the diyas inspires everyone to embrace the light within, fostering a sense of peace and compassion in our hearts and minds.
ERC recognises cultural, spiritual significance of Diwali
The Ethnic Relations Commission (ERC) extends warm commendations to all Guyanese, especially our Hindu brothers and sisters residing here and around the world, as this auspicious occasion of Diwali is being observed.
Diwali, also known as Deepavali, the Festival of Lights, symbolizes the triumph of light over darkness, of good over evil, and of knowledge over ignorance. In Guyana, it is a period characterized by reflection, joy, and strengthening of bonds among family, friends, and communities.
The ERC recognizes the cultural and spiritual significance of this festival, which not only promotes unity among all the Guyanese people, but also fosters understanding and appreciation of diverse cultural backgrounds that constitute our multi-ethnic society.
In the spirit of Diwali, the ERC urges everyone to reflect on the values of compassion, generosity, and tolerance, which are essential for building a peaceful and harmonious society. The Commission urges all Guyanese to light diyas, share sweets, and partake in cultural activities that showcase the vibrancy and richness of Diwali, a national holiday in Guyana.
The ERC is committed to promoting ethnic harmony and understanding, and firmly believes that Diwali advocates bridging cultural divides and fostering a sense of community. As we illuminate our homes and hearts during this festival, let us embrace the values of unity, tolerance, and respect for all. Shubh Deepavali!
Parvati Devi: Power to Detach – withdraw from dependencies, give unconditional love.
Maa Durga: Power to Let Go – release past hurt.
Jagadamba: Power to Tolerate – nurture ourselves and others.
Santoshi Maa: Power to Accept – accept everyone and embrace contentment.
Gayatri Devi: Power to Discern – distinguish between right and wrong.
Saraswati Maa: Power to Decide – make accurate choices. Kali Maa: Power to Face – confront and finish anything that is immoral.
Lakshmi Maa: Power to Co-operate – support and empower people selflessly.
Together, these 8 powers help us finish the inner ‘Ravan’ of 10 vices: lust, anger, greed, attachment, ego, jealousy, hatred, deceit, stubbornness, and laziness. This victory is celebrated as Dussehra, where ‘Dasa’ means ten and ‘Hara’ means to destroy.
Dussehra is soon followed by Diwali, the festival of light, traditionally honouring Sri Ram’s return to his kingdom from exile. In fact, Sri Ram's journey symbolizes our path from darkness to light, from ignorance to wisdom. It reminds us that by overcoming our vices, we restore our natural state of peace, love, and happiness.
Diwali transcends mere festivities, with each ritual carrying a deeper meaning that reflects our journey back to our true divine self.
Cleaning the House: Just as we sweep away dust and cobwebs, we must clear out accumulated emotional stains of hurt, anger, resentment or stress. This inner cleansing requires intentional mental reframing. For instance, replacing lingering thoughts like "Why did they wrong me?" with "It was their perspective, their mood. It was a Karmic account. It is over now."
Wearing New Clothes: New attire and household items symbolize the renewal that follows cleansing. As we clean our mind to release old patterns, we learn new ways of thinking, speaking and behaving. Old sanskars of anger, hurt and criticism give way to understanding, compassion, respect, forgiveness and acceptance.
Exchanging Gifts: The most meaningful gift we can offer each other is not material, but spiritual — blessings and good wishes as our constant offering, not just during the festival. Giving everyone a symbolic "Gift Card" that says, "From this moment onward, no matter what you say or do, I respond only with pure thoughts, pure feelings, and blessings."
Savouring Sweets: Sweets are prepared with love, and offered to God, allowing His blessings to infuse them with divine energy. These sweets remind us to "sweeten" our words as well. Let our mantra be: “I speak less, I speak softly, I speak sweetly. My words are filled with kindness and the sweetness of love.”
Lighting Diyas: In Hindi, ‘Diya’ translates to ‘Dena’, meaning ‘to give’. Its clay form symbolizes our physical body, and the wick within it stands as a metaphor for the soul, patiently awaiting to be illuminated by the oil of wisdom.
“I am a soul. Love, peace and happiness are my original qualities. I am a giver of these qualities to everyone.”
Our hands, like those of Sri Lakshmi Ji, should always be extended in blessings. Sri Lakshmi embodies divinity and the true "Mann ka Lakshya," the aim of life, which is to give endlessly.
New account books: Just as businessmen close old financial accounts and open new ledgers, we must do the same with our karmic accounts. It’s time to clear the debts of past hurt, unresolved conflicts, and any lingering negativity with others. No matter how deep-rooted these issues may be, or how heavy they weigh upon us, we have the power to close those accounts and begin anew, filling our karmic ledger with acceptance, forgiveness, and love.
Bhaiya Dooj: Applying a Tilak reminds us to remain in constant awareness. "I am a pure soul, and so is everyone else." When we maintain this soul-to-soul connection, our interactions transcend the barriers of roles, status, relationships, position or age. Ego dissolves, expectations are finished, and we let go of desires and dependencies.
This shift in consciousness becomes a powerful force, and through our collective awareness, we pave the way for a new, harmonious era — the Golden Age — where divinity, harmony, and prosperity for all is a natural way of being.
Rich man’s privilege characterises Glenn Lall’s attack on my sister
Dear Editor,
I’ve observed an unsettling undercurrent in the political discourse in Guyana, which, though it encompasses partisan politics, extends more broadly to socio-political conversations about organizing for causes. I intend to address this issue at a macro level in the future. However, I feel compelled to start at the personal level, as we often learn to love individually before we can love collectively.
In a recent broadcast, Glenn Lall responded to an editorial by Abena Rockcliffe (my sister) titled "Guyana Loses in the Short, Medium, and Long Term if
ExxonMobil Walks Over Forced Renegotiation." In his response, he cast several distasteful insults, with the most painful being his claim that he "taught her to think critically." I can assure you that Abena’s capacity for critical and independent thinking was cultivated by our parents, siblings, teachers, and colleagues, not by Lall. Other remarks he made were equally painful, leaving friends to ask why he would publicly demean her in this way. Yet, I find them too vile to recount here.
I recognize Lall’s advocacy for ExxonMobil to return to the negotiation ta-
ble as commendable. Any reasonable person can see that Guyana signed an unfavourable deal. However, most Guyanese do not share Lall’s privilege of substantial wealth or access to vast resources for analyzing the intricacies of the deal and weighing the risks of renegotiation.
They also do not share my sister’s privilege of making a living through research and informed commentary. Her editorial was presented as a carefully reasoned perspective, inviting constructive discussion. It was a well ratiocinated piece in contrast to Lall’s attack.
Is Abena right? Are Mr.
Norton, or Vice President Jagdeo, or Lall right? None of us can be entirely certain. This situation demands nuanced perspectives from accountants, lawyers, social scientists, journalists and, importantly, the Guyanese public. Many people work long hours, and rely on these insights to form opinions. With that in mind, I might later discuss methodological questions on the data that reportedly shows “94% of respondents favour renegotiation,” including questions about sample validity, response framing, and risk considerations inter alia.
Lall ignorantly and
Energy sector is vital to the country’s development
Dear Editor, In a move towards solving the nagging blackouts, Prime Minister Brigadier (ret’d) Mark Phillips, who is responsible for the energy sector, has vowed to reduce or end the blackouts which have wreaked havoc on the residents throughout the country.
The PM remarked that much of the problems with Guyana Power and Light (GPL) were inherited from the previous Government, which did very little to maintain and upgrade the electric grids to meet the growing demands of the massive development across the country, and he is adamant that he would leave no stone unturned and that every action would be taken to bring an end to the blackouts.
With his extensive military background and training, and with him once being the Chief of Staff of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF), PM Phillips is not only authentic, but has a reputation for solving problems in the army, and he has brought those thoughtful and insightful skills to his leadership role in the Government.
Action-driven, sincere and genuine, Prime Minister Phillips has reaffirmed the Government's unwavering commitment to transforming the nation's power infrastructure, boosting its generation capacity, and improving its service delivery to the citizens of
Guyana. With support from President Dr. Irfaan Ali and echoing Vice President Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo, PM Phillips underscored the fact that extensive work is currently underway on GPL transmission and distribution systems, including the installation of additional generators to enhance the power company’s overall capacity, functionality and efficiency, and hence the reduction of blackouts.
With completion of the gas-to-shore project, Brigadier Phillips told the nation, blackout would be a thing of the past, and the consumers’ electricity bills would be vastly reduced.
According to Brigadier Phillips, the energy sector, particularly GPL, is vital to the nation's infrastructural development strategies throughout the country. It is the foundation upon which the country's economic prosperity, social progress, and wellbeing of the people depend. He acknowledged that without the energy sector, and in this case GPL, there would be no substantive development, and progress would be stalled and the poor would suffer.
PM Phillips posited that over the past four years, tremendous improvement has been made to the electrical grid to make it more efficient to stem the blackout woes that have plagued the country for decades. However, to his credit, and unlike others, Prime Minister Phillips was honest to admit that
there are major challenges at all levels of the GPL supply system: from fuel allocation to line losses to power delivery to consumers, and not to mention theft of electricity which has existed for decades, all of which he claimed would be addressed with the Government’s plans for improvement in generation, transmission, and distribution systems across the country, even as the corporation expands service to unserved areas.
The Prime Minister stressed that these plans
would enable GPL to meet its peak demands, and thus move the country to the apex of its development.
The Prime Minister's dedication to the citizens of Guyana is boundless and never-ending, and "come hell or high water", he is committed to end or significantly reduce the power outages in the country, which is an annoyance to the citizens.
Sincerely,
Dr Asquith Rose
arrogantly displayed the privilege that is the luxury of a wealthy man. He displayed his inability or unwillingness to grapple with nuance and his disdain for free-thinking people. He was cruel and insensitive towards her, without regard for her humanity or the fact that she is someone’s wife, daughter, sister, and most importantly mother. Would he appreciate those words being spoken about his wife or daughter? I hope he never experiences that. As Abena’s brother, it was painful. He hurled unstudied and untruthful epithets and innuendos. And in response to what?
A personal attack on his character? An attack on his family? No. A journalist who dared to provide to the Guyanese people a perspective that he disagrees with.
There are other political actors in Guyana who, like Lall, are providing yeoman service but are engaging in similar types of despicable name calling and labelling of people with whom they disagree. However, I would approach them with my critique in private, before confronting them in the public space; my piety and gratitude for their intellectual example, sacrifice and commitment demand that I do so.
However, piety is not an uncritical deference to the positions of the elders or exemplars; it is a grateful acknowledgement of their tremendous sacrifice and stewardship. I have a responsibility to converse with them in private before taking my critique public; and if they are still grand exemplars, they would appreciate thoughtful, measured, honest and respectful disagreements with their positions.
While my sister may not be as quick to forgive Lall as I am, I believe an apology and retraction from him would be a good start towards getting that forgiveness. A more meaningful contribution from Lall would be a studied rebuttal to the points she raised in her piece. Could he highlight where her analysis faltered, and illuminate the Guyanese people? Such an approach could advance the dialogue in the public interest.
Lastly, here’s a question for all of us: If faced with the option to continue under this admittedly bad deal, or to press for renegotiation knowing that there is a real risk of ExxonMobil leaving, what would Guyanese choose?
Humbly, Ato Kenya Rockcliffe
Page Foundation
Dividing mixed numbers
To divide mixed numbers, change each mixed number into an improper fraction. If only one number in your division problem is a mixed number, change it to an improper fraction. If both numbers in your division problem are mixed numbers, change both to improper fractions.
Diwali paper diya craft
These vibrant diyas are simple to make and will beautifully decorate your house on Diwali.
You’ll need Diwali paper diya template
Construction paper
Glue
Scissors
Tape
Instructions
1. Use the diya included as a template. I recommend using cardstock for the diyas.
2. Cut out all the pieces using a good pair of scissors.
3. Take an A4 Construction paper and fold it in accordion-
style along the long edge. Each fold should be approximately 1cm wide. You can use an ice cream popsicle as a reference for uniform folds.
4. Fold the completed design in half and cut it, resulting in two designs from one piece of paper.
5. Take one of them, fold it in half again apply glue on the side, and stick them together. Spread the folds to form a semicircle.
6. Paste the diya on the perforated paper craft we just created.
There you have it! Your paper diya is now ready to illuminate the room. (littleladoo.com)
Govt drafting law to clamp down on companies’ rotation of foreign workers to avoid taxes
…as amendments to Local Content Act expected in 2025
The People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) Government is beginning to clamp down on companies which are rotating foreign workers to avoid remitting taxes to the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA).
In a stark warning to these companies, Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo put them on notice during a press conference on Wednesday that the Local
in the future. I’ve seen evidence that is available to the Local Content Secretariat, where they have a long list of … who are rotating workers. And a lot of them are in management. Now the laws say to qualify for a local content certificate, you have to limit the management to 25 per cent foreigners and 75 per cent of your management has to be Guyanese.
“In the first couple of years, we gave some waiv-
ting work permits for them,” Jagdeo said.
According to Jagdeo, the Government believes this is being done for two reasons. One is to bypass the Income Tax Act, which requires persons to be resident in Guyana for six months in order to be eligible to pay income tax. If persons are rotated out of the country before that six-month period is up, it means no income tax for the State.
Content Secretariat has received evidence that a number of large companies supplying the oil and gas industry were culpable of this practice.
“So, there are some companies that may be looking at this today. And they have a lot to worry about
ers, because already, companies had contracts with ExxonMobil and the changeout would take some time. But this has become a loophole for some of them, to bypass the legislation. So, they’re bringing in long lists of foreigners as rotating workers. They’re get-
“And then sometimes they bring them back the following year or bring new people. So, I spoke with the Commissioner (of GRA). And we’re now drafting legislation that will cover that loophole. Because that used to be in our Income Tax Act. So that’s one. So that peo-
ple that come to work for the oil and gas sector, they can’t use this creative mechanism of rotating the foreign workers to avoid paying taxes.
“Secondly, those Guyanese companies who have a local content certificate, they have to place these people, the rotating workers, in their management structures. And then apply the formula of 25/75. That’s one of the criteria for qualifying as a local company. And if they don’t meet the criteria, they may lose their local content certificate,” Jagdeo explained.
Legislative updates
The Vice President also spoke of the Government’s planned updates to the Local Content Act, for which consultations have already started in some parts of the country. According to Jagdeo, the amendments to the Act are expected to be finalised by next year and further, they are looking at proposals that include increasing the percentage of work that companies in oil and gas have to give to locals, as well as the range of sectors.
“So, we were thinking about increasing the percentages there and maybe adding new sectors. So, it’s not just that sort of reform that will come, but also, we’re looking to close the loopholes here where people are subverting the Act. Some of the companies are doing this. And they’ll be
written to shortly to ensure greater compliance.
“Because our job is to ensure that Guyanese can progress. When they get a local content certificate, they also have to submit a plan to show how they’re going to (increase Guyanese representation in) their management,” he pointed out.
According to the Vice President, the Government’s ultimate aim is to not only get Guyanese as workers, but also to get them into management. As such, Jagdeo outlined the Government’s zero tolerance for companies bypassing the Local Content Act. Jagdeo even noted cases where foreigners were being paid more than the locals, all of which, according to him, would be addressed by the Government.
“We’ve seen cases where, for comparable skills, they’re paying the foreigner much more than the local person. And this is happening with the bigger companies. I’m not talking about the small
Guyanese local content certificate holders. Some of the bigger ones who supply large amounts in terms of volume and value of contract, to Exxon.
“We’re watching all of these things carefully. We have to look out for our people. And some of these companies benefit from huge help from the Government. And then they want to shaft Guyanese too. It will not be tolerated.”
The Local Content Act states that contractors, sub-contractors, and licensees operating in Guyana’s petroleum sector must submit a Local Content Annual Plan, outlining in detail their procurement, employment, and capacity development plans for the reporting year.
For the companies who fall afoul of this act and fail to meet the minimum targets of the legislation, there are fines that range from as low as $5 million to as high as $50 million. (G3)
Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo
The Guyana Revenue Authority
Parliamentary Secretaries reinstated as CCJ overturns
Guyana’s appeal court decision
…Sarah Browne, Vickash Ramkissoon to be non-voting members
The Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) on Wednesday overturned the Guyana Court of Appeal’s decision to annul the appointments of Vickash Ramkissoon and Sarah Browne as Parliamentary Secretaries in 2023, noting that the two parliamentarians will resume their function, however, as non-voting members.
The unanimous ruling was delivered by Justice Winston Anderson in the virtual presence of Guyana’s Attorney General Anil Nandlall, SC; Solicitor General Nigel Hawke; Deputy Solicitor General Shoshanna Lall as well as Attorney-at-Law and parliamentarian Roysdale Forde, SC, among other parties to the case.
The appointments of Ramkissoon and Browne as Parliamentary Secretaries to the Amerindian Affairs and Agriculture Ministries respectively were challenged in the High Court in 2020 by Opposition Chief Whip Christopher Jones.
He had contended that Browne and Ramkissoon could not be appointed as non-elected parliamentarians since they were named on the List of Candidates presented by the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) for the March 2, 2020 General and Regional Elections.
Jones’s case was first upheld by acting Chief Justice Roxane George in 2021 and in 2023, Court of Appeal
Judge Dawn Gregory affirmed Justice George’s ruling. In dismissing the appeal, Justice Gregory ruled that Browne and Ramkissoon were not lawful members of the National Assembly since they were on the candidate list.
The Court of Appeal noted that the Chief Justice acted in law, by following the precedent set in Attorney General vs Morian, which was first decided by the now-late Chief Justice Ian Chang in 2016 and whose decision was later affirmed by the Court of Appeal.
However, the Guyana Government had moved to the CCJ, seeking to overturn the rulings of the local courts.
According to the CCJ’s ruling, two main issues were considered including whether the Court of
Appeal was bound by the decision in Morian, and two, whether the appointments of Browne and Ramkissoon were lawful.
The CCJ resolved the both issues through provisions outlined in Guyana’s Constitution and by determining who is and how a person becomes an elected member of the National Assembly.
In his ruling, Justice Anderson stated “The Court considered that the second issue could be resolved by determining, who is and how a person becomes an elected member of the National Assembly. Article 186 of the Constitution was the main provision in dispute. The Court had regard to other provisions in the Constitution that referred to the terms elected member and qualified to be elected.
“Such provisions included Articles 53, 60, 101, 103, 105, 106, 113, 155, 160, and 232. The Court found that for names that are on a successful list, Morian created two classes of elected members. One class comprised real elected members whose names were extracted and who, therefore, could take the oath and sit and vote in the National Assembly and be appointed ministers or parliamentary secretaries.
The other class constituted elected members whose names were not extracted and who could not take the oath, had no seat in the Assembly, and could not be appointed a parliamentary secretary. Morian's interpretation of the term elected member, when applied to certain provisions of the Constitution, produced untenable consequences. The Court, therefore, held that an elected member of the National Assembly is a member whose name is extracted from a successful list. This interpretation allowed for a coherent and consistent application of the term throughout the Constitution.”
As such, the CCJ allowed the appeal, overturning the previous rulings, and clarified that only extracted members from a winning list are official "elected members".
Constitutionalism has won
Following the ruling, Attorney General Nandlall praised the judicial institution of the Caribbean Community (Caricom), stating that “constitutionalism has won”.
“The Caribbean Court of Justice has now finally settled the law and has clarified whatever ambiguities may have existed in relation to these constitutional provisions that relate to the appointment of parliamentary secretaries as well as technocratic members of the National Assembly. So once again, constitutionalism, I believe, has won. Our Constitution has been made clearer and going forward we know how now to approach these matters whenever they arise,” Nandlall said.
At last…
…the rigging trial?
They say “time longer than twine”. But even though the twine in the 2020 rigging case has been unwinding ever since the GECOM Secretariat’s not-so-blind three mice: CEO Keith Lowenfield, Reg 4 Returning Officer Clairmont Mingo, and DCEO Roxanne Myers; and six cohorts - former PNCR Chairperson Volda Lawrence, PNCR activist Carol Smith-Joseph, and GECOM employees Sheffern February, Enrique Livan, Denise Babb-Cummings, and Michelle Miller - were brought before the court the following year, the case is yet to be tried!!
They also say the wheel of justice grinds very slowly, but this is ridiculous!! This case isn’t about some petty matter, like stealing your neighbour’s mangoes; this is stealing the most fundamental right of every Guyanese: the right to choose who’ll rule them!!
Back in 2023, after several magistrates had found all sorts of reasons to recuse themselves from the trial, the AG had complained thus: “Magistrates after magistrates have found reasons that can’t withstand scrutiny for not proceeding to try these cases and other related cases”!! Earlier, in March of this year, while the trial was halted by the latest Magistrate: Senior Magistrate Leron Daly, because the two top defendants had brought a constitutional objection to the High Court (which was thrown out) - the AG had again expressed his frustration: “When I say anything, I’m being accused of criticizing the judiciary, of criticizing the magistracy, of interference. I believe - and I reiteratethat this case is unduly delayed, and every opportunity that presents itself for the case to be delayed, that opportunity is acted upon. And that is a fair commentary on the state of affairs.”
A fair commentary indeed!!
Following that delaying tactic, the case was resumed in July, but again kept getting postposed due to the Magistrate falling ill. Now, no one can prevent illnesses, but one would’ve thought that considering the importance of the case to the body politic, the Chief Magistrate would’ve assigned another of her magistrates to hear the case; and, in so doing, save poor Magistrate Daly’s blushes due to innuendoes about the nature of her illness. “Belly wuk” was one of the kinder ones!! But it’s only now – three months later – we’re told this case would be tried from tomorrow!! Today, of course, is the public holiday of Diwali – the festival that assures us good will triumph over evil. And what could be eviler than elections’ rigging?? Just as Lord Ram had been welcomed by diyas after he defeated Rawan for stealing his wife, all Guyana hopes that, at long last, these elections’ stealers would be brought to justice, and we can get on with elections 2025.
There’s also the danger that the Opposition would be unalterably stigmatised if the trial drags on into the elections period!
Every smart fly does end up in cow’s backside??
…PNC’s contempt explained Upon reflection, one has to also ask: Why were Granger and the PNC willing to take the risk of rigging elections again? You just had to’ve followed the unguarded blogs of PNC folks: it’s all tied to their view of the “kind of people” in the PPP. Let’s start from the head honcho himself - David Granger. At a 2017 meeting with the faithful in Atlanta, he got a big chuckle when he referred to the PPP’s heckling while he’d addressed the National Assembly. He snickered: “I was greeted in the National Assembly by a crowd of vulgarians! Yes, vulgarians: persons who make ostentatious displays of wealth and are often poorly educated or lacking in refinement”!!
It’s more than just an elitist disparagement of “PPP people”. It was explained by Nietzsche as “ressissentiment”: having deep anger and envy at a set of people who were once your social inferiors, but who’ve now superseded you!
How can such people be ALLOWED to rule in the age of oil?? They’re beyond the pale!!
…Kamala’s last stand
Kamala Harris staged her last campaign stop where Trump’s supporters had raided the Capitol: in an anti-Trump gesture, rather than a pro-Kamala statement. The Telegraph said her campaign ended as it began - all style and no substance!!
Representatives present at the virtual ruling
Cane harvester’s killing
30-year-old admits to manslaughter, apologises to victim’s family
The High Court on Wednesday handed down a six-year prison sentence to Donald Grovesnor after he was found guilty on a manslaughter charge.
Grovesnor was charged for killing 29-year-old cane harvester Suraj Jailall. Justice Navindra Singh initially set a 12-year sentence, but reduced it by one-third, or four years, based on Grovesnor's early guilty plea.
This adjustment left Grovesnor with an eightyear jail term, which Justice Singh further reduced by two years, taking into account Grovesnor’s favourable probation report and his expression of remorse to the victim’s family.
With these deductions, Grovesnor’s final sentence stood at six years. However, the time he served on remand since his arrest in March 2019 will be subtracted from his sentence, further reducing his time remaining behind bars.
The case stems from an altercation that occurred on March 27, 2019, when Grovesnor, of Sideline Dam, Sisters Village, West Bank Demerara (WBD), engaged in a heated dispute with Jailall at a local shop in their community.
Both men had been drinking, and the argument reportedly escalated when Jailall picked up a stick. According to witnesses, Grovesnor left the scene, returned with a cutlass, and struck Jailall in the head while he was seated, resulting in fatal injuries.
Jailall was initially treated at West Demerara Regional Hospital, but succumbed to his injuries on March 28, 2019, after being transferred to Georgetown Public Hospital, where scans revealed a fractured skull. (G8)
Police escorting Donald Grovesnor from court on Wednesday
“System is
working” –
Jagdeo on AML/CFT …says Brutus’s case does not make entire Police Force bad
Assistant Police Commissioner Calvin Brutus’s implication in financial crimes cannot be used to paint the entire Guyana Police Force (GPF) as bad, says Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo.
Speaking during his weekly press conference on Wednesday, Jagdeo noted that “you have a lot of hard-working Policemen and people in the army and other services”.
He was at the time responding to comments made by members of the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) and Alliance For Change (AFC) calling for external investigators and their insinuations that the GPF could not perform its task.
The Vice President compared the issue to the recent resignation of a New York Police Department (NYPD) Commissioner amid a corruption probe.
He also pointed out that “several [former] Deputy Commissioners appointed by the APNU/AFC Government were fingered in corrupt practices or allegations of corrupt practices within the Police Force, similar to what Brutus is charged with about procurement-related frauds, etc”.
Brutus, along with his wife Adonika Aulder, his driver Kevin George, and businessman Asif Zafarally appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts on October 24 to face a series of charges relating to financial fraud. Collectively, they were granted in excess of $10 million bail.
Reports are that Brutus answered 30 out of a total of 240 charges, which included four counts of misconduct in public office, two counts of larceny as a public officer, two counts of money laundering, and 20 counts related to the liability of officials.
He was also jointly charged with George and Zafarally, who are facing two counts of obtaining money by false pretence.
The investigation began in July 2024, when Brutus was placed on administra-
tive leave after suspicion arose regarding financial irregularities. Initially linked to the Police Force’s Credit Union, the investigation quickly expanded following information provided by the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU).
The assets of the Assistant Police Commissioner include $300 million in properties and $500 million across joint bank accounts with his wife. As a result, all of these accounts have been frozen, except his salary account.
As part of the case, it was revealed that Brutus received monetary gifts from two individuals. These gifts included US$10,000 as a wedding present and $1,000,000 as a Christmas gift in 2023.
System working Jagdeo on Wednesday further stated that the FIU; the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) and the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) work together in the background to combat fraud. These agencies execute their duties in accordance with the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) Act.
“So [with] the system, if you bypass one layer, you get caught at another layer. It means the system is working. You may go unnoticed for a while, but the system will pick you up,” Jagdeo explained.
Recently, Guyana was evaluated by the Caribbean Financial Action Task Force (CFATF) which confirmed that the institutional framework is consistent with international standards.
The Vice President pointed out that several systems are also being put in place to improve the GPF including training, updating of laws, and more. The Government is also working to strengthen border security with a paperless system, digitise organisations such as the GPF (case management and other files); the Guyana Prison Service; the Guyana Fire Service and others under the Home Affairs Ministry.
Assistant Commissioner of Police, Calvin Brutus
Berbice man remanded for rape of 9-year-old girl
Berbician D’Andre Perry has been remanded to prison for rape allegedly committed on a nine-year-old girl on October 19, 2024. The East Canje court of Reliance Magistrate Michelle Matthias has been told on Wednesday that the brutality of this incident had caused the girl to lose one litre of blood.
The 27-year-old Perry, who was arrested only last Saturday at a bus park in the capital city, after being on the run for one week, has not been required to plead to the indictable charge.
Police Prosecutor Corporal Shenell Matterson told the court that, on October 19, the girl was going to her grandfather’s house when Perry called her. She stopped at his home, and was invited inside. Perry then exposed his private parts, and started to masturbate before pulling off the child’s undergarment and violating her. Matterson detailed that the girl started to screamed, and Perry then fled the house and used his bicycle to escape.
The child went to her relative’s home and was questioned about the blood on her clothing, but she
D’Andre Perry
fainted before she could respond. When she regained consciousness, she related what had transpired.
She was taken to hospital, and had to undergo surgery. The court was told that she lost one litre of blood as a result of the incident.
Prosecutor Matterson objected to this defendant being placed on bail on the ground that, if granted pre-trial liberty, Perry might not return to court, given that he had gone into
hiding after committing the act.
In remanding Perry until November 11, Magistrate Matthias said the court considered three factors in refusing to grant him bail; and those are: the accused might not willingly return to court; the tender age of the victim, and the injuries caused to the victim.
This case has been transferred to the New Amsterdam Magistrates Courts. (G4)
3 men acquitted of murder, manslaughter
Acase that had gripped the East Bank Essequibo community of Parika Façade for nearly three years has ended in the acquittal of Navindra Sugrim, Chaitram Persaud, and Eashwar Soodeo, three men who had been charged with the killing of Trevor Allen of Parika Façade, East Bank Essequibo.
Presided over by Justice Jo-Ann Barlow at the Demerara High Court, the trial ended on Wednesday when a 12-member jury unanimously found the accused not guilty of either murder or manslaughter.
Justice Barlow has thus discharged the defendants, thereby bringing an end to the trial.
Recap
Trevor Allen was fatally beaten and stabbed in a confrontation that escalated at a neighbourhood shop in Parika Façade, East Bank Essequibo on October 31,2021.
Initially, four individuals, one of whom was a 16-yearold, had been charged in connection with Allen’s death, each defendant being accused of participating in an alleged attack involving knives and cutlasses. The three adult defendants were Navindra Sugrim, Chaitram Persaud, and Eashwar Soodeo.
According to police reports in November 2021, the attack unfolded when Allen and his two brothers were drinking at a local shop and he became involved in an argument that turned violent. One of the defendants had reportedly punched Allen, and that had initiated a fight that quickly intensified as three others allegedly joined in with weapons.
Allen was fatally stabbed
five times in the abdomen, and received a deep cut to the forehead. Harvey Allen, the victim’s brother, had attempted to intervene, but had suffered injuries himself and had ultimately had to seek refuge in a nearby canal, from where he had reportedly witnessed the continued assault on his brother.
At an initial court appearance in 2021, the four accused had not been required to enter pleas to the indictable charges of murder, as Magistrate Zameena AliSeepaul had remanded the three adults to prison and the teen to the Juvenile Holding Center.
This case has seen additional tragedy, as one of the suspects, Davin Persaud, known as “Chrissy,” had reportedly committed suicide in custody shortly after being apprehended.
After a prolonged period of legal proceedings and testimony in the Demerara High Court, the jury reached its decision on Wednesday, October 30, 2024, following several hours of deliberation.
(G9)
Teen stabbed to death by 11-year-old friend
Kareem Durant, a 13-year-old student of the Carmel Secondary School and a resident of ‘D’ Field Sophia, Greater Georgetown, has been fatally stabbed by his 11-year-old friend during an altercation that took place at Cummings Park in ‘E’ Field Sophia at about 19:10h on Sunday.
Police reports are that Durant and the suspect had been known to each other, and usually would play together in the community. On the day in question, the 11-yearold was sitting on a stock of PVC pipes that are stored on the parapet at the side of his home when the victim went up to him and pushed him off of the pipes.
The suspect fell to the
ground, but got up and ran inside his home and informed his older brother, who then approached the vic-
tim, calling him in the presence of the suspect and enquiring what had happened between them.
An argument ensued, and Durant left and returned in the company of another male, who was armed with a pair of scissors. He approached the older brother of the suspect and dealt him a stab to his lower left side back. Upon seeing what had happened, the 11-yearold suspect pulled out a knife from his pants waist and dealt the victim a stab to his left side chest.
The victim ran in a westerly direction, and collapsed on the parapet in front of his home. His older brother picked him up and took him to Georgetown Public
Hospital (GPHC), where he was pronounced dead on arrival.
Police said on Wednesday that the scene was processed by ranks of the Crime Laboratory, and a brown handle knife which is suspected to be the murder weapon was recovered in a nearby trench in the vicinity of the scene. A pair of scissors was also recovered next to where the victim had fallen. Both the knife and the scissors have been collected by Police.
The suspect was arrested at the scene and escorted to the Turkeyen Police Station in the company of his father.
The body of the victim has been taken to the GPHC mortuary, and investigations are ongoing.
Dead: Kareem Durant
Navindra Sugrim, Chaitram Persaud, and Eashwar Soodeo at court on Wednesday
Judiciary must “step up” – Jagdeo on important cases languishing in courts
Anumber of important cases are languishing in the court system, including the 2020 election fraud court case that has suffered years of delay, and Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo is urging the judiciary to “step up” in regard to trial of these cases. During his press conference on Wednesday, the Vice President was asked whether he was concerned about the potential for evidence in the election fraud case being compromised amid the time it was taking to proceed with the trial. While he expressed con-
cern over the possibility of such a development, Jagdeo has also urged the judiciary to address the matter.
“Too often we’re asked for explanations, over which we have no control. We, as an executive, we have evidence, supported by a CoI, of an attempt publicly known to everyone: that there was an attempt by individuals to steal the elections, contrary to law. They were engaged in criminal acts. We just want to get on with the trial, so that they have their day in court,” he responded.
“We’re not responsible for that. When we’re asked
now about the sloth and our concerns. Yes, I’m worried about the compromising of evidence, etc. But the judiciary gets away with not saying anything. Who is in charge? They have to ensure that these matters move with some pace,” Jagdeo said.
According to Jagdeo, some cases move quickly to trial, while other cases are unnecessarily dragged on for years in the court system. He cited as an example the land next to MovieTowne at Turkeyen, on the East Coast of Demerara (ECD), which has for years been subject to litigation brought
by
Toolsie Persaud Limited.
In his backstory on the land case, Jagdeo explained that the Turkeyen land was taken away from private individuals by the former People’s National Congress (PNC) government of pre1992 and given to a few people connected to former President Desmond Hoyte.
Jagdeo noted that when the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) got into office in 1992, they immediately made efforts to recover the lands. This prompted the persons who were given the land to unsuccessfully approach the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ), arguing for prescriptive titles.
“Then they filed a case which has been going on for several years after the CCJ ruled for specific performance under a contract that they never respected. That they went for prescriptive title. It’s been languishing in the courts for ages. We can’t get it heard. An abuse of the court system,” Jagdeo affirmed.
According to the Vice President, these persons have been squatting on Government property for years without paying the monies they owed. All this while the case languished in court and an arbitration panel awarded the Government the right to collect monies from them. For comparison, Jagdeo noted that an ordinary man could be evicted by court order within a matter of days.
Step up
According to Jagdeo, he has had discussions with Attorney General Anil Nandlall, SC., on the issue. He made it clear that injustices must not be allowed to continue in perpetuity while cases languish in the court.
“We can’t allow people to continue to squat on Government proper-
ty, just hanging on in the court system. But you let somebody else go to the court. Especially somebody connected. Their case goes through the court in a lightning speed. And these are big, national issues. Protecting tax payers’ assets and the country’s property. And a private individual now, benefitting from free use of the Government land for 10 years, a massive wharf. One of the biggest wharves in the country. Free use of it for over 10 years. And we can’t get the eviction notice completed.
“It’s time the courts step up. And I spoke to the Attorney General. He needs to speak about these matters publicly. I shouldn’t have to. He’s defending the interest of the taxpayers in the country. And fairness in the system. How come these cases are just languishing all the time? Major, major cases. They’re just languishing in the system. Now you’ve hired more judges. We’re going to hire more appeal court judges.”
The elections fraud trials, for several individuals facing charges of alleged irregularities during the general elections in 2020, commenced on July 29, 2024. Being heard before Senior Magistrate Leron Daly at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court, the trial was expected to run from July 29 to September 13, but only three hearings have been completed.
The matter was initially deferred to August 5, but the parties were informed that the presiding magistrate was out sick and the matter would be heard the following day. However, they were subsequently told that the magistrate had been placed on 30 days of sick leave.
When the matter was supposed to have resumed on September 17, it was
revealed that the matter had again been adjourned to October 31, 2024. Since this is a holiday, the case is expected to be heard on Friday, with the proviso that if Magistrate Daly is again unavailable, the case would be transferred to another Magistrate.
Nine persons are before the court in relation to the electoral fraud case. They are former Returning Officer for Region Four, Clairmont Mingo; former Chief Elections Officer (CEO) Keith Lowenfield; his former Deputy, Roxanne Myers; former People’s National Congress/ Reform (PNCR) Chairperson Volda Lawrence; PNCR activist Carol Smith-Joseph; and GECOM employees Sheffern February, Enrique Livan, Michelle Miller and Denise Babb-Cummings. They are facing 28 charges relating to electoral fraud.
Among the offences these defendants are accused of committing are: misconduct while holding public office; presenting falsified documentation; and planning to manipulate Guyana’s voters by presenting an inaccurate vote total.
These charges stem from attempts to rig the 2020 General and Regional Elections in favour of the then ruling APNU/AFC. The election report of former CEO Lowenfield claimed that the APNU/ AFC Coalition garnered 171,825 votes, while the PPP/C gained 166,343 votes. How he arrived at those figures is still unknown, since the certified results from the recount exercise supervised by GECOM and a high-level team from the Caribbean Community (Caricom) pellucidly showed that the PPP/C won with 233,336 votes, while the coalition garnered 217,920. (G3)
Those charged with electoral offences are, top row, from left: Volda Lawrence, Keith Lowenfield and Denise Babb-Cummings, and Michelle Miller. Bottom row, from left: Enrique Livan, Sheffern February, Clairmont Mingo, and Carol Smith-Joseph
$7B Lima Regional Hospital on track for April 2025 completion – Dr Anthony
Construction of the $7 billion Lima Regional Hospital in Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) has progressed substantially, and according to Health Minister Dr Frank Anthony, the project is on track for completion by April 2025.
This regional hospital, which would be providing a range of diagnostic tools currently unavailable in Region Two, is poised to become one of the top healthcare facilities in Guyana. It would feature two operating theatres, multiple outpatient clinics, ultrasound machines, 75 beds, a 24-hour accident and emergency service, a modern laboratory, digital X-rays, and living quarters
for health practitioners.
Having inspected the superstructure on Monday, Dr Anthony has expressed satisfaction with works completed thus far. He declared, “So, earlier, we had the opportunity of visiting the Lima Hospital, and we were able to do a walkthrough to see how the progress of works on the site. I think they’ve been making continuous progress, and we expect that by March/ April that we should be substantially completed.”
He also declared, “I know they have a lot of the equipment that is on sea; so, once that get in, we would be able to assemble them and make sure that we have the
Lima Hospital operational. Our target for that is sometime in April/May, and so we’re working towards getting the hospital operational by then.”
This hospital would also be equipped with a backup power supply, water treatment system, a waste disposal system, and a CT scanner that would eliminate the need for residents to travel to Georgetown for advanced imaging services. According to Dr Anthony, the facility will also be outfitted with other technological advancements geared towards improving patient care.
“So, we’ll be putting in a CT scan at the Lima
Hospital. So, I think (that), over time, Lima Hospital would be the main hub for medical services on the coast. And apart from CT scan, there are many other features that we’ll be putting in there. And one of the things is that if they don’t have someone to interpret the images here,
Shooting of 6-year-old
they would be able to send that through a secure system to Georgetown, where the Radiographers at the Georgetown Hospital would be able to do the interpretation and send back the results to them here. So, this would help the physicians here to make diagnosis that currently might be challeng-
ing,” he explained.
The Lima Regional Hospital is one of six hospitals currently under construction across the Guyana coast. They would all become operational by early 2025. The others are: the Regional Hospital at De Kinderen in Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara); those at Diamond and Enmore in Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica); one at Bath in Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice), and one at Skeldon in Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne). Of the $129.8 billion in budgetary provision allocated to the Health Ministry this year, $15.5 billion has catered for construction of regional hospitals. (G1)
"Miceman" walks free as DPP withdraws charge
Pagainst Marcus, also known as "Miceman," was withdrawn. No explanation was offered for this development, and the courtroom was left in surprise.
Charged in connection with a shooting incident that took place in Charlestown, Georgetown on July 9, wherein six-year-old Jeremiah Gustave has sustained severe injuries and remains hospitalized and dependent on intensive medical support, the 43-year-old Marlon Marcus has been released after the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) advised that charges against him be withdrawn.
The release of Marcus, a well-known figure in the Charlestown community, has left Jeremiah’s family members in shock. Witnesses had allegedly previously identified Marcus as one of the gunmen involved in the al-
tercation. When taken into custody, Marcus had been denied bail, and his case was awaiting further legal action.
Jeremiah’s mother, Keisha Gustave, who was present in court, was very upset at this decision. She believes this decision is harsh, since her son is still hospitalised in a critical condition, and she is struggling with his mounting medical bills and the emotional toll of his injuries.
Still in critical condition, Jeremiah remains unable to swallow independently, and requires constant care. Keisha is thus appealing for both justice and financial support to help care for her son.
Since his arrest in July, Marcus of East Ruimveldt, Georgetown had been remanded to prison for attempted murder committed on July 9 in Charlestown in a shootout incident with Odelle Garnette, reportedly over an unpaid debt. In that exchange of gunfire, young Jeremiah was tragically injured as he sat at his mother’s food stand.
Garnette, the other suspect in the shooting, has been further remanded to prison following his appearance before Magistrate McGusty. Garnette had surrendered to police more than two weeks ago, after a wanted bulletin had been issued for his arrest. (G9)
Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony conducting a site visit of the Lima Regional Hospital in Region Two
roceedings in the Georgetown court of acting Principal
Magistrate Faith McGusty took an unexpected turn on Wednesday when the case
Critical: Jeremiah Gustave
Freed: Marlon Marcus
OIL NEWS
Oil rises on US stockpile drawdown, OPEC+ mulls output hike delay
Oil prices rebounded on Wednesday, rising more than two per cent after data showed US crude and gasoline inventories fell unexpectedly last week and on reports that Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and allies such as Russia (OPEC+) may delay a planned oil output increase.
After falling more than six per cent earlier in the week on the reduced risk of wider Middle East war, Brent crude futures settled up US$1.43, or 2.01 per cent, at US$72.55 a barrel. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude rose US$1.4, or 2.08 per cent, to US$68.61.
US gasoline stockpiles fell unexpectedly last week to a twoyear low on strengthened demand, the Energy Information Administration (EIA) said, while crude inventories also posted a surprise drawdown as imports slipped.
US imports of crude oil from Saudi Arabia fell to their lowest point last week since January 2021, at just 13,000 barrels per day (bpd), down from 150,000 bpd the previous week. Crude imports from Canada, Iraq, Colombia, Brazil all slipped on the week, the EIA said.
“The most supportive element was gasoline inventories drawing amid higher implied demand week-on-week,” Kpler analyst Matt Smith said, adding lower imports helped crude oil inventories eke out a minor draw.
Reuters reported that OPEC+ could delay a planned oil production increase in December by a month or more because of concern over soft oil demand and rising supply.
“OPEC+ has always advised that the unwinding of voluntary supply cuts would be subject to market conditions,” said Harry Tchilinguirian, head of research at Onyx Capital Group.
“That they may be reconsidering the timing of a return of their barrels is not surprising given the weak macroeconomic realities, particularly in China, which have led to downward revisions in global demand growth estimates.”
The group is scheduled to raise output by 180,000 bpd in December. OPEC+ has cut output by 5.86 million bpd, equivalent to about 5.7 per cent of global oil demand.
A decision to postpone the increase could come as early as next week, two OPEC+ sources told Reuters.
OPEC+ is scheduled to meet on December 1 to decide its next policy steps. (Reuters)
Israel sends deadly Gaza strikes as northern areas issue plea for help
Israel pummelled the Gaza Strip with new bombardments that killed at least 30 persons on Wednesday, Palestinian medics said, a day after one of the deadliest single strikes of the year-old war killed scores in the north of the enclave.
Eight of Wednesday’s victims were killed in a strike on the Salateen area of Beit Lahiya in northern Gaza. The area is near where medics said at least
93 persons were killed or missing on Tuesday in an Israeli strike Washington called “horrifying”.
The Israeli military assault that has laid waste to the Gaza Strip and killed tens of thousands of people shows no signs of slowing as Israel wages a new war against Iran-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon and its backer the United States tries after a year of failed attempts to broker ceasefires for both.
Spanish floods kill 95 as year of rain falls in 1 day in Valencia
At least 95 persons have been killed in possibly the deadliest flooding to hit Spain in its modern history after torrential rain battered the eastern region of Valencia, sweeping away bridges and buildings, local authorities said on Wednesday.
Meteorologists said a year’s worth of rain had fallen in eight hours in parts of Valencia on Tuesday, causing pile-ups on highways and submerging farmland in a region that produces two-thirds of the citrus fruit grown in Spain, a leading global exporter.
Harris, Trump accuse each other of fomenting division in campaign’s final stretch
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump and his Democratic rival Kamala Harris accused each other of deepening the discord of a deeply-polarised nation as the US presidential campaign entered its final week on Wednesday.
The Republican former president donned an orange reflective safety vest and climbed into the passenger seat of a garbage truck in Green Bay, Wisconsin, to call attention to a Tuesday comment by Democratic President Joe Biden that he said revealed the disdain Democratic leaders feel towards Trump’s supporters.
Taking questions as he sat in the truck, Trump said Biden “should be ashamed of himself” and that Harris was guilty by association. Trump supporters “are not garbage”, the former President said.
Trump, however, distanced himself from the comedian at his Madison Square Garden rally on Sunday, Tony Hinchcliffe, who triggered this week’s political firestorm by saying Puerto Rico is “a floating island of garbage”. “I don’t know who he is...I know nothing about him,” said Trump, adding, “I love Puerto Rico and Puerto Rico loves me.”
Vice President Harris,
meanwhile, urged voters in North Carolina to “turn the page” on Trump, who she said was focused on his own grievances, rather than Americans’ needs.
The race has tightened in its final weeks, and a Tuesday Reuters/Ipsos poll showed Harris leading Trump by just 44 per cent to 43 per cent among registered voters nationally, well within the poll’s margin of error.
Tensions are running high. Election workers in competitive states are bracing for violence, and authorities in Florida arrested a man for menacing voters with a machete.
(Excerpt from Reuters)
Palestinian transport casualties following an Israeli strike amid the Israel-Hamas conflict in Beit Lahiya in the northern Gaza Strip, October 30, 2024 (Reuters/Stringer photo)
Northern Gaza, where Israel said in January it had dismantled militant group Hamas’ command structure, is currently the focus of the military’s assault. It sent tanks into Beit Lahiya, Beit Hanoun and Jabalia earlier this month to flush out Hamas fighters who it said had regrouped in the area.
The assault in the north, in addition to new rules introduced by Israel and a halt to most private food
deliveries, has also choked aid and food supplies to their lowest level since the beginning of the war.
Officials in Beit Lahiya issued a statement urging world powers and aid agencies to halt Israel’s attacks and bring in basic medical supplies, fuel and food, saying the latest military actions had left the area “without food, without water, without hospitals, without doctors”, (Excerpt from Reuters)
Residents in the worsthit places described seeing people clambering onto the roofs of their cars as a churning tide of brown water gushed through the streets, uprooting trees, and dragging away chunks of masonry from buildings.
“It’s a river that came through,” said Denis Hlavaty, who waited for rescue on a ledge in the petrol station where he works in the regional capital. “The doors were torn away and I spent the night there, surrounded by water that was two metres (6.5-feet) deep.”
Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez promised to rebuild infrastructure that has been destroyed and said in a televised address: “For those who at this moment are still looking for their loved ones, the whole of Spain weeps with you.”
(Excerpt from Reuters)
Argentina’s Milei fires Foreign Minister for opposing US embargo on Cuba
Argentina’s President, Javier Milei, has sacked his foreign minister, Diana Mondino, after the country voted in favour of lifting the US economic embargo on Cuba at the United Nations.
Argentina was one of 187 countries that supported the non-binding UN resolution on Wednesday. Only the US and Israel voted to oppose the resolution.
It was the first time since Milei’s arrival in office that Argentina has not aligned itself with the US and Israeli Governments.
Mondino has been replaced by the ambassador to Washington, Gerardo Werthein. Following the
move, President Milei’s office said Argentina was “categorically opposed to the Cuban dictatorship”. Under the previous leftwing Peronist government, Argentina enjoyed close relations with Cuba, backing the end of the economic embargo, which the US imposed in the 1960s when Cuba adopted communism. Cuba has, in exchange, consistently supported Argentina’s claims of sovereignty over the Falkland Islands, a British overseas territory. Britain and Argentina waged a brief but bitter war over the territory in 1982.
(Excerpt from BBC News)
Venezuela recalls Brazil envoy over “interventionist” criticisms
The Venezuelan Government on Wednesday said it was recalling its ambassador in Brazil over what it described as “repeated interventionist and rude statements” from Brasilia, adding it was also summoning Brazil’s business envoy for talks.
In a statement, Venezuela’s Foreign Ministry singled out the Brazilian President’s top
foreign policy advisor Celso Amorim for “acting more like a messenger for North American imperialism” and accusing him of being “impertinently dedicated to issuing value judgments on processes that only correspond to Venezuelans and their democratic institutions”.
Brazil’s government did not immediately respond to a request for comment, but two Brazilian diplomat-
ic sources told Reuters the country does not plan to respond in kind to Venezuela’s actions.
The head of Venezuela’s parliament, Jorge Rodriguez, had earlier on Wednesday proposed that lawmakers vote on declaring Amorim a persona non grata after accusing him of behaving like an envoy for US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan.
(Excerpt from Reuters)
The churning floodwaters swept away hundreds of cars in Valencia (AP photo)
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ARCHIE
Guyana chess team grabs silver at Inter-Guiana Games
…Alexander Zhang plays unbeaten
Guyana’s participation in the 2024 InterGuiana Games has demonstrated outstanding efforts in sportsmanship and teamwork.
Guyana has participated in seven sporting disciplines against Suriname and French Guiana in the Games, and the junior national chess team has been a standout with its members displaying skill and strategy to secure silver in the three-day tournament, held in French Guiana from October 24th to October 26th, 2024. Alexander Zhang has played unbeaten in the four rounds.
Guyana’s male team comprised of CM Sachin Pitamber, Alexander Zhang, and Omar Shariff, and WCM Aditi Joshi, Ciel Clement, Italy Ton-Chung and Kaija Clement made up the female team. The male team entered the competition
with one member short, due to Kyle Couchman’s absence.
Day one of the tournament started with three of the six rounds of the Double Round Robin format, with 30 minutes per player plus 30 seconds’ increment after each move.
The Guyana male team played against Suriname in round one, but lost the round with 1.5 points against the Suriname total of 2.5. After a round two bye, the Guyanese team faced a setback in round three against French Guiana, where the only point was secured by Zhang. The boys held their own in round 4, with even scores against Suriname, thanks to wins from Zhang and Pitamber. After a second bye in round 5, Guyana won round 6 against French Guiana, scoring 2.5 to 1.5 points with wins from Zhang and Pitamber and a draw from Shariff.
Zhang emerged as the top scorer with 4 out of 4 points for Guyana.
The Guyana female team was overwhelmed by Suriname in rounds one and four. However, in round three, the girls rallied to secure the round against French Guiana 3:1 with victories from Joshi and the Clement siblings. The female team also demolished the French Guiana team in round six with 4:0 points.
The male and female teams have both finished in second place, receiving the silver trophies, and each player has been awarded a silver medal.
The team received extensive coaching and support from coach and supervisor Roberto Nero, who ensured team members did their best to meet the challenges posed by their opponents in each round.
South Africa tour of Bangladesh 2024/25: Test 2 of 2…
The Guyana Chess Federation (GCF) is extremely proud of all the players who participated in the tournament, and would like to thank the team officials Mrs. Clement and Mrs. Joshi for supporting the team members during the eight days of tournament and travel; and coach Roberto Neto is being especially thanked because his support was invaluable to the team.
The Federation is also expressing gratitude to the Honorable Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, Mr. Charles Ramson, and the Director of Sports, Mr. Steve Ninvalle, and his team for organizing and providing a safe and successful trip for the athletes.
The GCF has reviewed its selection and code of conduct policy by way of a special board meeting, and will be instituting a menu of measures to not have teams adversely affected in future tournaments.
South Africa in complete control
– as Wiaan Mulder scores maiden Test century
Wiaan Mulder became the third maiden centurion for South Africa in the Chattogram Test, as the visitors completely dominated proceedings on the second day. They declared on 575 for 6, with Mulder, Tony de Zorzi and Tristan Stubbs hitting centuries, before their pacers knocked off Bangladesh’s top three batters inside the first six overs. Bangladesh had sunk to 38 for 4 at stumps, as their re cent batting frailties
Bangladesh. Kagiso Rabada, recently ranked #1 among Test bowlers, had Shadman Islam strangled down the leg side for a duck in the first over. Rabada then removed Zakir Hasan for 2, also caught behind, in his next over. Dane Paterson got into the act in the sixth over when Mahmudul Hasan Joy chased a wide ball and edged to Aiden Markram at second slip. And Keshav Maharaj bowled a beauty to nightwatcher Hasan Mahmud, who missed it com-
Rana removed Ryan Rickelton. Bangladesh were hopeful of wrapping South Africa up early at the time, but Mulder and Muthusamy took South Africa towards a massive total. Mulder was generally good down the ground, hitting all his eight fours and four sixes between wide long-off and midon. Muthusamy fed Mulder the strike regularly, but also struck the ball sweetly.
Muthusamy struck two sixes through long-on, apart
from fours through mid-off, fine leg and backward point. His ticked boundary through the slips took him to his maiden Test fifty.
Taijul was the pick of the Bangladesh bowlers with his 14th five-wicket haul, but it was also the team’s most expensive five-for, as he went for 198 runs. Nahid took a wicket, but Hasan Mahmud and Mehidy Hasan Miraz disappointed with their wicketless efforts. (ESPNCricInfo)
Elite/U23 Caribbean Cycling Championships/Congress set for November 1-4
Cycling will be the main event as the Guyana Cycling Federation prepares to host the annual Congress of the Caribbean Cycling Union and the 2024
Mendes.
Other participating nations, including Anguilla, Barbados, Bermuda, Belize, Cayman Islands, Cuba, Curaçao, Dominica,
Elite/Under 23 Caribbean Cycling Championships in Georgetown from November 1–4, 2024.
Alongside the U23 cyclists vying for championship titles, more than 20 Caribbean Cycling Union (CCU) member nations would be competing in the Elite male and female divisions hosted by the local federation.
Aaron Newton will represent the U23 division, and veteran Denise Jeffery will compete in the female division. Briton John will lead Team Guyana, with assistance from Jamaul John, Curtis Dey, Segun Hubbard, the seasoned Marlon Williams, and Kwame Ridley. The Golden Arrowhead’s backups are Christopher Griffith and Alex
Dominican Republic, Grenada, Haiti, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, St. Lucia, St. Vincent, and Suriname, will provide formidable obstacles.
On Saturday, November 2, the Women Elite 85km Road Race will pedal off on the Mandela/Eccles/Heroes Highway at 09:00hrs, while at 11:00hrs, the Men’s Individual Time Trials will commence at the same circuit.
On Sunday, November 3, the Men’s Individual Road Race over 155km will commence on the Linden Highway and travel along the East Bank Corridor to the Heroes Highway Circuit. This will be followed by the Women Individual Time Trials on the Mandela/Eccles/Heroes Highway Circuit.
It completed an amazing day for South Africa, who dominated from start to finish. If the first day belonged to de Zorzi and Stubbs, the second day was all about Mulder’s century and his partnership with Muthusamy. The pair added 152 runs for the unbroken seventh wicket, breaking South Africa’s record for this wicket against Bangladesh from the previous Test in Dhaka, where Mulder and Kyle Verreynne had added Mulder and Muthusamy had come together when Bangladesh suddenly grabbed a bit of momentum in the day’s first session.
Taijul Islam snapped up David Bedingham, de Zorzi and Verreynne in consecutive overs to give the home team some respite. Bedingham missed a slog-sweep to be bowled, while de Zorzi and Verreynne also missed sweeps to be given out lbw.
Taijul completed his five-for, before Nahid
Professional boxing would make its greatly anticipated return on the night on November 22, when an action- packed ProAm fight card is planned to feature Elton Dharry, who returns to the ring to headline proceedings at the Guyana National Stadium tarmac.
Known for his fierce style and unyielding drive, Dharry is set to electrify the hometown crowd in a highstakes bantamweight bout
that promises to be a thrilling clash. His opponent would shortly be announced, and the event which is scheduled to have a stacked card which also involves four amateur bouts.
Supporting the main event, Keevin Allicock will take on Roiler Zamora in what is expected to be a technical and fast-paced battle. Allicock, a skilled and rising talent, aims to showcase his
refined technique and quick footwork against Zamora, a formidable and experienced competitor. Both fighters are hungry for a win, making this matchup a potential show-stealer.
Adding to the intensity, Dexter Marques is set to face off against Shakir Garcia. Marques, a crafty and strategic boxer, will be looking to leverage his ring intelligence to overcome Garcia’s power-punching style. In another undercard bout, Laured Stewart will
Jamual John (pink at the back) and Briton John will be gearing up to represent Guyana
Aaron Newton (red in front) would compete in the U23 division
Guyana’s chess team at the IGG
Alexander Zhang finished the tournament unbeaten
Elton Dharry
Keevin Allicock (white) made his professional debut earlier this year
Wiaan Mulder brought up his maiden Test century
'Windwards' sneak past GHE in Super50 opener
The Guyana Harpy Eagles’ opening match in the CG United Regional Super50 tournament against the Windward Islands Volcanoes can be regarded as nothing but a thriller. Unfortunately, it ended with the Guyanese team being on the losing side.
The final few overs of the chase were dramatic ones, as the Volcanoes’ lower order kept their cool to inch closer and closer to their target of 275 after an earlier collapse. Their
et partnership that accounted for 83 runs before Shadrack Descarte struck, removing Chanderpaul for one run short of a half-century.
Nandu and Kemol Savory departed not too long after, but Captain Tevin Imlach and Kevlon Anderson were able to up the tempo for the Harpy Eagles. After slamming 2 fours and 2 sixes, another Guyanese batter fell short of a half- century; this time it was Anderson, who departed for a well-played
number 9, 10 and 11 batsmen in Darel Cyrus, Kenneth Dember and Gillon Tyson hit an uncharacteristic 29, 20 and 17 runs respectively to get this team over the line with 3 balls to spare.
The match was played at the Brian Lara Academy in Tarouba, Trinidad and Tobago, and the Guyanese outfit won the toss and elected to bat first. They got off to a slow start, with Tagenarine Chanderpaul and Matthew Nandu being promoted up the order.
In spite of their pace, the pair forged a solid first- wick-
42.
Team Vice-captain Keemo Paul joined his skipper at the crease, where an explosive 79run partnership in 70 overs took the Guyanese side well past the 250 mark. Both batters ended unbeaten, Imlach on 65 from 67 and Paul 54 from 29, as the Harpy Eagles posted 274-5 in their 50 overs. Descarte was the pick of the Volcanoes’ bowlers with 2-53 from 8 overs.
The Volcanoes had an early collapse, first being 10-3 and later 58-5 as Nial Smith and Keemo Paul gave the
Guyanese side a remarkable start with the ball. However, Descarte put up his hand in crafting a patient 60 from 62 deliveries, while Dillon Douglas hit his maiden List A half-century to come in clutch for the Volcanoes at number 7. Douglas missed out on his century though, falling for 90 from 100 deliveries in a close run- out that at that time signalled an impending victory for the Harpy Eagles. Following the run out, Kevin Sinclair struck again, picking up his second wicket of the game to reduce the Volcanoes to 9 down, but plaguing cramps for Smith and sloppy fielding cost the Harpy Eagles the win. Smith had returns of 3-46 from 9.4 overs,
next
assignment will be against the Combined Campuses and Colleges today at the
at 09:00hrs local time.
while Sinclair claimed 2-66 from 10 overs. The Harpy Eagles’
Sir Frank Worrell Memorial Ground. This match bowls off
Dillon Douglas receiving his man-of-the- match prize
Nial Smith was on target thrice to rattle the Volcanoes
Keemo Paul’s lightning innings boosted GHE at the end
GFF fires national team’s head coach
Two days after telling media operatives that discussions were still ongoing regarding the fate of Senior Men’s National Football Team Head Coach Jamaal Shabazz’s job, it appears as though the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) have come to a swift conclusion, revealing that they have ended contractual engagements with Shabazz.
Earlier this week, when proverbially facing the music, GFF President Wayne Forde divulged that contrary to rumours of the Federation asking Shabazz to resign following the Golden Jaguars’ less-thanstellar debut in League A of the CONCACAF Nations League, discussions were still ongoing on the way forward for the national team’s leadership.
“I’m not going to comment on that. Again, we’re seeing that sources are clearly giving themselves a lot of liberty. What I would say is as much as that there are ongoing discussions between the GFF leadership and Coach Shabazz, and once we have a final resolution to those discussions, the GFF will do what we always do: make a very clear and responsible statement,” Forde related during an interview on Monday.
The GFF President had added, “But if I can close by saying that Coach Jamaal Shabazz has done a fantastic job with the Golden Jaguars, he was able to run unbeaten in 2023 and brought us to League A. Clearly, the team did not perform to its potential; we know this and we’re having discussions.”
However, exactly as Forde illustrated days prior, on Thursday afternoon, the Federation confirmed in a statement that Shabazz had
been fired. That statement reads, “The Guyana Football Federation (GFF) wishes to announce that it has ended its contractual engagement with Mr. Jamaal Shabazz, Head Coach of the Guyana Golden Jaguars, the national senior men’s football team.
“Under Coach Shabazz’s leadership, the Golden Jaguars reached significant milestones that will resonate for years to come. His tenure saw the team earning promotion from League B to
League A in the CONCACAF Nations League, among other achievements that have elevated Guyana’s football reputation regionally and internationally.
“The GFF extends heartfelt gratitude to Coach Shabazz for his dedication, professionalism, and tireless commitment to advancing Guyana’s football. His work has not only strengthened the national team, but has also inspired countless young players and fans across the country.
GFF President Wayne Forde
“Looking ahead, the GFF is dedicated to building upon the foundation laid during Coach Shabazz’s tenure. We are actively seeking new leadership to guide the Golden Jaguars towards achieving our established goals in the next phase of the programme.”
While no information has been forthcoming from the GFF regarding the future leadership of the country’s national team, this
publication has learned that Assistant Coach Wayne Dover has been leading the players in training as they prepare for the CONCACAF Nations League Play-Ins later this month.
Guyana will face Barbados in home-andaway games on November 19th and 15th respectively, vying for a chance to seal a spot in the CONCACAF Gold Cup 2025 preliminaries.
Jamaal Shabazz is now former Golden Jaguars Head Coach