(Kaieteur News) – Two days after his trial for alleged sexual offences against a child began, 65-year-old Neil Fredericks was acquitted on Thursday at the Berbice High Court.

The pensioner, of Philadelphia Street, New Amsterdam, Berbice, was found not guilty when a 12-member jury returned its verdict in the case, presided over by Justice Peter Hugh.

Fredericks was indicted on two counts of child-related sexual offences.

Acquitted, Neil Fredericks

On the first count, sexual activity with a child under 16, contrary to Section 11(B) of the Sexual Offences Act, Chapter 8:03, it was alleged that between 1^st March, 2020, and 31^st October, 2021, in Berbice, Fredericks engaged in sexual activity with a child aged 10 to 11.

On the second count, rape of a child under 16, contrary to Section 10(B) of the same Act, it was alleged that, during the same period and in the same location, he sexually penetrated the child.

Fredericks pleaded not guilty when the trial commenced on Monday. He was represented by attorney Charlyn Artiga, while prosecutor Marisa Edwards appeared on behalf of the State.

The trial resumed on Thursday, when the jury retired to deliberate. The prosecution had arranged for 14 witnesses to testify.

The jury forewoman subsequently delivered the verdict, declaring Fredericks not guilty on both counts. Upon hearing the decision, he appeared elated.

Justice Hugh then formally discharged the jury and informed an emotional Fredericks that he was a free man.

Outside the courtroom, Fredericks spoke to reporters and expressed relief that the trial had ended, particularly because he had been acquitted of both charges.

He said the case had damaged his reputation and affected his livelihood as a heavy-duty vehicle operator.

“I feel so good. Seeing that people you love and that you try to help out in this life try to sink you. It affected me a great lot. Work, everything. I would like to say thank the Lord,” he said.

Maintaining that he was well known throughout the town and that many people could vouch for his character, Fredericks thanked God and his attorney before leaving the court compound.

Meanwhile, the child’s family told Kaieteur News that although the matter had concluded at the Berbice High Court, they intended to pursue further legal action.

Source: Kaieteur News

The United States has sanctioned Chinese Fijian businessman Zhao Fugang over alleged corruption with ties to the Chinese government.

Mr. Zhao has previously denied allegations that he is a senior member of a transnational crime syndicate.

What’s next?

The designation means Mr. Zhao and his family will be ineligible for entry into the U.S. The United States has slapped sanctions on a high-profile Chinese Fijian businessman accused of being a member of a criminal network with ties to the Chinese government. In a statement issued this morning, the U.S. State Department said it was designating Zhao Fugang, director of the Overseas Chinese Service Center in Fiji, for his involvement in what it called “significant corruption” on behalf of China-based actors.

Zhao Fugang has denied previous allegations of criminal activity. (Supplied: Noya Media)

Mr. Zhao and his immediate family members would be generally ineligible for entry into the United States as a result, it said. “Zhao abused his public position by paying bribes to Fijian citizens to advance China-based government, business, and criminal interests,” said the U.S. statement. Mr. Zhao did not respond directly to the claims, but his lawyers told the ABC they were unaware of the investigation, and that they would write to the U.S. government to seek clarity on the allegations.

His lawyers previously said Mr. Zhao vehemently denied any allegations against him, calling them false and misleading. On Thursday Mr. Zhao responded in a letter sent to the U.S. embassy in Suva, where he denied the allegations of bribery and pressed the State Department to take down the sanctions notice until he had been given a chance to respond.

“I categorically deny the allegations that I paid bribes to Fijian citizens, abused a public position, or engaged in corruption to advance China-based government, business or criminal interests,” the letter states. “There are no ongoing criminal proceedings against me in Fiji.”

“The statement makes serious allegations without identifying the specific conduct relied upon [and] its publication and widespread circulation have serious consequences for my reputation and my family.” Mr. Zhao also demanded the State Department provide details of his alleged crimes to allow him to submit a formal response.

Fiji’s prime minister speaks about the relationship between China and the Pacific nation as Beijing’s role in the country comes under intense scrutiny. Fijian Foreign Affairs Minister Sakiasi Ditoka confirmed he had not personally been officially informed of the designation before being contacted by the ABC. He said the normal process for such an action would be for a formal notice to the government via the Foreign Affairs Minister.

Another senior cabinet minister said this was not the first time such allegations had been made against Mr. Zhao and said the last time was two years ago.

In 2024, Nine Entertainment’s 60 Minutes and partner newspapers alleged he was both a senior member of a transnational crime syndicate and a prominent member of the Chinese Communist Party’s United Front Work Department, which pushes Beijing’s interests abroad. Investigative journalism outfit the Organised Crime and Corruption Reporting Project also alleged that the Fijian national was a senior member of a syndicate involved in drug smuggling, money laundering and human trafficking.

The report said that Mr. Zhao had been added to the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission’s registry (ACIC) of Australian Priority Organisation Targets, which includes several alleged criminals who pose a criminal threat to Australia. The report emphasised that Mr. Zhao had never been charged in Australia or elsewhere and that authorities had not publicised any evidence against him. In 2024, Fiji’s Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka told the ABC that he did not know if Mr. Zhao worked as an operative for the Chinese government, and that he was entitled to his rights as a Fijian citizen.

In a statement on social media, the U.S. Embassy in Suva said there was “an established trend of criminals operating across the Pacific with ties to China”. “Zhao Fugang’s actions have left Fiji vulnerable to malign foreign influence facilitated by Chinese government, business, and criminal actors inside and outside of Fiji,” the statement said. “Corruption stunts opportunities for foreign investment and foreign assistance, facilitates organised crime, offers a permissive environment for malign actors, drives illegal migration, and undermines citizens’ faith in government.

“This directly impacts U.S. national security, economic, and foreign policy interests, and those of our partner nations and is why the Department is taking these actions.”

In 2024, the Chinese Embassy in Suva said that the work of Chinese diaspora groups in Fiji was “transparent, above-board and beyond reproach” and that Mr. Zhao was a Fijian citizen. “Your suspicion of the relation between Chinese government and Chinese community in Fiji is entirely groundless,” it said. Mr. Zhao has appeared at several events with Chinese officials — including events at his hotel in 2021 and 2022 celebrating joint police cooperation between the two countries. Fiji’s then-prime minister Frank Bainimarama and then-Chinese ambassador to Fiji, Zhang Ping, also attended the ceremony marking his appointment as director of Overseas Chinese Service Center (OCSC) a decade ago.

José Sousa-Santos, head of the Pacific Regional Security Hub at the University of Canterbury, has written extensively about the way China has used alleged criminal networks as “strategically useful and plausibly deniable tools of the state”. “Certain illicit actors can become strategically useful when they extend influence, cultivate local elites, generate deniable economic leverage, support patriotic narratives, and operate in spaces where formal state power would attract resistance,” he told the ABC. Mr. Sousa-Santos said while the U.S. sanctions imposed on Mr. Zhao were “light” the message being sent was “clear”.

“This is about more than alleged organised crime, it is also about allegations of corruption and foreign interference,” Mr. Sousa-Santos said. (ABC)

Source: Kaieteur News

(Kaieteur News) – Omai Gold Mines Corp. has begun mobilising a sixth diamond drill for its Omai gold project in Guyana as it moves to advance exploration of additional targets near existing deposits.

The Canada-based firm is working towards a 2030 production target at its gold project in Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni), which is projected to produce 6.3 million ounces of payable gold over an 18-year mine life, including peak annual production of 435,667 ounces.

In an announcement on Thursday, Omai said an initial 5,000-metre drill programme is planned, with the first target area already identified, where an eight-hole programme will examine an area that has previously returned successful trenching and drilling results.

An aerial view of Omai Gold Mine (Tagewantie Nokram photo)

The Omai Gold Mine hosts the Wenot open pit deposit and the adjacent Gilt underground deposit. Omai, through its subsidiary Avalon Gold Exploration Inc., owns 100% interest in the mine.

Omai currently has five diamond drills focused on infill and expansion drilling at the Wenot deposit, following the completion of its Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA).

Omai President and Chief Executive Officer Elaine Ellingham stated that with the Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA) completed, infill and expansion drilling continues. She added that the sixth drill will allow the company to pursue several exploration targets identified through geophysical surveys, trenching and previous drilling. According to Ellingham that the company has identified several areas near the Gilt and Wenot deposits that contain gold occurrences, as well as untested geophysical anomalies with signatures similar to those of the main deposits. “We know that there are several areas in the immediate vicinity of the Gilt and Wenot deposits that are rich in gold occurrences, and certain untested geophysics anomalies with similar signatures to those of our main deposits,” Ellingham said.

She explained that much of the company’s exploration work had been concentrated on Wenot because of the early success achieved there and the rapid expansion of the resource through successive NI 43-101 Mineral Resource Estimates and PEA.

Ellingham said too that additional near-surface deposits could improve the project’s economics by providing higher-grade material for early mill feed. “The team has been anxious to drill some of these additional gold targets and with the PEA completed we can bring this forward as one of our priorities,” she added.

The 5,000-metre programme will begin at the BBH target, located west of the Gilt Deposit. Omai explained that the BBH area is a broad target area extending along a strike of approximately 600 metres. The area is defined by a series of trenches, shallow drill holes and historical data, which have identified numerous occurrences of significant gold mineralisation, including instances of high-grade gold mineralisation at surface.

Source: Kaieteur News

(Kaieteur News) – Minister of Human Services and Social Security, Dr. Vindhya Persaud, has outlined Guyana’s efforts to advance gender equality, women’s economic empowerment and protection from gender-based violence at the 153rd Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) in Arusha, Tanzania.

Persaud, who is serving her second term as a member of the IPU Bureau of Women Parliamentarians addressed the Bureau during its 56th Session on 5^th October.

She was first elected to complete a four-year term and was re-elected in 2023 for a second four-year term.

Minister of Human Services and Social Security Hon. Dr. Vindhya Persaud in Tanzania.

The minister underscored that gender equality must translate into tangible improvements in women’s everyday lives, including safety, economic independence, access to housing, opportunities for advancement and meaningful participation in decision-making.

She highlighted the National Gender Equality and Empowerment Seal, launched in 2025, through which 20 private-sector companies have been working to improve policies, infrastructure and working conditions, while advancing training on gender equality and the prevention of sexual exploitation and harassment.

The minister also outlined measures to strengthen support for survivors of gender-based violence, including gender-responsive financing, one-stop support hubs offering counselling, shelter and medico-legal assistance, a 24-hour hotline and a free mobile application.

It was outlined too that women survivors are also benefitting from access to technical and vocational training and financing to establish businesses. According to the minister, more than 30,000 persons have benefitted from free technical and entrepreneurial training over the past five years, while more than 350 women-owned businesses participated in Guyana’s largest Women Entrepreneurship Expo, gaining increased visibility and access to domestic and export markets.

Turning to the care economy, Persaud pointed to the launch of registration for Guyana’s Care Economy Co-Invest Programme, which combines Government financing, training and mentorship to support community-based childcare and eldercare enterprises. The initiative is intended to create opportunities for women as entrepreneurs and care professionals, while reducing the unpaid care burden that can restrict women’s participation in employment and education.

She further reported that women received 48.3 per cent of land and housing allocations this year, while a special homestead initiative targeting single-mother families has commenced. The initiative includes shade houses to support additional income generation and food security.

“These measures connect skills to income, enterprise to markets, and land ownership to greater security and independence,” Persaud said.

The minister also outlined legislative and institutional measures being pursued to strengthen women’s protection and rights, including work on a Protection from Harassment Bill and amendments to the Sexual Offences Act, including provisions for a sex offenders register.

Persaud stressed, “Guyana’s conviction is clear: women must have the resources, rights and decision-making power to shape our growing economy. Services must reach the most isolated woman. Training must lead to decent work. Representation must carry real influence.”

In concluding her address, she encouraged members of the Bureau to share effective practices, speak candidly about remaining gaps and learn from one another to strengthen legislation, budgets and parliamentary oversight.

Source: Kaieteur News

…as Rodrigues-Birkett remains in contention

UNITED NATIONS, Oct 7 (Reuters) – An informal poll by the United Nations ‌Security Council on Wednesday placed former Costa Rican Vice President Rebeca Grynspan as the frontrunner in the race to become the 10th UN secretary-general, two sources close to the process said.

The fifth secret poll by the 15-member Security Council followed days of intense negotiations among diplomats in New York ​after four previous ballots did not result in the emergence of one candidate with overwhelming backing.

Former Costa Rican Vice President Rebeca Grynspan

Although Grynspan is still leading the pack of seven contenders, the support for her weakened slightly compared to the poll last week, suggesting ongoing gridlock, a result that may prompt other senior figures to join the race.

The selection is taking ​place at a critical time for the 193-member body. Whoever wins will have to tackle multiple crises, including wars in Ukraine and ​the Middle East, cutbacks in American contributions, and the UN’s declining political relevance as Washington has pulled out of many of its agencies. Former UN official Daniel Safran-Hon said that while Grynspan had a bad day, she is still in the race because she still has the nine votes necessary to get the job.

Guyana’s UN ambassador Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett

Under UN rules, a recommendation to the General Assembly for the secretary-general post requires an ​affirmative vote from at least nine of the 15 council members, although ultimately, the five veto powers the US, China, Russia, France and Britain need agree on a candidate. “Her unstable support could be seen by potential new candidates as an opportunity to join the race ahead of the next round later this month,” said Safran-Hon, adding that the race has not been this competitive in 30 years.

After former Chilean President Michelle Bachelet dropped out of the race last month, seven candidates are vying to succeed Antonio Guterres. The former ​Portuguese prime minister steps down ​at the end of this year after two five-year terms. If the impasse persists, more candidates could enter the race. Diplomats at the UN say several senior figures, including former and current foreign ministers and country leaders, ​are seriously considering throwing their hats into the ring.

In the more than 80-year history ​of the UN, there has never been a female secretary-general.

In the straw polls, which are expected to continue for several more rounds, Security Council members are asked on secret ballots if they “encourage,” “discourage” or have “no opinion” on candidates. Grynspan received 9 encourage votes, 6 discourage and 0 no opinion. That was ​down from 10 encourage votes at the previous vote. The rest of the ​candidates, who include Guyana’s UN ambassador Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett and Argentina’s Rafael Grossi, the high-profile director general of the UN nuclear watchdog, received more discourage than encourage ​votes, suggesting that the support for them is waning.

Source: Kaieteur News

…says declining debt-to-GDP ratio creating more fiscal space

(Kaieteur News) – Guyana’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) has surged, recording massive growth over the past six years as the country’s oil and gas sector develops at break-neck speed.

This development has unlocked a new economic outlook for the country, reducing its debt-to-GDP ratio which measures a nation’s debt to its productive sectors, showing how well an economy can pay off what it owes.

President Irfaan Ali recently boasted about this progress registered under the leadership of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP), highlighting that the country can now increase its spending on certain areas.

President Irfaan Ali

Ali explained that four indicators are crucial when assessing a country’s debt burden. These include the debt to GDP ratio (debt relative to the size of the economy), debt service to revenue (how much government revenue goes toward principal and interest), external debt service to exports (the pressure on export earnings and foreign exchange reserves) and the debt composition (the domestic debt versus external debt, the maturities of the debt, interest rates and whether financing is concessional).

He said, “These are important elements for us to understand and the debt burden will allow us to have a clear understanding of how Guyana’s development was stymied because of this excessive debt burden, weak institutional framework and productivity deficit that allowed our debt to balloon in all of these categories.”

The President noted that this negatively affected the country’s ability to invest in education, health, housing, social services, infrastructure and other areas, leading to what he described as the “decay” in society and mass migration.

Although the country’s debt has steadily climbed, he said “tremendous strides” were made by the PPP since 1992 to reduce debt in Guyana. “From 1992 to now, the People’s Progressive Party Civic government made enormous strides towards reducing our debt and putting us in the strong position we are in today,” Ali boasted.

He highlighted major leaps in reducing publicly guaranteed debt from 47.4% to 24.3% in 2024. Notably, the President acknowledged the role of oil and gas in this transformation, pointing out that the “oil era” has changed all indicators.

He said, “When you look at what is in our Natural Resource Fund and you look at projected revenue you will see how easily we can cover our external debt.”

To this end, he signaled that the country can now spend more. “That allow of course more room for investment in health, education, social welfare, infrastructure, D&I (drainage and irrigation), agriculture- investment that allows us to continue to grow and expand the economy,” the President added.

Equally important according to him is growing the productivity sectors. To this end, he said, “we have to focus heavily on linking productivity to investment and ensuring that the growth of the private sector continue to be expansive, allowing the private sector to continue to be expansive.”

Kaieteur News recently reported that the Government of Guyana (GoG) in the first half of 2026 increased the country’s debt by nearly US$1B, growing the nation’s total Public and Publicly Guaranteed (PPG) debt to US$8,573.1 million at the end of June 2026.

It would be recalled that Guyana closed the year 2025 with a total debt burden of US$7.7B

Government has already signaled its intent to push the country’s debt to a staggering US$10.3B before the end of 2026.

Meanwhile, Guyana forked out 30% more than it did last year during the same period to repay its loans. According to the 2026 Mid-Year report, the total spent on debt service in the first half of 2026 was US$145.7M. During the same period last year, debt service payments were US$110M according to the 2025 Mid-Year Report.

Government reported higher debt service payments to both domestic and external creditors. It said domestic debt service amounted to US$44.2 million in the first half of 2026, while external debt service amounted to US$101.5 million in the review period.

Source: Kaieteur News