A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) Member of Parliament Saiku Andrews has raised concerns about the level of support being provided to families affected by the MV Barima tragedy, stating on Wednesday that relatives continue to struggle with grief, financial hardship and a lack of closure.

Andrews made the remarks during a meeting between the Commission and families, survivors and other affected persons at the Arthur Chung Convention Centre. He has been a regular presence at weekly protests alongside relatives and survivors, demanding justice, accountability and closure following the July 18 sinking.

Andrews stated families he encountered had repeatedly complained that, apart from G$300,000 reportedly provided toward funeral expenses, they had received little meaningful financial assistance.

“All you can hear from those persons who stood to testify was that they were not receiving any serious support outside of that three hundred thousand contribution towards funeral expenses, which was inadequate in itself.”

He highlighted the case of a young woman whose father, described as the sole breadwinner of the family, died in the tragedy. Andrews said the woman’s sister, who has a disability, was promised assistance with transportation to and from school, but that assistance had not been forthcoming.

Andrews also recounted the experience of a mother from Berbice whose son died in the tragedy.

“Someone called her a few times, asked her what is it if you wanted food? She said, ‘We don’t want food stuff. We want more than food stuff.’”

He questioned the level of counselling being provided to grieving families, saying some had received telephone calls but little sustained personal support.

Andrews urged the commissioners to take into account the distrust expressed by families and members of the wider public toward the government’s handling of the tragedy.

The Commission is examining the circumstances surrounding the sinking, including the vessel’s seaworthiness, passenger and cargo operations, crew conduct, regulatory oversight, safety procedures and the search-and-rescue response.

The MV Barima, an 87-year-old passenger and cargo vessel, departed Georgetown for Port Kaituma on July 18 before capsizing and sinking off the Essequibo Coast. The disaster resulted in multiple deaths and left survivors and families demanding answers about how the vessel was allowed to operate and what led to its sinking.

Andrews also raised allegations concerning the vessel’s mechanical condition, recounting accounts that it had been operating with one engine and that a large generator aboard the vessel was allegedly not properly secured. Those allegations have yet to be established by the Commission.

He said the government should acknowledge any failures and allow the families to move toward closure.

“Admit to the people of this country that you erred. Move on. Be humble. Be humble, President Ali. Be humble, guys. Accept that you erred. You have failed. Accept responsibility for your failure, and allow these people some closure.”

Andrews questioned why the government could not provide greater financial assistance to families, suggesting that G$1 million could have helped them organise memorial activities and meet some of the expenses arising from the tragedy.

“You telling me that this government could not have afforded a million dollars to give to these families? So that they could have done the recast. They could have had the families gotten together. They could have done a little mini memorial for themselves.”

The recovery of the sunken vessel has become a major issue for the families and survivors, who have repeatedly called for it to be raised because they believe it contains critical evidence and could provide answers about what happened.

During Wednesday’s meeting, the Commission informed that the government intends to have BK International undertake the salvage operation.

Andrews said the continuing uncertainty was compounding the families’ grief.

“The pain, agony, the anguish, the lack of closure is just unprecedented.”

He urged Guyanese to continue supporting the affected families, particularly those in Regions One and Two who cannot attend every protest.

“Let us continue to stand with them. Let them know, let them know that we’re standing with them until this matter comes to an end.”

Andrews acknowledged that the tragedy would never truly end for the families who lost loved ones, but said their pursuit of justice must continue until they are satisfied that accountability has been achieved.

Source: Village Voice News

Questions are mounting over the whereabouts of National Border Patrol Director and former Region Four Chairman Daniel Seeram, after a court ordered him remanded to prison following his conviction for assaulting his former wife, but reports indicate that he had not been transferred to the Prison Service.

Seeram was convicted on October 2 by Magistrate Abigail Gibbs of assault causing actual bodily harm against his former wife, Farzana Hamid, following a trial that lasted nearly three years. He was immediately remanded pending sentencing, which is scheduled for November 2, 2026.

His attorney, Nigel Hughes, subsequently approached the High Court seeking judicial review of the magistrate’s decision to refuse bail. Justice Joy Persaud-Singh dismissed the application on October 5, finding no indication that Magistrate Gibbs had acted unlawfully, irrationally or outside her jurisdiction. The decision to keep Seeram in custody pending sentencing was therefore upheld.

Yet despite the High Court ruling, questions emerged about whether the remand order had actually been carried out.

According to recent information Seeram had still not been handed over by the Police to the Prison Service. The Acting Director of Prisons, Nicklon Elliott, reportedly declined to provide information, while other senior prison officials confirmed that Seeram had not been transferred into their custody.

The development prompted Opposition Leader Azruddin Mohamed to personally question Seeram’s whereabouts.

Mohamed- in a live recording- visited Lusignan Prison and subsequently checked Georgetown Prison on Camp Street, and stated that officers at both facilities confirmed that Seeram was not being held there.

“Where is Daniel Seeram?”

Mohamed said the situation raises serious questions about the enforcement of court orders.

“This is a slap in the face of every domestic violence victim, especially during domestic violence month.”

Mohamed also questioned whether Seeram was receiving preferential treatment because of his position and political connections, allegations that have not been independently established.

He further challenged President Irfaan Ali’s previous public position that persons who commit crimes must face the consequences.

“Was he speaking only to ordinary Guyanese and not to political associates of the PPP?”

Reports have also surfaced that Seeram was allowed to leave the Sparendaam Police Station over the weekend. His attorney, however, reportedly said he was unaware of any such action.

The circumstances surrounding Seeram’s custody have therefore created a second controversy following his conviction, with questions now extending beyond the assault case to whether a lawful order of the court was properly executed.

The underlying case dates back to September 11, 2023, when Seeram was accused of assaulting Hamid at their Cummings Lodge apartment. He was initially charged with assault causing grievous bodily harm and placed on G$50,000 bail. Evidence presented during the trial included allegations that Hamid suffered visible injuries and that Seeram brandished a licensed firearm during the confrontation.

Seeram denied the allegations, but after hearing the evidence, Magistrate Gibbs found him guilty of assault causing actual bodily harm.

Following the conviction, Hughes argued that remanding Seeram before the court received a probation report, victim impact statement and submissions on aggravating and mitigating circumstances effectively amounted to imprisonment before sentencing. The High Court rejected the judicial review challenge, however, and upheld the magistrate’s decision.

Seeram remains due before the Sparendaam Magistrate’s Court on November 2 for sentencing.

Until then, a question remains for the authorities: where is Daniel Seeram, and who is responsible for ensuring that the court’s remand order is enforced?

Source: Village Voice News

Team Guyana has surged into the top 25 at the 2026 FIRST Global Challenge, ranking 22nd with 399 points after its opening two matches. Guyana is one of only two CARICOM countries in the top 25, alongside St. Vincent and the Grenadines, as young robotics teams from more than 190 countries compete in South Korea.

The Guyanese team is among the international competitors taking part in the October 7–10 competition at Songdo Convensia in Incheon, where students are being challenged to design and operate robots around this year’s theme, “Igniting Innovation,” focused on wildfire prevention, mitigation and recovery.

According to the latest official FIRST Global results, Guyana has recorded a ranking score of 399, with two matches completed and additional matches still to be played. The standings remain fluid as the competition progresses.

The early showing gives Team Guyana a strong position in the opening stage of a competition that brings together some of the world’s brightest young robotics enthusiasts.

The team’s participation is also the result of a sustained effort by STEMGuyana to expose Guyanese children to robotics, coding, artificial intelligence and other areas of science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

STEMGuyana, founded by Executive Director Dr. Karen Abrams, has created opportunities for young people across Guyana to develop practical STEM skills and gain international exposure through programmes, competitions, mentorship and robotics training.

Abrams has emphasised that the organisation’s objective goes beyond preparing students for individual competitions.

“Our role is to ensure these young engineers are prepared for the 21st-century Guyanese economy. We give our students access to equipment, opportunity, and community which also includes access to mentors, locally and globally, who help shape their future career choices.”

STEMGuyana says it has reached more than 20,000 students across Guyana, providing access to programmes designed to build technical skills and encourage young people to pursue careers in STEM.

The opportunity to compete internationally has also depended on support from corporate sponsors.

ENet is among the companies supporting Team Guyana’s participation in this year’s competition. Business Development Coordinator Tandi Rampersaud said the company viewed its support as an investment in young Guyanese.

“We have so much talent right here in Guyana, and at ENet, we’re happy to back that talent and help ensure our young people have the opportunity to compete globally.”

The journey to the global stage has also been powered by a network of sponsors, large and small, that have invested in the potential of Guyana’s young innovators. MODEC, through its support for STEMGuyana and Team Guyana Robotics, has helped strengthen the country’s participation in FIRST Global while also supporting the expansion of STEMGuyana’s Learning Pods programme in Regions Two and Eight. Other corporate and individual sponsors have likewise stepped forward, helping to provide these students with the equipment, training, travel and exposure needed to compete on the world stage.

The students have spent months designing, building and testing their robot for the Korean competition, gaining experience in engineering, programming, teamwork and problem-solving in the process.

For the young participants, the international exposure is as important as the competition itself. They are working alongside students from countries across the world, exchanging ideas and experiencing an international environment that would otherwise be difficult to access.

Team member Jana Deviera, the only female student on this year’s team, said the experience could also encourage more girls to pursue STEM.

“I think it’s really great that I can be able to be an example to other girls, other young girls so they can see me and be empowered and they can know that they can also do this.”

Guyana has participated in FIRST Global since 2017 and has previously achieved international recognition, including an Albert Einstein Gold Medal for Excellence.

With the 2026 competition continuing through October 10, Team Guyana will now look to build on its early top-10 position as more matches are completed.

For STEMGuyana, Abrams and the sponsors backing the programme, the competition represents more than a robotics event. It is an investment in giving young Guyanese access to technology, mentorship and international opportunities while demonstrating their capabilities on a global stage.

Source: Village Voice News

Elroy Lawrie, 20, a Police Constable of Regional Police Division Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam), was on Wednesday granted bail on several traffic-related offenses.

Lawrie was charged with driving an uninsured and uncertified motor vehicle while he was not the holder of a valid driver’s license. The charges stemmed from an incident on Monday along the Reliance Public Road, Essequibo Coast.

However, Lawrie appeared before Magistrate Caressa Henry at the Anna Regina Magistrate’s Court, where the charges were read to him. He pleaded not guilty to all three charges and was granted bail in the sum of $40,000 for unlicensed driving, $25,000 for driving an uninsured motor vehicle, and $25,000 for driving an uncertified motor vehicle.

The matter was adjourned to November 3, 2026.

Source: INews Guyana

Elroy Lawrie, a 20-year-old Police Constable of Regional Police Division Two, has been placed on $90,000 bail after being charged with three traffic offences.

In a release, police said he drove an uncertified and uninsured motor vehicle without a valid driver’s licence.

The charges stem from an incident on Monday, October 5, 2026, on the Reliance Public Road, Essequibo Coast.

Lawrie appeared before Magistrate Caressa Henry at the Anna Regina Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday, where the charges were read to him.

He pleaded not guilty to all three charges and was granted bail of $40,000 for driving without a licence, $25,000 for driving an uninsured motor vehicle, and $25,000 for driving an uncertified motor vehicle, totalling $90,000.

The matter was adjourned to November 3, 2026.

Source: NEW ROOMS SITE

A domestic dispute between a couple has left 34-year-old Ziggy Webster, a gold miner of 111 Miles, Mahdia Airstrip, Region Eight, dead, and his reputed wife nursing chop wounds about her body.

The incident reportedly occurred on Thursday at Noitgedacht Backdam, Potaro, Region Eight.

Based on reports received, Webster and his 27-year-old reputed wife, a cook, were involved in an argument at their camp during which he allegedly dealt several chops to her body with a cutlass, causing her to sustain injuries.

In retaliation, the woman armed herself with a kitchen knife and stabbed the now-deceased man in the buttock.

The injured couple were taken to the Mahdia District Hospital, where Webster succumbed to his injuries. His reputed wife remains hospitalized in a stable condition under police guard as investigations continue.

Source: INews Guyana

A 65-year-old New Amsterdam man who was acquitted on Thursday of rape and sexual activity charges involving a minor has offered advice to other men following the conclusion of his trial at the Berbice High Court.

Neil Fredericks, a heavy-duty truck and machine driver of Philadelphia Street, New Amsterdam, Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne), was found not guilty of both charges by a 12-member jury, which returned unanimous verdicts following a trial before Justice Peter Hugh.

Fredericks became emotional following the verdicts and was seen in tears as he left the courtroom.

Speaking to reporters outside the courthouse, he offered advice to other men.  “I would like to tell a lot of men, don’t take women with children; stay away from them,” he stated. Fredericks expressed relief at the outcome, particularly because he claimed the allegations had been brought against him by people he had cared for and assisted.

He said the seriousness of the accusations had taken a significant emotional toll on him, resulting in sleepless nights as he maintained his innocence throughout the proceedings.  Fredericks had faced two charges: sexual activity with a child under 16 and rape of a child under 16.

The charges alleged that between March 1, 2020, and October 31, 2021, in Berbice, Fredericks engaged in sexual activity with a girl who was between 10 and 11 years old and sexually penetrated her during the same period.

He denied both allegations during his trial before Justice Hugh. State Prosecutor Marisa Edwards presented the prosecution’s case, calling 14 witnesses, including five police officers and a doctor, to testify.

Fredericks was represented by attorney-at-law Charlyn Artiga. Following the conclusion of the trial, Fredericks expressed gratitude to God, his attorney, and the jurors for their roles in the proceedings.

Source: INews Guyana