So, with accustomed fanfare, pomp, and political gimmickry we recently learned of the Thomas Street project designed by the King’s Foundation in collaboration with the Government of Guyana, no a word of any level of involvement nor consultation with Georgetown municipality. A flagrant breach of a principal provision and the spirit of our constitution, which speaks of inclusionary democracy.
Article 13 is crystal clear; “The principal objective of the political system of the State is to establish an inclusionary democracy by providing increasing opportunities for the participation of citizens and their organisations in the management and decision-making processes of the State, with particular emphasis on those areas of decision-making that directly affect their well -being.” This clearly alludes to the Local Government system. I am disappointed and surprised that his Majesty’s government could be complicit in this unfortunate and ill-advised adventure.
Why we are destroying the foundations which our fore-bearers built in our journey to independence, is beyond belief. It appears that our government has no time for the little things that constitutes a viable democracy, such as the involvement of persons at the local level. When will we stand up to be men and women and not mice? When will we occupy the front line so that our children will be proud of us? When will we be men and women of courage and not spineless cowards?
Agriculture Month 2026 is being observed throughout October, with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) using the national observance to highlight the people, innovation and investment needed to build a stronger and more sustainable food system in Guyana.
This year’s theme, “Innovate, Nourish, Grow: Building a Strong and Sustainable Guyana,” focuses on the transformation of Guyana’s agrifood sector and the growing use of technology, research, mechanisation, precision agriculture and climate-smart practices.
FAO Representative in Guyana, Dr. Gillian Smith, said Agriculture Month provides an opportunity to recognise the contribution of thousands of people who sustain the country’s food systems.
“This is an important month for all of us. It provides an opportunity to reflect on and celebrate the hard work and dedication of farmers, fishers, agro-processors, agricultural institutions, organisations, communities, women, youth and partners across Guyana. It is also a time to acknowledge Guyana’s strong leadership and strategic vision in advancing sustainable agricultural development in the CARICOM region,” said Dr. Gillian Smith, FAO Representative in Guyana.
The FAO said agriculture extends beyond food production, pointing to its importance to food security and nutrition, livelihoods, rural development, healthy communities and the sustainable management of natural resources.
The organisation said the 2026 theme reflects changes taking place across Guyana’s agricultural landscape and aligns closely with this year’s World Food Day.
Farmers are increasingly adopting technology, research, mechanisation and precision agriculture to improve productivity, while climate-smart practices are helping to strengthen resilience and promote more sustainable production.
FAO’s work in Guyana supports these priorities through programmes aimed at transforming sustainable agrifood systems, strengthening climate resilience, improving value chains, promoting digital innovation and supporting rural livelihoods.
Women Farmers in Focus
A particular focus this year is the contribution of women to agriculture and the wider food system.
FAO noted that 2026 is the International Year of the Woman Farmer, providing an opportunity to recognise women working throughout Guyana’s agricultural value chain.
Women are engaged in farming, fisheries, agro-processing, marketing, trading, beekeeping and rural entrepreneurship. Their activities contribute to household food security, livelihoods, local economies and national development.
FAO is encouraging Guyanese to participate in Agriculture Month activities, learn more about where food comes from and share agricultural knowledge and experiences.
The organisation is also encouraging young people to view agriculture not simply as traditional farming, but as a sector offering opportunities in technology, innovation, entrepreneurship and research.
Consumers are being urged to “support local and buy from the farmers and fishers.”
FAO said strengthening Guyana’s agrifood systems will require continued collaboration among farmers, communities, government institutions, businesses and development partners.
It reaffirmed its commitment to supporting Guyana’s efforts to develop sustainable, inclusive and resilient food systems while advancing the Sustainable Development Goals.
The broader objective, FAO said, is to achieve “better production, better nutrition, better environment and a better life” as Guyana works toward a more sustainable agricultural future.
BK International has been chosen to salvage the MV Barima which sank in the Atlantic on July 18 claiming around 100 lives.
This disclosure was made today to relatives of the victims by Polish forensic naval architect and marine engineer Dr Andrzej Jasionowski, one of the members of the Commission of Inquiry into the sinking.
He made the disclosure while commissioners engaged with families of the victims at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre. To date the government has made no announcement despite the great public interest in this issue.
Three companies had submitted financial bids for the salvage operation on September 8, according to a National Procurement and Tender Administration Board record. BK International Inc. submitted the lowest bid of approximately $1.034 billion, while Industrial Fabrication Inc. submitted a bid of $1.895 billion and Netherlands-based KMS B.V. submitted $2.0351 billion. The bids were submitted under a “no cure, no pay” arrangement.
The invitation for Expressions of Interest for the salvaging had closed on August 14.
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The Housing Ministry is advancing the development of recreational facilities in housing schemes across the country as part of its broader effort to create wholesome and sustainable communities.
Subject minister, Collin Croal, provided an update on the initiative on Friday during a visit to the recreational facility under development at Le Reconnaissance along the East Coast of Demerara (ECD).
The community, where 175 low-income houses are currently under construction, is among several housing developments benefiting from investments aimed at providing residents with safe and accessible spaces for recreation, exercise and family activities.
Croal disclosed that the Le Reconnaissance facility is one of 12 recreational grounds currently being developed in Region Four and among 27 being advanced across several regions.
He noted that the Government’s housing programme extends beyond the allocation of house lots and construction of homes, with increased attention being placed on improving the overall quality of life within communities.
“We are enhancing the communities in which persons live. Recreational facilities provide an avenue for persons to exercise and a space for families to bring their children for leisure,” Croal said.
At Le Reconnaissance, the first phase of works includes construction of the perimeter fence, concrete drainage around the ground and land levelling. The second phase which be done in collaboration with the Office of the First Lady, will see further enhancement of the facility, including the construction of a walkway for exercise and the installation of recreational amenities, including slides for children.
He added that similar investments are being undertaken in other communities where the Ministry has ongoing housing programmes.
The recreational facility programme complements wider Government efforts, including initiatives being undertaken through the Ministries of Local Government and Regional Development and Public Works, to improve community infrastructure and create safer, more functional spaces for residents.
The Housing Ministry stated that it remains committed to ensuring that the expansion of the national housing programme is accompanied by the infrastructure and amenities necessary to foster vibrant, family-friendly communities.
As Red Thread Condemns Planned Confrontation with SOCU Head Karimbaksh
By Alethea Grant | HGP Nightly News |
GEORGETOWN, GUYANA — The constitutional Women and Gender Equality Commission (WGEC) has launched a scathing rebuke against the Guyana Police Force (GPF), demanding an immediate, independent inquiry and institutional restructuring to dismantle what it describes as an entrenched “culture of sexual misconduct and impunity” enabling predators within the state security apparatus.
The commission’s intervention comes amid escalating national outrage surrounding allegations of rape and threatening behavior leveled against Deputy Commissioner of Police and Head of the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU), Fizal Karimbaksh.
Warning that senior officers who consider themselves “untouchable” must not stand above the law, the WGEC revealed that systemic exploitation is not confined to isolated senior posts, but extends into foundational training environments—citing explosive reports of illicit civilian access, alcohol consumption, and sexual exploitation directly inside the Police Training Academy.
Police Training Academy Breaches: Exploitation Silenced by Fear
In an official dispatch issued on Monday, the WGEC highlighted alarming conditions within police training facilities, where young recruits face coercive exploitation:
Abuse at the Academy: The Commission detailed accounts from trainees disclosing that sexual abuse, coercion, and abuses of power have become normalized routines, enforced by systemic intimidation and fear of professional victimization.
Mid-January Regulations Breach: The WGEC cited a specific breach of disciplinary protocols occurring in mid-January, where male officers, instructors, and external civilians were granted unauthorized access to the Police Training Academy quarters, leading to alcohol consumption and sexual misconduct on the compound.
Demands for Independent Restructuring: The Commission stressed that internal police investigations are incapable of curing deep-rooted institutional complicity, demanding an independent, external overhaul to protect female trainees and junior ranks from predatory senior officers.
Red Thread Rebukes Minister Walrond Over ‘Formal Confrontation’
The firestorm intensified following remarks made by Minister of Home Affairs Oneidge Walrond during an appearance on the public affairs program Starting Point, where she outlined the investigative steps being deployed by detectives:
“The investigation would entail statements from persons who they think might be appropriate to get statements, and statements from the accused who is the Deputy Commissioner Karimbaksh, and to hold a formal confrontation,” Minister Walrond explained during the broadcast.
The suggestion of a face-to-face confrontation sparked sharp condemnation from women’s rights advocacy group Red Thread:
Violation of the Sexual Offences Act: Red Thread coordinator Karen de Souza stated the organization was “appalled” that the state or police administration would consider forcing a rape complainant into a face-to-face confrontation with her alleged abuser.
Secondary Traumatization: The organization emphasized that subjecting a victim of sexual assault to direct physical confrontation with an accused superior officer directly breaches the protections, evidentiary safeguards, and spirit of Guyana’s Sexual Offences Act 2010, exposing the complainant to severe secondary psychological trauma and coercion.
Minister Walrond Rejects Criticism: ‘Comments Were Mischaracterized’
In response to the public outcry, Minister Walrond issued a public statement via Facebook firmly rejecting Red Thread’s assertions:
No Directive Given: Walrond maintained that her televised comments describing traditional police confrontation routines were taken out of context and mischaracterized.
Statutory Compliance: The Minister stressed that she had issued no directives instructing detectives to force the complainant into Karimbaksh’s presence, nor had she authorized any procedure inconsistent with the protections outlined in the Sexual Offences Act.
With civil society bodies, constitutional commissions, and legal advocates uniting in condemnation, public pressure continues to mount on the administration to immediately place Deputy Commissioner Karimbaksh on administrative leave to guarantee an impartial investigation.
Vendors and community groups in Aishalton, Region Nine, will soon have a dedicated space to sell food and farm produce as work nears completion on a new $5 million vendors’ arcade.
The Ministry of Amerindian Affairs is funding the initiative, which includes two buildings designed to provide a clean, spacious environment for trading.
One will house four enclosed food stalls, while the other will provide an open area for vendors selling farm and other local produce. The stalls will be furnished before they are made available for use.
The enclosed building measures 48 feet by 15 feet, with each of its four compartments measuring 12 feet by 10 feet. The open building will be the same overall size.
Aishalton’s Deputy Toshao, Michael Thomas
Deputy Toshao Michael Thomas said construction is approximately 92 per cent complete, with mainly internal works remaining. Construction works are being executed by community members.
Toshao Thomas said the concrete food vending facility will include serving outlets, sinks, plumbing and stoves for warming food.
Meanwhile, women’s and youth groups, along with other interested users, will be able to rent individual stalls or the entire building. The revenue generated from the rentals will be utilised to maintain the facility.
Last Updated on Wednesday, 7 October 2026, 20:58 by Writer
Captain Kevin Price
The five-member Commission of Inquiry (CoI) into the sinking of the MV Barima ferry is interested in hearing from the captain, crew and goods superintendent but they could refuse to provide evidence because they are facing a murder charge for 76 persons who perished in the mishap, CoI Chairman Justice Godfrey Smith said Wednesday.
“I am aware that three personnel, the captain and crew members, have been charged. Obviously, it is plain to us that they would have information we would wish to hear.We definitely will want to hear from them,” he told a news briefing after the formal opening of public hearings into the July 18 disaster, the worst in Guyana’s maritime history.
In his opening statement, he said the qualifications, training, experience and operational readiness of the master, officers and crew would be examined as well as their conduct before and during the voyage from Georgetown to Port Kaituma and their actions when the emergency arose.
Chief Mate Rondell Dwayne Roberts
At the news briefing, he said the lawyers for the trio—Kevin Price called “KP”, 40, of Melanie Damishana, East Coast Demerara; the chief mate, Rondell Dwayne Roberts, 42, of Grove Public Road, East Bank Demerara, and the goods superintendent, Delon Granderson, 33, of Fellowship, West Coast Demerara—would decide whether they would allow them to speak.
He said if the murder-accused refuse to speak, the inquirers could not force them to do so, even as he noted that there was “already a plethora of information before us and evidence and much more to come.”
“It will be up to them and their legal representatives to determine whether they will allow them to speak.If their lawyers advise them ‘you cannot speak’ or ‘you should not speak on pain of incriminating yourself’,and they choose to act on that, it is beyond the powers of this Commission of Inquiry to do anything about that particular situation,” he said.
Justice Smith, a former judge of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court, said the report of a CoI may be the “catalyst for civil and criminal proceedings to follow.”
Charity Magistrate Ravindra Mohabir will this month hand down his decision on whether there was an abuse of process in instituting the murder charge.
Defence lawyer Dexter Todd told the court on that the Shipping Act provides first for the holding of marine accident investigation first before a criminal investigation by police.
Goods Superintendent Delon Granderson
Justice Smith said the CoI team was confident that they would be able to “get as close as possible to the truth”.
He reiterated that the commission had no power to do anything if the three men opted to “rely on their rights.”
“The matter is squarely for persons who have been summoned or subpoenaed to seek legal advice.Even if they don’t seek legal advice, we are obliged to inform them of their rights,so that they don’t unconsciously prejudice themselves,” he said.
The CoI chairman did not rule out public works minister Juan Edghill, whose ministry is responsible for the Transport and Harbours Department (T&HD), and public utilities minister Deodat Indar, whose portfolio includes the regulatory Maritime Administration (MARAD), appearing before the inquiry.
“We have not reached that stage yet. We are still drawing up lists of witnesses. We are still examiningthe evidence. But rest assured, as I said in the opening statement, the evidence will be followedwherever it leads and if it becomes clear that we require the evidence of a minister, they will be askedto come before the Commission,” he said.
Asked to comment on why it would not be automatic for ministers Edghill and Indar to appear before the CoI in light of public calls for them to give account because they are responsible for the sector, Justice Smith said the commission was wary of rushing to “predetermined conclusions.”
“We are collecting as much information as we can, and we promise you that we will follow the evidence wherever it leads,” he said.
Official figures show that of the estimated 179 passengers and crew who were aboard the MV Barima when it sank on July 18 about 10 miles off the Essequibo Coast, 76 persons were rescued and 73 others perished in the tragedy.
His Excellency President Dr Irfaan Ali advocated for a bold regional tourism vision to ensure the long-term viability and competitiveness of tourism in the Caribbean.
Speaking to regional tourism stakeholders at the official launch of the Caribbean Tourism Organisation’s (CTO) State of the Tourism Industry Conference earlier today at the Guyana Marriott Hotel in Georgetown, the President called for the region to fundamentally change the way it approaches investment, connectivity, technology and regional cooperation.
He warned that the Caribbean could no longer rely solely on its natural beauty and must continuously enhance its tourism product to remain competitive in an increasingly demanding global market.
Central to his vision is greater regional connectivity, particularly through integrated transport infrastructure that would allow visitors to move more easily between Caribbean destinations, alongside greater tourism collaboration to package the diversity that exists across the region.
He argued that the Caribbean could not continue to develop tourism destinations in isolation, pointing to the emergence of interconnected tourism ecosystems in the Middle East, Latin America and Europe.
“The only thing that can take us forward by scale is integrated infrastructure, starting with an integrated transport system.”
President Ali also warned that the region was facing growing competition from destinations investing heavily in luxury hospitality, entertainment, sporting events, digital tourism and infrastructure.
“We have to be futuristic. We gotta bite the bullet at some point,” he said, stressing that the region could no longer afford complacency.
“We can no longer plan in cycle. You have to plan ahead of time, and we can only do so together.”
He pointed to the potential for greater regional cooperation to attract and host major global events, arguing that Caribbean countries could collectively identify events they want to bring to the region and build the infrastructure needed to support them.
The President also urged the Caribbean to embrace artificial intelligence, digital tourism and cybersecurity, while calling for greater integration of regional supply chains, workforce development and investment.
He stressed that resilience must also be built into tourism projects from the outset, including disaster preparedness, business continuity, resilience financing and insurance.
President Ali said the Caribbean’s tourism industry had demonstrated its resilience following the COVID-19 pandemic, but argued that this resilience must now be reinforced by infrastructure, investment, partnerships and strategy.
“The future is going to be completely different…for tourism to succeed, compete, and stay alive in this region, we have to scale up our thinking, scale up our infrastructure, scale up our commitment, and for people within the region, we need to scale up our approach.”
-to represent Guyana, Latin America and Caribbean region
Minister of Natural Resources, Honourable Vickram Bharrat was appointed on October 6, to represent Guyana, Latin America and the Caribbean region on the Board of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI).
Minister Bharrat’s appointment was first announced on June 30. He was named Principal Member of the EITI Implementing Country Constituency on the international board and will represent the region for the 2026–2029 term.
Minister of Natural Resources, Honourable Vickram Bharrat
Minister Bharrat is currently in Brussels, Belgium where he participated in the 68th EITI Board meeting held at the Centre Albert Borschette as part of the programme for the 2026 EITI Global Conference.
At the EITI Global Conference, which also takes place in Brussels on October 8-9, Minister Bharrat will contribute to discussions on natural resource governance. He will participate in the panel “Golden opportunities: Securing shared benefits from artisanal and small-scale gold mining”, which will explore how the sector can deliver more equitable benefits while supporting livelihoods and responsible mining.
The minister said the conference will provide a platform to share the region’s experiences in natural resource governance and contribute to global efforts to strengthen transparency and accountability.
“Our countries have different experiences, but we share a common responsibility to manage our natural resources transparently and ensure that their benefits reach our people and communities,” he said.
“As members, we must continue to focus on practical ways to support livelihoods and strengthen accountability across the extractive sector.”
The 2026 EITI Global Conference brings together representatives of governments, industry, civil society and international organisations to discuss transparency and governance in the extractive sector.
Minister of Natural Resources, Honourable Vickram Bharrat
Electing to bat, Zimbabwe posted 142 for 6 with opener Kelis Ndhlovu scoring her fifth half-century in T20Is. She scored 63 off just 48 balls with six fours and three sixes. Zimbabwe made 40 for 1 in the powerplay before Taylor came into the attack. She struck with her second ball to have Chipo Mugeri-Tiripano stumped for her 100th T20I wicket before returning later to trap Chiedza Dhururu lbw.
Despite the brief stutter in the middle overs, Zimbabwe could post a fighting total after they took 41 for 1 in the last four overs. Ndhlovu and Christine Mutasa added 40 off just 27 balls for the fifth to give the hosts a boost. Taylor’s 2 for 8 from four overs and Jahzara Claxton‘s 2 for 35 meant Zimbabwe couldn’t run away with the bat.
Claxton then led West Indies’ strong response with the bat. She made 38 off 37 but, importantly, was involved in a 71-run second-wicket stand with Taylor to ensure the tourists faced no hiccups in a comfortable chase.
Taylor finished 64 not out from 39 balls, hitting 11 fours, and saw West Indies through with 18 balls and eight wickets to spare. The major difference between the teams was the middle overs (7 to 16), where Zimbabwe made only 61 for 3 while West Indies scored 85 for the loss of Claxton, who was bowled by Beloved Biza.
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