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‘Weekend welding’ launched for 60 Freeburg Secondary students  – News Room Guyana

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Sixty Grade 10 students at Freeburg Secondary School have begun a landmark six-month “Weekend Welders” programme designed to deliver internationally recognised engineering qualifications and fill critical gaps in Guyana’s expanding industrial sector.

Running under the theme “Building the foundation for the future”, the initiative was conceptualised by the Deputy Chief Education Officer for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), Dr Ritesh Tularam. It aims to introduce young people to the fundamentals of welding and occupational safety, establishing a base for future technical education, apprenticeships, employment or entrepreneurship.

The course runs for 208 hours over 26 weeks at the Guyana Industrial Training Centre (GITC) workshop, located on Woolford Avenue, with the Ministry of Education providing transportation for all participating students. The programmes were specifically designed to condense a one-year programme.

Combining weekday sessions on Tuesdays and Wednesdays with weekend training on Saturdays and Sundays, the schedule is designed to simulate a commercial workshop environment, with each session dividing four hours of daily contact time between theoretical safety briefings and continuous hands-on booth instruction.

Over the six months, the programme takes students through a progressive sequence of trade skills. Early modules cover health and safety, manual handling, housekeeping, technical drawing and precision measurement. Students then move on to power tool operation, mechanical cutting and introductory engineering calculations before starting core training in Manual Metal Arc Welding (MMAW) and Oxyacetylene Welding (OAW).

The final stages focus on workplace communication, advanced computations and practical assessments.

The entire course is aligned with the Caribbean Vocational Qualification (CVQ) Level I in Welding (CCMEM10202). Students who demonstrate competence across all required units—including joint preparation, heat control and workshop safety—will receive full regional certification following final internal and external verification.

Education officials highlighted that rapid growth across construction, oil and gas, mining, manufacturing and infrastructure has created an urgent need for certified tradespeople. By holding sessions outside regular school hours, the programme provides essential vocational training without disrupting the pupils’ standard academic timetables.

Dr Tularam noted that the programme is expected to expand to additional secondary schools in 2027, incorporating other critical technical disciplines.

Beyond modernising TVET nationwide, the Ministry of Education is driving a broader mandate to ensure every secondary school student graduates with proficiency in at least one practical skill (Ministry of Education press release) 

Source: NEW ROOMS SITE

Min Ramkissoon puts Good Intent concerns on government’s action agenda

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Min Ramkissoon puts Good Intent concerns on government’s action agenda

October 6, 2026

Farmers and residents of Good Intent are set to see greater follow-up on community concerns, following a direct engagement with Minister within the Ministry of Agriculture Vikash Ramkissoon and a team of government agencies on Tuesday evening.

The engagement brought the government’s technical teams directly into the community, allowing farmers to raise concerns affecting agricultural activity while residents outlined issues requiring attention.

Minister within the Ministry of Agriculture Vikash Ramkissoon

Representatives from the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) , the National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute (NAREI), the Mahaica/Mahaicony/Abary Agricultural Development Authority (MMA-ADA) and other agencies were on hand to hear the concerns and determine the appropriate interventions.

Minister Ramkissoon said the exercise was not about delivering another speech, but about listening to residents and connecting their concerns with the agencies capable of resolving them.

“Every matter you can raise with us, we are ready to work with you. We are ready to listen to you,” he noted.

Drainage was among the concerns raised by farmers, while residents also brought forward issues involving water, electricity, infrastructure and street lighting.

The minister said these matters must move beyond discussion and into action, pointing to the presence of the relevant agencies as an opportunity to begin addressing outstanding problems directly.

He noted that streetlight installations and other works are already advancing across the community, while contractors will also be required to address deficiencies identified during previous interventions.

“I want to make sure that issues are issues and they are resolved,” he said.

Residents of Good Intent along with Minister within the Ministry of Agriculture Vikash Ramkissoon

He also assured residents that concerns involving the Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI), Guyana Power and Light (GPL) and other services would be followed up with the respective agencies.

He is expected to return to Good Intent monthly to assess progress, engage residents and ensure that concerns raised with the government receive the necessary attention.

The approach reflects the government’s focus on bringing its agencies closer to residents and ensuring that community concerns, particularly those affecting farmers and essential infrastructure, are met with practical and timely responses.

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Source: Department of Public Information (DPI)

MV Barima Commission of Inquiry to begin public hearings on October 14; Only 1 survivor has submitted statement so far

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MV Barima Commission of Inquiry to begin public hearings on October 14; Only 1 survivor has submitted statement so far

The MV Barima Commission of Inquiry (COI) will host a formal opening ceremony on Wednesday ahead of the commencement of public hearings next week, the Commission’s Secretary, Javed Shadick disclosed today.

More than 100 witnesses including survivors, the families of those who perished, officials and first responders are among the persons expected to appear before the Commission.

During a press conference held today at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre, Shadick told reporters that the five-member Commission led by Justice Godfrey Phillip Smith of Belize will host an opening ceremony at the Conference Centre tomorrow morning, before meeting with the survivors, and the families of those who died when the MV Barima sank on July 18 on its way to Port Kaituma from Port Georgetown.

“In the afternoon, the Commissioners will be meeting with the families of the survivors for all those persons along the Coastland, Regions 3, 4, and 5. On Thursday, the Commissioners will be taking a tour of the Kingston Wharf, that would be around 9am in the morning, and MARAD, and Transport and Harbours Department at Kingston,” Shadick detailed.

Visits will also be conducted to Mabaruma, and Port Kaituma next Monday and Tuesday where the Commissioners will not only visit the wharves there, but will also engage with the survivors and families of those who survived and perished.

Shadick was keen on noting that it is not the intention of the Commission to take evidence during the visit to families, emphasizing that all evidence will be presented to the Commission when it commences public hearings on Wednesday, October 14. Hearings will be conducted from 9am to 4pm.

So far, only a single survivor has submitted evidence to the Commission.

“Not many persons have come forward. In fact, only one person has made contact with the secretariat informing us of their intent to step forward”, he said.

Shadick, however, estimates that more than 100 persons are likely to appear.

“So far on the TORs, we have divided types of witnesses. So, we are looking at persons who would have been first responders, officials, and survivors, and families of those who would have perished, that is a very broad categorization. The number of persons, I cannot say how much would be in each one but our initial count, we are looking at more than 100 witnesses,” he explained.

He said the Commission, based on the number of witnesses willing to come forward, will determine whether public hearings will be conducted in Port Kaituma and Mabaruma, where a majority of the survivors and victims were from.

The Counsel for the Commission, Attorney-at-Law Arudranauth Gossai and Attorney-at-Law Teni Housty have been working behind the scenes interviewing potential witnesses and gathering documentary evidence, Shadick said.

The Commission is mandated to establish, so far as the evidence permits, the full facts and sequence of events; determine the immediate, direct, contributing and systemic causes of the casualty, identify the shortcomings or failures; and assess compliance with applicable legal and safety requirements.

Against that background, Shadick was questioned about the Commission’s ability to effectively execute its mandate when the wreckage with a significant amount of evidence, remains on the seabed, and three of the key witnesses, two of whom were apart of the crew, are behind bars. Shadick, in response, said those questions cannot be answered by him, only the Commissioners.

The Commission is tasked with determining whether any act or omission, negligence, misconduct, dereliction of duty, systemic deficiency or institutional failure by any individual, entity or institution contributed to or caused the casualty or adversely affected the response to the tragedy.

The Commission was expected to complete its work within two months but Shadick said an extension would be sought, positing that it could take the commission approximately six months to complete its work.

The Commission was appointed in July, shortly after the tragedy which claimed the lives of more than 100 persons. Only 76 persons survived the tragedy.

Source: News Source Guyana

Guyana is only country in Latin America and the Caribbean recording double-digit economic growth -says World Bank

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Guyana is only country in Latin America and the Caribbean recording double-digit economic growth -says World Bank

Guyana continues to lead economic growth in the Latin America and Caribbean region, with the latest World Bank Group Economic update pegging Guyana’s Real GDP growth, at 23.7%.

Guyana is the the only country in the region with double-digit growth.

In its latest update published today, the World Bank group said growth in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) remains modest and that regional GDP is projected to expand by 2.2 percent in 2026, broadly in line with 2.4 percent in 2025.

However, the report noted that countries making sound and durable policy choices are delivering stronger results, faster growth, more investment, and greater market confidence.

It noted too that although economies are growing, many of them are still faced with increased food and transportation costs.

“Commodity exporters have benefited from still-high prices and manufacturing exports have held up despite trade policy volatility, while food- and energy-importing economies, particularly in the Caribbean, face higher import costs and softer tourism demand. Across the region, elevated global uncertainty, restricted fiscal space, and high real borrowing costs weigh on private demand. Risks remain tilted to the downside. Energy price volatility could stall disinflation and keep central banks cautious, while El Niño could disrupt production and push up food and energy prices,” the report said.

The report said while the region sees increased growth, high debt and interest burdens continue to limit fiscal space and crowd out public investment. 

It also predicts that El Niño could further disrupt agriculture and hydropower and push up food and energy prices.

“In the Caribbean, a dual-track reality persists: Guyana and Suriname’s oil-driven expansions contrast with the maturing, more tempered post-pandemic recovery of tourism-dependent island economies facing high energy and transportation costs. Meanwhile, LAC’s largest economies, Brazil and Mexico are growing at or below the regional average, constrained by tight monetary conditions needed to continue disinflation, policy uncertainty, and fading public investment impulses,” the report said.

The report noted that the region urgently requires new engines of productivity, adding that while the rapid global diffusion of artificial intelligence (AI) offers a potential catalyst, it must be carefully utilized.(

(Photo by Stephen Ramphal)

Source: News Source Guyana

Seeram still to be handed over to prison authorities despite High Court’s dismissal of judicial review

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Seeram still to be handed over to prison authorities despite High Court’s dismissal of judicial review

National Border Patrol Director, Daniel Seeram is still to be handed over to prison authorities even after the High Court upheld a Magistrates’ Court decision for him to be remanded to prison pending his sentencing on an assault conviction in November.

The Acting Director of Prisons, Nicklon Elliott, refused to offer any information on the issue when contacted. However, other senior Prison Officials confirmed that Seeram had not yet been handed over by the Police.

News Source understands that Seeram remains in Police custody.

The former Region 4 Chairman was convicted last Friday of assaulting his ex-wife in September 2023, and remanded to prison pending his sentencing on November 2.

On Monday, his attempt to secure pre-sentencing bail failed when High Court Judge Joy Persaud-Singh upheld the decision by Magistrate Abigail Gibbs in the Sparendaam Magistrates’ Court to remand Seeram to prison.

Seeram was being held at the Sparendaam Police Station on the East Coast of Demerara pending Monday’s hearing. However, he was expected to be handed over to prison authorities following Monday’s ruling.

Asked repeatedly by News Source whether Seeram was handed over to the Prison Service, the Director declined to respond, instead redirecting the question to the Prison’s Public Relations Officer, Rajiv Bisnauth.

Bisnauth, when contacted, also declined to comment on the issue.

The Leader of the Opposition, Azruddin Mohamed, in a post on social media last evening contended that Seeram was not in prison.

“I am standing at the Lusignan Prison confirming through prison officers that he is not here. I will shortly head to Camp Street Prison to make further checks. Prison Officers have confirmed that wife beater Daniel is not here neither. So, he is not at Lusignan and he is not at Camp Street Prison. This is a slap in the face of every domestic violence victim during this domestic violence month,” Mohamed said.

Mohamed accused the PPP/C Administration of having a history of protecting abusers and fraudsters.

“Our sources within the Guyana Prison Service say this is only the second time in their 22 years of service that they know of, where a person was remanded and never made it to jail. The first was Kevin Lorrimer, who was sentenced to nine months for fraud but never spent a day in prison. This is what happens when there is no separation of powers. This happens when the Executive meddles in the Judiciary, when the Courts cannot function independently. Court orders mean nothing in this country anymore,” the Opposition Leader said.

There were reports that Seeram was allowed to leave the Police station over the weekend, but his Attorney said he was unaware of any such action.

Justice Persaud-Singh, in dismissing Seeram’s application for Judicial Review said there was no indication that Magistrate Gibbs acted unlawfully, irrationally or outside of her jurisdiction. 

Source: News Source Guyana

Home Affairs Minister warns Police Officers that misconduct will affect promotions

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Home Affairs Minister warns Police Officers that misconduct will affect promotions

Minister of Home Affairs, Oneidge Walrond, has warned Police Officers that misconduct in the line of them carrying out their duties could result in them being blocked from promotion.

In a recent interview, the Home Affairs Minister said her ultimate aim is to see a Police Force of integrity.

Speaking during the Starting Point podcast over the weekend, the Minister said years of service alone will not be used to justify promotions.

“The requirements for promotion are no longer because of your years of service, the standards of promotion are based on your service, disciplinary records and these things to be able to show that you are suited for leadership. I believe that if there is any infraction from any police officer it should be written up and put in their file—because ultimately that police officer wants to move up because we are also creating a pathway for a career in the police force—but that ought to not come automatically, it should come on the basis of merit,” the Minister noted.

The Minister said for this year, more Police Officers have faced the Courts that at anytime before, pointing to the rise of misconduct by ranks.

“The body camera investment is also a way in which we are dealing with police misconduct on the roadways, we have invested in more then 5,000 body cameras across the country, so when they are interacting with the public we can see and are able to process that interaction—that too helps, there has to be an understanding that bad behaviours and misconduct will not be rewarded, the Minister stated.

She said the story of the Police Force and the Disciplined Services should not be one of misconduct, explaining that the Force has hundreds of dedicated persons, and their dedication should not be put on the back burner because of the misconduct of others.

“I think that my greatest aim is to see the institutionalization of integrity, that regardless of, who is Minister, who is Commissioner that every police officer should conduct their job with integrity and professionalism and I believe that we are on our way there, “ the Minister noted.

The Minister said the government continues to invest heavily in police training because it believe that integrity will help to transform the society.

Source: News Source Guyana

76-year-old man remanded to prison for murder of 6-year-old boy

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76-year-old man remanded to prison for murder of 6-year-old boy

The 76-year-old Chinese national who has been been accused of brutally murdering a 6-year-old boy by slashing him to the neck, has been charged and remanded to prison.

The murder accused, Quan Sheng Li, appeared at the Leonora Magistrates’ Court on Monday where the indictable murder charge was read to him. He was not required to enter a plea.

The Prosecution’s case is that last Friday Sheng Li visited the business place of the boy’s parents at Parika and got involved in an argument with them over the repayment of a loan.

The young boy, who had reportedly just arrived home from school, approached the elderly man to hug him but was slashed to the neck in response.

The murder weapon was found in the same Parika area on the East Bank of Essequibo and the accused was arrested. He admitted to the crime while speaking to investigators, it was reported.

The young boy was laid to rest this past weekend. His parents remain in disbelief and shock over his murder.

Source: News Source Guyana

Travel and accomodation costs must be covered for survivors of MV Barima tragedy -says MP Mahipaul

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Travel and accomodation costs must be covered for survivors of MV Barima tragedy -says MP Mahipaul

Opposition Member of Parliament, Ganesh Mahipaul, who has been closely monitoring the developments around the MV Barima tragedy, believes survivors must not bear the cost of giving evidence before the Commission.

With the Commission of Inquiry (COI) now expected to commence public hearings next Wednesday, MP Mahipaul is of the opinion that the survivors, many of whom reside in the Northwest District, should be provided with transportation and accommodation in the city to effectively participate in the hearings.

“The survivors of the MV Barima tragedy have already endured an unimaginable experience. The last thing they should have to worry about is whether they can afford to travel to Georgetown, find accommodation, or purchase meals in order to give their testimony before the Commission of Inquiry. I therefore call on the Commission to make it clear, publicly and without ambiguity, that no survivor should be financially burdened because they have chosen to come forward and testify,” MP Mahipaul said in a statement this afternoon.

He said every survivor who is willing to give evidence should be assured that their basic and reasonable expenses will be covered for the period they are required to attend the Commission.

“For survivors travelling from outside Georgetown, this should include airfare or other reasonable transportation costs, accommodation and meals for the period they are required in Georgetown to give their testimony. For survivors living in and around Georgetown, transportation to and from the Commission and meals should be provided where they are required to attend for testimony,” he proposed.

The Opposition MP said the demands are not unreasonable, adding that the measures could remove practical barriers and demonstrate to survivors that the Commission genuinely wants to hear from them.

“If we genuinely want the truth about what happened aboard the MV Barima, then we must create an environment in which survivors feel welcomed, respected, supported and protected, not burdened. The testimony of survivors may be among the most important evidence before this Commission. Their voices must not be lost because someone cannot afford a plane ticket, transportation, a hotel room or meals while fulfilling their civic responsibility to testify,” he said.

Thus far, only a single survivor has come forward to the Commission to provide evidence.

However, the Commission intends to travel to Port Kaituma and Mabaruma next week to engage with survivors and families of those who perished. The Commission’s Secretary, Javed Shadick said based on those engagements, and the number of persons from the Northwest District willing to testify, the Commission will determine whether public hearings will also be held there. 

Source: News Source Guyana

Region One gets first Special Education Needs school – News Room Guyana

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​The Ministry of Education has expanded access to specialised education in Region One with the official opening of the region’s first Special Education Needs and Disabilities (SEND) school in Mabaruma.
​The 57th of its kind nationally, this new school can accommodate up to 30 learners. It currently has an enrolment of 15 learners and four staff members who are trained in Special Education Needs and Disabilities.
​The establishment of the Mabaruma SEND School represents another important milestone in the Ministry’s ongoing efforts to strengthen inclusive education and ensure that learners with special educational needs and disabilities have access to the personalised support, resources, and learning opportunities they need to reach their full potential.
The Ministry of Education has expanded access to specialised education in Region One with the official opening of the region’s first Special Education Needs and Disabilities (SEND) school in Mabaruma.
​Through the provision of specialised educational support within the region, learners and their families will have greater access to educational services without having to travel outside of their communities to receive the assistance they require.
​Moreover, the Mabaruma facility will not be the only SEND school in Region One, as similar initiatives are planned for the other two sub-districts – Moruca and Matarkai. The aim is to ensure that across the length and breadth of Guyana, our learners with disabilities or special education needs have specialised educational support closer and more convenient to their homes. [Ministry of Education Press Release]

Source: NEW ROOMS SITE

Guyana must prevent transnational criminals from finding ‘safe haven’ here – Walrond – News Room Guyana

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Minister of Home Affairs Oneidge Walrond says Guyana’s fight against the illegal drug trade has become increasingly focused on transnational criminal networks, as the country continues to confront its role as a route for narcotics moving between major markets.

“The drugs are moving through Guyana to get to Africa and Europe, and so the policies and programmes and operations that we are currently implementing is to circumvent that.

“Transnational criminal organisations should not find a safe haven in Guyana, and that is what we have been able to uproot,” Walrond said during an appearance on the Starting Point podcast.

Walrond explained that narcotics are being moved through Guyana as part of wider trafficking routes destined for Africa and Europe. As such, she said government policies, programmes and operations are therefore being designed not only to intercept drugs, but also to disrupt the networks facilitating their movement through the country.

Acknowledging that local law enforcement authorities have been doing a good job in terms of narcotics seizures, Walrond said the nature of the drug trade means the response can no longer be handled by a single law-enforcement agency.

As such, she said the approach to combat the issue as been an inter-agency one.

Walrond pointed to increased international cooperation as part of the government’s response, citing strengthened relationships with agencies including INTERPOL and the US Marshals Service.

She said those partnerships have allowed Guyana to build its capacity to tackle drug trafficking and other forms of organised crime that operate across national borders.

“Cooperation with INTERPOL, the US Marshals Service, we have cemented and built on those relationships, and we are doing more in terms of combatting drugs through these transnational organisations and organised crime,” Walrond said.

CANU Head James Singh has previously said Guyana’s geographical location, he explained, places the country between major drug-producing and consumer markets, making it vulnerable to transnational trafficking networks.

Source: NEW ROOMS SITE

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