Police in Regional Division No. 9 are investigating the discovery of 1.742 kilograms of cannabis during an operation at Lethem, Central Rupununi, on Wednesday.
According to Police Headquarters, ranks, acting on information received, proceeded to a bushy area approximately 150 feet behind a shop, where they discovered a box and a haversack concealed beneath bushes.
A search of the items revealed several parcels, along with 147 small zip-lock bags containing leaves, seeds and stems suspected to be cannabis.
The suspected cannabis was taken to the Lethem Police Station, where it was weighed and found to amount to 1.742 kilograms. The substance was subsequently lodged.
No arrests have been made as investigations are ongoing.
A 33-year-old driver and contractor from Vigilance, East Coast Demerara, was charged in connection with an alleged abduction of two Surinamese nationals at Rosignol, West Bank Berbice.
The man, Jimmol Murphy, was charged with abduction, contrary to Section 4 of the Kidnapping Act, Chapter 10:05.
Police said Murphy was arrested on Friday, September 25, 2026, in relation to an alleged abduction which reportedly occurred on Saturday, August 29, 2026, at Rosignol.
Two Surinamese nationals, 28-year-old Van Dalen Siegiello Lorenzo of Moustachestraat #29, Saramacca and Koetaristraat 8, and 29-year-old Derryl Danillo of Adolfstraat #9 Wanica.
Police did not state who was abducted but the News Room understands the man’s arrest was in relation to the disappearance of two Surinamese nationals, 28-year-old Van Dalen Siegiello Lorenzo of Moustachestraat #29, Saramacca and Koetaristraat 8, and 29-year-old Derryl Danillo of Adolfstraat #9 Wanica were last seen on August 28, 2026 at Rosignol, West Coast Demerara. A missing person’s flyer was published by the Guyana Police Force.
Murphy appeared virtually before Magistrate Shareefah Parks who presided from the Fort Wellington Magistrate’s Court on Thursday.
Murphy was not required to enter a plea and was granted bail in the sum of $1 million.
The Caribbean must strengthen regional cooperation, aviation regulations and build sustainable technical capacity to ensure the safety and resilience of the region’s aviation sector.
That was the central message at the opening of the Caribbean High-Level Symposium on Aviation Safety, convened by the CARICOM Secretariat in collaboration with the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
The symposium, being held at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre in Georgetown, brings together high-level representatives from CARICOM Member States, regional institutions and international partners to identify practical measures to strengthen aviation safety oversight, deepen cooperation and advance sustainable capacity development and financing.
Held under the theme, “Strengthening Caribbean Aviation through Regional Cooperation, Resilient Oversight and Sustainable Capacity Development,” the event is focused on moving from discussion to concrete action.
Guyana’s Minister of Public Utilities and Aviation, Deodat Indar, in delivering remarks at the opening, called for stronger cooperation across the region, noting that Caribbean countries cannot address the challenges facing the aviation sector alone.
“The Caribbean aviation future will depend on whether we can work across borders, strengthen our institutions and build the expertise to keep the pace with the changing industry,” Minister Indar said.
He stressed that aviation is critical to the region’s development, particularly given the geographical realities of the Caribbean.
“For our region, aviation is not a luxury. It connects island and mainland communities, supports tourism and trade, brings families together and helps deliver essential services,” he said.
Minister Indar also highlighted the importance of reliable air transport during emergencies, including hurricanes, floods and other natural disasters.
The Minister acknowledged, however, that Caribbean aviation authorities continue to face significant pressures, including limited technical personnel, funding constraints and shortages of specialist expertise.
He pointed to differences in regulations and procedures across the region as another challenge that can slow regional integration.
At the same time, aviation authorities must respond to rapid technological changes, including new aircraft technologies, digital systems and artificial intelligence, as well as emerging security risks.
Climate events and natural disasters are also placing additional pressure on airports and aviation infrastructure, testing the resilience of the region’s aviation systems.
“No country can meet these challenges alone. Cooperation must become a working arrangement,” Minister Indar said.
The symposium therefore seeks to move the region from shared concerns to shared commitments, with discussions expected to focus on the Caribbean Aviation Safety and Security Oversight System (CASSOS) Roadmap and Action Matrix to 2035, the sustainability of civil aviation authorities, regulatory harmonisation and air transport services within CARICOM. Further discussions will also be held to advance a single Caribbean air transport market under the CARICOM Multilateral Air Services Agreement (MASA).
Participants will also examine the technical support, financing and operational realities needed to strengthen aviation safety across the region.
Regional Director of the ICAO South American Regional Office, Luis Fernando Fiallos, underscored the broader importance of aviation to Caribbean development.
“Aviation is not merely a convenience, it is an indispensable economic and societal bridge,” Fiallos stated.
A 68-year-old security guard was arrested on Thursday after allegedly setting his 59-year-old wife on fire on Thursday at Hampton Court, Essequibo Coast.
In a statement, Police headquarters said preliminary investigations revealed that the woman was at home at around 12:30 hrs when she was allegedly set on fire during an incident involving her husband.
A nearby resident, upon hearing the woman screaming, went to her assistance and managed to extinguish the fire.
The woman was subsequently taken to the Lima Regional Hospital, where she was admitted with injuries about her body. Her condition is listed as stable.
The 68-year-old suspect was subsequently arrested and remains in Police custody. Investigations are ongoing.
Guyana’s Golden Jaguars delivered a commanding performance in Mayagüez, Puerto Rico, sweeping aside Dominica 5-1 to maintain their perfect start to their Concacaf Nations League campaign on Thursday afternoon.
The Golden Jaguars were dominant throughout, with goals from Osaze DeRosario, Omari Glasgow, Deon Moore, Kelsey Benjamin, and substitute Enoch George cementing top spot in Group A of League B.
DeRosario set the tempo in the 27th minute, finding the net to give Guyana a deserved lead, before Glasgow doubled the advantage four minutes before the break.
With Elliot Bonds and Nathan Moriah-Welsh controlling the centre, Guyana kept the pressure up after the restart.
The contest was virtually settled in the 51st minute when Moore slotted home Guyana’s third, leaving Dominica with an uphill battle.
Troy Jules pulled a goal back for Dominica in the 75th minute, but any lingering hopes of a late comeback were swiftly extinguished.
Benjamin restored the four-goal cushion ten minutes from time, before George came off the bench to strike in the 90th minute and cap off an emphatic evening.
The victory makes it three wins from three for Guyana following earlier victories over Puerto Rico and the Cayman Islands.
Finishing top of Group A carries high stakes, guaranteeing automatic promotion to League A alongside direct qualification for the Concacaf Gold Cup, bypassing the multi-team Play-In stage.
Guyana will aim to maintain their maximum points tally when they take on Dominica again in Mayagüez on Sunday.
118 school teams across Guyana will battle in a high-stakes, straight-knockout tournament following the official launch of the ExxonMobil Guyana Under-18 Schools Football competition in Georgetown on Thursday.
Organised by the Vurlon Mills Football Academy (VMFA), the landmark initiative brings together 68 male and 50 female teams representing eight of the country’s ten administrative regions in one of the largest grassroots school football drives in recent years.
The action kicks off in Bartica on Friday, with the main body of fixtures rolling out across the rest of the country from October 9.
VMFA Director Vurlon Mills explained that the tournament was created to address a critical void facing young athletes as they approach the end of their school careers, establishing a clear pathway into academy, club, and senior football.
“We cannot allow a young player to reach the end of his or her youth football journey and ask, ‘What happens next?’” Mills said. “That is the gap this competition seeks to address.”
The competition also places a strong emphasis on academic performance and attendance, ensuring student-athletes remain focused on their development off the pitch as well as on it.
“Football must not exist separately from education,” Mills added.
From left, Referee Council President Tyrone Tyrrell, GFF General Secretary Pushpargha Chattopadhyay, ExxonMobil Guyana Community Relations Supervisor Ryan Hoppie, VMFA Director Vurlon Mills, and Assistant Director of Sport Franklin Wilson pose for a photo following the ceremonial presentation of ExxonMobil’s sponsorship cheque
The Guyana Football Federation has pledged its full backing to the project, with general secretary Pushpargha Chattopadhyay revealing that talent scouts will attend matches to identify promising players for higher-level pathways.
Sponsor ExxonMobil Guyana highlighted the event’s broader social ambition, with community relations supervisor Ryan Hoppie saying the ultimate measure of success would extend beyond individual match results.
“The real victory will be the impact that the tournament creates for young people across Guyana,” Hoppie said, noting that the initiative aims to strengthen local football culture “one school at a time, one community at a time.”
Supported by the Ministry of Education’s Allied Arts Unit and the National Sports Commission, the tournament will bring matches directly to local communities, giving student-athletes a national stage to showcase their skills and press for national selection.
Reflecting on the initiative’s overarching goal, Mills outlined the vision for leaving a lasting imprint on Guyanese sport.
“That is the bridge we are building. That is the opportunity we are creating. And that is the legacy this competition should leave,” Mills said.
Police are investigating an alleged attempt to commit murder which occurred today October 1, 2026, about 12:30hrs at Hampton Court, Essequibo Coast, involving a 59-year-old housewife and her 68-year-old husband, a security guard, both of the said area.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the woman was at home when she was allegedly set on fire during an incident involving her husband.
A nearby resident, upon hearing the woman screaming, went to her assistance and managed to extinguish the fire.
The woman was subsequently taken to the Lima Regional Hospital, where she was admitted with injuries about her body. Her condition is listed as stable.
The 68-year-old suspect was subsequently arrested and remains in Police custody.
Guyana is accelerating the transformation of its agriculture sector into a modern, technology-driven food industry, with President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali positioning innovation, investment and value-added production at the centre of the country’s drive to strengthen food security at home and across the Caribbean.
In his message for Agriculture Month 2026, being observed under the theme “Innovate, Nourish, Grow: Building a Strong and Sustainable Guyana,” President Ali said the country’s agricultural ambitions extend beyond increasing domestic production to establishing Guyana as a major regional food hub.
President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali interacting with some of the vendors at the Ministry of Agriculture and Guyana Police Force farmers’ market
“If we are to nourish tomorrow, we must innovate today,” President Ali said, stressing the need to modernise the way food is produced, processed, preserved, transported and marketed.
He said the transformation is already taking shape through investments in precision farming, improved genetics, digital extension services, hydroponics, protected agriculture, modern poultry systems and agro-processing, alongside stronger linkages between production, logistics and markets.
The scale of public investment reflects the strategic importance being placed on the sector.
President Ali noted that the national agricultural budget has risen by 515 per cent, from $18.4 billion in 2020 to $113.2 billion in 2026, supporting major interventions in drainage and irrigation, farm-to-market roads, storage and logistics, livestock, aquaculture, research and extension services.
The investment also includes large-scale corn and soya bean production in the Intermediate Savannahs, aimed at expanding Guyana’s productive capacity and strengthening the foundations of a more integrated food economy.
“Our task is to transform the sector into an industry capable of meeting the demands and opportunities of the future,” President Ali said.
He said this transformation must be underpinned by technology, science and enterprise, pointing to artificial intelligence, precision agriculture, improved genetics and data-driven production systems as tools that can improve efficiency, productivity and profitability.
Participants engaging in the WIIN Climate Smart Agriculture training
The president also stressed the importance of creating greater opportunities for young people, women and private-sector investors, noting that Government is promoting partnerships and consortiums that can bring producers together at the scale required to unlock greater economic returns.
At the regional level, Guyana’s agricultural expansion is being positioned as part of the Caribbean’s broader food security agenda.
President Ali said Guyana remains committed to advancing food and nutrition security within CARICOM through the 25 by 2030 initiative, while increasing production, strengthening supply chains, reducing excessive dependence on imports and deepening regional cooperation.
“Agriculture is therefore no longer simply about feeding ourselves. It is about helping to secure the future of the Caribbean,” he said.
Guyana’s land, water and natural resources, combined with investments in production, infrastructure, processing, technology and logistics, place the country in a position to expand its role in supplying regional markets.
However, the president said achieving this objective will require sustained participation from the people at the centre of the sector, particularly farmers, fishers, agro-processors, entrepreneurs and investors.
He said the continued development of innovation, infrastructure and institutions will be essential to creating a more productive, sustainable and competitive agri-food sector.
Agriculture Month 2026 therefore comes as Guyana seeks to move from producing more food to building a stronger food economy, with innovation serving as the bridge between increased production, greater food security and wider prosperity.
The Upper Mazaruni District Hospital in Kamarang Village, Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni), now has a functioning operating theatre, 13 new beds and laboratory equipment comparable to that at Bartica Regional Hospital.
Regional Health Officer (RHO) Dr Mark Allen outlined the changes during a regional briefing on Monday evening via President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali’s Facebook page.
Dr Allen said the change has been stark over his six years in the region.
The surgical theatre at the Upper Mazaruni District Hospital in Kamarang
“When I first came here, I went to Kamarang Hospital. It basically had a single empty oxygen bottle. We had rapid tests, we had a few broken beds, and we had nothing much to work with,” he said.
The facility now has at least four full oxygen bottles, a new incubator and a delivery room with a new bed.
Two surgical outreaches have already been held at the hospital, and the health department plans to increase them.
The first set of surgeries was completed in April 2024.
From L-R: Regional Executive Officer (REO), Dr Josh Kanhai, Regional Education Officer (REDO), Samantha Phagu-Singh and Regional Health Officer (RHO), Dr Mark Allen
The region is also moving to offer eye surgeries for the first time.
A new doctor has joined the regional health team, and equipment for the procedures is being procured. Surgeries will begin at Bartica Regional Hospital before being extended to Kamarang.
“If we can do eye surgeries within Bartica, at least we can move to Kamarang as well, since we have a theatre up there,” Dr Allen said.
Medication supply to remote health facilities has also improved under CORTEX, a digital platform that lets facilities request and transfer drugs directly. Dr Allen said communities such as Waramadong, Waipa and Arau have had difficulty getting medication in the past.
Requests now go straight from the facility to the Ministry of Health’s Materials Management Unit (MMU), where orders are prepared and dispatched.
In the Upper Mazaruni, medication availability has risen from the low 50s to the high 90s. To keep it there, the health department is sending supplies to riverine communities ahead of the dry season, before falling water levels make boat transport difficult.
The region is also preparing for the rollout of electronic medical records, which Dr Allen expects to be integrated with CORTEX. A doctor at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation will be able to see a Bartica patient’s full history, including clinic visits, medications and treatment at other facilities.
Bartica Hospital currently offers specialist services in surgery, orthopaedics, gynaecology, paediatrics, ophthalmology and dentistry. Dental services are available in all three of the region’s districts.
The new four-lane Mackenzie-Wismar Bridge in Linden, Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice) is undergoing load testing as final checks begin before it opens to the public.
The Ministry of Public Works said five heavy-laden trucks are being driven onto the 220-metre pre-stressed concrete structure. Engineers are monitoring the bridge’s safety, structural integrity and long-term durability.
Load testing on four-lane Mackenzie-Wismar Bridge
The test is among the last steps before commissioning.
Minister of Public Works Bishop Juan Edghill has said the bridge will be officially opened no later than October 5, the anniversary of the opening of the Bharrat Jagdeo Demerara River Bridge.
President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali confirmed the timeline last week while addressing the Guyanese diaspora in New York.
The toll-free crossing will replace the single-lane bridge that has long been a bottleneck for Region Ten commuters. That bridge was built by the Demerara Bauxite Company in 1966-1967 with a single-lane railway track, originally to move bauxite from the West Bank mines to the processing plant on the East Bank.
The US$35 million bridge is being built by China Railway Construction (Caribbean) Co Ltd. It mirrors the design of the Bharrat Jagdeo Demerara River Bridge. It will have four vehicular lanes and two pedestrian walkways, with clear passage for hopper barges beneath.
The four-lane Mackenzie-Wismar Bridge at night
Roundabouts on both sides will link it to the Linden-Mabura Road and the wider highway network, and the connecting roads are being expanded to four lanes. This places the bridge on the main road corridor connecting the coast with the hinterland and Brazil.
