– urges diaspora to join Guyana’s economic transformation

Echoing a longstanding position that his and the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Government welcomes and supports the return of the Guyanese diaspora to invest and help develop their homeland, President Irfaan Ali on Thursday said that, with a number of transformative projects needing input, a dedicated state-backed diaspora investment vehicle will soon be launched. “We are going to launch very soon a special investment vehicle to mobilise resources in the diaspora, so that you too can invest in the fertiliser plant, the gas pumping plant with guaranteed returns from the Government. Guaranteed returns,” the President told a packed-to-capacity Queens, New York forum on Thursday evening.

The event was held at the Jericho Palace Banquet Hall in Queens, which quickly reached maximum attendance for the 7pm meeting and saw hundreds of others lined up outside, disappointed. However, the President took to the pavement and gave many a meet-and-greet opportunity. In his address to the diaspora, Ali explained that the proposal is only a microcosm of the Government’s development strategy for the country aimed at ensuring opportunities generated by this country’s rapid development are accessible not only to citizens at home but also to the diaspora. He also pointed to major investments already underway, noting that private investors continue committing hundreds of millions of US dollars to projects in Guyana. And with a number of massive transformation projects on the cards, he explained that the initiative would mobilise diaspora capital for ventures such as the planned fertiliser plant and gas-related infrastructure, thus creating an avenue for Guyanese abroad to share in the country’s economic expansion. The President reiterated that while critics attempt to portray Guyana negatively, the interest being shown by international investors, multilateral partners and foreign Governments clearly contradicts such claims.
“Why is Guyana such an important country to the US (United States), to the Middle East, to every international investor?” he asked. “And the answer is simple, because it is a country that possesses opportunities. It is a country that offers a future that is viable and sustainable.” He pointed to the steady flow of high-level US engagement as evidence that Guyana’s profile has risen dramatically on the global stage. According to Ali, the country’s strategic importance and investment prospects have attracted sustained interest from major international actors because of confidence in its future rather than uncertainty about its direction.

And the President also defended locals and pushed back against what he described as a tendency among critics to underestimate local capabilities or suggest that Guyana lacks the talent necessary to manage its own development.
“Whilst I have tremendous respect for the diaspora and the type of talent that you have here, that does not mean the diaspora must believe a set of fools are back home who don’t know what they’re doing,” he said. “That is not the case.”
Instead, he argued that development requires combining local expertise with global talent, technology and investment. Guyanese at home were also urged to match global skills and invest in developing themselves while being assertive of their own talents, knowing their Government will support them and not allow marginalisation. “If we are willing to bring in the best technology, we can’t be afraid of a sophisticated investor. We can’t behave every day as if we are a banga mary (fish) to be eaten by sharks. We have to lift our game up to play in the same field that the sharks are playing, and we have to be confident about that,” he asserted.
The Government ‘s policy of welcoming international investors was also explained as he said that countries seeking rapid development cannot afford to isolate themselves from global opportunities. “We are in a global community. When you put an expression of interest out, you have to welcome every single investor that participates,” he said. This country’s transformation, he reasoned, also depends on remaining open to investment and innovation. With a number of persons returning home to tap into cash grants and pension benefits, the President highlighted that the increasing numbers themselves see firsthand the transformation taking place. “The reality is most persons in the diaspora come back to Guyana today and enjoy themselves and leave with an understanding that the country is changing and things are moving forward,” he said.
“Why is it that they believe in this land, in Guyana, that they can invest safely more than 200 million US dollars in a hotel and convention centre?” Ali asked. “If things were so bad and this story is so bad, why?”
To critics, he said that he will not allow them to negatively influence the Government’s agenda and will press on, but he wants them involved too and that his Government is inclusive. He urged that they not stifle themselves in looking for specks to criticise when the larger country is developing.
“We cannot allow negativity to hold back the strain of development. We have to embrace that challenge but push forward the development and advancement of our country,” the Guyanese Head of State added.

– as previous funding bid rejected

The Audit Office of Guyana has stepped up its effort to strengthen its capacity to scrutinise the burgeoning oil and gas sector, with Auditor General (AG) Deodat Sharma disclosing that previous efforts to secure funding for related initiatives have failed to materialise. Sharma made these remarks on Friday after he handed over the 2025 AG Report to the Speaker of the National Assembly, Manzoor Nadir, in the Parliament Chambers. The AG’s office is responsible for conducting annual audits of public accounts, financial transactions or operations and financial statements. Last year, Sharma indicated that he was working on establishing an oil and gas section within the Audit Office to monitor the local oil and gas industry. However, the AG told reporters on Friday that these efforts were thwarted by the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) in the previous parliament.

“I did send to the [last] PAC, which is responsible for our budget, and it was rejected. But as soon as the new PAC comes, I’ll send [the proposal] back to strengthen the Audit Office… So, we will be building our capacity in terms of the oil and gas sector, and it will go to the Public Accounts Committee for approval shortly, as soon as they are reconstituted,” he noted.
According to Sharma, “Just like we have a forensic audit section and a performance audit section, we’re going to ask for a specialised oil and gas sector section… What we will be doing is beefing up a separate unit for the oil and gas sector.” Currently, at least one person in the AG’s office has upskilled themselves and obtained a doctorate in oil and gas auditing. Last September, the AG noted that there were fewer than a handful of officers who are equipped to tackle the oil and gas sector. In fact, he stated that while the then PAC had underscored the need to increase this number, it rejected a proposal from the Office to increase the complement of specialised auditors to around eight or nine. Nevertheless, the Audit Office continues to work with regional and international stakeholders, such as the International Organisation of Supreme Audit Institutions (INTOSAI), to strengthen its capacity. In addition to attending several meetings on auditing the extractive industries, officers were also trained by oil and gas audit experts from Uganda and Rwanda. In the meantime, the Audit Office is also monitoring the various state agencies that have direct oversight of the operations within the local oil and gas sector.
“My office cannot [scrutinise] what is happening out there [offshore] because I would need more engineers, legal personnel, etc. to do that. So, what we have been doing is auditing the entities like the Natural Resource Fund, the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency), and the [Guyana] Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) etc, that are responsible for coordinating what is happening out there. And the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA), which grants all the tax exemptions, we do audit those aspects of it,” Sharma stated. Over the years, the Guyana Government has been outsourcing experts, both local and overseas, to audit the expenses of ExxonMobil, the United States (US)-based company that is leading oil production operations in the offshore Stabroek Block. Thus far, three cost oil audits have been conducted. The hired firms were expected to work alongside the Audit Office, training local officers on how they conduct their work and compile their reports. But according to AG Sharma, this is yet to be done. Only a few months ago, Guyana’s growing capacity to perform its own cost oil audits and audits in other extractive sectors was highlighted by the International Monetary Fund (IMF), which called for more work to be done.
“The authorities are encouraged to continue strengthening audit capacity, especially in the oil and gas sector,” the IMF said in its 2026 Article IV Mission concluding statement back in July. But even as the Audit Office works on establishing a specialised department to monitor the local oil and gas sector, the agency is operating in a rapidly growing economy in which the state now has more resources to inject into larger projects. Citing the fact that the national budget has moved from approximately $383.1 billion in 2021 to a staggering $1.558 trillion in 2026, AG Sharma says his office is also enhancing capacity to keep up with these changes, including increasing engineers in the Works and Structure Department. “Our office continues its training and capacity building. Investing in training ensures that the Audit Office remains resilient, adaptive, and capable of delivering independent oversight that supports good governance… by equipping our auditors with up-to-date knowledge of international standards, modern auditing techniques, and emerging areas such as digital auditing, performance auditing, and a risk-based approach…the office can enhance both the quality and credibility of its work,” he noted. Additionally, the existing audit work programme was reviewed with the aim of ensuring that the office remains responsive to the current environment. The 2025 AG Report will be tabled in the National Assembly when it returns from recess in October.

Days before the Guyana Development Bank (GDB) becomes operationalised, the Partnership for National Unity (APNU) reiterates its support for the initiative, recognising its potential to genuinely expand economic opportunities for ordinary Guyanese, particularly poor and vulnerable citizens, young entrepreneurs, women, persons with disabilities, small businesses and those who have traditionally faced difficulties in accessing affordable financing. The party, at its press briefing on Friday, stated that its concern has never been with the objective of helping Guyanese obtain financing but rather the governance safeguards, independence, accountability, and clearly defined rules necessary to protect both public money and the citizens whom the Bank is intended to serve.
“Recent statements by President Irfaan Ali have reinforced those concerns. The President has proposed that persons selected for loans from the Guyana Development Bank should have their names published before financing is granted, with members of the public then being able to raise objections. Those objections can cause a loan to be denied,” APNU stated. The party added that the proposal must be reconciled with the very legislation signed into law by the President. The Development Bank’s confidentiality provisions state that information obtained by the Bank is to be treated as confidential and used solely for the purposes of carrying out its functions, subject to disclosure where required by law.
“There is, therefore, an obvious proposed policy removal required by the Government to ensure compliance with its own Development Bank Act,” the party stated. Further, it added that transparency in the management of public funds is essential; however, it does not require unnecessarily exposing the personal financial affairs of individual citizens. “A properly designed Development Bank should be able to demonstrate publicly where its money is going, the sectors being financed, the geographical distribution of loans, repayment performance, default rates, approval criteria, related-party transactions, and the developmental outcomes being achieved without automatically compromising confidential information supplied by individual applicants,” APNU added.
Meanwhile, it added that this distinction is particularly important for vulnerable borrowers. “Applicants may provide the Bank with financial, family, employment, and other personal information in order to establish eligibility for financing. They are entitled to know clearly, before applying, that their information will remain confidential. In the rare law-permitting situations, what may be disclosed, the legal basis for any disclosure, and how their information will be protected should be clear to applicants.”
The zero interest for small businesses, GDB will be launched on October 5 to coincide with the country’s return to democracy. With some $100 million already catered for by the Government and the Law assented for the formation of the bank in July, President Dr Irfaan Ali, at a press briefing, had said that many persons have already utilized the services of loans for up to $3 million each.
The Government has said that plans are being mulled to expand to at least US$200 million, reasoning that the bank will help unlock entrepreneurial potential, particularly among young people and community-based enterprises that have traditionally struggled to access credit. Given that the legislative framework is already in place for the creation of the bank, the administration has been laying the groundwork for the institution’s operations, including the establishment of regional offices and the recruitment of technical staff.
Public Service, Government Efficiency and Implementation Minister Zulfikar Ally, had in late July confirmed that preparations were advancing to ensure the bank is adequately staffed and positioned to serve small and medium enterprises (SMEs) across the country. Positions include project officers, accountants, specialists in proposal development, and experts in financial literacy and marketing.

– says anyone found responsible for compromising aviation safety will be prosecuted

More than a week after a Trans Guyana Airways (TGA) Cessna Caravan aircraft overshot the Mabaruma airstrip in Region One (Barima-Waini), forcing the Pilot to take evasive action to avoid an animal that had entered the runway, the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) is now raising concerns over the increasing frequency of animals crossing aerodrome runways across the country.
It was reported that the incident occurred after the aircraft with registration 8R-GCC reportedly experienced a runway excursion. The incident left at least one person injured and several others traumatised.
The incursion caused considerable damage to the aircraft and endangered passenger safety during landing.
Following the incident, TSA stated that the matter of animal and human invasion at hinterland airports owned and operated by the Government, currently under significant expansion and development, is of considerable concern to Trans Guyana Airways and, indeed, a continuing threat to all commercial and private aircraft utilising these aerodromes, which are not under required supervision.
In fact, the airline stated that the matter was brought to the attention of the Director General of the GCAA as recently as September 9, 2026. An initial concern was echoed by the company on June 16, 2026.
However, on Friday, the GCAA condemned any act that obstructs aviation operations while adding that the deliberate or negligent release of animals onto runways constitutes a direct and unacceptable threat to the safety of passengers, flight crews, and aircraft.
As such, the GCAA added that such actions are reckless, endanger lives, and will not be tolerated under any circumstances. These disruptions are serious criminal offences under the Civil Aviation Act of 2018.
“Anyone found responsible for compromising aviation safety will be prosecuted to the fullest extent and subjected to severe legal penalties. The safety and security of the aviation sector remain paramount, and the GCAA, in partnership with law enforcement, will ensure rigorous enforcement and decisive action against offenders,” a release from the GCAA further stated.
It added that “Any person who trespasses on any land forming part of an aerodrome or causes any animal to trespass on such land commits an offence and is liable on summary conviction to a fine of one million dollars and to imprisonment for six months.”
Moreover, the authority urged the public to treat all aerodromes as safety-critical infrastructure and to immediately report any suspicious activity or threats to aerodrome operations to the relevant authorities.

MV Barima tragedy

President Dr Irfaan Ali has reassured that the MV Barima, the passenger and cargo ferry that sank off the coast of Guyana and claimed the lives of about 100 persons, would be salvaged.
“We’re not hiding from salvaging. There is a process, and that process is ongoing,” the Head of State declared on Thursday evening while addressing members of the diaspora during a meeting held at Jericho Palace Banquet Hall in Queens Village, New York.
Three companies have submitted bids in response to the Government’s invitation for proposals to salvage the sunken vessel, according to the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB) in documents released earlier this month.
Among the bidders is Industrial Fabrication Inc., also known as InFab, which was founded in 2003 by Jerry Max Goueia and Dyland Fields, according to its website. The Guyanese company proposes to salvage the ferry at a cost of $1,895,000,000.
BK International Inc, which was founded by Guyanese businessman Brian Tiwarie, has submitted a proposal to salvage the ferry at a cost of $1,034,000,000. The local company operates across several sectors, including sea defence, civil and commercial construction, marine transportation, and aviation.
The third bidder is KMS BV, a registered commercial shipowner and manager based in Vijfhuizen, Netherlands, which is proposing to salvage the MV Barima for $2,035,100,000.
According to President Ali, these proposals are currently being reviewed as he underscored the importance of going through a public process to select a company that can salvage the sunken ferry.
“If the President had picked the company, they would say he picked his friend. We went through a public process. We have the bids that were received in that process. The technical people are evaluating those bids so that the company can be selected to do the salvaging. That is the reality,” he asserted.

Tragedy
On July 18, the MV Barima capsized and sank off the Essequibo Coast while en route to Port Kaituma, Region One (Barima-Waini), after leaving Port Georgetown with 179 persons on board. While 76 survived the horrific boat accident, 73 have been confirmed dead, and another 30 remain unaccounted for.
Family members of those missing persons, as well as others, have called for the vessel to be salvaged.
In the tender advertisement published by the Maritime Administration Department (MARAD) in August, it was explained that the MV Barima is a passenger and cargo ferry of approximately 38.6 metres (m) in length overall, 8.9m in beam, and 2.9m in depth; registered in Georgetown, Guyana, and fitted with twin Caterpillar C18 diesel main engines and Caterpillar diesel generator sets.
According to the Department, the vessel is presently lying as a wreck in approximate positions: Latitude 07° 28′.213 North, Longitude 058° 23′.443 West, in water depths of about 13-15 metres (42-49 feet).
“Visibility at the wreck site is poor, and strong currents and tidal streams may be encountered at times, necessitating suitably robust procedures and equipment for safe operations. The Contractor must propose methods and sequences for all stages of the operation,” the ad detailed.
MARAD has stated that proposals must include a description of the proposed technical approach for the MV Barima salvage, with emphasis on the measures to protect and document forensic evidence for use by the Commission of Inquiry set up to probe the tragedy. Additionally, companies were asked to specify environmental protection measures.

Work of CoI
Describing it as one of the “greatest tragedies” Guyana has faced, the Guyanese leader went on to reiterate his administration’s commitment to thoroughly probe the July 18 MV Barima incident.
“We’ve made it very clear; there is nothing to hide. We’ve appointed one of the most accredited Commissions of Inquiry you can find. The Commission of Inquiry [COI] has started its work. We’re not hiding from the investigation. The CoI is doing its work right now. I’m not going to interfere with the work of the CoI, and we are not going to shy away from any questions,” the President assured the diaspora community.
The five-member CoI was appointed on July 30 to examine, among other things, the circumstances surrounding the sinking, regulatory oversight, and the emergency response.
Justice Godfrey Phillip Smith of Belize will chair the proceedings, along with Captain Hamada Fouda of Jamaica, Trinidadian Attorney-at-Law Nyree Dawn Alfonso, Dr Andrzej Jasionowski of Poland, and Rear Admiral (Retired) Hayden Pritchard from Trinidad and Tobago.
Providing an update on their work since being appointed, the Commission said in a September 2 statement that they have made a preliminary in-person survey of the accident site, identified the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC) to hold public hearings, and established a Secretariat for administrative, research, and logistical support.
Additionally, the Commission said it is also acquiring data and information from several public institutions, as well as drafting the Rules of Procedure to govern how it will approach its work.
Moreover, work is also ongoing to compile a list of potential witnesses and prepare a preliminary schedule for interviewing them, while a dedicated public website for the CoI is being established to promote transparency and accessibility. The Commission stated it was working assiduously to commence public hearings later this month, but no further update has been provided on this to date.