With more than 110 locally registered aircraft now operating in aviation industry, the sector continues to attract private investment.
The latest addition is a brand-new Bell 407 helicopter costing over $1 billion.
The new helicopter was officially commissioned on Monday by Minister of Public Utilities and Aviation Deodat Indar.
It joins the fleet of Jags Aviation Inc, a member of the BK Group of Companies.
Minister of Public Utilities and Aviation Deodat Indar
This investment supports President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali’s vision for an expanded aviation industry capable of meeting the country’s growing transportation and development needs.
Minister Indar said the investment reflects a notable shift with operators increasingly moving away from refurbished, pre-owned aircraft towards the acquisition of brand-new assets.
He noted that the growing fleet of fixed- and rotary-wing aircraft demonstrates increased private-sector confidence and a willingness to invest in Guyana’s emerging opportunities.
“This particular asset sends a signal that we are gearing ourselves up for the transformation of the country,” the minister said.
He also urged the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) to work with the company to efficiently complete the necessary regulatory requirements, ensuring the highest safety standards are maintained before the helicopter enters commercial service.
GCAA’s Director General Egbert Field said the acquisition will improve passenger movement to hinterland communities and remote airstrips, while supporting the expansion of Guyana’s tourism industry.
GCAA’s Director General Egbert Field
He noted that the authority stands ready to work with Jags Aviation to ensure all requirements are satisfied for the aircraft to enter full commercial service.
The commissioning ceremony was attended by the Founder and Chairman of BK International, Brian Tiwari.
The Ministry of Tourism, Industry and Commerce will host a BizLink networking session at GuyExpo 2026, bringing together buyers and local suppliers to create opportunities for small businesses within Guyana’s tourism and hospitality sector.
This was announced by Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, Susan Rodrigues, who said the session will take place on Friday, November 13, from 9 am to 2 pm.
Representative from local brand Roy’s Seasonings, engaging with customers at GuyExpo
The event is being held in collaboration with the Guyana Office for Investment (Go-Invest). It will connect manufacturers, processors and other local suppliers with potential buyers, including hoteliers and tourism operators.
According to the minister, the initiative aims to create stronger links between small businesses and companies seeking goods and services.
Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, Susan Rodrigues
“I have expressed publicly that I would like to see more small businesses supplying our local restaurants and our big hotels and all of the accommodation providers here in Guyana and within the tourism sector,” she emphasised.
GuyExpo 2026 runs from November 12 to 15 at the National Exhibition Centre in Sophia under the theme “Creating Tomorrow’s Opportunities through Today’s Investments.”
Guyana will promote its tourism offerings at two major international events this month, as Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce Susan Rodrigues prepares to engage global industry leaders and explore new market opportunities in London and Brussels, Belgium.
Minister Rodrigues will first attend the World Travel Market (WTM) scheduled for November 3 to 5 at ExCeL London.
She told the Department of Public Information (DPI) on Saturday that the exhibition provides an opportunity to strengthen Guyana’s presence in the British market and build partnerships with tourism stakeholders across the Caribbean and Latin America.
Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce Susan Rodrigues
“We’ll be having a number of engagements with travel agents in the UK, media outlets, cruise industry leaders who will be attending the expo, and of course meeting other countries and delegations,” the minister said.
Following the London engagement, Minister Rodrigues will travel to Brussels on November 9, where she will participate in a panel discussion hosted by the World Tourism Institute alongside Ghana’s tourism minister.
The discussion will examine sustainable tourism, cultural preservation and investment, with a focus on how the sector can diversify economies and create opportunities for local communities.
“I’ll be bringing the Caribbean perspective and, of course, all of the knowledge that we have in sustainable tourism here in Guyana,” she noted.
Guyana’s delegation will be represented at a national booth alongside established operators, including Wilderness Explorers, Iwokrama River Lodge and Research Centre, and Visit Rupununi.
Director of the Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA), Kamrul Baksh, and representatives of the British High Commission will also participate.
These international engagements also complement the observance of Tourism Month 2026 under the theme, “Tourism is Everybody’s Business.”
Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony, has called on healthcare professionals to embrace behavioural change, strengthen accountability and prioritise patient-centred care as essential steps towards improving the quality of healthcare services across Guyana.
The Minister made this appeal on Sunday, November 1, 2026, during the Institute of Health Sciences Education’s (IHSE) 19th Annual Awards Banquet for Graduating Specialties, hosted by the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC).
The event celebrated the achievements of over 50 healthcare professionals who successfully completed training in various areas of specialisation, marking another milestone in the continued development of Guyana’s healthcare workforce.
Delivering remarks at the ceremony, Dr. Anthony emphasised that meaningful improvements in healthcare delivery must begin with individual responsibility, professionalism and a commitment to providing quality services to patients.
He highlighted that while the Government continues to invest in healthcare infrastructure, medical equipment, training and institutional development, behavioural change among healthcare professionals remains critical to achieving better patient outcomes.
The Minister urged those present to examine their attitudes towards patient care, improve service delivery and recognise the important role each healthcare worker plays in shaping patients’ experiences within the health system.
Dr. Anthony also announced that the Ministry of Health is establishing a dedicated unit to monitor and assess the quality of care being delivered at healthcare institutions.
“We are now setting up a unit within the Ministry where we will be looking at the quality of care that is being given. They will be visiting the hospital, checking the charts and looking at backlogs. And if we realise things are not being done in a timely manner, we are going to let people know,” the Minister stated.
He explained that the initiative will strengthen oversight, promote accountability and help identify areas requiring improvement, particularly in relation to the timeliness and quality of patient care.
The Minister stressed that achieving a more responsive and efficient healthcare system requires the collective efforts of all healthcare professionals, noting that improvements in service delivery must be reflected not only in institutional systems but also in the daily interactions between healthcare workers and patients.
In congratulating the graduates, Dr. Anthony commended their dedication, perseverance and commitment to advancing their professional knowledge and skills.
He expressed hope that the graduating cohort would become agents of positive change within their respective departments and institutions, demonstrating the professionalism, compassion and commitment necessary to transform healthcare delivery.
The Minister encouraged the graduates to apply their newly acquired knowledge and expertise in ways that will directly benefit patients and contribute to building a stronger, more accountable and patient-centred healthcare system.
The Ministry of Health remains committed to strengthening Guyana’s healthcare workforce through continued investments in specialised training, professional development and quality improvement initiatives, ensuring that healthcare services across the country are delivered to the highest possible standards.
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Chief Magistrate Judy Latchman on Monday rejected an application by prosecutors representing the United States (US) to revoke bail granted to Opposition Leader Azruddin Mohamed and his father, Nazar Mohamed, ruling that allegations of past misconduct, without convictions, were insufficient grounds to justify their continued detention in the extradition proceedings.
The decision was a setback for the United States (US) prosecution, which argued that a pattern of alleged offences involving the younger Mohamed warranted the withdrawal of bail.
In delivering her ruling, Latchman made it clear that allegations and pending criminal charges, in the absence of convictions, could not independently justify revoking bail.
“I do not find that past conduct without a conviction or pending charges without a conviction is sufficient to warrant a revocation of bail,” the Chief Magistrate stated.
She nevertheless indicated that a conviction arising from separate criminal proceedings could provide grounds for reconsidering bail while the extradition case remains before the court.
“That conviction may very well have some bearing on an application for revocation at that stage,” she said.
Latchman also affirmed that the court has the authority to grant, vary or revoke bail, including modifying the conditions attached to it.
However, having considered the arguments advanced by both sides, she concluded:
“In these circumstances, bail is maintained for the Mohameds in relation to this matter.”
The application was advanced by Jamaican attorney Herbert McKenzie, one of the prosecutors representing the United States in the extradition proceedings. He cited several recent criminal charges involving Azruddin Mohamed as grounds for revoking bail.
Among the allegations raised was an alleged attempt to pervert the course of justice involving the discharge of a loaded firearm on October 12, 2026, near the residence of Senior Superintendent Prem Narine, the Guyana Police Force’s intelligence chief and a major witness in the extradition proceedings.
McKenzie relied on the incident, in which Mohamed is alleged to have acted alongside two other individuals, to support the prosecution’s argument that his continued release posed sufficient concerns to warrant revocation of bail.
The defence submissions were presented by attorneys Roysdale Forde and Siand Dhurjon before Latchman delivered her decision.
Mohamed remains on remand despite ruling
Despite the favourable ruling in the extradition proceedings, the Opposition Leader will not immediately regain his freedom.
Mohamed remains on remand until November 24 in connection with the separate October 12 incidents, which include allegations of attempting to pervert the course of justice, possession of a firearm and possession of ammunition.
Those allegations remain subject to the separate criminal proceedings and have not been established as facts.
Monday’s decision therefore preserves the bail granted in the extradition matter but does not override the separate remand order keeping Mohamed in custody.
The extradition proceedings against Azruddin Mohamed and his father, Nazar Mohamed, are continuing, with the hearing scheduled to resume this afternoon.
National Coordinator of Guyana’s Border Patrol Unit, Daniel Seeram, has avoided immediate imprisonment despite being convicted of assaulting his former wife and causing her actual bodily harm, after a magistrate imposed a 13-month custodial sentence that will only take effect if he is subsequently convicted of another offence punishable by imprisonment.
Magistrate Abigail Gibbs handed down the sentence on Monday after considering several reports presented to the court. She concluded that Seeram’s character and record of national service favoured rehabilitation within the community rather than immediate incarceration.
In explaining her decision, Gibbs said the court found persuasive reasoning in a 2013 precedent. She further indicated that if Seeram is convicted of another offence carrying a custodial penalty, the court hearing that matter could order him to serve the 13-month sentence imposed in the assault case.
Seeram was convicted on October 2, 2026, and remanded to prison until November 2 for sentencing. One month was deducted from his sentence to account for time already spent in custody.
The outcome means that although Seeram has received a custodial sentence, he will not serve the remaining term unless the conditions outlined by the magistrate are triggered by a subsequent conviction and custodial sentence.
Conviction raises questions about public accountability
Seeram’s conviction carries particular significance given his position within the country’s security apparatus and his history in public service.
He currently serves as National Coordinator of the Border Patrol Unit, previously chaired Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica) and is a former officer of the Guyana Defence Force.
His conviction for assaulting his former wife raises questions about accountability among public officials, particularly those occupying positions of responsibility within institutions entrusted with national security.
While the magistrate took his national service and personal character into consideration when determining the appropriate punishment, the court’s finding of guilt remains unchanged.
Seeram has therefore avoided immediate imprisonment, but the 13-month custodial sentence remains enforceable under the circumstances outlined by the court.
Four police ranks have been arrested following the death of Gavin Kennard Douglas, whose post-mortem examination today found that he died from a brain haemorrhage due to blunt trauma.
Police said Government Pathologist Dr Nehaul Singh conducted the examination and removed two Taser studs from Douglas’s body. The studs were retained as exhibits.
A copy of the medical registration death form
The four ranks, stationed at the Vreed-en-Hoop Police Station, are being held at the Tactical Services Unit as the Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) continues its investigation.
Attorney-at-law Dexter Todd, speaking on the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) Facebook’s page, said he observed the examination and called for the case to be investigated as a suspected murder, citing extensive injuries to Douglas’s head and abdomen.
“This is a clear case. The police must now go down the line of an alleged murder,” Todd said.
Douglas, 32, died on Saturday following his detention at the Vreed-en-Hoop Police Station. Police identified him in their latest statement as a labourer of Crane, West Coast Demerara, and Recht-Door-Zee, Parfaite Harmonie, West Bank Demerara.
A copy of the medical registration-of-death form seen by Kiskadee Watch records cerebral haemorrhage due to blunt trauma to the head. It also lists blunt trauma to the abdomen as another significant condition contributing to death.
The form records the place of death as the West Demerara Regional Hospital and gives the approximate time as 1 pm on October 31. The section classifying violent death as accident, suicide, homicide or undetermined has not been marked.
The document bears a notice stating that it is not an official death certificate.
Todd said Douglas’s family doctor was also present during the examination. According to his account, the pathologist found bleeding in the brain and substantial bleeding associated with abdominal trauma.
He suggested that a heavy blunt object might have caused the abdominal injuries. The police statement did not identify any object allegedly used or describe how the injuries were inflicted.
Todd also said two pins from a Taser had been removed from Douglas’s body. Neither the police release nor the medical form specified the duration of any Taser use.
The attorney further described the material securing Douglas’s hands as particularly strong, saying it took considerable effort to remove.
He maintained that the injuries were not self-inflicted and called for those responsible to be arrested and brought before the court.
“We hope and we expect that swift action will be taken in relation to this matter,” Todd said.
Police said Douglas’s body was handed over to relatives for burial following the examination. No charges against the four arrested ranks were announced.
In their initial account, police said Douglas had been arrested in connection with an alleged armed robbery committed on October 28 at New Road, Vreed-en-Hoop.
They said he arrived at the station at approximately 11.36 am on October 31 and became aggressive and resisted ranks while being placed in the lockups around noon. He was restrained and, during a check at approximately 12.45 pm, was found frothing at the mouth.
His mother, Colette Jones, an inspector attached to the Special Constabulary Department, previously told Kiskadee Watch that she observed swelling on his neck and frothing at his mouth. She also reported hearing that he had allegedly been tasered three times.
Home Affairs Minister Oneidge Walrond has called for an urgent and impartial investigation, acknowledging the state’s responsibility for the safety of persons in custody.
“There must be accountability wherever the evidence leads. If wrongdoing is established, appropriate action must follow,” she said.
In its latest statement, the force pledged a thorough, impartial and transparent investigation and said it would take appropriate action against any rank found culpable.
Meanwhile, former Police Service Commission chairman Paul Slowe has urged lawyers to secure a sworn statement from Terrence Kishore, who said he was detained alongside Douglas and witnessed events at the station.
Speaking on his programme, Speaking Out: Exposing Corruption and Incompetence, Slowe played portions of journalist Leroy Smith’s interview with Kishore and said the account should be formally preserved rather than left solely to police investigators.
“I hope that by now you would have had a sworn statement from him,” Slowe said.
He expressed concern that investigators could seek to discredit Kishore, arguing that his account was important because it concerned events he said he had personally seen and heard.
Slowe also questioned the initial police account and said photographs of Douglas’s body appeared to show injuries. He interpreted the position of Douglas’s arms in the images as suggesting that he had been restrained.
He criticised what he described as Commissioner of Police Clifton Hicken’s silence following the death, contrasting it with Walrond’s public statement.
“The minister is making a statement, and the commissioner is silent,” Slowe said.
Another member of the Guyana Police Force has been remanded to prison in connection with the alleged leaking of confidential surveillance footage to Opposition Leader Azruddin Mohamed, as questions surrounding the October 12 confrontation involving the force’s intelligence chief, Senior Superintendent Prem Narine, continue to undermine confidence in the police’s official account.
Constable Ashton “Chappy” Chappelle, 24, of Non Pariel, East Coast Demerara, appeared before Magistrate Abigail Gibbs on Monday, charged with obtaining and giving electronic data relating to the national security of the State, contrary to the Cybercrime Act No. 16 of 2018.
Gibbs refused bail and remanded Chappelle until November 24, 2026, the same date Constable Ryan Greene and Mohamed are scheduled to return to court.
According to the Guyana Police Force, the charge was instituted under Section 9(1)(b), contrary to Section 9(2)(b) of the Act, and relates to an alleged offence committed on October 24. Chappelle was arrested on October 30 and charged on November 2. If convicted, he faces a fine of up to $8 million and five years’ imprisonment.
Footage raises questions about police credibility
The investigation followed Mohamed’s October 26 press conference, during which he played more than 20 minutes of CCTV recordings allegedly obtained from the police surveillance command centre.
The Opposition Leader released the footage to challenge the police’s account of the October 12 confrontation near the residence of Senior Superintendent Narine, the Guyana Police Force’s intelligence chief and a key witness in the United States extradition proceedings against Mohamed and his father, Nazar Mohamed.
According to the police’s initial account, Narine was at his residence when he observed a vehicle travelling slowly along the street before it allegedly passed and returned. Police said Narine took cover and discharged several rounds from his service firearm after hearing what sounded like a gunshot.
The vehicle, occupied by Mohamed and two members of his staff, was subsequently intercepted at Vlissengen Road and Sandy Babb Street.
Mohamed presented a different account, maintaining that he was investigating reports of a heavy police presence outside Narine’s residence and attempting to record the deployment of police personnel.
The CCTV recordings appeared to contradict significant aspects of the official narrative, particularly the sequence of events surrounding the alleged gunfire and the subsequent interception. Mohamed relied on the footage to argue that the police had misrepresented what transpired.
The controversy has therefore moved beyond the identity of the person responsible for leaking the recordings. It has placed the credibility of the Guyana Police Force under scrutiny, with questions about whether the public was given an accurate account of the confrontation.
Narine’s role in extradition proceedings
The incident is particularly sensitive because Narine is a significant witness in the US extradition proceedings against the Mohameds. His intelligence work and testimony have featured in the case, which involves allegations of serious financial crimes that the father and son have contested.
Investigation focuses on alleged leak
Chappelle’s arrest adds another police officer to the widening investigation into the handling and disclosure of the surveillance recordings.
While the police are pursuing those suspected of leaking sensitive material, the more pressing public-interest questions remain unanswered: how did the footage challenge the official account, and why have the apparent discrepancies not been adequately explained?
Protecting sensitive national security information is important. However, that responsibility must not overshadow the need for transparency and accountability when police conduct itself is called into question.
The investigation must establish not only who accessed and disclosed the recordings, but also whether the force’s original account accurately reflected what happened on October 12.
Chief Magistrate Judy Latchman has dismissed the prosecution’s bid to have the bail granted to Opposition Leader Azruddin Mohamed and his father, Nazar Mohamed, revoked, finding that unproven allegations and pending charges did not justify their continued detention.
At Monday’s hearing at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts, Latchman accepted that she had the power to revoke bail but concluded that the prosecution had not presented sufficient grounds to warrant such a decision.
“I do not find that past conduct without a conviction or pending charges without a conviction is sufficient to warrant a revocation of bail,” she said.
She subsequently ruled: “In these circumstances, bail is maintained for the Mohameds in relation to this matter.”
She said a conviction in another matter could affect a future application to revoke bail. “If they are convicted while this matter is still ongoing, that conviction may very well have some bearing on an application for revocation at that stage.”
The prosecution’s application followed concerns raised by Jamaican King’s Counsel Terrence Williams about developments since the previous hearing, which he said suggested possible interference with witnesses.
Williams asked the court to intervene over those recent developments.
“Since the last day we were here, there have been two incidents which touch our concern,” Williams told the court, describing the prosecution’s concern as “the interference of the witnesses”.
One incident was the October 12 shooting outside the Kitty residence of Senior Superintendent of Police Prem Narine, head of the Special Branch Unit and a main prosecution witness in the extradition proceedings.
The court was told that Narine was at home when a vehicle occupied by Azruddin and two members of his staff was seen nearby. Gunfire was reportedly discharged, prompting Narine to return fire. Police later intercepted the vehicle a short distance away.
Williams said the incident raised concerns about witness intimidation and that Narine feared for his life.
Azruddin was charged jointly with his videographer, Mario Mohamed, and driver, Eugene Thorne, with unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition, and attempting to obstruct the course of justice. They pleaded not guilty and each received $750,000 bail, with conditions including staying away from Narine and his family.
Williams also raised alleged police corruption, referring to an alleged $800,000 payment by Azruddin to a constable for footage of the shooting from the Guyana Police Force’s Safe Country surveillance system.
The alleged transaction led to a separate criminal case involving Azruddin and Police Constables Ryan Greene and Ashton Chappelle. They are charged with unauthorised transfer of electronic data under Section 9(2)(b) of the Cybercrime Act and were remanded until November 24.
Williams also raised allegations of threats involving Nazar Mohamed and cited what he described as a social media campaign targeting prosecution witnesses. He further told the court that Narine had expressed fears for his life and the safety of his family.
The prosecution initially raised the application in relation to both men but ultimately sought revocation of Azruddin’s bail alone.
Senior Counsel Roysdale Forde, appearing for the father and son, opposed the application, arguing that the prosecution had failed to establish a legal basis for revoking bail.
Forde said, “Your worship, we wish to start off by saying that we oppose the application made by the prosecution in this matter.”
He argued that the Bail Act did not empower the magistrate to revoke bail, distinguishing that step from varying bail conditions.
“Those are conditions of bail and not bail itself,” he submitted.
He said conditions in the separate firearm case barred Azruddin from intimidating or contacting prosecution witnesses, visiting Narine’s home or contacting the officer’s family.
The lawyer maintained that no breach of those conditions had been alleged.
“No breach of these conditions has been alleged and no breach of these conditions have occurred,” he said.
Forde argued that the additional charges remained allegations and could not, on their own, justify revocation.
He said, “Every one of them, your worship, at this stage is nothing more than allegation. Each charge is denied, and under Article 144(2) of the Constitution of Guyana, my clients are presumed innocent in respect of all of them.”
He said the prosecution had to produce evidence to justify depriving a person of liberty.
Chief Magistrate Latchman questioned whether the additional charges suggested a pattern of further offending. Forde said the allegations were unproven, denied Nazar threatened Narine and noted that the prosecution had not appealed the earlier bail decision.
Both Mohameds will remain on bail as the extradition proceedings continue.
Narine is expected to face additional cross-examination by Forde when the extradition hearing resumes on Tuesday, November 3.
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HGP NIGHTLY NEWS – Four police ranks are now under arrest following the death of Gavin Douglas in police custody, as an autopsy confirmed that the 32-year-old died from a brain haemorrhage caused by blunt trauma.
The ranks, all stationed at the Vreed-en-Hoop Police Station, are being held at the Tactical Services Unit as investigators probe what happened to Douglas while in custody.
But another significant finding emerged during Monday’s post-mortem examination.
Police confirmed that two Taser studs were removed from Douglas’ body and have now been lodged as exhibits in the investigation.
Government Pathologist Dr. Nehaul Singh conducted the examination and determined Douglas’ cause of death to be brain haemorrhage due to blunt trauma.
Douglas, a labourer of Crane, West Coast Demerara and Recht-Door-Zee, Parfaite Harmonie, died on October 31 after being taken into custody at the Vreed-en-Hoop Police Station.
Police had previously reported that Douglas became aggressive and resisted ranks as they attempted to place him in the lockups, prompting officers to restrain him.
He was later reportedly found frothing at the mouth and was rushed to the West Demerara Regional Hospital, where he died.
The Office of Professional Responsibility is now investigating the circumstances surrounding his death.
The arrest of the four ranks does not establish criminal responsibility, and police have not announced any charges against them.
The Force says the investigation will be thorough, impartial and transparent and has pledged that appropriate action will be taken against any rank found culpable.
Douglas’ body has since been handed over to his relatives for burial.
