With 6,511 small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) registered with the Small Business Bureau over the past five years, Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce Susan Rodrigues said the focus must now be on helping businesses move beyond simply operating to becoming competitive and ready for expansion.

On Tuesday, the minister spoke at a business engagement held at the Guyana Marriott Hotel in Kingston, and urged local entrepreneurs to position themselves for greater investment and export opportunities.

“All of our initiatives are to grow small and medium sized enterprises to ensure that we not only register new businesses but that the businesses are sustained,” the minister said.

The minister said businesses need more than registration to succeed. She said access to financing, proper records, certification and the ability to meet international market requirements, make them sustainable.

Importantly, the Small Business Bureau is conducting visits to businesses and conducting record keeping to ensure that small businesses are meeting necessary capacity to function.

“They have, in the last five years, made 7,801 visits to small businesses and 75 per cent of them remain in operation,” the minister said.

Rodrigues also said the ministry has been working to simplify trade processes. The minister said the introduction of the electronic single window for trade system has made access much easier. She said between mid-2025 and August 2026, 13,930 applications were submitted with applications processed.

Additionally, Cargo imports increased by 88.5 per cent.

Rodrigues said Government policies, including tax exemptions on selected manufacturing and agro-processing inputs, are intended to encourage local production and create more opportunities for businesses.

Source: NEW ROOMS SITE

The Commission of Inquiry into the MV Barima tragedy will examine whether failures by individuals, institutions or systems contributed to the disaster, with its lawyers approaching the evidence without preconceived conclusions, co-counsel Teni Housty said on Wednesday.

Speaking at the commencement of substantive hearings, Housty said the inquiry must look beyond the immediate circumstances of the ferry’s capsizing and sinking to examine the decisions and systems that preceded it, as well as the emergency response.

“The fundamental questions are straightforward, although the answers may be complex. What happened? Why did it happen? Could it have been prevented?” Housty said.

“Were there failures of individuals, institutions, or systems? And what must be done to ensure that such a tragedy does not occur again?”

Housty, who appears alongside Arudhanath Gossai as co-counsel to the Commission, said their responsibility was to help establish the facts through the careful collection, presentation and examination of relevant evidence.

He stressed that counsel assisting the inquiry did not represent any particular party or interest.

“Our role is neither to prosecute nor to defend any individual institution or organization,” he said.

“Our obligation is not to establish blame but to assist in establishing the truth.”

The MV Barima capsized and sank on the night of July 18, 2026, causing loss of life and leaving others unaccounted for. Housty said the tragedy had brought immeasurable grief and suffering to families and communities across Guyana.

Extending condolences to bereaved families and sympathy to survivors, he acknowledged the limits of what the proceedings could achieve.

“We recognize that no inquiry, however thorough, can restore the lives lost or erase the pain endured by their families,” he said.

Nevertheless, he said, the inquiry offered an important opportunity to establish the truth, provide answers and identify measures to prevent a recurrence.

Within its Terms of Reference, the Commission will seek to establish the sequence of events and the immediate and contributing causes of the disaster, as far as the evidence allows.

Housty said counsel’s duties include identifying matters requiring examination, leading evidence, questioning witnesses and assisting commissioners with legal and procedural issues.

All material evidence must be fairly presented, whether it favours or adversely affects a particular person or institution, he said.

“We approach this responsibility objectively and without preconceived conclusions.”

Housty pledged that the proceedings would be conducted in a manner worthy of the confidence of affected families, survivors, witnesses and the wider public.

Source: NEW ROOMS SITE

No person or institution will be shielded from scrutiny during the Commission of Inquiry into the MV Barima tragedy, but none will be condemned without sufficient evidence, co-counsel Arudhanath Gossai said on Wednesday as substantive hearings began.

Gossai said the inquiry would examine six principal areas, ranging from the vessel’s seaworthiness and loading to the conduct of its crew, regulatory oversight and the emergency response.

“No person or institution would be shielded from proper scrutiny, and equally, no person or institution would be condemned without sufficient evidence,” he told the Commission.

He said the investigation must go beyond establishing what happened when the ferry capsized and sank on July 18, 2026, to identify reforms needed to strengthen maritime safety and protect lives.

The six areas of investigation, drawn from the Commission’s Terms of Reference, cover the vessel’s condition, maintenance, stability, inspection and certification; passenger and cargo operations; crew qualifications and conduct; search, rescue and recovery operations; institutional oversight; and human factors surrounding the disaster.

The examination of passenger and cargo operations will include loading procedures, passenger numbers, cargo quantities, manifests and the adequacy of life-saving equipment.

The inquiry will also scrutinise the actions and decisions of the master, officers and crew before and during the emergency, alongside the timeliness, adequacy and coordination of rescue and recovery efforts.

Regulatory scrutiny will include the roles and responsibilities of the Transport and Harbours Department and the Maritime Administration Department. Communication, training, risk assessment and emergency decision-making will also be examined.

“These matters will be examined individually and collectively to determine whether any acts, omissions, or systemic shortcomings contributed to the tragedy,” Gossai said.

He told the Commission that preparatory work by counsel and the Secretariat had included collecting maritime documents, identifying potential witnesses and recording witness statements.

Survivors, eyewitnesses, technical personnel and representatives of relevant institutions are expected to provide important evidence about the vessel, its operations, the sinking and the subsequent response.

Gossai pledged that witnesses would be examined fairly, thoroughly and respectfully. Where accounts differ, counsel will explore those differences and, where possible, test them against documentary, technical and other independent evidence.

“No witness’s account will be accepted or rejected without proper consideration,” he said.

While the Commission has significant investigative powers, Gossai stressed that it is neither a criminal court nor a body exercising civil jurisdiction. Its purpose is to establish facts, identify causes and contributing factors, and make findings and recommendations within its mandate.

However, he acknowledged that those findings could have serious consequences for individuals and institutions, making procedural fairness essential.

Anyone facing possible adverse criticism must have a fair opportunity to respond, he said, in accordance with the Commission’s rules and the applicable legal framework.

Gossai said the inquiry’s independence and credibility would depend on the evidence presented, the fairness of its procedures and the soundness of its conclusions.

The families of those who died, survivors and the wider public were entitled to a careful, credible and independent examination of the disaster, he said.

“Ultimately, this inquiry must do more than establish what happened on the night of 18 July 2026,” Gossai said.

“It must also identify the lessons to be learned and the reforms necessary to strengthen maritime safety and protect human lives.”

Source: NEW ROOMS SITE

Former Chancellor of the Judiciary Carl Singh was on Wednesday given permission to represent Public Works Minister Juan Edghill at the Commission of Inquiry into the MV Barima tragedy, citing criticism directed at the minister following the vessel’s sinking.

Addressing the Commission, Singh said Edghill had a substantial interest in the inquiry’s subject matter and that his request arose against the backdrop of statements made publicly before the commissioners were appointed.

Singh said Edghill and former Minister within the Ministry of Public Works, Deodat Indar, had both faced “trenchant criticisms” following the disaster.

He also referred to “some rather indecorous calls relating to their well-being and their continued service” in the Government of Guyana. There were calls for both Ministers to resign following the tragedy.

Singh, who told the Commission he had been on the roll of legal practitioners in Guyana since 1983, asked to appear on Edghill’s behalf when necessary.

“I am here intending, with your leave, to represent when necessary or if necessary the Honourable Minister of Works, Mr. Juan Edghill,” he said.

The former Chancellor also asked the Commission to accommodate his attendance only when required, explaining that he did not expect to be present for every witness or each day of the hearings.

“With no intention of discourtesy or disrespect being extended to the Commission, I don’t believe, given the context and the circumstances, that I would be required to be here on every day and for every witness,” Singh said.

He requested the Commission’s understanding, adding that his attendance would be “when necessary and when required”.

Source: NEW ROOMS SITE

Tia Valenzuela, an Aeronautical Information Service (AIS) officer, told the Commission of Inquiry (COI) into the MV Barima tragedy that she alerted the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Coast Guard by WhatsApp just minutes after receiving a distress signal from the sinking vessel, with the Coast Guard responding within a minute.

Valenzuela gave sworn testimony as the Commission began hearings on Wednesday, detailing the procedures she followed after a distress alert appeared on the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority’s aeronautical message-handling system.

Valenzuela testified that she was on duty between 16:00 hrs and midnight on July 18. She was working alongside two trainees, while another staff member had obtained permission from a supervisor to leave early.

At approximately 22:43 hrs., while seated at her desk, she heard a continuous beeping sound from the distress message mailbox.

“When the beeping was received, I checked the system and I saw it was a distress alert message,” she told the Commission.

After checking the message, she identified it as an Emergency Position-Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB), which is associated with maritime distress alerts.

She explained that the usual procedure upon receiving a distress message was to print the report, plot the coordinates and enter the information into a website to determine whether the beacon had a registered owner and whether it was associated with an aircraft or a maritime vessel.

The process involves using SkyVector to map the beacon’s location before transmitting the information through the established communication channels.

Valenzuela said that after completing the coordinates from the message, she sent the information to the GDF Coast Guard via WhatsApp at 22:51 hrs The Coast Guard responded at 22:52 hrs, according to her testimony. She explained that the procedure requires officers to contact the GDF by telephone if there is no response within a minute of the initial communication.

In addition to alerting the Coast Guard, Valenzuela said the information is sent to other relevant parties, including the lighthouse and the commanding officer of GDF coast David Shamsudeen, along with a report from the United States Mission Control Centre (US MCC). An email containing the information is also sent to the GDF.

Valenzuela testified that the initial alert was followed by multiple other distress messages containing additional coordinates. As the messages came in, she also had to respond to the US Mission Control Centre, providing the time she received each message and the time it was sent by the centre.

She further explained that the beacon’s hexadecimal identification number, or Hex ID, is generally used to identify its owner. However, the Commission had previously heard that the beacon involved in the incident was not registered. Because the beacon was unregistered, Valenzuela said she could not contact an owner to obtain additional information.

Source: NEW ROOMS SITE

Efforts to strengthen intellectual property laws are underway, with several engagements already held under the Orange Economy Initiative, according to Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce Susan Rodrigues.

Speaking at a business engagement at the Marriott Hotel, Kingston, on Tuesday, Rodrigues said creatives have the potential to become greater contributors to the economy, and that ensuring they are fairly compensated for their work is critical.

But it goes beyond creatives. She said heritage sites are also being considered in these discussions.

“We have a committee that is dealing with that…the requisite laws to check our intellectual property and to ensure that our people are properly compensated and protected for their creativity and all the other sectors, literary, visual arts, music, dance, heritage sites,” the minister said.

She said the Government is looking to international examples of successful creative economies as it works to establish a stronger foundation for its own orange economy.

The 2026 National Budget provides funds to support these engagements and ensures that creatives can purposefully benefit from the consultations, she added.

“We have started this process but we don’t want to do it in isolation, change one law today, change one law next year to address this issue, we see the creative sector as a valuable contributor to our economy. We think the time is right now to invest in creative Guyanese and we want to ensure that we have a full structure to protect their rights and encourage investment,” the minister said.

Rodrigues said the Government intends to take a comprehensive approach, rather than making legislative changes in stages without an overarching framework.

The goal, she said, is to establish the structures necessary to allow creative Guyanese to benefit from their talents, while creating opportunities for the sector to generate greater economic activity.

Source: NEW ROOMS SITE

Shai Hope stayed unbeaten for the third time on this tour of India, and once again it proved the exact recipe for a West Indies victory, forcing a winner-takes-all decider in a landmark T20I series.

Hope became the first West Indian to score three T20I centuries, anchoring a stunning batting effort in which every top-five batter scored between 21 and 49.

Keemo Paul then etched his name into the record books as the first West Indies bowler to claim multiple T20I five-wicket hauls, sealing his side’s first successful run defence of the tour.

On a dry, relaid surface in Hyderabad, 470 runs were scored despite noticeable assistance for the bowlers in both innings. India initially slowed the West Indies with late tailing movement, but the visitors countered by targeting the pitch hard, taking full advantage of the lack of dew and long square boundaries to withstand a terrifying Sanju Samson blitz.

Samson had launched a silken, devastating assault, racing to a 23-ball 56 and propelling India to 50 for 0 inside three overs. The match turned when Shimron Hetmyer held a brilliant boundary catch to dismiss Samson off Paul, stepping over the rope and back in to complete the relay effort.

From there, West Indies clamped down, stringing together 12 consecutive overs yielding 13 runs or fewer while holding every chance that came their way.

Earlier, Hope enjoyed vital top-order assistance as Jewel Andrew took down Arshdeep Singh early, negating the threat that had troubled the captain in the previous fixture. Hetmyer smashed 17 off five balls to lift the powerplay score to 79 for 1 before Rovman Powell added late momentum.

Sherfane Rutherford then provided explosive death-overs support, hammering an unbeaten 49 to allow Hope to reach his century with back-to-back sixes off the final two balls of the innings.

Gudakesh Motie struck a decisive double blow in the middle overs, dismissing Abhishek Sharma and stumping Naman Dhir for a golden duck.

Though Tilak Varma and Nitish Kumar Reddy kept India alive in a 21-run 16th over, Romario Shepherd swung the tide back with clever pace-off deliveries, then Paul returned in the 19th over to bag three quick wickets and complete a memorable 24-run triumph. (Modified from Cricinfo)

Source: NEW ROOMS SITE

 See full release issued by the Guyana Tourism Authority:

The Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA), in collaboration with the Ministry of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, is pleased to announce that Guyana has been selected to host the 2027 Sustainability is Responsibility (SIR) Summit of the United States Tour Operators Association (USTOA), scheduled for March 7–10, 2027.

The selection represents a significant achievement for Guyana’s tourism sector, placing the country at the centre of an important international conversation on responsible tourism while creating a valuable opportunity to showcase its natural and cultural heritage to influential representatives of the North American travel industry.

Guyana secured the hosting opportunity following a competitive international bid process, during which its proposal was recognised for its creativity, vision and commitment to sustainability. The successful bid reflects growing international recognition of Guyana’s approach to tourism development, which places considerable emphasis on environmental conservation, community participation and the preservation of the country’s rich cultural and natural heritage.

Organised annually by USTOA, the Sustainability is Responsibility Summit brings together representatives of leading tour operators, travel companies and tourism organisations to examine challenges and opportunities surrounding sustainable tourism. Through interactive discussions, educational sessions and practical experiences, participants collaborate on strategies that can help shape a more responsible future for the global travel industry.

Previous editions of the summit have been hosted in destinations including Norway, Singapore, Valencia in Spain, and Anchorage, Alaska. Guyana will now join this distinguished group of international destinations, further strengthening its position as an emerging leader in sustainable tourism.

Showcasing Guyana to International Tourism Leaders

Unlike traditional conferences held entirely within meeting facilities, the 2027 summit will immerse participants in Guyana’s tourism experiences, allowing them to explore firsthand the country’s approach to sustainable tourism development.

The programme will begin in Georgetown before moving to Baganara Island Resort on the Essequibo River, where participants will engage in educational sessions, collaborative discussions and experiential activities highlighting the relationship between tourism, the natural environment and local communities.

The summit is also expected to include a visit to the iconic Kaieteur Falls, one of Guyana’s most celebrated natural attractions, providing delegates with an opportunity to experience the country’s exceptional biodiversity and protected landscapes.

Additional optional pre- and post-summit programmes are being developed to encourage participants to explore more of Guyana, including its interior regions and community-based tourism experiences.

These activities will allow international tourism professionals to discover Guyana’s offerings firsthand and gain greater insight into opportunities for incorporating the destination into their travel programmes.

A Major Opportunity for Guyana’s Tourism Industry

The summit represents more than an international gathering. It is a strategic opportunity to build relationships with influential tourism businesses, increase destination awareness and encourage the development of new tourism partnerships.

USTOA’s membership includes some of the most established and influential tour operators serving the North American travel market. Bringing representatives of these companies to Guyana provides an important platform for demonstrating the country’s readiness to welcome international visitors while highlighting opportunities for responsible tourism growth.

The summit is also expected to create opportunities for local tourism businesses, including accommodation providers, tour operators, transportation companies, guides and community-based tourism enterprises, while showcasing the important role these stakeholders play in Guyana’s tourism economy.

Speaking on this opportunity, Hon. Susan Rodrigues, Minister of Tourism, Industry & Commerce expressed that:

“Guyana has made a deliberate decision to develop tourism around the very things that make our country distinctive: our extraordinary natural environment, our cultural diversity and the people who keep our traditions and communities alive. Hosting the 2027 USTOA Sustainability is Responsibility Summit gives us the opportunity to show international tour operators how these assets translate into tourism experiences, business opportunities and livelihoods for Guyanese. Importantly, this is an opportunity to strengthen Guyana’s presence in the North American travel market and build direct relationships with the companies that can bring more visitors to our shores. As we expand the sector, we remain focused on ensuring that tourism creates lasting economic value for our people while protecting the natural and cultural heritage that makes Guyana worth discovering.”

Kamrul Baksh, Director of the Guyana Tourism Authority, said:

“Hosting the 2027 USTOA Sustainability is Responsibility Summit is an important milestone for Guyana and a strong endorsement of the direction in which our tourism industry is developing. We have consistently promoted a model of tourism that protects our natural environment, celebrates our cultural heritage and creates meaningful opportunities for communities across the country. This summit will allow us to demonstrate that commitment to some of the most influential voices in the North American travel industry. It is also an opportunity to build lasting partnerships that can support the continued growth of tourism in Guyana, while ensuring that the benefits of that growth reach our people and communities.”

Strengthening Guyana’s International Position

Guyana has increasingly attracted international attention for its vast rainforests, remarkable biodiversity, distinctive cultural heritage and expanding range of nature, adventure and community-led tourism experiences.

The country’s tourism development strategy recognises the value of its natural resources and emphasises responsible growth, community involvement and long-term sustainability.

Hosting the USTOA SIR Summit will offer Guyana an important opportunity to present these commitments to an international audience of tourism decision-makers, while exchanging knowledge and best practices with organisations actively working to advance responsible tourism around the world.

The summit will be delivered through a partnership between USTOA and the Guyana Tourism Authority, with the support of local tourism stakeholders and industry partners.

Further details on the programme and associated tourism experiences will be announced in the coming months.

Source: NEW ROOMS SITE

The Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Coast Guard was alerted at 10:51 p.m. on July 18 to a distress signal from the MV Barima, but the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority’s (GCAA) Director of Air Navigation Services, Rickford Samaroo, learnt of the emergency only around 1 a.m. the following day, the Commission of Inquiry (COI) into the ferry disaster heard on Wednesday.

The testimony of Samaroo and Aeronautical Information Service officer Tia Valenzuela also revealed that the vessel’s emergency beacon was unregistered, meaning its identification code could not be matched to records containing information about the vessel, its owner and emergency contacts.

Valenzuela, who was on duty when the first distress message arrived at approximately 10:43 p.m., told the Commission that she sent the alert information to the Coast Guard through WhatsApp at 10:51 p.m. She received a response one minute later, at 10:52 p.m.

Samaroo, however, said he was not immediately notified because GCAA procedures required staff to alert him promptly to distress signals involving aircraft, but did not impose the same requirement for maritime emergencies.

He testified that he learnt of the incident when the GCAA Director General called him around 1 a.m. on July 19, advising that a vessel might be in distress and that two aircraft had been authorised to investigate. Samaroo subsequently contacted the control tower, where he learnt that distress messages had been received from the United States Mission Control Centre.

According to the briefing he later received, the Maritime Administration Department, the Coast Guard and the lighthouse had been notified within five minutes of the initial alert. The Commission has requested the relevant standard operating procedures and full communications records to establish how the alerts were handled.

Unregistered beacon

Samaroo confirmed that the emergency beacon aboard the MV Barima was not registered. The device, known as an Emergency Position-Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB), transmits distress signals through the international Cospas-Sarsat satellite search-and-rescue system.

Registration links a beacon’s unique identification code to details such as the vessel’s identity, owner, emergency contacts and intended voyage. An unregistered beacon can still transmit a distress signal and location coordinates, but authorities cannot retrieve the associated registration information to help identify the vessel or contact people familiar with its movements.

Valenzuela testified that, after hearing a continuous beeping sound from the distress-message mailbox at about 10:43 p.m., she checked the system and identified the message as a maritime distress alert.

“When the beeping was received, I checked the system and I saw it was a distress alert message,” she told the Commission.

She said she plotted the coordinates and checked whether the beacon had a registered owner before forwarding the information through established communication channels. Because the beacon was unregistered, she could not identify an owner to obtain additional information.

Further distress messages arrived with additional coordinates, and Valenzuela said she also had to report the receipt and transmission times to the US Mission Control Centre.

The Commission, chaired by Justice Godfrey Smith, is examining the circumstances surrounding the MV Barima’s sinking on July 18 while travelling from Georgetown to Port Kaituma in Region One. Its mandate includes investigating the vessel’s seaworthiness and maintenance, passenger boarding and loading, crew competence, and the adequacy of search-and-rescue operations.

The inquiry will also determine whether negligence, misconduct or failures to follow applicable procedures contributed to the disaster. More than 100 witnesses are expected to testify, and the Commission’s original two-month timeline has been extended to six months.

Source: Village Voice News

HGP NIGHTLY NEWS – The claim that Opposition Leader Azruddin Mohamed would deliberately open fire outside the heavily guarded residence of Special Branch Head Senior Superintendent Prem Narine is being described as “absurd” by his attorney, Siand Dhurjon.

Dhurjon on Tuesday challenged the police account of the late-night gunfire near Narine’s Barr Street, Kitty residence, questioning why Mohamed would knowingly carry out such an act in an area where police ranks and vehicles were allegedly stationed.

“How absurd is it that the opposition leader would drive past the house of the head of a police agency where there are two police vehicles outside parked around the clock filled with police ranks?” Dhurjon questioned.

He further argued that Mohamed would have been aware of the heightened police attention surrounding him and the likelihood that any suspicious action could result in his arrest.

Police have given a different account of what unfolded.

According to the Guyana Police Force, Narine observed a black Toyota Allion, PXX 5300, travelling slowly past his residence on two occasions. During the second pass, Narine reportedly heard what sounded like a gunshot, took cover and discharged several rounds as the vehicle sped away.

The vehicle was later intercepted at Sandy Babb Street and Vlissengen Road. Mohamed, 39, Mario Mohamed, 25, and driver Eugene Thorne, 35, were taken into custody.

Mohamed has denied the police account, maintaining that he was in the area to record what he believed was the use of state security resources at Narine’s private residence. He alleges that Narine instead opened fire on the vehicle without provocation.

Dhurjon is also challenging the alleged discovery of an unlicensed .32 Taurus pistol and three live rounds beneath the vehicle’s accelerator pedal.

He claims the vehicle was searched when it was initially intercepted and again at the Kitty Police Station without a firearm being found.

The attorney alleges that during the later search, he briefly turned away before the weapon suddenly appeared beneath the accelerator pedal, describing its discovery as an “apparition.”

Police investigators reportedly recovered one spent .32 casing and four spent 9mm casings in the vicinity of Narine’s residence.

The firearm and spent shells have been submitted for ballistic examination, while CCTV footage is being reviewed as investigators attempt to determine what occurred and who fired first.

Dhurjon maintains that Mohamed is entitled to bail and says any impact the investigation could have on his separate extradition proceedings would ultimately be determined by the court.

The allegations and competing accounts remain under investigation.