(Kaieteur News) – A canter truck crashed into electrical infrastructure belonging to the Guyana Power and Light Inc. (GPL) along the Mahaica Public Road, East Coast Demerara, on Saturday, prompting renewed concerns about road safety and damage to the company’s network.

The vehicle, bearing registration number GAJ 7505, was driven by Mohan Deonarine of Kumaka, Mabaruma, Region One (Barima-Waini). The collision occurred at approximately 13:00hrs while the truck was travelling east.

The canter after the collision.

In a statement posted on its Facebook page, GPL said it continues to be concerned about incidents involving vehicles damaging its electrical infrastructure. Deonarine was taken into custody at the Mahaica Police Station, and an investigation has been launched into the incident.

GPL said its investigator visited the scene and photographs were taken as part of the investigation. The company added that the driver had indicated his willingness to compensate for the damage caused. “The investigation remains ongoing,” GPL stated.

The company warned that collisions involving its electrical infrastructure could result in serious injuries or loss of life, damage to critical network components, and electricity service interruptions affecting customers. GPL also cautioned that damaged electrical infrastructure could pose significant safety risks to members of the public and other road users. The company urged motorists to exercise caution and remain alert while using the nation’s roadways, reminding drivers that careless driving increases the risk of accidents. GPL said it remains committed to maintaining a safe and reliable electricity network and will continue to cooperate with the Guyana Police Force and other relevant authorities as the investigation progresses.

Source: Kaieteur News

Reuters — The third attack this week on Riyadh’s international airport left 12 people dead on Saturday and dozens wounded, according to three people familiar with the matter, with all flights diverted and Western governments telling citizens to avoid the area.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the incident but Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthis have been escalating their missile strikes on Saudi Arabia, and claimed responsibility for the two earlier attacks this week.

The spate of deadly strikes have exposed vulnerabilities in the kingdom’s ability to defend itself as it wages an air campaign against the Houthis to support a ground war by the Yemeni government against the Iran-backed group.

A plume of black smoke rises from the fuel storage area at King Khalid International Airport, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, after a Houthi attack last month [File:Aljazeera]

The Saudi government’s media office did not immediately respond to questions on the incident and the casualty toll.

There has been no official toll given.

The people briefed on the matter, who include two Western officials, warned that the number of dead and wounded was not a final toll. The strike occurred without warning, with no alert issued by Saudi Arabia’s threat warning system.

The wounded were evacuated to hospitals by ambulance and helicopter, with some in critical condition, the people said.

Operations at the kingdom’s busiest airport, servicing a city of around 8 million people, were temporarily suspended, the civil aviation authority said.

After the attack occurred, the Houthi military spokesperson retweeted his own post from before the attack, saying only pre-approved humanitarian flights were allowed to land at Riyadh airport, adding the words: “a reminder.”

The Houthi strikes earlier in the week left four people dead and heavily damaged a Saudi commercial airliner.

US President Donald Trump, speaking to reporters outside the White House, was asked whether Washington planned to join Saudi strikes on the Houthis.

“We may. We’re going to look at it. We just found out about the recent attack, so we’ll make a decision. We move very quickly,” he said.

One eyewitness at the airport on Saturday reported seeing an explosion and then multiple people lying injured on the ground inside. More than a dozen ambulances were seen rushing toward the facility. A video verified by Reuters showed ambulances at the airport.

An injured traveler told Reuters they saw something fly across the sky outside the airport before part of the ceiling near a departure gate collapsed.

The US Embassy in Riyadh said it was “aware of attacks” and “strongly recommends all US citizens avoid this airport and surrounding areas.”

The UK and Irish embassies in Saudi Arabia said in statements on X that they were also aware of a “serious incident” at the airport. The Canadian Embassy said that “ongoing military activity” had impacted operations at the airport.

Flight-tracking site flightradar24 showed all flights to Riyadh had either been diverted or canceled, with only a helicopter hovering over the airport at one point.

Kuwait Airways said it had canceled flights to and from the Saudi capital due to what it described as the closure of Riyadh airport because of the “security situation” there.

Etihad Airways and Qatar Airways earlier canceled multiple flights between their respective hubs and Riyadh, with some cancellations extending into Monday.

Houthi attacks on Thursday and earlier in the week had already prompted a number of carriers to suspend or cancel services to the Saudi capital, shortly before Riyadh is due to host major energy and investment conferences.

Organizers of those conferences said on Saturday they would go ahead as planned, and they sought to reassure attendees of their security.

The Houthis have said airliners should avoid Saudi airspace, declaring it a zone of military operations after the Saudi-backed Yemeni government launched an offensive against the group earlier this month.

With Riyadh under fire, the forces it backs in Yemen have also faced a setback as the Houthis tightened a siege on the country’s third-largest city, Taiz.

Saudi and Yemeni authorities, meanwhile, claimed that they had retaken the Bab el-Mandeb, a maritime chokepoint overrun by the Houthis in a lightning offensive last month.

Source: Kaieteur News

…WPA founder leaves enduring legacy of political activism, scholarship and Pan-Africanism

(Kaieteur News) – Eusi Kwayana, the veteran Guyanese political activist, educator, historian and founding member of the Working People’s Alliance (WPA), died on Saturday at his home in Atlanta, Georgia, United States, aged 101.

He has left behind a political and intellectual legacy that spans the struggle against colonial rule, the fight for social change and decades of political activism in independent Guyana, his party said. “Our elder, teacher, mentor, leader and inspiration has left us to go back to his ancestors. The Sage of Buxton has left this side of the river to return to the source of his spirit. His earthly duty is over. To the very end he kept the faith, cradled the civilization, protected the vulnerable, and empowered the powerless. His loss leaves an empty chair in the gallery of our Guyanese humanity. “It is with deep sadness that the WPA joins with the Kwayana family in announcing the death of Brother Eusi Kwayana. Although we know death is inevitable and that Bro Eusi would eventually leave us, we thought this day would never come. But it is finally here. We give thanks for his life, his wisdom, his guidance and above all, his example. Guyana has lost the last of its original independence visionaries—one of Guyana’s priceless gifts to itself,” the party said in a statement.

Eusi Kwayana

According to the WPA, for 101 years and six months this rare and special spirit walked among us with a deliberate purpose that touched the core of Guyana. The Guyana of the last eight decades is incomplete without the fingerprints and footprints of Eusi Kwayana. Along with others and sometimes alone, he lived the Guyanese decolonization and independence narrative of freedom. WPA declares with certainty that our Eusi was a Founder-Pioneer of our post-colonial order. In him, shone the light of the full flowering of the Guyanese, Caribbean and African fusion.

The WPA said in 1974, Kwayana co-founded the Working People’s Alliance and remained a committed member until his death. Within the WPA, he served as Executive member, Member of Parliament and de facto editor of the party’s organs, Open Word and Dayclean. We remember Eusi as an excellent party organizer and mobilizer. Whenever the party was low on morale, we turned to him for confidence. We also remember him as a loyal party member who never compromised his integrity and independent praxis. It is for that reason that we label him the modern pioneer of the Independent Radical strand in modern Guyanese politics. “While he gave 52 years of service to the WPA, he also laboured in the valley for the original PPP and the PNC in which he served as Assistant General Secretary and General Secretary respectively. He served as a Member of Parliament and Cabinet Member in the 1953 PPP government. In addition to being General Secretary, he served as editor of the PNC’s newspaper, New Nation.”

During the period 1964-71, Kwayana served as head of the National Land Settlement Committee; chairman of the Guyana Marketing Corporation (GMC); chairman of the Cooperative Insurance Committee; and chairman of a committee charged with converting the Guyana Cooperative Credit Society into a Cooperative Bank. “As an Africanist leader, he co-founded in 1961 the African Society for Racial Equality (ASRE), which was dedicated primarily to raising cultural consciousness among African Guyanese. In 1964, he co-founded the African Society for Cultural Relations with Independent Africa (ASCRIA), which, like ASRE, committed itself to the promotion of African pride, dignity, and culture among African Guyanese. He served as Coordinating Elder of ASCRIA and changed his name from Sydney King to Eusi Kwayana, which, in Swahili, means Black Man of Guyana.

A younger Eusi Kwayana during one of his many protests.

He gave everything to his country and his people. Farewell African star, Guyanese treasure and Caribbean wise man. We end this initial statement by calling on Guyanese not to mourn Bro Eusi’s passing, but to celebrate his life and lived journey,” the party stated.

Also in a statement, the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR)/ A Partnership for National Unity (APNU), described Kwayana as a patriot, historian, elder statesman, and a towering figure in the political and social life of our nation. “Brother Eusi entered the political arena as a youth, dedicating his life to the struggles and aspirations of the Guyanese people. He served the People’s National Congress under the leadership of its founder, Linden Forbes Sampson Burnham, contributing his intellect, energy, and convictions to the building of our Party and the advancement of an independent Guyana,” the party said. It noted that in the years that followed, he continued to serve the nation through the Working People’s Alliance, remaining a fearless and principled voice on matters of governance, justice, and national development. “As a historian, he dedicated himself to recording and preserving our country’s story, ensuring that future generations would know the journey of our people and the sacrifices made along the way.”

According to the PNCR, Eusi Kwayana was more than a politician. “He was a teacher, a chronicler, and a conscience for our nation. His life spanned generations of our political evolution, and his counsel, integrity, and unwavering commitment to principle earned him the respect of friend and adversary alike. The PNCR and APNU extend our most sincere condolences to his family, friends, and all who were touched by his life and work. We join the nation in mourning the loss of an elder statesman, and we pray that his soul finds eternal rest. May his legacy of service, scholarship, and sacrifice continue to inspire us all.”

Enduring politician

In a lengthy tribute, Dr. David Hinds said Kwayana is one of Guyana’s most enduring political figures, a leading Pan-Africanist and a founding figure of the WPA. Kwayana was born Sydney Evanson King on April 4, 1925.  “For more than half a century, Kwayana was involved in the country’s political development, moving from the early leadership of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) to the formation of grassroots African-centred organisations and eventually the WPA. He was also an educator, playwright, author and advocate for Pan-Africanism whose work extended beyond party politics,” Hinds wrote. Born in Lusignan, on the East Coast of Demerara, Kwayana moved with his family to Buxton when he was seven years old. It was in that village, which has played a significant role in Guyana’s political and cultural history, that he developed much of his connection to community life and grassroots organising.

Buxton Sage, Eusi Kwayana

According to Dr. Hinds, Kwayana’s involvement in politics began during the 1940s, when he became active in village affairs. Around 1947, while still known as Sydney King, he joined a group of political activists led by Dr. Cheddi Jagan in establishing the PPP, which emerged as a major force in the struggle for self-government. “The PPP’s victory in Guyana’s first election under universal adult suffrage in 1953 brought Kwayana into government as Minister of Communication and Works. That administration, however, was short-lived. The British government suspended the Constitution in October 1953 and removed the PPP from office amid concerns about the direction of the government and the growing political tensions in the colony. Kwayana was subsequently among those detained by the British authorities in 1954, as the colonial administration sought to suppress what it viewed as a threat of civil unrest.” According to Hinds, Kwayana’s political journey would eventually take him away from the PPP and towards a different vision of grassroots political organisation, race relations and social transformation.

From the PPP to the WPA

Kwayana later became involved in the establishment of organisations dedicated to African identity, cultural awareness and political empowerment. He helped develop the African Society for Cultural Relations with Independent Africa (ASCRIA), a grassroots movement that sought to strengthen cultural and political connections with independent African countries.

ASCRIA became an important part of the political organising that preceded the formation of the WPA. In 1974, the organisation merged into the WPA, bringing Kwayana into a political movement that challenged the established political order and called for broader participation by working people in the country’s affairs. The WPA developed as a multiracial political movement with a strong emphasis on democratic participation, social justice and the organisation of ordinary citizens. Kwayana became part of its collective leadership and worked closely with historian, academic and political activist Dr. Walter Rodney. Rodney’s political activism and the WPA’s mobilisation attracted considerable attention during the 1970s and 1980s, a period marked by intense political tensions and competing visions for Guyana’s future. Kwayana remained associated with the movement through years of political struggle. In 1985, he was elected to the National Assembly as the WPA’s sole parliamentary representative, taking his place in Parliament during a consequential period in the country’s political history.

His involvement in politics was not confined to parliamentary work. He was part of a generation of activists who used community organising, public discussion, writing and cultural expression to advance their political ideas.

An educator committed to Buxton

Hinds said long before his later political prominence, Kwayana had entered the teaching profession. He became a primary school teacher at just 15 years old, an early indication of the role education would play throughout his life. In 1956, he founded County High School in Buxton and became its principal. The institution was later renamed Republic Cooperative High School. “His work in education reflected a commitment to developing opportunities for young people and strengthening community institutions. His connection to Buxton remained an important part of his identity, and the village featured prominently in his writings and reflections on Guyana’s social and political development. Kwayana’s life also demonstrated how education, culture and political participation could intersect. He did not limit his contribution to the classroom or the political platform; he used literature and theatre to explore questions of identity, history and social change.”

Dr. Hinds said Kwayana was a prolific author whose published works addressed some of the most consequential questions in Guyana’s history, including race relations, labour struggles, colonialism and the development of political movements. His books include The Bauxite Strike and the Old Politics, Scars of Bondage, Guyana: No Guilty Race, Buxton in Print and Memory, Morning After and Genesis of a Nation: The Indo-Guyanese Contribution to Social Change in Guyana. He also documented the final period of Rodney’s life in Walter Rodney: His Last Days and Campaigns, preserving an account of the political activism and campaigns surrounding one of Guyana’s most influential and controversial political figures.

His writing reflected a sustained interest in the forces that shaped Guyanese society and the relationships between race, class, culture and political power. Kwayana also made a contribution to the performing arts. His play, The Promised Land, performed by a young cast from Buxton, won the Best Play prize in the Youth Category at the British Guiana Drama Festival in 1965. His involvement in theatre demonstrated another dimension of his public life, using creative expression to engage audiences with social questions and the experiences of ordinary people. In a distinctive contribution to the country’s political culture, Kwayana also wrote lyrics for party songs associated with Guyana’s three leading political parties — the PPP, the People’s National Congress (PNC) and the WPA.

A life spanning a century of change

Kwayana’s personal life was also closely connected to his Pan-Africanist outlook. In 1968, he met Tchaiko Kwayana, an American Pan-Africanist and civil rights activist formerly known as Ann Cook. The two married in Georgetown in 1971, incorporating Yoruba rites into their wedding ceremony. Tchaiko became involved in his organisational work and shared his interest in Pan-Africanism and political activism. She died in 2017. In 2002, Kwayana retired from active public life and moved to California in the United States.  His life covered a remarkable period in Guyana’s history, from British colonial rule and the early movement for self-government to independence, the emergence of competing political parties and the struggles over democracy, race relations and economic development that shaped the post-independence era.

Kwayana’s political path crossed with some of the most consequential figures and movements in the country’s modern history. Yet his contribution extended beyond his association with political leaders and organisations. Through teaching, writing, theatre and community organising, he helped document and shape debates about the kind of society Guyana should become. His death at 101 marks the passing of a figure whose life was closely intertwined with the country’s political evolution. His writings, educational work and record of activism remain part of the historical record of Guyana’s long and complex journey from colonialism to independence and beyond.

Source: Kaieteur News

…cites falling protection funding, weak labour recruitment oversight

(Kaieteur News) – Guyana’s investigations into human trafficking nearly halved in 2025, while funding for victim protection and prevention fell sharply, according to the 2026 Trafficking in Persons Report released by the United States Department of State. The report said Guyana initiated 16 trafficking investigations last year, down from 31 in 2024, even as it retained its Tier 1 ranking for meeting the minimum standards for eliminating trafficking.

It also raised concerns about the government’s failure to adequately regulate labour recruiters, prevent workers from being charged recruitment fees and sufficiently address trafficking risks at worksites linked to Chinese companies and state-affiliated projects.

Minister of Human Services and Social Security, Dr. Vindyha Persaud

The assessment said that while the government continued to prosecute alleged traffickers, train officials and expand victim assistance, it identified and referred fewer victims to services and reduced funding for protection and prevention efforts. In 2025, the government allocated GYD $116.9 million for victim services, down from GYD $132.6 million in 2024. Funding for prevention fell from GYD $169.5 million to approximately GYD $83.25 million over the same period.

The report also cited concerns raised by non-governmental organisations that some shelters were closed during the reporting period, potentially resulting in some victims being re-victimised. The findings point to the need for more effective monitoring of foreign-worker arrangements, particularly at major construction and mining operations, and stronger safeguards against exploitation. The report was also critical of Guyana’s failure to adequately regulate labour recruiters, despite the influx of recruitment agencies targeting workers for the country’s expanding oil sector.

It noted that, for the fourth consecutive year, the government reviewed legislation intended to regulate labour recruitment but did not finalise the proposed amendments during the reporting period. According to the report, the existing legal framework does not prohibit employers, recruiters or labour agents from charging workers recruitment and placement fees, switching contracts without workers’ consent or withholding wages as a means of keeping workers in compelled service. The government also lacked a formal mechanism to oversee recruitment and screen for trafficking indicators throughout the hiring process.

United States Secretary of State, Marco Rubio

According to the report, the government identified 390 trafficking victims in 2025, comprising 304 females exploited in sex trafficking, 85 adult males exploited in forced labour and one boy exploited in an unspecified form of trafficking. The victims included 15 Guyanese nationals and 375 foreign nationals from Venezuela, Brazil, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, India and Colombia. However, the report said only 25 victims were referred to care during the year.

The government provided shelter, healthcare, counselling, legal services and repatriation assistance directly and through civil society organisations. It also completed construction of a 30-person transition home in July 2025 for victims participating in a voluntary 10-day reflection period.

Nevertheless, the report identified difficulties in reaching victims in remote regions, where geographical distances delay social services. Language barriers also complicated assistance to foreign victims, while fear and trauma made some reluctant to accept support. It further noted that victims must be formally identified before accessing services and that some non-governmental organisations expressed concerns about their ability to participate in the national referral mechanism once a suspected victim enters government care.

Prosecutions and lengthy trials

Additionally, reported noted that the government prosecuted four suspects in 2025 — two for sex trafficking and two for forced labour and secured one conviction for sex trafficking, resulting in a prison sentence of at least 48 months. This compared with three suspects prosecuted and one trafficker convicted in 2024. Authorities also detained a trafficker who had been convicted in absentia during the previous reporting period. In one suspected labour-trafficking case, however, the government settled the matter rather than pursuing a criminal conviction, the report stated.

The defendant was ordered to pay the victim for unpaid wages and cover the cost of transportation to the victim’s home country. The report noted that trafficking and other major criminal trials take an average of two years to complete and can last as long as four years because of shortages of trained court personnel, postponements and delays in preparing cases. It also highlighted a provision in the anti-trafficking law requiring victims to testify in order for prosecutions to proceed. Officials reportedly dropped cases when victims declined to testify. The report said the law provides for restitution and asset forfeiture following convictions but lacks an effective mechanism to enforce those judgments when traffickers fail to pay. Restitution payments can also be deferred while a defendant’s appeal is pending.

Cuban workers

This year’s report again addressed concerns involving Cuban workers employed in Guyana. It said the government sought to establish fair labour conditions for Cuban workers and address forced-labour concerns, prompting the Cuban regime to end its bilateral health cooperation agreement with Guyana in early 2026. At the beginning of the year, approximately 110 of the 370 Cuban regime-affiliated workers in Guyana remained in the country after authorities offered them direct employment and protection; the others returned to Cuba.  However, observers reported that the government did not consistently ensure that workers who remained received their wages.

The report said the government continued awareness campaigns targeting vulnerable populations, including miners, hotel operators, Indigenous community leaders and schools. It also operated three anti-trafficking hotlines and introduced a QR-code reporting system in July 2025. Despite these measures, observers noted that poor mobile phone coverage in many mining areas limited the effectiveness of the hotlines among communities vulnerable to trafficking.

Source: Kaieteur News

…warns against wasteful subsidies as oil revenues soar and economy expands

(Kaieteur News) – The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has urged Guyana to strengthen oversight of public spending, resolve outstanding cost-oil audits and improve transparency in the management of public finances as the country’s oil-driven economy continues to expand rapidly.

In its latest assessment of Guyana’s economy, released on Thursday, the IMF also recommended that the government improve the targeting of subsidies, strengthen compliance with public procurement rules and reinforce anti-corruption safeguards as billions of dollars in oil revenues flow into the economy.

The Fund cautioned that if oil prices remain persistently high, a larger share of additional revenues should be saved, taking into account the country’s capacity to absorb increased spending.

Finance Minister, Dr. Ashni Singh

It further recommended that broad measures intended to cushion consumers from rising prices should gradually be replaced with targeted assistance for vulnerable groups.

The recommendations form part of the IMF Executive Board’s 2026 Article IV consultation with Guyana, which examined the country’s economic performance, fiscal management and medium-term outlook.

While describing Guyana’s economic prospects as highly favourable, the Fund stressed the importance of maintaining fiscal and financial stability, strengthening governance and ensuring that rapid growth translates into durable and inclusive development.

Outstanding oil audits

Among the governance priorities identified by the IMF was the need to resolve outstanding cost-oil audits, improve the timely publication of accounts by public enterprises and government agencies, and strengthen audit capacity, particularly in the oil and gas sector.

This newspaper reported last week that more than five years after a British consultant flagged the misuse of US$214 million of Guyana’s oil money by ExxonMobil, the stalemate has landed before the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC).

This was confirmed by Minister of Natural Resources, Vickram Bharrat in a brief telephone interview with Kaieteur News on Tuesday. The minister told this publication, “Yes the ICC will make a decision on a sole expert.”

The two sides were unable to agree to a sole expert to resolve the dispute on the first audit of US$1.6 billion in expenses racked up by Exxon during the period 1999 to 2017.

As such, Bharrat said the procedure laid out in the 2016 Production Sharing Agreement (PSA) has been followed where the two parties are currently before the international body awaiting the appointment of a sole expert to determine the way forward on the US$214 million dispute.

He was unable to state how soon a decision from the body is likely. “It’s already with the ICC. We have to wait on them. No fixed timeframe as yet,” Bharrat added.

In June this year, Exxon’s vice president and business services manager, John Colling hinted that the dispute may land before the ICC.

Colling said, “So we’re in discussion currently with the government of Guyana regarding the selection of the sole expert. We have not yet landed on a sole expert but have discussed a process to ultimately arrive at one.”

As such, he noted, “If we’re unable to arrive at a mutual selection, that can be referred to the ICC to make the selection, which very well may be the next step in the process.”

While the first audit drags on, two other audits of the company still remain to be concluded as well. The second audit, for the period 2018 to 2020 was conducted by VHE consulting. The local audit team found that another US$65 million of the US$7.2 billion in expenses was incorrectly charged to Guyana.

Questions still remain on whether the full report was published by the GoG for the US$7.2 billion audit. Meanwhile Exxon’s third and largest audit, on record to date, amounts to a whopping US$19.6 billion. It was conducted by the same local group, VHE. Although government received that report since May 2025, it has refused to make the document public. The administration is also not inclined to highlight the disputed costs flagged by the auditors.

Public procurement

The Fund also called for consistent compliance with the public procurement framework as government expenditure expands.

It said efforts to strengthen anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing measures and anti-corruption frameworks should continue, including through improvements to the Integrity Commission and the asset declaration regime.

The recommendations come as Guyana continues to develop its petroleum sector and channel oil revenues into infrastructure and other public investments.

Deficit expected to widen in 2026

Despite strong oil revenues, the IMF projected that Guyana’s overall fiscal deficit would widen from 5.5 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP) in 2025 to 6.4 per cent in 2026, partly reflecting transfers and electricity subsidies.

The deficit is expected to improve in 2027.

The Fund said a comprehensive medium- and long-term fiscal strategy would help preserve sustainability and ensure that future generations also benefit from the country’s natural resource wealth.

It recommended that Guyana strengthen its non-oil primary balance over the next decade, with a long-term objective that could include preserving the real per capita value of assets held in the Natural Resource Fund (NRF).

The IMF noted that the country’s existing budget frameworks provide a foundation for developing clearer fiscal targets.

It also cautioned that public spending must remain aligned with development needs and the economy’s capacity to absorb investment effectively, while accounting for the high cost of delivering public services in a country with a relatively small and geographically dispersed population.

Economy grows by 19.3 per cent

The IMF reported that Guyana’s real GDP grew by 19.3 per cent in 2025, following average growth of nearly 40 per cent during 2023 and 2024.

Oil GDP increased by 21.1 per cent last year, while non-oil GDP expanded by 14 per cent, driven largely by construction and supported by agriculture, mining and manufacturing.

Oil production exceeded 900,000 barrels per day, while stronger labour market conditions and private-sector credit growth also supported economic activity.

The Fund projected overall economic growth of 22.3 per cent in 2026, with oil GDP expected to grow by 26.1 per cent and non-oil GDP by 10.2 per cent.

Non-oil growth is projected to average approximately seven per cent over the medium term.

The economic expansion has also strengthened Guyana’s external position. Gross international reserves reached approximately US$1.4 billion in 2025, while the NRF accumulated about US$3.3 billion by the end of that year.

The IMF said the country’s economic fundamentals remain strong and noted that Guyana continues to maintain one of the lowest debt-to-GDP ratios in the Western Hemisphere.

However, inflation, which averaged 3.3 per cent in 2025, is projected to rise to 4.1 per cent in 2026, reflecting higher global energy and food prices.

The Fund said available indicators did not point to clear overheating or competitiveness pressures, but warned that strong wage growth and wage-based real exchange rate measures warranted close monitoring.

It also identified oil price volatility, potential overheating and climate-related shocks as risks to the otherwise favourable economic outlook.

The banking system was assessed as well capitalised and liquid, with improving asset quality. Nevertheless, the IMF said rapid housing market growth warranted close monitoring and recommended the development of a real estate price index.

It also called for stronger cybersecurity standards as financial services become increasingly digital, alongside a comprehensive framework to help authorities identify and manage risks across the financial system.

On monetary policy, the Fund said liquidity management should remain consistent with Guyana’s exchange rate arrangement and price stability. It added that further tightening could be necessary if demand, credit or exchange rate pressures intensified.

Diversification remains critical

The IMF said Guyana should continue investing in human capital, expanding employment opportunities, addressing labour shortages and strengthening food security to support diversification beyond oil.

It noted that the Gas-to-Energy project is expected to reduce reliance on fuel-based electricity generation, lower energy costs and improve competitiveness.

The Fund also stressed the importance of investments in sea defences, drainage and climate-resilient agriculture to protect the country against climate risks.

It called for improvements in official statistics, including updated national accounts and price data, regular labour force surveys, more complete publication of census results and the introduction of a new household budget survey.

The IMF concluded that while Guyana’s growth outlook remains highly favourable, stronger fiscal frameworks, sound governance and effective public spending will be essential to preserving stability and ensuring that the country’s oil wealth supports sustainable development.

Source: Kaieteur News

(Kaieteur News) – Texila American University (TAU) welcomed a new cohort of aspiring physicians to its College of Medicine on Friday last, as the institution highlighted its investment in artificial intelligence (AI), medical simulation and modern clinical training.

The university’s White Coat Ceremony marked the students’ entry into a new phase of their medical education, underscoring the importance of professionalism, ethical conduct, compassion and patient-centred care.

TAU also used the occasion to showcase its Medical Simulation Laboratory (SIM Lab) and CyberPatient virtual patient platform, which allow students to practise clinical skills and develop diagnostic and decision-making abilities before entering real-world healthcare settings.

New doctors and other officials at the ceremony.

Simulation lab prepares students for clinical practice

According to a press release, the university’s SIM Lab is designed to bridge the gap between classroom instruction and practical medical training through hands-on exercises using simulation mannequins capable of replicating human physiological functions, including cardiac and respiratory responses.

The technology allows students to practise patient assessments, sharpen their clinical reasoning and respond to simulated medical situations in a supervised environment.

According to the university, simulation-based training helps students build clinical confidence, improve decision-making and strengthen patient safety practices before progressing to clinical settings.

New doctors taking the oath.

AI platform allows students to assess virtual patients

TAU has also integrated artificial intelligence into its medical curriculum through its CyberPatient virtual patient simulation platform.

The system allows students to interact with virtual patients, obtain medical histories, assess clinical findings, select diagnostic investigations and make clinical decisions. It also provides feedback on their assessments, helping them identify weaknesses and improve their diagnostic reasoning.

Speaking at the ceremony, Dr. Dheeraj Bansal, Chief Academic Officer and Dean of the College of Medicine, highlighted the importance of incorporating emerging technologies into medical education.

He said AI-assisted learning and simulation-based training give students additional opportunities to apply medical knowledge, develop practical competencies and prepare for increasingly complex healthcare environments.

The university said the combination of AI-powered learning, simulation facilities and faculty guidance forms part of its approach to student-centred medical education.

TAU highlights international accreditations

The institution also pointed to its three international accreditations, which it said reflect its commitment to academic quality, institutional accountability and internationally benchmarked educational standards.

TAU stated that its College of Medicine holds accreditation from two internationally recognised medical education accrediting bodies. However, the names of the accrediting bodies were not provided in the information supplied.

The university said its accreditations, alongside its simulation facilities, AI-enabled teaching tools and clinical training opportunities, reinforce its standing as an international medical education institution in the Caribbean.

Community outreach promotes compassionate care

Beyond academic and technological training, the ceremony reinforced the importance of empathy, integrity, patience and professionalism in the medical field.

Dr. Bansal encouraged the incoming students to recognise that becoming a successful physician requires more than academic knowledge and technical competence, stressing the importance of compassion and a lifelong commitment to patient care.

TAU also highlighted its health camps and community outreach initiatives across Guyana, including in remote communities, as an important part of medical training.

Through these activities, students gain exposure to diverse healthcare needs while developing an understanding of their social responsibilities and the importance of community-oriented care.

The university said these experiences complement classroom teaching and simulation exercises by exposing students to the human realities of healthcare delivery.

University seeks to strengthen Guyana’s medical education sector

TAU said it continues to invest in academic infrastructure, advanced teaching technologies, simulation-based learning and clinical training opportunities to prepare future healthcare professionals.

Its approach combines traditional medical instruction with emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, as it seeks to equip students for the changing demands of healthcare locally and internationally.

The White Coat Ceremony marked the beginning of the new students’ journey towards becoming physicians, while reminding them of the professional and ethical responsibilities associated with the medical profession.

Source: Kaieteur News

 …as equipment procurement advances

(Kaieteur News) – The Guyana Fire Service (GFS) has spent $156.5 million on infrastructural upgrades so far this year, with work completed at the Campbellville Fire Station and ongoing at five other locations, according to the 2026 Mid-Year Report.

The report said works have advanced at the Ruimveldt, Timehri, Mahaicony, Cumberland and Tarlogie fire stations.

In addition to the infrastructural upgrades, $143.4 million was expended to advance the procurement of additional firefighting equipment. Contracts were also secured for three airport firefighting vehicles, seven water tenders and two water bowsers.

Members of the Guyana Fire Service.

Meanwhile, $47.3 million was spent on the procurement of 100 fire hydrants during the first half of the year, with another 110 expected to be procured by the end of 2026, the report stated.

The GFS also invested in training to strengthen its operational effectiveness. During the first six months of the year, $17.4 million was spent on training 107 recruits through a four-month basic training programme.

Additionally, 41 fire officers received intermediate-level fire investigation training in accordance with National Fire Protection Association standards. Advanced-level training is scheduled for the second half of the year, alongside training for another cohort of recruits.

On January 27, Kaieteur News reported that the Government had allocated $6.8 billion to strengthen and modernise the GFS in the 2026 National Budget, including plans to complete and commission several new fire stations.

During his budget presentation at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre, Finance Minister Dr. Ashni Singh said the investments were intended to strengthen the country’s firefighting capabilities, accelerate emergency response times and reduce the human and economic losses associated with fires.

Singh announced that $1.1 billion had been allocated to complete and commission fire stations at Onderneeming, Campbellville, Ruimveldt, Timehri, Mahaicony and Tarlogie. The programme also included the construction of new stations at Rosignol and No. 38 Village, as well as a Marine Fire Station at Port Georgetown.

These facilities are expected to complement stations constructed in 2025 at Charity, Parika, Diamond, Soesdyke and Wisroc, along with targeted upgrades to existing stations and living quarters.

The 2026 Budget also earmarked $1.6 billion for additional firefighting assets, including two airport firefighting vehicles, four water tenders and two water bowsers.

“The acquisition of advanced equipment represents a fundamental component in the enhancement of core firefighting capabilities and overall operational effectiveness,” Singh said. The minister further disclosed that $527.9 million was spent in 2025 on a range of equipment, including a crash tender, three ambulances, two water tenders, five all-terrain water tenders and a breathing apparatus refilling vehicle.

A further $503.1 million was spent last year to advance the procurement of more than 430 fire hydrants, while $250 million was budgeted for additional hydrants in 2026.

Source: Kaieteur News

DUBAI/RIYADH,  (Reuters) – Yemen’s Houthis warned airlines, travellers and airport workers today to stay away ‌from Saudi airports, a day after an attack on Riyadh’s international airport killed 12 people and wounded more than 300 others.

It was the deadliest such attack in the kingdom in more than a decade and comes amid an escalation of fighting between the Iran-backed Houthis and Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces.

“We renew our warning to all airlines, experts, employees, workers and ​travellers against using Saudi airports and airspace, as they are vulnerable to attack and have become a theatre of operations for our ​forces, with the exception of the airports in (the holy cities of) Mecca and Medina,” the Houthis said in a ⁠post on X.

“We urge everyone to take our warnings seriously, and Saudi Arabia bears responsibility for any failed interceptions.”

Saudi Arabia has stepped up its ​military involvement in Yemen in recent weeks, launching strikes against the Houthis and backing a Yemeni government counteroffensive after the group seized strategic territory along the ​Red Sea coast last month.

Yemen’s Houthi-run foreign ministry said on Sunday that further Saudi military action in Yemen would trigger a stronger response, adding that its actions would be guided by the principle of reciprocity.

“Unless the Saudi enemy stops its aggression and interference in Yemen, worse is yet to come, God willing,” the ministry said in statements ​carried by Houthi-run Al Masirah television.

President Donald Trump said on Saturday the United States was considering joining Saudi strikes on the Houthis in the ​conflict, a spillover from the wider war on Iran that the US and Israel launched in February.

The Saudi-led coalition said on Saturday that a projectile had also fallen near ‌King Fahd ⁠International Airport in Dammam, in the kingdom’s Eastern Province. The coalition also reported intercepting a drone in the region on Sunday.

INTERNATIONAL ENERGY CONFERENCE STILL GOING AHEAD IN RIYADH

Saturday’s attack has forced the temporary closure of King Khalid International Airport but the Saudi energy ministry said a long-planned international energy conference was still going ahead in Riyadh on Sunday.

The five-day WPC Energy Congress is taking place at a convention centre some 10 km (6 miles) from the airport. ​State TV said more than 70 ​ministers, 300 company executives and representatives ⁠of over 25 international energy organisations have confirmed their attendance.

It was not immediately clear whether the participants would attend in person or virtually.

A ministerial meeting of the International Energy Forum is also set to go ahead on ​Sunday, with its plenary session to be held behind closed doors, according to a media advisory. No further ​details were immediately available.

Separately, ⁠Saudi authorities notified parents that in-person classes would be suspended and shifted to remote learning from Sunday until Thursday for all students, teachers and administrative staff.

In Saturday’s attack, the third on Riyadh’s airport in a week, the 12 dead included 4 Saudis, 2 Bangladeshis and nationals of the United States, Jordan, Palestine, Syria, ⁠Sudan and ​Egypt, Saudi authorities said.

Saudi Arabia’s civil aviation authority said airport operations were temporarily suspended pending ​damage and safety assessments, without specifying when flights would resume.

Two previous attacks on Riyadh’s international airport earlier in the week had killed four people and caused heavy damage to a Saudi ​commercial plane parked on the tarmac.

Source: Kiskadee Watch