标签： Guyana

A contentious dispute over media access has erupted in Guyana’s National Assembly, with House Speaker Manzoor Nadir facing mounting criticism for implementing severe restrictions on journalistic coverage of parliamentary proceedings. The controversial measures, introduced at the start of Monday’s budget debates, have drawn forceful opposition from across Guyana’s media landscape.

The new regulations permit only five reporters within the parliamentary chamber at any given time—a dramatic reduction from the previous allowance of up to 17 journalists. Additionally, television news cameras from private media organizations have been completely banned from the Dome, with media houses instructed to rely exclusively on official feeds from the Department of Public Information (DPI).

Media professionals have universally condemned these restrictions as fundamentally anti-democratic. Fareeza Haniff, a prominent media practitioner, highlighted the practical deficiencies of the arrangement, noting that the official live feed suffers from persistent technical glitches and poor quality. She further accused the Parliament Office of disseminating misleading information through a late-night Facebook post that showed empty media seats after journalists had departed to file their stories.

The controversy deepened as journalists revealed that the Parliament Office attempted to justify the restrictions by referencing a COVID-19 era agreement from 2020 as if it were current policy. This characterization was widely dismissed as disingenuous by media representatives.

Former Guyana Press Association (GPA) President Nazima Raghubir questioned whether Parliament had reached the point of intentionally misleading the public, while journalist Vishani Ragobeer directly contradicted the official narrative, stating, “Those seats were filled by my colleagues and me yesterday. I sat there with colleagues from other private media outlets, and there was a rotation of reporters covering different speakers.”

Kurt Campbell, another newsroom journalist, described the measures as “profoundly regressive and democratically corrosive,” arguing that they veer “dangerously into authoritarian instinct.” He emphasized the unreliability of the DPI’s coverage, noting its failure to provide basic recordings of significant parliamentary events, including the national budget presentation delivered over a week earlier.

The Guyana Press Association issued an official statement expressing “deep concern” over the restrictions and condemning the Speaker’s edict as “a direct attack on freedom of the press.” The association called for an urgent review of the measures and the restoration of full press access in keeping with democratic norms and principles of open governance.

Veteran journalist Denis Chabrol challenged the rationale behind the restrictions, noting that journalists have historically covered parliamentary sessions according to newsworthiness without ever being obstructive. He argued that sufficient space exists to accommodate multiple privately-owned television cameras and that no logical justification exists for limiting media access to the National Assembly.

Guyana’s National Assembly witnessed a fierce political confrontation on Monday as the opposition We Invest in Nationhood (WIN) and A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) clashed with the ruling People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPPC) government over the allocation of oil revenues in the record GYD$1.558 trillion 2026 national budget and its perceived failure to address escalating living costs.

In his inaugural parliamentary address, WIN frontbencher Dr. Andre Lewis launched a comprehensive critique of the budget framework, arguing that it disproportionately relies on volatile oil earnings without establishing contingency plans for potential revenue shortfalls. “The budget depends heavily on oil revenues at a time when global oil prices are uncertain and projected to decline,” Lewis stated, emphasizing the absence of clear fiscal safeguards should petroleum income diminish unexpectedly.

The opposition leader further challenged the government’s characterization of the spending plan as “People-Centred,” noting persistent challenges including inflated food prices, unregulated transportation costs, and inadequate housing availability. Lewis contended that coastal, riverain, rural, and mining communities continue experiencing stark disparities in service delivery, infrastructure quality, and economic opportunity despite the budget’s comprehensive scope.

Public Works Minister Juan Edghill offered a robust defense of the government’s fiscal strategy, clarifying that only GY$495 billion—approximately 31.8% of the total budget—derives from petroleum revenues. “That’s the total amount of oil money that is financing this budget,” Edghill asserted, directly countering opposition claims of excessive hydrocarbon dependency.

The minister characterized the budget as a “social contract of inclusion” deliberately designed to channel resources toward working families, small enterprises, agricultural producers, public servants, and marginalized communities. Edghill highlighted substantial allocations including GY$183 billion for education, GY$161 billion for healthcare, GY$113.2 billion for agricultural and food security initiatives, and GY$196.1 billion for transformational transport infrastructure.

APNU representative Vinceroy Jordan joined the critique, dismissing the government’s proposed GY$5,000 pension increase and GY$3,000 public assistance boost as insufficient measures that fail to genuinely prioritize citizen welfare. Jordan advocated for a 35% salary increase for public servants—suggesting 25% as a minimum acceptable compromise—and emphasized that substantial agricultural investment represents the most viable pathway to reduce food prices and enhance national food security.

Minister Edghill concluded by underscoring the government’s comprehensive infrastructure investments in drainage systems, road networks, bridges, ferry services, and airstrips, arguing that these developments indirectly reduce living costs by improving transportation efficiency and market accessibility, particularly in remote regions.

In a significant address to Belize’s National Assembly on Monday, Guyana’s President Irfaan Ali reframed internal disagreements within the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) not as a weakness, but as a fundamental strength of the 15-member regional bloc. Speaking during a three-day state visit, President Ali articulated a vision where divergent perspectives are essential for robust decision-making, directly addressing recent tensions among member states.

The President’s remarks arrive amidst a backdrop of visible policy splits, particularly concerning regional security. He implicitly referenced the recent positions of Guyana and Trinidad & Tobago, which endorsed United States-led actions against narco-terrorism in the Caribbean Sea. This stance contrasted with the traditional regional aspiration of maintaining a ‘zone of peace,’ a concept recently questioned by Trinidadian Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, who had previously labeled CARICOM as ‘not a reliable partner.’

Emphasizing CARICOM’s five-decade resilience, Dr. Ali called for a renewed commitment to strengthen the community. ‘It is now incumbent upon us to make the community stronger, more responsive, and better equipped to serve both the collective and national interests of our peoples,’ he stated, underscoring the necessity for the bloc to adapt to a complex global landscape.

To illustrate the benefits of regional cooperation, President Ali pointed to the recently concluded partnership between the European Union and MERCOSUR (the Southern Common Market). He presented this inter-regional agreement as a model, demonstrating how such collaborations can expand market access, bolster economic resilience, and amplify the influence of participating states in response to global uncertainties. His visit to Belize culminated in the signing of several bilateral agreements focused on tourism, technology, education, and agricultural cooperation.

Belizean Prime Minister John Briceño has issued a compelling appeal for immediate diplomatic dialogue to prevent an impending humanitarian crisis in Cuba, where critical petroleum supplies are rapidly diminishing. The Prime Minister’s declaration came during a joint session of Belize’s National Assembly, convened in honor of Guyanese President Irfaan Ali’s state visit.

Briceño emphasized the urgent need for good faith negotiations to forestall a manufactured humanitarian disaster, stating such an outcome would be neither moral nor lawful. He reaffirmed Belize’s unwavering solidarity with the Cuban people during this period of escalating energy insecurity.

The current fuel shortage traces its origins to recent geopolitical developments involving Venezuela. The capture and extradition of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife by United States military forces has disrupted oil shipments to Cuba, creating a precarious supply situation. Maduro faces trial in New York on charges related to drug trafficking and weapons possession.

In contrast to the growing pressure from Washington to isolate Cuba, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has announced her government’s intention to dispatch humanitarian assistance to the island nation this week.

Meanwhile, Guyana’s position appears increasingly complex. Despite historical benefits from thousands of Cuban scholarships and healthcare personnel, the South American nation has recently strengthened ties with the United States. This strategic realignment includes moves to terminate the Cuban medical brigade program, responding to US concerns that such agreements potentially facilitate human trafficking. Guyana’s foreign policy shift occurs amid ongoing territorial disputes with Venezuela over the Essequibo Region and adjacent Atlantic waters.

In a significant move to strengthen regional cooperation, the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) nations of Guyana and Belize have announced a comprehensive partnership agreement spanning tourism development, agricultural collaboration, and technological advancement. The landmark announcement was made by Belizean Prime John Briceño during a joint session of the National Assembly attended by Guyanese President Irfaan Ali as part of his official state visit.

Prime Minister Briceño revealed that Belize will extend its expertise in tourism development to assist Guyana in building its tourism infrastructure, capitalizing on their shared geographical similarities as countries with abundant water resources. In reciprocity, Guyana will provide technological assistance to support Belize’s digital transformation initiatives, leveraging Guyanese experience in digitization processes.

The agricultural sector forms a critical component of the new partnership, with both nations committing to combined efforts in achieving CARICOM’s food security objectives. The leaders emphasized the importance of utilizing the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas as the legal framework for facilitating free movement of agricultural goods within the regional bloc. Both countries, which share historical economic foundations in sugar production dating back to colonial eras, pledged to guarantee regional sugar supplies through refined sugar production facilities being established in both nations with American investment partnerships.

Multiple Memoranda of Understanding are scheduled for signing, covering diverse sectors including education, tourism, digitization, and agricultural cooperation. President Ali emphasized the necessity of removing artificial trade barriers and establishing fair trading systems while advocating for substantial investments in human, financial, and technological resources to achieve regional food security leadership.

The agreements represent a strategic alignment between two CARICOM members with complementary strengths, creating frameworks for knowledge sharing, private sector investment facilitation, and mutual economic benefit through structured collaboration across key socioeconomic sectors.

The municipal governance of Mahdia, the capital of Guyana’s Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni), has been plunged into a leadership crisis following the resignation of its Deputy Mayor, Akita John. Her decision comes merely days after Mayor Eslyn Romascindo-Hussain tendered her own resignation, creating a significant vacuum in the city’s administration.

In an official resignation letter addressed to Local Government Minister Priya Manickchand, Ms. John cited overwhelming personal reasons for her departure, effective February 7, 2026. She articulated that the immense demands of the office had severely encroached upon her personal life, making it unsustainable to continue. “After careful reflection, I have determined that the demands of the position have become increasingly challenging and are taking away significantly from my personal life,” she stated, emphasizing her desire to prioritize her well-being and personal responsibilities.

This move mirrors that of her predecessor, Mayor Romascindo-Hussain, who stepped down on February 1, 2026. The former Mayor also attributed her resignation to the detrimental impact the role had on her health, describing her three-year tenure as “very challenging” and detrimental to her physical and mental stability in a letter to Ministers Manickchand and Junior Minister Pauline Sukhai.

The consecutive resignations had fueled widespread speculation of potential political interference, particularly targeting Junior Minister Sukhai. However, in a decisive public statement, former Mayor Romascindo-Hussain vehemently denied any such influence. She dispelled the rumors as “false information” and reaffirmed her unwavering commitment to the ruling People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPPC). She explicitly commended Minister Sukhai’s support, stating, “I have always been supported by the Hon. Minister… and have never had any interference when it came to the work of the council.”

Both former officials expressed their continued support for the development and progress of Mahdia amidst this period of governmental transition.