Carib Scope

标签： Guyana

圭亚那

  • Cattle owner charged with suffering animals

    Cattle owner charged with suffering animals

    A livestock proprietor from Garden of Eden, East Bank Demerara has been convicted on multiple animal welfare violations after admitting to charges of neglecting his cattle. The Guyana Police Force confirmed Saturday that 54-year-old Denesh Rohit entered guilty pleas for three distinct counts of permitting his bovines to stray unlawfully, contravening national road legislation.

    The judicial proceedings unfolded at the Diamond Magistrate’s Court on February 13, 2026, where Magistrate Dylon Bess presided over the case. Court records indicate the offenses occurred across three residential zones: Prospect Young Professional Housing Scheme, Herstelling Housing Scheme, and Farm Housing Scheme along the East Bank Demerara corridor.

    Following his admission of guilt, Rohit received financial penalties totaling GY$30,000—structured as GY$10,000 per individual count. Beyond monetary sanctions, the magistrate issued formal directives mandating the implementation of appropriate containment measures to prevent future incidents involving unrestrained livestock.

    Authorities emphasized this judgment serves as both punitive action and preventive measure, highlighting the legal responsibilities of animal owners to maintain proper control over their herds. The case represents ongoing efforts to address public safety concerns and animal welfare standards in developing residential communities where human-animal conflicts occasionally emerge.

  • Bartica man jailed for drugs trafficking

    Bartica man jailed for drugs trafficking

    In a significant judicial ruling from Guyana’s Bartica Magistrate’s Court, 43-year-old Asif Bacchus has been handed a substantial prison term for narcotics offenses. The unemployed Arcade Street resident faced charges under the stringent Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (Control) Act for possession with intent to traffic.

    The case, prosecuted by the Guyana Police Force, reached its conclusion on February 14, 2026, following Bacchus’s virtual court appearance via Zoom technology. Presiding Magistrate Ravindra Mohabir formally presented the charges to the defendant, who subsequently entered a guilty plea.

    Court documents reveal that Bacchus’s arrest and conviction mark a continued effort by Guyanese authorities to combat drug trafficking in the mining-dependent region of Bartica. The case represents another successful prosecution under the country’s comprehensive anti-narcotics legislation.

    The four-year sentence reflects the seriousness with which the Guyanese judiciary treats drug-related crimes. Legal experts suggest this ruling may establish precedent for future narcotics cases in the region, particularly those involving trafficking quantities of controlled substances.

    Law enforcement officials have indicated that the conviction forms part of broader operations targeting drug distribution networks in the Bartica area, which has historically faced challenges related to illegal narcotics trade alongside its legitimate mining activities.

  • UK intermediate education agency refunding Guyana money for troubled scholarships

    UK intermediate education agency refunding Guyana money for troubled scholarships

    The Guyana government has begun recovering US$1.5 million from UK-based intermediary International Skill Development Corporation (ISDC) following the collapse of a scholarship program with the University of Staffordshire. Public Service Minister Zulfikar Ally confirmed the reimbursement process during parliamentary questioning on Friday, February 13, 2026.

    The troubled scholarships, administered through the Guyana Online Academy for Learning (GOAL), involved more than 1,000 students. Minister Ally stated that partial payments have already been received, with the full amount expected to be refunded by the following week. The minister acknowledged he maintained “constant engagement” with relevant parties to ensure complete restitution.

    Parliamentary proceedings revealed additional complications within the GOAL program. Minister Ally admitted that numerous students pursuing degrees through Indira Gandhi University had completed three years of study without receiving degree status updates. The ministry has sought intervention from the Indian High Commission to resolve these credentialing issues.

    Regarding student attrition, Ally revealed that less than five percent of scholarship recipients had taken leaves of absence with intention to resume studies. The minister clarified refund policies, noting that universities only return payments if students withdraw before invoice issuance; otherwise, funds are credited toward alternative students.

    The GOAL secretariat continues monitoring program graduates to track employment outcomes and program effectiveness. Despite these challenges, the Public Service Ministry has allocated GY$5.7 billion for the scholarship initiative in the 2026 national budget.

  • Govt assisting Guyanese students in fuel-starved Cuba

    Govt assisting Guyanese students in fuel-starved Cuba

    The Guyanese government has initiated a comprehensive support program for its citizens studying in Cuba as the Caribbean nation grapples with a severe fuel shortage exacerbated by tightened international sanctions. Public Service Minister Zulfikar Ally confirmed the assistance measures during a Friday night session of the National Assembly’s Committee of Supply.

    Minister Ally revealed that Guyana’s Ambassador to Cuba, Halim Majeed, has been actively providing supplies and emergency support to the 45 registered Guyanese students across the island nation. The ambassador has established a direct communication channel, encouraging students to contact the embassy immediately for any urgent requirements.

    The government’s response comes amid growing concerns about deteriorating conditions in Cuba, where basic services including water distribution and transportation have been significantly impacted. The crisis intensified following Venezuela’s cessation of fuel exports to Cuba after the capture of socialist President Nicolas Maduro by United States authorities in early January.

    Minister Ally announced that a high-level delegation including himself, the Permanent Secretary, and ministry officials will convene with affected students this coming Monday to assess their situation firsthand. ‘The welfare and well-being of all our students remain our utmost priority,’ the minister emphasized during the parliamentary session.

    The current fuel shortage has reached critical levels, with multiple international airlines suspending flights to Cuba due to unavailability of aircraft refueling capabilities. Concurrently, the United States has issued warnings about imposing substantial tariffs on nations that attempt to provide fuel to the communist-led government.

    This development occurs against the backdrop of Guyana’s historical relationship with Cuba, which has spanned multiple administrations despite shifting political alliances. The South American nation maintained support for Cuba during previous embargo periods, providing essential commodities including rice during the 1960s.

  • Health Minister explains reason for delayed completion of paediatric and maternal hospital

    Health Minister explains reason for delayed completion of paediatric and maternal hospital

    Guyana’s ambitious €149 million pediatric and maternal hospital project in Ogle, East Coast Demerara has encountered significant construction delays exceeding two years, according to Health Minister Dr. Frank Anthony. The minister attributed the setbacks to multiple ownership changes involving the original Austria-based contractor VAMED Engineering.

    During Friday’s National Assembly Committee of Supply session addressing the 2026 budget, Dr. Anthony revealed that the project’s timeline has been substantially compromised since its ceremonial sod-turning on July 31, 2022. Initial projections indicated a two-year completion timeframe for the UK Export Finance-funded medical facility.

    The complexity emerged when VAMED, initially a majority state-owned Austrian company identified through a 2018 intergovernmental memorandum of understanding, underwent successive corporate transitions. The contractor was first acquired by Fresenius, a German dialysis equipment manufacturer, and subsequently passed to another German entity, creating managerial discontinuities that hampered project execution.

    Minister Anthony confirmed ongoing diplomatic engagements with the Austrian government to enforce contractual obligations under the original agreement. Simultaneously, the Health Ministry is conducting direct negotiations with VAMED’s current ownership to establish a revised, realistic construction schedule. Technical teams from the Guyanese government and the contractor are finalizing updated implementation plans pending public disclosure.

    Financial disclosures indicate €100 million has already been disbursed to the contractor, though opposition parliamentarian Dr. Terrence Campbell questioned the expenditure’s visible progress. For the 2026 fiscal year, the government has allocated GY$8 billion (approximately €32.2 million) to advance construction works at the strategically important healthcare facility.

  • Digitalised news and shift to Online advertising major reasons for Stabroek News’ closure- Editor-in-Chief

    Digitalised news and shift to Online advertising major reasons for Stabroek News’ closure- Editor-in-Chief

    Guyana’s renowned independent newspaper Stabroek News will cease operations in March 2026 after nearly four decades of publication, citing fundamental market shifts toward digital platforms as the primary cause. Editor-in-Chief Anand Persaud revealed that the convergence of digital news consumption and advertising migration to online channels has rendered the print business model unsustainable.

    The publication’s advertising revenue experienced catastrophic decline as major corporations including Digicel, Banks DIH, and Demerara Distillers Limited redirected marketing budgets toward digital platforms. This left the newspaper dependent primarily on statutory government advertising, occasional financial statements, and legal notices. Circulation numbers plummeted from historic peaks of 40,000 Sunday copies to a mere 4,000-5,000 copies currently.

    Persaud emphasized that while political considerations may have marginally influenced some advertisers’ decisions, the core issue remains irreversible consumer behavior transformation. “People were so engrossed on their phones and what they can see in live real time,” he noted, adding that newspapers providing next-day coverage became functionally obsolete.

    The publishing company, Guyana Publications Inc., maintains solvency and will fulfill all financial obligations to its 60 employees through severance packages and contributory pension schemes. The final edition will publish March 15, followed by voluntary liquidation proceedings.

    This development mirrors regional trends, occurring shortly after Trinidad’s Newsday announced its closure following 32 years of operation. Stabroek News, established in 1986 during Guyana’s political transition from socialism, initially received funding from the US National Endowment for Democracy but evolved into an independent voice.

    Despite exploring hybrid digital-print models over five years of evaluation, management determined that digital revenue streams proved too “ephemeral” to ensure long-term viability. Persaud concluded that the newspaper preferred “to leave with dignity” rather than compromise editorial independence through financial dependencies.

  • Stabroek News closes operations

    Stabroek News closes operations

    In a significant development for Guyanese media, the independent newspaper Stabroek News has announced its permanent closure after four decades of operation. The decision, described by the publication’s leadership as “extraordinarily difficult and painful,” marks the end of an era for one of Guyana’s most respected journalistic institutions.

    The newspaper’s demise stems from a complex confluence of factors including sustained financial pressure from state entities, an unlevel competitive landscape, and fundamental shifts in how audiences consume news. Most notably, the state-run Department of Public Information has accrued an outstanding debt exceeding G$80,000,000 for unpaid advertisements—a financial burden that has persisted despite repeated appeals for resolution. This substantial arrears represents what the publication characterizes as a deliberate tactic to starve the independent media outlet of crucial operating funds.

    Founded in the mid-1980s by David de Caires during an era of state-controlled media dominance, Stabroek News emerged as a pioneering voice in a media landscape previously limited to government-owned publications. The newspaper maintained its editorial independence despite numerous challenges, including a previous period when advertisements from state-owned companies were deliberately withheld in what was seen as an attempt to muzzle free press.

    The publication’s struggles reflect broader challenges facing traditional journalism in the digital age. As readers increasingly turn to algorithmic news feeds and online sources, the newspaper’s commitment to balanced coverage found itself at odds with contemporary click-driven metrics. Additionally, the company faced significant structural obstacles including repeated refusals for radio broadcasting licenses and a non-competitive environment where main competitors enjoyed substantial privileges.

    Beyond the political and market challenges, Stabroek News cultivated a remarkable legacy of staff loyalty through compassionate employment practices including childcare facilities, transportation services, and comprehensive benefit schemes. These measures resulted in extraordinary staff retention rates, with nearly half of employees remaining with the company for a decade or longer.

    The closure represents not just a business failure but the end of a institution that nurtured generations of readers, writers, and thinkers in Guyana. The newspaper’s leadership exits with heads “unbowed,” bequeathing a legacy of democratic discourse and civil public conversation to the nation.

  • APNU excludes WIN from Region Four council committees- Manickchand

    APNU excludes WIN from Region Four council committees- Manickchand

    In a significant political development within Guyana’s Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica) governance structure, the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) has excluded its coalition partner We Invest in Nationhood (WIN) from representation on crucial council committees. Local Government and Regional Development Minister Priya Manickchand disclosed this exclusion during Thursday’s parliamentary session while addressing budgetary estimates.

    The revelation emerged when WIN councillor Tabita Sarabo-Halley questioned why only APNU and People’s Progressive Party Civic representatives were appointed to sectoral committees. Minister Manickchand clarified that APNU’s Chief Whip failed to submit any WIN nominations when invited to propose committee members. ‘I’m advised that in this particular instance, no names were submitted from your collection. The APNU Chief Whip failed to submit any names from WIN when they were asked to submit names,’ she stated.

    The minister speculated that APNU might have determined WIN lacked sufficient capacity or expertise, though she emphasized that the two parties must resolve the matter internally. This exclusion marks a notable fracture in the opposition alliance, particularly significant since APNU unexpectedly lost its historical control of Region Four in last September’s elections, securing only nine seats compared to PPPC’s seventeen and WIN’s eight seats.

    APNU parliamentarian Ganesh Mahipaul attempted to secure a commitment for parliamentary-style proportionality in committee formations but was unsuccessful. Minister Manickchand maintained that appointments must follow legal guidelines rather than political proportionality models, noting that committee members are conventionally selected based on expertise and ability to serve regional interests, with the exception of procurement committees which fall under the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board’s jurisdiction.

  • Standoff over Critchlow Labour College with private university’s principal

    Standoff over Critchlow Labour College with private university’s principal

    A tense property dispute at Guyana’s historic Critchlow Labour College (CLC) nearly escalated into physical violence on Thursday when an excavator arrived to demolish perimeter structures, prompting a dramatic confrontation between competing claimants.

    The incident unfolded at the Woolford Avenue, Georgetown property as Stanley Paul, Principal of the University of Excellence, Management and Business (UEMB), physically intervened to prevent demolition crews from breaching the compound’s gates and fencing. Mr. Paul asserted his rights under a 15-year commercial lease agreement signed June 4, 2025, with CLC Principal Dr. Ivor English, which grants UEMB “full, exclusive and uninhibited possession” of the premises including security control.

    CLC Board Secretary Lincoln Lewis immediately challenged the lease’s validity, stating that only he possesses authorization to execute agreements on behalf of the institution. “Nobody can sign any lease for Critchlow Labour College unless the Board has permitted me,” Lewis declared, emphasizing that the college remains an incorporated entity despite Mr. Paul’s claims that it became defunct in 2013.

    The conflict is further complicated by the property’s underlying lease from Georgetown City Council, granted in 1968 for 99 years with renewal rights. This original agreement stipulates that the land must be used exclusively for CLC purposes and prohibits assignment or subletting without municipal consent—a requirement both parties acknowledge was not sought for the UEMB arrangement.

    The physical standoff occurs against a backdrop of devastating fires that destroyed significant portions of the building in 2025, including sections housing the Guyana Trades Union Congress offices and college auditorium. Mr. Lewis reported that since the blazes, Mr. Paul had locked the gates preventing even legitimate tenants from accessing their workplaces.

    Legal proceedings initiated by UEMB on January 5, 2026, seeking validation of their lease were unexpectedly withdrawn eight days later, while Georgetown City Council had issued cease-work notices in December 2025 demanding removal of unauthorized construction. Mr. Paul countered that restoration efforts were stalled because CLC officials refused to provide necessary no-objection letters to municipal authorities.

    The confrontation highlights deeper institutional conflicts regarding property rights, contractual validity, and the preservation of educational heritage in Guyana, with both parties preparing for prolonged legal battles over this strategically significant campus.

  • GY$2 billion for possible rebuilding of Stabroek Market, Bourda Green

    GY$2 billion for possible rebuilding of Stabroek Market, Bourda Green

    The Guyanese government has unveiled ambitious plans to revitalize the capital city’s historic landmarks through a massive GY$2 billion (US$9.6 million) urban renewal initiative. Local Government Minister Priya Manickchand announced to the National Assembly’s Committee of Supply on Thursday that the comprehensive facelift will potentially include either restoration or complete reconstruction of Stabroek Market—the largest public market in the English-speaking Caribbean—along with enhancements to Bourda Green.

    Minister Manickchand emphasized the cultural significance of Stabroek Market, describing it as “iconic to Georgetown and to Guyana,” while clarifying that the project involves careful consideration rather than simple demolition. “It’s not just a pull down and build project,” she stated during budget deliberations for the GY$1.558 trillion national budget for 2026.

    The market modernization initiative comes as the government continues roof repairs through a GY$107.7 million contract awarded in October 2025, with 60% of those repairs already completed. An additional GY$74 million has been allocated to complete remaining repairs before major renovation works commence.

    The minister outlined new quality standards for public markets, emphasizing the need for improved sanitation facilities, enhanced weather protection, and better organized vending spaces to meet modern commercial requirements.

    Beyond the market project, the urban renewal program includes GY$30 million for rehabilitating the former residence of late national poet Martin Carter on Lamaha Street, Queenstown, following consultations with the property owner. Additional funds have been designated for designing and constructing green spaces in several Ruimveldt areas of southern Georgetown, signaling a comprehensive approach to urban beautification and functional public infrastructure development.