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The Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) has moved to the High Court in a fresh bid to force the Georgetown Mayor and City Council to remove vendors operating around the hospital, describing the situation as longstanding, worsening and repeatedly ignored.

In a Fixed Date Application filed on Tuesday, GPHC is seeking court orders compelling the Town Clerk and City authorities to remove food vendors, carts, stalls and other obstructions from key streets surrounding the hospital, including Lamaha, East, Middle and New Market streets .

The hospital, Guyana’s largest public health facility, says the continued presence of vendors is severely affecting operations, particularly emergency access and the movement of patients and staff.

According to court documents, the encumbrances have “impeded ingress to and egress from the Applicant’s facilities,” including access for emergency vehicles, while vendors also leave behind garbage and debris along the pavements .

The hospital detailed a series of efforts over the past year to have vendors removed, including multiple letters sent to City Hall in April, May and again in January this year requesting urgent action.

Despite assurances from the Mayor and City Council in 2024 that the matter would be addressed, the hospital says nothing meaningful was done.

“Several attempts were made… however, these attempts have proven futile,” the filing states .

In one exchange, City Hall indicated a willingness to work toward an “amicable solution,” but GPHC said no follow-up action materialised, forcing it to escalate the matter legally.

By January 2026, the hospital issued a final warning, demanding that all vendors be removed within three days and signalling its intention to approach the courts if the situation persisted.

Over the years, City Hall has conducted periodic removal exercises, often clearing vendors from the hospital’s immediate surroundings. However, those efforts have typically been short-lived, with vendors returning shortly after enforcement actions.

The court filing reinforces that pattern, noting that despite repeated engagements and past attempts to clear the area, the situation remains unresolved and continues to worsen.

GPHC argues that the persistence of the problem reflects a failure by the City authorities to enforce their own by-laws and statutory responsibilities.

In its application, the hospital is asking the court to order the Town Clerk and City Council to carry out their legal duties under the Municipal and District Councils Act and city by-laws to keep public roads and pavements clear.

The filing argues that this duty is “non-discretionary” and must be enforced, especially in an area as critical as a major public hospital .

GPHC also noted that it is unable to take direct action against individual vendors because it does not have the necessary particulars to pursue enforcement against them individually.

Instead, it says responsibility lies squarely with the City Constabulary and municipal authorities.

Beyond the legal arguments, the hospital is emphasising the broader public impact.

It warned that the ongoing congestion threatens not only hospital operations but public safety, particularly for patients seeking urgent medical care.

The orders being sought, GPHC said, would help restore public order in the area and benefit not just the hospital, but all residents of Georgetown .

The matter is expected to be heard before the High Court in the coming weeks.

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PRESS RELEASE || Competition in the Promotech National Top Flight Golf League (NTFGL) intensified on Sunday last when players returned to the Lusignan Golf Course for the fifth round of the tournament, producing another closely contested battle in the race for the league title.

Joseph Szeplaki emerged as the round’s top performer, producing a superb net 68 to claim the overall victory and earn eight points, while also capturing the back-nine honors to secure an additional two points, finishing the day with 10 points.

The round began with Paton George setting the early pace. George delivered an impressive net 31 on the front nine, earning the front-nine honors and two points.

His promising round, however, was disrupted by a costly seven-over-par score on a par-four hole, which prevented him from maintaining his early momentum.

As play moved to the back nine, the competition tightened considerably. The battle for the overall victory eventually came down to Szeplaki and former Guyana Open champion Mike Mangal.

Over the final six holes, Szeplaki surged ahead with a two-under-par finish, while Mangal carded one-over-par, allowing Szeplaki to pull clear and secure the win.

The round also produced late drama on the final hole. Orson Ferguson, who had quietly pieced together a strong round, stood over a six-foot putt on the 18th green for birdie that would have given him a net 67 and the outright victory.

However, the putt narrowly missed and Ferguson settled for a bogey, finishing with a net 69.

Despite the disappointment, Ferguson secured second place and five points, edging Mangal on a tie-breaker.

Mangal finished with a net 69, earning three points for his efforts, while Ian Gouveia carded a steady net 71 to claim two points. Patanjilee Persaud battled through the round to record a net 72, earning one point.

A late afternoon shower briefly unsettled the field, slowing the greens and making bunker shots more challenging during the closing stages of the competition.

Following the completion of five rounds, Videsh Persaud continues to lead the league standings on 17 points. Patanjilee Persaud has moved into second place with 15 points, while Brian Hackett sits close behind on 14 points.

Szeplaki’s strong performance has significantly tightened the standings. He now joins Mike Mangal, Chet Bowling, and Keshan Bacchus in a four-way tie on 10 points.

Further down the leaderboard, Ian Gouveia and Orson Ferguson each sit on six points as the competition continues to intensify.

With several rounds still remaining, the Promotech National Top Flight Golf League continues to deliver exciting competition, with the race for the championship still wide open as players push to close the gap on the leader.

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The Guyana Court of Appeal on Tuesday unanimously dismissed the judicial review appeal brought by businessmen Azruddin and Nazar Mohamed, ruling that their challenge to the Authority to Proceed (ATP) in the United States extradition case had “absolutely no merit.”

In a ruling delivered by Acting Chancellor Roxane George, the appellate court upheld the earlier decision of Acting Chief Justice Navindra Singh, who on February 4 dismissed the Mohameds’ High Court application seeking to quash the ATP issued by Minister of Home Affairs Oneidge Walrond.

The appeal court also ordered costs of $1.1 million each to be paid to the Minister of Home Affairs and the Attorney General. No order as to costs was made in favour of Principal Magistrate Judy Latchman, who was named as a respondent but took no active role in the appeal.

The ruling clears the way for the extradition proceedings now continuing before Magistrate Latchman.

The Mohammeds had argued that Walrond was disqualified from issuing the ATP because of alleged political bias, contending that Azruddin Mohamed’s status as an opposition political figure and statements made during the 2025 election campaign created apparent or presumed bias. They also argued that the Attorney General’s legal advice to the minister was similarly tainted.

But the Court of Appeal rejected those arguments in full.

George said the court found that while bias can apply to decision-making, whether judicial, quasi-judicial or administrative, the factual context of this case was critical. In the case of an ATP under the Fugitive Offenders Act, the minister performs an administrative and executive function, not a judicial one, the court held.

“Therefore, on the facts of this case, bias does not arise,” George said in summarising the judgment.

The court found there was no evidence that the statutory procedure for issuing the ATP had not been followed, nor any evidence that the minister failed to consider the matters required under the law before issuing it.

“There is no evidence that the provisions of the Fugitive Offenders Act regarding the issue of the ATP were not followed,” George said.

She added that there was also no basis for the suggestion that legal advice provided by Attorney General Anil Nandlall could itself amount to bias.

“Apart from the fact that the AG is the principal legal adviser to the government, it cannot be that advice in terms of applicable case law and on an uncomplicated statutory form can be biased,” George said. “There is no evidence to support a finding that such advice could be tainted with bias.”

The court also rejected the argument that Walrond should have delegated the power to issue the ATP to another minister or official.

George said Section 27 of the Interpretation and General Clauses Act did not apply in the way the appellants suggested and that the Fugitive Offenders Act does not contemplate delegating the ATP function to another minister or to the Director of Public Prosecutions.

Further, the court reasoned that if the Mohammeds’ position were accepted, it could mean no minister of government would be capable of acting in extradition matters involving a political opponent.

“It cannot be the minister or any minister of the government who has responsibility for extradition matters cannot sign an ATP regarding someone who is a political rival,” George said.

She said the fact that statements may have been made on the election platform did not translate into presumed or apparent bias, and stressed that the minister has no interest in the outcome of the extradition case itself. The United States, as the requesting state, has that interest, the court said.

The court also noted that the ATP is only a preliminary step and does not determine guilt or whether extradition will ultimately occur. Those matters remain for the magistrate and, potentially, higher courts through later challenges.

In its final conclusions, the court said the Mohammeds had failed to establish that the minister was affected by any bias that would disqualify her decision, and found no merit in the complaints against either the minister or the Attorney General.

“The court is of the view that the Chief Justice was correct in dismissing the application,” George said.

The court also declined to grant any stay of the ongoing extradition proceedings, noting that any such request would be more appropriately directed to the Caribbean Court of Justice if the Mohammeds decide to pursue a further appeal.

The appeal arose from the ATP issued by Walrond on October 30, 2025, after the United States submitted a request dated October 28, 2025 for Azruddin and Nazar Mohamed to be extradited to stand trial on federal indictments there.

Following the ATP, warrants were issued and the two men were arrested, later appearing before Magistrate Latchman and obtaining bail pending the extradition proceedings.

The ruling came after an expedited appeal hearing last week, during which Trinidadian Senior Counsel Douglas Mendes, appearing for the State, argued that the extradition process could not be stopped simply because Azruddin Mohamed had since entered politics and become an opposition figure.

Meanwhile, the substantive committal hearing in the extradition matter continued before Magistrate Latchman on Tuesday and is expected to resume on Wednesday as the case moves toward completion.

 

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A major step toward transforming Guyana’s correctional system was taken on Tuesday with the launch of accredited mental health and strategic leadership courses, through a partnership between the University of Guyana and the Guyana Prison Service.

The initiative unveiled during the Guyana Prison Service’s ongoing Annual Senior Correctional Officers Conference at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre marks the first time the University of Guyana will deliver specialised training for senior prison leadership.

Delivering virtual remarks, Vice Chancellor Professor Paloma Mohamed Martin hailed the move as part of a broader shift in how society treats offenders and those who manage them.

“There is a trajectory for transformation and reform within the prison service, and this is a wonderful thing.

“We must move away from punitive approaches to rehabilitative ones, and from seeing people as without any good possibility,” she said.

She stressed that understanding the prison environment and the individuals within it is “critical to the stability of the country.”

At the heart of the initiative is a Mental Health and Neurological course, designed in response to research on the well-being of prison officers.

Senior Lecturer Dr Melissa Ifill said the study revealed deep concerns about stress and trauma among officers, driven by harsh conditions, long hours, and limited compensation.

“It was really to gather how prison officers are feeling,” she explained, adding, “The same way in which we recognise there is a need for first aid physically, there is also a need for first aid mentally.”

The course, funded by the Inter-American Development Bank, will equip officers with tools to identify and manage mental, neurological, and substance use disorders, respond to emergencies, and better understand stigma and vulnerabilities within the prison population.

Participants will earn a certified qualification with academic credits upon completion. In addition, a Strategic Correctional Leadership course is being introduced to strengthen decision-making and leadership in an increasingly complex security environment.

Lecturer Dr Mishel Moriah described the programme as “timely and necessary,” noting that it was “carefully designed to strengthen the leadership capacity of officers.”

The 15-week, four-credit programme is open to senior officers with at least 10 years of service, a recognised bachelor’s degree, and relevant correctional training. It is fully accredited and can serve as a pathway to further academic advancement.

Deputy Director of Prisons Kevin Pilgrim said the initiative aligns with a wider regional vision.

“We will humble ourselves, share our resources, and seek to collaborate with everyone who has that vision, pushing towards a unified Caribbean,” he said.

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A shotgun was seized from a Wakapoa villager who is not a licensed firearm holder.

According to a Police release, the firearm was found on Monday at about 23:00hrs during an operation conducted at Wakapoa Village, Lower Pomeroon River, Essequibo.

Ranks went to the home of a 39-year-old chainsaw operator of Woodland, Wakapoa Village, where a search was conducted in the kitchen area of the lower flat. During the search, a suspected single-barrel 12-gauge shotgun was found among some clothing on the floor.

The suspected firearm was retrieved and the occupant, who is not a licensed firearm holder, was subsequently arrested and escorted to the Charity Police Station along with the suspected firearm.

The firearm was lodged pending examination.

The suspect remains in police custody assisting with investigations.

Investigations are ongoing.

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The committal hearing in the extradition proceedings against Azruddin and Nazar Mohamed continued on Tuesday before Magistrate Judy Latchman, with Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Sharon Roopchand-Edwards remaining under cross-examination by defence attorney Roysdale Forde, SC.

Roopchand-Edwards first took the stand in the matter on January 6, 2026, meaning she has now been before the court for more than two months as the case continues.

Her evidence initially centred on tendering diplomatic documents linked to the United States’ request for the Mohammeds’ extradition. Among the documents she presented were Diplomatic Note No. 417, which she said was received on October 30, 2025, along with a bundle of supporting documents that launched the extradition request.

Since then, the Permanent Secretary has been asked to return to court on several occasions to produce additional material. Last week, she was asked for her notepad, but said she could not locate it. On Monday, she was required to tender sections of the Ministry’s incoming correspondence books, including the Office of the Permanent Secretary’s incoming correspondence records.

On Tuesday, Roopchand-Edwards continued giving evidence that the documents she received carried official United States State Department seals and that she promptly forwarded them to Home Affairs Minister Robeson Benn’s ministry, then under Minister Oneidge Walrond at the relevant time.

Under questioning, Roopchand-Edwards agreed that the entry for documents received on October 30, 2025, may not have been made on that same day, since she said she only informed staff of the documents on the morning of October 31. She told the court that after receiving the documents between 5 pm and 7 pm on October 30, her staff did not have access to them and that she later provided the information that led to the records being entered.

She also acknowledged that the incoming correspondence book entry did not specifically mention a “diplomatic note,” “note verbale,” “supplemental documents,” or the names of individuals said to have delivered the package. Instead, the subject was recorded generally as “extradition documents.”

Forde pressed her on whether the records showed any courier signature, any subordinate signing to acknowledge receipt, or specific references to the various affidavits and certifications contained in the extradition package. Roopchand-Edwards repeatedly answered that such details were not reflected in the correspondence books.

A further issue arose over an entry dated October 29, 2025, which also referred to “extradition document.” Roopchand-Edwards eventually told the court that the October 29 entry “has nothing to do with the extradition” involving the Mohammeds and was instead an error in the ministry’s internal records.

The cross-examination also opened a new line of inquiry into correspondence sent by the Guyana Government to the US Embassy after the extradition request had been received.
Roopchand-Edwards confirmed that on December 3, 2025, a note was sent to the US Embassy in Georgetown on behalf of the Government of Guyana and that a subsequent US note, numbered 458, was received in response.

She said the note was sent under instructions from her minister after consultation with a legal officer, and agreed that it related to seeking assurances from the United States in connection with Article Seven of the extradition treaty. That article addresses restrictions on trying or detaining an extradited person for offences other than those for which extradition was granted.

When it was suggested to her that the communication was meant to secure assurances from the US in the event the issue arose during the court proceedings, Roopchand-Edwards said she believed that was “something to that effect.”

Defence efforts to have the note shown to the witness in court were, however, denied after the prosecutor, Herbert McKenzie, raised objections and the magistrate found no legal foundation had been laid at that stage for the document to be put to the witness.

Cross-examination was later deferred after lawyers had to attend the Court of Appeal for a ruling in the judicial review proceedings filed by the defence.

The extradition hearing is set to continue on Wednesday.

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President Dr Irfaan Ali has urged social workers to shift their focus from reacting to social issues to preventing them, stressing the importance of working directly with communities.

“The role of a social worker is not to intervene after an issue or a challenge. The role of the social worker is to avoid that challenge,” Dr. Ali said while addressing the opening ceremony of the Guyana Prison Service Annual Senior Correctional Officers conference on Monday.

According to President Ali, real solutions to problems require a hands-on approach and direct interactions. He said engaging directly with communities allows social workers to understand the underlying causes of social problems and provide meaningful, sustainable support before challenges escalate.

“We have to get to the ground, to the grassroots, to the root of the problem and create an integrated approach,” Dr. Ali said.

In a wide-ranging presentation, the President also lamented the presence of gangs in schools. To tackle this growing issue, he said, more community work is crucial.

The President called for a coordinated effort involving religious groups, civil society, and community leaders to identify at-risk areas and vulnerable youth.

Highlighting the social factors contributing to crime, he noted that some children grow up in environments shaped by trauma, lack of positive role models, and the influence of gang leaders and drug lords.

“If crime is normalised, that is going to be a learned behaviour. If violence is normalised, that is going to be a learned behaviour,” he warned.

President Ali stressed that the priority in building secure communities must bbe to support youth through targeted reorientation and early interventions.

 

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President Dr. Irfaan Ali has sounded the alarm on what he described as a “pandemic of gangs” infiltrating secondary schools across the region, urging immediate action to tackle the issue at its root.

Speaking at the opening of the Guyana Prison Service Annual Senior Corrections Officers Conference on Monday, Dr. Ali emphasized that interventions must reach schools, communities, and homes.

“We have to take the bull by the horns. We have to get in our secondary schools. We have a pandemic of gangs in the secondary schools across the region now… we have to get into those schools, into those communities, into those homes,” he said.

The President called for a coordinated effort involving religious groups, civil society, and community leaders to identify at-risk areas and vulnerable youth.

Highlighting the social factors contributing to crime, he noted that some children grow up in environments shaped by trauma, lack of positive role models, and the influence of gang leaders and drug lords.

“If crime is normalised, that is going to be a learned behaviour. If violence is normalised, that is going to be a learned behaviour,” he warned.

President Ali stressed that the priority in building secure communities must bbe to support youth through targeted reorientation and early interventions.

“This is not just about punishment; it is about prevention. Our first order of business in creating a secure country and community must be to avoid persons going down the wrong path,” he said.

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The government is moving closer to implementing a national retraining and certification programme for truck drivers as part of broader efforts to improve road safety, Labour Minister Keoma Griffith has said.

Griffith, who was a guest on the Starting Point podcast at the weekend, said that the policy framework for the initiative has already been completed and discussions are now ongoing with key stakeholders before the programme is rolled out.

“We’ve already completed the policy paper and we’ve already brought the Board of Industrial Training up to speed because the certification is going to be from the Board of Industrial Training,” the minister said.

According to Griffith, the next step will involve consultations with stakeholders, including the Guyana Police Force, to finalise key aspects of the programme.

The retraining initiative comes amid growing concerns about the behaviour of heavy-duty truck drivers on Guyana’s roadways, particularly speeding and their  role in serious and fatal accidents.

Griffith said the government examined the issue and decided that while punitive measures could be used, a more sustainable approach would focus on improving drivers’ skills and professionalism.

“We recognise that there is a problem on the roadways especially with our trucks and speeding and we had the opportunity to bring a punitive sanction to it or we try to see how we can fix it from the heart of where it’s at,” he said.

As a result, the government is proposing a system that will retrain and certify truck drivers through the Board of Industrial Training (BIT). The programme will complement measures already being implemented by the Ministry of Public Service, Government Efficiency and Implementation, along with the Ministry of Home Affairs.

“These three sectors will come together to see how we can manage this issue so that our families and our children, when they go on the roadways, they can do so in a safe manner,” Griffith said.

The initiative forms part of wider efforts by the government to address road safety concerns involving heavy-duty vehicles. Already the nationwide rollout of an Auto Control Speed Management System (ACSMS), which will limit heavy-duty trucks to a maximum speed of 80 km/h, has commenced.

 

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Guyana’s healthcare capacity is expected to be strengthened through the support of the 80-member U.S. Southern Command Lesser Antilles Medical Assistance Team (LAMAT) 2026 mission.

This is the largest team to visit Guyana over the years and according to Health Minister Dr. Frank Anthony, the two previous missions have been quite successful in improving local capacity and pushing healthcare boundaries.

“Last year for example in ophthalmology, there were surgeries that we haven’t done in Guyana. One that stood out was a surgery for a child that was almost blind and they were able to perform surgery on that child and it was the first time we were attempting such surgery.

“These exchanges allows us to learn from the team that is visiting and extending boundaries of where we could go in medicine,” Dr. Anthony said.

The arrival of the LAMAT 2026 mission in Guyana was commemorated on Monday with a ceremony at the Guyana Marriott Hotel.

Personnel will be delivering medical, surgical, ophthalmology, and dental care at the Linden Hospital Complex, Georgetown Public Hospital, Diamond Regional Hospital, West Demerara Hospital, DeKinderen Regional Hospital and Cheddi Jagan Dental School.

The regional medical mission is also working to support Suriname, St. Lucia and St. Kitts and Nevis along with Guyana. Over $300,000 in medical supplies and invaluable medical expertise will be provided.

This year, an additional team from the University of Miami will also be visiting to supplement the efforts, Dr. Anthony said. He said this highlights the strengthened confidence in U.S.A. and Guyana’s collaborative efforts.

“These exchanges allows us to learn from the team that is visiting and extending boundaries of where we could go in medicine and I think for some of you coming in, it gives you the opportunity to work in different types of medical setting,” he said.

Col. Theodore Liszeski, the Mission Commander, U.S. Air Force, said the mission is not about one nation assisting another, but rather, about learning from one another and strengthening readiness through partnership.

“By working together today, we ensure that when challenges arise whether natural disasters or public emergencies we are already ready to respond with trusted partners,” he said.

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