Blog

The Plaza Court Hotel, located on Main Street, Georgetown, was officially opened on Saturday during a small, intimate ceremony, marking another significant addition to the country’s growing hospitality sector.

The modern 60-room facility was designed and constructed by the Dharwan Construction Group to enhance the city’s aesthetic appeal while delivering accommodation that meets international standards.

Chairman of the Plaza Court Hotel, Ravin Prashad, described the project as a testament to confidence in Guyana’s development trajectory.

“This is a project born out of vision, commitment, and unwavering belief in Guyana’s future,” Prashad stated during the ceremony.

Beyond guest accommodation, the hotel offers a range of amenities, including a spacious lounge, a fully stocked bar, a restaurant, a meeting room, a private dining room, a modern gym, a fully equipped kitchen, and a large presidential suite. According to Prashad, these features position the Plaza Court Hotel to cater to both business and leisure travellers.

“We aspire to host heads of government, celebrities, and distinguished dignitaries,” he added.

The opening ceremony was attended by President Dr. Irfaan Ali, who spoke about the rapid growth and expanding opportunities within Guyana’s tourism sector. Prime Minister Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips, Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce Susan Rodrigues, along with other members of the Cabinet and invited guests, were also present.

The Plaza Court Hotel’s opening comes amid continued investment in Guyana’s tourism and hospitality industries, driven by increased international interest, business travel, and the country’s broader economic expansion.

The post Plaza Court Hotel to meet international standards appeared first on News Room Guyana.

Briton John (right) receives his prizes for winning the feature race (Photo: Guyana Cycling News)

Despite heavy winds and persistent rainfall at the National Park on Saturday morning, the cycling fraternity witnessed a thrilling start to the 2026 season as the WND Park Series, organised by the Continental Cycling Club, delivered fast racing and outstanding performances.

In a dominant display of strength and confidence, Briton John of We Stand United stamped his authority early, lapping the entire peloton within the first nine laps and never looking back.

John went on to convincingly capture the Elite category 30-lap race, officially kicking off the season in emphatic fashion.

The action continued across the categories with strong competition throughout the morning. Kwame Fortune of Kaieteur Attack Racing Club powered his way to victory in Category Four, while the 12-14 category, young talent Joshua Holder of KFC Evolution showed great promise, claiming first place.

The Female category saw an impressive international performance from Yukland Seow of Trinidad and Tobago, riding for Team Heatwave, as she secured victory against the field.

See summarised results below: 

Elite (30 laps)

1^st– Briton John

2^nd– Lynn Murry

3^rd– Alex Newton

4^th– Alex Mendes

5^th– Dealing Hodge

6^th– Nigel London

Category Four (Eight laps)

1^st– Kwame Fortune

2^nd– Jolyn Joseph

3^rd– Justin Tenpow

12-14 Category (Three laps)

1^st– Joshua Holder

2^nd– Njisane Greaves

Females (Five laps)

1^st– Yukland Seow

2^nd– Rebecca Damon

(SOURCE: Guyana Cycling News)

Top performers of the season-opening event (Photo: Guyana Cycling News)

The post WND Park Series pedals off; Briton John wins feature race of season opener appeared first on News Room Guyana.

Afghanistan and West Indies will tune up for the T20 World Cup, which will kick off on February 7 in India and Sri Lanka, with a three-match T20I series in Dubai where conditions are fairly comparable to the venues for the global tournament.

While Afghanistan have already announced their squad for the World Cup, West Indies are yet to lock in their side, which means there’s a bit more incentive for some players to attract the attention of the selectors and team management in the absence of seniors, who are away at the SA20 or recovering from injuries.

Here are some key things to watch out for in the three-match series, which will kick off on January 19 at 10:30h.

The return of Shamar and Hetmyer

Fast bowler Shamar Joseph and middle-order batter Shimron Hetmyer will look to prove their match fitness in this series, in the lead-up to the T20 World Cup. Shamar, 26, has not played any competitive cricket since September 2025, when he featured in the CPL, because of injury.

With the other Joseph, Alzarri, still working his way back from injury, Shamar will be expected to shake off the rust quickly and lead West Indies’ seam attack. While Shamar has established himself as West Indies’ strike bowler in Test cricket, he is still finding his feet in white-ball cricket.

Hetmyer is also set to return to action after suffering a hamstring injury during his ILT20 stint with Desert Vipers.

With Sherfane Rutherford away with Pretoria Capitals in the SA20, Hetmyer is likely to slot in as West Indies’ finisher and make his first international appearance for West Indies since July last year.

In the 2024 T20 World Cup, Hetmyer didn’t play a single game, with Rutherford emerging as West Indies’ first-choice finisher. Can Hetmyer move up the hierarchy ahead of the 2026 T20 World Cup?

Spotlight on Lewis, uncapped Quentin Sampson

With Shai Hope in action at the SA20, Evin Lewis will have another crack at the opening slot, along with stand-in captain Brandon King, against Afghanistan. Lewis, now 34, was once regarded as Chris Gayle’s successor, but his stocks have fallen in T20 cricket of late.

He hasn’t played for West Indies either since August 2025. His six-hitting ability – he has smashed 467 sixes in 251 innings – however has brought him back into the selection frame.

Then there’s a top-order wildcard – the uncapped Quentin Sampson who has been picked on CPL form. Like Lewis, Sampson is a six-hitter and had a strike rate of 151.57 across nine innings in the CPL.

Sampson hails from Caria Caria village, which is located on the shore of Essequibo River and isn’t too far away from Saxacalli, Keemo Paul’s village.

He initially played softball cricket in his village before rising through the ranks and becoming a professional player for Guyana. Even Romario Shepherd was impressed with Sampson’s ability to stay low and stable while meeting the ball during the CPL.

Rashid approaches 700 T20 wickets

All of 27, Rashid Khan is on the cusp of another significant landmark – he’s nine strikes away from becoming the first bowler to 700 T20 wickets. And he has a chance to get there against the team that produced T20 OGs.

After taking time off from the game, Rashid has put his body to test in franchise cricket in the lead-up to the T20 World Cup, participating in both the ILT20 and SA20 across the past two months.

However, since the back injury that followed the 2023 ODI World Cup, he has lost some of his old fizz and has often missed his lengths.

Afghanistan will hope that Rashid can get back to his peak form and fitness and be their spin ace at the T20 World Cup. (ESPNcricinfo)

 

The post Rashid’s landmark, West Indies’ auditions headline T20I series in Dubai appeared first on News Room Guyana.

A post-mortem examination was conducted on the body of 27-year-old Matthew Ramlochand found that he was stabbed to the heart and lungs.

Ramlochand, a Pork-Knocker of the Soesdyke–Linden Highway, died on January 11, following a stabbing incident at Barakat Landing, Cuyuni River.

The examination was performed by Government Pathologist Dr. Nehaul Singh at the Memorial Gardens Funeral Home on January 14. He gave the cause of death as perforation to the heart and lungs due to two incised wounds.

The body was subsequently handed over to relatives for burial.

Following the incident, a 38-year-old male gold miner of Half Mile, Wismar, Linden was arrested along with two Venezuelan nationals—both females, aged 37 and 27.

The post PME: Barakat Landing victim died from stabs to heart, lungs appeared first on News Room Guyana.

Phase Two of the Moleson Creek to Eldorado Road project is moving apace, with thousands of acres of land set to be opened shortly.

During a visit to the Region Six site on Saturday, Minister within the Ministry of Public Works, Madanlall Ramraj, underscored the strategic importance of the roadway, describing it as a transformative link that will connect communities, unlock production, and strengthen regional integration.

“We are opening connectivity right across this region; from Crabwood Creek and Moleson Creek to Orealla, and from Orealla to Kwakwani,” Minister Ramraj said. “This road is opening farm-to-market access and unlocking thousands of acres of land for farmers.”

The Minister emphasised that the project is aimed at reducing isolation, improving market access, and driving sustainable development across hinterland and riverain communities.

Providing a technical update on the project, Engineer Joel Tucker explained that works along the corridor commenced in phases in 2021.

“We began with the first 1.6 kilometres of fair-weather road using a crush-and-run surface,” Tucker said. “We are now approximately two kilometres in, including a section that was previously paved in asphalted concrete. Most of the farm access roads along the Eldorado alignment currently remain at a crush-and-run standard to support agricultural activity.”

He noted that the works now underway mark the start of the second phase, which will extend the road by an additional kilometre to the final culvert at the entrance to Eldorado. Looking ahead, a further five kilometres of road is planned for the 2025–2026 period.

“In total, this will give us eight kilometres from the Canawaima Turn junction straight into Eldorado,” he explained. “The long-term objective is to extend this alignment all the way to Orealla, which is approximately another 40 kilometres from where we are now.”

He added that preparatory works are already being considered for 2026, including clearing the full alignment toward Orealla. Reconnaissance conducted from Orealla back toward Eldorado has identified approximately seven kilometres in fair condition, as well as swampy sections that will require detailed technical assessment to determine the most suitable and resilient route.

“All together, the distance from this point to Orealla is about 48 kilometres,” Tucker confirmed.

The Moleson Creek–Eldorado Road forms part of the Government of Guyana’s long-term infrastructure strategy to integrate regions, enhance food security, and create reliable transport links between farms, markets, and communities.

The post Phase Two of Moleson Creek–Eldorado road commences appeared first on News Room Guyana.

Abram Zuil Secondary School successfully defended their title when the 2026 Region Two Inter-Secondary Schools Athletics Championship (ISSAC) concluded last Friday (January 16), following three days of competition that began on January 14 at the Joe Jagmohan Ground on the Essequibo Coast.

The meet was officially declared open on the first day by Minister within the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport Steven Jacobs and was organised by the Region Two Ministry of Education/Unit Allied Arts Sports Body, under the leadership of Physical Education Head of Department, Andy Ramnarine.

The defending champions topped the combined team standings with 551.50 points, finishing ahead of Charity Secondary School on 513.50 points, while Anna Regina Multilateral placed third with 379 points.

Region Two Physical Education Head of Department Andy Ramnarine handing over a medal to an athlete

Abram Zuil’s title defence was built on strong, consistent performances across track and field, as the school amassed 39 medals, comprising 19 gold, 10 silver and 10 bronze.

Charity Secondary School led the overall medal count with 44 medals (15 gold, 18 silver and 11 bronze), while Anna Regina Multilateral collected 33 medals, comprising 11 gold, 13 silver and nine bronze.

Cotton Field Secondary School finished fourth overall with 330 points, followed by Aurora Secondary (320.50 points) and 8th of May Secondary (298 points).

Kabakaburi Secondary (258.50 points) and Essequibo Technical Institute (250 points) rounded out the top eight.

Wakapoa Secondary School ended ninth with 104 points, while Johanna Cecilia Secondary completed the standings in 10^th position with 88 points.

In a historic first for the championship, medals were distributed to all athletes who placed first, second and third in every final, marking a significant enhancement to athlete recognition at the regional level.

The championship also served as a key preparatory platform for athletes ahead of the National Secondary School Athletics Championship, scheduled for March.

At the closing ceremony, Director General of the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs, Sonia Latchman, MP, presented the Championship Trophy to champion school Abram Zuil Secondary.

The post Abram Zuil makes successful defence of Region Two ISSAC title appeared first on News Room Guyana.

Parsimonious bowling from spin trio Ashmini Munisar, Plaffiana Millington and Sheneta Grimmond backed up by an unbeaten fifty from captain Shemaine Campbelle placed Guyana back on winning momentum against Jamaica in Round Three of the Cricket West Indies’ T20 Blaze on Saturday evening at the Arnos Vale Playing Field in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

Coming off a seven-run defeat against the Leeward Islands in the last round, defending champions Guyana kept the Jamaicans to 87-9 from the allotted in the night game, and then achieved victory at 88-6 in 15.3 overs.

Electing to bowl first, the Guyanese, led by the spin triumvirate, kept a tight leash on the Jamaicans with Munisar following her four-wicket haul in the last game with 3-11 off four overs, Millington continuing her effectiveness in the Powerplay with 2-11 off four, and Grimmond again impressing with the new ball, taking 2-16 off four.

Stafanie Taylor (24) and Rashada Williams (23) were the leading scorers for Jamaica.

Campbelle then took charge of the run-chase, dropping anchor with an unbeaten 50 off 42 (8x4s), while opener Grimmond made 14 as Guyana won to claim their second win in three matches this season.

Bowling for Jamaica, Kate Wilmott and Chedean Nation took two wickets each.

In the other third round matches, Leeward Islands defeated Trinidad and Tobago by four wickets and Barbados defeated Windward Islands by three wickets.

Below are the summarised scores from all third round games: 

Guyana defeated Jamaica by four wickets. SUMMARY: Jamaica 87-9 from 20 overs (Stafanie Taylor 24, Rashada Williams 23; Ashmini Munisar 3-11, Plaffiana Millington 2-11, Sheneta Grimmond 2-16) vs Guyana 88-6 from 15.3 overs (Shemaine Campbelle 50*, Sheneta Grimmond 14; Kate Wilmott 2-17, Chedean Nation 2-25)

Leeward Islands defeated Trinidad and Tobago by four wickets. SUMMARY: Trinidad and Tobago 74-9 from 20 overs (Amelia Khan 17, Britney Cooper 12, Nadia Mohammed 12; Davronique Maynard 2-12, Amanda Edwards 2-20) vs Leeward Islands 75-6 from 16.1 overs (Reniece Boyce 28, Amanda Edwards 27; Karishma Ramharack 3-13)

Barbados defeated Windward Islands by three wickets. SUMMARY: Windward Islands 86-8 from 20 overs (Afy Fletcher 35, Carena Noel 16; Shamilia Connell 4-8, Shanika Bruce 2-18) vs Barbados 87-7 from 16.1 overs (Extras 24, Naijanna Cumberbatch 15; Afy Fletcher 2-14, Aldith Gasper 2-17, Abini St Jean 2-17)

Upcoming games

Round Four (January 20)

• Leeward Islands vs Barbados from 09:30h
• Guyana vs Trinidad and Tobago from 14:30h
• Jamaica vs Windward Islands from 19:00h

Round Five (January 22)

• Trinidad and Tobago vs Jamaica from 09:30h
• Guyana vs Barbados from 14:30h
• Leeward Islands vs Windward Islands from 19:00h

CG UNITED SUPER50 CUP (All matches start at 09:30h)

Round One (January 27)

• Guyana vs Jamaica at Cumberland
• Trinidad and Tobago vs Windward Islands at Sion Hill
• Barbados vs Leeward Islands at Park Hill

Round Two (January 29)

• Guyana vs Trinidad and Tobago at Park Hill
• Jamaica vs Barbados at Sion Hill
• Windward Islands vs Leeward Islands at Cumberland

Round Three (January 31)

• Guyana vs Windward Islands at Park Hill
• Leeward Islands vs Jamaica at Sion Hill
• Barbados vs Trinidad and Tobago at Cumberland

The post T20 Blaze: Spinners, Campbelle put Guyana back on winning course appeared first on News Room Guyana.

Press Release from the Guyana Sport Shooting Foundation

The Guyana Sport Shooting Foundation (GSSF) recently attended a strategic meeting with the Director of Sport, Mr. Steve Ninvalle, at the office of the National Sports Commission, together with the two Assistant Directors of Sport- Ms. Melissa Dow-Richardson and Mr. Franklin Wilson- signalling a renewed commitment to collaboration, transparency and the sustainable development of sport shooting in Guyana.

Representing the Foundation at the meeting was Director Vidushi Persaud-McKinnon, who led discussions on governance, membership growth, safety standards and the Foundation’s forward programme.

During the engagement, the Foundation reaffirmed its commitment to accountability, sound financial management and best-practice governance. The Foundation also has updated externally audited financial statements.

Director Persaud-McKinnon confirmed that training and practice sessions will resume, pending the availability of approved shooting ranges, as part of its phased return to structured athlete development.

From left: Assistant Director of Sport Franklin Wilson, Director of the GSSF Vidushi Persaud-McKinnon, Director of Sport Steve Ninvalle and Assistant Director of Sport Melissa Dow-Richardson

The importance of corporate sponsorship and institutional support was highlighted as critical to the growth and sustainability of the sport. It acknowledged all the companies coming on board in support of competitions, training, and operational needs.

These partnerships underscore the central role of safety, discipline and professional standards within sport shooting.

The GSSF also addressed participation trends within the sport. While sport shooting remains a traditionally male-dominated discipline, there has been a notable increase in female and women sport shooters in recent years. However, participation remains a challenge.

Director Persaud-McKinnon outlined the Foundation’s ongoing efforts to encourage greater female involvement.

“We are building a sport that is safe, well-governed and inclusive. Encouraging more women into sport shooting is not only about numbers, it is about opportunity, confidence, and long-term development,” Persaud-McKinnon noted.

The meeting concluded with a shared commitment between the National Sports Commission and the GSSF to continue engagement, improve access to facilities, and strengthen pathways as the Foundation advances its national development agenda.

The post Governance, membership and safety standards discussed at NSC meeting with GSSF appeared first on News Room Guyana.

England and Afghanistan produced solid all-round displays as they bagged big wins against Zimbabwe and West Indies respectively in the ICC Under-19 Men’s Cricket World Cup 2026.

Rain forced a share of the spoils between New Zealand and USA, but not before Nitesh Sudini lit up the stage with a terrific hundred for USA.

Here’s how the three games panned out:

Afghanistan beat West Indies by 138 runs

(Scorecard)

Afghanistan opted to bat first after winning the toss and the opening batters, Khalid Ahmadzai and Osman Sadat, justified that decision with a solid 86-run stand. Vitel Lawes broke the partnership, making way for a Windies comeback with two more wickets.

Captain Mehboob Taskin then came out to bat, joining Sadat at the crease as the duo revived the Afghanistan innings. While Sadat scored 88, he added 77 runs in his partnership with Taskin. Led by the skipper, Afghanistan managed to post a score of 262/6 in their 50 overs.

Jakeem Pollard and Lawes grabbed three wickets each for West Indies.

Mahboob Khan smashed 86 off 69 balls for Afghanistan (Photo: ICC via Getty Images)

Afghanistan were on the mark with the ball from the get-go, picking up three wickets in the first five overs.

For West Indies, Jewel Andrew was the lone warrior as he bagged a half-century against a persistent Afghan bowling attack, who managed to wrap up the Windies innings for 124.

Wahidullah Zadran and Khatir Stanikzai grabbed three wickets each with Nooristani Omarzai being the pick of the bowlers with four wickets in a 138-run win.

Afghanistan, now into the Super Six, face Tanzania in their next match on Wednesday with West Indies taking on South Africa on Thursday.

England beat Zimbabwe by eight wickets

(Scorecard)

Zimbabwe struggled to get going after being put in to bat by England as both the openers, Nathaniel Hlabangana and Kupakwashe Muradzi, departed just eight runs between them.

Kian Blignaut and Dhruv Patel steadied the ship for Zimbabwe with a 45-run stand. The partnership was followed by Tatenda Chimugoro combining alongside Patel for another 32 runs before the latter was dismissed.

Captain Simbarashe Mudzengerere then took the charge and carried his bat through but kept on running out of partners as Zimbabwe just about managed to cross the 200-run mark in their 50 overs, finishing with a score of 208.

Thomas Rew led the England’s chase with a quick half-century (Photo: ICC via Getty Images)

Zimbabwe managed to dismiss the English openers, Ben Dawkins and Joseph Moores cheaply but Ben Mayes and captain Thomas Rew took the attack to the Zimbabwe bowlers.

Rew (86) and Mayes (77) both remained unbeaten as England won the game comfortably by eight wickets, chasing down the target in just 28 overs, putting them on the cusp of qualification for the Super Six stage.

England’s final group game is against Scotland on Wednesday while Zimbabwe face Pakistan on Thursday.

New Zealand and USA share spoils after washout

(Scorecard)

New Zealand won the toss and opted to bowl first and came out all guns blazing, blowing the USA top order away to leave them reeling at 40/5 inside ten overs.

Shiv Shani offered the first bit of resistance as his knock of 33 slowed down the New Zealand charge, allowing USA a chance to rebuild.

Nitish Sudini who came in to bat at No 7 for USA grabbed that chance with both hands, leading the counter-attack. Stitching a 103-run partnership for the seventh wicket with Adit Kappa, he led USA across the 200-run mark.

Centurion Nitish Sudini lines up to hit the ball (Photo: ICC via Getty Images)

Even after Kappa was dismissed, Sudini continued his endeavour to take USA to 253 in their 50 overs, remaining unbeaten on 117.

His knock blew new life into the USA who seemed on their knees in the first part of their innings.

While New Zealand started their innings with a bang, smashing 12 runs in the very first over, the heavens opened. There was no further action as the game was washed out with the points being split.

New Zealand will face India next on Saturday while USA take on Bangladesh on Friday. (ICC)

The post West Indies stumble at U-19 World Cup as Afghanistan and England win big appeared first on News Room Guyana.