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Ministry of Human Services and Social Security on Wednesday launched the National Gender Equality and Empowerment Seal, a necessary step to ensure workplaces take gender equality seriously.

Dr. Vindhya Persaud, Minister of Human Services and Social Security, during the launch event at the Duke Lodge Hotel, said this Seal empowers workplaces and holds them accountably in creating safe and fair workplaces as a national responsibility.

“We need to start looking at all of the organisations and not seeing gender balance as tokenism or wanting to check a box,” the Minister said.

It was established as a national response to data showing that 85 percent of domestic‐violence survivors are women between 20 and 39, the core of Guyana’s workforce.

Dr. Vindhya Persaud, Minister of Human Services posing with partners who assisted with the establishing the National Gender Equality and Empowerment Seal. (Photo: News Room)

With many cases unreported, women continue to face discrimination, sexual harassment, and workplace bias. Women also make up only about 40 per cent of the labor force.

To address these gaps, the Ministry supported by UNFPA, UN Women, and UNDP, developed the National Gender Equality and Empowerment Seal, a simple but accountable system. Organisations commit to core gender-equality principles, complete mandatory training, and undergo an assessment that may earn them Bronze, Silver, or Gold accreditation.

Dr. Persaud underscored the importance of women and men are treated with respect and dignity at the workplace.

“When we talk about harassment, abuse and violence at the workplace, it is speaking to an area that was off limit, where people never really looked at.

“We look more at what happens in the home environment but now we need to build all the spaces including the digital space,” she said.

Kristia Ramlagan-Prescott, the Secretary of the GCCI, emphasised how financial dependency traps many women.

“Having a sort of income can remove the vulnerability that comes into living.

“We know that ending gender-based violence should be everyone’s concern, achieving gender-based and equality empowerment is also everyone’s concern,” she said.

Minister of Labour and Manpower Planning Keoma Griffith and Minister of Public Service, Government Efficiency and Implementation, Zulfikar Ally committed that their ministries will collaborate hand-in-hand to support the government in ensuring companies and agencies are trained and can attain this seal. Several Private Sector representatives also committed to championing this cause as it can greatly benefit companies as international companies aim to form strategic partnerships with companies that have accreditation in various areas including ensuring that workers are safe and respected.

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Police in Regional Division #10 are investigating a shooting in Amelia’s Ward, Linden, that left a 32-year-old vendor and a 36-year-old carpenter injured on Sunday night, November 23, 2025. Authorities are now seeking two persons of interest in connection with the incident.

The shooting occurred around 10:30 PM at Lover’s Lane, Central Amelia’s Ward. According to police reports, the vendor was standing outside his shop while the carpenter was walking nearby when a motor car pulled up close to them. An occupant of the vehicle allegedly fired several shots in their direction before fleeing the scene.

The vendor sustained a gunshot wound to the chest and was initially treated at the Linden Hospital Complex before being transferred to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation for further care. The carpenter was shot in the foot and remains at the Linden Hospital Complex. Both men are reported to be in stable condition.

Investigators revisited the scene to conduct further inquiries, and CCTV footage from nearby premises is under review as part of the ongoing probe. One of the victims was also interviewed while hospitalised, providing additional information to assist investigators.

Police have confirmed that no arrests have yet been made and have urged anyone with information about the incident or the persons of interest to come forward. Investigations remain ongoing.

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A late-night accident on Monday, November 24, left four people injured on the Berbice River Bridge Access Road, Palmyra, East Canje.

The crash involved a motor car, PAJ 1625, carrying a 57-year-old driver from Martin Luther Housing Scheme, New Amsterdam, along with three passengers: a 30-year-old woman and a 7-year-old student from Islington Village, East Bank Berbice, and a 66-year-old visitor from South Ozone Park, New York, U.S.A.

According to initial reports, the vehicle was travelling east along the northern drive lane at an allegedly fast pace when the driver lost control and collided with a culvert on the southern side of the road.

Public-spirited citizens and emergency medical personnel quickly came to the aid of the victims, transporting them to the New Amsterdam Public Hospital. Three of those injured were admitted for fractures and other injuries, while the 30-year-old woman is being treated for soft tissue injuries.

The incident has left the community shaken, particularly as it involved both local residents and an overseas visitor, underscoring the human cost of road accidents. The vehicle has been impounded as Regional Division #6 police continue investigations into the circumstances surrounding the crash.

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After surviving 15 years of abuse at the hands of her partner, Sonia Sewnarine finally walked away, choosing safety, healing and a chance to rebuild not only her life, but her children’s. Even then, she admitted, she wasn’t sure she had the strength to start over.

“Sometimes strength is simply walking away,” Sewnarine told the audience gathered at the Red Shoe event on Tuesday at the Kingston Seawall esplanade. Her voice carried a story of survival, courage, and hope for the many women who still suffer in silence.

The young mother described herself as a woman who found the strength to rise after years spent in darkness. Outwardly, her marriage looked normal. But behind closed doors, she said, “I smiled for photos, cooked dinner, carried the weight of being a good wife, but behind closed doors, my home was a battlefield.”

She remembered living every day on eggshells, never knowing what would trigger the next outburst, whether it would be silence, insults, or violence.

“I told myself so many things: ‘I can fix this… he didn’t mean it… if I try harder, things will get better.’ The most painful thought was that my children needed a complete home, but I didn’t realise then that this wasn’t it,” she shared.

Photos of women who lost their lives due to violence displayed at the Red Shoe event on Tuesday

There were days she sat numb on the edge of her bed, praying for peace and wondering if she would lose herself entirely. What kept her going were her children, her motivation to survive, and eventually, to leave.

Her turning point came after a particularly frightening incident. She looked into her children’s eyes and finally recognised the fear she had been ignoring. “If I couldn’t save myself, I would save myself for them,” she said.

Leaving wasn’t a single dramatic moment, but a series of small, brave steps—each one a quiet promise to herself that she deserved peace. With her children’s hands in hers, she walked out in fear, but also in freedom, taking the first real breath she had felt in years.

Life after leaving was not simple. Sewnarine spoke of the long process of rebuilding her confidence, piece by piece, learning to undo the lies she had been made to believe and discovering the power of her voice. She shared the challenges of starting over, the moments of doubt, and the small victories that carried her forward.

“I learned to love myself again… to recognise the woman I truly was. Not broken. Not weak. Healing is possible. Beginning again is possible,” she said.

Her message to women still living with abuse was unwavering: “You are not to be blamed. You are not alone. You are worth more than the pain you are carrying.”

The Red Shoe event, held as part of the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence, honoured women who lost their lives to violence and uplifted those still fighting to reclaim their own.

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Heavy-duty trucks have been responsible for nearly 40% of all road fatalities over the past five years, a troubling pattern that has pushed authorities toward the introduction of mandatory speed governors on these vehicles.

Chairman of the Guyana National Road Safety Council, Earl Lambert, raised the alarm during a recent episode of ‘Road Safety and You’, where he revealed that from 2019 to 2024, trucks consistently accounted for 38 to 40% of deadly crashes, outpacing all other vehicle categories.

In 2023 alone, 30 truck accidents were recorded, followed by 25 in 2024, many of which involved head-on collisions and severe intersection impacts linked to excessive speeding along major corridors, including the East Bank Demerara and East Coast Demerara highways.

Lambert said these statistics highlight a national road-safety crisis, driven by a clear correlation between speeding, poor road conditions, and fatal outcomes.

Chairman of the National Road Safety Council, Earl Lambert 

He explained that the government’s push to implement an Auto Control Speed Management System, a mandatory speed-regulating device for trucks, is rooted in the urgent need to curb this deadly trend and address longstanding gaps in traffic enforcement.

The Guyana Police Force and the Ministry of Home Affairs are leading the initiative, which is currently in the consultative stage.

The system’s core component is a tamper-resistant speed governor designed to automatically regulate truck speeds within the limits set out in the Motor Vehicles and Road Traffic Act: 50 km/h in urban zones and 80–100 km/h on rural and highway roads, depending on road capacity.

Featuring GPS monitoring, geo-fencing, real-time data transmission and instant alerts when tampering is detected, the device provides continuous oversight of truck movements and speed patterns.

Lambert said this technology-driven approach offers a transformative shift toward digitised, data-driven enforcement, eliminating subjective policing and ensuring full traceability of vehicle activity.

He described the impending rollout as a bold but necessary step to safeguard citizens and modernize road governance.

With truck-related crashes ranking among the top causes of road deaths and heavy-duty vehicles consistently representing nearly 40% of fatal accidents, Lambert emphasised that the introduction of speed governors is not just a policy choice but a lifesaving imperative.

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The Ministry of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, together with the Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA), has introduced seven new tourism experiences that place people, culture, and community at the heart of Guyana’s growing travel sector. The launch took place on Tuesday evening at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre, where operators, partners, and industry stakeholders gathered to celebrate the country’s expanding portfolio of immersive tourism products.

In her feature address, Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, Susan Rodrigues, spoke of the rapid transformation underway in Guyana’s tourism landscape and its potential to become a major pillar of the national economy. She underscored the government’s continued support for tour operators—many of whom are small businesses—highlighting the administration’s commitment to fostering entrepreneurship and broadening opportunities across the sector.

“We are investing this time because we want to really grow Guyana’s tourism experience, elevate our visibility on the global platform, welcome our visitors and give them a truly immersive experience,” the Minister said.

Director of the Guyana Tourism Authority, Kamrul Baksh, reinforced this vision, noting the Authority’s strong focus on developing new products and deepening the country’s shift toward experiential tourism.

Throughout the evening, operators introduced their latest offerings, each crafted to bring visitors closer to Guyana’s people, traditions, and natural beauty. These include Bush Bar & Bites by Touring Guyana, the Kumerau Expedition by Blackwater Adventures, Essequibo Got Taste and Celebrating the Coconut by Eco Destination Tour Guyana, the Kids Botani Tour by Trail Masters Adventure Tours, the Cook Like a Guyanese Tour and the Guyana Flying Dress Experience by Wanderlust Adventures GY.

The launch reflects a wider national effort to diversify tourism, strengthen community-led initiatives, and create meaningful experiences for both residents and international travellers. One highlight of the event was the signing of a memorandum of understanding between Wanderlust Adventures GY and the Carnegie School of Home Economics, aimed at expanding culinary tourism and nurturing local talent.

Since 2020, more than 70 new tourism experiences have been added to Guyana’s landscape, signalling a sector that continues to innovate and grow.

The Guyana Tourism Authority is a semi-autonomous governmental body dedicated to developing and promoting sustainable tourism through close collaboration with government agencies and the private sector. Its mission is to position Guyana as a premier destination known for protecting its natural and cultural heritage, offering authentic experiences, and ensuring communities benefit from tourism’s socio-economic opportunities.

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Works are progressing at Georgetown’s historic Le Repentir Cemetery, months after major rehabilitation efforts commenced in early 2025.

The cemetery, which has long suffered from years of deterioration, neglect and overgrown vegetation, is now undergoing phased upgrades as part of a wider effort to improve key public spaces in the capital. The Government released a new video showcasing the transformation already underway on Wednesday.

It highlights newly constructed internal roads, extensive vegetation removal, and the clearing of large sections that were previously inaccessible. These early works form the foundation for a broader programme designed to restore the cemetery’s structure, layout, and overall safety.

Under this ongoing upgrade, the cemetery is expected to benefit from a complete redesign of its internal network. Plans include the construction of six main roads, supported by thirteen cross streets and four dedicated footpaths to improve navigation throughout the grounds.

These new routes are intended to restore proper access for families, maintenance crews, emergency services, and municipal workers, while correcting decades-old issues caused by blocked drains, collapsed tombs, and a lack of clear passageways. The rehabilitation also incorporates modern fencing to curtail illegal dumping and prevent encroachment into burial spaces—issues that have contributed significantly to the site’s decay.

With the removal of dense overgrowth now well advanced, the layout of the cemetery is becoming more visible, allowing engineering teams to map out drainage systems and align future roadworks with long-term restoration needs. Although careful assessments are being carried out to address sensitive locations where tombs were historically placed along road reserves, the ongoing works remain focused on striking a balance between preservation and revitalisation. These interventions aim to create a safer, more dignified environment befitting the cemetery’s historical and cultural importance.

The current upgrades form part of a larger national effort to enhance cemeteries across the country. At Le Repentir, progress continues steadily, and the latest footage released by the Ministry of Local Government reflects a significant shift from the state of neglect that once defined the area. As works advance, the public can expect further improvements to drainage, accessibility, and the overall appearance of one of Guyana’s most significant heritage sites.

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Three of the seven suspects charged in connection with the Regent Street gas station bombing were on Monday further remanded to prison when they reappeared at the Leonora Magistrates’ Court.

The accused: Venezuelan national Jennifer Rodriguez and Guyanese nationals Wayne Correia, 44, and Ramesh Pramdeo, 51, appeared before Magistrate Alisha George.

They are facing a joint charge of aiding and abetting an act of terrorism stemming from the October 26 explosion.

The trio was charged separately from the other defendants in the magisterial district where their alleged offences occurred.

During Monday’s hearing, the prosecution requested additional time to complete disclosure of evidence. The request was granted and the matter was adjourned to December 17 for full disclosure. All three will remain on remand until then.

The other four defendants; prime suspect Daniel Alexander Ramirez Peodemo, Johnny Boodram, Krystal LaCruz and Alexander Bettancourt remain before the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court.

They too are remanded and their next appearance is set for December 3.

Investigators believe Peodemo entered Guyana illegally from Venezuela around 08:00 hrs on the day of the attack.

He and three accomplices allegedly conducted surveillance of the gas station between 11:00 hrs and noon before executing the bombing later that night. Clothing believed to have been worn by Peodemo was reportedly recovered shortly before his arrest in Vergenoegen, Region Three.

Court case involving gas station attackers adjourned to Dec. 3

The attack sparked national outrage and was condemned by President Dr Irfaan Ali as a “vile assault on Guyana.” Minister of Home Affairs Oneidge Walrond has reiterated that the government will seek the death penalty for anyone convicted under Guyana’s anti-terrorism laws.

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Police in Regional Division Five have arrested two people after a huge quantity cannabis was discovered in the trunk of a parked car along the Harmony Hall Public Road, Mahaicony, on Tuesday night.

The discovery was made around 21:18 hrs, when a patrol observed a motorcar stopped on the northern side of the roadway. Upon approaching the vehicle, ranks made contact with the occupants — a 26-year-old Gold Miner from Angoy’s Avenue, New Amsterdam, and a 30-year-old Nursing Assistant from Rosignol, West Bank Berbice.

Police conducted searches on both individuals and the vehicle. During the inspection of the trunk, ranks found three black garbage bags containing seven transparent, compressed parcels with leaves, seeds, and stems suspected to be cannabis.

The duo was immediately arrested and taken to the Mahaicony Police Station, where the suspected narcotics were weighed in their presence. The total amounted to 30.625 kilograms.

The suspected cannabis has since been lodged, and both individuals remain in custody as investigations continue.

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