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Fisherfolk in Region Six are expressing strong appreciation for President Irfaan Ali’s recent $150,000 subsidy for each fisherfolk. This is part of an effort to better support these workers.

Sherilyn Bhagwandin, 36, from Alness, who recently lost her boat to arson, expressed her gratitude for the initiative.

“I am glad. We were expecting something. I think it will come in good use. We can take it and buy something to go out and do our trade. I am happy about it,” she said.

Sherilyn Bhagwandin

Chairman of the Albion Fisherfolk Landing Site, Veeram Ramsarran, echoed similar sentiments.

“On behalf of the fishermen of Albion, I would like to thank the President for keeping his commitment in promising us the seines, and he delivered.

“…it will help us buy equipment to do our work daily. It will help with the cost of living. It will help in a big way,” Ramsarran said.

According to the recently released mid-year report, the agriculture, fishing, and forestry sector is estimated to have grown by 9% in the first half of 2025. In that report, which was prepared by the Ministry of Finance, it was noted that further investments and support would go into these sectors.

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Guyana’s national sporting achievement reached a new altitude on Saturday night as the National Sports Commission (NSC) hosted its first-ever ‘Black Tie’ awards ceremony at the Pegasus Suites, celebrating a year of unprecedented success in 2024.

Football star Omari Glasgow and squash legend Nicolette Fernandes were the big winners, claiming the coveted Senior Sportsman and Sportswoman of the Year awards for their sensational performances in 2024.

The gala event was an elegant departure from previous ceremonies, signalling a clear elevation in how the nation recognises its athletic elite.

Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, Charles Ramson Jr, delivered an emphatic address, calling 2024 a “special year for sport” and an “extension of the transformation of sport nationwide.”

He highlighted the phenomenal return on the government’s investment of over G$100M in sending athletes to international tournaments.

The initial target was 135 medals, but the nation’s competitors smashed expectations by bringing home a staggering 534 regional and international medals.

“We did because we were ready to start to compete with the rest of the world and start winning those medals,” Minister Ramson Jr declared.

“We have everything inside of us as a nation, to not just compete with the best of the world but to be the best in the world. It requires a cohesive environment and coordinated approach where there is structure.”

Minister within the Ministry, Steven Jacobs, echoed the sentiment, noting that the transformation extends beyond facilities and into the manner of honouring athletes, exemplified by the ‘Black Tie’ ceremony itself.

“Sport is not just a leisure activity, it is a critical part of national life and national development, and it speaks to our One Guyana initiative where we speak about unity, development and cohesion,” Jacobs stated.

While celebrating the unprecedented achievements, Director of Sport Steve Ninvalle raised a point of concern regarding the nomination process.

Ninvalle affirmed the selection process was “democratic and transparent,” but noted that less than half of the more than 30 associations registered under the NSC submitted nominations.

He voiced a concern about a “level of tribalism and clannishness” where associations appear to limit nominations to their own members, potentially overlooking credible performances from across the broader sporting landscape.

The government ministers, meanwhile, challenged the various associations to ensure transparent, fair practices and to develop a “product” attractive enough for Corporate Guyana to partner with and support.

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Akash Kumar Choudhary smashed his way into cricket’s record books in an Indian domestic match, hitting eight consecutive sixes on his way to the fastest fifty ever scored in a first-class fixture.

The big-hitting feat meant he surpassed the feats of two of cricket’s all-time greats by not only striking six sixes in the same over but adding two more from the next two deliveries he faced.

It made Akash the first player ever to hit eight successive sixes in first-class action, while his record-breaking fifty came from just 11 balls.

The stunning knock occurred on day two of the Ranji Trophy Plate Group match between Meghalaya and Arunachal Pradesh in Surat, in the west Indian state of Gujarat.

Coming in at number eight with Meghalaya 576-6, Akash began with a dot and two singles before hitting six straight sixes off left-arm spinner Limar Dabi.

It made him just the third player to achieve that single-over feat in a first-class match, after West Indies legend Sir Garfield Sobers in 1968 and former India all-rounder Ravi Shastri in 1985.

The 25-year-old followed that with back-to-back sixes during the next over from off-spinner TNR Mohith, taking him to a half-century.

The 11 balls it took to reach 50 beat the previous record of 12 it took for Wayne White when playing for Leicestershire against Essex in 2012.

Meghalaya soon declared on 629-8, with Akash ending unbeaten on 50 from 14 balls.

If that was not enough, Akash then shone with the ball to put Meghalaya on course for a thumping win.

The seam bowler took 1-10 as Arunachal Pradesh were skittled out for just 73.

And after Arunachal Pradesh were asked to follow on, he took 2-7 as they limped to 29-3 at the close – still a mammoth 526 runs behind. (BBC)

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In one of the most high-profile player trades in IPL history, Rajasthan Royals are set to trade wicketkeeper-batter Sanju Samson to Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in exchange for all-rounders Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran.

It is understood that both franchises have spoken to all three players involved but neither franchise confirmed the development when ESPNcricinfo reached out to them.

Both RR and CSK have to send an expression of interest naming the three players involved in the trade to the IPL governing council. As per the trading rules, once the players’ written consent comes in, the franchises can have further discussions for a final agreement, which will also be ratified by the governing council.

Samson and Jadeja have been with their respective franchises for a long time. Samson has represented RR for 11 seasons, while Jadeja has played for CSK since 2012, barring the two seasons in 2016 and 2017 when the franchises were suspended. Samson had indicated after IPL 2025 that he was looking for a change and wanted to be released by RR.

Jadeja was retained by CSK ahead of the 2025 mega auction for INR 18 crore as the second player after captain Ruturaj Gaikwad. Along with MS Dhoni, Jadeja has been a constant part of their core. He has been part of three of CSK’s five title wins.

Jadeja played a crucial role in CSK’s win in the 2023 final, with his batting heroics in the last over against Gujarat Titans. It was also his best season with the ball as he finished with 20 wickets. He followed the feat with the bat in 2025, scoring 301 runs in the season, including two fifties.

Jadeja has played 254 IPL matches, the fifth-most in the tournament behind Dhoni, Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and Dinesh Karthik. With 143 wickets, he is the highest wicket-taker for CSK with best bowling figures of 5 for 16.

He has the most Player-of-the-Match awards (16) along with Dhoni too. In 2022, Jadeja was appointed CSK captain, but handed the captaincy back to Dhoni midway after a poor start to the season.

RR was the first team Jadeja represented in the IPL as a 19-year-old, and also the first team he won the title with in 2008. Jadeja played for RR for the first two seasons but was suspended in 2010 by the IPL for trying to negotiate a contract with Mumbai Indians directly. After the ban, Jadeja featured for Kochi Tuskers in 2011 before being bought by CSK for USD 2 million in 2012.

After an impressive maiden IPL in 2013, when RR finished third as well as runner-up in the Champions League T20, Samson was the youngest player retained at 19 ahead of the 2014 season.

That first stint lasted until RR’s two-year suspension in 2016-17 and Samson rejoined the franchise in 2018. He was appointed captain in 2021 and, in 2022, working with Kumar Sangakkara, RR’s team director, led the franchise to the IPL final for the first time since 2008.

Samson has led RR in 33 wins and 33 defeats in 67 matches. In 2024, when RR made the playoffs again, he had a 500-run IPL season for the first time, scoring 531 at an average of 48.27 and strike rate of 153.47.

He was one of six players retained by RR ahead of last year’s mega auction at INR 18 crore and he also remained captain. However, a side injury ruled him out of the second half of IPL 2025, and RR kept losing matches from strong positions to finish ninth out of ten teams.

Samson is RR’s leading run-scorer with 4027 runs, has the joint-most 50-plus scores (25), the joint-highest score (124), and has taken the most catches (149). After he informed RR that he wanted to be released, the franchise initiated trade talks with several teams.

Curran began his IPL career at Punjab Kings in 2019 and played for them again in 2023 – when he became the league’s most expensive player at INR 18.5 crore – and 2024.

In between, he played for CSK in 2020 and 2021. Curran was bought back by CSK for INR 2.4 crore in the 2025 season, when he finished with 114 runs and only one wicket in five games. (ESPNcricinfo)

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The ExxonMobil Guyana Futsal Championship exploded into life on Friday evening with a goal-scoring frenzy at the Retrieve Hardcourt, featuring dominant victories for defending champions YMCA A, Stabroek, and Young Gunners.

The opening night set a high bar for attacking football, though the action was broken up by one thrilling, hard-fought draw.

Stabroek delivered the most comprehensive performance of the night, mauling Fearless 19-4. Bevney Marks was the star, netting an incredible eight goals, while Shaka Lewis added four goals (a helmet-trick) to complete the rout.

Defending champions YMCA A started their title defence strongly, crushing HH Ballers 10-2, with five different players—Kevin Gittens, Jonah Simon, Jamal Bentick, Ryan Noel, and Jermaine Padmore—all bagging two goals each.

In the final lopsided result, Young Gunners blew past Westside Ballers 10-1. The scoring was spearheaded by Dwayne James and Tyrese Lewis, who both secured respective helmet-tricks (four goals apiece).

The most balanced fixture saw Hardball Management stage a superb comeback to earn a valuable 3-3 draw against Bombers. Hardball Management battled back from a three-goal deficit, relying on a brace from Kareem Mervin to snatch a point. Bombers’ scoring was led by Dequain Samuels’ double.

The championship features 16 teams divided into four groups. The top two finishers from each group will progress to the quarter-final segment.

Beyond the top prize of G$1.5M, the eventual second, third and fourth-place finishers will pocket GY$750,000, GY$350,000, and GY$200,000, respectively.

Individual accolades include a motorcycle for the Most Valuable Player and a GY$300,000 economic grant awarded to a player or fan to aid their academic development.

Minister within the Ministry of Culture, Youth, and Sport, Steven Jacobs, conducted the ceremonial kick-off.

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In the early hours of Sunday morning, the Parish of Our Lady of Fatima, North Road, Georgetown, fell victim to a robbery. According to initial observations, the perpetrator(s) gained entry by forcefully breaking through the entrance door of the church building, the church stated in a Facebook post. Once inside, they proceeded to the sacristy, where they ransacked cupboards and the parish vault, leaving the area in complete disarray.

The Piety Shop corner was also vandalized and rummaged through, with several items disturbed and some appearing to have been taken. Parish officials are currently assessing the extent of the loss and damages sustained.

The matter has been formally reported to the Police, and investigations are ongoing.

This is, unfortunately, not the first time the parish has been targeted. In September 2024, a similar incident occurred, leaving parishioners deeply concerned about the safety and sanctity of their place of worship.

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The Guyana Basketball Federation (GBF) is celebrating a significant regional milestone after its Vice President, Rawle Toney, was appointed to the Caribbean Basketball Confederation’s (CBC) 3×3 Working Group.

The appointment, effective immediately and running until 2027, validates Toney’s extensive contributions to the growth of 3×3 basketball, an increasingly popular format now featured at the Olympic Games.

The Working Group’s central role is to promote, develop, and regulate 3×3 basketball across the Caribbean region in line with stringent FIBA standards.

According to CBC President Leslie Collymore, Toney’s expertise will be crucial in advancing the format. His role will involve directly contributing to the CBC’s strategic plan, overseeing regional events, enforcing competition standards, and driving grassroots and youth engagement initiatives.

“We are confident that your expertise will be invaluable in advancing the growth of 3×3 basketball within the region,” Collymore noted in Toney’s letter of appointment.

GBF President Michael Singh hailed the regional recognition as a direct reflection of the federation’s focused efforts on the fast-paced discipline.

“Having Toney on the CBC Working Group, and our General Secretary Patrick Haynes serving on the FIBA 3×3 Commission, shows that Guyana is well represented at both the regional and international levels,” Singh said.

Toney, who is also the driving force behind the popular local Rawle Toney 3×3 Classic, expressed his commitment to using this position to shape the game’s future across the Caribbean.

He revealed that the GBF is set to launch a series of pilot projects aimed at expanding 3×3 at the school level in Guyana, with ambitions to replicate this successful development model throughout the Caribbean.

Under the current GBF executive, Guyana previously made history by hosting the first-ever 3×3 Quest in the English-speaking Caribbean, drawing 19 teams from 17 countries to compete for a spot on the FIBA 3×3 World Tour.

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Guyana has stepped forward on just two weeks’ notice to host the 2025 Caribbean Area Squash Association (CASA) Senior Championships, rescuing the event after it was forced to move from Jamaica following a devastating hurricane.

The Senior CASA tournament, which typically takes place in August but was rescheduled for November due to a conflict with the Pan-American Championships, will run from November 23 to 30.

The announcement was made by Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, Charles Ramson Jr, during the National Sports Commission awards ceremony on Saturday evening.

Matches will be played primarily at the National Racquet Centre—home to the Caribbean’s only public squash courts—alongside the Georgetown Club.

The decision to host the tournament was led by David Fernandes, who serves as both President of the Guyana Squash Association (GSA) and CASA.

Fernandes indicated that with the facilities already available in Guyana, the priority was ensuring the event was not cancelled, given the difficult circumstances in Jamaica.

In a notable gesture, it is understood that any surplus funds generated from hosting the event will be donated directly to the hurricane relief efforts in Jamaica.

Guyana enters the competition as the team to beat, having held the overall title for the past four consecutive years. The senior national team was also recently voted the Team of the Year for 2024 by the National Sports Commission.

Over 130 athletes from nine countries are expected to compete.

This year’s tournament marks a significant milestone with the inclusion of the Dominican Republic, who officially join CASA for the first time.

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Georgetown’s Mayor, Alfred Mentore, joined mayors from across the world at the Climate 40 (C40) Summit for Mayors held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from November 3 to 5, 2025.

The summit convened leaders from Amazonian cities, major global metropolises, and international alliances to shape the agenda for COP30. It featured plenary sessions, breakout discussions, and high-level dialogues focused on key priorities such as waste reduction, climate finance, resilient infrastructure, and sustainable urban partnerships.

Mayor Mentore actively participated in discussions on:

• Waste reduction: Cutting methane emissions while creating green jobs;
• Climate finance: Unlocking investments for urban sustainability;
• Built environment: Strengthening city resilience; and
• Financing partnerships: Engaging with representatives of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), World Bank, Global Environment Facility (GEF), and Bloomberg Philanthropies on funding pathways for sustainable urban transformation.

These sessions focused on innovative, city-led projects eligible for technical and financial support from institutions such as the GEF and other global partners—opportunities that Georgetown is well-positioned to pursue.

As a member of the Global Covenant of Mayors (GCoM), the Amazon Cities Network, and other strategic alliances, Georgetown is leveraging these global linkages to strengthen urban protection and resilience.

Mayor Mentore underscored that building resilience in Georgetown—a city situated below sea level and highly vulnerable to flooding—is an urgent priority.“The role of the City Council is clear,” he stated. “We will work hand-in-hand with our international partners under existing pacts and covenants to secure the resources available to subnational governments.”

He added that the lessons and connections gained from the summit will be immediately translated into action, with key officers set to begin project activation in the coming weeks.
“Just as Central Government is addressing critical national priorities, the City must match those efforts—delivering social and physical infrastructure upgrades for all citizens,” the Mayor said. “We have local resources, but tapping regional and international partnerships will amplify benefits for our people.”

Declaring the city’s new guiding mantra, Mayor Mentore concluded: “Projects, Projects, Projects!”

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Guyanese motorsport has found a new star to watch as young driver Zachary Persaud showcased his prowess in the competitive Vitz Cup, delivering a stellar performance this past weekend that confirmed his transition from karting prodigy to circuit talent.

Persaud, whose family is synonymous with Caribbean motor racing success, blazed to two first-place finishes and a second-place podium in the Vitz Cup B class at the Guyana Motor Racing & Sports Club (GMR&SC) International race meet.

The performance serves as a powerful reminder of the potential Persaud first showcased back in 2019 when, at just 14, he clinched the Junior Karting Championship.

That victory earned him a MOTUL-sponsored package to compete in Florida, an opportunity that was heartbreakingly shelved in 2020 due to the global COVID-19 pandemic.

Six years on, Persaud has seamlessly leaped the high-octane world of karting—often dubbed the feeder series for professional motorsport—to closed-wheel racing.

“The go-karting was the first taste of racing for me, and what I learned then still applies now,” Persaud said, crediting the discipline for laying a “great foundation” that made the move to the Vitz Cup an “easy step up.”

Racing with the Top Power Racing team, Persaud’s success was built on calculated speed and strategic consistency.

Zachary Persaud comes from a successful family of motor racers (PHOTO: Guyana Motor Racing & Sports Club)

“The goal going into any race weekend is the same as always: staying consistent and keeping a smooth and fast race pace,” he explained. “I knew going into the weekend I had the pace, so it was about maintaining that and following through with my practice.”

Persaud’s lineage suggests his success is anything but accidental. He is the latest member of a storied racing family, following in the tyre tracks of his grandfather, Jad Rahaman, his great-uncle, Ray Rahaman, and his uncle, Ryan Rahaman, all of whom have enjoyed great success across the Caribbean motorsport landscape.

Looking ahead, the young driver is keen to maintain his momentum but remains open to where the journey takes him next.

“If the opportunity arises, stepping up to a higher class would definitely be something I’d be interested in doing,” he noted.

“No definite plan yet, but we’ll see where the road takes me.”

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