Ryan Boodhoo, the new owner of the iconic black KTM X-Bow, has declared himself happy with his return to competitive motor racing after a 20-year hiatus at the South Dakota Circuit.
The comeback represents a significant step up for Boodhoo, who last competed two decades ago in the Starlet Cup and established a strong pedigree as a standout rookie driver.
However, as is often the case, life intervened. A profound focus on his family and business shifted Boodhoo’s priorities away from the competitive motorsport arena.
Following constant enquiries from fans and fellow enthusiasts about his return, Boodhoo finally relented and has competed in the last two race meets, immediately finding success.
In his first event, Boodhoo secured a first and third-place finish.
Last Sunday, the Group Four competitor built on that momentum by claiming two solid second-place finishes.
Boodhoo noted that the experience has been “amazing” since acquiring the X-Bow at the start of 2025 from its previous owner, Vishok Persaud, who set the current Group Four (2WD) lap record of 1:16.691s in 2023.
“The car is quite efficient,” Boodhoo highlighted, expressing optimism about his future performance. “I hope that in 2026 I can lower my lap times to one minute and 17 seconds.”
The KTM X-Bow is renowned for its minimalist, track-focused design and formidable performance, making it a powerful contender in the Group Four category.
Three hundred officers in the Guyana Police Force are undergoing special training in public engagement to strengthen the quality of visitors’ experience in Guyana.
The six-part training session is made possible through a partnership between the Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA) and HAROBED at the GPF Officers’ Training Centre, Camp Street in Georgetown.
The initiative aims to build stronger connections between law enforcement and the tourism sector.
It focuses on enhancing the officer’s capacity in key areas, including visitor engagement, customer service, cultural sensitivity, destination awareness, and professional conduct.
Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce Susan Rodrigues underscored the police force’s role as the front-line ambassadors for Guyana.
She emphasised the importance of stakeholders’ collaboration in the success of the tourism experience.
Minister Rodrigues highlighted the importance of establishing the Hospitality and Tourism Institute in the near future, stating it is vital to ensuring a positive visitor experience in Guyana.
“When a visitor asks for directions, interacts with a police officer or seeks help, they are not just encountering individuals. They are experiencing Guyana. That is the essence of the training you will receive”, she noted.
Police Constable Marvin Rajkumar expressed gratitude for the opportunity to participate in the training.
“It’s very much beneficial for us officers to be exposed to the public domain now. And knowing that Guyana is having a booming economy when it comes to tourism, the training will also assist in this regard by helping us know the right things to say and the right way to approach persons.” (Republished from DPI)
Two persons have died in a Monday night accident at the intersection of Proctor Road and Kara Kara Public Road, Linden, Region 10.
Dead are Latrel Whinfield, 19, and Isaiah Richards, a student whose name and address are not yet known. Whinfield and Richards were riding on a motorcycle at the time of the accident.
Police Headquarters, in a statement, reported that motorcycle #CP 6912 was proceeding east along the Kara Kara Public Road at a fast rate when it collided with the right side of motor Car #PAE 7246. The car, Police said, was turning north onto Proctor Road.
The impact caused both the rider (Whinfield) and pillion rider (Richards) to be thrown onto the roadway, resulting in severe injuries. Both persons were picked up in an unconscious state and taken to the Linden Hospital Complex, where they were pronounced dead. Their bodies were later escorted to a funeral home for storage, pending post-mortem examinations.
Meanwhile, Police also reported that both vehicles were lodged at the Mackenzie Police Station for examination. CCTV footage from the area will be reviewed to assist the investigation, while the driver of the motor car remains in Police custody as investigations continue.
Guyana received US$1.05 billion as revenue from its share of profit oil in the first six months of 2025 and another US$1.7 billion in royalties during that period, according to the Ministry of Finance’s mid-year report.
The revenue earned included payments for two lifts of oil that occurred in the final quarter of 2024 and 13 of the 15 lifts in the first half of the year.
According to Guyana’s 2016 oil contract, up to 75% of the costs (or money invested) can be recovered as the oil produced is sold. The remaining 25% of revenues is split between the companies (ExxonMobil, Hess, and CNOOC) and the government; the government gets half of the revenues, and the three companies share the other half among themselves.
The government also gets an additional two per cent in royalties from total revenues.
The US$1.7 billion in royalties received in the first half of the year was for crude oil production and sales in the final quarter of 2024 and the first quarter of 2025.
After withdrawals of US$1.2 billion, the cumulative balance in Guyana’s Natural Resources Fund, inclusive of an interest income of US$68.9 million, at the end of June, was US$3.19 billion.
While presenting the Notifications of Receipts to the National Assembly of all petroleum revenues paid into the NRF during the period April 1, 2025 to June 30, 2025, and July 1, 2025, to September 30, 2025, Finance Minister Dr. Ashni Singh said the NRF balance at the end of September 2025 amounted to US$3.6 billion.
The PPP/C Government remains committed in maintaining its established track record of transparent and prudent public debt management, supporting strong debt sustainability fundamentals even as there is an expansion in investments in public infrastructure, social services, and other initiatives aimed at improving the standard of living for all Guyanese. The Government is committed to harnessing Guyana’s debt-carrying capacity to finance its transformative development agenda.
Under the leadership of President Irfaan Ali, Government continues to move aggressively ahead with its agenda to transform and develop the country. In this vein, Senior Minister in the Office of the President with Responsibility for Finance Dr. Ashni Singh today presented a number of loan agreements to the National Assembly.
Guyana’s debt position has undergone a remarkable transformation over the past three decades, shifting from a heavily indebted nation to one with a strong and sustainable fiscal outlook. Public and Publicly Guaranteed (PPG) debt-to-GDP ratio has decreased from over 600 percent in 1991 to 24.3 percent at the end of 2024. Furthermore, the burden of debt service as a percentage of Government revenues has also declined sharply. It has plummeted from an unsustainable 90 percent to a manageable 5 percent. Recently, the International Monetary Fund, in its 2025 Article IV Report, assessed Guyana as being at low risk of debt distress and with low vulnerability to large shocks, underscoring the success of the PPP/C Government’s unwavering commitment to fiscal discipline and strategic economic planning.
Finance Minister Dr Ashni Singh
The loan agreements table today in the National Assembly will support agricultural and infrastructural development, human services , policy and institutional reforms in biodiversity conservation, climate action, water resource management, and affordable and reliable energy.
Agricultural and Infrastructural Development Programme
In June 2025, the Government of Guyana (GoG) and the CARICOM Development Fund (CDF) signed a US$15 million loan agreement for the Agricultural and Infrastructural Development Programme (AIDP).
This administration understands that agriculture is one of the most important sectors of Guyana’ economy. The objective of this project is to contribute to the development of Guyana’s agricultural sector but specifically to target increased production and value added in selected commodities to satisfy the national and regional food security drive towards socio-economic growth and development. As such Guyana’s ability to produce safe value-added products (crops and livestock) for internal and export use will improve significantly, thereby boosting the growth trajectory of the local economy consistent with the National Strategy for Agriculture (2020-2030).
This program has two main components:
Compliance with Food Safety, Sanitary, and Phytosanitary Standards: This includes constructing and equipping one abattoir (primarily for swine), building/renovating eight outposts (including a natural enemies’ multiplication unit), equipping these outposts, and installing surveillance at key entry ports. It also involves constructing/upgrading thirteen processing facilities, procuring equipment, and providing technical assistance for honey, coconut waste by-product, peanut, coffee, and cocoa value chains. Training will be provided to over 4,000 farmers and producers’ associations, and 250 technical/extension staff in the Ministry of Agriculture (MOA), including the executing agency- The Agriculture Sector Development Unit (ASDU).
Strengthening ASDU’s Institutional Capacity: This component focuses on enhancing the ASDU’s ability to manage and coordinate the program, including hiring specialized staff, preparing designs and tender documents, and conducting training in procurement, monitoring, evaluation, and financial management.
Programme for the Support to Human Services in Guyana II
The Programme for the Support to Human Services in Guyana II is a programmatic policy-based loan from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), signed in June 2025, for US$350 million. This loan is the second in a two-part series intended to strengthen the protection of vulnerable populations through the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security (MHSSS).
The program’s main objective is to improve the MHSSS’s efficiency and promote gender empowerment. It also builds upon the reforms and progress achieved in the first phase of the loan program.
Key programme components
Digital transformation of the social safety net: The program will streamline and digitize the MHSSS’s processes, such as implementing the Beneficiary Registry and Document Management System (BRDMS), to reduce transaction costs and improve service delivery.
Strengthening the Senior Citizen’s Pension program: This includes the expansion of the electronic payment system for senior citizens.
Empowerment of persons with disabilities: The program aims to strengthen the Public Assistance program and enhance the activities of the “Learning Lab,” which provides job skills and life management techniques to people with disabilities.
Gender empowerment: This involves services for victims of gender-based violence (GBV), economic empowerment of women (through initiatives like the Women’s Innovation and Investment Network), and support for victims of human trafficking.
Programme to support the strengthening of Guyana’s policy and institutional reforms in biodiversity conservation, climate action, and water resource management.
The Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) is providing its support for Guyana’s policy and institutional reforms programme to strengthen resilience to climate and disaster risks and impacts, enhance institutional, technical, and financial capacities to protect biodiversity resources, adapt to climate change impacts, and address water-related challenges. This support is given through an Environmental Sector Policy-Based Loan (PBL) signed in June 2025, for an amount of US$125 million.
This Environmental PBL series supports GoG in strengthening its environmental risk management, climate resilience, and biodiversity conservation capacity. GoG has established a robust legal framework and is now moving from policy formulation to implementation, by mobilizing the resources needed. The PBL proceeds will provide budgetary support, reinforcing the government’s ability to implement priority actions and ensure the long-term integrity of Guyana’s ecosystems.
The operation also supports inclusive development by protecting the rights and livelihoods of indigenous peoples and forest-dependent communities, aligning with Guyana’s LCDS 2030. In addition to policy and institutional reforms, the PBL resources will safeguard Guyana’s macro-fiscal stability by providing affordable financing. This is crucial for managing oil revenue volatility and scaling up climate investments while transitioning to a sustainable, low-carbon economy.
Guyana’s Gas-to-Energy Project
The Export – Import Bank of the United States has provided a loan to Guyana for an amount of US$527 million to finance the country’s Gas-to-Energy Project.
Guyana’s gas-to-energy project is one of the most transformative initiative, this government has undertaken leveraging offshore natural gas to provide reliable, affordable, and cleaner domestic power, fostering economic growth and new industries. This project promises multifaceted economic benefits, including reduced reliance on imported fossil fuels, lower electricity costs, increased competitiveness, foreign investment, and economic diversification. It will create numerous jobs in engineering, construction, and operations, alongside significant investment in local training and capacity building.
Environmentally, the project will significantly reduce carbon footprint by transitioning from heavy fuel oil to cleaner-burning natural gas, aligning with Guyana’s sustainable development goals. Ultimately, it aims to enhance citizens’ quality of life through reliable electricity, supporting education, healthcare, and overall social and economic improvement. This strategic investment promises broad prosperity, a secure energy future, and improved living standards for Guyana.
Strengthening Human Capital through Education Project
On July 1, 2025, Guyana received a loan from the International Development Association (IDA) for an amount of SDR1,690,000. The purpose of this loan is to provide additional financing for the Guyana Strengthening Human Capital through Education Project.
The additional financing is intended to facilitate the continuation and successful completion of the Project’s current activities. It also aims to align the Project’s component which focuses on enhancing service delivery to support student retention and learning at the secondary level, with the Ministry of Education’s updated priorities, specifically teacher training and coaching, and digital education.
The PPP/C Government remains committed to implementing its accelerated development agenda and fulfilling our promise of a brighter and better future for all Guyanese, while maintaining a track record of transparent and prudent debt management. [Ministry of Finance Press Release]
Senior Minister in the Office of the President with Responsibility for Finance, Dr Ashni Singh, today presented the Natural Resource Fund (NRF) Annual Report for the fiscal year 2024 to the National Assembly, pursuant to Section 32(4) of the Natural Resource Fund Act 2021 and as testament to Government’s strong commitment to transparency and accountability in the management of the oil and gas sector.
Minister Singh, on behalf of the Government and the people of Guyana, acknowledged the work done by the NRF Board, the Public Accountability and Oversight Committee and the Investment Committee, for this extremely important national institution – the Natural Resource Fund.
The NRF Act 2021 came into operation on January 1, 2022, and introduced major improvements to the framework for managing oil and gas revenues and essential enhancements to the governance and transparency arrangement of the Fund. These enhancements to the NRF Act 2021 include the establishment of a Board of Directors which will be responsible for reviewing and approving the policies of the Fund and monitoring its performance, thereby separating the management of the Fund from the Minister responsible for Finance. In addition, The NRF Act 2021 requires the Government to seek Parliamentary approval for withdrawals from the Fund, and also sets out new, simplified calculations needed for ensuring that the Fund achieves its purposes. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) continues to acknowledge the progress made in enhancing the governance of our natural resources and improving fiscal outcomes. In 2022, the IMF noted that:
“The governance of the NRF was strengthened through the appointment of three critical entities in 2022: the NRF Board of Directors, the Public Accountability and Oversight Committee, and the Investment Committee. Furthermore, to ensure full transparency and accountability, notifications of receipts of petroleum revenues have been published in the Official Gazette.”
This year, the IMF highlighted that the “NRF and Public Accountability and Oversight Committee 2023 Annual Reports have been presented to the National Assembly, regular notifications of receipts of petroleum revenues, as mandated by law, are published in the Official Gazette, and the BoG publishes monthly and quarterly reports of the NRF’s financial performance.”
The Board of Directors of the NRF was re-appointed on August 31 2024, and the members are as follows:
Major General (Retired) Joseph Singh, MSS, Chairperson
Dunstan Barrow, A.A., Director (Nominated by the National Assembly)
Ramesh Dookhoo, Director (Representative of the Private Sector)
Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett, Director
Professor Compton Bourne, O.E., Director
At today’s sitting of the National Assembly, the Speaker of the National Assembly also circulated the Public Accountability and Oversight Committee Annual Report for the fiscal year 2024, pursuant to Section 6(6) of the Natural Resource Fund Act 2021. The Public Accountability and Oversight Committee of the Fund was re-appointed on August 31, 2024. The 9-member Public Accountability and Oversight Committee is responsible for providing non-governmental oversight of the operations of the Fund, replacing the cumbersome 22-member committee previously proposed in the NRF Act 2019.
The Senior Finance Minister also today presented Notifications of Receipts to the National Assembly of all petroleum revenues paid into the NRF during the period April 1, 2025 to June 30, 2025 and July 1, 2025 to September 30, 2025, pursuant to Section 33 (2) of the NRF Act 2021. The NRF balance at the end September 2025 amounted to US$3.6 billion.
It would be recalled that a key improvement to the NRF Act 2021 is that the Minister could face up to ten years imprisonment if he fails to disclose the receipt of any petroleum revenue received by Government in the Official Gazette within three months of receipt of such monies.
The PPP/C Government will continue to manage Guyana’s oil and gas sector with transparency and accountability, ensuring that the resources in the NRF are directed toward investments that deliver lasting benefits for current and future generations. [Ministry of Finance Press Release]
President Dr Irfaan Ali has confirmed that he will deliver his address to the 13th Parliament of Guyana and his government’s vision will be clearly outlined when he does so.
“I will definitely be addressing Parliament in a substantive way,” the President assured the public in an interview on Monday.
“I will outline the vision, the strategy, and where we want to position Guyana as we move towards 2030 — building a strong, resilient, and sustainable country.”
President Ali rejected claims that the reconvening of Parliament was delayed for political reasons.
Speaking in a live interview moments before the National Assembly convened on Monday, Dr Ali said the government has consistently followed the law and administrative procedures in dealing with ongoing international investigations, including the U.S. indictment and extradition request against businessman Azruddin Mohamed.
“Constitutionally, I had up to this point to reconvene Parliament, and I said from day one that I will act in accordance with the Constitution — and I will always act in accordance with the Constitution,” Dr Ali said.
The President emphasised that the legal processes surrounding Mohamed, who is facing charges including gold smuggling and money laundering, began long before 2020 and are international in nature, involving cross-jurisdictional cooperation with the United States, Canada, and other partners.
“This notion that Parliament was delayed for an extradition is totally disconnected from the truth,” he said. “It is a narrative created for a specific intention and specific purpose.”
Dr Ali explained that once all Members of Parliament are sworn in and administrative matters such as the election of the Opposition Leader are completed, he will address the House.
Dr Ali used the opportunity to wish the new Parliament success in its work over the next five years, calling on MPs to uphold their duty to the people and the Constitution.
“God bless the new Parliament. I wish the Parliament every success. God bless all those who will be representing our people, and I wish the Parliament a healthy five years,” he said.
Senior Minister in the Office of the President with Responsibility for Finance Dr. Ashni Singh today presented the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) 2024 Annual Report to the National Assembly with the report highlighting government’s achievements in the fight against money laundering and other financial crimes tackled under the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AMLCFT) laws of Guyana. With the current People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) government now having commenced its second term since resuming office in 2020, the last five years have seen significant focus and investment by the administration to ensure that Guyana’s financial system remains secure and protected from threats.
Under the leadership of His Excellency Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali, Guyana over the last five years became recognised as the fastest growing economy in the world, given the emergence of its oil and gas sector. The government also, however, recognized the country’s growing significance in the international financial landscape and embraced its responsibility to assist in protecting the international financial system adopting a modern approach as it worked towards modernisation of its economy.
In 2024, Dr. Singh emphasized the importance of a modern financial system in the country citing some of the efforts by government to make this possible.
“We enacted, for the first time, a modern central bank legislation, new financial institutions act to lay the framework for sound and strong prudential regulation and oversight of the financial sector. We have enacted a new Insurance Act. We enacted a new Securities Industry Act, and of course, subsequently, we will enact a new anti-money laundering and countering the financing of terrorism Act, all of which comprise critical elements of the suite of legislation,” the Minister underscored.
He noted as well that government has also been keen on deploying information technology solutions to modernise government operations and enhance transparency while new laws were enacted for procurement, revenue administration, and financial sector regulations. These were all put in place to enhance transparency and accountability as the finance minister explained that Guyana’s experience in rebuilding institutions after a difficult period requires a multi-faceted, sustained effort, but can ultimately lead to significant improvements in governance and the fight against corruption.
Government’s efforts over the last five years resulted in
– Amendments to the AMLCFT Act in 2022 and 2023 which brought it in line with international standards and requirements.
– Enactment of the Guyana Compliance Commission Act and the Guyana Real Estate Authority Act which allowed for the establishments of additional regulatory agencies for previously unregulated sectors, as is required by the FATF standards.
– Increased budgetary allocations for the FIU and SOCU to support these agencies’ needs in the form of human resources, training, and technology.
– Supervisory Authorities like the BOG, Guyana Securities Council, Guyana Revenue Authority, GGB, GGMC, etc. and other competent authorities like the Deeds and Commercial Registry were provided with strong and consistent support in ensuring they are adequately resourced to support their respective mandates in the fight against money laundering and related financial crimes.
– Guyana was accepted as a member of the Egmont Group of FIUs in February 2024, a historic achievement which now allows Guyana, through its FIU, to cooperate and share intelligence directly with counterparts in over 170 countries, on matters relating to money laundering, terrorist financing, and related financial crimes.
– Guyana was subjected to its 4th Round Mutual Evaluation by the CFATF to assess how well the country had implemented measures (40 standards) required by the FATF to be in place to protect the international financial system from the threat of ML and TF. The assessment also reviewed the level of effectiveness of the implementation of these measuress. This review was considered very favorable for Guyana, who was commended by the CFATF membership and other international partners for the commendable efforts demonstrated by Guyana in prioritizing and implementing a robust AMLCFT framework aimed at protecting the international financial system from the threats of ML and TF.
– Based on the above, this country now has one of the strongest AMLCFT systems in the region that has resulted in consistent progress in the investigation, prosecution and seizure of assets presumed to be linked to crime and criminals. This success was recognized in November 2024 when Guyana was the recipient of the CFATF’s Best Regional AMLCFT (BREMOLT) Case Award which recognizes the CFATF member country that demonstrated all actions required to effectively investigate and prosecute a case involving a financial crime including money laundering and terrorism financing.
In October, President Ali reaffirmed Guyana’s unwavering commitment to maintaining Latin America and the Caribbean as a zone of peace, while making clear that the country will also stand firm against transnational crime, the illicit drug trade, and any form of destabilisation threatening regional stability. The President at the time was delivering the feature address at the Commissioning Parade for Standard Officers’ Course (SOC) No 56 at Base Camp Ayanganna.
“We will protect every inch of Guyana’s territory with vigilance and resolve. We will deploy technology to make our country more secure. We will be adaptable, smart, and ready to respond, on land, at sea, in the air, and in cyberspace,” the President affirmed.
In the PPP/C’s 2025 Manifesto, Government recommitted to combat corruption as it highlighted that it intends to ‘strengthen laws where needed; establish an anti-corruption unit: use technology such as blockchain to aid transparency, reduce bureaucracy, and improve efficiency; and fully enforce the Access to Information Act.
Minister of Home Affairs, Oneidge Walrond, has reiterated that allegations of misconduct, particularly those involving senior Police officers, will be met with a strict, zero-tolerance approach.
Walrond spoke with reporters at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre on Monday and further emphasised that officers are held to a higher standard of behaviour, especially in cases involving subordinate female ranks.
Minister Walrond addressed recent allegations of sexual misconduct at the Guyana Police Force Training College, stating that the officers involved were immediately removed once the reports were made.
“Those officers are currently being disciplined. There are matters before the Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR), and they were removed immediately after the reports came to our attention. It was dealt with,” Walrond said.
She also noted that mechanisms are in place to ensure that senior officers who violate these standards are dealt with firmly.
“Whenever these allegations may arise, especially as it relates to subordinate female officers, they will be dealt with very seriously.”
In October, it was reported that three sergeants and an officer were transferred after an investigation was launched into the alleged ‘inappropriate conduct’ of officers at the Guyana Police Force Academy.
The incidents were reported to the Commissioner of Police, who ordered an immediate investigation. Several Academy staff members and recruits were interviewed and provided statements to investigators.
Vice President Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo has assured the public that the government will pursue all leads, local and international, in the investigation into the deadly bombing that claimed the life of six-year-old Soraya Bourne, warning that all parties involved will face severe penalties, regardless of nationality.
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the convening of the 13th Parliament on Monday, Dr. Jagdeo stressed that the government takes acts of terrorism very seriously.
“If anyone, a foreigner or a local, were to try to create acts of or conduct acts of terrorism in Guyana or to undermine the sovereignty of our country, they will face this similar tough approach from the Government of Guyana,” he said.
Dr. Jagdeo condemned the attack as an “abhorrent” crime, noting the tragic death of the young child and the potential for even greater devastation.
“It does not matter what nationality they are; it is the crime that matters, and this is a crime that is abhorrent to everyone… Look what happened. That young child lost her life. It could have been worse for many of our people,” he said.
When pressed about the motive behind the attack, Dr. Jagdeo cautioned against speculation.
“I have my personal opinion, but I don’t think my personal opinion should matter. What we are concerned about is the apparent nature of the act itself.
“The act was conducted. We caught the people… they’re going to face the full force of the law. The investigation will go deeply after linkages. If the linkages are local, we will go wherever they take us, and if the linkages are international, we will do so too,” he said, adding that external assistance will be sought if necessary.
The comments follow ongoing investigations into the October 26 bombing at the Mobil Gas Station on Regent and King Streets, Georgetown. Police investigators have retrieved images of the explosive device from the mobile phone of Daniel Alexander Ramirez Peodomo, who reportedly confessed to the crime.
Nine suspects remain in custody, including Peodomo, another Venezuelan man and woman, and a Guyanese hire car driver. Investigators revealed that Peodomo had entered Guyana illegally on the day of the attack and conducted surveillance of the gas station with three accomplices before detonating the device. Clothing believed to have been worn by Peodomo was recovered shortly before his arrest in Vergenoegen, Region Three.
Police Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum told the News Room that the case file is being prepared for legal advice to determine the next course of action, and that an extension for detaining the suspects had been granted by the High Court.aged in the dynamics of the opposition
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Finance Minister Dr Ashni Singh
