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President Dr Irfaan Ali has announced that the government will soon unveil a landmark five-year national blueprint geared toward rapid economic expansion and transformative infrastructure development.

The President said this in his feature address at the Guyana Oil and Gas Energy Chamber (GOGEC) Awards on Friday evening, where he stressed that a comprehensive programme of citizen upliftment and empowerment must match Guyana’s economic transformation.

The upcoming blueprint is linked to the Government’s broader national development agenda—one that combines industrialisation, energy security, manufacturing growth, and major public infrastructure with policies designed to ensure all Guyanese meaningfully benefit from the country’s progress.

Over the past two months, President Ali has repeatedly signalled that before year-end, the Government will announce a substantial suite of measures aimed at improving household welfare, expanding economic opportunities, and strengthening social resilience. In early November, he stated that the package will extend well beyond cash grants, emphasising empowerment across all demographics. As reported by the News Room on November 5, 2025, the President said:

“I am going to announce, before the end of the year, a series of measures, not only looking at cash grants, but looking at the total empowerment of every Guyanese—whether someone living with a disability, the elderly, children, women, small businesses, farmers—every category.”

Cash grants for individuals, vulnerable groups will be announced before year-end – President

The forthcoming measures form part of the PPP/C Administration’s established track record of fulfilling commitments and advancing people-centred policy. Since taking office in 2020, the Government has delivered a series of direct support initiatives, including the restoration and expansion of the ‘Because We Care’ cash grant, the introduction of the Newborn Grant, the $25,000 COVID-19 household relief payment, annual increases to old-age pension and public assistance, tax reductions, broad cost-of-living support, and targeted assistance to farmers, sugar workers, fisherfolk, frontline workers and vulnerable communities.

A key pillar of this record is the PPP/C’s longstanding position that cash grants are continuous, structured, and developmental—rather than ad hoc or politically motivated. That stance was reaffirmed at the start of 2025 by both President Ali and Vice President Dr Bharrat Jagdeo.

In his New Year’s Address, reported by the Guyana Chronicle on January 3, 2025, President Ali stated, “This is not a one-time payment. We are committed to making future direct cash transfers to our citizens. This is the beginning of a sustained programme of direct economic transfers aimed at empowering Guyanese households.”

On the same day, the News Room reported Vice President Jagdeo reinforcing the policy, noting, “The cash grant is not one-off; it will continue periodically.”

These clear, early statements demonstrate that the government’s commitment to continued cash transfers predates recent political debate. According to the Administration, the programme forms part of a larger socio-economic strategy designed to expand opportunity, boost disposable income, and ensure all families share in the country’s development gains.

At the opening of GuyExpo 2025, President Ali addressed attempts to misrepresent these initiatives. As carried by the Guyana Chronicle in November 2025, he cautioned:

“You don’t need to remind us about our commitments—whether it’s cash grants, incentives, subsidies. We know what our commitments are, and we are going to deliver on every one of them—faster, better, greater.”

As Guyana enters what is expected to be its most accelerated period of economic transformation, the soon-to-be-released five-year blueprint, combined with the planned empowerment measures, aims to ensure that the country’s rapid growth translates into broad, equitable, and sustainable improvements in citizens’ lives.

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Barbados was crowned the overall champion of the 2025 ENet Senior Caribbean Squash Championships, bringing an end to host nation Guyana’s dominant run of four consecutive titles.

The final result at the National Racquet Centre on Saturday came down to the narrowest of margins, with the Caribbean Area Squash Association (CASA) forced to implement a tie-breaker after both nations finished level on points.

Barbados and Guyana were tied at 44 points apiece in the overall standings, prompting organisers to turn to match and game differentials from the team segment.

It was here that Barbados edged ahead, securing the title by winning 10 more games than Guyana throughout the competition.

Bermuda finished third overall.

Guyana’s men claimed their title in a tense 3-2 victory over Barbados. The final saw the lead shift back and forth before the hosts secured the decisive point.

Guyana’s Sunil Seth lost the opener, but Samuel Ince-Carvalhal immediately levelled the score, defeating the experienced Shawn Simpson in four games (11-6, 11-5, 9-11, 11-6).

Men’s individual champion Khamal Cumberbatch put Barbados back ahead with a 3-0 win over Guyana’s top seed, Daniel Ince.

The reliable Shomari Wiltshire dominated Rhett Cumberbatch (11-3, 11-7, 11-3) to tie the match at 2-2.

Jason-Ray Khalil delivered the crucial final point for Guyana, sealing the Men’s Team title with a straight-games victory over Alex Stewart (11-6, 11-3, 11-9).

In the Women’s team event, Barbados, led by their strength at the top of the individual rankings, secured the title with a 3-2 win over Guyana.

Barbados are the champions of the 2025 ENet Senior CASA (PHOTO: News Room/Davin Ramnarine/November 29, 2025)

Margot Prow defeated 2022 Caribbean champion Ashley Khalil 3-0 (11-6, 11-2, 11-6). Women’s champion Megan Best secured another vital point for Barbados, overcoming Mary Fung-A-Fat (11-7, 11-3, 11-5).

Guyana showed resilience to claim two points, with Kirsten Gomes defeating Eboni Atherly (12-10, 11-4, 7-11, 11-8) and Larissa Wiltshire battling hard to win in four games against Sumairaa Suleman (6-11, 13-11, 11-9, 11-5).

FULL RESULTS: https://www.sportyhq.com/tournament/view/Caribbean-Senior-Championships-CASA-2025-GUYANA

At the presentation ceremony, held at the Aiden Hotel, Minister Steven Jacobs applauded the teams on their performance and welcomed them to return to Guyana and experience more of the hospitable atmosphere.

Minister Jacobs was in high praise of the Guyana Squash Association for ensuring the tournament was well run, on just two weeks’ notice, following a late change in venue from Jamaica due to Hurricane Melissa.

Bermuda, Jamaica, and the British Virgin Islands have qualified for the 2026 Central American and Caribbean Games, alongside Barbados, Guyana, and the host, the Dominican Republic.

2026 Junior CASA will be in Trinidad and Tobago in July, while Senior CASA will be in November, with Jamaica as the likely host.

 

INDIVIDUAL CHAMPIONS

Veterans

	MEN’S 40+	WOMEN’S 40+
Champion	Gonzalo Tapiz (Dominican Republic)	Nicolette Fernandes (Guyana)
Runner-up	Robert Cameron (Barbados)	Rae Muffin Stolimyer (Guyana)
Third	Stephen Smith (Bermuda)	Susie Howells (Bermuda)

 

	MEN’S  50+	WOMEN’S 50+
Champion	Joel Levy (Jamaica)	Margit Daugela (Cayman Islands)
Runner-up	Hadleigh Farrer (Bermuda)	Andrea Goodridge (Barbados)
Third	Mark Gilkes  (Barbados)	Lydia Fraser (Guyana)

 

	MEN’S  60+	WOMEN’S 60+
Champion	Mark Sealy (Barbados)	Indira Barker (Guyana)
Runner-up	Peter Duray (Bermuda)	Marian Goodall (Cayman Islands)
Third	Robin Low (Guyana)	Caroline Goodridge  (Barbados)

 

OPEN

	MEN	WOMEN
Champion	Khamal Cumberbatch (Barbados)	Megan Best (Barbados)
Runner-up	Micah Franklin (Bermuda)	Margot Prow (Barbados)
Third	Taylor Carrick (Bermuda)	Ashley Khalil (Guyana)
fourth	Daniel Ince (Guyana)	Mary Fung-A-Fat (Guyana)
Plate winner	Daniel Henderson (British Virgin Islands)	Akeila Wiltshire (Guyana)
Plate runner-up	Ross D’Juran (Trinidad and Tobago)	Lara Conolly (Cayman Islands)

 

TEAM CHAMPIONS

Veterans

	MEN	WOMEN
Champion	Barbados	Guyana
Runner-up	Bermuda	Cayman Islands
Third	Guyana	Barbados

 

OPEN

	MEN	WOMEN
Champion	Guyana	Barbados
Runner-up	Barbados	Guyana
Third-place	Bermuda	Cayman Islands

 

OVERALL STANDINGS

FIRST – Barbados (44 points)

SECOND – Guyana (44 points)

THIRD – Bermuda (34 points)

FOURTH – Cayman Islands (28 points)

FIFTH – Dominican Republic (21 points)

SIXTH – Trinidad and Tobago (16 points)

SEVENTH – Jamaica (14 points)

EIGHTH – British Virgin Islands (nine points)

 

PHOTOS: 

• https://www.facebook.com/newsroomgy/posts/pfbid0iVMY1qVn24VYbtVcfAVfTaVQkSYfQ6r7uXxDemBjkJzPpkM795GrYndjTYzk2vgPl
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The Guyana Football Federation (GFF) has unveiled a transformative plan for the sport following its Ordinary Congress on Saturday, headlined by a landmark G$150 million investment into youth development over the next four years.

The investment targets the establishment of national leagues for the Under-13, Under-15, and Under-17 age categories, aiming to close critical gaps in the nation’s football development pathway.

The Congress, held in Georgetown, ratified the GFF Strategic Plan 2025–2028, titled “The Final Third,” which focuses heavily on professionalisation, governance, and aligning the local game with international standards.

One of the most significant decisions approved by delegates was the radical restructuring of the domestic calendar.

To synchronise with FIFA match windows and global transfer periods, the GFF Elite League will shift its season to run from August to April, beginning with the 2026–2027 season.

This move is designed to enhance player availability for the senior national team and improve the professional viability of local clubs.

The Federation also confirmed the introduction of two new knockout competitions to ensure year-round activity:

• Elite League Cup: Scheduled for February–March 2026
• Federation Cup: Scheduled for April–May 2026
• Senior Men’s Regional Member Association leagues will also adopt the September to April schedule, while the Women’s Division One League is set to run from September to December.

Significant progress was also reported on infrastructure development, crucial for supporting the GFF’s long-term ambitions: Blue Water Shipping Stadium: FIFA has approved the final design for the proposed national stadium at D’Urban Park.

National Training Centre (NTC): Ongoing upgrades at the Providence facility include a newly outfitted gym and modern dormitory facilities.

Finally, the Congress adopted a new Match Integrity Policy. This formalisation of ethical standards includes procedures for education, reporting, investigations, and whistleblower protection, aiming to safeguard the game from match manipulation and corruption.

The decisions made at the 2025 Congress are expected to usher in a new era of structural stability and competitive growth for football in Guyana. (Modified GFF release) 

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Lando Norris, Max Verstappen and Oscar Piastri will contest a final-race championship showdown in Abu Dhabi after the Red Bull driver won a gripping Qatar Grand Prix.

Verstappen benefited from a strategy call from McLaren that flew in the face of decisions made by every other team during an early race safety car.

It was a costly decision that sacrificed track position to Verstappen in the final stages and in hindsight threw away the race win for Piastri.

Verstappen won to take his seventh win of the season, equalling Norris and Piastri, while the Australian was second and the Briton fourth behind the Williams of Carlos Sainz.

Norris won himself an extra two points by passing Kimi Antonelli’s Mercedes on the penultimate lap.

Norris has been left with a 12-point lead over Verstappen, who moved ahead of Piastri by four points heading to Abu Dhabi on 5-7 December.

To win the title, Norris must finish third at Yas Marina if Verstappen wins the race next Sunday. (BBC SPORT) 

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Rohit Sharma broke the record for the most sixes hit in men’s one-day internationals as India edged South Africa by 17 runs in the opening game of their series in Ranchi.

After being asked to bat, India posted 349-8 with Virat Kohli hitting a record-extending 52nd ODI century with a brilliantly paced 135 off 120 balls.

He shared 136 with Rohit, who made 57 off 51 balls, for the second wicket.

Rohit, who already held the record for the most sixes across formats in international cricket (now 642), hit three sixes to overtake Shahid Afridi’s 15-year record of 351 ODI maximums.

India were 161-2 in the 22nd over when the former captain was dismissed and run-scoring became more difficult in the middle overs but the hosts were superbly marshalled by Kohli.

He also shared 76 with stand-in captain KL Rahul, who then took over when Kohli was dismissed, to hit 60 off 56 balls.

South Africa slipped to 11-3 in reply and 130-5 but Matthew Breetzke (72 off 80) and Marco Jansen (70 off 39) gave them hope with a 97-run stand.

Both were dismissed in the 34th over by Kuldeep Yadav and South Africa’s hopes seemed over at 228-7.

However, Corbin Bosch (67 off 51) put on partnerships with Prenelan Subrayen and Nandre Burger, who both made 17, to leave the Proteas needing 37 from 18 balls.

Bosch was farming the strike and turning down singles and left 18 from the final over, but he skied the second ball from Prasidh Krishna to cover.

The second game in the three-match series takes place on Wednesday. (BBC SPORT) 

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The Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) yesterday handed over a state-of-the-art portable, mobile PCR instrument along with a supply of testing cartridges to the Ministry of Health’s National Public Health Reference Laboratory (NPHRL), marking a significant boost to Guyana’s capacity for rapid disease detection and outbreak response.

The equipment was handed over to Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Dr. Narine Singh by CARPHA’s Executive Director.

Valued at USD $300,000, this advanced diagnostic equipment enables results within two hours, allowing health officials to swiftly identify priority pathogens and respond to public health threats with greater efficiency. The portable system is designed for flexibility and can be deployed across regions, including remote and hinterland communities, ensuring equitable access to timely testing.

The PCR platform can detect a wide range of infectious diseases, including dengue and other vector-borne illnesses.

Additionally, the cartridges provided support testing for foodborne pathogens, norovirus, and leptospirosis, enhancing Guyana’s ability to manage both endemic and emerging diseases.

Honourable Dr. Frank Anthony, Minister of Health, emphasised that this new machine will be extremely valuable in delivering timely results and significantly improving the speed and accuracy of disease diagnosis.

Meanwhile, CARPHA’s Executive Director, Dr. Lisa Indar, emphasised the importance of this technology in strengthening regional health security. She noted that the machine’s rapid turnaround time and portability will significantly improve the country’s ability to respond to outbreaks quickly, safeguard communities, and support ongoing surveillance efforts.

The Ministry of Health expressed deep appreciation to CARPHA for its continued partnership and commitment to enhancing public health capacity. The donation to the NPHRL forms part of broader regional initiatives to modernize laboratory systems, strengthen preparedness, and build resilience against current and future health threats.

With this new equipment, Guyana is better positioned to protect its population, support faster clinical decision-making, and reinforce national and regional disease monitoring systems. (Ministry of Health press release)

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Twelve families in Lethem, Region Nine are now officially homeowners through the Government’s Lethem Housing Support Programme, executed by the Ministry of Housing–Central Housing and Planning Authority.

The initiative, conceptualized by His Excellency, President Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali, supports low-income families who face difficulties in building on their allocated lands, by providing access to affordable homes.

Each unit measures 550 square feet and includes two bedrooms and a living and kitchen area, along with a bathroom facility. Valued at approximately $3 million, the homes are supported by a $1 million building-materials subsidy provided by the Ministry, while beneficiaries finance the remaining cost through mortgages. The houses were constructed with the incorporation of locally sourced materials, providing economic support to several communities in the region.

The keys were handed over to the new homeowners on Saturday by the Minister of Housing, Hon. Collin D Croal, and Minister within the Ministry of Housing, Hon. Vanessa Benn

Each unit measures 550 square feet and includes two bedrooms and a living and kitchen area, along with a bathroom facility. (Photo: Ministry of Housing/November 30, 2025)

Sharon Malcolm, a single mother of two, was visibly emotional as she received her keys. She described the moment as one of the happiest of her life and highlighted how transformative it will be for her children.

“My two kids, they can call this their home. So, no more renting… we have our own home.”

She noted that the programme has empowered many single parents like herself to achieve what once felt out of reach, while also helping families build generational wealth.

Another beneficiary, Dennevoll Milliano, applauded the government’s continued investment in the region and shared that the home will primarily benefit his children. “We’re just waiting for this time to get the house so that we move inside,” he said, noting that his family has been anticipating this milestone.

Each unit measures 550 square feet and includes two bedrooms and a living and kitchen area, along with a bathroom facility. (Photo: Ministry of Housing/November 30, 2025)

For single parent Gianne Augustine, the home brings immediate relief after years of renting a cramped one-bedroom space. She said her children are especially excited about finally having adequate room—her daughter most of all.

“When she comes and she see that we have two [rooms] now, she was like excited … I’m feeling very happy, lucky to have a house of my own now,” she expressed.

The programme targets 600 low-income families in Lethem. Minister Croal noted that construction of the first 100 houses is completed. Of these, 78 have already been handed over, while the remaining 22 are undergoing final paperwork before being presented to beneficiaries.

“We are happy to make people’s lives better,” the Minister said, noting that every home handed over reflects a promise fulfilled to families who need it most.

He emphasized that the homes offer families improved shelter and a stronger foundation for their future. (Ministry of Housing press release)

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The Government of Suriname has decided to slash the amount of funds allocated to government ministries and agencies for their annual year-end socials but will still offer the $1,000 Suriname dollars (or about US$26) support for civil servants and some groups.

A release from the office of President Jennifer Geerlings-Simons stated that the socials’ spending has been reduced from 2.4 million Suriname dollars to 500,000 Surname dollars.

The release noted that this decision was made as part of the government’s commitment to “an efficient austerity policy” and as part of measures to “restore the economy in a sustainable manner.”

“This decision stems from the government’s social responsibility and aligns with its commitment to an efficient and frugal spending policy. Taking austerity measures into account, this allows ministries to still carry out their year-end closing,” the release stated.

Former Surinamese President, Chan Santokhi had said that oil royalties equivalent to about US$750 would be distributed to citizens but the new Geerlings-Simons government reportedly shelved this initiative as the country could not sustainably fund that plan.

Meanwhile, the support for some groups of citizens remains unchanged.

“The cabinet emphasizes that this measure has no impact on the previously announced support for citizens. The one-time amount of SRD 1,000 for civil servants and equivalents, persons with disabilities, vulnerable households, and [pensioners] remains unchanged. This financial bonus will be paid out in December 2025,” the release noted.

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Andre Russell, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) legend, has decided to call time on his IPL career after not being retained by the franchise ahead of the 2026 season, and announced that he would be joining the team’s support staff as its “power coach”.

“I’ve made a decision to retire from the IPL. I’ll still be active playing in various leagues all around the world and all the other KKR franchises,” Russell said in a video message. “I had some amazing time and great memories. hitting sixes, winning games, MVP and all of those things.

But sometimes you just have to know when to hang up the boots. When I made this decision, I just felt like ‘yes, this is the best decision’. I don’t want to fade out. I want to leave a legacy and it’s best to retire when fans ask ‘why, you still have some more in you, you still could go for a bit longer’ than say, ‘yeah, you should have done it years back’.

“We are part of the Instagram world, so when you’re going through your feed, you keep seeing yourself in different jerseys and, you know, friends, team-mates sending you stuff and, like, ‘you’re looking good in this jersey, what do you think’ and I’m like, ‘hmmm, I look weird in that jersey’. And it’s just those thoughts that’s been going through my head. I had a few sleepless nights.

There have been a lot of conversations, between me and Mr Venky Mysore, and also Mr Shah Rukh Khan, about another chapter in my IPL journey, and they have shown me respect and love and they appreciate whatever I have been doing in the field and to be in a set-up where I’m familiar, that matters to me a lot.”

Russell, who was part of KKR’s title-winning teams in 2014 and 2024, was also the IPL’s Most Valuable Player in 2019.

Russell won 16 Player-of-the-Match awards at KKR, only behind Sunil Narine’s mark. And that long association has been strengthened with a position in the team’s support staff as “power coach”.

At KKR, Russell will be part of a new-look back room, to be headed by new coach Abhishek Nayar, who has replaced Chandrakant Pandit. Tim Southee has been appointed bowling coach, Shane Watson has joined as assistant coach, and Dwayne Bravo remains in his capacity as team mentor.

As for releasing him ahead of the latest auction, the franchise had deliberated the move ahead of the 2025 mega auction too, before deciding to stall that call. Russell had retired from international cricket in July, having only played the T20 format after the 2019 World Cup.

Ahead of the 2025 mega auction, Russell was among the five players retained by KKR, for INR 12 crore. But as per the IPL’s retention formula, INR 18 crore was added to KKR’s purse for the 2026 auction once they released Russell.

Russell was among the big names released by KKR along with Venkatesh Iyer, Quinton de Kock, Anrich Nortje, Rahmanullah Gurbaz and others.

KKR will have the strongest purse at the IPL auction with INR 64.3 crore, but with just 12 players currently they have a lot of slots to fill.

Russell, 37, has been a constant for the franchise since IPL 2014, after starting out with Delhi Daredevils (now Delhi Capitals) in 2012. A bona fide T20 great, Russell is also a legend of the IPL, one of only two players to score over 2000 runs and pick up 100 wickets in the tournament, Ravindra Jadeja being the other.

In 133 appearances for KKR over the years, Russell scored 2593 runs with 12 fifties, and scored at a strike rate of 174.96, hitting 220 sixes along the way. With the ball, he picked up 122 wickets, including three four-wicket hauls, and took 40 catches. (ESPNcricinfo)

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