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Traffic Chief, Assistant Commissioner Mahendra Singh is urging motorists to “educate themselves” on the proper use of roundabouts as confusion and poor driving practices continue to cause unnecessary congestion and accidents.

During an interview with the News Room on Tuesday, Singh expressed concern that many drivers are still unaware of how roundabouts function, despite repeated public awareness efforts.

“There are many persons who have not been able to acquaint themselves with what a roundabout stands for… Who is given the priority when a roundabout is being used? They still don’t understand what it means to yield,” Singh told the News Room.

He reminded drivers that a roundabout is not a straight stretch of road but a shared space designed to ease traffic flow. Drivers must yield to those already in the roundabout, he stressed, and be mindful of road signs and markings.

Traffic Chief, Mahendra Singh

“As you get to the roundabout, you yield and you give those to the right the priority to move. All of us can’t enter the roundabout at the same time,” Singh explained.

The Traffic Chief noted that educational videos and campaigns on the correct use of roundabouts have been rolled out over the past two years, yet the lack of compliance persists.

He encouraged drivers to adopt a defensive driving mindset and practice the “Cs” of careful driving mainly- caution, courtesy, and consideration.

“If we all navigate it as we should, everyone will get by safely and we wouldn’t have any accidents,” Singh said.

Roundabouts, he reminded, are meant to make traffic smoother and safer but only if drivers understand and respect the rules of the road.

The post ‘Yield and learn’ – Traffic Chief urges drivers as roundabouts still causing chaos, confusion appeared first on News Room Guyana.

Police have launched an investigation into the fatal stabbing of Kevin Alexander, a 30-year-old carpenter of Block 22, Wismar, Linden, who died during a domestic altercation at his home on Monday night.

According to a police report, the incident occurred around 21:45 hrs, following an argument between Alexander and his 28-year-old girlfriend, a housewife who resides at the same address. During the confrontation, the woman allegedly stabbed Alexander once to the left side of his abdomen.

Relatives and public-spirited residents rushed the injured man to the Linden Hospital Complex, but he was pronounced dead on arrival by a doctor on duty.

Police ranks swiftly responded to the scene, and the suspect was arrested and taken into custody as investigators continue to gather evidence and statements.

Alexander’s body is currently at the Gjetsco Funeral Parlour, awaiting a post-mortem examination.

Investigations into the tragic incident are ongoing.

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Guyana is covering the legal fees in the ongoing extradition proceedings of United States-indicted businessmen Nazar and Azruddin Mohamed, in keeping with standard practice and treaty obligations governing extradition cases between the countries.

The government has approved a payment of US$62,558 to Jamaican King’s Counsel Terrence F. Williams, who, along with attorneys Herbert McKenzie and Celine Deidrick, was retained to represent the Guyana Police Force (GPF) in the matter of The Commissioner of Police vs. Nazar Mohamed and Azruddin Mohamed. The payment will be facilitated through the Bank of Guyana, according to an official document seen by the News Room.

The attorneys, renowned across the Caribbean for their expertise in extradition cases, were engaged following advice from Attorney General Anil Nandlall, who confirmed that the arrangement aligns with international standards.

The U.S. Department of State’s Foreign Affairs Manual (7 FAM 1618) clearly sets out that fiscal responsibility in extradition matters generally falls to the requested country—in this case, Guyana. The section titled “Fiscal Responsibility” states:

“Most extradition treaties require the costs of extradition proceedings (other than translation of documents and costs associated with the transfer of the fugitive) to be borne by the requested country.”

In this instance, while the United States has brought the indictments and initiated the extradition request, the financial obligations associated with the local proceedings fall under Guyana’s remit as the requested state.

The United Kingdom–United States Extradition Treaty, which Guyana inherited at independence in 1966, has its own explanation for this framework.

Article 13 of that treaty notes that “all expenses connected with the extradition shall be borne by the High Contracting Party making the application.” In practice, the U.S. State Department clarifies that countries receiving an extradition request typically bear the costs related to local court proceedings, including legal representation.

The extradition case stems from a request by the Government of the United States of America for the surrender of Nazar and Azruddin Mohamed, who were indicted by a U.S. Grand Jury in the Southern District of Florida on multiple counts, including wire fraud, mail fraud, and money laundering linked to a gold export operation valued at approximately US$50 million.

Attorney General Nandlall has also indicated that the decision to select lawyers from outside Guyana—approved by the U.S. government—was intended to maintain transparency and prevent any perception of bias.

The extradition hearings are ongoing in local Magistrates’ Courts as Guyana seeks to meet its treaty-based responsibilities in the matter.

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Kevin Browne, a 48-year-old security officer, died on Sunday after he reportedly fell from the roof of a building at Good Hope, East Coast Demerara. 

Police Headquarters reported that Browne, the Chief Security Officer of Sheriff Security, transported workers to the INFAB building situated on the southern side of the Good Hope Public Road.

According to his 52-year-old friend, workers noticed that sections of the ceiling of the building (INFAB) sustained water damage from the roof.  Browne reportedly went onto the roof to inspect the area, during which he stepped onto a section of the roof that broke, causing him to fall several feet onto the concrete surface below.

The workers rendered immediate assistance and transported Browne to the Enmore Regional Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.  Police also stated that Browne’s 52-year-old friend later visited the police station and made a report. 

The body was taken to Sandy’s Funeral Parlour, awaiting a post-mortem examination.

Investigations are ongoing.

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The Guyana Council of Organisations for Persons with Disabilities (GCOPD) is currently exploring ways to improve the national approach to the early identification and diagnosis of disabilities in children at schools.

Programme Manager of the GCOPD, Ganesh Singh during an interview with the News Room on Monday said this is part of efforts to strengthen education opportunities and promote inclusivity.

Education Minister Sonia Parag and Singh recently met one of the key areas they discussed is the special needs programme.

“Right now, we don’t have a uniformed approach to assessment and diagnosis in Guyana.

“The Minister and her team are very interested in sorting this out so that children with disabilities entering the education system can have a proper diagnosis and an individualised education plan to guide their learning,” Singh said.

Children living with disabilities attend schools and receive support from the Special Education Needs (SEN) Unit of the Ministry of Education. Teachers are able to train to respond to the needs of these students and with scholarships from the Guyana Online Academy of Learning (GOAL), Singh said more teachers are becoming certified.

Minister of Education Sonia Parag was accompanied by Chief Education Officer, Mr. Saddam Hussain and Dr. Keon Cheung, Assistant Chief Education Officer with responsibility for Special Education Needs and Disabilities (SEND) for the meeting with the GCOPD. 

Singh also outlined progress under several programmes, including the virtual Remedial Education Programme, supported by the Ministry of Education. The initiative targets persons with disabilities aged 17 and older who are out of school, offering lessons in English, Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies.

“After a year of continuous assessments, many students go on to sit the CSEC exams.

“Those who don’t yet meet the criteria continue in the remedial programme so they can keep learning,” he said.

He added that through the STEM Robotics Programme, funded by ExxonMobil, more than 200 children with disabilities in 17 special education spaces are learning robotics, technology, and life skills.

Singh said these initiatives are part of wider progress in inclusive education.

“We are seeing significant progress. While there are still gaps, we’re working closely with the Ministry of Education to ensure every child with a disability has the opportunity to learn and thrive,” Singh said.

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President Dr. Irfaan Ali has announced several digitisation targets aimed at improving efficiency across government ministries and agencies.

Speaking on the need to eliminate bureaucratic delays that burden citizens, he outlined strict deadlines for several ministries to fully digitise their operations.

“If someone gotta come to town to process their pension and must go to the Ministry of Finance, to the Accountant General Department, to the Auditor General Department, to NIS, and then some record is not there…you can come back next week and the other week.

“…you lose time, you lose money, you lose efficiency, you lose productivity and you create frustration,” President Ali explained during the launch of the Public Service Upskilling Platform on Monday.

To address this, President Ali directed the Minister of Finance to ensure that within eight months, the National Insurance Scheme (NIS) must have all its records fully digitised.

He also instructed the Minister of Public Service to oversee the complete digitisation of the public service ministry within five months.

“If we have, in every ministry, 10 persons who are experienced in digitising documents, then in the public service, we already have 300 persons who are experienced in digitizing documents, bring all 300 of them in a project way and let us clean the system up,” the Head of State stated.

President Ali insisted that every citizen must be able to access government services through a digital device.

The Ministry of Agriculture has also been given four months to activate a digital platform that will allow farmers to access online education, real-time weather data, extension support, and agricultural technologies directly in the field.

Meanwhile, the government’s single-window approval system, intended to streamline investment and development applications, must become fully optimised within two months.

“If it doesn’t happen, then people will have other priorities that they are interested in working on, and we will give them a chance to explore those other priorities,” he warned.

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Police in Port Kaituma, Region One, launched an investigation after 16-year-old Vernil Fredericks reportedly drowned while swimming on Sunday. The incident occurred at Canal Bank, Port Kaituma.

According to the Police report, at about 14:20 hrs, Fredericks was swimming in the middle of the river when he started screaming for help.

“He was then seen going under the water and did not resurface,” the Police stated.

After a report was made to the Port Kaituma Police Station, ranks responded and assisted citizens in searching for the teen. CPR was administered after his body was recovered, but the efforts were unsuccessful.

Fredericks was subsequently transported to the Port Kaituma Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. The body of the deceased is at the Port Kaituma Mortuary, awaiting a post-mortem examination.

Investigations are ongoing.

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Two key names in local business—MVP Sports and Trophy Stall—were recognized for their outstanding and consistent contributions to Guyanese sport, securing the Corporate Sponsor of the Year accolade for the third consecutive year at the National Sports Commission (NSC) awards.

The twin awards highlight the critical role private sector support plays in developing and sustaining the nation’s athletic talent, from the grassroot level to elite competition.

MVP Sports, spearheaded by businessman Ian Ramdeo, secured the award for Corporate Sponsor of the Year – Medium.

The company has gone far beyond standard corporate responsibility, establishing itself as one of the most consistent and passionate supporters of athletes, teams, and associations nationwide.

Diverse Impact: MVP Sports has left its mark on virtually every discipline, from athletics and football to cricket and basketball.

More Than Retail: For many sports organisations and athletes, MVP Sports is seen as the backbone of their support system, providing gear and crucial assistance when it matters most.

Speaking to News Room Sport, Ramdeo expressed gratitude for the recognition but emphasised the importance of the event itself.

“While we are happy to receive the award, we’re more heartened by the format of the evening, which celebrates our sportsmen and women in a way they deserve,” he said.

“We are excited to see the continued raising of the bar in much-needed support and recognition of our athletes at all levels.”

Meanwhile, the familiar name of Trophy Stall, operated by proprietor Ramesh Sunich and his family, was awarded Corporate Sponsor of the Year – Small.

Trophy Stall has consistently been an ardent supporter of Guyanese sport, and 2024 was no exception.

The entity funded the Trophy Stall golf tournament and supported numerous other competitions, donating crucial awards and trophies to major tournaments, including the One Guyana T10 Tapeball Blast and the KFC Goodwill International Football tournament.

Support was extended across a wide range of disciplines, from horse racing and softball to draughts, futsal, and beach football.

In accepting the award, Sunich dedicated the honour to his staff, stating: “This award is not mine alone. I dedicate it to the hardworking and committed staff of Trophy Stall. They are the real champions behind this achievement… Every time a young athlete holds up one of those trophies, it represents hard work, dreams, and success—and we are happy to share in that moment.”

Both companies pledged to continue their unwavering commitment, promising a brighter future for sports in Guyana through collaboration with the NSC, athletes, and sporting associations.

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The Customs Anti-Narcotic Unit (CANU) has issued wanted bulletins for three foreign nationals in connection with a recent major drug bust at Parika, East Bank Essequibo (EBE).

Those wanted are Venezuelans Richard Daniel Rodriguez Criollo and Hernan Dario Martinez Canon, along with Colombian Camilo Morales Gonzalez of Hadfield Street, Wortmanville, Georgetown.

According to CANU, on Friday, November 7, ranks conducted an operation at a residence in Hydronie, Parika, EBE.

During the search, officers discovered several parcels containing a whitish powdery substance suspected to be cocaine.

Three suspects were arrested at the scene and taken to CANU’s headquarters along with the suspected narcotic, which, when tested, proved positive for cocaine weighing 23.958 kilograms.

Anyone with information on the whereabouts of the wanted men is asked to contact CANU at telephone number 226-0431.

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The Ministry of Public Service, Government Efficiency and Implementation has officially launched a national upskilling initiative in partnership with Coursera, aimed at transforming Guyana’s public sector through world-class training.

The programme, officially launched on Monday at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre, will provide free and continuous learning opportunities to public servants across all regions and support efforts to modernise operations and improve efficiency.

Through the Coursera platform, public servants will have access to a wide range of courses including foreign languages, beginner-to-advanced Microsoft Excel, project management, and website development. These courses are designed to strengthen job performance.

President Irfaan Ali (Photo: Office of the President/November 10, 2025)

Minister of Public Service, Zulfikar Ally, said the initiative underscores the government’s commitment to human-capital development, describing it as essential to empowering “the people who make government work.” He emphasised that the programme is not limited to current job functions but serves as an investment in personal and professional growth. Participants will earn certificates upon completion, which will be tied to professional development and future promotions within the public service.

President Irfaan Ali and Minister Zulfikar Ally along with officials from Coursera (Photo: Office of the President/November 10, 2025)

President Dr Irfaan Ali, who delivered featured remarks at the launch, called for an “agile, results-driven and accountable public service backed by skilled human capital and technology.”

He described the Coursera partnership as a foundational pillar of the new public service the government is building.

The President also said the programme will prepare public servants not only for local responsibilities but for global opportunities.

President Ali added that the digital learning system will enhance equity, remove biases, simplify processes, and strengthen Guyana’s digital economy.

“This initiative will become the foundational pillar of the new public service we are fashioning. We are building the human capital that will ignite the future of Guyana,” President Ali said.

He reiterated his expectation that Guyana’s public servants must be equipped to lead systems, solve problems, and make government services more accessible.

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