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Eight of Guyana’s top secondary schools will compete in the 2025 Republic Bank U-18 Secondary Schools Football League, with the champions earning a coveted automatic place in the KFC International Schools Football Championship.

The league, now in its second year and backed by Republic Bank, was officially launched this week in Georgetown and will kick off on Sunday, 19 October.

Qualification for the tournament was secured based on earlier performances in the Milo Schools’ Football tournament.

The eight participating institutions represent four regions, setting up a clash between regional powerhouses. Chase’s Academic Foundation, the defending league champions, are among the early favourites.

The biggest prize is a slot in the prestigious KFC International Schools Football Championship, which will be hosted in Guyana in December.

The qualification rules, however, feature a key contingency related to Chase’s Academic Foundation, who are also the current KFC International Schools champions:

If Chase’s Academic Foundation wins the Republic Bank league, the international qualification berth will pass to the runner-up.

If any other team lifts the Republic Bank trophy, that team will automatically secure a spot in the December tournament.

The league champions will also secure $300,000  for a school development project.

Substantial financial rewards are also available for second ($200,000), third ($100,000), and fourth ($50,000)- place finishers.

At the launch, officials emphasised the developmental importance of the league format.

Republic Bank Internal Audit Manager Oral Rose affirmed the bank’s investment: “This league is a shining example of our commitment, a space where talent meets opportunity and where teamwork builds character and confidence.”

Troy Mendonca, Co-Director of the Petra Organisation, highlighted the competitive structure. “A football league like this is developmental in nature, where each team has the opportunity to play each other; that fosters growth, teamwork, and resilience,” he said.

The eight participating teams are: Abram Zuil Secondary (Region Two), Bush Lot Secondary (Region Five), President’s College (Region Four), Chase’s Academic Foundation (Region Four), Charlestown Secondary (Region Four), West Ruimveldt Secondary (Region Four), Dolphin Secondary (Region Four) and Three Miles Secondary (Region Seven)

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Yashasvi Jaiswal consolidated his stature among best current Test batters with his seventh hundred, and B Sai Sudharsan moved closer to answering India’s call for a No. 3 with a near-flawless 87 as they piled on 318 for 2 after their captain Shubman Gill won his first toss in seven attempts.

On a typically slow Feroz Shah Kotla track, the West Indies bowling was disciplined – no extras through the day – without being penetrative in the first and final sessions; in the middle session, they lost all accuracy as India plundered 126 runs without a wicket.

Jaiswal just reacted purely to what was bowled at him. He was watchful for the first hour, then cashed in on some loose bowling, and then tightened up again as West Indies found their bearings in the final session.

At one point, when Jaiswal was on 93, the fast bowlers had served him six half-volley boundaries, four short-ball boundaries, and one off just fuller than good length. Against good-length balls, Jaiswal didn’t try to score boundaries.

Jaiswal is now level with Graeme Smith for most centuries as an opener under the age of 24. Among all India batters, only Sachin Tendulkar scored more hundreds before his 24th birthday. Of course, for the fifth time out of his seven centuries, Jaiswal went past 150. Only Don Bradman had more scores of 150 or more before turning 24.

The other 23-year-old, Sudharsan, would have desperately wanted to get his count going. Chosen to play Test cricket with a first-class average under 40, he must feel under a little pressure as the No. 3 in a country full of batting talent.

He came out to join Jaiswal early on after Jomel Warrican spun one alarmingly past the bat of KL Rahul. Sudharsan added 197 for the second wicket with Jaiswal, played his first false shot on 58 and was dropped, and got out to only his third false shot in a 165-ball innings: again a Warrican delivery that turned alarmingly.

However, these were possibly the only threatening deliveries all day. Absent that, West Indies needed continued discipline to test India at a venue where they haven’t lost in 38 years. There was enough of it from the three seamers in the first hour: 12 overs, 29 runs, openers kept honest. Once the openers had sussed the conditions and the bowling out, though, runs started to flow more easily.

Out of character, Rahul lofted the left-arm spin of Khary Pierre over long-on in only the second over of spin on offer. When he looked to do the same to Warrican, the more established left-arm spinner beat him in the air and then the ball turned 8.4 degrees to have him stumped for 38 off 54.

Jaiswal, who missed out in the first match, likes to hit sixes more than Rahul, but stayed away from aerial hits in this innings. A nudge here, a flick there, and he went into lunch having accelerated from 10 off 35 to 40 off 78.

Sudharsan was given a gentle welcome with a full toss on the pads, which he put away for four, but no generosity measures up to the start of the second session.

Jayden Seales began with two short and wide balls, which Jaiswal put away for fours. You would hope Seales wasn’t bowling for the cut shot, which has got Jaiswal out five times in his career, because it is also a shot that is extremely productive for him. In the same over, Seales also bowled a half-volley for four.

Sudharsan joined the party from the other end. Roston Chase started the middle session with a delivery similar to the one that got Sudharsan lbw in the first Test, but Sudharsan played the punch as opposed to the pull for four.

Sai Sudharsan was afforded a relatively easy start•Oct 10, 2025•AFP/Getty Images

West Indies were all over the place. There was a boundary ball almost every over of the first hour after lunch. Sudharsan got another full toss outside leg, then a half-volley for four to bring up his second Test fifty. In between, he played excellent punches off the back foot, something that would prove to be his downfall eventually.

Seales ended the session as he began, getting cut for four, but came back immediately after tea to bowl a spell of 4-0-6-0 with the reversing ball. Nine overs at the start of the final session brought 24 runs, but West Indies needed someone to keep that pressure up. Pierre, though, offered five easy singles in one over immediately.

Against the run of play, Warrican trapped Sudharsan lbw with a ball that turned 6.4 degrees. As with Rahul, though, the main job was done in the air. Bowled flat, but still full, it caught Sudharsan back when he should have been forward. Because it turned more than it had usually done, it gave Sudharsan no time to recover from the misjudgement of length.

Jaiswal and Gill took India to stumps without any further loss. They were largely watchful except for two aerial sweeps from Gill. They even saw through a 44-ball period without a boundary, which ended with a full toss. Before going into stumps, the ever-hungry Jaiswal took another go at the buffet before packing up, scoring 17 in overs 87 and 88 to end up on 173 off 253. (ESPNcricinfo) 

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Minister of Agriculture Zulfikar Mustapha has said soya production output will be doubled with plans to cultivate 12,000 acres of soya twice per year by 2026.

The initiative, which forms part of the government’s wider push toward agricultural expansion and food security, is expected to make Guyana a net exporter of soya within the Caribbean. The soya cultivation continues to expand with 5,000 acres recently under cultivation and a record of 12,000 cultivated by farmers in 2024. Now, the government hopes to double this.

Minister of Agriculture, Zulfikar Mustapha at the launch of Agriculture Month 2025.

“We are looking to have de-subsection by next year because this crop starts now and will end by March of next year.

“I am hoping that we can do 12,000 acres two times per year, and then after that, we’ll be a net exporter in the Caribbean,” the Minister stated.

Minister Mustapha said this is setting the foundation for consistent, large-scale cultivation. He added that the sector’s long-term goal is not only to meet domestic demand but also to supply neighbouring Caribbean states, solidifying Guyana’s role as the region’s “breadbasket.”

He noted that increased production will not only boost regional exports but also help Guyana achieve self-sufficiency and reduce its reliance on imported commodities.

“As long as we can reduce the cost here in imports and we can be self-sufficient, we can save approximately US$40 million,” Minister Mustapha said.

The move aligns with the CARICOM 25 by 2025 + 5 initiative which seeks to reduce the region’s food import bill by 25 percent by the year 2025. Guyana, as the lead country for agriculture and food security within CARICOM, has been spearheading efforts to improve productivity and modernise farming practices through investment in drainage, irrigation, and new technology.

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Newly appointed Minister of Public Service, Government Efficiency and Implementation, Zulfikar Ally has assured public servants that the changes being introduced under his leadership are aimed at improving transparency, efficiency, and accountability and not taking away jobs.

During a recent appearance on the National Communications Network (NCN) programme, ‘Beyond the Title,’ Minister Ally outlined the government’s modernisation efforts.

“People want to go to Government agencies and get through with their transaction very quickly. They don’t want a government department that closes at 12 for lunch, because that’s the time that they get lunch, and that’s the only time that they can transact business,” the minister said.

Minister Ally added that citizens do not want to apply for a licence or visit the NIS without knowing where to go to complete their transactions. For this reason, he explained that change in the system will strengthen operations and bring every worker up to speed with modern technology and will not lead to job losses or difficulty adapting to new systems.

“Some people are thinking that with change comes, ‘I may not have my job anymore or I may not be able to function.’ That is not the change we are bringing.

“The change that we are bringing is one where we will make the system more transparent and upscale everyone to ensure that they are in touch with the modern world,” Minister Ally said.

The Minister said new technologies, including artificial intelligence, are being introduced to make day-to-day work more efficient. Notably, the minister’s experience abroad have affirmed his certainty that Guyana can achieve world-class standards but a shift is necessary.

He added that the ministry’s system should also be able to identify whether employees have received annual training, a measure aimed at promoting fairness and reducing managerial favouritism.

Minister Ally said that implementation and accountability will be key moving forward. Guyana is undergoing massive projects that cannot be left to run at their usual pace.

“Implementation is very important, and we have to be on top of it. We can’t start projects and just allow them to go with the normal speed of things. We have to ensure that people are doing their work,” he said.

The Minister reaffirmed his commitment to building a more transparent, efficient, and forward-looking system where all employees are empowered to perform at their best in an evolving, technology-driven environment.

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BBC – New York Attorney General Letitia James has been criminally indicted on federal charges by a grand jury.

James, who led a civil fraud investigation against Trump in 2023, was indicted on charges of bank fraud in Alexandria, Virginia, according to court documents.

Prosecutors accuse James of making false statements to a bank regarding a mortgage loan for a house in Norfolk, Virginia, the documents state.

The BBC has contacted James’ office for comment.

In a statement, the US prosecutor assigned to the case, Lindsey Halligan, said “no one is above the law”.

“The charges as alleged in this case represent intentional, criminal acts and tremendous breaches of the public’s trust,” she said. “The facts and the law in this case are clear, and we will continue following them to ensure that justice is served.”

Trump appointed Halligan, his former personal attorney, to oversee the case after another US prosecutor, Erik Siebert, resigned. Siebert was reportedly ousted after he told the justice department he had not found sufficient evidence to charge James.

The justice department has been investigating James for mortgage fraud, alleging she falsified bank and property records to receive better loan agreements, an administration official told the BBC.

Officials with the Federal Housing Finance Agency accused James of claiming a property in Norfolk, Virginia, as her primary residence in 2023 – when she was the top New York prosecutor – to secure a lower interest rate on a loan.

Mortgages for primary residences typically come with better terms. James said she had made a mistake with the form and later sent an email to the bank stating that it was not her primary residence.

Trump last month called on US Attorney General Pam Bondi, who leads the justice department, in a social media post to prosecute his political opponents, including James.

“We can’t delay any longer, it’s killing our reputation and credibility,” he wrote.

James was one of several Trump adversaries named in that post. He also called on Bondi to investigate former FBI Director James Comey, who pleaded not guilty on Wednesday after being charged with making a false statement to Congress.

The justice department has also reportedly opened investigations into Trump’s ex-national security adviser John Bolton and California Democratic Senator Adam Schiff.

In the civil fraud case brought by James, Trump was found liable of falsifying records to secure better loan deals, leading to a $500m (£375m) fine. The penalty was thrown out by an appeals court, which called the fine excessive, though it upheld that Trump was liable for fraud.

During the case, Trump would frequently attack James outside of the courtroom, accusing her of carrying out a “political witch hunt” against him. James said the courts had ruled that Trump was “not above the law”.

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Press Release from the Guyana Football Federation

The Guyana Football Federation (GFF) is pleased to announce that SRKN Engineering has officially submitted the final package of bid documents, drawings, and related materials for Phase One of the Blue Water Shipping Stadium Project.

This submission represents a major milestone in the realisation of one of the most significant infrastructure projects in Guyana’s sporting history, marking another decisive step toward delivering a state-of-the-art national football facility that will serve both elite and community-level football.

The public tender process for the project will be launched locally and internationally, in strict alignment with FIFA Forward Regulations and procurement guidelines.

This approach ensures a transparent, competitive, and globally compliant process, reflecting the GFF’s commitment to governance and quality assurance in football development.

Phase 1 of the Blue Water Shipping Stadium Project will include:

• The construction of two mini-pitches located along the Hadfield Street boundary.
• Installation of perimeter fencing.
• Foundational and supporting infrastructure works, and other key facilities required to operationalise the two mini-pitches, which will be utilised for grassroots football development, community futsal tournaments and FIFA Football for schools (F4S) programme.

These initial works will establish the foundation upon which the full stadium complex will be built, creating new opportunities for youth and community engagement while laying the groundwork for a modern national football home.

Following the submission of the final tender documents, the project will advance through several important stages:

• FIFA Review: The complete package, including all architectural and engineering drawings, will be submitted to FIFA for technical review to ensure compliance with international design and construction standards.
• GFF Technical Evaluation: The GFF’s internal technical team will conduct a detailed review, focusing on design accuracy, cost parameters, sustainability, and functionality. Consultations will also be held with SRKN to clarify and refine any outstanding elements.

• Joint planning with Blue Water Shipping: Once all feedback has been incorporated, the GFF will meet formally with the management of Blue Water Shipping to finalise the Phase One rollout plan, including timelines, resource commitments, and coordination mechanisms.

The GFF remains in constant communication with Blue Water Shipping and FIFA, and is making every effort to launch the public tender process as soon as possible, with the goal of commencing construction before the end of 2025.

The Federation underscores that, once the consultation, review, and due diligence processes are completed, it will move swiftly to advance to the construction stage.

GFF President Wayne Forde expressed his appreciation for the continued public enthusiasm surrounding the project, stating:

“I am deeply moved by the eagerness and optimism shown by the football community and the wider public to see this facility come to fruition. The Blue Water Shipping Stadium is envisioned to be a standard-bearer for sporting infrastructure in Guyana, one that embodies excellence, inclusivity, and national pride.”

He added, “This progress would not have been possible without the steadfast partnership of the Blue Water Shipping management and the continued support of the Government of Guyana. Together, we are not only building a stadium, we are building a sturdy foundation for the growth and development of Guyana’s football.”

The GFF extends its gratitude to all partners and stakeholders for their continued trust and patience as we works diligently to deliver a facility that will transform the football landscape of Guyana.

Further updates will be provided as the project progresses.

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As investigations continue into a recent drug bust at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA), head of the Customs Anti Narcotic Unit (CANU), James Singh, said the body is collaborating with international partners.

On September 20, CANU officers discovered 147 pounds of cocaine during an operation at the airport. The narcotics were reportedly intended for a KLM flight destined for Amsterdam. Singh told reporters on Thursday that eight persons have been questioned as part of the probe.

“We had one person in custody and the investigation is still ongoing. We have questioned several persons because of the complexity of when drugs are found, and there was nobody physically present. That is one of the reasons we are working with our international partners to determine where it was going and who may have been on the end to receive it,” Singh stated.

While Singh declined to provide specific details, he underscored the importance of building a strong evidential case.

“I am not at liberty to give more details, but like with every investigation, it is not who you found with the drugs. The key here is the person has to give testimony. Persons make reference to ‘big fish’, we have an idea who is behind this. The difference is that is intelligence; to put that to court now is where the hard work is,” he explained.

Head of CANU, James Singh

He added that while the public often expects swift arrests and convictions, international narcotics investigations can take time because evidence collected locally may need to be used in foreign jurisdictions.

“Often times it may take a little longer but considering the fact that this was an international operation, obviously we have to work with our colleagues overseas to ensure that it is not just what we do here but it has to match what is happening because the evidence we have here will be used in another territory if there is an opportunity to lay charges there,” Singh noted.

Regarding airport security footage, Singh said investigators have a fair idea of how the drugs were placed at the airport, but declined to elaborate further.

“We have an idea as to how the drugs got there but I am not going to say too much on that right now because I would be telling the person what not to do next time or why we are looking,” he stated.

Singh further reiterated that some aspects of the probe cannot be made public to avoid jeopardising ongoing investigations.

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Guyana has now joined several Caribbean countries in strengthening its response to new and emerging drug threats with the official launch of its National Early Warning System (EWS).

The system, developed in line with international best practices and guidelines, is designed to detect, assess, and respond swiftly to new psychoactive substances (NPS) and other emerging drug threats. It brings together law enforcement, health, and forensic agencies to share information in real time, aiming to prevent the rapid spread of harmful substances and strengthen Guyana’s overall public health and national security frameworks.

Head of the Customs Anti Narcotic Unit (CANU), James Singh, underscored that the success of the EWS depends on close collaboration among stakeholders. Singh explained that the system was conceptualised as part of Guyana’s broader commitment to public safety. Its aim is to strengthen institutional coordination, integrate scientific data into operations, and ultimately save lives.

“When a new drug or when a new dangerous substance emerges whether it is on the streets, a lab or the hospital, the Early Warning System will ensure that that data is captured, verified and translated into actionable intelligence for all relevant stakeholders. This is not just about a technical development, it is a national safeguard and one that will save lives,” Singh said.

Stakeholders at the launch of the Early Warning System on Thursday

He further explained that new psychoactive substances, often disguised in products such as herbal mixtures, candy, and vaping products, pose unique challenges because users are often unaware of the substances’ true composition.

The Inter-American Drug Abuse Control Commission (CICAD) guidelines of the Organization of American States (OAS) was used to help develop the system.

Pernell Clarke, a specialist from CICAD, highlighted that the region’s drug market is increasingly defined by NPS.

“The drug problem in our region continues to evolve, and while traditional drugs continued to be trafficked and consumed – cocaine, marijuana, that is still happening, that is not going away, the drug market in our region is today defined by the emergence of new psychoactive substances and synthetic drugs, opiods such as fentanyl have resulted in dire consequences for several of our OAS member states, particularly those in North America,” Clarke said.

Clarke also highlighted that these substances are often mixed with drugs such as cocaine and cannabis and other substances to increase their toxicity and often times, the health risk.

Meanwhile, Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Narine Singh, called the launch a significant milestone in safeguarding public health. He noted that drug use is both a public health and social issue that affects families and communities, with traditional drugs now being altered and combined with synthetic substances.

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Balram Bessessar, a 49-year-old labourer of Stewartville, West Coast Demerara, was charged with the murder of his 15-year-old stepson and remanded to prison. 

He appeared at the Vreed-en-Hoop Magistrate Court. He was not required to plead and was remanded to prison. His next court date is October 10. 

His stepson, Sudesh Singh, died from a chop wound.

Police had reported that the teen and his stepfather had a misunderstanding over the man’s bicycle, which the teen had used, and caused the chain to slip. As a result, an argument ensued between them, and the stepfather reportedly ran into his kitchen, picked up a cutlass, rushed towards Singh, and chopped him. This caused the teen to receive injuries to his neck, and he fell to the ground.

The stepfather then walked out of the yard and went to the Leonora Police Station, where he reported the matter. He was arrested and placed into custody pending further investigation.

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