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Ranks from the Guyana Police Force Narcotics Branch, in collaboration with officers from Regional Police Division Six, on Wednesday conducted a major eradication exercise at Kuyorokuri Creek, Upper Berbice River, where more than $1 billion worth of cannabis was discovered and destroyed.

During the exercise, Police Headquarters said the ranks uncovered an open savannah with six cannabis farms spanning a total of 21 acres.

The farms contained approximately 118,000 marijuana plants ranging in height from two to seven feet.

More than $1 billion worth of cannabis was discovered and destroyed during the operation (Photos: GPF/October 02, 2025)

In addition, eight camps and ten drying areas were found in the vicinity. These contained a combined total of 2,500 pounds of dried cannabis, which, along with the plants, was destroyed by fire.

The ranks also discovered and seized a quantity of machinery and equipment used in the cultivation of the farms, including one tractor, seven tilling machines, one chainsaw, two generators, six weeding machines, three mistblowers, 16 spray cans, and nine water pumps, Police said.

The exercise was incident-free.

The total street value of the narcotics destroyed is over $1 billion. This includes $39,978,400 for the cannabis plants and $1,020,582,000 for the dried cannabis.

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A new government-funded programme to help poor or low-income families with the construction of houses and various housing improvement projects will be rolled out next year, Vice President Dr Bharrat Jagdeo said on Thursday.

The Vice President told reporters that a survey will be launched soon to gather data on income levels and people’s needs in communities all across the country. This survey should be completed before the passage of the next national budget.

“As soon as we roll the programme out in the budget next year, they will start receiving help,” Jagdeo said at a press conference held at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre, Liliendaal.

“We are working at rolling this out in the new budget next year.”

However, he clarified that eligible persons will benefit from assistance grants and other financial support for home improvement projects. Entire houses will not be constructed, he said.

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An interest-free development bank expected to support citizens’ business ventures should be fully established by the end of 2026, Vice President Dr Bharrat Jagdeo said on Thursday.

Ahead of the 2025 elections, the now re-elected People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) touted the establishment of this bank. It is expected to offer loans at zero percent interest and introduce a co-investment model to ease collateral requirements.

As the government forges ahead with this venture, Jagdeo said stakeholders are working on its development.

“Next week we are meeting to have a discussion on the second draft of the concept,” he told reporters at a press conference.

Jagdeo, who is also the General Secretary of the PPP/C, said those working on the concept are clear about what the government wants for this venture. He also said funds for the venture will be in the next national budget.

About US$200 million in seed funding will be used in this venture. Jagdeo said the funds will be disbursed in tranches.

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President Irfaan Ali on Thursday provided updates on a series of critical infrastructure projects aimed at boosting connectivity and economic expansion across Guyana.

Speaking at an Energy Insight’s Breakfast, the President said construction of the new Berbice River Bridge will commence this year. The new Berbice River Bridge will be a massive, modern structure quite similar to the new Demerara Crossing. The new bridge is expected to replace the floating structure built in 2008.

“This year will we not only complete the Demerara River Bridge and the new highways, but we will also start the new Berbice River Bridge, we will complete the Wismar Bridge and we will also commence the Kurupukari Bridge because these are critical infrastructure,” President Ali stated.

Construction of the US$35 million Mackenzie-Wismar Bridge began on April 8, 2024. The mega project, executed by China Railway Construction Corporation Limited, includes the construction of a four-lane 220-metre-long precast concrete bridge that includes essential safety features such as lighting and sidewalks.

The new Kurupukari Bridge should start soon too. Once completed, it will replace the pontoon crossing across the Kurupukari River along the Linden/Lethem Trail.

In terms of road expansion, several four-lane highways are underway or set to begin.

These include the Wales to Parika highway, the Del Conte to Goshen road, the Mahaica to Rosignol four-lane continuation, and the New Amsterdam to Moleson Creek highway. President Ali also revealed that construction will soon begin on the deep water port in Berbice.

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Retold by Danielle Swain; danielle@newsroom.gy | Photography by Shatanand Anude | Videography by Yusuf Ali

“Cricket is my favourite game,” says 16-year-old Deyana Williams without hesitation.

She first picked up a bat in Waramuri, Moruca, a village in Barima-Waini, the far northwest of Guyana, where rivers wind through dense forests and spill into a brown Atlantic. When her family later moved south to Batavia, in the Cuyuni-Mazaruni, she carried the game with her.

Women from Batavia and Karrau face off in a seven-a-side cricket match in Batavia, Guyana.

In Batavia, where the Cuyuni River bends wide and the sports ground, like those in many Indigenous villages, doubles as a gathering place, Williams found a new stage. It was here she honed her game before going on to represent Region Seven in softball. Still, her ambitions stretch further, to step into hardball cricket, to one day wear national colours.

“My dream would be to play for Guyana,” she says.

Her favourite player is Shimron Hetmyer. “I like his style,” she adds, smiling. Already, there are glimpses, forty-five runs and a hat trick in a match against Karrau.

For now, Williams remains on the village pitch, an all-rounder in the making. But like so many young cricketers across Guyana and the West Indies, she plays for more than herself. She plays for the dream that cricket has always promised, that from a clearing by the river, one might rise to stadium lights.

Batavia is a small Indigenous community of about 700 people along the Cuyuni River in Guyana’s Cuyuni-Mazaruni region (Region Seven). Its Dutch name means “ancient district,” but the village is better known for its rich Indigenous traditions. Just a short boat ride from Bartica, Batavia has a character of its own. The community is spread across several parts, with Arian Island serving as a hub for education and business, and the sports ground at the heart of recreation.

About People of the Republic: The News Room team travels across Guyana, capturing stories from Guyanese to highlight our collective identity. ‘People of the Republic’ showcases these tales, connecting us as a nation and celebrating our shared humanity, one story at a time.

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President Dr. Irfaan Ali has announced that his government will move swiftly to ensure every Guyanese has access to a bank account. He made the commitment on Thursday at the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s Energy Insights Brief 2025.

The Ali-led government has long spoken about financial inclusion as a vital step in expanding economic opportunities for citizens.

“We have to be able in the shortest timeframe to ensure that every Guyanese has a bank account, even if the government must incentivise the opening of those bank accounts,” President Ali stated.

In April 2025, President Ali had revealed that Guyanese will be able to tap into more economic opportunities like co-investing in national projects, as part of the government’s commitment to achieving shared prosperity.

For this to happen, citizens must be integrated into the financial system and be better positioned to benefit from such ventures.

In April, Ali explained these ventures will span small, medium, and large-scale initiatives and are designed to generate higher returns for ordinary Guyanese while transforming the nation’s economic landscape.

At the same time, plans are also underway for a countrywide financial literacy campaign to empower citizens to manage and grow their own ventures.

These efforts will be supported by increased grants. Last year, every Guyanese citizen 18 and above received a $100,000 cash grant. During the 2025 campaign, citizens were assured that they will benefit from more cash grants and increases.

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On September 29, the Guyana Marine Conservation Society (GMCS) in partnership with SBM Offshore Guyana, officially launched a booklet featuring the culture and stories of the Warrau Indigenous people of Guyana. The launch, held at the National Centre for Educational Resources Development (NCERD), marked a significant step in preserving the Warrau language, culture, and heritage. Designed as both an educational and cultural resource, the booklet reflects a growing commitment to ensuring that Indigenous languages and traditions are preserved through education and community engagement.

GMCS is currently working with Indigenous communities in the Barima Mora Passage (BMP), Region 1 to conserve biodiversity while advancing education, awareness, and community capacity in natural resource management. The organisation also promotes sustainable livelihoods that strengthen conservation and community well-being, while supporting and celebrating Indigenous culture and traditions.

A Glimpse of Warrau Culture is the fourth book in the BMP adventure series produced by GMCS with support from SBM Offshore Guyana. This booklet features a rich collection of stories, cultural references, language exercises, and illustrations that bring the traditions of the Warrau people to life. Beyond being a teaching aid, it is intended to serve as a bridge between generations, giving young learners access to their ancestral language while fostering cultural pride. Complementary activities such as storytelling sessions, workshops, and cultural performances will also be organised in schools and community centres across Region One to encourage interactive learning experiences. These initiatives aim to create interactive spaces where students and teachers can connect with the Warrau heritage in a meaningful and lasting way. The booklet also celebrates the work of Indigenous artist Courtney Douglas, who painted the mural of the Warrau story which is on display at the Imbotero Research Centre in the Barima Mora Passage. His mural inspired the illustrations of the “Sky People” depicted in the booklet.

From left to right: SBM Offshore Guyana’s (SBM) Sustainability Intern, Miriam Ogle; Director of NCERD, Omwattie Ramdin; SBM’s Operations Sustainability Officer, Uma Madray; SBM’s General Manager, Martin Cheong; GMCS Co-Founder and Project Director, Mrs. Annette Arjoon-Martins; SBM’s Sustainability Lead, Gwenetta Fordyce and Group Communication Business Partner, Jonelle De Veira

During the launch, Director of NCERD, Omwattie Ramdin, noted that as a former teacher, she has a deep appreciation for the initiative. She said, “We gather here not just to unveil a book but rather to have a peep into a window… through which younger generations and future scholars may look, learn and come to appreciate and celebrate the heritage of the Warrau people.”

Mrs. Annette Arjoon-Martins, GMCS Co-Founder and Project Director, in her remarks thanked SBM Offshore Guyana for their continued support.

“Thanks to SBM (Offshore Guyana) for making this possible. But best of all, it (the partnership) allowed (the creation of]) a suite of awareness tools using technology from the booklets to the animations, to the videos, to even a documentary,” she posited.

SBM Offshore Guyana’s General Manager, Martin Cheong reinforced the company’s commitment to support cultural preservation, noting, “This booklet is a beautiful celebration of heritage and identity, created to ensure that the stories, traditions and wisdom of the Warrau people continue to inspire this generation and those to come. At SBM Offshore Guyana, we believe sustainability is about more than protecting the environment; it is also about valuing people, their culture and knowledge. Today’s launch is a shining example of that vision in action.”

He noted that SBM Offshore Guyana is also supporting an Indigenous language database to further preserve the culture of Guyana’s first people.

This initiative aligns with the company’s local development priorities, particularly addressing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 4: Quality Education and Goal 10: Reduced Inequalities. By equipping schools and communities with culturally grounded resources, the booklet strengthens Indigenous identity while empowering youth across Guyana.

The launch was attended by representatives from the Ministry of Education, Protected Areas Commission, Iwokrama, Conservation International Guyana, EMC Foundation, other partners, and members of the Indigenous community themselves, underscoring the importance of cultural ownership in initiatives of this kind (Press release)

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See below the full release from Scotiabank:

Effective November 1, 2025, The Bank of Nova Scotia (BNS) will transfer its Guyana banking operations to Scotiabank Guyana Inc. (SGI), a locally registered company which is a direct, wholly-owned subsidiary of Bank of Nova Scotia Canada. SGI has already been incorporated in Guyana and has been granted a license to conduct banking business and provide financial services under the Financial Institutions Act. This transfer will have no impact to customers, employees, suppliers, or any other stakeholder.

The Bank of Nova Scotia has been operating as a branch in Guyana since 1968 but has taken the decision to reorganise its business for greater efficiency and capital management. This structure is in alignment with Scotiabank’s other global operations, including those in the Caribbean region (The Bahamas, Barbados, Cayman, Dominican Republic, Jamaica and Trinidad & Tobago and Turks & Caicos) and Latin America (Brazil, Chile, Mexico, Peru), which operate as subsidiaries.

The main change resulting from this reorganization is the new name of the company. Clients and suppliers already know the bank as Scotiabank but will now start to see the new name of “Scotiabank Guyana Inc.” as its legal name, as opposed to the previous name “The Bank of Nova Scotia”.

Jabar Singh, President & CEO, Scotiabank Colpatria (Colombia), Head, Scotiabank Caribbean and Central America, reinforced the Bank’s commitment to growing its business in Guyana under the new legal structure, indicating “We have made several recent investments, including technology enhancements to our Mobile App, the introduction of payment solutions for retail self-checkout kiosks, the digitisation of our client onboarding process, expansion of our ABM footprint, and incremental bandwidth upgrades. The Bank also plans to expand its client coverage and business portfolio in Guyana. This includes enhancements to Global Transaction Banking (GTB) products and services, and Global Banking and Markets (GBM) services such as investment banking, cash management and trade finance.”

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The Guyana Motor Racing and Sports Club (GMR&SC) is set to expand its national reach, announcing that Berbice’s first-ever drag racing event will occur on October 12.

The inaugural Berbice Drag Race represents a significant push by the GMR&SC to decentralise the sport and bring high-octane action to the ‘Ancient County’.

The event, which will feature top-tier machines from across Guyana in a quarter-mile shootout, will be held at the Rose Hall Canjie Airstrip.

Racing is scheduled to begin at 10:00h.

GMR&SC Vice President Mohamed Shiraz Roshandin confirmed that the move addresses long-standing demand from the region.

“For years, the ancient county of Berbice has been asking to be a part of our calendar of activities, and this year we put in a bit more work to include them,” Roshandin said.

He noted that securing a suitable venue was the main challenge: “One of the hardest parts was finding a venue that we could safely host the event. A place where we would have a long enough distance to run the quarter mile and still be able to have spectators view it safely.”

The Rose Hall Canjie Airstrip was confirmed following extensive preparation.

Senior racers and club executives will visit the site later this week to finalise safety checks.

The turn-out for this debut fixture will be crucial, with Roshandin adding that its success will determine if it becomes a permanent fixture on the GMR&SC calendar.

Tickets are available at the gate:Adults: $2,000 and Children: $1,000.

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West Indies Test captain Roston Chase has made it clear that the tourists are aiming for an upset victory in the upcoming two-match Test series against India, drawing inspiration from New Zealand’s recent success against the home side.

Chase stated that the primary goal is to play “positive cricket” throughout the series, echoing the aggressive mentality of New Zealand, which dominated India 3-0 in a series held last year.

The series is being played under challenging conditions, with Indian captain Shubman Gill predicting a fierce examination of the West Indies’ batting lineup.

Historically, the touring side has struggled against quality spin on subcontinental wickets.

The first Test is set to begin on Thursday, with the action beginning at midnight Eastern Caribbean time.

For India, every home season brings the same expectations from India, but this one also brings a set of new anxieties. They’re about to play their first home Test since 0-3, their first home Test under Shubman Gill’s captaincy, and their first home Test since the retirements of R Ashwin, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma.

An unusually green pitch in Ahmedabad adds another layer of anxiety, potentially magnifying the importance of the toss.

India’s anxieties, of course, pale in comparison to those of their opponents: injuries to key fast bowlers, the loss of a T20I series to Nepal (albeit with a second-string team that has no overlap with their Test squad), the emergency review of the team’s Test-match performances that followed 27 all out in Kingston, and the existential questions around the team’s future in the World Test Championship.

West Indies can’t turn anywhere without fear of getting punched in the face.

But it could give them the license to throw a few punches of their own. Their captain Roston Chase put it simply on the eve of the Test match. “When you have nothing to lose, you can just go and play freely, because, I mean, everyone is expecting us to lose.”

Everyone expects West Indies to lose. Everyone expects India to win. Everyone always expects India to win at home. From the start of 2013 to roughly the same point last year, India kept meeting these expectations again and again and again.

Until they didn’t. Until New Zealand visited and won in a manner that showed just how much skill and effort it had taken for India to create and sustain the illusion of invincibility over such a long period.

You might be the best team in the world, but you have to keep going out and proving it again and again, each time against a set of highly skilled athletes throwing a new set of challenges at you.

Man to man, in personnel terms, this Test in Ahmedabad looks like a mismatch.

But it will begin with the scorecard reading 0 for 0, in conditions from which no one quite knows what to expect. (Modified from ESPNcricinfo)

India squad: Shubman Gill (capt), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, B Sai Sudharsan, Devdutt Padikkal, Dhruv Jurel (wk), Ravindra Jadeja (vice-capt), Washington Sundar, Jasprit Bumrah, Axar Patel, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Kuldeep Yadav, N Jagadeesan (wk)

West Indies squad: Roston Chase (capt), Jomel Warrican (vice-capt), Kevlon Anderson, Alick Athanaze, John Campbell, Tagenarine Chanderpaul, Justin Greaves, Shai Hope, Tevin Imlach, Johann Layne, Jediah Blades, Brandon King, Anderson Phillip, Khary Pierre, Jayden Seales

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