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Paris St-Germain’s Ousmane Dembele has won the Ballon d’Or, the award for the best player in the world, for the first time.

The 28-year-old France forward scored 35 goals and made 14 assists in 53 matches for PSG last season as they won the treble, including their first Champions League.

He was the joint top scorer in Ligue 1, with 21 goals, and named the French top flight and Champions League player of the year.

And he also helped PSG to the Club World Cup final where they lost to Chelsea in New Jersey.

Dembele, who beat Barcelona teenager Lamine Yamal to the award, was able to attend the ceremony in Paris – and was in tears as he stood on the stage – despite the fact his team were playing on Monday evening.

The forward is currently sidelined through injury, meaning he missed PSG’s 1-0 home defeat by Marseille in a game which was rearranged because of a storm.

It caps off a sensational career revival for a player who had not scored double figures in a league campaign season since he was a teenager at Rennes.

PSG manager Luis Enrique – who was named coach of the year – deserves huge credit for Dembele’s award because of a tactical switch in mid-December.

He moved Dembele from a wide right to centre-forward role against Lyon on 15 December, by which stage he had only scored five goals.

He hit 30 goals for PSG from that date onwards.

Dembele has finally shown the quality that persuaded Barcelona to pay an initial £96.8m, potentially rising to £135.5m, to sign him from Borussia Dortmund in 2017.

However PSG – who dominated the 2025 Ballon d’Or awards – were the team who got the bargain by recruiting him for just £43.5m in 2023.

Dembele also scored twice in seven caps for France in 2024-25.

He is the sixth Frenchman to win the award and only the second of the 21st century after Karim Benzema in 2022.

Lamine Yamal, 18, finished second – and also won the Kopa Trophy for the best young player.

PSG and Portugal midfielder Vitinha was third, and Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah was fourth.

Chelsea and England’s Cole Palmer finished eighth.

Last year’s winner, Manchester City and Spain midfielder Rodri, did not make the shortlist this time after an injury-hit campaign. (BBC) 

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Police are investigating a fatal road accident that claimed the life of a male driver early Sunday morning on the Soesdyke-Linden Highway.

The collision, which occurred around 02:00 hrs at Hill Foot, involved a motorcar bearing registration number PLL 7365 and a motor lorry, GAE 5944.

The deceased was the driver of the motorcar. He was pronounced dead at the scene by emergency personnel. Two other occupants of the vehicle sustained injuries and were transported to the Diamond Regional Hospital, where they were treated.

According to police reports, the 61-year-old driver of the lorry, Sewarran Latchman of Sand Road, Soesdyke, East Bank Demerara, told investigators that he was driving westbound along the highway when he noticed two white headlights coming towards him in his lane at a high speed. In an effort to avoid a collision, Latchman said he applied brakes and swerved to the left.

However, the motorcar collided with the right front side of the lorry.

Emergency services responded promptly, but the impact of the crash proved fatal for the motorcar’s driver.

Investigators from the Guyana Police Force are continuing their probe into the circumstances surrounding the crash. The identity of the deceased is expected to be released pending confirmation and notification of next of kin.

Authorities are urging anyone with information related to the accident to come forward to assist with the investigation.

UPDATE

The driver of motorcar PLL 7365, has been identified as 22-year-old Sherwin James, a resident of Moblissa Village, Soesdyke-Linden Highway.

One of the occupants of the motorcar, Alex (only name known at this time), also succumbed to injuries he received as a result of the accident.

The remains of both deceased (Sherwin James and Alex) were taken to the Memorial Gardens Funeral Home, awaiting post mortem examinations.

Additionally, a breathalyser test conducted on the 61-year-old driver of the lorry showed no trace of alcohol.

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Financial neglect in homes is a form of abuse.

Police Prosecutor, Superintendent Shellon Daniels, said this form of economic abuse is not talked about in the public domain and that needs to change.

Speaking during a recent episode of ‘Police & You: Domestic Violence’, Daniels explained that when one partner deliberately withholds financial support, it directly undermines the household’s stability.

“These are the forms of abuse you don’t hear much about, because people may not be open to speak about it and there are no charges laid specifically for such acts. However, systems are in place to ensure that these forms of violence are addressed,” the Superintendent said.

She pointed out instances where one partner contributes little or nothing financially but still expects to benefit from the household’s resources.

“It is common practice that when you are cohabitating there are needs that have to be met and it could only be met with finance. By the mere act of you taking away that empowerment, you actually reduce the person’s ability to support the family, including you,” Daniels explained.

Daniels highlighted that both the Domestic Violence Act and the Family Violence Act provide avenues of redress for persons experiencing financial neglect. One such avenue is applying for maintenance through the courts.

“For example, if you are not getting the finances to support and maintain the home and the family, there are ways and means where you can take out what you call maintenance. Under the Domestic Violence Act, which is now supported by the Family Violence Act, all of that is catered for,” she explained.

With more than 2,000 police officers trained to handle domestic violence cases, Daniels urged persons to make use of the systems in place.

“All we can safely say is to advise persons to utilise those avenues. So if you are home and you know for sure that money is not being filtered into the home one way or another, you are not shut out, there are systems in place,” Daniels assured.

She further explained that while unmarried partners cannot apply for personal maintenance, they are entitled to seek financial support for their children.

“There is redress in the court under the Domestic Violence Act. If you are not married, you might not be able to apply for maintenance for yourself, but you can apply for maintenance for the kids,” the Police Prosecutor emphasised.

 

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Police are investigating the alleged murder of 21-year-old John Elliot, a tour guide at the Atta Lodge, who was stabbed to death on Sunday.

The incident occurred at approximately 01:30hrs during an Amerindian Heritage celebration at Annai Village.

Police Headquarters in a statement said Elliot, a resident of Surama Village, North Rupununi, was allegedly stabbed during a confrontation with three male suspects.

The main suspect is a 16-year-old resident of Annai Village (name withheld), who was later found at the home of the two other suspects, 18-year-old Orlando Williams and 20-year-old Ronaldo Williams, both from Annai Village.

The stabbing was witnessed by a female rank attending the celebration. Police said the rank, stationed at the Annai Police Station, positively identified the 16-year-old suspect as the person who stabbed Elliot in the chest and provided a detailed statement of the incident.

The 16-year-old suspect was arrested and escorted to the Annai Police Station, where he was placed in custody. When questioned in the presence of his mother, he denied any involvement, claiming that Orlando Williams was the one who stabbed Elliot.

At around 14:00hrs, Police said Elliot’s body was examined at the Annai District Hospital, revealing two stab wounds: one to the left side of his chest and another to the right rib area.
A post-mortem examination is scheduled to be conducted on Monday.

Efforts are being made to apprehend Orlando and Ronaldo Williams, as investigations continues.

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With two old rivals set to meet again, in the CPL final on Sunday at Providence, emotions have been running high among the players and supporters of Guyana Amazon Warriors and Trinbago Knight Riders (TKR).

Managing those emotions in the face of pressure will be key to winning the title, according to coaches Lance Klusener and Ottis Gibson.

Gibson, TKR’s assistant coach, said that their team has been banking on the experience of senior players like Nicholas Pooran, Kieron Pollard, Andre Russell and Sunil Narine, who have enjoyed success in T20 cricket around the world.

“Emotions – that’s the beauty of sport, isn’t it? I guess the team that handles those emotions the best will most likely come out on top,” Gibson said on the eve of the final. “This is the CPL final – it’s a big day in the Caribbean. [These are] two of the best teams over a number of years now in the final. Guyana will have home advantage and a lot of crowd support behind them.

“But we, as Trinbago, will also carry a lot of travelling support. We’ve got a lot of experienced players that have won big finals before – IPL, World Cups – and we’ve been leaning on that experience throughout the tournament. And we will be doing that tomorrow night as well.”

Klusener, who is in charge of Amazon Warriors, concurred with Gibson. “It’s just [about] controlling those emotions and trying to make sure they don’t get in the way of making cricketing decisions on the move,” Klusener said. “Not really much more to add to that [from Gibson].”

Trinidad has been the spiritual home of T20 cricket that keeps churning out superstars. While Pollard’s playing career is on its last legs – he has already forayed into coaching in the IPL – Pooran has emerged as the new face of the region.

Pooran has evolved into a six-hitting machine, but he is yet to win the CPL despite playing 12 seasons of the tournament. The desire to win his home league has given Pooran extra motivation, Gibson said.

It has also been five years since TKR last won the CPL title. In 2020, Pollard had overseen their unbeaten run, but their form has cooled off since then.

“Look, Trinidad, for a number of years, saw itself as the gold standard for T20 cricket in the Caribbean,” Gibson said. “The number of world-class players that they’ve produced… [but] we haven’t won it [CPL title] since 2020. And that’s the main motivator really; we haven’t won it for so long. So the opportunity to do that is a massive driver for everybody. So, Andre especially; Nicholas Pooran has never won the CPL. So there’s a lot of reasons why everybody is really motivated for tomorrow night. We can’t wait to get started.”

Amid the Caribbean stalwarts, a rookie from Guyana will be in action on Sunday. Quentin Sampson, 25, has made the step up from tape-ball cricket to the CPL this season, whacking sixes as a pinch-hitting opener.

His back-to-back fifties against St Lucia Kings and Barbados Royals smoothened Amazon Warriors’ path to the final. The onus is now on him to harness his potential, and raise his game to the next level.

“Sampson has taken his opportunity,” Klusener said. “Sport is about taking those little opportunities that come along. So he’s responded to that, and I’m thoroughly happy for him. The ball is in his court now as to where he goes with that talent and with those performances he’s shown.

“This competition will finish, and he will go back to his country, and it’s up to him to make those changes that he needs to make and grow. As coaches you can only do so much; a lot of it comes from the person inside. So watch this space and let’s see how he goes.” (ESPNcricinfo) 

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The government’s ambitious housing expansion along the Linden/Soesdyke Highway is rapidly advancing, with two major projects targeting different segments of the population.

During a visit on Sunday, Minister of Housing, Collin Croal inspected the Yarrowkabra Steadfast Homestead Project, where 200 prefabricated homes are being built as part of President Dr. Irfaan Ali’s $6 billion housing initiative.

To date, 24 houses are finished. Construction is taking place in batches of 25, with each unit priced at $6.5 million.

“This project targets a particular segment of our population, especially our single women,” Croal said.

Minister of Housing, Collin Croal and Minister within the Ministry of Housing, Vanessa Benn visited the project sites along the Linden/Soesdyke Highway (Photo: CHPA/ September 21, 2025)

The initiative, Croal explained, goes beyond housing to include shade houses for agriculture and solar power systems to promote economic empowerment for women-led households.

The first set of homes is expected to be completed by the end of this year. The houses are being constructed by Duravilla Homes.

Meanwhile, at Hauraruni, also on the Linden/Soesdyke Highway, preparations are underway for the construction of over 400 Young Professional Houses.

Land clearing and infrastructural works for the first phase valued at $1.4 billion and executed by four contractors. These works are expected to be completed by the end of this month.

Preparations are underway for the construction of over 400 Young Professional Houses at Hauraruni, also on the Linden/Soesdyke Highway (Photo: News Room/ September 21, 2025)

Croal emphasised that the Linden/Soesdyke corridor will play a key role in the government’s goal to deliver thousands of house lots between 2025 and 2030.

“Identification of land is an important aspect to achieve that objective,” he said, adding that expressions of interest for contractors to build the houses will be advertised this week.

“We want to, first of all, maximise those contractors we have locally for the construction of the houses and then bring in others who would be able to keep at our price.

“So it’s a lot of work ahead,” Croal said.

The ambitious Silica City project is also moving ahead along the highway. This project is being done in three phases.

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India and Pakistan’s players did not shake hands again as India comfortably won the sides’ feisty second meeting at the Asia Cup by six wickets in Dubai.

There were no handshakes when India beat Pakistan last Sunday– the rivals’ first meeting since the military conflict between the two nations earlier this year- which resulted in a complaint by Pakistan to organisers and doubts around their continuation in the competition.

Having both progressed to the Super Four stage, the captains did not acknowledge each other at the toss and the two teams did not shake hands after India cruised to a chase of 172 with seven balls to spare.

There were a series of heated flashpoints during the chase, most notably when the umpire had to step between opener Abhishek Sharma and Pakistan bowler Haris Rauf.

“The way they were coming to us without any reason I didn’t like at all,” Abhishek said afterwards.

“I just wanted to deliver for my team.”

Abhishek and Shubman Gill exchanged words with various Pakistan bowlers during their first-wicket partnership of 105 in 59 balls for the first wicket, which broke the back of the chase.

Gill made 47 and Abhishek 74 from 39 before Tilak Varma sealed the win – India’s seventh in a row against Pakistan across formats – with a six to finish 30 not out.

Earlier, Pakistan opener Sahibzada Farhan hit 58 from 45 balls and celebrated his fifty by using his bat to mimic firing a gun.

India and Pakistan engaged in a four-day military conflict in April following a deadly militant attack on tourists in India-administered Kashmir.

Pakistan reached 91-1 after 10 overs and took 42 runs from the last three but, despite India dropping five matches, were punished for losing their way in between.

There was a run of 40 balls without a boundary during the middle overs – India seamer Shivam Dube particularly effective in taking 2-33.

Unlike after last week’s meeting when captain Suryakumar Yadav paid tributes to India’s armed forces, neither he nor Pakistan captain Salman Agha referenced the wider situation at the post-match presentation.

Pakistan play Sri Lanka on Tuesday, while India’s next game is against Bangladesh on Wednesday.

If they finish in the top two of the four-team group they will meet again in Sunday’s final. (BBC)

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The ambitious Silica City project is gaining momentum with construction of the first 110 houses progressing steadily. Additionally, design work for Phase Two of the project is already underway, paving the way for new investment opportunities.

Minister of Housing, Collin Croal said Phase Two which will focus on the diaspora unit, will introduce a different type of housing.

“The design, the construction to take place there will be different. Those will target more of the condo type of design,” Croal said at a site visit on Sunday.

He noted that the application process for this phase will be similar to the first, requiring applicants to be Guyanese and first-time homeowners to qualify.

With Phase Two taking shape, Phase One is well advanced, with all 110 houses, which consists of four designs, at different phases of construction. The houses are being built by seven contractors.

Minister of Housing, Collin Croal and Minister within the Ministry of Housing, Vanessa Benn visited Silicia City to inspect ongoing works (Photo: CHPA/September 21, 2025)

Croal said the area will soon reflect “what a modern area would look like,” adding that allocations have already commenced.

“Very shortly those who have been allocated would be able to sign for their agreement of sale,” he said.

Demand for elevated homes is outpacing expectations, even though 70 percent of the current construction consists of flat houses.

“There is a lot of demand, however, for the elevated type of houses. For construction, you know that takes a bit more time,” Croal said, adding that his ministry is examining construction costs in other aspects of this project to better meet the demand for elevated designs.

Construction of the houses in Phase One of Silicia City are at different phases of completion (Photo: News Room/ September 21, 2025)

Croal also underscored that achieving the government’s housing targets requires both speed and strict oversight.

“Construction of houses will play a major role in fulfilling our target for this period,” he said.

To meet that goal, Croal said, the Ministry’s Project Department will be strengthened in the coming weeks.

“It’s a lot about monitoring. We have been receiving a lot of feedback from the work that is being done. So we want to also ensure that the quality is part of what we are delivering on,” he explained.

Over the next few weeks, the housing ministry will create an action sheet to track progress and identify issues early. “We don’t want when the houses complete then you have the beneficiaries complaining about the quality. This is something we should be picking up early,” Croal said.

Minister of Housing, Collin Croal and Minister within the Ministry of Housing, Vanessa Benn visited Silicia City to inspect ongoing works (Photo: CHPA/September 21, 2025)

Minister within the Ministry of Housing, Vanessa Benn, described the visit as a familiarisation exercise for her to understand the work being done and help set targets aligned with the government’s vision.

“My intent is, whilst we look at the work that they have been doing so well for over the years, how do they broaden that scope,” Benn said.

She also emphasised the importance of sustainability and innovation in construction.

“We have to look at greening at spaces in which the houses are being constructed, a more comprehensive linkage with the forestry sector, the use of lesser used wood species in the construction.

“We don’t just think of kabukalli and greenheart but there are many other species that we can use that are beautiful, that kind of showcase the exotic woods that we have…you can have the use for those and provide more employment for people in the forestry sector, people within the joinery sector and so on,” Benn explained.

Minister of Housing, Collin Croal and Minister within the Ministry of Housing, Vanessa Benn visited Silicia City to inspect ongoing works (Photo: CHPA/September 21, 2025)

Further, she said her focus is also on ensuring that any defects reported in completed homes are addressed promptly.

The ministry is exploring ways to digitise the application system to improve efficiency and coordination among departments, particularly as it relates to the application process.

Silica City will ultimately unfold in three phases. The government has set aside some 3,800 acres of land for the project.

In addition to green areas and other facilities, the state-of-the-art development will include smart homes outfitted with the newest energy-saving technologies.

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See below the full statement from the Bank of Guyana: 

We wish to clarify recent reports concerning the matter between Mr. Azruddin Mohamed and the Governor of the Bank of Guyana.

Mr. Mohamed has misrepresented the facts on social media.

The Governor advised Mr. Mohamed to withdraw his case against the commercial banks and affiliates to seek reevaluation of their money laundering/terrorist financing risks which is the responsibility of the commercial banks.

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President Dr Irfaan Ali stated that his government is pursuing an ambitious national digitisation programme driven by a strategic focus on digital infrastructure, artificial intelligence (AI), cross-agency collaboration, and the integration of ICT systems, which will see most of government services fully digitised before the end of the second quarter in 2026.

The Head of State outlined his Government’s extensive transformational plans for realising digital Guyana at his first press conference after his re-election to serve a second term as President, on Monday, at the Office of the President.

“As you know, a few days ago I held a meeting with all the IT heads and outlined the digital transformation plan aimed at fully digitalising all government services before the end of the second quarter in 2026. I have announced the appointment of the Chief Technology Officer, who will be supported by the NDMA [National Data Management Authority], to manage the digitisation process and to implement a digital platform to monitor and track key performance indicators for government agencies, ensuring greater transparency, accountability, and efficiency.”

The President underscored that the aim is to have an integrated system that works on a common framework across agencies that improves efficiency, transparency and the ease of doing business.

“This will apply across all agencies, including the security agencies: the way in which you get a security clearance, the way in which you get your birth certificate, the way in which persons apply for a death certificate. All of these systems are actively being migrated onto a digital platform.”

Giving an update on the progress of some of the initiatives, the President noted that the online passport portal is in the final stage of development and is expected to go live before the end of the year. This system, he said, will eliminate the long lines and congestion at the passport office.

“We will have a decentralised system where appointments are booked online, and you will go to the nearest service centre to you.”

The President explained that the border control and e-gate system went live in January, while the e-passport issuance system went live in February of this year, and has resulted in improved security at airports and border crossings. It has also increased accuracy and reliability in the verification of traveller data.

These improvements, the President noted, align with International Civil Aviation Organisation standards.

“The e-passport provides the Guyanese citizen with a next-generation travel document full of advanced security features and functionalities to facilitate safer and more efficient international travel.”

Dr. Ali spoke extensively on modernising and digitising the healthcare system in Guyana, a vision that he has articulated previously. He explained that one aspect of this includes the electronic patient health system. The initial phase involves digitising the records of all patients at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC), which started in March 2025 and is expected to conclude by mid-2026, with patients’ records at GPHC expected to go live by the end of the first quarter in 2026.

“In addition, the Ministry of Health has launched a pilot online appointment system at the Festival City Polyclinic. This is a system under testing. As you know, we don’t want the lines that you see in the hospitals and clinics. We want to move the system into an app-based system where you have appointments, so you don’t have to waste your time or sit at these clinics for hours.”

The President added that this pilot project is expected to be fully implemented at GPHC within the first quarter of 2026, and then in all other regional hospitals and clinics across the country.

“Outside of this, the One Health Project, which is a US $15 m project, is being implemented. The aim of this is to enhance our disease surveillance, enhance our laboratory system to a level three system, and to enhance our human resource capacity through recruitment and training in pandemic preparedness.”

A Unified Platform

Modernising and digitising government sectors and services across Guyana is aimed at creating a transformational digital platform that will transform the everyday lives of every Guyanese and revolutionise government services, the President had said.

This new technologically advanced era, he explained, is grounded in innovation, inclusion and improving efficiency. Digital Guyana, he said, represents his government’s commitment to building a modern state where technology is used to enhance efficiency.

“Digital Guyana is our commitment to building a modern state where technology makes public service faster, faster services, more accessible and more responsive.”

The objective is to enhance the quality of life for all Guyanese citizens, optimise public systems, and reducebureaucratic processes, thereby establishing a stable, resilient, and service-oriented infrastructure. The platform will employ a unified access point through a website and mobile applications, enabling citizens to apply for passports, birth certificates, driver’s licences, and national identification cards, including the forthcoming e-identification cards.

Additionally, it will provide access to education records, enable tax filing, facilitate business registration, housing applications, and bill payments.

During a previous live broadcast where the President updated the public on his government’s expansive plans for creating digital Guyana, he said that the Government will also implement an ‘Ask Gov’ platform to facilitate 24/7 assistance to the public.

“Powered by generative AI, AskGov can answer all government queries and solve problems without human intervention.”

In education, students and teachers will benefit from AI through personalised learning and interactive curricula, even in the most remote regions of the country. The health sector will also see advances, with AI supporting disease diagnosis and tracking.

The platform will also feature an integrated Geographic Information System (GIS), designed to map and monitor national infrastructure in real time. This will include 3D models of physical assets such as roads, bridges, kokers, drainage systems, underground conduits, utility poles and hydrants. The GIS will provide a unified data layer for public and private sector use, enhancing planning, emergency response, and utility coordination. The approach will help eliminate traditional inefficiencies.

“We want digital Guyana to make life enjoyable. We want digital Guyana to make life easier, to make systems more efficient, to make systems more reliable, to make doing business easier.”

AI-driven surveillance is anticipated to enhance the detection of criminal activities and emergency response capabilities. Concurrently, intelligent traffic management systems are expected to alleviate congestion and improve road safety. Environmental sensors will be employed to monitor noise pollution, air quality, and illegal dumping activities. Furthermore, the improved sharing of data among law enforcement agencies will facilitate swifter and more coordinated responses, thereby fostering cleaner and safer communities.

These initiatives will complement other transformational projects, including the One Guyana Digital School, numerous telemedicine sites established across the country, including in hinterland and riverine communities, and the Guyana Online Academy of Learning (GOAL) scholarship programme, which has awarded more than 30,000 scholarships to students throughout Guyana  (Republished from the Department of Public Information)

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