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Scotiabank Guyana has earned top honours at the Global Finance Best Digital Bank Awards 2025, a release from the bank said yesterday.

The Bank received three awards: Best Corporate/Institutional Digital Bank; Best Consumer Digital Bank and Best Mobile Banking App.

The release said that the Global Finance Best Digital Bank Awards are among the most respected in the industry, with winners selected based on digital strategy, success in driving adoption, growth in digital users, breadth of services, measurable benefits of digital initiatives, and excellence in design and functionality.

Nafeeza Gaffoor, Country Manager, Scotiabank Guyana said “We are proud to be recognized for our digital leadership with these prestigious awards. Over the past few years, we have invested significantly in our digital transformation, ensuring that both corporate and retail clients benefit from secure, fast, and convenient solutions. This success is driven by our employees, who continue to deliver world class digital options and an even better banking experience for our clients. We remain committed to innovation and thank our clients for their continued trust and confidence in us.”

In addition to its wins in Guyana, Scotiabank was also named Best Corporate Digital Bank 2025 in the Bahamas, Barbados, Cayman Islands, Jamaica, Trinidad & Tobago and Turks & Caicos; and Best Consumer Digital Bank 2025 in the Bahamas, Cayman Islands, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago and Turks & Caicos. The Scotia Caribbean App was also recognized as the Best Mobile Banking App across these countries, including Barbados.

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The 2020 elections trial on Thursday centred on a video recording of Police questioning former Region Four Returning Officer, Clairmont Mingo, who admitted to making two separate declarations during the contentious tabulation process but flatly refused to explain how he arrived at the disputed figures.

In the video, played in court by the prosecution, investigators pressed Mingo on the numbers he declared on March 5, 2020, at the Ashmins Building. He was asked to account for disparities between more than 160 Statements of Poll (SOPs) submitted to him and the figures he publicly declared. But Mingo repeatedly declined to give clarity.

“I have nothing to say about the figures,” he responded at one point.

“Anything getting to the process, I would not say. The mythologies and processes, I would not go into,” Mingo said in the recording.

When further pressed about his documents, investigators asked him to produce the SOPs to verify his version of events. Mingo said he had none in his possession.

“I don’t know where the Police got their document from, but I know what I used.

“I have no idea where the SOPs are because those were sent back to headquarters a long, long time ago,” he said.

Despite refusing to provide specifics, Mingo acknowledged that he made two separate declarations of the Region Four results—one on March 5 and another on March 13, 2020.

“I don’t want to get into details,” he told investigators, before adding, “It will be revealed.”

The court also viewed video recordings capturing confrontations involving the then Minister of Public Service, Sonia Parag, and Aneishaw Mohamed. They detailed the events leading up to Mingo’s March 5 declaration, which caused heated exchanges to erupt. Both Parag and Mohamed are witnesses in the trial before Magistrate Faith McGusty at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court and had given sworn testimony.

Parag, in the video, recalled entering the Ashmins Building on March 4, 2020, to monitor tabulation. She said Mingo had instructed the use of a spreadsheet, which produced numbers that did not match SOPs in her possession. Objections were raised by PPP agents and other political parties, and when Chief Elections Officer, Keith Lowenfield, was called in, the SOPs he later provided confirmed the discrepancies.

Parag further recounted the chaotic events of March 5, when Mingo abruptly announced he would make a declaration, sparking uproar inside the tabulation room. She said his words were inaudible, but a declaration signed by Mingo and Lawrence was later posted on GECOM’s website.

Mohamed described the declaration as “heavily objected to,” noting that much of what Mingo said during the announcement could not be heard.

The prosecution then introduced Police Sergeant David Samnarine, who testified that he was tasked with recording interviews during the investigation.

Two other video recordings featuring defendants Carol Smith-Joseph and Volda Lawrence were also shown in court. Both were accompanied by their lawyer, Nigel Hughes, and invoked their right to remain silent.

Nine individuals are currently before the court, charged with conspiring to manipulate the election results in favour of APNU+AFC in an attempt to deny victory to the PPP. Those charged include former government minister Volda Lawrence, former Chief Elections Officer Keith Lowenfield, former Region Four Returning Officer Clairmont Mingo, and former Deputy Chief Elections Officer Roxanne Myers, among others.

The trial continues on Friday.

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A severe storm wreaked destruction in Kako Village, Cuyuni/Mazaruni on Wednesday afternoon leaving several homes and the village’s sports pavilions destroyed.

Toshao of the village, Romario Hastings, reported that no one was injured. He told the News Room that about seven houses were damaged.

“The Ministry of Amerindian Affairs reached out and Minister Bharrat also reached out, he is sending a team to assess and also to supply some relieve items,” Hastings said.

He further added that the relief efforts include providing tents that families can use as a shelter, food hampers and rebuilding materials.

Hastings said the rebuilding materials is most urgent at this time.

Some three community sports pavilions bore the brunt of the storm’s force, with the roof of one structure completely ripped off and hurled several meters away.

Hastings in a post Wednesday night highlighted that these extreme weather events can potentially prove injurious in the future.

“The village will consider seeking support to repair the damaged facilities and ensure the safety of affected families. Only last month, a thunderous storm injured a family during the night,” Hastings said.

Last October, the village was also hit by a storm leaving unexpected destruction.

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Newly appointed Home Affairs Minister, Oneidge Walrond, on Wednesday signalled her intent to push law enforcement agencies to step up prosecutions in criminal and drug trafficking cases, even as she acknowledged that intelligence-led investigations often take time to yield results.

Speaking during her first interaction with the media since assuming office, Walrond was pressed on crime and narcotics trafficking in Guyana. She admitted to being particularly concerned about the level of prosecutions and whether the enforcement of the law is truly deterring offenders.

“My concern, as a former magistrate, is how many of these cases have been prosecuted. What is the follow-through? Because criminals are not going to respond if they are not seeing the full enforcement of the law,” Walrond said.

She questioned how many cases have reached the courts and, more importantly, how many have gone to “full fruition.” The Minister disclosed that she has already started discussions with the Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) and intends to continue those talks to better understand the scope of drug trafficking in the country.

Guyana remains a known transit hub for narcotics smuggling across Latin America and the Caribbean. Walrond noted that her background as a magistrate has given her insight into how complex prosecutions can be, especially when targeting major traffickers.

“It takes a lot more intelligence work to get to the bigger fish. That’s not easy, because they are rarely caught in possession of the drugs. Sometimes it takes years of careful policing and intelligence-gathering to build a case strong enough to secure a successful prosecution,” she explained.

Despite the challenges, Walrond expressed confidence in the commitment of the police and CANU, pointing to their track record of removing marijuana and cocaine from the streets. She vowed, however, to push the agencies under her leadership to pursue more prosecutions and get closer to the sources of illicit drug networks.

Corruption within law enforcement was also raised with the Minister, who said the government is making significant investments to eliminate bias and close loopholes.

“The issue of corruption in any agency has to be dealt with carefully. Sometimes the system is so lax that just tightening it can eliminate those weaknesses. That’s why we are investing heavily in digitising services—removing the human element is one of the ways to address this problem,” Walrond said.

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Magistrate Faith McGusty on Thursday took aim at the Guyana Police Force (GPF), criticising it for issuing what she described as a misleading public statement on her decision to grant bail in a high-profile acid attack case.

Speaking at the start of court proceedings, McGusty said she was “surprised” by both the tone and the content of the Police’s release, which, she argued, misrepresented what had actually taken place in her courtroom.

“I wish to indicate that it seems that the Guyana Police Force received erroneous information,” she stated. “The Force would be better served having someone appear before the court so that they could have the correct information.”

The Magistrate stressed that investigations must be carried out properly and that all information presented to the court should be carefully filtered through prosecutors to ensure accuracy.

“I saw things in that statement that were never told to me in court and yet it seems like it was trial by public opinion,” she said firmly. “I do not have trials by public opinion.”

In light of the incident, McGusty announced that all proceedings before her will now be recorded to prevent any future misrepresentation. “I am determined that each and every prosecutor, when matters are brought before the court, I will have a recording done so that no one can misinterpret what was said or what happened in court,” she declared.

The Magistrate’s comments follow sharp criticism from the Police Force over her decision to grant $500,000 bail to Keron Daniels, who is charged with dousing two women—Jilicia Leitch and Nirmala Sukraj—with corrosive fluid during an attack in Georgetown on September 3.

According to the Police, Daniels was first remanded on September 16 but was granted bail a day later, despite prosecutors strongly objecting on the grounds of a video-recorded confession and the grave medical condition of one of the victims, who has lost sight in one eye and suffered permanent facial disfigurement.

The Force also noted a history of conflict between Daniels and one of the women, and highlighted her pleas for justice from her hospital bed. It argued that such factors, along with the wider issue of violence against women in Guyana, should weigh heavily in bail considerations.

While describing the court’s ruling as a setback, the Police vowed to continue pressing for justice and to intensify efforts to combat violence against women.

The post ‘No trial by public opinion’ – Magistrate rejects Police criticism over bail in acid attack case appeared first on News Room Guyana.

Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, Susan Rodrigues, is optimistic about the impact the Tourism and Hospitality Institute will have on Guyana’s rapidly developing tourism sector. On Wednesday, she visited the construction site at Port Mourant and met with the contractors and consultants.

While expressing concern about the pace of the project—which is expected to be completed by June 2026—Minister Rodrigues emphasized that the facility would play a critical role in supporting Guyana’s emerging tourism industry.

She noted the number of hotels currently under construction, along with the Government’s plans to attract even greater investment in the sector, highlighting the corresponding demand for a skilled and well-trained workforce.

Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce Susan Rodrigues at the project site

“This world-class facility, with the capacity to train 200 persons per cohort, will offer Caribbean Vocational Qualifications in areas ranging from mixology to cosmetology. We recognize that a growing sector requires a skilled workforce, and as a proactive government, we are ensuring that Guyanese are well-positioned to benefit from this expanding industry, while simultaneously building national capacity,” Minister Rodrigues said.

Construction of the US$7 million institute began in January 2024, following the official sod-turning ceremony. The project is being financed through a loan from the Caribbean Development Bank (Press release from the Ministry of Tourism, Industry and Commerce )

Sod turned for US$7.2M hospitality training institute at Port Mourant

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Gudakesh Motie’s four-wicket haul thwarted St Lucia Kings and propelled Guyana Amazon Warriors into the final of CPL 2025.

It is their third successive title clash, having won the competition in 2023 and finishing runners-up to Kings last year.

Amazon Warriors were helped to 157 thanks to a lower-order assault from Dwaine Pretorius (17 off eight balls) and Romario Shepherd (21 off eight), which helped them take 41 runs in the last four overs. That still looked a par score, at best, with Kings having to chase under lights.

But a disciplined bowling show from Amazon Warriors, with just two extras conceded, and Motie’s strikes reduced the opposition to 48 for 7, almost a point of no return.

Chasing 158, Kings were rocked thrice in the first three overs with Pretorius dismissing Tim Seifert and Ackeem Auguste, while Shepherd accounted for Johnson Charles.

Roston Chase and Aaron Jones consolidated after that and Kings were 37 for 3 after the powerplay – not too far runs-wise from Amazon Warriors’ 45 for 1 after six overs.

That is when Motie was introduced and he sliced through the batting in the middle overs. Chase’s ungainly heave across the line saw him bowled.

On the next ball, Tim David played completely down the wrong line to be out for a first-ball duck. Imran Tahir then got into the act in the next over to castle Jones.

When Kings’ captain David Wiese holed out to long-off in Motie’s second over, their innings was truly in freefall. That they managed to come close to their target was down to Khary Pierre’s maiden T20 half-century.

After Kings were reduced to 85 for 8 at the start of the 14th over, Pierre and Tymal Mills hit at least one boundary in the next four overs to give Amazon Warriors a minor scare.

Pierre got to his fifty in 28 balls to get coach Daren Sammy, hoping for a miracle, on his feet. The hopes dipped when Pierre fell next ball, but Mills kept Kings’ slim chance alive by taking 13 off Shepherd’s last over, the 19th of the innings.

Pierre’s stingy spell earlier in the evening had seen Amazon Warriors struggle to force the pace in the middle overs of their innings.

While the left-arm spinner went for just 15 runs in the powerplay, Ben McDermott and Quentin Sampson managed to score 29 off the three non-Pierre overs. The brakes on scoring were applied when Wiese had McDermott chop on.

Shai Hope batted through the middle for 32 off 29 balls while the rest of the middle order fell for single digits. When Moeen Ali fell to leave Amazon Warriors 107 for 6, it seemed the night would belong to the defending champions.

But a final flourish followed by a batting failure meant they now have to defeat Trinbago Knight Riders in Qualifier 2 on Friday to harbour hopes of an encore. (ESPNcricinfo)

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Barbados Royals went unbeaten in the 2025 Massy Women’s Caribbean Premier League (WCPL) to retain their title after beating the Guyana Amazon Warriors by three wickets with two balls to spare in a nail-biting final at Providence.

Asked to bat first, the Warriors reached a score of 136/3 with opener Amy Hunter scoring 29 from 36 balls. The rest of the top order supported but could not muster enough boundaries to put on a truly challenging total.

Dane Van Niekerk and captain Shermaine Campbelle joined forces to put together an unbeaten 56-run partnership for the fourth wicket after Stafanie Taylor was forced to retire hurt just when the Warriors were looking to accelerate the scoring.

In reply, the Royals lost two wickets in the power-play including the inform Chamari Athapaththu for 25. However, Kycia Knight and Courtney Webb consolidated to set up the push for a third consecutive title but not before a late fightback from the hosts.

The champions were on course at 108/4 in the 17th before losing three wickets for the addition of two runs.

With 19 needed from 12 balls, Aaliyah Alleyne hit seamer Molly Penfold for a six then a four as 15 runs were wiped off leaving Laura Harris with a difficult assignment of defending four in the final over.

In the end, Alleyne and Shreyanka Patil avoided further drama with a 27-run partnership from 14 balls to spark wild celebrations among the ladies in pink and heartbreak and tears for the spirited Warriors.

Athapaththu scored the most runs in the tournament and along with seven wickets was named Player of the Series. Ashmini Munisar and Laura Harris of the Warriors each bagged eight wickets to share the Most Wickets prize.

With the win, the Royals have now extended their dominance over the Warriors to 9-0. (CPL T20)

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The trial into alleged electoral misconduct during the 2020 General and Regional Elections continued on Wednesday before Magistrate Faith McGusty, who ruled against the prosecution’s attempt to introduce a new statement from a witness.

In July, the prosecution applied for further disclosure from witness Daniel Josh Kanhai, who had already provided an initial statement earlier in the trial. The court heard on Wednesday that Kanhai later expanded his recollection in a fresh statement, but the defence objected to its inclusion. After considering the matter, Magistrate McGusty ruled that admitting a new statement at this stage would create “substantial unfairness” to the defence. She directed that the prosecution must rely on Kanhai’s earlier statement.

Also on Wednesday, Rhonda Lam, who contested the 2020 elections as the presidential candidate and leader of The Citizenship Initiative, testified under oath. She was cross-examined by attorney Nigel Hughes.

Lam told the court that while party agents and observers were “vociferous and vocal,” there was only one occasion where another witness in the trial, Jonathan Yearwood, disrupted the work of Returning Officer Clairmont Mingo and was asked to leave. She further stated that objections were raised against Mingo’s decisions and processes, but he persisted despite protests.

During the recount of votes in District Four, Lam said the figures presented before the exercise were inconsistent with the results later revealed. Under questioning by attorney Dexter Todd, she confirmed that GECOM had identified numerous discrepancies, though she was asked not to elaborate.

When asked by Todd if she had evidence of a conspiracy during the 2020 elections, Lam responded: “By virtue of my role as a candidate in that election, I would not have been privy to any such conspiracy.”

During her cross-examination by attorney Ronald Daniels, Lam also disclosed that former Chief Elections Officer Keith Lowenfield had provided her with a 17-page document concerning tabulation results for District Four.

Later on Wednesday, Jonathan Yearwood, a counting agent for A New and United Guyana (ANUG), was examined by Hughes. He admitted he did not lodge a formal complaint with GECOM about the irregularities he observed during the tabulation at the Ashmins Building.

While being cross-examined by attorney Darren Wade, Yearwood said he did not witness the defendants collaborating to falsify results, though he described “unusual” incidents that drew objections from party agents. He denied being involved in any physical altercation, though he acknowledged raising his voice several times.

Meanwhile, the court heard that one of the defendants, Carol Smith-Joseph, who was granted permission to travel overseas for medical treatment, is expected to return to the jurisdiction by September 22, 2025.

Nine individuals are currently before the court, charged with conspiring to manipulate the election results in favour of APNU+AFC in an attempt to deny victory to the PPP. Those charged include former government minister Volda Lawrence, former Chief Elections Officer Keith Lowenfield, former Region Four Returning Officer Clairmont Mingo, and former Deputy Chief Elections Officer Roxanne Myers, among others.

The trial continues on Thursday.

The post Elections Trial: Court bars new statement from witness appeared first on News Room Guyana.

The Guyana Police Force has expressed deep concern and disappointment following the decision by a Georgetown Magistrate to grant bail to Keron Daniels, who is charged with Throwing Corrosive Fluid with Intent against Jilicia Leitch and Nirmala Sukraj.

According to a statement from the Force, Daniels first appeared at the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court on 16 September 2025, where he was remanded to prison for a single day. On 17 September, he returned before Her Worship Faith McGusty, at which time the Police Prosecutor strongly opposed bail, citing a video-recorded confession from Daniels and the critical condition of one of the victims at the Georgetown Public Hospital. Medical reports indicate that the victim has lost sight in one eye and suffered severe facial disfigurement. Despite these factors, bail was granted in the sum of $500,000.

The Police noted that Daniels and one of the victims were previously in a relationship marked by conflict, and that the woman pleaded for justice from her hospital bed. The Force emphasised that violence against women remains a pressing concern in Guyana, and that such factors should be given weight when magistrates consider bail.

“The matter is further compounded by the high likelihood of these types of offences being repeated, especially when the alleged offender continues to have ready access to the victim,” the statement read.

Despite the setback, the Guyana Police Force reiterated its commitment to combatting and ultimately eradicating acts of violence against women, pledging to continue all efforts to protect victims and hold offenders accountable.

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