Blog

 

President Dr. Irfaan Ali has extended congratulations to the newly elected Regional Chairmen, Vice Chairpersons and Councillors across Guyana’s ten administrative regions, urging them to prioritise service, collaboration and good governance.

In a message released following the elections, President Ali emphasised that public office is a trust to be honoured rather than a prize to be enjoyed. He called on all council members to work together for the common good, setting aside partisan divisions to ensure the effective implementation of development plans and national priorities at the regional level.

“Our Regional Democratic Councils are an important tier of our system of governance. They are the instruments through which development is planned and implemented at the regional level, ensuring that national priorities are translated into tangible benefits for our citizens,” President Ali said.

The President highlighted the need for mutual respect and collaboration among council members, regardless of party affiliation, noting that healthy debate is welcome but must always serve the welfare of the people. He also stressed that leadership is defined by humility, empathy, integrity, and service, not power or prestige.

Regional Election Outcomes:

• Upper Takutu-Essequibo: Ms. Vania Albert has been elected as Regional Chairperson.
• Potaro-Siparuni: Ms. Tercellia John has been elected as Regional Chairwoman, with Ms. Samantha John serving as Vice Chairwoman.
• Cuyuni-Mazaruni: Mrs. June Shondelle J. Shurland-Gittens elected Regional Chairwoman; Mr. Alden Christopher Marslowe elected Regional Vice Chairman.
• East Berbice-Corentyne : Mr. Junior Basant elected Regional Chairman; Mr. Sahid Khan elected Regional Vice Chairman.
• Mahaica-Berbice: Mr. Ricardo Dwain Phillips elected Regional Chairman; Mr. Kleon Lindey elected Regional Vice Chairman.
• Demerara-Mahaica: Mr. Clemsford Belgrave elected Regional Chairman; Mr. Deoraj Nauth elected Regional Vice Chairman.
• Essequibo Islands-West Demerara: Mr. Sheik Mohamed Ishan Ayube re-elected Regional Chairman; Ms. Anjanie Narine elected Regional Vice Chairwoman.
• Pomeroon-Supenaam: Mr. Devin Mohan elected Regional Chairman; Mr. Humace Oodit elected Regional Vice Chairman.
• Barima-Waini: Mr. Brentnol Ashley re-elected Regional Chairman; Mr. Paul Pierre elected Regional Vice Chairman.

In Region 10, the election of a new Regional Democratic Council (RDC) Chairman ended in a tie. Dominique Blair of the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) secured nine votes, equal to Mark Goring of the We Invest in Nationhood (WIN) party, after a cross-party voting alignment between the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C), Forward Guyana Movement (FGM), and APNU councillors.

President Ali concluded by urging all council members to be responsive to citizens’ needs, accountable in their actions, and united in their purpose, calling on them to serve as models of good governance and service.

“My best wishes are extended for a successful tenure to those elected,” he said.

The post President Ali congratulates newly elected regional reps, urges cooperation for development appeared first on News Room Guyana.

 

A young civil engineer has been elected Regional Chairman of Region Five following the swearing-in of new councilors on Friday.

Recardo Phillips, along with Kleon Lindey, Derrick John, Pooja Mohamed, Inderjeet Persaud, Surdass Ramjattan, Devena Kemraj-Sundar, Fiona Reynolds, Cindy Sealey, Tanuja Singh, and Ayube Tajmool, took their oaths as councilors representing the People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C).

Councilors from the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) — Emerson Benjamin, Junior Henry, Angela McDonald, and Selma Sealy — and the We Invest In Nationhood (WIN) Party — Marlise Chester-Morrison, Waheed Ishak, and Alene Seraphine-Kendall — were also sworn in.

During the election for chairman, Phillips secured the majority of votes, while Kleon Lindey was elected Vice Chairman.

In his address to the new council, 28-year-old Phillips, a native of Airy Hall, Mahaicony, East Coast Demerara, pledged to continue the successful initiatives of the previous council in alignment with President Irfaan Ali’s vision for national development.

“We must work for every man, woman, and child in this region, regardless of who they voted for. We are one council, and our mandate is to serve the people of this region. I charge you to give your best service to our communities,” Phillips said.

A civil engineer by profession, Phillips highlighted four guiding principles from the PPP/C election campaign: Inclusivity, Equity, Accountability, and Prosperity.

“For Inclusivity, every stakeholder and resident must be informed and involved in the transformative agenda of our President. For Equity, every resource allocated to the Regional Democratic Council and other sector ministries must be distributed fairly across the region. Accountability requires transparency in all our actions, and Prosperity ensures that every man, woman, and child benefits from the government’s development initiatives,” he explained.

Minister of Education Sonia Parag congratulated the new councilors, reminding them of their responsibilities. “Your priority is promoting democracy in your region — inclusivity, quality service, transparency, and accountability,” she said.

Former Regional Chairman Vickchand Ramphal expressed his appreciation for the new councilors and urged collaboration to maintain the region’s progress.

The post Civil engineer elected Regional Chairman of Region Five appeared first on News Room Guyana.

The People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) has secured control of the Region Four (Demerara–Mahaica) Regional Democratic Council (RDC) following the election of Clemsford Belgrave as Regional Chairman on Friday.

Belgrave, representing the PPP/C, received 18 votes, defeating APNU’s Shaneika Haynes, who garnered eight votes. The outcome cements the PPP/C’s dominance in the country’s most populous region after strong showings in the 2025 General and Regional Elections.

According to the Official Gazette, Region Four’s RDC is composed of 17 councillors from the PPP/C, 9 from APNU, 8 from We Invest in Nationhood (WIN), and 1 from Forward Guyana (FGM). The Alliance for Change (AFC) and Assembly for Liberty and Prosperity (ALP) also contested but failed to secure any seats.

Belgrave’s election marks another key victory for the PPP/C, which retained national office in the 2025 elections and has since strengthened its regional influence through successful chairmanship bids across multiple regions.

The official list of Region Four councillors includes:

• People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C): Alechia Amos, Timothy Andrews, Jasodra Appalsamy, Neemwattie Baldeo, Clemsford Belgrave, Neville Cumberbach, Tasleem Drepaul, Saleesha Gafoor, Gayatri Jagroop, Eresha Melville, Desmond Morian, Deoraj Nauth, Alana Persaud, Roopnarain Persaud, Sumatie Ramcharan, Raghunandan Singh, David Williams.
• A Partnership for National Unity (APNU): Rudolph Adams, Ravoldo Birbal, Marcia Chattoor-Gordon, Jasmain Hackett, Shaneika Haynes, Dillon Mohamed, Robin Simon, Shirley Witter, Sheik Yaseen.
• We Invest in Nationhood (WIN): Corwin Austin, Jennel Frank-Leitch, Akeem Fraser, Latoya Joseph, Savion Paddy, Shadirra Pugsley, Roshana Rose, Felica Sheriff-Forrester.
• Forward Guyana Movement (FGM): Tinifa Stoll.

Region Four remains Guyana’s economic and political hub, encompassing the capital city, Georgetown and major East Bank and East Coast Demerara communities.

The post PPP clinches chairmanship of Region Four as Clemsford Belgrave elected with 18 votes appeared first on News Room Guyana.

The election of a new Chairman for the Region 10 Regional Democratic Council (RDC) ended in a tie on Friday, after the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) and Forward Guyana Movement (FGM) councillors voted alongside the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) in support of its nominee, Dominique Blair.

Blair, the APNU’s candidate, secured nine votes, the same number as Mark Goring of the We Invest in Nationhood (WIN) party. The tie now leaves the final decision in the hands of the Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, Priya Manickchand, who will be required to convene a special meeting to cast the deciding vote.

According to the Official Gazette, following the 2025 General and Regional Elections, the distribution of seats in Region 10 was as follows: WIN – 9 seats, APNU – 5 seats, PPP/C – 3 seats, and Forward Guyana – 1 seat.

This outcome means that the PPP/C’s three councillors and the Forward Guyana representative joined APNU’s five votes to support Blair’s bid for the Chairmanship—an alignment that effectively blocked WIN’s majority advantage in the region.

Region 10, officially known as Upper Demerara–Upper Berbice, has traditionally been considered a stronghold of the APNU, but WIN’s performance in the 2025 polls reshaped the political landscape, granting it the largest single bloc of council seats.

The full list of elected councillors includes:

1. A Partnership for National Unity (APNU): Dominique Blair, Suzette Gordon, Donna Perry, Faye Rodrigues, Orlon Rogers
2. Forward Guyana Movement (FGM): Shondell Jerrick
3. People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C): Odessa Adams, Sarah Gibson, Nikita Roberts
4. We Invest in Nationhood (WIN): Denzel Chapman, Tamicka Duke, Nandy Miriam Fiedtkou, Mark Goring, Michelle Hope, Leola Narine, Yoland Nedd, Judith Wade-Martin, Hubert Williams

 

The post Region 10 Chairmanship vote ends in tie appeared first on News Room Guyana.

Guyana Harpy Eagles Head Coach Ryan Hercules is laying out a blueprint for players in the upcoming Queensway Senior Inter-County Tournament, which commences on Saturday at Hampton Court in Essequibo.

This strategic shift aims to usher in an analytical, modern approach to the 50-over game, a format in which Guyana has been trophy-less since 2005.

Hercules, working in tandem with the Harpy Eagles’ analysts and the four head coaches of the Inter-County teams, has set specific, measurable targets for batsmen and bowlers throughout the three crucial phases of the match: the Powerplay, Middle Overs, and the Death Overs.

The move signals a shift from relying solely on natural talent to embracing a more analytical and planned approach to match execution.

The metrics document released by the coaching staff details the required performance levels for both individual players and the collective team unit across the 50 overs of an innings:

The core focus for batsmen is ensuring strike rotation and acceleration as the match progresses, with a key emphasis on eliminating unproductive deliveries.

 

Phase	Overs	Minimum Individual SR Target	Key Action Points
Powerplay	1–10	SR of 85 or more	This equates to roughly 26 runs off 30 balls by each batter. Mix aggression with urgency in running (singles/doubles).
Middle Overs	11–40	SR of 100 or more	A set batter must be scoring at a minimum of a run-a-ball. Rotation of strike through field manipulation (gaps) is key.
Death Overs	41–50	SR of above 110	Acceleration is key for set batters. New batters must minimize dot balls and rotate strike before playing big shots. A calculated approach could achieve an SR of above 150.

 

Bowling Mandate: Pressure Through Dot Balls

For the bowlers, the priority is building pressure through discipline, achieving high dot ball percentages, and executing specific field plans.

Phase	Overs	Minimum Dot Ball Target	Key Strategy
Powerplay	1–10	60% or more	This equals 15 dot balls in a 4-over spell. Hit the “good lengths” and bowl strictly to the field plan.
Middle Overs	11–40	55% or more	This equals 20 dot balls in a 6-over spell. Focus on hard lengths, minimizing boundary balls, and bowling to the field plan.
Death Overs	41–50	25% or more	This equals 2 dot balls per over bowled. Effective use of variations, bowling into the wicket, and mixing up Yorkers (wider and on the stumps) is crucial.

The team goals emphasize strategic accumulation and maintaining pressure throughout the innings, ensuring consistency across all 50 overs.

Team Batting Goals:

Overs 1-10: Score a minimum of 50 runs for the loss of no wickets.

Overs 11-40: Score at a minimum of 5.00 RPO, achieving a total of 220 by the end of the phase. This phase must also see the establishment of two 60/70+ partnerships, with one of the top four batters remaining at the crease.

Overs 41-50: Score at a minimum of 10-12 RPO, aiming for a final score between 290-300, while ensuring the team bats all 50 overs.

Team Bowling Goals:

Overs 1-10: Take at least 3 wickets, or 4-5 if the score goes above 100.

Overs 11-40: Restrict scoring to below 5 RPO and take at least 5 wickets.

Overs 41-50: Restrict scoring to below 6 RPO, with the ultimate goal of restricting the opposition’s total score to below 200.

 

The post Harpy Eagles Head Coach sets strategic goals for players in Queensway Inter-County Super50 Cup appeared first on News Room Guyana.

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)

The post Republic Bank School Football League kicks off October 19 appeared first on News Room Guyana.

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) 

The post Jaiswal 173 and Sai Sudharsan 87 carry India into a dominant position appeared first on News Room Guyana.

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.

 

The post Guyana to double soya cultivation to become net exporter appeared first on News Room Guyana.

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.

 

The post Change will not bring job losses – Minister Ally assures appeared first on News Room Guyana.