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Two days after President Dr Irfaan Ali announced new policies for foreign exchange control in Guyana, the country’s Vice President Dr Bharrat Jagdeo has emphasised that these measures are meant to close loopholes that exist and prevent money from being siphoned off elsewhere.

Additionally, Jagdeo told reporters that the new policies are not expected to burden locals and small business owners.

“We’re not going to restrict Guyanese from purchasing foreign currency. We will make sure that we provide adequate amounts from the central bank to meet domestic demand but will close loopholes to prevent people from abusing the system,” Jagdeo said at his Thursday press conference.

He added, “There will be significant exemptions for small businesses… it would be mainly for the larger users of foreign currency.”

The new measures— nine in total— were announced during the President’s meeting with several stakeholders of the financial sector, including the Governor of the Bank of Guyana (BoG) Dr Gobin Ganga, the Commissioner-General of the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA), Godfrey Statia, and representatives of the various commercial banks operating in Guyana.

Extra verifications part of President’s foreign exchange control plan

So what are the nine measures?

1.) Any request for foreign exchange by any customer to commercial banks for the importation of goods to Guyana would require every customer to provide the commercial bank with a copy of the commercial invoice on the basis of which the commercial bank may release the foreign exchange to the said customer. The President said such a system already exists, but there are instances of over- and under-invoicing that must be dealt with.

2.) Any customer that submits a request for foreign exchange, upon the arrival of the goods in Guyana, will have to submit a copy of the invoice and Bill of Lading to GRA. The documents must also be submitted to the commercial bank for verification. This allows the stakeholders to verify that the goods were purchased and that those goods were brought to Guyana and not taken to any other destination

3.) If a customer fails to submit the certified copy of the invoice, the Bill of Lading, and a GRA compliance to the commercial bank, then the commercial bank shall not release the request for further foreign exchange

4.) The commercial banks will submit copies of the Bill of Lading and the commercial invoice to the Bank of Guyana for further verification. The President said this new window will be set up at the central bank, and it will be one allowing robust monitoring and clearing, so that these new policies do not cause any delays in business transactions

5.) Each commercial bank will have to ensure that personal credit cards are used strictly for personal transactions and not for the settling of business obligations, in light of a spike in credit card transactions

6.) In cases where there are related party transactions and inflated invoicing for capital flights, the entities found responsible will be penalised. Capital flight, in economics, refers to the rapid outflow of a large amount of money or assets from a country or region due to several reasons. President Ali, however, said this is “unfair to the system.”

7.) In cases where foreign exchange in the form of currency is being taken out of Guyana, the source of the currency will have to be declared. President Ali said this must be done whether the currency is purchased from the banks or “on the road”

8.) Entities registered in Guyana under the local content laws that are providing services for the oil and gas sector must maintain a local bank account in which the foreign currency earnings shall be remitted into the said bank account. President Ali said local content legislation will be amended to reflect this

9.) A single window post-clearing system will be established at the Central Bank, through which reconciliation and prior transactions between GRA, commercial banks, and the Central Bank will be completed before new requests are facilitated

President Ali said these measures would be implemented with immediate effect.

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The People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) plans to expand its membership significantly ahead of the next national elections, focusing heavily on women and youth.

This is according to Guyana’s Vice President, who is also the party’s General Secretary, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo.

At a press conference on Thursday, the Vice President said the next elections will be held in 2031. Ahead of those elections, he said the party will be focused on strengthening itself.

“We will build out the women’s movement to a strong, vibrant women’s organisation… and expand the work with the young people through the Progressive Youth Organisation (moving from) 15,000 members to 30,000,” he said.

The PPP/C was re-elected last month following the 2025 General and Regional Elections. The party increased its majority, now holding 36 of the 65 seats in the National Assembly. Jagdeo described this as a “landslide victory.”

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Vice President Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo vowed that citizens will benefit from several cash grants over the People’s Progressive Party Civic’s (PPP/C) five-year term in office.

“This is a five-year term we have. There will be several cash grants in the five-year term,” Jagdeo said at a press conference held at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre, Liliendaal, Georgetown.

Jagdeo also said whatever has been promised, will be delivered when he was asked about the distribution of one of those grants by Christmas as hinted at by President Dr Irfaan Ali on the campaign trail.

Last year, the PPP/C government rolled out a one-off $100,000 cash grant for all adult citizens.

Jagdeo, however, emphasised that such cash grants are not the only tool the government is using to ensure citizens benefit directly from the country’s oil wealth. Other ventures include investing in ventures to support people’s well-being and quality of life.

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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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