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The Government of Guyana is assessing whether sections of the existing Demerara Harbour Bridge can be used to bridge the Berbice River at Kwakwani, Region 10, according to Public Works Minister Juan Edghill.

Edghill, during an engagement with reporters on Sunday, said the head of his ministry’s Transport Planning Unit already visited Kwakwani to assess the possibility of bridging the river. A report has been submitted.

“I wouldn’t want to discuss that report this afternoon, right now, because we want to make sure we have everything in place before we go public with that report,” Edghill said however.

Old Demerara Harbour Bridge will not become ‘scrap iron’ – Edghill

The government is forging ahead with the establishment of the new Demerara Harbour Crossing, a four-lane high-span structure that is expected to reduce traffic congestion when it is completed by August 31, 2025.

As construction of that bridge moves ahead, several options for the productive use of the existing floating bridge are being considered. The bridge at Kwakwani is one option.

Edghill reminded reporters that the structure could also be used to join the Essequibo islands of Leguan and Wakenaam. Bridging the Essequibo River at Kurupukari using the existing Demerara Bridge is not likely to be pursued, as there are rapids and rocks there.

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The section of the East Bank Public Road closed for continued work on the new Demerara River Bridge will open at the end of Sunday, instead of the 03:00 hrs Monday target, due to construction work finishing ahead of schedule. 

Minister of Public Works Juan Edghill, on Sunday afternoon, told reporters that the roadway will be fully reopened at midnight as girder placement should be completed then. 

He also noted that the overall completion of the bridge is still set for the end of August. Construction work at other sections of the bridge is moving ahead as planned. 

“Contractors working round the clock, Sunday to Sunday,” Edghill said on Sunday. 

The US$260 million new river bridge will become the first in South America. It is designed to cater to vehicles of all sizes and weights with a length stretching 1.25 miles (2.01km).

The new structure will land at the back of Nandy Park, East Bank Demerara, and La Grange, West Bank Demerara. 

It is a fixed, 2.65-kilometer (km), four-lane, high-span, cable-stayed structure, with a driving surface of 23.6 metres. It will feature a bicycle lane. It will also end bridge closures for vehicular traffic with a 50-metre fixed-high span.

With a lifespan of at least 100 years, the structure serves as a strategic link between Regions Three and Four, facilitating the movement of thousands of individuals, vehicles and cargo. Importantly, it will open up a wave of economic activities and opportunities.

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West Demerara batsman Sachin Balgobin on Sunday smashed a belligerent double hundred in the Demerara Cricket Board’s Inter-Association Under-19, 50-over competition.

In a match reduced to 30 overs per side due to overnight showers, West Demerara piled up 336-2 against Upper Demerara with Balgobin hitting an unbeaten 214 from 103 balls.

The right-hander struck 21 fours and 12 sixes.

Parmeshwar Ram made 50

Parmeshwar Ram made 50 off 35 (8x4s, 1×6), as Andy Ramgoolan took 1-41 and Russel Anderson 1-43.

Upper Demerara then collapsed to 25 all out in nine overs to lose by 311 runs with Kelvin Raymond taking 5-12 and national Under-15 selectee Patrice Fraser 4-10.

Kelvin Raymond (right) and Patrice Fraser

The other second round game on Sunday between East Coast and East Bank at the Better Hope ground was abandoned without a ball bowled due to rain.

Remaining games

April 8

• Georgetown vs East Coast at Transport
• Upper Demerara vs East Bank at Farm

April 9

• Georgetown vs Upper Demerara at Transport
• West Demerara vs East Bank at Meten-Meer-Zorg

April 11

• West Demerara vs Georgetown at Meten-Meer-Zorg
• East Coast vs Upper Demerara at Transport

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At the Annual General Meeting of the Guyana Manufacturing and Services Association (GMSA) on Friday, outgoing President Ramsay Ali announced an agreement that will soon be inked with the International Trade Centre (ITC) to develop a digital platform for small businesses, particularly agro-processors.

“This initiative is a game-changer for our agro-processing members, offering a digital platform where businesses can promote and sell their products with ease.

“As e-commerce continues to reshape global trade, this portal will help growing businesses expand their reach, connect with buyers locally and soon internationally, and stay competitive in the digital economy,” Ali stated.

Ali revealed that the partnership will see an investment of US$30,000 to improve the Uncapped Marketplace Online Portal. The portal was designed a few years ago to expand international market access and boost e-commerce in Guyana’s agro-processing sector.

“Like a small Amazon so you can go online, make a payment and you can get it [product] delivered to your house,” Ali explained.

This development has been in the works for the past three years and is now finally coming to fruition through the collaboration with the ITC, an organisation based in the European Union.

““Once we make this successful and I am sure we will, there are significant more monies to be had and make the project bigger and bigger,” Ali stated.

This new effort builds upon the previous G$10 million sponsorship from ExxonMobil Guyana, which initially supported the e-commerce platform.

Meanwhile, Ali highlighted the success of GMSA’s flagship Uncapped Marketplace event last year. He told the gathering that the event serves as a vital platform for local producers to showcase their goods, network with potential buyers, and generate sales.

The 2024 edition saw increased participation, with over 100 agro-processors taking part, reaffirming the high demand for Guyanese products and the remarkable innovation and quality present in the local manufacturing sector.

Additionally, Ali spoke of plans to take Uncapped regionally and internationally.

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On Saturday, Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha commissioned the Upper Corentyne Fisherman Cooperative Society Administrative Building at Number 79 Village on the Corentyne Coast.

The building was constructed and outfitted at a cost of $32 million and will serve as a hub for various activities as well as a space where fisherfolk can access important services and resources.

While offering remarks, Minister Mustapha said that requests were made for rehabilitation work to be done on the old structure but Vice President Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo committed to constructing a new building.

A section of the gathering (Photo: Ministry of Agriculture/ April 5, 2025)

“During a meeting with the Vice President, some fishermen asked for assistance with repairing a dilapidated building. At that point, the Vice President committed to building a new building. Today, we are here to commission this building. That tells a story. When this government makes a commitment we always deliver. While there may be issues in the industry, if you examine the expenditure now, it has increased tremendously. We are now rehabilitating and modernizing all of the landing sites and wharves across the country. We know that this profession requires a lot of commitment and dedication. People leave their homes and families to face the elements to provide us with the most affordable form of protein. They are risking their lives so we will continue to support this industry,” the minister noted.

Meanwhile, Senior Fisheries Officer, Mickale Amsterdam said the commissioning comes at a critical time for Guyana’s fisheries sector and is a direct reflection of the government’s commitment to not only improving the livelihoods of fisherfolk but also forms part of a broader national agenda to ensure that coastal fishing communities like Number 79 Village thrive in this rapidly evolving and competitive sector.

Minister Mustapha also said that the government remains committed to engaging officials in Suriname to secure fishing licenses for fisherfolk on the Corentyne Coast.

“An issue that continues to plague this part of the country is licenses for fisherfolk plying their trade. We’ve had discussions at the highest level and commitments were made for 150 licenses to be issued to Guyanese. There were emails and correspondences between myself and the Minister responsible for Agriculture in Suriname to determine how we would distribute these licenses. But after four years, we are still waiting. They’ve reneged on those agreements. We are still actively pursuing these matters and have maintained that our fisherfolk must enjoy those facilities so that they can fish freely,” Minister Mustapha said.

Minister Mustapha also said that additional work will be done at the facility in the coming weeks.

“I’ve committed to the fisherfolk to upgrade the tarmac, a gas station will be built so that fisherfolk can purchase their gas here. We’ll also establish a hardware store so that fisherfolk can purchase inputs. So that at the end of it, you’ll have a brand new office with a functioning office and hardware store to serve the fisherfolk of this part of the region,” he explained.

Approximately 200 fisherfolk from along the Corentyne Coast are expected to benefit from the new facility (Ministry of Agriculture press release)

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Fisherfolk in East Berbice – Corentyne will soon benefit from a programme aimed at supplementing their income as the Government of Guyana through the Ministry of Agriculture launched a brackish water shrimp programme in the region on Saturday.

The programme, similar to what is already in place on the Corentyne Coast, will see groups of fisherfolk from Sheet Anker / Fort Ordinance and areas along the Corentyne Coast benefiting from assistance from the Ministry of Agriculture to establish ponds to rear the high-demand shrimp.

Agriculture Minister, Zulfikar Mustapha while officially launching the programme in Fort Ordinance and Albion, said that the initiative aims to provide additional avenues for sustainable income for fisherfolk.

Agriculture Minister, Zulfikar Mustapha while addressing fisherfolk from Albion (Photo: Ministry of Agriculture/ April 5, 2025)

“Times are advancing, and fisherfolk cannot depend on one activity to support their livelihood. As Minister, I am prepared to work with you to go into other sustainable activities. We are not telling you to leave fishing, we are developing programmes to help you to expand and diversify your activities. So, when you are experiencing low catches, you can engage in alternative activities to supplement your income. We can put you in groups based on your geographical location and work along with you to develop ponds for brackish water shrimp. This region has been used as a pilot project for us, where we were able to increase brackish water shrimp production from 10,000 kg to about 100,000 kg monthly. This increase is because of the infrastructure we’ve put in place and the new methods we are adopting. We will work along with the groups to locate the land and get the programme going. I’ll make the machine and other materials available so that this project can commence within a month,” Minister Mustapha explained.

Minister Mustapha also said that when the government got into office, it began making budgetary allocations to develop the infrastructure to support the fisheries sector. He explained that to improve security standards for fisherfolk while at sea, the ministry also procured several Vessel Monitoring Devices (VMDs) as part of its monitoring strategy for artisanal fisheries in Guyana.

“We recognize the role every stakeholder in the agriculture sector plays. The fisherfolk have been making a valuable contribution to this country. When we got into government in 2020, we recognized that the fishing industry needed an impetus to push it. That’s why we increased budgetary allocations and gave every fisherman a grant. We then rolled out a programme to rehabilitate all of the major landing sites across the country. That is an ongoing programme. We installed lights and washroom facilities and built ramps and sheds for fisherfolk to ply their trade and mend their seine. Also, just before the last elections, we were seeing an increase in piracy. We also started to look at IUU fishing and began working closely with the Coast Guard and the Guyana Police Force to minimize these things. Last year, we procured 100 Vessel Monitoring Devices which are known to play a pivotal role in ensuring sustainable fishing practices. By equipping your vessels with these devices, we’re able to monitor fishing activities in real–time, with the hope of minimizing piracy as well as illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing,” he explained.

He also said that the government recognizes the important role the fisherfolk play and has been putting systems in place to reduce input costs.

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Statement from Cricket West Indies

Cricket West Indies (CWI) has announced that, following a recent meeting of the Code of Conduct and Disciplinary Tribunal on Friday, 04 April 2025, the four-match suspension previously imposed on Jamaica Scorpions captain John Campbell has been officially withdrawn.

The Tribunal was convened to hear the case involving Barbados Pride captain Raymon Reifer, in respect of a charge relating to his conduct at the CG United Super50 Final on November 23, 2024.

During the proceedings, the Tribunal took the view that the procedure of bringing the charge was flawed and the matter therefore could not be heard.

While the matter involving Campbell was not before the Tribunal, the issues raised during Reifer’s hearing informed CWI’s decision to withdraw the charges against Campbell.

It is important to note, the view is not pertaining to the merit of the charge but rather the process of the charge being laid.

Notably, the Tribunal did not issue any ruling on the matter of prize money or match fees arising from the final. As such, CWI confirms that its previous decision to withhold all disbursements to both teams due to the final match not taking place, remain in place.

In light of the Tribunal’s findings, CWI respects the independent panel’s position and has accordingly rescinded the four-match suspension initially handed down to Mr. Campbell.

However, it is important to note that his admission of responsibility and formal apology remain on record.

CWI Director of Cricket, Miles Bascombe, stated: “We acknowledge the Tribunal’s observations and respect their role in ensuring procedural fairness. While Mr. Campbell’s expression of remorse and admission has been accepted, we recognise the concerns raised during Reifer’s hearing regarding the overall process and have decided to withdraw the suspension.”

Bascombe further expressed: “That said, this does not absolve individuals of responsibility where there have been serious breaches. No ruling has been made to declare a winner or overturn any match outcome- this is purely a matter of addressing procedural fairness. Neither has anyone been found guilty or innocent of charges. Our commitment to discipline, professionalism, and the integrity of the game remains unwavering.”

As a result of the Tribunal’s findings and in the interest of consistency, CWI will not pursue further disciplinary action against Raymon Reifer at this stage regarding his individual conduct in the final.

The independent panel was chaired by Mr. Justice Patrick Thompson Jr and included members Mr. Justice Dale Staple, Mme. Justice Jacqueline Cornelius-Thorne, Mr. T. Michael Findlay and Mr. Sylvester Joseph.

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Cricket Equipment Guyana has thrown its support behind the Demerara Cricket Board’s Inter-Association Under-19, 50-over competition, which started on Saturday.

Cricket Equipment Guyana- with its showroom at the Bel Air Rubis Service Station- presented six boxes of cricket balls and trophies for the five-team competition.

Chairman of the Competitions Committee of the Demerara Cricket Board Avishkar Ramgobin received the items from Ganesh Persaud of Cricket Equipment Guyana.

The Inter-Association bowled off on Saturday with Georgetown and East Coast taking an early lead in the run for championship honours.

At the Transport Sports Club in the city, Georgetown flattened East Bank by 191 runs, while over at the Meten-Meer-Zorg ground, East Coast prevailed by six wickets over home side West Demerara.

Upper Demerara Cricket Association (UDCA): Russel Anderson (c), Elizah Bowen (vc), Rusco Anderson, Triston Peters, Errol Alder, Jamel Courtman, Rohit Ramnauth, Marvin Ford, Andy Ramgoolam, Raphael Tappin, Jayshawn Clark, Colis Chu, Randy Jason and Tyrick Henry

East Bank Cricket Association (EBCA): Deonarine Dindial (c) Sayyad Lakeram (vc) Altaf Rahim, Vamol Lall, Dravid Manohar, Jovind Ducan, Roupie Rajaram, Josiah Lim, Farhan Housain, Yeshua Hutson, Solomon Cameroon, Joshua Budram, Vinesh Kalpoo and Dilshan Latchman

Georgetown Cricket Association (GCA): Jonathan Van Lange (c), Dave Mohabir (vc) Jayden Dowlin, Riyad Latif, Shiloh Adams, Ryan Latif, Shamar Apple, Emmanuel Lewis, Wavell Allen, John Persaud, Renaldo Grenville, Dhanesh Persaud, Ravaldo Pereira, Feyaad Leakraj, Romeo Deonarain, Shane Prince. Reserves: Kaylon Callender, Trilok Nanan, Jonathan Mentore, Stephon Sankar and Bijan Embleton

East Coast Cricket Association (ECCA): Nicholas Shiopersad (c) Vickash Wilkinson(vc), Suresh Sugrim, Neeran Bani, Arun Gainda, Saif Ragbeer, Marcel Nandu, Tyriq Walters, Alex Datterdeen, Munesh Outar, Nityanand Mathura, Moin Persaud, Lakeram Sukdeo and Josh Behari

West Demerara Cricket Association (WDCA): Sachin Balgobin (c), Parmeshwar Ram (vc) Christopher Persaud, Patrice Fraser, Navendra Sankar, Udesh Seetaram, Arvin Suknanand, Tashant Argyle, Joshua Kishundial, Murali Seodat, Chetram Shivpersaud, Kelvin Raymond, Davindra Khan, Shankar Ramesh, Joshua Isaac Williams. Reserves: Ryidwan Mahase, Shazad Ally and Andel Austin

Fixtures and Venues:

April 5: Georgetown vs East Bank (Transport), West Demerara vs East Coast (Meten-Meer Zorg); Upper Demerara (Bye)

April 6: East Bank vs East Coast (Better Hope), West Demerara vs Upper Demerara (Meten-Meer Zorg); Georgetown (Bye)

April 8: Georgetown vs East Coast (LBI), Upper Demerara vs East Bank (Farm); West Demerara (Bye)

April 9: Georgetown vs Upper Demerara (LBI), West Demerara vs East Bank (Meten-Meer-Zorg); East Coast (Bye)

April 11: Georgetown vs West Demerara (Meten-Meer-Zorg), East Coast vs Upper Demerara (LBI); East Bank (Bye)

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Guyana’s National Chess Champions- Candidate Master Taffin Khan and Woman Candidate Master Jessica Callender- will participate in the upcoming 2025 Subzone 2.3.3 Absolute and Women Chess Championship in Trinidad and Tobago.

The Trinidad and Tobago Chess Association will host the competition at the Cascadia Hotel and Conference Centre in St. Ann’s from April 11-18.

CM Khan will compete in the Absolute category, while WCM Callender will compete against her female counterparts in the Women’s category.

Khan, with an ELO rating of 2023, is Guyana’s top-rated player and the reigning National Chess Champion. Khan will compete against the Caribbean’s best for a chance to win, improve his game, and earn rating points.

Khan has proven his mettle over the years in Guyana, both in the classical and rapid competitions.

He will now play in the Swiss competition with a time control of 90 minutes with 30 30 second increments per move, his strongest suit.

Callender, who has an ELO rating of 1568, will also have the opportunity to elevate her game and accrue rating points as she faces formidable competition from the Caribbean’s elite female chess players.

Callender, who reigned as National Women’s Champion for 2023 and 2024, was selected in January 2025 to represent Guyana.

Cash prizes amounting to US$3000 and US$2250 are up for grabs in the Absolute and Women’s categories, respectively.

Eligible players can gain titles and norms per FIDE regulations.

The 2025 SUBZONE 2.3.3 Absolute and Women Chess Championship is open to players who represent national chess federations from Antigua and Barbuda, Aruba, Bahamas, Barbados, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Ned. Antilles, Saint Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

The winner in each category will automatically qualify for the next FIDE World Cup.

“CM Khan and WCM Callender now proceed to Port-of-Spain with the full support and confidence of the Guyana Chess Federation that they would do us all proud,” the Guyana Chess Federation said in a release.

“The GCF’s President, Anand Raghunauth, continues to advocate for players to improve their games through international competition. The opportunities afforded to players who excel in chess continue to grow as the GCF strives to build an environment conducive to the advancement and progress of chess.”

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