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See below the full release issued by Demerara Distillers Limited: 

TOPCO (a member of the Demerara Distillers Limited (DDL) group of companies) has initiated a voluntary recall of specific batches of the TOPCO 1L Unsweetened Orange Juice. This action follows consumer feedback, received last week, indicating a deviation in the standard sensory profile (both aroma and taste) in some Unsweetened Orange juice products.

Based on these consumer reports, tests were conducted, and a decision was made to recall from the trade all TOPCO 1L Unsweetened Orange Juice recently produced in Batches 1, 2, and 3. This recall was issued on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.

Our tests have confirmed that, of the entire TOPCO 1L range, only the Unsweetened Orange Juice product has been affected. Our Quality Assurance and Production teams are working diligently with the equipment manufacturer and other specialists to conduct a comprehensive review of our supply chain and workflow, aiming to pinpoint the root cause of this isolated issue.

We urge consumers who have purchased TOPCO 1L Unsweetened Orange Juice from the identified batches to return the product to their place of purchase for a full refund.

TOPCO assures all consumers that we remain committed to the highest standards for quality and food safety.

We thank our customers for their vigilance and for reporting the matter, allowing us the opportunity for a swift response. Your trust is important to us, and we are working to maintain it.

In the meantime, all other TOPCO Juice products are available for purchase and remain unaffected

The post TOPCO voluntarily recalls unsweetened orange juice after complaints  appeared first on News Room Guyana.

The Hydrometeorological Service of the Ministry of Agriculture on Tuesday held its National Climate Outlook Forum at Herdmanston Lodge.

Specialist meteorologist with responsibility for climatology, Komal Dhiram, explained that the usual May / June rainy season is likely to last longer than it usually does.

“In addition to seeing above normal rainfall, we are also seeing an increase in the number of wet days as compared to the normal amount of wet days that you would see in the 90-day-period” Dhiram stated.

He added, “You might have noticed that there has been an early transition into the rainy season and this is something that we have identified in our bulletins earlier this year.”

Because of this forecast, he advised persons to ensure that there is proper drainage and irrigation. He also urged farmers to plan appropriately as there is a higher change for extreme rainfall.

The hydro-meteorological service noted that in low-lying and areas with poor drainage, flooding is likely. Persons should exercise caution in efforts to safeguard life and property.

The post Prolonged May/June rainy season expected- Climatologist appeared first on News Room Guyana.

Ricardo Melville, a 19-year-old motorcyclist, died on Monday after he crashed into a concrete culvert at Diamond, East Bank Demerara (EBD).

Police said Melville, a resident of Kaneville, EBD, was proceeding south along the eastern carriageway of the Diamond Public Road at a fast rate. He reportedly lost control of his motorcycle (#CL 4491) and collided with a concrete culvert situated on the eastern parapet of the road.

Meville was injured and subsequently picked up in an unconscious state by Emergency Medical Technicians and taken to the Diamond Diagnostic Centre where he was seen and examined by a Doctor. He succumbed while receiving treatment.

His body was escorted to Memorial Gardens Funeral Home Mortuary, awaiting a post-mortem examination.

Further investigations are in progress.

The post Motorcyclist, 19, dies after crashing into culvert  appeared first on News Room Guyana.

An accident claimed the life of a 39-year-old motorcyclist and left a minibus driver hospitalised on Monday night following a collision along the Moblissa Public Road, Soesdyke-Linden Highway.

The fatal crash occurred at approximately 22:00hrs and involved three vehicles: a green and silver minibus (registration number BRR 8331), a white motor car (PXX 3747), and a motorcycle (CL 7080). The minibus, owned by Vibert Amsterdam, was being driven at the time by 54-year-old Maurice Meredith, a Guyanese man of African descent residing at Lot 84, 1st Alley, Wismar, Linden.

Initial police investigations reveal that the minibus was heading south along the eastern side of the Moblissa Public Road at an allegedly excessive speed when the driver reportedly lost control. The vehicle veered onto the western lane, directly into the path of an oncoming motorcycle ridden by Markind Jackson, a 39-year-old from Silver Hill Village, Soesdyke-Linden Highway.

The impact of the collision forced both the motorcyclist and his vehicle into a stationary white motor car parked on the western side of the road, facing north. The car is owned by Alonso Cornelius, a 53-year-old man of mixed ancestry residing at Lot 4603, Central Amelia’s Ward, Linden.

Both the motorcyclist and the minibus driver sustained injuries. Jackson was reportedly picked up in an unconscious state by a passing vehicle and rushed, along with Meredith—who was semi-conscious—to the Linden Hospital Complex, escorted by police officers.

Tragically, the motorcyclist was pronounced dead on arrival by medical staff. The minibus driver was admitted to the Accident and Emergency Unit, where he remains under police guard for observation.

The body of the deceased has since been transported to the Pensioners Mortuary, where a post-mortem examination is pending.

Authorities have confirmed that investigations into the incident remain ongoing.

The post Motorcyclist dies, minibus driver hospitalised after collision on Linden Highway appeared first on News Room Guyana.

The investigation into the fatal shooting of Ronaldo Peters in Linden, Region 10, is complete.

In a release, Police Headquarters said Guyana Police Force’s Office of Professional Responsibility and the Regional Security System (RSS) completed their investigation into the alleged fatal shooting of Peters.

“The case file is expected to be forwarded to the Director of Public Prosecution by April 23rd, 2025, to obtain legal advice,” Police said.

Meanwhile, additional witnesses to the fatal shooting of Keon Fogenay are expected to be interviewed on Tuesday by investigators to complete the case before the file is submitted.

The RSS is also expected to submit a report containing findings and recommendations. That report will be available from Friday (April 25).

RSS team in Guyana to investigate Linden fatal shootings

Peters, 21, was shot and killed by a Police Sergeant around 17:30hrs on April 7 in Linden.

Police, acting on information received went to Shabba bar in One Mile, Linden in search for Peters, who they said was wanted for rape.

The shooting was captured on CCTV footage which shows that Peters was standing by the roadside in the company of a group of men, who were sitting. A heavily-tinted minibus then approached and men in white t-shirt and black pants emerged. Peters is seen fleeing from the scene and the policemen from the minibus chased after him. Seconds later, a policeman is seen dragging Peters by the neck and taking him to the vehicle.

Police Headquarters claimed that Peters was wanted for a rape that occurred sometime between 1st December 2024 and 31st January 2025. Peter’s aunt whom he lived with, identified as Mary Benjamin, confirmed that the Police had contacted her seeking Peter’s whereabouts for questioning, but she didn’t turn him in to the Police and neither did he surrender to Police.

The ranks went to the location armed with service weapons. Police headquarters claimed the ranks “were fully dressed in uniform,” but the CCTV footage shows they were not.

Meanwhile, Fogenay, was killed when protests erupted in the town on Tuesday, April 8.

The post Probe into killing of Linden’s Ronaldo Peters complete, DPP to provide legal advice  appeared first on News Room Guyana.

See below the full release from Tropical Shipping: 

Riviera Beach, Florida – President Trump’s executive order aimed at revitalizing the U.S.  shipbuilding industry grandfathered American-owned carriers like Tropical Shipping that  currently rely on Chinese-built vessels. The United States Trade Representative (USTR)-proposed surcharges that would have cost Tropical Shipping customers an additional $3,000  per 40-foot container load, will not go into effect. 

“This is a huge victory for us and the entire Caribbean region that we serve,” said Tropical  Shipping President and CEO Tim Martin. “Our voices were heard. We could not have  accomplished this without the relentless advocacy from our Caribbean representatives in  Washington, D.C., our customers, and the many organizations that wrote letters to the USTR  describing the devastating multiplier effect these port fees would have had on all of us.” 

Martin says a USTR committee member was surprised by the massive response from  Caribbean leaders and businesses. 

“One of Tropical’ s core values is, ‘Responsiveness is our driving force.’ Caribbean communities  were our driving force on this issue, and I can’t thank you enough. I want to give a special  thanks to the following: 

• Our dedicated employees 
• Our customers 
• Congresswoman Stacey Plaskett, United States Virgin Islands 
• Governor Albert Bryan – United States Virgin Islands
• Teri Helenese, Director of the Federal Relations Office of the Governor of the United  States Virgin Islands 
• President Mohamed Irfaan Ali, Guyana 
• Prime Minister Mia Mottley of Barbados and Chair of CARICOM 
• Dr. Patrick Antione, CARICOM Private Sector Organization 
• Wazim Mowla, Atlantic Council 
• Caribbean Shipping Association 
• Caribbean Hotel & Tourism Association 
• Caribbean Ambassador to the United States 
• Caribbean Tourism Organization 
• Members of the Florida Congressional Representatives

Martin will continue to advocate in Washington, D.C., to strategize the long-term plans to bring  U.S. shipbuilding back to the U.S. and how American carriers like Tropical can prepare for the  future.

Tropical Shipping is headquartered in Riviera Beach, Florida, and has served the Caribbean  market since 1963. Tropical’s transportation services include refrigerated, dry, Full-Container Load (FCL), Less-than-Container-Load (LCL), small package, consolidation, inland  transportation, and global logistics services. For more information about Tropical Shipping, visit:  Tropical.com 

The post Tropical Shipping hails ‘huge victory’ as U.S. backs off on increased container fees appeared first on News Room Guyana.

By Avenash Ramzan in Antigua in association with Cricket Zone USA, E4 and I&S Trading

Following his 6-34 in the last round against Windward Islands, leg-spinner Reyaz Latif took 4-7 as Guyana defeated Leeward Islands by six wickets in the fourth round of the Cricket West Indies’ Rising Stars Under-15, 50-over Championship at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua.

Doing the initial damage on Easter Monday was seam pair Patricce Fraser and Rafell McKenzie, who combined for five wickets, while Usain Fredericks grabbed the other.

From left: Reyaz Latif, Patricce Fraser, Rafell McKenzie and Usain Fredericks (Photo: News Room/Avenash Ramzan/April 21, 2025)

Latif is now the leading wicket-taker in the competition with one round to go, claiming 12 wickets.

The Transport Sports Club player also has the best bowling figures in the tournament.

Two-way battle

Crucially, Guyana gained maximum bonus points, claiming all 10 wickets via fast bowling and wrist spin.

That means Guyana now has 17.4 points, with Barbados in the lead with 21.8.

Trinidad and Tobago (13.4), Jamaica (11.0), Windward Islands (8.2) and Leeward Islands (3.4) complete the table.

Guyana and Barbados face off in the final round on Wednesday in a two-way fight for the title at the Coolidge Cricket Ground from 09:30h.

For context, a win is four points, while every fast bowling/wrist spin wicket is worth 0.2 point.

From left: Arif Bacchus, Nathaniel Ramsammy and Justin Dowlin eased Guyana home during the run-chase (Photos: News Room/Avenash Ramzan/April 21, 2025)

Clinical win

On Monday, Fraser took 3-21, McKenzie 2-21 and Fredericks 1-26 in an impressive bowling display after Leeward Islands opted to bat first.

The islanders benefitted from 27 extras, with skipper J’Quan Athanaze (14) the only batsman into double figures.

Chasing a small target of 78, Guyana knocked off the runs in 25 overs to record a second consecutive win and third in four matches to remain second behind unbeaten Barbados.

Arif Bacchus of Cotton Tree Cricket Club topscored with 23 off 67 (2x4s), opener Justin Dowlin of Royal Strikers Sports Club of Essequibo made 21 off 45 (3x4s) and Nathaniel Ramsammy of Albion anchored the chase with an unbeaten 15 off 22 (1×4).

In the other fourth round matches on Monday, Barbados defeated the Windward Islands by 140 runs at the Antigua Recreation Ground and Trinidad and Tobago got the better of Jamaica by four wickets at the Coolidge Cricket Ground.

Below are the summarised scores from those games

At the Antigua Recreation Ground: Barbados defeated the Windward Island by 140 runs

 SUMMARY: Barbados 248 all out from 48.1 overs (Kelani Clarke 100, Rajeev Parsooram 34, Asher Branford 33*; Jershaun Joseph 4-53, Delroy Tittle 2-31) vs Windward Islands 108 all out from 35.3 overs (Jershaun Joseph 26; Justin Parris 3-29, Zarell Hardin 2-6)

At the Coolidge Cricket Ground: Trinidad and Tobago defeated Jamaica by four wickets

 SUMMARY: Jamaica 132 all out from 43.1 overs (Rajae McGeachy 63; Zion Phillip 3-14, Samuel Stewart 3-17) vs Trinidad and Tobago 134-6 from 40.3 overs (Zion Phillip 61*; Alixandre Elliott 2-7, Wayne Plummer 2-36)

The post U-15: Latif delivers another win for Guyana; sets up title showdown with Barbados appeared first on News Room Guyana.

Guyana’s Rodel Greene secured a bronze medal in the Boys’ Under-20 triple jump on Monday, the final day of the 52nd CARIFTA Games in Trinidad and Tobago, bringing the nation’s total medal count to five.

Last year, Guyana’s contingent of 23 in Grenada won eight medals. This year, 42 athletes represented Guyana in the twin island republic.

Greene’s personal best leap of 15.50 meters earned him a spot on the podium behind Jamaica’s Chavez Penn (gold, 16.14m) and Michael-Andre Edwards (silver, 15.66m). Fellow Guyanese Duel Europe finished 11th.

Guyana’s other medals at the Games were gold for Tianna Springer (U-20 400m), silver for Malachi Austin (U-20 400m), and bronze for Attoya Harvey (U-20 1500m) and Ebo McNeil (U-17 3000m).

The girls’ U-17 4x400m team placed seventh with a time of 4:09.26, while the boys’ team finished sixth in 3:26.46, behind a record-setting Bahamas team that clocked 3:12.72.

Top medal contenders Javon Roberts and Kaidon Persaud finished just outside the podium. Roberts posted a time of 1:52.53 for fifth place, with Persaud close behind in sixth at 1:52.56.

Jamaican Shavan Jarrett took gold in 1:51.19, edging out D’Angelo Brown of Grenada (1:51.21).

In the boys’ U-17 800 meters, Bryson Anderson finished sixth in 2:01.16. The race was won by the host nation’s Brion Scott in 1:56.48, with Jamaicans Luke Plummer and Yohance Carty completing the podium.

In the shot put, Guyana’s Jamie Fraser and Marquez Miggins finished sixth and ninth with best throws of 13.35 meters and 12.77 meters, respectively.

Jamaican athletes Despiro Wray (19.66m) and Devonte Edwards (18.73m) claimed gold and silver, while Grenadian Dylan Logan secured bronze with a throw of 15.80m.

Walton Alleyne was Guyana’s sole finalist in the 200 meters, finishing seventh in 21.60 seconds. Barbadian Jayden Green won gold with a time of 20.93 seconds.

In the discus, Nathaniel Samaroo threw a best of 38.30 meters, finishing tenth. Jamaican Kamari Kennedy set a new championship record with a throw of 60.87 meters.

The event concluded with David Williams finishing seventh in the U-17 long jump, with a leap of 6.63 meters, behind Jamaican Amani Phillips’ winning mark of 7.49 meters.

Looking towards the future, Grenada has expressed interest in hosting the CARIFTA Games in 2026, while The Bahamas, Curacao, and Barbados are considering bids for 2027 and 2028.

The post CARIFTA GAMES 2025: Greene’s triple jump bronze gives Guyana five medals appeared first on News Room Guyana.

The Guyana Office for Investment in collaboration with the Ministry of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, will lead a high level private sector delegation to Expo 2025 in Osaka, Japan, from April 26–28, 2025. This strategic mission underscores Guyana’s commitment to advancing international trade, promoting sustainable investment, and accelerating private sector growth through direct global engagement. 

The delegation’s visit will coincide with Guyana’s National Day at the Expo, scheduled for April 27, 2025, which will be led by the Honourable Oneidge Walrond, M.P., Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce. National Day celebrations will offer an immersive experience of Guyana’s cultural diversity, innovation, and creative energy. Through compelling cultural performances, captivating visual presentations, and authentic storytelling, Guyana will spotlight its unique identity before a global audience, including representatives from over 150 participating nations. 

As part of the mission, the Guyana Office for Investment has organized business-to-business (B2B) matchmaking sessions with Japanese companies operating in priority growth sectors. These engagements aim to foster investment partnerships while positioning Guyana as a dynamic and emerging economy in the global marketplace. 

This visit presents an opportunity to strengthen bilateral trade by deepening commercial ties and diversifying the trade portfolio to include non-traditional sectors. The private sector delegation’s presence in Osaka reflects a clear mandate to elevate Guyana’s economic diplomacy, unlock market access, and create new trade and investment linkages that align with the country’s long term development goals. 

Dr. Peter Ramsaroop, Chief Investment Officer and Agency Head of the Guyana Office for Investment, highlighted the broader significance of the mission: 

“Our presence at Expo 2025 is a strategic statement to the world, Guyana is open for business. We are ready to collaborate, and we are focused on expanding our global footprint. This platform gives us the opportunity to showcase not only our investment opportunities but also the depth of talent and resilience within our private sector. Through targeted B2B meetings and high level dialogue, we are creating new gateways for growth, trade, and long term collaboration.” 

He added: “This is more than a delegation, it is a cornerstone of our national strategy to position Guyana on the global investment map. As we engage with Japanese enterprises and explore innovation driven sectors, we are also building the foundation for a future that is sustainable, inclusive, and globally integrated.” 

Expo 2025 Osaka, under the theme “Designing Future Society for Our Lives,” offers a six-month platform for countries to exchange ideas, innovations, and cultural narratives. Guyana’s participation reflects a unified national vision to bridge trade, tourism, investment, and cultural diplomacy in pursuit of sustainable development. 

The Guyana Office for Investment and the Ministry of Tourism, Industry and Commerce will continue their mandate over the next six months by maintaining a strong presence at the Guyana Pavilion. Their ongoing efforts will ensure that Guyana’s culture is celebrated, its business community is connected, and its national development agenda remains front and center on the world stage (GO-Invest press release)

The post GO-Invest leads private sector delegation to Japan Expo  appeared first on News Room Guyana.

See below the full message from Guyana’s President, Dr. Irfaan Ali: 

I join the multitudes across the world in mourning the passing of His Holiness Pope Francis. As the spiritual head of more than 1.3 billion Roman Catholics, his death will be deeply felt across all continents. On behalf of the government and people of Guyana, I extend my heartfelt condolences to the global Catholic community and especially the Faithful of our local diocese.

Pope Francis’s election to the papacy, twelve years ago, generated a wave of excitement, especially considering that he was first person from the Americas to become Pope. His papacy sparked important conversations about acceptance and belonging within the Church. The recent synod that he convened has laid the foundational stones for a new way of being Church.

Apart from his religious legacy, he will long be remembered for the simplicity of his lifestyle, his enlightened stance on global concerns such as climate change, inequality and migration, and his role in fostering improved inter-faith dialogue and relations.

The environment was close to his heart. In his encyclical letter, Laudato Si, Pope Francis called for shared responsibility for protecting the environment. Referring to the planet as “our common home” His Holiness said: We need to strengthen the conviction that we are one single family. There are no frontiers or barriers, political or social, behind which we can hide, still less is there room for the globalization of indifference.

He highlighted the plight of migrants and refugees, reminding us that “[They] are not pawns on the chessboard of humanity. They are children, women, and men who leave or who are forced to leave their homes for various reasons, who share a legitimate desire for knowing and having, but above all for being more.”

He was a tireless advocate for the need to address inequality, often framing this need as a moral and social imperative rooted in the principles of human dignity, solidarity, and the common good.

Pope Francis was a shepherd of compassion and conscience. His pontificate has had far-reaching impacts and assures him of a revered place in the history of the papacy and the course of human history. May he rest in eternal splendor!

The post Pope Francis was a ‘tireless advocate for the need to address inequality’ – President Ali appeared first on News Room Guyana.