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Jer Sweany Calder, a driver who was caught speeding, was also charged and fined for driving with heavily tinted windows and for having an obscured number plate.

Calder appeared at the Sparendaam Magistrate’s Court before Magistrate Abigail Gibbs where he pleaded guilty to the offences. He was charged with Prohibition of Tinted Glass and Obscured Identification Mark (Licence Plate).

The court imposed fines of $7,500 for the tinted windows and $40,000 for the obscured licence plate.

Calder was arrested on April 8, 2025 by Inspector Scott along the Mon Repos Public Road, East Coast Demerara, for exceeding the speed limit.

The post Driver charged, fined for ‘tint’ and obscured licence plate appeared first on News Room Guyana.

Over 750 persons graduated from a hybrid nursing assistant training programme on Tuesday, and Health Minister Dr. Frank Anthony encouraged them to continue advancing their careers.

This was the largest batch of nursing assistants.

During the ceremony held at the National Cultural Centre, Dr. Anthony urged them to improve their health care knowledge and build a career in health care.

“We see you moving from becoming a nursing assistant to getting into the registered nursing programme and the work that you would’ve done now and the experience that you’ve gained by working, that should count as you move on into a different programme at a higher level,” said Dr. Anthony.

Minister of Health Dr. Frank Anthony speaking at the graduation (Photo: DPI/ April 15, 2025)

He further noted that the government is constantly looking into programmes to provide career longevity for the healthcare sector.

“In every area of medicine, there are specialties, so we want some of you to be surgical nurses, we want some of you to be persons who would work in surgical theatres… we are creating these types of specialties,” the minister said.

Already, each graduate will be employed by the Ministry of Health as part of the government’s initiative to promote job security and provide employment opportunities.

The hybrid curriculum approach was identified as a way of providing competent and adequate nursing assistants who can access their training while catering to their personal needs. Becuase of this focus, a programme that was once 18 months long has been reduced to just 12.

Through this programme, the students learn via the Coursera platform and also use the simulation centers operational in the country.

The graduates hailed from each region. There were 19 graduates from Region One, 52 from Region Two, 72 from Region Three, 123 from Region Four, 119 from Region Five, 153 from Region Six, 22 from Region Seven, 17 from Region Eight, 19 from Region Nine, and 133 from Region Ten. Additionally, there were 35 graduates from the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC).

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The 11th Annual MILO Under-18 Schools Football Tournament quarter-finals delivered a thrilling day of action at the Education Ground, setting up two enticing semi-final clashes.

Four teams – Chase’ Academic Foundation, Waramuri Secondary, Dolphin Secondary, and West Ruimveldt Secondary – emerged from the weekend’s encounters, showcasing both attacking flair and defensive resilience.

Dolphin Secondary underlined their attacking credentials with a comprehensive 4-0 victory over Three Miles Secondary.

The dynamic duo of Collin Frank David and Ezekiel Frank David proved too hot to handle, with Collin bagging a brace in the 15th and 24th minutes.

Ezekiel added his name to the scoresheet in the 39th minute, before Seon Grant capped off a dominant performance with a late goal in the 67th minute.

Chase’ Academic Foundation continued their formidable run in the tournament with a ruthless 10-1 demolition of Bushlot Secondary.

The competition’s leading marksman, Bryan Wharton, was in unstoppable form, bagging an incredible five-goal haul (15’, 26’, 35’, 75’, 85’). He was well-supported by Nyron Barrow (10’), Isaiah Ifill, who struck twice (17’, 50’), and Neeiaz Baksh (53’).

An own goal in the second minute opened the scoring, highlighting Bushlot’s difficult afternoon. Quaency Fraser managed a solitary consolation goal for Bushlot in the 58th minute.

From left: Bryan Wharton, Isaiah Ifill, Neeiaz Baksh and Nyron Barrow

West Ruimveldt Secondary secured their place in the final four with a comfortable 3-0 victory over President’s College, thanks to a clinical first-half hat-trick from Jeremiah Griffith.

Griffith found the back of the net in the 20th, 28th, and 41st minutes, propelling his side into the semi-finals with significant momentum.

The final quarter-final saw a composed and disciplined performance from Waramuri Secondary, who secured a 2-0 win over Charlestown Secondary. Erwin Booker broke the deadlock in the 26th minute, and Orwin Abrams doubled Waramuri’s advantage in the 52nd minute, ensuring the Region One side progressed to the semi-finals.

The stage is now set for two highly anticipated semi-final encounters, scheduled for Wednesday, April 16th, at the Ministry of Education (MOE) Ground.

The first match will see West Ruimveldt take on the free-scoring Dolphin at 5:00 PM.

This will be followed by a potentially explosive clash between the dominant Chase’ Academic Foundation and the resolute Waramuri Secondary at 7:00 PM. (Azizi Christiani) 

 

The post MILO School Football: Chase, Waramuri through to final four appeared first on News Room Guyana.

Kaylee Lowe emerged as the dominant force at the Guyana Squash Association (GSA)-organised National Junior Squash Championships, sponsored by Moo Milk and held at the Georgetown Club Courts.

The tournament showcased the depth of young talent aiming to restore Guyana’s prominence in Caribbean squash.

The young star clinched an unprecedented treble of individual titles, winning the Girls’ Under-15, Under-17, and the prestigious Under-19 crowns.

It is understood to be the first time in nearly a decade that a female player has achieved such a feat, winning three separate age-group titles at the national championships.

While Lowe’s outstanding performance was the main talking point, the championships also saw impressive displays across other age categories.

Other Category Winners:

• Girls U11: Ella Fernandes
• Boys U11: Rafael Braithwaite
• Girls U13: Tehani Munroe
• Boys U13: Ethan Bulkan
• Boys U15: Justin Ten-Pow
• Boys U17: Justin Ten-Pow
• Boys U19: Louis Da Silva

Doubles Champions:

• Girls’ Doubles: Safirah Sumner & Kaylee Lowe
• Boys’ Doubles: Justin Goberdan & Louis Da Silva
• Mixed Doubles: Louis Da Silva & Safirah Sumner

Special Awards:

• Most Improved Girl: Tehani Munroe
• Most Improved Boy: Nidal Bacchus
• Most Promising Girl: Kaylee Lowe
• Most Promising Boy: Ethan Bulkan
• Player of the Tournament: Justin Ten-Pow

The respective winners, along with sponsors and representatives from the Guyana Squash Association

Beyond the individual accolades, the doubles events provided further excitement. Safirah Sumner and Kaylee Lowe teamed up to secure the Girls’ Doubles title, while Justin Goberdan and Louis Da Silva claimed the Boys’ Doubles crown.

The Mixed Doubles title was won by Louis Da Silva and Safirah Sumner.

The GSA also recognised emerging talent and outstanding progress with special awards. Tehani Munroe was named the Most Improved Girl, and Nidal Bacchus took the Most Improved Boy award.

The Most Promising Girl award deservedly went to the triple-champion Kaylee Lowe, with Ethan Bulkan named the Most Promising Boy.

Justin Ten-Pow’s consistent performances and title win saw him crowned Player of the Tournament.

With the National Junior Championships concluding on a high, the focus now shifts to building on this momentum as Team Guyana aims to reclaim the Caribbean title.

FULL SCORECARD: https://www.sportyhq.com/tournament/view/Moo-Junior-National-Squash-Championships-2025

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The Punjab Kings pulled off one of the most improbable wins you will ever see in T20 cricket when they defeated the Kolkata Knight Riders by 16 runs in TATA Indian Premier League (IPL) action in Mullanpur on Tuesday.

The day started with the Kings, after winning the toss and batting first, being bowled out in just 15.3 overs for a lowly 111, or so they thought.

Openers Prabhsimran Singh and Priyansh Arya were the main run-getters with 30 and 22, respectively, as KKR’s variation of quick pace and hard to read spin proved too much for their counterparts.

Pacer Harshit Rana picked up 3-25 from three overs while spinners Sunil Narine and Varun Chakravarthy were brilliant with 2-14 from three overs and 2-21 from four overs, respectively.

The Kings failed to defend 245 in their last game against the Sunrisers Hyderabad on Saturday so, naturally, the crowd at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh Stadium didn’t go into the second innings expecting much.

Things may have changed slightly when Narine (5) and Quinton de Kock (2) fell within three balls of each other to leave the score at 7-2 in the second over.

The mood shifted back, however, when captain Ajinkya Rahane and Angkrish Raghuvanshi added 55 for the third wicket.

Rahane fell for 17 in the eighth over before Raghuvanshi fell two overs later for a top score of 37 to leave the defending champions 72-4.

In the blink of an eye, 72-4 became 79-8 thanks to some excellent bowling from leg spinner Yuzvendra Chahal and left arm pacer Marco Jansen.

KKR were eventually bowled out for 95 in the 16^th over. Andre Russell tried his best with 17 from 11 balls but ran out of partners in the end. He was the last man dismissed.

Chahal finished with 4-28 from his four overs including two wickets in a match-defining twelfth over while Jansen picked up 3-17 from 3.1 overs. (SportsMax) 

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See below the full release from the Ministry of Natural Resources: 

The Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR), and its agencies – specifially the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) and the Guyana Gold Board (GGB) – remind the public that only individuals or entities holding a valid gold dealer’s license issued by the Guyana Gold Board (GGB), or a valid trader’s license issued by the GGMC, are legally permitted to purchase gold in Guyana.

An application for a new license or the renewal of an existing license does not grant any legal authority to conduct gold trading activities. The ministry wishes to notify that all pending applications for trading licenses in gold and precious stones must await the formal and official issuance of their license prior to engaging in any such transactions.

Anyone caught contravening this, or buying gold without a valid license, will be prosecuted in accordance with the laws of Guyana.

The ministry and its agencies remain committed to enforcing the laws governing the mining and trading of mineral resources in Guyana and will continue to take the necessary steps to uphold transparency and legality in the sector.

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Keran Persaud, a 23-year-old resident of Haslington, East Coast Demerara, is hospitalised after he was shot about five times by bandits who went to his house early Monday morning.

Keran’s brother, Navin Persaud told the News Room that they were in their yard at about 01:12 hrs Monday when two bandits came to the premises.

One bandit, Navin said, held him at gunpoint, but he managed to flee. Navin said he ran into his house, raising an alarm. His brother, however, was at the side of the yard and was apprehended by another bandit.

Because he went inside the house, Navin said he is not sure what exactly transpired, but soon after, the family heard gunshots. When they went outside, Keran was seen lying on the ground next to a car parked in the yard.

Navin hurriedly took his brother to the nearby Melanie Fire Station so he could get some assistance to swiftly transport Keran to the Georgetown Public Hospital.

On Tuesday, Keran’s and Navin’s mother, Padmini Girdharry told the News Room that Keran is still in the hospital, unable to move, as he was shot five times and requires serious medical attention.

Girdharry said she fears the bandits might return to harm the family again. She also hopes that the Police can properly investigate the matter that led to the shooting of her son.

The News Room understands that the Police are investigating the matter.

The post Haslington man, 23, hospitalised after attacked by bandits appeared first on News Room Guyana.

See below the full release from ExxonMobil Guyana Limited: 

April 15, 2025: ExxonMobil Guyana today announced the arrival of the ONE GUYANA Floating, Production, Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessel in Guyanese waters.  This vessel joins the Destiny, Unity and Prosperity FPSOs in the Stabroek Block offshore Guyana.

Constructed by SBM Offshore, the ONE GUYANA FPSO will operate in the Yellowtail development, with an initial production capacity of 250,000 barrels per day, and an overall storage volume of around two million barrels.  Production from the Yellowtail project is expected to commence later this year following completion of installation and well activities, bringing daily production capacity across EMGL operations to approximately 900,000 barrels.

ExxonMobil Guyana Production Manager Huzefa Ali stated, “The arrival of the ONE GUYANA FPSO symbolizes the unwavering collaboration between our team, the government and our industry partners. We are proud to play a pivotal role in shaping the energy landscape of Guyana while fostering sustainable development and empowering the communities we serve.”

A street festival will be held on May 3 to mark the vessel’s arrival and highlight the benefits of the Yellowtail project to Guyana  –  growing local content and increasing revenues to the nation.  The Yellowtail Local Street Festival will showcase Guyana’s talent, flavours, and creativity, a free kids’ zone, and entertainment highlighting the best of Guyanese culture.

ExxonMobil Guyana Limited is operator and holds 45% interest in the Stabroek block. Hess Guyana Exploration Ltd. holds 30% interest, and CNOOC Petroleum Guyana Limited holds 25% interest.

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See below the full statement issued by the Ministry of Natural Resources:

The Government of Guyana is pleased to welcome the arrival of the ONE GUYANA Floating Production, Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessel into Guyana’s waters. This marks a significant milestone in the advancement of offshore oil production and national development.

Constructed by SBM Offshore, the ONE GUYANA FPSO will support ExxonMobil Guyana’s Yellowtail development in the prolific Stabroek Block. With an estimated minimum production capacity of 250,000 barrels of oil per day and a storage capacity of approximately two million barrels, the vessel will bring total daily production capacity in the Stabroek Block to around 900,000 barrels once operations commence later this year.

The ONE GUYANA FPSO is the fourth production vessel to arrive in Guyana, joining the Liza Destiny, Liza Unity, and Prosperity FPSOs. It represents continued confidence in Guyana’s energy sector and the strength of the partnership between the Government and co-venturers ExxonMobil, Hess, and CNOOC.

On the vessel’s arrival, Minister of Natural Resources, Hon. Vickram Bharrat, shared, “The arrival of the ONE GUYANA FPSO is a powerful symbol of progress, not only in oil production but in the continued empowerment of our people through job creation, local business
opportunities, and increased revenues that support development across Guyana.” The ministry reaffirms its commitment to ensuring that the oil and gas sector continues to be developed transparently and sustainably for the benefit of all Guyanese.

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The Ethnic Relations Commission (ERC) participated in the United Nations Permanent Forum of People of African Descent (PFPAD4) at the UN Headquarters in New York, April 14-17, 2025.

Representing the Commission is Shaikh Moeenul Hack, Chairman of the ERC. Commissioner Norris Witter was unanimously approved by the Commission to attend the forum; however, he opted out a few days before the opening. Also present at the forum, is ERC Commissioner Ras Khafra (Deon Dick) in his capacity as representative of the Guyana Rastafarian Council.

The Chairman in his address to the United Nations PFPAD4 stated, “With a population comprising more than 30% of people of African descent, Guyana continues to call for justice through reparations, justice as accountability for centuries of slavery, exploitation, and the negative legacy of colonialism.”

He added to overcome the injustices, we must acknowledge that “Reparations is also about recognition of the pain, the displacement and the generational trauma inflicted by slavery. It is also about healing and reconciliation which form the foundation for lasting peace.”

Surrounding the Chairman’s participation at the Forum, the Commission has noted with great concern negative sentiments about his representation of ERC and takes this opportunity to clarify the distinction between the Commission being represented and the Commissioners being represented.

It must be noted that in 2023 and 2024 Commissioner Khafra was unanimously selected to represent ERC. In 2024, at the very last moment, Commissioner Khafra withdrew from representing ERC and opted to represent the Guyana Rastafarian Council.

In 2025, the opportunity to attend the forum was provided to Commissioner Norris Witter, to which there were no objections from any Commissioner. On Thursday 10th April, after 10pm Commissioner Witter withdrew his intention to attend, and requested Commissioner Ras Khafra as his replacement. It should be noted that travel to the forum was on April 13.

Based on his current attendance, it appears that, at the time when Commissioner Witter redrew, Commissioner Khafra was already sponsored to attend the forum as a representative of the Guyana Rastafarian Council. In addition, it would have necessitated a decision from the wider Commission on the issue of replacement.

The Commission wishes to state that it will not be distracted by the theatrics of persons seeking to cloud our vision and work. The ERC has consistently addressed complaints of all races and ethnicities in a fair and transparent manner, inclusive of African Guyanese.

The Commission has consistently prioritized African culture and issues by its participation in Emancipation observances, by providing trainings on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, by developing a Glossary of Terms to rid the use of derogatory Terms that are used to describe African Guyanese and all other ethnic groups, among other initiatives.

The ERC strongly believes that to holistically address injustices such as reparations, the African community needs the support of ALL, regardless of ethnicity, to advocate for justice, for the crimes of slavery imposed on our ancestors of African descent.

The Ethnic Relations Commission reiterates the call for reparations, as highlighted in the Chairman’s remarks to the forum, “Let us use this moment to expand the support for reparations, underscoring that this is not about charity, it is about justice.”

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