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The British Chamber of Commerce Guyana has announced that is 2025 main event will take place at Stamford Bridge, home of English Premier League’s Chelsea Football Club in London on September 11.

In a press release, the Chamber said the event will include corporate presentations, panel discussions, and an official Chelsea Football Club tour.

“With Guyana now the UK’s largest trading partner in the Caribbean, accounting for 34% of all trade, this is not an event to be missed, said Faizal Khan, Chairman of BritCham Guyana and a former FIFA-Licensed football agent.

“When meeting a new business contact for the first time, building rapport is important. One effective approach I’ve found is mentioning a football team or player from the person’s hometown or country. It is an immediate icebreaker and a good tool to progress business discussions,” Khan stated.

Khan added that football is Britain’s national sport and that the BritCham event is a great opportunity for our Guyana business community to experience some British football culture, history and to start their very own British football business story.

He added: this event is a superb opportunity for UK businesses of all sizes, looking to invest in the world’s fastest growing economy, Guyana, to come along and meet movers and shakers.”

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Moonie Ramnarine, a 65-year-old businessman from Lot 14, Lesbeholden, Black Bush Polder, has been charged with the manslaughter of 29-year-old Yognand Chaitram, a cane harvester from Lot 19, Alness Village, following a violent incident on New Year’s morning.

On Wednesday, Ramnarine appeared before Magistrate Tuanna Hardy at the Number 51 Magistrates’ Court, where he was represented by Attorney-at-Law Bernard Da Silva.

Ramnarine was granted bail of one million dollars and required to surrender his passport.

His next court appearance is set for April 1, with the case moved to the Mibicuri Magistrates’ Court.

According to police reports, at approximately 10:00 AM on January 1, 2025, a dispute among patrons at Ramnarine’s beer garden escalated into a confrontation, resulting in Chaitram and others breaking bottles and issuing threats.

Ramnarine stated that when he attempted to close his gate, he was forcibly thrown to the ground by Chaitram and another individual, injuring his elbow.

While on the ground and facing a direct threat, Ramnarine discharged two rounds from his licensed firearm, striking Chaitram, who then collapsed on the road.

After securing his business premises, Ramnarine promptly reported the incident to the police and surrendered his firearm and license.

Law enforcement recovered two .32 caliber spent shells—one inside the shop and another outside near the gate.

Chaitram’s body was taken to the Mibicuri Public Hospital, where he was pronounced dead upon arrival. He was found wearing a green jersey and brown three-quarter trousers.

Following the incident, Ramnarine was arrested, and his firearm was confiscated.

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Off-spinning all-rounder Richard Ramdeholl will lead a strong Guyana Under-15 squad in the Cricket West Indies Rising Stars Under-15, 50-over Championship, slated for April 13-24 in Antigua.

The Guyana Cricket Board announced the 14-member squad on Wednesday, naming all-rounder Brandon Henry as vice-captain.

Richard Ramdeholl (left) and Brandon have been appointed captain and vice-captain respectively of the Guyana Under-15 squad (Photo: News Room/Avenash Ramzan/February 2025)

Ramdeholl led champions Berbice to an unbeaten run in the Guyana Cricket Board Inter-County, 50-over competition in late February, while Henry was at the helm of Demerara, who ended third behind Essequibo.

Ramdeholl and Henry are among four players returning from last year’s squad, the others being wicketkeeper/batsman Justin Dowlin and all-rounder Jathneil Nurse, both of Essequibo.

The squad reads: Justin Dowlin, Lomar Seecharran, Luke Amsterdam, Shahid Ramzan, Arif Bacchus, Richard Ramdeholl, Nathaniel Ramsammy, Jathniel Nurse, Usain Fredericks, Brandon Henry, Reyaz Latif, Patrice Fraser, Rafael McKenzie and Prosper Jacobus.

The reserve players are: Khush Seegobin, Joshua Thomas, Bomesh Lall, Nathan Bishop, Tameshwar Deonandan and Tyrese McPherson.

Yeuraj Khemraj has been appointed Coach, while Yogeshwar Lall is the Manager.

At the Inter-county championship, Henry was the leading runscorer with 92 runs, with fellow Demerara player Ramzan impressing with 91, including a top score of 51 against Essequibo.

Ramzan was one of only three players to score half-centuries, with Essequibian Dowlin (55) and Prosper Jacobus (53*) of Demerara the others to breach that mark.

Bacchus of Berbice, like Seecharran of Demerara, showed consistency throughout the tournament, scoring 89 and 78 runs respectively, while Dowlin made 87.

Luke Amsterdam and Nathaniel Ramsammy also played crucial knocks during the title-winning campaign for Berbice.

Demerara leg-spinner Reyaz Latif was the joint-leading wicket-taker with nine wickets, including a best of 7-20 against the Select XI.

It was the only five-wicket haul of the Inter-county.

Select XI left-arm ‘chinaman’ bowler Joshua Thomas, who also captured nine wickets, is on the standby list.

Ramdeholl was the next best bowler with eight scalps.

Nurse earned his spot with crucial wickets and runs for Essequibo, adding depth to a spin attack that includes Ramdeholl, Henry and Latif.

In a regional tournament where bonus points could determine the champion team, the selectors have bolstered the squad with a four-prong pace attack that comprises Patrice Fraser, Rafael McKenzie, Jacobus and Fredericks.

Guyana last won the regional Under-15 championship in 2015 under the captaincy of Ashmead Nedd.

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Georgetown romped to another convincing victory to remain unbeaten in the Demerara Cricket Board (DCB) Inter-Association Under-17, 50-over competition on Tuesday.

Jonathan Mentore (File photo)

The 104-run win over Upper Demerara, their fourth in as many games, secured championship honours, while West Demerara trounced East Bank by 200 runs in the other final round game.

Batting first at Transport Sports Club in the city, Demerara posted 232-4 in a game reduced to 45 overs.

Shamar Apple, who made 133 in the opening round, blasted three fours and three sixes in 56, Jonathan Mentore stroked an unbeaten 50 (2x4s, 1×6), Trilok Nanan made 40 (4x4s, 1×6) and Emmanuel Lewis 33 (1×4, 3x6s).

Bowling for Upper Demerara, Balashankar Narine picked up 2-27 off nine overs and Rusco Anderson 2-64 off seven.

Nathan Bishop (left) receives his Player-of-the-Match trophy from Yueraj Khemraj of the DCB

In reply, Upper Demerara mustered 128 all out from 34 overs with the right-handed Nathan Bishop hitting five fours and six in 73 not out. Bishop was named Player-of-the-Match.

Bowling for Georgetown, off-spinner Ravaldo Pereira had 3-27 off eight overs and Shane Prince 2-27 off six. Lewis, Reyaz Latif, Dave Mohabir and Darshan Persaud picked up one wicket each.

Christopher Persaud made a fifty for West Demerara

Over at Meten-Meer-Zorg, West Demerara totally dominated proceedings against East Bank, first posting a formidable 240 all out from 47.4 overs with Christopher Persaud hitting 67 (7x4s, 2x6s).

Patrice Fraser made 35 (2x4s, 3x6s) and Arvind Suknanan scored 32 (2x4s, 1×6).

Bowling for East Bank, Shane Hamid took 3-25 off six overs and Roupie Rajaram 2-19 off six.

Patrice Fraser (right) receives his Player-of-the-Match trophy from coach Jermaine Maxwell

In reply, Fraser and Parmeshwar combined to blow away East Bank for 40 in 12.1 overs. Fraser picked up 5-19 and Ram 4-16, with Rajaram scoring 18 (3x4s).

While Georgetown lifted the team title, several players were rewarded for individual performances.

MVP Lomar Seecharran (left) receives his trophy from Shaun Massiah

Seecharran, for his 187 (best of 89*) and 10 wickets (best of 6-20), was named Most Valuable Player, while Apple scored the most runs (204) and Ram had the most wickets (13).

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Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall, has highlighted the transformative impact of government measures, describing a wave of policies that have returned billions to the Guyanese people.

According to Nandlall, Guyanese are living better and improved lives due to several government policies.

“People are eating, people are traveling, people are recreating in a manner that they have never done before,” the Attorney General said during his weekly ‘Issues in the News’ programme.

With general and regional elections set to take place later this year, Nandlall does not believe that opposition politicians will be successful against the ruling People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C).

Attorney General, Anil Nandlall

“The opposition politicians have a very uphill task because, in the face of this avalanche of success, this avalanche of policies, from which people are benefitting from every walk of life, they have to start doing politics.

“How do you do that when they don’t have anything of their own to which they can point?” Nandlall said.

He further stated that through direct cash transfers and reduced taxes, Guyanese citizens are experiencing unprecedented improvements in their quality of life.

Some of the government’s measures include:

• Increasing the income tax threshold from $100,000 to $130,000.
• Raising the old age pension from $36,000 to $41,000.
• Increasing public assistance from $19,000 to $22,000.

The government’s ‘Because We Care’ cash grant also saw an increase this year from $40,000 to $50,000, with an additional $5,000 uniform allowance. The part-time job initiative is also creating employment opportunities for citizens, while tertiary education is now tuition-free.

Nandlall emphasised that these policies have led to visible economic growth across the country.

“Those are some of the measures that we have implemented that have returned to the Guyanese people billions of dollars that would have been in the treasury in the form of taxes, revenue, or income. We have given [this] to the people, either through direct cash transfers or indirectly by reducing taxes.

“…and that accounts for what you see across this country—the explosion in spending, the number of motor vehicles, the fancy clothes you see people wearing,” Nandlall said.

 

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About 75 Venezuelans who travelled to Abram Zuil on the Essequibo Coast, Region Two, were sent back to the Spanish-speaking country after immigration authorities intervened.

Police Headquarters noted that the Venezuelans- 57 men, nine women, and nine children- came in a boat at about 06:45 hrs.

“Members of the Immigration Department were summoned and it was found that the Venezuelans failed to present themselves to the Immigration Department or Port of Entry, using the Atlantic Ocean.

“They were treated humanely, provided with the basic necessities of food and placed at an institution,” Police said.

On Tuesday, the Venezuelans were sent back to their country; Police said they were given adequate fuel and other amenities for the journey.

In a subsequent update, Police Headquarters noted that the Venezuelans were escorted out of Guyana by the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Coast Guard.

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Points leaders Guyana Harpy Eagles have made two changes to the squad to face Windward Islands Volcanoes in fifth round action of the West Indies Four-Day Championship, starting March 12 at the National Stadium, Providence.

All-rounder Keemo Paul and fast bowler Isai Thorne have been drafted in, replacing opener Tagenarine Chanderpaul, who is nursing a groin injury, and fast bowler Thaddeus Lovell.

Paul, 27, is in line to play his first match this season, having last played First-Class cricket for Guyana in March 2023.

In that match against Trinidad and Tobago Red Force at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Tarouba, Paul made 46 and picked up 3-37 and 2-73 in Harpy Eagles’ 143-run win.

Thorne, meanwhile, returns after recuperating from an ankle injury, which has kept him out of action since the second round of the Four-Day Championship.

In the opening match of the season against Barbados Pride at Providence in January, the former West Indies Under-19 speedster bowled just seven overs, conceding 34 runs without picking up a wicket.

For Chanderpaul, who made his season’s best of 74 against Jamaica Scorpions in the last round, this is his second injury in the season, having suffered a split webbing on his hand.

That injury forced him to miss the third round day/night game against West Indies Academy at Providence.

Twenty-year-old Lovell, who made his First-Class debut this season, is yet to pick up a wicket, having gone 0-15 against West Indies Academy and 0-18 against Jamaica Scorpions.

The squad reads: Raymond Perez, ⁠Matthew Nandu, ⁠Kevlon Anderson, ⁠Tevin Imlach, ⁠Kemol Savory, Kevin Sinclair, ⁠Ronaldo Alimohamed, ⁠Veerasammy Permaul, ⁠Gudakesh Motie, ⁠Nial Smith, ⁠Keemo Paul, ⁠Richie Looknauth and ⁠Isai Thorne.

The Harpy Eagles sit top of the table with 81.2 points, garnered from three wins, a draw and significant bonus points.

Trinidad and Tobago Red Force, the only other unbeaten team in the tournament, are second on 77.8 points.

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Remembered for his legacy which exemplifies discipline, service, and justice, retired Justice Oslen Ainsworth Fitzgerald Small (CCH) was on Tuesday laid to rest.

A funeral service was held for Justice (Ret’d) Small at the Freedom Congressional Church in Stewartville, West Coast Demerara.

Remembered for his legacy which exemplifies discipline, service, and justice, retired Justice Oslen Ainsworth Fitzgerald Small (CCH) was on Tuesday laid to rest. (Photo: Office of the Prime Minister/ March 11, 2025)

Prime Minister, Brigadier (Ret’d), Mark Phillips, who is performing the functions of the President, was among those who attended.

In his tribute, the Prime Minister honoured Justice Small as a “legal giant”, who upheld the law and led by example. He said Justice (Ret’d) Small dedicated service will continue to inspire judges, soldiers, and leaders.

Prime Minister, Brigadier (Ret’d), Mark Phillips, who is performing the functions of the President, attended the funeral service (Photo: Office of the Prime Minister/ March 11, 2025)

Justice Small devoted his career to public service, beginning as a Magistrate in the East Coast Demerara Magisterial District before assuming the role of Registrar of the Supreme Court in the late 1970s.

He was appointed a High Court Judge in 1986 and served until his retirement in 1999.

His contributions extended beyond the judiciary, as he held key positions as Judge Advocate of the Guyana Defence Force until 2022 and Chair of the Parole Board from 2004 to 2021.

Prime Minister, Brigadier (Ret’d), Mark Phillips, who is performing the functions of the President, attended the funeral service (Photo: Office of the Prime Minister/ March 11, 2025)

Additionally, he served as a long-time pastor at Smith Memorial Congregational Church.

In recognition of his exceptional service to Guyana, Justice Small was conferred with the Cacique’s Crown of Honour (CCH) – Guyana’s third highest national award, in May 2018.

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Access to the mining and logging village of Kwakwani in Region Ten will greatly improve with a new $248 million airstrip.

The contract has been awarded to Associated Construction Services for the building and asphaltic paving of the facility.

Minister of Public Works Bishop Juan Edghill last Saturday said when the airstrip is completed it will address existing concerns that deter or restrict some airlines from operating within the area.

He told the Department of Public Information (DPI) that similar to roads, a base will be laid before the asphaltic paving to strengthen the durability and longevity of the airstrip’s surface.

Works on the 2,500-foot-long by 50-foot-wide airstrip is scheduled to span five months.

The public works minister said all community landings and revetment from De Velde to Hururu will be rehabilitated.

The expansive project is being implemented through the Ministry of Public Works.

“Contracts will be executed in every riverine area to deal with the landings,” he disclosed.

Concrete footpaths from the landings where boats dock, leading to schools, health centres and other main facilities will be constructed.

The construction of these footpaths will be executed by the residents of the various communities.

“When we say we are giving you improved livelihood, we are not just talking like the people who told you, ‘you are going to have a better life’ and you didn’t see it. I heard these days people are saying ‘better must come,’ so when they come around tell them better come already,” he stated.

Coupled with these initiatives, all the roads within Kwakwani are currently being executed by small contractors from the area.

These projects are expected to be completed no later than April (Republished from the Department of Public Information) 

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The Guyana Digital School aims to transform learning in Guyana, with Artificial Intelligence (AI) being used to identify gaps in students who use the platform. Recently, Minister of Education Priya Manickchand has been launching the digital learning platform at various schools across Guyana.

Since its introduction, some 2,400 students, teachers, and parents have registered from schools such as St. Rose’s High School and North Ruimveldt Multilateral School in Georgetown.

Minister Manickchand visited the Abram Zuil Secondary School on the Essequibo Coast on Monday and the Vergenoegen Secondary on Tuesday to launch the initiative.

The school aims to provide every student with access to high-quality education.

“The whole idea is to allow every student, whether your parents are working, whether you are wealthy, whether you are in the Rupununi, at Charity, at Kabakaburi, or here at Abram Zuil, to get the same high-quality education.

“It can be used by itself, where you stop school completely and come to the digital school—but we have to monitor you to ensure you are attending school—or it can be used for lessons,” Minister Manickchand explained.

The platform offers interactive lessons, digital textbooks, and educational videos. It also features live, timetabled lessons where students can interact with teachers, and AI to identify and address individual learning gaps. The platform is also aligned with the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC).

“My idea is that if you don’t have a teacher in front of the classroom, you should be able to come here, complete this 39 weeks of work, and pass CXC with a Grade 1,” Manickchand said, while adding that students would need to be disciplined in their self-study.

“You will have to dedicate some of your time, by yourself, to this because there is no teacher watching you.”

Last year, President Dr. Irfaan Ali stated that the school would cover nursery education all the way to Grade 12.

 

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