Foreign Secretary Robert Persaud on Wednesday revealed that Guyana and Brazil are working to ensure seamless access for truckers and operators between the neighbouring countries.
This will significantly enhance and further expand trade between Guyana and Brazil.
During an interview with the News Room on Wednesday, the Foreign Secretary explained that currently Guyanese truckers can only operate up to Bonfim but now Guyana is working to expand this access in Brazil.
“We currently have an International Road Service Agreement but there are certain elements of it which have to be activated that will have full and seamless access and movement of goods.
“Right now we have no issues with movement of people,” Persaud explained. Similarly, Brazilian truckers will also be granted more access into Guyana.
This initiative is a key component of a trade mission agreed upon during a visit by Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva a year ago.
Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula Da Silva and Guyana’s President Dr. Irfaan Ali at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (Photo: News Room/ February 29, 2024)
The trade mission, scheduled for March 17-21, 2025, will see a team of government and private sector representatives from Guyana travel to Boa Vista and Manaus in Northern Brazil. The delegation will meet with authorities from the States of Roraima and Amazonas, including the Governors, Tourism Agencies, Federation of Industries, Dry Port Authorities, Importers, Exporters, and the Secretariat of Agriculture and Foreign Commerce.
The mission aims to explore trade and investment opportunities in areas like agro-processing, medium to large-scale manufacturing, tourism, food distribution, and the establishment of a food hub. The collaboration is part of the strategic vision to strengthen cross-border trade, enhance people-to-people connections, and solidify the strong neighbourly relations between the two countries.
Robert Persaud, Foreign Secretary of Guyana
The Foreign Secretary further stated that the trade mission would expose Guyana’s private sector to opportunities in Northern Brazil, with government support to navigate regulatory challenges. He noted that with the planned deep-water port in Berbice and the construction of a paved highway, tremendous opportunities will arise for businesses on both sides of the border.
“It is easier for Brazilian businesses in Northern Brazil to access goods and services even within Brazil through Guyana, given the geography and layout,” Persaud explained highlighting that trade between Guyana and Northern Brazil has increased by 170 per cent over the last three years.
The increase in trade came mainly from agriculture, commercial trade, tourism, and hospitality.
The upcoming trade mission is part of ongoing efforts to strengthen and improve cross border trade, enhance people to people connections and to solidify the strong neighbourly relations between the government and people of Guyana and Brazil.
In his Tuesday night ‘Issues in the News’ commentary, Attorney General Anil Nandlall firmly stated that individuals facing criminal charges cannot attend court hearings virtually if they are outside of Guyana, stressing that this practice undermines the territorial nature of criminal jurisdiction.
The shift to virtual hearings, which allowed legal proceedings to continue during the pandemic, has become a permanent feature of Guyana’s court system. It has proven beneficial, reducing the need for costly travel and allowing prisoners in remote facilities to participate in hearings through video link.
However, Nandlall raised alarms over a developing trend in the magistrate courts. He noted that some defendants, having left the country for various reasons, are being permitted to attend court hearings virtually.
According to Nandlall, this practice is problematic, as criminal jurisdiction is inherently territorial. He explained that a court can only exercise its jurisdiction over a defendant who is physically present within the jurisdiction of that court. “Criminal jurisdiction is territorial,” he said, adding, “A court cannot try you if you are outside its jurisdiction.”
The Attorney General argued that if a defendant is abroad, the court cannot impose a sentence or enforce its ruling, as it has no coercive power over the individual outside its jurisdiction. He further explained that allowing defendants to virtually attend hearings from abroad could lead to a situation where individuals escape the jurisdiction, attend hearings remotely, and evade facing the full consequences of their actions. This, he stated, could significantly weaken the legal process.
While Nandlall acknowledged that virtual hearings could work for defendants who are unwilling to appear in person, he made it clear that there must be a distinction between those who refuse to submit to the jurisdiction of the court and those who are simply absent for legitimate reasons.
“Imagine if every person charged with an offence simply fled the country and continued attending hearings virtually. It would render the entire judicial system impotent,” Nandlall remarked.
The Attorney General also addressed the procedural options available to the court in such situations. He clarified that if a defendant absconds or refuses to submit to the court’s jurisdiction, the law allows the court to proceed with a case in their absence.
This could include issuing arrest warrants and considering the defendant’s absence as an indication that they are not willing to participate in their defence. In such cases, the court has the power to proceed and even deliver a sentence in absentia if it is convinced that the individual is deliberately avoiding their legal obligations.
The US Embassy in Guyana has not been notified of any deportation of Guyanese citizens amid the crackdown by the Donald Trump administration on illegal immigrants.
However, routine deportations will continue as it has for the entire region and beyond.
“I have heard nothing at this point about that from the new administration in Washington.
“We have always had routine deportations of citizens followed for the Caribbean and all over the world and that’s not something new,” U.S Ambassador to Guyana, Nicole Theriot told reporters at the sidelines of an event on Wednesday.
Upon assuming office, President Trump had issued an executive order aimed at tightening immigration policies.
This follows a wave of deportation flights that have already landed in various Latin American countries, as part of Trump’s promised crackdown on illegal immigration.
A significant portion of the Guyanese diaspora resides in the United States, with over 230,000 Guyanese Americans recorded as of 2019.
The majority live in New York City, where the Guyanese community is the fifth-largest foreign-born population in the city, with approximately 140,000 individuals.
Ambassador Theriot told reporters that the deportation of large groups of people which has occurred in other countries will not occur in Guyana.
Instead, she said “routine” deportation which has been happening for decades will continue.
“You won’t be seeing something like you have seen for like Colombia and some of the other countries, a large group.
“That’s not something that will be happening for Guyana. It will just be a routine process that’s been going on for decades,” Ambassador Theriot said.
Guyana Harpy Eagles will likely have Tagenarine Chanderpaul back in their lineup for their vital fourth-round clash against Jamaica Scorpions, beginning March 5.
Captain Tevin Imlach announced this at a virtual press conference organised by Cricket West Indies.
Chanderpaul missed the previous round of the West Indies Four-Day Championship after suffering a burst webbing on his hand while fielding against Combined Campuses and Colleges in the second round.
The left-handed opener, aiming for a Test recall, has scores of 40, 40*, and four in his three innings this season.
However, the Harpy Eagles will likely be without fast bowler Shamar Joseph, who is nursing a shin splint injury.
Imlach confirmed that Joseph will unlikely travel to Sabina Park for the Scorpions match and may miss the rest of the season.
The injury resurfaced during the second round, and his upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) commitments further complicate his potential return.
The IPL is scheduled to begin on March 22, and Joseph is set to join the Lucknow Super Giants. At last year’s draft, the franchise matched the Mumbai Indians’ bid of approximately US$91,000 for the pacer.
The unbeaten Harpy Eagles currently lead the championship standings with 57.6 points, holding a narrow 2.2-point lead over Trinidad and Tobago Red Force.
Their match against the fifth-placed Scorpions (32.6 points) at Sabina Park will be their first away game of the season.
He was earlier in the day imbibing and liming with a group of friends at a popular city spot. Whilst there Vaughn reportedly called him and asked that he come home; he became annoyed.
According to a Police report, DaSilva and Vaughn had an argument during which the businessman reportedly slapped her.
In retaliation, Police said Vaughn reportedly reached for a knife and approached the suspect.
It was at this point that DaSilva pulled out his licensed firearm from the waist of his pants and discharged several rounds in Vaughn’s direction hitting her about the body. She immediately fell to the ground.
DaSilva then contacted the Police, who responded and rushed Vaughn to the Diamond Hospital, where she died while receiving treatment.
The scene was processed and Police said four 9MM cases and three suspected projectiles were recovered.
Upon examination, Vaughn’s body bore twelve injuries, suspected to be gunshot wounds.
At the time, DaSilva was under the influence. In fact, the Police said a breathalyzer test showed he was 83% of alcohol content in his blood. This is way beyond the legally prescribed limit which is 35%.
Sanjay Khan, a 23-year-old fisherman of Crabwood Creek, Corentyne, Berbice, has been missing since February 16, after going to sea from Number 66 Fisherman’s Cooperative.
Reports indicate that he fell overboard while hauling in fish; the seine hook reportedly caught on his foot. The incident reportedly occurred in Suriname waters.
Khan was expected to return later this week.
During an interview with reporters, Khan’s mother, Padmini Deanasiame, expressed her concerns that not enough is being done to find her son. She mentioned that a crew member was rescued, but Khan was cut loose from the seine and has not been found.
“I want them to search and find my son because he went out with them, and only they returned. One of them has a mark on his hand; he said the seine cut his hand. I don’t know if they left my son behind and threw him overboard because if the seine had hooked his foot, they could have hauled it back, but they cut the seine and let him go… That’s why I want to know what happened to my son,” the distraught mother said.
The Police have confirmed that a missing person report has been filed, but they have no further details on the ongoing investigation.
On Tuesday, the National Under-20 Women’s Football Team qualified for the Concacaf Championship with a hard-fought 1-0 win against the powerful Haiti at the Antigua and Barbuda Technical Centre.
Myanne Fernandes scored the crucial goal, securing Guyana’s place in the tournament’s main draw for the second time.
Guyana needed a victory to progress from Group A, as only the top team advanced.
Their campaign began with a scoreless draw against Belize but was disrupted when five players were declared ineligible due to passport issues.
Despite the off-field challenges, the team rallied to achieve this vital win.
This is Guyana’s second appearance at the Championship. In 2020, they reached the quarter-finals, but Haiti eliminated them. Now, they have the chance to go further.
Guyana will participate in the Championship with five other qualifying nations and CONCACAF giants the United States and Mexico.
The top four teams from the tournament will qualify for the 2026 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Poland.
For the year 2024, the Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS) certified a total of 28 businesses including medical laboratories, GNBS Executive Director, Trevor Bassoo said.
This is indicated by a “Made in Guyana” certification mark on their products.
This signifies that those businesses met the required quality standards, giving them a competitive advantage among consumers.
“More and more businesses and organisations are recognising the need and the benefits of embracing standards which results in quality output, more business and loyal customers,” Bassoo said on Tuesday.
He also noted that the GNBS provided technical assistance to 79 organisations by helping them to become certification-ready.
Meanwhile, 924 persons were trained in various areas ranging from quality management system to health and safety.
Noting that the aim is to increase the figures this year, Bassoo said certification serves as an encouragement for other businesses.
Students, staff, and the surrounding community of the University of Guyana will soon benefit from dental services at the Turkeyen Campus with the launch of the University’s College of Medical Sciences’ first dental teaching clinic.
A new state-of-the-art Dental Training Clinic and Laboratory will double the number of dentists the University can admit to the dental programme from this year. This will significantly strengthen the institution’s capacity to produce more highly skilled dental professionals, provide opportunities for research, serve the community, and foster interdisciplinary collaboration.
The Dental Training Clinic and Laboratory was gifted by the Greater Guyana Initiative (GGI), which comprises the Stabroek Block partners – ExxonMobil Guyana, CNOOC Petroleum, and HESS Corporation. This gift is part of the GGI’s larger development partnership with the University of Guyana.
The ribbon to the facility was cut in a simple but impactful ceremony on Thursday, February 20, 2025.
During a simple launch of the facility, the University of Guyana’s Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Paloma Mohamed Martin, expressed deep appreciation to the GGI for their generosity to the University and noted the significant impact the project will have on the students, staff, and the country as a whole.
Prof. Mohamed Martin recalled that in the 30 years of the dental programme’s existence, the University was faced with the challenge of accepting a dwindling number of applicants to the dentistry programme because of the small number of training chairs available. Often, the University had to take the difficult decision to turn away eligible students due to limited space.
Director of UG’s Dental School, Dr Zoe Perreira giving a tour of the state-of-the-art facility to development partners and UG staff and students (Photo: UG)
“We were doing at that time two dental students to a chair and still only able to take six students in, and so students who had worked all their lives trying to get into a dental school had to be turned away,” the VC explained. “This could not continue. We had to do something. And together we did. Today, we have added 10 chairs here at UG to add to the excellent training support we have received throughout the years from the Cheddi Jagan Dental School of the Ministry of Health.”
Additionally, the VC explained that eventually, the clinic will not only train more dentists, but it will also provide the University’s students, staff, their families, and communities with dental services at no cost or at a nominal fee.
Occupational Health Manager/Medical Director for ExxonMobil Guyana, Dr Sonya Lord, who spoke on behalf of the GGI, expressed how delighted the partners were to be celebrating this milestone with the university community, noting the significant positive impact the project will have on students and the wider community.
Dr Lord added that the GGI’s partnership with UG has led to quite a few key notable achievements, such as the recently launched Geographic Information System and Remote Sensing Lab, which is expected to revolutionise not only research but analysis in the country; the Medical Diagnostic Lab and the DNA Barcoding Laboratory, which are expected to provide advanced healthcare solutions and continue to preserve Guyana’s rich biodiversity, among others. In fact, the new genetics lab has already helped identify several new species of plants, fish, and wildlife that were unknown to the world a few months ago.
“These initiatives and today’s launch of this Dental Training Clinic and Lab demonstrate GGI’s commitment to fostering innovation and continued advancement in medical technology,” she said.
“As we celebrate the launch of this facility, I do encourage students and professionals to ensure that they take advantage of this opportunity that the initiative brings. It’s not only an investment in the expansion of facilities, but it’s an investment in building the capacity of our Guyanese people and the country’s health sector,” Dr Lord said.
Dean of UG’s College of Medical Sciences, of which the Dental programme is a part, Dr Cecil Boston, expressed deep appreciation to the donors on behalf of the Faculty, noting that the realisation of the project shows a strong commitment to improving dental education in Guyana. He also noted that the initiative fits neatly with the government’s plan to improve healthcare in Guyana, of which training is a major component.
“We can guarantee that when our students get into the world of work that they are fully equipped to handle anything that comes to them,” he said.
Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Academic Engagement, Prof. Emanuel Cummings, in his remarks, underlined the high quality of dentists UG produces. He, like other speakers, echoed similar words of appreciation to the GGI for their support in ensuring the university continues to build its capacity to produce more highly skilled graduates in the dental field and other key areas. He noted that UG’s programme “has produced over 130 dentists for Guyana and the region; 90% of the dentists in Guyana are UG trained.”
Director of UG’s School of Dentistry, Dr Zoe Perreira, who provided a tour of the facility, explained that the Dental Training Clinic and Lab is a well-equipped facility featuring seven fully functional dental chairs, each fitted with light-curing units and ultrasonic scalers for efficient restorative and prophylactic procedures. The clinic is designed to accommodate multiple patients simultaneously, ensuring a smooth workflow and high-quality patient care.
It consists of three dental operatory areas: one with four dental chairs, another with two, and a single-chair operatory for specialised treatments. The clinical area also includes a fully equipped sterilisation room to maintain strict infection control protocols and a digital X-ray unit to enhance diagnostic accuracy and treatment planning.
The training clinic will support training for a range of dental procedures, including restorative dentistry (fillings), endodontics (root canal treatment), oral surgery, and preventive care such as cleanings, sealants, and fluoride therapy. Beyond the clinical area, the facility features a reception area with a visitor’s restroom, a storage facility, and separate rooms for doctors and students, ensuring privacy and a comfortable workspace. Additionally, washroom facilities and secure lockers are available for both students and staff, promoting convenience and organisation within the learning and treatment environment.
Gavin Matthews, a fourth-year dentistry student and the first indigenous person pursuing the dentistry programme, and Kurt Booker, a fifth-year dentistry student, expressed thanks on behalf of the students to the GGI partners for the gift. They noted that this invaluable facility will significantly enhance the academic and practical training of students, equipping them with cutting-edge skills and the knowledge to excel in the field of dentistry.
Those present at the ceremony included Mrs Alicia Bess-Anderson, GGI Lead; Falicia Adams, Project Coordinator, GGI; Representatives from HESS – Clare Gardner, Vice-President, Guyana & Suriname, who cut the ribbon along with students and Dr Perreira; Will Sparker, Commercial Manager; Tim Chapman, Appraisal Director; Benn Hansen, Subsurface Director; Jeni Tule, Development Director; Simon Prucnal, Stabroek Manager; Jason Olson, Project Manager; Representatives of CNOOC Petroleum – Bayney Karran, Senior Manager; Olive Gopaul, External Relations Analyst; and members of UG’s senior management team, staff, and students.
The ceremony was chaired by Mr Jainarine Deonauth, Director of UG’s Department of Events, Conferences and Communication (DECC).
City businessman, Marlan DaSilva remains in custody as Police probe the brutal murder of his partner, Kenesha Vaughn, Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum said.
Contacted for an update on Tuesday, Blanhum told the News Room that investigators are in the process of wrapping up their investigation.
Once the case file is completed, it would be forwarded to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for legal advice.
Vaughn, a 27-year-old mother of a three-year-old boy, was shot and killed last Saturday night.
The incident took place at the couple’s Diamond Housing Scheme, East Bank Demerara house, shortly after DaSilva returned home.
He was earlier in the day imbibing and liming with a group of friends at a popular city spot. Whilst there Vaughn reportedly called him and asked that he come home; he became annoyed.
According to a Police report, DaSilva and Vaughn had an argument during which the businessman reportedly slapped her.
In retaliation, Police said Vaughn reportedly reached for a knife and approached the suspect.
It was at this point that DaSilva pulled out his licensed firearm from the waist of his pants and discharged several rounds in Vaughn’s direction hitting her about the body. She immediately fell to the ground.
DaSilva then contacted the Police, who responded and rushed Vaughn to the Diamond Hospital, where she died while receiving treatment.
The scene was processed and Police said four 9MM cases and three suspected projectiles were recovered.
Upon examination, Vaughn’s body bore twelve injuries, suspected to be gunshot wounds.
At the time, DaSilva was under the influence. In fact, the Police said a breathalyzer test showed he was 83% of alcohol content in his blood. This is way beyond the legally prescribed limit which is 35%.
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Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula Da Silva and Guyana’s President Dr. Irfaan Ali at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (Photo: News Room/ February 29, 2024) 100vw, 1280px”><figcaption class=)
Robert Persaud, Foreign Secretary of Guyana
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Director of UG’s Dental School, Dr Zoe Perreira giving a tour of the state-of-the-art facility to development partners and UG staff and students (Photo: UG)