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On 19 December 2024, the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) dismissed an application for special leave to appeal a decision made by the Court of Appeal of Guyana in the case of Andy Duke v The Ship “MT Tradewind Passion”.

This case stemmed from a maritime collision on 8 October 2022, when the Panamanian-flagged fuel tanker MT Tradewind Passion collided with the Demerara Harbour Bridge, causing significant damage and injuring Andy Duke, the bridge ship supervisor on duty.

Duke, who was overseeing operations at the bridge at the time, sustained a fractured leg in the incident. Following the collision, Duke obtained a warrant to arrest the vessel, but the ship’s owners provided a letter of undertaking, securing the vessel’s release. The High Court ordered the release of the ship, a decision that was upheld by the Court of Appeal.

Duke then sought special leave to appeal to the CCJ, arguing that the lower courts had erred in accepting the letter of undertaking for the release of the ship. However, the CCJ ruled that the case did not meet the criteria for intervention, as it did not involve a “gross miscarriage of justice” or an egregious legal error.

The CCJ emphasised that it only intervenes when the refusal to grant an appeal by the Court of Appeal results in a serious injustice. In this case, the Court found that the proposed appeal was largely academic and that the application did not comply with the necessary legal requirements. As a result, the application was dismissed.

The CCJ’s decision was made by Justices Anderson, Barrow, and Burgess. Legal representatives included Ms. Jamela Ali SC and Mr. Sanjeev J. Datadin for the applicant, and Mr. Kamal Ramkarran for the respondent.

The collision itself caused substantial disruption, damaging four spans of the Demerara Harbour Bridge and halting traffic for over 40 hours. Preliminary investigations revealed that the vessel had not followed the designated route through the river, leading to the crash.

Despite Duke’s efforts to warn the pilot, the incident left him injured and resulted in significant repairs to the bridge, with the government incurring over $1 billion in damages. A Board of Inquiry was established to investigate the cause of the incident, and the pilot’s licence was later suspended.

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Akeem Thompson, a 27-year-old resident of Lamaha Park, Georgetown, was granted $300,000 bail after being charged with several firearm-related offences. Thompson made his appearance at the Vigilance Magistrate’s Court before Senior Magistrate Sunil Scarce on Monday.

Thompson was charged with discharging a firearm with intent, possession of an illegal firearm and ammunition. He is accused of discharging rounds on Fazaad Hameed, a 37-year-old businessman of Lusignan, East Coast Demerara. Police Headquarters reported that the incident occurred on January 15, 2025.

Thompson was arrested the same day.

On Monday, Thompson pleaded not guilty to all of the charges and was subsequently granted bail – $100,000 bail for the offence of discharging a loaded firearm; $150,000 for Possession of a Firearm without a Licence, and $50,000 for Possession of Ammunition without a Licence.

The matter has been adjourned to February 17, 2025.

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Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand recently commissioned the newly reconstructed Providence Nursery School at Herstelling, East Bank Demerara, a significant milestone in Guyana’s push to enhance early childhood education.

The four-month project was completed at a cost of $35.7 million, providing a “modern and nurturing” learning environment for 120 children, supported by 12 trained teachers. This school is the 61st to be built under the Ministry of Education’s infrastructure development programme, aimed at expanding access to quality education across the country, a release from the Ministry of Education stated.

At the commissioning ceremony, Assistant Chief Education Officer for Nursery Education, Devendra Persaud, emphasised the importance of early childhood education, stating, “Nursery education is the foundation for a child’s academic and personal growth.”

Commissioning of the reconstructed Providence Nursery School (Photo: Ministry of Education/January 21, 2024)

He reiterated the ministry’s commitment to ensuring that more children benefit from early learning opportunities, with Providence Nursery School standing as a model of this effort.

“Its vision is simple yet profound: to provide a nurturing, stimulating, and inclusive environment,” Persaud added.

Meanwhile, Minister Manickchand also highlighted the country’s impressive nursery enrollment rate, which is the highest in the Commonwealth Caribbean, despite nursery education not being mandatory.

She emphasised the Ministry’s initiative to ensure all children develop age-appropriate literacy and numeracy skills by Grade Four.

“We believe, in the Ministry of Education, that this is the very foundation,” Minister Manickchand affirmed, underscoring the nation’s commitment to creating a strong educational start for every child.

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Press Release from the Guyana Chess Federation

In a historic move to promote chess in Guyana, the Pegasus Hotel Guyana and the Guyana Chess Federation (GCF) officially launched the Pegasus Chess Club on January 19, 2025.

This new initiative offers a dedicated space for chess enthusiasts to join, play and grow their skills in chess.

The launch event was held in the Atlantic Meeting Room of the Pegasus Suites and Corporate Centre in Georgetown on Seawall Road, Kingston.

The ceremonial first move on the chessboard for the Pegasus Chess Club was made by Brandon Badal, Managing Director of the Pegasus Hotel Guyana, whose visionary leadership brought the club to fruition.

To commemorate this milestone, Badal played against FIDE Master Anthony Drayton in the ceremonial first match, signifying the official launch.

President of the Guyana Chess Federation, Anand Raghunauth, expressed his satisfaction with the partnership and highlighted the objective of the hotel is to support local sport and promote community participation.

In his speech, the President of the GCF shared his satisfaction with the collaboration with Pegasus Hotel, stating, “This is a fantastic opportunity to bring people together in a space that will support not only competitive play but also learning and social interaction. We look forward to seeing the club grow and attract players from all walks of life.”

Raghunauth encouraged companies, executives and chess players- social or competitive- to be part of an environment where they can learn and grow in chess.

He thanked the hotel for its generosity in providing free space for the club’s activities, highlighting this support.

He added that this opportunity gives the Federation the foundation to grow and expand in chess.

Brandon Badal, Managing Director of the Pegasus Hotel Guyana, speaking at the launch of the club

The club will also serve as a venue for GCF tournaments, further cementing its role as a key player in chess development.

Badal, a keen and avid chess player, also expressed his sentiments about the programme.

“We are indeed a home-grown brand, a Guyana brand, and we would love to see that investment in our future leaders,” he said.

“This chess club is just the beginning of our investment and partnership with the GCF. We look forward to hosting tournaments and having this space for the community.”

Badal highlighted the benefits of chess stating, “Chess teaches critical thinking, emotional intelligence, and discipline—skills that will lift young people and prepare them for the challenges of the future.”

The launch was guided by the Master of Ceremonies, Mohamed Khan, a chess enthusiast, parent and entrepreneur who provided much insight to the game.

The Pegasus Chess Club will offer a monthly membership to interested persons and professionals, and the opportunity to enjoy other amenities at the hotel.

The club will be available on Sundays from 11:00h to 18:00h and is also open to guests of the Pegasus Hotel.

This programme aims to provide a safe and comfortable environment for casual and competitive players to learn with others and share their passion for the game.

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The Department of Education – Georgetown Monday officially launched the Children’s Mashramani Competition at the National Cultural Centre. This event, a vibrant celebration of Guyanese culture, is being held under the theme “Expressing Culture and Creativity as One Guyana.”

Speaking at the launch, Deputy Chief Education Officer for Technical Education, Dr. Ritesh Tularam, highlighted the importance of the programme as an extension of the Ministry’s goal to provide a balanced curriculum for all children. He emphasised that the competition promotes the expressive arts, fosters collaboration between schools, parents, and communities, and offers students a platform to showcase their talents while instilling pride in their national identity, a Ministry of Education release noted.

Scenes from the Children’s Mashramani competition in Georgetown (Photo: Ministry of Education/January 20, 2025)

This year’s competition features students from across Georgetown participating in areas such as Dramatic Poetry, Calypso, Dance, Masquerade, Hip Hop, and the Costume Parade. Winners from this segment will advance to the National Children’s Mashramani Competitions, which will take place from February 13 to 15, 2025.

Scenes from the Children’s Mashramani competition in Georgetown (Photo: Ministry of Education/January 20, 2025)

The finals for Dramatic Poetry, Calypso, Dance, Masquerade, and Hip Hop will be held at the National Cultural Centre on February 13 and 14. On February 15, the Children’s Costume and Road Parade will begin at Parade Ground and culminate at the National Park Tarmac. This vibrant parade is expected to feature approximately 2,500 students, showcasing their creativity in colorful costumes.

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As part of their preparations for the upcoming Guyana Cricket Board Under-15 Inter-County 50-over Championship, Demerara Under-15 side inflicted a 48-run defeat on East Coast Under-17 on Sunday at the LBI ground.

Originally set to be a 50-game, it was reduced to 40 overs owing to a delay caused by overnight showers.

Chasing 153, East Coast Under-17 were dismissed for 104 in 23.4 overs with Demerara’s Vice-captain and fast bowler Patrice Fraser and off-spinner Shahid Ramzan doing the damage with the ball.

The towering Fraser put East Coast on the back foot from the get go, opening the bowling with a triple-wicket maiden.

Yannick Newton with 26 (5x4s) and Arun Gainda with 20 (2x4s) then momentarily repaired the innings, before the introduction of Ramzan saw a flurry of wickets.

Like Fraser, Ramzan started with a triple-wicket maiden and then added another wicket to finish with 4-16 off five overs. Fraser had 3-15 off four overs.

Opener Lomar Seecharran topscored for Demerara

Earlier, Demerara’s total of 152-8 was built on a team batting effort, with several batsmen getting starts.

Opener Lomar Seecharran topscored with 29 (4x4s), Makai Dowlin made 23 (2x4s), Joshua Bollers 22, Vinesh Kalpoo 20 (2x4s) and Ramzan 15.

Bowling for East Coast Under-17, Narindra Isurdeen took 2-10 off four overs and Rishi Seodat 2-12 off three.

The Demerara side is expected to be in action again on Sunday (January 26) in another practice match at the same venue.

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Chief Investment Officer of the Guyana Office for Investment (GoInvest), Dr. Peter Ramsaroop, recently met with Takeshi Kanamori, President and CEO of Modec Inc., to discuss the construction of Guyana’s fifth Floating, Production, Storage, and Offloading (FPSO) vessel – Errea Wittu. Errea Wittu means “abundance” in Warrau language.

Currently on official duties in Japan, Dr. Ramsaroop also met with Hirohiko Miyata, Chairman of the Board at Modec.

Dr. Peter Ramsaroop recently met with Takeshi Kanamori, President and CEO of Modec Inc and Hirohiko Miyata, Chairman of the Board at Modec

During discussions, Dr. Ramsaroop underscored the importance of local content participation and urged Modec to provide opportunities for Guyanese businesses to contribute to the construction of the vessel’s components, a statement from GoInvest noted.

The Errea Wittu is a significant step toward achieving Guyana’s goal of producing 1.39 million barrels of oil per day by 2027.

Meanwhile, in a release on Modec’s website, it was noted that the Errea Wittu FPSO will be deployed approximately 200 kilometers offshore Guyana and it will be able to store around 2 million barrels of crude oil.

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Retractable bucket seat installation is underway at the recently constructed doubles squash courts at the National Racquet Centre on Woolford Avenue.

In a Facebook post on Monday, Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport Charles Ramson Jr. said the state-of-the-art facility boasts international-standard courts and will officially open in two weeks.

In 2024, local and regional championships, including the Senior Area Squash Association Championships, were held at the facility, but temporary seating was implemented.

The squash community has noted that the addition of these courts is expected to profoundly impact squash’s future in Guyana and across the region as the world-class facilities will position Guyana as a leader in the sport, attracting top-tier players and tournaments.

Most notably, national player Alex Arjoon has expressed optimism over squash’s advancement after the courts were constructed.

Doubles courts are larger than standard squash courts. The Ministry of Culture, Youth, and Sport funded the new facility with approximately G$65 million. Construction commenced in January 2023.

Doubles is now part of both junior and senior Caribbean tournaments. Still, many Caribbean territories lack the specified court and often resort to playing the format on the singles court.

Within the Caribbean Area Squash Association, only the British Virgin Islands and Guyana have international standard doubles courts.

However, Guyana is the only territory where the three singles courts can be converted into two doubles courts.

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The members and executive committee of the Guyana Amateur Powerlifting Federation (GAPLF) laud the Government of Guyana for its unprecedented investment in sports development.

The 2025 national budget made a historic allocation of 8 billion dollars for sport.

The continued confidence and investment in the sector represent a strategic push to present Guyana as a sports and tourism destination, creating tremendous development opportunities for the sector.

GAPLF President Franklin Wilson stated that since ascending to the GAPLF’s leadership, the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport and the National Sports Commission. have supported GAPLF unwaveringly

“As a Federation, we are more than elated to see the continued investment in the sport sector, which will further advance our sport and all other sports in Guyana. We have seen what deliberate and consistent investment brings in terms of results.

The nation’s athletes have responded with a record 500-plus medals at the regional and international levels, and powerlifting has contributed to this.

Our strongmen and women have medaled at six world and two South American championships in the past two years.

We intend to continue this level of consistency and will be pursuing even more significant initiatives that would need the Ministry’s and the NSC’s full support.”

Wilson informed that the athletes would be engaged in the coming weeks to hear how the Federation can further leverage support from the Ministry to advance and develop powerlifting.

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Defending champions India started their Under-19 Women’s World Cup campaign with a bang, routing West Indies for just 44 before scripting a nine-wicket win.

This came just hours after Sri Lanka had skittled Malaysia for 23 earlier on Sunday.

In the second game of the day, India’s bowlers cashed in on their decision to bowl first by troubling West Indies with swing and spin.

Fast bowler VJ Joshitha handed them a double-blow when she trapped Samara Ramnath in front and on the next ball had Naijanni Cumberbatch caught at slip to a superb diving catch from Sanika Chalke.

When left-arm spinners Aayushi Shukla and Parunika Sisodia struck in consecutive overs to remove Jahzara Claxton and Brianna Harricharan respectively for ducks, West Indies were 17 for 4 after 5.1 overs.

Three run outs in as many overs added to their woes, and 39 for 7 soon became 44 all out as Shukla and Sisodia wrapped things up. Sisodia finished with 3 for 7 while Joshitha and Shukla picked up two each.

India lost only Gongadi Trisha, for 4, in the modest chase as G Kamalini and Chalke finished things off in 4.2 overs. (ESPNcricinfo)

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