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…signals new political direction

Former People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) activist Robert Wayne Maison has met with People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) General Secretary (GS) and Vice President (VP) Dr Bharrat Jagdeo, signalling a possible new political direction.
Maison confirmed the meeting in a social media post on Friday, saying discussions centred on working with the governing party and contributing to the continued development of Georgetown and Guyana. “Today, I, Wayne Maison, met with Vice President and General Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party/Civic, Dr Bharrat Jagdeo,” Maison said in the social media post. “During the engagement, we spoke about working with the Party and Government and contributing meaningfully to the continued development of Georgetown and our country.” The meeting follows Maison’s decision to leave the PNCR in September 2025 after decades of involvement in the party. His political association with the PNCR extended back to the era of former party leader, Desmond Hoyte. Maison remains an elected People’s Representative Councillor for Constituency Seven (Stabroek-Bourda) at the Georgetown Mayor and City Council (M&CC). At the time of his departure from the PNCR, Maison was also involved in the party’s mobilisation and outreach activities and had served as a liaison officer to Opposition Leader Aubrey Norton.

His resignation in 2025 came amid internal tensions within the PNCR, with Maison expressing dissatisfaction with aspects of the party’s candidate selection process and leadership. He had also made clear at the time that he would retain his elected position at City Hall. Friday’s meeting with Jagdeo now places Maison in discussions with the leadership of the governing PPP/C, although he has not publicly stated that he has formally joined the party. Maison’s reference to working with the PPP/C and Government, however, suggests that his political engagement is moving beyond his previous association with the PNCR.

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…after Berbice rank caught with competency letters, $564,000

A police sergeant attached to the Licensing and Certifying Office at the Springlands Police Station, Corentyne, Berbice, Region Six, was placed under close arrest to facilitate an ongoing probe by the Special Organized Crime Unit (SOCU) into the operations there.
Based on reports received, as part of the investigation, ranks from the unit visited the office on Thursday, where the relevant records and other documentation were secured for detailed examination.
As such, the sergeant attached to the office was subsequently placed under close arrest and is assisting investigators with the ongoing probe.
According to information received, officers attached to SOCU, acting on information received, intercepted a motorcar bearing registration number PAG 3344, which was at the time being driven by the police sergeant.
However, a search of the vehicle unearthed a black haversack containing 94 competence letters for different classes of vehicles and in separate persons ‘ names who were not from the Springlands Corentyne area but different parts of the county, along with $564,000 and US$40.
Upon questioning, he could not provide a reasonable account for having the money, and as such, he was taken back to the Springlands Police Station Certifying Office, where a search was carried out in the Certifying Office, which revealed two additional competence books with 61 competencies written for separate persons and classes of vehicles, showing that individuals did not complete the practical examination, but certificates of competence were already written in their names.
The said books, along with other books used at the said office, were seized. Further, the sergeant was questioned about selling licenses but indicated that he was doing it for several senior officers within the force and that he was required to pay out over $1.5 million in bribes weekly.
Guyana Times understands that he was arrested several months ago for corrupt practices by SOCU. At the time, he was reportedly placed in custody at TSU lockups and was allegedly released by the police commissioner.
He was reinstated to oversee the issuing of licenses at Springlands. His reinstatement reportedly put a halt to SOCU’s investigation.
Meanwhile, as the probe continues into this latest development, SOCU is expected to arrest other police officers and civilians in the coming days.
The Guyana Police Force maintains a zero-tolerance approach to corruption, misconduct, and breaches of public trust. Any rank found culpable of criminal or disciplinary wrongdoing will be dealt with strictly in accordance with the law and the Force’s disciplinary procedures.

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I have listened to your recent commentary on Dr Paul Cheong and GuySuCo with a mixture of disappointment and disbelief.
The office of Leader of the Opposition carries with it a duty that extends beyond politics. It demands integrity, discipline, and a commitment to truth. It requires one to offer constructive alternatives, and to foster national unity rather than deepen division. Regrettably, much of your public commentary and posture fall way below this standard.
Instead of engaging in informed and responsible criticism, you chose to launch a personal attack on a man whose only «offence» is that he accepted one of the most difficult leadership assignments in this country and has committed himself to the challenging task of rebuilding an institution that has struggled for many years.
Leading GuySuCo is not a comfortable job. It is not glamorous. It is not politically rewarding. It is the responsibility of managing an organisation of almost 8000 employees, while attempting to reverse more than a decade of operational decline, financial losses, deteriorating infrastructure, and deeply entrenched organisational challenges.
Dr Paul Cheong did not inherit a thriving business. He inherited an institution that had been struggling for years. He accepted that responsibility, not because he needed the position, but because he believed that serving GuySuCo was another opportunity to serve his country.
Those who know Dr Cheong understand that he did not walk into GuySuCo for a salary, prestige, or political favour.
He came because he believed the Corporation deserved disciplined leadership, commercial thinking, and a renewed culture of accountability. That is precisely what he has been trying to deliver.
While it is easy to produce speeches and social media commentary questioning his leadership, Dr Cheong has spent the better part of the last two years travelling from estate to estate, meeting with workers, confronting operational failures, demanding accountability, and implementing changes that many before him were unwilling to pursue. Transformation is never welcomed by everyone.
When people become accustomed to operating without accountability, introducing discipline will always be uncomfortable. When expectations are raised, resistance naturally follows. Every organisation undergoing meaningful reform experiences this reality. GuySuCo is no different.
That is why your attempt to portray Dr Cheong as distracted or disinterested is so detached from reality. Anyone who has worked alongside him knows the countless hours he devotes to the Corporation, the difficult decisions he makes daily, and the personal sacrifices required to lead an organisation facing challenges of this magnitude.
Leadership is not measured by how loudly one criticises from the side-lines. Leadership is measured by one’s willingness to accept responsibility for solving problems others have spent years describing and dodging.
Whether one agrees with every decision Dr Cheong has made is a matter for debate. But questioning his commitment or integrity is something entirely different.
Integrity is not a slogan. It is a way of life. Those of us who have had the privilege of working with Dr Cheong know him as a man whose word means something – a man who accepts responsibility, a man who expects from himself the same standards he demands of others.
That is why attempts to portray him as anything other than committed are not only inaccurate; they are deeply unfair. I find it particularly unfortunate that these attacks come as GuySuCo prepares to commence its second crop of 2026.
At a time when every employee should be united behind the task ahead, public attempts to undermine confidence in the Corporation›s leadership serve no constructive purpose. They distract from the work that must be done and diminish the efforts of thousands of hard-working employees who are committed to the industry›s success.
Dr Cheong will not be remembered for political commentary. He will be remembered for whether he had the courage to challenge old habits, demand accountability, and attempt to build a better GuySuCo. From what I have witnessed, he has done exactly that.
My hope is that he remains undeterred by personal attacks and continues the difficult work of transforming the Corporation. Meaningful change is never easy, and those who challenge the status quo are rarely applauded in the moment. But history has a way of rewarding leaders who choose conviction over convenience.
Dr Cheong, stay the course. GuySuCo needs your leadership. And many of us remain firmly behind you.

Yours sincerely,
Haseef Yusuf

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…back at Fidel

There was a time when there was nary a soul across the globe who wouldn’t have recognised the name “Fidel Castro” – along with his sidekick, Che Guevara!! They exemplified the word “revolutionary” – in the age of overthrowing imperialism!! Well, it was his 100th birthday recently, and your Eyewitness figures he knows the man well enough to confidently predict that if he were around to blow out 100 candles on his birthday cake, he’d likely manage a three-hour speech on the revolutionary physics of candle combustion before getting around to the cake itself!! Fidel wasn’t a man of few words!!
But for us, he should be known more for Jagan’s admiration of his Soviet-style communism – in an era when the US and USSR were duking it out for global supremacy!! When he not only survived the US-sponsored Bay of Pigs invasion but also humiliated the Yanks, President JFK decided they weren’t gonna tolerate “another Cuba” in THEIR hemisphere!! And Jagan was out like a light!!
But Fidel survived – till a decade ago!! – and became a symbol of how the US could single-handedly unleash its wrath on enemies in their backyard!! Now over six decades since Washington first imposed its crushing economic embargo in 1960, the geopolitical landscape of Cuba remains a dark comedy of endurance!! The embargo was designed to turn Cuba into a cautionary tale of isolated economic ruin!!
But interestingly, Fidel’s magnetism was so powerful that Burnham – Washington’s replacement for Jagan – seeking to burnish his reputation in the Third World, led T&T, Jamaica, and Barbados to break diplomatic ranks with the US in 1972 to recognise Havana!! He even allowed Cuban troops heading to support Namibian guerrillas to refuel here!! The Yanks had to hold their nose – since the alternative was still the red Jagan!!
So, Cuba became a fixture of regional pragmatism as Washington exported sanctions and Monroe Doctrine rhetoric, while Havana exported thousands of doctors, teachers, and university scholarships!! We couldn’t resist!! Castro was the man who sent medical brigades to rescue our decrepit healthcare system – while Burnham flew in Castro’s plane to Non-Aligned Movement summits, feeling like a player on the Cold War chessboard!! Ironically, it was Cuban surgeons operating on his throat cancer at Big Hospital when he croaked on the table!!
Today, Cuba’s battling severe power outages and economic strain under renewed American sanctions!! But they stand less as a grand strategic victory and more as an ancient, rusting monument to bureaucratic momentum – outliving the man, outliving the Soviet Union!!
And leaving us in the Caribbean doing what we’ve always had to do – navigating the crossfire of bigger powers and trying to do what’s best for our development!!
Allying with the Yanks!!

…at India’s challenge
India’s broadcasting its goal of “Viksit Bharat 2047”, where it wants to achieve first-world status a century after independence.  The country launches spacecraft, builds digital payment systems, and produces software engineers by the millions – and is busy explaining to the world that the 21st century belongs to India. But however, there’s one small non-technological problem left to solve: its social operating system, long known as the caste system!!
First-world status ain’t measured by the number of billionaires, airports or skyscrapers – it’s measured by how efficiently a society allows all of its citizens to develop and deploy their abilities!! You can’t want to become a superpower while deliberately carrying hundreds of millions of people as excess baggage!! The irony is, India doesn’t need to abolish tradition – it just gotta abolish the idea that tradition should determine human potential!!
Very simply, if India really intends to become a first-world country, it gotta begin with the evidently revolutionary proposition – to them – that a person’s parents shouldn’t be their genetic career paths by caste!!

…for good leaders
As we digest director Nolan’s take on Homer’s Odyssey, let’s remember Thucydides’ caution: “The nation that separates its scholars from its warriors will have its thinking done by cowards – and its fighting done by fools.”

The post Looking… appeared first on Guyana Times.

…major consumers switch to self-generation during peak hours
…as Govt rolls out plan to conserve power, stabilise system

The current El Niño conditions, coupled with a growing customer base, have driven up electricity demand across Guyana, forcing the Government to implement a series of measures to not only enhance the power supply, but also conserve electricity and stabilise the aged national grid system.
One of those interventions is having large consumers across the country be removed from the national grid during peak hours, when demand is high. Public Utilities and Aviation Minister Deodat Indar explained that though these large customers have self-generating capacity, which is costly due to the soaring fuel prices, they are on the national grid to capitalise on the subsidised rates.
“During those two hours from 07:00h to 21:00h, we’re asking them to come off the grid. And it’s only three customers; we’ve asked to stabilise voltage – two in Berbice and one on the East Bank [of Demerara],” Indar noted during a press conference on Friday.

“The problem that you have is voltage levels at different points in the grid, where they have big customers that are using massive amounts [of power], and…the [transmission] lines can’t take the amount of power that is demanded in the area, so it trips. So, people get three to four [power] outages during the peak period.”
Those three consumers that have agreed to come off the grid during peak hours utilise a combined total of approximately three megawatts (MW).
Head of the Executive Management Committee at the Guyana Power and Light (GPL) Inc., Kesh Nandlall, added during Friday’s press conference that they are assessing the high-demand areas, and where necessary, they will similarly remove large consumers there during the peak hours in order to stabilise the aged-grid system.
“But we do have a list, and we’re planning it based on the demand right now…in specific areas,” Nandlall stated.

Generation capacity
Meanwhile, Indar went on to assure that GPL has adequate generation capacity to meet the growing demand across the country. Currently, there is a generation capacity of 256MW, while peak demand is at 242.64MW – a record high and an increase from last year’s 221MW.
According to Indar, “…the increase is due to one, the weather, the hotness of the temperature, increased housing expansion in the country, commercial operations, as well as industrial customers.”
But with demand projected to further grow over the coming months to some 266MW, GPL has already put systems in place to increase generation to approximately 280MW by the end of August.
Nevertheless, the Public Utilities Minister pointed out that all the regions across Guyana have excess generation capacity except Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice), where power is being supplied by bauxite company Bosai Minerals Group.
While Bosai generates some 14.1MW, heightened industrial activities across Linden have pushed peak demand to over 15MW. In fact, Indar noted that there has been increased sawmill operations in Linden, which have added pressure on the region’s electricity system.

Sawmill operations
Region 10 currently has about 32 sawmills operators, utilising equipment such as Wood Mizer and high-speed motors, thus placing significant demand on the grid. As a result, the Government has engaged the sawmill owners to shift their operations to off-peak hours so as to ease the burden on the system.
“So, Linden has two peak periods. During the day between one to three pm, and then in the night as well, between seven to nine, there is another peak…[when] the demand spikes to a higher level. So, [the sawmill operators have] been asked to work between 22:00h to 06:00h… and it wouldn’t tax the grid further than it is already overtaxed, at this point,” Indar noted.
Some of those sawmill operators have already agreed to this arrangement, while Minister Indar and the GPL Head, along with Guyana Forestry Commission Commissioner Edward Goberdhan and Chief Executive Officer of Hinterland Electrification Company Inc Horace Williams engaged the others on Friday to follow suit.
Those discussions also focused on additional generation capacity for the region, and better coordination of commercial electricity use.

Conservation measures
But even as the Government moves to boost generation capacity and stabilise power in light of the growing power demand, it has rolled out a series of conservation interventions ahead of the hottest months.
Only recently, the Guyana Hydrometeorological Service advised the public to prepare for strengthened El Niño conditions from August through October 2026, that will bring hotter-than-normal temperatures, prolonged dry spells, and up to 80 hot spell days instead of the usual 30.
To this end, the Cabinet has taken a number of decisions to enhance conservation efforts, especially at the various Government Ministries and state agencies, where enforcement steps would be taken to ensure unused power is shut off outside of office hours.
Similarly, households and businesses are also being asked to conserve power during this high demand period; turning off lights, appliances, and equipment that are not in use.
Additionally, community sport grounds across the country will be monitored to ensure that floodlights are off when activities are not being held.
“So, we’re asking the general public to just be aware that we have a hot season [and] the grid is taxed at this point – it’s literally at the highest on record. And so, we’re asking the general public to look into conservancy initiatives. Anything they can do in the households and the businesses to reduce their own bill and by reducing their own bill, they will reduce the demand on the grid,” Minister Indar posited.

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The renewed regional focus on Mathematics performances presents an important opportunity for Caribbean education systems to reassess how Mathematics is taught, assessed, and understood. The challenge confronting several Caribbean territories at its core is the need to ensure that students acquire the mathematical understanding, reasoning, and problem-solving skills required to apply knowledge beyond the classroom.
Discussions at the 52nd Meeting of the CARICOM Council for Human and Social Development (COHSOD) on Education, hosted by Guyana from August 12–13, are therefore timely. Education Ministers and regional education stakeholders, including the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC), have placed Mathematics improvement back at the centre of the regional education agenda.
The recognition that several Caribbean countries are experiencing similar difficulties is significant. Rather than treating Mathematics performance as an isolated national concern, the regional approach creates space for Governments and education agencies to share experiences, examine successful interventions and develop strategies suited to Caribbean classrooms.
Education Minister Sonia Parag has appropriately highlighted the importance of moving beyond an examination-driven approach. Preparing students to pass an examination is necessary, but it cannot be the ultimate objective of Mathematics education. A student who can reproduce a formula for an examination but cannot understand when or how to apply that formula has not acquired the full value of the subject.
Mathematics should instead be presented as a tool for reasoning, decision-making and problem-solving. Students should be able to recognise mathematical concepts in practical situations, explain their reasoning, make connections between different areas of Mathematics and apply their knowledge to unfamiliar problems. Such abilities are increasingly important in a modern economy that depends on technology, science, engineering, finance and data-driven decision-making.
The regional conversation must therefore extend beyond the question of how to raise examination grades. Higher grades are important indicators, but sustainable improvement requires stronger learning outcomes. That means examining teaching methods, curriculum delivery, teacher support, classroom resources, assessment practices, and the extent to which students are mastering concepts at each stage of their education.
The emphasis on foundational learning is particularly encouraging. Weaknesses in literacy and numeracy at the primary level can become increasingly difficult to address as students progress through the education system. Early identification of learning gaps allows targeted interventions before those gaps become entrenched.
Guyana’s introduction of literacy assessments at Grades Two and Four, along with plans to introduce a numeracy assessment between 2026 and 2027, represents a constructive step in that direction. Effective assessment should not merely classify students according to performance. Its greater value lies in identifying precisely where students are struggling, and providing teachers and schools with information that can guide appropriate interventions.
Numeracy assessments, if properly implemented, can help establish a clearer picture of students’ strengths and weaknesses at an early stage. The resulting information can support targeted teaching, additional assistance for students requiring intervention and more informed decisions at the school and policy levels.
At the same time, assessment must be accompanied by adequate support. Identifying a learning gap without providing the resources, teacher training and instructional strategies required to address it will have limited impact. Mathematics improvement therefore requires a comprehensive approach rather than a single intervention.
The regional dimension of the discussion should also be strengthened as Caribbean countries share many educational challenges, including relatively small education systems, common examination structures and similar pressures on teachers and students. Regional cooperation can reduce duplication, encourage the sharing of successful practices and facilitate the development of approaches that reflect Caribbean realities.
The involvement of CXC in these discussions is particularly relevant as examination bodies, Ministries of Education, teacher-training institutions, and schools must work in greater alignment so that assessment reinforces meaningful learning rather than encouraging narrow preparation for examinations.
Improvements in Mathematics cannot be achieved through short-term initiatives alone. Strong foundations must be established early and reinforced consistently throughout primary and secondary education. Teachers must be equipped to explain concepts in ways that accommodate different learning needs, while students must be given opportunities to practise reasoning and application rather than memorisation alone.
The current regional focus provides a valuable opening to make Mathematics education more purposeful. Success should ultimately be measured by how confidently they can use Mathematics when confronted with real-world problems.

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