Police are investigating an incident involving a 56-year-old security guard from Coverden, East Bank Demerara, who was hospitalised on Sunday evening after reportedly consuming a poisonous substance.
According to preliminary information, the incident occurred at about 1:30 hrs at the man’s residence.
Investigators were informed that the security guard had returned home when an argument reportedly developed between him and his wife.
Police said subsequent enquiries suggest that the man later went outside the house, where he allegedly consumed a liquid substance from a small transparent bottle.
The matter was later reported to the police, who responded to the scene and made contact with the man.
At the time, he was conscious and was subsequently escorted to the Diamond Regional Hospital for medical attention.
He was admitted to the hospital, where he remains under medical care.
Police have not disclosed the nature of the substance involved and investigations into the circumstances surrounding the incident are continuing.
If you or someone you know is experiencing emotional distress or thoughts of self-harm, seek immediate support from a trusted family member, healthcare professional, mental health provider, or emergency services.
Guyana is preparing the next phase of its fight against HIV/AIDS, launching work on a new national strategy that aims to eliminate AIDS as a public health threat by 2031. The Ministry of Health has invited experts to assess the country’s progress over the past five years and develop a roadmap to guide prevention, treatment and support services through the next decade.
The initiative, being spearheaded through the National AIDS Programme Secretariat (NAPS), will see a comprehensive review of HIVISION 2025, Guyana’s current National HIV Strategic Plan covering the period 2021 to 2025, while laying the foundation for a new strategy known as HIVISION 2031.
The move comes as Guyana continues efforts to reduce new HIV infections, improve access to treatment and strengthen support systems for people living with HIV, in line with international targets established by UNAIDS.
Health officials believe the new strategy will be critical in determining whether the country can achieve its goal of ending AIDS as a public health threat by 2031.
As part of the process, the selected consultant or consultancy firm will conduct a detailed assessment of HIVISION 2025, examining what has worked, where challenges remain and what gaps continue to hinder progress.
The review will also include an updated national HIV epidemiological profile, providing a clearer picture of current infection trends, treatment outcomes and the populations most affected by the disease.
Stakeholder consultations, key informant interviews and site visits across the country are expected to form a major part of the exercise, ensuring that the experiences of healthcare providers, community organisations, vulnerable groups and people living with HIV help shape the next phase of the country’s response.
The Ministry of Health said HIVISION 2031 will serve as the guiding framework for Guyana’s HIV prevention, treatment, care and support programmes between 2026 and 2031.
The strategy is expected to reflect emerging public health realities, advances in treatment and prevention, and evolving challenges facing vulnerable and key populations.
Officials are seeking consultants with expertise in public health, epidemiology, health policy and HIV programme planning. Experience working with key populations and familiarity with the UNAIDS Global AIDS Strategy will also be required.
The consultancy is expected to be completed within 60 days, with proposals due by June 26.
While significant progress has been made globally and regionally in reducing HIV-related deaths and expanding access to treatment, health experts continue to warn that sustained investment and targeted interventions are needed to prevent new infections and ensure that people living with HIV can access quality care.
For Guyana, the development of HIVISION 2031 represents more than a routine policy update. It marks the beginning of what health authorities hope will be the final stretch in a decades-long battle against one of the world’s most significant public health challenges.
The success of the new strategy could ultimately determine how quickly Guyana moves from managing HIV as a chronic public health concern to achieving its goal of ending AIDS as a public health threat altogether. [DPI]
For thousands of East Coast Demerara residents, traffic congestion has become an unavoidable part of daily life.
Long lines of vehicles during peak hours, frustrating delays, and slow-moving traffic have for years tested the patience of commuters travelling between Georgetown and communities along the East Coast.
Now, as major sections of the US$192 million East Coast road expansion project near completion, many residents say they are beginning to see signs that relief could finally be on the horizon.
The massive infrastructure project, one of the largest currently underway in the country, stretches along one of Guyana’s busiest transportation corridors and is designed to improve traffic flow, reduce travel times and accommodate increasing volumes of vehicles.
Road users are already seeing visible progress. Final paving works have been completed between Sheriff Street and the Ogle Roundabout and along sections from Belfield to Orange Nassau, while crews continue intensive work between Vryheid’s Lust and Orange Nassau.
For Wayne Gittens, who frequently travels between the coast and the interior, the pace of construction has been hard to ignore.
“I go in the interior and come back and see they doing a good job with the road and I don’t have no complaints because they doing a good job,” he said.
Like many commuters, Gittens believes the wider roadway could make a meaningful difference to traffic conditions.
“They open up the road broader so the traffic can flow easier,” he added.
Along the corridor, business owners are also watching the project closely.
Patsy Benn, a vendor and resident of Plaisance, said she is eager to see the works completed, not only because of the expected improvement in transportation but also because of the opportunities it could create for small businesses.
“I am really happy for it to finish,” Benn said. “I am working on my business to expand it a little more, get some more things going.”
Her optimism reflects a broader expectation among some residents that improved accessibility and increased movement of people could benefit commercial activity in communities along the East Coast.
Commuter Trevon Williams believes the wider road will have an immediate impact on daily travel.
“It is going to be a 10 out of 10 because the road is wider,” Williams said. “It will be a free flow of traffic coming from and going to.”
He added that communities such as Plaisance stand to benefit significantly from the upgraded corridor.
While many residents welcome the progress, the true test of the project will come once the entire roadway is completed and operational. Traffic congestion along the East Coast has intensified in recent years as population growth, housing development and rising vehicle ownership place increasing pressure on existing infrastructure.
Government officials have argued that the expansion is necessary to keep pace with the country’s rapid development and growing transportation demands.
To speed up construction, contractor China Railway First Group Co. Limited has divided the project into multiple work zones, allowing crews to carry out paving and road works simultaneously across different sections.
For now, residents say they are encouraged by what they can already see.
After years of navigating bottlenecks and lengthy commutes, many are hopeful that the expanded roadway will deliver what East Coast motorists have long been asking for — a smoother, faster and less stressful journey into and out of Georgetown. [DPI]
Georgetown became the capital of Caribbean excellence on Saturday evening as Guyana hosted the prestigious Anthony N. Sabga Caribbean Awards for Excellence, bringing together some of the region’s most accomplished minds, innovators and changemakers.
Against the backdrop of a rapidly transforming Guyana, the ceremony at the Guyana Marriott Hotel celebrated individuals whose achievements are shaping the future of the Caribbean in fields ranging from science and entrepreneurship to arts, leadership and public service.
The event, regarded as one of the Caribbean’s most distinguished awards ceremonies, placed a spotlight on a simple but powerful reality: world-class talent continues to emerge from the region, including right here in Guyana.
For years, the Anthony N. Sabga Awards have recognised exceptional Caribbean nationals whose work has improved lives, advanced knowledge and inspired generations. Hosting the ceremony once again in Georgetown underscored Guyana’s growing prominence as a regional hub for business, innovation and leadership.
Addressing the gathering, Prime Minister Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips said the awards represent far more than individual success stories.
Referencing the famous question posed by legendary Guyanese musician Dave Martins — “Where are your heroes, Caribbean?” — Phillips suggested that the answer was all around those gathered in the room.
“The answer tonight is simple. They are right here,” he said.
The Prime Minister noted that while Caribbean people are often celebrated internationally for their achievements, there is equal importance in recognising excellence at home.
For Guyanese, the ceremony carried added significance. At a time when the country is attracting unprecedented international attention for its economic growth and development, the event served as a reminder that Guyana’s greatest asset remains its people.
The awards highlighted a wider Caribbean story of innovation, resilience and determination — values that resonate strongly with Guyana’s own journey.
Phillips pointed to the region’s history of overcoming adversity and building success despite limited resources, noting that Caribbean people have repeatedly turned challenges into opportunities.
He also highlighted education and entrepreneurship as critical drivers of progress, pointing to the countless Caribbean citizens who continue to create businesses, solve problems and build stronger communities.
The Anthony N. Sabga Awards are unique because they celebrate achievement across disciplines while encouraging future generations to pursue excellence.
For young Guyanese watching, the message was clear: greatness is not something that exists elsewhere. It can be found in Caribbean classrooms, laboratories, boardrooms, farms, communities and creative spaces.
As awardees were honoured for their contributions, Georgetown provided the stage for a celebration of Caribbean achievement at its highest level.
And in a country increasingly making its mark on the world stage, hosting the region’s most prestigious awards ceremony felt especially fitting.
The evening was ultimately a celebration of Caribbean brilliance, but it was also a proud moment for Guyana—a nation that continues to position itself not only as an economic success story, but as a place where talent, ambition and excellence are recognised and celebrated.
Daichi Kamada’s late header rescued a deserved point for Japan against the Netherlands in their opening World Cup game in Dallas.
One of the most anticipated games in the tournament’s group stages was a slow burner before developing into a second-half thriller, after the Dutch side’s Premier League contingent looked to have set them on their way to an important victory.
Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk and West Ham United forward Crysencio Summerville were on target before Crystal Palace’s Kamada struck with a deft header to divert Koki Ogawa’s effort with two minutes left and secure a 2-2 draw.
Ronald Koeman’s side posed the greater threat in a subdued first half, with Donyell Malen the main danger, forcing three saves from Japan keeper Zion Suzuki.
The game burst into life after the restart, captain Van Dijk heading the Dutch in front after 51 minutes with a precise header from Liverpool team-mate Ryan Gravenberch’s cross.
Japan were never out of contention and they were level six minutes later when Keito Nakamura’s low shot carried too much power for Dutch keeper Bart Verbruggen.
The Netherlands responded with a moment of real quality to restore their advantage after 64 minutes, Summerville cutting inside the area before sending a low drive beyond the outstretched arm of Suzuki.
Japan continued to press and got their reward through Kamada, to the delight of the thousands of Samurai Blue fans who were in Dallas to support their country. (BBC)
(Al Jazeera) Two helicopters have collided in mid-air over the Brazilian city of Rio de Janeiro, killing all six people on board, local authorities said.
Officials have launched an investigation into the cause of Sunday morning’s crash over a western suburb of the city called Recreio dos Bandeirantes.
Firefighters said the helicopters collided before plummeting into the parking lot of an electric car dealership, setting about 20 vehicles on fire.
Fire services spokesman Fabio Contreiras said the blaze was difficult to extinguish because of toxic gases released by lithium-ion batteries in the electric vehicles.
“When this type of battery catches fire, it releases highly toxic gases and intensifies both the temperature and severity of the blaze,” Contreiras said.
“Extinguishing a fire in one of these vehicles requires three to four times the amount of water needed for a standard car fire.”
He added that the surrounding area was densely populated and that the death toll would have been far higher had the helicopters not crashed into the car park.
Contreiras said rescue workers had discovered one helicopter in flames among the electric cars, with five victims inside. A second helicopter, found about 100m (328 feet) away, was carrying only the pilot, who also died.
Debris from the helicopters was found hundreds of metres from the crash site. Footage shared online showed a thick plume of smoke rising from the car park into the sky.
Contreiras said authorities would need to review recordings of the incident before the cause of the crash could be confirmed.
Helicopter crashes are common in Brazil.
According to statistics from the Center for Investigation and Prevention of Aeronautical Accidents (CENIPA), there had been 84 aircraft accidents in 2026 prior to Sunday’s crash.
Four-time winners Germany overcame a brief scare from World Cup debutants Curacao before turning on the style to win their Group E opener in Houston.
Die Mannschaft went ahead in the sixth minute with the tournament’s earliest goal so far coming from a powerful curling effort from one-time England youth international Felix Nmecha.
But they were stunned by a leveller from the smallest nation ever, by size and population, to take part in a World Cup.
With around 155,000 inhabitants, the Caribbean island of just 171 square miles is smaller than the Isle of Man with a population the same as Huddersfield.
Zurich midfielder Livano Comenencia wrote his name in Blue Wave folklore on 21 minutes with a left-footed drive from the edge of the box which deflected past Germany keeper Manuel Neuer, who was appearing in a fifth tournament at the age of 40.
Livano Comenencia is mobbed by team-mates after scoring Curacao’s first World Cup goal (Photo: Getty Images)
Moments after Curacao striker Jurgen Locadia then had a penalty appeal waved away after nipping past Jonathan Tah, a hydration break midway through the half gave the unsettled Germans the opportunity to reset.
Julian Nagelsmann’s side did just that, showing fresh impetus in attack and restoring their lead after 17 minutes of parity through Nico Schlotterbeck’s flashing header from Nathaniel Brown’s corner to the near post.
The pressure intensified and a calm penalty from Kai Havertz in the fifth minute of first-half stoppage-time – following a rash lunge on the impressive Nmecha by Riechedly Bazoer – gave the eight-time finalists breathing space.
Just 69 seconds after the interval Jamal Musiala fired in an angled finish from Joshua Kimmich’s neat pass to signal Germany’s intent as they took control of the game.
Left-back Brown lashed home a volley after a neat flick from substitute Deniz Undav, who then swept home a sixth from Kimmich’s pass.
The former Brighton forward, now at Stuttgart, then set up Havertz for Germany’ s seventh goal two minutes from time, a lovely dink over Curacao keeper Eloy Room to seal a dominant success. (BBC)
St. Therese Primary held their nerve under pressure to clinch the 2026 Berbice Zone title of the ExxonMobil Guyana -powered Future Warriors Tapeball tournament, sealing a 13-run victory over a resilient Tain Primary unit.
The result extended Tain Primary’s sequence of near-misses in the primary schools competition, forcing them to settle for the runner-up spot for a second consecutive year, having previously finished third in the inaugural edition.
Batting first, St. Therese posted a formidable 81 for 6 from their allocation of eight overs. Christiano Ramdeo anchored the top order with a composed 20, while Ghani George provided late impetus with a vital 19.
Despite disciplined spells from Romel Ramdeo (2-11) and Adriel Chichester (2-13), the target demanded an asking rate of over 10 runs per over.
Given Tain Primary’s tournament reputation as the only other side to breach the 80-run barrier, the chase was expected to be a close affair. However, the St. Therese bowling unit executed their plans clinically.
Even though Chichester threatened to break formatting with a brief 16 and Nicholas Bristol contributed an identical 16, Tain were restricted to 68 for 2 as Melroy Grant (1-10) and George (1-14) squeezed the run flow in the middle overs.
Despite the final defeat, Chichester’s tournament aggregate of 62 runs earned him the Most Runs Award.
Rose Hall Estate Primary’s Mario Ramsammy claimed the Most Wickets and tournament Most Valuable Player (MVP) awards. He collects his award from Ryan Hoppie of ExxonMobil Guyana
The individual honours for the zone, however, were dominated by Rose Hall Estate Primary’s Mario Ramsammy. The young bowler claimed the Most Wickets and tournament Most Valuable Player (MVP) awards on the back of an exceptional return of 11 wickets in four matches, coupled with an economy rate of 5.88 and 25 dot balls.
Earlier in the day, Massiah Primary secured a comprehensive 46-run victory over Rose Hall Estate Primary in the third-place playoff.
Massiah raked up 79 for 6, built on Khushan Parmanand’s 17 and an unbeaten 15 from Rishma Ramjass, despite Ramsammy’s excellent 3 for 16. In reply, Rose Hall Estate crumbled to 33 for 5 against disciplined bowling.
The semi-final stage highlighted the explosive nature of this year’s tapeball tournament as in Semi-Final 1, Tain Primary blasted their way to 86 for 2 against Massiah Primary, powered by a scorching 11-ball 34 from Chichester (1×4, 5x6s) and an unbeaten 29 from Romel Ramdeo.
Massiah fought back through Ramjass, who struck a fluent 16-ball 27 (1×4, 3x6s), but Ramdeo’s 3 for 11 ensured Massiah were halted at 66 for 6.
In Semi-Final 2, St. Therese Primary made short work of a 56-run target against Rose Hall Estate as Keiron DeJonge smashed a brutal unbeaten 27 off just 10 deliveries, littered with three sixes and a four, to guide his side home at 59 for 1 in just 4.5 overs after Rose Hall had been restricted to 55 for 4.
Beyond the silverware, the tournament highlighted an institutional focus on modern cricket metrics. The top four schools each received comprehensive equipment bags, agility kits, and electronic scoring tablets.
Rishma Ramjass looked an exceptional talent
The integration of tablets is designed to introduce young players to the digital mechanics of online match scoring, bridging the gap between recreational play and data analysis. All 16 participating schools also left with baseline fitness equipment.
With this victory, the New Amsterdam-based St. Therese Primary joins Demerara champions West Ruimveldt in the national postseason lineup.
The spotlight now shifts to the Essequibo Zone, scheduled for June 20-21 at the Anna Regina National Stadium.
The regional champions will progress to the Champion of Champions tournament later this year, in August or September.
The ultimate winner of that national phase will earn a novelty fixture against the Guyana Amazon Warriors.
Guyana’s immigration services are set to enter a new digital era with the launch of the country’s online passport application and appointment system on June 15, 2026.
The initiative, spearheaded by the Immigration Support Services Department, is expected to significantly reduce waiting times, improve efficiency, and provide citizens with greater convenience when applying for passports.
Senior Superintendent and Deputy Chief Immigration Officer Stephen Telford described the platform as a major milestone in the department’s modernisation agenda.
Deputy Immigration Officer, Senior Superintendent Stephen Telford
“On Monday, June 15, 2026, Guyana will be launching its online passport application system. What this allows you to do is, from the comfort of your home, make an application for your passport,” Telford announced.
Through the new system, applicants will be able to initiate passport applications online and select the passport office where they wish to complete the processing stage.
The platform will also introduce an appointment-based service, allowing citizens to select a convenient date and time for their visit.
The launch builds on a series of reforms that have transformed immigration services in Guyana.
Passport processing times have been reduced to three working days, while expedited applications can be completed within 24 hours and, in exceptional circumstances, even sooner.
The department has also expanded passport services across the country through decentralized offices and mobile enrollment units, ensuring citizens in remote and vulnerable communities have greater access to travel documents.
In addition to online passport applications, immigration services have embraced digital travel processing through the introduction of the electronic embarkation and disembarkation form and automated e-gates at ports of entry.
Telford said the e-form allows travellers to complete immigration requirements up to 30 days before travel, while e-gates have reduced processing times for eligible passengers to as little as 15 seconds.
The online passport application system represents another step in government’s broader digital transformation agenda, leveraging technology to improve public service delivery, enhance accessibility, and create a more efficient experience for citizens seeking immigration services.
This initiative demonstrates the government’s continued commitment to building a modern, citizen-centered immigration system capable of meeting the demands of a rapidly developing nation (Republished from the Department of Public Information)
Smriti Mandhana hit 68 and Deepti Sharma took 5-10 as India opened their T20 World Cup with a 64-run win over arch-rivals Pakistan in Group One.
Opener Mandhana was dropped twice in an innings where she blazed nine fours and two sixes to set up an India score of 170-6.
Pakistan started their reply well, reaching 52-1 at the end of the powerplay, but all-rounder Deepti Sharma took India’s first two wickets then returned to dismiss the final three batters as the ODI world champions bowled out their opponents for 106.
Fatima Sana’s side lost their final seven wickets for 31 runs and were bowled out with three overs to spare, with leg-spinner Sree Charani also taking 3-21.
India captain Harmanpreet Kaur chose to bat having won the toss, but saw her side reduced to 18-2 inside four overs as Shafali Verma and Jemimah Rodrigues were caught for six and one respectively.
Mandhana dug her side out of trouble, but was dropped on 27 at mid-off with India on 44-2 and on 55 with her side approaching their hundred.
The 29-year-old built a 91-run partnership with Harmanpreet before finally being caught by Pakistan captain Fatima Sana at long-on.
Pakistan stalled India’s efforts for a number of overs, but Deepti and Richa Ghosh hit 38 off the last 12 balls to set a total that Pakistan could not challenge.
India follow Australia, who also won their opening game, in setting a marker in Group One, while Pakistan already face an uphill battle to qualify from a pool that also features South Africa. (BBC)
