Blog

After acting in the role since 2023, Bryan Joseph has been confirmed as the Technical Director of the Guyana Football Federation (GFF).

The Federation made the announcement in a press release on Friday, in which Joseph stated that appointment is “added motivation to push further” in a role “I have given my all.”

Below is the full press release issued by the GFF

The Council of the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) has officially confirmed the appointment of Mr. Bryan Joseph as the Federation’s Technical Director.

Joseph had been serving in the role on an acting basis since 2023, following the departure of former Technical Director Ian Greenwood.

During that period, he oversaw the implementation of several key football development programmes and technical initiatives aimed at strengthening the game at all levels across Guyana’s football landscape.

Expressing his appreciation for the Council’s decision, Joseph said: “I am happy that the Council has confirmed my appointment. I have given my all to this role, and it has now added motivation to push further. I remain committed to advancing football development in Guyana and working with all stakeholders to achieve our long-term objectives.”

President of the Guyana Football Federation, Mr. Wayne Forde, welcomed the confirmation of Joseph’s appointment.

“We are extremely proud of Bryan’s professional growth and his dedication to the role. He is the driver of our football development programmes and initiatives, and we look forward to supporting him in this important work.”

The Federation congratulates Joseph on his appointment and looks forward to his continued contribution to the advancement of football in Guyana.

The post Bryan Joseph confirmed as Technical Director of GFF appeared first on News Room Guyana.

Guyana’s Slingerz Football Club will begin its quest for Caribbean glory against Turks and Caicos Islands champions SWA Sharks FC after the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) conducted the official draw for the 2026 CFU Club Shield on Friday.

The eighth edition of the tournament will be staged in Trinidad and Tobago from July 23 to August 2 and will feature 22 clubs from across the Caribbean battling for regional supremacy and two coveted places in the Concacaf Caribbean Cup.

Slingerz FC earned the opportunity to represent Guyana after completing the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) Elite League season unbeaten, a campaign that underlined the club’s dominance on the domestic stage and secured its return to regional competition.

Under the guidance of veteran coach Jamaal Shabazz, the Guyanese outfit will face SWA Sharks FC in the opening round of the knockout-format competition. Victory would propel Slingerz into the Round of 16, where a challenging encounter against Trinidad and Tobago’s Prisons Service FC awaits.

According to the competition regulations and club rankings, the 12 lowest-ranked clubs were entered into the First Round and drawn against one another.

Meanwhile, the five clubs representing the Caribbean’s professional leagues, along with the three highest-ranked amateur clubs, received automatic byes to the Round of 16.

The CFU Club Shield remains a significant pathway to higher levels of regional competition. The tournament serves as the qualifying competition for the Concacaf Caribbean Cup, with both finalists advancing to the Confederation’s 10-team championship.

Success there could ultimately pave the way to qualification for the prestigious Concacaf Champions Cup.

Slingerz FC President Javed Ali welcomed the draw and expressed confidence in his team’s ability to compete at the regional level.

Ali revealed that the club intends to intensify preparations ahead of the tournament, including a pre-season training camp outside of Guyana, to ensure the players are adequately prepared for the demands of Caribbean competition.

“We are pleased with the draw and excited about the opportunity ahead of us. Our objective is to give the team every possible chance of success, and that means ensuring they are exposed to the highest level of preparation before travelling to Trinidad and Tobago,” Ali said.

He added that the club’s ambition extends beyond merely participating in the tournament.

“We want to compete, advance and ultimately challenge for a place in the Concacaf Caribbean Cup. Guyanese clubs have shown before that they can make an impact regionally, and we want to emulate the achievements of clubs such as Alpha United, which proudly represented Guyana on the Caribbean stage.”

Established in 2018, the CFU Club Shield was created to advance professional football throughout the Caribbean.

The competition is open to champion amateur and semi-professional clubs from across the region, with the ultimate finalists earning promotion to the Concacaf Caribbean Cup.

The post Slingerz FC drawn against SWA Sharks in CFU Club Shield opener appeared first on News Room Guyana.

Prime Minister Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips addressed the National Assembly on Friday, emphasising that Guyana stands firm on its sovereignty as the International Court of Justice (ICJ) prepares its final judgment in the border controversy case with Venezuela.

Guyana has asked the court to confirm that the boundary defined in the 1899 award and demarcated in the 1905 agreement remains the lawful international border.

The case was filed by Guyana in 2018 after the United Nations Secretary-General referred the matter to the ICJ under the 1966 Geneva Agreement.

The controversy centres on the Essequibo region, a vast, resource-rich area that makes up more than two-thirds of Guyana’s territory but is claimed by Venezuela. Over the years, the ICJ has already ruled that it has jurisdiction to hear the case and that Guyana’s claims are admissible, clearing the way for the recent hearings on the merits.

See below the full statement from Prime Minister Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips: 

Guyana’s case against Venezuela in the International Court of Justice, the world’s highest international judicial tribunal, has now been fully submitted. The submissions of both parties, presented over the course of the past eight years, concluded on May 11 with the completion of the oral hearings in The Hague. All that remains now is for the Court itself to deliberate, draft its final Judgment, and issue it in a public session.

As is customary, no date for that session has yet been set. The Court will give the parties, and the public, two weeks’ notice of the scheduling of the session. Normally, it takes six and eight months from the close of the oral hearings to the issuance of the final Judgment. If this holds true in our case, we can expect the Judgment sometime between November 2026 and January 2027. Whatever the Court decides, it will be legally binding on both Guyana and Venezuela. Both States will be obligated to accept and comply with it under the explicit terms of the United Nations Charter and the Statute of the International Court of Justice, to which they have both subscribed.

The very fact that this case reached the ICJ, and that the written and oral phases of the proceedings were carried out to their completions, represents a triumph for the rule of law and the rules-based international order. It has always been Guyana’s firmly held position that disputes between States must be resolved peacefully, finally and in conformity with international law. They must not be allowed to fester indefinitely. They must never be resolved by threat or use of military force.

While we cannot know with certainty how the Court will rule, Guyana is confident – in fact, after the oral hearings last month, Guyana is more confident than ever — that the Court will uphold the legal validity of the 1899 Arbitral Award and the finality and permanence of the international boundary between Guyana and Venezuela that the entire world (with the exception of Venezuela) recognizes, and that it will order Venezuela not to offend, seize, annex or trespass any Guyanese territory, as defined by the 1899 Arbitral Award, or to threaten any such transgressions against Guyana. In short, we expect to be fully victorious in this historic, and for Guyana, existential, case.

Guyana is very proud of the presentations it made at the recently concluded oral hearings. It believes that its arguments were compelling and convincing, and that they showed the lack of merit in Venezuela’s case both on the facts and on the law. Guyana is grateful to its representatives in these proceedings, headed by Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Hugh Todd; Minister of Legal Affairs and Attorney General Anil Nandlall; and former Minister of Foreign Affairs Carl Greenidge, as Agent.

When the Court issues its Judgment, it will end the controversy that arose in 1962 when Venezuela, for the first time, challenged the lawfulness of the 1899 Arbitral Award and the international boundary it established, after accepting, respecting and complying with the Award and the boundary without protest for 63 years. The oral hearings established that Venezuela made this very belated protest precisely at the time Guyana was nearing its independence, British troops would be departing, and Venezuela would have a significant military advantage with which to press its unfounded claim to nearly three-quarters of Guyana’s territory, the very claim that the tribunal of five pre-eminent arbitrators unanimously rejected in 1899.

Before departing Guyana, in 1966, the British took pains to negotiate an agreement with Venezuela to assure that its challenge to the validity of the 1899 Arbitral Award would be resolved peacefully. The Geneva Agreement of 1966, to which Guyana became a party upon its independence that year, provided first for a four-year period of bilateral negotiations to resolve this dispute. These negotiations were unsuccessful. In the circumstances, the Geneva Agreement further provided that, if Guyana and Venezuela would be unable to agree on another means of dispute settlement, the Secretary General of the United Nations would choose the proper means for final settlement of the controversy, with the power to choose new means if any prior means that he selected failed to achieve a resolution. In January 2018, after more than 50 years passed without a settlement, including a prolonged good offices process supervised by the Secretary-General, Secretary General Antonio Guterres decided that the controversy should be settled by the International Court of Justice. His decision was binding on the two parties.

Guyana then initiated the proceedings in the ICJ in March 2018. Venezuela responded by challenging the Court’s jurisdiction to resolve the controversy, claiming that the Geneva Agreement did not authorize settlement by the ICJ. After considering the arguments of the two parties, the Court issued a Judgment in December 2020 in which it ruled that it had jurisdiction under the Geneva Agreement, and the Secretary-General’s decision, to determine the legal validity of the 1899 Arbitral Award, as well as the international boundary between Guyana and Venezuela, and that its decision would be binding on both parties.

Following this, Venezuela again tried to terminate the proceedings by raising an objection to the propriety of judicial resolution in the absence of the United Kingdom, which was not a party to the case. The Court rejected Venezuela’s objection in its Judgment of 6 April 2023.

In October 2023, Venezuela announced that it would hold a national referendum in December 2023 seeking popular approval of its plans to reject the jurisdiction of the ICJ and incorporate Guyana’s entire Essequibo Region into Venezuela as the new Venezuelan state of “Guayana Esequiba”. Guyana immediately petitioned the Court for provisional measures prohibiting Venezuela from taking any such actions, regardless of the outcome of its referendum. In response, the Court ruled unanimously that:

“Pending a final decision in the case, the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela
shall refrain from taking any action which would modify the situation that
currently prevails in the territory in dispute, whereby the Co-operative
Republic of Guyana administers and exercises control over that area;”

In early 2025, Venezuela announced plans to hold elections in its so-called “Guayana Esequiba” state, including within Guyana’s Essequibo Region. Guyana again requested that the Court issue provisional measures prohibiting Venezuela from transgressing its territory. And again, the Court responded favorably to Guyana’s request by issuing the following Order on 1 May 2025:
“Pending a final decision in the case, the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela shall refrain from conducting elections, or preparing to conduct elections, in the territory in dispute, which the Co-operative Republic of Guyana currently administers and over which it exercises control.”

Now that the oral hearings have been concluded, we will await the Court’s final Judgment on the Merits with patience, dignity and optimism, as His Excellency the President of Guyana has said. And we will continue to address Venezuela in a spirit of peace, cooperation and friendship, and as sovereign equals. We will respect Venezuela’s sovereignty, as we have always done, and insist that Venezuela refrain from trespassing on, or threatening, Guyana’s sovereignty. And when the final Judgment is issued, we will insist that it be respected and fully complied with, as international law requires. This is the only way forward for our to States: toward a secure, just and lasting peace, an enduring friendship, and a mutually prosperous future for both our peoples.

The post Guyana stands firm on sovereignty as ICJ prepares final judgment in border case – PM appeared first on News Room Guyana.

See below the full release from the Ministry of Finance: 

Senior Minister in the Office of the President with Responsibility for Finance, Dr Ashni Singh, today reintroduced in the National Assembly the Former Presidents (Benefits and Other Facilities) Bill for consideration. The legislation, passed in 2009, was repealed and replaced by the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance for Change (APNU/AFC) Coalition government in July 2015 shortly after that party took office. The 2026 Bill will repeal and replace the flawed 2015 enactment and restore the framework that was in place in 2009 with a single, predictable standard governing the benefits afforded to those who have held the nation’s highest office. 

In the 2009 legislation, benefits to former Guyanese presidents when they demitted office included the payment of all utility expenses at their residence, services of personal household staff, transportation and security, as well as free medical attention and coverage for themselves and their dependents. The 2015 amendment made by APNU/AFC, capped a number of those benefits, including limiting the provision for medical attention to an amount of $200,000 per year. In addition, according to the 2015 conditions, the former Head of State could lose their benefits if they engage in private business, paid employment or trade. In restoring the 2009 framework, the PPP/C Government is establishing a fair and equitable standard of dignity and support that every President of Guyana, past and future, rightfully deserves.

These benefits exist to reflect the continuing obligations of the presidency itself, including the representational duties and security considerations that follow a Head of State long after the term has ended. A stable framework, applied equally to every President who has served, serves the country far better than rules drafted to suit the politics of a passing moment. Government reaffirms its commitment to the responsible stewardship of public resources and to a benefits regime that is clear, consistent, and worthy of the office it serves.

The post Gov’t moves to repeal ‘flawed’ 2015 Fmr. Presidents’ Benefits law appeared first on News Room Guyana.

See below full release from the Ministry of Finance:

The People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Government continues to manage Guyana’s public debt with prudence and discipline, maintaining a track record that is widely regarded as among the strongest in the region. Through careful borrowing aligned with national development priorities, sustainable debt-to-GDP ratios, and a deliberate focus on concessional and development-oriented financing, the Government has preserved the country’s fiscal stability and creditworthiness even as it accelerates transformative investment in infrastructure and public services. The agreements outlined below reflect this measured and responsible approach: each loan has been contracted on favourable terms, directed toward high-impact projects, and structured to deliver lasting value for the Guyanese people while safeguarding the nation’s long-term financial health.

·       New investment to deliver safer, climate-resilient roads across the country

The Government and World Bank Signed an equivalent US$156 Million Financing Agreement for the Integrated Transport Corridors Project

The Government and the International Development Association (IDA), part of the World Bank Group, signed a financing agreement to support the Integrated Transport Corridors Project, a landmark investment in safer, more climate-resilient road infrastructure. The agreement was signed on October 14, 2025.

Guyana’s Integrated Transport Corridors Project is designed to deliver safer, more climate-resilient roads while strengthening the country’s capacity to respond to crises. It advances along two complementary fronts. The first centres on physical road improvements, including the rehabilitation and upgrading of key corridors, enhanced drainage and slope stabilisation, crash barriers and traffic-calming measures.

The second front focuses on strengthening institutional capacity for road sector management. This encompasses a national road safety diagnostic, assessments of speed limits and mobility patterns, and community mobility plans developed with a strong emphasis on women’s needs and climate resilience, alongside a targeted road safety Programme for schools, markets, hospitals, and other locations with high concentrations of vulnerable road users. The project further supports road asset management and inclusive capacity building, including a certified training Programme for local engineers and initiatives to expand women’s employment and entrepreneurship across the road construction sector.

Reflecting the Government’s prudent approach to risk, the agreement also incorporates a Climate Resilient Debt Clause, allowing for the deferral of payments during declared national emergencies, and a Rapid Response Option that enables the swift mobilisation of funds in times of crisis.

The Integrated Transport Corridors Project highlights the enduring partnership between the Government of Guyana and the World Bank Group in advancing sustainable, inclusive, and resilient development nationwide.

·       Agreements to Strengthen Climate-Resilient Water Infrastructure

The Government and Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) signed a US$30 million credit line and US$15.57 million first loan to expand and modernise water services

The Government and the IDB signed two agreements to advance climate-resilient and sustainable water and sanitation services across the country. Both agreements were signed in Georgetown on November 14, 2025.

The first agreement establishes a Conditional Credit Line for Investment Projects (CCLIP) for Water and Sanitation Improvement in Guyana, with a total envelope of US$30 million. The credit line provides a flexible framework for financing a series of individual water and sanitation operations over time. Its objective is to enhance climate resilience and the environmental and financial sustainability of Guyana Water Incorporated’s (GWI) potable water and sewerage services.

The second agreement is the first individual loan drawn under that credit line: a US$15.57 million facility financing the Guyana Climate Resilient Water Infrastructure Improvement Programme.

The programme is built around three core components. The first finances new climate-resilient infrastructure to expand the potable water supply for the rapidly growing population of the Diamond area in Region 4, comprising a new conventional water treatment plant, a surface water intake and raw water conveyance from the East Demerara Water Conservancy, approximately 15 kilometres of transmission mains, and a 0.6 MW grid-connected solar photovoltaic plant to power the new facility. The second component targets a substantial reduction in Non-Revenue Water across the East Bank Demerara, East Coast Demerara, and Cummings Lodge systems in Georgetown through the installation of 40,000 ultrasonic smart meters, advanced leak and pressure management, and public conservation campaigns. The third strengthens GWI’s commercial, operational, and financial management capacity through digital transformation, cybersecurity, modernised management information systems, and a gender and Persons with Disabilities action plan to promote diversity and inclusion within the utility.

Together, these agreements underscore the enduring partnership between the Government of Guyana and IDB in delivering reliable, modern, and climate-resilient water services, expanding access for growing communities, and reducing water losses.

In addition to the agreements outlined above, amendments to three existing financing arrangements were also tabled in Parliament. These comprised the Export–Import Bank of the United States facility financing the Guyana Gas-to-Energy Project; IDB Loan Contract No. 4676/BL-GY, Amendatory Contract No. 1, which supports the Strengthening Energy Matrix Diversification Programme; and the CARICOM Development Fund Agreement financing the Agricultural and Infrastructural Development Programme.

As the Government continues to catapult development across every sector, it is noteworthy that Guyana’s debt position has undergone a remarkable transformation over the past three decades, evolving from one of the world’s most heavily indebted nations into a country distinguished by fiscal strength and long-term sustainability. Public and Publicly Guaranteed (PPG) debt as a share of GDP has fallen substantially, from over 600 percent in 1991 to just 28.6 percent at the close of 2025. Equally striking, the debt-service burden has eased from a once-crippling 90 percent of Government revenues to a comfortably manageable 5.5 percent, freeing resources for investment in infrastructure, health, education, and other national priorities. This progress has not gone unnoticed: in its 2025 Article IV Report, the International Monetary Fund assessed Guyana as being at low risk of debt distress and with low vulnerability to large shocks, a clear endorsement of the PPP/C Government’s unwavering commitment to fiscal discipline, prudent debt management, and strategic economic planning.

 

The post Minister Singh tables Loan Agreements in National Assembly appeared first on News Room Guyana.

See below the full release from the Ministry of Finance: 

Senior Minister in the Office of the President with Responsibility for Finance Dr. Ashni Singh, as part of Government’s broad agenda to improve access to credit and empower citizens, today tabled in the National Assembly the Guyana Development Bank Bill 2026. This Bill caters for the establishment of the Guyana Development Bank, which will promote the development and expansion of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs).

The Guyana Development Bank will provide SMEs with access to up to $3 million in micro-credit loans to persons and enterprises at zero interest rate. Importantly, a key aspect of this loan programme is that loans will be paired with mentorship and training to support the growth and development of SMEs.

President Ali, while leading a Cabinet outreach in Region 7 this week, reaffirmed that the Bank is designed to support community-driven development, enabling residents to invest in small enterprises, form consortia, and pursue larger projects collectively. The Bank is in keeping with the People’s Progressive Party’s (PPP/C) Manifesto’s commitment to fostering a more inclusive financial system, empowering all Guyanese to access the system and to participate in saving and investment opportunities.

”The Guyana Development Bank will allow us to target you directly, so that you can benefit from soft loans that will allow you to invest in small businesses, that will allow you to come together in a consortium… and do larger projects” President Ali said.

The development of Guyana’s financial sector is crucial as Government works to empower citizens to benefit from the economic transformation taking place across the country. Access to financing is a central pillar for the establishment, growth, and success of both small and large-scale businesses, and for the economic empowerment of individuals and households. Under the stewardship of the PPP/C Government, Guyana’s financial sector has shown significant improvement across key performance indicators in recent years, reflecting a strengthened economy and robust regulatory oversight.

From the end of 2020 to the end of 2025, total credit to the private sector grew by 104.7 percent, driven by increased lending to the services, manufacturing, agriculture, and mining and quarrying sectors. Lending for real estate mortgage loans also grew substantially, by 104.6 percent over the same period. Commercial banks’ deposits surged, growing by 132.8 percent at the end of 2025 when compared with the position at the end of 2020, driven by rising incomes and improved confidence in the banking system. At the same time, the ratio of non-performing loans (NPLs) has declined from 10.8 percent at the end of 2020 to 1.3 percent at the end 2025, aided largely by a rebound in economic activities post-pandemic and protracted elections and enhanced risk management practices. These trends highlight the country’s financial sector’s resilience and its pivotal role in supporting Guyana’s economic transformation.

Government remains committed to working with all stakeholders including consumers and the private sector, in supporting business development in Guyana, as the administration continues to create the enabling environment for fostering development.

The post Guyana moves closer to unlocking additional financing for small and medium enterprises appeared first on News Room Guyana.

Deputy Commissioner ‘Administration’ Ravindradat Budhram has been officially inducted as Patron of the Tucber Park Cricket Club, during a simple ceremony held in recognition of his continued support for cricket development.

As Patron, Deputy Commissioner Budhram is expected to provide guidance, encouragement and support to the club, particularly in the area of youth and cricket development.

The presentation was made by members of the Tucber Park Cricket Club, including Vice-Presidents Anthony D’Andrade and Julian Moore, and Secretary Gary Millington.

Also present were West Indies and Guyana all-rounder and IPL champion Romario Shepherd, along with Tucber Park players Zeynul Ramsammy and Damion Vantull.

Click here to view more photos 

During the ceremony, Deputy Commissioner Budhram was presented with a Tucber Park Cricket Club jersey, as well as a portrait of himself signed by Romario Shepherd. The portrait depicted Deputy Commissioner Budhram during a recent cricket match in which he made an unbeaten 55.

In brief remarks, D’Andrade said the club was pleased to formally recognise Deputy Commissioner Budhram as Patron, noting that he has supported the club over the years in several ways.

He said the induction was a way of acknowledging Deputy Commissioner Budhram’s friendship, commitment and assistance to the club, particularly in the area of youth and cricket development.

Shepherd, in his remarks, also expressed appreciation for Deputy Commissioner Budhram’s support to cricket, especially young players. He noted that Budhram has been a friend of the club and expressed confidence that he will continue to assist wherever possible.

Shepherd further highlighted the importance of guidance and leadership in the development of young cricketers, noting that support from persons in leadership positions can help create opportunities for young athletes to grow and succeed.

In response, Deputy Commissioner Budhram said the occasion was a special one for him, noting that he was honoured to be recognised by Tucber Park Cricket Club as its Patron.

He said sports and cricket in particular, play an important role in the development of young people by promoting discipline, mentorship, teamwork and personal growth.

Deputy Commissioner Budhram also noted that he has known several members of the Tucber Park cricket fraternity for many years, having grown up in Berbice, and said he was happy to be in a position to contribute to the development of the sport.

He added that through the Guyana Police Force and the Police Officers’ Cricket Team, support has been given to young cricketers from various parts of the country, including players who have gone on to represent at the Under-15, Under-17 and Under-19 levels.

Deputy Commissioner Budhram thanked the club for the honour and reaffirmed his commitment to supporting cricket development, mentorship and opportunities for young players.

The club expressed appreciation for his continued contribution and said it looks forward to his guidance and support as Patron.

(SOURCE: Guyana Police Force Cricket/Sergeant Asif Hakim/Sergeant Avindra Rajballi)

The post Deputy Commissioner Budhram inducted Patron of Tucber Park Cricket Club appeared first on News Room Guyana.

The Government of Guyana is seeking an additional $54.89 billion in supplementary funds for key local initiatives and programmes this year.

Finance Minister Dr. Ashni Singh presented Financial Paper No. 1 of 2026 to the National Assembly on Friday.

About $4.7 billion is being sought for current expenses, while $50.1 billion is for capital expenditures. The funds are for accelerated work in several sectors, including public works, agriculture, aviation, housing, and health.

In a release from the Ministry of Finance, it was noted that approval for Supplementary provisions is being sought for the period ending December 31, 2026, with $17.5 billion for the housing sector to cater for an accelerated work programme. In the PPP/C’s 2026 Manifesto, the Party outlined its plan for affordable homes and stronger communities through measures such as expanding its housing programme, the construction of 40,000 new homes, working to ensure it eliminates the backlog of applications in all regions, and fast-tracking all pending housing applications. To facilitate this, in Budget 2026 $159.1 billion was allocated to the sector.

Furthermore, the National Assembly is also being requested to consider a supplementary provision of $19.1 billion under the Office of the Prime Minister to cater for additional resources, including toward the government’s Gas-to-Energy Project, which is expected to reduce electricity cost to citizens by half when it comes on stream. Another $8.5 billion is being sought under the Ministry of Public Works, including $6 billion that caters for miscellaneous roads and drainage and $2.5 billion for hinterland roads as the government continues to improve connectivity across all regions of the country.

Additionally, $8.3 billion is being requested for consideration under the Ministry of Agriculture, including $807.5 million for the Guyana Rice Development Board, $3 billion for the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GUYSUCO), and $4.5 billion for the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) to support the agriculture sector.

Under the Ministry of Public Utilities and Aviation, a further $600 million is being requested for the provision of additional resources to facilitate maintenance of coastal airstrips and $496.3 million to support water interventions, including water filling stations. Under the Ministry of Home Affairs, an additional $60 million is being requested to facilitate its accelerated work programme for the Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU).

The request for supplementary funding would be considered at the next sitting of the National Assembly. Earlier this year, the $1.558 trillion national budget for 2026 was approved by the House.

The post Gov’t seeks $54 billion in supplementary funds appeared first on News Room Guyana.

Minister of Human Services and Social Security, Dr Vindhya Persaud, has pledged unconditional support to the family of seven-year-old Adriel Aftab Mohamed, who was brutally killed during an attack at his Zeelugt New Housing Scheme, East Bank Essequibo home on Friday morning.

Dr Persaud visited the scene of the tragedy and met with relatives and residents as the community continued to grapple with the shocking incident.

“This is devastating …it’s a gruesome tragedy in our country,” Dr Persaud told the News Room.

She said the circumstances surrounding the child’s death have left many shaken and raised serious concerns among residents.

“What is of concern is that this happened and it shouldn’t have happened …It shouldn’t happen. Whoever did this is monstrous,” Dr Persaud said.

According to reports, a lone perpetrator entered the home occupied by Adriel and his 72-year-old great-grandmother.

The suspect allegedly demanded money from the pensioner. During the ordeal, the child woke up and screamed after noticing the intruder. He was subsequently attacked and killed, while his great-grandmother sustained injuries. Police are actively pursuing the suspect.

Dr Persaud said the Child Care and Protection Agency has already begun providing support to the grieving family, including Adriel’s sibling and other children affected by the tragedy.

“There is lost, there is grieve, there is pain…for me no child should lose their life, no time and when it happen shock ripples through our country,” she said.

She noted that immediate steps are being taken to address concerns raised by residents during her visit.

“We have made some decisions on the ground. I met with the residents, they raised some concerns, I dealt with them already and things will start happening from first thing in the morning,” Dr. Persaud explained.

Reaffirming the government’s commitment to the family, Dr Persaud said authorities will remain closely involved as they navigate the aftermath of the tragedy.

“Our support is unconditional for this family and we will not in any way be separate from this incident because we care and what has happened here demands our unconditional support,” she stated.

The post ‘Monstrous act’ – Human Services Minister condemns gruesome Zeelugt attack, pledges unconditional support appeared first on News Room Guyana.

Read full press release from Recovery Guyana:

Randy Mangal of Skeldon Linepath Secondary School is this year’s ‘Top National Youth Environmental Advocate’ after winning Recover Guyana’s SHOUT4Change Competition. The four-phased competition, open to secondary schools across Guyana to engage more youths in environmental protection and preservation, concluded on World Environment Day, Friday, June 5, 2026.

This is the fourth edition of the National Environmental Competition hosted in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, with support from ExxonMobil Guyana.

Founder and President of Recover Guyana, Dr Dave Lalltoo, noted that the 2026 edition of the competition represents a significant advancement in the NGO’s commitment to youth empowerment through Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) integration and practical environmental learning.

This year, he said, “the competition welcomed national finalists from 20 secondary schools across Guyana, reflecting geographic diversity and ensuring youth representation from various regions of the country. Through a structured, multi-phase competition process and extensive capacity-building engagements, finalists have been supported not only to strengthen their public speaking skills but also to deepen their environmental awareness, emotional readiness, and leadership capabilities.”

The began  with the submission of one-minute videos from grades nine and ten students from secondary schools across Guyana detailing the sustainable changes they would make to their school’s environment if given one million dollars ($1,000,000). “This phase commenced on February 9, 2026, and attracted over seventy (70) submissions from which twenty (20) candidates were identified as national finalists by a selection panel using set criteria.”

Friday’s event at the Ramada Georgetown Princess Hotel featured phases two, three and four of the competition. This entailed candidates delivering prepared environmental speeches, engaging in an impromptu speech segment, and the four top students being asked one environmental question to determine the national winner: How would you incorporate STEM-based solutions in the execution of your project idea to address the major environmental issues affecting your school environment, should you be given $1,000,000 to do so?.

Randy Mangal of Skeldon Linepath Secondary School emerged as the winner of the competition. Mangal’s project aims to convert waste into opportunities at his school. Delivering his response in the final segment of the competition, he noted that he will invest his $1,000,000 win in converting waste materials into seating and vertical gardens, among other initiatives. With the implementation of water refill stations, he also intends to reduce plastic bottle use.

Mangal also received 1 HP laptop, 1-year of free ONE Fibre internet service, and an education advancement voucher valued at $100,000.

Coming in second place was Bhomika Singh of Tagore Memorial High School who received 1 HP laptop, 1-year of free ONE Fibre internet service, and an education advancement voucher valued at $75,000.

Third and fourth places were copped by Brandon Holder of Hope Secondary School and Orlando Reynolds of Presidents College who each received 1 HP laptop,1-year of free ONE Fibre internet service, and an education advancement voucher valued at $50,000 and $25,000, respectively.

The competition is supported by ExxonMobil Guyana. The company’s Socioeconomic Manager Lorna Carlson lauded the initiative by Recover Guyana, which creates a platform for students to be action thinkers who identify issues and develop sustainable remedies. She noted that “at ExxonMobil, we’re guided by a very simple model, and we live it every day: Protect tomorrow today – our commitment to protect the environment while delivering the energy the globe needs. This means responsibly developing Guyana’s resources while also safeguarding its rich natural environment.”

Others in the top ten are Elijah Ryan Toolsie of Stewartville Secondary School, Hadassah Harris of Friendship Secondary, Ruqayyah Mohamed of Qayyim Academy, Emma Munro of St Joseph High School, Jolena Camacho of JC Chandisingh Secondary and Raphieal Jacobis of Leguaan Secondary School. They received prizes, including an Eco Award, a $35,000 Dental Voucher from Flawless Dental and recognition for their efforts.

The Best Speaker Award was won by Orlando Reynolds of President’s College while the prize for the Most Influential Speech was awarded to Brandon Holder of Hope Secondary School and and Bhomika Singh of Tagore Memorial High School was presented with the Go Green Award by Recover Guyana. Reynolds also received the prize for Best Environmental Impact Speech.

Other sponsors and partners for the competition were: Scotiabank Guyana Inc., Flawless Dental GY, Ramada Georgetown Princess Hotel, One Communications, GuyOil, Massy Stores Guyana, Pixel Perfect Productions, SEVA Marketing Inc., ELEVATE, and Anthony Indar Photography.

The competition was first hosted in 2023 on World Environment Day, and the winner, declared after extensive judging, was Vassana Persaud of Queen’s College. Vasanna later went on to launch a water purification project within her school’s premises to combat plastic bottle waste.

The winners in 2024 and 2025 were Gabriella Arjun of Queen’s College who launched a Hydroponics Kitchen Garden and Anushka Singh also of Queen’s College who launched a cycle smart project.

 

The post Skeldon Line Path Secondary School student wins SHOUT4Change 2026 appeared first on News Room Guyana.