Guyana News Trend

30/07/2025

Annette Ferguson Raises Alarm as Maritime Director Appears at PPP/C Meeting in Party Jersey

Concerns over political bias and the erosion of public sector neutrality have intensified after the Director of the Maritime Administration Department (MARAD) was seen openly participating in a People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) meeting — while wearing a PPP/C-branded red polo jersey.

The incident drew sharp criticism from Annette Ferguson, former Member of Parliament and former Minister within the Ministry of Public Infrastructure, who described the public display as a troubling violation of established civil service norms.

“The longer you live, the more you see,” Ferguson said in a public statement. “How is it possible that the Director of a key national agency can so brazenly align himself with a political party, dressed in their colours and standing among their ranks?”

Under Guyana’s Public Service Rules, civil servants are required to maintain strict political neutrality while serving in public office. Rule B.8 of the Code of Conduct for Public Officers makes it clear:

"A public officer shall not engage in political activity in a manner that compromises or is seen to compromise the neutrality of the public service.”

Additionally, Article 38G of the Constitution of Guyana mandates that public administration must be conducted with fairness, impartiality, and without political influence.

While public servants are not forbidden from holding private political views or voting, the visible and active participation in partisan events, particularly in party-branded attire, is considered a breach of duty that undermines public confidence in the neutrality of the civil service.

Ferguson warned that such behaviour, if left unchecked, would create a dangerous precedent and further erode the public’s trust in national institutions.

“Guyana is in a crisis,” she said. “Where is the morality? Where is the integrity of our public officials? How can this be permitted in a system that should value neutrality, accountability, and public trust?” she asked.

There has been no official comment from the Maritime Administration Department or the Ministry of Public Works under which it operates. The Public Service Commissionhas also remained silent on whether any disciplinary action will be considered.

30/07/2025

GECOM incorrectly ascribed occupation of the President Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali and Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo on the official PPPC Gazetted list of electors for the September 1st Regional and General Elections.

30/07/2025

BREAKING NEWS 🚨

GDF PILOT CAPTAIN DWIGHT BONUS CRITICALLY INJURED IN AIRPLANE ACCIDENT NEAR THE TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS

Guyana Defence Force pilot Captain Dwight Bonus has been involved in a deadly aircraft accident in the vicinity of the Turks and Caicos Islands. Bonus is in critical condition and has been evacuated to another jurisdiction for medical treatment. Bonus' co-pilot has reportedly died from injuries. The small aircraft flight originated from the United States.

This is a developing story.

29/07/2025

A Nurse Was Murdered: Family Still Awaiting Justice Six Years After Schenise Apple's Death

Six years after the mysterious death of 22-year-old nurse Schenise Apple, her grieving family is still awaiting answers and justice. Despite mounting allegations, including claims of workplace mo**station and threats made against her life, the case remains unresolved, with silence from the Police and the Ministry of Health.

On the evening of July 2nd, 2019, Schenise Apple, 26, of Block 22, Linden, Region Ten, was found hanging in her room at the nurses’ quarters.

The then police commander of the division, Kevin Adonis, had said that the woman’s lifeless body was spotted by an individual who passed by her room.

The woman’s friends had told investigators that she was last seen on the evening of Monday, July 1st, 2019, after she completed her shift. She was not seen during the course of the following day nor did she show up for her shift, Adonis had said.

The police had initially stated that they were treating Apple’s death as a suspected su***de.

An autopsy showed that Schenise died as a result of asphyxiation due to a compression injury to the neck.

Her mother, Shonette Apple, has long suspected a cover-up. “What I see is that the Ministry try to cover up the act not to make them look bad,” she had told Stabroek News in an interview.

Shonette had only recently learned that the police investigation may still be active. A detective contacted her requesting a statement, the first formal statement she has been asked to give since her daughter’s death.

“There are at least three persons who the police should be looking into,” Shonette said, adding that she believes the authorities have failed to properly investigate those individuals.

Of particular concern is a disturbing revelation Schenise reportedly made just a month before her death: she told her mother she was being mo**sted at her workplace. According to Shonette, her daughter confided not just in her, but also in her father and her boyfriend.

“There are people that she complained about from that same work site who used to mo**st her,” Shonette explained. “She reached out to me, she reached out to the father, she reached out to her boyfriend. Nothing was done. Nobody said anything — but they didn’t know that she text and told us everything. We have the messages.”

Shonette further claimed that the alleged perpetrator was eventually fired from the worksite, but not before issuing threats to Schenise. “He said what he was now going to do to her,” she recalled. “They sit on it and expect that somebody’s child must just go down the drain like that.”

The family is also calling for answers from the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP). “Are we going to get some answers from the DPP on my daughter’s murder?” Shonette asked. “The parents have been waiting six years now without any information coming forth on this case.”

28/07/2025

28/07/2025

‘Blocking the Breeze’: Buxton Church Raises Alarm Over Construction of Chinese Supermarket

A growing controversy is stirring in the East Coast Demerara community of Buxton as members of a longstanding church raise concerns over the construction of a large Chinese supermarket that they say is severely impacting their building.

The issue centers on what church leaders have described as a “Berlin Wall” — a towering concrete structure being erected just feet away from the church’s walls, effectively blocking natural ventilation and airflow to the sanctuary.

In a strongly worded statement, the church questioned the approval process behind the development, calling on the Buxton/Foulis Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) to explain its role in the matter.

“We want to know: Was the building code for this community quietly changed?” the church asked. “Was permission granted for this structure that is viciously restricting the church from proper ventilation?”

According to residents, the supermarket’s wall has been rising at a rapid pace, with little to no community consultation, prompting concerns not just about airflow but also about fire safety, aesthetics, and the long-term impact on surrounding properties.

“This is not just poor planning — this is a disregard for the spiritual, cultural, and architectural fabric of the community,” one resident remarked. “What manner of madness is this?”

Attempts to reach officials from the Buxton/Foulis NDC for comment have so far been unsuccessful. However, calls are growing for an urgent review of the building’s proximity to the church and for clarity on whether the necessary planning permissions and environmental assessments were completed.

28/07/2025

APNU Vows to Scrap Guyana’s Global Super League Over Corruption Concerns

The opposition coalition A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) has pledged to discontinue the Global Super League (GSL), Guyana’s newly launched T20 franchise tournament, citing serious corruption fears.

APNU leader Aubrey Norton announced that if his coalition assumes office, the GSL will be immediately rescinded due to what he described as “shady” and potentially corrupt dealings surrounding its organization.

“The Guyana Global Super (GSL) T20 tournament will be scrapped if the APNU is elected,” he stated, raising concerns about a lack of transparency and alleged procurement irregularities.

The decision comes amid mounting scrutiny from civic activists and media outlets regarding the awarding of contracts and selection of service providers for the league. APNU argues that the processes lack accountability, creating fertile ground for graft and misuse of public resources.

In the broader public discourse, commentators have expressed alarm over what they perceive as a disturbing pattern of corrupt practices in major government projects, pointing to the GSL as a recent example that requires urgent corrective action.

The APNU’s stance signals that the league will not continue under its watch, with Norton asserting that Guyanese taxpayers need reassurance that national sporting events are free from political cronies and undue influence.

The Global Super League which is mainly Sponsored by ExxonMobil Guyana, has been seriously criticised as being too politicize. Recently, a former West Indies cricket turn commentator received backlash for making statements that were deemed politically bias in Super of the Government of Guyana during a live broadcast.