AGP Executive Report

Caribbean Arts & Culture: Guyana has been confirmed as host for CARIFESTA XVI, set for Oct. 8–17, 2027, with Culture Minister Charles Ramson pitching it as a showcase of regional art, music, dance, theatre and literature. Education & Youth: The Ministry of Education launched a digital reporting platform to speed up fixes in schools, while the GFF’s U17 Youth Ensemble Programme kicks off Sept. 12–13 to widen the pathway for young football talent. Sports & Community: PM Mark Phillips launched the 9th PM’s T20 Softball Cup (Oct. 2–4), and Minister Steven Jacobs began rehabilitation work at the GCB LBI cricket facility. Mental Health: Psychologists marked World Suicide Prevention Day by urging communities, schools and faith groups to build supportive spaces and tackle stigma. Energy & Local Business: Government signed a ten-year mineral agreement with Mako Mining for the Eagle Mountain Gold Project, and Allrig Group partnered with MBW Energy Support Services to grow technical capacity for Guyana’s oil sector. Governance & Services: A new push aims to bring more public services to citizens’ homes through digitisation and service centres. International & Politics: Former President Ramotar renewed criticism of the US deportation arrangement, calling it “disgraceful,” while Guyana’s President Ali highlighted deepening ties with Qatar.

Caribbean Culture & Food: The Good Front Room is moving into “phase two” after Dom Taylor’s death, rolling out a new menu of “lickle plates” and “big plates” that spotlights Jamaican cooking plus Guyana, Trinidad, Guadeloupe and more. Youth Sport: Appleby continues sponsorship of Bermuda’s Youth Development Squad ahead of the 2026 CARIFTA Championships. Food & Farming Policy: A call is growing for Guyana to boost agriculture using funding sources like TEF and NHT, while CARICOM food security efforts push production higher. Local Governance & Services: Government Service Centres are expanding, with a promise to bring more services to citizens’ homes through digitisation. Education & Community Life: Mahdia Primary School washroom claims are being dismissed as misleading, while Port Mourant Secondary students recover after a bee attack. Indigenous Business: Amerindian craft makers are seeking more financing to scale traditional products via the Guyana Development Bank. Regional Arts: Guyana is set to host CARIFESTA XVI in 2027, bringing the festival back to the “Land of Many Waters.” International Spotlight: Library of Congress posts nearly 500 first-hand 9/11 responder accounts ahead of the 25th anniversary.

CARICOM Food Security: Local and international experts and farmers are meeting in Jamaica for the 10th International Food Security and Sovereignty Conference, pushing resilient food systems as climate pressure grows. Public Services at Home: Public Works and Government efficiency minister Zulfikar Ally says new Government Service Centres are a “transition phase” toward getting documents and e-ID access from citizens’ homes, with digitisation expanding. Education & Accountability: The Education Ministry hit back at social media claims about Mahdia Primary School toilets, saying photos showed old, locked washrooms—not the newly rehabilitated WASH block. School Safety: Port Mourant Secondary students were hospitalised after a bee attack during lunch; one remains in hospital while others were treated and discharged. Legal Milestone: UG law professor (Justice Ret’d) Courtney Abel won a second major regional honour, receiving the 2026 OCCBA Award for Distinguished Service to the legal profession and judiciary. Indigenous Craft & Finance: Amerindian craft makers at the Amerindian Arts, Craft and Cuisine Exhibition say Guyana Development Bank financing could help scale traditional businesses. Sports & Community: S. Maraj Contracting Services backs the 3rd One Guyana Region 3 Softball Cup, while New Amsterdam’s 135th anniversary runs Sept 18–Oct 31 with food, cricket, football and debates. Regional Cricket: Cricket West Indies appointed New Zealand coach Bob Carter as batting consultant for a one-year push ahead of the 2027 World Cup qualifier. Migration Transparency Row: Opposition and rights groups are demanding Guyana publish its agreement with the U.S. on third-country deportees after the first six arrivals from Cuba and Afghanistan. Qatar Partnership: President Irfaan Ali says Guyana-Qatar ties are deepening into a strategic partnership covering energy, investment, food security, climate and human capital. Amazon Health Cooperation: Guyana assumed pro tempore leadership of the Special Commission on Health in the Amazon (CESAM), with a focus on digital health, emerging diseases and intercultural care.

Cricket & Youth Sport: Cricket West Indies has appointed veteran New Zealand batting coach Bob Carter as a one-year batting consultant, starting Sept. 1, with a regional tour across all six first-class territories including Guyana to lift batting standards ahead of the 2027 World Cup qualifier. Education & Law: Guyana broke ground for the Caribbean’s fourth Council of Legal Education law school at the University of Guyana’s Turkeyen campus, aiming to expand professional legal training across the wider Caribbean. Indigenous Culture & Business: Indigenous craft makers say Guyana Development Bank financing could help them scale traditional products into sustainable businesses, highlighted at the Amerindian Arts, Craft and Cuisine Exhibition. Local Development in the Hinterland: Public Works Minister Juan Edghill met toshaos in six South Rupununi communities, mapping bridge and road works linking Regions 8 and 9, with heavy machinery and training handed to local teams. Regional Health Cooperation: Guyana assumed the pro tempore presidency of the Amazon health commission (CESAM), pushing work on digital health, emerging diseases and intercultural/traditional medicine. Diplomacy & Community: Guyana marked 60 years of independence in Qatar with a gala that showcased partnerships and launched a Guyanese children’s book series and the Umami sauce brand. Migration & Rights Debate: The first batch of US third-country deportees to Guyana—four Cubans and two Afghans—arrived amid calls for transparency and publication of the agreement.

Cricket & Youth Sports: Cricket West Indies has appointed New Zealand batting coach Bob Carter as batting consultant on a one-year contract, with a regional tour starting later this month to work with players and coaches across all six first-class territories ahead of the 2027 World Cup qualifier. Hinterland Development: Public Works Minister Juan Edghill met toshaos and village reps in South Rupununi to plan bridge and road links between Regions 8 and 9, alongside handing over heavy machinery and training to boost local execution. Agri Boost: Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha commissioned $230M in equipment for Region One, including a pontoon and excavators, plus tractors for villages to expand productive capacity. Health in the Amazon: Guyana assumed pro tempore leadership of the Special Commission on Health in the Amazon (CESAM), focusing on digital health, emerging diseases, and intercultural/traditional medicine cooperation. Legal & Community Accountability: Civil society activist Charlene Wilkinson renewed calls for transparency around the MV Barima COI and criticised early criminal charges tied to the disaster. Migration & Deportations: Government and critics clash over a new US-linked third-country deportation arrangement as the first group of vetted deportees arrived, with calls for the full agreement to be published. Education & Public Trust: The Ministry of Education condemned misleading social media claims about washroom conditions at Mahdia Primary, saying a rehabilitated WASH block with eight washrooms is in use. Culture & Diaspora: The South Jersey Caribbean Festival in New Jersey has been rescheduled to Sept. 26, with soca star Rupee headlining. Digital Health Partnership: Queen Elizabeth Hospital is partnering with medical universities to expand research, training, and digital health services.

Guyana–Qatar Diplomacy: President Irfaan Ali says ties are deepening into a “partnership of purpose” as Guyana marks 60 years of independence in Doha, with launches including the Guyanese sauce brand Umami and a children’s book series translated into Arabic and Malayalam. Amazon Health Cooperation: Guyana takes temporary presidency of CESAM, pushing digital health, environment and gender equity, plus intercultural health and traditional medicine. MV Barima Update: With no public word yet on raising the sunken ferry, the Tender Board has opened bids for salvage while families and MPs demand urgency and transparency; the captain and crew remain jailed. Migration Tensions: Guyana begins accepting vetted, non-criminal third-country deportees from the US under a temporary one-year framework, drawing opposition calls for full disclosure and debate over security and services. Back-to-School Support: GGDMA rolls out 1,000 school packages worth over G$6M, while GOGEC prepares energy training for 1,500+ secondary students. Culture & Community: KesTheBand’s DC JazzFest moment with Stevie Wonder spotlights Caribbean music abroad, and Brooklyn’s West Indian Day Parade returns with strong youth participation.

Judicial Independence Clash: Antigua PM Gaston Browne escalated a regional row by questioning where women judges were after his threat to deport a sitting judge over “lenient” sentences sparked condemnation. Back-to-School Support: GGDMA rolled out 1,000 school packages worth over G$6M for mining-sector children nationwide. Energy & Skills for Youth: The Guyana Oil and Gas Energy Chamber is set to train 1,500+ secondary students across 60+ schools on the petroleum value chain and clean energy pathways. Public Service Upgrade: Minister Zulfikar Ally announced mandatory customer-service training for public servants, with discipline for staff who “give citizens a hard time,” plus QR ratings for service. Migration Tensions in Focus: Guyana began receiving vetted third-country deportees from the US under a temporary one-year framework, while opposition MPs and GHRA demanded full disclosure and raised security and service-pressure concerns. Culture & Community: KesTheBand brought Caribbean music to DC JazzFest with a surprise Stevie Wonder mashup, and Brooklyn’s West Indian Day Parade returned with Caribbean pride amid heightened immigration anxieties. Sports & Youth: Magnolias dominated Hockey5s U21 semis 13-0, while VMFA won inaugural GFF U13 and U15 Youth Ensemble national titles.

Amerindian Heritage Month & Hinterland Power: President Irfaan Ali says electricity in Indigenous communities has surged from 1.62MW to nearly 17.5MW, crediting hydropower, solar farms and household solar systems as a dignity-and-development push. Education Month 2026: The Ministry of Education kicked off with a “Steps for Education” walk in Georgetown, linking school life with anti-bullying messages and sports pathways toward Carifta Games. Public Service Upgrade: Minister Zulfikar Ally announced customer service training for public servants, making it mandatory for staff who deal with citizens. Migration & Deportee Deal Sparks Pushback: Opposition MPs and GHRA are demanding full disclosure and scrutiny of Guyana’s US migration cooperation framework that brings vetted, skilled, non-criminal third-country deportees (six already arrived from Cuba and Afghanistan). School Safety Alarm: Calls are growing for urgent repairs at D.C Caesar Fox Secondary in Waramadong after reports of unsafe buildings and students using pit latrines. Youth Football Wins: VMFA were crowned inaugural GFF U13 and U15 Youth Ensemble national champions, while FIFA Arena mini-pitch work at Haslington gets an inspection. Sports & Community: Police and Magnolias won Hockey5s Open Division titles in T&T, as regional teams celebrate new champions.

Healthcare & Identity: Cuban health workers lined up at Guyana’s Ministry of Health in Brickdam to register for E-ID after being accepted to work in Guyana, with immigration officers on hand to process applications and allow families to join. Migration & Politics: Guyana began receiving a limited, vetted group of third-country deportees from the U.S.—six people (four Cubans, two Afghans)—under a one-year framework run through IOM’s Assisted Voluntary Return Programme, while opposition MPs demand transparency and parliamentary scrutiny. Education & Rights: Calls are growing for urgent repairs at D.C Caesar Fox Secondary in Waramadong, after activists say students and dorm residents are being forced to use pit latrines while teachers use sanitary blocks. Public Service Upgrade: The Ministry of Public Service is rolling out customer service training for public servants, making it mandatory for new staff who deal directly with citizens. Energy & Heritage Month: President Irfaan Ali says electricity in Indigenous and hinterland communities has surged from 1.62MW to nearly 17.5MW, as Amerindian Heritage Month celebrations kick off in Sophia. Youth Football: VMFA won the inaugural GFF U13 and U15 Youth Ensemble national titles, and FIFA Arena mini-pitch work at Haslington continues with an inspection. Reparations Talk (Regional): Jamaica escalated its slavery reparations push by petitioning King Charles III to refer questions to the Privy Council, while other Caribbean groups urge royal visits “not empty-handed.”

Migration & Community Impact: Guyana has begun receiving a limited, vetted group of third-country deportees from the United States—six people (four Cubans, two Afghans) arrived under an IOM Assisted Voluntary Return Programme. Officials say the group has no criminal record, the deal runs for one year, it’s temporary (not permanent resettlement), and the US covers relocation costs while IOM handles reception and support. Education & Youth Pathways: The Caribbean Development Bank is pushing a Region-wide IMPACT programme to improve mathematics proficiency across Caribbean schools, with discussions held in Georgetown. Locally, Chase’s Academy students are celebrating multiple CSEC grade ones while youth-focused sports and study links keep growing, including the new GOAL Sports Scholarships Programme for athletes. Culture, Language & Identity: A warning from Fiji highlights how Hindi could fade without younger learners—an echo of broader concerns about protecting heritage languages and the identity tied to them. Sports & School Pride: St. Therese’s Primary won the Future Warriors Tapeball Champion of Champions title, and draughts champion Jiaram will represent Guyana at the Tobago Open World Cup 2026. Governance & Service Access: Government Service Centres have processed over 204,000 transactions across six regions since December, bringing key services closer to citizens.

Migration & Human Rights: Guyana has begun receiving the first six third-country deportees from the United States—four Cubans and two Afghans—under a temporary, one-year framework with strict “skilled, non-criminal” and voluntary-relocation conditions, with the IOM handling reception, housing and integration support while the US covers costs and Guyana keeps the right to review or reject individuals. Education & Youth Achievement: Chase’s Academic Foundation is celebrating top CSEC performers Mariah Ernest and Genesis Daniels, both racking up multiple grade ones and now eyeing careers in law and engineering. STEM & Confidence Building: A columnist highlights a culture shift needed for girls and young people—“Speak louder”—arguing that quietness is often mistaken for refinement. Sports & Learning Pathways: GOAL Sports Scholarships are launched to help athletes pursue higher education alongside training, mentorship and post-career planning. Business & Entrepreneurship: GCCI kicks off its inaugural Youth Entrepreneur Conference for ages 10–17, with hands-on workshops spanning the orange economy, tourism, agro-processing and tech. Law & Regional Access: Ground is turned for Guyana’s first law school at Turkeyen, aimed at easing long-standing regional placement limits.

Migration & Human Rights: Guyana has agreed to receive a limited, vetted number of migrants deported from the United States under a temporary “third-country” framework. First Arrivals: The first six people—four Cubans and two Afghans—have arrived after being screened for no criminal record, with cases handled through the IOM Assisted Voluntary Return Programme. Conditions & Costs: The deal is not permanent resettlement; deportees stay while immigration status is determined, and the U.S. covers relocation costs while Guyana says it can review and reject individuals. Education & Youth: GCCI launched its inaugural Youth Entrepreneur Conference for ages 10–17, and the GOAL Sports Scholarships Programme links sport with higher education. Law & Professional Training: Guyana broke ground for its first law school at Turkeyen, aiming to ease long-standing regional placement limits. Culture & Community: Iwokrama and BritCham signed a biodiversity conservation pact, supporting Guyana’s green agenda.

Migration & Human Rights: Guyana has received the first six “third-country” deportees from the US—two Afghans and four Cubans—under a new one-year migration cooperation framework with the US and IOM Assisted Voluntary Return Programme; officials say the group is vetted, has no criminal backgrounds, and Guyana keeps full discretion to review and reject individuals, while the US covers relocation costs and IOM handles receiving, housing and integration support. Education & Youth Development: Veteran educator Pamela Vaughn says her greatest reward is seeing students earn Grade Ones at CSEC, while the GOAL Sports Scholarships Programme launches to help athletes pursue academics alongside training. Entrepreneurship for Kids: GCCI kicks off its inaugural Youth Entrepreneur Conference for ages 10–17, with hands-on workshops in areas like the orange economy, tourism, agro-processing and AI-augmented entrepreneurship. Law & Professional Training: Guyana breaks ground for its first law school at Turkeyen, expected to ease long-standing regional placement caps and strengthen Guyana’s role as a regional education hub. Sports & Community: Youth football’s Youth Ensemble Programme heads into its U13/U15 finals, and RHTYSC honors CSEC top student Amanda Sampson with an educational award. Culture & Inclusion Online: The Ethnic Relations Commission reports a rise in ethnic hate speech warnings on social media, with 48 cautions issued in its latest monitoring period.

Education & Youth: Guyana broke ground for a new Council of Legal Education law school at the University of Guyana’s Turkeyen Campus, aiming to serve students across the Caribbean and ease long-standing legal training shortages. STEM & Skills: ExxonMobil launched its US$100m STELLAR teacher-training programme, starting with 60 pre-service secondary educators at Cyril Potter College of Education, with more cohorts and future STEM centres planned. Community Sports: Courts Optical Pee Wee U11 Football Tournament (13th edition) kicks off Sept. 19 with 35 primary teams, while eight coaches earned the Guyana C License as the GFF pushes coach development. Culture & Inclusion: GCCI launched its inaugural Youth Entrepreneur Conference for ages 10–17, and Archery Guyana congratulated Ravish Singh after his Olympic Youth Camp Tobago 2026 stint. Civic Life & Online Safety: The Ethnic Relations Commission issued 48 warnings for ethnic hate speech online, and the Education Minister urged young people to use legislatures to counter misinformation. Governance & Rights: Civil society groups renewed calls for resignations and a transparent inquiry after the MV Barima tragedy, while GHRA criticized the Amerindian Heritage Month launch for sidelining unresolved Indigenous rights concerns.

Regional Education & Law: Guyana turned the sod for its new Council of Legal Education law school at the University of Guyana, a $100M project meant to serve the Caribbean and ease long-standing legal training shortages. Youth & Entrepreneurship: The Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry launched its inaugural Youth Entrepreneur Conference for ages 10–17, aiming to spark early business ideas. STEM for Teachers: ExxonMobil Guyana kicked off its $100M, 10-year STEM push with a teacher-training programme starting with 60 educators. Sports Development: The GFF recognized eight coaches after completing the Guyana C License course, while Archery Guyana congratulated Ravish Singh for representing Guyana at the Olympic Youth Camp Tobago 2026. Community & Schools: Linden contractors were given two weeks to finish remedial works at Mackenzie High School, and Region Six is working to boost fans in non-air-conditioned schools. Online Harm & Rights: The Ethnic Relations Commission reported a rise in ethnic hate speech warnings online, and GHRA criticized the Amerindian Heritage Month launch for sidelining unresolved Indigenous rights concerns. Politics & Democracy: Education Minister Dana Morris Dixon said government wants citizens to engage more responsibly with democratic institutions amid misinformation risks. Local Governance Tension: A Linden Town Council dispute over a commercial toll is escalating into a rule-of-law fight, with a letter challenging the minister’s power to revoke a gazetted by-law. Oil & Environment Watch: Brazil’s Ibama cleared Petrobras for additional deep wells in the Foz do Amazonas basin, renewing debate over environmental safeguards. Culture & Faith: New Amsterdam marks 135 years with a month-long mix of cultural, religious, and sporting events.

Tourism & Diplomacy: President Irfaan Ali will keynote the Caribbean Tourism Organization’s SOTIC 2026 in Georgetown (Oct. 5–9), framing tourism’s “smart, sustainable and inclusive” future around innovation, resilience, and community opportunity. Regional Education: Guyana breaks ground for the Caribbean Council of Legal Education’s fourth regional law school at UG Turkeyen, with Attorney General Anil Nandlall stressing it’s for the wider region, not only Guyanese students. Youth & Wellbeing: CARICOM names Janet Simon as Dean of the CARICOM Youth Ambassador Corps, prioritising youth mental health, nutrition education, NCD prevention, peace skills, and pathways to employment. Indigenous Development: Project ANAIM launches in Massara Village to expand adult literacy and numeracy for Indigenous women, while Amerindian Heritage Month also includes plans for a new $500M Amerindian Hostel to improve access to services in Georgetown. Sports & Culture: New Amsterdam marks 135 years with a month-long Town Day programme, and Steve’s Jewellery is named official jeweller for Guyana’s IMC Over-40s Cricket World Cup.