Author: Aliyah Persaud

A joint venture or broader industry consortium could be key to lowering the cost of bottled water, the Private Sector Commission (PSC) said during talks with Public Utilities and Aviation Minister Deodat Indar.
The meeting followed the Government’s recent approval of funding for a state-owned bottled water initiative under Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI), and focused on improving affordability, strengthening local production and enhancing the long-term competitiveness of the sector.
The PSC team included Chairman Capt Gerald Gouveia Jr, Vice Chairwoman Kathy Smith, Honorary Secretary Josephine Tapp-Rutherford, Trade and Investment Committee Chairman Timothy Tucker, other PSC members, representatives of the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI), the Guyana Manufacturing and Services Association (GMSA), and local bottled water manufacturers.
Participants agreed the rising cost of bottled water is a shared concern, and that reducing production and retail costs should remain a common objective in the interest of consumers.
Gouveia proposed exploring standardisation of PET preforms and local manufacturing partnerships, while the private sector expressed willingness to explore a broader consortium for joint investment, subject to further technical and commercial assessment.
Participants agreed retail prices are shaped by more than production costs, and discussed related regulatory and trade issues, including enforcement against substandard imports and fair market access for Guyanese manufacturers.
Indar reaffirmed the Government’s objective of ensuring affordable access to safe drinking water for all Guyanese. The PSC underscored the importance of continued engagement with manufacturers on practical, market-based solutions.
A follow-up meeting will be convened with bottled water manufacturers to further examine standardisation, local manufacturing and other measures to reduce costs and support industry competitiveness.

Two National Standards governing LPG cylinders and low-pressure regulators have been approved as compulsory by the Government, following consumer concerns over explosions and leaks at homes across the country.

The move comes after the Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS) undertook a review of standards GYS 264, covering LPG cylinder specifications, storage, handling and transportation, and GYS 523, covering low-pressure regulators, in 2025, the Ministry of Tourism, Industry and Commerce said.
That revision was carried out by a Technical Committee comprising the Environmental Protection Agency, Guyana Energy Agency (GEA), Guyana Fire Service, Guyana Revenue Authority, Massy Gas, GUYGAS Inc and the Competition and Consumer Affairs Commission, with input from the petroleum industry and the public gathered over a 60-day consultation period.
Under the updated GYS 264 standard, cylinders must now meet recognised safety specifications, be appropriately stamped, and be permanently marked with tare weight, water capacity, serial number, manufacturer details and test dates. They must also carry a safety relief device, a securely welded shroud or neck ring, and a foot ring for stable, upright positioning, while remaining free from dents, corrosion, bulging or damaged parts.
Alongside this, the GYS 523 standard specifies materials, construction, performance and testing requirements for low-pressure single-stage and two-stage LPG regulators, including resistance to season cracking for brass parts and zinc-based alloy covers for higher-capacity units.
With both standards now compulsory, suppliers and manufacturers will be required to ensure full compliance, a step the Ministry said will enhance safety and give consumers greater confidence in equipment on the market.
Implementation will involve the GEA monitoring GYS 264 and the GNBS monitoring GYS 523.
The Ministry is inviting representations on the proposed standards to be submitted to the Executive Director, GNBS, on or before September 30, and is encouraging consumers, importers and distributors to familiarise themselves with the requirements. Copies are available at the GNBS Head Office in Sophia, Georgetown, and on the GNBS website.

Judges at the 2025 Guyana Prize for Literature Awards Ceremony raised concerns over the use of artificial intelligence in literary submissions, urging organisers to establish systems to identify and disqualify AI-generated work.
Chairman of the Jury for Fiction Dr Stewart Brown said judges were disappointed after discovering some works submitted were largely written using AI, describing the issue as controversial and increasingly topical. The judges called on the Guyana Prize Committee to put measures in place to address the problem in future competitions.
Their concerns came as they assessed a body of fiction that showed imagination, creativity and ambition, but also revealed weaknesses in technique, storytelling, editing and critical review. A small group of submissions was competently written, they said, while many beginning writers appeared to still be finding their way through their texts. The problem, they added, was not a lack of imagination but a need for stronger literary editing and greater appreciation of the publishing process.
Despite those concerns, the ceremony, held Thursday night at the Pegasus Suites, celebrated a wide range of literary achievements from established writers and emerging voices across poetry, fiction, non-fiction, short story and drama.
Maggie Harris won Best Book of Poetry for “I Sing to the Greenhearts,” a collection judges said stood apart through its poetic technique, emotional range and fresh approach to themes of belonging and nostalgia. Harris, unable to attend, said in her acceptance speech that Guyana has continued to influence her life and writing despite living in the United Kingdom since 1971.
Phebe Wallerson placed second in poetry and also won Best First Book of Poetry for “Lachim II: Sounds from Sorrow Hill,” described by judges as an intensely personal meditation on grief. Wallerson used her remarks to call for greater investment in writers and a stronger national publishing system.
Scott Ting-a-Kee took third place in poetry with “The Way Indentured,” while Makeda K. Braithwaite shared third place for “Mud Psalms.”
In fiction, Raywat Deonandan won Best Book of Fiction with “A Memory of Flowers and Coconut.” Jasmine Payne won Best First Book of Fiction for “Leech,” while Somnauth Narine placed second with “Ripples From A Broken Soul.”
Tessa McWatt took first place in non-fiction with “The Snag,” ahead of Joyce Trotman’s “Dis Gyro: The Enchanted Life of Aunty Joyce Trotman” in second.
In drama, Dr Seeta Shah Roath won first place with “Kisna,” followed by Shaphan Hestick’s “River Blood Son” in second and Mosa Telford’s “The Bell and the Bones” in third.
The Community Spirit Award went to Vilma Nicholls for “Tafawa: Guy’s a Bachelor’s Adventure” and “Paradise Villages: A Mosaic of the History and Culture of People Liberated.”
In the Youth Awards, Mortimer Duke won first place in poetry with “Notes Towards an Incomplete Definition,” while Juvelle Atherley took first place in short story with “Saltwater Does Not Forget.”
The Guyana Prize Literary Festival continues this weekend with workshops, public readings, the National Poetry Slam Finals and discussions featuring Nobel Prize nominee David Dabydeen, before concluding Sunday with panels on publishing and professional authorship, the Martin Carter Lecture, and performances by the National Drama Company.

“Keep writing and keep reading” was Prime Minister Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips’ message to Guyana’s writers at the 2025 Guyana Prize for Literature Award Ceremony on Friday evening, as he pledged continued Government investment in the country’s literary sector.
Phillips reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to strengthening Guyana’s literary and creative sectors, stressing that the country’s stories must continue to be told authentically and preserved for future generations.
Storytelling, he said, has long shaped how Guyana and the wider Caribbean understand their history, identity and experiences. Much of the region’s early history was recorded through outsiders’ perspectives, he noted, while the experiences of its own people were often overlooked or distorted — accounts that Guyanese and Caribbean writers have since helped correct.
He highlighted the contributions of writers including Edgar Mittelholzer, E.R. Braithwaite and Beryl Gilroy, pointing also to the continued international recognition of contemporary Guyanese literature. Among the achievements cited were Dr David Dabydeen’s nomination for the 2026 Nobel Prize in Literature, Subraj Singh’s regional win in the 2025 Commonwealth Short Story Prize and Tessa McWatt’s 2026 OCM Bocas Prize for Caribbean Literature.
Despite this progress, Phillips acknowledged that Caribbean writers continue to face significant challenges, including small markets, high publishing costs, limited reviewing platforms and insufficient access to editing and mentorship. He called for stronger support systems, among them workshops, reading groups, school writing clubs and closer partnerships between writers, libraries, universities and publishers.
Since restoring the Guyana Prize, Phillips said, the Government has made the competition annual, broadened its categories, introduced Youth Awards and moved submissions online, while Budget 2026 allocated $3.7 billion to Orange Economy initiatives.
He urged writers to remain open to rigorous editing and to document Guyana’s rapid transformation “truthfully” and “with imagination and skill,” capturing the private hopes, anxieties and humour of those who lived through the period.
Phillips congratulated the shortlisted and winning writers, and thanked the judges and organisers for their role in advancing Guyana’s literary community.

Value-added production, including processing and packaging of local agricultural goods, will allow communities to expand economic opportunities, increase profitability and tap into export markets, under the Government’s Model Villages initiative.
President Dr Irfaan Ali made the statement on Friday as he commenced public consultations on the initiative, beginning in Bush Lot Village, West Coast Berbice, Region Five.
Addressing residents and stakeholders gathered for the consultation, Ali said the initiative is focused not only on creating improved villages but also on building sustainable communities supported by economic opportunities, infrastructure and social development.
“The model village and what we want to achieve are villages that are sustainable, resilient villages, that are empowering villages, villages that you want to live in, villages in which there is peace, harmony and dignity,” the president said.
He noted that improved planning and infrastructure can help prevent community conflicts by ensuring businesses and residential areas are properly organised, turning potential challenges into opportunities for growth and employment.
“A community is not the buildings alone, it’s not the street. You become a community when everybody here are gathered together, that is what is essential,” he said, adding that the values, relationships, beliefs and social support systems of residents are central to community development.
He outlined plans to enhance recreational and green spaces, ensuring that parks, sports facilities and community areas become safe environments where families can gather and children can participate freely.
Ali added that the Government’s investment goes beyond physical infrastructure, focusing instead on building stronger communities with improved quality of life.
“We want the community to be involved in the decision-making. And that is why we are having these consultations across the country. Because we want to hear your feedback,” he said.
The Bush Lot consultation was followed by engagements in Hopetown and Bath Settlement.

Protesting fishermen in Anna Regina are calling on the Ministry of Agriculture to facilitate arrangements with a major buyer or processing company to purchase fish from them or store the products until market demand improves.
Fishermen and seafood vendors staged a peaceful protest in the town on Friday, appealing to the Government to intervene as the local fishing industry continues to struggle in the aftermath of the MV Barima tragedy.
According to the protesters, seafood sales have declined significantly since the tragedy, with many consumers fearful that fish and other seafood products may be contaminated. Carrying placards appealing for assistance, the fishermen said their livelihoods have been severely affected.
Among the protesters was Diana Basdeo, who said fisherfolk are facing financial hardship due to the drastic decline in demand, adding that many are struggling to meet loan repayments while large quantities of fish remain unsold in cold storage.
Seafood vendors echoed similar concerns, explaining that despite travelling through communities to sell their products, customers remain reluctant to purchase seafood, leaving vendors unable to buy fish from local fishermen.
Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha said there is no scientific evidence to suggest fish available for consumption has been contaminated as a result of the tragedy, though he acknowledged that rumours have affected fisherfolk’s livelihoods.