The Maritime Administration Department (MARAD) is responding to an oil spill incident involving the Motor Vessel AROYAT, IMO # 9151395, which is moored alongside the Demerara Sugar terminal (DST), Ruimveldt.
The Palau flagged vessel is a bulk carrier and entered the Port Georgetown earlier today, May 15, 2025, for the purpose of loading rice.
MARAD was informed about this incident at approximately 17:00 hours today.
The National Emergency Response Team including, MARAD, the Civil Defence Commission (CDC), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Guyana Defence Force Coast Guard (GDF-CG) was immediately mobilised, and mitigating efforts are underway to stop the leak and contain the spill.
Concurrently, an active investigation into the cause(s) of the incident is ongoing.
The Ministry of Public Works is working assiduously to ease the frustration being experienced by residents of East and West Ruimveldt, Georgetown as it pertains to the Cemetery Road Project.
The project is currently being executed by Avinash Construction and Metal Works, which has failed several times to make progress on the road.
Minister of Public Works, Bishop Juan Edghill speaking with residents at the recent community meeting in Roxanne Burnham Gardens
The contractor continues to move at a slow pace, which has so far resulted in the time period for completion of the project being extended twice.
Minister of Public Works, Bishop Juan Edghill, during a recent community meeting with residents of Roxanne Burnham Gardens and surrounding communities of South Georgetown, noted that he will soon be consulting with the Attorney General on the way forward.
The Cemetery Road Project under construction
“I am saying it here loud and clear; we will not allow that contractor to continue to frustrate the people of East and West Ruimveldt. We will have to take over the project and we will finish Cemetery Road,” the public works minister robustly stressed.
The last deadline for the project was then given as March 31, 2024. However, the contractor continued to fail at progressing works on the road, citing persistent rainfall.
During an inspection earlier in the year, Minister Edghill had noted that if the road is not completed by the adjusted time period, then it would be terminated and given to a contractor of the ministry’s Special Project Unit.
As such, he has since assured the residents that within the next two months, the thoroughfare will be officially completed.
“By September when school reopens, four lanes of traffic must be flowing in Cemetery Road. And that is the commitment that we are giving to you,” Minister Edghill promised.
Currently, the road is being used as a two-lane roadway. Upon completion of the four-lane, the road is expected to decrease the traffic woes that occur during peak hours.
– sees Demerara Sugar Terminal as another location
Government, through the Ministry of Agriculture is seeking to expand operations at the Demerara Sugar Terminal at Ramp Road, Ruimveldt, to facilitate the loading and exporting of paddy and rice.
On Wednesday, Agriculture Minister, Zulfikar Mustapha, M.P, along with members of the Guyana Rice Exporters and Millers Association and the Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB) examined the factory.
Agriculture Minister, Zulfikar Mustapha, M.P, along with members of the Guyana Rice Exporters and Millers Association and GRDB during a tour of the Demerara Sugar Terminal at Ramp Road, Ruimveldt, on Wednesday
“After a meeting with His Excellency, Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali, I was instructed to come here with the GRDB to look at this facility so that they could also have access to use it to export their produce, especially paddy and cargo rice,” Minister Mustapha explained.
He said the intervention is another strategy implemented by the PPP/C Administration to reduce expense in the rice sector. It will also ease the time spent during the exportation process.
The Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo), GRDB and members of the millers’ association will form a small committee to conduct a needs assessment. The decision body will engage the minister with a detailed plan, by next week.
Agriculture Minister, Zulfikar Mustapha, M.P, along with members of the Guyana Rice Exporters and Millers Association and GRDB during a tour of the Demerara Sugar Terminal at Ramp Road, Ruimveldt, on Wednesday
“What needs to be done is the fixing of some conveyer belt and fixing of some parts on the wharf and after that I think they will have access to use it.
This would end the cumbersome system that they have presently, where they use these ton baggage or big baggage to put their paddy in, and they go back to the ship to off load. Here, when they come, they will just load it into the bin and from there it will straight on to the ship holler,” the minister explained.
Agriculture Minister, Zulfikar Mustapha, M.P, along with members of the Guyana Rice Exporters and Millers Association and GRDB during a tour of the Demerara Sugar Terminal at Ramp Road, Ruimveldt, on Wednesday
He iterated the government’s plans to increase the yields of rice this year, as it moves to expand the rice industry.
Meanwhile, rice miller Ragindra Persaud said government’s move is an excellent one. He noted that rice farmers and millers across East Berbice-Corentyne will welcome the initiative.
“We didn’t realise there was such a mechanised facility because it could really reduce cost from the mill stand pointed because it is fully automated. I think the move is very important. we will like to thank the minister for the intervention,” the chairman noted.
Rice miller, Ragindra Persaud
Another rice miller, Nazeemul Hakh told DPI that he is pleased with the new upgrades in the rice sector. “It’s something good for the rice, it can save us probable close to US $6 to $7 per ton. It will also help us in Essequibo because you can discharge rice from the coastal,” he said.
Increasing the rice export market is a priority of the PPP/C Administration this year. Last year, the country welcomed the British Virgin Islands (BVI), and European nations of Estonia and Slovenia as its newest rice export destinations.
Residents along the East Coast Demerara have commended the planned maintenance works executed by the Guyana Power Light Incorporated (GPL) between Liliendaal and Success today.
Crew executing maintenance works on one of GPL’s utility pole
DPI spoke with several citizens in the areas, who agreed that planned maintenance along the network is necessary.
Businesswoman, Ms. Violet Gordon, told DPI the initiative is critical to ensuring a stable supply of electricity since she believes unattended issues within the network may result in prolonged interruption of service.
Resident, Ms. Violet Gordon
“It’s very, very important, not only for business, but for everything because if you don’t have a line [maintenance], it doesn’t maintain, then it would break down and sometimes it takes months and weeks to fix.”
For Mr. Travis Foster, a mason of 15 years, the maintenance work is needed to not only protect GPL’s infrastructure, but also valuable possessions from the fallout from poor power distribution. He said GPL’s initiative will lead to better access to electricity for residents along the East Coast.
Resident, Mr. Travis Foster
“It will improve ’cause you wouldn’t be in a blackout. You won’t get a shortage of current or your appliance in your house wouldn’t blow,” the mason said.
Another resident, Mr. Roger Nateram said GPL should continue similar activities in other communities to ensure households enjoy reliable electricity. “I think they should keep up the good work, keep pushing it, make sure we get a good, steady current and the people could feel comfortable without no problem,” he said.
Resident, Mr. Roger Nateram
Speaking at one of the worksites in Industry, GPL’s Deputy Chief Executive Officer Mr. Samaroo Ramtahal provided an overview of the works undertaken following numerous inspections and analyses.
“Our plans today are to fix the network issues… For example, there are cases where the poles are not plumbed. There are cases where poles are rotten and that stretches from Liliendaal all the way to Success. We are changing all those poles,” he said.
Deputy Chief Executive Officer of GPL, Mr. Samaroo Ramtahal
Network Operations Manager within GPL, Ms. Shawn Hamlet
Additionally, the GPL official said the exercise also entailed the replacement of switches on the wires accompanied by the clearing of vegetation that had encroached on the poles and wires.
GPL’s Network Operations Manager, Ms. Shawn Hamlet said similar works will be done on circuits from the Columbia, Golden Grove, and Ruimveldt substations. This major undertaking is scheduled for next week.
Works on the Columbia F3-feeder that serves customers from Columbia to Enmore will be undertaken next week.
Public Relations Officer, Ms. Shevion Sears said customers are informed of GPL’s planned maintenances before, during, and after those projects are done. She said the company has adopted this approach to build corporate social relations.
-lack of security, water among issues to be addressed
Minister of Agriculture, Hon. Zulfikar Mustapha today, committed to providing assistance to enhance the Greater Georgetown Fishermen Co-op Society Wharf at Meadow Bank, Ruimveldt during a tour of the facility.
During his interaction with the fisherfolk who ply their trade daily at the wharf, the Minister was informed that the lack of security and water are the main challenges to production.
Minister of Agriculture, Hon. Zulfikar Mustapha is given a guided tour of the facility at the Meadow Bank Wharf. He is accompanied by Chief Fisheries Officer, Mr. Denzil Roberts and others.
He pledged to convey those concerns to the Guyana Water Incorporated through the Ministry of Housing and Water and the Ministry of Home Affairs.
Minster Mustapha also observed that, “Many persons complained about robbery and the security problem here. It seems that if we want to develop this area, we have to have proper security.
Minister of Agriculture, Hon. Zulfikar Mustapha watches on as some fishermen work.
They are also saying that when the Police come, they are not taking the kind of action they supposed to take. I plan to raise it with Minister Benn and also I will have a joint meeting with the Co-op, the fishermen and the Commander for Georgetown so that they can enhance security at this place.”
In the meantime, Minister Mustapha committed to making funds available to rehabilitate the facility, after which it is expected that the fees would be paid and the structure maintained. He added that he would make a request for major renovations of the facility in next year’s budget.
Minister of Agriculture, Hon. Zulfikar Mustapha interacts with fish vendors at the Meadow Bank Wharf.
Minister of Agriculture, Hon. Zulfikar Mustapha interacts with fish vendors at the Meadow Bank Wharf.
“This is a very beautiful place. I think that this place has potential that we can develop it into a world-class facility, but it needs good management. They need proper guidance and I will be asking our Department of Fisheries to ensure that they concentrate a lot of work here to give the kind of guidance and enhance the kind of management that we have here,” Minister Mustapha said.
Meanwhile, several vendors at the wharf expressed gratitude to the Minister for his intervention.
“The visit was good and its timely that he come here and I think he would stand on his word and he will do something for the people them here because it’s long overdue. For years nothing been happening here so I think he would stand to his word,” Ms. Lydia Basdeo told DPI.
Ms. Lydia Basdeo
Mr. Krishna Jettoo
Businessman Mr. Krishna Jettoo also said the visit was timely as an intervention was needed urgently. “I’m hoping that this happen and happen very soon because it getting really bad every day. I had a lot of incidents on this wharf over here, and I’ m hoping that… like, he said, I don’t know if money allocated in the budget for this here, but whatever he could do we could actually accept that at the moment.”
Chairman of the Greater Georgetown Fishermen Co-op Society, Mr. Mohamed Khan.
Meanwhile, Mr. Mohamed Khan, Chairman of the Co-op said the building was established in 1985 and since then there has been no dredging of the area, while up to 160 fishing boats moor at the Wharf daily.
Chief Fisheries Officer, Mr. Denzil Roberts also attended the tour.
Georgetown will have three mobile pumps by December, just in time for the next rainy season.
In a recent interview with the Department of Public Information (DPI), Chief Executive Officer of the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA), Frederick Flatts said the pumps are among a larger package being funded under an Indian government line of credit. “The whole package is US$4Million. That’s for the pumps. The mobile pumps will be used in Georgetown to help relieve flooding.”
CEO of NDIA, Frederick Flatts.
Further, Flatts said that the acquisition of the pumps is awaiting the go-ahead from the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTA), in keeping with the procurement legislation. “As soon as we have that approval we will go ahead and hire a supplier for the pumps.”
Since coming to office in May 2015, the current administration has implemented several major projects to clear and desilt drainage canals in and around Georgetown.
According to the Ministry of Communities’ website, in September 2017 the Mayor and City Council (M&CC) of Georgetown embarked on the cleaning and desilting of street drains, alleyways and canals. Areas targeted are Agricola, McDoom, Houston, Ruimveldt, Bourda, Lacytown, Le Repentir and South Cummingsburg, with more than $5Million allocated for the cleaning of avenues and verges in the later stages.”
The NDIA is an agency of the Ministry of Agriculture. Its main task is the management and maintenance of drainage and irrigation infrastructure across the county.
The National Sports Commission and the Athletics Association of Guyana wishes to inform the general public of the welcoming activities which have been coordinated for the recently successful Junior CARIFTA team.
The team is expected to arrive at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport – Timehri on COPA Airlines on Friday April 21, 2017 at 2pm and will be received by Mr. Christopher Jones – Director of Sport, Mr. Aubrey Hutson – President of the Athletics Association of Guyana, Ms. Mayfiled Trim, Ms. Kenisha Headly and Ms. Nadine Trotz (Local Coordinating Committee) and a representative of the Guyana Olympic Association.
The motorcade will depart the airport at 2.45 pm with police escort leaving the airport road and travelling north along the East Bank Demerara Highway, right onto Industrial site Ruimveldt, east onto Mandela, west onto Homestretch on to Croal street, north onto Ornoque street, west onto south road north on to Shiv Chanderpaul drive. The motorcade will stop at the Ministry of the Presidency where the contingent will pay a courtesy call on HE Brig. David Granger, President of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana at 3.30 pm. Members of the media are invited to provide coverage of this event.
Following the courtesy call, the motorcade will proceed north on to Shiv Chanderpaul Drive west onto Regent Street, south onto the Avenue of the Republic, west onto Brickdam travelling around the Linden bus park, north onto the Avenue of the Republic onto Main Street to high Street Kingston ending at the Olympic House, Kingston. Members of the media are invited to a short media briefing at the headquarters of the Guyana Olympic Association – Olympic House – Kingston, Georgetown at 4.30 pm.
The athletes will be guests of honour at the National Sports Commission Sport Award Ceremony scheduled to be held in the Savannah Suite of the Guyana Pegasus hotel at 6.45 pm.
The Government through the Ministry of Communities, Department of Housing is determined to regularise squatter settlements. The un-authorised occupation of state reserves in the city and its environs is preventing the execution of much needed infrastructural works.
Buildings along state reserve in Sophia
More than 700 structures occupy state reserves in Georgetown and its environs. Minister within the Ministry of Communities, with responsibility for housing, Valerie Patterson said this situation must change.
“We have to bring order to Georgetown. We have to clean up because it is difficult for DNI, Ministry of Public Infrastructure. It’s virtually impossible for them to go in there and do any kind of cleaning of those canals, repairs to the roads,” the minister said.
Noting that the previous administration allowed the situation to deteriorate, Patterson said much could have been done earlier to curtail squatting. She noted the presence of squatting areas in Sophia, East and West Ruimveldt, Tuschen, Linden and numerous areas in Berbice.
According to the minister, many persons on the reserves would have received house lots in housing schemes where they would have built their homes but, still remain on the reserve while they collect rentals for the house they own in the schemes.
Patterson said she will “have no mercy” on such persons. She said these persons would be given a timeline to remove from the reserve and if they do not, then the Department of Housing would have to break the buildings down.
Hon. Minister Valerie Patterson, Minister within the Ministry of Communities with responsibility for housing in discussions with Sophia squatters, recently
While the minister acknowledged that many people who occupy state reserves are victims of circumstance, she remained firm that the ministry will do what is necessary to bring an end to the situation. She said squatting is against the thrust of the government to develop holistic housing solutions for citizens.
Meanwhile, Patterson is encouraging those who occupy the reserves to apply for a house lot in the regions where they live. She said the only way to secure a house lot or apartment through the government is to apply for one.
According to the Minister, her department is exploring the possibilities of collaborating with charitable organisations to aid in the development of affordable housing units for squatter families.
Land has already been identified on the East Bank of Demerara and the planning department is looking at low cost housing options.
Since taking office in May 2015, the coalition government has named regularization of the housing sector and developing more integrated communities as one of its priorities.
The Netherlands’ Dutch Risk Reduction Team (DRR-Team) will return to Guyana in July to collaborate with the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) to produce a hydraulic model to address flooding in Guyana.
Lennox Lee, Head of National Task Force Secretariat (ag.), told the Government Information Agency (GINA) that when the DRR team visited Guyana last year, several recommendations were made. He said five DRR engineers from the University of Delft are scheduled to visit Guyana in July as a result of the recommendations.
Lee explained that the team will be producing a computer based hydraulic model for drainage in parts of Georgetown. “That will help us to predict the vulnerability of certain areas when rainfall occurs,” he explained.
The team will be working along with local engineers to measure parts of the drainage system. “This is to assess what we have. They are going to put a computer hydraulic model together from which we’ll be able to say which areas in Georgetown are vulnerable for flooding at any time during rainfall,” Lee said.
To begin the test and complete the hydraulic model, the local engineers headed by the NDIA and the DRR team, will be working every day in the Liliendaal and South Ruimveldt communities.
When the model is prepared, a team from the University of Guyana (UG) will add to it and test it continually. The team will also use the information from the model to train young engineers. “So what we will have, (is) the transfer of information and technology as we can develop further, systems throughout Guyana on our own,” Lee said.
“It’s not easy to solve drainage (problems) in Georgetown just like that. There are many aspects of it and there will always be a problem with drainage in Georgetown but, this part of the process is to come up with the most efficient way to address drainage,” Lee said.
The project which is headed by the NDIA is critical since Guyana’s low-lying coast, which is below sea level at high tide, faces the threat of flooding especially from frequent and intense rainfall.
