Thursday's Guyana Brief — Four Dead on Vessel, Mohameds Lose Court Fight, Opposition Leader Gets No Car or Security, and $2 Billion to Fix Stabroek Market

Good morning, Guyana! ☕

Welcome to Thursday, where four families are mourning men who went to work and never came home, the Mohameds just lost another legal battle, and the Opposition Leader discovered that the job comes with… well, nothing. No car. No security. Just vibes and an indictment.

Meanwhile, gold is over $5,000 an ounce but apparently we can’t find it, Speaker Nadir is still limiting journalists to a handful, and the government is promising to fix Stabroek Market — finally!

Let’s dive in. 🇬🇾

💀 THE TRAGEDY: Four Men Dead on Cargo Vessel at Water Street

What Happened:

Four men are dead after what appears to be a gas inhalation incident aboard a cargo vessel docked at the Courtney Benn Wharf on Water Street, Georgetown.

The deceased:

• Brandon Deonarine, 18 — Seaman, Support, EBD
• Nerwaine Persaud, 57 — Boat Captain, Cummings Lodge, ECD
• Dominic Alexis, 33 — Seaman, De Kinderen, WCD
• Getindra Sanchara, 25 — Engineer, Cummings Lodge, ECD

Police report that the men were inspecting a dry space within the engine room in the lower section of the vessel when they were overcome by fumes from what’s believed to be a gas tank.

Government Response:

The Ministry of Labour has dispatched Occupational Health and Safety Officers to investigate.

The Bigger Picture:

This is exactly the kind of workplace tragedy that should never happen. An 18-year-old and a 57-year-old — a whole generation apart — both lost their lives in the same incident. Questions will need answers: Were proper safety protocols in place? Was there adequate ventilation? Were gas detectors present?

Four families now have empty chairs at the dinner table.

⚖️ MOHAMEDS LOSE EXTRADITION CHALLENGE

The Ruling:

Acting Chief Justice Navindra Singh has dismissed the constitutional challenge brought by Nazar Mohamed and his son Azruddin Mohamed (yes, THAT Azruddin — your new Opposition Leader) against U.S. extradition proceedings.

What They Argued:

The Mohameds claimed:

• Minister of Home Affairs Oneidge Walrond acted with political bias
• The Authority to Proceed (ATP) was issued unlawfully
• Natural justice was breached

What the Court Said:

In a 14-page decision, the Chief Justice ruled that Minister Walrond exercised a lawful executive function in accordance with the Fugitive Offenders Act. No bias. No breach. No problem (for the government, anyway).

What This Means:

The extradition proceedings continue. The Mohameds’ legal team will likely appeal, but for now, the U.S. case against them remains very much alive.

Reminder: U.S. prosecutors allege the Mohameds conspired to commit fraud and launder money through their gold exporting firm, Mohamed’s Enterprise.

🚗 NO CAR, NO SECURITY FOR OPPOSITION LEADER

Gail Teixeira Says:

Minister of Parliamentary Affairs Gail Teixeira has confirmed that Opposition Leader Azruddin Mohamed will receive no personal security detail and no government vehicle.

The Reasoning:

According to Teixeira, these provisions are not legally mandated. The Constitution guarantees the Opposition Leader a salary and certain privileges — but apparently a car and bodyguards aren’t among them.

The Irony:

The Opposition Leader is literally an “international fugitive” (Speaker Nadir’s words, not ours) wanted by the United States… and he’s walking around without security?

Make it make sense.

What WIN Says:

Sources indicate Mohamed promised during the campaign that he would refuse his salary. Turns out, he quietly assigned a party member to collect it in cash on his behalf.

So… no to the salary publicly, yes to the cash privately?

🛒 $2 BILLION TO FIX STABROEK AND BOURDA MARKETS

Finally!

Minister within the Ministry of Local Government Pauline Sukhai announced that Budget 2026 includes $2 billion to begin reconstruction of Georgetown’s two most iconic commercial centres:

What Sukhai Said:

“This investment reflects the government’s broader vision to create a safer, more modern, and culturally vibrant city.”

Reality Check:

These markets have been “about to be fixed” for approximately… forever. If this actually happens, it would be transformational for downtown Georgetown. But we’ve heard promises before.

Also Announced:

• Municipalities receiving $50 million in 2025
• NDCs receiving $30 million for community projects
• $7.9 billion for solid waste management

🥇 GOLD AT $5,000/OUNCE — BUT WHERE IS IT?

The Good News:

Gold prices have crossed US$5,000 per ounce. Guyana’s gold sector should be rolling in it.

The Numbers:

Minister Bharrat’s Defense:

Natural Resources Minister Vickram Bharrat says the sector has been “resurrected” under the PPP government, pointing to the rebound after years of decline.

WIN’s Critique:

Opposition MP Nandranie Singh and others have questioned why, with gold at record prices, declarations remain relatively modest. Are miners declaring everything?

The Crackdown:

President Ali has ordered:

• All registered dredges with no declarations to be deregistered
• Foreign miners operating illegally to be identified, prosecuted, and expelled
• Brazilian miners with low or no declarations under investigation

He’ll be in Region Seven on Friday to meet with small-scale miners directly.

📰 SPEAKER NADIR’S WAR ON PRESS CONTINUES

The Situation:

Media outlets remain furious after Speaker Manzoor Nadir restricted journalist access to Parliament during budget debates — limiting coverage to just five journalists total and banning TV news cameras.

The Guyana Press Association:

The GPA has rejected claims by Nadir that there’s an “existing agreement” on media access, calling his assertions false.

Kaieteur’s Take:

Columnist GHK Lall calls it an “undeclared war on parliamentary democracy,” noting that Nadir has now crossed two Rubicons: first limiting coverage of the Opposition Leader selection, now limiting budget debate coverage.

The Question:

If you’re passing a $1.558 trillion budget — the largest in history — why would you want FEWER people watching?

🏟️ BAYROC STADIUM OPENS SATURDAY

The Event:

Linden’s new Bayroc National Stadium officially opens on Saturday, February 7th at 6:00 PM.

What’s Happening:

• Athletics championship
• Football match: Georgetown vs. Linden
• Pre-Mashramani concert featuring Samuel Medas and Diana Chapman

The Vision:

The Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport says this is one of five regional stadiums under construction, all expected to open in 2026. The goal: international certification within two years.

Translation: They’re building the infrastructure. Now they need the teams to fill it.

🏥 GPHC LAB: FROM 35 DAYS TO 24 HOURS

The Transformation:

Two years ago, getting pathology results at GPHC took 35 days. Today? 24 hours for urgent cases, 7 days for standard.

The Milestones:

• National certification (GYS 170:2021)
• ISO 15189 Plus accreditation from Accreditation Canada Diagnostics
• $474 million government investment

The Impact:

Faster diagnoses. Earlier treatment. Better outcomes. This is what healthcare progress actually looks like.

🇺🇸 U.S. RETURNS $500 MILLION TO VENEZUELA

Wait, What?

The U.S. State Department has confirmed it returned all $500 million from the initial sale of Venezuelan oil assets back to Venezuela.

The Context:

This appears to be related to ongoing negotiations following the January intervention that saw Nicolás Maduro removed from power. Regional implications continue to unfold.

📊 THURSDAY SCORECARD

🗣️ DEM BOYS SEH

“Comedy is we real natural resource!”

Kaieteur’s Dem Boys column notes that if Guyana ever decides to diversify for real, forget oil, forget gas, forget gold — just tap into Guyanese wit. Open any government post comment section and in five minutes your belly hurting.

Truth.

That’s your Thursday Brief! Four tragedies at the wharf, one legal loss for the Mohameds, and a whole lot of budget debate drama. Stay vigilant, Guyana.

See you tomorrow. 🇬🇾

DISCLAIMER: The Guyana Daily Brief is satirical commentary on actual news events. All stories are sourced from Guyana’s major newspapers. We read them so you can laugh at them — but the underlying facts are real.