☕ The Guyana Daily Brief – Saturday, January 31, 2026

Your daily satirical roundup of Guyanese news. We read the papers so you don’t have to — but yuh still should!

☕ GOOD MORNING, GUYANA!

Happy Saturday, people! January done already? We barely finish swallowing de Budget numbers and the month gone just so! But before we close out January 2026, we got one PACKED edition for yuh. Grab yuh bake and saltfish, settle in, and leh we run through what happening in de land of many waters!

🇬🇧 1. GUYANA AND UK TIGHTEN UP CLIMATE BROMANCE

Sources: Guyana Chronicle, Demerara Waves

President Ali and UK Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy been linking up and de two ah dem looking TIGHT. The UK is now a proud signatory to Guyana’s Global Biodiversity Alliance, and Lammy reportedly said the UK is “proud” to sign on.

Now look, when de UK Deputy PM telling YOU he proud to join YOUR club? That is a whole reversal of colonial energy right there. Four hundred years ago dem was signing things dat take from we. Now dem signing things dat say dem want help we save de forest. Progress, people. PROGRESS.

💰 2. BUDGET 2026: DR. SINGH STILL EXPLAINING

Sources: Guyana Chronicle, Kaieteur News, Demerara Waves

The $1.558 TRILLION Budget 2026 — the biggest in Guyana’s history — drop last Monday and people STILL trying to understand de numbers. President Ali calling it “a journey of continuation” and talking about how government absorbing “hundreds of billions” in inflationary pressure so families don’t feel it.

Meanwhile, de opposition saying is a journey alright — a journey straight into rich people pockets. Kaieteur columnist comparing it to Fiddler on the Roof: “If I were a rich man…” GHK Lall writing dat de gold miners getting zero excise tax while poor people getting zero explanation.

De truth? Budget big. Numbers big. Arguments BIGGER. Welcome to Guyana 2026.

🛢️ 3. EXXONMOBIL LOOKING TOWARD VENEZUELA WATERS

Sources: Demerara Waves

Chile, dis one SPICY. ExxonMobil CEO Darren Woods said on de company’s earnings call that with “developments in Venezuela” — you know, de whole Maduro capture situation — maybe dey can start exploring in de Stabroek Block closer to de Venezuelan border where naval patrols used to be heavy.

Translation: “De coast clear now, literally, so we want to drill there too.”

Exxon already producing roughly 875,000 barrels per day from four FPSOs, running 100,000 barrels ABOVE investment basis. De Stabroek Block exploration licence expires late 2027, so dem got to move quick. ICJ ruling on de border is what everybody watching now.

🇧🇩 4. BANGLADESH OPENING EMBASSY IN GUYANA

Sources: Demerara Waves

Bangladesh just announced dey establishing a diplomatic mission in Georgetown. Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus approved it at a cabinet meeting. De staff going come from existing Bangladeshi embassies abroad.

Now, de government saying dis is because Guyana economy booming — 50% GDP growth last year — and everybody want in. But APNU already crying dat Bangladeshis getting brought here to vote for PPP. Same argument, different year.

Sally from de bottom house say she just glad somebody else going open a restaurant because she tired eating de same roti from de same three spots.

🌉 5. FATAL DEMERARA RIVER BRIDGE CRASH — DRIVER UNLICENSED

Sources: Guyana Chronicle, Demerara Waves, Stabroek News

A cement-laden motor lorry rolled backwards on the Bharrat Jagdeo Demerara River Bridge on Thursday, killing 24-year-old Scott Dorwart of Grove, EBD, and injuring another. Turns out de driver — a 23-year-old from Anna Catherina — didn’t even have de right licence category to drive a lorry.

Both de driver and de truck owner in court. De driver remanded, owner got bail.

People, if yuh truck heavy like dat and yuh driver ain’t even qualified to drive it… dat is not just negligence, dat is a whole tragedy waiting to happen. And it DID happen. Rest in peace, young man.

🏥 6. $1 BILLION NEUROLOGICAL HEALTHCARE INVESTMENT

Sources: Guyana Chronicle

GO-Invest facilitated a nearly G$1 billion local investment in advanced neurological healthcare through a company called Neurospine Services Inc. Dis is specialised healthcare — neurology, spinal care — coming to Guyana.

De Chronicle editorial calling dis a game-changer. Before now, Guyanese with serious neurological conditions had to fly to Trinidad or further. If dis works out, people getting world-class spine care right here in GT.

🌾 7. EU-WAGENINGEN-GUYANA: BREADBASKET DREAMS

Sources: Guyana Chronicle

EU Ambassador Luca Pierantoni outlined a partnership initiative dat bring Wageningen University — one of de world’s top agricultural research institutions from de Netherlands — to work with Guyana on agro-processing. Three new EU business missions planned for 2026.

De Dutch scientist say he want to see Guyanese youth with expertise in food technology within two years. He love we cacao, avocado, and banana and think we could break into European markets.

Sally hearing dis and already planning she premium pepper sauce export business. Move over Heinz!

🔫 8. ALBOUYSTOWN SHOOTING — ONE DEAD, TWO INJURED

Sources: Demerara Waves, Stabroek News

Kevon “Author” Ridley, 28, of James Street, Albouystown was shot dead Thursday evening when an unidentified man opened fire. Two others injured. No arrests yet.

Another young life gone. De streets claiming another one. When we gon talk about dis seriously?

⚖️ 9. WIN PARTY BATTLES FOR GECOM SEAT

Sources: Demerara Waves

Azruddin Mohamed’s WIN party — now de main opposition holding a quarter of Parliament — started what could become a court battle to get representation on GECOM. De three current opposition-nominated commissioners from APNU ain’t budging, and GECOM Chair Justice Claudette Singh say she can’t remove them.

So WIN won de election seats but can’t get on de elections commission. De irony writing itself. Mohamed also pushing for Speaker Nadir to swear him in as Opposition Leader, but dat whole US sanctions situation making things… complicated.

🏇 10. BANKS CLASSIC HORSE RACING TOMORROW!

Sources: Guyana Chronicle, Kaieteur News

De Banks Classic kicking off tomorrow at Port Mourant Turf Club with a combined purse of $12.75 million across ten races! It’s de first event in de Guyana Cup Nomination Series for 2026.

Olympic Kremlin set to return. Post position draw finalized. De stables been training hard. If yuh anywhere near Berbice tomorrow, get yuh self to dat track!

🏟️ 11. BAYROCK STADIUM OPENING TODAY IN LINDEN

Sources: INews Guyana

De Bayrock Track and Field Stadium at Wismar, Linden officially opening today! Region 10 finally getting a proper athletics facility. Mashramani jamboree also happening in Linden today as part of de Republic celebrations.

Linden people, dis is y’all time! Go celebrate!

📜 12. GUYANA PRIZE FOR LITERATURE DEADLINE — TODAY!

Sources: Guyana Chronicle

Today — January 31 — is de LAST DAY to submit for the Guyana Prize for Literature 2025. Midnight Guyana time, so if yuh been writing dat novel, dat poetry collection, dat literary masterpiece… SUBMIT IT NOW.

Albert Massay might know a thing or two about dat… 👀

📊 THE SCORECARD

Dat’s yuh Saturday Brief, Guyana! January done. February and Mashramani coming HOT! 🇬🇾

Sources: Guyana Chronicle, Stabroek News, Kaieteur News, Guyana Times, Demerara Waves, INews Guyana