NEWS
Economist: Stop nitpicking on Exxon-TT energy deal
Economist Dr Indera Sagewan-Ali admonished detractors to the billion-dollar deal officially struck between the TT government and ExxonMobil on August 12. She called for people in the TT’s energy industry to stop being sceptical. “We need to stop nitpicking and start taking an eagle-eyed view of where the country needs to go. "If we do that, we will be less critical and offer constructive criticism and comments that would support and push the agenda that is best for our country.” She said with TT’s oil and gas resources dwindling because of excessive extraction from mature fields, access to more oil and gas was beneficial to TT, regardless of the deal the government made with Exxon. Read more here
ANSA Coatings supports students at La Horquetta South Govt
ANSA Coatings Limited (ACL) supported 108 students from La Horquetta South Government Primary School on Tuesday, during its second annual Back-to-School Drive, more than double the 51 students it helped last year. The initiative, funded entirely through staff contributions, provided stationery, snacks, and eight fully sponsored booklist bags to children identified as most in need. The event also included games, face painting and activities aimed at engaging the students. General manager Rhea Singh said the initiative was intended to provide tangible support for local students and their families. “Caring with purpose means being intentional about the difference we make, showing up for our community, investing in our children, and creating opportunities for brighter futures,” Singh said. Read more here
POLITICS
Penny to Kamla, Sturge: Why was army chief sent on leave?
Opposition Leader Pennelope Beckles is demanding information over the government's sudden decision to send the commanding officer of the regiment Col Keston Charles on 605 days' leave effective August 8, and then withdrawing the decision in 48 hours. Speaking at a PNM meeting in Pleasantville, San Fernando on August 12, Beckles held up a copy of the August 10 Sunday Newsday – headlined Army Shake-up: Regiment commander sent of 605 days' leave – as she called on Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, the head of the National Security Council, and Defence Minister Wayne Sturge to provide clarity on the matter. Read more here
PM sounds the alarm! Urges citizens to invest in panic buttons amid deep-seated crime fears
Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar has revealed that she has a panic button installed in her private home in Philippine, San Fernando, and is encouraging other homeowners to consider doing the same to protect themselves from the criminal element. Speaking during a public consultation on the proposed stand-your-ground legislation at her constituency office in Penal on Tuesday night, Persad-Bissessar, the Siparia MP, said the device was an inexpensive but effective tool for personal safety. “Dr Bissessar did something home, which is to put a panic button,” said Persad-Bissessar. The Prime Minister advised that homeowners could benefit from this measure as an added layer of security. “If you don’t have CCTV cameras. You don’t have anything. Anytime you are worried, you just press that button and the whole place is noise, like a siren blaring. Read more here
BUSINESS
Coffee on the corner: Vendor serves trendy treats to El Dorado
Modern trends have taken the standard hot cup of coffee and transformed it into something almost unrecognisable. Iced, flavoured, sweet and on everyone's social media feeds – cold coffee drinks – have emerged as a major player in the food and beverage industry. With entire franchises being dedicated to the now starring staple and classic brands like Nescafé, hopping on the bandwagon, there is clearly a market to tap into. Few people know that more than entrepreneur Suresh Ramdeo, who has brought the trending treat to El Dorado's street corner with Suresh's Coffee Cart. Read more here
Schoolbook sales slower this year
Despite a sluggish start to the back-to-school shopping season, bookstore owners remain optimistic that sales will gain momentum by the end of August. Booksellers told the Business Guardian that many parents appear to be holding off on purchases, either comparing prices or waiting for their August pay day. The back-to-school market spans a wide range of essentials—from textbooks and stationery to uniforms, footwear and even digital tools like tablets and flash drives. A representative from Mohammed’s Bookstore told the Business Guardian that parents are prioritising the purchase of essential textbooks, opting to defer buying the remaining items on the booklist until a later date. Read more here
REGIONAL
‘You’re voting for real policies, real initiatives’
PRESIDENT Dr. Irfaan Ali on Wednesday evening urged residents of Alexander Village to continue placing their confidence in the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C), declaring that the transformation they are witnessing around them is not by chance but the result of deliberate and strategic policy-making aimed at improving lives and building a prosperous Guyana. Addressing a large crowd at a spirited PPP/C campaign meeting in the heart of Alexander Village, President Ali said that the vote of the people was not just a show of political support but an investment in real policies and tangible progress, one that his government intends to honour with even greater returns. “I want you to know that your choice was well placed, and your payment will come,” he assured. “It will come with harder work from your president. It will come with more opportunities for you and your family. It will come for a stronger and safer community. It will come in the form of a safer country, a healthier country, a more prosperous country, a more educated country, a more uplifting country, and a more unified country.” Read more here
INTERNATIONAL
Israeli settlement plans will 'bury' idea of Palestinian state, minister says
Israeli far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has said plans to build more than 3,000 homes in a controversial settlement project in the occupied West Bank will "bury the idea of a Palestinian state". The so-called E1 project between Jerusalem and the Maale Adumim settlement has been frozen for decades amid fierce opposition internationally. Building there would effectively cut off the West Bank from occupied East Jerusalem and significantly obstruct its territorial contiguity. Smotrich said it would thwart the idea of a Palestinian state "because there is nothing to recognise and no one to recognise". Settlements are considered illegal under international law, though Israel disputes this. Read more here
14th August 2025