Caribbean News

Essequibo Coast now has 87% access to clean, treated water

Published

4 months ago

June 4, 2025

$1.2B Onderneeming Water Treatment Plant commissioned by President Ali
Third plant to be commissioned under the Coastal Water Treatment Infrastructure Programme (CWTIP).

Guyana, June 4, 2025 – With the commissioning of the massive $1.2 billion Onderneeming Water Treatment Plant in Red Village Onderneeming, Region Two, the Essequibo Coast now enjoys 87 per cent access to clean, treated water — a significant increase from just 40 per cent. His Excellency Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali joined scores of delighted residents on Friday to commission the new, state of the art, plant that is designed to treat 10 million liters of water per day (MLD). Designed and constructed by Toshiba Water Solutions, it is the third major plant to be commissioned by the government under the Coastal Water Treatment Infrastructure Programme (CWTIP). Some 18,000 persons from villages like Supenaam, Good Hope, Spring Garden, Good Intent, Aurora, Makeshift, Dryshore/ Warousie, Hibernia and Fairfield among others, are being served by the massive plant.

In his feature address before the unveiling of the plaque, President Ali said that a modern Guyana must be built on improved social services like education, health, roads, housing, and especially clean water. The government’s current goal is to ensure that by the end of the decade, all Guyanese, from the coastland to the hinterland, have access to 100 per cent treated water..

“This is what people-centered governance looks like: investing in infrastructure that directly improves people’s lives,” the president underscored.

This includes constructing seven new water treatment plants under the CWTIP programme to eliminate the reddish, metallic water that many residents have endured due to high iron content in groundwater.

“We are not content with just giving you water at the better pressure. We want to give you water that is safe, that is clear, that is drinkable, that is healthy. Water that transforms all the indicators of a healthy and good life,” he affirmed.

Additional Investments

President Ali said the government has invested over $2.5 billion in water infrastructure in Region Two between 2020 and 2025. This includes the newly commissioned water treatment plant. Additional investments include two new wells and expanded access in previously neglected communities along the Pomeroon River, bringing first-time potable water to over 2,500 people.

A second major water treatment plant will be constructed at Mariah’s Delight, addressing the longstanding issue of poor water quality between Walton Hall and Charity. It is scheduled for completion by June 26 and will serve thousands of Essequibo residents. A massive $1 billion investment will be made to make this a reality.

“We are not stopping here. From Mariah’s Delight to the Pomeroon, the transformation continues because the people of Essequibo deserve the very best,” the president declared.

Meanwhile, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI) Shaik Baksh in his remarks said this massive project is a symbol of progress, presence and the people’s power. He attributed the project’s realization to President Ali’s vision and push. He explained that new wells were drilled by Morris Jeffrey and the GWI Well Services team at the WTP compound to supply adequate water for treatment and distribution.

According to him, this will now serve new home owners in the housing scheme currently being developed in this area.

“This is how the Government of Guyana cares for you the people of Essequibo [and] those across the length and breadth of Guyana,” he affirmed.

Residents React To Clean Water

The Department of Public Information (DPI) gathered feedback from Essequibians shortly after the commissioning ceremony, who sang praise to the government for bringing a much-needed relief.

One of them was Nadia Seeram who said the water quality in the past years was poor.

“It was very dirty, smelly [and] red,” she said, adding that, “it destroys the toilet bowl and so. I am very happy now and I would get a lot of savings in my pocket because I don’t have to buy this bright bowl and all the cleaning agents.”

Sandra (only name given) shared similar sentiments. She said, “Everything is so clean; no red water and we are so happy about it.”

Regional Chair Vilma DaSilva also welcomed Onderneeming’s new water treatment plant, describing it as a significant achievement for the region.

“We have lots more to celebrate,” she declared, highlighting the scope of investments and transformation currently underway in Region Two

Project’s background

The Government of Guyana has invested $40 billion to construct seven new large water treatment plants in coastal communities like Onderneeming under the CWTIP programme. The aim is to increase access to treated water by 90 per cent by the end of 2025x,

In addition to new plants, the government is upgrading twelve existing plants and installing 200 kilometre (km) of transmission mains to improve water quality, continuity of service and level of service in Regions Two, Three River, Four, Five and Six. Also, 18 small water treatment plants are also under construction in Regions Two, Four, Five and Six.

Related Topics:#EssequiboCoast #IrfaanAli #magneticmedianews CWTIP

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Guyanese Scholar and Olympian Arrested in Iowa ICE Crackdown

Published

7 days ago

September 27, 2025

Deandrea Hamilton

Deandrea Hamilton | Editor

September 27, 2025 – In a shocking breach of public trust and institutional oversight, Ian Andre Roberts, superintendent of Des Moines Public Schools, who is a citizen of Guyana, was arrested on September 26 by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) under a string of serious offenses that raise troubling questions about hiring practices, accountability, and public safety.

Roberts, born in Georgetown, Guyana, is a former Olympian and accomplished scholar. According to online reports, he earned a bachelor’s degree from Coppin State University after transferring from St. Francis College in Brooklyn, where he played soccer. He holds two master’s degrees—from St. John’s University and Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business—attended an Executive MBA program at MIT Sloan School of Management and earned a doctorate in education with a focus on urban educational leadership from Trident University.

Despite these accomplishments, Roberts was living and working without legal authorization. ICE reported that he fled a traffic stop and abandoned his school-issued vehicle. At the time of his arrest, he was reportedly in possession of a loaded handgun, a fixed-blade hunting knife, and $3,000 in cash. He also has a prior weapons-related charge.

ICE officials questioned how Roberts could hold such a prominent role while subject to a final deportation order issued in May 2024. The school district said they were unaware of his immigration status, noting that he had undergone background checks and completed an I-9 form confirming work authorization. Roberts was placed on administrative leave pending further investigation.

This case highlights vulnerabilities in systems meant to safeguard public institutions and underscores the challenges ICE faces in identifying individuals operating outside U.S. immigration laws while in positions of authority.

For many, Roberts has become a near-literal poster child for these enforcement gaps.

Caribbean News

Bermuda Shaken by Targeted Murder as Crime Returns After a Decade of Calm

Published

2 weeks ago

September 21, 2025

Deandrea Hamilton

Deandrea Hamilton | Editor

Bermuda is reeling after the brazen murder of 37-year-old Janae Minors, a mother of two, who was gunned down in her own beauty supply store on Court Street, Pembroke. The attack, which police describe as “targeted,” has rattled the island, not only for its brutality but for what it says about the state of law and order in a country that less than a decade ago was celebrating a dramatic fall in violent crime.

The Attack on Court Street

According to police, at approximately 4:45 p.m. on Tuesday, September 16, a lone gunman pulled up on a stolen black motorcycle, walked into the Beauty Monster shop Minors owned, and shot her multiple times. Despite the rapid response of emergency services, she succumbed to her injuries shortly after being transported to hospital.

Detectives say the killer was thin, tall, dressed in dark clothing with a full-face helmet, and wearing bright gloves. CCTV shows him fleeing north on Court Street, down Tills Hill toward TCD, before turning onto Marsh Folly Road. Investigators are pursuing all leads, with a focus on recovering evidence from nearby cameras and eyewitness accounts.

Police Commissioner Darrin Simons confirmed the attack bore the hallmarks of gang-related violence, a chilling indicator that Bermuda’s gang rivalries — long simmering beneath the surface — may once again be spilling into broad daylight.

A Vibrant Life Cut Short

Minors, remembered as a hardworking entrepreneur with “a vibrant, beautiful personality,” leaves behind two children, ages 16 and 18. Her murder has ignited outrage across Bermuda, not just for its senselessness but for its timing: the island had once prided itself on virtually stamping out gun violence.

Then: Near-Zero Murders

Back in 2014, Bermuda made international headlines for reporting zero firearm murders — a remarkable achievement given the small island had endured a spate of gang-related shootings in the early 2010s. Police credited intelligence-led operations, tighter firearms interdictions, and aggressive prosecutions of gang leaders. Community programs and mentoring initiatives also played a role, giving at-risk youth alternatives to gang life.

By 2015 and 2016, gun crime was at historic lows. That period was hailed as proof Bermuda could beat back the tide of violence with coordinated policing, social investment, and political will.

Now: Alarming Resurgence

Fast forward nine years, and the picture looks starkly different. In 2024 and 2025, Bermuda has recorded a rise in gun-related deaths. Rival gangs such as Parkside and 42 have resurged, fueled by a new generation of recruits. Economic pressures, high youth unemployment, and the easy flow of smuggled firearms through maritime routes have undermined earlier gains.

Community trust in the police has also eroded, making investigations harder and retaliations more likely. Opposition MPs and neighborhood leaders warn that without sustained focus, Bermuda risks sliding back into the violent cycles of the early 2010s.

Public Alarm and Political Pressure

Premier David Burt condemned Minors’ killing as “an escalation of community violence that cannot be tolerated,” promising stronger enforcement and deeper engagement with residents. The Bermuda Police Service has appealed for CCTV, dashcam, and doorbell footage from the area, urging residents that even the smallest detail could break the case.

Yet among the public, frustration is growing. People remember the calm of 2014 — when zero murders were recorded — and cannot understand how the island has returned to headlines dominated by gun violence. The contrast is stark: from celebrating the elimination of gun murders to confronting the targeted execution of a businesswoman in broad daylight.

A Test for Bermuda’s Future

The murder of Janae Minors has become more than a single case; it is now a symbol of Bermuda’s struggle to hold on to the progress it once made. The question facing the island is whether the successes of a decade ago can be replicated and sustained in today’s harsher climate of economic pressure and gang rivalries.

For Minors’ family, nothing can erase the tragedy of losing a mother and daughter so violently. But for Bermuda at large, her death is a wake-up call — that the island cannot afford complacency when it comes to crime.

As one community leader put it: “Nine years ago, we had beaten this. Now, we’re back to fearing what happens when the sun goes down. That is not the Bermuda we want to live in.”

Caribbean News

CARICOM-Africa Summit Yields Draft Pact on Trade, Travel and Reparations

Published

2 weeks ago

September 19, 2025

Deandrea Hamilton

Imagine an Atlantic Bridge connecting the Caribbean Region to the African Continent

Deandrea Hamilton | Editor

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia — When CARICOM leaders convened with African counterparts and Afreximbank officials in Ethiopia, the outcomes were savory and exactly what many Caribbean people want to see materialise as the islands become uniquely reconnected to the African continent.

At the Second CARICOM-Africa Summit, held at the African Union headquarters, leaders moved beyond symbolic language to agree on a draft communiqué that, if finalized, would anchor this partnership in practical action. While not yet officially published by the AU or CARICOM, the document points to an agenda that blends history with urgent twenty-first century priorities.

The draft outlines commitments to improve air and sea transport links, including the pursuit of a multilateral air services agreement to break down the barriers that still keep the Caribbean and Africa physically apart. It also calls for visa facilitation and simplified entry regimes, making it easier for citizens of both regions to travel, study, and work across the Atlantic.

Equally significant are pledges to advance double taxation treaties that could remove one of the most stubborn obstacles to investment. With Afreximbank’s Caribbean headquarters already established in Barbados and the AfriCaribbean Trade and Investment Forum (ACTIF) gaining momentum, leaders now want to lock in the financial and legal frameworks that will drive new business.

Reparatory justice also featured prominently, with the draft communiqué sharpening a joint call for coordinated advocacy. CARICOM’s long-standing Reparations Commission is expected to work more closely with African institutions to demand global recognition and redress for the shared traumas of slavery and colonial exploitation.

CARICOM’s incoming chair, Prime Minister Dr. Terrance Drew of St. Kitts and Nevis, captured the spirit of the gathering when he urged that the Atlantic Slave Trade be reimagined as an “Atlantic Bridge — a bridge of hope, a bridge of advancement, a bridge that will ensure our people take their rightful place in this world.”

For Secretary-General Dr. Carla Barnett, the meeting was a “homecoming,” but also a reminder that concrete steps like the Health Development Partnership for Africa and the Caribbean (HeDPAC) and improved transportation links are needed to transform rhetoric into results.

For citizens back home, wrestling with inflation and economic uncertainty, the Addis outcomes — transport, visas, investment, health, and reparations — are precisely the kinds of measures that can validate leaders’ journeys and rekindle faith in South-South cooperation. What was once only rhetoric now hints at the beams of an Atlantic Bridge, connecting the Caribbean and Africa in ways that could finally turn history’s tragedy into tomorrow’s advantage.