CARICOM Trade & Policy: CARICOM trade ministers opened the 62nd COTED meeting in Georgetown, with CARICOM SG Carla Barnett warning that energy-market shocks and supply-chain disruptions are pushing up prices and threatening food security across the region. Power & Utilities Tech: Guyana’s GPL won’t face penalties for missing 2024 targets, after the Public Utilities Commission cited infrastructure damage, software updates, and electricity theft—while urging continued modernization and reliability upgrades. Biosecurity & Food Imports: Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha says no poultry import exemptions or licences have been granted since the 2023 bird flu ban, though controlled imports may be recommended to support domestic supply. Digital Payments Reality Check: A new column highlights how Guyana’s economy is still largely cash-based, with many businesses and even some supermarkets and petrol stations not consistently offering electronic payments. EV Standards Across CARICOM: CARICOM is pushing to harmonise EV charging standards, stressing interoperability and warning countries not to copy-paste rules that don’t fit local capacity and market maturity. Public Works & Infrastructure Delivery: Minister Juan Edghill met Chinese contractors in Macau, discussing delivery challenges for bridges and hospitals, including progress on the Wismar/Mackenzie Bridge. Public Safety Training: Police investigators and prosecutors are undergoing EU-funded Justice Project training to reduce criminal justice backlogs and improve case handling. Public Health Lab Logistics: CARPHA trained 18 people across 15 states on safely transporting infectious substances, strengthening regional lab systems and pandemic readiness. Cyber Protection for Children: Guyana has retained a UK law firm to design enforceable social media rules for child protection, with a consultation process before policy moves ahead. Offshore Oil Tech: Shearwater won an ExxonMobil Stabroek Block contract for a two-month distributed acoustic sensing (DAS) seismic program supporting reservoir surveillance at Yellowtail. Cancer Treatment Supply: Martinique says it can supply Guyana with radioactive drugs for certain cancers, aiming to support local oncology care. Disability Education: First Lady Arya Ali says Guyana’s first autism school will be established this year. Climate Signals: NOAA reports May 2026 as the second-warmest May on record, with high odds that 2026 ranks among the four warmest years.