Monday 8
Doctors admit carelessness as unborn child, mother die in comedy of errors at GPHC
MOTHER of two, Evita Singh, also known as “Reno” of 13 Lanchan Street, Better Hope, East Coast Demerara, and her unborn baby girl were the latest maternal deaths recorded at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC). And according to sources inside the GPHC, carelessness is 100 percent responsible for the death of the individuals. Singh’s baby died a few days before her, after health workers at the facility administered a drug known as “Cytotec,” which is used for the performing of abortions as well as to create passage for the delivery of babies. The Guyana Chronicle was informed that doctors at the hospital administered six Cytotec pills to Singh, even before she began experiencing labour pains.
Other health workers who are familiar with some family members confided that despite the woman’s inability to find passage for the baby, she was forced by health workers to push the baby out, since nurses were too lazy to perform a C-Section. Since the baby was not properly positioned to be delivered, Evita bled internally and burst several organs.

One biker dead, another critical after colliding with same car
BIKER, Sunil Brijhuram, 21, of Vive-La-Force, West Bank Demerara is now dead after he lost control of his motorcycle and collided with a parked car, while reportedly travelling at a fast rate along the Good Intent Public Road, West Bank Demerara. His friend, Joshua Higgins, 18, of the same village, was injured and is in a serious condition at the Georgetown Public Hospital after he too was speeding on his motor cycle and collided with the same car. Following the accident, both bikers were admitted to the Georgetown Public Hospital, but unfortunately Brijhuram succumbed minutes later to his injuries.

President declares open ‘Santac Tours and Travel’ service
PRESIDENT Donald Ramotar cut the symbolic ribbon at Santa Aratack village, a riverine community in Region 3 (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara), to commission ‘Santac Tours and Travel,’ a tourism-oriented service. The service is the first project to be completed under the Low-Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS), Guyana Redd + Investment Fund (GRIF). A guesthouse and dining hall were also commissioned on this occasion. The ‘Santac Tours and Travel’ is a community-based approach that will promote and preserve indigenous knowledge and skill through interpretation, providing an alternate means of livelihood and professional development. This new project, which is the Santa Mission’s CDP under the LCDS/GRIF Initiative, will provide tour packages, tour guides, destination management, natural resources management, and training.

Tuesday 9
Investigations launched into major housing scam
THE Ministry of Housing and Water, Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA) and the Guyana Police Force are jointly conducting investigations into a major scam unearthed whereby various individuals collected monies in exchange of a promise to expedite and deliver house lots. The various players in the scam could not deliver on this promise and moreover, persons who have been defrauded, have since responded to the Ministry’s recent Public Notice. The scam saw persons alleging that they are relatives and associates of Housing personnel, including the Minister of Housing and Water. Some even operated as Housing staff, taking people to various Housing areas and identifying plots of land that are vacant.
“Despite numerous warnings by the Ministry against entering into these transactions, persons continue to fall prey to this disease,” the CH&PA stated.

Two charged with Lusignan hairdresser execution
MUSIC teacher, Lennox Wayne also known as “2 colours” of Diamond Housing Scheme, East Bank Demerara and Melroy Davis of Bent Street, Wortmanville, Georgetown appeared in court this week charged with the murder of Lusignan hairdresser, Ashmini Hariram last July 10 on the Lusignan Railway Embankment. They were remanded to prison until October 3. Wayne is said to be the triggerman while Davis is said to be the taxi-driver who drove Wayne to the scene of the crime. The two men were reportedly contracted by the brother-in-law of the hairdresser and an accomplice who wanted her dead after they suspected that she had informed police of a drug operation they were engaged in, which caused the narcotics to be seized by police.

Drunken driver flees scene after striking Canal Number 2 woman dead
TWENTY–EIGHT–YEAR-OLD, Kumarie Tikaram of North Section, Canal Number 2, West Bank Demerara was struck down and killed by a car driven by a man allegedly under the influence of alcohol while she was walking along the Canal Number Two main road. The driver was speeding along the public thoroughfare in a haphazard manner when he hit the woman from behind, an eyewitness disclosed. After the accident, the driver fled the scene, but, minutes later, was arrested by the police at his residence, and asked to do a breathalyser test, which found his alcohol level to be above the legal limit for drivers.

Wednesday 10
Fire razes Umana Yana
THE Umana Yana was gutted by fire, which, according to firemen, might have been electrical in origin. The fire lasted for some 15 minutes before firemen managed to get it under control. Guyana Fire Service (GFC) Operations Officer, Mr. Compton Sparman told the Chronicle that within five minutes of receiving the call, two fire tenders from the Central Fire Station, and one from the Albertown Fire Station, were sent to the scene of the fire, on the upper reaches of High Street, in Kingston. As to what may have caused the fire, Sparman said: “Our preliminary investigations reveal that the structure might have been burnt by electrical cause; there was nothing in there that could have caused the fire besides electrical wires. Fires don’t happen; they are caused, and we will work to bring a detailed investigation soon.”

Rose Hall Town celebrates 44 years of existence this year
A SPELLING Bee competition to test the competence of primary school pupils and a Senior Citizens Day to honour residents of the country’s smallest township are among the many activities to be held as Rose Hall Town celebrates its 44th anniversary. In a bid to have a successful event, the Rose Hall Town Anniversary and Development Organisation (RHTADO) has joined forces with the Rose Hall Town Council Town Day Committee and other groupings to host the event, which will be held under the theme “Unity for a better community.” The one-week affair will commence with an official opening ceremony at the Rose Hall Town Independence Arch on September 19.

UGSS expends $1.3M on modernising facilities on Turkeyn Campus
AS part of their Legacy Project, the University of Guyana Students Society (UGSS) has completed several projects costing just under $1.3M to modernise facilities at the Turkeyn Campus. The society recently handed over the refurbished Small Lecture Theatre (SLT), a UGSS Gym and a new PA system that was allocated to the Faculty of Technology. These refurbishments aim to enhance the campus for the new academic year 2014/2015. The SLT project was initiated by President of the UGSS, Richard Rambarran who is currently abroad pursuing his Masters in Economics, but other members of the society were responsible for different aspects of the project. Acting President of the UGSS, Joshua Griffith said that the students’ society was honoured to be engaged in the project on behalf of the students of 2013/2014. “We are still looking towards installing a projector and AC but we could not have funded it in this phase. But we are still looking at it as well as refurbishing other facilities on campus,” Griffith stated.

Thursday 11
Gov’t scraps Specialty Hospital contract over fraud
THE Government of Guyana, having informed Surendra Engineering Company Limited (SECL) that it will be terminating the contract for the construction of the Specialty Hospital, has also signalled its intentions to pursue this “criminal act” and recover the US$4M in public funds that the firm cannot properly account for. Government issued a statement in which it disclosed its dissatisfaction with SECL in constructing the US$150M Specialty Hospital, but has since noted its commitment to having such a hospital built in Guyana, notwithstanding this unfortunate episode with SECL. Leading up to the work stoppage have been differences between the Ministry of Health and SECL. The differences revolved around delays in timelines and the issue of inadequate accountability by SECL for public funds that they received in execution of the contract. The Central Bank of Trinidad and Tobago confirmed that SECL issued to the Government of Guyana a forged document.

Speeding car lands in East Canje Chinese restaurant
A DRIVER, who was allegedly drunk and travelling above the speed limit, collided with a food stall before damaging a gatepost, a gate and the dining area of a Chinese restaurant, after he failed to stop at the five corner junction at East Canje in Berbice. The incident resulted after the driver failed to stop at the eastern intersection. Instead, eyewitnesses said, the motorist accelerated towards the western lane, where he collided with a food stall, but not before pedestrians in the area ran for safety. The out-of-control car then crashed into the metal gatepost and the northern wall of the restaurant before colliding into tables and chairs, wreaking widespread damage. The alleged driver, Chetram Ramkissoon of East Bank Berbice was soon after arrested.

Linden Town Council toll increase method rejected
LOCAL Government and Regional Development, Minister Norman Whittaker has rejected the Linden Town Council’s intention to increase the tolls charged for use of the Mackenzie/Wismar Bridge by 25%.
Whittaker summoned key players where the implications of the toll increase were discussed. The minister disclosed that he first knew of the proposed increase by way of a newspaper article, which declared that the municipality had intended to implement the proposed toll increases with effect from September 1, 2014. Whittaker made clear his dissatisfaction with the way in which the decision was announced — without approval of the relevant authorities.

Friday 12
Guyanese woman elected newest Civil Court Judge in New York
GUYANESE woman by birth, Sharon Clarke who was an attorney in Brooklyn, New York was elected as Brooklyn’s newest Civil Court Judge in the 6th Municipal District. After Brooklyn residents threw their support behind her, she was successful in an election, coming out on top with 53.76% of the votes.
Clarke had been campaigning and working hard in New York while receiving support from her fellow Guyanese in Brooklyn and also in Guyana. She was one of three contestants working to earn the spot.
Speaking with the Guyana Chronicle, Clarke said that she is very proud of the fact that she was born in Guyana and most of her team members are also Guyanese. She said that she is happy with the results, being elected Brooklyn’s newest judge.

Death of mother, child at GPHC
HEALTH Minister, Dr. Bheri Ramsaran has said that the maternal death which occurred at the Georgetown Public Hospital is being investigated internally, even as moves are afoot to have an expert committee activated that will independently look into the circumstances surrounding the incident. The minister said that based on reports he has seen which are so far not challenged by the Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Shamdeo Persaud, a second theatre not being ready to accommodate the mother and the unborn child is very upsetting, and if the investigations prove that to be true, then certain actions will be taken. Mother of two, Evita Singh, also known as “Reno” of 13 Lanchan Street, Better Hope, East Coast Demerara, and her unborn baby girl were the latest maternal deaths at the hospital.

Businessman kills mute man in late-night accident
LEON Hunt, 55, a Georgetown Mayor and City Council worker, was killed after being struck down by a car on Lamaha Street, Newtown. Hunt, who performed maintenance and security services at Bourda Market, was reportedly mute. Businessman Sanjay Persaud, who is alleged to have been driving the car, said that he was proceeding along Lamaha Street when Hunt, who was riding in the opposite direction between Middleton and De Abreu Streets, was struck by a car which slammed into a utility pole.
However, an eyewitness on security duty in the area told the Chronicle that the City Council employee was riding in the same direction as the car, and was struck from behind.

Saturday 13
Sanjay’s Jewellery owner charged for causing death
SANJAY Persaud of Sheriff Street, Campbellville, Georgetown, appeared in court charged with causing death by dangerous driving. Leon Hunt, 55, of Stone Avenue, Blygezight, East Coast Demerara, was killed along Lamaha Street, Newtown. The businessman appeared before Magistrate Judy Latchman and was placed on $1.5M bail. He will return to court on October 3. Leon Hunt, a mute who worked at the Georgetown Mayor and City Council, was killed when he was struck by the sports car driven by Persaud. Persaud told this newspaper that he was proceeding along Lamaha Street when Hunt, who was riding in the opposite direction between Middleton and De Abreu Streets, was struck by the car which later slammed into a utility pole. He said he called the police after the accident and waited for them to arrive but police sources disputed that claim, noting that the man left the scene before the police arrived.

City Council being ‘Soobarized’
A PARTNERSHIP for National Unity (APNU) Member of Parliament and Shadow Minister of Local Government, Ronald Bulkan has said that the Georgetown City Council is being “Soobarized.” Bulkan’s remarks came at his party’s weekly press conference. According to him, in its failure to host Local Government Elections, the Government has contributed to the further deterioration of the city, which could have been prevented. He was supported on point by fellow APNU Member of Parliament, Winston Felix, who said that acting Town Clerk, Carol Sooba is of no help to this cause, since she has done nothing but “attack all the councillors.” Bulkan said it his belief that the City of Georgetown now has a new Mayor, who is Sooba. He added that she “has virtually hijacked the authority of the council.”
“It is indeed sad and distressing. It appears that there have been some secret elections which installed Ms. Sooba. This is the root cause and sorry state of our communities,” he declared.

Indian actress Zoya to participate in local Bollywood show
INTERNATIONAL Promoter Ramjodha from New York and his local representative Dave Danny, owner of the Triple ‘D’ Fashion Store, have revealed plans for the local hosting of a Bollywood show. Ramjodha said the show would include the Indian television and theatre actress Surbhi Jyoti. She is the female lead of the soap opera ‘Qubool Hai’, which has won her Zee Gold Awards for Gold Debut in Lead Role (Female) and Best Celebrity Jodi. Surbhi was first paired opposite Karan Singh Grover playing the role of Zoya, a female protagonist in the Muslim backdrop show where she represented the educated progressive youth of today. After the show’s recent 20-year leap, Surbhi is now seen in her new character of ‘Sanam.’ Three shows are expected to be held: in Berbice on October 10, in Georgetown at the Everest Ground on October 11, and in Essequibo at the Anna Regina ground on October 12. Tickets will begin at a price of $2000 and will soon be available at Triple “D’ Fashion on Robb Street.