Chronicle Weekend Roundup with Telesha Ramnarine

March 3-8, 2014
MONDAY 3
Three caught red-handed!
POLICE came in for strident praise after catching three armed bandits red-handed in the Lime Street, Newburg apartment of dredge owner, Elizabeth Hendricks, called “Ann”. The trio — two males and a female — were subdued and arrested minutes after entering the premises. They reportedly gained access after the female accomplice, who is known to the businesswoman, telephoned her saying she was on her way to see her. Upon her arrival at the location, the usually secured gate of the apartment complex was opened by the businesswoman’s young daughter, which is how the two male bandits, one of whom was armed with a gun, gained access to the apartment. Speaking to this publication just before the police whisked her away to give a statement on the robbery the visibly shaken Hernandez said the female accomplice was a friend of hers.

Man suffers near fatal injuries as Thursday night ‘hangout’ goes awry
WHAT began as a ‘hangout’ outside a fish shop at Hadfield and John streets in Werk-en-Rust, Georgetown almost ended fatally for 33-year-old Mark Waldron and his brother and a cousin. Waldron is now a patient at the Georgetown Public Hospital, nursing multiple stab wounds to his face, inflicted inches away from his windpipe and above his left eye, and recuperating from a gaping wound which almost cost him his right hand. The wounded man recalled that he and his party were standing at the side of the road next to an icebox when a car drove by and pinned his left foot so that he was unable to move. He called out in pain to the driver, who could not immediately drive off because the place was congested and another car was blocking his movement. Waldron said he was still writhing in pain when two men, not knowing his plight, started shouting at him to “Move out the way!” He said he was just going to open his mouth to let them know what was happening when one of them broke a bottle and dealt him multiple stabs to the face and a gaping wound to his right arm, which caused the tissues to protrude frightfully. When the blood started to spurt, the men bolted, leaving the injured man behind; but his brother and cousin took him to the hospital, where he was treated and admitted.

It is an offence to litter from a moving vehicle
UNDER the Litter Prevention Regulations, littering from a moving vehicle or a trailer in motion is an offence. Motor vehicles include those used for transportation of people and goods such as cars, buses, speedboats, ferries, etc. An individual found guilty of this offence will be fined $50,000. A company found guilty of this offence will be fined $100,000. A person who causes or knowingly permits another person to litter from a moving vehicle shall also be guilty of an offence, and be convicted for the same offence together with the person who committed the act. A person having been convicted of littering from a moving vehicle, and is convicted a second time for the same act, will have to pay double the amount of the maximum fine attached to the offence or face three months imprisonment. Owners of public transportation are required by law to provide containers for the disposal of litter!

Gov’t flays Kaieteur News over depraved obsession with former President Jagdeo
THE Government Information Agency (GINA) has noted the recent report published by the Kaieteur News relative to the illness of former President Bharrat Jagdeo, and can only describe same as yet another prime example of this publishing house’s continuous obsession with this outstanding Guyanese leader, who has become a target for personal vilification and scurrilous attacks. In an article on February 24, 2014, captioned, “Jagdeo air-dashed to Florida”, Kaieteur News again gave another abysmal display of unethical and unprofessional journalism, with its inevitable strategy of misrepresentation, and attempt at misleading. This is best described as insensitive and inhumane, to report on the illness of someone, and at the same time attacking their character. As in the case of former President Bharrat Jagdeo, the Kaieteur News has demonstrated gross disrespect for his condition, while subtly attacking his stewardship, as the paper, in the said article, mentioned that the President was mired in controversial projects. Decency would have dictated a courteous ‘get-well’ from any professional publication that understands the meaning of protocol, and what ethical reporting is all about.
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TUESDAY 4
City Council budget presented amidst much criticism
CHAIRMAN of the Finance Committee of the Georgetown Mayor and City Council (M&CC), Mr. Junior Garrett has presented the municipality’s 2014 Budget estimates. The projected expenditure for the year is $2,302,189,532 as against the expected revenue of $2,055,467,116 representing a shortfall of $246,722,416.The presentation was done at City Hall amidst criticisms by some officers, in the presence of Mayor Hamilton Green, other councillors and members of the public. One of the critics, Town Clerk, Carol Sooba remarked that it is a “highly deficit budget” that includes all sorts of nonsensical things.
The expected revenue for the Town Clerk’s Department is $14M, as against the projected expenditure of $328,472,230; for the City Constabulary $4M as against $370,899,360; for the Treasury Department $1,643,500,000 as against $120,523,739; for the Public Health Department $58,495,000 as against $219,840,899; for the Solid Waste Management Department $3,225,000 as against $386,926,135; for the City Engineer’s Department $37M as against $656,685,412; and for the Markets Department $295,216,516 as against $218,841,757.

Man hangs himself after stabbing wife
GOED Fortuin village residents as well as persons living at Roraima Housing Scheme at Versailles were shaken by news about an attempted murder when a man brutally stabbed his wife and his subsequent suicide. The man who has been identified as Andrew Patterson, 34, of Goed Fortuin Village, stabbed his wife, 32-year-old Tamika Patterson, twenty times about her body and escaped before police arrived.
Just months after their apartments were raided by thieves, residents of Lot 57 Roraima Housing Scheme at Versailles, West Bank of Demerara, awoke to find the man hanging from the water trestle in the yard with a telephone wire wrapped around his neck. The gruesome discovery was made at about 05:45 hrs by a tenant, Nathalie Murray, who went out on the back veranda to do her normal morning physical exercises. When the woman raised an alarm, residents scampered from the apartment building to investigate.

Bullying, drug abuse reported at Tagore Secondary
PARENTS of children attending the Tagore Memorial Secondary School at the Number Sixty-Four Babylon, East Berbice, Corentyne, are alleging that students are being plagued by the issues of bullying and drug abuse in the school. This publication visited the school and subsequently spoke to various parents who said that they are fearful for the well-being of their children while they are at school.
It has also been alleged that complaints made to teachers are not being taken seriously, and this allows the violence to continue. Allegations that the teachers witness these incidents in the corridors and classrooms were also made. Parents claim that the issue of school violence was raised at a Parent Teacher Association (PTA) meeting, and even though teachers are seeing the students walking with weapons (including knives), they neither reprimand nor discipline them.

Driver soliciting passengers at Berbice Bridge slapped with several charges
MOTORIST Joseph Warde, 44, who allegedly solicited passengers in the vicinity of the entrance to the Berbice River Bridge on February 18 last, was slapped with six charges, and was granted pre-liberty trial in the sum of $45,000 following his appearance before Magistrate Sherdel Isaacs-Marcus at the New Amsterdam Court. The driver of motor car PPP 5616, and of Lot 10 Manchester Village, Corentyne, had shouted and made noise to attract the attention of a passenger in a manner to cause public annoyance. Warde also faces two counts of leaving his vehicle in a dangerous position so as to likely endanger other persons using the said road. Further, police allege that he had behaved in a disorderly manner at the Central Police Station on March 1. Moreover, Warde was charged with possessing an offensive weapon, to wit a cutlass, after cops said he had the weapon without lawful authority or reasonable cause. The final charge the police had instituted against Warde was that he failed to stop when directed by Police Constable #20684 Haslyn George, a member of the Guyana Police Force in uniform, engaged in regulating the traffic on the Palmyra public road in the execution of his duties.
The unrepresented Warde has pleaded not guilty to each of the charges. His matters have been fixed for hearing on May 15.
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WEDNESDAY 5
Mystery fire causes considerable damage to South Ruimveldt Shopping Plaza
FIRE of as yet unknown origin ripped through Apartment 22 of the South Ruimveldt Shopping Plaza and caused considerable damage to the home of Althea Tucker, a nurse at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC), who had worked the night shift on the night before the fire, and was preparing to return home on Monday morning when another nurse whose sister occupies one of the apartments at the Plaza told her to hurry home because the Shopping Plaza was on fire. Not for one moment did Tucker imagine it was her apartment that was on fire.
“When I arrived in front of the yard, I saw a fire brigade and firemen working; but it wasn’t until I turned the corner in the yard that I realised it was my home,” the evidently distraught Nurse Tucker said.

AG makes good on promise to take Kaieteur News to court
AN INTERIM injunction was granted to Attorney-at-law, Sase Gunraj on behalf of Attorney-General, Anil Nandlall, signalling commencement of High Court proceedings for libel against Kaieteur News following its failure to retract false charges levelled against Minister Nandlall and to apologise therefor. The interim injunction prevents Kaieteur News from “further publishing the said or any similar libel to that effect concerning the plaintiff (Nandlall) as contained in articles published in the Kaieteur News newspapers on February 28, 2014 in a column styled “Dem boys Seh”, and captioned: “Tax dollars going to Sleep-In”; and on March 2, 2014, in a column styled “Ah Kneel Deh Pun A Hustle” until after the hearing and determination” of a summons. The legal action follows a letter sent to Kaieteur News Editor, Adam Harris by the AG’s lawyer, demanding that Harris retracts damning accusations in two columns titled “Dem boys Seh” and apologise within 24 hours, or face legal proceedings. The AG is claiming damages in excess of $20M for the publication of both columns, aggravated or exemplary damages in excess of $10M, costs, and further or other orders as the court deems just. The affidavit filed by the AG and seen by the Guyana Chronicle cites Adam Harris, Mohan Lall (aka Glenn Lall) and the National Media and Publishing Company Limited as defendants. The document stated that Harris “informed me that the said articles about me were published upon the instructions” of Lall. It adds that Harris promised that “a retraction and an apology will be duly published”, as requested by the AG.

Teenage student confesses sex for lessons with teacher
A TWENTY-TWO-YEAR old male teacher of a private school on East Bank of Demerara, who is being accused of rape, reportedly, gave the 14-year-old female student birth control pills after he had unprotected sex with her. During an exclusive interview with the Guyana Chronicle, the teenager, who is not a Guyanese, said she and her teacher had oral followed by penetrative sex on the school premises. She said the man is her Mathematics and Information Technology teacher but, when contacted at his home last week, the man told this newspaper that the girl was 17 years old but did not admit they had sexual relations. However, a birth certificate which was seen by this publication and confirms that the teen was not born in Guyana verified that she is 14 years old. Asked how the actual intimate connection began between her and the teacher, she said, when she first started out at the school in January, it was pointed out that she was weak in the two subject areas which the teacher tutors.
She said he offered to assist her with the two subjects and that assistance was going to come through extra lessons. The teenager explained that there would be times when she alone would be attending the lessons and, at other times, there were other students. But, on most occasions, she is, usually, the only one with the teacher. This newspaper was told by the girl, in the presence of her guardian, that, at one time in the class, the teacher reached and began touching her legs and she protested and he stopped.

US State Department gives Guyana a clean bill of health
THE Laws of Guyana provide for an independent judiciary, and the Government of Guyana has generally respected the independence and practices of the judiciary. This is according to the US State Department Report for 2013. However the report did not hesitate to point out that the judicial process has been undermined by delays and inefficiencies. It pointed to the report by the director of public prosecutions that 60 cases were disposed of during 2012, 14 of which the prosecutors declined to prosecute because most had been pending for in excess of 15 years, and main witnesses to prove the offences were no longer available to testify. A shortage of trained court personnel, inadequate resources, postponements at the request of the defence or prosecution, occasional allegations of bribery, poor tracking of cases, and sloth of the Guyana Police Force in preparing cases for trial had caused delays in the system, the report also pointed out. With respect to trial procedures, the report reminded that in Guyana trials are done publicly, while defendants enjoy the presumption that they are innocent during the trials. There is no jury for cases tried in the Magistrates’ Courts, but in the High Court, where matters are considered more serious, a jury is used. Guyana’s constitution, the report reminded, provides that a person shall be informed — as soon as is reasonably practicable and in detail — of the nature of the offence for which that person has been charged. There is also provision in the constitution for persons charged with criminal offences to be given adequate time and facilities for the preparation of their defence. These are all practices which, the report pointed, Guyana has been living up to. The State Department report also pointed out that in accordance with the constitution; Guyana routinely granted trial postponements to both the defence and the prosecution — the law extends these rights to all citizens.
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THURSDAY 6
Education Ministry announces start of enrolment in nursery schools for September term
THE Ministry of Education has announced that enrollment in nursery schools for the September term has commenced. But unlike what obtained several years ago, children who are born on or before June 30 will be allowed to enrol in the year they turn three. Since initial announcement of the change in 2013, significant strides have been made, with parents being able to see their children given a chance for an early start in acquiring a sound education. The Education Ministry is encouraging parents and guardians to get their children placed at a school close to where they live. Registration forms are on the ministry’s website to facilitate a smoother and faster process. The ministry wishes to remind parents and guardians that they should have their children’s birth certificates and clinic cards on hand when going to register their children, as this would save them time. Parents/guardians should also be equipped with their National Identification Cards, and some proof of their address.

Guyana and Norway to lead UN process on Financing for Development
THE Permanent Representatives of Guyana and Norway have been appointed by the President of the United Nations General Assembly to lead a UN process on financing for development. Ambassador George Talbot of Guyana and his Norwegian counterpart, Ambassador Geir Pedersen, have been mandated to conduct inclusive and transparent intergovernmental consultations, with the participation of major institutional stakeholders, on all issues related to the forthcoming third international conference on financing for development, including the date, format, organisation and scope of the conference. The conference will likely be held in 2015. With the United Nations currently embarked on the elaboration of a post-2015 development agenda as a successor to the Millennium Development Goals framework that has anchored the Organisation’s work in development since 2000, an agreement on the means of implementation, including on financing, will be critical to the efficacy and successful implementation of the new agenda. The financing for development conference is expected to provide a holistic framework for mobilising resources from a variety of sources and for the effective use of financing for the achievement of the sustainable development goals that will be at the core of the post-2015 development agenda.

Midnight visit to see children results in threatening language charges and a $20,000 fine
ADRIAN Hetemeyer allegedly so wanted to see his four children that he recently paid them a visit at 23:30 hrs, but their mother, Swarsattie Doodnauth, informed him that they were asleep. Enraged, the 35-year-old Hetemeyer started using a series of expletives whilst threatening to chop the woman; so, becoming fearful, she awoke the children, opened the door and released them into his care. Not appeased, Hetemeyer invaded Doodnauth’s yard and began kicking at her closed door. And when Doodnauth’s live-in lover, Dwayne Rodrigues, attempted to intervene, Hetemeyer threatened to chop him into pound parcels before disappearing into the interior, where it would be impossible for the police to locate him. When the case was called before New Amsterdam Magistrate Sherdel Isaacs-Marcus, Doodnauth informed the court that she and Hetemeyer had been separated for six years, but since she commenced a relationship with Rodrigues, the defendant would constantly abuse her and her lover wherever he sees them. Hetemeyer pleaded guilty to two counts of threatening language, and was fined a total of $20,000 and bonded to keep the peace for a year.
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FRIDAY 7
One dead, three critical in Soesdyke accident
A YOUNG Christian man whose only name was given as Aaron, and who is said to be the son of a pastor, died after the Tapir in which he and several other young Christians were travelling collided with a truck just off the Soesdyke Public Road. Among those involved in the accident were Fabian Williams, Adlenne Simpson and Kishnna Singh. Two of the three are said to be from an interior location, while the other is from the Corentyne in Berbice. The Guyana Chronicle was informed by persons close to the injured that the young people were travelling west along the Soesdyke Highway, after wrapping up a session at Bible School. They were heading to reach another church sister who was having a crusade. It is not clear how the tapir and the truck came to collide, but this publication was informed that the truck might have entered the lane of the tapir. At the Diamond Hospital, church members began converging to offer comfort and support to the injured and their relatives, as other members who accompanied the injured to the hospital sought to get the names of those who were involved in the accident, and to ensure that their relatives were informed in a timely manner. After being stabilised at the Diamond Hospital, some of the injured were transferred to the Georgetown Public Hospital for further medical attention and observation. An ambulance from the Guyana Defence Force also assisted in transporting the injured to the GPHC.

Food vendor killed in hit-and-run accident laid to rest
VEGETARIAN (ital) food vendor, Claude Derrick Mc Pherson, called ‘Chippy’, who was killed in a hit-and-run accident on February 27, was laid to rest following an emotional farewell service at the Church of God of Prophecy, Pineapple Street, East Ruimveldt Housing Scheme. During the service loud wails penetrated the atmosphere as hymns were sung in the crowded church. Some family members and relatives resorted to kneeling in front of the coffin while others collapsed and had to be assisted.
Residents and others, some of whom stood outside the church, were all solemn as they paid their last respects to the well-known food vendor, who operated a food stall on Mandela Avenue. Family members and relatives renewed their calls for justice after the hit-and-run accident that took their loved one’s life. According to reports, ‘Chippy,’ 43, of Lot 169 East Ruimveldt Housing Scheme, Georgetown, was struck off his bicycle and dragged for more than 400 yards from the point of impact by a Guyana Water Inc. (GWI) vehicle at about 21:00 hrs on February 27 at Trench Road. He was said to be on his way home at the time in order to retrieve his cell phone which he had forgotten when he was killed.
This newspaper understands that the GWI driver who was involved in the hit-and-run accident that took the life of McPherson has turned himself over to the police. A post-mortem revealed that Mc Pherson died as a result of multiple injuries. Relatives said his body was broken in almost every part.

Two Canadian companies merge to boost Eagle Mountain Gold Project
TWO major Canadian mining companies, Goldsource Mines Inc. and Eagle Mountain Gold Corporation have merged forces with the aim of accelerating the development of the Eagle Mountain Gold Project, near Mahdia in Region 8 (Potaro/Siparuni). Eagle Mountain Gold Corp. which has exclusive rights to Eagle Mountain announced the merger with Goldsource earlier this week. As a result, the company has become a wholly-owned subsidiary of Goldsource. Meanwhile, top officials of both companies have expressed optimism that the merger will deliver good results for the Eagle Mountain gold mining venture. Ioannis (Yannis) Tsitos, Chief Executive Officer (CEO), of Eagle Mountain Gold Corp. said that the merger had received the overwhelming support of the shareholders and he believed that this new era will drive significant growth and sustainable value for them. J. Scott Drever, CEO of Goldsource Mines, disclosed that he was pleased that the business combination had been successfully completed.

“I love my husband so much and it’s his first mistake”- court told
AN Indian national accused of assaulting his wife had the charge against him dismissed Wednesday by Magistrate Geeta Chandan-Edmond after no evidence was offered. Thirty-two-year-old Sunil Kumar of Lot 26 Success Housing Scheme, East Bank of Demerara denied the allegations which stated that on March 4 at Balwant Singh Hospital, East Street, Georgetown, he committed the offence against Lilawattie Pooran, 19. The woman gave sworn testimony that she did not wish to proceed with the matter. The magistrate asked Pooran if she had received any threats or promises to influence her against giving any evidence in the matter and she responded: “I love my husband so much and it’s his first mistake.”
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SATURDAY 8
Assurances of justice given at Wales Court commissioning
THE Wales Magistrate Court, at West Bank of Demerara, was commissioned in another act towards improving the justice system through infrastructural advancement. Speaking on the occasion, Attorney-General (AG) and Minister of Legal Affairs, Mr. Anil Nandlall stated that, in the last seven years, Guyana has seen more advances in the process, also through legislative moves, since Guyana became independent. “The judicial system must be positioned to be equal and accessible,” Nandlall said, as he referred to the support this country secured with a loan of US$25M from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB for the modernisation. According to him, by these efforts, to date, court buildings have either been rehabilitated, expanded or refurbished and, in some communities, new structures were erected. Among the other undertakings he cited were the compilation of the revised laws of Guyana, the Guyana Law Reports from 1977 to 2007, the modernisation of the legislative landscape with the passage of more than 100 pieces of legislation to improve the administration of the justice system and the increase in the complement of High Court judges, from 12 to 20.

Police arrest reputed wife for death of West Bank of Demerara miner
THE reputed wife of Dennis Harris, 44, a miner of 1525 Onderneeming, La Parfaite Harmonie, West Bank of Demerara, is in police custody assisting with investigations following his death. The detainee’s daughter, Samantha Wray, told this publication that she was at home with her three children including her newborn baby when her mother, Yonette Grumbs, 45, and her stepfather Dennis Harris returned home after midnight from a birthday celebration of Harris’s grandfather held in the same village. She explained that her stepfather was under the influence of alcohol, because, when he arrived home he began, as usual, to quarrel with her mother and behave in a loud and disorderly manner. After a few minutes, he was locked outside the house after he picked up a scissors and pointed it at her mother, saying he would end her life. In a fit of rage, he punched one of the front glass windows of the house and sustained a gaping wound to his hand. Thereafter, he went to a relative’s house a block away from where he was transported to the hospital. Samantha Wray said they did not even know Harris was dead, until the police showed up at their door at about 03:01 hrs, saying they had come to arrest her mother for Harris’s murder.

Malaria cases decreasing but early diagnosis still urged
GUYANA, in 2013, recorded a significant decrease in the number of malaria cases and health authorities continue to urge early diagnosis of the vector-borne disease in a bid to reduce the mortality rate.
According to a Caribbean Media Corporation (CMC) report, figures released by the Ministry of Health show that for 2013, there were 23,489 as against 31,602 in 2012.Although the ministry gave no figures regarding the number of deaths, it indicated that malaria mortality rates are continually falling as increased prevention and control measures dramatically lessen its impact. The ministry said efforts at combating the ailment, driven through its Vector Control Services (VCS), still bear fruit but that the hinterland locations remain the most vulnerable to the sickness. The ministry said, within those regions, climatic and other conditions favour transmission that also occurs when people with low immune systems move into those places in search of jobs and are negligent in taking protective steps, such as sleeping under mosquito nets and using insect repellents. The health officials said one of the biggest interventions by the VCS in 2013 has been the distribution of some 42,000 insecticide-treated nets for use in beds and hammocks.

Teixeira slams GHRA for linking the Rodney CoI to electioneering
PRESIDENTIAL Advisor on Governance, Ms Gail Teixeira, has said she finds it “unfathomable” that the Guyana Human Rights Association (GHRA) has refused to bring whatever documents, evidence, and opinions it has to the Commission of Inquiry (CoI) that was set up into the death of brilliant Guyanese historian/politician Dr. Walter Rodney. “It is unfathomable to me. Rodney was a most outstanding leader that this country produced,” she told a post-Cabinet news conference. The GHRA said this week that it is unwilling to give evidence in the inquiry, noting that at a time of much speculation over general and regional elections, the proposed CoI could be read as the worst form of electioneering. “The GHRA is of the view that the proposed CoI into the death of Dr Walter Rodney has greater potential for reviving, rather than healing, ethnic division in Guyana. Should this indeed be the outcome, it would be a travesty of Dr Rodney’s major contribution to Guyana,” the human rights body has said. But a notably annoyed Teixeira told reporters following the conference: “Personally, I was around in that period, and I know about the marches across this country. Nothing can match what happened in that period in terms of racial unity, political unity of the opposition parties. Here is a man blown to pieces and we have to get into academic exercise of [the] GHRA talking about electioneering and racial unity? For people like me, who lived in that period, this is offensive. It is personally offensive.

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