April 14-18, 2014
Monday 14
Minibus plunges overboard at Meadow Bank turn
SOME 18 passengers, including two toddlers, escaped serious injury when a Route 42 minibus plunged into the trench on the western side of the East Bank Demerara carriageway as the driver failed to negotiate the Meadow Bank turn. The driver of minibus BNN 7790 has been identified only as Collis. One of the passengers said the minibus, which was heading to Georgetown, was speeding along the East Bank Public Road and started to wobble in the vicinity of Providence. Sensing that something was amiss, the man said he shouted to the driver to slow down as the bus approached Banks Breweries turn at Meadow Bank, but the vehicle failed to make the turn and ended up in the trench.

Canal No. 2 man dies as truck topples at Mazaruni
TWENTY-SEVEN-YEAR-OLD Robby Kopper, of Canal No. 2 Polder, West Bank Demerara, died when a truck he was travelling in turned turtle at Puppy Show Landing, Mazaruni, and pinned him to death. According to reports, the truck was being driven down a hill when the accident occurred.

Michael Gordon assumes GM duties at Chronicle
EMPLOYEES of the Guyana National Newspaper Limited (GNNL), the printer and publisher of the Guyana (Daily and Sunday) Chronicle newspapers, were officially introduced to their new General Manager in the person of veteran media operative and former Acting CEO of NCN, Mr. Michael Gordon. He was selected by Office of the President following the recent resignation of Mr. Nandkumar Puran as Acting General Manager.

Tuesday 15
Mother reports daughter beat her with a bowl
BIBI Neisha Khan, 51, of Charity Housing Scheme on the Essequibo Coast, has reported that her daughter, 18, beat her up with an enamel bowl. The mother, who is sickly and poor, said her daughter, who got pregnant while at school, took the bowl and punched her several times in her belly and head. Ms. Khan, who burst into tears while relating her story, said the police do not want to listen to her story. She said her husband deserted her several months ago. The sickly woman is calling for help and assistance.

GFS receives two ambulances valued $16M
THE Guyana Fire Service (GFS) received two ambulances valued at $16M from the Ministry of Home Affairs. Chief Fire Officer, Marlon Gentle said they are working to have the ambulances outfitted and become operational within a month. They will then be used to assist with road accidents or house fires.
Monies were budgeted for two more ambulances for the GFS this year.

Body of alcoholic fished out of trench at Sparta
BANUMANATTIE Ramcharran, 51, of Sparta on the Essequibo Coast, was found dead in a drainage trench along the public road at Reliance. According to reports, the woman, who is said to be an alcoholic and mother of two, would normally drink and roam from village to village. The body of the woman, which bore no marks of violence, was discovered by residents. It was fished out of the drain by police officers and taken to the Suddie mortuary.

Wednesday 16
Amerindians declare…
GIVE US BACK OUR FUNDS!
THE political opposition’s cut of funding to the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs’ $1.1B Amerindian Development Fund (ADF) will result in serious setbacks to the developmental plans for hinterland communities across Guyana. The money was slated for Presidential grants, eco-tourism projects, secure livelihood programmes, the purchase of agricultural tools and equipment and for the Youth Entrepreneurship and Apprenticeship programme among other things. Having heard of the cut to the ADF allocations, Amerindian leaders and villagers arrived in their hundreds to express their displeasure, and demand the reinstatement of the money that has been cut.

APNU mob disrupts peaceful Amerindian demonstration
ONLY the heightened presence of police ranks outside the Public Buildings prevented what seemed to be fast developing into “A Clash of the Titans” as Amerindian protestors, moving into Day Two of their demonstration, were joined by a small band of persons claiming to represent the interest of A Partnership for National Unity (APNU). The motley group was essentially against the Amerindian peoples exercising their right to protest the combined Opposition’s non-approval of the budgetary allocations to advance their development. Its members shouted slogans such as: “PPP must go!” “We want Granger!” “Rohee Must Go!” and “APNU Granger!”

Baby dies after reportedly falling ill at City Day Care
FOUR-MONTH-OLD Phillip Bratt of Sophia was pronounced dead on arrival at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation, soon after falling ill and reportedly becoming unconscious at the Mother’s Union Day Care on Robb Street. The baby is said to be the only son of his mother who has been identified as Chilion Archer. Archer, who is employed at the GPHC, told the Chronicle that her son was in very good health and wasn’t ill, so she does not know what really happened to him. When this publication visited the Day Care to speak with the headmistress/headmaster, a teacher said the HM was busy and could not speak with anyone.

Providence Hotel and Casino renamed Ramada Georgetown Princess
PRINCESS Hotel and Casino has announced the renaming of its Providence, East Bank Demerara property as RAMADA Georgetown Princess.

Thursday 17
Strange-looking fiber glass object washes ashore at Devonshire Castle
A STRANGE-looking fiberglass object, which reportedly washed ashore at Devonshire Castle on the Essequibo Coast, is causing quite a stir and no end of speculation. According to reports, the object has attracted quite a large crowd, with many surmising that it may very well be part of the missing Malaysia Airlines plane that disappeared more than a month ago while en route to China. Reports are that several officers of the Guyana Coast Guard also visited the area and inspected the strange-looking object.

Guyanese fined for stealing electricity in Antigua
(ST. JOHN’S, Antigua) GUYANESE Orland Wilson, 26, pleaded guilty to fraudulently diverting, obstructing, and consuming electricity from the Antigua Public Utility Authority (APUA) when he appeared in the St John’s Magistrate’s Court before Magistrate Ngaio Emanuel. Facts of the case are that Criminal Investigation Department (CID) officers executed a search warrant for an unlicensed firearm and a 42” flat screen TV at Wilson’s home in Villa at about 6.45 am on April 13th, and not only did the lawmen find a television matching this description, but they noticed that a red tag was attached to the APUA electricity meter on the house. On the charges of obstructing and diverting current, Wilson was reprimanded and discharged; but for the unlawful consumption of electricity, he was fined $900 EC Dollars ($66,252 Guyana Dollars). The court ordered the father of two to pay $500 EC Dollars ($36,806 Guyana Dollars) forthwith, and the balance must be paid on or before May 1, failing which Wilson would be jailed for three months.

NGSA exam results will be issued June 27
EDUCATION Minister Priya Manickchand made the announcement. This year, 15,000 students were registered to sit the exam.

Friday 18
Dr Luncheon confirms illness as cancer
HEAD of the Presidential Secretariat (HPS) and Cabinet Secretary, Dr. Roger Luncheon, has confirmed that he is suffering from gastro-intestinal cancer, which has already spread to some parts of his lungs. He explained at a news conference that he has chosen not to undergo invasive surgery. The 65-year old HPS has served in that capacity since the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) took the reins of power in 1992. Dr. Luncheon was diagnosed last year and in 2012 suffered from a pulmonary embolism.

Five charged with murdering kidnapped businessman
FIVE men appeared before Magistrate Ann Mc Lennon charged with the murder of businessman Rajendra Singh of Enmore, East Coast Demerara. They were not required to plead. The five-Adony James, 31, of Roxanne Burnham Gardens; Sheldon Chase, 28, of Pike Street, Kitty; Doonauth ‘Pumpkin’ Ketwaroo, 27, of Good Hope, East Coast Demerara; Tony Thomas, 27, of Bel Air; and Michael ‘Jet Lee’ Lewis, 37, of Sheriff Street, were remanded to prison until May 21. Particulars of the capital offence said they murdered Singh between last April 5 and 9. The men had allegedly kidnapped Singh and demanded a ransom from his wife. The man was discovered dead in Le Repentir Cemetery after his wife failed to pay up.

Body of father of five fished out of interior river
THE body of 28-year-old Kevin Carmichael of Lot 8 Paradise, West Coast Berbice was fished out of a river in the hinterland by his co-workers. The father of five was reportedly with his brother and a cousin swimming from one side of the river to the next when he suddenly began experiencing problems and went under the water. The body was brought out of the backdam and later transported to Bartica, then to Parika, where it was retrieved by undertakers from the Lyken Funeral Parlour.

Gov’t explores legal options over $37.4B budget cut
PRESIDENT Donald Ramotar says his Government will explore all legal options available to deal with what he has termed “unconstitutional” reductions of the 2014 Budget by a whopping $37.4B, the largest cut in the last three years of “callous and vindictive” budget cuts made by the combined Opposition, APNU and AFC, during his term in office.