THE owner of Dutch Bottle Café, Renata Chuck-A-Sang yesterday said that the re-opening of her business which is noted for its delicious foods, lovely ambience and quality service is still under consideration. She however, stated that once they re-open this year the operating hours will most probably change, but there are reasons for re-opening since there has been an outcry for the business to open its doors once again.
Renata Chuck-A-Sang added she is seriously considering re-opening because of the hue and cry from customers and the staff and this will happen in the coming months.
She stated that presently she is concentrating on her studies and she is slowly recovering from the psychological trauma she suffered at the hands of a gunman, who attempted to rob her business on October 7, 2011 at the Lot 10 North Road, Bourda, Georgetown, location.
Physically, Chuck-A-Sang is strong but the incident has left her somewhat fearful of another such encounter, one she can ill afford but she is coping.
She told the Guyana Chronicle last year she had parking issues for her customers since the space allotted was inadequate for the long list of her clientele.
The brave woman defended her business and customers on the night of October 7, 2011, when several bandits descended on the business and was beaten in the face with a gun by a robber after she confronted and held onto him which resulted in a botched robbery.
Renata Chuck-a- Sang, was a patient at Woodlands Hospital nursing injuries to her face for sometime before she was discharged.
In an initial interview, a kitchen assistant, who wishes to remain anonymous, told the Guyana Chronicle that the place was open for business as usual, and she was in the courtyard awaiting the arrival of 15 mostly foreign persons who’s made reservations, when two shifty-looking characters entered the premises. One took a seat and started speaking on his cell-phone while the other ordered a Guinness.
Just then, she said, two of the 15 expected guests arrived, so she advised the bartender in the courtyard to expect the others, and was just about to head back upstairs when she happened to glance in the direction of the two suspicious-looking men and spotted a gun in a half-open black bag one of them was carrying. On seeing this, she said, she ran up the café’s stairs as fast as she could and alerted the owner and other employees that they were about to be robbed. In an attempt to prevent the robbery, Chuck-A-Sang ran downstairs and confronted the bandit with the gun, who was by this time brazenly brandishing the weapon.
As she held on to him and screamed for help at the top of her voice, he began beating her in the face. A few customers ran to her rescue and the employees alerted nearby residents, who also came to the woman’s assistance.
They held onto the gunman, managing to subdue, disarm and detain him until the police showed up to take him into custody.
By then he had received a severe thrashing, as angry residents and customers openly expressed outrage at the attempted robbery, and the way he had beaten the woman.
During the commotion, the courtyard bartender begged patrons to allow him to go to the washroom; neither he nor other staff members, who secured themselves in the upper flat of the building after raising an alarm of “Thief! Thief!” were hurt in the incident.
The robber’s two accomplices escaped in a gold coloured car which was parked outside the business place. They took with them the owner’s laptop, her cell-phone and some money she had in her possession at the time.
In 2010, the business was robbed by a group of six men whose booty was a mere $800 while the place was opened on the night shift at about 10pm.

After the incident, Kelvin Poonsammy, 19, of Joseph Pollydore Street, Lodge, Georgetown, was held but later died in police custody.
Police reported that at about 10:30 hrs on October 9, 2011, Poonsammy, who was in custody at the Brickdam Lockups, was found in an unconscious condition.
He was taken back to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) where he succumbed while receiving medical attention.
Kelvin Poonsammy, who was armed with a shotgun, was one of three perpetrators who are reported to have robbed the owner and three employees of the Dutch Bottle Café on North Road, Georgetown, at gunpoint on October 7, 2011.
During the robbery he was confronted by a number of persons who had gone to the victims’ assistance and was allegedly beaten. He was subsequently handed over, along with the firearm, to the police who took him to the GPHC where he was treated and sent away and was placed in custody.
Kelvin Poonsammy had been earlier visited by ranks on duty at 09:00 hrs on October 9, 2011 and appeared to be in good condition at that time.
During the investigations a search was conducted on the home of Kelvin Poonsammy where three 9mm. rounds and several items of army kit were found.
While being questioned by investigators Kelvin Poonsammy had admitted his involvement in several other armed robberies that were all committed by a three-man gang, one of whom was armed with a firearm.
These were an armed robbery on September 09, 2011, at Goed Fortuin Housing Scheme, West Bank Demerara, where businessman, Bishnu Ramdyal was held up and robbed of $150,000.00, a quantity of cell phone cards and a cell phone; an armed robbery on October 06, 2011, at Ramroop’s Furniture Store, Lombard Street, Georgetown, during which two sales clerks were held at gunpoint and robbed of cash and a cell phone; and the armed robbery committed on October 01, 2011, where Raymond ‘Rambo’ Gaskin and two female guests were attacked and robbed of $50,000.00, two cell phones and a quantity of jewellery at his home at Dennis Street, Campbellville. Gaskin was chopped to his head and left arm during the incident.