ACTING Commissioner of Police, Leroy Brumell on Friday, announced that for the year so far, 33 murders were committed in the E&F Division (in hinterland Guyana, home to the gold mining communities), while about 46 illegal fire arms were discovered by police. The Commissioner made this announcement around 09:15 hours, expressing the hope the figures would not increase “between now and year end.”  Ironically, by 14:30 hours, the toll for persons murdered had increased to 34, with the stabbing death of a Brazilian miner at Eteringbang, Cuyuni River, Region 7 (Mazaruni/Cuyuni).
According to the Police Public Relations Division, the body of Antonio Jose Dearaujo, 51, was found with suspected stab wounds at his Eteringbang home. The gruesome discovery was made at 14:40 hours.
Brumell was at the time, addressing a handing over ceremony in the compound of the Geology and Mines Commission, where an All-Terrain Vehicle (ATV) and two satellite phones were being presented to the force, through a collaboration between the Guyana Gold and Diamond Miners Association and the Geology and Mines Commission, aimed at boosting the communication and crime fighting capability of the police within the mining districts.
            
The items, valued at $2M were handed over to Commissioner of Police Leroy Brumell by Minister of Natural Resources and the Environment, Robert Persaud.  At the forum, other initiatives aimed at providing further assistance to the police, with a view to making the mining interior safe for miners, were also announced.   (Shirley Thomas)
 
Police are continuing their investigations.