February 24-March 1, 2014
MONDAY 24
Guyana welcomes 44th republican anniversary with symbolic 21-gun saluteGUYANA’S symbol of nationhood, the Golden Arrowhead, was hoisted in the forecourt of the Public Buildings in the presence of the Commander-in-Chief, President Donald Ramotar, and other military top brass to mark 44 years of republicanism. Also present was Prime Minister, Mr. Samuel Hinds. The standard was raised by a Flag Ensign to the accompaniment of the ceremonial 21-gun salute as members of the Cabinet, the diplomatic corps and the public observed the sombre tradition. Preceding the flag raising was the arrival of the Prime Minister, Mr Samuel Hinds, who was accorded a general salute, followed by the President’s arrival, the Presidential salute and the Inspection of the Guard of Honour. A total of 104 ranks, along with six officers, led by Parade Commander, Dale De Mendonca, drawn from the Joint Services, formed the honour guard for the proceedings.

Canadian help for Craft producers to improve output, quality
THE Guyana Arts and Craft Producers Association (GACPA) collaborated in 2012 with Canadian company TFO and Canadian Executive Service Organisation (CESO) on a project funded by the Canadian government to take 12 companies into the Canadian marketplace from the home décor sector. What may have been described as an accidental encounter with Canadians Paul and Beverly Williams at the Canadian Gifts and Tablewear Association Show turned out to be a blessing. The duo, through CESO, was sent to Guyana to work in the leather sector and assist local craftsmen to take their leather work to the next level. Expert leather craft designers, Paul and Beverly, commenced their leather training workshop on February 3rd and concluded on February 7.
Two armed bandits relieve WCD taxi driver of his vehicle
TWO men who had hired taxi driver Narine Bahadur to travel from Vreed-en-Hoop to Parika, attacked and robbed him of his motor vehicle at about 15:45 hrs on February 21 at New Road, Vreed-en-Hoop, West Coast of Demerara. The men, one of whom was armed with a handgun, held up the 52-year-old driver of Canal Number Two, West Bank of Demerara, and took away his vehicle. The police responded to the report, and recovered the vehicle at a location in Vreed-en-Hoop. Further investigations led to the arrest of the perpetrators in a restaurant at Harlem, W.C.D, and the recovery of an unlicensed .38 Taurus revolver.
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TUESDAY 25
The after Mash litter
RESIDENTS and businesses located along the parade route from lower Church Street en route to the National Park, and especially on the periphery of Queenstown, (Church, Irving and Vlissengen Roads), woke up to a massively litter-infested environment, brought on through the usual vending and picnicking activities on Mash Day. It was appalling to behold the amount of solid waste that residents, vehicles and patrons had to navigate, in order to gain access to the two nearby gas stations, the state- owned Guyana National Newspapers Ltd, taxi services; restaurants and fast food establishments.
In some instances there was an accumulation of crushed bottles in front of one of the gas stations – quite hazardous to motorists having to traverse the path. Even though, understandably, the area used for Mash activities on Sunday would have been littered, concerned citizens contend that it is expected that systems would have been put in place to have the sanitation gangs report early for work and so get the streets cleaned up at least by 09:00 hrs. But far from it, Irving Street and Vlissengen Road remained littered throughout the day on Monday, and it was not until around 15:00 hrs or so, that one single garbage truck and a few labourers began working to free the space of litter. But given the volume of solid waste, the limited labour force and the abysmal lack of proper occupational health and safety tools, it was impossible for them to make any significant difference within the remaining three hours before night would have stepped in.

Rotary Club of Demerara donates wheelchairs to GPHC
THE Rotary Club of Demerara has donated eight wheelchairs to the Maternity Ward of the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC), and has unveiled its Gift of Life Billboard in the compound of the Emergency and Ambulatory Care departments (East & Quamina streets) of that institution. This great humanitarian gesture of this august institution was performed on February 21.

Mahdia Gold up and running
CANADIAN based gold exploration company Mahdia Gold Corporation, with properties in Region 7 Cuyuni/Mazaruni), announced that it has started alluvial/surface mining operations at Omai. Mahdia Gold and its joint venture partner, Roraima Investment & Consulting Services (Guyana) Inc., had previously announced that they were looking for an initial rate of production of 300 ounces of gold per month. In an update, Andre J. Douchane, President and Chief Executive Officer, said that unseasonably wet weather and deteriorated road conditions had caused a two-week shipment delay but once all the parts were on site, assembly and start-up progressed rapidly and operations are currently underway.
The dredging operation is going on in the Wenot East alluvial target, located within the Roraima mining permit area (the “Roraima Area”) where Mahdia Gold completed its alluvial test programme earlier this year.
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WEDNESDAY 26
Commission of Inquiry into Rodney’s death sworn
MEMBERS of the international Commission of Inquiry (CoI) into the death of the late Dr. Walter Rodney were sworn in by His Excellency President Donald Ramotar. The commission is headed by Barbadian Queen’s Counsel (QC), Sir Richard Cheltenham; Guyana-born Senior Counsel Seenauth Jairam, who has been practising in Trinidad and Tobago since 1979, and Jamaican QC Jacquelene Samuels-Brown. Dr. Rodney, known as a historian and political activist, was killed on June 13, 1980, when a bomb exploded in the car in which he was travelling. He was 38 years old at the time. After his death, Rodney received several honours. Among them, in 1993, the Government of Dr. Cheddi Jagan, posthumously, gave him the country’s highest National Award, the Order of Excellence (OE) and the Walter Rodney Chair in History was established at the University of Guyana.

Minister Singh’s accident a police matter
GENERAL Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP), Mr. Clement Rohee made it clear that the involvement of Finance Minister Dr. Ashni Singh in a road accident is “strictly” a police matter. In his capacity as Home Affairs Minister, he reiterated the view and declined to comment further. According to media reports, Dr Singh’s vehicle collided with a car at Garnett Street and Delph Avenue, Campbellville, also in the city, resulting in the taxi driver and a passenger suffering minor injuries. Both occupants of the other vehicle are, reportedly, doing well but there has since been no comment from the minister on the accident, particularly as it relates to claims that he left the scene of the accident without following certain protocols.

Cop’s recklessness costs DHB over $200,000
POLICEMAN David Lindo, who crashed his vehicle into a section of the Demerara Harbour Bridge (DHB) on January 29, 2014, caused over $200,000 in damage to the compromised section. “The police are currently conducting an internal investigation into the matter,” the Harbour Bridge management said in a statement almost one month after Lindo had slammed into a section of the structure. He had also tossed Bridge Manager, Rawlston Adams’s cellular phone into the river. According to Adams, the incident occurred around 11:40pm. “The officer’s vehicle collided with the bridge rails at Span 45, which damaged two cable trays and a diamond panel member,” he said. The company said the total cost for repairing the compromised section amounted to $233,703. As for Adams’s cell phone, the company said the item has since been replaced.
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THURSDAY 27
Former President Jagdeo discharged from hospital
FORMER President Dr Bharrat Jagdeo was discharged from hospital after receiving treatment in Miami, Florida for dengue fever and pneumonia. Jagdeo initially began receiving treatment in Guyana and was advised by his medical team to seek further treatment in a recommended hospital overseas.
The former President immediately agreed to go on the advice of his doctor. Jagdeo expressed sincere thanks and appreciation to the many persons who conveyed best wishes for his speedy recovery.
The former President, however, said he has been taken by total surprise by what he termed “malicious and deliberate” misinformation about his illness, as well as about other personal matters, as reported in the Kaieteur News, Stabroek News and some online media entities in Guyana.

International market developments trigger increased investor interest in Guyana
RECENT international market developments in Platinum Group Minerals (PGMs) have increased investor exploration interest in Guyana. Platinum was being sold on the international market at US$1,436 per troy ounce, or US$96 more than gold. Last week, Ensurge Inc., a United States (U.S.) based company that is engaged in the exploring and developing of precious metal mining opportunities in Guyana, announced that it had commenced discussions with another U.S. company, Mojave Gold Corporation (MGC) on participating in the quest for PGMs in Guyana. PGMs is the term used to collectively refer to six metallic elements, namely ruthenium, rhodium, palladium, osmium, iridium and platinum, which all
have similar physical and chemical properties and tend to occur together in the same mineral deposits.
Knowledgeable sources have described platinum as a grayish white mineral, exhibiting a metallic colour between nickel and silver and the “most precious” metal or the “rarest of the precious metals, rarer than even gold.”

22-yr-old cane harvester gets 11 years for killing mother’s lover
TWENTY-TWO year old Rakash Janack, who unlawfully killed his mother’s lover, was sentenced to eleven years’ imprisonment by Justice Diana Insanally at the Berbice Assizes a few days ago. Initially indicted for murder, he pleaded guilty to the lesser count of manslaughter, and the state accepted his plea. The sentence was handed down after the facts were narrated by Prosecutor Ms. Renita Singh. Janack had to his credit a balanced probation report compiled by Officer Odessia Semple, and mitigating factors presented by defence attorney, Mr. Raymond Ali. Narrating the facts of the case, the prosecutrix had noted that the witness Satwantie Sahadeo, mother-in-law of the convict, had recounted that whilst being at home at Zorg-en-Hoop, Blairmont, West Bank of Berbice with her reputed husband Ragnunauth Bisnauth, Mr. Brentnol Isaacs, the deceased, had entered the yard. Seemingly inebriated, Isaacs, who was armed with a piece of wood, verbally abused the couple; but he became abusive after he had been informed that no cigarettes were available. Bisnauth became afraid after Isaacs had threatened to enter his house to look for cigarettes, and the couple began to shout for their neighbour when their son-in-law, the accused, who lived about fifty feet away, appeared and began to argue with the now deceased man. During that confrontation, Isaacs hit the accused with a plastic tub, which broke following the impact, and the accused raced home and returned shortly afterwards with a cutlass, which he used to chop Isaacs on his chest. Isaacs fell into a nearby trench before fleeing into one Ashton’s yard.
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FRIDAY 28
Cricket Board serves writ over Cricket Administration Bill in Parliament
SPEAKER of the National Assembly Raphael Trotman, Attorney General, Anil Nandlall and Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, Dr Frank Anthony have been served writs of summons by the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) to attend court in relation to the correctness of the National Assembly considering the Cricket Administration Bill. The Speaker disclosed the action of the GCB during the sitting of Parliament recently. He said that he received the summons and he felt he needed time to go through the document and to seek legal assistance before pronouncing comprehensively on it. In light of the summons and the contents not being properly scrutinised, the House which was supposed to consider the Bill Thursday deferred it for consideration. Speaker Trotman said it was his firm opinion that the court has no authority to prevent the National Assembly from debating the Bill and passing the law.

Vehicle in hit and run fatal accident found in GWI compound
THE police were summoned when relatives of the victim of a hit and run fatal accident showed up outside the Guyana Water Inc. (GWI) on Vlissengen Road, Georgetown, after they found the vehicle involved parked in the compound. The victim has been identified as Claud Derrick Mc Pherson, called “Chippy,” 45, a food vendor of 169 East Ruimveldt Housing Scheme. Sister of the deceased, June Seaforth, told the media that through their own private investigation they found the getaway vehicle, a silver grey Toyota Hilux Surf parked in the water company’s compound. The grieving woman added that she only arrived in Guyana on Sunday last for a family re-union after four years and she demands justice for her loved one. She said that the father of six, who is a roadside vegetarian food vendor, operates a short distance from his home and at the time he was on his way home when he was struck down and run over by the vehicle. The driver could not be located at GWI but the police showed up and removed the vehicle.

Another woman busted with cocaine at CJIA
A 24-year-old woman was caught at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) after Customs and Anti Narcotic Unit (CANU) officers discovered a quantity of cocaine in the guise of achar in one of her luggage around 05:00 hrs. According to a statement from CJIA, the woman was an outgoing passenger on BW 525.The permanent Canadian citizen is currently assisting police with their investigations. The discovery of the cocaine comes on the heels of the arrest and subsequent charge of Tishana Edwards who on February 23 was caught with 2.092 kilogrammes of cocaine in cream liqueur. CJIA’s management again applauds the law enforcement officers in their ongoing pursuit to curb the narco-trafficking trade.

Strangers hold vigil for abused one- year- old
STRANGERS to the parents of the one-year old baby who was allegedly abused by her babysitter again gathered in front of the Human Rights of Guyana Office where they held a vigil in solidarity with the defenseless baby. There were approximately 50 persons who showed up at the vigil. At present the babysitter is on high court bail after she was sentenced to five years imprisonment by Magistrate Sueann Lovell in the lower court. She told the court that she hit the child after she refused to put on her pampers and would not stop crying. Following the decision by the magistrate, several groups who days before marched through the streets of Georgetown protesting violence against women and children and called for stiffer penalties for those found guilty of such acts, protested the jail sentence, saying it should have been stiffer.
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SATURDAY March 1
Guyana signs third annual work plan with UNICEF
MINISTER of Foreign Affairs, Ms. Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett and Ms. Marianne Flach, of United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) signed the Third Annual Work Plan agreed between the Government the agency. The minister acknowledged that UNICEF is a very important organisation for Guyana, specifically as it focuses on improving the lives of children in areas of health, education and their personal welfare.
She said, as Guyana strives to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), its focus is on evidence based programmes of actions surrounding such as poverty, hunger and HIV/AIDS with a special emphasis on equity. The minister said, in this year’s plan, emphasis would be placed on the hinterland regions of Guyana, since statics have shown that these are among the most vulnerable areas. The Annual Work Plan derives from the 2012-2016 Country Programme, which was developed, collaboratively, between the Government of Guyana and UNICEF, in pursuit of the rights of children and gender equality. The plan outlines priority areas for specific interventions and supports projects to be executed by some of the ministries and other agencies. Guyana was elected to the Executive Board of UNICEF for a period of three years from 2013 to 2015, at elections held in April 2012. It is among the five members from the Group of Latin American and Caribbean countries on the Executive Board.

Guyana welcomes Chinese investors – President
PARTNERSHIPS are indispensible to spurring Guyana to its fullest economic height, and as such, President Donald Ramotar extended a welcoming hand to all Chinese investors. The President was at the time addressing the opening of the Chinese owned Zhanghao Shipyard in Coverden, East Bank of Demerara, and also the launch and naming ceremony for a logging vessel christened the ‘Yhan Heng freighter’. Also present were Prime Minister Samuel Hinds, Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Leslie Ramsammy and Chinese Ambassador to Guyana Zhang Limin. “I want to extend special greetings to the Chinese investors who have come here and to let them know that they are welcome in Guyana,” President Ramotar said. The President noted that China has tremendous capabilities, evidenced by the tremendous progress that the country has made in just over three decades. China’s growth is also unmatched when compared to equivalent countries in any part of the world, he said. “To see how fast that country has grown in just over three decades speaks volumes for Chinese investors and their readiness to take risks. It also speaks volumes of their skills, of their traditions and customs, and their dedication to work and labour, and that is something we hope that we can emulate in our country,” the President said.

Double funeral for former Calypso Monarch, son
A MEADOWBROOK, Georgetown family has been plunged into deep mourning, following the deaths of a father and son five days apart, under entirely different circumstances. They were both buried on Wednesday, alongside each other in Le Repentir Cemetery. The death of former Calypso Monarch Lloyd Daniel Charles, 81, also called ‘Smasher’ on February 15, at the height of Mashramani festivities, came as a surprise to many, particularly the calypso fraternity. But five days later, on February 20, the sudden demise of his son, Aubrey Dennis Charles, 52, resulted in deeper anguish for the family and friends.
Octogenarian Mighty Smasher died on Saturday February 15 after a period of illness. His son Aubrey, who was enjoying good health, was helping with preparations for his father’s wake and burial among other things. Surprisingly, on the night of Thursday February 20 as the wake was in progress, Aubrey who was probably feeling tired, asked to be excused, telling relatives that he was going to take a nap and would be back later. However, little did they know that it would have been the last time they were seeing him alive. Aubrey got into bed and fell asleep but failed to wake up again. On Wednesday, a double but moving funeral service was held at Sandy’s Funeral Home, Lot 1 Chapel Street, in Lodge, for the father and son.

Government expects ferry from India before year end –Benn
MINISTER of Transport and Hydraulics, Mr. Robeson Benn announced that Government is now finalising arrangements for the acquisition of a ferry boat from India for the North West District. He told Parliament that, as soon as this vessel is acquired, the one currently being used on the route will be reassigned to the Berbice River. Benn made the announcement during a sitting of the National Assembly in response to a motion by Alliance For Change (AFC) Member of Parliament (MP), Mr. Trevor Williams, which called for the reintroduction of the Berbice River Ferry from New Amsterdam to Kwakwani.
Williams had stated that the removal of the service, years ago, created severe hardships for the residents in the riverine communities, mainly farmers.

Man slaps wife for not sending children to school
RAMKISSOON Sulera, of Portuguese Quarters, Port Mourant, told the court that he indeed slapped his wife, as she was in the habit of not sending their four children to school. The defendant appeared before Magistrate Sherdel Isaacs Marcus at the New Amsterdam Court, where he pleaded guilty to a charge of assault. However, he explained that his wife who vends at both Rose Hall and Port Mourant markets is in the habit of not sending their children to school. Due to the children’s absence, several notices were received from the Department of Education, but his spouse gave no heed to the warnings. Consequently, on February 20 the couple had a misunderstanding after the defendant slapped his son. As a result, his wife Maylene Harrinarine, rebuked him, and he became annoyed and slapped her. She, in turn, broadsided him with a cutlass before reporting the incident to the police.
After the facts were narrated by Police Inspector Gail Bristol, the magistrate requested that the Probation and Welfare Service personnel look into the interest and welfare of the children. Sulera was placed on $5,000 bail and the case was transferred to the Whim Court for hearing on March 10.