MONDAY 10
Mammoth gathering overwhelms Babu John Memorial
THE vision of the ‘Father of the Nation’, the late former president, Dr. Cheddi Jagan, continues to inform the policies of his party, the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C), with the intent to improve the lives of all citizens of Guyana. And at the memorial for Dr. Jagan, First Lady Deolatchmee Ramotar spoke on behalf of her husband, President Donald Ramotar (away on government business). The First Lady’s observations were preceded by a massive march of over 300 members of the Progressive Youth Organisation (PYO) who, decked out in red, yellow and black, moved along the Port Mourant Public Road shouting: “Long live Cheddi Jagan!”

Police statistics reveal one-per-cent increase in serious crimes
THE Guyana Police Force (GPF) has said that based on its statistics, the offences of murder and robbery under arms for the period January 1 to February 28, 2014 compare with the same period in 2013 as follows: There has been an increase of 42% in armed robberies. At the end of February 2014 robbery under arms overall had increased by 42%, with 206 reports being recorded, compared to 145 for the same period in 2013. The statistics indicate an increase of 62% in the number of armed robberies involving the use of firearms; and a 12% decrease in armed robberies in which instruments other than firearms were used by the perpetrators. However, an overall increase of 1% in serious crimes has been recorded at the end of February 2014, compared to the same period in 2013.The total number of reports of serious crimes made between January 1 and February 28, 2014 was 642, compared to 637 for the same period in 2013.

Ministry eyeing technology to monitor compliance in extractive sector
THE Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment (MNR&E) is reviewing a range of technology which can be utilized in early detection of illegal mining and forestry activity in remote areas in the hinterland. The options include use of satellite imagery, the use of cameras on private and commercial aircraft crisscrossing the hinterland and even the use of drones, unmanned aircraft, for early detection and effective corrective action. Minister Robert Persaud disclosed this while lamenting the current inability of regulatory agencies to effectively stamp out the illegal exploitation of the country’s natural resources during an address to stakeholders at an environmental stakeholders workshop.

TUESDAY 11

Canje fisherman fined $10,000 for ganja he uses for chest cold
FISHERMAN Mark Ramotar was fined $10,000 after he confessed to being in possession of marijuana, which he said he uses for his chest cold. The 25-year old defendant of Betsy Ground, East Canje, appeared at the New Amsterdam Court before Magistrate Sherdel Isaacs Marcus and pleaded guilty to the charge of possession of narcotics. Police Sergeant Godfrey Playter, prosecuting, said that on March 2 at about 17:20hrs police on mobile patrol were in Adelphi Village, when they saw the defendant on a bicycle acting in a suspicious manner. He was stopped and a search carried out on his person revealed leaves, seeds and stems which were purportedly from the cannabis sativa plant. When the defendant was asked by the court why he had the drug, his reply was, “I does use it for my ongoing chest cold. I usually do fishing at night.” In addition to the fine, the defendant has to undergo two weeks of community service at the New Amsterdam Magistrate’s Court.

Man slaps mother who told him to be home early
THIRTY-TWO-YEAR-OLD Trevor Sinclair confessed to slapping his mother after she demanded that he be home by 20:00hrs. The defendant told Magistrate Rabindranauth Singh at the Albion Court, “I am a 32-year old man and she always want me to get home at 8 pm.” But the magistrate said to Sinclair, “You are 32-years old and still at your mother’s house? If you need to remain there you must obey, otherwise you need to get your own home.” Police Sergeant Phillip Sherriff, prosecuting, said that on February 4, Sinclair unlawfully assaulted his 62-year-old mother, Carmen Rhobe. The mother pleaded with the court to give him a chance and the magistrate imposed a six-month bond requiring him to keep the peace.

Ganja accused alleges cops hit his mom after barging into his home
EIGHTEEN-YEAR-OLD Jairam Singh who allegedly had in his possession four grams of cannabis sativa denied the charge before Magistrate Rabindranauth Singh at the Albion Court. He was granted $20,000 bail after informing the court that six policemen barged into his home, but not before hitting his mother in an attempt to get to him. However, he was advised to make a complaint to the Police Complaints Authority. The case has been transferred to Whim Magistrate’s Court for hearing on April 7.

WEDNESDAY 12

Gov’t tells APNU no scaling down of sugar industry
THE main opposition, A Partnership for National Unity (APNU), through their member Tony Vieira, called for the scaling down of operations at the state-owned Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo). He’s also suggesting that those lands used for sowing sugar cane be now used instead for fish farming and cane-derived ethanol. For that matter, he feels that Guyana should get out of the sugar business entirely, because of a number of factors militating against it, such as heavy rainfall; the need for several tons of cane to yield just one ton of sugar; and the inordinate length of time it takes to get the cane to the factory due to a shortage of labour. But the ruling party would not hear of it, and in response has made it clear that it will continue to work to ensure that the sugar industry remains relevant, and that its employees are secure in their jobs.

GNBS duo on $150,000 bail each for bribe taking
QUINCY Gibson, 27, of Lot 20 Co-op Society Road, Soesdyke, East Bank of Demerara, and David Denny, 29, of Lot 849 Section A, Block X, Diamond Housing Scheme, EBD, agents of the Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS) who are accused of taking a bribe, were each placed on $150,000 bail by Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry. They pleaded not guilty to the allegation that, on March 6 at Guyana National Bureau of Standards office, Sophia Exhibition Centre Compound, Georgetown, being agents employed by GNBS, they corruptly obtained from Romona Spencer for themselves $150,000 as a reward for forbearing to inspect and approve a motor vehicle to transport fuel for the said Spencer, an act in relation to their principal affairs. The case was transferred before Magistrate Faith McGusty for report and fixture on April 8.

‘Ashmins’ plans to roll out new services every eight weeks
ASHMINS Trading has now added an expanded supermarket to its list of departments in response to the growing customer demands for a ‘One-Stop Shop’. Dubbed ‘Ashmins Super-Mart’, the facility was officially launched at the Company’s location at 48 High Street, Werk-en-Rust, Georgetown. The event kicked off with live steel pan music by the National Steel Pan Orchestra. Patrons were able to sample products from over 10 different companies, and were also treated to exciting giveaways. Ashmins Super-Mart promises customers a full supermarket experience, with a wider range of groceries, frozen items and haberdashery items and shopping can be done from 08:00 hours to 20:00 hours and Sundays, 09:00 hours to 12:00 hours.

THURSDAY 13

AFC joins APNU call for closure of sugar industry
THE Alliance For Change (AFC) has come out in support of A Partnership for National Unity’s (APNU) position on scaling back the operations of the sugar industry and putting the lands to use for fish farming and cane-derived ethanol – but this position has been vehemently rejected by Agriculture Minister, Dr. Leslie Ramsammy. And he declared that the party should be “ashamed” of its position.
According to him, the combined Opposition has had a long history of being anti-sugar workers.

GRA gets online with tax payments and driver’s licence– pilot programme begins
THE Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) has launched the pilot of its on-line tax payment system and its Automated Driver’s Licence Card. Officials of the GRA explained that the technological move is with the intention to avoid the upcoming congestion which is expected with the approaching deadline for submission of income property tax and other returns on April 30, 2014. Both initiatives represent another step in the GRA’s efforts towards modernisation.

Two ex-cops remanded on unlicensed firearm, ammo charge
TWO ex-policemen charged with unlawful possession of firearm and ammunition were remanded to prison by Magistrate Judy Latchman. Jarrel Huntley, 27, of Lot 140 Lamaha Springs, Greater Georgetown and George Valledares, 35, of Lot 159 Third Street, Alexander Village, Georgetown, both pleaded not guilty to three separate charges that said on Tuesday, March 11 at Camp and Barrack Streets, Georgetown, they had one 9 mm Glock pistol, when they were not holders of firearm licences. The second charge said on the same day, they had 14 live rounds of matching ammunition. The third charge alleged that on the same day, they made use of threatening language to Surrendra Etwaroo, where a breach of the peace may be occasioned. The duo was placed on $30,000 bail each on the threatening language charges. They will return to court on March 21.

FRIDAY 14

Guyanese student wins worldwide prize for outstanding performance in law exams
SECOND-year University of London Law student, Ms. Gabriella Edwards, who is studying at Nations University, was recently awarded the Oxford University Press Prize as a student who has achieved one of the best results in the world in the May 2013 Year 1 Law Examinations. The International Programme of the University of London is studied by over 52,000 persons in 190 countries of the world. The award follows Gabriella’s outstanding CSEC and A Level results, a press release stated.

Female student ingests poison to vent frustration at teacher’s unwanted advances
A FEMALE student of a private secondary school on the East Coast of Demerara remained warded at the Georgetown Public Hospital after ingesting a poisonous substance. What was equally surprising was the 16-year-old’s revelation that she had ingested the poisonous substance because a male teacher at her school had allegedly been sexually harassing her. A few weeks ago, a student of the Brickdam Secondary School had ingested carbon tablets used to exterminate rats, allegedly while she was in the school’s washroom. She had begun vomiting and was rushed to the public hospital by teachers and students, but died hours later.

Cane harvester commits suicide after wife-chopping incident
A CANE harvester recently chopped his wife at their 74 Sideline Dam, Buxton, East Coast of Demerara residence, then took refuge in a cane field aback the village after police responded to a report by his wife, 40-year-old Yonette Yaw, that he had chopped her on one of her hands and breasts. He committed suicide in the cane field by ingesting a poisonous substance.

SATURDAY 15

Guyanese woman murdered in Barbados
BARBADIAN security officials are investigating the death of Onicka Malicia Gulliver, whose body was discovered in a bushy area in Vauclus, St. Thomas. The woman, a Guyanese national, had been reported missing since Tuesday by her relatives on the island. The dead woman’s uncle, living in Guyana, told this newspaper that he had not seen or spoken to the woman for years. Authorities in Barbados said that they arrested one man in connection with the discovery, which is being treated as a murder.

WEBSOURCE now offering online shopping from Guyana
WEBSOURCE, already big in Miami, United States before penetrating Caribbean markets recently, has now joined the chain of online shopping competitors in Guyana. Customers who sign up will have personal accounts which would allow them to use the online facility and have merchandise delivered to a Websource warehouse in Miami. Once ordered, the items will be sent to the Miami address and the goods will then be examined by the Websource agents there, who would determine if they are safe to be placed on commercial flights to the country where the buyer wishes to have delivery. In that country, the stuff will be cleared by Customs and the relevant paper works will be done before the items are either picked up by or delivered to the purchaser.

Sawmill operator remanded after admitting to sexual assault
SAWMILL operator Raymond Evans, of Number 19 Village, Corentyne, Berbice, charged with sexual assault, has been remanded to prison until March 28. Appearing before Magistrate Sherdel Isaacs-Marcus, he told the court he was under the influence of alcohol when he held the vagina of a Bible student. The teenager had left her Bible Class and was walking along Main and St. John Streets, New Amsterdam, when Evans told the virtual complainant ‘good night’ and then grabbed at her private part.
The magistrate ordered a probation report for his next appearance on March 28.