Monday, May 5

Four dead after unknowingly ingesting cocaine-laced SSS Tonic

ALEX BLAIR, 42, and Simone Pryce, 36, along with their child Jahaquel Blair 7, and their best friend Natasha George, 36, all of Cocorite Street, East La Penitence, Georgetown, are now dead after ingesting SSS Tonic laced with liquefied cocaine. Twelve-year-old Jamal Waterman is currently hospitalised after ingesting the same tonic. The SSS Tonic, along with some other foodstuff, had been packed by another family member for shipping to New York, but was left behind after the family member who was to carry it to New York said she would be travelling to Pennsylvania instead.

A source close to the family told this publication that since the woman who was to take the stuff to New York had left Guyana without the stuff, the family decided to utilise the tonic, not knowing it was mixed with cocaine.

Two dead, several injured in drag-racing mishap
THIRTY-three-year-old Delon Barton and 22-year-old Curt Bascombe, respectively of Lots 206 and 426 Grove Housing Scheme, East Bank Demerara, are now dead; while Zannie, Fizal and Feyad Azeem and Hamewattie Majeed are nursing serious injuries following a two-car drag race along the East Bank Demerara Public Road that ended in a collision with a motor cycle at Craig, EBD.
The drag race was reportedly headed in the direction of Georgetown when the collision with the motorcycle occurred. However, relatives of Curt Bascombe are claiming that he could have survived the accident had staff at the Diamond Hospital acted more professionally.

Speeding car lands ‘belly-up’ in Vlissengen Road canal

A SPEEDING car turned turtle just after 1.00pm on Monday in the canal between Irving Street and Vlissengen Road, after hitting a cyclist who, fortunately, only suffered minor injuries.

The capsized vehicle was reportedly being driven by one Nicole Mendonca, and according to an eyewitness, “That is what does happen when yuh want to WhatsApp and drive,” indicating that the driver was using a cell phone at the time of the mishap.

The injured cyclist, Keith Springer, told this newspaper that he was heading south on Vlissengen Road when he saw the car making a left turn from Garnett Street onto Vlissengen Road. Springer explained that the driver failed to approach the “right-of-way” (Vlissengen Road) with caution, forcing him to “swerve” to the right hand side of Vlissengen Road.

Tuesday, May 6

‘Bal Nivas’ opened by President Ramotar

PRESIDENT Donald Ramotar has commissioned the multi-million-dollar ‘Bal Nivas’ centre in Ankerville, Corentyne, Berbice. It has been constructed to accommodate children who have been victims of abuse.

The newly-opened hospice, which will house 60 persons at a time, will target children, particularly those of single parents in the surrounding communities.

Renowned Bollywood Singer Sonu Nigam aided in the cutting of the ribbon.

 

Eight Miss World Guyana 2014 delegates officially sashed

AT a glitzy ceremony at the Pegasus Hotel, the Miss World Guyana Committee officially sashed most of the delegates vying for the prestigious 2014 crown and title.
The eight finalists to vie for the crown of Miss World are Rebekah London, 19; Gericia Francis, 22; Ayana Whitehead, 18; Tiffany Megnath, 21; Rafieya Husain, 21; Cherese James, 23; Denicia Williams, 19; and Atisha Gaskill, 19.

 

Nursing multiple injuries, and facing mounting medical bills

TWENTY-five-year-old motor cyclist Jesse Gibbs, injured in an accident with a car at Little Diamond, East Bank Demerara two weeks ago, remains warded at the Georgetown Public Hospital in a state of limbo, even as the motorist who ploughed into him, destroying his motorcycle and leaving him indefinitely incapacitated, continues to drive as though it is ‘business as usual.’ Notwithstanding his confinement to bed, his regular daily expenses have not been minimised or even stabilized; rather, they have increased considerably, Gibbs reasoned. And with a wife and two infant children to provide for, he is at his wits’ end to face each new day.

In the circumstances, the injured man is calling on the offending motorist to ‘have a heart’ and to ‘let his conscience be his guide.’

But even as Jesse Gibbs continues to languish on a hospital bed, the man who caused the accident has never once visited him in hospital, Gibbs disclosed. Gibbs said the offending motorist spoke with a relative, offering a negligible sum as compensation; but even that has, to date, not been forthcoming.

Wednesday, May 7

Mysterious LBI mid-afternoon fire leaves four homeless

FIRE broke out at Lot 99 Onion Field, La Bonne Intention, East Coast Demerara while retired cane harvester Dhanpaul was at home alone in bed; and in its aftermath, four persons have been rendered homeless. The Guyana Fire Service responded to the fire call, and when the Chronicle visited the gutted building, every item in the home was either damaged by the fire or scorched by the heat.

Home owner Dhanpaul told the Guyana Chronicle that he had been outside his home drinking with a relative, but had left to go inside for a nap.

 

Shooting of teen by Cadet Officer…
Mother refuses million-dollar settlement

MARCEL Griffith, mother of 15-year-old Alex Griffith who was shot in his mouth by a police cadet officer, said one million dollars are not going to cause her to turn a blind eye to what the police officer did to her son. Further, the woman said, no form of compensation would be able to repair the trauma and injury caused to her son by the bullet of an arrogant police officer who allowed his emotions to direct his actions.

Griffith’s son was shot in the mouth by a police cadet officer who responded to a call from his sister after she had allegedly been robbed while walking through East La Penitence.

 

Thursday, May 8

Central Bank mourns passing of its Governor

THE Bank of Guyana (BOG) was plunged into a state of mourning following the death of its governor, Mr Lawrence Theodore Williams. He was almost 60 years old.

Williams, who served the institution for more than 25 years in various capacities, died at the Balwant Singh Hospital in Georgetown after a prolonged battle with cancer.

The BOG, in a statement expressing its “profound sadness” at the death of its Governor, said Mr. Williams joined the Bank in 1979, and rose through the ranks of the organisation over the next thirty-five years.

Toshao accused of impregnating 10-yr-old daughter remanded to prison

A TOSHAO who is accused of raping and impregnating his 10-year-old daughter was remanded to prison.

Stanley Sam of Smith’s Creek, Morawhanna, Barima River, in the North West District of Region One, was not required to plead to two counts of rape committed on the minor.

According to reports, the girl, who lives at Smith’s Creek, Morawhanna, Barima River, was taken to the Mabaruma Hospital because she was unwell. Medical inspections indicated that she was sexually active, and “it wasn’t a one-time act”.

And it was revealed also that the child is four months’ pregnant. The matter will be called again at the Mabaruma Court on May 19.

 

Guyanese accused of smuggling cocaine in custard powder to NY

A GUYANESE man’s packages of powdered custard brought into John F. Kennedy International Airport last month turned out to be powdered cocaine.

Authorities arrested a man who tried to sneak nearly 18 pounds of cocaine in packages of custard power through airport security in New York, USA. Customs and Border Protection officials at John F. Kennedy International Airport stopped 35-year-old Godfrey Cassius of Georgetown, Guyana as he passed through baggage check.

In all, customs officials confiscated 17.9 pounds of cocaine, — which officials said has an approximate street value of US$300,000.

Friday, May 9

9-yr-old boy electrocuted by exposed power lines
A NINE-YEAR-OLD boy was having a bath when he came into contact with exposed live electric lines atop the zinc fence near the pipe where he was standing in his yard, causing him to be electrocuted.

Satyanand Balkarran of Lot 17 Goed Fortuin, West Bank Demerara, who was a pupil of Goed Fortuin Primary School, was pronounced dead on arrival at the West Demerara Regional Hospital.
Man executed while at Albouystown birthday celebration

ORVIN Millington, nicknamed ‘Champo’, 30, of Lot WW7, North East La Penitence, Georgetown, was shot and killed execution-style. He was playing card games with friends in Curtis Street, Albouystown, Georgetown when the incident took place.

Police reported that, at about 00:50 hrs, a man approached Millington in a yard and shot him.

 

USAID project halted to allow further talks

THE $300M United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Leadership and Democracy (LEAD) project has been halted to facilitate talks aimed at reaching a consensus between the Guyana Government and the United States Embassy in Georgetown.

The announcement was made during a joint press conference at Office of the President. At the end of the meeting, Head of the Presidential Secretariat, Dr Roger Luncheon, and U.S. Ambassador, Brent Hardt agreed to continue discussions next week with a view to charting a way forward for the benefit of the people of Guyana.

Dr Luncheon told the press that this pause in the months-long hullabaloo over the implementation of the project despite Government’s objections will allow for a “structured” move forward.

Saturday, May 10

Alleged teen bandit shot dead
NINETEEN-year-old Lloyd Hazel of Lot 86 Hill Street, Lodge, Georgetown was shot and killed on Main Street, Georgetown, just opposite the New Thriving Restaurant. According to the police, investigations revealed that the late Hazel and an accomplice were on a motorcycle when they ‘held up’ a taxi transporting a Black and Decker Fixit Hardware Store employee who was on his way to a city bank to make a deposit of more than half-a-million dollars and other valuables.

One of the persons who allegedly witnessed the robbery was an employee of a private security firm, who opened fire on the robbers, killing Hazel and wounding his accomplice, who escaped apprehension.

33 GEA employees on the breadline

THE combined Parliamentary Opposition, on Tuesday, April 15, 2014, did not approve the budget allocations for Office of the President Administrative Services line item. The line includes the budget allocation for the Guyana Energy Agency (GEA) and other subvention agencies. The non-approved allocation for GEA was for $73.5 million as subsidies/contribution from Central Government.

Of the aforementioned amount, the Agency needed only $73.5 million, as the remaining $44.546 will be generated from revenue received for agency and licensing fees.

Of the $119.101 million budgeted expenditure of the Agency, $76.264 million are allocated to employment cost. Hence the $73.5-million-dollar subvention that was requested was towards employment cost for 33 employees.
Ramesh Persaud is new PSC Chairman

VICE-CHAIRMAN of the Private Sector Commission (PSC), Mr. Ramesh Persaud, has been identified to chair the PSC following the death of former Chairman Mr. Ronald Webster. Persaud, whose identification was ratified on May 6 by the PSC Council, will be officially sworn in before the end of June.