Monday 21
Double murder and suicide rock ‘gay’ community
JASON John, 21, also known as ‘Jada’ of Lamaha Street, Alberttown, Carl Sinclair, also known as ‘Tyra Banks’ of Vergenoegen, East Bank Essequibo and Samuel Bristol, 31, of Nabaclis, East Coast Demerara, all members of the ‘gay’ community, met gruesome deaths in a double murder followed by suicide. Just after midnight, John and Sinclair were attacked and stabbed to death two streets from each other by Bristol who had gone into a fit of rage before ending his own life by drenching himself with acid on Regent Street hours later. The two were stabbed on Leopold and High Street and Lombard Street respectively.
$100M computerised asphalt plant commissioned in Berbice
ROAD builders in Berbice now have an alternative in their field with the commissioning of a $100M asphalt plant at Tarlogie Village, Corentyne, Berbice. The multi-million-dollar computerised facility is owned by Peter Lewis of the Associated Construction Services (ACS), and has the potential to produce 60 tonnes of asphalt per hour.
Employees of ACS have received technical training from Indian engineers to operate the VINAYAK equipment which was made in India and to date 800 tonnes of asphalt have already been processed.
YEST has again provided a lifeline for youths – 195 graduate; 28 get driver’s licence
GOVERNMENT continues to invest in the lives of youths across the country by empowering them with the necessary skills and knowledge needed for their individual development and contribution to nation building.
This was again manifested when 195 youths from across the 10 administrative regions graduated after completing the Youth Entrepreneurial and Skills Training (YEST) programme, at the Kuru Kuru Training Centre’s (KKTC) 14th graduation ceremony. Twenty-eight youths also obtained their driver’s licence following the successful completion of the driving programme which was introduced last year.
Tuesday 22
Pouderoyen woman stabs reputed husband to death
THIRTY-eight-year-old Nicola Joseph is in police custody following the murder of her reputed husband. Dead is Curtis McKinnon, 37, a father of four and Production/Distribution Supervisor at the Guyana Water Inc (GWI) Pouderoyen office. The incident reportedly occurred at the couple’s two-bedroom home at Lot 12 Plantain Walk, Pouderoyen, West Bank Demerara. Reports are that he and Ms. Joseph were arguing in one of the bedrooms when she stabbed him in the neck. The argument reportedly stemmed from her going to ‘the Stadium’ to watch cricket in the company of another male.
Man fatally knifes another over washroom space
AN argument, over washroom space and privacy, has left 52-year-old Alvy Israel Richmond, a father of three and a mechanic of Strath-Campbell, Mahaicony, East Coast Demerara dead, whilst the alleged assailant, whose only name was given as Travis, is in police custody to face the murder charge. Travis is the reputed husband of Richmond’s sister. The Chronicle has been informed that both men simultaneously wanted to use the washroom at the above address, which is not an abnormal practice with the family, and neither would give way to the other.
Bloated remains of Siriki man found floating in Pomeroon River
THE bloated remains of 42-year-old Siriki labourer, Sugit Persaud, was discovered floating in the Pomeroon River. According to reports coming out of Siriki, a village located up the Pomeroon River, the father of one went out with friends in a boat to “hang out” at a night spot but never returned home. Fellow villagers spotted his bloated remains floating on the river not far from where he lived. His face was badly damaged reportedly by piranhas.
OLPF distributes 681 computers at Charity
THE Government, through the One Laptop Per Family (OLPF) programme, recently distributed an additional 681 computers to families in the Charity area on the Essequibo Coast. Region Two Chairman, Mr. Parmanand Persaud, who was present at the commencement of the distribution exercise at the Charity Secondary School, said the Government’s policy is for every family across the country to get a laptop computer under the OLPF programme so as to be educated in Information Technology.
Wednesday 23
Five busted in US$3.5M ‘ganja’ find aboard Guyana-registered cargo vessel
FIVE persons were arrested when U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigators (HSI) intercepted a Guyana-flagged cargo vessel in the Caribbean Sea, south of Puerto Rico, with 3,500 pounds of marijuana aboard. The crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Northland said they acted after detecting a suspicious 68-foot motor vessel transiting the Caribbean Sea with five crew members on board. The haul was estimated to have a street value of US$3.5M. The individuals on board – Michael Da Costa, Shawn A. Ally, Nolan E. Connelly, Ron D. Griffith and Owen K. Drakes –- have been detained.
Guyana’s King of Comedy, Habeeb Khan passes away
VETERAN comedian, the legendary Habeeb Khan, passed away at his Friendship, East Bank Demerara home at the age of 77. This publication visited his relatives’ home in the same village to find family members deeply mourning his death. His son, Hamid Khan, told this publication that he was heading to work when he got a call that his father had died. Hamid said he did not believe, but on passing by his father’s home to verify the news, he saw a hearse removing the body. Born June 16, 1936, Habeeb is said to have fathered 16 children from four different mothers.
Breakthrough in fight against AIDS
(LONDON) SCIENTISTS have, for the first time ever, “deleted” HIV from human cells, marking a major breakthrough in the fight against AIDS. Once HIV conquers a human cell, it stays there forever. The virus inserts its deadly genome permanently into the victims’ DNA, forcing patients to be hooked on drugs for life. But now, for the first time, researchers have found a way to eliminate latent HIV-1 virus from human cells — and this could be a cure for other latent infections.
Now, a team of Temple University School of Medicine researchers has designed a way to snip out the integrated HIV-1 genes for good.
Thursday 24
$60M fund created to boost Rupunnui development
THE Government of Guyana, in collaboration with the Guyana Bank for Trade and Industry (GBTI) and Conservation International (CI)-Guyana Inc., has launched the $60M Rupununi Innovation Fund (RIF). The fund will provide financing and technical support for local and community-based agriculture and tourism enterprises to enable their participation in and support of Guyana’s Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS). It will support sustainable agriculture; agro-processing; marketing; sustainable fisheries; sustainable management of forests, savannahs and other ecosystems; agro-forestry; nature-based and agro-tourism and arts and craft.
Indian doctors remove 232 teeth from boy’s mouth
(BBC News) DOCTORS in India have extracted 232 teeth from the mouth of a 17-year-old boy in a seven-hour operation. Ashik Gavai was brought in with a swelling in his right jaw, Dr Sunanda Dhiware, head of Mumabi’s JJ Hospital’s dental department, told the BBC. The teenager had been suffering for 18 months and travelled to the city from his village after local doctors failed to identify the cause of the problem. Doctors have described his condition as “very rare” and “a world record”.
CARICOM Secretariat to empower Guyana’s youth with animation skills
A GROUP of young people in Guyana will get an opportunity to learn valuable animation skills through a project coordinated by the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretariat. The project, which is being implemented in collaboration with Animae Caribe and the Guyana Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport, is designed around the use of animation as a tool to address youth crime and violence, and safeguard cultural heritage. A workshop, targeting youth with computer skills and who have an interest in the arts, will provide the participants with basic knowledge to create animated short films. It will run from July 28-31 at the Guyana International Conference Centre.
Friday 25
Guyana sees unprecedented improvement in HDI ratings
GUYANA’S Human Development Index (HDI) for the year 2013 has recorded an unprecedented increase of 23.6 per cent between 1980 and 2013, according to the 2014 Human Development Report (HDR) presented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). The HDI is a summary measure for assessing long-term progress in three basic dimensions of human development: A long and healthy life, access to knowledge, and a decent standard of living. The report which presented the HDI (values and ranks) for 187 countries and UN-recognized territories also includes the Inequality-adjusted HDI for 145 countries, the Gender Development Index for 148 countries, the Gender Inequality Index for 149 countries, and the Multidimensional Poverty Index for 91 countries.
Nude, decomposed body of female found near Turkeyen
THE nude and decomposed body of a female was discovered in a clump of bushes between the Railway Embankment and the East Coast Carriageway in the vicinity of Turkeyen. While the police have been unable to determine the identity of the woman, given the state of decomposition, speculation is rife that the body may be that of school teacher Nyozi Goodman who went missing some two weeks ago. Investigators are of the view that the woman found may have been raped and killed during sexual intercourse.
Finance Minister to go before Privileges Committee
THE Speaker of the National Assembly, Mr. Raphael Trotman, has ruled that Finance Minister, Dr. Ashni Singh, should appear before the Parliamentary Privileges Committee, following a Motion from A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) Shadow Finance Minister, Mr. Carl Greenidge. Trotman, in his ruling said: “Having regard to all the facts and circumstances above, it is my considered opinion that the issue of the spending by the Honourable Minister of Finance does raise sufficiently serious questions of privilege such that the Committee of Privileges should enquire into. The combined Opposition contends that Minister Singh violated the law by spending monies that were disapproved of during the 2014 Budget debates. The spending was reflected in a $4.6B Statement of Excess tabled in the National Assembly on June 19 last by the Finance Minister.
Saturday 26
President Ramotar declares open Berbice Expo 2014
UNDER the theme: ‘Exploiting Science and Technology for Economic Development,’ the 10th annual Berbice Exposition (Berbice Expo) and Trade Fair was declared open by President Donald Ramotar at the Albion Sports Complex, Corentyne. The four-day affair which runs until July 28 is being staged to showcase Berbice businesses and, creating partnerships with Georgetown-based entities. The annual event is a joint venture which attracted 80 companies this year.
GUYSUCO foreman fatally struck by speeding car
A Guyana Sugar Corporation (GUYSUCO) foreman was propelled as high as a utility post, after being struck by a speeding car along the Number 11 Farm roadway, a short distance from his home. He was pronounced dead minutes after at the New Amsterdam Hospital. Vickram Ramlakhan, moments ago had related to his wife, Kavita, to whom he had married for five years that he was leaving for work. But, the distraught young woman, recalled that her 26-year-old husband, was actually going to the Albion Estate dispensary, as he was on three days sick leave.
PNCR 18th Biennial Congress opens
THE People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) 18th Biennial Congress opened amid a tangibly charged atmosphere, under the theme ‘PNCR for National Unity, Good Governance and Development.’
Leader of the PNCR and the main Opposition, the coalition-A Partnership for National Unity (APNU), Brigadier (rtd.) David Granger used the platform to advance the party’s advocacy for a “one nation” approach to governance. He said: “The PNCR’s ‘One Nation’ approach could be the main means of combining the talents of a wider constituency and of creating the conditions for social cooperation and economic progress.”
