–desperately trying to leave Guyana via ‘back-track’ route

AS police in the West Demerara District continue to hone in on Trinidadian Daniel Ali and his accomplice, Steven Baboolall, who have been fingered in several car thefts, sources have now informed that authorities are staking out locations in the Canals # 1 and 2 Polders, where the accused persons are allegedly hiding out in hope of leaving Guyana via the ‘back track’ routes.

This newspaper visited Ali’s former landlord, Mr. Bruce, yesterday at Uitvlugt Public Road, West Coast Demerara, and became privy to some very interesting information.

Bruce told this publication that Ali and Baboolall approached him earlier this year to rent the bottom flat of his business for the purpose of opening a catering service, and he readily granted them their wish, since the bottom flat of his home was suitable for their line of business.

While they indeed began selling ‘fast foods’ and pastries, he found it strange that the two were seen on several occasions with several spanking new cars. And at nights, they would drive the cars into the area they used as a restaurant, and would entirely cover up the vehicles with tarpaulin. The elderly man said that although he instructed them not to park the vehicles in the building, they just ignored his reprimand.

Bruce said that although the pair was seemingly operating a thriving business, they always seemed to run into difficulties when it was time to pay the monthly rent, and had just recently promised that they would have paid off rental fees up to the end of December 2014.

The man said that, about a week ago, Ali came to him and informed him that he was ceasing his business operations and would be selling all the amenities inside the restaurant — inclusive of a large microwave oven, glass case, a cooler refrigerator, and a quantity of alcoholic beverages that was on the premises — to a ‘Miss Yang’, owner of the Good Luck Chinese Restaurant at Grove Village, East Bank Demerara.
Bruce said he was later contacted by the Chinese woman, who promised to visit him two days after to inspect the rental premises of the restaurant she would soon be operating.

The man said that on the day after Ali had made the declaration to him, Baboolall, accompanied by a strange burly negro man and ‘Anita’ of the Aracari Resort, arrived at his residence and began to hurriedly pack into a waiting canter all the items Ali had said were to be sold to Miss Yang.

He said he overheard Anita exclaiming, “Pack up everything and we gon carry it by me, and all ah we gon get drunk!”

Mr. Bruce said they even packed up the microwave as well, but he protested that it was to be sold to Miss Yang. He said that after they had left the premises, he stumbled upon a black plastic bag they seemed to have forgotten and discovered it contained several business transactions of car rentals, with Baboolall’s signature on all the documents. Bruce said he was shocked to find glossy looking business cards that detailed the business as D & S Catering Service and Car Rentals.
Bruce said he handed those documents over to police at the Leonora Police Station.

Even as Mr. Bruce was relating this story a businessman at Uitvlugt (who wishes to remain anonymous) was summoned, and he informed that Ali owes him over Gy$250,000 for beverages that he had taken from him via a credit arrangement. He said that, over a week ago, Ali had strangely refused to take his calls, and has since been avoiding him altogether.

When this publication contacted Miss Yang of the Good Luck Chinese Restaurant, she said that Ali had sent her a signed contract dictating that she owned all the assets in the business, inclusive of micro wave, refrigerator, glass case, chairs and tables for $200,000, but he had sent another individual to uplift the payment.

The woman said that while she has been able to take over operations of the business, Ali is refusing to go to Mr. Bruce and cancel his contract for fear that the police would intercept him when he arrives there.

Three taxi drivers operating in the West Demerara District have given information that they are searching for Ali, who owes each of them in excess of $20,000 in taxi fares, which he had promised to settle in a week or two.

Police were made aware of the illegal practices of Ali and Baboolall after several car rental dealers had reported that they had refused to return cars they had rented, and investigations have proved that those vehicles were actually sold by the two to persons in various locations across Guyana.

While Baboolall was arrested and was later released on $20,000 bail, he and Ali have since been on the run after the story was made public last week. Sources have indicated that the two are desperately trying to leave the country through several possible ‘back track locations.’

(By Alex Wayne)