JONES BODY CREMATED
(The Citizen January 24, 1979)
“TIME” the international weekly magazine has said that the body of self-styled Bishop of the People’s Temple Jim Jones has been cremated and his ashes will be scattered over the Atlantic.In January 1, 1979 Issue, TIME said that a silver hearse carried his body from Dover, Delaware to a crematorium in New Jersey.
Jones’ body was one of more than 900 taken to Dover Air Force base which has the largest military morgue in the world and stored until after an inquest into the deaths at Jonestown, the People’s Temple Commune in Port Kaituma area.

CONSUMERS ASSOCIATION OPENS OFFICE TODAY
(The Citizen January 2, 1979)
The Guyana Consumer’s Association opens its office to the public from 1 p.m today in an effort to provide improved services to consumers.
The office is at the corner of Holmes and Main Streets above the R.G. Humphrey establishment and will be open to the public from Monday to Friday of each week between 1 p.m and 4 p.m.
Ms Eileen Cox and an official of the Consumers Association will be at hand to deal with complaints.
In addition to providing consumers with the opportunity to make their complaints, it has opened the way for direct contacts between the Association and consumers.

BEECHCRAFT CRASH-LANDS IN NON PAREIL RICE FIELD
(The Citizen January 3, 1979)
A four-seater Beechcraft light aeroplane owned by a Dutch national crash-landed in a muddy rice field behind the seashore at Non Pariel East Coast Demerara early this morning.
Two men were aboard but none was injured as the light aircraft barely managed to escape crashing into the Atlantic.
Ronald Jansen 26 the Pilot who hails from the Netherlands said that the aircraft was en route from Suriname to Trinidad when it developed engine troubles.
The passenger was Malcolm Menzies said to be a British salesman.
Both men were assisting Guyanese officials with their investigations into the incident.

HOLD HANDS AND DIE
(The Citizen January 12, 1979)
Another instant book on the ill-fated People’s Temple Church whose Jonestown commune in the hinterland wiped itself out in a mass murder/suicide on November 8, 1978 has been published in the United States.
“Hold hands and die” is written by John McGuire and Mary Lee Dunn.
McGuire is an award winning journalist who became known for his coverage of the Attica State prison riots.
Dunn is a feature editor for the Springfield Union newspaper and the two collaborated previously on the book :”The Patty Hearst Story”
Other “Instant” books were written by the two American reporters who escaped the Port Kaituma massacre when United States Congressman Leo Ryan, three US newsmen and a People’s Temple defector were killed.
Washington Post Latin American correspondent Charles Krause wrote “The Guyana massacre” while San Francisco Chronicle reporter Ron Javers wrote “The suicide cult” with colleague Marshall Kilduff.

MAKING OVERSEAS CALLS CLEARER
(The Citizen January 17, 1979)
The satellite-earth station dish has been set up on the Guyana Telecommunications compound on Carifesta Avenue and when commissioned in February 23, will do much to enhance the quality of connections for telephone conversations between Guyana and North America and Britain.
The dish equipped with a homing device is locked unto a stationary satellite 23,000 miles above the Atlantic and conversations to North America and Britain will be beamed by the satellite.
As such adverse weather conditions will not impair the quality of reception of these conversations.

BUSINESSMAN “PRESUMED DEAD”
(The Citizen January 22, 1979)
City businessman, John Innocent of Ketley and Drysdale Streets, who disappeared from his home without a trace since May last year is presumed dead and efforts are now underway by his relatives to get a High Court order to that effect.
This was disclosed yesterday by his son who has begun legal steps in connection with the administration of the missing businessman’s estate as required by law.
Since he disappeared over eight months ago, Police investigating the matter have failed to find any clues as to his whereabouts.

SPECIAL STAMP ISSUED ON WED
(The Citizen February 2, 1979)
The Guyana Post Office Corporation will release a special issue of stamps on Wednesday February 7 to mark the installation of the recently completed earth station.
The special issues of stamps will be available in denominations of 10 cents, 30 cemnts,50 cents and $3.00.
A set of stamps will be available for $3.90 and first day covers will be available at the GPO Georgetown at $4.30 each from the date of release.

MAN WITH 2 “DEGREES” ON FRAUD CHARGES
(The Citizen February 28, 1979)
A man who allegedly drew four months salary from the Guyana Rice Board (GRB)by falsely pretending that he had a BSc degree in agricultural botany from the University of Wales and an MSc in technology from the University of Reading was yesterday placed on $250 bail when he appeared before Principal Magistrate Owen Fung-kee-Fung on four charges.
Winston Godfrey Leigh of South Ruimveldt Park is accused of drawing a total of $5,250 in salary from the GRB between October 15 and January 31 last while he was employed there as an agronomist.
He pleaded not guilty to the four charges of drawing salary by false pretences and will come up for trial on March 5 before Principal Magistrate Prem Persaud.

HARBOUR MASTER LIFTS PORT CURFEW
(The Citizen February 26. 1979)
Port Georgetown is now opened to 24-hour traffic once again following the lifting of the dusk to dawn curfew which was imposed since February 10 last in the wake of the sinking of the M.V Witshoal some nine miles from the Georgetown Lighthouse.
The curfew had to be imposed by local port officials because the unmarked wreck constituted a danger to navigation.
The position of the wreck has been marked by a lighted buoy.
The MV Witshoal sank off the Guyana coastland nearly three weeks ago while on its way to Guyana with some 4,000 tons of fertiliser for GUYSUCO.
It broke in mid-ship while steaming in to port and sank in murky waters shortly after.
Its cargo was lost but the 20-member crew was rescued.
Port Authorities have since been in touch with the American owner insisting that the wreck be salvaged or blown up. Word is however still being awaited from the owners.

(Clifford Stanley can be reached to discuss any of the foregoing articles at cliffantony@gmail.com or cell phone # 694 0913)