February 2-7, 2015

Monday, 2

Hit-and-run driver kills two pedestrians on Essequibo Coast

A SPEEDING car driven by a suspected drunken driver killed two pedestrians on Richmond Public Road at around 3:00am last Sunday.

Reports are that the 29-year-old driver, a goldsmith of Hampton Court, Essequibo Coast, was speeding along the public road and trying to overtake another speeding car travelling in a northern direction to Charity when he hit the two men, 23-year-old Adrian Osborne and 20-year-old Colin John, both of Henrietta village.

The driver drove away after hitting down the two young men, but was subsequently arrested by police.

Stranger beats, rapes teen in cemetery at Best Village

A TEENAGE girl was beaten and brutally raped by a knife-wielding stranger in the cemetery at Best Village, West Coast Demerara. He later abandoned her among tombs in the dark and eerie environment.

Reliable information reaching this newspaper is that the girl, who lives at Best Village, near the West Demerara Regional Hospital, was walking home from work at around 19:00hrs along the lonely, bushy and unlit Best Road when the incident occurred.

While expressing sympathy for the young woman, residents are calling once more on the authorities to get their act together and move with all due haste to have the bushes cut and street lights installed.

‘Young Bill Rogers’ makes comeback with ‘Ah looking for a larki’

ROGER Hinds of Region 3 has won the National Chutney Competition at the Anna Regina Community Centre ground, Essequibo Coast, with his song: “Ah looking for a larki”.

He first took the chutney crown in the 2013 competition, and reclaimed it this year with a dynamic and entertaining performance that captivated the audience and the eight judges.

The new Chutney King of Guyana has won the top prize of $600,000 and a trophy.

In second place is five-time Chutney Monarch Haresh Singh, who won $400,000 and a trophy; and the third place prize of $250,000 and a trophy went to Bunty Singh of Bath Settlement, West Berbice.

Tuesday, 3

G/town leg of Children’s Mash Competitions begins

THE Georgetown leg of the Children’s Mashramani Competitions, being held under the theme “One People, One Culture, One Celebration”, began with participants showing much determination to outdo the other regions.

Master of Ceremonies (MC) of the event, Lavern Cameron, had this to say to the excited bunch of children: “Today alone we have 60 entries to entertain you with.” she urged the students present to pay rapt attention to the history and culture behind each performance.

The Children’s Mashramani Programme, being held under the watchful eyes of the Education Ministry, is in full swing, as competitions in Regions 2 (Pomeroon-Supenaam) and 3 (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara) and other regions have been completed, and those regions are now eyeing the national competition that will begin from February 12.

Police nab man who allegedly raped woman on tomb in Best Cemetery
ACTING on information received, police arrested a 25-year-old man who is alleged to have brutally raped a teenage girl on a tomb in the Best Cemetery, West Coast Demerara.

The Guyana Chronicle has been informed that the police were able to apprehend the man even as he attempted to flee from them. The man had apprehended the woman at knife point to commit the unlawful sex act.

Initially hospitalised following the incident, the teen has reportedly been discharged and is at home surrounded by family members.

Start of Claims and Objections set for tomorrow start

THE Preliminary List of Electors (PLE) was published last week, and the Claims and Objections period is set to commence tomorrow.

The claims and objections period is the next step after a continuous cycle of registration, the last one being the seventh cycle of continuous registration.

Some 6,003 persons took advantage of the seventh cycle of registration, which ended on December 31, 2014. There were also 1,163 changes and corrections to existing registration information that was done during the seventh continuous cycle of registration, as well as 1,248 transfers.

The claims and objections period is necessary to finalise the Official List of Electors (OLE), which will facilitate voting on Elections Day.

Wednesday, 4

Two-year-old killed in Lethem accident

THE Guyana Police Force has reported that two-year-old, Vivianne Fortune of Tabatinga, Lethem, was walking along the roadway at Tabatinga in the company of her mother when she is reported to have pulled away from her mother and ran into the path of a motor pick-up vehicle.

Struck down, she was taken to the Lethem Hospital, where she was pronounced dead on arrival. The driver of the motor vehicle is in police custody.

Truck drivers express disgust over minibus drivers’ recklessness
DURING a meeting with Traffic Chief Ian Amsterdam, a group of truck/lorry drivers expressed disgust at the way some minibus drivers operate on the roads.

The meeting was held at New Hope Public Road, East Bank Demerara, with Amsterdam and other senior traffic officers in an effort to address their concerns.

Amsterdam told this publication that the group, consisting of 50 men, expressed concerns about the way some minibus drivers behave at the wheels of their vehicles whilst on the roads, especially on the East Bank corridor.

Mahaica Creek land dispute leaves one dead

A LAND dispute between two families at Handsome Tree, Mahaica Creek escalated into a bloodbath, leaving one dead and two seriously injured.

Dead is 24-year-old Ravo Nandkishore. His 26-year-old brother, Davo, is in the Mahaicony Cottage Hospital under strict surveillance, and their 62-year-old father, Jai Nandkishore, is a patient at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC).

Of the two survivors, both of whom were severely chopped about their bodies, the father is said to be the more critical.

Thursday, 5

Four drown while performing religious ritual

A FAMILY was plunged into deep mourning after four of its members were fished out of the Atlantic Ocean off Vergenoegen, EBE, hours after trekking to the foreshore to perform a one-year ritual for another family member who had died last year.

The dead have been identified as 53-year-old, Radika Persaud of Lot 13 Vergenoegen, East Bank Essequibo; her son, 14-year-old Ravin Persaud; her nephew, Billy Narine, age 12; and her niece, Annatina Persaud, age nine.

Narine and Persaud are siblings who had lived at Lot 2402 Onderneeming, Parfaite Harmonie, WBD.

Better Hope man granted $400,000 bail over rape of 14-year-old

VISHNU Singh, 24, of Better Hope, East Coast Demerara, was placed on $400,000 bail when he appeared at the Sparendaam Magistrate’s Court charged with rape allegedly committed on a 14-year-old schoolgirl.

The man appeared in court hours after the Director of Public Prosecutions had instructed the police to institute the rape charge against him, and less than 24 hours after the police had sent the file to the DPP’s Chambers seeking advice.

The expeditious procedures kicked in after Human Services and Social Security Minister, Jennifer Webster wrote Police Commissioner, Seelall Persaud expressing her disgust over this recent case of rape, and moreover, the involvement of a policewoman who was attempting to pervert the course of justice by arranging a settlement in the matter, which would have personally benefitted her to the tune of $300,000.

Essequibo man shot at Puruni

THE police said they are probing a report that Calvin De Souza, 24, of Johanna Cecelia, Essequibo Coast, was walking along a trail at Mara Mara, Puruni, when he was shot and injured to his abdomen under circumstances that are so far unclear.

He received medical treatment at the Bartica Hospital.

Friday, 6

Minibus driver fatally stabbed during row
–15-year-old dies in Corentyne ‘joy ride
POLICE said that minibus driver Yamsham Ram, 43, of Friendship, East Bank Demerara was involved in an argument with another man at Timehri, EBD, during which he was stabbed about his body.

And in another report, police said unlicensed driver, Akash Mohan, 15, of Number 72 Village, Corentyne, was driving a motor vehicle along the Public Road at Crabwood Creek, Corentyne when he lost control of the vehicle and collided with a parked vehicle and a concrete bridge.

He received injuries and was pronounced DOA at the Skeldon Hospital. Andrew Sooknandan, 16 years, of Kingston, Corriverton, who was in the vehicle, also received injuries and has been admitted to the New Amsterdam Hospital.

Police unearth illegal guns, ammo in home searches
-two in custody

ACTING on information received and intelligence tips, ranks from the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) in Georgetown searched the Lot 890 Fifth Avenue, Diamond Housing Scheme, East Bank Demerara home of 35-year-old Deon Coates and unearthed an unlicensed .45 pistol with seven matching live rounds in the living room thereof.

At home at time of the search, Coates was promptly arrested and taken into custody.

An unlicensed .38 revolver and three matching live rounds were also unearthed at the Goedverwagting, East Coast Demerara home of 45-year-old Ronald Singh after CID ranks from the city, acting on information, conducted an early morning search of Singh’s residence.

2015 targets for rice, sugar production set

THE 2015 production targets for rice and sugar have been set, according to Agriculture Minister Dr. Leslie Ramsammy.

In an invited comment, Dr. Ramsammy said the target for rice production is 618,000 tonnes.

Last year was another record-breaking year for the rice industry. Production was recorded at 635,238 tonnes, of which 501,208 tonnes were exported.

Production in the final crop of 2014 surpassed that of the first crop, which recorded just over 300,000 tonnes.

The rice sector has seen consistent improvements over the past several years. Production for 2013 was 535,212 tonnes, which was far above the original target of 413,000 tonnes and reflected a 27 per cent increase over the production in 2012.

The average production per hectare was some five tonnes.

Saturday, 7

‘Five Star’ Marriott to open next month
POSITIONED to be Guyana’s first ‘Five-Star,’ internationally branded hotel, the Georgetown Marriott will open its doors for business next month amidst the pomp and ceremony of a gala affair set to be graced with international executives and celebrities.

Roberto Grissi, General Manager of the Marriott Hotel, sat down with the Guyana Chronicle for an exclusive interview and revealed that the administrators are in the final stages of preparation for an opening, come March month.

GECOM engages staff through vetting process – DCEO assures

CONCERNS of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) were reiterated by General Secretary, Clement Rohee, the most recent of which was that the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) should engage in public vetting of its Election Day staffers.

He said: “The PPP, time and again, has expressed concerns over the recruitment of polling day staff, and had requested public vetting of these individuals. This can only serve to improve the confidence of the electorate in GECOM, and solidify its own integrity of elections management.

“It is important that the most suited persons based on experience, qualifications and background (should be) employed to work on polling day.”

Mahaica River bloodbath…
Postmortem reveals Ravo Nandkishore died of brain injuries

A postmortem performed on the body of 25-year-old Suresh Nandkishore, also called ‘Ravo’, who was killed during a land dispute at Handsome Tree, Mahaica Creek, revealed that he died of injuries to the brain accompanied by massive haemorrhaging.

His body will be cremated today at the Good Hope cremation site at about noon.

Suresh, a Chartered Accountant; his brother, Davo, 26; and their father, 52-year-old Bhopaul Nandkishsore, called Jai, came under a vicious lumber and cutlass attack in the Mahaica backdam just after noon on Tuesday, as they were fencing a plot of land inherited by Bhopaul from his grandfather.

The other parties to the dispute are their neighbour known only as Tony, and his two sons, who live next door.