Clifford Stanley

VIEWERS ARE SEEING THINGS-T V IS HERE:
(Guiana Graphic August 18th 1963).
Six Guianese families have sneaked their way into the dizzy band of Television Viewers and are very elated about it.Although we have got no television station here, they are “getting the goods” – and that’s all that matters.
Events in several Caribbean countries are now being mirrored on the screens in these six B.G homes.
The owner of one of the six sets is popular archer Mr. Chic Young, who recently got a first-hand look at the damage wrought by hurricanes and floods in Puerto Rico.
“Reception on my set is generally good,” he says.
An electronic engineer, commenting on the current advent of T V in B.G. said that perfect reception is only guaranteed within a 50-mile range, but beyond that, well, it just isn’t reliable.
He referred to what the six Guianese families are now getting as “freak reception.”
The conditions for TV in B.G are quite favorable, he feels, but such a project would depend on whether Government would be willing to take the step

GHOST IN THE WARD?
(Guiana Graphic January 20,1963).
A nurse at the Georgetown Hospital has refused to work unless she is removed to another ward – because she claims she saw a ghost prowling in her ward.
The incident occurred about 3.30 a. last Monday. The nurse who was solely responsible for the supervision and care of 47 child patients reported to the night sister that for a fleeting moment she had seen a familiar figure of a person long dead leading a dog through the ward.
She said she was sitting near the door and did not see anyone enter but made the observation because of a noise she heard.
She began to get goose pimples and became scared when a child in the ward, disturbed by the noise, pointed to her and said: “Nurse, nurse…there’s a man sitting next to you.”
She was given a porter to stay with her the rest of the night.
She requested a transfer from the ward but the request was turned down and she has stayed away from work since Tuesday.
The incident has caused nurses in the hospital to ask for at least two persons to be on duty in the children’s ward annexe.
They point out that it is the last medical block in the hospital and it adjoins the medical observation ward.
It is also housed over the mortuary.
On one occasion, two nurses were forced to jump through windows when they were attacked by a mental patient who had escaped.
Meanwhile the Medical Empoyees Union is investigating the matter.

AT LEAST HE FINISHED HIS DRINK
.(Guiana Graphic August 20th 1963).
A farmer who asked the Police to allow him to finish off the bottle of bush rum he was caught with, was ordered by Magistrate Horace Mitchell at Providence Court yesterday to pay the minimum fine of $250 when he pleaded guilty to a charge .
Four others caught in his company were freed.
Dalia, 40, of Herstelling had begged when caught…”You know rum is hard to get now. Let me drink and be done with the matter before you take me in.”
Inspector Edward Godding , the Prosecutor said that Constable Primus, Constable Van Brooke, Constable Evans and Special Constable Browne were on mobile patrol around 8 p.m. on June 29 at Herstelling when they saw Dalia and four others.
As the Police drew closer they saw one of the men pass a large white bottle to Dalia who put the bottle to his mouth and had a long drink.
The four other men, Ramkissoon, 23, Lynden King, 24, Harry Badrie, 39, and Gopaul Singh were freed by the Magistrate who said that there was no evidence against them.

HE FELL TWICE INTO GRAVE-NOW HE’S DEAD
(Guiana Graphic July 16th 1963).
A 23 year old Public Works Department employee was killed in a road accident at Supply on the East Bank of Demerara yesterday-three days after it is said that he had fallen twice into a grave he was digging for a British soldier.
On Saturday last at Atkinson Field, Ganesh and some other men were digging the grave of Randolph Land, a Grenadier Guardsman, when he fell inside.
After being helped out of the grave by his colleagues, Ganesh slipped and fell into it again.
And shortly after 11 o’clock yesterday morning, while Ganesh – a mason- was on the roadside with other PWD employees, who were working on the renovation of a revetment at Supply, he was struck by a PWD lorry, and died instantly.
The lorry loaded with loam was on its way from Atkinson Field it was stated.
It swerved to allow another lorry, travelling south along the Public Road to pass, when the accident occurred.

BG’S BED BUGS : A REAL MENACE
(Guiana Graphic August 8th 1963).
B.G’s native bed bugs have much to answer for, according to reports being compiled by Dr. George J. Burton, a medical expert now working for the US Public Health Service on a filariasis study in Guyana..
Dr. Burton studied the natural and experimental infections of bed bugs in B.G and will shortly publish his findings.
He revealed that bed bugs can transmit dozens of diseases ranging from elephantiasis, river blindness, leprosy, pneumonia, rocky mountain fever, tuberculosis, meningitis, malaria, yellow fever, sleeping sickness, beri beri and many others.
He described how when rickettsia rickettsi- a disease organism of Rocky Mountain fever- was injected into the rectum of the bed bug it remained virulent in the bed bug’s gut for up to 27 days.
Dr. Burton also related how he noticed that bed bugs could transmit malaria..

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