By Leroy Smith
SOURCES in government and security have confirmed that a Venezuelan registered helicopter landed on an airstrip at Kaikan, Region 7 with approximately eight heavily armed Venezuelan soldiers about 10:45hrs yesterday morning. The Guyana Chronicle was told that when the helicopter landed there were two Amerindian women close by and as is customary when an aircraft lands at the airstrip, they rushed towards it.
The women who subsequently spoke to the Police stated that as they approached the aircraft, two of the men with their guns in hand disembarked and advanced towards them.
The men enquired from the women if the area they had landed at was Sanguan, a farm in Venezuela.
The women responded in the negative and informed the armed men that they had in fact landed at Kaikan in Guyana. Sanguan in Venezuela also has Amerindian settlers, according to online sources.
After being told they were in the wrong place, the men re-boarded the helicopter and left the area.
One senior security source said that the incident is being looked into and the army and police as well as President David Granger, Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo and the Ministers of Public Security and Foreign Affairs have been informed of the development.
This publication learnt that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is to request an explanation of this latest incident from the Venezuelan authorities, even as local security experts are examining the situation.
One government minister who spoke with this newspaper last evening said that he is aware that the matter was reported to the Police first who informed their superiors who in turn informed Minister of Public Security Khemraj Ramjattan and the Chairman of the Joint Services, Guyana Defence Force Chief of Staff, Brigadier Mark Phillips.
By the time GDF ranks arrived in the area the Venezuelan helicopter with the soldiers had already departed.
It is said that Kaikan is approximately 10 miles away from the Venezuelan village of Sanguan.
Contacted yesterday, Brigadier Phillips would only say that they are indeed investigating the report of a Venezuelan helicopter landing on Guyana soil.
He said that based on information so far, it would have to be determined whether the presence of the helicopter was a case of a navigational error or not.

GO-FAST BOAT AT SHELL BEACH
Meanwhile, the GDF Coast Guard a few days ago discovered a go-fast boat in the vicinity of Shell Beach.
According to security personnel, the boat was discovered by persons in the area who informed the Coast Guard and the police. The vessel which shows no signs of wreckage is in the custody of the Coast Guard and preparations are being made to have it brought to the City.
Minister Ramjattan said the vessel based on initial checks is not a Guyanese registered vessel and no one has been coming forward to claim ownership of it.
He said the administration and law enforcement officials are not ruling out the possibility that the vessel might have been there to facilitate the drug trade.
The Guyana has been informed that it is these developments that have also contributed to the Government of Guyana and the security forces coming to a decision to increase its presence and visibility countrywide.
According to one senior official, it is because of the added eyes which are already evident with recently-launched ‘Operation Dragnet’ that the boat was discovered and the helicopter spotted.