(A look at some of the stories that made the news ‘back-in-the-day’ with CLIFFORD STANLEY) 

Stole Cerex
(Guyana Chronicle: January 3,1986)

A NINETEEN-year-old boy, who allegedly stole a packet of Cerex from a man while he was walking down the street, was yesterday refused bail by Chief Magistrate George McLennan,  and another 18-year-old, allegedly involved in the same incident, was placed on $1500 bail after they appeared on a charge of simple larceny.
The Police alleged that Shawn Austin, called ‘Lick-up’,  and Melroy Peru, called ‘Black-boy’,  on October 28 of last year stole the packet of cereal valued $3.25 from Trevor Binning.
The case is for a report on January 13.

Halley’s Comet sighted over Guyana
(Guyana Chronicle: January 2, 1986)

THE MUCH-talked-about Halley’s Comet has been sighted over Guyana.
The comet, which was last seen over Guyana in 1911, was seen on December 1 of last year from the University of Guyana by final-year physics student, Mark Sherington and astronomer, Alfred Bhulai.
The comet, which at this time is only clearly visible by use of binoculars or telescope,  was seen again last Tuesday night, spotted by the astronomer and his student from the roof of the Guyana Broadcasting Corporation  (GBC) building in Lodge.
The GBC was at the time broadcasting a half-hour programme, instructing the public on how to locate and view the comet.
Sherington, viewing the comet through binoculars, described it as a fuzzy mass.
Bhulai pointed out that in order to locate the comet, one should look up to the west and locate the brightest shining object in the western sky, which, he said, would be the planet Jupiter.
After locating Jupiter, the great square of Pegasus must be located. This is done by extending one’s arm straight out in the direction a little west of directly overhead. You then open your hand and fingers, and roughly in that direction, there is a square almost empty of stars, in which the palm of your hand is seen to fit. This is the great square of Pegasus.
Locate the south-easternmost star of the square, and follow a south-eastern direction from it. In that direction, you will pass two stars in a straight line.
Concentrate on the second one, which has some other stars nearby; the star directly left of this second star is then located. The comet can be seen just above this star at its present phase of its journey.
The comet will be seen to move considerably from night to night, it was explained.
The comet will become brighter and brighter as time goes on until April 11, when it will be at its brightest.
On that date, it will be at its closest point to the earth.
Halley’s Comet, which is visible roughly every 75 years, was first detected this time around by American astronomers in Panama during 1982, and has since then been followed as it gets closer to earth.
Only this year has the comet come close enough to be seen with the naked eye.
Reports from a United States spacecraft in the neighbourhood of the comet indicated that it is probably black or light grey from carbon, and covered unevenly with ice.
The brightness of the comet seen from earth is sunlight reflected off dust particles that break away with big chunks of ice that the comet kicks off every now and then.

Fire guts Belvedere and other building
(Guyana Chronicle: January 19, 1986)

BELVEDERE Hotel and a nearby Camp Street building went up in flames on Friday night, leaving in its trail losses to the owners estimated at millions of dollars and a picture of gloom for the popular disco and nightspot patrons.
It was the expert firefighting by members of the Georgetown Fire Service that prevented the fire from spreading to St. Margaret’s School and other buildings in the area.
Yesterday, while Police were quizzing two hotel guests in whose room the fire started, Managing Director Mrs. Donna Boyer and other members of the Board of Directors were discussing their losses, and immediate plans for rebuilding Belvedere.
A spokesman for the Board said that the losses had run into millions of dollars. This, it is said, included the destruction by fire of the entire disco with newly acquired equipment, modern kitchen, storage facilities, five dance floors, furnishings stocks and other appliances.
Mr. Anoop Ramroop of Ramroop’s Furniture Store, whose building was also gutted by flames from the hotel, said he too had suffered heavy losses.
Four persons, it is believed, received minor injuries while fighting the fire. Police reports state that one man who attacked the Police after being accused of looting during the fire was shot and died later in hospital. Up to late yesterday, he had not been identified.
Reports state that the fire was discovered about 21.30h in Room 103 of the hotel while the occupants were out.
According to the hotel’s night manager, Benjie Nwobosi of Nigeria, it was the smoke escaping from the crease of the door that caused himself and another worker to break the door with the hope of putting out the fire.
“As soon as the door was opened, rushing flames drove us away, and although we turned back and tried to fight the fire with extinguishers, we had to abandon our idea,” Nwobosi said.
The alarm was given, and there was an orderly evacuation by patrons, some of whom were dining and dancing downstairs.
Fire Chief Leland Loncke said  that up to late yesterday, he and his men were still trying to determine the cause of the fire.
He said that on arrival at the scene, the Belvedere main building was well alight  and they could do no more than contain the flames in order to save the nearby buildings.
Flying brands, he said, had caught nearby electric posts and a ladder at St. Margaret’s School, but that fire was quickly put out.
Three units with seven jets were used to put out the fire, Loncke disclosed. They were able to save the annex hotel.
Members of the Board of Directors were operating from the annex.
Questioned about the future of the 60-member staff, a member of the Board disclosed that steps would be taken to ensure that staff does not suffer in any way.

(Clifford Stanley can be reached to discuss any of the foregoing articles at cliffantony@gmail.com or by telephone: 657-2043)