Keeping you updated on current events... Saturday April 24, 2021
ONLINE DAILY NEWSPAPER
Police tackle crime hotspot
HOSTILE MINIBUS DRIVER SLAPPED WITH 12-MONTH JAIL SENTENCE
Education Ministry announces exams cancellation
RAPE ACCUSED TAXI DRIVER FOR HIGH COURT TRIAL
SUSPECTED DRUG TRAFFICKERS GRANTED BAIL
Guyana Post Saturday April 24, 2021
Education Ministry announces exams cancellation
Chief Education Officer, Dr. Marcel Hutson,
As the number of COVID-19 cases and deaths continues to rise and take a toll on
Guyana’s Healthcare host Grade 4, 6, and 9 System, the Minister of Exams this year. Education has made yet This announcement another decision to not was made by the Chief
Education Officer, Dr. Marcel Hutson, as students continue around Guyana to prepare for
POLICE TACKLE CRIME HOTSPOT
The crime situation is seemingly out of control according to some citizens, and the Stabroek Market area is considered a hot crime area. The Guyana Police Force will now collaborate with ranks from the Georgetown City Constabulary to restore some order. This is according to the Guyana Police Force after an agreement between Deputy Commissioner Operations (ag) Clifton Hicken; Traffic Officer Superintendent Ramesh Ashram; and President of
the Minibus Association Mr. Eon Andrews. Several minibusses and hire car owners and drivers were also involved. According to the force in a statement, prior to the agreement concerns were raised about the code of conduct of these individuals, especially when interacting with passengers and more importantly when interacting with the Police. In order to facilitate a deeper look on the ground, Deputy Superintendent Williams, along with
Inspectors Boyce and Mansell, led a party of police ranks around the Stabroek Market area where several errant vehicle operators were found to be breaching traffic offenses. They were all escorted to the Brickdam Police Station where they are likely to be charged. After the inspection, Inspector Boyce reminded the public that such exercises will be seen more in the future, as a means of upholding the law. Inspector Mansell, who is attached to the Georgetown City
Constabulary, echoed the sentiments of Inspector Boyce and used the opportunity to appeal to drivers and conductors to ensure that every passenger that enters their vehicle wears a face mask correctly. Sergeant Ramdass who is stationed at the Traffic Headquarters, Eve Leary, also advised the drivers to desist from encouraging the touts. Just yesterday, the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry lashed out at the Guyana Police for its handling of the crime situation in Guyana. The Chambers insisted that the Force take steps to mitigate the escalation of crimes around Guyana since the business community is the one who continues to face the brunt of it. This statement came after the Force insisted that serious crimes, which include murder and robbery under arms, remain on a low as compared to last year.
the exams. “The Ministry of Education wishes to inform the general public that due to the adverse effect of the COVID-19 Pandemic, on the education sector the national grade 2,4 and 9 exams and placement examination will not be written in 2021,” Dr. Hutson said. Students preparing for the exams will now have to halt their studies. However, according to the CEO, it is a decision that came in order to keep students protected from the virus. “We recognized the hardship that students have been experiencing in terms of their readiness and preparedness for these examinations, and we also recognized the
need for us to also ensure that our students are safe,” Dr. Hutson insisted. With the exams being canceled the CEO said that private school students will be placed in schools that reflect their results from the grade 3 exams and other students will be placed in schools A and B that are close to their home. He added that this process will be insured to be done right away by the Deputy CEO along with the Region Education Officer. This leaves faceto-face interaction for every grade except Grades 10, 11, and 12. Guyana has recorded over 12,000 positive covid-19 cases so far and the death to now sits at 277.
Rape accused taxi driver for High Court trial Taxi-driver, Thurston Semple, who is accused of raping and battering a Venezuelan woman, was today committed to stand trial in the high court for the offence. Semple after being a month on bail was today committed to stand a high court trial following a paper committal after he appeared Magistrate, Faith McGusty. Semple was also granted bail in the sum of $250,000, pending his high court trial. He is accused of raping a woman between February 24 and February 25, 2021, at Georgetown, by engaging in sexual intercourse with the victim, without her consent. Reports are that during that period in question, the victim was raped, sodomized, and beaten by Semple at his home after they left a nightclub located at the corner of
Robb and Cummings Streets, Georgetown. According to the woman, Semple became abusive towards the victim after she refused to perform oral sex on him. It is alleged that Semple picked up a knife and placed it to the victim’s neck and demanded her to do it. He also dealt her several cuffs about her body. In fear for her life, the woman later performed the sex act and after Semple went into the kitchen area, she escaped through a window and raised an alarm. She was then followed and beaten some more, as the woman continued to try to escape. Sometime later, the neighbors alerted the police and the victim was rescued by the ranks. Simply later claimed in his report that he knows nothing of such a crime committed
Guyana Post Saturday April 24, 2021
GUYANA IS ONCE MORE IN THE NEWS AND AS USUAL, IT IS NOT GOOD NEWS more correct, Guyanese have an accent that is not that common. It is almost identical to the accent of Belize. But in London, the watch repairer’s asked the man where he had come from and the man said, Guyana. The watch repairer’s frowned and the man on seeing this said, “The country of Clive Lloyd and Rohan Kanhai and Alvin Kallicharran.” Recognition dawned. Guyana, according to the Centres for Disease Control, is now a country to be avoided. On Monday it published a warning to all Americans, to avoid travelling to Guyana. The United States, if the news is to be believed, only recently slipped behind Brazil as far as COVID infections and COVID deaths are concerned. More than half a million people have died of COVID in the United States within the past year. And there have been
more than 31 million infections. Guyana with some 740,000 people has recorded 11,000 infections and 277 deaths. So what is it that makes Guyana so dangerous? Perhaps the Americans have no regard for the manner in which the local health authorities are dealing with the COVID cases. A few weeks ago, there was mention that in the not too distant past, people were dying by the ones. Although the management of COVID-19 cases should have been drastically improved at this time, people are dying at an alarming rate. Four people died on Sunday. More than 110 people have died this year alone. For this month 46 people have died making it the deadliest month in the face of COVID-19. Perhaps this is what has caused the United States to issue a dire warning
about travelling to Guyana. But then again, the Maths would show that Guyana has a higher death rate than the United States when one takes the population into consideration. This tells us about our general attitude. In the United States, there are people who refuse to adhere to the COVID regulations for personal reasons. In Guyana, it is because some people do not take the coronavirus seriously. I have read somewhere that hospitalization is increasing in Guyana. Then there is the severity of the virus. The word is that it is more serious this time around. When things like this happen in some of the developed countries there is immediate action. Canada has locked down again, as have France and the United Kingdom. Guyana is taking things
for granted. We reduced the hours of curfew when deaths were at a minimum. We kept the reduced hours when the deaths mounted. Perhaps, it is as Bharrat Jagdeo said, “People have to die.” Perhaps it is as Irfaan Ali said, “I will create 50,000 jobs.” Irfaan never said where. Now people see that he is keeping his promise. There are jobs galore in the cemetery and at the crematorium. The vaccines are here. There are conflicting signals about the vaccine. The overwhelming view is that it will protect people from the harshest effects of COVID-19. People will not die, the authorities are saying. Hospitalisation would also be reduced. Yet there are many who have a fear of the vaccine. They have heard about a few cases of blood clots and some other reactions. The result is that there are people who are not taking it.
Young people were supposed to be the most at-risk group at this time. The drive is on to vaccinate them. Gone are the days when COVID-19 was said to attack people with comorbidities and who were over sixty. Meanwhile, the COVID relief after more than a year is still shrouded in confusion. Sharing this money should have been the easiest thing. There was no need for people to walk around with a large sum of cash to make the payouts. But that is what happened. And when that happened the people sharing the money could not resist the temptation to help themselves. I am willing to bet that there are people who are spending the relief money ahead of the people who need it. The government now says that it will release even more money. People will line up again, and some households will get twice.
spend a full year after being slapped with 14 charges. Whyte first appeared before Magistrate Leron Daly, where his first A Sophia bus driver, five charges were read. who is already facing He pleaded guilty to all condemnation for his except one. actions seen a viral video He pleaded guilty to attacking a Traffic Police resisting arrest, using Officer, was this morning indecent language towards slapped with a 12-month the police officer, Edwin jail sentence. Connelly; disorderly The Convict, Collis behaviour, carrying an Whyte, will reportedly offensive weapon, and
threatening behavior. He denied his disorderly behaviour charge. Whyte was slapped with a 12-month jail sentence and later remanded on the disorderly behaviour charge. He would make his next court appearance on May 17. Whyte’s day however was not over, as he was later taken to the traffic court of Magistrate Clive Nurse and was slapped with an additional four
charges. These included dangerous driving, failure to give the right away, failure to wear a seatbelt, breach of prescribed road fitness, the conduct of a driver, and failure to wear a facemask. Whyte pleaded not guilty to three of the charges but however pleaded guilty to failure to wear a seatbelt. He was released on
$240,000 bail and fined $7,500 for his failure to wear a seat belt charge. That matter was set to call again on May 28. Reports are that Whyte on the day in question at 13:15hrs was stopped on Homestretch Avenue after he was seen overtaking over 15 vehicles. He was later stopped, asked to produce his document but failed to do so, and drove away.
He was then followed on Sheriff Street, where he was yet again stopped. That was when things turned ugly. During the confrontation, Whyte was caught on camera verbally assaulting the police before pulling a cutlass and charging the police officer. He then went about his business and was later arrested at his residence in Sophia.
in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court, and denied the allegation made against them. According to the prosecution case, two men on April 20, last, between Stone Avenue, Campbellville, and Church Street and Vlissengen Road, had in their possession 1.054 kilograms of cocaine. Fung A Fat was
represented by Mark Waldron, while Wills was represented by Stand Dhurjon, who argued on their behalf for bail. The bail application was successful and two were both granted bail in the sum of $300,000. They were ordered to return to court on May 14. They were also required to lodge their passports. Reports are that on the
day in question, CANU Ranks conducted an operation in Georgetown where several targets, including a maroon Nissan Juke PVV 6706, were under surveillance. When Ranks attempted to interdict the said vehicle, it sped away. CANU gave chase and intercepted the vehicle at Lance Gibbs Street and Vlissengen Road, Georgetown.
During the chase, a brick of suspected cocaine was thrown from the vehicle. It was retrieved by CANU Ranks. As a result of the interception of the two suspects, CANU was led to conduct a search in Stone Avenue Campbellville and was able to find in the yard of an abandoned range house amongst the
garbage, another brick of suspected cocaine, and a bag containing bulk parcels of suspected cannabis, weighing 17.956kg. The two men were not reportedly charged for the drugs due to the evidence provided but CANU will however move ahead with the cocaine trafficking charge.
ADAM’S Note Book
Guyana is once more in the news and as usual, it is not good news. In fact, Guyana has almost always made the news for all the bad things. Way back in 1978, there was the Jonestown Massacre. Most people did not even know that Guyana had a place called Jonestown. To even highlight the remoteness of the country, most of the world never heard of Guyana. Letters posted from foreign lands to Guyana often ended up in Ghana. There was an instance in London. A man walked into a watch repairer’s and pretty soon a conversation started. Whether people want to believe it or not, Guyanese have a distinct accent. To be
Hostile minibus driver slapped with 12-month jail sentence
Suspected drug traffickers granted bail
Recently, ranks of the Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) nabbed two men, one of them an overseas-based Guyanese with a quantity of Cocaine and Marijuana. Both men were this morning granted bail for the offense. The two accused, Joel Fung A Fat, an overseasbased Guyanese, Daquan Wills stood before Magistrate Leron Daly,
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