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Friday, February 19, 2021
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FUEL PRICES TO SEE A REDUCTION Pg2
Search for mysterious boat with bodies suspended Pg2
TWO REMANDED Pg2 FOR REV. CHUCK-ASANG’S MURDER
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NO CONSISTENCY IN GOING AFTER DELINQUENT CONTRACTORS
Guyana Post Frisday February 19, 2021
FUEL PRICES TO SEE A REDUCTION
The was announced by the Senior Minister within the Officer of the President with the responsibility for Finance, Ashni Singh. According to Minister
Singh, the reduction will come due to the fact that the Government has moved to reduce excise tax on gasoline and diesel to ease the domestic
impact of the recent sharp rise in the world market price for fuel. Minister Singh explained that the Government by making
such a move will lower the excise tax rate on both gasoline and diesel from 50% to 35% with immediate effect. As a result of the
reduction in the excise tax rates, the price at the pump will also be reduced with immediate effect. Specifically, gasoline prices are expected to reduce from $184 per litre to $170 per litre, and diesel prices from $170 per litre to $160 per litre. Singh explained that due to observations that over the past few months, oil prices have risen steadily on the world market, from
Close to two months after an 82-year-old, Retired Priest was found stabbed to death in his home, two men were today charged and remanded to jail. The two charged, 45-year-old, Rawle McPherson, of Victoria, East Coast Demerara, and 43-year-old, Mohanie Mohabir, of Corentyne, Berbice, both appeared before the Chief Magistrate and were not required to enter a plea to the indictable charge. According to the charge sheet, both men between December 21 and December 23, 2020, at the St. Sidwell’s Anglican Church, Vlissengen Road, Lodge, Georgetown, murdered Rev. George
Chuck-A-Sang. In the court, it transpired that the pair knew the priest and would visit him often. The murder was done on one of their visits along with another person, who is being sought at the moment. The two men were later remanded to prison until February 25 for the continuation of the matter. It was reported that just a day before the Former Priest went silent, the daughter had made contact with him. They had a
US$35 a barrel in late October 2020 to over US$60 a barrel at the close of trade today. As a result of this steady increase in the world market, fuel prices have also been rising on the domestic market it was important to minimise the impact on domestic consumers, particularly the travelling public as well as those productive sectors for whom fuel is an important input.
Search for mysterious Two remanded for Rev. Chuck-a-Sang’s murder boat with bodies suspended
The was announced by the Senior Minister within the Officer of the President with the responsibility for Finance, Ashni Singh. According to Minister Singh, the reduction will come due to the fact that the Government has moved to reduce excise tax on gasoline and diesel to ease the domestic impact of the recent sharp rise in the world market price for fuel. Minister Singh explained that the Government by making info@guyanapostonline.com
such a move will lower the excise tax rate on both gasoline and diesel from 50% to 35% with immediate effect. As a result of the reduction in the excise tax rates, the price at the pump will also be reduced with immediate effect. Specifically, gasoline prices are expected to reduce from $184 per litre to $170 per litre, and diesel prices from $170 per litre to $160 per litre. Singh explained that due to observations that over the past few
months, oil prices have risen steadily on the world market, from US$35 a barrel in late October 2020 to over US$60 a barrel at the close of trade today. As a result of this steady increase in the world market, fuel prices have also been rising on the domestic market it was important to minimise the impact on domestic consumers, particularly the travelling public as well as those productive sectors for whom fuel is an important input.
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normal conversation. The daughter Renata Chuck-a-Sang, then related that the next day, she had no contact with him. As such she went and checked on him. On getting no response, she returned with the current priest to the house and it was then the former priest was discovered with stab wounds about his body, a swollen forehead while he lay motionless on the floor clad only in his underwear on the upper floor of the building.
Guyana Post Friday February 19, 2021
NO CONSISTENCY IN GOING AFTER CEVON’S JUSTIFIES MANDELA DELINQUENT CONTRACTORS
AVENUE CONSTRUCTION
Editor, the previous regime, have been embraced the current It appears that the by administration while current administration is politically selective others are left to hang. in its enforcement of As an illustration, the contractual rules. There contractors for the COVID-19 is no consistency or shoddy uniformity in bringing hospital and several down the hammer other projects that are on Government still to be delivered are hired engineers not punished. Several or professionals contractors or conmen and or contractors. received payments for work not done or for The persecution incomplete projects. and or prosecution are now of engineers and They contractors is not embraced and are because executed on a untouched, level playing field they make restitution across the board, with fees, while others especially for those are being sued for contractual who were in cahoots similar with the previous m a l p r a c t i c e s . administration. Some are targeted A big contractor is for punishment being sued for a wharf while others because of his political escape unpunished. financial association with the predecessor that This administration regime; goes after some contractor was with contractors and the biggest financier engineers, while of the current regime others are left before the change in unscathed. Politics and administration in 2015. contract tax are the contractors determinants in who Other faces Government ire who supported the and ultimately the axe. previous regime are not sued because they Regrettably, it was opportunistically now also so under the embrace the current and previous regime. administration Clearly, change in pay their contractor administration does not fees. You pay to play. mean change in policy. some Bad governance and Similarly, professionals are lack of accountability sent home for having continue. On mala d m i n i s t r a t i o n , aided in the passage both sides behave of monies through (real or almost the same. contracts fictitious) to politicians Justice can be bought and political parties. at the right contract picks tax. Those who Government were too politically and chooses which involved with the last engineer to send home regime are being taken and how to exploit to court, while those them. For instance, one willing to pay the right very senior engineer “contract fees” escape in the NDIA has been punishment. Some kept on month to month who were guilty as any contract for facilitating other scoundrel under huge overpayments to Dear
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a mechanical and civil works contractor at Bush Lot, Corentyne. The proceeds were used to help finance a small party that teamed up with a big party. The said contractor was seen hosting the small party’s executives at lavish parties at his premises at Bush Lot. That contractor was persona non grata by this administration when it was in opposition. But the contractor is now fully embraced by the new administration because he pays to play while the engineer is left to dry out. That is the nature of our politics. How low it has sunk because of greed of political leaders! Related to the above, the service of some engineers or other professionals were/are terminated for turning a blind eye to situations over which they had/ have no control given the depth of corruption under the previous administration. If they didn’t facilitate corruption, they lost their “wuk.” Nothing has changed from then to now. While all malpractices must be addressed and the culprits brought to justice, this must be done on a level playing field to foster trust in the government in dispensing justice fairly regardless of political affiliation or amount of contract fees paid.
Yours Nigel P Blake
truly,
As the Government threatens legal actions against the Cevon Waste Management property on Mandela Avenue over breaching in acquiring the property, Chief Executive Officer, Morse Archer, in defence has noted that nothing was done illegally. The Government of Guyana, through the Legal Affairs Minister, Anil Nandlall, has written to the company requesting that it vacate the property by March. The request, according to the company, came as a surprise, knowing that they would have gone through the legal process and would have also paid double for the land. Speaking to Guyana Post, Mr Archer disclosed while the property was evaluated at a price of $47m, the company, in the end, bought the same property for $100 Million, double the cost of the land. The procedures for the purchasing of the land started before 2015, where an application went to the Major and City Council, then to the Central Housing and Planning Authority, which granted approval after which the company started to build. “We have followed all legal procedures in
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purchasing the land; we have purchased the land for a $100M. Prior to that, we had an evaluation, a Government Evaluation for $ 47M, and you know we have paid over twice the amount of the evaluation for the land. Having paid for the land we went through all the legal…..as we were advised by central housing because that is where the application went to, through City Council. Then we had to get fire approval and all the necessary approval. “We have gone through all of that. Then we got approval from central housing to build, which we did and we have been building for well over a year.” Mr Archer added that it comes as a surprise for him knowing that his company would have been through all the legal procedures, building for some time, with no red flags and the Government has moved to take back the land three weeks after the company would have fully occupied the land with a brand new building. “We moved in about two or three weeks ago. We are now operating from here. The thing is that nobody stops us, nobody objects to us being here and you know all hints and purpose we have followed all the
necessary guidelines, we were given,” he further maintained Minister Nandlall has dispatched a letter to the company requesting their removal from the property or face the court since the requisite approval was never given by the authorities, which had aided in a breach in the acquiring of the land that had to be approved by the president. Mr. Archer however, as a businessman, believes that he would have made a genuine investment and as such should have a chance to explain himself rather than take the matter to court since it would mean that he would have to fire some 230 staff. “We are here hoping because we are here to do business, and as I said to you before, our employment strength is over 234 person. We are hoping that the matter does not have to reach the court. We are hoping that the matter could be resolved before that. We believe that we made a genuine investment and as all Guyanese, what we do is genuine business.” Over the past few months, Minister Nandlall has been approaching the court regularly seeking to repossess lands transferred under the previous Government.
Guyana Post Friday February 19, 2021
MAZARUNI PRISON ESCAPEES IN HOSTILE TERRITORY
Imran Ramsaywack
Samuel Gouveia.
As the search continues more than 24 hours after four high-level criminals escaped the Mazaruni, the search parties will have to do at least a five-hour catching up with the prisoners since they would have had a head start before authorities knew they were gone. Acting Prison Director Niclon Elliott, told Guyana Post that the prisoners, who had escaped had some a head start and that search party has to catch up. Mr. Elliot, however, said he is confident that
Rayon Jones
these parties would cover that ground since the surrounding areas remain unknown to the prisoners and they might be gaining on those who have escaped. “They would have had a head start but taking into consideration the density of the and so on, we are not far around that area. Beyond them are some new villages and some other roadways being used by the public. So I’m not too sure they would have known the area.” Inmates Imran
AMEND THE LAWS SO THE CITY COUNCIL CAN GET MORE DONE SAYS THE CITY MAYOR
Kenrick Lyte
Ramsaywack, Samuel Gouveia, Ryan Jones and Kenrick Lyte all escaped from the prison. All of the men are said to be charged in the past for murder. Two were sentenced to death, one was later sentenced to 28 years in prison and another was on trial. It has been suspected that the men may have cut the bars of the prison and escaped during the night. Since then some prison staff were questioned about the City Mayor Ubraj Narine matter as the probe and search continues. City Mayor Ubraj Narine is calling on the government to focus on making decisions that will benefit the people by amending some laws he considers outdated laws. During a meeting with vendors based in Georgetown, the Mayor said some laws in place should benefit everyone and not just the oil companies which are setting up offices in the city. Narine said that the a cutlass to her neck power to change those and told her to drink the laws lie in the hands substance in a bottle and it of the government and was out of fear she drank the council only act as the substance, which an arm to enforce laws would have led her to be related to the city. hospitalized. “The rate at which the Jagmohan was later Government is going contacted by the police oil and gas will not in hospital, where she benefit us if they don’t recounted the ordeal involve you and you,” and her husband was Mayor Narine, “It subsequently charged but will benefit investors remanded to prison on and themselves. We the 12th but the woman have gold, we have later died just Wednesday diamond, we have morning. bauxite, we got sugar
Husband likely to be charged for murder after wife dies
An abusive Husband is likely to face murder charges after he had beaten his wife, placed a cutlass to her neck and ordered her to drink a poisonous substance. The accused, 28-yearold, Ramesh Nandalall was charge just one day short of a week ago with attempted murder but some 14 days after the incident had occurred, his wife 27-year-old, Sattie Jagmohan died while being hospitalized. info@guyanapostonline.com
With the woman now dead, advised is now being sought from the Director of Public Prosecution by the Guyana Police Force for the attempted murder charge to be upgraded to murder. Reports suggest that Jagmohan was constantly abusing her, and most of the time threatened to kill her. It was on February 3rd when he pushed her into a wall and kicked and cuffed her about the body. He then later placed
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they want to bring back, We got rice…… you got timber, you got oil and gas, all these resources Guyana got and why are we still a third world country? Why is it we don’t have a good city because of the Mayor, it’s not the Mayor it’s the legislation arm the parliament needs to make proper laws. We are operating with laws since 1940,” the Mayor said. Mayor Narine said that the city council was left out of the consultation on the Local Content Bill but said it included some members of the private sector who owed the council rates and taxes. “Go do research and see how cities operate when the country has oil and gas, the city benefits greatly and the city will be able to substance the incident. Do we have a policy, vehicles passing through the city with
pipes and all kinds of things with oil and gas without city council revenue,” The City Mayor feels that updating the laws would ensure city dwellers including businesses pay a fair share of rates and taxes. “So, if we don’t have a proper evaluation of the city, this city mayor will come and go and the city will suffer, the administration will come and go and the city will remain the same. You know why because we have political parties and leaders who don’t see one Guyana, they see a divided Guyana. When you see one Guyana you must include everyone.” City Hall has been calling for adjustments to rates and taxes paid on properties. For that to happen, an evaluation of properties needs to be done.
Guyana Post Friday February 19, 2021
FOUR YEARS IN JAIL FOR COCAINE IN SNACK BOX SHIPPER
CAUSING DEATH DRIVER ON $600,000 BAIL
Rayon Alves
A labourer was slapped with a 4 years jail sentence after over six pounds of Cocaine was discovered at a shipping company destined to the USA. In the court this morning, 36-yearold, Shaka Nunes and 45-year-old, Vanica Williams, a couple, appeared before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennon days after the two were nabbed by ranks of the Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) with a box containing local snacks, filled with cocaine. According to the charge, the two on the February 15th between
lot 31 Maxwell Ally, Christumburg Linden, DHL Express at lot 31B Republic Avenue, Linden and DHL Express at lot 50 “E” 5th street Albertown, Georgetown, had in their possession 3.692 kilograms of cocaine. Nunes, who opted to take the rap for the drugs pleaded guilty to the charge, as he begged the court for mercy since he has five kids and does not want to waste the court’s time. In light of his guilty plea, the charge against Williams was withdrawn and he was sentenced to spend the next four years behind
bars, along with a fine of $1.7 Million. Reports are that on the day in question, CANU was contacted by the shipping company after they would have suspected the package to have drugs. CANU through its investigation went to the company and confirmed that it was indeed drugs. Williams was later contacted as the shipper. She then named Nunes as the person who had asked her to ship it. She claimed ignorance of what was contained in the box. Both were, however, arrested and charged
Escapee’s father in police custody for assisting four prison escapees
The father of one of the four prison escapees remains in police custody assisting with investigations. The man, Ralph Jones, father of Rayon Jones confessed to assisting the four escapees following their escape from Mazaruni Prisons sometime on Monday. The police in a statement said that the man told ranks that his son contacted him. It was shortly after that info@guyanapostonline.com
contact was made that his son along with the three other men showed up at his house in Forth Street, Bartica. Jones confessed to providing the men with a change of clothing while he dumped their used clothing in an alley at the back of his house. Ranks have since located a bag which contained clothing, footwear, deodorant, topes, pillow, and pillow-
cases, along with a bottle of Red Star rub, a toothbrush and a food bowl. Imran Ramsaywack, Kenrick Lyte, Samuel Gouveia, and Rayon Jones remain on the run following their escape on Monday. Ramsaywack and Lyte were imprisoned following murder convictions while Gouveia and Jones were convicted for manslaughter.
The driver of the car that reportedly slammed into a utility pole hitting on Homestretch, killing two, has been slapped with two charges of causing death and were placed on $600,000 bail. Rayon Alves of Lot 1 East La Penitence, Georgetown, appeared before Senior Magistrate Leron Dalyon Wednesday, at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts and pleaded not guilty to the charges. The court heard that Alves on February 14, last, drove motor-car PVV 1289 in a manner dangerous to the public thereby causing the deaths of 19-year-old
Dakera Grittens and 21-year-old Tonika Halley. Alves was represented by attorney-at-law Dexter Todd, who told the court that after the accident his client tried to help those who were injured. However, the Police Prosecutor denied those claims and said that after the accident the accused went home and later had to be arrested. AS such, the prosecutor asked the court to suspend his driver’s license until the hearing and determination of the trial. Alves was granted $300,000 bail on
each charge and told to return to court on March 15. He was told to lodge his passport with the court and report to the East La Penitence Police Station every Monday. According to reports, Alves at the time of the accident was going at a fast rate, when he lost control of the car carrying about 6-7 individuals. He collided with a utility pole, hitting it out the ground. The car later plunged into the nearby trench causing multiple injuries to its occupants. Those injuries would have caused the death of the two victims.
Siparuta infant dies
The Guyana Police Force is currently investigating the death of a 4-month-old, baby who reportedly died during her sleep. The family who hails from Siparuta Village, East Berbice-Corentyne took the baby to Skeldon Hospital where she was
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pronounced dead on arrival. According to police reports, it was just before 11 hours, on Wednesday, February, when 33-yearold, father Andrew reported that his daughter, Ann Marre Joseph was having some difficulty breathing.
The father reportedly fell asleep but later checks on the child found she wasn’t breathing. An investigation was launched, as a post mortem examination will be conducted to indicate the cause of death
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