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Friday Oct. 15, 2021
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GUYANA’S CSEC, CAPE PERFORMANCES SUPERIOR TO REST OF THE REGION
Pg3 EXTRA WEEK AT THE END OF OCTOBER FOR THOSE WHO MISSED DISTRIBUTION EXERCISE VOUCHER MUST BE ENCASHED Pg3 BY NOV 30 – MINISTER PERSAUD
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IMPROVED FACILITIES FOR LUSIGNAN PRISONS
Friday Oct. 15, 2021
GUYANA’S CSEC, CAPE PERFORMANCES SUPERIOR TO REST OF THE REGION
G u y a n a ’ s p e r f o r m a n c e Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) and the Caribbean Advanced P r o f i c i e n c y Examinations (CAPE) Exams for 2021 have marginally outshone the rest of the region. Guyana’s students improved their performance in several subject areas despite the COVID-19 Pandemic. Hit with the factor of a revised platform to host the exams due to the pandemic, Guyana reportedly has earned top honors in the exams. This was announced during a ceremony hosted by Guyana (Ministry of Education) at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre, where the Director of Operations at the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC), Dr. Nicole Manning, delivered the results of the 2021 results for Guyana and the Caribbean at large. In the area of CAPE, Ms. Manning noted that Guyanese students in all 16 unit subject areas sat some all the students received 1-5 grade, which is considered acceptable. Ms. Manning announced that in the area of Caribbean studies Guyana had a 92% pass rate, Communication Studies unit 2 at 97%, Sociology Unit 1 at 96%, Sociology Unit 2 at 96%. Law Unit 1 at 95%, Law unit 2 at 96%, Integrated Mathematics at 80 %, Pure Mathematics Unit 1 at 59%, Pure Mathematics 2 at 75%. It was announced that in the area of Chemistry Unit 1, Guyana recorded 84% passes, Chemistry Unit 2 at 95%, Biology Unit 1 at 90%, and Biology Unit 2 at 97% percent. It was also
announced by Ms. Manning that Guyana outshone the rest of the Caribbean nations, also in the area of the CSEC Exams. In her presentation, she highlighted that in most subject areas Guyana would have performed well by having grades between 1-3. In the area of English, A, regionally 74% of students had grades 1-2, while in Guyana 68% had those grades. For English B, the rest of the region had a 61 % pass rate, Guyana also did. In the area of integrated science regionally 66% of students has a pass rate while Guyana had a 69% pass rate. In the area of Biology, regional students had an 89% pass rate compared to Guyana’s 93% pass rate. C h e m i s t r y , regionally scored 63% as compared to Guyana’s 61% pass rate, Physics the region had a 66% pass rate compared to Guyana’s 62 % pass rate. Electronic Document Preparation saw a pass rate of 87%; Guyana recorded an 88% pass rate, Human a social biology regionally had a 68% pass rate while Guyana had a 77% pass rate. Additionally, Principles of Business had a 79% pass rate
as Guyana had a 75% pass rate, in the subject area of Social studies, the region had a 54% pass rate while Guyana had a 53% pass rate. Information Technology saw a pass rate of 89% for regional students as compared to Guyana 93%, Office administration saw a 79% for the region as compared to Guyana’s 80% pass rate. In the area of Maths, CXC announced that Guyana overall performed better than the rest of the Caribbean, due to improvements but does not have the data available yet.
These results represent the June/July Exams which were done in two parts, to cater for St. Vincent and the Grenadines students because of the Volcano eruptions. At this year’s exams, it was noted that there were fewer CAPE registration candidates and subject entries, the lowest it has ever been in the past four years. This year saw some 27,750 students registered to sit the exams and some 110,070 subject entries. The examiners noted that the highest level of absentee students was recorded
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this year—8.3 percent—the highest in four years. On the CSEC side of things, 103,445 registered to sit the exams, with 502,859 subject entries. In this area also, the absentee rate was 11. 2 percent. This CXC said sitting the exams remain of great concern. Going ahead the technical aspect will be dealt with since it remains an important aspect of learning and sitting exams. “As an examination body and as a big part of our 2021 – 2025 strategic plan, we are trying as best
as possible with and working with our Ministries of Education across the region to increase electronic testing. This is just one of seven components for the full digital transformation that the region so desperately needs to see,” Ms. Manning said. She explained that the CXC body plans not only to get the Governments but everyone in tune– from the teachers to invigilators. “What changed this year is that in the past we had a dedicated period for the training of Ministry Officials, center administrator, and chief invigilators for the management of electronic testing. “For the first time this year there was the increased utilization of electronic testing by the territories,” Ms. Manning said. She added there were some challenges since it was the first year it was implemented, but going ahead she said that it will improve.
Friday Oct. 15, 2021
Extra week at the end of October for those who missed distribution exercise Voucher must be encashed by Nov 30 – Minister Persaud
By the end of Friday, the distribution of the $25,000 one-off cash grant vouchers and pension books will be completed
Prisoners, in the new year, can be expected to be housed comfortably at Lusignan Prisons with the completion of three new holding bays that are currently being constructed at a cost of over $1 billion. This was disclosed by the acting head of the Prison Service, Mr. Nicklon Elliot, during a media visit to the Lusignan Prisons. Over the years, due to the fires and other factors at various prisons, Lusignan at this time remains overcrowded. Parts of the prisons are on lands that are considered
in Regions Five and Six, except for a few remote locations which will be wrapped up over the weekend.
As far as Georgetown is concerned, 75 percent of the distribution has been completed. An extra week will be provided
at the end of this month for those who missed the distribution exercise last week. As for residents on the East Coast and East Bank Demerara who missed collection, they are being urged to visit the regular distribution sites in their respective areas. Subject Minister, Dr. Vindhya Persaud has visited many of the distribution sites in Regions Four, Five, and Six so far, and is gearing up to visit Regions Two and Ten next week, and then Region Three the following week. She reminded that
while the 2022 pension book will be available throughout the year, the voucher is time-bound, as it has to be encashed by November 30. Providing an update on the exercise, Minister Persaud said: “There have been hiccups in a few locations, but we have quickly dealt with those. No system is perfect but every time we find an issue, we try to fix it so that by the next day, we don’t have that happening. “We are trying our best to facilitate the shutin patients as early as possible, so once the general distribution is
completed, those shutin persons will be dealt with. We are also doing the direct delivery system. That has commenced already and will continue in all of the regions.” The Ministry has also been doing complementary programmes like hamper distributions and similar support initiatives. In fact, last Tuesday, Dr. Persaud and the team distributed approximately 500 hampers to villages across Region Five, especially as many residents have been affected by heavy rains and flooding recently
will be exposed to further education in terms of all the training activities. Some would have missed out while in prison. “And, we will be converting the holding bay facility into a trade shop where prisoners will be exposed to various training programmes.” On the other hand, while there may a push before to have a brand-new facility that can accommodate a large number of prisoners, Mr. Elliot said that he cannot give that assurance that prison will not be overcrowded. That depends on the justice
and detection. Once those matters are placed before the court, of course, the magistrate will make a determination if an individual comes to the prison. “Once that decision is made, we don’t have any other alternative than to accept those persons,” Elliot further noted. Over the past year, prisoners continue to complain about the manner in which they are housed leading to several uprisings, one of which was staged during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Some prisoners
system. “The prison is the end of the criminal justice system. Of course, it is based on police work in terms of crime prevention
complained about how they are being housed in a crowded area, while a pandemic is present.
Improved facilities for Lusignan Prisons
pastures with makeshift buildings in which prisoners are kept. Speaking to reporters during the visit, Mr. Elliot said that if the programme remains on schedule new prisoners coming can be accommodated in a better condition by next year February 2022. “These three facilities are being constructed to accommodate over 1000 prisoners. Each prisoner will be housed in a very comfortable way because we all know of the situation. “The holding bay at the Lusignan facility after the burning of those
facilities at Georgetown and Lusignan will be able to accommodate prisoners in a very comfortable way. This facility is expected to be completed with the next four months at a cost of $1.2 billion.” Mr. Elliot added that the new constructions will cater to the eventuality of catastrophic events that occurred in the past. The prison will have a fire suppression mechanism, access to adequate water, a dorm system, improve beds, and other stuff that is featured in a modern prison. He said that those spending time at the
prison can be expected to also learn a new skill since schooling will be a part of prison life. “A school is expected to be built, where prisoners
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Friday Oct. 15, 2021
TRYING TO REWRITE HISTORY OR DENYING THE FACTS?
Adam’s note book
There are many occasions of people denying history. In fact, what passes for history is merely a record of the views of the people recording it. Many historical recordings of war are often the views of the victor. Later, some people from the other side do get a chance to tell their side of the story. For example, the British and the Americans did seek to distort history by ignoring the presence of Black soldiers and aviators. It was only recently that stories like the Tuskegee Airmen came out. The history of Guyana will always be changed because there will be people who will question what is documented, hunt down the truth and publish them. So there will be those who will insist on one thing while others will insist on others. A recent example was the People’s Progressive
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Party taking full credit for the liberalisation of the telecommunications sector. The PPP backed off from liberalizing the sector when it was in office by dropping the legal option on at least two occasions. The backing off was forced by the United States. Cathy Hughes initiated the programme and had all but completed it when she demitted office. The final nail was driven by the Irfaan Ali government. When President Irfaan Ali said that reports of extrajudicial killings were a fabrication, that they were fashioned to embarrass his party, he was speaking from a lofty position. His comment was far removed from the truth. An extrajudicial killing (also known as extrajudicial execution or extralegal killing) is the killing of a person by governmental authorities without the sanction of
any judicial proceeding or legal process. In the wake of the 2002 jailbreak at the Camp Street jail many people died at the hands of the police and other government-sponsored forces. Some, like Tshaka Blair, Delon Nelson, and Wesley Hendricks, were killed by police in their own homes. The police could not claim that Hendricks was wanted when only a few days before he had attended court. He was due in court again three days before a Black Clothes squad killed him. There was no confrontation between the police and these men. President Ali said that extrajudicial killings never happened. And this comment was made despite numerous US State Department Reports on Guyana expressing alarm at extrajudicial killings in Guyana. The US State Department Report for 2002 alone reported that the police killed 15 civilians through September, compared with 13 in all of 2000. In most cases, the police shot the victims while
attempting to arrest them, the reports said. On May 10, 2002 police shot and killed Junior “Drakes” Stanton in a guesthouse in Georgetown while attempting to arrest him on armed robbery charges. Witnesses said that an unarmed and groggy Stanton unlocked the door and had his hands raised above his head. Police reportedly fired two shots, fatally wounding Stanton in the chest and side. On May 12, 2002 police shot and killed Devon “Buckman” Gonsalves while attempting to arrest him for two murders and a series of robberies. TSS officers followed Gonsalves to the yard where he was hiding and confronted him. Gonsalves was said to have sustained multiple gunshot wounds to the chest and stomach. On June 8, Rocky Anthony Brunoanish died in the Aurora Police Station lockup. An autopsy revealed that he died of a fractured skull and hemorrhaging from a severe beating. Prior to his death, Brunoanish reportedly asked for
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medical attention to no avail. On June 9, Colin “Sadist” Cumberbatch was shot and killed in his home when police attempted to arrest him for a series of armed robberies. On July 26, members of the TSS shot and killed three men – John Bruce, Steve Grant, and Adisena Houston – on Mandela Avenue. Accounts of the event conflicted; the police reported that the three men exited a car and fired at the officers, who then returned fire. H o w e v e r , eyewitnesses stated that the police forced the men out of the car at gunpoint and shot them executionstyle after officers found a pistol while bodysearching one of the suspects. On September 21, police shot and killed Dexter Dubissette in Georgetown. Police stated that Dubissette was killed during an encounter with members of the TSS, but eyewitnesses disputed the police statements. They claimed that Dubissette was killed after being summoned to approach the vehicle in which TSS officers were riding. On October 11, police shot and killed Shawn Welcome while he was in custody. And those reports were only from a section of 2002 report. According to the United States State Department report, for 2003, security forces killed 39 civilians during the year, compared with 28 in 2002. In most cases, the police shot the victims while attempting to arrest them, according to the official reports. The State Department continued that public investigations rarely were conducted into such killings; in general, police abuses
were committed with impunity. On January 18, police shot and killed Charles Hinckson and Marlon Wilson in a bathroom stall after they reportedly committed a robbery. On January 29, police shot and killed Errol Immanuel. According to Stabroek News, Immanuel, an itinerant vendor, was sitting with a friend around 8:00 p.m. when a police van stopped, and the policemen confronted him. According to eyewitnesses, Immanuel immediately raised his hands in the air, but one of the police officers fired two shots directly at him. The other man reportedly was arrested, tied to a fence, but subsequently released when reinforcements arrived. According to a GPF press release, Immanuel was killed in a confrontation with police after he allegedly attempted to rob someone at knife-point. On March 1, a police patrol fired on a car carrying five teenagers, killing 18-year-old university student Yohance Douglas and injuring Ronson Grey and O’Neil King. On September 4, a policeman and a civilian accomplice beat to death Albert Hopkinson when he resisted arrest. The man’s body was flown to Georgetown for an autopsy, which showed signs of strangulation and a fractured skull. People have gone to doctors and received a diagnosis. Some have chosen to ignore the doctors’ findings. That is called denial. I suppose President Ali chose to ignore the reports of extrajudicial killings.
EX-COPS EACH GETS 25 YEARS FOR RAPE Two former policemen who were found guilty of raping a woman who went make a report at the Turkeyen Police Station were both slapped with a 25-year jail sentence, on Thursday. The two, 29-year-old Delon Chapman, and 35-year-old Leon Ashby, were before Justice JoAnn Barlow when the sentence was handed down. They raped the woman on New Year’s Day back in 2018 at the Turkeyen Police Station, East Coast Demerara. During today’s sentencing the men’s attorney, Ravindra
Mohabir, insisted that his clients are both fathers and can be rehabilitated and placed back into society. But both Chapman and
Ashby to this day denied the allegation even after being found guilty by a jury a few weeks ago. The men said that
they are victims of circumstances. State prosecutor Sarah Martin asked the court to consider the nature and
gravity of the charges and the prevalence of sexual violence that plagues our society. She added these men were placed to serve and protect. Instead, they went against their initial goal. In sentencing, Justice Barlow said she considered the circumstances of the trauma and breach of trust their actions caused the victim. She said that she also considered the lack of remorse shown by the convicts. On the day in question, the woman went to the station to make a report and after making that report she asked to use the
washroom at the station. One rank reportedly indicated to her that the washroom in the lower flat of the building was not working. Chapman escorted her to the upper flat of the station and pointed her in the direction of the washroom area. While in the washroom, she was attacked by the two officers and taken into a room with a mattress. While in the room, she was held down and raped by the two officers. The matter was reported to the police and two men were arrested.
Another raid coughs up contraband
Another raid at the Lusignan Prison yielded more contraband articles. The find consisted of one cell phone with a battery, smoking utensil, four lighters, one charger head, six cigarettes, two fans and a number of razor blades The raid was conducted on Thursday by members of the Joint Services who conducted a search in the quarantine areas and in the dorms of Lusignan Prison.
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Faulty electric point causes fire scare at NIS head office
Days after the Brickdam Police Station went up in flames, National Insurance Scheme (NIS) went on high fire alert and called in the Guyana Fire Service after an overloaded loaded switch started to smoke on Monday.
operations started to change the damaged points. Later when everything was under control, some staff operating in the affected area were told to take the rest of the day off, as power was expected to
The NIS was said to be the third fire emergency call for the day. There was another at the Guyana Post Office. Speaking to the media after the incident, the Divisional Commander of the Guyana Fire Service (GFS), Hemchandra Persaud, said that with such high fire risk the GFS remains on high alert also. “We have seen an increase in calls especially from (Monday). We had three calls. We would have responded to the GPO, NIS, and a bridge in Campbellville where there was a rubbish fire lit by someone.
that GFS due to the high risk has also shifted its approach due to high-level risk. “We are going to raise the level of preparedness; we are at the drawing board right now with senior officers knowing that we had a serious fire at the Brickdam Police Station. Of course, in life, we have to go through the vicissitude of life and there are always changes that we have to adapt to. “So, we are working as it is right now to look at our resource and to see what necessary we need, especially in this point in time, when we
According to the Guyana Fire Service, just before midday, in the Office of the General Manager, Holly Greaves, an electrical point started to smoke. The fire service responded with three fire trucks, an ambulance, and the ranks from Guyana Police Force. On arrival on the scene, firefighters explained that a point in the room was indeed smoking. With the aid of the policemen and women, the building was cleared of staff and others. With smoke still emanating from the point, prompted the shutting off the power to the building, they quickly tackled the affected area and the situation was quickly brought under control. The police also indicated that later the NIS Electrical Engineer quickly took over and
out for some time. The police advised the NIS to check the entire power supply chain to ensure that the problem does not occur again. The police also with safety in mind, to avoid a recurrence of the Brickdam Police Station fire a fire tender was left on standby.
“That fire was extinguished by the Campbellville units at GPO because it’s a high-rise building, it’s a Government building with lots of occupants. We would have sent a full response so that nothing got out of control,” Mr. Persaud explained. Mr. Persaud added
have a very hot weather and of course what is unfolding currently we have to first start thinking ahead and anticipate any eventuality.” This comes as the President, Mohammed Irfaan Ali blasted the GFS on its preparedness for the Brickdam Police Station fire.
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Guyana to release CSEC, CAPE and NGSA results by Oct. 15.
The Ministry of Education announced on Saturday, that the Caribbean Examination Council has chosen Guyana as the host country to ‘release’ this year’s CAPE and CSEC results on October 14, 2021. In addition, NGSA is expected to be released on October 15; with raw exam scores coming from Barbados. The Caribbean Examination Council’s (CXC) Caribbean Secondary Education Certification (CSEC) and Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examinations (CAPE) were written during June -July this year. The examinations were written at a later date this year due to the effects, consequences, and impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Caribbean and the world. The Ministry of Education announced on Saturday, that the Caribbean Examination Council has chosen Guyana as the host country to ‘release’ this year’s CAPE and CSEC results on October 14, 2021. These results will be available to candidates on the CXC’s online portal from October 15, 2021. The National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA) was equally affected by the pandemic and was written on August 4-5 of this year. Since 2016, CXC was contracted by the Government of Guyana to develop, administer and mark this examination/assessment annually. This year to further
advance the transparency and integrity of the examination/assessment, CXC’s responsibilities were extended and increased to include verification of raw scores. Additionally, to conduct and manage all reviews or appeals after the results are published and further to present the data and analysis of each year’s assessment. The Ministry of Education has been informed by CXC that the raw scores will be ready and sent from Barbados to Guyana by Tuesday, September 28, 2021, after which the National Data Management Authority (NDMA) will standardize the scores and offer placements according to the scores, and print results’ slips. In addition, from this year: 1. NGSA candidates will NOT be penalized with their raw scores because they were older than 12 years 6 months at the end of March of the year, the examination was written. 2. The standardized scores per subject will be rounded up to the nearest whole number and the TOTAL score will be given as a decimal number thereby offering candidates more fairness. The Education Ministry also encourages this year’s NGSA, CSEC and CAPE candidates to return all textbooks and resource materials to their respective schools. Failure to do so may result in being unable to access results
Temporary home for Brickdam police up and running close to the lockups. When they arrived the fire seemed coming from the sections close to lockup. The fire, however,
Following the fire which destroyed 80 percent of the Brickdam Police Station Commander of the Division, Simon McBean, has noted that despite the setback the force is ready to serve the community. This response comes as ranks of the division, particularly from the Brickdam Police Station, are affected in terms of accommodation after Saturday’s fire took out most of the complex, destroying files, offices, properties of civilians, and the force. The Brickdam police are relocated to St. Stanislaus
College where they will accommodate the public and by extension ensuring that the laws are upheld. Commander Mc Bean has insisted that the police are now up and ready to serve the community from all various departments. “The inquiries department is up and running, traffic service is up and running, the Criminal Investigation Department is up and running. Those are our primary areas of operation. The patrols are out in full force,” Mr. Mc Bean said. He added, “All of our services are up and
quickly spread with the aid of wind to other sections of the building. At the scene, members of the force were seen saving what they could
running. We are trying. There are some minor works going on to get the ranks comfortable The Commander’s office will be fully operational.” Commander Mc Bean says while the space may not be adequate it remains workable. The ranks are now getting comfortable in their new spaces. Just Saturday the Brickdam Police Station went up in flames leaving nothing but two buildings in the compound. According to the Guyana Fire Service, the fire started just before midday around a section
Another fire threatens a government building
The building that houses the Police and Public Service Commissions has become the fourth government building in four days under fire watch after an overloaded wire called for the presence of the Guyana Fire Service(GFS). Following the fire, which ravaged the Brickdam Police Station, a fire scare at the Guyana Post Office (GPO) and at the National Insurance Scheme (NIS) in the past few days, the fire service was once more on high alert, today, as the smell of smoke emanated from the PSC building. According to reports, it was just around midday, when the staff of the Local Government and Regional Development building, who share a compound with the PSC said that info@guyanapostonline.com
they smelled something was burning. In the midst of taking precautionary measures, the fire service was called in. Also turning up was the Guyana Power and Light (GPL). On arrival, fighter fighters and the GPL staff later identified the fault and quickly moved to cut power to the building. After accessing the situation, it was found that an external wire that leads to the PSC building was overheating and required immediate attention. The worker from the GPL then changed the faulty wire, as an overassessment of the entire electrical grid is expected to be done to ensure that issue does not occur again. The copper of the wire was seen burning and it was removed from the
building. This happened after over 80 percent of the Brickdam Police Station was allegedly set by a Lodge resident, Clarence Greene, and small electrical fires at the GPO and NIS. Divisional Commander of the fire service, Hemchandra Persaud, said on the heels of the fire at the NIS building, there is a need for an assessment of the building with the old electrical set, to prevent any fire.
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have. The fire continued to travel, burning several shops nearby and an old gas station on Hadfield Street, aback by the police station.
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