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Kaieteur News
Tuesday August 21, 2012
Bajan robber gets life sentence for Banker announced blaze that killed Guyanese, five others as GGMC’s new Barbados (Nationnews) Four families in Barbados, one in St Vincent and one in Guyana are coming to terms with the news that at least one of the men responsible for the senseless killing of their daughters two years ago has been jailed for life. This sentencing was handed down by Madame Justice Elneth Kentish in the Barbados Supreme Court last Thursday when 21-year-old Renaldo Alleyne was found guilty of the unlawful killing of Tiffany Harding, KellyAnn Welch, Shanna Griffith, Nikkita Belgrave of Barbados; Kellishaw Olivierre of St Vincent; and Pearl Amanda Cornelius of Guyana, on September 3, 2010, in a horrific fire that shocked a nation. The six women, all in their early 20s, several of them young mothers, were shopping and working in the city clothing store, Campus Trendz, when Alleyne and an accomplice burst into the store demanding money from the owner. After committing the robbery Alleyne then threw two ‘Molotov cocktails’ back
Jailed for life: Renaldo Anderson Alleyne into the store in his attempt to stop anyone from pursuing them, with deadly consequences. In fleeing from the fire, the women ran to the back of the store and had locked themselves into a room where they huddled together until they were overcome by smoke inhalation and died from asphyxiation, according to two pathologists’ reports. Days later, Alleyne was held by police as his actions had been caught on tape by a
store surveillance camera. He was also identified by a former schoolmate while running from the scene. In sentencing him, Justice Kentish told Alleyne she believed that his actions signaled that he was a danger to society and only life sentences would be appropriate for the gravity and seriousness of the offences. “Regrettably, neither your co-operation with police, your clean record, your guilty pleas, nor your expressions of remorse, are sufficient to detract from, or neutralize the gravity of the offences and the senseless and horrific manner in which these young women met their deaths,” the Nation newspaper quoted Justice Kentish as saying. “You took the lives of six very young women, in one fell swoop, in an act of callousness and utter lack of thought that defied understanding.” She said not only had Alleyne traumatized an entire society, but had specifically traumatized the families of the six girls and had changed their lives forever. The judge said she accepted that it did not cross Alleyne’s mind that those people would have died, but she said, “and therein lies
Correction The National Library will be hosting a play at the National Cultural Centre – ‘To Sir With Love’ – tomorrow, Wednesday, August 22nd, 2012. This newspaper inadvertently carried the date as Monday, 27th August, 2012. We apologise for any inconvenience caused.
Chairman
Dead Guyanese: Amanda Pearl Cornelius your danger to society. It is that simple-minded approach that I have earlier described as a frightening aspect of your character.” “He’s always been very remorseful”, said his attorney Verla Depeiza, who noted that her client had pleaded guilty as soon as he could, according to the Barbados Today. She also noted that the crime was unprecedented, as Barbados had never experienced an incident such as that one and hopefully never will again, and therefore the sentences had to speak to that. “It was not unexpected nor is it unwelcomed, because if he had got a lengthy sentence there would have been no possibility of commuting it to anything. Whereas life sentences have to be reviewed every four years, that is not to say he will get out in four years … but at least he has that option, no disrespect to the families …,” the attorney said.
Government has named a banker as the new Chairman of the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC), a state entity that regulates the mining sector. According to a release from the Guyana Gold and Diamond Miners Association (GGDMA), Eton Chester, currently a member of the Board of Directors of the GGMC and the Managing Director of Citizens Bank, has been identified to serve as Chairman, following the resignation of Joe Singh, last Saturday. The announcement was made by Minister of Natural Resources and the Environment, Robert Persaud, in a letter to the GGDMA and key stakeholders. Chester will be replacing Major General (ret.) Joe Singh who over the weekend resigned with immediate effect after GGDMA threatened to boycott Mining Week activities which started Sunday. Hours before Sunday’s commencement of Mining Week, Singh tendered his resignation. The move came amidst increasing pressure by GGDMA, a powerful advocacy group, which warned that it will not participate in any of the mining activities if Singh remained at the helm of GGMC. GGDMA had recently passed a no confidence vote against Singh, a former army chief and environmentalist. Singh is also Chief Executive Officer (ag.) of the Guyana
New GGMC Chairman, Eton Chester Telephone and Telegraph Company. In a letter of resignation sent to Minister Persaud, which was released by the former Chairman to the press, Singh emphasised that he did not want to be the reason why GGDMA would not participate in Mining Week activities. “I had not been informed that such a vote had taken place and now that I am aware of this, I would not wish to be the excuse for the Association’s non– participation in the Mining Week 2012 activities, and also an inhibiting factor in the much needed collaboration between the Association and the Commission and with your Ministry. “As a professional who has strived to serve the interests of Guyana and all of its citizens to my utmost ability for over the past fortyeight years of my working life, it is not difficult for me to make this decision to resign from the Membership of the Board of the GGMC and as Chairman, I respectfully do so with immediate effect.”
Wife-beater jailed for a month Thirty-nine year-old Dayno Mangru, a cane cutter of Port Mourant, Corentyne, Berbice, was yesterday sentenced to one month in jail by magistrate Fabayo Azore after he appeared before her
at the Whim Magistrate’s Court and was found guilty on a charge of assaulting his wife Radica Persaud. Prosecutor Sergeant Godfrey Playter presenting the state’s case told the court that on Thursday, July 26, last, the accused went home during the night in a drunken state. He called upon his wife to open the door. When he entered the house he began to use indecent language. An argument ensued and the accused dealt the woman a series of blows about her body. The matter was reported at the Whim Police station and the accused was arrested
and charged. He pleaded not guilty. Radica Persaud told the court that her husband is always in the habit of beating her up, especially when he is under the influence of alcohol, and on the day in question he indulged in the customary habit. The accused begged the magistrate for a chance. He said that he was sorry for what had happened and asked that he be placed on a six months bond. The magistrate noting the prevalence and seriousness of the offence sentenced him to one month in jail.