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NEWS 7 TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM Police confirm Henry teens were not killed in coconut field where bodies were found

…all suspects released, Police pursuing 2 additional persons

The Guyana Police the bodies of the Henry boys Force has revealed that were discovered at a second16-year-old Isaiah and ary crime scene. 19-year-old Joel Henry were “Meaning that the heinous murdered in one location and murders were not committed then their bodies transportwhere the bodies were found. ed to the Coconut Estate on Person(s) moved the bodies which they were discovered after the murder and placed close to two weeks ago. them at the locations where

The badly-mutilated bodthey were subsequently disies of Isiah and Joel were discovered. Further, after the covered almost one day after crime scene ranks classified they went missing. They rethe location where the bodies portedly left on Friday their were discovered as a secondNumber Three Village, West ary crime scene, forensic evCoast Berbice homes to pick idence was discovered at the coconuts in the backdam. said area,” the police said in a

Their disappearance statement. prompted family members to Murdered: Isaiah Henry Investigators said that foMurdered: Joel Henry launch several search parties rensic evidence was identified, to look for them. After hours of tice. collected, preserved and subresults are expected within searching, the badly-chopped The police nevertheless, mitted to the Guyana Forensic three weeks. bodies were discovered among stated that investigators were Laboratory for DNA analysis “At this time, the investithe bushes and were partially confronted with some challengto be conducted. DNA samgators are actively in search of covered in mud. es, particularly as it relates to ples were also collected from the primary crime scene which

Following the discovaccessing the crime scene with the suspects who were in cuswould greatly assist in the ery and the gruesome manthe roads being blocked. tody and sent for a comparaprobe as it will have an abunner in which the boys were However, once the ranks tive analysis to be conducted dance of evidence linking the murdered, Cotton Tree resion the ground ensured safe against the forensic evidence perpetrators to the crime. The dents took to the streets. They passage for the investigators collected from the secondary investigators are all actively blocked the roads and burned and crime scene ranks, precrime scene. following up every lead and indebris, all while calling for jusliminary findings showed that The Police Force said that formation received from mem

bers of the public who have come forward to assist investigators,” the GPF related.

According to the police, all the suspects that were in custody, initially, have been released on bail but are to report to the Blairmont Police Station at scheduled times. Additionally, Police are actively pursuing two other suspects.

Investigators committed to ensuring that justice is served for the Henry cousins.

The post-mortem examination (PME), conducted on the badly mutilated bodies of Joel and Isaiah found that the teenagers died as a result of haemorrhage and shock owing to the extent of their wounds.

Following the autopsy, the family’s attorney, Nigel Hughes related that in the case of Joel, he had a total of 18 wounds. It is believed that the fatal wound severed the teenager’s spine between the 1st and 2nd vertebrae.

“The pathologist suspected that after he got those wounds (to his head) he fell to

Natural Resources Minister Vickram Bharrat

company’s problems.

A letter from the company dated January 29, 2020, which was seen by Guyana Times, indicated that the company was forced to further reduce operations and to lay-off employees owing to adverse the ground and then got the wound that severed his spine... his wound was 14 inches by 3 inches wide by 6 inches deep,” Hughes had said.

In the case of Isaiah, he also sustained a severed spine but unlike his cousin, the teenager had no defensive wounds. The attorney explained that Isaiah, however, sustained a number of chop wounds to his head.

“Isaiah had no defensive wounds to his hand. He had several more chops to his head. His spine was severed between the 2nd and 3rd vertebrae and his was 14 inches by 4 inches wide by 6 inches in depth,” the attorney noted.

The family took photographs as well as video footage of the bodies and autopsy to share with foreign forensic experts for their opinions. It was also related that the teenagers may have been dead for about 36 hours before they were discovered on Sunday, September 6, 2020. The teens were laid to

RUSAL in talks with Govt to return

– Minister says workers’ rights must be protected

that submission formally,” of 2020, amid industrial unBharrat said. rest from their workers, terThe Minister noted that minating 326 employees in the company has hinted that the process. Workers had it wants Government’s assisbeen striking for some time tance in dredging the Berbice over pay-related issues, going River. When it comes to workso far as to block the Berbice ers’ rights, Bharrat has made River. it clear that the Government Prior to their decision to will be expecting RUSAL to leave, BCGI was facing diffihonour workers’ rights and culties that included low propay fair wages, should they duction. In addition, when return. the company had initially an“During the talks, it was nounced its decision to termiRUSAL executives in Guyana hinted that they would like us to dredge the Berbice River nate workers, it stated that it was experiencing difficulties M ore than seven months after they packed up shop and left Guyana under a cloud, Russian Aluminum (RUSAL) is in talks with the new People’s Progressive Party (PPP) Government over returning to Guyana. But the Government is making it clear that workers’ rights is of paramount importance if the company is to return. In an interview with this publication, Natural Resources Minister Vickram Bharrat confirmed that negotiations are ongoing with RUSAL while noting that the Russian company has to make a formal submission to the Government on their requirements to restart the operation. “They were supposed to make a formal submission to us, as to what is needed to restart the operation and a timeframe to do so, so that we can have a second discussion and move the process forward. So, we’re waiting [for] and assist in the mine (which is actually flooded). But no formal request was made to us,” Minister Bharrat explained. “We expect that workers’ rights must be protected, people are paid a fair wage, conditions in health and safety regulations, everything must be in place. Our intention is to get the workers back to work, but not to compromise on anything,” the Minister also said. RUSAL’s Bauxite Company of Guyana Incorporated (BCGI) subsidiary left Guyana in February after Government ended its duty-free arrangement for its fuel. However, following the decision to lay-off employees, workers and residents blocked the section of the Berbice River utilised by the Aroaima-based company. This further compounded the

rest on Sunday. (G2) operating circumstances including shipment interruption because of the blockage of the Berbice River.

In fact, other Private Sector companies operating in the area were also forced to send home their workers as a result of the blockage hindering their operations to move materials up and down the Berbice River. When the police arrived to remove the blockade from the river, they were faced with resistance from the workers and their families.

The former A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) Government was severely criticised for its handling of the issue and its failure to protect the interests of the hundreds of bauxite workers who were left jobless following the company’s decision.