murder of officer P

APNU/AFC Councillor apologises for false remarks about No 52/74 NDC

APNU/AFC NDC Councillor Lakeraj Singh

One day ago Guyana Times reported that a Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) has not been providing needed services with the subvention it received from Central Government, which included a quantity of crusher run, and the Communities Ministry had taken one year to give approval for the Number 52/74 NDC to purchase laterite even as residents had complained about potholes.

The story featured an A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change NDC Councillor Lakeraj Singh saying that the supplier currently did not have laterite, which is used as a binding agent for crusher run (crushed stones), in stock because of the closing of the Corentyne River by Surinamese authorities as part of measures being implemented by the Dutchspeaking territory to stop the spread of novel coronavirus. Former Member of Parliament David Subnauth was also interviewed and said that the quantity of crusher run received in 2019 was not equal to the quantity currently being stored.

However, after the story was posted on Guyana Times’ Facebook page and residents criticised Singh’s comments, he subsequently confessed that he provided inaccurate information and apologised for remarks he made in the article.

In a social media post, Singh said: “I have learnt that auditors coming from the Auditor General Office to check on the quantities of crusher run that is currently lying in front of the Number 66 crematorium entrance.

“I was informed that the letter for the approval for the usage of crusher run was not never received. But was misguided by a staff in the office...I do apologise for making that error.”

The dead man, David James, is reportedly from Port Kaituma, Region One (Barima-Waini).

Based on information received, on the day in question around 18:30h, James and another employee were imbibing at their worksite when an argument ensued between them.

During the quarrel, the other employee left, but returned shortly after with a friend who attacked James, punching him several times to the face and body.

The Police have arrested one man and are looking for a second in connection with the beating to death of a miner at Aranguy Backdam, Cuyuni River, Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni) on Tuesday.

This resulted in James falling to the ground motionless. Ranks were summoned to the scene where James was found dead in a hammock.

Regional Police Commander, Senior Superintendent Linden Lord told Guyana Times that a five-man team was presently on the hunt for the suspect, adding that there were stringent measures in place to ensure that the perpetrator was apprehended and prosecuted. 1 arrested, another on the run for murder of Port Kaituma miner

Singh had said in the initial article there were other NDCs using crusher run without mixing it with laterite as a binding agent. In fact, he noted that the Number 52/74 NDC had done so in the past and questioned why after one year the NDC had not utilised the part of its 2019 subvention which had come in the form of crusher run.

In another post on Wednesday, Singh said he was told that some of the material was used. He said the NDC Overseer told him that residents had removed some and he questioned whether permission was given for them to do self-help workers.

He added that the auditors would have to go to the areas where the Overseer said he gave residents permission to use the crusher run and determine whether they had used the equivalent of the quantity missing.

Some $2.3 million worth of the stones was placed at Number 66 and left lying there for months while residents complained of poor infrastructure.

22-year-old arraigned for murder of female security officer

One week after a teenager was charged for the murder of 68-year-old Margarett Dawnson, whose partially nude body was found in the Le Repentir Cemetery, Georgetown, the prime suspect was arraigned for the heinous crime on Thursday.

The suspect, 22-yearold Jermaine DeJonge of Albouystown, Georgetown, appeared before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts and was not required to pleas to the indictments which stated that on May 18, 2020, he murdered Dawnson.

DeJonge was shot to the leg during a confrontation with the Police after he was implicated in the murder.

He had reportedly whipped out a knife and attempted to stab one of the Police Officers at Stabroek Market Square after he was cornered by the ranks.

He is a known character to the Police after he was previously implicated in several crimes in his community.

Persons paying their last respects to Dawnson Dead: Margarett Dawnson

DeJonge was remanded to prison and was scheduled to make his next court appearance on June 25, 2020.

Days after the murder, a 17-year-old was charged and remanded to prison by Magistrate Dylon Bess.

Dawnson, a security officer attached to the Professional Guard Service (PGS) of Timehri, East Bank Demerara (EBD), left home for work, but her body was found lying between two tombs in the cemetery.

She was laid to rest on Wednesday, and family, relatives, and friends turned up at Sandy’s Funeral Home to pay their last respects to the woman.

Dawnson leaves to mourn six children and several grandchildren.

11 FRIDAY, MAY 29, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM NEWS A 20-year-old woman was on Thursday killed while three others including her mother were injured following a two-vehicle collision along the Rupert Craig Highway.

Dead is Sabita Sukhoo of 123 Lusignan Pasture, East Coast Demerara (ECD).

The injured were listed as 44-year-old Anita Ramjit of Lusignan, ECD; 44-yearold Marlyn Wilson of Lot 10 Golden Grove, ECD and 45-year-old Mohan Mangal of Lot 273 Block 12 NonPariel, ECD.

Based on reports received, the accident occurred at about 10:00h and involved a route 44 minibus and a RAV 4 luxury vehicle. The circumstances surrounding the accident remains sketchy but the police have launched an investigation.

At the home of the dead woman, her mother, Anita Ramjit explained that she had decided to travel to Georgetown to purchase some cleaning items and asked her daughter to accompany her.

“I asked my daughter if she is going with me, and she said wait till she finished eating. Then, she said ‘mommy, I am not going’, but afterward, she changed her mind, and she said she was going with me… and my baby de going to town and look at what happened,” the mother cried.

The minibus driver however, claimed that he attempted to pull over in the corner when the RAV4 reportedly slammed into the side of the bus. As a result of the impact, the bus toppled several times before coming to a halt.

On the other hand, the driver of the SUV reportedly told police that the minibus swerved into his lane to pick up a passenger when the collision occurred.

However, Ramjit is contending that the minibus was not speeding. “All I know is that the bus turned around and I watched back, and I saw the lady and my daughter and the door was on the conductor’s neck,” she explained.

She further stated that her daughter’s head was outside of the bus. “When I watched I see a blue vehicle that they said grazed the bus and that is how the driver spin around to save us but when he did to save us on the concrete on the road, that is when the bus toppled over from there.”

She recalled coming out of the bus window where people came and render assistance. But she kept shouting for her daughter! Daughter whose head was out of the bus.

“I helped myself to come out of the bus, and I come through the window, and people ran and helped me to come out the bus, and all I asking for is my daughter to take her to the hospital, but nobody helped me and [told] me that I have to wait until the ambulance comes and by the time my daughter reached the hospital they said she died,” the mother recalled.

Meanwhile, at the accident scene, two men were arrested after they were caught stealing from the injured passengers. (Shemar Alleyne) 1 dead, 3 injured following Rupert Craig Highway smash-up

The private motor vehicle involved in the accident

The minibus involved in the accident (Abel Harris photo) Dead: 20-year-old

Sabita Sukhoo Anita Ramjit, the mother of Sabita Sukhoo – 2 arrested for robbing injured passengers

12 FRIDAY, MAY 29, 2020| GUYANATIMESGY.COM

NEWS Granger pleads for greater concessional financing from int’l community

Workers protesting outside the Uitvlugt factory

Police disperse protesting Uitvlugt sugar workers

– GAWU says workers’ rights being trampled upon

As sugar workers attached to the Uitvlugt Sugar Estate, West Coast Demerara (WCD) continued to protest against their work hours and outstanding payments, they were forced to disperse after Police clamped down on them Thursday morning.

The workers downed their tools on Wednesday and continued their protest on Thursday as they remain staunch in their request for appropriate measures to be in place to promote social distancing while ensuring their hours-of-work remained outside the national 18:00h-06:00h curfew.

However, in a statement on Thursday, the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) said that the workers were continuing their “legitimate and peaceful protest” action when they were confronted by a contingent of Police Officers who instructed them to end their activity.

The Union described this development as most disturbing.

“…it seems attempts are being made to trample on the rights of the workers. While we are unsure of how the Police arrived at the scene, the workers were most upset that their peaceful activity was abruptly and forcibly terminated,” GAWU said in the missive.

According to the Union, it has observed an increased Police presence at protest activities involving sugar workers and could not ignore that a certain trend was emerging.

“We certainly hope that security services are [not] being utilised to minimise workers’ voices as they seek to have their rights and gains respected,” it asserted.

The Police presence at the protest followed a meeting between the Union and the Uitvlugt estate management earlier Thursday morning.

At the engagement, GAWU said the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) remained adamant that the workers be organised to work two shifts though the second shift would conclude in the curfew period. Workers have been complaining of facing difficulties with the Police on their way home from work during the curfew period.

GAWU argued that its and the workers’ concerns regarding the difficulties the workers faced on their return home appeared to have been ignored or did not attract the Sugar Corporation’s concern.

“Quite rationally, it was felt that the workers’ principled concerns would have been taken into account. Moreover, bearing in mind that other sections of the workforce are already enjoying similar work arrangements, the workers affected would also be treated equitably as they merely seek to protect themselves and families from the dreaded COVID-19 virus. It sadly seems this is not to be the case,” the Union asserted.

It went on to reiterate calls for better sense to prevail and for an amicable and workable arrangement to be arrived at. GAWU said it believed that a “sober and sincere consideration” of the workers’ views should be pursued and recognition paid to the harm they could face at this time.

Granger has been criticising the international community for speaking out against undemocratic processes in Guyana – whereby there were attempts to rig the elections and deny the will of the people.

In his message to the United Nations forum on Thursday, Granger pleaded for greater concessional financing from the international community.

“We commend and thank the Governments and institutions which have supported the flow of needed resources to small states like ours so far. We recognize that more must be done,” Granger contended. said.

“Our surmounting of this difficult period can only come through our collective actions to take protective and preventative actions to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus and it is against such a background the workers call should be respected,” the Union contended.

The workers are also protesting over the delay in their holiday-with-pay payments for those who have 10 or more years of service.

Sugar workers employed in the fields and the factories receive holiday-with-pay payments in lieu of annual leave – an arrangement that is among the benefits set out in the extant Collective Labour Agreement between the Union and GuySuCo.

However, GAWU said the payment has been delayed for two weeks now. On Wednesday, the Union was informed by GuySuCo during the day that the workers would finally receive their outstanding monies on May 29, 2020 (today). “…It appeared hadn’t the workers raised their voices in protest, they may have continued to see their payments withheld. The GAWU is heartened that the workers can receive their outstanding entitlements, though it is saddened that they were forced to take protest actions to have their rights respected,” the Union stated. E ven while accusing the international community of “interfering” with Guyana’s sovereignty, caretaker President David Granger is now begging them to assist with financial aid.

He further stated that the country has been strained to protect its population from the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), as migrants and the provision of effective healthcare to them added another facet to the situation.

He shared these remarks during a discussion with other Head of States, through the UN in efforts to advance concrete solutions to the development emergency posed by the COVID-19 crisis.

The high-level meeting was convened by Prime Ministers of Canada and Jamaica along with UN Secretary General António Guterres to tackle critical finance issues to address economic devastation caused by COVID-19 and resources for development beyond this era.

Granger said, “Guyana, one of the smallest States in the continent of South America, borders countries which have high incidence of COVID-19. Migrants seek refuge, enter our territories in areas which necessitate the need for effective health services over long distances and remote settlements. These factors impact the State’s ability to protect its people from disease and to earn revenue to maintain its economy.”

He went on to say that for now, a structural system was needed to save small States like Guyana. However, the country can only focus on a response system to the coronavirus pandemic and work on a plan for future happenings.

“Guyana is a small developing State, whose many challenges have been compounded by its need to combat COVID-19 pandemic. Small States need structured and sturdy systems to save lives and support lives and livelihood. In the medium and long terms, [they] must build capacity to respond effectively and efficiently when faced with health crises which are predicted to occur more frequently in the future,” the caretaker President said.

He added, “In the long term, you must achieve food security by sustaining agriculture, manufacturing services so that when our econ

...while using “sovereignty” to deny their concern over democracy

omy reopens, our public and private sectors would be capable of rapid production and progress. In the short term, however, we are obliged to respond to the urgent, unavoidable and unanticipated effects of COVID-19.”

The engagement gave world leaders an opportunity to express their commitment to decisively facilitate global solutions to address the global economic crisis and its effects on the most vulnerable.

Most of them recognised that poverty was rising where unemployment soared, necessitating urgent intervention. The pandemic has also impeded investments in almost every sector. Most of them highlighted the need for effective financing solutions, which was at the core of this engagement.

Six issues were the focus, namely to: expand liquidity in the global economy and maintain financial stability to safeguard development gains; the need to address debt vulnerabilities for all developing countries to save lives and livelihoods for billions of people around the world: the need to create a space in which Private Sector creditors can proactively engage in effective and timely solutions; prerequisites for enhancing external finance for inclusive growth and creating jobs, including lowering the transaction costs of remittances; measures to expand fiscal space and foster domestic resource mobilisation by preventing illicit financial flows and ensuring a sustainable and inclusive recovery by aligning recovery policies with the Sustainable Development Goals.

UN Secretary General António Guterres Caretaker President David Granger

US continues to lend support in Guyana’s fight against COVID-19 – donates $2.4M in supplies to GPHC

Members of the US Embassy in Guyana have donated KN95 masks and infrared notouch thermometers valued at almost US$12,000 (G$2.4 million) to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC).

The locally-procured items are part of the US Department of Defence’s commitment to support its partners through the Humanitarian Assistance Programme amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.

The US Government has already made several donations to Guyana to help in its fight against this life-threatening virus.

On May 19, the Civil Defence Commission (CDC) had received a donation of several items from the Government of the United States of America and its military.

The donation, which consisted of sanitisation, personal care and hygiene items as well as baby supplies, totalled approximately three million dollars (US$15,000).

Five days prior, the US Government – through the Department of Defence’s Humanitarian Assistance Programme, donated to the Georgetown Public Hospital personal protective equipment and supplies valued at more than US$3000.

These supplies, consisting of masks, gloves, hand sanitisers, wrist monitors, and others, were procured locally and are part of the larger US efforts to assist the local authorities in confronting the COVID-19 outbreak here.

On April 23, the US Embassy here announced

The donation made by the US Embassy

that as part of the ongoing commitment to Guyana through the US Caribbean Resiliency Partnership, the Regional Caribbean Office of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention was releasing US$475,000 to help address Guyana’s priority areas of laboratory diagnostics and systems strengthening and supplies, surveillance, infection prevention and control, and emergency operation centres.

Several days later, the US announced an additional US$1.7 million ($357 million) to mitigate the spread of the COVID-19 outbreak in Guyana and the rest of the Caribbean.

As Guyana continues to battle the novel coronavirus locally, several agencies and private entities have lent their support towards the cause.

13 FRIDAY, MAY 29, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM NEWS A s the rainfall season persists, the Hydrometeorological Office of Guyana has issued warnings of expected floods and above-normal high tides.

These high tides, the agency said, are expected to last from June 1 to June 8. The highest peaks are projected to reach 3.13 metres on June 4, 3.16 metres on June 5, and 3.14 metres on June 6.

Meanwhile, the situation has been compounded by a flood warning, issued especially for flood-prone areas in coming days. The Hydromet Office predicts that rainfall accumulation will range from 15 to 60 millimetres (mm).

Persons residing in floodprone areas were directed to take precautions against possible flash floods while those residing in hilly areas are to be on the alert for possible landslides. Abovenormal rainfall has been forecasted until the month of July across all administrative regions, with the possibility of extreme events.

Meanwhile, the Civil Defence Commission (CDC) is urging residents in communities that are prone to flooding to take all the necessary precautions. They can contact the Commission on the round-the-clock National Emergency Monitoring System (NEMS) on 623- 1700, 600-7500, or 226-1114, or leave a message on its social media page.

Just one week ago, several families were forced to rebuild sections of their homes after the structures were damaged by a freak storm. The eerie sounds of the rushing wind mixed with heavy rain swirled through Number 36 Village in Berbice.

Villagers described the storm as “frightening; this thing just coming and zinc sheets flying…”

This is not the first time that a storm has hit the village.

Earlier this month, the Public Health Ministry sent out warnings to the public, as the possibility of flooding rises. Health authorities have asked persons to pay special attention to health, special precautions, personal hygiene, vector control, and food and water safety.

Persons living in floodprone areas should stay out of contact with the water as much as possible, to reduce the risk of contracting an infection. Direct exposure can expose individuals to several germs.

“If you are living in floodprone areas and there is any flooding, stay out of the water as much as possible, as it can greatly reduce your chances of contracting diseases such as skin infections, leptospirosis, diarrhoea and other water-borne diseases … Keep children out of the water as they are most at risk of contracting diseases. Avoid swimming in flooded canals and trenches. During the rainy season and floods, these become contaminated and can make you sick,”

It is said that during the rainy season, respiratory infections, including COVID-19, can occur and may become worse. Daily intake of fruits and vegetables high in Vitamin C can help to maintain a healthy immune system and enhance the ability to fight infection. If circumstances arise that a person must go out into the dirty waters, there are steps which should be followed to protect themselves. High tide, flood warnings issued by Hydromet Office

Salute the “Caricom Three” for their sacrifice

By Sir Ronald Sander

Here are three heroes of democracy in the 15-nation Caribbean Community (Caricom): Cynthia Barrow-Giles (St Lucia/Barbados); John Jarvis (Antigua and Barbuda) and Sylvester King (St Vincent and the Grenadines). Their names must not be forgotten.

Commissioner of the Antigua and Barbuda Electoral Commission and Sylvester King is the Deputy Supervisor of Elections of St Vincent and the Grenadines. Each of them left their homes and their families during the eruption and spread of COVID-19 to carry out this arduous task.

These three persons have devoted 22 days of their lives so far to scrutineering a recount of the votes cast in the Guyana general elections of March 2. In a period of COVID-19 with exposure to the perilous coronavirus and amid a curfew, they have done little else, from daybreak to nightfall, except to scrutineer an exhausting recount of the votes with all the challenges and demands that are being made by some political party agents.

At the end of all this – whenever that comes – these three persons deserve a special award as Champions of Caricom Democracy. And the Caribbean Community should bestow it upon them. They are not doing their jobs; this exercise is not their jobs; it is an act of self-sacrifice and dedication to democracy. Sadly, it appears far from over.

Barrow-Giles is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Government at The University of the West Indies; John Jarvis is a

What was expected to be a 25-day recount process, ending on May 30, has been stretched out by obfuscation and by dilatory tactics, not by any inefficiency of the persons doing the recount, but by constraints imposed on the process. A big part of the constraints is the protocols demanded by the Guyana COVID-19 task force which is, essentially, a political body headed by the caretaker Prime Minister left-over from the former government.

The protocols, imposed by the COVID-19 task force, limit the number of counting stations and persons who can be present for a count. Whether such an obvious political body should have been charged with this responsibility is another matter that will feature in later analysis of the entire general elections.

In any event, the task force’s protocols have contributed to the delays, by not allowing more counting stations with appropriate protocols. At the end of day 21 of the recount (May 27), only 55 per cent of the 2339 ballot boxes were recounted, leaving a bal

ance of 1049 boxes. While local observers of the recounting process from the Private Sector have given it high marks for transparency and accuracy, including revelations of huge discrepancies between the Statements of Poll at polling stations and poll tabulation results offered by the Returning Officer, Clairmont Mingo, the recounting period has to be extended to accomplish the full recount.

Eighty-seven days after it was

Sir Ronald Sanders is Ambassador of Antigua and Barbuda to the United States and the Organisation of American States

held on March 2, Guyana’s election result remains shrouded in uncertainty and incredulity. The Guyanese people deserve every commendation for their patience and tolerance and for not being lured into strife that would further harm them and the country.

The Chair of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) had proposed an extension of the recount period to June 16. A meeting of the Commission was held on May 28 to decide on a date, but at the time of writing, no announcement had been made.

If the recount is extended to June 16, the three overburdened Caricom scrutineers, who are already in highly-pressured circumstances away from their homes and families, will be in Guyana for 37 days altogether.

All of this has damaged Guyana’s standing in the global community. The public remarks of the diplomatic community accredited in Guyana, the statements made by the Commonwealth of Nations, the Organisation of American States (OAS), the European Union (EU) and high representatives of the United States and Canada, have all urged GECOM in particular to conduct a transparent recount that leads to a credible result that is acceptable to the Guyana society and the international community. In that way, Guyana, as a nation, can claim a legitimate place in the world and in international institutions that will have to make determinations that could hurt or harm the country.

Therefore, it should be clear that the “Caricom Three”, scrutineering the elections with only the support of the resident representative of the OAS, is striving not only to uphold Caricom’s commitment to democracy but Guyana’s as well.

Repeatedly, the Governments of Caricom countries, with Guyana included, have expressed, through various public instruments, “their commitment to democracy and popular participation”, and they have “pledged to work together to maintain and strengthen the institutions and processes essential to democratic government”, including “respect for the will of the people, as expressed through free and fair elections on a regular basis”.

The “Caricom Three” are striving to ensure that those commitments mean what they say to the people of Caricom and the world. Neither they nor Caricom Governments could ignore their obligations to the reputation and values of Caricom, Guyana included.

The contribution of the “Caricom Three” must be acknowledged and appropriately honoured.