NEWS
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SATURDAY, MARCH 20, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM
4-month-old baby girl died 197 domestic violence, child abuse cases reported on hotline from “traumatic asphyxia” …reports concentrated in Regions 3, 4
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ince the establishment of the 914 hotline last December, a whopping 197 reports of domestic violence and child abuse were reported to the relevant authorities. The hotline is a toll-free number, operated on a 24hour basis for persons to raise issues on various forms of abuse and violence throughout the country. This mechanism has been supported by the United Nations Population Fund (UNPF) and United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF). Human Services and Social Security Minister, Dr Vindhya Persaud at a press briefing on Friday related that of the 197 reports, 158 were related to domestic violence and 38 to child abuse. “We have been receiving a number of reports. We have actual reports totalling 197…In terms of reporting, we had one child making a report directly. In terms of the cases where child reports came in, they were done by adults, usually persons outside of the situation and that’s a good thing because it means people are being vigilant and they’re taking the issue of child abuse very seriously,” she highlighted. From a breakdown, the highest number of calls came from Regions Three (Essequibo IslandsWest Demerara) and Four (Demerara-Mahaica), with 36 and 113 respectively.
Human Services and Social Security Minister, Dr Vindhya Persaud
Region Six (East BerbiceCorentyne) followed with 18; Region Two (PomeroonSupenaam) with 14; Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice), five cases; nine cases in Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo); three in Regions Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni) and 10 (Upper DemeraraBerbice). There were no reports from Regions One (BarimaWaini) and Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni). The Minister further stated that in response to calls, immediate intervention is sought to assist victims in their respective situations. The children-related reports were forwarded to the Child Care and Protection Agency (CC&PA) while
those related to domestic violence were referred to the District Probation Offices for further intervention. According to Minister Persaud, the hotline is also open to report issues of abuse of the elderly - a common occurrence in society that is often disregarded. “We’re bringing a lot of attention to elderly abuse because it is something that happens and many a time, it is not spoken about and so we want to say to the elderly persons out there, 914 is also for you. Don’t think it’s only for children or specific cases of violence. Elderly violence is out there and it can be anything from neglect to actual physical violence to even sexual violence that is perpetrated against elders,” she appealed to the population. Presently, 17 officers are controlling the hotline network but the Ministry is working to increase their human resources capacity. Later this month, a gender-based violence referral app will be available for both android and iOS systems, linking people with all services offered by the Ministry. “It is taking information and using it in such a way that it is helpful to people across the country. It is also tapping into a population of young people who always are using their phones. This is our way of complimenting the movement to dealing with violence and abuse.”
16-Y-O charged for the murder of boy, 10
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ne week after his arrest, a 16-year-old male was on Friday charged for the murder of 10-year-old Anthony Cort of C Field Sophia, who was gunned down during a robbery. The minor appeared before Magistrate Alisha George at the Sparendaam Magistrate’s Court, where he was charged under Section 100 (1) (C) (i) of the Criminal Law (Offences) Act Chapter 8:01. It is alleged that on March 11, 2021, in Sophia, Georgetown, he murdered Cort in the course or furtherance of a felony, that is robbery. The 16-year-old murder accused was not required to plead to the charge. He has since been remanded to the Sophia Juvenile Holding Centre and the matter has been adjourned to May 12, 2021. It was reported that 10-year-old Anthony Cort was killed by ban-
dits during a home invasion in Sophia, Greater Georgetown. The now dead lad and his mother were two houses away from their residence when two armed men invaded the property belonging to his aunt - a 44-yearold businesswoman. Police said that Cort was in the upper flat of the home in C Field, Sophia, in the company of others when the bandits rushed inside the lower flat and held the occupants at gunpoint. They were relieved of two cellphones valued $80,000 each, two gold bands valued $100,000, two gold rings valued $100,000, one gold chain valued $100,000, and $80,000 cash. According to Police, the bandits then ordered the victims into the upper flat of the house via a northern door. As they went into the upper flat, Anthony was about to exit a bedroom when one
Dead: 10-year-old Anthony Cort
of the bandits discharged a round, hitting the child in his left upper shoulder. The suspects then made good their escape. Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) subsequently responded to reports of the tragedy and pronounced the child dead at the scene.
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post-mortem examination that was done on the body of fourmonth-old Kaylee Atkinson of Annandale, Essequibo Coast, gave her cause death as “traumatic asphyxia”. Traumatic asphyxia, also known as crush asphyxia, occurs when there is pressure placed on the chest so that normal respiration cannot occur. On Sunday last, Atkinson was discovered dead with her drunken father’s foot on her chest. It was reported that the now dead baby lived with her teenage parents along with an older sibling. However, it was reported that the father returned
Dead baby: Kaylee Atkinson
home on Saturday evening last at about 20:10h under the influence of alcohol and went into the kitchen where he fell asleep on the floor. The teenage mother then retired to bed with her two
children but they were later joined by the father, who slept with them. Nevertheless, at about 01:55h on Sunday, the mother woke up to breastfeed the baby and observed her husband’s foot resting on the child’s chest and abdomen. As she looked closer, the teenager noticed a “whitish” substance oozing from the baby’s mouth and that she was not breathing. She immediately woke up the 18-year-old father and rushed the child to the Suddie Public Hospital where she was pronounced dead on arrival by a doctor on duty. With the post-mortem results, it is not clear if charges will be laid against the father.
Guyana talks structural transformation, economy reopening at UK-Caribbean Forum
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inister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Hugh Todd underscored key resilience-building steps which countries should aim to achieve in order to address global issues. At the 10th UKCaribbean Forum earlier this week, Minister Todd highlighted that resilience-building should be at the core of international support, underscoring the need for exceptional measures to restore debt sustainability and address urgent financing gaps. Minister Todd also referenced the need for vaccines, which he said are an immediate and fundamental step to enable early achievement of herd immunity, which will curb the pandemic, protect citizens and allow for the full reopening of economies. Moreover, he highlighted the key role of structural transformation and access to financing in building resilience over the medium to long term. The UK-Caribbean Forum is a biennial event, which provides a platform for exchange between Foreign Ministers on bilateral, regional, and global issues. This year’s event focused specifically on climate change, economic re-
silience, disaster management concerning small island developing states (SIDS), COVID-19 recovery, and immigration, among other areas. At the conclusion of the forum, the Foreign Ministers of the United Kingdom and Caribbean countries agreed on an Action Plan for a two-year period, up to 2023, when the next full forum meeting is currently envisaged. This Action Plan is intended to allow for a strategic and sustained approach to the UK-Caribbean relationship, based on ambitious, yet focussed and realistic commitments. It serves as a road map for the practical implementation of the communique and sets out the enhanced commitments of both the UK and Caribbean Forum countries for a renewed and strengthened partnership. According to a Caricom statement, it was concluded that it is important to act together for mutual benefit and the global common good, based on their many shared values, particularly around the COVID-19 global pandemic and climate change. Additionally, this Action Plan will remain a standing agenda for review at quarterly meetings be-
Foreign Affairs Minister Hugh Todd during his presentation
tween Caribbean High Commissioners based in London and the Minister for the Caribbean at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO). Together, they will agree joint action in cases where specific objectives are at risk of not being met. “The parties recognise that the value of the UKCaribbean Forum lies in concrete and practical follow-up to commitments made at its meetings. Therefore, the parties will conduct a full audit of achievements against the Action Plan goals after the first year and immediately prior to the next forum,” the statement added.
2 arrested with stolen mining equipment at Arakaka Backdam
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wo men are now in Police custody and are being questioned in relation to a robbery committed on a miner of Citrus Grove Port Kaituma, North West District (NWD), in January. Based on the information received, the miner, Gavin Albert, had left his employee to look over the site in January last but on Thursday of this week, he received information that
several pieces of equipment from the site were missing. As a result, the minter went to his worksite at Arakaka, NWD, to investigate and discovered that his mining hose, which was stolen, was in the possession of another miner at World Bank Backdam, Arakaka Backdam. Albert was able to identify the item due to a mark he had placed on it. Following
the discovery, the matter was reported to the Police station and based on a probe that was launched, two men were arrested The stolen mining hose was valued at $55,000. Apart from that, the men allegedly took a magic mat worth $50,000, four mats valued at $30,000 and $135,000 in cash. Charges are expected to be laid shortly.
