PVaccination rate lowest

SATURDAY, MAY 22, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Vaccination rate lowest among younger population – Health Minister

…over 47,000 persons fully immunised

Younger age groups will now be the target of the Health Ministry’s vaccination campaign, as new cases soar while the vaccination rate remains lowest among this subset.

Some 177,649 persons have received their first dose of the vaccine, amounting to 36.5 per cent of the adult population. For second doses, uptake has increased to 47,504 persons or 9.8 per cent.

A breakdown shows that 66.2 per cent of persons 60 years and older have received their first jab; 33.7 per cent for the 40 to 50 age group and 27 per cent in the 18 to 39 category.

According to Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony, this is an indication that more sensitisation and awareness efforts are needed for this group.

“With the younger age group, that is the 18 to 39 age group, that is the group we will have to work more on because when we look at the number of infections that is occurring, we’re seeing those new cases are predominantly between 18 and 40. This group is more vulnerable to the infection because I guess they’re more active. They’re moving around and coming into contact with persons who are positive,” Dr Anthony shared.

For this, he urged youngsters to take their vaccines, in helping to contain the spread of the virus.

“It is important that we immunise this age group and I would like to make an appeal for the younger persons, people between 18 and 40, to come forward and get their vaccines. This would help us to contain the spread.”

Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice), which has seen the lowest vaccination rate has made slight improvements, moving from nine to 11 per cent. However, the other regions have made great progress, with Region Six leading the charts.

Regional statistics show a 39.2 per cent immunisation in Region One (BarimaWaini), 36.4 per cent in Region Two (PomeroonSupenaam), 37.5 per cent in Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara), 36.6 per cent in Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica), 38.5 per cent in Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice), 43.6 per cent in Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne), 37.1 per cent in Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni), 23.9 per cent in Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni) and 34.9 per cent in Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo). This is an average of 36.4 per cent.

“They (Region 10) were the lowest. They continue to be the lowest there although there have been marginal improvements so we continue to urge the leadership in Region 10, persons who have influence in the community to advocate so that people could go out and get their vaccines. We got to make that appeal to people because we’re seeing an increase in cases in Region 10 as well. We have right now more than 140 active cases in Region and there are communities where we have seen more than 50 cases,” the Minister shared.

Myths

Sensitisation from authorities becomes critical with the circulation of myths in communities, causing people not to get inoculated. It was highlighted that the Ministry is constantly seeking to dispel any untruths so as to influence behavioural change.

“There’s lots of myths circulating pertaining to safety and efficacy of vaccines and then some very weird myths that has nothing to do with the vaccine. So, trying to dispel that, trying to get people to understand that these vaccines are safe, it’s an ongoing process. We have to keep educating and hopefully we’ll get people changing their attitudes,” Dr Anthony detailed.

The source of information, he identified, is the biggest challenge for officials. In most instances, people fail to validate the information that is provided before believing or spreading it to others.

“A lot of time, I don’t think people are analysing proper medical and scientific information. They’re going by hearsay, what somebody would have told them and a lot of time, the sources of authority that they’ve been using is people who really don’t have proper medical or scientific information.”

The coronavirus is now affecting younger age groups

SATURDAY, MAY 22, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM 12-year-old chopped by 10-year-old playmate

A12-year-old boy was admitted a patient at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC), after he was chopped to his heel by his 10-year-old friend while he was attempting to chop a face mask.

Reports are that at about 15:40h on Thursday at Station Street, Matthews Ridge, North West District (NWD), Region One (Barima-Waini), the 12-year-old was in the company of his 10-year-old playmate and other children, picking Sijan (whitee) from a tree.

Police stated that the 10-year-old had a cutlass in his possession that he used to cut down the tree, and while attempting to chop a face mask that had fallen on the ground from another child, the 12-year-old pushed his right foot in the way and was chopped to his heel.

He was picked up by a relative and taken to the Pakera District Hospital where he was seen by a doctor. However, because of the severity of the wound, he was transferred to the GPHC.

GRA clerks charged...

FROM PAGE 8

Those charged are: Romeschand Singh, 40, of Grove Squatting Area, East Bank Demerara (EBD); Komalram Persaud, 25, of Golden Grove, EBD; Devindra Moteeram, 24, of East La Penitence, Georgetown; Anush Khan, 29, of Diamond, EBD; and Shareesa Tappin, 26, of Clifford Avenue, Georgetown.

It is alleged that Singh, between October 28, 2020, and May 11, 2021, at Georgetown, conspired with Persaud, Moteeran, Khan, and other persons to forge one Bank of Guyana cheque #08-251478, dated 2021-04-09 amounting to $9,875,000, purporting to show that same was issued by GRA’s Internal Revenue Department, knowing same to be forged.

The second charge stated that Singh, between October 28, 2020, and May 11, 2021, at Georgetown, conspired with Shareesa Tappin, Persaud, Moteeran, Khan, and other persons to forge one Bank of Guyana cheque #08-252760, dated 2021-0420 amounting to $9,875,000 in favour of Tappin, purporting to show that same was issued by GRA’s Internal Revenue Department, knowing same to be forged.

It was further alleged that Tappin, on May 11, 2021, at the Guyana Bank for Trade and Industry Limited, Regent Street, Georgetown, with intent to defraud, uttered to Afsaanah Azimullah, a Bank Teller, one forged Bank of Guyana cheque #08-252760 dated 2021-0420 amounting to $9,875,000, in favour of her, purporting to show that it was issued by GRA’s Internal Revenue Department, knowing same to be forged.

It was further alleged that Tappin, on May 11, 2021, at the Guyana Bank for Trade and Industry Limited Regent Street, Georgetown, with intent to defraud endeavoured the sum of $9,875,000 from the said bank under, upon or by virtue of a forged instrument, that is to say, one Bank of Guyana cheque #08-252760, dated 2020-0420 amounting to $9,875,000 in her favour, purporting to show that same was issued by GRA’s Internal Revenue Department, knowing same to be forged.

Unearthed

The fraud was unearthed after an employee of the GBTI called GRA to confirm the issuance and the amount on the cheque to be encashed. That was the fourth cheque the perpetrators had forged as three others had already been cashed. The cheques were cashed at different branches of GBTI – one at the Diamond, EBD location and the others at its Regent Street, Georgetown location.

In a letter to the Bank of Guyana (BoG) on the issue, GRA Head Godfrey Statia confirmed that the cheques were forged since GRA cheques are stamped “not negotiable” which means that the banks are not allowed to cash them but deposit it into the payee’s account.

Further, it was pointed out by the GRA Head that the signatures of the payee on the cheques in question do not clearly match that on their ID cards. It was against this backdrop that Statia said the fraud was perpetrated as a result of negligence at best or collusion at worst on the part of the commercial bank.

He added that the fact that the bank employee would call to verify the authenticity of the cheques shows that there are rules and operating procedures in place to minimise or prevent such occurrences.

Further, Statia requested the BoG to ensure such requests are accepted from its account, and that the commercial bank is liable for the fraud. Guyana Times understands that the money that was debited from GRA’s account in the fraudulent transactions will have to reinstated.

Since the fraud was made public, BoG Governor, Dr Gobind Ganga has warned local commercial banks to exercise due diligence to avoid any acts of fraud. Dr Ganga had reportedly met with the executives of the bank and cautioned them to be diligent against such acts in the future.

Investigations are still ongoing in this matter. More persons are likely to be charged.

His condition is regarded as stable.

Following the incident, a Welfare Officer was summoned along with the mothers of both minors and the 10-year-old was sent away in the custody of his mother.

SATURDAY, MAY 22, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

SATURDAY, MAY 22, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM Relatives of dead suspected bandit call for justice, picket Home Affairs Ministry

…Minister, Top Cop assure of thorough probe

Dead: Peter Headley

One week after 45-year-old Peter Headley, a taxi driver of Dowding Street, Kitty, Georgetown, was shot and killed while in Police custody, his relatives picketed the Home Affairs Ministry on Friday calling for justice.

Although the Police had reported that Headley was implicated in a robbery at Herstelling, East Bank Demerara (EBD), on May 1, 2021, his family is holding out that he was not a bandit and called for justice to be served.

Home Affairs Minister Robeson Benn meeting with relatives of the dead man on Friday

After the fatal shooting on May 15, 2021, at Nandy Park, EBD, the Police had reported that a television set that is suspected to have been stolen during the armed robbery at Herstelling was found in Headley’s vehicle.

At the time, Headley and another man were in the vehicle and as such, they were arrested. Headley was reportedly placed in the front passenger seat of his car which was being driven by an armed Police rank. Another Police rank was in the back seat of the vehicle while the other suspect was taken into the Police vehicle with the other ranks.

On their way to the Providence Police Station, it was alleged that Headley reached under the seat and pulled out what appeared to be a firearm, causing the armed rank to discharge a round, hitting him to his body.

The injured man was instead rushed to the Diamond Diagnostic Centre where he succumbed while receiving medical treatment. This has led to the close arrest of the two Police ranks.

Meanwhile, on Friday, Home Affairs Minister Robeson Benn met with the relatives who picketed his Ministry and assured them that the matter is being thoroughly investigated by the Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) and the Police Complaints Authority.

In addition, the Minister also took two of Headley’s close relatives to his office where he made an open telephone call to Commissioner of Police, Nigel Hoppie, who also gave his assurances into a thorough investigation.

“Both the Minister and the Commissioner noted the grave concerns of the relatives and friends with respect to the effect and fears relating to Police misconduct,” the Ministry stated in a release to the media.

A post-mortem performed on the body of the taxi driver gave the cause of death as a single gunshot wound that perforated the lungs.