GGMC Prosecutor In custody following Police Sting Operation. He was reportedly nabbed with $300,000 dollars which he collected from a miner to settle a court matter

Sherwin Crandon, a prosecutor employed by the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission was arrested by the police during a sting operation. This was after he allegedly collected money from a gold miner to dismiss a case against him. According to a release from the Guyana Police Force, on Wednesday 19th, May 2021, a gold miner visited the Guyana Police Force’s CID Headquarters at Eve Leary, Georgetown, and reported that back in 2019, he was charged by the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission ((GGMC) for illegal mining at Blackwater, Mahdia.
 He further added that on 19th May 2021 the suspect (prosecutor) called him and told him that he was willing to dismiss the case if the miner paid him $300,000 dollars Guyana Currency and if he did not comply, then he would be convicted for the offence.
The Police report added that the suspect and the miner agreed to meet at a popular bar in Station Street, Kitty on the 19th, May 2021 at 16:00 hrs.
The Police are reporting that as a result of that report, a sting operation was executed.
 On the said date at 16:30 hours, a party of Policemen acting upon information arrested Sherwin Crandon, a 44-year-old male of George Street, Werk-en-Rust. Crandon is a prosecutor for the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission. A search was conducted on his person and the $300,000 Guyana Currency, in dimensions of $5,000 (GC) was found in his pants pocket. He was then told of the allegation, arrested, and placed into custody.
 The suspect admitted that he is a Prosecutor at GGMC and said that he was prosecuting an active matter against the gold miner at the Mahdia Magistrates’ court, which was being tried at the Diamond Magistrates’ Court. He admitted that he indeed collected the money from the gold miner, but claimed that he wanted to “borrow” the money.

Man in custody after nabbed by Police with over 8 pounds of Marijuana

A 42-year-old West Coast Berbice man is in Police custody after he was nabbed with 3,928 grams of suspected Cannabis. That incident occurred at #30 Village, West Coast Berbice. According to a Police, report ranks from the Fort Wellington Police Station led by an inspector
acting on information on Wednesday, May 19, 2021, around 16:35 hours, went to the home of the 42-year-old man where the suspected cannabis was discovered.
 A search was conducted at the premises by the ranks who found two wrapped transparent parcels containing leaves, seeds, and stems suspected to be Cannabis in a barrel that was in the house. The man was told of the offence, cautioned, arrested, and escorted to the Fort Wellington Police Station. He remains in custody as the investigation continues.

Caribbean Federation of Police Welfare Association refuses to acknowledge what they call the illegal and illegitimate association derived from Police Association elections

The controversy surrounding the Guyana Police Association election is now heating up with the Caribbean Federation of Police Welfare Associations speaking out about the legitimacy of the process.

The Caribbean Federation of Police Welfare Associations said  they recognize the unfortunately challenging environment that faces our Guyanese police colleagues. It is our view that this level of skullduggery and high-handed behaviour by the administrators of the Police Service is designed to the detriment of the legitimately elected body led by Inspector Rosanne Forde.

The CFPWA’s position is clear that elections of the association must be free, fair, and transparent, consistent with the prescribed rules. The level of gamesmanship displayed by the administrators of the Guyana Police Force on May 11th, 2021 is deeply regrettable. This has left much to be desired, and it does not portray who we are as Caribbean Police Officers. This is a dark day in the history of Caribbean Policing and definitely for welfare.

In a release to the media the Caribbean Federation of Police Welfare Associations said it is concerned with the fact that the Acting Deputy Commissioner of Police, Senior Superintendent Calvin Brutus usurped the responsibility of the legitimate Chairman and called an election without the knowledge of the sitting Chairman Inspector Forde. Further the CFPWA said they were also concerned that the Acting Commissioner of Police Nigel Hoppie DSM on May 11th, 2021 declared both elections null and void then backpeddled and accepted the results of an illegitimate election. The Federation is seriously concerned that a Commissioner of Police who must have some appreciation for the rule of law would acquiesce at a retrenchment of a legitimately elected body mandated to serve its three-year tenure. This is not our finest hour as long as this miscarriage of justice is accepted. The CFPWA will not evade the grim reality. The question remains unanswered as to what empowers the Commissioner of Police to retrench a legitimately elected body by some 293 days when Section 10 (3) of the Association Rules empowers the Association to serve for three years. It is on this basis the Caribbean Federation of Police Welfare Association refuses to acknowledge the illegal and illegitimate association derived from such elections. This improper conduct by the administrators of the force must be immediately addressed and we call on the Police Service Commission, the Minister of Home Affairs Hon. Robenson Benn and the Attorney General Hon Anil Nandlall to abort the apparent cacophony of systemic institutional misconduct and miscarriage of justice engineered by the Acting Commissioner of Police and his administrators. We support and urge our officers to maintain and display the highest levels of professional standards in their service delivery while exercising restraint without any compromise to personal health and safety. Two elections were held on May 11th, eight months before the constitutional requirement.

GBNS destroyed more than 200 packs of non-compliant cigarettes in Lethem

Some 290 packs of cigarettes which failed to meet the requirements were destroyed by the Guyana Bureau of Standards.

The Bureau in a press statement said the cigarettes which were branded US Mild 1 were found in Lethem and imported by city business. The items were destroyed by fire at the Lethem dumpsite last Thursday.

According to the bureau, the cigarettes were discover during a routine surveillance inspection. During inspection for compliance with the Tobacco Regulations of 2018, the packs were found to not be in compliance with the labelling and marking requirements.

It was the non-compliance of the product that saw them being prohibited for resale on the local market. A decision the bureau said was taken to destroy the items together with the distributor. The cigarettes were in storage for some time, the release stated.

The bureau has oversight for the monitoring the labelling and quality of products for sale in Guyana and this includes appliances, electrical equipment and fittings, PVC pipes, cellular phones and gold jewellery.

Health Minister continues to encourage Guyanese to be vaccinate against COVID-19

The COVID-19 deaths and infections continue to rise but Guyana’s Minister of Health Dr. Frank Anthony said his government is safeguarding the nation by ensuring there are enough vaccines to decrease the spread of the disease.

The Minister said that Government is purchasing some 800,000 doses of the Sputnik V vaccine and that would be able to fully vaccinate 400,000.

Dr. Anthony said COVID-19 vaccines would be available for every adult in Guyana, as he encouraged persons not be hesitate to get inoculated as many countries are still struggling to obtain vaccines

Guyana to date has recorded 15, 352 COVID-19 cases and 344 deaths.

US Drug Deportee shot dead by police. Police Office of Professional Responsibility called in to probe the matter

The Guyana Police Force is probing the killing of  Peter Headley of Dowding Street, Kitty. According to a police report, following up with investigations into an armed robbery that was committed at Herstelling, East Bank Demerara, on May 11, 2021, and acting on information received, at about 20:45 hours on Saturday May 15, 2021, police ranks intercepted a motor vehicle with two men inside at Nandy Park, East Bank Demerara.
The Police are reporting that  during a search of the vehicle, a television set that is suspected to have been stolen during the armed robbery was found. As a result, the driver 45yr old Peter Headley, of Dowding Street, Kitty, and the other occupant were arrested.
The police report added that Peter Headley was placed in the front passenger seat of the civilian vehicle which was being driven by a police rank, with an armed police rank in the back seat, while the other suspect was placed in the police vehicle with the other ranks.
 On their way to the Providence Police Station, Peter Headley reached under the seat of the vehicle and pulled out what appeared to be a firearm causing the armed rank to discharge a round which struck him to his body.
 Some of his close friends in Kitty said Headley was no thief, In fact, Headley was deported from the United States in 2010 for drug trafficking.
The police report did not go into any further details on the shooting but posited that the Police Office of professional Responsibility were called in to probe the shooting death. The Police did not say whether or not Headley was handcuffed, if the vehicle he was in was searched and did not reveal what type of weapon he pulled.
 Headley succumbed while receiving medical treatment at the  Diamond Diagnostic Centre.