Reporting the facts. Keeping you informed.
The Office of the President is pleased to make the following announcements in relation to new appointments in the Government.
The following appointments are hereby made:
Capt. Gerald Gouveia – National Security Adviser to the President
Mr. Lennox Shuman – Advisor to the Minister of Public Works on Civil Aviation
Mr. Ralph Ramkarran – Advisor to the Minister of Foreign Affairs on Border Issues.
Jones was arrested just after 12:30 this morning and was taken to the Diamond police lockups. Jones was reportedly detained for simple larceny. Jones and the police had a stand-off for hours, after the lawmen attempted to break into his Tucville house. His lawyer Darren Wade even secured an injunction from the acting Chief Justice Brassington Reynolds which was not accepted by the police. The lawmen broke into Jones’ house and removed several boxes believed to be barber chairs he had in his possession.
The ongoing operation lasted for hours and the street where Jones lived had no electricity, all the other streets around the area had GPL power supply.
Jones was arrested just after 12:30 this morning and was taken to the Diamond lockups. Jones was reportedly detained for simple larceny. Jones and the police had a stand-off for hours, after the lawmen attempted to break into his Tucville house. His lawyer Darren Wade even secured an injunction from the acting Chief Justice Brassington Reynolds which was not accepted by the police. The lawmen broke into Jones’ house and removed several boxes believed to be barber chairs he had in his possession.
The ongoing operation lasted for hours and the street where Jones lived had no electricity, all the other streets around the area had GPL power supply.
“Nevertheless, there were unearthed loopholes and irregularities regarding the local handling of the shipment which has resulted in a collaborative investigation by CANU and GRA seeking to amend same.“
According to the Customers Anti Narcotics Unit (CANU) the suspected narcotic was found in one twenty feet (20 ft) container containing several bags of white rice shipped from Guyana.
The said contaminated container was one out of a shipment of a total of (12) 20 ft containers. That entire shipment of the 12 containers comprised 6000 bags of white rice intended for export to a company in Poland.
The vessel intended to transport the said 12 containers was loaded and sailed from Guyana between the 25th and 26th May 2020.
It was confirmed that all 12 of the said containers were scanned locally by GRA operatives and no narcotic was detected nor were their seals appeared to have been tampered with.
It is key to note that the said vessel which departed Guyana arrived on June 7th, 2020 in another territory where the said 12 containers were reportedly off loaded in that territory and remained in –transit for a total of 6 days after which those 12 containers which included the one later found to be contaminated were then re-loaded onto another vessel different from the vessel that initially transported those 12 containers from Guyana.
That said second vessel with the 12 containers and its other cargo then arrived in Hamburg, Germany on June 27th, 2020 and discharged the said 12 containers the following day, June 28th, 2020.
The said 12 containers remained at their boarded location in Germany for several days after which they were then searched and the suspected narcotic were intercepted on Monday 10th August 2020.
The media release from CANU, added that, “importantly, newspaper clippings out of the territory in which the said 12 containers remained in-transit in were found to have been used to wrap some of the bundles of suspected narcotic intercepted in Germany.
CANU added that it has conducted an extensive investigation into the handling, shipping and export of this shipment of white rice and has not yet found conclusive evidence that suggests that the suspected narcotic was loaded onto the contaminated container in Guyana. “Nevertheless, there were unearthed loopholes and irregularities regarding the local handling of the shipment which has resulted in a collaborative investigation by CANU and GRA seeking to amend same.“
CANU will continue to participate in inter-agency collaborations in its bid to tighten the grip on Narcotic distributors throughout the Country, the released concluded.
As of 18:00hrs on August 20, 2020, Guyana recorded thirty (30) COVID-19 related deaths.The Ministry of Health (MOH) regrettably informs that oneother person who tested positive for the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) has died at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC).
The deceased was a 73- year-old man and a patient of the transitional ward at the GPHC.
Upon admission to the GPHC, a swab test was done and following his death, the results came back as positive.
The MOH is in contact with all relatives and other contacts to facilitate contact tracing and rapid assistance to everyone who may have been exposed. The Ministry is asking that patient confidentiality be respected and the families be allowed to mourn in peace.
Members of the public are encouraged observe the COVID-19 EMERGENCY MEASURES #8 published in the Official Gazette on 14 August. 2020 which emphasises the need to practice physical distancing at least 6ft apart, use a facemask correctly and consistently when leaving their homes and practice good handing washing hygiene to reduce the spread of COVID-19.
The Health Ministry expresses sincerest condolences to the family of the decease and will make every effort to provide all the necessary support during this difficult time to assist the families to deal with the situation.
Persons with symptoms of COVID-19 are asked to call the COVID-19 hotline numbers 231 1166, 226 7480 or 180/181 for assistance.
4 Persons succumbed to the deadly Coronavirus on Wednesday bringing the total now to 29.
The 23-year-old man went missing last Sunday and relatives were keeping their fingers crossed and praying for his safe return.
Police B Division Commander Calvin Brutus told this newscast that the maid who works with the family and her two sons are in custody, along with three other persons. He said one of the suspects has confessed to police investigators and took the lawmen to a location at Moleson Creek, Corentyne, Berbice where the startling discovery was made.
