First set of Central Housing & Planning Authority housing units to be ready for Lindeners in December

In a matter of weeks, fifteen Lindeners will be owners of their own homes as contractors are performing finishing touches on the housing units that were built by the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA).

The 15 houses are the first set of 60 two-bedroom flats and elevated houses, located in Phase Three, Amelia’s Ward. The project is being done in four batches with each group expected to take approximately 120 days to complete.

Contractor Michael Bonds from Michael Bonds Construction which was awarded a contract to complete three of the houses, described the process as “very smooth,” with no hiccups from the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA).

“The process was very smooth, even with payments. Our payment was on time and everything was done accordingly and with high expectations,” Bond relayed.

Other contractors noted that the entire project created a positive spin-off since over 80 Lindeners were employed by the four contractors, while the busy environment also attracted hucksters and food and beverage vendors. 

Construction of these housing units commenced after access roads, and electricity and water supplies were made available in the area.

Thirty of the 60 will be flat concrete houses which will cost $5.3 Million and the other 30 will be concrete houses on stilts. These will cost $6.3 Million.

Some $100, 000 of those respective costs will go towards paying for the land.

Owners had to be prequalified at commercial banks for the units and priority was given to youths and government workers.

Two of these are Registered Nurse Abigail Thompson and Nigel Newton, a mechanical engineer employed by the Regional Democratic Council.

Thompson told the media that she is a mother of two and applied eight months prior to pre-qualifying. “Don’t give up, apply once you reach the age, you might be selected. It makes me feel honoured to be selected today, to own my own home soon,” she said as she encouraged other youths to do the same.

In 2019, CH&PA will be commencing similar construction in the Wisroc Scheme. The process of getting the lands transferred from the Wisroc Housing Cooperation via the Guyana Lands and Survey Commission to the CH&PA is currently underway.

Construction worker shot during escape bid

A 39-year-old construction worker who was caught with two illegal handguns and ten live ammunition on his Back-Street Grove, East Bank Demerara premises was shot and injured by police after he attempted to escape on Saturday.

It was during the suspect’s frantic bid to escape, that he attempted to disarm the ranks and engaged them in a struggle, when he received two gunshot wounds.

He is presently receiving medical attention, under guard.

A female who was found at the suspect’s home, has been detained.

Relatives welcome Linden Martyrs memorial monument

The Government will pay homage next year to Linden martyrs, Ron Sommerset, Shemroy Bouyea and Allan Lewis, who were killed during a fiery protest on July 18, 2012. 

This will be done through the construction of a monument to the fallen men in the mining community. Some $5 Million is being allocated for the project which will unfold in 2019. Linden officials, particularly relatives and those who were involved in the protest action, have welcomed this development.

Allan Lewis’s son, Rodwell Lewis, said that he is happy that the monument is finally coming to reality since there were requests made since 2012 for this to be done.

A street in Wismar Housing Scheme was named ‘Allan Lewis Avenue’ in memory of his father.

The mother of Shemroy Bouyea also welcomed the decision. “I am happy about it and I think it is a very good thing,” she said.

In July 2012, Lindeners took to the streets for 36 days to send a strong message against a proposal, by the previous PPP/C administration, to drastically hike electricity tariffs from $5 per Kilowatt to $65.

Ron Sommerset, Shemroy Bouyea and Allan Lewis were shot dead during the protests.

During the 2012 protests, the entire town was shut down, while main roads became impassable. Several government buildings, including a school, were gutted by fire. Public roads and bridges were also destroyed.

A Commission of Inquiry found that the martyrs were shot by law enforcement officers.

In his budget presentation, Minister of Finance Winston Jordan made a public appeal for Government to do better by the martyrs’ relatives.  “I am asking my section here to revisit the compensation that was given to those people; they were unarmed people protesting for their rights and they were killed.”

Region 10 received a 2019 budget allocation of $3.9 Billion, the largest sum to date. (DPI, Guyana) 

Mother of 7 granted $150,000 bail for wounding her boyfriend

A Mother of seven was today released on bail for wounding when she appeared before the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court before Magistrate, Fabayo Azore.

The woman, 39-year-old Kendrea Grant, a former clerk of the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court was charged with wounding with the intent to commit murder.

The court was told that on 12th November, Grant committee the act against her boyfriend Otis Bailey. The attack came after the two were involved in a heated argument. Bailey was stabbed to his right side ribs.

The Prosecutor objected to bail on the grounds of the seriousness of the offence, but the Magistrate granted bail in the sum of $150,000. Grant will make her second court appearance on 21 December.

12 pounds of cannabis busted in an Allion on the East Bank. Taxi Driver in custody

An intelligence led operation by ranks of the Guyana’s Police Force’s Narcotics Branch resulted in the discovery of twelve pounds of cannabis. The operation was led by a senior police officer.

The police in a press release said the drugs were intercepted yesterday at approximately 20:20 hrs. at Grove on the East Bank Demerara.

The illicit substance was found in the truck of a Toyota Allion Motor Car during the search. The drugs were found sealed in ten parcels.

The driver of the vehicle, a 37-year-old resident of Westminister, La Parfaite Harmonie, West Bank Demerara, is in police custody assisting with the investigation.

A TSU rank under close arrest after an accidental shooting.

A young policeman who was on duty at the home of  Minister Within the Ministry of Public Health, Dr. Karren Cummings at Belfield on the East Coast of Demerara, is under investigation for the accidental shooting of a Victoria man. It is alleged that the policeman moved the firearm from his waist and rest the weapon on the fence when it went off.
 The incident occurred just after 9:00 this morning. Commander of  C Division Calvin Brutus said the bullet struck the young man in his leg. He was at the time at a house next door to the minister.  Commander Brutus said initial reports revealed that the young man was sitting on a bench in the yard when the incident occurred.
The man was rushed to a medical institution where he underwent surgery. The commander also said that further investigations revealed that the Policeman and the injured man are not known to each other and had no quarrel or dispute. It is unclear if the Minister was at home at the time of the incident.

Tearful mother of 3 remanded for the murder of reputed husband

The indictable charge of murder was today read to Melissa Playter, a 25-year-old mother of three who allegedly stabbed and killed her reputed husband at their Prince William Street, Plaisance East Coast Demerara home.
The woman was tearful throughout her appearance in the Sparrandam Magistrates’ Court before Magistrate Alisha George.
It is alleged that on Sunday, December 2, 2018, at their home she murdered Victor Roberts. The 38-year-old man and the woman shared a child together. There are reports that the incident stemmed from a heated argument between the two which ended with the deceased sustaining a stabbed wound once to his left side chest. There are reports that the woman was repeatedly abused by the man and her family members are contending that she was defending herself when the victim was injured. He later succumbed to his injury at the GPHC.

The unrepresented woman was remanded to prison until January 17th, 2019.