Royston Drakes Production

Cocaine in saturated hammocks found at Ogle Airport

The Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit( CANU) has issued a wanted bulletin for a 26-year-old woman, who is said to be the shipper of 4 hammocks that were saturated with suspected cocaine to an address in the USA, through a Shipping Company in Georgetown.

Canu has identified the woman as Tiffini Collison, an unemployed female, and mother of a minor. The woman is said to be from Samaan Street, Guyhoc Park. According to a release from CANU, a rank on duty at the Eugene F. Correia International Airport, whilst checking outgoing cargo on Thursday 21st, September 2017, discovered the suspicious package.

CANU, said the woman cannot be located by any of her close family and friends and are now seeking the public’s assistance to locate her.

Brothers shot during home invasion in East La Penitence

One of the men succumbed to his gunshot wounds, while another is critical and the third one is out of danger.
It was just after midnight when the family were preparing for a one-year religious function for their father who passed away when masked gunmen armed pounced on them.

The Police say the bandits took cash and jewelry during the ordeal.
Dead is 58 yr. old Fazal Shaheed of 18 Albion, Corentyne Berbice, while his brothers Talin and Shalim Shaheed were identified as the injured.

The two men made the journey from Canada and the USA for the function which according to their elder brother Raymond will now have to turn into a wake.

The Police have since detained a resident of the area and are currently in search of others said to be involved in the shooting.

The Police were out in their numbers taking statements from relatives, while the local forensic team took photographs of the crime scene.

The Police in a release to the media said a number of spent shells were retrieved from the shooting scene.
The brother’s emotional mother who has lived most of her life and raised her children in the area could not contain her emotions. Raymond Shaheed says this senseless killing must stop.

Sodomized and murdered 13-year-old boy’s body recovered

A family’s worst fears were confirmed this afternoon when the body of 13-year-old Leonard Archibald was discovered on a mudflat at the Korthberaadt River. That’s 3 miles from Brothers Village, East Bank Berbice. Residents who were part of the search party said that the body was in the advanced stage of decomposition.

The lad went missing on last Sunday while he was on his way home. The story took a turn for the worst when the Police arrested two villagers who later confessed to sodomizing the lad then dumping his body at the back of one of the men’s house at Sister’s Village, East Bank Berbice.

The Police say one of the suspects reported that the boy became unconscious during the painful ordeal and it was at this point the suspects decided to dump his body.
The suspects were taken to the murder scene last night to assist Police investigators to ascertain the location where the body was dumped.

Govt to facilitate GuySuCo with $2B bailout in exchange for lands

The Government of Guyana will be offering the Guyana Sugar Corporation Inc. (GuySuCo) a $2B bailout in exchange for lands, for the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA). This was announced by Minister of State, Joseph Harmon on Thursday.

On September 18, a meeting was held between GuySuCo, Acting President and Prime Minister, Moses Nagamootoo, Minister of Agriculture, Noel Holder, Chairman of the Board of Directors, Prof. Clive Thomas and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of GuySuCo, Errol Hanoman, to discuss urgent cash flow relative to wages, salaries and other payments at the sugar corporation. It was agreed that the matter will be treated with urgency, given that employees are awaiting their remuneration.

During his weekly post-Cabinet press briefing, Minister Harmon explained that Cabinet was briefed on the financial situation at GuySuCo, by Minister within the Ministry of Finance, Jaipaul Sharma, who was at that time performing the duties of Finance Minister.

According to Minister Harmon, after considering the report, cabinet authorised the junior Minister to assist the management of GuySuCo, with their ongoing discussions with the CH&PA. This is to facilitate the swift sale of lands and payments for same.

The sale of land is part of the sugar corporation’s diversification process, and Minister Harmon explained that “what will happen is that these lands will now come under the CH&PA and will be available to the Guyanese public.”

Harmon further noted that, while GuySuCo requires more funds, this is an emergency intervention to cover some of the corporate expenses. The transaction between the Government and GuySuCo was finalised on Thursday.

Govt to regularise ‘sweeper/cleaners’ employment

Sweeper/cleaners can expect better working conditions and remuneration, as the Government is moving to regularise their employment as Public Servants. This was announced by Minister of State, Joseph Harmon, during his post-Cabinet press briefing, on Thursday.

Sweeper/cleaners are a category of workers employed by the Ministry of Education to maintain a clean and healthy environment in public schools.

Minister Harmon explained that this decision was taken following recommendations made by the Ministry of Social Protection to standardised the employment of Sweeper/Cleaners within the public sector.

The Government has agreed that the Ministry of Education’s proposal in its 2018 budget presentation to the Finance Ministry, will be used as a reference for the other agencies.

The Minister is optimistic that the intervention will bring an end to the situation with the sweeper/cleaners. (DPI, Guyana)

Crime down in Berbice- Acting Crime Chief Williams

The level of crimes being committed in Berbice Region Six is said to be at its lowest. This is according to Assistant Commissioner and Acting Crime Chief Paul Williams.

The Acting Crime Chief said since assuming responsibility for the ‘B’ Division on July 23, 2017, the police have been effectively handling the crime situation in the region, which includes all serious crimes.

Williams stated, “We were able to be on top of the crime situation”. He added that the Division “had about five robberies and they have been solved. We had four murders but out of the four murders, they were five deaths because there was the businessman and his wife and all are being solved. Then today there is not much in terms of really any serious crimes”.

According to the Senior Police Officer, their success would not have been possible without the tremendous support of residents within the various communities. Williams explained that “we are working very close with the community in terms of helping them to deal with the challenges that they are facing because we know generally what policing entails but then it is good enough for us to know exactly what are the root cause of the problems within the communities so that of itself can help us to be on top of the situation”.

Williams said aside from collaborating with residents, the force also has a good working relationship with the business community. The Acting Crime Chief believes that this collaboration is the most effective way to tackle crime.

Additionally, he noted that auxiliary support has also been engaged to address the crime situation. This is evident in the large number of patrols across the region, including members of the community policing groups. Williams highlighted that there has been a lot more roadblocks, stop and search, in known areas where crimes are prevalent. (DPI, Guyana).

Man arrested for allegedly fondling school child

The incident occurred Wednesday afternoon (September 20) at a City Primary school.

There are reports that the man came into the school yard pretending that he was a parent, then allegedly committed the act on the child.

The Police were called and the suspect was taken into custody.

Parents and teachers at the school are calling for the school’s security guard to be more vigilant, to prevent the recurrence of any such incident.

Grieving mother says this is her 2nd child to be killed in a road accident and it will be a struggle to get funds for the burial

A Police corporal remains under close arrest as the body of the 20-year-old victim has been positively identified as Anastasia Kerr of Hope, East Coast Demerara.
The woman was killed while she was attempting to cross the road when she was hit by a vehicle being driven by a policeman, who was said to be above the legal alcohol limit. Relatives say that Kerr was trying to make ends meet for her daughter who celebrates her birthday today.
Simona Persaud, her mother said this was her 2nd child to be killed in a road accident. She spoke about raising her three children without a father.

The woman said her daughter endured some terrible times at the hands of the father of her child.
Insert
Relatives said she was always trying to make ends meet and now in her death, it’s a struggle for them to find money for her burial.
The police are still probing the story.

A cocaine mule destined for Canada was sentenced to four years imprisonment and fined $2.5million dollars

38-year-old Julius Fidel Watkins, a father of 4, was today sentenced to four years in prison and fined $2.5million dollars after he pleaded guilty to possession of 960 grams of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking.

The man was taken off a Canadian bound flight at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport by ranks of the Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) on Tuesday and taken to a local hospital for a medical examination, where it was discovered that he had ingested some 114 pellets laced with cocaine.

CANU Prosecutor, Kola Sandiford, told the court that as Watkins approached the scanner area at the airport, CANU ranks observed him acting in a suspicious manner.
The prosecutor said that Watkins was questioned and based on his response he was escorted to the Woodlands Hospital, where an x-ray revealed the foreign objects in his body.

The Cummings Lodge, East Coast Demerara man appeared before chief magistrate Ann McLennan this morning and when asked about his reason for trafficking the illegal substance, he told the court that he is experiencing financial difficulties.

Daughter of former assistant police commissioner and taxi driver shot during robbery

The daughter of former Assistant Commissioner of Police George Viphius and a taxi driver were both shot in their arms last night when gun-toting bandits pounced on them at Providence New Housing Scheme.

The injured driver managed to flee the scene to the hospital. There are reports that the bullet exited, while the injured Kathy Vyphius ran for cover at her neighbour. It was while at the neighbour’s house several calls were made to the police for help to no avail. As Kathy, her neighbour and neighbour’s daughter wait the arrival of the police, one of the bandits came knocking at the door under the pretence of a neighbour but they refused him entry.

Further calls to the station revealed that the Police patrol was on an assignment at the Diamond Hospital and they assured that they were coming to the scene. An hour later the Police arrived and escorted the injured woman to the hospital.

This morning the police were back on the scene in search of the spent shell as the investigation commenced into the shooting incident.

Just a few nights ago bandits several homes in the area were broken into and the occupants robbed.

Residents said the area is very unsafe at nights and are calling on the police to be more vigilant around that area.