Saturday, August 3
No compromises, no power sharing
President Donald Ramotar yesterday declared that the way forward for the ruling PPP was to remain steadfast in principle and ruled out shared governance with the opposition, which he lambasted for “crippling” the country. Delivering the opening address at the 30th Congress of PPP at Port Mourant, Ramotar, also General Secretary of the party, declared, “I as President and as Head of State, I will not relent.”
GRA officers, security agent charged over airport cocaine
Two Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) officers and a security agent were yesterday arraigned on a charge that they conspired to traffic the cocaine found last week in a bag at the Cheddi Jagan International Air-port, Timehri (CJIA). Anthony Thomas, Ravindra Singh and Gregory Luke, who allegedly conspired with a person or persons unknown to traffic 11.44 kilogrammes of cocaine by attempting to export it on July 27 at the CJIA, were refused bail by Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-beharry at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court.
Lusignan massacre accused not guilty of murders
After seven hours of deliberation, a jury last evening found James Anthony Hyles and Mark Royden Williams both not guilty in the murders of the 11 persons killed in the 2008 Lusignan massacre. Hyles called, ‘Sally,’ and Williams, called ‘Smallie,’ were found not guilty on each of the 11 counts of murder for which they were being tried in the High Court. The jury foreman returned the unanimous verdicts for the murders just after 7pm, but the freedom of the two men was not guaranteed. Justice Navindra Singh, who presided over the trial, remanded Williams to prison because of pending matters, while Hyles was placed on $1.1 million bail after Senior State Counsel Judith Gildharie-Mursalin served notices to the defence and court of the intent of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) to appeal.
Missing man found dead in Mocha trench
The partially-decomposed body of a missing man was yesterday found in a trench at Barnwell North, Mocha, East Bank Demerara, a few yards away from his home. Delon Melville, 26, of Lot 132 Nelson Street, Mocha, had been missing since Monday evening, family members said. A caller using his phone later contacted his family and reported that he was dead, prompting unsuccessful attempt to locate Melville and the caller. However, a group of men who were heading out to catch birds found his body around 6.30am yesterday after they came across the distinctive unpleasant odour coming from the backdam. Upon inquiring, the men found Melville’s body inside a drain.
Sunday, August 4
Mahaica man slays wife, commits suicide
The turbulent relationship of a Jonestown, Mahaica couple ended tragically early yesterday morning when Ryan James murdered his wife of two years and then killed himself by ingesting poison. A bloody Vanessa Richmond-James, 26, was discovered at the couple’s Lot 125 Jonestown, Mahaica home with a slit throat and multiple stab wounds about her body. James, 30, ingested a poisonous substance after the attack and ran to neighbours, who rushed him to the hospital, where he succumbed.
Monday, August 5
Ramotar tops PPP vote
-Jagdeo a close second
President Donald Ramotar managed to garner the most votes to the PPP’s Central Committee but he was closely followed by former President Bharrat Jagdeo while party veteran Dr Frank Anthony retained the third place that he had unexpectedly clinched in 2008 and Anil Nandlall zoomed up the rankings to fourth place. The results were officially released by the PPP yesterday at the conclusion of their 30th Congress in Port Mourant, exactly five years after their last gathering at Diamond on the East Bank of Demerara.
PPP congress cost $30M
The People’s Progressive Party wrapped up its 30th Congress yesterday revealing to delegates that the total cost for the event was just over $30.1 million. During the closing of the congress, executive member of the party Irfaan Ali stated that the party was operating with a $2.6 million cash surplus. He said that leading up to the congress the cash received was over $6 million.
Body of missing fisherman pulled from river
-appears to have sustained bullet wound
The mother of 20-year-old Quincy Oliver Sooklall, whose body was pulled from the Demerara River and had visible marks of violence and what appears to be a gaping gunshot to his chest, believes her son was killed by his friends. The fisherman’s body was found floating in the Demerara River on Saturday behind Guyana Fisheries. His mother Petronella Sooklall said that the body was in a decomposing state and she was able to identify her only child from his feet and clothing that he had been wearing.
Tuesday, August 6
Anti-money laundering bill on ice
-after gov’t, opposition row
In a move described as “unconscionable” by Finance Minister Ashni Singh, the combined APNU/AFC opposition yesterday opted to adjourn to October, the Special Select Committee charged with considering the Anti-Money Laundering/Countering the Financing of Terrorism (Amendment ) Bill. According to a GINA release, Singh said that the insistence in adjourning the committee’s work until October destroys all chances of the amendments being passed before the Parliamentary recess at the end of this week. After Guyana failed to meet the initial deadline earlier this year, the Caribbean Financial Action Task Force (CFATF) extended the deadline to November but in effect the bill had to be ready by the end of this month. Both Singh, as well as Legal Affairs Minister Anil Nandlall have said that the failure to meet this deadline would result in serious repercussions. The opposition has disputed this.
1823 Monument unveiled
Despite the controversy over its siting, government last evening unveiled the 1823 Monument and President Donald Ramotar hailed it as a sign that the nation would not forget the struggles of its ancestors. The monument, which was designed and built by US-based Guyanese sculptor Ivor Thom, is located along the Seawall Road opposite the Guyana Defence Force’s Camp Ayanganna headquarters. Members of the opposition and the African Cultural and Development Association (ACDA), which has been protesting the siting because it has no historical connection to the 1823 slave revolt, were not in attendance at last evening’s ceremony.
Watchman bludgeoned to death at Konawaruk
-employers told family he was sick
The family of watchman Darnley King, whose body was found in a mining camp at White Water, Konawaruk, last Tuesday, says there are a lot of inconsistencies in the accounts of his death, which an autopsy found was caused by multiple blunt trauma. Colwyn King told Stabroek News that while employers say the man was sick, a post-mortem examination done yesterday revealed the cause of death as brain haemorrhage due to multiple blunt trauma. Police yesterday said investigations are currently ongoing into the King’s death.
Wednesday, August 7
Make or break for Amaila: Sithe wants all parties to agree, APNU still against
Sithe Global yesterday said that there must be consensus among all three parties in Parliament for the Amaila hydro project if it is to continue investing its efforts in developing it and bring it to fruition but up to last night the main opposition APNU was still opposed. The near 15-year quest for a hydro project at the Amaila Falls on the Kuribrong River in Region Seven could very well collapse today in Parliament leaving recriminations and great uncertainty about the path to future energy needs. Yesterday, President of Sithe Global, Brian Kubeck, who responded to a query by this newspaper which sought clarification as to whether the project had to get the all clear from all three parties – namely PPP/C, APNU and AFC said they all have to be on board.
AFC declines Nigel Hughes resignation over Amaila link
Attorney Nigel Hughes yesterday offered to step down as AFC Chairman over his link to the contentious Amaila Falls Hydroelectric project but the party refused to accept his resignation, saying it had “full confidence” in him. Hughes announced that he had offered his resignation from the chairmanship in wake of a Kaieteur News report highlighting the fact that he was Company Secretary of the Amaila Falls Hydropower Inc, the company set up to pilot the project. His wife, AFC MP Cathy Hughes is also the public relations consultant for the project’s developer, Sithe Global.
Twenty-one deported by US
Twenty-one deportees arrived at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport, Timehri yesterday afternoon under heavy security after serving prison sentences in US jails. A source at the airport confirmed that a private plane with the deportees touched down around 15:30 hours.
Thursday, August 8
Historic local gov’t bills passed
-now await presidential assent
More than a decade after talks began on reform legislation, the four bills which pave the way for local government polls were passed by the National Assembly last night. They now await assent by President Donald Ramotar and this is potentially a roadblock as the President has previously refused to sign some bills passed by the National Assembly or delayed the process significantly. The bills ‒ The Local Government Commis-sion Bill, the Local Government (Amend-ment) Bill, the Municipal and District Councils (Amendment) Bill and the Fiscal Transfers Bill are intended to allow for the holding of local government elections which were last held in 1994. This has long been called for by various society actors and the international community has piled pressure on the government to act.
From Amerindian rights to Sooba…Five groups in noisy protest outside of Parliament
-pandemonium after punch thrown
Hundreds of persons protesting a range of issues gathered outside Parliament Buildings yesterday chanting loudly and later causing pandemonium when a section of the crowd clashed with the police. Fists were thrown and tempers reached boiling point when a uniformed rank got into a physical altercation with a man protesting for the removal of Town Clerk Carol Sooba. His fellow protestors and those from APNU who were agitating for the staging of local government elections quickly went to his aid. Also protesting yesterday were Amerindians from different hinterland regions, members of youth arm of the PPP who were calling for the green light to be given for the Amaila Falls Hydro project and relatives of four policemen who were recently sentenced to eighteen months for assaulting a businessman. These protestors were grouped together at the corner of Brickdam and High Street about 100 metres from where the clash was taking place.
Bus passenger on murder charge over Mandela Avenue shooting
The man accused of killing Elvis Fernandes on Mandela Avenue was yesterday remanded to prison after being arraigned on a charge of murder at the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court. The allegation against 20-year-old Lloyd Britton called `Lloyden Britton’ of 77 Surat Drive, Beterverwagting, East Coast Demerara, is that on July 26 at Georgetown he murdered Fernandes. The man, who was also wounded in the incident, was not required to enter a plea to the capital offence of murder when it was read to him by Magistrate Judy Latchman.
Friday, August 9
Schoolgirl murdered, boyfriend held
-lured to house by ‘sick’ message
A Cummings Lodge Secon-dary School teenager was allegedly chopped to death by her teenage boyfriend yesterday at Diamond Housing Scheme, East Bank Demerara after his sister invited her to his home. Seventeen-year-old Angela McAllister, of Sparendaam Housing Scheme, East Coast Demerara, was allegedly beaten and chopped to death by her 18-year-old boyfriend, whose name was given as “Joshua” after his sister called her and told her to go to their home because “Joshua was sick.” McAllister was beaten with a spade then chopped to death as the sister of her attacker tried to save her. Her boyfriend then sat and waited patiently until the police came and arrested him, her relatives said.
Deported from NY after almost 30 years, West Coast man depending on strangers
Deported back to Guyana on Tuesday for a crime he says he didn’t commit, Mohamid Nazim Mohamed’s future is uncertain.
Mohamed, 53, a father of nine who is originally from West Coast Demerara and who spent the last 29 years of his life in Queens, New York says that he has no money, little clothes and has been left to depend on strangers.
Nigel Hughes taking break to decide on political future
Although the AFC has declined his resignation, party Chairman Nigel Hughes plans to take a break to decide if he will remain in politics. “I made the decision to resign because I do not want the public to be distracted from the real issues the AFC wants to articulate. There was never any hypocrisy because I was the company’s [Sithe Global] legal advisor here, since before any politics for me… I am taking a break and will ask myself: ‘Do you wish to be in active politics or did you make an error coming into this territory?’ For me, the people will have to decide,” Hughes told Stabroek News yesterday. Hughes offered his resignation to the party on Tuesday, following a news report that highlighted his holding the post of Company Secretary of the Amaila Falls Hydropower Inc, the company set up to pilot the project. The implication was that in such a position, Hughes could hardly take part in party deliberations on whether to support the controversial Amaila Falls hydropower project and that there was a risk that the party could be swayed by virtue of the position he held with the company.
