Guyana News

By Gaulbert Sutherland and Mark McGowanThousands of Region Seven residents rallied in Bartica yesterday to protest government proposals they say will destroy the gold mining industry and with it their livelihoods.

By Mark McGowan and Gaulbert Sutherland Annie, 75, has lived in Bartica all her life.

-relatives suspect foul play The skeletal remains of a man missing since New Year’s Day were discovered yesterday in the bushy backdam of New Hope, East Bank Demerara and his relatives believe he was the victim of foul play.

An aunt and uncle of the three-year-old boy, who was hospitalised after a savage beating, have been taken into police custody, while the child’s condition is improving.

-burnt body still to be positively identified Two East Bank Demerara residents were yesterday charged with the murder of taxi driver Bomeshwar Sukhdeo, although there has been no positive identification of the badly burnt corpse discovered in Mocha last week.

Prime Minister Samuel Hinds is defending the controversial six months prior notice proposal that has miners and loggers up in arms, saying it would give miners and forest lease holders with operations in a relative area enough time to sort themselves out before beginning operations.

Vickram Persaud, who was not required to plead to the charge of robbery under arms earlier, made another appearance before Acting Chief Magistrate Melissa Robertson yesterday and was allowed to plead after the Administration of Justice Act (AJA) was applied.

Fire of unknown origin flattened a one-flat shack at Cotton Tree Village, West Coast Berbice yesterday, leaving a woman and her son homeless.

A mid-afternoon accident on Sheriff Street yesterday, involving a truck and a car left one person nursing injuries, which were said to be critical.

“I give you my apology, My Worship. This is my second and last time,” said Joseph Williams before being sentenced to 16 months in jail for breaking and entering the house of his friend and stealing a bottle of Alize and a large bottle of vodka.

Residents of Profitt/Foulis, West Coast Berbice have suggested that members of the policing groups in the area should be placed at the various stations to assist the police officers.

Caricom yesterday reiterated the call for a halt to the shipment of hazardous waste through the Caribbean and expressed “gravest concern” at the likelihood that a new shipment of Vitrified High Level Waste will soon leave the United Kingdom for Japan transiting the Caribbean Sea.

A 29-year-old woman yesterday initially pleaded not guilty to maliciously damaging the trafficator of a motorcycle belonging to Dr Cheddi Jagan Jr but she subsequently admitted her guilt.

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Country-pop starlet Taylor Swift, who rocketed to stardom with ballads of teen love that she wrote on her bedroom floor, on Sunday became the youngest artist to win the coveted Grammy for album of the year.

– GWI urges city The Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI) is appealing to its Georgetown-based customers to be prudent in their water use as the prolonged dry season that is affecting many parts of the country has resulted in a significant decrease in the water level at the Lamaha Canal.

A 20-year-old miner was yesterday fined $10,000 or six months imprisonment for using threatening language towards a Stabroek News photographer.

PORT-AU-PRINCE (Reuters) – Haitian authorities questioned a group of 10 American missionaries yesterday who are accused of illegally trying to take children out of the quake-shattered Caribbean country.

BRASILIA (Reuters) – Brazil granted an environmental licence yesterday for the construction of a controversial hydroelectric dam in the heart of the Amazon rainforest.

– Caricom heads told “Empower us now for the survival of the community,” Dominica’s Monelle Alexis, Dean of the Caricom Youth Ambassador Corps told Caribbean Community leaders at the Special Summit of Heads of Government on Youth Develop-ment.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – A US attempt to shoot down a ballistic missile mimicking an attack from Iran failed after a malfunction in a radar built by Raytheon Co, the Defense Department said.