News

The Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development on Monday signed contracts with two firms to provide security in the ten regions.

On Monday the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development handed over a jeep and two motorcycles to the Region Five administration to boost its capacity.

A fire in South Ruimveldt last night partly destroyed a building and left five puppies and a dog dead even though neighbours tried in vain to save them.

Bartica reeled yesterday, stunned at the murders of 12 persons including three policemen in the Region Seven community by heavily-armed gunmen, who, in a well planned attack, also stole a quantity of guns and ammunition on Sunday night.

Pandemonium broke out at the Lyken Funeral Home at the strike of noon yesterday after the bodies of 11 of the Bartica 12 arrived to the wailing of relatives, who had waited for close to two hours for them to arrive.

The savage attack on the Bartica community on Sunday night has left security officials reeling and there has been no statement by the police on who might have been behind it.

President Bharrat Jagdeo has invited representatives of the private sector, labour movement, inter-religious organizations and leaders of the parliamentary parties to a meeting today to discuss the current security situation.

Trinidad and Tobago Minister of National Security Martin Joseph has strongly condemned “the wanton killings of 12 Guyanese, including three police officers,” at Bartica on Sunday night and extended an offer of assistance.

The People’s Progressive Party (PPP) deplores the brutal slaying of 12 persons at Bartica on Sunday evening and urges citizens to support the security forces’ efforts to bring the perpetrators to justice.

The Guyana Police Association condemns the brutal killing of three police ranks and nine civilians during the maddening rampage by a group of armed men at Bartica Sunday night.

A policeman in the Potaro/Siparuni region who went swimming on Sunday turned up dead yesterday, a statement from the Police Public Relations unit has said.

As Bartica residents fought emotions ranging from grief to anger in the wake of the slaughter of 13 persons in their community on Sunday night, a team of Cabinet ministers travelled to the area to appeal for calm.

Next July 15/16, many of the leaders of the Caribbean will be in London for their bi-annual pow-wow with British leaders (including Prime Minister Gordon Brown it is hoped) .They

Chairman of the Upper Corentyne Chamber of Commerce, David Subnauth said the chamber is saddened at the senseless slaying of the 12 innocent persons in Bartica especially since “the country has to deal 23 killings in three weeks.”

A Ruby, East Bank Essequibo man who was severely beaten at his home last week Thursday died the following day at a private hospital and police on the West Demerara have arrested four persons including a female relative.

The reservist, accused of stealing an AK 47 rifle from the GDF’s Camp Ayanganna Headquarters last year November, turned himself over to police on Friday night and has admitted to the deed.

Gunmen last night slaughtered around a dozen persons in a major assault on Bartica reminiscent of the Lusignan massacre and the dead included at least three policemen, reports this morning said.

The business community has shunned the government’s crime stoppers programme, one of three major security projects which were introduced to the nation over the past three years but are yet to take off.

In typically grand fashion Adrian Dutchin reclaimed the Carib Soca Monarch crown, putting on an over-the-top show that eclipsed the competition early yesterday morning at the National Park.

Even though the water level has dropped several inches in the inundated Abary Creek, residents say the clogged-up waterway is preventing adequate drainage and is causing persons to lose crops and livestock.