The AFC/APNU claimed it would stop all sorts of crime while on the campaign trail. Now they are in power it appears that it is business as usual as criminals wreak havoc on society and fishermen have to fend for themselves, even performing citizen arrest while police twiddle their thumbs awaiting the 50% increase in salary so they can "do" their job, following the example of ministers.

Fishermen catch Corentyne pirates after robbery

Three pirates who attempted a daring attack on a group of fishermen at sea on Friday last, were on Tuesday remanded to jail by Magistrate Carlyn Artiga when they appeared before her at the Mibicuri Magistrate’s Court in Black Bush Polder

Ram Singh

on two charges of Robbery under Arms.
The men are Vickanand Chandika, 36, of 26 Block 4 Tain Settlement, Corentyne; Khemraj Persaud, 23, of the same address and Ram Singh, 52, of Cromarty Corentyne Berbice.
They are accused  on October 16, last, while armed with a gun and cutlasses, robbed Vishwanauth Ram, 39, a Captain of Lot 122 Section ‘A’ No 65 Village, Corentyne, Berbice and his crew of  their fishing boat ‘Khan 1418’,  one 248 HP Yamaha outboard engine, some fish and a quantity of fish seine.
According to Prosecutor Inspector Godfrey Playter,  boat captain Ram, supported by crew members Paul Williams, 47, of Lot 90 Alness Village, Tajraj Sudial of Lot 192 No 64 Village, and Vishanand Vandick, 19, of No 64 Village, Corentyne departed the No 66 Fisheries around 12:00 hrs on October 11 on their fishing trip.
About 13:00 hrs on Friday 16, while about 10 miles off shore in the vicinity of Bush Lot Village they were approached by the suspects in a small blue boat. The pirates ordered the fishermen into the fish pen, then took the engine from one boat, placed it on another before dumping the fishermen into the boat that had no engine.
The fishermen were left to drift for several hours before they reached land where they made a report to the Police station who responded immediately to the report.
The stolen boat was subsequently abandoned by the pirates after it got stuck.  Two of the men went back to retrieve the outboard engine from the boat. However they were intercepted, while removing the engine by another group of fishermen that was passing in the area at the time.
The boat was towed to shore and the men taken into custody.  None of the attacked fishermen were injured.
The matter has been transferred to the Whim Magistrate’s court for continuation on November 5.