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Former Member

Granny scales fence

Dularie, age 62

Dularie, age 62

...as gunmen terrorise Corentyne family

 

By Andrew Carmichael

 

A large gang of armed bandits early Tuesday morning forced an elderly Port Mourant, Berbice woman to scale a fence after they attacked and robbed a Corentyne family and their neighbours, carting off a quantity of jewellery, cash and other valuables in a 45-minute ordeal.

The incident occurred at Johns, Port Mourant, Corentyne, Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne). According to reports received, at about 01:00h on Tuesday, 10 armed men who were masked and dressed in camouflage clothing attacked the family, minutes after they had emptied a 40-foot container which had arrived earlier in the day.

According to Ishwar Bignauth, also called “Buck”, he had just left the yard to visit a friend when he saw the men. He related to Guyana Times that some of the men were hiding behind one of two containers as the others approached. “I run back and start fo hola fo thief. Ah fall down three times and they catch me by the gate,” Bignauth related.

Dera Singh, also known as “Bull”

Dera Singh, also known as “Bull”

He said he was immediately struck on the head with what appeared to be a gun. Meanwhile, Dera Singh also known as ‘Bull’, to whom the container was posted, related that he him himself under a tractor which was off loaded from the container.

“Six man run in with six gun me see, and me run bottom the tractor an me hide. One ah dem say watch ah owner gone under de tractor.”

According to Singh, one of the men proceeded to use a piece of iron to hit him on the body, ordering him to come out.

His brother-in-law along with his wife, who had arrived in the country earlier in the day, had just left the premises in a car to have a bath at his mother-in-law when the bandits arrived. “They carry me in the kitchen an ask me where all the money and gold deh,” Singh recounted. “Me say ‘before allyuh do me anything this is all the money me get.”

He then gave them the $760,000 he had in his pocket. However, he was told that they wanted US money and the foreigner. “Me tell dem that the man gone, an they carry me in the bedroom an start broadside me an then lash me with a iron bar an me head bus,” Singh related.

According to Singh, the men took about $120,000 worth in jewellery, a cellular phone, two amplifiers and stock from the refrigerator, among other items before they locked the nine-member family in the kitchen and made good their escape. However, this was not before ransacking his son-in-law’s house which is in the same yard.

Sharraz Azzas with the iron bar that they were hit with

Sharraz Azzas with the iron bar that they were hit with

Beeram Singh was just returning home after having a bath at a friend’s house when he was taken captive and had his towel placed over his head. He said that the men asked for gold and diamonds while at the same time hitting him in the head with an iron bar.

At his home, the door to the wardrobe was broken open and jewellery and cash removed. The house was also ransacked. His wife, Kurardavi Kalicharran, who is said to be five months pregnant, was also hit in the face with a gun.

Kalicharran said when she heard the shout for ‘thief’, she ran around the side of the two storied house, scaled the back fence, ran a short distance before being forced to scale a second fence, spraining her ankle in the process. “I didn’t care if me foot break, I had to get away because they would ah beat me and ask me to carry them to me mother house where me sister from overseas went.”

Kalicharran explained that she made it to a neighbour’s house, from where she contacted the Police. However, her 62-year-old mother who was following suit, was not as fortunate and she was caught as she tried to escape.

According to Dularie Sewghair, after she was caught escaping, she was dealt several slaps from one of the bandits. As the bandit became distracted, however, she said she seized the opportunity and ran to the back fence, managing to jump into a neighbour’s yard, where she sought refuge.

One of the men who was in the house said he was able to identify two of the bandits. “All of dem had cloth tie over they face and the cloth fall off of one of them face and I know him from right here in Port Mourant.” He said that he was able to identify another from his voice and features.

Meanwhile, Singh said after the men left he went to a neighbour’s house and called the Police, who arrived shortly after. One of the victims led Police to a house where two men were arrested; one of whom was identified as the man whose mask had fallen off. Several persons were treated at the Port Mourant hospital and sent away. Police are continuing their investigations.

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Govt implores UK’s help as crime soars

President David Granger addressing the gathering at the PSC AGM on Monday

President David Granger addressing the gathering at the PSC AGM on Monday

Amid soaring levels of crime President David Granger on Monday announced that his Government was seeking to have the United Kingdom designed Security Sector Reform Action Plan (SSRAP) revived and has approached the British Government for assistance in this regard.

The US$4.7 billion programme was scrapped by the UK some years ago after major disagreements with the then Bharrat Jagdeo Administration over some of the conditions of the plan. Granger made the announcement while addressing members of the diplomatic corps; executive members of the Private Sector Commission (PSC); and members of the business community, at the PSC’s 23rd Annual General Meeting at the Savannah Suite in Pegasus. Back in 2009, Guyana virtually walked away from the security reform programme, saying that   aspects of the project threatened to encroach on this country’s sovereignty.

However, the British had contended then that the Guyana Government proposed a “fundamentally different” programme, focused on Police modernisation rather than the holistic reform originally requested. The UK’s proposed project had aimed to build a sustainable foundation for improving national security and reducing serious crime in Guyana by 2011. To this end, it spoke to the need for implementation of a national security plan and the security sector reform and to increase public confidence in Government’s response to security issues.

 

National security policy

It had also explained that developing a national security policy, as well as establishing management and oversight structures and building capacity within the Police Force were all crucial to responding to serious crime. The proposal had set out almost three dozen activities with detailed milestones and specific timelines until 2011. Towards the development of the security reform strategy, the targets included a series of public stakeholder consultations and training to strengthen parliamentary oversight, throughout the lifetime of the project. These were aimed at building government capacity for managing the reforms, developing a national security policy and a reform strategy, establishing accountability and oversight of the security sector, strengthening the professional standards and service delivery of the Police Force and establishing an effective structure for managing the reform project.

The proposal listed specific activities to be carried out in each area, ranging from the recruitment of staff, the design of legislative strategies, parliamentary programmes to public consultations and workshops. The proposal also had identified potential risks to these processes, including “weak” Government and Police Force commitment to and ownership of holistic reform; the unwillingness of civil society to participate in consultations and/or consultations that are not inclusive and therefore compromised; and a lack of commitment by Members of Parliament (MPs) to their oversight role.

 

Granger’s plea

At the PSC’s forum, the Head of State said the programme must be reintroduced since the country needed to be safe. “When people overseas hear about pirates killing fishermen and miners being robbed or when they hear persons returning to attend some wedding and being shot at, they don’t want to come to Guyana,” Granger said, continuing that “we need to deal with this public security problem. We are part of the continental landmass and we are not going to get rid of transnational crime overnight…Our borders are susceptible to gun running, trafficking and we need to ensure that our Police Force and Defence Force are effectively deployed,” the Head of State said to a rousing round of applause.

 

Looking to see

Meanwhile, British High Commissioner to Guyana, Greg Quinn told media operatives just after the ceremony on Monday that the SSRAP is a long historical agreement which came to fruition in 2007 and which was cancelled in 2009, because the then Government had thought that it “did not meet the requirements that they wanted”

He related that Guyana’s Government has asked his Government to resuscitate the agreement. “What we are actually doing is looking to see if the agreement as it was nine years ago is still relevant  and does it need updating. Then how do we go about meeting the requirements of Government in terms of updating the original plan?” he said.

Asked how soon the plan could “swing into action”, Quinn said he could not say, but much work needed to be done including finding the person or team that had carried out the original assessment, then seeking to ascertain if they were available to do another such assessment of the programme. He could not say too if the money was still available from the previous project. And while funding will be provided for this new project, he could not say on what basis this will be done.

 

20/20 vision

Meanwhile, Granger told the gathering that he has laid out his plans for what he called the “2020 vision” for the life of the 11th Parliament. “This will take us from now until 2020, when, without prorogation and without dissolution, Parliament should come to its natural end.”

He said his mission over the next five years was to implement those plans with the support of all sectors of society. He restated that the business community remained an integral part of development and that many of the plans he has for the next five years would not be accomplished without the help of the PSC. The Head of State said he wanted to see improved infrastructure across Guyana, noting that all of the natural resources Guyana possessed could not be developed without proper infrastructure. High on Government’s agenda, Granger stressed, was security, not only for the Private Sector and its members, but for all Guyanese.

FM

GUYANA SKONT GONE FUH CHANNA.  APACK OF CRIMINALS AND TWO HOUSE SLAVES WERE GIVEN POWER BY A RIGGED ELECTION.  NOW IS BURNHAM TIME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  TEK AM IN AL YUH STUPID KAKAHOLE!!!!!1

 

CHANGE MY ASS!!!!!!!!!!!!  CHANGE FOR THE DUMB AND STUPID PROFESSOR, WALL STREET SHIT CLEANER AND OTHERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Nehru
Originally Posted by Nehru:

GUYANA SKONT GONE FUH CHANNA.  APACK OF CRIMINALS AND TWO HOUSE SLAVES WERE GIVEN POWER BY A RIGGED ELECTION.  NOW IS BURNHAM TIME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  TEK AM IN AL YUH STUPID KAKAHOLE!!!!!1

 

CHANGE MY ASS!!!!!!!!!!!!  CHANGE FOR THE DUMB AND STUPID PROFESSOR, WALL STREET SHIT CLEANER AND OTHERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

stop your screaming you hypocrite. You were quiet like a mouse for the duration of the past regime and it was their duty to stop this. Indeed we do seem to have a continued inability to address crime and only a paltry expression as what may be at the source.

 

If there is thievery in tain it is an indian on indian crime like most on the berbice coast so we need to demand vigilance and radio cars with constant patrols to cut response time. Police cannot be squatting in stations and expect criminals to stop thieving. There should be on going patrols while there should be cars placed in the perimeters of known crime areas or escape routes to apprehend ore prevent crimes.

FM
Originally Posted by Stormborn:
Originally Posted by Nehru:

GUYANA SKONT GONE FUH CHANNA.  APACK OF CRIMINALS AND TWO HOUSE SLAVES WERE GIVEN POWER BY A RIGGED ELECTION.  NOW IS BURNHAM TIME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  TEK AM IN AL YUH STUPID KAKAHOLE!!!!!1

 

CHANGE MY ASS!!!!!!!!!!!!  CHANGE FOR THE DUMB AND STUPID PROFESSOR, WALL STREET SHIT CLEANER AND OTHERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

stop your screaming you hypocrite. You were quiet like a mouse for the duration of the past regime and it was their duty to stop this. Indeed we do seem to have a continued inability to address crime and only a paltry expression as what may be at the source.

 

If there is thievery in tain it is an indian on indian crime like most on the berbice coast so we need to demand vigilance and radio cars with constant patrols to cut response time. Police cannot be squatting in stations and expect criminals to stop thieving. There should be on going patrols while there should be cars placed in the perimeters of known crime areas or escape routes to apprehend ore prevent crimes.

Stoemy, You are speaking through your ass, go back and check!!!

Nehru
Originally Posted by Nehru:
Originally Posted by Stormborn:
Originally Posted by Nehru:

GUYANA SKONT GONE FUH CHANNA.  APACK OF CRIMINALS AND TWO HOUSE SLAVES WERE GIVEN POWER BY A RIGGED ELECTION.  NOW IS BURNHAM TIME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  TEK AM IN AL YUH STUPID KAKAHOLE!!!!!1

 

CHANGE MY ASS!!!!!!!!!!!!  CHANGE FOR THE DUMB AND STUPID PROFESSOR, WALL STREET SHIT CLEANER AND OTHERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

stop your screaming you hypocrite. You were quiet like a mouse for the duration of the past regime and it was their duty to stop this. Indeed we do seem to have a continued inability to address crime and only a paltry expression as what may be at the source.

 

If there is thievery in tain it is an indian on indian crime like most on the berbice coast so we need to demand vigilance and radio cars with constant patrols to cut response time. Police cannot be squatting in stations and expect criminals to stop thieving. There should be on going patrols while there should be cars placed in the perimeters of known crime areas or escape routes to apprehend ore prevent crimes.

Stoemy, You are speaking through your ass, go back and check!!!

I do not have to go back and check. My memory is sound. You were on your knees offering the PPP blow jobs left and right as rewards for their good works knowing they are obscenely crooked.

FM

Update: Diamond woman shot in leg, robbed of $200,000

July 2, 2015 4:04 pm Category: Crime A+ / A-

Crime scene[www.inewsguyana.com] – Sharon Baldeo of Diamond Housing Scheme, East Bank Demerara is nursing a gunshot wound to her left leg following a robbery in a minibus on Thursday, July 02.

The Guyana Police Force confirmed that the woman was in the bus when it stopped at Eccles, East Bank Demerara to allow a male passenger to exit. As the man passed Baldeo, he grabbed her handbag.

A struggle ensued during which the man pulled out a firearm and shot Baldeo to her left leg and escaped with the bag that contained a cell phone and $200,000.

The police responded and subsequently arrested the suspect in Agricola. He has been positively identified and is in police custody. Charges will be made shortly.

iNews had earlier reported that the woman’s daughter was also in the minibus when the robbery occurred.

FM

Woman shot during robbery at Flour Mill Road

July 2, 2015 3:07 pm Category: Crime A+ / A-

robbery[www.inewsguyana.com] – A woman is nursing a gunshot wound at a city hospital and her daughter is traumatized after they were robbed while in a minibus at Agricola, Flour Mill Road, East Bank Demerara on Thursday, July 02.

iNews was reliably informed that the suspected gunman is currently in police custody. The details surrounding the robbery are still sketchy at this time and iNews will provide more information as it becomes available.

FM
Home » Crime » Suspect arrested following robbery of Digicel Store

Suspect arrested following robbery of Digicel Store

July 2, 2015 3:47 pm Category: Crime A+ / A-

Crime-scene[www.inewsguyana.com] – Three men, one of whom was armed with a gun, robbed the Digicel Store at Sheriff Street, Georgetown on Wednesday, July 01.

According to a police report, the robbery occurred at approximately 16:00 hrs when the men entered the premises, held up two female staff members and took away a number of cell phones, phone cards and sim cards along with the victims’ jewellery and cell phones.

On Thursday, one of the suspects was seen in the vicinity of the Digicel Outlet where he was arrested and is in police custody. Charges will be made shortly.

FM
Originally Posted by asj:

DID PRESIDENT GRANGER RELEASE FROM PRISON 90 TO TERRORISE THE NATION?

If their cases were reviewed and there is enough reasons  to cast a shadow of doubt in their conviction in the first place, then the President is within his rights to free them.

R
Originally Posted by Jay Bharrat:

They have not given the details at a time when crime is running rampant.

Criminals have been released back.  Give us the details on these hoodlums.

You parliamentary representative, Moses Nagamootoo, should provide you with the details of these Hoodlums.

 

I am recommending 5000 more police officers to be hired and provide good services to the people. 

R

Bandits shoot female shop owner in head

July 8, 2015 | By | Filed Under News 
 

A 41-year-old East Canje businesswoman is now a patient in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the New Amsterdam Hospital after she was mercilessly shot in her head during a robbery at her business premises, Neezam Grocery and Haberdashery Store, on Monday evening. According to information, the woman, Angela Hussain,  a mother of four, and her husband Fizul ‘Neezam’ Hussain, along with three of their children – Shivana  17, her 14-year-old sister and eight year old brother-  were at home in the two-storey wood and concrete building  at Lot 62 Second Street, Palmyra, East Canje, Berbice, which houses a grocery shop below. The eldest child was not around at the time. He works in Georgetown. The family was about to close the business around 19:30 hrs on Monday, when the five armed, masked bandits barged in.  The men immediately shouted “nobody move” and ordered them to lie on the ground. The bandits demanded cash and jewellery and began brutalizing the family.

Shot in head: Angela Hussain

Shot in head: Angela Hussain

Injured: Faizul Hussain

Injured: Faizul Hussain

Three of the bandits were armed with guns, while two had cutlasses. Two kept guard outside and fired shots to keep residents at bay, while three remain in the house and continued to terrorise the occupants. Residents from a nearby wake house were forced to retreat as the bandits threatened them not to venture any closer.  Residents said a number of shots were fired inside and out of the premises. The men concentrated their attack on the woman as they ransacked the shop and took all of the day’s sales. They demanded more money and after being told there was no more (cash), one of the bandits held the woman by her collar and pointed a gun to her head before firing a shot, as the other  intruders kept an eye on the rest of the family. The thieves were not satisfied. They returned to where the other relatives were and demanded cash and jewellery from Fizul Hussain. When he refused, he was struck about the head with the gun, a wound which required stitches.  The three children were also struck on their heads and other parts of their bodies with guns.

The shop owner’s home

The shop owner’s home

Although injured, the woman was dragged upstairs. In the meantime, Fizul Hussain used the opportunity to scale the fence and ran through a swampy field.  However he was spotted by one of the bandits who was armed with a cutlass, Hussain managed to seek refuge in a neighbour’s yard. The bandits left by foot and subsequently boarded a dark coloured car that was parked in a side street and had no number plate. All of the men wore toque masks with the holes cut out for the eyes and mouth. According to residents, the ordeal lasted for more than 30 minutes and the police took some time to respond. The woman was picked up and rushed to the hospital by residents where she was admitted for emergency treatment. A number of persons have been detained as investigations continue.

FM

 

No evidence Multiplex mall owner killing was a ‘hit’

July 8, 2015 | By | Filed Under News 

– Crime Chief   

 

Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum is maintaining that so far there is no evidence to suggest that the killing of businessman Ganesh ‘Boyo’ Ramlall is anything other than a robbery. There is speculation that Ramlall’s death may have been a ‘hit’ given the number of bullets pumped into his body last Sunday when bandits attacked him at his La Jalousie, West Coast Demerara home. However, Blanhum, speaking with this newspaper last evening, said that at the moment the police investigations have not unearthed anything that points to an execution.

Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum

Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum

Dead: Ganesh Ramlall

Dead: Ganesh Ramlall

Ramlall had just returned home around midnight on Saturday and after putting down his gun and changing his clothes preparing to eat the bar-b-que chicken that he had brought home, went to use an outdoor bathroom when he was attacked. He raised an alarm and from all indications he put up a fierce fight with his attackers, who then shot him several times about his body. Ramlall’s wife, who had retired upstairs after opening the door for him, secured herself and managed to contact other neighbours and relatives. The bandits escaped with Ramlall’s gold chain and a gold band. The bandits were so hasty in their retreat after neighbours responded by discharging rounds into the air from their licenced weapons, that they left Ramlall with an expensive gold ring on his finger. Investigators had initially stated that the bandits had taken the businessman’s gun but in a subsequent statement they announced that the weapon was later found in the house. “The initial information received by the police was that it had been taken away by the perpetrators,” the police statement said. Kaieteur News understands that investigators found a piece of rope which they strongly believe was left behind. This gives weight to the theory that Ramlall’s killers were there to rob him. “People who come to execute you don’t come with rope to tie you up,” a close friend of the businessman remarked. Ramlall was described as a well respected member of his community who was very generous and carefree. He would participate in most of the activities of Uma Mahaeshwar Mandir in La Jalousie, which he helped to build, and of which he was the President. Relatives said that Ramlall had no known problem with anyone and was carrying out his normal activities without fear in the days and weeks before his death. In fact, he had attended a wake and a bar-b-que, mere hours before his death. “This is a man who would go to all those activities and would drive home by himself at all hours of the night. He was not a shady character. Tell me, if he was into anything shady, do you think he would be operating the way he did?” the friend reasoned. A post mortem examination will be performed today by Government Pathologist Dr Nehaul Singh, before the businessman’s remains are handed over to his family.

FM

Gov’t to criminals: “We are coming after you”

July 8, 2015 | By | Filed Under News 

“We are coming after you.” This is the message that the new Administration sent out to Guyana’s criminal underworld yesterday following a high-level meeting to address the recent escalation of violent crime. President David Granger convened the meeting, and initial discussions for the development of a broad-based strategic crime fighting approach, that will deliver short and long term goals, were conducted with Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo, Minister of State Joseph Harmon, Minister of Public Security Khemraj Ramjattan, Minister of Social Cohesion Amna Ally, Commissioner of Police Seelall Persaud and Deputy Chief of Staff of the Guyana Defence Force, Colonel Khemraj Persaud. A release issued yesterday stated that “the clear message coming out of this initial meeting is that the Administration intends to move swiftly and vigorously to arrest violent crime in Guyana.”

President David Granger, Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo, Minister of State Joseph Harmon, Minister of Public Security Khemraj Ramjattan and other officials at yesterday’s meeting [Ministry of the Presidency photo)

President David Granger, Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo, Minister of State Joseph Harmon, Minister of Public Security Khemraj Ramjattan and other officials at yesterday’s meeting (Ministry of the Presidency photo)

According to the release, more details of the meeting and information on further engagements will be made available to the public shortly, as the Government intensifies its efforts to tackle the escalating crime situation. Statistics compiled by Kaieteur News for the first six months and six days of this year, show that there have been at least 80 murders during this period. Twenty-eight of the victims were shot dead, and of this number, 14 appeared to be clear-cut execution-style killings. Many of these cases remain unsolved. The police and the new Administration have come in for criticism for the recent rise in violent crime, even though statistics released by the Force and compiled by Kaieteur News indicate that crime was on the rise from the beginning of this year. Aside from murders committed by robbers and execution-style killings, disputes and ‘crimes of passion’ accounted for most of the homicides. Fifteen women have been slain for the year, including four young females aged 19, 18, 17 and 14, and three elderly women aged 73, 67 and 68. Of this number, six were killed during confrontations with male associates; three (including two of the senior citizens), were slain during home invasions, two were found battered in remote areas; one was the victim of an execution-style murder, one died from burns after her home was set alight, one was allegedly stabbed to death by a female friend, and one of the elderly women is believed to have been slain by persons who  tried to make it appear as if she was a rape/robbery victim.

FM

Taxi driver escapes unhurt after carjacking at McDoom

July 7, 2015 | By | Filed Under News 

A carjack victim cheated death after a thief sped off with his motorcar, at Middle Street, McDoom, East Bank Demerara (EBD) on Friday. This happened around 20:00hrs. Henesha Veersammy, a taxi driver attached to the King of Diamond Taxi Service, in Diamond, East Bank Demerara, is now counting his lucky stars after he escaped unhurt following the ordeal that lasted about five minutes. Veersammy, 21, of Section A, First Street, Diamond, said that an individual came to the taxi service base requesting a car to go to McDoom. The young driver said that the man clad in an orange jersey, then jumped into the front passenger seat of his silver Toyota Premio and they proceeded to his destination. He recalled that during the 20-minute ride he had no interaction with his passenger. He disclosed that the man requested that he stop the car at Middle Street, McDoom and he complied. Veersammy explained that when the car stopped he noticed another man standing at the corner dressed in a white T Shirt. He recalled that his passenger hurriedly exited his vehicle without paying him and the other individual standing at the corner handed him a gun. He said that the gunman placed the gun to his head and demanded that he exit the vehicle. His accomplice then jumped into the car and sped off. Veersammy, who still appeared traumatized, said that the gunman took him to a trench in the usually dark and lonely area and ordered him to lie “face down”, while gun butting him to the head. “He then ordered me to walk over the trench and don’t look back,” He said that he was frightened and prayed continuously for the gunman to not shoot him. Fearful for his life, the young man walked over the trench and ended up in a dark bushy area. When he turned around the gunman had already fled the scene. With his pants soaking wet and muddy, Veersammy added that he walked over to Shell Gas Station, a corner away from Middle Street, and sought refuge. He said that he saw a man with a motorcycle and told him of the incident. The man who was very kind hearted took him to the Ruimveldt Police Station, where the incident was reported. The suspects are still at large as the police continue their investigations. Veersammy said that this was the first time something of this nature had happened to him and that he has no intentions of returning to the profession. Veersammy is pleading with the general public to contact him on telephone # 613-2675 or the nearest police station if they spot the car bearing number plate PPP 5064 in their environs, since he is still paying installments on the vehicle.

FM

Granger calls high-level meeting to craft crime strategy

Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Brigadier Retired David Granger

Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Brigadier Retired David Granger

Amid the escalation of crime here, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Brigadier Retired David Granger has summoned his top security officials and Prime Minister for a major meeting this morning at his office.

According to a statement from the Ministry of the Presidency, as his first order of business, on his return from the Caricom Heads of Government Meeting, President Granger will convene the high-level security meeting to craft a crime fighting strategy in light of the recent uptick in violent crimes. The meeting, the statement said, will commence at 09:00h today at the Ministry of the Presidency and will include Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo, Minister of State Joseph Harmon, Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan, Police Commissioner Seelall Persaud and Chief-of-Staff of the Guyana Defence Force, Brigadier Mark Phillips.

Meanwhile, Executive Member of the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Anil Nandlall, has pointed out that the current A Partnership For National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) Government has failed to tackle the societal scourge of crime, which has taken a significant and worrisome spike since its assumption to office.

In an invited comment to Guyana Times, Nandlall who was also Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister under the previous Administration, explained that the APNU+AFC coalition had campaigned heavily on the platform of crime and security, promising to make Guyana a safe place for its citizens.

“I am sure that the fact many of them (coalition members) are trained security personnel, including the President. Unfortunately, they have failed abysmally in tackling crime and we are witnessing an uncontrollable crime situation,” he stated.

Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan

Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan

According to Nandlall, the one area that the new Government arguably has immense expertise in is crime and security, and yet the country is experiencing disastrous consequences with a rise of violent crimes.

He went on to outline that with the nation up in arms in the rise of killings and robberies of recent, the only significant response from the new Government is the enforcement of having all bars closed at 02:00h. “Unfortunately, the nation is unaware of the causal connection between the spike in those crimes and the closing of bars at 2 am. Indeed, most of these crimes are committed in broad daylight and way before 2 am,” the former Attorney General mentioned.

Ramjattan in a recent interview with a local newspaper had assured that he will do whatever it takes to reduce the high crime rate, arguing that the 02:00h deadline is the best place to start. He explained that drinking at late hours “does a lot of harm and tends to lead to a lot of things”.

The Public Security Minister explained that drinking has a direct impact on domestic violence and other violent crimes. Since Ramjattan was sworn in as Public Security Minister, there has been an upsurge in murders, robbery under arms and other crimes. Guyana Times observed that most of the crime is perpetuated in broad day light and most of them cannot be controlled. The police revealed that most of the murders are disorderly and some domestic related.

Over the past weekend, even with the 02:00h curfew being enforced, there were incidents that resulted in the deaths of three persons and several others injured. On Friday night, around 20:20h, four armed men entered a house at Bush Lot, Corentyne, Berbice, and held up the occupants – Valerie Williams, Rose Raphael, Bibi December and Shameer December. They manage to take away some $100,000 cash and a quantity of jewellery. However, as they were leaving the yard, they shot 18-year-old Dorwin Lord, who was entering the premises, in his face. Lord has since been hospitalised.

GDF Chief-of-Staff Brigadier Mark Phillips

GDF Chief-of-Staff Brigadier Mark Phillips

A few hours later, just after midnight around 00:55h, the body of Charles Caesar, 40, of Line Path, Skeldon, was found on the foreshore at Number 66 Village, Corentyne, with a suspected gunshot injury. He succumbed at the Skeldon Hospital while being treated.

Then around 18:00h on Saturday, Brazilian National Antonio Rodriguez Da Silva, 57, of Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown, was involved in an argument with another man at Chinese Creek, Puruni, during which he was chopped about his body and succumbed to the injuries he received. Moving along a few hours later into Sunday, a 48-year-old businessman, Ganesh Ramlall, of La Jalousie, West Coast Demerara, was confronted in his yard by gunmen around 00:30h shortly after returning home. The man had gone to use the outdoor washroom when he was attacked and shot about this body and to his head. Ramlall was pronounced dead on arrival at the West Demerara Regional Hospital.

 Going into Monday, Caricom Day, two persons lost their lives in separate accidents. Around 01:45h, Shawn McPherson of Goedverwagting, East Coast Demerara, was travelling in a car along the Railway Embankment at Liliendaal, Greater Georgetown, when the vehicle in which he was travelling struck a horse, causing the driver to lose control and collide with an oncoming motor vehicle. McPherson was pronounced dead on arrival while several other persons received injuries and are receiving medical attention.

Police Commissioner Seelall Persaud

Police Commissioner Seelall Persaud

In the other accident, a 19-year-old Police Officer was crush to death by a truck at the Providence Access Road, East Bank Demerara. Constable Edison Williams was carrying a barricade when it reportedly hooked on a passing truck, dragging him to the ground. He ended up under the truck and his head was crushed by the truck’s back wheel.

FM

Govt now to craft anti-crime strategy

..little details emerging from confab

Government on Tuesday said it was developing a broad-based anti-crime strategy to beat back rampant criminality that has gripped this country in the past month.

Under pressure to deliver on his campaign promise of keeping Guyana safe, President David Granger met with Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo; Minister of State, Joseph Harmon; Minister of Public Security, Khemraj Ramjattan; Minister of Social Cohesion, Amna Ally; Commissioner of Police Seelall, Persaud and Deputy Chief-of-Staff of the Guyana Defence Force, Colonel Khemraj Persaud.

In a press release, the Ministry of the Presidency hailed the meeting as a success and disclosed that initial talks were ongoing for the crafting of a broad-based strategic crime-fighting approach that will deliver short-term goals as well as long-term goals.

Only recently, Ramjattan admitted that in order to significantly reduce the crime rate in the country, a long-term plan will have to take effect as this serious crime surge cannot be curbed with short-term strategies. At the meeting, the officials gave the nation reassurance of safety as they vowed to move swiftly and vigorously to address the crime situation in the country.

However, the release was limited on details of the approach the Government would take to tackle the drastic rise in crime. Ramjattan had disclosed that in an effort to curb the situation, the Police Force was instructed to increase its patrols in Divisions A (Georgetown-East Bank Demerara); B (Berbice); C (East Coast Demerara) and D (West Bank Demerara-East Bank Essequibo).

In addition, resources previously used by Community Policing Groups will be redirected towards the core function of the Police Force to help combat crime. Ramjattan had previously expressed that fighting crime was a herculean and multidimensional task, as it could not be easily erased or reduced from any society. He explained that Government will have to first identify the root causes for the problems and then address the matters from there.

“What are the root causes as I mentioned in Parliament, there is a lot of desperation because of youth and unemployment especially and we have to address that, and of course, the greed of some other people because although some people have good jobs, they are greedy like certain people who attempted to steal eight vehicles the other day. There is also cleansing the Police Force of rogue cops as I mentioned. It’s a massive multidimensional task.”

FM

Family blasts Police, Ramjattan for tardy response

Dead: Ganesh Ramlall

Dead: Ganesh Ramlall

La Jalousie murder

 

BY VAHNU MANIKCHAND

 

Relatives of murdered businessman, Ganesh Ramlall are up in arms against the Guyana Police Force (GPF) for what they described as their lethargic response, which resulted in four killers escaping from the scene on bicycles early Sunday morning.

And they again slam Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan for not being able to devise any concrete strategy to deal with the upsurge in crime. Ramjattan has come under severe criticism for his handling of the crime situation so far and his recent enforcement of a 02:00h curfew for drinking bars.

Forty-eight-year-old Ramlall, owner of Regent Street Multiplex Mall and of Lot C La Jalousie, West Coast Demerara, was shot at least seven times about his body including his head, in the wee hours of Sunday morning. Information received revealed that the businessman returned home around 00:30h, and went to use the external washroom when he was attacked by gunmen. After realising there were gunmen in the yard, he immediately rushed out the washroom, heading to the backdoor of the house and yelled out to his wife, 18-year-old daughter and niece who were upstairs. It was while alerting his family that thieves were in the yard that he was reportedly gunned down.

When Guyana Times visited the home on Monday, relatives and friends kept pouring in to offer their condolences to the grieving family. Speaking with this publication, relatives gathered at the family’s home, vented their anger at the fact that the Police were unreachable on Sunday morning. They disclosed that a relative from Herstelling, East Bank Demerara, had to transport a bus of Police Officers all the way to the crime scene. One relative told this publication that there needs to be a stronger Police Force to “serve and protect” Guyanese, noting that it is almost every day someone is being killed. The woman noted that there needs to be better facilities in place and officers need to be fully equipped in order to effectively police the country. She highlighted that one such system that needs to be fixed is the emergency response line.

“They (Ramlall’s wife, daughter and niece) called 911 so many times and there were no answers. It wasn’t just them, all the neighbours were trying to get the police but no one got on to the Police station. They had to call a relative from till in Herstelling to bring Police and we have Police stations that are less than five minutes away from us,” the relative stated.

The women went on to say that it was after they took Ramlall to the West Demerara Regional Hospital where he was pronounced dead, and after they had returned home that two Police Officers from a nearby station arrived. “Only two of them showed up, suppose there was a troop (of bandits) here, what would they have done? The two just showed up casually asking “where is he (Ramlall)… that was almost an hour after they (Police) come,” the upset relative recalled.

The relative further explained that even after the perpetrators had escaped and neighbours had come out, they were still trying the contact the Police but there was no response. She added that someone had to even go pick up the officers from one of the stations. The woman continued lambasting the 02:00h curfew that was recently enforced by Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan, noting that the Minister, as well as the GPF, should focus on effectively and efficiently managing the security of the country’s citizens. “I am challenging the Police Force and the Government to put better things in place. It’s not about curfew, it not about whether people are drunk or not, or if they smoke because if they are home early or not, they still get killed. That (curfew) doesn’t stop anyone from breaking and entering into your house. What can stop or help the cause is efficient service which we don’t have! Had the Police been there when we called, had they answered their phones when we called and not sleep as though they are being paid to sleep, then they probably could have caught the perpetrators,” the woman pointed out.

She further underscored the need for street lights in the area, noting that the family had to invest their money to get a street light. Meanwhile, Guyana Times spoke to some of the victim’s neighbours regarding the incident. One man related that he was awakened by screams coming from the Ramlall’s house calling for help. He added that immediately after he heard several gunshots and the screams stopped. The man recalled secretively peeping out into his neighbour’s yard, where he saw a man armed with a “big” gun standing on the outside next to the empty lot that is located on the right hand side of Ramlall’s house, while at the same time two others were scaling the fence from the inside. He stated that the three men then walked in westerly, where there is a turn in the road, and subsequently jumped into a Primo motor car that was waiting further up the road. The shooting has sent shockwaves through the West Coast village. The father of one was described by all as a gem. He had only last week attended the graduation of his daughter at Queens College after completing her CAPE examinations. Ramlall was a noted philanthropist, a staunch Hindu and was a benefactor of the village Mandir, which is located a block from his home. He worked his way up from owning stalls in Stabroek Market to becoming a mall owner and being one of the country’s largest importers of clothing from Cuar?ao and Panama. The small village of La Jalousie is mostly populated by relatives of Ramlall.

FM

BREAKING NEWS…Four bandits captured after brutal attack on female judge, husband in gated community

July 9, 2015 | By | Filed Under News 

 

Quick work by an armed security guard and police led to the capture today of four bandits who had inflicted a brutal beating on Land Court Judge Nicola Pierre and her husband, after storming an East Coast Demerara gated community in which the couple live.

Pierre, 43,and her husband, businessman Mohamed Chand, 50, were attacked while asleep at around 01. 30 hrs today at Felicity, a gated community on the East Coast of Demerara. They were brutally gun-butted and had to be admitted to a private hospital.

However, the gunmen were captured shortly after and have been detained at the Sparendaam Police Station. A money-safe containing foreign currency and jewellery, and a briefcase were recovered, along with the suspects’ getaway car.

Kaieteur News understands that a female Special Constable was in one of the guard huts at Felicity, when she saw the several men scale the wall. The men reportedly then gagged and bound the unarmed Special Constable, before proceeding to the three-storied house which was occupied by Justice Pierre, Mr. Chand and their 11-year-old son. Smashing through a window, the bandits then headed for the bedroom in which the couple lay asleep. They proceeded to gun-butt Justice Pierre and Mr. Chand, before carting off a small money-safe and a briefcase.

But an armed security guard at a businessman’s property saw the robbers, numbering about six, scaling the wall with their loot. The men also spotted the guard and heavy gunfire was exchanged between the guard and the bandits.

Overwhelmed by the guard’s firepower, the bandits dropped the safe and briefcase and fled in their car.

Police were alerted and captured the suspects minutes after, while the security guard handed over the stolen safe and briefcase.

 (SEE S EXTENSIVE STORY AND PHOTOS IN TOMORROW’S ISSUE. )

FM

Ramjattan appears to be clueless on combatting this crime wave. He had all the answers before the election and now appears to be the most incompetent minister in APNU.

 

He must step up to the plate or move aside.

FM

 

Govt to implement new anti-crime strategy as concerns mount

By Alexis Rodney

The A Partnership for National Unity+Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) coalition government will be moving to beef up security at borders across the country, in what it called “a strategic attempt” to significantly reduce the recent spike in criminal activities here.

Coupled with that move is the resuscitation of the Police’s marine wing to provide Police Officers with flexibility and greater access to inland waterways along with the use of animals, including horses and dogs, to go after criminals.

Two victims of robberies committed against citizens and businesses as of late

Two victims of robberies committed against citizens and businesses as of late

Two victims of robberies committed against citizens and businesses as of late

Two victims of robberies committed against citizens and businesses as of late

The upsurge in crime over the last couple of weeks had become a major bugbear for Government and citizens alike. Several persons lost their lives at the hands of criminals. The most recent act of violence was carried out on an East Canje, Berbice woman who was shot to her head by bandits who invaded her business premises.

President David Granger on Tuesday summoned his top brass in the security sector, including Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan and Police Commissioner Seelall Persaud, to a meeting where special focus was placed on five areas of strategy that would be taken to tackle crime.

Minister of State, Joseph Harmon said apart from border security, focus would also be placed on the Police administration itself and the requirement to identify criminal activities across all 10 regions of Guyana, to determine, where the activities are being committed and to decide on the strategy to deal with them on a national basis.

“It was felt that the high incidence of gun crimes has its genesis in the fact that we share a very long border with countries that actually produce guns and, therefore, our strategy will include border control activities as well as activities involving the Guyana Revenue Authority in relation to the way in which goods and services are imported into the country and the use to be made of the instruments that are available to the GRA,” Minister Harmon said.

Addressing journalists on Wednesday on the outcome of the high-level meeting, Harmon said the Government has given a commitment to the Guyana Police Force that it would be putting all of the assets of the state at its disposal, to ensure “that wherever criminal activities exist that it will be rooted out most viciously”. “So, the overt and covert operations which will have to be undertaken in this matter will be given the full backing of the state,” he promised.

The next element of the security plan has to do with Police organisation and training and the way in which the Police Force is organised, Harmon said. He said a clear directive was given by the Public Security Minister that more Police Officers needed to be put on the streets to carry out patrols and get out of the offices, where they are performing non-core functions.

“The deployment of the Police Force itself, the response time by Police to complaints by citizens, the operation of the 911 facility…all of these are part of the strategy and will be subject to serious review over the next couple of weeks,” Harmon said Another element of the strategy covers Police assets and equipment, Harmon said, noting that Government has given a clear undertaking to the Guyana Police Force that it would provide the assets to go after crime wherever it existed.

“These include the Police’s ability to go up in the air, to utilise aircraft and helicopter to overlook certain terrain, not only on land but on water where piracy takes place.”

“The issue of illegal firearms in the country and the way in which it is dealt with. Our zero tolerance to the use of illegal firearms is all part of the strategy.”

He said Police communication would be improved significantly with the use of computers, the Internet, and access to the Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) network.

“We have given the Police the undertaking that they will have these done. The networking of Police Stations will also be fleshed out by the Commissioner and they will have Internet access, linking the Police Stations with the CID headquarters.”

Essentially, he said the strategy session demonstrated the state’s resolve to ensure that citizens were safe and that criminals have no place, “we will go after them relentlessly and that the criminals and their handlers will understand that we will not sit by and allow them to run riot on the streets. We are sending a clear message to all and sundry, that wherever the intelligence leads us, we will follow,” the State Minister promised.

FM
Originally Posted by Stormborn:
Originally Posted by Demerara_Guy:

Perhaps indeed with the PNC as the government, there is no law.

Parhaps your mother wished she had the morning after pill.

 

Coat hangers are not guaranteed to work

FM
Originally Posted by baseman:
Originally Posted by asj:

Seems like there is no law in Guyana.

Welcome to the "emancipated" Guyana.

Base

 

Our friend ASJ wanted Guyana emancipated. Well, massa days are returning.

FM
Originally Posted by Prashad:
People should aim to turn most of Berbice into an independent country for PPP and Roar supporters then deal with these criminal elements.

Hasn't the PPP stolen enough land from the buck population?

Mr.T
Originally Posted by Mr.T:
Originally Posted by Prashad:
People should aim to turn most of Berbice into an independent country for PPP and Roar supporters then deal with these criminal elements.

Hasn't the PPP stolen enough land from the buck population?

The state owns all the lands in the country not the buck people.  The PPP already gave the Amerindians thousands of acres of lands.   What did they do with the land?

R

BREAKING NEWS!  SUSPECTED BANDIT KILLED, ACCOMPLICE,  COP WOUNDED IN CRAIG SHOOTOUT

July 14, 2015 | By | Filed Under News, Peeping Tom 
 

Police believe that they have smashed a major criminal gang, following an operation early this morning in First Street, Craig, East Bank Demerara that left one man dead, and another suspect and a police rank wounded.

The slain man, so far unidentified, was shot after ranks from Grove Police Station and Georgetown cornered several suspected criminals in an apartment. Another suspect, identified as Warren Mackenzie, 22, of Brutus Street, Agricola, was shot in the stomach and is undergoing surgery at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation. Mackenzie was previously charged for armed robbery when he was 19.

Police recovered at least one firearm from the scene, and detained about six other suspects.

Kaieteur News understands that the ranks, apparently acting on intelligence, surrounded the house, which has several apartments, at around 02.00 hrs today. One tenant recalled hearing a ‘tumbling’ and someone shout ‘nobody move’, before gunfire erupted.

Residents later saw police ranks removing two badly wounded men from an apartment, located at the front of the building. Sources said that several known criminals were in the apartment at the time.

Indications are that the men may be linked to several armed robberies and at least one murder, including two heinous attacks that occurred on the West Coast of Demerara and on the East Coast of Demerara.

(SEE PHOTOS AND EXTENSIVE COVERAGE IN TOMORROW’S EDITION)     

FM

The crime situation

July 11, 2015 | By | Filed Under Editorial 

The armed robberies and the domestic murders seem to be continuing at an even more frenetic pace causing people to talk about a spike in crime. The statistics would show that indeed over the past two months there has been a spike in what the police call disorderly murders. These are murders that result from two people having a misunderstanding and one of them resorting to deathly force. Then there are the execution-type murders. So far there has been one with the killing of Travis Rudder. Just before the elections, an ex-policeman was shot dead in a minibus. More recently, there was the attempt on Bevon Chung which was listed as abduction. But there were the armed robberies, more in Berbice than anywhere else. Just two days ago, gunmen entered the home of a woman and shot her in the head. She is now fighting for her life. But just a few days earlier, gunmen stormed the home of Ganesh Ramlall, the owner of the Multiplex on Regent Street. They killed him and caused the business community to sit up and take notice. Before the week was out, gunmen stormed the home of Land Court Judge Nicola Pierre and proceeded to beat her and her husband. This clearly highlights the extent of lawless that now stalks the land. Guyana is not known to be a country where criminals attack officialdom. Of course officials have been attacked and robbed. In one case gunmen entered the home of a serving Magistrate and in addition to doing whatever they did, proceeded to rape her. During the crime wave of a decade ago, gunmen stormed the home of a government Minister and killed him and others who were in the house with him. We had another case of a Magistrate being attacked in her car but such attacks on people in authority are seldom. What is happening today seems to be orchestrated on the larger scale. Indeed there are the petty criminals who are jumping on the crime bandwagon. For example they rob people who have little or nothing. One young man on a bicycle attacked and robbed a newspaper vendor in an East Bank Demerara community early Friday morning. This is merely an extension of the trend that sees very young men on bicycle seeking easy target, sometimes coming away with little more than $2,000. But it is the bigger picture that is worrying. The Minister of State on the Ministry of the Presidency said that someone has to be providing the getaway vehicles and the guns. These are also the people who identify the targets. A man leaves a commercial bank and immediately a gunman latches on to him. Someone in the bank, could be an accomplice of the gunman, is keeping tabs on people going there to do business. If it is an accomplice then the bank is careless to allow people to loiter in the bank to observe the dealings of the customers. But then again it could be a teller passing on the information. This has long been suspected but never proven. The police may wish to check the phone records of tellers in the wake of a robbery. We may find that such attacks may come to an end. When people were robbed coming from the Cheddi Jagan International Airport it was thought that there was assistance from the people in the airport. Such robberies came to a screeching halt when the police arrested some of their own who once patrolled the East Bank Demerara corridor. But it is the mastermind, a leading businessman who has information about his colleagues. When there is an attack such as the one on the home of the Land Court judge, one must ask to whom the victim talked when he purchased a quantity of foreign currency.  Who buys the stolen jewellery and fences them? The police have their work cut out for them yet with enough cash to lure informers many of these criminal acts could be halted.

FM

"But it is the mastermind, a leading businessman who has information about his colleagues. When there is an attack such as the one on the home of the Land Court judge, one must ask to whom the victim talked when he purchased a quantity of foreign currencyWho buys the stolen jewellery and fences them? The police have their work cut out for them yet with enough cash to lure informers many of these criminal acts could be halted."

 

 

Crooks you do business with them,then they set up

criminals to rob you.

Django
Last edited by Django

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