…on crime?

What’d you call the robbery of the Ramada Princess two days ago but an “armed invasion”? Four men enter a casino on the main thoroughfare between the airport and the city, shoot up the place wild-west style, rob patrons and the casino – and then escape! Well…three of them escaped because evidently they hadn’t “cased” the joint thoroughly enough to know the back door can’t be opened from the inside.

That’s so reminiscent of the Sterling Products invasion of less than a year-and-a-half ago. Then a half dozen heavily armed men (there were varying accounts) attempted to rob the company and in the process, shot to death a security guard and injured two employees. Even though the Company was located just 200 metres from the Providence Police Station, and the shooting lateral minutes, all of the attackers escaped. Without any money – but that sure wasn’t because of the police.

The question raised – but never answered – was why road-blocks weren’t thrown up on both sides of Sterling as soon as the shooting started. What’s the SOP for a police station when they get a report – or hear! – of a robbery or a crime where the persons have escaped in a vehicle? Are roadblocks only for shaking down unwary drivers – and making passes after they stop females? A few months later, three of the bandits – including the infamous Rayon Paddy recently incinerated in the Camp St Jail Fire – were charged. But not before committing other murders and robberies. The alleged “ringleader” was never caught.

Unbelievably, the Ramada Princess is located not much farther away from the same Providence Police Station. It has to be that these bandits have absolutely no respect for the Providence Police! Or else they have an inside friend? Anyhow, this time, we read the police DID get to the Ramada – but not before the three bandits that chose to exit through the front door, escaped. NOW we have to find out whether the police that arrived on the scene were from Providence, don’t we?

So we return to the question asked after the Sterling invasion: were roadblocks thrown up on both sides of the Ramada Princess after the cops at Providence Station heard gunshots? And yes! They HAD to’ve heard the gunshots.

But there’s a larger trend here – related to the inability of the police to strike fear in the heart of criminals. Paraphrasing the Frank Sinatra ballad on New York City, if criminals can get away with armed invasions right next to the Providence Police Station, then they can get away with it anywhere, nuh?

Forewarned, unfortunately doesn’t mean forearmed in Guyana!

…on spunks?

Minister of Public Security and VP Khemraj Ramjattan once again declared the Camp St Jail’s “under control”. He’d asserted this once before but was disputed by officers of the prison who gave testimony to the CoI investigating the fire that took 17 lives. Now Ministers don’t have any operational roles in running institutions under their civilian control – that’s left to the officers in charge.

But obviously THEY don’t have knowledge of the ground reality in the prison like Ramjattan. But several previous CoI’s into the Prison Service DID say the prison recruitment wasn’t attracting men as bright as Ramjattan. The goodly Minister therefore took serious exception to the Chronoc daring to report that the present state of the Camp St Jail represented a “National Security threat”.

All he would concede was the prisoners now have “spunks”. But didn’t say whether his caving in to the prisoners’ demands after meeting them, gave them the said “spunks”!

…on town Clerk

What will it take to remove this pestilence on City Governance called Royston King? He’s now gone and misspent money allocated for City Archives. US Presidents couldn’t remove the FBI’s Hoover because he “had the goods on them”.

So whose skeletons King knows where they’re buried?

A Parika businessman was on Saturday killed when two gunmen attacked him in front of his home.
Dead is Seeram Singh of Lot 40 Parika Outfall, East Bank Essequibo.

Dead fuel dealer Seeram Singh

Relatives of the now dead fuel dealer

Reports are that the businessman was attacked at about 21:00h by the two gunmen who robbed him of three sizable gold chains which were on his neck. Notably, his gold rings were still on his fingers.
Guyana Times was told that the 52-year-old businessman was shot twice to his head. He also had three stab wounds to his body.
Relatives told this newspaper that the businessman put up a fight with the gunmen during the ordeal.
The grieving family stated that they are extremely disappointed with the Police’s response to the robbery.
A close relative related that the Police took a long time to respond following the shooting.

A 26-year-old man was stabbed to death outside the White Castle Fish Shop, Hadfield Street, Georgetown in the wee hours of Saturday evening.
Gordon Ross, 26, was reported found with multiple stab wounds to the body and four of his teeth missing. Hospital officials also claimed that he was badly beaten to the body.
Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum told media operatives that an investigation has been launched into the stabbing incident, while noting that none of the man’s relatives have made contact with the Police or the hospital.
He explained that based on reports, there was a crowd at the White Castle Fish Shop and the victim received several stab wounds about his body. He added that a taxi was stopped and asked to render assistance to the injured man and Ross was taken to hospital where he later succumbed to his injuries.
Up to late Saturday evening, no one was arrested for the murder. However, Blanhum noted that they are attempting to make contact with the dead man’s relatives to get information about his background, and more importantly, whom he would have left home with on Friday evening.
However, Guyana Times understands that a man of Rastafarian descent visited the Georgetown Public Hospital on Saturday morning to enquire about Ross but after he was told that the man had passed away, he ran out of the medical facility saying “jah rasta farai”.