Overseas bird watchers gun-butted, robbed at Botanical garden
- Armed bandit escaped with cameras, foreign currencies, credit cards, passports Anna Woodhouse, a British citizen, and Danny Bryne, an Irishman were attacked and robbed by a bicycle bandit in the
Danny Bryne
Botanical Gardens around 06:15 hrs yesterday. Bryne, a renowned bird watcher, was gun-butted in his head by the lone gunman. He was treated at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) and sent away. His friend however was admitted to the health institution for further medical attention. She is nursing a fractured skull which she reportedly sustained from the repeated beating she received at the hands of her attacker. Andy Narine who was their tour guide escaped unhurt. When approached yesterday, Bryne, refused to speak to the media. However, this newspaper understands that Bryne and his friend had travelled to Guyana for the cricket match which was supposed to be played here between New Zealand and West Indies from June 26 to yesterday. They subsequently learnt that the match was cancelled and would be played in Barbados. They still travelled to Guyana and visited some tourist sites here. According to police sources, Bryne and Woodhouse who were supposed to return to their respective homelands today, did some research and after finding out that Guyana has several species of birds, they made arrangements for a tour guide to take them to the Botanical Garden early yesterday. While at the garden, the lone gunman rode up to the overseas bird watchers and their tour guide and demanded everything they had. Bryne reportedly told investigators that he did not hand over his personal items to the man because he did not understand what he (gunman) was saying. After he failed to do this, the armed man took his weapon and gun-butted him (Bryne). “When the bandit done with he, he beat the woman and then he ride away with their money, passports, cameras, credit cards and other items,” the police source said.
Anna Woodhouse
The tourists were beaten and robbed at a time when Guyana is trying its best to promote tourism. When this newspaper contacted the Minister of Tourism, Irfaan Ali yesterday for a comment he said that the Guyana Tourism Authority is working with the Police Force to ensure a thorough investigation is done and to capture the perpetrator.
