so yuh from west dem

MMZ is a popular place. Half of GNI peeps from that area.

Fishermen bodies found at West Coast foreshore

The bodies of two fishermen were this morning recovered from the De Kinderen, West Coast Demerara foreshore, effectively confirming the worst fears of their family members.

Sahadeo Bhagwandat

The two men, 47-year-old Sahadeo Bhagwandat known as ‘Jango’ and 46-year-old Ramdeo Sijogie known as ‘Bobby’, were reported missing since Saturday after the two ventured to the foreshore to ‘set’ seine intended to catch fish.  The men’s bodies were found tangled in the very seine that they had set days earlier. Both bodies bore signs of decomposition.
Bhagwandat, a father of four, and husband to Rajkumarie Bhagwandat for the past 22 years, resided at Lot 8 Rail View, West Meten-Meer-Zorg, West Coast Demerara, while Sijogie lived a short distance away at Lot 188 Meten-Meer-Zorg, with his two brothers.

Family members, close friends and other residents of the area braved the inclement weather yesterday morning to catch a glimpse of undertakers removing the bodies from the foreshore.
With saddened demeanours some were heard speculating whether the men could have met their demise after becoming trapped in the seine. There were even questions asked as to whether the men could have been drunk when they were engaged in their seine setting activities.
Bhagwandat’s only son, Nankumar, had, along with other residents, formed a search party to find the men after they went missing on Saturday. The distraught young man told this publication yesterday that his father had been a fisherman for several years and had never encountered trouble before.
Nankumar disclosed that his father left home on Friday afternoon in the company of Sijogie to set the seine and the two had returned Saturday morning to retrieve it. He disclosed that his family became concerned when at nightfall, his father had not returned home. Moreover, several efforts were made to locate Bhagwandat.  Neither man could be found at the foreshore or elsewhere.
The search party continued their efforts on Sunday but, again, to no avail.

Distraught family members and residents watch on as the bodies are taken away.

However, intensified efforts to find the men yesterday saw the search party returning to the foreshore where the dreadful discovery was made. “We went back to the foreshore and we see this trunks (pants) in the water under some stuff and the other was not far from him under a bridge close to a koker,” related Chetram Persaud, a member of the search party.  He disclosed that the search yesterday had started around 06:30 hours and ended about two hours later.
“We have no idea if them drink because them left home early the morning …we don’t know how to judge what happen, all we know them left to come pick up the seine and we never see them back,” said Persaud.
He disclosed that during the search on Sunday it was observed that there was high tide and “water was pulling very hard; it was really rough.”
Family members of Sijogie disclosed that his death represents the second in the family within a one-week period.  According to the dead man’s sister Maureen, who lives at Crane, West Coast Demerara, he has been working “at sea” for the past two years but was home for a few days and decided to “help out” Bhagwandat.  “Me feel so sorry fuh meh brother because me hear that he de trying to call me a few days ago and he didn’t get on to me.” According to the sister who returned to Guyana about one week ago it has been a while since she last saw her brother. “I didn’t see him and now to hear he dead; it is very sad,” she added tearfully.

According to a Police statement issued yesterday investigations in to the men’s deaths are continuing.

these bodies was found at the foreshore or in a canal

The initial SN report used the word 'canal.'

The follow-up detailed report said 'foreshore.'

well as the GNI REPORTER i am hoping you do a better job

VREED-EN-HOOP, PARIKA STELLING UPGRADE

VREED-EN-HOOP STELLING

The Parika, Leguan and Fort Island stellings were among those that benefited from rehabilitation, under the Transport and Harbours Department (T&HD) 2013 capital allotment of $393 million. The allocation also provided for the dry docking of two vessels and the acquisition of spares.

According to T&HD General Manager Marcelene Merchant, the Parika Stelling was rehabilitated in 2013 for about $5 million; lavatory facilities for passengers were constructed, among other repairs.

Repairs were also done to the low ramp at the Leguan Stelling, at a cost of $4.7 million, while Fort Island Stelling was also repaired to the tune of $3 million and Bartica Stelling, at a cost of $11. 9 million, she said.

Other interventions in 2013 included the lifting of the scales at the Parika Stelling, and the re-fencing around that scale, modification to the scale at the Supenaam Stelling, repairs to the steps at the Parika, Vreed-en-Hoop, and Georgetown stellings, and the installation of collapsible steel rails at Georgetown and Vreed-en-Hoop stelling, to facilitate the extended night operations of speedboats.[GUYANA TIMES, Feb 5, 2014]

Man uplifts dead man’s salary at Uitvlugt Estate

Just over 100 workers attached to the Uitvlugt Sugar Estate, West Coast Demerara, yesterday downed tools in protest of the dismissal of two of their colleagues.
The two, Ravi Dasrat a supervisor, and Roshan Khan a foreman, on Tuesday received their marching orders which were effective from Monday last.
Those striking at the estate yesterday included field foremen, supervisors, weeders, pest control personnel as well as factory workers among others.
The two were dismissed because the salary for a dead man was paid to some unknown person whose signature was illegible.
According to reports, the pay packet with $31,000 would have been prepared by Dasrat and reviewed by Khan.
When contacted last evening President of the Guyana Agricultural Workers Union, Komal Chand said that while he has heard of the incident, he was out of office yesterday and as such was unaware of the details.

Ronald Alfred [miner]: `We were born here and we are comfortable. There is nothing to be afraid of here… even the snakes frighten us, we are not afraid of them. I lived 19 years here but the only problem is getting clean water. We are squatters but Jetty people still need water.’

Albert Link [Self Employed]: `I arrived in Plastic City when it only had four houses; that was fifteen years ago and it’s rough living without water and light for all those years. So it would be good if we could get some light and water.’

: `We are accustomed with Plastic City; fetching water and sleeping early, and no problem with people chopping people and killing. It’s quiet here but we need water and lights.’

Eon De Britta [A farmer]: `We don’t have electricity and the few that getting is about 15 houses and that’s not fair. Nothing ain’t good about this place but we living here because it’s all we got. We glad for house lots but the people at the ministry collected our numbers and years passed and they never called. When the high tide come it would flood out the Jetty area and the dirty water would mix up with the toilet water. That’s what we living in.’

Dillip Lambert [unemployed]: `It’s very nice living here, the only problem we have is getting running water. If we don’t have bicycles then we would have to fetch the water on our shoulders. Some people getting house lots but some of us waiting on the ministry to call us. They collected our numbers and said that they would call us.’

Mandoor Alli [Chairman of the Community Policing Group]: `We living comfortably here but it’s only the light and water that we need. Some have light but the rest of us have to get generators. All of us in this place apply for house lots but some of us never received a call. But me personally wouldn’t want to move if they can give us this land I would be happy.’

Susan Ramdas [Housewife]: `We are not staying here for long anymore because we get a house lot from the ministry and we start building. So we don’t have to put up with no light and clean water anymore.’

Shanta Ramdas [unemployed]: `I happy living here. We ain’t get water and light but we accustom to it. It’s a strain but we make out quite well. But I do hope that they would put in clean water for us because children have to fetch water from far to bathe to go to school.’

Maranda Thomas [Housewife]: `I’m living here two months now and the place really quiet and it ain’t get problem with thieves because everybody know everybody here and is only people from outside would come and hide in the Jetty.’

Nazetta Gill [Housewife]: `We are not happy here because the children don’t have any place to play after school and we don’t get water or light. That all we want. We ain’t pleased with the situation we living in but we can’t afford to rent a place or build a house.’

where exactly is Plastic City

Plastic City lies north of the Vreed-en-Hoop stelling near the jetty at the Demerara River mouth.

Mixed reviews. Hope the Govt speed up the awarding of House Lots to those who want to move.

This was five years ago under the PPP/C.

‘Plastic City’ residents deterred by cost of house lots

As the Ministry of Housing and Water continues to seek to relocate the squatters of Plastic City, the price of house lots continues to deter many of the squatters from pursuing the government’s intention. Minister of Housing and Water, Irfaan Ali, maintained that relocating the residents of Plastic City was necessary, since they are exposed to various health and environmental threats. Many of them are exposed to the ocean, and with rising sea levels, any investment in the area is a risk. At the same time, the Minister highlighted that some of the residents of Plastic City (and the nearby Skull City) are currently living within the confines of a burial ground. The minister had encouraged persons to apply for house lots, and pointed out that at present there were low-income house lots available. He said that these low-income house lots are highly subsidised by the government. He said that there were house lots, which could be had for as little as $100,000. According to the Minister, after paying a deposit of $50,000 the residents of Plastic City could work out a payment plan, depending on the situation of the person who had applied for the house lot. Despite these efforts by the Ministry of Housing and Water, many persons say that they simply cannot afford to pay the amount of money for which these ‘highly subsidized’ house lots are being sold for. The deposit, which is being asked for is too high. One resident of the area said that he had previously approached the authorities for a legitimate house lot before, but he was put off by the price. “It might not sound like a lot to some people, but to a man like me who works for a small salary, It is difficult to find that kind of money to pay for a house lot and take care of my family…If I could get a (house) lot and work and pay, that would be nice, but that is not the case,” he said. Nonetheless, the plan for the impending relocation of the squatters is continuing. According to the Minister, a technical team will be going into the area shortly to assess the situation. The report, which is to come out of the technical team’s visit, is expected to provide the Ministry with vital information on the area, and the people that live there. The report should be completed some time in the next two to three weeks. Since the area is so vast, Ali said that any relocation would have to be done in phases. “We will identify the high risk areas and relocate persons living there first,” said the Minister. Oddly enough, some of the residents of Plastic City have said that they are content in their present dwellings. They also noted that they are happy with the efforts that the government has made, thus far, to regularise the area.

Anyone here went to West Dem Secondary or Malgre Tout?

Anna Catherina man found floating at seawall, drowned – PM reveals

 
A post-mortem examination conducted on the remains of Abdool Nazir Hack whose body was found floating face-down on Friday last at the Cornelia Ida, West Coast Demerara, seawall revealed that he died from asphyxiation due to drowning.

Reports are that there were no life-threatening injuries found on the man’s body.
The 48-year-old man, popularly known as ‘Dara’, resided at 35 Gas Station Street, Anna Catherina, West Coast Demerara, with his 82-year-old mother, Zabeeda. He was said to be an alcoholic.
According to the man’s sister Bibi Reid, Hack was laid to rest yesterday at the Leonora Muslim Cemetery. The woman told this publication too that since her brother’s body was in a state of decomposition, viewing was merely permitted briefly.

“He get real black…he had some bruises on he face but I hear is from things in the water…I don’t know why the body decompose and I don’t want speculate,” said the woman.
The last person to see Hack alive was his niece, Nafeeza, who told Kaieteur News that she saw him around 14:00 hours on Thursday last resting in a hammock at home.

It is believed that the man was drinking alcohol during the course of Thursday night and wandered to the waterway where he fell and eventually drowned.  Although no one reported seeing the man drinking alcohol in the community Thursday night, his family members did disclose that consuming the intoxicating spirits was in fact one of his regular pastimes.
Hack’s body was discovered floating early Friday morning by a female resident who went out to the seawall to pray. She raised an alarm which prompted other villagers to rush to the scene. Family members who turned up too were able to identify Hack from a scar at the back of his head which he had sustained from an accident some years ago.
In addition to his mother, Hack leaves to mourn six siblings and other relatives.
His passing has had an eerie similarity to two fishermen, whose bodies were found days earlier at the De Kendren foreshore also on the West Coast of Demerara.

New four-lane project for West Dem

The Ministry of Public Works will soon start widening the West Coast Demerara Public Road to four lanes.

Geoffrey Vaughn, Co-ordinator of the Ministry’s Work Services Group, says the project is being supported by the Caribbean Development Bank.

[KAIETEUR NEWS]

I remember going to Malgre Tout with the scout troop during a religious ceremony. Where is Malgre Tout?

Malgre Tout is located on West Bank Demerara, 2 kilometres from Vreed-en-Hoop.

Thanks Gilly.

My dad's cousin had a tailor shop not far from the stelling his name is Lincoln, Amral knows of the family.

At the risk of sounding ... well negative .... is there no good news from West Dem?

Girlfren, didn't you read they're widening the pubic road?

Yeah Lincoln uncle of mine

Sorry, JG, I'm merely relaying what's reported in the newspapers.

I'm sure you know how news people work. If Balram's dog bites Sharon at Leonora, that's not news.

But if Balram bites Sharon's dog, that's big news.

What happen if Balram bit Sharon's c....nahhh neva mind

 I understand

BTW when are the East Bank Demerara, Berbice, Essequibo and Linden news pages going to start up? Or is there some bias towards West Dem?

Bandits rob parfait Harmonie store

Police were last night hunting for four bandits who made off with a motorcar, cash, jewellery and other valuables following a brazen robbery at Charles and Janice Cheap Store, located at Recht-Door-Zee; Parfait Harmonie, West Bank Demerara.
According to reports, Charles James and his wife, Janice Mc lean, were tending to customers in their store at around 20:30 hrs, when four men entered the premises. Kaieteur News understands that one of the bandits went to the upper flat, where he tied up the couple’s two daughters.

Meanwhile, the other robbers, who had a firearm, ordered the couple and their customers to lie on the ground. They then forced the victims to hand over an undisclosed sum of cash, jewellery and other valuables, as well as their mobile phones.
Kaieteur News was told that after disabling several security cameras, the men loaded their booty into Mr. James’ blue Toyota Allion, PFF 1361. They reportedly then forced the businessman to accompany them in the vehicle, before ordering him out of the car when they were some distance away from the scene of the robbery.
A source said that the robbery was recorded on one of the remaining security cameras at the premises that the bandits failed to disable.
Ranks at La Grange Station were notified about the robbery and were still trying to locate the robbers and the stolen car at press time.

Region Three residents urged to be good ambassadors of LCDS

A participant making a point at the LCDS outreach at the West Demerara Secondary School

Agriculture Minister, Dr Leslie Ramsammy has called on Region Three residents to be good ambassadors of the Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS), noting that they all should be proud of Guyana’s efforts in combating climate change.

Speaking at an LCDS awareness session at the West Demerara Secondary School, Region Three, hosted by the Office of Climate Change (OCC), Dr Ramsammy said Guyana has been at the forefront in addressing climate

change.

“You and I, wherever we are in our country, wherever we are in the world, we must be proud to stand up and say that we, Guyana, may not be the reason for climate change, but we are victims of climate change, and we are proud that we have warned the world long before anybody became too conscious about it, and we are proud that not only are we aware, but we are doing something in our country, in our region, in our community and importantly in our homes,” the agriculture minister said.

He said Guyana has progressed in its achievement with regards to acknowledging and implementing measures to address climate change, and global warming.

“Guyanese should be extremely proud of the fact that Guyana is one of the few countries that not only talks about climate change, but is also doing something about climate change and is not waiting to see the impact…we stand apart from many countries in being a progressive country with advanced ideas when it comes to climate change,” he said.

He noted that Guyana is one of the few countries in the world to have developed a formal strategy with regards to the issue.

“Some people talk about a low carbon strategy, but they have not developed it, Guyana talked about it, and we also developed it, but more importantly, we are implementing it, and we have a whole unit dedicated towards dealing with climate change and towards ensuring the implementation of strategies that would adapt Guyana in terms of our response,” he noted.

DEN AMSTEL REMIGRANT'S WOES

KAIETEUR NEWS, Feb 20 ---

DEAR EDITOR,
I am a retiree, and a remigrant living at Den Amstel Village, West Coast Demerara. Since I returned to Guyana on July 19, 2013, I have been experiencing a whole heap of situations which are not surprising, because I was warned of the unprecedented levels of corruption and executive lawlessness which was commonplace in this society.
This sort of activity is present at the highest government departments and people seem to have accepted that they can do nothing to restrain these miscreants. Fear of persecution by these ‘officials’ or even losing one’s life is a distinct possibility.
My first taste of this was when I applied for remigrant status. I submitted a list of items for duty-free concessions. The list included a Grand Cherokee Jeep and a boat. I was granted remigrant status but was told by the person acting in the capacity of remigration officer that the Minister had decided that I could not be granted duty-free concessions for the Jeep because I had not registered and insured the vehicle in The Bahamas.
She claimed that this was indicated to me in the list of required documents which the Ministry had published. I pointed out to her that in my opinion this was not so. In the letter that granted me remigrant status, there was nothing that stated the reason for the Minister’s action. The list of items that was approved did not list the Grand Cherokee Jeep. I have had to take legal action over this issue.
My second issue was over a workshop folding crane which was shipped to Guyana by Tropical Shipping. When I arrived in Guyana on July 19, 2013, I visited the GNIC wharf and was sure that I saw this item in the warehouse. However when I turned up to clear the item, I was told that the folding crane had not arrived..Subsequently, I had to claim compensation for this. The money granted could not enable me to repurchase and ship to Guyana..
My third problem was when I found out that there was no collaboration between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Finance even though these were supposed to implement the Government’s policy on Remigration. The Guyana Revenue Authority has claimed that they have their own rules, and statements made by the Ministry of Foreign in relation to advice to remigrants is Foreign Affairs’ ‘own business’.

My fourth issue that again exposed the executive lawlessness was when I applied for permission to the Commissioner-General to re-export my Jeep. I was told that I would be informed when the approval was granted. In fact, I ‘would receive a call’. This never happened. Six weeks later, during one of my visits to GRA, I paid a call to the commissioner’s office and was taken to an officer, who informed me that permisson had been granted. I then had to inform the office that I was forced to change plans because of the long delay of the reply.
The latest issue is one which involves the GT&T. I paid my internet bill on Monday January 3, 2014, at the Fellowship Post Office, the day it was due. I called 0488 and submitted the receipt number and amount paid. I was told that the information would be passed on to the relevant personnel. To my surprise, on Wednesday February 5, 2014, my internet connection was disconnected. At about 8.30 am. I got an apology from the secretary of the Director of Customer Services, and was told that the service would be restored by 11 o’clock. I enquired why it was that I had to endure this situation. I suggested that GT&T could make it much simpler for persons (customers) to make payment, by setting up a ‘secure website’ with all the information of their accounts on line. This would do much to improve their revenue collection and get rid of possible avenues for corruption. I have done so on several occasions, but to no avail. My internet connection was restored at 10:48 am, over two hours later. The only redeeming factor was that I did not have to wait until 11:00 am.
George Isaac Jordan

50 years a national heroine…GAWU pays tribute to killed sugar worker, Kowsilla

Yesterday marked 50 years since female sugar worker, Kowsilla, was killed during a strike action at the Leonora estate, West Coast Demerara.
The Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU), in its tribute to Guyana’s “own home-grown heroine”, said that Kowsilla called Alice, an active member of the Women’s Progressive Organisation (WPO), probably had no intention to become heroine or martyr.
“She merely demonstrated her freedom to protest at the virtually inhuman and exploitative nature of the then sugar baron’s greed over Guyana’s natural resource, sugar – and the wealth it generated for Britain even after slavery.”

GAWU said that Kowsilla’s defiance against the Leonora sugar estate’s management, just two years before political independence, resulted in her ultimate sacrifice.
“Her cruel death, however, was not at all in vain. Her crushed body and spilt blood fertilized the struggle for working-class justice and victory for representation of the sugar workers’ first choice.”
The Kowsilla story is now part of the nation’s sugar industry, labour-union movement and collective psyche, GAWU, the country’s largest sugar union said.

According to the union, in January 1964, hundreds of sugar workers and other aggrieved Guyanese staged a mammoth citizens march to protest the imposition of proportional representation, a then unknown electoral system upon British Guiana by the British Colonial Secretary, Duncan Sandys.
“It is reasonable and fair to assume that the managers of the various sugar estates many of them expatriate British themselves, did not take kindly to the participation of “their employees” in this political protest against the British governments’ decision.”
When the workers, except for a few, staged a strike against the actions of the Leonora Estate management who offered little work after the January 1964 protests or work at severely-reduced rates, the Estate Manager, a Roy Ryder, did everything to break the industrial action which had significantly paralysed his fields and factory operations.

“From some divide-and-rule tactics to outright intimidation and threats, he abused the striking workers but failed to break their resolve.”
GAWU said that on March 06, 1964, he ordered that a tractor driven by a scab, be used to clear a main bridge, close to the factory, on which Kowsilla and her colleagues were squatting.
“Kowsilla bravely stood her ground as the tractor approached. She was crushed to a grisly death. Fourteen other females who formed the peaceful human barricade were seriously injured with some unable to work again.”
Kowsilla’s passing provoked wide-spread dissent and led to new levels of struggle, resulting in estate management meeting directly with workers delegations.
“The majority of sugar workers then resorted to abandon the then company union – the Man Power Citizens Association (MPCA). This was the movement that made a reluctant government to recognize GAWU in 1976.”

The union is convinced that Kowsilla exemplified bravery. “Her death held high the banner of the recognition struggle, and showed the ferocity with which it was waged. The adamancy of the sugar plantocracy not to recognise GAWU was met by a stubborn workers’ struggle. Workers fought with determination and, in February, 1976, the GAWU obtained union recognition by the Sugar Producers Association (SPA). The workers won that class war.”

Zeeburg Secondary School is in a poor state

STABROEK NEWS, MARCH 7, 2014

Dear Editor,

As a student of Zeeburg Secondary School I am ashamed of my home away from home. The building is one of the poorest, if not the poorest facility in Region 3 in terms of secondary schools. Several of the columns on which the building sits are damaged to the extent that part of the building has been abandoned because of fear of a collapse (see photo). The building houses some four hundred children. This building is located at the seawall, exposing it to high winds. There are no functioning toilet facilities for teachers or students, who can be seen urinating in public. There is no running water available. Textbooks for students and teachers are unavailable in many subject areas. As the Ministry of Education is focusing on improving performances in English and Mathematics, my Mathematics teacher is notably absent for lengthy periods, and neglects duties.

Editor, all these problems exist at a time when the Ministry of Educa-tion has spent millions of dollars on education, including on building schools, buying textbooks and teacher training.

One thing is sure, none of this money was spent at Zeeburg Secondary School.

Yours faithfully,

(Name and address provided)

 Editor’s note

We are sending a copy of this letter to Ms Delma Nedd, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education for any comment she might wish to make.

KOWSILLA REMEMBERED

Sugar industry pays homage the ‘Leonora Heroine’
–who laid down her life in the name of justice

THE inspiration that was the sacrifice of Kowsilla, who died in peaceful protest 50 years ago, for the recognition of the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) and political justice, was remembered yesterday.

Many turned out to salute her memory and, braving a brief shower of rain, marched, attired in shirts emblazoned with Kowsilla’s photo, from Leonora Primary School, beginning at 07:00 hrs, to her burial place at the Anna Catherina Cemetery, on West Coast of Demerara.
A simple wreath-laying ceremony followed the march and many tributes were paid to Kowsilla, hailed as a working-class heroine.

GAWU President Komal Chand, one of those who paid tribute to her, said Kowsilla set an example, and that her sacrifice and struggle were not in vain.
According to him, her death was one of many incidents of struggle in the sugar belt for workers’ rights.

“It was a long struggle,” Chand acknowledged, noting that GAWU was, finally, recognised after a fight spanning more than 30 years.
Chairman of Region Three (Essequibo Islands/West Demerara), Julius Faeber, in his remarks, pointed out that 50 years later, the stance Kowsilla took for justice still resonates.

“Our workers are now better off,” he admitted, adding: “They have better pay and better working conditions…we are celebrating the life of a great person.”
Representing the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C), Hydar Ally said commemorating Kowsilla’s 50th death anniversary is a milestone when “brutality and oppression” characterised the nature of the system.

Ally called, too, for Kowsilla’s death to be remembered in the context of both her struggle and the historical perspective.

“The PPP was inspired by her,” he admitted.
Kowsilla was an executive member of the Leonora Branch of the Women’s Progressive Organisation (WPO) and its General Secretary, Indra Chandarpal reminded the gathering that the late former President, Dr. Cheddi Jagan, described the history of sugar as one of “blood, sacrifice and struggle” for all those in the belt.
“We who inherited her legacy are proud,” Chandarpal said.

[GUYANA CHRONICLE, MARCH 7, 2014]

WEST DEM PORK-KNOCKER DIES AFTER PUNCHING GLASS WINDOW

KAIETEUR NEWS, MARCH 8, 2014 --- A 44-year-old man died yesterday morning at the West Demerara Regional Hospital (WDRH), hours after he reportedly punched a glass window and cut his hand.
Dead is Dennis Harris, a pork-knocker of Lot 1525 Onderneeming, West Bank Demerara. Harris, a father of one died around 01:00hrs yesterday. It is believed that he bled to death from the wound he sustained on his hand.

Dead: Dennis Harris

His reputed wife of seven years Yonette Gumbs was in police custody up to press time following reports that he told a relative before he passed away that the woman was responsible for what had happened to him.
Yesterday, when Kaieteur News visited Harris’s home, his stepdaughter, Sabrina Wray said that the now dead man and her mother left home around 17:50 hrs on Thursday to attend a get-together a short distance from where they reside.

“They left home arguing, and they come back arguing. He and my mother were arguing and they were very abusive to each other. He (Harris) was cutting a joint (marijuana) with a scissors and he take it and point it to my mom’s face and tell her that he will kill her and kill all of us,” Wray stressed.

She explained that her mother somehow managed to push Harris out of the house and closed the door. “She (Gumbs) pushed him out and he push his hand inside the house to prevent her from closing the door, but his hand get squeeze and he pulled out, that’s how come we get to close the door.”
Wray said that her stepfather then became very abusive and threatened to harm them. “When he realized that he can’t get the door open, he punched the glass window and I see when his blood spilled inside the house.”

The young woman explained that after Harris sustained the injury, he visited the home of a relative who lives about four houses away and was taken to the hospital.
“I was so surprised when I hear he died because that is just a cut,” Wray said in disbelief. She explained that her stepfather is very arrogant and would frequently abuse her mother.
The young woman claimed that her mother never made a report to the police station against the man because “they does always make up back and up to last night (Thursday) when they were saying insulting things about each other, I was laughing because they does always make up back.”
Wray posited that her mother met Harris while working as a cook in the interior.

Boy, 6, dies at Leonora Hospital from lack of oxygen

KAIETEUR NEWS, MARCH 10, 2014 --- A six year old boy was recently added to a list of two persons who died at the Leonora Cottage Hospital due to shortage of oxygen and medication at the facility.
This was revealed in the minutes of a recent statuary meeting which quoted assistant administrator of the institution, Dev Hira as saying that a report compiled by the hospital’s Cuban Director states that the child died due to the lack of oxygen.
In the minutes, seen by Kaieteur News, Hira is quoted as telling regional councilors that the child’s death is the third incident of this kind at the institution. The minutes made no mention of what steps the hospital’s administration will implement to correct this situation.

During an interview with this newspaper, the region’s Alliance for Change Councillor, Dr. Kamal Narine noted that all is not well with the region’s health care system.
He said that apart from the continuous and dangerous instances of drug shortage that have been affecting the country, there is a possibility that most of the medication in Region Three is expired.

Dr Kamal Narine

Dr. Narine said that when the region submits claims for drugs, the drugs are usually lodged at the storage bond of the West Demerara Regional Hospital. He explained that whenever the other facilities of the region need supplies, they would request it from that hospital’s bond.
Protocol is that the requested medications would be lodged at the bond of the requesting hospital, and staffers there would inspect the supplies before sending them to the respective departments.
However, in Region Three, Dr. Narine alleged that on many occasions, the requested supplies of medications are sent directly to the respective departments, not affording staffers the chance to inspect the delivery in order to ensure that it is of proper quality.
“This is a mad, mad situation. In situations like this, you even got people being treated with wrong doses. Then there is no proper audit of the drugs, so I am sure that many are expired,” Dr. Narine posited.

Because he is a member of the region’s health committee, which has insights on the health issues facing the district, he does not utilize the services offered.
“It’s frightening. I would prefer go to a private institution,” Dr. Narine declared, adding that even the X-ray machine at the Leonora Hospital does not work.

Leonora Cottage Hospital

The AFC Councillor maintained that the region’s health system is problem-plagued, and that those in authority at the Ministry of Health seem not to care.
“Imagine you can be injected with something that they mistake for something else, and you can die. How more serious can our system get? This is something that is really bothering me, and some of the other councilors, but the government is not doing anything to change this situation.”

Kaieteur News was told that during the region’s recent statutory meeting, the Regional Health Officer, Ms. Nadia Coleman told councilors that she was no longer prepared to deal with the region’s health struggles, since the shortage of drugs cannot be pinned on her.
According to two of the councilors, the woman explained that whenever she requests four or five oxygen cylinders, the region would receive two or three.
“I was made to understand that they does be telling her that the supplies are wasting, so that’s the situation.”
When the region’s administration receives the short stock of oxygen, Coleman is reportedly forced to make the call as to which one of the hospitals and health centres should benefit from the supply.

“This is nonsense! And we have the Minister doing nothing. Before, we used to have problems, yes, but this new Minister…I don’t know what he doing,” one of the councilors said.
Just recently, a resident of Tuschen, East Bank Essequibo who suffered a stroke also blamed this on the lack of drugs and equipment at both the Tuschen Health Centre and the Leonora Cottage Hospital.
According to the elderly man who is diabetic, a few weeks ago, he started visiting the health centre repeatedly to have his blood sugar level monitored.
However, he claimed he was told by nurses there, that this could not be done since there were no machines or strips to do so.
A few days later, Ali developed complications due to his condition and had to be rushed to the Emergency Unit of the Leonora public health facility, where he said he was told that there wasn’t an adequate supply of medication.
Ali subsequently suffered a mild stroke, and Kaieteur News understands that both the aforementioned public health facilities are in short supply of drugs to treat common illnesses like cold and cough.

“Not even for children,” he said.
Another AFC Councillor of Region Three, Harry Deokinanan said that the drug situation in his district has deteriorated to the extent where even the People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) Councillors are beginning to speak out.
He said that even though some of the facilities might ‘look nice’ on the outside, they lack the resources to execute some very basic treatments.
“If you got a health institution in a region and people can’t benefit from it, then what is the point? If people can’t go to a hospital or health centre in Region Three and get simple treatments, then what is the point?”

FIRST LADY IN PATENTIA AND ZEELUGT

CHRONICLE, MARCH 11, 2014 ---FIRST Lady Mrs. Deolatchmee Ramotar and members of the First Lady’s Foundation visited with and delivered goodies to close to 100 senior citizens in Region 3 (West Demerara-Essequibo Islands) who would have made significant contributions to Guyana’s development over the years.

The gesture was in keeping with observances to mark International Women’s Day, celebrated the world over last Saturday.
The presentations were done at Patentia Secondary School, on the West Bank Demerara, and at Zeelugt Primary, on the West Coast Demerara. Visits were made to the homes of five senior citizens who were unable to travel to the venues at reference.

International Women’s Day, which was launched in 1911, is celebrated each year on March 8. It is a day when organisations, religious communities, and governments, in their quest for peace, democracy and equality, mark the economic, political and social achievements of women.

In brief remarks, First Lady Ramotar said the government will continue to honour women who would have contributed to the country’s economy, and that each year, the Foundation has been moving to different locations to ensure that every community benefits from their distribution programme.
She noted that International Women’s Day is a day set aside to acknowledge the many contributions women would have made to society and should never be forgetten.

“They have contributed in many ways to the development of Guyana, whether it is helping their families or their communities, and so we think they deserve the acknowledgement,” the First Lady said.

Here in Guyana as well as the Caribbean, the rationale behind the observance of International Women’s Day differs from that of sister countries in the Western World, in that the former developed an early tradition of struggle and activism, born out of their experience in shaking off the shackles of slavery and indentureship, followed by the exploitation of colonialism.

Boy, 16, killed in Goed Fortuin accident

A 16-year-old boy was killed and three of his friends are injured after the car in which they were traveling slammed into a utility pole on the Goed Fortuin Public Road, West Bank Demerara (WBD) around 04:00hrs yesterday.

The dead teen has been identified as Jamal Archer of 5 Pouderoyen, WBD.
Those injured are Anthony King, 14; Roy Khan, 17; and the driver, Kevin Lewis, 23, all from Pouderoyen.

Kevin Lewis

King and Khan were treated at the WBD Regional Hospital and sent away while Lewis was treated and taken into police custody.
Kaieteur News was told that the car in which the four persons were travelling, was proceeding north along the West Bank Public Road when the driver lost control and the vehicle smashed into the pole, splitting it.
Eyewitnesses say that the occupants of the car were flung from the vehicle onto the roadway. Archer was sitting in the front passenger’s seat.

In a release, police said that investigations so far have revealed that the motor vehicle was proceeding along the roadway, allegedly at a fast rate when the driver lost control.
Yesterday, Archer’s grandmother, Rosaline Giddings said that the teen was out with some friends on Monday and had returned home around 23:00hrs.
“I was sleeping and he come home and he ask me if I buy mosquito coil because I had wash his net and I said no and then he left and he went out back, I don’t know if he left to buy the coil,” the grandmother said.

She explained that Archer and his 14-year-old brother, Junior Alexander along with their sister, Joanna Archer, 13, have been living with her since their mother passed away five years ago.
According to the woman, hours after her grandson left the house for the second time, she received a telephone call from a relative who informed her about the accident.

“I hear the police take the boys who could have walked to the hospital and left Jamal who was the most critical one,” the grandmother claimed.
The woman said that eyewitnesses to the accident told her and other family members that when the police got to the scene, they pronounced her grandson dead without taking him to the hospital.
“They are not doctors to pronounce him dead at the scene. They left him on the road for more than an hour!” Giddings stressed.
At the dead teen’s home yesterday, this newspaper was told by a relative that he was informed that a policeman said, “Lef’ him, he wanted anyway” while at the scene.

It is unclear if the 16-year-old was wanted by police but the grandmother was heard saying, “Yes he bad, but a wanted bulletin was never out for him.”
Giddings said that her grandson attended a secondary school in Vreed-en-Hoop and worked as a mechanic part-time.
Meanwhile, relatives of the injured men refused to speak to this publication.
Investigations are ongoing.

Leonora synthetic track incomplete…Company paid $16M more than contract price and work incomplete

The German company contracted to lay the synthetic athletic track at Leonora, West Coast Demerara, has been paid in full and is back in Germany but the project has not yet been completed.
By the end of October, the company was paid all of its money – US$547,192. At that time, only 65 per cent of works were completed.
This project was awarded to BSW on March 18, 2011 for US$465,000. But that contract price was later revised due to what the company said was an increase in world market prices for materials.

In addition, the German company hired its own supervisor for the project. That supervisor had to provide additional services, thus sending up the price, further.
Alfred King, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport, confirmed that the contractor has been paid in full and has returned to Germany without the job being completed.
He said that the company had indicated that it was awaiting good weather before returning to Guyana to complete the job.
“We have told them that they can get five to 10 sunny days to get the job done,” King told Kaieteur News via telephone.
Mr King said that the contractor will have to return to Guyana to complete the project but that cost would not be borne by the Ministry.

The company started laying the track in November but stopped because of rain.  Minister of Culture, Frank Anthony, was quoted by the Government Information Agency as saying that he would have to “re-invite” the company to finish the project.
Steve Ninvalle, Deputy Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport, said the German company is expected back in Guyana this Thursday and would require 10 days of good weather to complete the laying of the surface. All materials for completing the project are on site.
The contract should have been completed on September 18, 2011.
The project has a five-year warranty period.
The laying of the athletic track is just one aspect to develop the Leonora facility.
Other aspects of the project include construction of a Club House/Main Pavilion, spectator stands and parking lots.

Bandits rob, shoot grocer twice

A businesswoman and grocer was shot twice and robbed yesterday at her business premises in Westminster, La Parfaite Harmonie, West Bank Demerara after three bandits invaded her home under the guise of being customers.
The injured woman was identified as 52-year-old Ann Gravesande-Wong, of 23rd Street, 383 La Parfaite Harmonie, West Bank of Demerara. She was shot on her left arm and right thigh. A public spirited resident in the area helped take the injured woman to the West Demerara Regional Hospital. She was later transferred in an ambulance to the Diamond Diagnostic Centre.

Ann Gravesande-Wong

Police in a press release noted that the robbery occurred about 10:30hrs while the woman was in her grocery shop at Westminster, La Parfaite Harmonie. She was attacked by three men, one of whom was armed with a handgun. They escaped with an undisclosed amount of cash and jewellery.
Residents in the area said that the three bandits ran on feet to a waiting yellow wagon taxi “HC 619” before making good their escape.
At her residence, spots of blood were sprinkled about the entrance of her business location.

“Is two negro boys and a fat Indian one was running out the street and pointing their gun to people in the street telling them get in y’al !@#$ing yard and mind y’al own business. And another one was telling them they should lick shots,” one concerned resident lamented.
According to residents, the injured woman has been doing business in the area for several years and this is the first occasion that such a crime has happened in the area.
“Imagine they do this in broad daylight. And the woman who was at home alone at the time opened the gate for them because they said they wanted to buy a large bottle of water. I hear she say she recognise one of them because none of them had on masks. They just shoot she and robbed she and ransack she house.”

Residents added that the yellow wagon taxi was seen circling the area during the week before the robbery. “The same wagon circled the same street this (yesterday) morning before dropping off the men to rob the woman.”
Another observer said, “We heard the screaming and shots, then neighbours rushed to her assistance after the men disappeared. The men knew exactly what they wanted because they do surveillance before they attacked the businesswoman.”

West Bank Public Road needs urgent work

STABROEK NEWS, April 2 ---