Zoisa Fraser

When news began circulating that Mohamed Abdool Shameer, 58, had been involved in a boat collision in the Pomeroon River, his relatives were expecting his body to float up in three days.

-says ‘cancer’ of overcrowding must be tackled -cites testimony of ‘indescribably harsh’ prison conditions   The Prison Commission of Inquiry (CoI) has concluded that the prisoners were mostly to blame for the deaths of 17 inmates at the Camp Street prison on March 3 and it has urged the formation of a committee to focus on reducing the overcrowding in the prison system where at least 60% of the population are on remand.

Stricken with poliomyelitis while still a toddler and confined to a wheelchair for the past 20-odd years, 57-year-old Pamela London’s life has been difficult, but domestic violence, ridicule and poverty have made it harsh and unfair on all fronts.

Having endured four weeks under appalling conditions at the New Amsterdam Women’s Prison, former inmate Felicity Benjamin wants to highlight the atrocities she endured so that change can be wrought, while also urging young women to stay out of trouble to avoid being sent there.

The unrest at the Georgetown Prison has ended following a meeting between aggrieved inmates and Minister of Public Security Khemraj Ramjattan and Minister of State Joseph Harmon, who promised to address their complaints immediately.

Seventeen prisoners died and five others were injured after a fire was started during a protest at the Georgetown Prison yesterday morning, prompting the Public Security Minister to declare “a crisis” at the facility as government announced that an inquiry would be set up.

Community Policing Groups (CPGs) are pivotal to the ongoing war on crime and violence but should not be seen as a parallel police force, President David Granger said yesterday.

Publicly expressed concerns about the circumstances surrounding the December 30 Carifesta Avenue crash cannot be addressed with a traffic investigation, according to former Attorney General Anil Nandlall who yesterday reiterated calls for a full probe into the matter.

The Commercial and Land registries must be fully computerised as part of a wider modernisation process to protect documents from flood, fire and tampering, according to President David Granger, who yesterday also called for updated copyright laws to protect the creative community.

Despite the concerns of the opposition at a lack of consultations on what was described as a “cut and paste” Coroners (amendment) Bill which fueled a more than two-hour-long debate, government last evening passed the piece of legislation.

There is a growing trend of parents posting photos on social media and other mediums, of their babies, toddlers and young children being fed alcoholic beverages.

Amid a doubling of drunk driving cases and increasing concern at the effects of alcohol abuse, President David Granger has promised action in the long term to deal with the scourge.

In wake of conflicting accounts of how two bandits were shot dead in South Ruimveldt by the police, President David Granger yesterday called for emphasis to be placed on capturing lawbreakers with the aim of gathering intelligence on the origin of weapons, gangs and the masterminds, even as he expressed concern about such incidents.

In the seven months since they have been appointed, the four independent investigators at the Police Complaints Authority (PCA) have so far looked at 206 complaints made against police ranks including corruption, using unnecessary violence and neglect of duty.

The 476 pounds of gold stolen during an armed robbery in Curaçao in November 2012 definitely came from Guyana, according to Minister of Governance Raphael Trotman who said that a report compiled by Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) officials who had travelled to the Dutch island contained nothing useful.

Getting an abortion in Guyana is legal. It has been so for 20 years and after all the hiccups the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPH) is offering the service free of charge to all women.

Anguish, frustration, uncertainty and stress have taken over Kerry Emanuel’s life.

There is a need for whistleblower protection legislation for the public service, according to former Auditor General Anand Goolsarran, who argued yesterday that it would protect those public servants who speak out about wrongdoings committed by their superiors.

The Public Service should be depoliticised, according to retired Permanent Secretary (PS) Hydar Ally, who yesterday expressed regret at not taking a back seat in the political realm while on the job.

After enduring years of abuse, the Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU) now has a chance at a “fresh start” under the new APNU+AFC government, according to the body’s president Patrick Yarde who called for the immediate restoration of the Public Service Appellate Tribunal.