Security
‘Smallie’, accomplice shot dead: After almost two weeks of intensive searching by the Joint Services, escaped death row prisoner Mark Royden Williams, also known as ‘Smallie’, and his accomplice were fatally shot by the Joint Services during what was described as a confrontation. Williams’ death was confirmed by Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum, who also informed that the accomplice has been identified as Odel Roberts also called ‘Gulley Side’. Blanhum last Thursday reported that members of the Joint Services came into contact with Williams and Roberts at 33 Miles, Potaro Road, Bartica. News of Williams’ death surfaced early yesterday morning but it was only confirmed by Blanhum in the afternoon. Deputy Director of the Police Corporate Communications Unit, Stan Gouveia, in a release last night said the ranks recovered a M-70 rifle and 79 rounds of live ammunition subsequent to the gunfire exchange. He stated that after Sunday’s (May 28th) confrontation with accomplice Neon Howard, who was also shot and killed, the Joint Services ranks set up a dragnet within 33 miles Potaro Road, Bartica and remained in pursuit. No details were given on what the interception entailed yesterday, however both Williams and Roberts were confronted resulting in both men being fatally shot. At the scene, police investigators recovered from a bucket, “a red shirt, one black trouser, one grey T shirt, one yellow long sleeve Jersey, one black T shirt, one black belt, one silver blade knife, three amoxicillin tablets, three small batteries, one toothbrush, three clothes pins, and one condom.” The bodies were removed from the scene and escorted to the city, where they are awaiting an autopsy. The Joint Services, the police statement said, thanked all individuals who provided invaluable support during the search for the escapee Williams and his two accomplices, Howard, and Roberts. Williams escaped from the high security prison on May 19 while being escorted back to his quarters from a visit with a non-Guyanese woman. He escaped with the help of heavily armed accomplices who had arrived in a speedboat at the Mazaruni Prison just about around 14:30 hrs. At the time, the prison guards were escorting Williams, who was said to have had his feet shackled. The prison escort was fired upon with AK-47 and AR 15 automatic rifles from the boat alongside the Mazaruni River and it was at this point Williams escaped with the men.
Local Government elections
Smooth voting by Joint Services at LGE: Members of the Disciplined Forces last Friday cast their ballots in what was deemed an incident-free and smooth process leading up to the main day of voting on June 12. When Stabroek News contacted the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), it was explained by Public Relations Officer, Yolanda Ward that there were no hiccups and the process was smooth. “The day’s activities went smoothly, across the board. Polls opened at six, and I’m sure we closed promptly at 6 pm. We will commence the process as the teams come in to reconcile to see voting across the board in terms of the number of officers voting and so on.” People’s Progressive Party/Civic-appointed GECOM Commissioner, Sase Gunraj, when contacted also noted that there had been no major issues in yesterday’s voting process. “Everything smooth. I did not receive any bad report. I visited all of the stations around Georgetown, I have received reports from interior locations; nothing major.” General Secretary Denzel Hill of the Movement for Unity and Democracy (MUD), when contacted also said that the process went well, despite the challenges GECOM faces internally. “It seems as though GECOM is back on its feet. There are still some issues which internally the body needs to address other than that it was a smooth process today” Hill stated Member of the Citizens Initiative, Shaz Ally, also commented on the proceedings, and noted that he saw no hiccups in the process. “I believe it went smooth. I didn’t see issues, I mean it’s not much persons had to vote today but I think it was very smooth; no hiccups.” Yesterday’s voting process is expected to serve as a dry run for the main voting on June 12. Joint Services members are required to vote just before the main elections because of security and logistical reasons.
Oil & Gas
Pipes here for US$1b gas to energy project: Work on the estimated US$1 billion gas-to-energy project is forging ahead as pipes to be laid are in the country and will be installed from offshore coming inwards to Wales on the west bank of the Demerara River, even as administrative work on ExxonMobil’s Final Investment Decision wraps up. “Work is continuing on the project and it will be delivered in the timeframe given. As you know, some of the pipes are here and will be at a lay-down yard to be taken out for installation. They are laying the pipes from offshore; so they are working inwards…,” Minister of Natural Resources Vickram Bharrat told the Sunday Stabroek. Chief Executive Officer of the offshore support firm Gaico, Komal Singh, also yesterday updated that the pipes had arrived in the country and were being offloaded to pave the way for installation. “Gaico Team continues to work around the clock to have the GTE (Gas to Energy) pipes off-loaded to pave the way for pipeline installation to commence,” he said in a Facebook post and posted pictures of the offloading process. Sources told the Sunday Stabroek that while ExxonMobil has not yet made a Final Investment Decision on the project, there was no need for worry as the company has committed to the works and is finalising that process. “The work is going forward. There are still details to finalise… the FID is administrative but they [ExxonMobil] have committed their investment so there is no need for any worry,” a source close to the project informed. “This is not your regular FID, the project is different. Agreements have been signed with them on the project, the contract to build has been awarded, the contract to lay the pipes awarded… so everything is going forward, everything is proceeding on schedule,” the source added. In February of this year, ExxonMobil Country President, Alistair Routledge, said that a FID will be made with government after a review, but that preliminary works, such as the building of entry roads and bridges, have begun in the area proposed for the project, to ensure that it is delivered in the timeframe stipulated.
Investigation
Fire service recommendations on Mahdia dorm never discussed at RDC meetings – chairman: The report flagging the use of grills over the windows of the Mahdia Secondary School dormitory, which was sent to the regional education officer, was never discussed at the level of the Regional Democratic Council, (RDC), Regional Chairman Headley Pio last week said. “No it was never brought to the council… and it was never raised… I cannot say why,” Pio said as he responded to questions from this newspaper. Grills on the windows prevented children from escaping the May 21 fire at the female dormitory. Twenty children perished. The Region Eight council is reported to be the body with oversight for the dorm. APNU regional councillor, Hyacint Joseph gave a similar response as she stated that to her knowledge, the inspector’s report was never tabled neither were councillors apprised of the findings from the fire service inspection. “I don’t know of such report… but from November to March it was never laid in council nor was it brought up for discussion…” Joseph said. She explained too that with the opposition not sitting on any of the regional council sub committees, they are not privy to matters until they are brought up in council for discussions. Following an inspection of the building, this newspaper was informed that a report with recommendations was forwarded to the Regional Education Officer (ReDO) via the Regional Democratic Council (RDC). However, it is unclear why those recommendations were not implemented. Sources had told Stabroek News that the grilled windows at the Mahdia Secondary School female dormitory were flagged by the fire service as a hazard in November of last year and February of this year. Stabroek News was also informed that all out-of-town schools and dormitories fall under the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development. It is still to be established whether subject ministers, Nigel Dharamlall and Anand Persaud were privy to the report and recommendations. Meanwhile, the RDC has assured the Guyana Fire Service that the grillwork which secures the windows of the male dormitory nearby will be removed before classes resume, sources close to the fire investigation say. Pio yesterday said that they are currently engaged in discussions on how to develop their fire prevention system in the region. The assurance of the measure comes following a visit by the Mahdia Fire Service to the male dormitory in the aftermath of the inferno that claimed the lives of 19 female students and a five-year-old boy. A date for the reopening of the school and dormitory is yet to be announced.
Fire
Four male students confess to torching Karasabai girls hostel –police: A fire, which the Guyana Fire Service said was deliberately set, gutted the St. Angela’s Girl’s Hostel building in Karasabai Village, Region Nine last Thursday and four male students have since confessed to committing the crime, according to police. None of the 17 girls or caretakers was injured during the fire. The fire comes days after the tragic blaze at a Mahdia dorm which claimed the lives of 19 girls and a five-year-old boy. The police in a statement yesterday afternoon said that, “the four alleged suspects were contacted and interviewed by the police in the presence of Commander, Region #9; the Regional Education Officer, Region #9; and their parents, and they all confessed to the planning and executing of the crime. The alleged suspects are presently in custody assisting with further investigations.” The Guyana Fire Service yesterday appealed to persons to desist from copycat behaviour as such actions can have grave consequences. “The Guyana Fire Service is therefore, again appealing to citizens to understand the gravity of these incidents; have serious discussions with youths about the dangers of fires, and to take all necessary precautions including the use of smoke detectors, fire alarms and fire extinguishers in order to be safe,” the statement said. The police said investigations revealed that the students in question had been chased from the premises by the caretaker and in retaliation had threatened to set fire to the building.
Tragedy
Partially decomposed bodies of mother, daughter found in New Providence home: Law enforcement officers have launched investigations into the discovery of the partially decomposed bodies of a mother and her 13-year-old daughter. The deceased who have been identified as Petrous Ross-Latchman, 38, and Gabrielle Ross, both of New Providence, East Bank Demerara, were discovered last Wednesday afternoon. In a statement, police said three plastic bottles, one glass bottle containing a liquid substance and two cups were found next to the bodies. Two small glass containers containing a whitish substance were recovered from the refrigerator along with a note in the living room. Blood samples, the police added, were taken from the bodies for testing. The bodies were then removed by undertakers and taken to the Memorial Gardens Funeral Home to await post-mortem examinations. The bodies were first discovered by Petrous’ estranged husband, Hemanchal Latchman after he visited the home at the request of the property owner. At the scene, Latchman a mechanic Goed Fortuin, West Bank Demerara told reporters that when he went to the house initially, his calls went unanswered. He noted that he visited the police station and explained the situation but he was informed that they could not intervene. Latchman related that the landlord was in the country and requested to visit the property. “I rented the house in my name, so the landlord reached out and after I couldn’t get on to them I went to the police… after that the landlord said break the door, and when we (a neighbour) pry the door we get a foul scent and we immediately go and call the police,” he explained. Latchman added that it was when the police arrived and ventured into the house, beyond the grill doors they discovered the bodies. He told reporters that it is unclear to him what occurred as he last saw his wife in January. Their five years of marriage ended last September when Petrous requested a divorce.
In the courts
CJ dismisses application by APNU over constituency boundaries for LGE 6 h ago: The way is now clear for Local Government Elections (LGE) to be held on June 12th, after Chief Justice Roxane George SC last Wednesday threw out another action which sought to challenge the holding of those polls. Following lengthy delays, LGE were initially scheduled for March 13th of this year but this did not materialize, as arguments over constituencies and how lists were to be extracted for the polls caused setbacks in the scheduled timeline. Opposition party, A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) filed a court action contesting the method used by the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) to compile the voters list. On Tuesday, Chief Justice George threw out that application, ruling that contrary to APNU’s contention, it is the official list of electors (OLE) from which the voters list for the LGE has to be complied. In her ruling yesterday on the application which sought to challenge the boundaries of constituencies and Local Authority Areas, the judge said that contrary to the contention held by APNU, it is the Minister of Local Government who is responsible for the demarcation and not GECOM. APNU had contended that the decision of GECOM to change the boundaries of 37 constituencies in 19 Local Authority Areas was unlawful. On this basis the party argued that the elections ought not to be held as GECOM had breached Article 72 of the Constitution. It was against this background that it was asking the court to quash the commission’s decision and prohibit it from holding the election, set for June 12th. Chief Justice George said that in accordance with Section 4(1) of the Local Authority Election Act, it is the Minister who is empowered to divide Guyana as he deems fit into 10 regions and may in like manner also divide regions into sub regions, a sub region into neighbourhoods and a neighbourhood into people’s cooperative units.
NA woman remanded over murder of husband: An Angoy’s Avenue, New Amsterdam woman was last Monday remanded to prison after she was charged with her husband’s murder following her reported confession to investigators in Region Six that the victim discovered her cheating and began nagging at her and as such she decided to poison him. Leila Bacchus, 42, a sweeper cleaner of Lot 1459 Timmers Dam, Angoy’s Avenue appeared at the New Amsterdam Court before Magistrate Renita Singh where she was charged with the capital offence of murder. The charge stated that the accused between Tuesday, May, 16, and Saturday, May, 20 at Timmers Dam, Angoy’s Avenue murdered Andy Junor. She was not required to plead to the indictable charge and was remanded to prison. Bacchus will return to court on July, 11 for report.
Girl, 15, charged with murder of 19 children: A 15-year-old girl was last Monday charged with the murder of 19 children who died after the May 21st blaze at the female dormitory of the Mahdia Secondary School. The accused cannot be named for legal reasons. The police said that the accused appeared via Zoom today at the Mahdia Magistrate’s Court before Senior Magistrate Sunil Scarce. The accused was not required to plead and was remanded to the Juvenile Holding Centre. The matter was postponed until 2023.07.04 for statements. Those who were killed in the alleged arson are Nicholeen Robinson, Martha D’Andrade, Shorline Bellarmine, Eulanda Carter, Adonijah Jerome, Subrina John, Cleoma Simon, Tracil Thomas, Andrea Roberts, Lisa Roberts, Rita Jeffrey, Loreen Evans, Delicia Edwards, Belnisa Evans, Lorita Williams, Mary D’Andrade, Omefa Evans, Natalie Bellarmine and Arianna Edwards.
