Shabna Rahman

The quiet village of Fellowship, Mahaicony is surrounded by a lot of huge trees and you have to look carefully to find some of the houses that are hidden among them.

At Fellowship, Mahaicony, Alfred Richmond was busy working on his farm.

Vendors at the New Amsterdam market suffered major losses when 18 stalls were broken into between Thursday night and yesterday morning and two constables have since been taken into custody in connection with the raid.

A father of Ruby, East Bank Essequibo (EBE) wants a thorough investigation into the death of his 15-year-old daughter, refuting claims that she hung herself on December 18.

Regional chairman of Region Five Bindrabhan Bisnauth has said that one of the main focus for next year is to ensure that the Mahaicony Technical & Vocational Centre (MTVC) is up and running to its full capacity.

Seventeen-year-old fisherman Vickram ‘Andrew’ Harrynandan who disappeared at sea on November 5 had focused on building a house for his single mother; but she may never know what really happened to him.

As everyone was busy preparing for Christmas, Roleen Alexander of Rosignol, West Bank Berbice who is caring for her 10-year-old grandson, Shemmar Simon is worried about where the next meal would come from.

Although times have changed with persons baking in gas ovens, some in West Berbice are still up keeping the tradition of baking their Christmas cake in a mud oven owned by someone in the village.

`Long ago Christmas was amazing but it is far different now’ Although there seems to be more excitement with the fancy items including decorations, household articles and food selling around this time, many of the older folks feel that the spirit of the Christmas season to which they were accustomed has been lost.

 Photos by Shabna Ullah You know it is Christmas at No 8 Village, West Coast Berbice when the aroma from the black cake baking in a huge mud oven fills the air.

Many people look forward to celebrating Christmas Guyanese style, with pepperpot and homemade bread, black cake, ginger beer and lots of alcohol being the main attractions.

Sean Benjamin, the number two accused in the 2007 murder of Ian ‘Safo’ Adonis walked out of the High Court in Berbice a free man yesterday after the mixed jury returned a unanimous verdict of not guilty.

Guyanese-American poet, Raa’id Khan, 27, found new fame in Guyana when he captivated his audience with his powerful words at the three-day National Islamic Convention hosted by the Guyana Islamic Trust at the International Conference Centre at Liliendaal, East Coast Demerara.

-as repairs not completed on D’Edward sluice Cash crop farmers of Cotton Tree, West Coast Berbice have suffered tremendous losses following heavy rainfall, coupled with the blocking of the three-door sluice at D’Edward Village as a result of repairs.

This week on What the People Say we spoke to residents and vendors at the Meadow Bank wharf about the government’s first year after last year’s elections and the impasse with Minister of Home Affairs, Clement Rohee.

The village of Golden Grove, West Coast Berbice seemed quiet and the people friendly but although they had concerns some were too shy to speak about them.

-expands into candles and soap Devon Gilead, 32, of Islington, East Bank Berbice learnt the art of beekeeping on his own and continues to thrive due to his passion and his determination to stay in the business.

-mother frustrated but determined Three months after 14-year-old Basmattie ‘Amanda’ Munusami of Woodley Park, West Coast Berbice was raped and murdered, her mother fears that the attackers would never be brought to justice.

Guyanese in New York hard-hit by Hurricane Sandy last week are struggling to return to normalcy.

Story and photos by Shabna Ullah Islington, the first village on the East Bank of Berbice located next to New Amsterdam was described by residents as the “forgotten village” or a “depressed community.”