Zoisa Fraser

History was made in Guyana’s judicial system yesterday when Justice Navindra Singh allowed evidence to be taken via video conference from the main witness in a murder trial now living in the United States.

Alcohol addiction and abuse are showing up in more and more killings through domestic violence, dangerous driving and disorderly behaviour and there appears to be no overarching plan involving the state and other stakeholders to address the scourge.

Although concerns persist about the quality of the jury pool, there continues to be scepticism about scrapping the jury trial system and Attorney General Anil Nandlall says that a case is still to be made to review the system.

A gastroenteritis outbreak in the North West District (NWD) has claimed the life of a third child and as persons continue to turn up at the Port Kaituma Hospital for medical attention, the Health Ministry will be distributing water treatment tablets and putting measures in place for a rigid campaign to improve human waste disposal in the area.

With the recovery of four more bodies, the death toll from Tuesday’s Mazaruni River collision was up to nine at press time last night, and while search efforts will continue for the missing the Maritime Administration Department (MARAD) has signalled plans for stricter policing of the country’s major marine centres.

The bodies of six more persons from Tuesday’s Mazaruni River boat collision were recovered up to midday today, bringing the death toll to seven and further dimming hopes that there may be any survivors among those still missing.

With no sign yesterday of any of the eight persons missing after Tuesday’s boat collision near Crab Falls, Mazaruni River, authorities have shifted their focus from rescue to recovery and Transport Minister Robeson Benn said plans were being finalised to set up an operations camp near the site of the mishap to locate the bodies.

Lawyers for the government and the opposition wrangled yesterday over whether the court has jurisdiction to entertain the motion filed by government challenging the decision to limit Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee’s participation in the National Assembly.

-Mabaruma hospital had no doctor on duty A 16-year-old schoolgirl died yesterday, some ten hours after she was brutally stabbed by a man who subsequently hung himself and upset relatives say that her life could have been saved if a plane was available to medivac her to the city.

Three Ann’s Grove, East Coast Demerara men were yesterday morning crushed to death when the mining pit they were working in at Aranka, Cuyuni caved in.

-wife, employee flown to city for interrogation A Lethem contractor is being hunted by police over Monday’s discovery of an arms cache that included automatic rifles and grenades at a house in the community.

-Top Cop Acting Police Commissioner Leroy Brumell yesterday admitted that there was no justification for the use of lethal force on protestors in Linden on July 18, while saying he had instructed that the leaders of the protest be engaged towards clearing the Mackenzie/Wismar Bridge.

The burnt remains of the eight victims of the Lindo Creek massacre were buried yesterday following a simple funeral service at the Lyken’s Funeral Home where only one family turned up to bid final goodbyes.

The outcome of the Commission of Inquiry (COI) into the July 18, 2012 Linden protestors’ shooting will be based solely on the evidence provided, Chairman and former Chief Justice of Jamaica Lensley Wolfe said yesterday.

Disappointed by the dismissal of the US$2 million Sacred Heart Church fraud case, Roman Catholic Bishop Frances Alleyne says the inability of the judicial system to gather the necessary evidence is troubling.

The US$2M Sacred Heart Church fraud case against Frederick Sukhdeo was yesterday dismissed by Magistrate Hazel Octive-Hamilton who said that there was insufficient evidence against him, ending years of litigation.

The government and the Region Ten leadership last evening sealed an agreement for the development of Linden, after the Donald Ramotar administration gave in to objections over one of the terms for the inquiry into the July 18 fatal shooting of protestors in the town.

The Commission of Inquiry into the July 18 killings in Linden will not be based in the mining town as had been initially proposed and Regional Chairman Sharma Solomon says he will continue to insist that the original proposal be adopted.

The government and Region 10’s representatives yesterday finalised the composition of the technical team to review the electricity situation in Linden and both sides indicated that considerable progress has been made towards ending the unrest in the town.

The government will not be addressing any issues regarding Linden unless normalcy is returned, presidential advisor Gail Teixeira said last evening, even as skirmishes continued between residents seeking to re-erect roadblocks and Joint Services ranks encamped in the town.