Crime, drug trade to receive attention

Stating that crime fighting is one of his government's top priorities, the President said he has made it known to the Commissioner of Police that he will equip the Force with whatever is needed to do that job. But, he offered, the Police need the support of all the communities in their fight against crime.

The President outlined a list of shortcomings that were brought to his attention.

"As I move around Guyana, I continue to receive complaints about the unresponsiveness of some government functionaries towards members of the public; delays in the ferry services, the long waiting times at some public health institutions and flooding because of negligence.

"I have encountered pensioners who have been waiting for years to receive their waivers from the payment of water rates, for which they are eligible. I have heard endless woes about the inadequate supply of water, despite my government spending millions in that sector. The solutions to many of these problems are simple. Yet, because of the unconscionable behaviour on the part of a few individuals, many are forced to suffer great inconvenience and deprivations.

"Just recently public servants, teachers and others in a few Regions who are paid from the Treasury did not receive their wages and salaries before the Christmas season. Why should so many people be disadvantaged because a few did not do their duty? This disservice must be reduced or eradicated this year. I am also concerned when I learn of reports about the police not responding in a timely manner when crimes are in progress. I know that in all of these sectors, there are hardworking employees whose efforts are not given due recognition because of the lackadaisical attitude of their peers. In this New Year, we must resolve to fix these problems.

"I am deeply concerned when many poor parents are forced to purchase textbooks that are not necessary and made to pay for services that should be provided free."

The President indicated that he has instructed the Minister of Education to investigate these latter complaints and " take action where necessary."

The President called on the nation to create a more caring and compassionate society by resolving to give a bit more to help to the vulnerable within the society - those that are poor and not quite able.

The police are investigating.

On Christmas day he visited the home of the woman's relatives where she was present. In the early evening, while celebrating with that family, an argument broke out between Ramdial and the woman's teenaged relative.

The young man reportedly grabbed a chopper and slit Ramdial's throat. He fell on the grass outside the house and died shortly afterwards.

The incident took place in the morning of December 24 when the gunmen fired at the home of Todd breaking the louvre windows and damaging the walls.

Todd received two bullets which damaged his small intestine. Price received several pellet wounds for which he was treated.

Several ugly incidents and exchanges were reported in the local media in which passengers and the airline's employees came to a head.

BWIA Officials in Georgetown were at first reluctant to give the reasons for the non arrival of passangers' baggage. This added a great deal to the fury of the travellers.

As it turned out, the problem was the result of damage in the cargo holds of the aircraft which had to be fixed before the carrier was allowed to take baggage on board.

In the end, the airline’s Area Manager Carlton DeFour said that the torn cargo holds were almost all repaired and normalcy would return shortly.

As reported in the local press, one US-based Guyanese, Tandy Lowe, said "I have been here [in Guyana] nine days and still I have not received my cases," as she waited her turn to see the manager at the BWIA Robb Street office.

Lowe had encouraged an American friend to accompany her to Guyana for a visit. The friend brought along her six-year-old daughter, and now they were all caught in the confusion.

"We have had to purchase clothing for her," she said noting that the US$25 equivalent, which BWIA has been giving those inconvenienced, is hardly adequate to cater for this expense let alone taxis to and from the airport to check on their luggage.

For the most part processing of passengers at the BWIA office in Georgetown was slow resulting in long lines and flared tempers. Many passengers had to wait for many days to claim their baggages.

BWIA officials apologized to those who had experienced delays. The problem with the cargo holds was eventually fixed.

Kechao was shot in his right abdomen and on his right leg. He was taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital after the bandits left, but died the next day.

Kechao and his wife Rebecca Jiang were in their restaurant at about 9:30 p.m. when the armed men appeared. They stuck up a number of patrons commanding them, with guns held to their heads, to lie face downward.

They dragged Kechao through the back door of the restaurant where they assaulted him and shot him in the leg. At the same time two other bandits accosted his wife, demanding cash, jewellery and other articles.

Because Kechao and his wife were not fluent in English, the bandits lost patience with them and started beating them. Two of the bandits stripped Rebecca and others dealt severe blows to Kechao, kicking, slapping and gun-butting him. One of the bandits then shot him in the abdomen after which he fell to the ground.

Georgetown — An apology to "all persons and organisations, especially the Hindu community" has been issued by the Central Islamic Organisation of Guyana (CIOG) for an offending remark contained in a pamphlet that the organisation distributed at the last GuyExpo.

The pamphlet, titled "Who must we worship?" contained the following remark:

"The Lord Allah, is the true and only Creator that deserves to be worshipped. No worship should be given to a stone, statue, a cross, a triangle, Khomeini, Farrakhan, Elijah, Malcolm X or Y, Gandhi, Krishna, Guru, Buddha, Mahatma, Emperor, Joseph Smith, Sun, Moon, (not that one from Korea either), light, fire, rivers, Rama, temples, prophets, messengers (Yes! Muslims do not worship Muhammad [peace be upon him]) saints, priests, monks..."

In a full-page advertisement published in the Stabroek News last Thursday, the Hindu community demanded that the CIOG amend the pamphlet. The Hindus objected to references being made to Rama, Krishna, and Buddha which they consider as an attack on Hindus and Hinduism.

"It is not, nor has it ever been the intention of the CIOG to attack degrade or denigrate Hinduism or any other religion. Muslims are expressly prohibited from this in the Holy Quran," the CIOG said in a public statement.

The CIOG said it made an apology at the level of the Inter-Religious Organisations (IRO) where the matter was first raised then at the Ethnic Relations Commission (ERC) round table held at Le Meridien Pegasus in December at which, most, if not all, of the leaders comprising the IRO were present. The CIOG statement said that the apology was also repeated on numerous television programmes of the CIOG.

The call by the Hindu community for an amendment to the pamphlet was endorsed by the Guyana Hindu Sanatan Dharma Maha Sabha, the Guyana Pandits’ Council, the Gandhi Youth Organisation, the Guyana Central Arya Samaj, the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), the Maha Kali Organisation of Guyana, along with 108 Hindu temples in the country.

ERC Chairman Bishop Juan Edghill met the parties involved in the issue last Thursday.

Some Muslim organisations have totally distanced themselves from the pamphlet saying that it is obnoxious.

President General of the Anna Catherina Islamic Complex, Hakeem Khan had said the pamphlet "should not have reached the public domain as it contains offensive statements to other religious denominations."

Troy Phillips, 34, also known as `Bear-up’, an original resident of Buxton, was pulled from his car at around 10:30 a.m. on Christmas morning while travelling along the Buxton Church of God Road.

Two gunmen forced him out of the vehicle and took him a short distance away where they were joined by a third gunman. There, Phillips was shot several times in the head and robbed.

The gunmen also took aim at Phillips' friend, a US-based Guyanese, who had to run to save his life.

Robbery is being suggested as the motive for the crime. Although the dead man's relatives believe that he was the victim of a set-up they were not able to provide information as to who his assailants or enemies might be.

Police have not yet arrested the gunmen who carried out the attack.

At gunpoint the bandits forced Inderpaul to guide them through his house demanding cash and jewellery. They beat and threatened their victims and made away with a motor scooter, a bicycle and cash.

On Christmas Eve day, a gang if 15 bandits carried out an assault on the business premises of Tulsiram Narine of 'C' Field Sophia that lasted for two hours. They beat and robbed the family cleaning out Narine's grocery store and shooting him in his chest when he resisted them.

And on December 29, bandits struck at the home of a resident at Cummings Lodge carting off over $100,000 and kicking a three-year old boy down the stairs.

Main Big Lime murder

Georgetown — Feroz Ali of Pike St Kitty was killed last Sunday at the Main Big Lime at around 11:45 p.m. Ali was with a group of friends on Main Street when five men approached them and robbed one of his companions, Baldeo, of a gold chain worth $6,500 and $5,900 cash. They tried to rob Ali but shot him when he resisted. Ali is survived by his wife Shevani and a six-year old daughter.

In addition to being stabbed on his right side, Ramroop was lashed in the head. Isree received two stabs on his left side below his heart. They were both admitted to hospital where Isree was operated on.

It was reported that the police have made arrests in connection with this incident.

Christmas Day fire levels Sacred Heart

Georgetown — The historic 143-year-old Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Church on Main Street, the Sacred Heart Primary School and two other buildings were razed to the ground on Christmas morning by a fire that started in the Nativity Scene crib.

The Kirpalani Bond and a customs brokerage to the north of the Sacred Heart Primary School were the other two buildings that suffered the same fate while about 20 vehicles in the King Solomon Shipping premises compound south of the school were also destroyed.

Others in close proximity to the church that were scorched include the building that houses King Solomon Shipping Enterprises Ltd, the Grace Kennedy Remittance Services building, which accommodates Universal Airlines and other businesses to the north of the church, was also scorched.

Damage caused by the fire will run into hundreds of millions of dollars and will include historical and current records of both the church and the schools.

Reports are that the fire started in the crib that was recreated to stage the scene of the birth of Jesus Christ. The electrical bulbs in the crib had apparently sparked fire which caught onto combustible material in the crib.

At the time the fire started Fr Lourduraj, a Jesuit priest from southern India, was conducting the Christmas morning mass. The congregation was singing the third stanza of the closing hymn at around 8:50 a.m. when the priest said he saw the fire in the crib. There were about 60-65 elderly persons in attendance at the time.

The priest said that during the midnight mass the previous evening there were power surges and some sparking so all the lights were turned off except for those on the main altar. But someone may have turned on the lights in the crib for the morning mass.

According to the Church officials, millions of dollars had been spent in renovating the church building over the past two years. The entire roof and floors were replaced.

Fr. Lourduraj said is truly ironic that the fire occurred on Christmas Day. He added in a very philosophucal tone: "Maybe, God has a message for us and is testing us through these adversities."

2004 sugar crop exceeds year's target

Georgetown — The Guyana Sugar Corporation (Guysuco) reported that its output of sugar for 2004 was its second highest since 1990 with a production level of 324,940 tonnes.

Guysuco recorded 97,500 tonnes and 277,440 tonnes respectively for the first and second crops. The Corporation had set a target of a little over 300,000 tonnes of sugar for last year. Blairmont and Enmore led the pack breaking their original targets followed by Skeldon and Albion.