the fire which destroyed the Prison Service living quarters at Parade Street, Kingston last Friday found that the fire was electrical in origin.
This was confirmed by Fire Chief (ag) Gregory Wickham who told the News Room that an electrical circuit overheated and caused the fire.
“From our investigation, it was revealed that the fire was electrical in nature.
“Something overloaded but we can’t point out to say which item or appliance it was,” Wickham told the News Room on Wednesday.
The fire destroyed the entire two-storey wooden building, displacing some 30 prison officers. The affected officers have since been permanently relocated to a new staff accommodation at Lusignan, East Coast Demerara.
The new living facility was built to accommodate a total of 150 prison officers.
And to support them, the officers received $1.8M from the Guyana Prison Service Credit union.
Joseph Wilkinson called ‘Dreddy’, the businessman who was gunned down in North Ruimveldt, Georgetown at the weekend, sustained six gunshot wounds about his body, an autopsy confirmed on Wednesday.
The autopsy was performed by Government pathologist Dr Nehaul Singh.
Wilkinson was killed execution style during the wee hours of Sunday; no arrest has been made as yet.
Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum recently told the News Room that investigators are working “beyond” the call of duty to identify the killer (s).
The News Room understands that Wilkinson was attending a wake in the community when he received a phone call and stepped away to answer.
Shortly after, a car appeared and the occupant/s opened fire on Wilkinson before escaping.
He was rushed to a city private hospital where he was pronounced dead. Wilkinson’s body was handed over to his relatives for burial.
Wilkinson is known to law enforcement officials.
Back in 2021, he and several others were charged for the alleged possession of 210 kilograms of ganja in their possession at Norton Street, Georgetown.
They had denied the allegation and were remanded to prison. It is unclear whether the matter is still engaging the court.
A 27-year-old porknocker is now dead after he was stabbed to death on Monday by his drinking buddy at Big Creek Backdam, North West District.
The dead man has been identified as Eutan George called “Blacka”.
The incident occurred at around 18:00hrs. Police Headquarters confirmed that the suspect, a 22-year-old gold miner, was subsequently arrested at his home.
According to a Police report, George and the suspect were imbibing together at a shop in the area.
Subsequently, George left the shop for home and the suspect walked behind him. Police reported that George’s 22-year-old brother was walking to the shop when he observed the body lying on the ground.
Hid body bore a stab wound to his chest; the Police at Port Kaituma were informed
Police said the suspect confessed to the crime and provided investigators with information which led to the recovery of the murder weapon.
George’s body is at the hospital’s mortuary, awaiting a post-mortem examination.
an accident at the Water Street, Georgetown wharf on Tuesday was crushed by a machine that was moving containers.
The machine, a super reach stacker, was being operated by Linden McRae, a 51-year-old driver attached to John Fernandes Limited.
The News Room was told that McRae was arrested and is assisting the police with their investigation.
In a press statement, the Ministry of Labour said an investigation has been launched into the incident by the Occupational Safety and Health department.
The incident occurred around 07:40 hrs. Reports reaching the News Room indicate that McRae was transporting 20-feet containers from the southern end of the facility to the northern end.
As he was moving the second container, one of the wheels of the machine came into contact with 64-year-old Jones, who was walking behind the machine as it was reversing.
As a result, Jones was struck by the rear of the vehicle.
He fell to the ground and was crushed to death.
The ministry said the incident occurred after Jones completed his midnight to 6:00am shift.
The police were summoned and Jones was pronounced dead at the scene.
His body was taken to the Memorial Gardens and is awaiting a post-mortem examination.
Jones, a resident of Mandela Avenue, Georgetown was employed as a foreman with the company the past 22 years.
To ensure that cattle and other livestock are free of diseases and in a bid to improve market access and boost the export of leafy greens and pineapples from Guyana, the Ministry of Agriculture on Tuesday launched a livestock surveillance programme and a food traceability system.
By the official name, the two projects are ‘Strengthening Surveillance Programmes for Bovine Tuberculosis and Bovine Brucellosis in Guyana’ and the ‘Development of a Food Traceability System for Pineapples and Leafy Greens in Guyana.’
Both projects are funded by the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) with support from the European Union and CARIFORUM to the tune of €636,000.
It forms part of CARICOM’s effort to reduce the regional food import bill by 25 per cent by 2025.
The projects were launched during a simple ceremony held at the Guyana Livestock Development Authority (GLDA), Mon Repos, East Coast Demerara.
It is expected that the activities under the surveillance programmes for Bovine Tuberculosis and Bovine Brucellosis will lead to a deduction of livestock diseases while increasing export prospects to regional and international markets.
Among other things, the development of a food traceability system for pineapples and leafy greens focuses on ensuring there are quality mechanisms to safeguard production.
Minister of Agriculture Zulfikar Mustapha said the projects will “significantly” impact the country’s agri sector since it holds “immense” importance at a time when Guyana is addressing challenges.
“The project for the development of pineapple and leafy greens in Guyana is a transformative initiative that underscores our commitment to ensure quality and safe food.
‘The traceability system in the agriculture and the food sector is particularly important. An effective one can promptly identify, single out and remove unsafe food products from the market. We are having a lot of that in Guyana and we are hoping that these things can eradicate it,” Mustapha said.
The Minister further noted that the projects will support the Government’s efforts to modernise the agriculture regulatory framework.
“For Guyana to become a major exporter of agriculture products we are ensuring systems are in place for us to meet all the requirements,” he said.
In her remarks, Head of CDB Private Sector Division (ag) Lisa Harding said that the traceability project plays a vital role in the event of a disease outbreak or contamination as it allows for a quick and targeted response while also preventing further spread.
“Traceability also supports market access and export. For international trade, traceability is often a requirement not just something you could do and therefore having a robust traceability system can enhance market access and allow for the access of products,” she said.
Likewise, she noted that the surveillance programmes for Bovine Tuberculosis and Bovine Brucellosis address the critical aspect of surveillance practices within the cattle industry while also developing an export certification policy and compliance programme capable of meeting world standards.
“This is important for reassuring trading partners of the quality and consistency of Guyana’s surveillance efforts,” Harding noted.
the fire which destroyed the Prison Service living quarters at Parade Street, Kingston last Friday found that the fire was electrical in origin.
Joseph Wilkinson called ‘Dreddy’, the businessman who was gunned down in North Ruimveldt, Georgetown at the weekend, sustained six gunshot wounds about his body, an autopsy confirmed on Wednesday.
KL Rahul shifted gears after India got into the lead•Jan 26, 2024•BCCI
, Guyana’s main international gateway, has signed a non-binding Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Grupo Puntacana, a leading airport developer and operator from the Dominican Republic.</p>
<p>This MoU signifies a significant step forward in CJIA’s expansion plans, aimed at increasing passenger capacity and enhancing the overall travel experience for visitors and residents alike.</p>
<p>The MoU outlines a collaborative effort to construct a new terminal building at CJIA, specifically designed to handle the growing influx of passengers. This expansion is crucial to accommodate the anticipated surge in air travel demand within the coming years, driven by Guyana’s flourishing economy and tourism potential.</p>
<p>This MoU marks the second major partnership the Government of Guyana announced for CJIA’s expansion. Late last year, a similar MoU was signed with the Manchester Airport Group (MAG) to construct a second terminal and implement improved management practices for the airport facility.</p>
<p>The Government of Guyana continues to engage and leverage reputable airport developers with expertise in airport operations to streamline procedures, enhance efficiency, and elevate the quality of service provided to passengers. This collaborative approach aims to position CJIA as a regional leader in airport management and customer satisfaction.</p>
<p>Together, these partnerships represent a comprehensive strategy to transform CJIA into a world-class airport capable of meeting the growing needs of Guyana’s air travel industry.</p>
<p>In 2022, the Cheddi Jagan International Airport signed a MoU with the Houston Airport System, resulting in both airports working together to attract United Airlines to fly the Houston/Georgetown route. <strong>(CJIA press release)</strong></p>
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an accident at the Water Street, Georgetown wharf on Tuesday was crushed by a machine that was moving containers.
Minister of Agriculture, Zulfikar Mustapha (fourth from right), Head of CDB Private Sector Division (ag) Lisa Harding (third from right) and other officials at the launch of the projects. (Photo: Ministry of Agriculture/February 06, 2024)
A section of those gathered at the launch (Photo: Ministry of Agriculture/February 06, 2024)
