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19-year-old male on Wednesday admitted to the 2019 killing of two men at the Sunsplash Holiday Beach Resort, located at #63 Village, Corentyne Berbice.

Though now an adult, because he was charged as a juvenile in accordance with the Juvenile Justice Act, the identity of the accused is protected.

He was arraigned before Justice Simone Morris-Ramlall at the Berbice High Court for the capital offence of murder.

However, he pleaded guilty to the lesser count of manslaughter and admitted that between December 19- 27, 2019 he unlawfully killed 71-year-old Vivekanand Narpatty and his employee Harry Persaud called “Guana.”

The court heard that the defendant was 16 at the time.  Sentencing was adjourned until May 24.

The State is represented by prosecutor Muntaz Ali.

The badly decomposed bodies of Narpatty and Persaud were discovered on December 27, 2019, at the Sunsplash Holiday Beach Resort.

Ranks from the Major Crimes Unit of the Guyana Police Force made a breakthrough in the case after they arrested several persons.

The News Room had previously reported that Narpatty was on vacation in Guyana and was staying at the resort, which he once operated. The business was no longer functioning, and his relatives said it was his intention to renovate the facility.

Police revealed that Narpatty was found dead with two toes from his left foot severed; one was seen next to his body and the other was not located.

Narpatty was wearing a red t-shirt and a pair of brown short pants.

Persaud was found 15 feet away from Narpatty’s body. Both hands were tied behind the back and onto a post in the balcony; the right foot was also bounded to the said post with a rope. The left foot was completely severed from the ankle.

The body was facing downward; he was clad in a short brown pants only.

Police found blood spattered on the wall and floor of the southeastern bedroom which was occupied by Narpatty. Both bodies were in a highly decomposed state.

illegal mining sites at Aishalton, Region Nine, last February, has pleaded guilty and was Wednesday fined and sentenced to jail.

According to Police Headquarters, Plan changed his plea, using an interpreter, from not guilty to guilty. He was represented by lawyer Jevon Cox.

He was charged for operating a civil aircraft without an Airworthiness Certificate and was fined $1.5 million and sentenced to 18 months imprisonment for this offence.

For operating an Aircraft without Insurance, he was charged $2.5 million with an alternative of 18 months imprisonment.

Having arrived in Guyana by air, he was further charged for disembarking the aircraft without the consent of an immigration officer. For this offence, he was fined $30,000 and sentenced to twelve months imprisonment.

He was also charged with the offence of interfering with an aircraft and was fined $1.5 million and sentenced to eighteen months imprisonment.

The sentences, Police said, are to run concurrently.

Paul Rodney.

Meredith was sentenced by Justice Jo-Ann Barlow at the High Court for the offence of manslaughter.

He was initially charged with the capital offence of murder but opted to plead guilty to the lesser offence.

He admitted that on November 21, 2016, at Avocado Square, East Ruimveldt, he unlawfully killed Rodney.

Meredith’s attorney, Adrian Thompson, said that his client did not have a nice childhood and was influenced by the Warlock, East Ruimveldt community where he grew up.

On Wednesday, a probation report was read in court which detailed that Meredith came from a single-parent home and was delinquent while growing up; he also spent time in prison.

The court heard that in 2020, Meredith was sentenced to serve 15 years for the 2016 fatal shooting of 25-year-old Gregory Garraway, in front of Wings and Things Bar on Mandela Avenue during a robbery.

At age 15, Meredith dropped out of school and made his first appearance before a court for robbery under arms. Due to his age, Meredith was placed on a two-year bond for the offence.

Persons from the community described him as a “notorious criminal” and stated that the area has become peaceful since he is behind bars.

While behind bars, prison officials said that Meredith was disrespectful and disorderly, which caused him to be placed in solitary confinement.

Justice Barlow, during her address, told Meredith that she only accepted his guilty plea due to evidence of provocation. However, she made it clear that Meredith’s actions were inexcusable.

She highlighted to Meredith that he killed Rodney one month after he had killed another man during a robbery. Justice Barlow told Meredith that he became emboldened to commit the second killing because he had not been caught for the first one.

Taking the probation report into consideration, the Judge said that Meredith after becoming an adult, continued along this path, engaging in a delinquent lifestyle.

According to reports, Rodney was at the party at Avocado Street. However, an argument ensued between Rodney and Meredith.

Rodney left the party and Meredith and a friend followed him. Meredith, who was armed with a gun, discharged several rounds in Rodney’s direction.

Rodney was seen lying motionless in a pool of blood. He was immediately taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital where he succumbed while receiving medical attention.

audit report into the operations of the Sustainable Livelihood Entrepreneurial Development (SLED) under the APNU+AFC government revealed funds were illegally used.

The report, seen by the News Room last week, supports the Auditor General’s initial statements that multiple projects and funds were mismanaged by the APNU/AFC Coalition government. Millions were recorded to have been spent on some projects but checks later revealed that the projects never existed. In some cases, monies were put to personal use.

Minister of Labour, Joseph Hamilton

In an invited comment to the News Room on Wednesday, the Minister said: “I plan to consult the AG on some of the identified issues of illegal use of Government funds by some named individuals.”

The Minister was referring to the Members of Parliament whose names were mentioned in the report.

Initially, it was reported that $294 million was injected into the programme but according to the report, several allocations that were done for the period 2018 to 2020 amounted to approximately $371 million.

The SLED is intended to fund community-based projects countrywide. However, it was found that application forms were not completed for many projects, despite this being a requirement. According to the report, many of the projects did not have relevant documents to verify the correct allocations of the grants.

The audit also revealed that among the projects embarked on, most were abandoned and inoperable, with the monies seemingly put to personal use.

Following the audit, it was concluded that better management of all grants and documentation for the grants must be implemented to monitor when grants are given for failed ventures due to lack of proper consultation and follow-up.

 

 

 

National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA) that got underway on Wednesday.

Though this high-stakes assessment determines what secondary schools the pupils will be placed in, Education Minister Priya Manickchand posited that they will all benefit from a sound secondary education regardless of the school they eventually attend.

On Wednesday and Thursday, Grade Six pupils will be tested in four subject areas: Mathematics, Science, Social Studies and English. By July 17, their scores will be available and they will know what secondary school they will attend.

Minister of Education Priya Manickchand engaging pupils of the Peter’s Hall Primary School (Photo: MoE/ May 3, 2023)

Minister Manickchand insisted that a sound secondary education will be delivered to each child regardless of their score and placement.

“… whatever school you get, it is our duty and I feel it very strongly to make sure that education is delivered at a high quality in every school,” the Education Minister said while speaking to reporters at the Peter’s Hall Primary School on Wednesday.

She added that emphasis is being placed upon supporting children’s development because they are seen as an integral part of Guyana’s development, especially now that the country is experiencing significant growth.

Parents and teachers in full support of the pupils at the Peter’s Hall Primary School (Photo: MoE/ May 3, 2023)

“Guyana is really moving and we’re making sure that we’re not just moving with high-rise buildings and hotels and roads but that we are developing our people, our children, so that they can actively participate in this thriving country that we are building out,” she said.

Previously, Manickchand said she would endeavour to make all secondary schools equal; this means a student would have access to the same resources and opportunities at what is considered a “top school” or another school.

Though Manickchand gave these assurances, many parents hope that their children will do their best at the assessment. But many parents are also conscious of the impact school closures and disruptions during the COVID-19 pandemic had on their children.

Words of encouragement from the parents, siblings, teachers of the pupils at the La Grange Primary School (Photo: MoE/ May 3, 2023)

Puneet Jaigopaul, a parent at the Peter’s Hall school, said his son was among those affected by disruptions during the height of the pandemic because of limited interactions in school.

Nevertheless, he said educational resources provided by the Education Ministry, unconventional teaching strategies and additional parental guidance are among the responses rolled out to help pupils.

Viola Marshall, another parent, also related that her son had difficulties accessing electronic devices as needed for his classes but they made full use of other resources provided.