Blog

Police officers recovered an unlicensed firearm and ammunition early Tuesday morning during an operation in Ann’s Grove Village, East Coast Demerara.

At approximately 03:00 hrs, ranks on patrol observed a man behaving suspiciously while riding an electric cycle.

Upon noticing the police presence, the man promptly dismounted the cycle and fled the scene on foot.

A subsequent search of the area led to the discovery of a 9mm pistol and eight matching rounds of ammunition. Both the firearm and the electric cycle were taken into police custody and lodged at the Cove and John Police Station.

Investigations are currently ongoing.

The post Man flees Police on foot, leaving behind gun and electric cycle appeared first on News Room Guyana.

Guyana Rainforest Rangers have been eliminated from the West Indies Breakout T20 League after losing to Barbados Pelicans in their final match on Tuesday afternoon at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Trinidad and Tobago.

In a decisive match that both sides needed to win to stay alive and finish in the top three, the Pelicans came out trumps in a commanding seven-wicket victory.

This meant the Rainforest Rangers ended the campaign with four defeats and one victory.

Batting first, the Rangers struggled to build partnerships, despite another top innings from the in-form Kevlon Anderson, who, at this stage, is the only batsman in the tournament to surpass 200 runs.

Anderson struck six fours and a maximum in his 69 from 61 balls and added 76 for the sixth wicket with Quentin Sampson.

The duo took the Rangers from 53-5 in 10.1 overs to 129-6 in 18.4 overs, after which Sampson showed his power to strike an unbeaten 43 (4x4s; 2x6s) from 23 balls.

Rivaldo Clarke 15 (2x4s) from 14 balls was the only other batsman to reach double figures as medium pacer Kadeem Alleyne led with 2-19 from four overs.

Shaqkere Parris was unstoppable (Photo by Daniel Prentice/CWI)

In contrast, the Pelicans batsmen were immensely fluent in the crunch match, coasting to victory thanks to Shaqkere Parris’s superb knock.

The elegant right-hander faced 46 balls and struck seven sixes and five fours, which reduced the pressure the Rangers tried to build with their spinners.

Alleyne returned to hit a 13-ball 23 to give early momentum, while Kevin Wickham anchored in 23 from 30 balls.

Ashmead Nedd was miserly again, taking 1-18 from four overs while Ronaldo Alimohamed took 1-16 from two overs, and left-arm pacer Jediah Blades, who has been lethal force, proved costly today with 1-40 from 3.2 overs.

FULL SCORECARD: https://matchcentre.windiescricket.com/match/1646cef4-3c83-40b0-b248-9338b1905ab0/scorecard/2

The post Breakout T20: Barbados Pelicans deliver knockout blow to Guyana Rainforest Rangers appeared first on News Room Guyana.

Several persons who were affected by a fire at Kitty, Georgetown, that destroyed three buildings on May 1, have received some public support since the incident occurred.

The fire reportedly started at about 12:00 hrs at a building located between Thomas and Pike Streets. It quickly engulfed three buildings and scorched the sides of neighbouring buildings.

Chanbrika Seebharie, the owner of one of the apartment buildings there, said the building was insured but he has to await to completion of the investigation. That building cost about $50 million, not including the valuables inside. He lived there with his parents who are both pensioners. His nephew also lived in one of the apartments there.

Recounting the events of Thursday, the man said he couldn’t save anything because his priority was getting his family out of the building.

“We were home and my tenant came home and saw the fire next door in the downstairs, he reached out to me.

“The most I could get done was get my father out because he is in a wheelchair,” Seebharie said.

Fernando Viera also spoke with the News Room on Tuesday. He said support has been pouring in from government and private sector agencies. He lived at the apartment building with his sister, Shakira.

Two of the persons who were affected by the Kitty fire.

The Private Sector Commission, Ministry of Human Services and Social Security and the Ministry of Housing and Water are also in contact with the affected persons, trying to assistant them to return some normalcy.

He explained that the Housing Ministry has assured that persons who have pending houselot applications will be assisted in expediting this.

The fire reportedly originated in the building where Evelyn Benjamin and her son, Randall Duguid lived. Duguid previously told the News Room that he managed to help their elderly neighbours in the bottom flat out of the building. The women are Verlie De Barros, 87 and Lucille Peters, 97, who are cousins. It is believed the fire started in their flat but the cause remains a mystery.

“We’re waiting on the report from the Fire Chief so we can go into the different establishments to get our documents back,” Benjamin told the News Room on Tuesday.

The post Kitty fire victims slowly building back with support appeared first on News Room Guyana.

Inter Milan produced a dramatic late turnaround to beat Barcelona 7-6 on aggregate in a thrilling, all-time classic of a Champions League semi-final.

With just two minutes of added time left, Inter trailed 3-2 on the night and were heading out when centre-back Francesco Acerbi smashed a cross into the roof of the net to level the tie, the 37-year-old charging around with his shirt off in wild celebrations.

And there were more ecstatic scenes when substitute Davide Frattesi won it for the Italian champions, curling a beautiful left-footed shot into the bottom corner in the first period of extra time before climbing up a security fence to celebrate in front of Inter’s fans.

It means a second Champions League final in three seasons for three-time European champions Inter after two legs of incredible drama which saw 13 goals and a tie turned on its head on several occasions.

Barca were only two minutes away from their first final in 10 years having fought back from 2-0 down – in a similar scenario to the first leg – to lead 3-2 on the night.

Lamine Yamal almost took the game to penalties but was twice denied by superb saves by Yann Sommer as Inter held on to reach the final and spark incredible scenes of celebration.

Inter, who lost 1-0 to Manchester City in the 2023 final, will play either Paris St-Germain or Arsenal at Bayern Munich’s Allianz Arena on Saturday, 31 May in the 2025 showpiece.

The Gunners head into Wednesday’s second leg in France after losing 1-0 at Emirates Stadium last week. (BBC Sport) 

The post Inter beat Barca in all-time classic to reach Champions League final appeared first on News Room Guyana.

The Guyana Police Force on Tuesday got 5,000 body cameras, an investment intended to improve police work locally.

President Dr. Irfaan Ali handed over the cameras to the Commissioner of Police, Clifton Hicken, at State House, the Head of State’s official residence.

The President described the cameras as “high-tech” and assured citizens that their use will improve Police Officers’ conduct and make them more accountable.

“It also gives us an opportunity to have what I always speak about, traceability of conduct from the citizenry and the Police.

“… So there is absolutely no excuse whatsoever from the Guyana Police Force of our men and women in the field not being equipped with these cameras when conducting their duties,” the President said.

Another 500 body cameras purchased for Police

Police body cameras provide visual and audio evidence that can independently verify events.

Ranks using body cameras are guided by Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) 1- of May 2015.

This sets out guidelines and procedures for the use, management, access, retention and handling of evidence, storage and retrieval of recorded media captured by PVR equipment during the execution of official duties.

Among its purposes, the body cameras can be used to document law enforcement officials’ interactions with victims and witnesses during police-public encounters, arrests and critical incidents.

The post Police Force gets 5,000 body cameras  appeared first on News Room Guyana.

Minister of Education Priya Manickchand on Tuesday acknowledged that there were disruptions to schools following the unrest sparked by the tragic death of 11-year-old Adriana Younge. However, Minister Manickchand assured the public that the ministry has not observed any major setbacks in the delivery of the schools’ curriculum.

“I wouldn’t stand here and tell you that there were no disruptions, there were but we haven’t seen anything to be overly concerned about as far as the delivery of the curriculum goes,” Manickchand told the News Room at the sidelines of an event at the Arthur Chung Convention Centre on Tuesday.

She further noted that education systems around the world experience challenges.

“In every country, there are times when there are difficulties in the education system. The management of that system, which includes myself and the officers in the ministry, must address these issues as they arise. Sometimes, we have to make space for what is happening nationally,” Manickchand explained.

The Education Minister went on to explain that low attendance in schools last week could also be attributed to the start of the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) assessments and completion of the National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA).

“This week we have CXC going on, we just finished NGSA. So you are not going to ever see post-NGSA, a full grade six attendance, you are not going to see during CXC, everybody writing CXC at school every day.

“Some of you who visited schools and saw depleted numbers may not have realised that those are children who are home on study leave, like half the school, or there are children who just generally don’t come after grade six,” Manickchand stated.

Meanwhile, the Guyana Police Force reported last Tuesday that the situation across the country had returned to normal. The death of Adriana Younge had sparked widespread protests.

More than 100 individuals were arrested and subsequently charged with various offences, including armed robbery and acts of terrorism.

The post No major setbacks in schools after unrest – Manickchand appeared first on News Room Guyana.

Two individuals were remanded to prison after they were allegedly involved in inciting acts of terrorism recently.

Jamal Johnson, 27, a construction worker, and Felicia Ceres, 36, a domestic worker, both from Plantation Ross, West Coast Berbice, appeared before Magistrate Ravindra Mohabir at the Blairmont Magistrate’s Court.

The court was informed that on April 29, Johnson, Ceres, and several others engaged in activities by blocking the Ross Public Road, Berbice, with wood and other materials.

Neither defendant was required to enter a plea at this stage.

During the proceedings, Police Prosecutor Sergeant Garfield Edwards strongly objected to bail, highlighting that Johnson and Ceres failed to report to the Weldaad Magistrate’s Court after being placed on station bail the previous Friday.

Consequently, Magistrate Mohabir remanded both individuals to prison.

The case has been transferred to the Weldaad Magistrates Court and is scheduled for June 13, 2025.

The post Two remanded for acts of terrorism in Reg. 5 appeared first on News Room Guyana.

Tiana Serena Lewis-King, a nursing assistant from South Cummingsburg, who was wanted over the circulation of a false voice note claiming she was present at the post-mortem examination of Adriana Younge, has surrendered to the Police.

In an update Monday night, the Guyana Police Force said Lewis-King turned herself in to the Police at the Criminal Investigation Department, accompanied by an attorney from the law office of Hughes, Fields and Stoby. Lewis-King is represented by attorney Kiswana Jeffords.

In the voice note, Lewis-King, who resides at Lot 12A Rosemary Lane, claimed she attended the autopsy and had been sent by the Minister of Health.

Police launch manhunt for Nursing Assistant over false claims in Adriana Younge’s autopsy 

However, the Minister of Health, when contacted, categorically denied both the statement and any knowledge of Lewis-King.

Further investigation revealed that Attorney-at-Law Darren Wade, who represents the interests of the Younge family and was present during the examination, confirmed that Lewis-King was not in attendance.

His account was corroborated by Dr Caleb McCloggan, who also represented the family during the procedure. Dr McCloggan recognised the voice on the recording as that of Lewis-King, whom he knows as a recently graduated nurse aide, but confirmed she was not at the post-mortem.

(more…)

A Guyana Defence Force (GDF) officer has been placed on $100,000 station bail following a fatal road accident that claimed the life of a 23-year-old motorcyclist in the early hours of Saturday morning.

The incident occurred at approximately 01:40 hrs  along Burnham Drive in Wismar, Linden. The deceased has been identified as Kellon Sumner of  Central Amelia’s Ward, Linden.

According to initial police investigations, the accident involved a motorcar bearing registration PWW 2029, driven by 48-year-old Courtney Mendonca, a Lieutenant Colonel in the GDF. Reports indicate that Mendonca was travelling south on Burnham Drive and was attempting to negotiate a right turn when the motorcycle, registered CP 6059, collided with the front left side of the vehicle.

Sumner, who was not wearing a helmet at the time of the crash, sustained severe injuries and was flung onto the roadway.

His body is currently at the Linden Senior Citizens Association Funeral Home’s mortuary, where it awaits a post-mortem examination.

Both the motorcycle and the car have been impounded at the Wismar Police Station for inspection by licensing and certifying officers.

In a further development, police administered two breathalyser tests to Lieutenant Colonel Mendonca, which revealed blood alcohol content (BAC) levels of 0.045 and 0.041 — both above Guyana’s legal driving limit of 0.035.

The GDF officer has since been released on $100,000 station bail as the investigation continues.

The post UPDATE: Intoxicated GDF Officer on $100K station bail after involved in fatal Linden crash appeared first on News Room Guyana.

A tragic chopping incident at Plantation Caracas, West Canje, also known as High Dam in New Amsterdam has resulted in the deaths of Leon Fordyce, known as “Nastyman,” a 45-year-old labourer, and 35-year-old Shawn Timothy La Fleur.

This violent confrontation erupted from a heated argument regarding the paternity of a two-month-old child. The incident occurred between 23:30 hrs and midnight on Sunday.

Anganisha Newyear, referred to as “Angie”, a 40-year-old mother of eight, is currently hospitalized due to her injuries.

According to information gathered,  Fordyce and Newyear were involved in a common-law relationship.

A neighbour, who prefers to remain anonymous, reported being awakened shortly after midnight by cries for help.

Shawn’s mother, 50-year-old Nicola Christine La Fleur, recounted that she  spoke with her son before receiving the distressing call about the incident. Upon rushing outside, she found Shawn unresponsive on the roadway, suffering a severe head wound.

When asked about the catalyst for the tragic events, Nicola revealed that her son had been upset over the paternity issue of the child.

“She seh ‘the child is me son child’. And me son seh ‘is not he child’. Because the child ain’t resemble the two children he get. This child more black,” Nicola said.

Witnesses indicated that following Angie’s injuries, her relatives retaliated against Shawn, inflicting the fatal wounds.

As Shawn lay unconscious, news of the incident quickly spread to his relatives, who, along with others, gathered at the scene of Fordyce’s roadside shop.

This publication understands that Fordyce was in the process of closing his shop when he was viciously attacked and subsequently killed.

Investigations into this incident are ongoing, as authorities work to piece together the events that led to ths tragic deaths.

The post UPDATE: Argument over child’s paternity leads to fatal chopping appeared first on News Room Guyana.