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Nicholas Singh, called ‘Pookie,’ a 25-year-old resident of Durban Street, Georgetown, was charged on Monday, more than a year after being involved in a murder and robbery.

Police reported that Singh was charged with the offence of murder in the course or furtherance of robbery.

He appeared at the Wales Magistrate’s Court today before Magistrate Rhonda Weever. The indictable charge was read to him and he was not required to plead.

Singh was remanded to prison until October 10, 2024.

Persaud, also called Vishal, was shot after a robbery unfolded at a Canal No. 2 Polder, West Bank Demerara (WBD) wedding house on New Year’s Day.

Singh is believed to be part of a trio involved in the robbery and murder then.

The post ‘Pookie’ charged for wedding house murder, remanded to prison  appeared first on News Room Guyana.

Despite the issuance of arrest warrants, three men charged with unlawful wounding and property damage continue to roam the streets freely.

After enduring years of harassment and violence, West Bank Demerara resident Ronadai Rasheed is finally speaking out against a 15-member gang terrorising her community in Belle West.

Rasheed, a former village councillor, has lived in constant anxiety since the gang began targeting her family in September 2022. She decided to resign from her position, believing it was the catalyst for the gang’s aggression.

“All ah we was inside and they just keep pelting and pelting. Bottle and stones… All the windows at the front with a glass door… it ain’t got, it’s just frame. All the glass break up,” she recalled during a recent interview with the News Room.

The attacks escalated, with one incident leaving her son injured. Desperate for a resolution, Rasheed reported the assaults to the police, only to be met with indifference.

“Whenever these boys pick trouble with we and we go to the station, they will take a report… but it just leave like that. Wales police don’t do nothing about it,” she lamented.

Progress only came after the intervention of the Police Commander of Region Three. On August 30, 2022 three men — Tyrese Welcome, Jason Solomon, and Devindra Lallbeharry — were apprehended and charged with unlawful wounding and damage to property.

However, the legal proceedings dragged on for more than two years, with the accused frequently absent from court.

When the sentences were finally handed down, Rasheed found the men absent once again, leading to the issuance of arrest warrants.

Yet, despite this legal action, Rasheed claims the men continue to roam the streets without consequence.

“From since the 30th (August), it took me like two and a half weeks before I could have speak to the Sergeant of Wales Police station,” she said, expressing her frustration over the lack of communication and action.

Despite assurances that the warrants would be acted upon, Rasheed reports ongoing delays and a lack of accountability. “The same thing I been hearing all the time, nobody know nothing about the warrant,” she said, her voice heavy with exasperation.

Rasheed believes there is a clear protective barrier around the gang members and is urging higher authorities to take action.

“Something got to be done… The higher authority should step in and see what really going on at Wales Police station. I can’t understand what really going on… These boys doing the crime and them and the Police seems to be friends. We can’t go to the station for no justice,” she asserted.

As she continues to fight for safety and justice, Rasheed hopes her story will shine a light on the issues plaguing her community and prompt those in power to intervene. The silence of the authorities, she insists, cannot go on any longer.

The post Arrest warrants issued yet ‘gang members’ roam free, harassment continues unchecked appeared first on News Room Guyana.

Guyana’s approach to tackling gender-based violence is both comprehensive and holistic. However, significant challenges remain in eradicating this “serious” issue, which is a “grave” concern for many.

“I think gender-based violence is a grave concern, a serious issue, and one that affects far too many lives,” stated Dr Vindhya Persaud, the Minister of Human Services and Social Security, during a recent address.

Dr Persaud was speaking at a gender-based violence medical symposium held at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre in Liliendaal. Organised by the ministry’s Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Unit, the symposium aimed to enhance the response of medical practitioners to gender-based violence, clarify the referral pathways, and outline the roles and responsibilities of these professionals in addressing such critical issues.

Dr Persaud highlighted that gender-based violence is deeply embedded in the fabric of the country, with statistics revealing that 1 in every 3 women experiences violence before the age of 55. In light of this alarming reality, she outlined a range of initiatives introduced by the ministry to provide vital assistance and support. These include the 914 toll-free hotline, the Spotlight Initiative, and the Community Advocates Network (CAN).

“With these concerted efforts, Guyana is setting a leading example in the region for responding to gender-based violence,” Dr Persaud asserted. “This didn’t happen overnight.”

Additionally, she announced that the Family Violence Act 2024 has been passed in the National Assembly. This significant piece of legislation delineates response mechanisms and the protections available to individuals affected by violence.

Emphasising that Guyana’s response model is both comprehensive and adaptive, Dr Persaud affirmed the ministry’s commitment to continual improvement in order to meet the evolving needs of those experiencing gender-based violence.

“Not only do we aim to reduce the statistics, but we also want to ensure that no woman or child loses their life to gender-based violence. We don’t want any man to lose his life either. We want to protect everyone from the horrors of gender-based violence,” she concluded.

The post Dr Persaud highlights the urgency of action in fight against gender-based violence appeared first on News Room Guyana.

Residents and commuters in Diamond, East Bank Demerara, are now reaping the benefits of enhanced road networks following significant infrastructural upgrades in the housing scheme.

The improvement of 75 key thoroughfares covering 25 kilometres fulfills a promise made by President Dr. Irfaan Ali, after the community endured poor road conditions for decades.

On Saturday, Minister of Public Works Juan Edghill inspected the newly completed roads, noting that the project was carried out by the ministry’s Special Project Unit (SPU) for $690 million.

During his visit, he spoke with residents who expressed gratitude for the essential upgrades.

Taxi driver Alvin Ramratten shared his experiences of navigating the previously dilapidated roads, highlighting that the poor infrastructure had resulted in increased fares and challenges in transporting passengers.

“Now it’s much better, and people are coming onto the street, so it’s good,” he remarked.

Another resident, Imran Khan, noted that it is now easier to travel in and out of the scheme.

Phillip Readie also expressed his appreciation for the upgrades, remarking that it had been a long time since any road improvements had been made in the area.

“With all the potholes, it felt like you were going up and down like in the savannahs. So, I appreciate it very, very much,” he stated.

Echoing the sentiments of the residents, Minister Edghill reaffirmed the government’s commitment to further enhancing road networks across the country.

“It is one thing for me to hear the satisfaction of the residents. People have been living here for years without proper roads, and now they are extremely happy that this work has been completed. We will continue to advance and transform communities,” he emphasised.

The upgrades were carried out on 7th Avenue and 21st Avenue, as well as roads in Avenues A and B at the front of the scheme. Work commenced on 14th February and was completed on 18th September. This initiative follows recent road upgrades in the Grove community, where a total of 29 roads were improved over a distance of 5 kilometres at a cost of $150 million by the Special Project Unit.

The post 75 roads upgraded in Diamond appeared first on News Room Guyana.

Three men were arrested by police on patrol in Regional Police Division 4’C’ shortly after a brazen robbery at Ayan Supermarket, at Unity, East Coast Demerara, Saturday afternoon.

At approximately 16:10 hrs, Police said two of the suspects entered the supermarket while a third waited in their vehicle, a silver Axio with the registration PAB 5491.

One suspect brandished a firearm, threatening the cashier, while the other emptied the cash register of an undisclosed sum of money. They then fled the scene in their car.

An alarm was promptly raised, and the Operations Room for Police Division 4’C’ coordinated a response. A police patrol, led by a sergeant, spotted the suspected vehicle in Nabacalis and initiated a pursuit.

The chase ended when the suspects crashed into another vehicle; fortunately, no injuries were reported among the occupants of that vehicle.

Upon apprehending the suspects, police discovered a 9mm Beretta pistol, a matching magazine, one .389 ammunition, and cash amounting to $9,750 in their vehicle, along with a haversack, ski mask, and caps.

The suspects in custody have been identified as Anthon Fraser and Lushawn Crawford, both from Nabacalis, and Renardo Persaud from Coldigen. Investigations are ongoing as authorities work to gather further details regarding the incident.

The post Three arrested following supermarket robbery  appeared first on News Room Guyana.