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By Kurt Campbell

Kurt@newsroom.gy 

It’s been a quarter-century since 13-year-old Deniese Hariman went missing, but her family is still holding on to hope that they’ll find the answers they desperately need.

Last Sunday, October 06, family and friends gathered for a candlelight vigil in Queens, New York, to mark the 25th anniversary of the disappearance of Deniese and her close friend, Chauvian Sankar.

Both girls vanished within months of each other, their fates intertwined with the unsettling presence of a man, Rudolph Balgobin, who has long been a suspect:

Now, serving 25 years in a Florida state prison for another murder, Balgobin has been linked to the disappearances of both girls and their families are calling for the details of the truth to finally come to light.

The vigil marked not only the memory of two young lives lost but also a renewed plea for justice.

Deniese’s mother, Seeta Beran, covering her eyes heavy with sorrow but filled with hope, addressed the crowd.

“I got a letter from him. Two letters, in fact. Stating that I should send him $200 and he will tell me what he know,”she said, speaking of Balgobin, who, despite serving time for another crime, still holds the key to what happened to Deniese and Chauvian.

Hariman was only five years old when she immigrated from Albouystown, Guyana, to the United States, where she grew up in Richmond Hill, Queens. Her life, like so many others, was full of promise.

But on the afternoon of October 6th, 1999, Deniese went missing on her way home from school. It was the last time anyone saw her.

Sankar, Deniese’s neighbour and close friend, vanished nearly a year later. The two girls had been inseparable, often spending time together.

Sankar’s then-boyfriend, Balgobin, was known to have spent time with both girls, reportedly taking them out for ice creams and even walking them home from time to time.

He was in his 20s at the time, while Deniese and Chauvian were teenagers.

But what seemed innocent at first quickly turned into suspicion. The disappearance of Chauvian in 2000 led the Hariman family to question Balgobin’s involvement.

Natasha Beran, Deniese’s sister, shared her family’s anguish during the vigil.

“We are 99.99% sure he had something to do with it,” she said.

“We just need him to admit the truth, to give us the closure we deserve. He wouldn’t say anything when they asked him before, but now, he’s the only one who knows what really happened to my sister and Chauvian.”

Natasha described how the past 25 years have profoundly affected the family.

“It’s been tough,” she said. “We had to move forward, but we never stopped thinking about them. Our lives changed that day, and we didn’t even realise how much.”

For Seeta, the agony of not knowing what happened to her daughter has been nearly unbearable. “I try to be strong,” she says. “But the pain is always there. I keep hoping that one day someone will speak the truth.”

 

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Ajay Jha, the controversial figure who was the local representative of the India-based contracting firm Fedders Lloyd blacklisted by the World Bank, was also involved in the problematic drainage pump project inked in 2018.

On September 3, 2018, the APNU+ AFC government began procuring the engines by signing a deal of US$3.6 million with Apollo International for the supply and installation of the 12 drainage pumps to the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA).

Jha was the Apollo International representative who signed the pact for the new pumps alongside the then NDIA Chief Executive Officer, Frederick Flatts.

Engines for drainage pumps highlighted in Auditor General’s report were purchased by APNU/AFC

But two years before, in 2016, Jha was the local representative of Indian company, Fedders- Lloyd. That company had been blacklisted by the World Bank for four years for violating the financial institute’s procurement guidelines against fraud and corruption in the Africa region.

Jha subsequently said he cut ties with the company. Two years later, he emerged as an Apollo Representative.

Jha was also a client of the then Vice President, Khemraj Ramjattan who was part of the Alliance for Change (AFC) in the APNU+AFC coalition.

In 2018, the then agriculture minister Noel Holder told the nation that his coalition government had procured the right engines for the job. The engines were to be delivered within 12 months, but a recent release from the Ministry of Agriculture stated that never happened.

The wrong engines arrived in March 2020, during the election fiasco. The release further noted that over US$2.3 million had already been paid to Apollo.

In 2021, a second payment of US$501,000 was made, and the engines were installed on the pumps at various locations across the country.

The current PPP/C government withheld the balance payment after finding out that APNU+AFC had purchased the wrong engines. In 2022, the PPP/C government engaged the company and in turn, Apollo reportedly signaled its preparedness to send a team of engineers to resolve the matter.

It was also been issued with an ultimatum. The company was told that if it failed to meet the government’s demand the “NDIA will purchase and install the engines and deduct the cost for doing same from the balance of the contract price.”

The new government remains in negotiations with the Indian Company to have the matter settled.

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A couple was found dead at a Station Street, Kitty residence on Saturday night.

The News Room understands that the individuals are foreign nationals. Initial reports suggest that the man stabbed the woman and then took his life.

The man is said to have been in his 60s while the woman, in her 30s.

Police Officers are on the scene probing the matter.

This is a developing story. The News Room will provide additional details as it becomes available. 

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See below press release issued by the Guyana Cricket Board

The Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) is pleased to announce the appointment of Sir Clive Hubert Lloyd as Special Technocrat to the Board with immediate effect.

Sir Clive’s appointment was successfully concluded after a high-level engagement with President of the GCB, Bissoondyal Singh.

The outstanding former Guyana and West Indies captain expressed his willingness to serve and to have the opportunity to contribute to cricket development in his native land.

Singh, on behalf of the GCB, conveyed his delight at this appointment and noted that Sir Clive would be value-added to the Board with his wealth of cricket experience garnered from over sixty (60) years association with the game as a player, official and administrator.

The GCB stands to benefit considerably from his immense knowledge of the game and will be paying close attention to his advice, guidance and recommendations.

With another former WI captain, Ramnaresh Sarwan, serving in the very important position of chairman of senior selectors, the GCB can justifiably boast that it has two (2) former WI captains and six (6) other former first-division cricketers, including Andre Percival, who captained the West Indies Youth Team, on it 13-member Executive Committee, a composition that has no parallel in regional cricket and also is indicative of the GCB’s commitment to develop the game by engaging the services of former cricketers.

Sir Clive’s illustrious career included induction into the ICC Hall of Fame in 2019, Knighthood by Duke of Cambridge Prince William in January 2022, recipient of the Order of the Caribbean Community in July 2024, appointment as an ICC Match Referee, serving as chairman of the ICC Cricket Committee and as captain winning the inaugural ICC One-Day Cricket World Cup in June 1975.

In his international playing days, Sir Clive Lloyd blazed a trail of outstanding achievements from 1966 to 1985, during which time he played 110 Test matches, was captain in 74 of the matches winning 36 of them thus making him the most successful captain in West Indies Cricket; this included a sequence of 26 Tests without a loss including 11 consecutive victories.

His highest score of 242 not out was among his 19 test centuries.

As a prominent batsman he played cricket across the world including at varies times for the Demerara Cricket Club, Demerara County, Guyana, West Indies, Lancashire, Australia State Cricket and a World XI.

The President, Executives and members of the GCB hereby congratulate Sir Clive Lloyd on his appointment and wish to record appreciation for his willingness to once again serve Guyana cricket.

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Vice President Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo on Friday said the entire $200,000 cash grant distribution process will be completed in five months.

“We want to get the systems in place, so I would anticipate that within the next five months, we would complete the process,” Jagdeo said during a live briefing.

Jagdeo also outlined the criteria that will be used to ascertain how many households are eligible to receive the $200,000 one-off cash grant recently announced by President Dr. Irfaan Ali.

BREAKING: President announces one-off $200,000 cash grant for every household

Eligible households will include stand-alone houses, tenancy apartments, condominiums and other dwellings in multi-space properties that are separate spaces.

The database from the Guyana Power and Light Inc (GPL) will be among the tools used to ascertain how many households there are in Guyana.

The VP added that an estimated 40,000 “secondary households” do not have electricity meters, and the government is working on devising a method to verify the eligibility of these households as well.

However, he said that even these households that do not have an electric bill, once deemed legitimate, are still eligible to get the grant.

Renters are also eligible, according to the VP, once they are able to present their contractual agreement with landlords.

Households in Amerindian communities will be verified through the village councils, which Dr Jagdeo said has been a reliable method historically.

Importantly, the government has said that the national audit office and the Ministry of Finance will establish protocols and mechanism for fool-proofing the process. It will be paid of by cheques, through direct bank account transfers and cash where applicable.

 

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Guyana and West Indies cricketer Kevin Sinclair and Guyana Harpy Eagles fast bowler Nial Smith went back to where it all started on Friday to present a quantity of cricket gear to their alma mater, Canje Secondary in New Amsterdam, Berbice.

All-rounder Sinclair, who developed a passion for the sport by playing in the school compound on a daily basis, felt it was important that they supported the dreams of students at the institution, similar to how they received a helping hand years ago.

Cricketers Kevin Sinclair (right) and Nial Smith both attended Canje Secondary (Photo: News Room/Avenash Ramzan/October 11, 2024)

The 24-year-old Sinclair said a student of Canje Secondary, 16-year-old fast bowler Jearmin Singh, reached out to him for assistance to secure a cricket sneakers and that prompted him and Smith to add a few more items so that other students can benefit.

In presenting the footwear to Singh, Sinclair said it brought back memories of the days when he was in need of gear to pursue his passion.

Kevin Sinclair makes the presentation of a sneakers to 16-year-old fast bowler Jearmin Singh (Photo: News Room/Avenash Ramzan/October 11, 2024)

Singh, a Form Five student of Canje Secondary who started playing hardball cricket five months ago, is attached to the Rose Hall Community Centre Club.

Among the items presented to the school were balls, a cricket bat, a full set of stumps, batting gloves and pads, protective guard and a helmet.

“It’s a pleasure to come back to Canje Secondary and make this little donation,” Sinclair, who recently played for Guyana Amazon Warriors in CPL 2024, told the gathering of students.

“I hope you use these equipment to get better at the game, but also remember your academics is important.”

Teachers of Canje Secondary share a moment with Kevin Sinclair (Photo: News Room/Avenash Ramzan/October 11, 2024)

Reflecting on his time at the school, Sinclair, who made 50 on Test debut for West Indies against Australia in January, told the students of honing his skill in the school compound and later refining it by joining structured clubs like Young Warriors and the Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club.

He told the students that once they have a dream they should pursue it, but they must be prepared to work hard and be determined in their approach.

It is equally important, he reiterated, that they also apply those same principles in their academic pursuits.

This young lady won a signed shirt after successfully answering a question (Photo: News Room/Avenash Ramzan/October 11, 2024)

Sinclair also played a motivational video coach Floyd Reifer had them watch during the West Indies Emerging Team title-run in the Cricket West Indies’ Super50 Cup in 2019.

Sinclair played a crucial role in that success, scoring 132 runs and taking 13 wickets with his off-spin. He also had the tournament’s best economy rate of 2.87 runs per over.

The brief ceremony wrapped up with Sinclair presenting one of his signed Test match shirts to a young female student, who was successful in answering a question.

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The Guyana Police Force Friday destroyed approximately $392 million worth of cannabis in an extensive narcotics eradication exercise conducted in the Upper Berbice River.

The operation, which occurred between 04:00 and 23:10 hrs, was carried out by ranks from the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Headquarters’ Narcotics Branch.

It targeted a location known as ‘Old Vigilante,’ where a large-scale cannabis farm was discovered.

The team uncovered a plot of land spanning approximately four acres, containing an estimated 12,000 cannabis plants, ranging from three to seven feet in height. A makeshift camp, situated a few feet from the farm, was also located during the exercise.

The camp, measuring around 40 by 20 feet, had facilities including a kitchen and a drying area. In the drying area, approximately 950 pounds of dried cannabis were found.

Both the cannabis farm and the camp were photographed before being destroyed by fire.

The value of the narcotics destroyed was calculated as follows:

• Cannabis plants: $4,065,600
• Dried cannabis: $387,821,160
• Total value: $391,886,760

No arrests were made during the operation, which was carried out without incident.

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A day before Guyana’s clash against Guatemala, Jamaal Shabazz, currently on his fourth installment as the team’s Head Coach, highlighted that finishing is a critical area that needs addressing.

It is safe to say it is still a concern.

Squandered chances meant Guyana could not walk away from the encounter with at least one point, as the clinical Central American opponent cosigned them to another defeat in their bruising League A campaign in the Concacaf Nations League.

After the final whistle on Friday evening at the National Track and Field Facility, West Coast Demerara, the score was 3-1 in favour of Guatemala.

The ascent to League A has been a rude awakening to the reality of capitalising on the fine margins against quality teams.

Both of Guyana’s home matches were 3-1 defeats, and the away match thus far was a 2-2 draw after leading 2-0.

There was an opportunity early in proceedings, but it needed top-tier brilliance to hit a corner.

Stephen Duke-Mckenna undertook a free kick from about 20 yards out, but it went wide in the 10th.

An errant tackle by Terence Vancooten allowed Alejandro Galindo to run unchallenged on the left wing, where he found a partner in Nathaniel Mendez, who assisted the roaming Oscar Santis to a right foot shot that evaded the diving Quillan Roberts in the 17th.

The second time was the charm for Duke-McKenna, as he scored an absolute pearl, curving it past the outstretched custodian to level the score in the 31st.

Fans celebrate Stephen Duke-Mckenna’s equalizer (PHOTO: News Room/Jeremy Jagroop/October 11, 2024)

Guyana launched a slew of offensive presses as Isaiah Jones took on the goalkeeper, but his shot was stopped.

Soon after, Nathan Moriah-Welsh looked to breach Nicholas Hagen’s defence, but yet again, there was no joy for the Guyanese as the score was equal at halftime.

On face value, Golden Jaguars looked out of ‘gas’ as the high-press intensity was diminishing and the Guatemalans ran rampant.

Óscar Castellanos scored in the 61’ to reclaim the lead for Los Chapines after a cross from Aaron Herrera on a fast break.

Santis secured his brace and rounded out the win for Guatemala in the 68’ assisted by Rubio Rubín.

After the match, Duke-McKenna acknowledged that finishing is still a sore point, noting they have to make chances count in matches of this caliber.

With the win, Guatemala climbs to the top of Group A with seven points.

Group A will resume on Tuesday, headlined by Costa Rica and Guatemala meeting with first place on the line.

Martinique will host Guadeloupe, while Guyana will visit Suriname in the other encounters.

Golden Jaguars Starting XI: Quillan Roberts (goalkeeper), Leo Lovell, Terence Vancooten, Jalen Jones, Nathan Moriah-Welsh, Stephen Duke-McKenna, Omari Glasgow, Liam Gordon, Ryan Hackett, Isaiah Jones, Colin Nelson (captain)

Guatemala Starting XI: Nicholas Hagen (goalkeeper), José Ardón, Aaron Herrera, Nicolás Samayoa, José Pinto (captain), Rubio Méndez, Nathaniel Mendez, Alejandro Galindo, Oscar Castellanos, Oscar Santis, Jonathan Franco

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The government has allocated $11.5 billion for the upgrade of 947 community roads in Georgetown. In total, 673 contracts were awarded to small contractors to carry out the upgrades.

The contracts were signed during a ceremony at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC) on Friday.

Vice President Dr Bharrat Jagdeo highlighted the significance of these projects in the city, emphasising that thousands of residents will reap the benefits.

He described the initiative as an important opportunity for contractors to elevate their lives and grow within the industry.

“You have to sometimes take a chance with new contractors and nurture them along…because we have such a vast amount of work to do and we have limited capacity in some areas,” Jagdeo said.

The Vice President further explained that while the government could have awarded larger contracts to a single contractor, it is important to expand opportunities to create a wider pool of contractors.

“So, whilst we are creating more opportunities for people, we expect if you get paid you will do a good piece of work,” Dr Jagdeo urged, noting that poorly executed projects would not be tolerated.

According to the Vice President, since resuming office, the government has completed over 4,000 community roads across Guyana with this new initiative promising to continue that trend.

Minister of Public Works, Bishop Juan Edghill, announced that the contract signings will continue in phases. The remaining contracts will be signed next week.

The contracts are scheduled for completion by December, as stipulated in the agreements. Minister Edghill warned, “Every man Jack, and every woman Jane has got to finish before December 15.”

He  also reassured the public that all roads will be completed in full, despite some areas being worked on in sections to allow access for residents and commuters.

Other requirements were outlined for contractors, including mandatory testing of road strength to meet a standard of 4,500 PSI—an essential measure of concrete durability.

Contractors whose work fails to meet this benchmark will be required to redo the project or face contract cancellation without compensation.

To ensure transparency, contractors and engineers will be required to familiarise themselves with the local communities before commencing work. Residents will also be engaged in monitoring the projects, thereby fostering a sense of ownership and community involvement.

Additionally, subcontracting or transferring contracts to third parties, will lead to immediate disqualification. Present at the signing ceremony were the Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, Sonia Parag, Minister of Tourism, Oneigde Walrond, Minister within the Ministry of Public Works, Deodat Indar, and Minister within the Office of the Prime Minister, Kwame McCoy (Republished from DPI)

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The fire broke out last Wednesday in the Miners Choice area of Puruni Landing started at a gas station, affecting multiple properties, including guest houses, storage facilities, and equipment, The Guyana Fire Service confirmed in a statement on Friday.

The blaze started around 10:30 hrs at a fuel station owned by Glaston Fiffee, 46, and his wife, Alanna Fiffee, 37.

Preliminary reports suggest that a malfunction in one of the fuel pumps may have been the cause of the fire, although this has yet to be confirmed.

Workers at the station were in the process of dispensing gasoline when the pump reportedly exploded, igniting nearby combustible materials and quickly spreading to other structures in the vicinity.

In addition to the fuel station, three guest houses, three storage bonds, three living quarters, two restaurants, an ice house, a boutique, a dwelling house, a generator room, and a variety store were damaged or destroyed.

Several pieces of equipment, including engines, dredge pumps, generators, motorcycles, and boats, were also severely impacted.

At the time of the fire, 28 people were residing in the affected guest houses and living quarters.

Thankfully, no casualties or injuries have been reported, though all residents have been displaced by the blaze.

Local miners and residents demonstrated extraordinary courage, stepping in to assist in containing the fire using mining equipment, such as water pumps.

Their quick actions, combined with the response from the Bartica Fire Station, which deployed Light Pump #A113 to draw water from a nearby source, were crucial in bringing the situation under control and preventing further damage.

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