MASSACRE- 11 dead; Men, women and children
slaughtered while sleeping

A gang of marauding gunmen created havoc in the East Coast Demerara village of Lusignan, killing 11 persons, including five children, in one of the deadliest attacks in recent years.
The gunmen struck at around 02:00 hours yesterday, simultaneously kicking down the doors of five houses, slaughtering even children as they lay sleeping in their beds.
Three persons were also injured, while at least three others escaped certain death by hiding as the gunmen went on their rampage.
While the gunmen robbed one family of jewellery in some cases, the motive of the attack does not appear to be just robbery.
In 15 minutes of terror, the gunmen, who numbered about 20, all armed with rifles and shotguns, massacred their victims, including an entire family comprising a mother and her two sleeping children, in a 15-minute ordeal that has left almost the entire East Coast Demerara in shock.
Among the dead are Shazam Mohamed; Clarence Thomas; his son, Ron, 11; daughter, Vanessa 12; Mohandai Gourdat, 32; her two children: Seegobind, four-years-old, and Seegopaul Harilall, 10; Shalem Baksh, 52; Rooplall Seecharan, 56; his daughter, Raywattie Ramsingh, 11; and his wife, Dhanrajie, called Sister, 52.
The injured are Howard Thomas, 19, Nadir Mohamed, 48, and Roberto Thomas, five.
Most of the dead were shot in their stomachs and were left lying in pools of blood that covered most of the floors of their modest homes.
The Police Ballistic Laboratory has since matched some of the spent the shells found at Lusignan as follows: Five 5.56 shells matched 5.56 shells found at the scene of Drakes's murder in Agricola. The thirty five 7.62 x 39 spent shells matched eighteen shells found at the scene of Minister Satyadeow Sawh's murder, the murder of the MMC security guards at Two Brothers gas station, Brumell and Scott at Agricola and the attack at Canal No. Two  in 2007.
Speaking to this newspaper, one of the survivors of yesterday’s massacre, Bibi Zalika Baksh, whose husband, Shalem, was killed, said that at around 02:00 hours they heard the shooting which, she said, started at a house two doors away.
The woman said that the family was downstairs in the two-flat house, and by the time they ran upstairs and secured themselves under a bed, the bandits, who she said appeared to be all over the place, began breaking down doors.
According to Baksh, the men ordered the family to open their door, but the family was too terrified to make another move.
Within seconds, their front louvre windows were shattered and some of the men entered.
“They pull out me husband from under the bed and tell him, 'Give we de money and de jewellery',” Mrs. Baksh recalled.
She said that her husband begged the men to spare his life but they shot him in cold blood.
Baksh said that she and her daughter were also under the bed from which her husband was pulled, but the bandits, in their haste, did not see them.
She explained that, before her husband was shot, she attempted to come out from her hiding place to hand over whatever valuables the family had with the hope of saving their lives.
But her indecision probably saved her life and her 14-year-old daughter's.
She said that the gunmen went downstairs looking for the rest of the family, but eventually left when they did not find them.
Gaumattie Thomas, whose husband and two children were killed, recalled that she did not see what happened but was listening keenly from her hiding place in her house. According to Thomas, her husband tried to push in the door even as the killers were trying to enter the house.
However, the gunmen overpowered him and forced their way into the house, shooting the 52-year-old Clarence Thomas dead in the process. His body was left lying on the stairs.
“I was just hiding in the corner. Ow! Ah couldn't talk, ah couldn't do nothing. They did not see me. Then they say, 'Watch two more deh on de bed. Kill dem! Kill dem',” Mrs. Thomas told this newspaper.
She said that the men shot her sleeping son, Ron, and they then snatched her daughter, Vanessa, from her bed, and although she screamed and begged for her life, she, too, was cold bloodedly gunned down.
Another son, Howard, received a bullet and fell off his bed, a move that certainly saved his life. She said
that maybe if the men had discovered the switch for the light in the house, the entire family would have been slaughtered.
She is, however, fearful of remaining in her house, since she said that the men promised to return.
At the home of Shazam Mohamed, his mother, Bibi Khan, told Kaieteur News that five of them were in the house when the bandits attacked. She said that the men kicked and shot out their front door to gain entry into the house.
“Dem shoot, shoot. Awe nah open fuh dead. Me tell dem (family) fuh hide, sit down easy and hide, nah come out,” she recalled.
She said that she later heard her husband, Nadir Mohamed, groaning and came out from her hiding place, only to see her son, Shazam, lying badly wounded in a pool of blood.
“He call out, 'Ow, mammy, give me some water fuh drink and throw some pon me skin',” Khan recalled.              
Noreen Seecharran, whose father, Rooplall; mother, Dhanrajie; and sister, Raywattie, were all killed, said that she was at her home in Enterprise -- two miles away -- when she received a call that her relatives were injured.
She was not told that they were dead.
It was only when she and another sister arrived at their parents' home that they realised the extent of the carnage.
Rajkumar Harilall, called Bobby, left Guyana on Thursday for Trinidad. He received the shocking news that his wife, Mohandai Gourdat, and two sons had been killed in the carnage. He immediately booked a flight to Guyana and returned home.
So unbearable was the reality of what had happened to his family that he kept slipping in and out of consciousness.
Residents were upset at the slow police response. They said that the police refused to answer several telephone calls even as the massacre was in progress.
This was brought to the attention of Acting Police Commissioner Henry Greene, who visited the area early yesterday morning and promised a full investigation into the conduct of his ranks.  
Many residents expressed horror that the children were not spared.
“Dem nah come fuh rob. Look how dem kill dem pickney while dem sleeping,” was one of the frequent comments.  
“Dis government gat fuh resign; dem can't protect we,” was another.  
President Bharrat Jagdeo led a team of ministers to the community to console residents, but they were met with a high level of hostility.
Several persons called for the government to step down since, according to them, they cannot effectively protect the citizenry.
President Jagdeo assured that significant measures will be implemented to ensure security for every Guyanese. He, however, urged that residents resuscitate the defunct community policing groups in their areas.

LUSIGNAN EXPLODES

- angry residents shut down East Demerara thoroughfare, burn tyres, call for return of Roger Khan and Gajraj; ask Jagdeo to go

(By Mondale Smith, Michael Jordan, Jenelle Carter and Nadia Guyadeen)

Residents from the normally quiet community of Lusignan yesterday burned tyres and blocked the major thoroughfare, as well as streets, to vent their rage at the slaughter of 11 of their own, including five children.
Marauding gunmen descended on the village, kicking in doors and killing people, some of whom were in bed asleep, early yesterday morning.
By sunrise, residents rang bells and sounded gongs along the East Coast Demerara Public Road, while others of various ages, with tears flowing, pounded on a barrel.
“We want Roger Khan, Gajraj and guns!” and “Jagdeo and Rohee must go!” were their constant chants as they gave vent to their anger and frustration.  
Government ministers and members of the armed forces, who attempted to restore order, were forced to endure the taunts of residents, who repeatedly accused officials of failing to protect them, despite having ample warning that such attacks could occur.
Some were even slapped about the head, had the wheels of their vehicles punctured, and were pelted with plastic bottles. At least one minister was pelted with an egg.
Even President Bharrat Jagdeo was not spared; some residents called on him to resign.
Some Government officials were also manhandled, and there were reports that Minister of Works Robeson Benn was struck on the head with a piece of wood.
In one instance, some residents attempted to topple a Ministry of Works tractor and trailer as well as Minister Shaik Baksh’s vehicle into a ditch.
The chaos continued up to late yesterday afternoon.
Residents had begun milling in the streets by daybreak, as they got wind of the massacre.
By 7:30 hrs, several young men, unable to contain their anger, began dumping tyres, scrap metal, sand and other refuse on the East Coast Demerara Highway, the Railway Embankment and other roadways, eventually blocking all streets and bridges between Beterverwagting and Lusignan.
They then soaked the tyres with petrol and set them alight, sending flames and plumes of black smoke into the air. Every conceivable piece of debris was used to block the road, and by noon both symbols of the leading party (two large drums fashioned into cups) were pulled down and set ablaze.
“Them children ain’t do nobody nutten; we ain’t want politics, we want guns to protect we self. The army and police is a waste of time.”  
At first, ranks from the Guyana Defence Force tried to restore order and put out the fires.
But as soon as they succeeded, residents dragged more refuse to the roadways and rekindled the flames.
Eventually, the ranks just allowed the refuse to burn as the residents became confrontational. One rank was slapped, and he became enraged, but controlled his anger even as one of his colleagues cocked his weapon. This happened on the Railway Embankment.
“Knock we and shoot we, nah. Leh we see if all of ya’ll ain’t gon dead today…is murderation!”     
Traffic in the vicinity of Lusignan slowed to a crawl as vehicles were unable to traverse the blocked roads. Some turned back while others had to be abandoned.
Realizing that holding out was an effort in futility, some passengers opted to walk to the nearest point where they could board another transport to their destination.
Several sand trucks heading east were ordered to dump their load on the roadway and on main bridges, while in some areas plates were removed from the bridges.
During their tour of the village, government ministers offered their condolences to those residents whose loved ones had been slaughtered, but most went unaccepted. “Ya’ll stop or ya’ll gon get hurt,” warned Minister Priya Manickchand, but the villagers responded, “Hurt? De hurt already at the mortuary. Condolence can’t bring dem back. Wah ya’ll come fah?”  
“This is the most unfortunate day for the village (Lusignan). We feel for the residents and we want to express this (sympathy), we will be offering assistance to the families,” Minister of Human Services Priya Manickchand said.  
Nearby, Minister Robeson Benn, who had one of the worst confrontations, was moved to tears as he described the killings as, “A sad happening in Guyana that goes beyond race.”
But this failed to pacify the residents, who placed the blame at the feet of the government and the joint services.
The residents pointed out that government officials and the military had ample warning that such attacks would occur, following last Wednesday night’s gunning down of a soldier in Buxton, and Friday night’s gun attack on Police Headquarters.
Minister Shaik Baksh did not escape the wrath of the villagers. As he tried to console the residents, he was dealt a slap to the back of his head minutes after he was booed and taunted. 
He slowly walked to safety with an angry mob behind, lobbing plastic bottles at him and shouting, “Get out! We does got to get numbers to see you. Where you number deh now?”
Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee also was not spared the insults. While entering the village his vehicle was pelted with an egg, and as he walked through, shouts of “Rohee must go! Bring back de big guts man now,” permeated the air.
He walked from one end of the highway to another, apparently unmoved by the chants.
Prime Minister Samuel Hinds was also in the village.
As Kaieteur News left the scene, a loud hailer with men on several vehicles shouted, “Enough is enough! We having wake on the road tonight, and Jagdeo must stand the funeral expenses.”
Police officials had stated that they had received several threatening calls in recent days from a man purporting to be wanted man Rondel Rawlins, called ‘Fine Man’.
“If they (the armed forces) can’t control a gang of 20 people, how can they fight a war?” one woman asked

Survivors’ recall ordeal

Four survive by not opening door…one killed  
There was no dry eye at Lot 26 Lusignan as Doreen Khan recounted the ordeal. Her grief could not be contained as she has lost her 22-year-old son, Shazam Mohamed, an accountant at the Nauth Construction firm died.
“Five ah we been sleeping and then we hear the gunshots.”
She recalled that there were orders for the family to open the door. “Them say open the door but me son say, ‘Daddy don’t open the door and they start to shoot at the building and then me hear me husband say he get shoot.”
She said too that seconds later the alarm for her son’s car went off and he got up to turn off the alarm and as she was standing he was hit.
The woman as well as her daughter Shazila Khan and her son Shazad are unharmed but her husband Nadir Mohammed, 48, is hospitalised.

Three dead at lot 30…woman’s fear to move from behind curtain saves her
Over at Lot 30 Lusignan, the mood was no different, yesterday. Gowmattie Thomas said that she was on her bed when gunmen visited her home. Given that the house is under construction there were no separate bedrooms in the house. The only separation was by way of a curtain.
She said she heard the gunfire and her husband, Clarence Thomas, 48, stepped out in time to be greeted by the gunmen in the upper portion of the building. She said, “The sound of the gunshots paralyse me. I lie down behind the curtain and just couldn’t move.”
She said that the gunmen asked for nothing. “All me hear is shoot… kill everybody and the shots start.”
When the men left, her husband Clarence, and her two children; Vanessa aged 12 and Ron aged 11 were dead. Her two other children Howard, 19, and Roberto were injured. “Me hear them say them go come back. Me can’t live her no more.”
While police retrieved dozens of live rounds and spent shells from the scene Kaieteur News found several that were marked NK- 1979.

Man’s body shields wife, daughter… bandits demanded money jewellery
As the harrowing tales were told at Lot 24 Lusignan, Bibi Zalika Baksh, 42, and her 14- year-old daughter amidst grief, were in high praise for their fatally shot loved one, Shaleem Baksh, 52.
“He been sleeping and me and me daughter were up when we hear the gunshots and me wake he up and tell he shots ah fire.”
She said that about five armed men were on the street and several were in her yard demanding that the door be opened.
“We run under the bed and hide in the back room and then we hear the windows breaking and shots firing. Then they jump through the window and kick down the bedroom door.” She said that her husband was in front of them under the bed and some one said look under the bed.
“They take he out and ask he where de money and jewellery deh and he say we poor we ain’t got no money and they shoot he.”
She said several other shots were fired under the bed but her husband’s body shielded her and her daughter.
The gunmen after firing several other shots that damaged television and other appliances, left the house taking some jewellery with them.
Forty-eight-year-old Nadir Mohamed, of Lot 26, Track ‘A,’ Lusignan, East Coast Demerara, recounted his ordeal yesterday after he was shot by gunmen who massacred 11 other residents in the village and injured several others.
Speaking from his bed at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC), Mohamed related that at around 02: 30 hrs he was awakened from his slumber by loud continuous gunshot sounds, which seemed to be coming from various parts of the village.
He said that his wife, Bibi, used her body to shield her ten-year-old son and twenty-year-old daughter as bullets seemed to be flying from everywhere.
Mohammed said gunmen were outside his home shouting, “Open the door! Open the door,” bursting into obscenities when the family refused. Nadir, his wife Bibi, ten and twenty-year-old sons Shazad and Shazon, and twenty-year-old daughter Nazera Khan were in the home at the time.
He said his son Shazon, on hearing his car alarm going off, went to peep through a crease in the wall when he was hit in the head by a bullet that tore its way through the wall. He said his son fell on the kitchen floor in a pool of blood. He died soon after.
The farmer said that though seized by the anguish of what was happening before his eyes, he was sitting motionless on his bed when another bullet, coming through the walls, tore into his left calf, exiting and ploughing through his right foot beneath his knee.
Between painful grimaces, Nadir related that his daughter peeped through a crease some time after and passed on that she saw several men ‘with very large guns’ milling around in the village. Nadir said that the men moved from home to home shooting children and the elderly.
The farmer reported that as the massacre continued gunshots could be heard coming from the direction of the nearby village of Buxton.
He said that he is fearful for the lives of his family and self, and hopes dearly that the relevant authorities would properly investigate the slaughter and bring those responsible to justice.

Lusignan killings is the lowest form of Human behaviour in years
- AFC AND GAP-ROAR

The Alliance For Change (AFC) and GAP-ROAR have condemned the defenceless killing of the 11 persons at Lusignan yesterday morning, describing it as the lowest form of human behaviour witnessed by the country in several decades.
"The AFC and GAP-ROAR Parliamentary parties condemn this heinous act as being the work of a group that is prepared to cause mayhem and destruction without regard for the consequences which flow."
Offering their sincerest and deepest sympathies to the relatives of those who were gunned down in their homes, the parties implored the relatives to remain strong and keep the faith so that justice and a new beginning could be achieved.
"We are aware that merely issuing statements of condemnation, as have been done in the past, will be insufficient to address this crisis or to assuage the hurt, anger and hopelessness being experienced by the families at this time."
"It is being proven again that the security forces have once more been ineffective in protecting the lives and property of Guyanese who desire to live as law abiding and enterprising citizens".
The parties stressed that the security forces have to do much more to win the ‘hearts and minds’ of the Guyanese people than has been happening in the recent past, adding that the answer to the security dilemma must come from a collective and collaborative approach of the political and other civilian leaders that will give the security forces the mandate, and means, to confidently discharge their mandate.
"We believe that at this time it is unwise to juxtapose calls for an investigation into unaccounted for military issue weapons from the 1970’s with this incident. There is no time for irresponsible rhetoric and rumour mongering from our political leaders.
"We stand ready and willing to work with all political parties and the government to bring calm as a prerequisite to the successful management of this and other crises. The leadership of our parties will be making every effort to visit with the families of victims to extend personal condolences."    
The Alliance For Change stressed that it condemns all forms of violence, whether committed at the hands of criminals or acting under the guise of the state.

Lusignan killing an act of cowardice
-- Jagdeo

President Bharrat Jagdeo has deemed as 'cowardly' the killing of 11 residents of Lusignan, East Coast Demerara yesterday.
During a press conference hosted early yesterday morning, President Jagdeo said that only ‘sick, demented cowards’ can kill defenceless children. He noted that execution was clearly the motive of the attack.
“It could not have been robbery because these families are poor. it was intended to spread terror on the East Coast and in our country, but we cannot allow this to succeed,” the President said.
He added that he knows that there is ‘tremendous’ amount of fear on the East Coast Demerara and that, “We need to alleviate this fear that these communities are experiencing.”
The Head of State said that he met with the security forces early yesterday morning and instructed that they dominate the East Coast of Demerara.
He was quick to note that they needed some time to get the forces ‘inline,’ since soldiers have to be transported from other parts of the country.
“I expect by the end of the day we will see a visible presence of the security forces on the East Coast and in the communities. We have to ensure that this atmosphere of fear on the East Coast disappears.”
Quite a few residents, he noted, have reported that the police did not arrive on time. The residents said that the police took more than an hour to arrive after repeated calls were made to them.
“They said that when they called several stations, they did not get a receptive ear. The Commissioner of Police will fully investigate this, and I assure you that action will be taken if we find this to be true,” the President said.
According to the Head of State, there has been a substantial increase in the resources to police stations and “they have to respond in people's time of need.”
“As I said before, the motive was to spread terror on the East Coast, and they have succeeded to some extent, because there is a significant amount of fear among the people.”
President Jagdeo said that the army has failed to capture these criminals earlier because of the ‘lack of will’ among some of the members.
“I felt that in an earlier period there was a ‘lack of will’… the problem is that they kept saying that it’s the intelligence because some of the people they are hunting for (are) maybe passing them on the road.”
He said that he is not happy that, years after the army entered that village, the soldiers are still unable to catch the criminals.
He added that caution needs to be taken at a national level in order for this not to succeed, “Because it could be exploited by the criminals and others to spread ethnic tension, and I want to urge every Guyanese to ensure that the act of a few criminals not to be interpreted anyway along ethnic lines.”
All the country, the Head of State said, should be supportive of the efforts of the security forces to hunt the criminals down.
“I hope that we would not have ambiguous statements coming out from the leaders of the society....Some of them are still insisting that Buxton does not have criminals hiding out there, in face of all the evidence to the contrary.”
Speaking about the blockages along the roadways, he said that he understands the anger and concerns of the people, but urged those protesting not to disadvantage others, because there are a number of people using the roadways.
He noted that since the issue of the release of the weapons from the army came out, (to the Ministry of National Development some time in the 1970’s) and because some of those weapons have recently been found with the criminals, it is believed that the recent acts are designed to ‘take the focus away from that investigation.”

EU, US, UK and Canada condemn Lusignan killings…
… stands ready to assist Guyana, urge restraint

In a joint statement yesterday, members of the diplomatic community strongly condemned the killings of several Lusignan residents yesterday morning, and warned its citizens living in Guyana to be on alert.
Fielding questions from media operatives at the Grand Coastal Inn at Le Ressouvenir, United States Ambassador to Guyana David Robinson warned that, while emotions are running high, there should be some level of confidence in the country’s security forces. Citizens should refrain from “vigilanteeism” and should not consider any revenge in the form of extra-judicial activity," he added.
As of yesterday afternoon, Guyana had not requested any help from the diplomatic community.
Also present at the reading of the statement yesterday were British High Commissioner Fraser Wheeler, Ambassador of the European Commission Geert Heikens, and Marc Mostovic, Charge d’Affaires of the Canadian High Commission.
“Like all citizens and residents of Guyana, we are appalled at the brutal murder of innocent people, including children, in Lusignan early this morning. Our deepest sympathy lies with the families of the victims, and we hope the perpetrators of this atrocity are brought to justice quickly,” the officials said in the joint statement.
Warning that any untoward actions may undermine recent progress in Guyana, the ambassadors also noted that emotions are running high at this time.

10 OUT OF 11 PERSONS

“As your friends and partners, we remain steadfast in our support and are optimistic that this is a challenge that Guyana will overcome.”
According to the British High Commissioner, his country is working closely with Guyana to increase its capacity to respond quickly and at the same time boost the country’s intelligence gathering ability.
A quick-response special anti-crime unit will, in this regard, be boosted with bullet-proof vests and other critical equipment for its operation room.
Responding to a question on how America would have responded, Robinson said his people would have been partly angered and determined not to allow it to happen again. He noted that an intensive investigation would have been launched, resulting in the criminals being prosecuted to the full extent of the law.
The Canadian diplomat, Mostovic, urged Guyanese not to allow the incidents to undermine this country’s development.
Describing the killings as an “awful” event, Heikens, in expressing the sympathy of the EU, noted that the current political dialogue with Guyana should be brought forward to the front burner of discussions. He urged Guyana to be on the watch.

Pic filed as diplomat in server len
Heads of Missions at yesterday's press conference on the Lusignan killings. From left are EU’s Geert Heikens, Britain’s Fraser Wheeler, US Ambassador David Robinson and Canada’s Marc Mostovic.

 Violence flourishes in an environment of injustice
and hubris"- Mayor Green

In the wake of the Lusignan tragedy yesterday, Mayor Hamilton Green is calling on all leaders -- religious, civil and political -- to sit together and help create conditions that will avoid such happenings, and bequeath to Guyana's children a harmonious society of tolerance, justice and decency, supported by high moral and spiritual values.
"With great anguish, I received information this morning (yesterday) of the loss of lives at Lusignan.
This came in the wake of recent killings in the Buxton community, a once quiet and stable society.
"I offer, on behalf of my family, Councillors and Citizens of Georgetown, profound regrets and sympathy to the sorrowing families, relatives and community.
"As we sympathize, all responsible leaders must pause and, together, analyze the genesis and motive force which allows such a tragedy to take place in our society.
"Unless we recognize that, historically, violence flourishes and sometimes is justified if there exists an environment of injustice and hubris".

Lusignan shooting shocks and distresses PNCR

Leader of the People’s National Congress Reform, Robert Corbin, has expressed shock and dismay at the tragedy which occurred at Lusignan early yesterday morning. “We condemn the wanton murder of innocent citizens of that village, particularly the young people in their homes. Equally, we condemn the shooting which occurred at the Police headquarters.”
Mr Corbin said that these incidents reflect the fragile security situation in the country, which requires leadership and innovative approaches to bring to an acceptable level. “The nature of this incident carried out by unknown and reckless gunmen seriously affect stability and race relations in…We urge all our citizens not to allow the perpetrators of these acts to achieve their objectives.
“We urge the Government, and particularly the President, to act and speak responsibly at this time. We urge all leaders to exert their energies to promote peace.
“More importantly, we urge the government to fulfill its constitutional mandate to guarantee the security of our citizens on the East Coast, which is the only way to begin the journey to normalcy.” Corbin said.

Injured farmer recounts ordeal during Lusignan massacre
-son dies at the hands of the criminals

Forty-eight-year-old Nadir Mohamed, of Lot 26, Track ‘A,’ Lusignan, East Coast Demerara, recounted his ordeal yesterday after he was shot by gunmen who massacred 11 other residents in the village and injured several others.
Speaking from his bed at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC), Mohamed related that at around 02: 30 hrs he was awakened from his slumber by loud continuous gunshot sounds, which seemed to be coming from various parts of the village.
He said that his wife, Bibi, used her body to shield her ten-year-old son and twenty-year-old daughter as bullets seemed to be flying from everywhere.
Mohammed said gunmen were outside his home shouting, “Open the door! Open the door,” bursting into obscenities when the family refused. Nadir, his wife Bibi, ten and twenty-year-old sons Shazad and Shazon, and twenty-year-old daughter Nazera Khan were in the home at the time.
He said his son Shazon, on hearing his car alarm going off, went to peep through a crease in the wall when he was hit in the head by a bullet that tore its way through the wall. He said his son fell on the kitchen floor in a pool of blood. He died soon after.
The farmer said that though seized by the anguish of what was happening before his eyes, he was sitting motionless on his bed when another bullet, coming through the walls, tore into his left calf, exiting and ploughing through his right foot beneath his knee.
Between painful grimaces, Nadir related that his daughter peeped through a crease some time after and passed on that she saw several men ‘with very large guns’ milling around in the village. Nadir said that the men moved from home to home shooting children and the elderly.
The farmer reported that as the massacre continued gunshots could be heard coming from the direction of the nearby village of Buxton.
He said that he is fearful for the lives of his family and self, and hopes dearly that the relevant authorities would properly investigate the slaughter and bring those responsible to justice.
(Alex Wayne)

$30M reward for ‘Fine Man’ capture

The reward for information leading to the arrest or capture of Rondell Rawlins, called ‘Fine Man,’ has jumped to $30M. Up until yesterday, the offer stood at $5M.
Rawlins, of Buxton, East Coast Demerara, and Agricola, East Bank Demerara, is wanted by the police for a series of murders and robberies under arms.
It is said that he is responsible for last evening’s massacre at Lusignan, which left 11 people dead. 
Anyone with information that may lead to his arrest is asked to contact the police on telephone numbers: 225-6411, 226-6978, 225-8196, 226-1326, 225-2227, 225-3650, 225-7625, or 911, or the nearest police station.
In a released issued by the police, it is stated that all information will be treated with strict confidence.

Dead soldier’s AK-47 missing

Another AK-47 rifle has gone missing, and this time, reports say, the weapon belonged to dead GDF Corporal Ivor Williams.
Williams was killed on Wednesday night after a Guyana Defence Force pickup came under attack in Buxton, and it is now believed that the weapon is in the hands of criminals.
Army sources confirmed that following the retrieval of Williams's body, his gun is still to be found, although a magazine believed to have belonged to the weapon has been recovered.
The GDF has remained silent on this latest news, and it was clearly overshadowed by yesterday’s horrific massacre of 11 persons, among them five children, at Lusignan, East Coast Demerara.
Williams, 24, was killed while a colleague, 18-year-old Colwyn Torrington, of Agricola, sustained bullet wounds to his chest, right arm and right leg.
In the ensuing confusion, with soldiers more concerned with retrieving their wounded colleagues, it was reported that Williams’s gun disappeared.
With the AK-47 being a weapon of choice for criminals and the army still under fire for 33 such guns that disappeared two years ago, and another one in November, the army will definitely find the going tough with answers to be given.
Several calls to the Public Relations Department of the GDF headquarters at Camp Ayanganna yesterday went unanswered.

Mothers’ Union AGM tomorrow

Under the theme, ‘Time for Relationships’, the Mothers’ Union in Guyana will be hosting its Annual General Meeting, tomorrow and Tuesday, at Hotel Tower.
This year marks 82 years of the organization’s existence here.
At the end of the two-day session, there will be a launching of a ‘Medical Assistance Fund.’
This fund is set up to help persons who are in need of medical assistance but cannot afford the cost.
At the event also, there will be the presentation of the president’s report, reports from regional officers along with financial reports.
Former Head Mistress of the Bishops’ High School, Rev. Maureen Massiah will be the guest speaker at the event.
Development of branches and plans for the year ahead will also be discussed.
A Thanksgiving Service will follow the meeting at the St. George’s Cathedral where the Bishop of Guyana and Patron of the Mothers’ Union, the Right Reverend, Randolph George, will be the chief Celebrant and Preacher.
Over 200 delegates from the coast and hinterland areas are expected to join Diocesan President, Mrs. Sheran Harper and Executive members of the Mothers’ Union in what is anticipated to be a highly interactive exercise.
The Mothers’ Union is an organization with a membership of 3.6 million Christian women in 77 countries worldwide.
Filled with the awe at the enormous responsibility, which motherhood brings, Mary Summer established the first Mothers’ Union branch in England in 1876.
Since then the work of the organization has evolved from just advancing Christian service in the sphere of marriage and family life into a lobby and advocacy mechanism that effects societal changes world wide.
It is now a global voice that influences leaders to implement policies and programmes that result in the alleviation of poverty and the improvement in family welfare.
The Christian service of the Mothers’ Union started in Guyana in 1926 and today boasts a membership of over 2,000 Christian women in 86 branches along the coast and in the interior areas of the country.
Operating as a social entrepreneur, the Mothers’ Union, Diocese of Guyana combines creativity, business discipline and determination to address social issues. It conducts several Outreach Projects which include HIV/AIDS awareness and counseling skills workshops; women and youth empowerment programmes in craft, cookery, fabric decoration, computer technology and other life skills. The latter project is geared towards honing the skills of the participants and enhancing their capacity to operate sustainable enterprises.

Additionally, the organization operates two Daycare Centers – one at Robb Street, Bourda and the other at Lance Gibbs and Oronoque Streets, Queenstown - which cater mainly for children of low income and single-parent households.
Several branches of the organization are also involved in the conduct of a number of initiatives.
These include: School Feeding, Literacy Development and Parenting Programmes. The parenting programme contributes to stability in family life and fosters good relationships at the community and national levels.
It is imperative to note that although the Mothers’ Union is an organization in the Anglican Diocese, the outreach programmes cater for the needs of all community members, regardless of their religious persuasion.
The programmes also encourage the involvement of unmarried mothers.

Mon Repos resident suffers end stage renal failure
…kidney transplant the only option – doctors

The relatives of 36-year-old Nalini Shivram are appealing to the public for assistance in a desperate bid to preserve her life.
Shivram, who resides at 65 Mon Repos, East Coast Demerara, currently exists on costly dialysis treatment due to her failing kidneys.
Shivram told Kaieteur News on Thursday that she was diagnosed with kidney failure a few years ago.
However, she was of the view that her condition did not warrant medical attention as she assumed she was in fairly good health.
Then in 2005, she began experiencing pains and was admitted to hospital for dialysis treatment.
The woman said that late last year, she became very ill. Her condition worsened.
Doctors later revealed to Shivram that she needed a donor to undergo a kidney transplant in India.
She pointed out that the procedure is estimated to cost at least US$36,000.
“I don’t have that kind of money. My husband has volunteered to be my donor, but I do not work and the little money I have is being spent on dialysis,” Shivram lamented.
The ailing woman noted that she has penned a letter to the Indian hospital to find out the exact cost of the operation. She has not yet received a response as yet.
According to Shivram’s doctors, she has chronic kidney disease and end stage renal failure.
In order to save her life, Shivram must undergo replacement treatment with haemodialysis since she cannot withstand the cost of long-term dialysis.
Shivram explained that she is forced to have two treatments per week, each costing $36,000.
She added that on weekends, patients are required to pay an additional $10,000, a charge that also applies to the tardy.
According to her, the injections are also $3,300 each and these charges are placing a strain on her pocket.
Former First Lady, Varshnie Singh, of Kids First Fund, has pledged to provide Shivram with US$1,000.
Meanwhile, an account (0110030591) has been opened at Guyana Bank for Trade and Industry (GBTI) for interested businesses or individuals to assist Shivram with her challenging circumstances.

Education reform measures endorsed by Cabinet
Dr Luncheon

The modification of the professional management structure of the Ministry of Education is among the measures which were endorsed by Cabinet to aid plans to reform the sector.
According to Cabinet Secretary Dr Roger Luncheon Minister of Education Shaik Baksh had brought forward three measures to aid the reformation process for cabinet’s consideration.
Dr Luncheon pointed out that the measures were based on the sector strategy discussion flowing from the recommendations that were adopted subsequent to the 2007 cabinet retreat and feedback from ongoing public consultations.
The first measure, the Cabinet Secretary said, dealt with Tech-Voc education which laid the ground work for the administration refocus on the introduction of Tech-Voc at the secondary school level.
Additionally, national skills were recognised and regional certification was endorsed as an overarching feature, Dr Luncheon added.
As a result, he noted that resources were identified for the phases to be implemented in pilot schools in most of the administrative regions.
The Minister further unveiled details of a nation wide campaign on literacy and its many elements including the recruitment of staff and specific components addressing distance learning, enhancing library access and remedial work.
Also a monitoring, evaluation, and measurement mechanism was also proposed as part of the nationwide programme to address illiteracy.
But to competently effect this phase, Dr Luncheon said that the Minister disclosed that the modification of the professional management structure in the Ministry was necessary through the creation of two highly focused units.
The units namely the monitoring, evaluation and research development, were used to absorb the old school inspectorate and the policy implementation monitoring unit that looked at the strategic targets set.
A strong focus was also placed on decentralisation that included resourcing and empowering regional and administrative bodies to ensure that there was consistent attention at the central ministry’s level on compliance.
In all three measures, Dr Luncheon said that the Minister pledged to continue consultation to promote and review implementations and provide reports to cabinet.
As such he noted that the proposals were strongly supported by Cabinet which endorsed the measures while recognising that considerable additional funding would be required for their implementation.

Forty-one rewarded in GSL ‘Shop and Win’ final draw

The names of 41 lucky persons who entered the Guyana Stores Limited ‘Shop and Win” Christmas promotion were chosen on Friday, as the final drawing for the competition was held. The competition, which begun on December 1 last has seen three weekly drawing where customers won gift vouchers.
At Friday’s drawing, coupons bearing the name Chadrouwatti Lourie, Mertle Giddings and Walima Ali, were drawn. These customers after verification will each receive one LG double door refrigerator. Denise Jeffery and Andrew Sukra whose names were also drawn will each received one 27-inch Sharp television set each. Also Rachael Welcome, Elsha Jacobs and Zalena Hack each won a 21-inch television set.
The other names that were drawn are Vijanttie Persaud, V Hearte, Rameshwar Ouditram, Clarice John and Sherriana Norton. These persons will each receive one microwave each.
Also, too, the names of 24 other persons were drawn; they will each receive consolation prizes of radio cassette players, mug and glass sets and Hawkins pressure cookers.
According to Operation Managers of Guyana Stores Limited, Francis Canzius, the winners of the promotion will be presented with their prizes at a later date since their accounts with the store still have to be verified. 
Meanwhile, customers who made a purchase over $3000 during the month of December and through January were given coupons to enter the competition. The competition was opened to customers who made purchases at all Guyana Stores location countrywide.

Rising food prices

COTED fails to agree on way forward

The rising cost of living in the region proved to be the most contentious issue at the 25th Council for Trade and Economic Development (COTED) meeting, which concluded late Friday evening at the Buddy’s International Hotel.
The participants failed to reach an agreement on whether the Common External Tariff (CET) tax should be removed from several key commodities.
The removal of the tax will most likely result in the lowering of prices of commodities, but the contention arose out of the fact that several CARICOM countries rely heavily on the revenue earned from the CET.
CARICOM heads, in December last, at a special summit held in Guyana, had agreed that a technical team would review commodities that have “significant weight in the Consumer Price Index, and which attract   the CET.”
COTED was then slated to make a decision on the reduction or removal of the CET from these commodities as early as January 31.
CARICOM Secretary-General Dr Edwin Carrington told media operatives that the meeting was also used as a forum to brief CARICOM on the recently launched Competition Commission and, more importantly, the two outstanding issues resulting from the launch.
One such issue was that of the budget, given that some four countries have still not yet paid their dues, and the legislation that would allow the regional body to operate within the national confines have not yet been implemented.
On the question of the operation of the Single Market, the Assistant Secretary-General, Irwin Larocque, said that there was a decision to move to a different method of coding the tariff, and member states are in the process of conducting that exercise.
He noted that the issue of the relevant legislation for CSME was also addressed.
Another key issue addressed, according to Carrington, surrounded external trade and economic relations, particularly the preparations for negotiation with Canada now that the EPA with the EU has been concluded.
He emphasized that there was a lot of discussion surrounding the lessons learnt from the EPA before any new negotiations were entered into. “Council decided very clearly that we cannot enter into any other external trade negotiations before we have drawn the lessons from the last one and really prepare.”
He added that the United States has also invited CARICOM to meet with their Ways and Means Committee to discuss issues surrounding Caribbean trade and economic development.

A prayer for the slain

Leaders of the religious community offered prayers for those who died in the bloodbath in the village of Lusignan, East Coast Demerara yesterday. Shortly after, these leaders left on a peace mission to the affected community to empathise with the people of the community and to seek to quell the protests that erupted following the shooting.

Mon Repos resident threatens legal action against GPL for exorbitant bill
-- GPL claims it can back bill up to one year.
, ‘Not so’, says consumer activists

A Mon Repos resident is threatening to take legal action against Guyana Power and Light Co. (GPL) since, according to him, the company disconnected his flow of electricity some time last year because of his failure to pay a bill that amounted to almost half a million dollars.
According to the resident, Shobaram Harilall, of 14 Martyrsville, Mon Repos, East Coast Demerara, his problems with the power company started soon after two of his children migrated last year.
Harilall, who resides with his wife, Lynette Persaud, explained that prior to his children’s departure, his electricity bill would amount to approximately $15,000 a month.
However, a few months after the children left, Harilall said, his electricity bill dropped to around $9,000.
The decrease in Harilall’s bill was also well noted by GPL since, according to the man’s wife, technical officials of the company paid a visit to their home in November, when her husband was abroad.
According to Persaud, she was at home alone when the officials came to her home and requested to inspect the electrical connections. The woman said that she allowed them to do so, but objected when they requested to do the same inside.
Persaud said that she advised the officials to return at a later date when her husband was expected to be home.
Her reaction led to the officials opting to disconnect the electricity.
Soon after his return, Harilall said, his wife and he headed down to the Main Street headquarters of the power company to query the situation.
One of the explanations given to the couple was that Persaud had the right to allow the men into the house to do an inspection.
Persaud said that she challenged that explanation since she was aware that, on several occasions, GPL officials had warned unsuspecting customers of persons posing as GPL officials.
However, about two days later, Harilall said, a team of technical officials again visited his home, this time to officially launch an investigation to determine whether there was any tampering with his electrical connection.
The team, Harilall said, was headed by an engineer who, after completing the investigation, said that he found nothing wrong. 
Nonetheless, Harilall said, he was advised by the GPL official that, in order for the electrical connection to be restored, he would have to procure an interface circuit, obtain a certificate of inspection, and pay $13,200, which would cover the reconnection fee and the cost of a new meter.
A day after complying with the advice, Harilall said, the lead investigator returned to effect the reconnection. No new meter was installed, Harilall noted.
And just when the couple thought that their troubles were over, they received an electricity bill amounting to exactly $514,467.  The amount, according to the bill, was based on an estimated consumption rate.
Harilall said that he and his wife again went down to the GPL main office to query the matter. There they were told that they should pay $47,000 which was due, and an investigation would be launched into the matter.
The man said that in order to ward off the ever efficient disconnection crew, he decided to pay the $47,000, believing that things would eventually work out, since he claims he had never even attempted to tamper with the GPL connections.
Like the first, the second investigation deduced that there was no evidence of tampering, the man added.
But, in December last year, another whopping bill for $514, 432 was despatched to Harilall’s residence.
Efforts to query the matter were met with warnings from GPL officials that if the Harilalls did not pay the bill within seven days the meter will be removed, Harilall said.
It was even before the due date of December 18 that a disconnection team descended on the Mon Repos home to again detach the electrical connection.
There was no querying the matter this time around, Harilall said, since according to him, he was told that there was nothing that could be done until be paid the full amount claimed by the power company.
But according to the man, he believes that the GPL bill was in fact based on the investigation.
It is Harilall’s belief that the investigating team observed that two of his rooms have air conditioning units and other high-end equipment and they somehow deduced that he has been able to uncover some innovative way to cheat GPL.
The man explained that he procured the equipment since he and his wife had heeded calls to set up a Bed and Breakfast for Cricket World Cup 2007.
However, since the anticipated influx of visitors was not realised, Harilall said his premises were never occupied, and thus the equipment was never used.
The man said that the intention of having the equipment was to make a profit and not to incur additional debt.
Adamant that he did not consume the exorbitant amount stated on the bill, Harilall said that he sought the assistance of several top GPL officials, even swearing to the fact that a senior official advised him that he should use the equipment, since he will still have to pay for the stated consumption.
The man said that he has since visited the Public Utilities Commission (PUC), which has written to GPL requesting that another investigation be conducted into the matter.
Harilall said that he will also be meeting with Prime Minister Sam Hinds at his Wright's Lane office tomorrow in order to state his case, even as he remains without electricity.
According to the man, he is prepared to take the matter to the highest level, even to the Caribbean Court of Justice.
However, Chief Executive Officer of the power company, Bharrat Dindyal, in an invited comment, dispelled the claims made by Harilall.
According to Dindyal, the investigations which were effected due to several reports made to GPL, in fact, proved that there was some level of tampering.
He disclosed that while some 4.8 amps of electricity were directed to the home, it was revealed that 2.9 were never used. This, he noted, resulted in only 200 units being recorded by the meter when a maximum of 600 units should have showed up.
Reiterating Dindyal’s claims, Public Relations Officer Marjorie Chester added that there was a difference in the reading on the line side as against that of the load side, which unquestionably suggested tampering.
According to Dindyal, the power company is faced with a culture of “electricity theft,” which it has been forced to battle with over the years.
He pointed out that often, when persons are caught tampering, they resort to fighting the amount they are being back billed for rather than the fact that they were caught stealing.
He divulged, too, that Harilall’s bill is reflective of the backdated amount for one year. According to the GPL official, the company, based on its own rules, has the authority to back date customers up to one year.
But this GPL rule is in direct contradiction to the Electricity Sector Reform Act of 1999, which dictates that the power company can only backdate customers’ payments up to three months, according to Consumer Affairs activist Wilfred Eleazar.
Eleazar alluded to the 2005 ruling of Justice Desiree Bernard in the High Court which prevented GPL from backdating the payments of four companies, stating that GPL was trying to do something irregular.
The Guyana Bank for Trade and Industry (GBTI) and Texaco West Indies Limited, through the PUC, had ensued the court battle against GPL and won.
As a result, Eleazar mooted, the power company, according to law, has no authority to force a customer to pay a bill which is backdated for a year, even if he or she was caught tampering.

Bandits rob US-based Guyanese
US passport, jewelry and cash stolen

US-based Guyanese William Smith and an associate were terrorized and robbed on Wednesday night by three gun-wielding bandits, who carted over jewelry, a cellular phone and cash amounting to over $345,000.
Smith’s US passport, clothing, and wallet containing US$10, GY$2000 and US credit cards and other documents were also stolen by the bandits.
Recounting the incident, Smith said that at around 19:30 hrs on Wednesday, he was in a conversation with an associate, Colin Baptiste, when the bandits struck.
He said that he and Baptiste were in the bottom flat dining area of a house where he is staying in Campbellville when the gunmen pushed open the unlocked door and entered.
Brandishing guns, the men forced the occupants of the house to lie on their backs as they demanded cash and jewellery.
Smith said that the men took a bag containing linen and placed it over Baptiste’s face while they used a crash helmet to cover his.
The bandits relieved Smith of a gold ring, valued at US$500, and a bracelet while he was lying on the floor. They took from Baptiste a gold chain, valued at $40,000, a cellular phone, valued at $11 500, a pair of gold earrings valued at $10 000 and $11 500 in local currency.
Smith said his gate was not padlocked, as was the custom, since a few visitors had just left their company.
While one of the men guarded Baptiste, the others took Smith to the upper flat and forced him into a bedroom, where they again demanded his passport and cash. He said that as he fumbled with the keys to his wardrobe, the impatient bandits pushed him aside and roughly pried open the locks as they began rummaging through his belongings.
The still traumatized man said the men took clothing, US$600 and $20,000 local currency from the wardrobe. The gunmen also demanded and took away his US passport.
Smith said they continued tumbling items in the bedroom, and made off with a locked suitcase containing his personal belongings, before running from the home. Smith said the men locked him in his bathroom before running from the building.
Eyewitnesses said the men entered a silver grey car parked nearby and drove off with a squeal of tyres.
Smith and Baptiste are of the view that the robbery was staged by persons who knew about his activities since the men seemed to know a lot about his operations.
Smith, who visits Guyana once yearly, related that he would come for a short vacation and would bring a large number of parcels and cash, to be delivered to various locals.
Neighbours seemed to be aware of the robbery only when they noticed the men running from the building with clothing and the suitcase belonging to Smith.
The matter was reported to the police, who are executing investigations. According to sources, one man has been held for questioning in relation to the robbery.