https://kiskadeewatch.com/sports/football/eight-schools-chase-republic-bank-title-and-kfc-goodwill-berth/
Eight schools chase Republic Bank title and KFC Goodwill berth
Eight schools will battle for the Republic Bank Schools Football League title and one qualifying spot in December’s KFC International Goodwill Tournament when the competition begins on October 18 at the Ministry of Education Ground.
Organised by the Petra Organisation, the league was launched yesterday, at Republic Bank’s head office on New Market Street in Georgetown. The competition will run until November 29, with matches starting from noon at the Carifesta Avenue venue.
Defending league champions Chase Academic Foundation will compete alongside Santa Rosa Secondary, Three Miles Secondary, New Amsterdam Secondary, Annandale Secondary, Charlestown Secondary, West Ruimveldt Secondary and St. Joseph High School.
The league winners will earn the available KFC Goodwill berth. However, Chase are already assured of entry as defending champions of the international competition. If they also retain the Republic Bank league title, the qualifying place will pass to the runners-up.
Chase set a strong standard in 2025, winning all seven league matches to finish with a maximum 21 points. West Ruimveldt Secondary finished second.
The champions completed their campaign with a 3–0 victory over Dolphin Secondary, with Isaiah Ifill, Bryan Wharton and Shaquan David scoring in their final fixture.
Yesterday’s launch programme included a tournament review by Petra Co-Director Troy Mendonca and sponsor’s remarks by Republic Bank Managing Director Dr. Toussant Boyce. Ministry of Education Unit of Allied Arts Administrator Nicholas Fraser and Member of Parliament and Director of Youth Suresh Singh also delivered words of encouragement.
The competition is sanctioned by the Ministry of Education and backed by Republic Bank through its Power to Make a Difference programme. Additional support comes from the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport, MVP Sports, Yellow Steel Inc., Guyana Beverages Inc. and Busta.
Source: Kiskadee Watch
Security guard shot dead at Sussex St supermarket
https://kiskadeewatch.com/guyana/security-guard-shot-dead-at-sussex-st-supermarket/
Security guard shot dead at Sussex St supermarket
A 37-year-old security guard was shot dead by a masked gunman at Linda Supermarket on Sussex Street, Charlestown, yesterday afternoon, according to police reports.
Esan Rose, of Lot 11 Laing Avenue, was on duty at the supermarket at Lot 12 Sussex Street when he was attacked at around 3.05 pm. He was employed by CMC Security Service.
According to police reports, Rose was standing about five feet from the supermarket’s southern entrance when the gunman approached him. The suspect had arrived as the pillion rider on a red-and-white XR motorcycle, whose registration number is currently unknown.
After the suspect dismounted, the motorcycle rider left in an easterly direction along Sussex Street.
Police said the suspect, who was wearing a surgical mask and carrying a handgun, fired twice in Rose’s direction. One bullet struck the guard in the chest, causing him to collapse.
The gunman then ran from the supermarket, heading west along Sussex Street before turning north onto Charles Street.
Emergency medical personnel were summoned and Rose was pronounced dead by Dr Harikissoon of the Georgetown Public Hospital.
Police said Rose’s service pistol was found on the ground beside him, with nine live 9mm rounds in its magazine. Investigators also recovered a .32 spent shell and two live .32 rounds from the scene. The firearms and ammunition were lodged.
The shooting was captured by the supermarket’s CCTV cameras and the footage was extracted. Police were also reviewing other cameras in the area and footage available through the Command Centre as they sought to locate the gunman, the motorcycle and its rider.
Several persons were questioned and Rose’s body was taken to Memorial Gardens Funeral Home to await a post-mortem examination.
Speaking to the media, Rose’s stepson, Daniel, said he was struggling to come to terms with the killing.
He described Rose as the household’s main breadwinner, who rose at 6 am each day, helped his wife with chores and took him to work before heading to his own job. His mother similarly assisted a younger brother.
Daniel said he and his sister, the eldest children, also tried to contribute, but it was his mother and Rose who principally supported the household.
“When he is working mommy will be home with the kids or she would go and do her lil fine contract with the government…” he said.
Rose’s wife, Velincia Rose, was inconsolable as she spoke about her husband’s death and the loss of the family’s main provider.
“I can’t believe he is gone, best he did stay home and I would go out and do me thing, now me bread winner gone, now I gah come back out on the road,” she said through tears.
She also expressed concern about the conditions under which he worked. She said he had been required on several occasions to deal with dissatisfied customers on his employers’ behalf and that she had urged him to obtain a bulletproof vest.
Police investigations are continuing.
Rose’s killing is the latest involving guards at supermarkets.
Discussion
Source: Kiskadee Watch
Meadowbrook Gardens residents demand suspension of GPL’s transmission line works
https://kiskadeewatch.com/guyana/meadowbrook-gardens-residents-demand-suspension-of-gpls-transmission-line-works/
Meadowbrook Gardens residents demand suspension of GPL’s transmission line works
The Meadowbrook Gardens Community Group has called for the immediate suspension of electricity transmission line works through the residential community, saying construction has resumed despite a commitment by project representatives to halt activities along a disputed section.
In a statement issued yesterday, the group said residents had been requesting meaningful consultation since February over the proposed alignment, its proximity to homes, potential health and safety implications and the availability of alternative routes.
Despite those requests, it said, fundamental questions remained unanswered while construction proceeded.
The group called on the Guyana Power and Light Inc (GPL), the relevant project authorities and responsible government agencies to suspend the disputed works pending consultation, disclosure of relevant assessments and proper consideration of residents’ concerns.
It also demanded a written explanation for the resumption of construction following what it described as a commitment at a recent community meeting to halt work along that section.
Residents had understood the undertaking would provide an opportunity for further engagement and consideration of the issues raised. The resumption of work without satisfactory answers or a clear explanation had seriously undermined confidence in the consultation process, the group said.
“What is the purpose of consultation if legitimate questions remain unanswered, commitments are disregarded, and construction proceeds regardless of residents’ objections?” it asked.
The statement did not identify the project representatives who made the commitment or give the date of the meeting.
Questions over route
According to the group, residents formally sought consultation as early as February after learning that the proposed transmission alignment would affect Meadowbrook Gardens.
They questioned why the lines, previously proposed for another community where objections had been raised, were subsequently redirected towards their neighbourhood.
“Why was our residential community selected following objections from another community? What technical, environmental or safety considerations justified this decision?” the group asked.
It called for disclosure of the justification for the change, including the reasons for moving the route towards Meadowbrook Gardens.
Residents also identified reserves bordering the community which, they said, might offer an alternative to routing major transmission infrastructure through an established residential area.
The group requested a detailed technical explanation of why those reserves had not been utilised, together with an assessment of their feasibility as alternative transmission corridors.
It said residents had received neither satisfactory explanations nor supporting documents addressing the alleged rerouting and the proposed alternatives.
The group expressed concern that decisions affecting residents’ homes and daily lives were being implemented without sufficient transparency or consideration of their objections.
Safety and use of properties
Meadowbrook Gardens is an established community where children play outdoors, families gather on their lawns and residents hold community activities, the statement said.
“These are not vacant or unused spaces. They are essential parts of our homes, neighbourhood and daily lives.”
Based on the information presently available to residents, the group said, the proposed lines might pass within a few feet of homes and areas used by road users.
Its concerns include possible electrical hazards, the proximity of infrastructure to residential properties, restrictions on the use and enjoyment of homes and the implications of long-term exposure to electromagnetic fields.
The group cited the International Agency for Research on Cancer’s classification of extremely low-frequency magnetic fields as Group 2B, or possibly carcinogenic to humans. It noted that the classification was based primarily on epidemiological studies showing an association between elevated residential magnetic-field exposure and childhood leukaemia.
The group said that where reasonable alternatives existed, potential risks and unnecessary proximity to homes should be evaluated rather than dismissed.
It requested disclosure of the relevant environmental, health, engineering and safety assessments, including proposed clearances from homes, roads and public spaces, applicable safety standards, electromagnetic-field exposure assessments and any required environmental authorisations.
Independent review sought
The group also called for an independent technical and environmental review of the disputed alignment. This should include an objective comparison of alternative routes that could reduce potential impacts on residential properties and community spaces, it said.
It sought urgent intervention by the Environmental Protection Agency and other oversight authorities to examine whether the alignment and associated works had undergone appropriate environmental review, regulatory authorisation and public consultation.
A further meeting should be convened with community representatives, project decision-makers and qualified technical personnel, with all outstanding questions addressed before construction resumes along the disputed route, the group added.
“Meaningful consultation cannot simply be an exercise in informing residents of decisions already made. It must involve genuine engagement, access to relevant information, consideration of alternatives and accountability for commitments communicated to affected communities,” it said.
The statement acknowledged the importance of modernising electricity infrastructure and strengthening the national power supply, but said development must respect established communities and prioritise public safety.
“Our position has remained consistent: we are not opposed to electricity infrastructure development. We object to the disputed alignment through our residential community and the apparent failure to adequately consider safer or less intrusive alternatives.”
The group said the absence of an explanation for rejecting the bordering reserves was particularly concerning, given the proposed proximity of the lines to homes and frequently used community spaces.
The group added that residents had spent months attempting to engage constructively, requesting consultation and identifying alternatives.
They were entitled to know why their residential streets had been selected, why alternative corridors had not been adequately considered and what measures would protect public safety and residential wellbeing, it said.
“A commitment made to a community must carry meaning and accountability.”
The group said it remained willing to pursue a responsible resolution but would continue advocating for residents and for transparency and meaningful public participation in national development.
“Our homes are not simply points on an engineering drawing. They are where our families live, our children grow and our community thrives,” it said.
Discussion
Source: Kiskadee Watch
32 years later, UK woman raises £20,000 to help Guyanese saviour retire
https://kiskadeewatch.com/features/32-years-later-uk-woman-raises-20000-to-help-guyanese-saviour-retire/
32 years later, UK woman raises £20,000 to help Guyanese saviour retire
A woman who was found abandoned in a London telephone box as a newborn has raised approximately £20,000 to help the Guyanese man who rescued her retire, saying he has become the father she had longed for.
Joe Campbell, now a bus driver, and April Jones returned to ITV’s Good Morning Britain on October 5, ten years after their reunion, to discuss their relationship. Both became emotional during the interview, particularly April as she described the fatherly care Campbell had given her and her wish to help him retire.
“He’s been my rock. He doesn’t let me struggle. He doesn’t let me suffer,” April told the programme. “He filled that whole void that I’ve had of not having parents, not having my mum, not having my dad.”
April said she launched her 2016 appeal hoping to find both Campbell and her birth mother, but had doubted that the man who rescued her would remember her.
Campbell responded within 24 hours.
Reflecting on her childhood, April said a life-story book she received when she was eight had introduced her to the man who had found her and continued asking about her welfare.
The book described someone who cared deeply about her and sent gifts, money and cards. That account stayed with her.
Campbell told the programme that he had wanted to take care of the baby himself. He was single and working in the civil service at the time, and said the authorities refused his request to keep her.
He was permitted to see her once afterwards, when a photograph was taken of him holding her, but subsequent requests for visits were declined.
“But I never stopped thinking about her,” he said. “I always wondered where she was and how she was doing.”
The opportunity to reconnect came in 2016 when a colleague placed a copy of the Metro newspaper on Campbell’s desk and pointed out an article about a woman searching for her rescuer.
Campbell said some details in the report, including his origins, were incorrect. However, he recognised the photograph accompanying the appeal because he had kept a copy of it.
He called his daughter Rihanna and told her he believed he had found April.
Although he had since had children of his own, Campbell said he had always told them about the baby he found.
“You’ve got a sister. She may not be biologically yours, but she is your sister,” he recalled telling them.
April said the relationship felt natural from their first embrace. She now regards Campbell’s children as her siblings, and they spend time together regularly.
“We are family. We feel like family,” she said.
Known as Kiran Sheikh when the reunion was reported in 2016, she told the programme that she changed her name back to April on her birthday this year as a surprise for Campbell, who had called her April from the beginning.
Her latest effort is to help him stop working following two knee replacements.
April said she decided to act after Campbell came to her home for a family dinner shortly after an operation, despite her intention to send food to him so that he could recover at home.
Seeing him limping and in pain prompted her to begin raising money. She said approximately £20,000 had been donated by the time of the interview, and Campbell had only learned about the effort a few days earlier.
“He provides for everyone, does everything for everyone, and I really want to try and do something back,” she said.
Campbell thanked her, but described himself as an ordinary person trying to do his best.
“Every child born has a right to have love bestowed upon them,” he said, expressing regret that he had not been able to raise April.
Recalling the night he found her, Campbell said he had returned to the telephone box because his father, who was in Guyana at the time, had not been home during his earlier call and he wanted to ensure both parents were well.
He initially mistook the baby for discarded wrapping near the telephone box, which stood beside a community centre.
Campbell clarified that April was wearing a babygrow rather than wrapped in a blanket. He remembered the April morning as unusually warm.
“So I take it divine intervention of some sort kept her alive,” he said.
Discussion
Source: Kiskadee Watch
Daughter of missing MV Barima passenger tells CoI she has no confidence in probe
https://kiskadeewatch.com/guyana/daughter-of-missing-mv-barima-passenger-tells-coi-she-has-no-confidence-in-probe/
Daughter of missing MV Barima passenger tells CoI she has no confidence in probe
—says family still awaiting promised support
Dolly Cox, whose father remains missing following the MV Barima tragedy, on Wednesday told commissioners investigating the disaster that she had no confidence in the inquiry and that her family was still awaiting promised government assistance.
“I’m here to say that I do not trust y’all. I keep hearing promises and all are empty promises,” an anguished Cox said.
Her remarks came during an interactive meeting with relatives of victims at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre, Liliendaal. Kiskadee Watch reported that families pressed commissioners for answers about the recovery of the vessel and those still missing following the July 18 sinking.
Cox said she was the last person her father spoke with before the tragedy. She described him as a devoted father, a skilled mechanic and the family’s breadwinner.
According to Cox, her father was Port Kaituma’s only outboard-engine mechanic and had travelled aboard the vessel with plans to establish a business for her. He had also been constructing homes for his children.
She said his disappearance had left the family struggling financially. Her mother, who is ill and had not worked since meeting him, had been forced to seek employment.
“My father was the breadwinner and they did not help, nothing. My mother had to start working and she is sick. My father left four children in school that can’t go to school every day,” she said.
Cox told commissioners that government representatives had promised assistance for her mother, but the family had received none. They were also asked to submit a list of building materials needed for the homes her father had been constructing, she said.
“They told us to send a list of material that we need, and still we didn’t get no reply. They are not doing anything. And I don’t think y’all would do anything either.”
Cox said explaining her father’s absence to her younger siblings had been particularly painful.
“My sisters are here asking questions because they don’t really understand. What am I going to tell them? What should I say to my four-year-old sister? Daddy still in the sea?”
Without his remains, she said, the family had no gravesite at which to mourn.
“Even if we want to carry flowers, we got to go to the seaside and drop the flowers in the sea,” she said. “That’s how we got to grieve our father.”
The continued wait for the vessel to be raised was a central concern at Wednesday’s meeting. Kiskadee Watch reported that Royston Frank, whose son Rawle was a crew member, urged that its recovery be prioritised to secure evidence needed for the investigation.
Commissioner Dr Andrzej Jasionowski disclosed that BK International had been selected for the salvage operation and said preparations could take another week or two. Commissioners stressed that careful planning was necessary to avoid damaging the vessel and compromising evidence. They also explained that awarding the salvage contract was outside their authority and that other investigative work would continue while recovery was pending
Cox also recounted experiences aboard the MV Barima which she believed should have prompted concerns about its safety.
She said a fire had broken out in the engine room during one voyage, but the vessel was subsequently allowed to continue operating. On another occasion, she said, an engine failure left the vessel drifting for three days before assistance arrived.
Kiskadee Watch reported that commissioners assured relatives that their examination would extend beyond the vessel’s final voyage to its maintenance, mechanical failures, inspections and the institutions responsible for ferry operations.
“I am angry! I am angry because the same government that hired y’all to come and do y’all investigation is the same government that let that happen,” Cox said.
The MV Barima sank on July 18 off the Essequibo Coast while travelling from Georgetown to Port Kaituma. The disaster left scores dead and others missing, including Cox’s father, and prompted the establishment of a Commission of Inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the sinking. The vessel remains under water as relatives continue to press for its recovery.
Discussion
Source: Kiskadee Watch
Discussion