https://kiskadeewatch.com/guyana/opposition-presses-for-independent-probe-of-rape-allegations-against-senior-cop/
Opposition presses for independent probe of rape allegations against senior cop
-complainant says Walrond was told
WIN parliamentarian Toshana Famey-Corlette, Forward Guyana Movement (FGM) and the Alliance For Change have called for an investigation into allegations of sexual assault and death threats against a senior police officer.
Repeated media requests yesterday for a response from the Guyana Police Force have gone unanswered.
A serving female inspector has alleged that the officer had sexual intercourse with her without her consent on two occasions, repeatedly threatened to kill her if she ended their relationship and pointed a firearm at her during a subsequent confrontation.
Reports indicate that a formal complaint has been lodged with the police. However, the force has not publicly confirmed receiving it or disclosed what action, if any, has been taken.
Questions from media representatives in the Joint Services WhatsApp group have elicited no response. The group includes Commissioner of Police Clifton Hicken, Minister of Home Affairs Oneidge Walrond, the police public relations officer and other senior officials.
The officer has not publicly responded to the allegations.
According to a written account attributed to the inspector, she sought the officer’s assistance with joining the force after sitting its entrance examination in 2017 and receiving no response. A relative who was then a policeman advised her to meet him.
She said she met the officer at the police training college in April 2019, discussed her application and gave him her telephone number at his request. He subsequently contacted her, expressed an interest in her and invited her on an outing.
The woman said she agreed and later accompanied him to his quarters at Eve Leary. She alleged that he began kissing her and continued despite her asking him to stop. Although she explicitly told him that she did not want to have sex, she alleged, he had sexual intercourse with her without her consent.
She said a relationship subsequently developed during her initial training in 2019 and 2020, and that later sexual encounters during that period were consensual. However, she alleged that he repeatedly threatened to shoot her if she left him.
The inspector further alleged that, while they were attending a training programme in 2023, the officer entered her hotel room and again had sexual intercourse with her against her consent. When she told him she wanted to end the relationship, she said, he renewed his threat to kill her.
She also described an alleged confrontation on September 6, 2024, when she was accompanied by relatives. According to her account, the officer followed her vehicle and pointed a pistol at her after she stopped. She alleged that she held his hand and then drew her own service firearm, after which he lowered his weapon and drove away.
The woman said she had made several unsuccessful requests for a transfer before informing Walrond of the conduct on September 20, 2026. She said she was transferred to another police division on September 23.
She explained that she had not reported the alleged assaults and threats to the police earlier because she feared the officer would kill her.
Duties
In its statement, the AFC called for the officer to be immediately relieved of duties and for an independent team of regional and international investigators to examine the accusations.
“Like the rest of Guyana, we have no confidence that any investigation by the police into one of its own would be impartial,” the party said.
It urged Walrond to support an independent investigation and called on women in the government’s leadership, non-governmental organisations and women’s groups to press for an impartial inquiry.
Famey-Corlette separately called for the officer to be removed from operational command while the allegations were independently investigated.
She referred to earlier harassment complaints and disciplinary concerns, including sexual-harassment allegations involving female recruits, and questioned whether the public could retain confidence in the officer without those matters being properly addressed.
Her statement also raised allegations of financial contributions and gifts involving another senior officer who was under investigation, which she said warranted scrutiny for possible conflicts of interest. She expressly stated that she was not presenting those claims as proven.
“Rank cannot be a shield,” Famey-Corlette said. “Position cannot be protection.”
In its statement FGM placed the latest allegations in the context of earlier complaints and an investigation into alleged sexual exploitation, abuse of authority and misconduct at the police academy.
The movement said the Ministry of Home Affairs announced on January 20 that the Criminal Investigation Department and Office of Professional Responsibility had been directed to conduct full investigations into the academy allegations.
According to FGM’s account, Walrond assured the National Assembly during consideration of the ministry’s budget estimates on February 13 that the investigation had begun. The statement said Speaker Manzoor Nadir disallowed a proposed follow-up question asking when it would be completed.
“A Member of Parliament sought to ask when an investigation into sexual abuse within the Police Force would be completed, and the Speaker prevented the question from being asked,” the movement said. It argued that the incident reflected a failure to secure accountability.
FGM also referred to a report it said was submitted to the Police Service Commission in March 2020 following complaints by two female trainees against the officer.
The movement said the report found that the material presented did not disprove or discredit the complaints and that there was sufficient prima facie evidence to support a criminal charge of sexual harassment under the Prevention of Discrimination Act. According to FGM, no criminal charge followed.
On the latest allegations, FGM said they had not been tested and must be investigated fully and without interference. It noted the inspector’s account that she disclosed them to Walrond on September 20 and called for the investigation to follow the evidence.
“No woman in this country should ever be made to choose between her safety and her job, and no woman should be punished for refusing,” the statement said.
FGM called for charges if the evidence warranted them, adding that the women who had come forward deserved justice without further delay.
Source: Kiskadee Watch
Truck set ablaze during Vigilance protest
https://kiskadeewatch.com/guyana/truck-set-ablaze-during-vigilance-protest/
Truck set ablaze during Vigilance protest
-following arrests in missing men probe
A truck and other equipment were set on fire at Vigilance, East Coast Demerara yesterday afternoon during a protest following the reported arrest of the wife and brother of US-sanctioned Mark Cromwell in connection with the disappearance of two Surinamese men.
Several persons blocked the roadway and burned debris as the unrest continued for hours. Police were asked about the protest in the Joint Services WhatsApp group, but up to press time there was no response and the force had issued no release on the incident.
Kiskadee Watch understands that tensions escalated when police attempted to search Cromwell’s residence as part of their investigation into the disappearance of Siegiëllo Lorenzo Van Dalen and Derryl Danillo Bont.
According to information reaching this publication, investigators were pursuing reports that the missing men had been seen in a vehicle registered to Cromwell’s wife.
Firefighters responded to the burning truck and other materials but encountered hostility from some protesters. Gunshots were also heard during the unrest, further hampering their efforts to extinguish the flames. It was not clear who fired the shots. Persons involved in the protest eventually put out the fire.
Van Dalen and Bont have been missing since late August. In a September 9 notice, Surinamese police said the men left their homes on August 28 in a white Toyota Vitz and travelled to Nickerie.
According to that notice, they left the vehicle at Clarasluis on August 29 and crossed to Guyana by boat between 11 am and 1 pm. They subsequently entered a taxi at the landing, believed to have been a black station wagon.
Guyanese police later issued an appeal for information about their whereabouts
The force said then that searches had been conducted and several persons questioned, but no useful information had been obtained.
Cromwell, a former Guyana Police Force officer also known as “Demon” and “Diamond”, was sanctioned by the United States Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control on June 5, 2025.
In announcing the designation, the Treasury Department alleged that Cromwell was a drug trafficker and an associate of Paul Daby Jr, who was also sanctioned. It additionally said Cromwell was wanted by Guyanese police in connection with the 2024 abduction of a former police officer.
The sanctions were imposed under an executive order targeting persons involved in the international illicit drug trade. The Treasury allegations are separate from the current investigation into the missing Surinamese men.
Police have not publicly disclosed whether anyone has been charged in connection with the men’s disappearance or Tuesday’s unrest.
Discussion
Source: Kiskadee Watch
MV Barima inquiry invites applications for standing
https://kiskadeewatch.com/guyana/mv-barima-inquiry-invites-applications-for-standing/
MV Barima inquiry invites applications for standing
The Commission of Inquiry into the capsizing of the MV Barima is inviting survivors, relatives of victims and other interested persons to apply for standing to participate in its proceedings.
In a general notice, the commission said it would consider applications from persons who played, or may have played, a direct and significant role in matters under investigation, as well as those with relevant evidence or information.
Standing may also be granted to persons with a substantial, personal or direct interest in the inquiry, including witnesses, survivors and family members of victims.
The commission will additionally consider applications from anyone who may face explicit or significant criticism during the proceedings or in its report, and persons whose participation could help it fulfil its terms of reference.
Approval is not automatic. The notice says the commission will consider all applications and may grant standing where it is satisfied that an applicant meets the stated criteria.
Applications should be directed to the commission’s secretary, Javed Shadick, at its secretariat at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre, 5-E ½ Orchid Drive, Liliendaal, East Coast Demerara. Persons may also contact the secretariat by email at [email protected] or telephone on 592-674-7473.
The notice does not specify an application deadline or announce a date for the commencement of public hearings.
The invitation follows the publication of procedural rules governing the inquiry. The rules provide for public hearings, media access, witness summonses and publication of transcripts and exhibits. They also require anyone who could face explicit or significant criticism in an interim or final report to receive a warning letter and a reasonable opportunity to respond.
In a September 2 update, the commission said it was working towards beginning public hearings later that month. At the time, it had established its secretariat, conducted a preliminary survey of the disaster site and begun obtaining records from the Maritime Administration Department, Transport and Harbours Department and the Guyana Coast Guard and Air Guard. It had also compiled a list of potential witnesses and begun preparing interviews
The five-member commission was appointed on July 30 and is chaired by Godfrey Phillip Smith of Belize. Its other members are forensic naval architect Dr Andrzej Jasionowski, Captain Hamada Fouda, Trinidad and Tobago attorney Nyree Dawn Alfonso and retired Rear Admiral Hayden Pritchard.
Discussion
Source: Kiskadee Watch
Firefighter revived child after Plum Park home blaze – GFS
https://kiskadeewatch.com/guyana/firefighter-revived-child-after-plum-park-home-blaze-gfs/
Firefighter revived child after Plum Park home blaze – GFS
A firefighter administered CPR to a child who became unresponsive after inhaling smoke during Monday night’s fire at the Children and Family Home in Plum Park, Sophia, the Guyana Fire Service said yesterday.
The incident underlined the danger the children faced in the aftermath of the fire.
All 26 children housed at the facility were evacuated and accounted for, according to Human Services and Social Security Minister Dr Vindhya Persaud.
In a post on its Facebook page, the Fire Service said Leading Fireman Omvindra Persaud noticed that the child was unresponsive and immediately began CPR. The child regained consciousness about two minutes later, and Persaud carried the child to be transported to hospital. The service praised him for his quick action.
In a video posted to the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security’s Facebook page, Minister Persaud said several children were taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation. Some had asthma, one has epilepsy, and others had what she described as minor effects from the fire. Each child was examined and treated, she said, and the children taken to hospital were expected to be discharged later yesterday. The Fire Service had reported on Monday night that nine children suffered smoke inhalation.
Persaud thanked the home’s caregivers for evacuating the children swiftly. Members of the Childcare and Protection Agency, the Guyana Fire Service, police and members of the public also assisted, she said. The children have since been moved to other care institutions.
“I want to sincerely thank the caregivers of the Child Protection Agency for their swift action,” the minister said. She also thanked firefighters for containing the blaze, which she said affected one building in a complex of buildings. According to the Fire Service, the fire was on the upper floor of the female dormitory.
The cause has not yet been determined. Persaud said there would be an investigation involving the police.
Turning to fire safety, the minister said the ministry’s buildings were equipped with fire extinguishers, fire balls and other equipment. She acknowledged, however, that fires could spread quickly despite those provisions. She said routine fire drills were conducted at the homes and staff had been trained to respond to emergencies.
The ministry is also working to train staff in first aid and basic life support, she said, and intends to extend crisis management training to more employees. Staff must be able to respond “in a very calm and efficient and effective way” when an emergency occurs, Persaud added.
Some of the children had already been scheduled to be reunited with their families, and those plans would proceed, the minister said. For the others, the agency would continue to assess their individual circumstances and provide schooling, counselling and therapy. She said the experience of a fire could itself be traumatic, so the children would receive additional support for their mental health and psychological needs.
“Our children are safe, and that is what matters to me and to those at the Child Protection Agency,” Persaud said. She added that arrangements were being made to restore the affected space.
The blaze follows a July fire at the privately run Hope Children’s Home at Enmore, East Coast Demerara. Kiskadee Watch reported that all 33 children there escaped, but two children and a caregiver sustained injuries. The children were subsequently placed at different state institutions.
Following the Enmore fire, APNU Member of Parliament Toshana Famey Corlette called for a review of fire safety standards and emergency preparedness at children’s residential facilities, Kiskadee Watch reported.
Discussion
Source: Kiskadee Watch
Flying Stars keeps cycling legacy alive with 2026 Trifecta Memorial Series
https://kiskadeewatch.com/sports/cycling/flying-stars-keeps-cycling-legacy-alive-with-2026-trifecta-memorial-series/
Flying Stars keeps cycling legacy alive with 2026 Trifecta Memorial Series
More than five decades after its formation, the Flying Stars Cycle Club is continuing its push to preserve Guyana’s cycling history while creating opportunities for a new generation through its 2026 Trifecta Criterium Memorial Series.
The club officially launched this year’s memorial activities with three proposed races set for Georgetown, Mahaicony and Linden as it prepares to honour the lives and contributions of Rudolph “Duckie” Singh, Aubrey Gordon and Mark Conway.
The series is scheduled to begin on Saturday, October 24 at the Vlissengen Road Circuit in Georgetown before moving to Mahaicony on Saturday, October 31. The final event is proposed for Linden on Sunday, November 1.
Founder Victor Rutherford said the memorial races have developed into an important annual tradition for the club, which is now entering the fifth year of the initiative.
The programme started with the Duckie Memorial in recognition of Singh, a former club president and respected member of the cycling fraternity. It was later expanded to include Gordon and Conway.
For Flying Stars, the races are intended to be about more than results and victories. They are also designed to keep the stories of former cyclists and administrators alive while encouraging younger riders to understand the history behind the sport.
Rutherford said the club wants experienced cyclists to play a greater role in guiding emerging talent by sharing the lessons, discipline and experience they have gained over the years.
That focus on development has remained central to Flying Stars since the club was founded in 1972. Rutherford established the organisation at a time when there was a need for stronger representation within the Cycling Federation of Guyana and greater opportunities for cyclists to develop.
The club has since grown into one of the longstanding names in local cycling, with Neville Rutherford, Donald Robinson, Rudolph “Duckie” Singh and Hector Edwards among those who have served as presidents.
Cyclists including Neville and Cyril Hunte, Errol McLean, Dennis Medford and Randolph Toussaint have also represented the club during its history.
Rutherford said the continuation of the memorial activities reflects the club’s commitment to honouring the past while supporting the future of the sport.
He also acknowledged the support of the Office of the Prime Minister, National Sports Commission, Dr. Rhonda Archer, Sarah Parris, DaSilva Optical, Louis London Jr., Lorraine Darnley, the Rutherford Family, Bernard Super Store, ANSA McAl and the Singh Family.
With the 2026 Trifecta Criterium Memorial Series now launched, Flying Stars is hoping to bring cyclists and communities together across all three locations for a combination of competition, remembrance and continued development of cycling in Guyana.
Discussion
Source: Kiskadee Watch
Discussion