Government’s Youth Entrepreneurial Skills Training Programme (YEST) programme which was established to provide educationally deprived youths with a second opportunity to regain values has once again proved successful.
About 150 students, who are stationed residentially at the Kuru Kuru Training Centre (KKTC) on the Soesdyke/Linden Highway, will on July 18 come out with employable skills.
This disclosure was made by Director of Training in the Ministry of Culture Youth and Sport Franklyn Lynch during the graduation ceremony at the Sophia Training Centre on June 13.
The students will be leaving the institution after a ten-month programme with qualifications in a number of technical skills including business study, carpentry, electrical installation, joinery, masonry, motor mechanics, plumbing, welding and fabrication.
The ten-month training programme is being offered to students, both male and female practically and theoretically, with the practical aspect being more in demand.
Through a number of interventions by government, the institution has grown over the years into a centre for social cohesion, to facilitate the many students who are drawn from the ten administrative regions.
Plans were made in 2007 to expand the accommodation facilities at the college to accommodate the growing number of students who are increasingly showing interest in the programme.
The range of programmes was also expanded to include computer training, to raise the bar of competence in Information Technology (IT).
In October 2007, the 8th batch of students to enter the YEST programme were recipients of new computers through a collaborative effort of the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport and a “Hope for the Future,” a United Kingdom organisation.
Desrey Howells, a United Kingdom (UK) based Guyanese facilitates workshops on Non Violent Communication (NVC)
Substance abuse and peer education training about HIV/AIDS were also among new additions offered by the centre to help youths to make better and more informed decisions in life.
During their tenure at the institution the students also engage in inter-dormitory competitions, educational tours, participation in Mashramani, the President’s Youth Award Republic of Guyana (PYARG) programme and independence activities.
The students also benefit from work attachment at various organisations such as the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport, the National Insurance Scheme (NIS), the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC), BANKS DIH, and Brass Aluminium and Cast Iron Foundry.
Through the programme a number of youths, particularly those from the hinterland have become pioneers in their communities, opening businesses and creating employment for others.

The court will now determine the fate of a man who police say they caught red handed with an unlicensed firearm.

Following up with investigations into the armed robbery committed on painter Wilson Bacchus at Soesdyke, which occurred Thursday, police went to a house at Soesdyke that night and found an unlicensed .22 revolver with five matching rounds and a spent shell. The firearm which was concealed in the ceiling is believed to have been used to commit the robbery. Read the full story

THE United States government says indicted Guyanese businessman Shaheed Roger Khan, was responsible for the deaths of two persons -businessman Davendra Persaud and former boxing coach Donald Allison.

In a document filed in the Federal Court Monday, the Prosecution lawyers in the Roger Khan case say the U.S. government wants to admit as trial evidence that Khan retaliated against Davendra Persaud by threatening his family, seizing his vehicle and ultimately Persaud’s murder at a restaurant in Georgetown.

Meanwhile Thakurmani, 60 years of Rosignol, Berbice has been charged with the murder of her husband Yodha, 65 years. She appeared Wednesday before Magistrate Taijwant Ramroop at the Blairmont Magistrate Court where she was remanded to prison until May 12, 2008.Yodha died Sunday night after he was allegedly beaten about his body.

On Wednesday police implemented charges on the driver of the motor lorry which was involved in the accident at Bee Hive, East Coast Demerara, on Monday, which resulted in the death of three persons. Shameer Hassan Ali, 34 years of Annadale, East Coast Demerara, was slapped with three counts of causing death by dangerous driving. Hassan appeared Wednesday before Magistrate Shondell Isaacs at the Cove and John Magistrate Court where he was remanded to prison until May 06, 2008.

One of the three Jamaicans held in connection with the cocaine-in-darts board find has been sentenced to four years imprisonment.

 Michelle Mc Kenzie pleaded guilty to possession and trafficking in narcotics and was sentenced yesterday.  

 However, co-accused Gaston Samuels and Dwayne Morris pleaded not guilty and were remanded until July 22

 The trio was held at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport by Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit ranks between April 15-25 after some 956 grammes of cocaine was found in the darts board among their luggage.

A cane harvester attached to Skeldon sugar factory on Friday thanked a Berbice Magistrate, after he was slapped with a one year jail sentence. Maxwell Jones of Liverpool village, Corentyne discharged two rounds at Jeun April on June 3rd last. At the time Jones was a security officer attached to G.E.B. Security Service and was responding to a call at Stanleytown, New Amsterdam. April was in his home when two shots were fired at him. One hit a glass window and the other pierced a wall. April was injured and later hospitalized after police came to his rescue.
After pleading guilty to the charge of discharging a loaded firearm with intent to mame and disfigure, Jones asked for mercy. Chief police Prosecutor Fazil Karim Baksh asked for a suspended sentence. Magistrate Chandra Sohan in granting the request said if April gets himself into trouble during the year he will have to serve the sentence.
It was then that Jones thanked the Magistrate.

The police are being accused of seizing thousands of U.S. dollars and switching it for counterfeit notes. In a New Amsterdam court Friday the police could not say where $86,000 local currency they also seized had gone. On April 2nd police stopped a car at a road block in East Berbice and found a quantity of U.S. and local currency. Two men and two women were arrested. The four were charged with illegal entry to Guyana. They had illegally left Suriname and entered Guyana through Springlands without presenting themselves to an immigration officer. Melshock Bazilio, 26 a cloths vender, Mark Joseph 38, and Malinie Hamilton 25, all of Georgetown and Rehana Smart 27, a food vender of Industry, East Coast Demerara were all fined $25,000 for illegal entry when they appeared before a Berbice Magistrate with an alternative of six months in prison. Smart opted to serve the sentence. Police also charged them for having a total of U.S. $5,360.00 in counterfeit notes. The defendants claim the U.S. notes they had were genuine. Meanwhile the four told the court they had gone to neighboring Suriname to sell illegal herbs and receive the currency. The quartet was granted bail in the sum of $1M each. When they made their second court appearance on Friday, April 25, 2008, defense council Marceline Bacchus asked for the local currency to be returned to its owners. However Chief police Prosecutor Fazil Karim Baksh told the court the police did not know where the money was but the court can deem the matter, “still under investigation”. On the issue of a bail reduction, Magistrate Chandra Sohan said he will consider it when the defendants make their next court appearance. Bacchus arguing on behalf of the defendants said he will consider taking his request for reduced bail to the High Court.
The matter continues in the New Amsterdam Magistrate Court before Magistrate Sohan on May 9th.

A Judge has raised concerns over the way in which litigants are selected for trial in the Berbice High Court.

Justice Winston Patterson expressed concerns as the February sessions of the criminal assizes concluded. Most of the persons who were scheduled to stand trial at that session could not be located and thus the trial never commenced. Those who were committed to stand trial at February sessions and could not be located are all on bail. Arrest warrants have been issued for them. Only two of the fifteen cases were tried. Mark Giddings received a death sentence for a 1992 murder while a teenager was freed on a rape charge. Justice Patterson noted that while police could not locate fifteen of those who were put to be tried another fourteen remain in prison remanded and are awaiting trial. The fifteen which includes one woman had all requested early trials. However prisons officials opted to attempt to try cases with persons who cannot be located. It is assumed them are all out of the country. The judge is suggesting that more consideration be given to those who are incrassated. The next set of case will come up at the June session. Until then will it be known who will be called to stand trial. Meanwhile thirteen men and one woman remain in prison to be tried in the Berbice High Courts for crimes ranging from murder to rape and embezzlement. Some of them also face robbery charges.