Guyana Observer News

- Father questions safety measures at Barama

The father of the 19-year-old labourer whose mangled remains were found in a wood shredder on Thursday, is questioning whether lax safety measures at the Barama Timber Company could have caused his son’s demise. Jason Fraser Sr. also said that he would be seeking adequate compensation from the company for the loss of his son. Mr. Fraser made the remarks yesterday shortly after his son, Jason, was laid to rest at Suddie, Essequibo, even as investigations continued into his death. On Thursday, the grief-stricken father had visited Barama’s Buckhall, Essequibo location where his son’s remains were found. Mr. Fraser told Kaieteur News that he observed that the switch for the wood shredder was near a wall, and that his son would have had to clamber over the shredder’s conveyor belt to reach the switch.

-says fears for life

Fugitive Tyrone Kacey Rowe, called ‘Cobra,’ surrendered to police amidst tears yesterday, while proclaiming his innocence in a range of crimes, including murder and armed robbery. Rowe, 17, who was still being questioned by police up to press time last evening, said he believed the police force’s aim was to shoot him at the slightest opportunity. “Me ain’t do nothing! Me innocent! Me ain’t really do nothing fuh deh in trouble. These people want kill me,” he told reporters just after 9 am yesterday. Days earlier, he had sought the help of social activist Mark Benschop, who arranged to meet him at the corner of D’Urban Street and Louisa Row yesterday.

 By Freddie Kissoon

Mr. Jagdeo is not Prem Misir. The latter is forced to write on behalf the Office of the President and therefore after awhile, the emanations lose their appeal. I have stopped commenting on the misanalyses of Misir. He has his work to do and readers know where he is coming from. The President, being the President, is more likely to win a few ears when he takes to the public pulpit. For this reason, Mr. Jagdeo’s open fulminations, lacking hard evidence, against critics of his regime should not go uncommented. The Guyanese people should read and know about the faults, weaknesses and inanities that characterize Mr. Jagdeo’s exercise of power, so they can know exactly where to place Mr. Jagdeo in the scheme of things. The presidential delivery on Wednesday to the students who returned home was in keeping with Mr. Jagdeo’s pattern – the press was once again vilified for publishing negative images of Guyana. No evidence was cited but the graduates were told these writers want to snatch away Guyana’s future from them. Freud was at work in Mr. Jagdeo’s mind when he used the word, “future,” because those students are going to see for themselves the kind of future Mr. Jagdeo has left for them when his dozen years of the presidency dissolve in the upcoming election next year.

Dear Editor,

Emile Mervin’s letter, “Anonymous letter writers who bash other writers focus on personalities instead of issues” September 1, 2010 is an exercise in ego tripping and fakery. No prolific letter writer should get startled at any time when “insults” are hurled their way whether from an identified source or an unidentified source. The use of pseudonyms, have existed perhaps as long as the art of writing became commercial and a means of social commentary. nly for the very naïve or those who seek to discredit others will it be construed as cowardice when it has been used in every facet of literary works and to date has never been used as a criterion to discredit best sellers.

“He is hurt…we have hit the mark,” said leader of the Alliance For Change (AFC) Raphael Trotman, in response to President Bharrat Jagdeo’s remark that the opposition party was being unpatriotic for raising its concerns about the Amaila Falls Hydroelectric Project with the US State Department. “Patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel and I believe that it is just as unpatriotic to be wasting taxpayers’ valuable money, for not dealing with corruption, for llowing people to get killed without justice being served,” said Trotman. Trotman was emphatic while stating that the AFC has a right to expose all of the ills taking place in Guyana, especially when, according to the AFC leader, “the President spends so much of his time trying to paint an image abroad as if this is a perfect place”. The AFC leader said that it is overseas that the President spends much of his time, “and so it is out there that we are going to tag him, to ensure that those with whom he associates also know not only the good, but also the bad.”