Guyana Observer News

Child sex felon Dr Vishwamintra Persaud has been fired from his position at the Georgetown Hospital, Minister of Health Dr Leslie Ramsammy said today in a press release. The move comes amid a raging controversy as to how the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation could have hired the doctor after his licence was terminated in the US after his conviction there. According to New York Department of Health documents, on April 18, 2008 Dr Persaud was found guilty, based on a guilty plea, of “attempted course of sexual conduct against a child in the second degree.” On June 11, the same year, he was sentenced to an eight-year order of protection, ten years probation, fined US$25,500 and various fees and surcharges.

Wikileaks release on Guyana: PPP's involvement in terrorism and drugs..... Adnan Shukrijumah is wanted by the FBI in connection with possible terrorist threats against the United States. The Rewards For Justice Program, United States Department of State, is offering a reward of up to $5 million for information leading ...directly to the capture of Adnan Shukrijumah.

Wikileaks release said to include documents on Guyana: According to a source, what was said by diplomats in Guyana re: the Guyana Government, including Jagdeo, certain questionable business people, opposition parties and the Commissioner of Police, Henry Greene......This will shock the entire nation, then we will know who the real terrorists are in the Jagdeo regime. (More news later)

By Freddie Kissoon

Many persons have questioned me about the wisdom of criticising the opposition parties in the face of the relentless dictatorship of the PPP. To answer that question, we can best look at what a columnist of the Guardian (London) wrote about the breath-taking leaks of secret correspondence of US Embassies around the world released on Sunday by Wikileaks. Simon Jenkins took the position that democracy is about the people’s right to know what the government is doing in their name. He wrote that if the Secretary-General of the UN is being spied upon, then he has a right to know. Mr. Jenkins opined that the role of the media is “not to protect power from embarrassment.” The role of the media is to protect anyone who doesn’t deserve protection. If a Parliamentary opposition supports a dictatorship or plays games with an authoritarian regime, the corrupt nature of the oligarchy should not lead the media to treat the opposition with kids gloves.

Two men accused by the police of having ammunition in a barrel were yesterday remanded to prison until today by acting Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry. The allegation against Jameel Ahmad Khan and Asif Sahid is that on November 26 without lawful permission, they had in their possession 500 rounds of Winchester .22 ammunition, 100 rounds of Remington .22 ammunition, 20 rounds of Winchester Super X ammunition, 499 rounds of Remington golden bullet .22 ammunition, 99 rounds of Thunder Bolt .22 ammunition and 79 rounds of Remington 30-30 ammunition without being holders of a licence in force at the time. The jointly charged duo was not required to plead to the indictable charge of possession of ammunition without licence when it was read to them.

- as amnesty comes to an end

Government and several reputable businesses have been listed among the defaulters that are yet to fully honour their civic obligation with the Mayor and City Council of Georgetown (M&CC). And according to information emanating from the municipality, Central Government owes in excess of $30M, representing the payment of rates and taxes for the last quarter of this year, which was due and payable on October 30 last. It was since the commencement of last month that it was recognised that the municipality was facing a near $400M shortfall, a state of affairs which prompted the municipality to engage an amnesty programme which was geared at enticing defaulting rate payers to pay up without the added stress of paying accumulated interest.