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Berbice P
10 NEWS TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM Houston residents flooded after trench blocked
One of the affected residents, Roopnarine (only name)
Atrench blocked to facilitate works at Houston, East Bank Demerara (EBD) on Monday caused severe flooding for residents, following hours of heavy rainfall.
In the early morning hours, a period of heavy rain caused more than one
The blocked trench
foot of water to accumulate in the yards of residents. It then entered several houses, creating a frenzy as persons tried to bail out their homes.
Guyana Times visited the community, where concrete piles have been blocking the water from draining, causing inundation.
One resident, Roopnarine (only name) told this publication that this was the second time they were facing flooding since the works began. After failed efforts to bail out the floodwaters, they contacted authorities. An opening was made to channel the floodwaters into the trench.
“This is the second time we had to call them to open back the waterway, because our place is flooded. If that waterway is going to be blocked permanently, we are going to be flooded all the time, ‘cause this water ain’t get anywhere to go,” the affected resident noted.
The elderly man explained that he has lived in the area for 63 years -and they have never faced such problems before. While the plan is to build a culvert to allow drainage, he said the
water would move downhill, so this move was irrational. “This water is running by gravity in a slope. It can’t run up back. They building a culvert at the top. They didn’t build it as yet, but they start to do the
other work. So now that the rain come, our whole place flooding all the time, right through the whole line of houses,” he related.
Roopnarine said the only option during such flooding was to prevent the water from entering their homes, which is sometimes an impossible feat.
“We’re in a disaster area here now and this affecting the entire street plus people at the other community. This trench is draining the entire community,” he shared.
Meanwhile, another resident, Mohamed Chunilall told this publication that another major problem for the village was irrigation. There is a rain drain in close proximity to the roadway that is filled with inches of sand and debris.
When the land started to flood on Monday, he left his market stall and came to the rescue of neighbours who were tremendously affected.
“They get damages steady. Our yard don’t flood because it’s high, but ev-
Residents experienced severe inundation
ery time their yard is flooded, we got to dedicate ourselves to help them clean up. I close up my stall at the market to come and give
A21-year-old labourer of No 58 Village, Corentyne, Berbice, was on Sunday evening relieved of his mobile phone and cash while heading home from a party by a cutlass-wielding bandit who is known to the victim.
The incident reportedly took place at First Street, No 58 Backdam, at about 21:00h on the day in question.
Based on reports received, the victim, Eric Haripersaud, and the suspect are known to each other. However, on the night in question, the victim was walking towards his home after leaving a birthday party when the suspect, who was armed with a cutlass, attacked him from behind. them a hand to clean up,” Chunilall explained.
Residents are calling on the relevant authorities to look into the matter to
The suspect reportedly placed the cutlass to Haripersaud’s neck and relieved him of his mobile phone that he was holding in his hands. After doing so, he allegedly pushed his hands into the victim’s right-side pants pocket and took out $15,000 that he had in his wallet.
After relieving the young man of his personal items, the suspect revealed his identity to him.
Upon seeing his face, the suspect reportedly chopped the victim to his neck. In trying to defend himself, Haripersaud then picked up a piece of wood and as he advanced towards the suspect, the well-known taxi driver made good his escape. bring some form of relief. Losses for these households
Berbice labourer robbed by cutlass-wielding bandit
are pegged at millions. (G12)
An alarm was raised and the victim’s friends rushed to his assistance during which he told them of what had transpired. He was taken to the Skeldon Public Hospital where he was examined and treated by a doctor on duty.
A report was subsequently made to the Springlands Police Station. The police immediately went to the suspect’s home where he was told of the allegation, cautioned and arrested. A search was conducted at his home for the stolen cell phone and cash but none was found.
The suspect remains in custody at the No 51 Police Station assisting with the investigation.
2012 Linden double murder Killer granted leave to appeal convictions
Abdul Budhoo, who is challenging a 62 years’ jail sentence imposed on him for the 2012 killings of two brothers, was on Monday granted leave by the Court of Appeal to appeal against his convictions following an application by his attorney-at-law, Mark Conway. Budhoo, during his trial in 2017, was indicted on two counts of murder over the September 30, 2012 killings of his cousins, Shaheed Bacchus and his brother Imran Bacchus.
He had pleaded not guilty to both charges but was subsequently found guilty by a jury of murdering Imran and was sentenced to 62 years’ imprisonment. As it relates to the killing of Shaheed, Budhoo was found guilty of the lesser count of manslaughter and was sentenced to 32 years’ imprisonment.
The Trial Judge, Navindra Singh, had ordered that the sentences be served concurrently. Based on reports, on September 30, 2012, there was an argument between Budhoo and Shaheed Bacchus over an outstanding financial payment. Shaheed’s brother, Imran Bacchus, intervened. Both brothers were stabbed during the altercation.
Presiding over the case is Chancellor of the Judiciary, Justice Yonette CummingsEdwards and Justices of Appeal Rishi Persaud and Dawn Gregory. During the hearing, Conway made an application for leave to amend the grounds of appeal to include the convictions. Representing the State is Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Teshana Lake. The Appeal Court has fixed November
Convicted killer: Abdul Budhoo
16, 2020, to hear submissions on the added ground.
On Monday also, the Court of Appeal entertained arguments from Conway on the issue of Justice Singh falling into error regarding a finding of provocation relative to directions given to the jury for the killing of Imran Bacchus. The lawyer argued that if the Judge had appropriately directed the jurors, there is a possibility that they may have returned a manslaughter verdict in relation to the killing of Imran.
Among other things, Conway is contending that the 32-year sentence for the manslaughter verdict in relation to the killing of Shaheed Bacchus, having considered the facts of the offences and the Trial Judge’s failure to apply established principles of sentencing, rendered this sentence unjustified.
Citing relevant case laws, Conway submitted that Justice Singh failed to fully credit his client for any time he spent in custody prior to sentencing when he recorded in the Records
of Appeal that “time on remand is to be deducted at the discretion of the Trial Judge.”
In calculating a sentence on the manslaughter conviction, Conway outlined that the Trial Judge started at a base of 35 years from which a deduction of three years was made for the favourable probation report for his client. Conway further submitted that the appeal against the severity of the sentence for the offence of manslaughter has merit, as the Trial Judge erred in law by failing to apply case law principles that promote fairness in sentencing.
The lawyer submitted that the Sentencing Guidelines Council, in its guideline for manslaughter by reason of provocation, noted that a number of elements had to be considered and balanced by the sentencer, such as the degree of the provocation, the extent and timing of the retaliation, the circumstances of the killing, the relationship between the offender and the victim, the behaviour of the offender after the killing, and the type of weapon used and whether it had been to hand or had been carried to the scene.
Against this backdrop, he argued that the foregoing can be argued in favour of Budhoo, who did not enter into the altercation with a weapon [knife] in hand, and at that time he had no intention to kill or cause grievous bodily harm, although he had the knife on his person.
The lawyer noted that his client did not use the weapon at the onset, but until he had a “sudden and temporary loss of self-conThe injured man is Jerome Samuels of Linden-Soesdyke Highway.
Based on information received, Samuels was having a few drinks when the suspect, who was armed with a cutlass, approached him and demanded that he hand over a haversack which he was carrying. Out of fear, the victim reportedly handed over the bag which had $87,000 in cash and other personal documents.
However, the suspect then dealt the victim one chop to his left hand, after which he made good his escape on foot.
The victim reportedly made his way to the police station where he made a report and was subsequently escorted to the Leonora Cottage Hospital where he was treated and sent away.
Killed: Imran Bacchus
Killed: Shaheed Bacchus
trol”. In fact, Conway noted, “…the weapon was used two to three minutes after the cuffing/punching had started, which is the likely act of being hit by [Imran] that gave rise to the provocation…”
Based upon the events as stated by one of the prosecution’s witnesses regarding the death of Imran, Conway argued that his client may not have intended to kill him, but due to his sudden and temporary loss of self-control, he attacked anyone at the said instant
Man chopped during robbery at Parika
A30-year-old labourer Meanwhile, several per- where he was told of the alwas on Sunday eve- sons were questioned and legation and cautioned. ning chopped to his based on information re- He, nevertheless, denied left hand by a cutlass-wield- ceived, a team of police the allegation but was still ing bandit during a rob- ranks went to the home taken into custody as Police bery at Parika Sea Dam, of a 30-year-old labourer continue their investigaEast Bank Essequibo (EBE). of Parika Sea Dam, EBE, tions.
who was within his reach.
