NEWS
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TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM
Guyanese art teacher found Corentyne fisherman on $150,000 bail for raping housewife murdered in apartment
Guyanese teacher: Rhonda Thomas
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Guyanese teacher that taught art at the Methodist Agogic Center (MAC) identified as Rhonda Thomas was reportedly found stabbed to death on Monday. Police Spokesman Joe Josepha confirmed that a female was found in a home at White Sands Road Beacon Hill stabbed to death. Several persons who knew the victim reported that the victim is a wellknown art teacher that hails from Guyana. They said Thomas taught art at the Methodist Agogic Center for over a decade. Reports are that Ms Thomas just recently obtained a divorce which some described as a “bitter divorce procedure”. However, there is no indi-
cation if the divorce has any relation to the brutal murder. Friends of the deceased teacher described her as a hard worker. They said besides her teaching job at the MAC School, Thomas was a security guard and later became a part-time employee of Maho as an interior decorator. As soon as more information is released by Police this article will be updated. SMN News extends its deepest condolences to the bereaved family of the late Rhonda Thomas. The Police Patrol and Ambulance department were sent to White Sands Road in Beacon Hill, on Monday, February 15th, 2021, at approximately 12:00 pm where they en-
countered a female victim who was lying on the ground in her home and not showing any signs of life. After conducting a brief investigation on the scene it was concluded that the victim died of foul play. The doctor, who arrived later on the scene pronounced the death of the victim. The body of the victim has been confiscated for further investigation. So far, the Police have no clear picture of what had taken place up to now. If you or anyone you know may have information as to what took place do not hesitate to contact the Police Detective Department at +1 721 54 22222 or the anonymous tip line on 9300 (free of charge). You can also visit the website at www.policesxm. sx to report crime anonymously via the tip contact form, or you can leave a private message via our Facebook page (Police Force of Sint Maarten - Korps Politie Sint Maarten) if you know the suspect something. This investigation is currently ongoing, more details into what took place will be provided as soon as they become available. Police Force would like to express its condolence to the family of the deceased. (St Martin News Network)
Colombia to start COVID-19 vaccinations on Wednesday – President
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olombia will begin COVID-19 vaccinations on Wednesday following the arrival of the country’s first vaccines, from Pfizer Inc, President Ivan Duque said in his nightly broadcast on Monday. The government had planned to administer the first dose this coming Saturday, following the Monday arrival of the country’s first vaccine doses. The health ministry last week said it was expecting more than 5.7 million doses from different providers in February and March. “Today we received this first batch,” Duque said. “The vaccination process will begin the day after tomorrow, on Wednesday, Feb. 17.” The first vaccinations will take place in the cities of Sincelejo and Monteria, capitals of Colombia’s Sucre and Cordoba provinces respectively, Health Minister Fernando Ruiz said during the broadcast. Vaccinations will begin on Thursday in capital city Bogota, as well as other large cities. The goal is to vaccinate 1 million Colombians in the first 30 days and Monday’s shipment is the first of a block of 1.65 million which
will arrive over the next three weeks. The country has the capacity to conduct up to 100,000 vaccinations per day, the health ministry added. Front-line health-
care workers will be the first to be vaccinated, followed by those over 80 years old. Colombia has recorded just under 2.2 million cases of coronavirus and 57,786 deaths. (Reuters)
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Corentyne, Berbice fisherman was on Monday released on $150,000 bail when he appeared at the Springlands Magistrate’s Court charged with rape. Shamkumar Ramnarace of Number 60 Village, Corentyne, is accused of raping a housewife in September 2020. The 35-year-old man was charged under the Sexual Offences Act Chapter 8:03 and was not required to
plead to the indictable charge when he appeared before Magistrate Alex
Moore. The case will continue on March 8. (G4)
Orientation held for domestic violence hotline operators
The 914 hotline operators
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he Human Services and Social Security Ministry on Monday hosted an orientation exercise for 17 domestic violence hotline operators. The operators will be manning the 914 toll-free hotline, which was established to be a safe space where men, women and children suffering abuse could seek help. During brief remarks at the event held at the Palms Geriatric Home, Minister Dr Vindhya Persaud told the operators that the 914 hotline would play a critical role in providing support to victims of domestic abuse. “The way in which violence goes and because of the COVID-19 pandemic, many persons experiencing violence are in very close proximity with the perpetrators of the abuse and violence and it is extremely difficult to not only get that strength to call, but to find that space, to seek help and when they do find all of those things, to call 914, we must give them help,” the Minister is quoted by the Department of Public Information as saying. The Minister added that
it is imperative that trust is built between the persons calling and the operators. The Ministry would be hosting continuous training, and assessment and evaluation of each operator on a regular basis. “Trust is very critical, so your intervention will be in many different ways. There will be need for immediate intervention. Someone’s in the throes of a violent situation right now, and is calling for help. That help should be forthcoming because you have the list of first-line responders who you should be calling to get that help, don’t just call and leave it, follow up,” Persaud explained. According to the DPI report, Persaud said in addition to help such as shelter and counselling, people must be able to access support through the Difficult Circumstances Unit as well as Public Assistance. Through the Ministry’s Cottage Industry Skills initiative, training would also be provided to adults, including single-parents, since poverty is a contributing fac-
tor to domestic violence. The orientation was conducted by Akilah Doris of the Sexual Offences and Domestic Policy Unit. The operators were also exposed to training in conflict management and resolution in the workplace. The Ministry launched the 914 hotline in December in collaboration with UNICEF, Digicel Guyana, GTT and the Guyana Telecommunications Agency. Budget 2021 provides for a significant increase in the subvention to the organisations providing support to victims of domestic violence, including Help and Shelter, which will benefit from over $50 million this year. In addition to the establishment of a court superintendent department, which will be equipped with a cadre of lawyers to lead prosecutions in each regional division for cases of domestic violence, a Survivors Advocates Programme will also be implemented to offer emotional support and crisis counselling to victims of violence and abuse.
Driver hospitalised after hitting teen on Corentyne highway
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n person is now hospitalised with a fractured pelvis after the car he was driving hit a teenager and slammed into a parked vehicle on Valentine’s Day. Injured is Tateram Karan, 42, of Meida Farm Village, Corentyne, Region Six (East Berbice-
Corentyne). According to the Police, Karan was driving his motor car, PYY 5425, at a fast rate of speed on Friendship Public Road heading in the same direction as the 18-year-old pedestrian when he hit the teen’s left arm, causing her to fall onto the roadway. The car then
collided with a lorry parked on the parapet. Both Karan and the teen were taken to Port Mourant Public Hospital. Karan was transferred to the New Amsterdam Public Hospital where he was admitted as a patient suffering from a fractured right pelvis. (G15)
