Police, Benschop Foundation reward Glasgow girl for bravery

Kissan Henry, the seven-year-old who rescued her brother from their burning Glasgow Housing Scheme, East Bank Berbice house last Monday, was yesterday recognised by the Guyana Police Force, the Mark Benschop Foundation and others for her heroism.

At a simple ceremony at Police Headquarters, Eve Leary, Henry received a plaque, books and a bottle of perfume, which were from Commissioner of Police Seelall Persaud, Crime Chief Paul Williams and other members of the force.

According to a brief Guyana Police Force statement, “the force has recognised her for bravery and brilliant thinking from a humanitarian standpoint at such a tender age.”

Last Monday, around 9.30 pm, the interior of the upper flat of the house where Henry and her four-yearold brother were left home alone caught afire.

Before neighbours could render assistance, Kissan tied her brother in a sheet and lowered him to the ground from a window of the upper flat of the house. In order to save herself, the girl, while using the sheet for assistance, jumped from the window. She suffered an injury as a result of the jump. Seven-year-old Kissan Henry receiving a plaque from Crime Chief Paul Williams (at left) and Deputy Crime Chief Supertindent Michael Kingston. A gang of armed bandits raided a Berbice River trader of over $1 million in supplies, including large amounts of fuel, in a pre-dawn attack last Friday.

Randy Gladstone, who sells groceries and other items from his boat in the Berbice River, was docked for the night in Henry Tata District. He said sometime around 3 am on Friday morning, five men approached in a speed boat and claimed that they wanted to purchase gasoline from him.

A hesitant Gladstone told this newspaper that he did not believe the men and he alerted his daughter and a workman, who were aboard at the time.

The man’s daughter, Rochelle Gladstone, was fast asleep in a lower compartment when she heard her father’s screams. “I hear my father saying, ‘Bandits! Bandits!’ So, I get up and run go upstairs. He [her father] was trying to open the door because at first they say they come buy gasoline but then he said is bandits and close back the door,” she recalled, while noting that her father then told her to hide.

The bandits, most of whom were armed with guns, raided the boat and carted off large amounts of gasoline and diesel, some $250,000 in cash, batteries, torchlights, cell phones, and other items.

Stabroek News was told that the attack was reported to the police, who are expected to travel to the remote area to conduct an investigation.