Haresh Singh’s Relatives take protest to Office of the President
Relatives of Haresh Singh, the West Coast Berbice (WCB) teenager who was murdered more than five months ago during unrest yesterday staged a protest outside the Office of the President as they continue their quest for justice.
They told reporters yesterday morning that for the past three months they have not heard a single word from the police on the status of the investigation.
“We come and protest because almost six month done since meh grandson dead and them nah do nothing about it. Abe like abe nah count. Them nah do nothing about this. Nothing them nah come find out, nothing. Like me grandson nah got owner, he nah gah nothing fah fight fah am,” Singh grandmother Basmattie Singh said.
The relati “We want ju have been wa
They said that the matte
“It looks l family we wi Haresh. We n matter that is nobody is te wished not to
Two Sund the WCB Pub stressed that police to mak
Seventeen ‘Raj’, of Lot found with
ives carried placards which read ustice for Haresh Singh” and “We aiting too long”. that they are beginning to think er has been forgotten. like the police give up but we the ill not give up. We need justice for need the President to look into this s why we are here today because elling us nothing,” a relative who o be named said. ays ago, the relatives protested on blic Road calling for justice. They they are tired of waiting on the ke a breakthrough in the case. n-year-old Singh also known as t 8, Number 3 Village, WCB was head injuries and chop wounds along the Number 2 backdam on September 9th, 2020.
Reports had revealed that Singh left home on his motorcycle to tend to his farm in the backdam of No. 3 Village, WCB.
Sometime after, his relatives saw smoke rising from the said backdam and left to investigate. They then discovered the body of Singh lying motionless and bleeding from his nose. His motorcycle had also been burnt.
An autopsy later concluded that he died as a result of brain haemorrhaging and blunt trauma to the head, compounded by compression injuries to his neck.
Singh was murdered days after teenage cousins Isaiah and Joel Henry were slain. Singh’s murder was believed to be a reprisal killing. Several of his relatives had been initially held in connection with the murder of the cousins.
During the investigation into Singh’s murder, a number of persons were detained for questioning. However no charge has been laid.
Last month, a reliable source had told this newspaper that the investigation remains active. The source had said that DNA samples were taken from individuals who were detained over Singh’s murder and were submitted to the Guyana Forensic Science Laboratory (GFSL) for testing. However, since then, there has been no further word on the results.
Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum had previously told Stabroek News that “all of the police efforts and resources will be dedicated to bring the matter to finality”.
The Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA) says that during February 8-10, 2021, it conducted training on COVID-19-related hygiene and sanitation for 90 persons in Region 9 communities .
GTA, in a press release, said that the participants were also guided on general facts of the COVID-19 disease, signs and symptoms, myths and facts as well as the best practices of health and sanitation using the GTA’s recommended hygiene and sanitation protocol.
Ninety representatives from eight Indigenous communities in Regions 9 participated in the training. The communities and number of representatives were Fairview (30), Bina Hill Institute (10), Aranaputa (15), Annai (13), Wowetta (15), St. Ignatius (7), Kumu (17) and Moco Moco (13). Participants were also trained on how to establish monitoring and contact tracing systems, improve their standards of operation and were provided with hygiene and sanitation support packages (sanitising products, COVID-19 signage, masks, etc.,) The sessions sought to raise awareness and continue providing education on the COVID-19 pandemic to communities tied to the tourism value chain in the North and Central Rupununi areas, and to reinforce the safety measures established by the National COVID-19 Task Force.
One participant, Rita Leo, an acting Toshao, commended the training, she said “I learnt a lot from it - how to wear and dispose of a mask, how to wash your hands. I am glad for this opportunity to advise my family and other colleagues.” Another participant,
Lezlene Daniels
Lezlene Daniels, a tour guide from Iwokrama River Lodge, also expressed her satisfaction, “The most important part [for me] is how to use a mask and hand gloves correctly. As I go back to my community, I will share my knowledge with the little ones.”
“I am very happy for [the GTA] being here to educate the young people. Most of them I invited here this morning so that they can capture as much as they can and pass it on to the smaller ones,” remarked another participant, Odelia Francis, Senior Councillor of Kumu Village.
Director of the GTA,
Rita Leo
Carla James stated that “it is amazing to see the positive feedback received directly from the villages and it is our hope that our continuous efforts to educate and support our tourism-focused communities will further contribute to our journey towards complete recovery. Adequate hygiene and sanitation is critical during this period, and we want to ensure that our sector is provided with the necessary training and support to successfully reopen.”
GTA’s Tourism Marketing Officer, Shellon Nicholas, and Product Development Facilita-tion Officer, Clyde Edwards, conducted the sessions.