Black Immigrant Daily News

Former Education and Culture Minister Myron Walwyn was arrested on Tuesday and charged with breach of trust by a public officer in connection with the Elmore Stoutt High School perimetre wall, but he quickly released a statement defending himself and raising questions about the long-running police investigation into the project.

“This is a charge that I will vigorously defend as it does not enjoy the benefit of facts,” Mr. Walwyn wrote in a statement posted to Facebook on Tuesday. “In my humble opinion, it is manifestly unjust.”

Mr. Walwyn went on to express confidence in the judicial system to render a “fair and just decision” on the matter, but his statement nevertheless drew a response from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions before the end of the day.

“The statement, among other things, seeks to adversely influence the potential array of jurors who will eventually decide his fate and the fate of other persons similarly charged,” the office alleged. “Such rhetoric only serves to undermine the course of justice in the territory.”

Project history

The wall project — which commenced in December 2014 but was never completed — has faced criticism for years. In a 2018 report, Auditor General Sonia Webster blasted it for budget overruns and contract splitting, among other issues.

Ms. Webster alleged that the then-Ministry of Education and Culture overspent and ultimately failed to obtain good value for taxpayers’ money in part because the project was split into more than 70 work orders and 15 petty contracts.

Former Education and Culture Minister has been charged with breach of trust in connection with the Elmore StouttHigh School perimetre wall, above.(File photo: FREEMAN ROGERS)

In March 2019, police announced that they had launched an investigation into the project, but for the next three years they provided few updates and announced no arrests.

Last year, however, Commission of Inquiry Commissioner Sir Gary Hickinbottom revisited Ms. Webster’s report in detail and used it as the basis for grilling public officials including Mr. Walwyn about the project. In his April report, Sir Gary echoed some of Ms. Webster’s criticisms and recommended that the police investigation be allowed to run its course. About two months after the release of the COI report, police announced in June that businessman Kelvin Thomas, of Chalwell Estate, had been charged in connection with the project.

He was accused of obtaining property by deception, making a false statement to a public officer, and possession of the proceeds of criminal conduct, police said at the time. Last month, police announced that Lorna Stevens, who as assistant secretary in Mr. Walwyn’s ministry helped manage the wall project, had been charged with breach of trust by a public officer and released on bail.

Sceptical

In Mr. Walwyn’s Tuesday statement, he noted that he has been an attorney for 16 years and has “utmost confidence” in the VI’s judicial system to render a “fair and just decision” on the matter.

But he also raised questions about the police probe that led to his arrest. According to Mr. Walwyn, then-Police Commissioner Michael Matthews had said that the police investigation was completed in early 2020 and that its findings were sent to the director of public prosecutions to “decide whether the evidence warranted a pursuance of prosecution.”

“Though this matter was publicly discussed by the commissioner on talk shows and various medias during its process, to date no update has been given to the public about their findings following its conclusion,” Mr. Walwyn stated. “It raises the question as to why a completed investigation by the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force that was sent to the DPP’s Office could still find itself as a subject of the Commission of Inquiry as an open investigation.

“Again, it’s worth noting that the Commission of Inquiry recommended that the investigation should continue — the investigation which according to [Mr. Matthews] was concluded in early 2020. I am left to believe that the original investigation did not yield their desired results.”

DPP’s response

The Office of the DPP, however, took issue with Mr. Walwyn’s account. “Contrary to Mr. Walwyn’s assertions, an incomplete investigative case file was submitted in 2020, and the same was quickly returned to the [Royal Virgin Islands Police Force] to conduct further investigations,” the office stated.

“However, the case files were never completed by the RVIPF at that stage.
The decision was made to bring in an independent team of financial investigators from the United Kingdom to review the investigation, and that review commenced in early 2021.”

This review, the office added, was carried out to ensure that the probe was completed “fairly, transparently and to standard.”

“The Office of the DPP has always operated in accordance to the law, and strongly refutes the erroneous and unfounded statements that otherwise has been done,” the office stated.

Acknowledgement

In his statement, Mr. Walwyn acknowledged “procedural issues” with the wall project, but he sought to downplay them. “I also do not think that one could find a previously done government project that was faultlessly managed,” he wrote.

“As such, we can all agree that we must continue to work on improving the way we manage all government projects.” Mr. Walwyn added that he does not believe that any of the procedural issues met the criteria for breach of trust or justified “such a charge for anyone who was involved in the management of the project during its normal course.”

“If the intentions are truly to help the BVI to be better able to manage its affairs, I am not convinced that labelling its hardworking citizens as corrupt without concrete evidence and damaging their reputations, livelihoods and sense of decency is a productive approach,” he wrote. “I repudiate any such label being placed on me.”

He added that he “worked extremely hard every day” while serving in office for almost eight years. “Above all, I served you honestly,” he wrote. “To now have this vexatious charge levied against me is extremely damning and troubling to me.”

On Tuesday afternoon, the Police Information Office confirmed Mr. Walwyn’s arrest in connection with the wall project, but it didn’t provide further information.

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Black Immigrant Daily News

Birth control pills can help you avoid becoming pregnant, but they also have a number of other advantages.

While birth control is the most prevalent reason people use the pill, more than half of pill users utilise it for reasons other than pregnancy prevention.

Here are five benefits of using birth control pills other than pregnancy prevention.

It regulates menstrual cycles

Birth control pills aid in balancing the hormonal variations that occur during your menstrual period. This helps to smooth out your period so you know when it will arrive. Traditional birth control pills contain estrogen and progestin, which are hormones identical to those produced by your ovaries. For three weeks, you take hormone-containing “active” pills, followed by a week of inactive pills. The week you take the inactive pills, you will get your period.

Helps with cramps, anaemia and PMS

Birth control pills may reduce your risk of heavy monthly bleeding by preventing ovulation and making the uterine lining thinner. A lighter period reduces your chances of iron deficiency anaemia, which is caused by severe bleeding. Because it stops ovulation and lightens your menstruation, the pill may help relieve unpleasant cramps. If you have PMS or PMDD, birth control tablets may help alleviate symptoms such as mood swings, breast discomfort, weight gain, bloating, and acne by balancing hormone levels during your cycle. Using the pill to balance your hormone levels may also result in fewer and milder menstrual migraines.

Helps with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS)

Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), a prevalent illness among adolescent girls and young women, is characterized by a hormonal imbalance in which the ovaries produce an excess of testosterone. It can lead to irregular periods, excessive hair growth, and acne. Birth control pills can alleviate these symptoms by balancing your hormones, lowering your testosterone levels, and controlling your period.

Relieves endometriosis symptoms and prevents ovarian cysts

Endometriosis is a disorder in which the uterine lining grows outside of the uterus. This might result in intense menstrual cramps and painful periods. Birth control pills will not treat endometriosis, but they will help you control your pain by stopping your period. The pills may also prevent the recurrence of ovarian cysts.

Reduces your risk of uterine cancer

Birth control pills also have some long-term advantages. Women who use combination birth control pills are 50 per cent less likely to get uterine cancer. These effects can remain for up to 20 years after you stop using the pill. It may also lower your risk of ovarian cancer.

Other than pregnancy prevention, birth control pills may provide some benefits, but they may not be the ideal birth control option for you. They also do not protect you from STDs. If you’re thinking about starting the pill, consult your doctor first.

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Black Immigrant Daily News

Fazil Osman of Mahaica, East Coast Demerara (ECD), the man who, on February 24, 2019, had mercilessly chopped his reputed wife after finding out that she had had an abortion, will be spending the next 10 years in jail.

The 44-year-old Osman, a father of six and a farmer by profession, had last month appeared before Demerara High Court Justice Jo-Ann Barlow and pleaded guilty to an attempted murder charge, wherein he admitted that, on February 24, 2019, he had unlawfully and maliciously wounded the 24-year-old woman at Hand-en-Veldt, Mahaica with intent to commit murder.

This mother of two was attacked and chopped after she had made a report at the Mahaica Police Station that Osman had beaten her.

Based on what had been reported, the abused woman had been instructed by the investigating rank to return home to Osman, who had accused her of stealing his money when she had gone to their home to uplift her clothing.

On the day in question, she had gone back home in the company of a Rural Constable to identify Osman, in order that he be served with a restraining order. Osman had used that opportunity to attack his reputed wife, chopping her with a cutlass and causing the Rural Constable to flee for her safety. Osman and his reputed wife had been living together for six months.

During Osman’s sentencing hearing on Thursday, he begged his former partner and her family to forgive him for the brutal assault he had launched on her. “I am very sorry for what happened,” a remorseful Osman said.

Osman had told a probation officer that he had not chopped his partner because she had stolen his money, but rather because she had aborted a pregnancy without informing him.

Justice Barlow, in her sentencing, told Osman that he had not only disrespected his reputed wife, but also the Special Constable who had accompanied her to serve him with the legal document.

According to the Judge, the information provided to the court shows that Osman has had a history of violent behaviour towards his previous partners. Justice Barlow disclosed that Osman’s reputed wife suffers from visual impairment due to the chops she had sustained to her head and face.

After considering the aggravating and mitigating factors, Justice Barlow commenced Osman’s sentence at a base of 18 years.

One-third of same (six years) was deducted for his early guilty plea, and from the resulting 12 years, two years were deducted for time the convict had spent in pre-trial detention, bringing his final jail sentence to 10 years.

The Court has also ordered that Osman be exposed to counselling/training sessions for persons convicted of violent offences stemming from domestic violence.

State Counsel Latifah Elliot was the prosecutor. Osman was represented by lawyer Teriq Mohammed.

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Black Immigrant Daily News

Committed to its promise to build a world-class health-care system in Guyana, the Government is moving ahead with the construction of seven new hospitals that will deliver quality health services to Guyanese in all regions.

Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony, in a recent interview with the Department of Public Information (DPI), said that the mobilisation phase for the construction of the hospitals has been completed.

“We have already handed over the site to the contractor [for the 256-bed Paediatric and Maternal Hospital in Ogle], this is to the Austrian company called VAMED and very soon you will begin to see site preparation occurring…they have [also] engaged the Ministry of Health and its technical team to finalise the design of the hospital… and very soon laying of the foundation will commence,” he revealed.

In Regions Two and Three, contractors have already begun site preparation for the construction of the hospitals there, Dr Anthony stated.

The hospital for Region Three will be constructed in De Kinderen and will provide adequate health care for residents within the Parika-Tuschen catchment area; which has seen increased population growth.

In Region Four, a new hospital is being constructed in Little Diamond on the East Bank of Demerara (EBD) and another at Enmore on the East Coast of Demerara (ECD).“Similarly in Bath Settlement and Number 75 Village, we have been working on the site preparation and very soon in another couple of days we will be handing over the construction site in Bath Settlement, while we have already handed over the site in Number 75 Village to the contractor for construction to commence,” the Minister said.

Moreover, the Government, since 2020, has moved to continuously upgrade primary care access at more than 240 facilities across the country, including health centres, local area hospitals, and health posts.

The health sector will continue to see massive infrastructural and human resource development in all regions as Guyana continues its upward trajectory.

President Dr Irfaan Ali had stated that the modernised regional health facilities were part of a US$180 million project. Each of the hospitals will be 65,000 square feet.

“In advancing the health and well-being of our population, we have promised to deliver a world-class health system. We have embarked on this journey with great vigour to design and implement a plan that will deliver such result. We have already put in place several projects that will improve access to quality health care for the people of our country,” said the Head of State.

For the year 2022, Government plans on injecting a whopping $73 billion into the health-care sector. This was an enormous increase from the $53.5 billion spent in 2021. From this figure, $1 billion was set aside for upgrades to health centres and an additional $2 billion for medical and non-medical equipment.

There are several larger projects on the Ali-led Administration’s agenda, geared at decentralising health care and enabling easier access for Guyanese.

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