Black Immigrant Daily News

Workers attached to the Guyana Rice Development Board Research Station at Burma on Wednesday held a picketing exercise to signal to management that they are not pleased with Union dues being deducted and paid to a Union which is not representing them.

The workers are trying to get management to stop deducting Union dues from their wages and salaries. About two months ago, about 80 workers signed a petition asking management to stop deducting Union dues and paying it to the Union of Allied and Agriculture Workers (UAAW). However, Union dues continue to be deducted. Wednesday morning’s picketing exercise was to send a signal to management that the workers do not want those dues deducted.

The petition, which was signed by scores of workers, was sent to the Administrative Manager of the organisation and also to the General Manager.

Sherwin Mingo, who is the workers’ Union representative, said a letter was also dispatched to management.

“Management has denied our request and continues to deduct the money from our wages. We do not want UAAW to represent us,” Mingo said, adding that while the majority of workers have indicated that they are not in favour of the Union of Allied and Agriculture Workers, a handful of staff are still in favour of representation from that Union.

“We don’t know what is the agreement with management and UAAW because things happening and we can’t say what really going on but our dues are still being deducted and that is what we do not want. The Union is not representing us. The Union has 16 persons who they are representing at the present moment,” Mingo added.

Non-representation

Patrice Downer, who has been working with the facility for the past 10 years, is five months pregnant. She claimed that she is being victimised because she asked for lighter forms of work.

According to the labourer, who is a mother of five, as a result of her request, she was instructed to hoe beds.

“I used to work in the fields when the pregnancy had just started, now it is much older. I asked for inside work but they give me a run-around. They say there is no work to do inside the building and it is fieldwork that I apply to do… They ask me if I could hoe and I told them that I would try because I used to hoe the plots. When I go, if you see this dam that they give me to hoe. I had to call in the HR and so. After that, I am being victimised,” the woman claimed.

Downer explained that for years she would supply food to workers who do not walk with lunch. She explained that it was one way to make extra money to take care of her family. However, after the recent incident, she was told that she can no longer sell food in the compound.

Meanwhile, Wendy Fordyce, who has been with the organisation for 17 years, said she has been recently having high blood pressure and with a job of raking grass, the sun is making it no better for her condition as a worker. She said she tried to engage her supervisors on the issue but to no avail.

The workers say there is no Union to represent them even though they are paying dues to a Union against their will.

Initially, the UAAW was representing these workers at the Burma Research Station, however, the workers were not satisfied with the service they were getting and they sought to have another Union represent them. The Guyana Agriculture and General Workers Union (GAWU) allegedly won an election and started representing those workers and had been doing so for just over a year. However, an injunction was filed in the High Court and granted by Justice Franklyn Holder, making those elections null and void. Management subsequently started deducting Union dues in favour of UAAW. The workers say they do not want that Union representing them and money deducted from their wages and salaries and paid to that Union. (This story was first published by the Guyana Times)

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Black Immigrant Daily News

El cielo estuvo variablemente nublado a través de las islas durante la noche. Aguaceros y tronadas aisladas fueron observadas, afectando principalmente los sectores costeros del noreste y sureste de Puerto Rico.

Para las 4 AM, el radar Doppler ha estimado acumulaciones de lluvia de hasta tres cuartos de una pulgada. Se espera que esta actividad persista durante la mañana, afectando mayormente sectores del noreste de Puerto Rico. Los vientos estuvieron leves y variables con ráfagas más altas observadas con los aguaceros.

Las temperaturas mínimas fluctuaron desde los medios 60 grados en las elevaciones altas hasta los altos 70 grados en áreas costeras.

Una vaguada en la superficie y humedad aumentando ocasionarán otra tarde activa con aguaceros y tronadas desarrollándose sobre el interior y oeste de Puerto Rico. Inundaciones urbanas y de riachuelos son posibles con esta actividad. Los vientos estarán del este con variaciones de la brisa marina entre 10 y 15 mph. Las temperaturas máximas deben fluctuar entre los altos 70 grados en las elevaciones altas hasta los bajos 90 grados en áreas costeras.

A través de las aguas regionales, los navegantes pueden encontrar oleaje de hasta 4 pies y vientos de hasta 15 nudos. Se podría observar vientos más fuertes y oleaje más alto cerca de los aguaceros y tronadas. La mayoría de las playas orientadas hacia el norte, este y sureste tienen un riesgo moderado de corrientes marinas.

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Black Immigrant Daily News

ORANJESTAD (AAN):   Diaranson tabata e fecha caminda enseñansa na Aruba a haci e apertura oficial di un aña escolar nobo.

            Mayoria di scol a habri. Otronan tin un otro fecha. Sinembargo, ya caba por a sinti e animo pa duna inicio na un temporada nobo.

            Alumno, mayor y docentenan tin basta spectativa pa loke ta e aña escolar aki. Caranan contento, caranan no mucho contento ainda por a wordo mira na tur scol rond di Aruba cu a inicia riba diaranson.

            DIARIO ta desea veld di enseñansa y principalmente na tur alumno, hopi exito!

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Black Immigrant Daily News

Premier Evelyn Wever – Croes:

*A trata e ley alternativa di Coho cu Aruba ta trahando riba dje 

ORANJESTAD (AAN):  E siman aki a tuma luga un reunion virtual entre Secretario di Estado Alexandra van Huffelen hunto cu Premier di Corsou sr. Gilmar Pisas y Premier di Sint Maarten sra. Silveria Jacobs. Durante di e reunion a trata diferente tema, sinembargo esun mas importante tabata unda ta para na e momentonan aki cu e leynan di COHO. Ta tene e tipo di reunionnan aki regularmente pa trata temanan en comun.

            Manera ta conoci, na luna di juni ora cu Secretario di Estado van Huffelen tabata na Aruba y a reuni cu e Premier nan di Corsou y Sint Maarten, e paisnan a indica na Secretario di Estado cu nan no tin sosten di Parlamento pa e ley di Reino di COHO.

            Na e ocasion a palabra, cu Aruba lo traha riba un alternativa pa e COHO. Durante e reunion virtual cu a tuma luga,  a delibera riba con ta bayendo y con leu ta, cu e alternativa.

            Prome Minister Wever – Croes a indica cu ta calcula cu pa fin di e luna aki,  lo tin un concepto cu por delibera riba dje. Otro luna (september) lo tin un otro reunion entre  Secretario di Estado van Huffelen, Premier Pisas, Premier Jacobs  y Prome Minister Wever – Croes, pa trata e alternativa aki.

E ta un hecho cu Aruba, Corsou y Sint Maarten a indica cu nan no tin sosten di Parlamento pa e Consensus Rijkswet di COHO, pues ta trahando riba un alternativa, Premier Wever – Croes a enfatisa. 

            E tipo di reunionnan aki ta importante pa por keda den contacto cu otro y dialoga riba temanan en comun. Otro temanan cu a trata den e reunion ta decisionnan cu ta wordo tuma den Conseho di Minister di Reino y e Landspakket. Pa Aruba, e tema di conseho pa aanwijzing ta un tema actual, pero esey no ta wordo trata den e tipo di reunionnan aki hunto cu e otro Premier nan.

Concluyendo, Prome Minister a bisa cu e siman aki lo papia di esaki si, cu Secretario di Estado van Huffelen  como cu e ta un tema cu ta concerni Aruba.

            Asina ta trahando cu tur esfuerso pa evita e aanwijzing y pa asina Aruba por sigui den e rumbo di recuperacion.

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Black Immigrant Daily News

Police Commissioner(ag) Clifton Hicken has disclosed that the Guyana Police Force is awaiting legal advice before making any decision on the fate of Police Sergeant Dion Bascom, who came out last week with some damning allegations of cover-up in the murder of Ricardo Fagundes, called “Paper Shorts”, by a senior Police rank.

During a press briefing on Wednesday evening, Commissioner Hicken reminded reporters that Police officers take an oath when joining the Force, and are also required to adhere to a certain “ethical behaviour” while in law enforcement.

The Top Cop referred to a previous statement made on Tuesday in which he described Bascom’s actions as a “breach of the code of conduct.” At Wednesday’s press conference, Hicken further stated that, in addition to the allegations, the Police Sergeant’s outburst and use of profanities were “unbecoming” of an officer.

Responding to a question about Bascom’s fitness to continue serving in the Police Force, Hicken explained that this would be determined after advice is obtained from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).

“There is a process, disciplinary process, to deal with such a behaviour. And so, for that process to commence, we await the legal advice of the DPP. But I can tell you there is a process that must be followed before any Police rank can be dismissed from the Force, so it has nothing to do with my perception, or it has nothing to do with what I feel. If the process is followed, and he is not found guilty, so shall it be. If the process is followed and he’s guilty, so shall it be,” the Police Commissioner posited.

As it is, Sergeant Bascom is currently on sick leave, based upon his request.

The bombshell allegations made by the cop during a Facebook live last Thursday had prompted the Top Cop to order the Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) to conduct a probe into the matter. That investigation has since been completed, and according to Hicken in his statement on Tuesday, the findings and recommendations have been sent to the DPP for legal advice.

“Let better judgement prevail. Wait on the advice of the DPP, and then we are going to initiate [actions] based on the advice,” the Police Commissioner further told reporters on Wednesday.

Damaged public trust

Commissioner Hicken outlined that it is important to address the allegations made by Bascom, since he is a senior rank of the Force and his claims can damage public trust in the organisation – something which Hicken said he has been working to build at the community level.

Against this backdrop, Head of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the Police Force, Wendell Blanhum, made a presentation during Wednesday’s press briefing in which he debunked some of the allegations made by Bascom.

He firstly dealt with the coverup allegations in connection with the gunning down of “Paper Shorts” outside a popular Main Street, Georgetown night spot more than a year ago.

Sergeant Bascom is alleging that the main suspect in that probe, Rondell Bacchus, was just a front to take the fall for the murder of Fagundes.

But in his presentation, Blanhum disclosed that it was the lawyer of Roger Khan, a close associate of “Paper Shorts”, who had directed the Police to Bacchus as a suspect.

The Crime Chief shared screenshots of the conversation with the attorney, who sent information to the Police about Bacchus.

“…We’re showing evidence to support our position that the Police didn’t target Rondell Bacchus, as is being falsely peddled by Mr Dion Bascom…,” Blanhum stated.

Moreover, the Crime Chief dismissed Bascom’s claims that no action was taken by the Force on information he provided that linked another suspect – Mark Richmond, a private security guard – to the Fagundes murder.

According to Blanhum, Bascom had told his superiors at the time that a popular businessman from Essequibo was using him (Bascom) to go after Richmond. The Crime Chief said it is known that the businessman and Sergeant Bascom are close friends.

“Dion Bascom’s claims that no further action was taken in relation to Mark Richmond are clearly misleading and false, since it was he who told investigators that it was a businessman from Essequibo who had a personal problem with Mark Richmond’s employer. He further indicated that the businessman wanted to use him,” the CID Head highlighted.

In fact, when questioned during the press conference about Bascom’s relationship with the “Essequibo businessman”, Commissioner Hicken contended that this matter would be further dealt with upon the receipt of legal advice from the DPP on the way forward with the Sergeant.

Absurd, ridiculous

Another allegation that the Police Sergeant made, which was rubbished, is that the Police, using a device, had been able to link Richmond to the crime scene on the night of the murder.

“Mr Bascom’s claims are absurd, ridiculous, and at the same time hilarious… The Guyana Police Force does not have any device to identify criminals at a crime scene, as was falsely peddled by Bascom,” the Crime Chief has said.

Further, Blanhum stated that the Force’s technical officer has vehemently denied these claims by the Sergeant, adding that they were never at the crime scene together.

“Therefore, Dion Bascom is not being honest in this regard, and is manufacturing false or concocted information out of malice,” Blanhum added.

He outlined that the Police Force has been receiving assistance from an internationally recognised law enforcement agency in the Fagundes murder probe, and by making these cover-up allegations, Bascom is not only implicating local ranks, but also several foreign experts and investigators who have visited the CID HQ in relation to this matter.

Sergeant Bascom came out with these damning allegations days after he and others were busted with cocaine during a Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) operation last week Monday. He claimed that he was set-up for speaking out about the alleged cover-up, and that Blanhum had directed CANU to release his photo to the media – something which the Crime Chief denied during Wednesday’s press conference.

Meanwhile, as the Police await advice from the OPR on the findings and recommendations, Sergeant Bascom, through his lawyer, has being calling for an independent probe to be conducted. Home Affairs Minister Robeson Benn on Tuesday indicated that there are standard procedures in place for such matters to be dealt with, and he further declared his full confidence in the OPR conducting a proper investigation into this matter.

In the meantime, Police Sergeant Bascom has written President Dr Irfaan Ali, seeking witness protection after reportedly being threatened.

Since making his allegations, Bascom is facing three lawsuits that run into several millions of dollars. They are from Police Superintendent Mitchell Caesar, the senior cop whom he alleges is covering-up Fagundes’s murder; from Mark Richmond; and from Richmond’s employer, businessman Azruddin Mohamed. (This story was first published by Guyana Times)

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