Black Immigrant Daily News

News

File Photo by Lincoln Holder.

AN autopsy on the body of welder Shakile Keyon Douglas, who died on the job at Paria Fuel Trading Company facilities on October 21, has given hypertensive (high blood pressure) complications as the cause of his death.

Douglas, 28, who lived at Cleghorn Village, Princes Town, worked for Sonny Beharrysingh and Sons, which was contracted by Paria.

A joint release from Paria and his employer shortly after the incident said Douglas died suddenly after complaining of feeling unwell while at work.

In a statement on Friday, Beharrysingh and Sons confirmed the autopsy finding and called on employees to pay more attention to their health and diet.

“The autopsy on Shakile reveals that he died suddenly as a result of hypertensive complications.

“In light of Shakile’s untimely passing, our company and Shakile’s loved ones join in bringing awareness to the importance of health and wellness and work-life balance. We urge everyone to conduct regular medical screening, exercise regularly and maintain a healthy diet.”

The statement added that Douglas was welding a roofing frame on an office container at Paria when he said he was feeling unwell. He asked for a break, but his co-workers realised he was experiencing some kind of medical distress.

They immediately contacted Paria’s emergency response team, who in turn contacted the TT Fire Services and external emergency response agencies.

“Despite all attempts made, Shakile was found to be unresponsive and subsequently pronounced dead by the relevant authorities,” the statement said.

Expressing condolences to Douglas’s family, friends and co-workers, Beharrysingh and Sons said the company continues to assist his loved ones during this difficult time and keep them in their prayers.

In an earlier response to his death, Douglas’s father, Eyon Douglas, said his son was young and strong. Along with Pointe-a-Pierre MP David Lee, Eyon Douglas called for an investigation to ensure there was no cover-up.

There have been doubts about Paria’s operations since the February 25 diving incident which left four divers who worked for LCMS dead, after being sucked into a pipeline.

A commission of enquiry (CoE) into the death of the four – Fyzal Kurban, Rishi Nagassar, Kazim Ali Jr and Yusuf Henry – who were undertaking maintenance work in a hyperbaric chamber for Paria, got off to an embarrassing start on September 7.

Chairman Jerome Lynch, KC, expressed frustration at its lack of resources and appealed for the basic tools for the commission to do its job.

Hearings will resume on November 21 and on November 22 the commission will make a site visit to Paria’s No 36 Sealine Riser on Berth No 6, Pointe-a- Pierre, where the incident occurred.

NewsAmericasNow.com

Black Immigrant Daily News

News

Justice Gillian Lucky

A San Fernando couple who were charged with assaulting a justice of the peace in 2017 at their store have successfully argued their appeal against their convictions and fines.

During a hearing of San Fernando magisterial appeals, Appeal Court judges Justice Prakash Moosai and Gillian Lucky upheld the appeal and set aside the convictions and the fines imposed on them.

They did not order a retrial.

Rabindranath Maharaj, 65, and his wife Zairoon, 60, owners of R&J Cell Tech mobile store at Gulf City Mall, La Romaine, appealed their convictions for beating a justice of the peace on February 24, 2017. The couple had been fined $200 each and ordered to pay varying sums of compensation to their alleged victim.

It was alleged the JP went to the couple’s store with friends to buy cellphones but did not have enough money. He offered to use his credit card and after being told there would be an additional cost for using it, he declined to complete the purchase.

It was alleged when he was leaving the store, he was pulled back and called a “thief and robber.” He claimed the couple beat him on the head.

The couple’s attorneys, Wayne Sturge and Danielle Rampersad, argued that the magistrate, in finding the couple guilty, engaged in conjecture and speculation when she assessed the evidence. They argued this shifted the burden of proof to the couple, while also penalising them for not giving evidence.

The attorneys also argued the magistrate wrongfully placed weight on the fact that the alleged victim was a justice of the peace, pastor and mediator, making out he was a more credible witness.

They argued in the couple’s defence that there was no beating and the JP exaggerated what took place at the store.

It was their defence that there was a dispute about payment. This, they said, was even accepted by the JP. Sturge said they acted in a manner to stop an alleged thief from leaving their store.

He said by shifting the burden of proof and failing to address the justification for the couple’s actions, the magistrate speculated on what took place.

He also said by recognising the alleged victim as a person of previous good character, she “enhanced” his credibility.

In an oral ruling, the judges agreed the magistrate erred. Moosai said it was clear the case turned on the issue of credibility, and this was “enhanced” and tipped in favour of the JP. He also said the magistrate’s finding an absence of a motive for exaggerating what took place didn’t mean the JP was speaking the truth.

Moosai said the magistrate by misdirecting herself, fell into error.

The judges also decided not to order a retrial, but emphasised the importance of good customer relations. Moosai said this entailed an enhanced respect for each other –customer and owner. The judges, who said they will issue a written decision soon, also said there were avenues for disgruntled customers and business owners without either resorting to violence.

The State was represented by deputy Director of Public Prosecutions Tricia Hudlin-Cooper at the appeal.

NewsAmericasNow.com

Black Immigrant Daily News

See full statement from the Guyana Bar Association 

The Rule of Law and the fundamental right to Counsel are stated to be hallmarks of a democratic society. Today the actions of the members of the Guyana Police Force’s Special Organized Crime Unit (SOCU) towards our colleague, Ms. Tamieka Clarke, Attorney-at-Law sought to destroy these foundations of our democracy.

It has come to our attention that around 10am today, Friday 28th October, 2022, our colleague, Ms. Tamieka Clarke, Attorney-at-Law and member of the Association was arrested and kept in custody by members of the Guyana Police Force’s Specially Organized Crime Unit.

From all indications, this arrest was prompted by the Attorney-at-Law’s advice to a client to exercise his constitutional right to remain silent and follows a threat made to the Attorney-at-Law earlier this week that she would be arrested if her client does not give a Statement to the Police on a matter they are investigating.

The Bar Association unreservedly and unequivocally condemns the actions of the Guyana Police Force.  Such action is disturbing, perverse, unlawful, oppressive and wholly unacceptable.

We call on the Commissioner of Police to:

–       forthwith issue an apology to Ms. Tamieka Clarke, Attorney-at-Law;

–       compensate Ms. Clarke for her unlawful imprisonment;

–       launch a full investigation into the matter at hand with such necessary disciplinary action enforced swiftly including charges being laid against the offending officer(s), there being no lawful grounds for the arrest; and

–       disciplinary action including termination of any officer(s) who were aware of and allowed this type conduct.

We understand that through the intervention of Counsel, Ms. Clarke has since been released. The Bar Association inclusive of its Criminal Bar Committee do not take this matter lightly and will take all necessary steps to ensure that our members can exercise their professional duties without intimidation and that the Rule of Law is upheld.

NewsAmericasNow.com

Black Immigrant Daily News

See full statement from Guyana Police Force:

POLICE OPR INVESTIGATING ALLEGED UNLAWFUL ARREST OF ATTORNEY AT LAW

The Guyana Police Force is aware of a statement issued by the Guyana Bar Association in relation to allegations of the arrest of Attorney-at-Law, Ms. Tameika Clarke earlier today (Friday, October 28, 2022) by the Special Organized Crime Unit (SOCU).

As such, the Police Office of Professional Responsibility has since been instructed lo launch an investigation into the allegations.

NewsAmericasNow.com

Black Immigrant Daily News

– Advertisement –

Chairman of Digicel Denis O’Brien offered his support to the regional reparations movement during an engagement last week with the CARICOM Reparations Commission (CRC).

Mr. O’Brien presented a proposal entitled “Repair” that he said could assist in advancing CARICOM’s call for Reparations for Native Genocide and Slavery.

The Plan seeks to persuade the British and European governments and institutions to establish a new long-term fund for reparations. He said the fund will have clear five-year targets with financing flowing to the region annually.

The Digicel Chairman had already publicly declared his solidarity with the work of the CRC and had spoken on the matter to several CARICOM Heads of Government, the Commission’s Chairman, Professor Sir Hilary Beckles, and national reparations committees.

– Advertisement –

O’Brien said the proposal supports the CRC Ten Point Plan for Reparatory Justice in which reparation is defined as an economic and social development strategy for the region. He agreed with the CRC’s position that Europe owes the region a ‘Marshall style Plan’ after 400 years of wealth extraction by which it was enriched.

The Chairman of Digicel said his repair plan will facilitate multisectoral investments in agriculture, health and education, among other areas. He suggested that such a multi-sectoral investment and trading plan was critical to the successful recovery of the region from current international economic crises.

In applauding O’Brien and his team for their affirmation and support of the work of CRC, Professor Beckles said the Repair plan has the potential to engage in high-level government relations with the UK, Europe, and the European Union.

“This level of engagement will help build momentum in support of CARICOM’s call for reparations,” he added.

The Repair plan seeks to energise the movement for reparations through public relations campaigns in the United Kingdom, and European and Caribbean communities. To achieve this objective, a robust communications strategy utilising both traditional and social media platforms will be implemented.

Mr. O’Brien commended the Commission for its outstanding work in bringing reparations to the top of the global agenda. Everywhere in Britain, he noted, exposure and apologies for enrichment from slavery are the order of the day.

The next critical step is to influence public opinion so that European leaders will offer reparations instead of cautious statements of regret.

He also called for the establishment of a team of regional economists from UWI and other partners to prepare a report on what the ‘Marshall Plan style Reparations’ development program would entail. The time he said has come to put a firm but reasonable reparations for development proposal before Europe.

The Commission and Mr. O’Brien team agreed to collaborate and to work together to further develop the proposal in the coming months.

The CARICOM Reparations Commission invites other private sector corporations in the Caribbean and in Europe to similarly partner with the CRC to seek reparatory justice for the peoples of the Caribbean.

SOURCE: Caribbean Community Secretariat

– Advertisement –

NewsAmericasNow.com