标签： Guyana

In a significant breakthrough for law enforcement in Guyana’s Berbice region, authorities have apprehended a 21-year-old construction worker and recovered an arsenal of illegal weapons during an investigation into recent robberies in Rose Hall Town, Corentyne.

The operation, conducted on Tuesday, March 3, 2026, in Ulverston Village, resulted in the discovery of sophisticated firearms concealed in a tamarind tree on an unoccupied property. According to police reports, officers discovered a cutlass sack containing: one AK-47 assault rifle with seventeen matching 7.62mm rounds, one 9mm pistol with four corresponding cartridges, and one pair of gloves.

The suspect, identified as a resident of Alness Village, Corentyne, Berbice, was taken into custody and escorted to the Rose Hall Town Police Station. The recovered weapons and ammunition have been officially lodged as evidence while the investigation continues.

This operation represents a substantial achievement for Guyana’s law enforcement amid ongoing efforts to combat violent crime in the Corentyne region. The seizure of military-grade weaponry particularly underscores the serious nature of criminal activities being investigated. Police have not disclosed whether the suspect is directly connected to the recent robberies that prompted the operation, indicating the investigation remains active and ongoing.

Two officers from Guyana’s Child Protection Agency (CPA) have been suspended following the emergence of a viral video showing them violently dragging a uniformed schoolgirl by her hands and hair along a public road near Stabroek Market square. The incident has triggered widespread condemnation and intensified calls for comprehensive reform within the child welfare system.

Human Services and Social Security Minister Vindhya Persaud characterized the footage as ‘appalling’ and immediately suspended the officers pending a police investigation. ‘They will be held accountable for their conduct which runs counter to the values and operational procedures of the Child Protection Agency,’ Dr. Persaud stated, emphasizing her ministry’s commitment to child protection.

The controversy emerges against a backdrop of systemic concerns within the CPA. Just two days prior to the video’s emergence, former CPA Director Ann Greene had publicly criticized the agency’s ‘apparent lack of training and leadership’ in a letter to Kaieteur News publication. Greene highlighted that individuals were being placed in high positions ‘with not an ounce of training and understanding of their roles, responsibilities and Child Protection laws.’

Opposition party We Invest in Nationhood (WIN) seized on the incident to demand urgent independent review of the CPA and Probation and Social Services. The party called for transparent disclosure of child protection protocols, particularly regarding teenage mothers and high-risk minors, citing recent cases of 14- and 15-year-olds delivering babies in violation of consent laws.

Greene’s letter had specifically addressed these cases, noting that medical officers were legally required to report such incidents to the CPA for intervention. She emphasized that proper protection involves placing children and babies in safe care environments while investigating potential statutory rape charges against adult perpetrators.

The convergence of the violent incident and preexisting concerns about agency competence has created a crisis of confidence in Guyana’s child protection systems. WIN emphasized that ‘when experienced former leadership publicly signals distress about the condition of the agency, immediate and transparent action must be the response,’ demanding measurable corrective plans with clear timelines.

A devastating incident unfolded in Melanie Damishana, East Coast Demerara on Tuesday morning, resulting in the tragic drowning of two young siblings. According to official statements from the Guyana Police Force, 10-year-old Jadon De Courte and his 8-year-old sister Tianna De Courte lost their lives in a trench along the Melanie Damishana/Enterprise access road.

The sequence of events began between 8:00 AM and 11:05 AM when the children, who had accompanied their mother to the area, reportedly wandered away from direct supervision. Police investigators confirmed that emergency services received notification approximately at 11:05 hours regarding two motionless children discovered in the waterway.

The mother was immediately alerted to the situation and subsequently identified both victims as her children. Emergency medical technicians dispatched to the location pronounced both siblings deceased at the scene. Law enforcement authorities noted that preliminary examinations revealed no visible marks of violence on either body, supporting the initial assessment of accidental drowning.

This heartbreaking incident highlights ongoing concerns about water safety and child supervision in residential areas near water channels. The community of Melanie Damishana has been shaken by the tragedy, which serves as a sobering reminder of the potential dangers that waterways pose to young children, even during routine daily activities.

In a significant enforcement operation, Guyana’s Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) has detained multiple individuals in the remote Rupununi region on serious narcotics charges, signaling intensified anti-drug efforts in the country’s hinterlands.

According to official CANU statements released Monday, March 2nd, 2026, two Tabatinga residents remain in custody following their arrest in connection with substantial drug seizures. Laurence France and Drawn Williams were apprehended during a targeted operation on February 27th after authorities discovered 45 grams of cocaine and 27 grams of marijuana concealed in multiple parcels within their residence. Tabatinga, situated west of Lethem—the administrative capital of Region Nine (Upper Takatu-Upper Essequibo)—has become a focus of CANU’s expanded regional enforcement strategy.

In a related case, 43-year-old Doris Joseph admitted guilt to trafficking charges after CANU operatives found her in possession of 338 grams of marijuana. The court imposed a substantial financial penalty of GY$101,000 rather than incarceration, reflecting the judiciary’s nuanced approach to drug offenses.

These coordinated interventions demonstrate CANU’s strategic prioritization of border regions, where transnational drug trafficking networks have historically exploited limited law enforcement presence. The simultaneous operations targeting both distribution and possession offenses indicate a comprehensive approach to narcotics enforcement that addresses multiple levels of the drug trade chain.

Region Nine, bordering both Brazil and Venezuela, presents unique challenges for narcotics control due to its extensive and porous frontiers. CANU’s successful operations in this strategically important area represent significant progress in Guyana’s broader national drug interdiction efforts, particularly in remote communities where drug trafficking activities have traditionally faced less resistance.