B/ce Chamber still dissatisfied with proposed Bridge location
Kaieteur News
July 19, 2004

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NEW AMSTERDAM, BERBICE – The site recently identified by Government based on a feasibility study to construct a bridge across the Berbice River is once again being challenged by the Berbice Chamber of Commerce and Development Association.

In a press release issued last week, the Association noted, “Despite the obvious technical and engineering deficiencies identified by various sources, the government seems determined to proceed with the construction of the bridge at the most recently identified location, from Crab Island on the east to D’ Edward Village on the West Coast Berbice.” This has since prompted the organisation to inform the Minister of Public Works of its concerns and those of its members.

The release stated that the Chamber requested a copy of the feasibility study from the Minister in order to notify members of the business community. To date, a response from the Minister has not been received, the association said.

The Chamber, once again, voiced its discontentment with the service offered by the Transport and Harbours Department as it relates to the movement of both commuters and vehicular traffic across the Berbice River.

According to the release, this delay is one of the reasons why the construction of the Berbice River Bridge is imperative.

When the government of the day made known its decision to make that move to build a floating bridge across the river, it was readily accepted by the Chamber.

The document further stated, “While the Berbice Chamber is favourably disposed to a new location identified by HYCOS, a Dutch engineering firm, that the bridge be erected from Providence on the East Bank to Gelderland on the West Bank, it is prepared to await the copy of the study referred to by the Minister before arranging a panel discussion on the television to consider the pros and cons of the two locations for the bridge.” The Berbice Chamber of Commerce and Development Association denied being consulted on the relocation as stated by the Minister in some sections of the media.

The President of the Organisation, Mr. Rohan Marray, has said that should the project be executed in the new location, businesses in New Amsterdam would be affected. According to him, many vehicles and consumers would not have to pass through New Amsterdam because the link would be a direct one to the Corentyne Highway.

“This means that the importance of New Amsterdam as a commercial centre would decrease tremendously and this would affect the volume of business done in the town.”

Second cremation for burnt murder victim

HAMPSHIRE VILLAGE, CORENTYNE – The woman allegedly killed by her reputed husband may be cremated later this week, for a second time.

According to Mrs. Somattie Ramnarine, the dead woman’s mother, the police informed her on Friday that the bones would be handed over on Tuesday. The family is awaiting the arrival of overseas relatives.

On Wednesday, the gruesome discovery of human bones found buried in a three-foot deep pit in Mrs. Ramnarine’s back yard led to the arrest of her daughter’s reputed husband.

The man, 35-year-old, Davenand Tilaknauth, called ‘Fine Man’, an employee of the Guyana Sugar Corporation, East Berbice, Albion Estate, has reportedly confessed to the police of killing his reputed wife, 37-year-old, Chandrawattie Ramnarine.

After the woman went missing on Tuesday and a search proved futile, relatives made a report to the Rose Hall Police Outpost.

He was arrested when police visited the home and searched between what appeared to be a pile of burning grass.

The two had set up at the home of her mother after they became romantically involved ten years ago.

According to reports, the man killed his reputed wife after he suspected that she had an affair with a 33-year-old neighbour. This was denied by her relatives and the neighbour himself, who said that he knew the woman all his life. Mrs. Ramnarine told Kaieteur News all about the man’s altruistic nature. However, she claimed to have noticed a withdrawn behaviour on his part over the past few days.

This was a killing that stunned the village and its environs. Everyone, who claimed to have known the man, is asking, “How could this be?”

Yesterday, relatives of the deceased were still trying to come to terms with the gruesome incident. Mrs. Ramnarine, a 53-year-old mother of two, said in a shaky voice that she has not heard anything from the relatives of the self-confessed killer.

Prior to the incident the two families were close. Since the news got around, one of his sisters contacted her to confirm what she had heard. On Wednesday, two of Davenand Tilaknauth’s sisters visited the scene and left as the police was escorting their brother back to the Rose Hall Police Outpost where he is being held.

Thirty-year-old, Banmattie Sukraj, a neighbour said that on the day of the discovery, she saw the victim sweeping the yard. It was not until 18:30 hrs last Tuesday that she heard that Chandrawattie Ramnarine was missing.

She knew Chandrawattie for several years. In her opinion, the relationship was a match made in heaven.

“That is what me see on the outside but me ain’t know the inside part, if they does get problem or what. I know him for two years and he was always a quiet person and I never see he drink.”

The dead woman’s aunt, Sunita Ramnarine said that Mrs. Ramnarine, her sister, has lost her appetite. “We got to force her to eat. She crying all the time.”

The woman said that the mother keeps going to the spot where her daughter was cremated. “She would just stand there and watch a hole.”

Forty-seven-year-old, Kamanni Panchan, the sister of the accused said, “Me brother was a quiet person. Me never know if they goes get quarrel or so.” She lives at Port Mourant on the Corentyne.

Her husband, Cecil Panchan, said that since he became acquainted with Davenand, he found the accused to be a well-behaved devoted person. “He was never in any problem with anyone. When I got the message, I was shocked. I did not expect that he could have done something like that. He is not that type. It surprised everybody.”

Yesterday, Sunday, he took breakfast for the accused but did not get to see him. He said that he was told by the Police Officer-in-Charge, “Left the bag and he gun give him, and me just come way back.”

The man’s relatives found some difficulty accepting that he confessed on his own. The family is in the process of getting him a lawyer.