Guyana Chronicle
April 11, 2001

TWO leading members of People's National Congress/ Reform (PNC/R) are among 34 people who have been charged by the Police following their protest demonstration in Georgetown Monday.

PNC Chairman Robert Corbin and Chairman of the Reform component of the opposition political party, Jerome Khan, are in the group accused of disorderly behaviour, unlawful assembly and lighting fire in public places.

A boy, 14, is one of the defendants, who included Clairmont Jarvis, 37, of Lot 247 Independence Boulevard, Roy Sampson, 21, Troy Thomas, 23 and Quacy Douglas, 23, all of Lot 416 East La Penitence, also in the city.

Amongst the others, from the capital, too, were Dexter Griffith, 21, of Lot 18 Planbrook Housing Scheme, John McDonald, 37, of Lot 700 Penny Lane, South Ruimveldt, Cedric Junior (no address given), Jeanette Hunte, 30, of Lot 721 East Ruimveldt, Regina Hinds, 30, of Sophia, Joan Baveghems, 57, of Lot 317 East Ruimveldt, Veronica David, 40, of Lot 234 East La Penitence, Grace Wesford, 35, of Lot 7 West La Penitence, Rafer Corbin, 34, Andy Benn, 27 and James Miahmont (no address given either).

The rest are Royston Pollard, 28, of Lot 3792 North Ruimveldt, Fitzalbert Benjamin (address not stated), Shaelad Peters, 31, of Lot 163 La Grange, West Bank Demerara, David O'Brian, 19, of Lot 55 Russell Street, Charlestown, Clyde Innis, 21, of Lot 66 Cummings Road, Beterverwagting, Colin Accra, 30 and Eon Thomas, 29, of Lot 12 Ann's Grove and Clecer Reece, 28, of Lot 51 Chateau Margot, three East Coast Demerara villages, Dion Marshall, 23, of Lot 103 and Troy Hanover, 32, both of Lot 114 Meadowbrook Gardens, Calford King (no address stated), Philip Chase, 25, of Lot 42 D'Urban Street, Lodge, Colin Lewis, 38, of Field `A', Sophia, Karen Griffith, 28, of Lot 173 Laing Avenue, Shellon D'Oliveira, 28, of South Sophia and Timbi Gordon, 17, of Lot 3 `A' George Street, in the capital, as well.

However, Corbin, Khan and 10 more did not appear when their names were called before Chief Magistrate Paul Fung-A-Fat yesterday.

Police Inspector Faye Bremner, prosecuting, told the Court Corbin and Khan had been released on the order of a judge who heard a petition on their behalf Monday.

Mr Fung-A-Fat ordered that the absentees make an appearance on May 8.

Ten of the defendants were fined $1,500 each and those who pleaded not guilty were placed on $5,000 bail until May 8.

They were all arrested outside the New Garden Street gate to Office of the President, where boisterous placard bearers, protesting the re-appointment of Dr Roger Luncheon as Head of the Presidential Secretariat (HPS), allegedly defied Police instructions to disperse Monday.