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Jul 24, 2012 News
“They are the professionals, it is their call …If they decided to take it to Linden it’s their decision not mine.”- Home Affairs Minister
By Gary Eleazar
Minister of Home Affairs Clement Rohee has distanced himself from any responsibility as it relates to the $37M water cannon that was purchased by the Ministry of Home Affairs to be used for crowd control.
Rohee appeared Sunday evening on National Communications Network (NCN) television where he presented a “Situation Update” on the Linden situation.
With respect to the water cannon – purchased specifically to deal with crowds and protests – the Minister stressed emphatically that following the purchase of any piece of equipment for the Police Force, when it is turned over, the Ministry no longer has an association with it.
“We are finished after the handover,” Rohee said, in reference to his Ministry, and added, “These things now rest with the Police, for them to use as they see fit.”
Rohee said when the government purchased the water cannon and handed it over to the police, it is then in their (police’s) jurisdiction “to decide where, when, and how to use it”.
The Minister was adamant that it will not be a case where he will be picking up the phone and issuing directives on when and how to use the water cannon
“That is not the role of a Minister…That is not my role at all.”
Rohee explained that he is not the individual that issues directives to the Guyana Police Force on how to use their firearms, or further, which type of firearms to take on an operation.
“How could I tell them what to do with the water cannon? We handed over to them.”
The Minister said that the Police Force has the competent professionals to decide on whether to take the water cannon to Linden.
“They are the professionals, it is their call…If they decided to take it to Linden it’s their decision, not mine.”
Rohee said that he is prepared to face a Commission of Inquiry, adding that “I have a clear conscience. When I go before the Commission I will have a clear conscience.”
He said that the Commission will decide and “let the chips fall where they may.”
The fatal shooting of three Lindeners comes a month to the day after the water cannon was unveiled to the public and officially handed over.
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