Latest update May 12th, 2024 12:59 AM
Jul 25, 2017 Letters
Dear Editor,
There is an urgent need for a law enforcement assessment in the Police ‘F’ Division (hinterlands regions) by the Guyana Police Force (GPF) Administration. Residents of Region 1 (Barima-Waini) have made the following allegations about the professional conduct of law enforcement officers attached to the GPF:
1) The Pork Kaituma, Matthews Ridge, Mabaruma and Moruca police station do not respond to community residents request for law enforcement in their communities. In the Bamboo landing community located in the Barama River, gold miners are threatening the lives of their employees when they do not want to pay them for their services. Quite recently a female cook’s life was threatened when she asked a gold miner for her five months of payments. The miner threatened the cook with the use of his firearm. Reports were made to the Port Kaituma, Matthews Ridge and Moruca police stations but to date the police have not responded. The ‘F’ Division commander was also contacted on the matter but still no action was taken to date.
2) A Building was constructed seven years ago to be used as a police station in the Santa Cruz Amerindian community (not far from the Barama River mouth). The police station could have served communities along the Waini and Barama Rivers. The Building which the GPF knows about is currently a white elephant. I advised the village council to make productive use of the building since it is in an Amerindian village.
3) Eustace Maecellino, an Amerindian pensioner was reported missing since the 31st March, 2017 and to date has not being found. Barimanobo community residents and close relatives have alleged that Marcellino may have been murdered and buried in the backyard where he was living with a daughter. Investigations were not properly conducted by the Mabaruma police. The crime Chief needs to urgently dispatch the police major crimes unit to the Mabaruma sub-region to conduct investigations and arrest Marcillino’s killers who are presently freely walking in the community.
4) Basil Da Silva and his family on the 25th August, 2016 were travelling in their boat not far from Morowhanna in the Mabaruma sub-region when a speeding boat collided with theirs which resulted in the captsizing of Da Silva’s boat causing the death of his two little children and bodily injuries to himself and wife. The boat with two persons sped away without offering any assistance to Da Silva and his family. The two persons that caused the boat accident and death of two children are free as a result of improper police investigation at Mabaruma.
5) A Yarakita village officer shot and killed a small businessman about two months ago while he was holding his baby. No police action was taken but instead the police officer was transferred from the Mabaruma sub-region.
6) Mabaruma residents when they call the Mabaruma police for help are told they (the police) will not respond because they do not have any vehicles; whilst they have three all-terrain vehicles (ATVS).
7) A traffic officer at Mabaruma charges vehicle owners an extra $30,000 for the processing of vehicle licences. The traffic officer a month ago had a rushed meeting with vehicle owners on the matter of licenses which lasted about fifteen minutes. No questions were allowed to be asked.
8) Mabaruma police officers ask vehicle owners for money to buy cell cards, chicken, fish and fried rice. When the vehicle owners claim they have no money, they are harassed, targeted and at times taken to the police station for frivolus reasons.
9) What is the purpose of Kato’s police station? The only thing the police do there is to uplift their salaries at the end of the month. This police station in Region 8 (Potaro-Siparuni) needs to be urgently investigated by the police force’s administration because no law enforcement activities are carried out.
10) Police officers at the Port Kaituma police station, Region 1 (Barima-Waini) have severely beaten four young Amerindian miners over a month ago on the claim by their “Boss man” that they stole his “Gold” no gold was found in their possession, neither in their bags. This is poor investigative work carried out by the Kaituma police, which is a norm by so-called law enforcement officers working in Guyana’s hinterland; with no attention or oversight by the Guyana Police Force (GPF) administration.
Peter Persaud
Listen how to run an oil country
May 12, 2024
– GCF yet to respond to concerns regarding race course By Rawle Toney Kaieteur Sports – Some of the country’s leading cyclists are considering boycotting the National Sports...By Anasa Williams Kaieteur News – Millicent Mary Frank was born on May 11, 1924, at Lot 103 Leopold Street, Werk-en-Rust,... more
By Sir Ronald Sanders Is it ever justifiable for journalism to fan the flames of geopolitical tension? This question arises... more
Freedom of speech is our core value at Kaieteur News. If the letter/e-mail you sent was not published, and you believe that its contents were not libellous, let us know, please contact us by phone or email.
Feel free to send us your comments and/or criticisms.
Contact: 624-6456; 225-8452; 225-8458; 225-8463; 225-8465; 225-8473 or 225-8491.
Or by Email: [email protected] / [email protected]