Businesswoman believes demolition crew acted on its own

Dec 23, 2009 News

An East Coast Demerara businesswoman is claiming losses in excess of $400,000 after a group of men claiming to be acting on the instructions of Works Minister Robeson Benn attempted to tow away her stall.
The men fled, leaving the stall when angry villagers intervened to assist the businesswoman, but not before they had carted off a large quantity of mutton, duck meat and other articles that were on the stall.
The businesswoman, Bibi Rohoman, who operates Bibi’s Butchery at Mon Repos, is of the view that the men were acting on their own and were not instructed by the Minister.
According to Rohoman, around 17:00 hours on Monday, about eight men, some of whom were wearing jackets bearing the Ministry of Works markings, pulled up to her stall in a truck.
She said that before she could enquire from the men what the problem was, they proceeded to remove several pounds of mutton and duck meat, which were being displayed on her stall.
Rohoman has been operating her stall in front of her yard for more than a decade but has been facing removal ever since the Ministry of Works began clamping down on encumbrances on the various government reserves.
She said that for the past week, the same men who turned up to remove her stall on Monday had been approaching her, demanding cash and meat in exchange to allow her stall to remain.
She claimed that she had even given them $30,000.
According to Rohoman, after loading her meat on to their truck, the men claimed that they were instructed by Minister Robeson Benn to tow the stall into the nearby Beterverwagting Police Station compound.
One of the men then attempted to attach a chain to the stall with the intention of towing it away.
She said that she tried to prevent the man but was struck with chain and thrown into a nearby drain.
Rohoman said that she was unaware that her apron, which contained a significant amount of cash, had been ripped off.
The actions of the men angered several residents who were closely watching the proceedings and they came to the businesswoman’s rescue.
The police were summoned but the situation still remained tense.
Realizing that the angry residents spelt trouble, the men quickly boarded their truck and left the scene without the stall.
However, they took a large amount of meat products and other items with them.
“I don’t believe that the Minister sent them. They did not even go to the station after they left. They were maybe working on their own. Benn people don’t work at them hours,” said Rohoman who also suffered injuries during the incident.
Police said they have received a report from the businesswoman and are investigating the matter.