PNCR says RSS cannot conduct impartial investigation

Apr 09, 2025 News

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Kaieteur News – With the announcement by President Irfaan Ali that an independent investigation will be conducted by the Regional Security System (RSS), the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) made it clear that it has no confidence in this body. Guyana is a member of the RSS and held its chairmanship recently.

PNCR Chairman Shurwayne Holder, who was on the ground, said, “We do not believe that a thorough, impartial or independent investigation can be done by the RSS. We’ve seen the work of the RSS before, when it was the case of the Henry boys back in 2020; we saw them say that the RSS would have done whatever investigation and that was a complete failure. Up to today, we don’t have closure into the Henry boys’ matter…both parents of those boys died not knowing what exactly transpired.”

Guyana formally joined the RSS in September 2022, after President Irfaan Ali signed the Instrument of Accession. The RSS was established in the early 1970s and 1980s in response to the necessity for a coordinated response to security challenges that were threatening regional stability. In order to establish “mutual assistance on request”, four Organization of the Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) countries, Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, St. Lucia, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Barbados in October 1982. St. Kitts and Nevis joined after gaining independence in September 1983, and Grenada joined in January 1985. The MOU was revised in 1992, and the Treaty, which was signed in St. George’s, Grenada, gave the RSS legal standing in March 1996.

Holder also spoke about the failure in the investigation into the killing of Essequibo businessman, Orin Boston. He said President Ali had assured that ‘no stone would be left unturned’. However, years later, justice is still not served. In yet another example, he pointed to the killing of Quindon Bacchus, who was shot dead by a Police officer, but after prolonged denial and “ducking” of information in the investigation process, the government has now accepted liability, offering a “measly” amount to the family of the deceased man.

With two Lindeners now dead, Holder said the blame must be laid at the feet of the government of Guyana and the Guyana Police Force (GPF).  He recalled that around the year 2012, three protestors were shot in a similar fashion in Linden. “Back in 2012, where you had three protestors being shot with live rounds in a similar manner and then you had an international inquiry being carried out, and that inquiry concluded that those persons were killed extra-judicially,” the Party Chairman said.  Holder believes the actions of the police were deliberate, since the outcome of firing live rounds is clear. Additionally, he noted that there is no explanation for the use of live rounds against rocks being thrown toward to police. According to Holder, there is no justification. “Nothing can justify a police officer firing into a crowd with live rounds, so something is definitely wrong,” he said.

Norton raises concern over the variation of accounts by the police and surveillance footage

Meanwhile, Leader of the Opposition Aubrey Norton, in an invited comment, told Journalist Travis Chase that the party wholly condemns the killing of innocent Guyanese. Norton, who is currently out of the jurisdiction, also condemned the killing of Ronaldo Peters, who is reportedly accused of rape.

For his part, the Leader said, “We believe that the conditions are generally created by the government for these kinds of things to happen. Once you have a situation in which policemen- and I’m not saying the entire Police Force, these rogue ones and those controlled by the regime- once they are led to believe that they can execute young, poor people, then they will do it.”

Consequently, the Leader said he lays blame on the government of Guyana for continuously allowing such activities to occur, without justice being delivered. Norton was keen to note that this results in the lack of confidence in the GPF. “We believe that the government has politicized the Police Force, and because they have politicised the Police Force, the GPF is not allowed to operate in a professional way, so we call for a change.”

The Opposition Leader raised concern over the fact that the police’s account of the killing of the first Lindener vastly differs from the surveillance footage that has since surfaced. “Every time it happens, it reduces the confidence of the people in the GPF and therefore the police must recognize that they are doing themselves no good when they put out information that is contrary to the facts and then when the facts come to the fore, problems emanate.”

Norton said the party believes the protest in Linden is caused by the recklessness of the GPF. He reasoned that even if the young father was indeed wanted for a crime he reportedly committed, “No policeman has the right to use that level of force on an innocent, unarmed person.” Similarly, in the case of the shooting death of another father from a bullet to the eye by the police, Norton said, “If you use arbitrary force against people, you have to expect them to react because they know full well that today it is Ronaldo Peters, tomorrow it is somebody else.” He expressed condolences to the families of the young men who were killed and urged Lindeners to remain in solidarity.

PPP supports call for independent investigation

Meanwhile, in a statement on Tuesday evening, the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) said it was deeply concerned over the two killings. “The Party supports the widespread calls for a full, thorough, and professional investigation into both incidents. In this regard, we welcome the assurance from His Excellency President Dr. Irfaan Ali that the officers involved in the two shootings are currently under close arrest, as advised by the Commissioner of Police,” the party said. It further extended condolences to the families and other relatives of Ronaldo Peters and Dan Johnson and wished a full and speedy recovery to the injured police ranks as well as civilians.

 

 

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• Guyanese, People's Progressive Party, PNCR Chairman Shurwayne Holder, President Irfaan Al, Quindon Bacchus

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