Guest house owner to sue over `Blackie' incident
A YEAR after the death of the notorious bandit Linden `Blackie' London, the owner of the guest house in which he was shot dead in a joint police-army operation says he would be suing the government for damage to his property.
Toucan Guest House owner, Mr Norman Trotz told reporters Thursday, he would be taking legal action against the government for the damage done to his property by the police and the army in the operation.
He said he was frustrated by the lack of cooperation from the government that should have honoured its commitment to compensate him.
The property at Eccles, East Bank Demerara, was set ablaze by members of the Guyana Police Force and the Guyana Defence Force on February 9, 2000, following an 18-hour standoff with the wanted `Blackie' who was holed up in the guest house shooting back at soldiers and cops.
Soldier Lance Corporal Lennox Harvey was shot in an eye which he lost during the operation and was sent overseas for medical treatment.
Trotz told a news briefing outside the property that he estimated the losses suffered in the incident at more than $80M.
He said the bank to which he mortgaged the place sued him in August for not paying his arrears.
Trotz said that following the incident, he immediately began discussions with Police Commissioner Mr Laurie Lewis who advised him to submit the claims to the Office of the President.
He said he submitted the claims as advised and has so far received only an acknowledgment of his claim.
"After several weeks passed and nothing happened, I wrote Dr Roger Luncheon, Head of the Presidential Secretariat, who informed me that he is awaiting a report from the police and the Guyana Defence Force," he said.
Trotz said a few weeks later, Luncheon informed him that he had received reports from both organisations which he sent to the chambers of the Attorney General for a legal opinion.
He said Luncheon claimed that that process was necessary before any negotiations could begin.
Trotz also said that Luncheon had promised to contact him within four days, giving him the assurance that by that time, he would have received the Attorney General's opinion which would have set the stage for an amicable settlement on the matter.
The guest house owner claimed he was not contacted within the time Luncheon had anticipated a response on the Attorney General's opinion.
"I wrote him two letters after then and received written responses that informed me he was still awaiting the Attorney General's opinion".
During August to December last year, Trotz said he made several attempts to contact Luncheon by telephone but that was to no avail.
"I have no alternative but to pursue legal action to compel the government to compensate me for my losses. I was assured that the government was committed to an amicable settlement but unfortunately it appears, I was misled," he said.
London, an army deserter, was long wanted for a series of armed robberies.
He eluded capture several times until he was caught hiding out in the guest house.
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