Stabroek News
May 8, 2001

President Bharrat Jagdeo yesterday announced the intensification of security arrangements along the East Coast Demerara due to heightened tensions in that area and disruptions in several communities over the weekend.

Speaking at a press briefing at the Office of the President yesterday, the President said: "There will be a fixed disciplined services presence at various locations on the East Coast Demerara. The army has been and will remain deployed to support the police in the maintenance of law and order. There will be an intensification of patrols throughout the day and night in an east-west corridor along the East Coast Demerara. This will include patrols in the backlands. The response capability at various police stations has already been strengthened."

He said that the actions being taken by the disciplined services were not meant as a state of emergency, but, answering a question from the floor, added that a limited curfew could be possible.

The situation on the east coast, he said, would be under continuous review so as to inform necessary additional responses.

Jagdeo was flanked by Minister of Home Affairs, Ronald Gajraj; Police Commissioner, Laurie Lewis; Acting Chief of Staff of the Guyana Defence Force, Colonel Edward Collins; and Secretary to the Defence Board, Dr Roger Luncheon.

Jagdeo said: "...some of the measures have been put in place to return the country to normality so that people can continue to live in harmony as Guyanese."

Describing the situation on the east coast as a "severe threat to our democracy and our way of life as Guyanese", Jagdeo said "the impact of the illegal, unlawful and murderous actions of bandits and/or killers in the East Coast Demerara is reverberating in our entire society. The anguish is palpable and the consequences too horrendous to be imagined."

He said that he wanted Guyanese to understand that "the grave situation we are in" was due to a few irresponsible people acting in an orchestrated manner which has led to the heightening of tensions between neighbouring communities. He urged leaders and prominent persons of neighbouring communities to meet and find solutions to deal with the problems affecting relationships between their communities.

Community leaders and ordinary citizens, in the affected villages, "must recognise the real crisis we face," the President said. He encouraged them to "join with my administration to take a principled and resolute stand so that we all can get rid of the perpetrators of hate and division from our midst."

The disruptions, he said, would be dealt with by the disciplined services so that the process of dialogue begun with former President and PNC REFORM Leader Desmond Hoyte could yield the expected results.

He also urged the media to play its role by not reporting rumours and falsehoods noting that the rumour mill had been a cause for incitement. He noted that yesterday morning the people at Buxton were agitated by a rumour that two children had been killed.

Appealing to residents of the East Coast to remain calm, he said "I want them to know that the disciplined services presence in that area is there to ensure that the people who want to create problems do not succeed. They are there to bring security and to return the country to normality."

He added: "My administration will stand firmly on the side of the law and order. The law enforcement agencies have been instructed to ensure that those who breach the peace, cause public terror and carry out criminal acts will face the full force of the law."

His administration, he said empathised with those residents who had been subjected to attacks, intimidation and fear. He also extended his sincerest condolences to the relatives of the three persons found dead on Sunday.

A top level police team from Georgetown has been assigned to assist the police on the East Coast to conduct a thorough investigation into these deaths so as to bring those responsible to justice.