President Bharrat Jagdeo says that Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Denis Hanomansingh will be taking up the case of the death of Shaka Blair and he urged that the process be allowed to take its course.

The President said the police had taken a statement from Blair's wife, which will be sent to the DPP who could recommend that charges be laid or an inquest held.

"I've always made it clear that we support the police in the discharge of their duties once they operate within the law. There is a process to be followed if excesses take place," he told reporters yesterday at a press conference hosted at the Office of the President.

Blair was shot to death by the police in his home in Buxton two weeks ago. The police said he attacked them with a gun.

President Jagdeo said that the opposition PNC/R was quick to become judge, jury and executioner in the Blair case. "It's patently unfair to the police when minutes after the incident the media knows who to blame [and also] Congress Place," he said, referring to the PNC/R's headquarters.

The head of state said he knew of instances when members of the media made statements on television that they knew details of a case but none of them turned up at the inquests.

He said this was "because it was a bunch of lies, and orchestrated."

He alluded to an instance which he described as "foolishness" and "disgusting" on the television station Channel Nine when it was said on a programme that the police and army were at odds. "The rumour mills keep going all the time and are fed by the talk show people. They have a different purpose. They want to generate fear in the society," the President said.

He noted that the Advisory Committee on Broadcasting (ACB) has started its work and said his office would be working with the committee. "I intend to use my office to complain about all the cases where people stir up on racial and religious animosity in this country. My office will focus on those two things," he said.

Members of the public could submit complaints to the ACB at 83 Duke Street, Kingston whenever they feel television programmes indulged in excesses. If found culpable it could lead to the revocation of their licences.