Crime down on East Coast, residents still nervous
Stabroek News
March 3, 2003
Criminal activity along the East Coast between the villages of Vigilance and Annandale has lessened but residents are still nervy over the situation and concerned that the police have not been patrolling.
Several persons have fled their homes in the past few months and many others continue to live in fear as bandits operating out of Buxton have struck often with impunity.
Recently the government decided to block two bridges which separate Buxton from Vigilance and Buxton from Annandale. Since then, there has been a marked decrease in the attacks.
Yesterday, when Stabroek News visited the villages, residents were seen going about their business as usual but with extreme caution, since according to one man, when the bandits do not strike in the day they would strike in the night.
A businessman from Annandale told this newspaper that while he did not fully agree with the decision to block the bridges, he has witnessed for himself a slowing down in the criminal attacks around the area.
Villagers of Annandale were in loud praise of the army, adding that soldiers are often seen patrolling the area but the police are seldom seen and if at all only for very shot stints.
At present, soldiers are manning both bridges that were blocked and are also positioned at strategic locations around the borders of Annandale and Vigilance.
While there has been a greater degree of calm in the two villages, Buxton continues to be a troubled area. With the blocking of the bridges, the soldiers do not patrol Buxton intensively anymore. This has led to increased crime in and around that village.
Two Saturdays ago a minibus conductor and a police sergeant were killed, while passing through the village, by bandits. On that occasion an army patrol was stationed some 30 metres away from the scene.
