Lewis has a responsibility to report illegal/unlawful activity — Police

Sep 28, 2008 News

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“If he wishes to do otherwise, and take the law and his security into his own hands, he may do so at his peril.”

The Guyana Police Force yesterday responded to Lincoln Lewis’s queries regarding comments by Commissioner of Police (ag) Henry Greene by saying that the force refuses to trade words with Lewis over issues of his own security.

He has a responsibility to report illegal/unlawful activity, whether against himself or otherwise, to the body lawfully established in law for the purpose of policing in Guyana, the police added.
A police statement last evening lamented that it was not proper to make a report to a press conference without follow-up with the police.
“If Mr. Lewis wishes to do otherwise, and take the law and his security into his own hands, he may do so at his peril…Suffice it to say that he has a responsibility to act lawfully.”
The police force also challenged Lewis to establish his view as true and correct that ‘phantoms’ are in the force. His assertion is ludicrous, the police argued.
The force also called on Lewis to present the evidence that the body sought to contact him. “Inspectors L. Lord and M. Kingston, at the request of the Commissioner, did go to Lewis’s home, on September 20, 2008, at 11:30hrs, to ask him to contact the acting Commissioner in connection with his public pronouncements of concern for his safety, and a message was left with his neighbour.”
The statement added that Inspector Lord then proceeded to Lewis’s office at the Critchlow Labour College Building on Woolford Avenue, at about 12:15hrs., that same day and met the security guard on duty, who related to Lord that no one was there and that he had not seen Lewis for some time.
Lewis, who is the General Secretary of the Caribbean Congress of Labour and the Guyana Trades Union Congress, by way of a letter to Greene, questioned the motive behind his statements to the media that he (Lewis) had gone into hiding.
According to Lewis, he was questioning whether the motive of the statement was to create in the public mind doubts and suspicions of his conduct, which will give rise to and support the police putting out a wanted bulletin for him.
“In the Guyana scenario, when the force issues wanted bulletins, it is ipso facto that that person is wanted dead or alive, and inevitably ends up dead.”
He also questioned why the force would want an audience with him. “This is a very serious charge against me, and I call on you (Greene) to say publicly why the force needs to talk with me, when I have already made my position very clear as it relates to dealing with the police.”
Lewis further charged the Commissioner (ag.) to release “all details of efforts made to contact me, including persons contacted prior to your public pronouncements.”
According to Lewis, while he had never publicly stated what his address was, the record was available at the local Immigration office.

He added, too, that it is known that his official base of operation and contact in Guyana is at the office of the GTUC, Woolford Avenue, Georgetown.
Lewis stated that, on checking with the staff at the GTUC, he was informed that no police visited, telephoned or in any other way sought to either contact him or learn of his address.
He added that it was the same with the Caribbean Congress of Labour, Barbados Office, where he operates in the capacity of General Secretary.
Lewis said, “I am aware that, over time, the police have been following me, and more so, at times the police divulged information on my entry and departure from Guyana, where I visit, the car I drive, and to whom it is registered…If the police have been so meticulous in having information about me, I am appalled that on this occasion the force could not locate me.”
Lewis, on September 15 last, described an attempt on his life. But the outspoken veteran trade unionist said that he will not be silenced, even if it means his life.
Lewis made the comment at a hastily arranged press conference, in which he detailed what transpired at his home in Cummings Lodge, East Coast Demerara.
Lewis told members of the media that his home was visited by unsavoury characters, forcing him to flee for his safety.
He claimed that he had not reported the matter to the police, as he felt that nothing significant would come out of their investigations, since, according to him, the police may be acting in consort with the perpetrators.
“The phantom is the police and the police are phantoms. I am not going to go to them. What other course of action I will take is something that I will have to determine,” he said.
Among the courses to be taken are informing local, regional and international bodies, such as the United Nations, CARICOM, the various churches and the International Labour Organization.
Lewis said that he also plans to take the matter to the Human Rights Convention in Geneva, Switzerland next year.
“God ain’t ready yet to carry me to another place. I have unfinished business,” Lewis said.
He stopped short of accusing anyone.

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