The Joint Services are now synonymous with torture

Jul 28, 2009 Letters

Dear Editor,
The following is a description of my second encounter with members of Guyana’s Joint Services. On the first occasion I had cause to write to Chief-of-Staff Commodore Gary Best, Commissioner of Police Mr. Henry Greene and Mr. Cecil Bovell.
The Guyana Police Force (GPF) has never replied to my letter but the GDF’s Intelligence did pay a visit to my home.

I had some reservations about putting my experience out into the public domain after the first encounter, but the second has caused me to think that there seems to be a deliberate policy to abuse the rights of decent hard working citizens of Guyana, but equally and more dangerous, is the placement of power into the hands of persons who are ill equipped to manage same. And I make this judgment purely from the manner of the subjects of this correspondence, who have manifested a type of arrogance that is unbelievable.
On July 21st, 2009 I was conducting a research on the Basic Nutrition Programme in Region 2. At 17:25pm there was a roadblock on the Essequibo road not too far away from Anna Regina.
This roadblock was being manned by members of the Guyana Defence Force. Other than the uniforms and AK-47s there was no visible identification to confirm that these gentlemen were who they actually were. The vehicle that they were using (I presume) also had no markings suggesting that it was the property of either the GDF or the GPF.

The car I was in also had three other passengers, all males, which included the driver as well. The soldier(s) took a look at the car and its occupants and then ordered all to step out.
They then instructed that all bags must be removed and ordered the driver to open the car’s trunk; they further told the passengers, me included, that we were all going to be searched. No one said for what nor did they produce a warrant, which I am informed is the legal tool required to facilitate such a process. I asked the rank if such a document was in his possession, he replied that “We don’t need search warrant.”
I informed the rank that I had written to the Chief-of-Staff about procedures relating to searches.
The rank in reply suggested “Go and tell Commodore Best that I just did a Stop and Search.”

These are powerful words coming from a person who obviously believes that he himself has been endowed with such power. I am not sure if this belief, if I may call it such, is contained in the training manual or is this a part of the indoctrination process of recruits, for this soldier could not be more than 23 years old, and therefore a recent product of the training school.
I am therefore prompted to ask the following questions:
• Am I to assume that members of the Joint Services have now become a power unto themselves?
• That they know that they are well protected and if so, is this protection guaranteed by the Courts of Justice of Guyana?
• That citizens of Guyana, must accept this reversal of their constitutional and human rights from institutions that were created to serve, protect and defend those very citizens?
Of course if someone has an assault weapon in their hands and belong to an institution that has now become synonymous with torture it is in fact a most powerful way of informing the public that no form of representation will be tolerated.
I am not sure if this fits into the contours of what a democracy should or ought to be, but I hope that with the publication of this letter these questions will be answered.
Rohan Sagar

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