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Corrupt Coast Guards took our money, goods
Essequibo farmers, boat operators say…
By Latoya Giles
Boat operators and farmers who traverse the Essequibo River are calling the recent arrest for murder of three Coast Guards as a long-awaited blessing.
A few operators and farmers who spoke to Kaieteur News on Saturday said that what happened to 23-year old 23-year old, Dweive Kant Ramdass was the tip of the iceberg in a spate of corrupt activities by the trio.
The operators, who requested anonymity, fingered one of the arrested ranks in particular as the one who would harass them under the guise of doing their patrols.
Boat operators at the Parika Stelling
This soldier has a pronounced stammer and has been in the area for about a year and half.
“When they come is either gas, money or goods they want and if you ain’t got they does impound yuh boat for some flimsy reason” the operator said.
Another operator said that the trio would normally traverse the stelling and single out operators who appeared to be making a profit.
“Imagine these men does tek time off to come by de stelling and watch and see who look like they mekking plenty money and then pull them, and take their earnings”.
“De one that does stammer is de head because he does come collect ya things like if he wuk for it” an operator complained.
Another operator said he clearly remembers one incident when the army ranks stopped a speed boat operator and ordered him to hand over his earnings.
“These people stopped the boat captain and tell de man hand over he money. The man started to hesitate, but he eventually gave in because they threatened to impound the vessel”.
The operators noted that the army ranks were there to protect and serve but their behaviour was even worse than that of the criminals.
“I would never go to the police or the army because them is more criminals”.
On Thursday last, Ramdass was taken off a passenger boat by the three ranks, under the pretext that they carrying out a routine check for narcotics.
However, after it was realised that his luggage was actually cash amounting to more than $17M, he was allegedly abducted and killed.
The men were nabbed at Parika, East Bank Essequibo, after police recovered one-third of the stolen money.
At the time of the robbery on Thursday, Ramdass was heading to Bartica with $17M to transact business for his employer.
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