PNCR blasts appointment of Merai as Commander

Nov 20, 2009 News

Shadow Home Affairs Minister of the Peoples National Congress Reform Deborah Backer yesterday, during the party’s weekly press briefing, blasted the Commissioner of Police Henry Greene as using the torture report that has distracted the nation to foist on the people of Berbice, Assistant Commissioner of Police Steve Merai.
According to Backer, the Assistant Commissioner is a rank, “who was involved in such acts in the past as Deputy Head of the Black Clothes Squad, which was accused of hundreds of extra judicial executions of young Guyanese mainly of African descent.”
Backer contends that the appointment of Merai to head the Police Berbice Division is yet another example of the disregard, which the Bharrat Jagdeo Administration has for the citizens of Guyana.
She stated that Steve Merai was accused of executing Shaka Blair in cold blood in his home at Buxton early one day and the incident proved to be the genesis of bad relations between the residents of Buxton and the Police Force and created the climate for several other developments since then.
She added that the wife and relatives of Shaka Blair never got justice.
Backer went on to state that Merai was also accused of executing the “Mandela Trio” who were also shot in cold blood.
“An inquest was only held after the PNCR moved to the High Court and had a Mandamus Order issued to the Commissioner of Police to hold one.”
According to Backer, while Merai was under cross-examination during that inquest, he disappeared from Guyana to Canada and went missing for almost one year while he sought to stay in Canada by applying for refugee status.
That inquest she said was therefore never properly concluded and his application to stay in Canada was denied and he was forced to return to Guyana.
Backer suggested that the Police Force then covered up his long absence by claiming that he was on leave, “slipped him back into the Force and stationed him away from public view in the TSU Headquarters at Eve Leary.”
She said that now that “ the Jagdeo Administration believes that the people have forgotten, or, are distracted with the torture issues, they have used the occasion to unleash upon Berbice this Officer whose career has been under the microscope for these other serious matters.”
Backer added that the blatant act is a clear indication that neither the Police nor the Jagdeo regime has any remorse.
“It should be obvious to the Administration, however, that Guyanese are not prepared to sweep this latest example of torture under the carpet as so many have been treated over the years…President Jagdeo may well be advised to support the International Inquiry, which the Joint Opposition Political Parties are advocating, if indeed he wants to be vindicated from personal involvement in these violent and unconstitutional acts.”

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PNCR blasts appointment of Merai as Commander

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