Where there is fire…

Dec 05, 2010 Editorial

Almost a year and a half ago, in the wee hours of July 17, 2009, the Ministry of Health (MOH) building on Brickdam was firebombed and eventually burnt to the ground. Acting with alacrity, the police arrested six individuals and issued bulletins for several others, including ex-GDF lieutenant George Lashley and former Chief Magistrate Juliet Holder.
Two of the arrested – Kurt Thierens and Colin Jones – were sequestered at Providence Police Station lock-ups – putatively more secure with location bolts and an external door primed with bolts and padlocks. Be as it may, early in the morning of July 27 the bolts and padlock to their cell “mysteriously” fell away and the two men disappeared. Two policemen were on guard.
At a press conference after the roundup and questioning of the suspects – one, Troy Small, claimed he was tortured – Police Commissioner Greene, revealed that they had unearthed a ring of “intellectual authors, planners and actors”, all working within an established network that was motivated by “hatred of the government”.
The plan was to “create trouble in the city” and burn cars as a diversion – later changed to torching the MOH building. Money and weapons were provided to the foot soldiers. The Minister of Home Affairs (MHA) emphasised the “political context” of the arson, claiming that (unnamed) individuals, “well-known in the society”, were involved. President Jagdeo also went on record: “We know about the people who recruited these others.”
These were evidently acts of terrorism against the state. Assistance was requested of the US where Lashley was suspected of residing. In an intriguing twist, there were accusations hurled at the government, especially at Minister of Health Dr Leslie Ramsammy, that they might have actually been the perpetrators of the fire. It was suggested that destruction of incriminating documents of financial or other official malfeasance might have been the target.
Minister Clement Rohee was forced to reject claims that the administration and Dr Leslie Ramsammy had conspired to burn down the Health Ministry saying that there was no evidence to support such “utter rubbish”.
After a lull, on November 4, 2009 – again in the early hours of the morning – about eight heavily armed men kidnapped three miners and hijacked their vehicle on the Soesdyke/Linden Highway. One of them, Woodette Roberts, nicknamed ‘Buck Man’, subsequently, died of asphyxiation.
Some of the kidnappers proceeded to the city in the hijacked vehicle and launched their attacks on the High Court, Richard Ishmael Secondary School and Brickdam and East La Penitence Police Stations. It was suspected that the Ministry of Health fire terrorists had struck again.
Then there was an extended respite and most concluded that the gang – if there ever was one – had dispersed.
Fast forward towards the end of November this year. Quite serendipitously, one of the escaped prisoners from the Ministry of Health fire saga, Colin Jones, became involved in a firefight with policemen at Amelia’s Ward in Linden. He was wounded and eventually captured– but not before he hurled a grenade in the latter’s direction.
He later led the police to a training camp up Kara Kara Creek that had two AK-47’s, a cache of ammunition, bullet-proof vests etc. and then to two shallow graves with two accomplices – one his fellow escapee Thierens.
Jones confessed to all the crimes that the police had accused his gang of. Two other members of the gang were also arrested and charged along with him. He further confirmed that US-based Lashley and another named individual Keith Ferrier had funded them monthly.
The GPF and the government have been vindicated.
While there are still some loose ends to tie up on this particular saga, it is clear that there are citizens of this country that are still willing to resort to arms to settle their grievances against the government of the day. This is terrorism, plain and simple – and must be condemned by all right minded citizens. Whatever our grievances might be against the government – and these exist in every country as the WikiLeaks are making clear – we have to find a way to settle differences peacefully.

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