Rohee lodges concern with Top Cop over Sooba’s safety

Jun 03, 2014 News

…unaware how, when Sean Hinds was given firearm licence

Minister of Home Affairs, Clement Rohee has drawn to the attention of the Commissioner of Police his concerns over Georgetown’s Town Clerk, Carol Sooba’s personal safety as a citizen of Guyana.

Georgetown’s Town Clerk Carol Sooba at right with her personal security Sean Hinds at left

Rohee made the disclosure yesterday during a brief interview with this publication.
He further stated that he is unaware how and when the bodyguard Sooba recently acquired was granted a firearm licence.
Several questions have been raised recently over the choice of security the Town Clerk acquired namely, Sean Hinds, a former police rank who had been charged with a number of offences, including murder.
Hinds have never been convicted, but his presence at City Hall has left a number of staffers feeling uneasy.
According to the Minister, he is unaware of Hinds’ role right now and said further that he cannot recall if it was during his tenure at the Ministry of Home Affairs that the controversial figure was given a firearm licence, or if it was before his time.
The Minister noted that the security at the municipality is a responsibility for the City Constabulary.
He cautioned that the police cannot intervene in municipal matters of a security nature unless they are so invited by the Chief of the City Constabulary to come to their assistance.
Ex-policeman, Sean Hinds, along with two other persons, another ex-cop Mark ‘Kerzorkee’ Thomas and civilian Ashton King, had been charged with the January 2004 murder of Shafeek Bacchus.
Hinds also appeared in court in 2011 as one of the persons charged with robbing popular businessman Malcolm Panday.
The state subsequently dropped the charges after the Director of Public Prosecution advised that there was insufficient evidence against Hinds.
The decision to hire Hinds as a bodyguard for the Town Clerk has come in for severe criticism, especially since City Hall reportedly has no knowledge of the arrangement.
Shadow Home Affairs Minister, Winston Felix, himself a former Commissioner of Police, was this past week quoted saying that he is of the view that while it’s someone’s personal choice when it comes to a bodyguard, the Town Clerk, being a public officer, should have exercised better judgment, especially if she was entirely responsible for the decision to hire Hinds.
Local Government Minister, Norman Whittaker, told this publication on Saturday last that his Ministry had nothing to do with the hiring of Sean Hinds.
He added that his Ministry is also not responsible for paying Hinds for his services.
The Ministry of Local Government has been supportive of Sooba in her battle with the City Mayor and some Councilors who are closely affiliated to him.
“What I do know is that if the Town Clerk has no confidence in the security provided by the City Constabulary and she so desires to have her own, then there is nothing stopping her from doing so,” Minister Whittaker said.