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Assassination of Anti-Gov’t protestor… Find the killers! – Ramotar tells police
President Ramotar has ordered the police force to leave no stone unturned in finding the killers of Courtney Crum-Ewing, and if necessary, find the “intellectual authors” of the crime.
Courtney Crum-Ewing
The president was at the time addressing officers and invitees to the opening of the annual Police Officers’ Conference held yesterday at Eve Leary, and it was his first pronouncement on the killing that has sparked countrywide outrage.
Crum-Ewing was shot dead on Tuesday night in the Diamond Housing Scheme, East Bank Demerara, while using a bullhorn, urging residents to vote against the incumbent Peoples’ Progressive Party/Civic.
The President made reference to intellectual authors due to the many pronouncements that followed the killing which is being described as an assassination in some circles.
“I say this because already I’m seeing some people making statements like ‘the first political assassination of the season’ and things like that,” Ramotar said.
He urged those persons who have information to that effect to come forward and give it to the police, so that the police could effectively deal with the matter.
“Otherwise what they are saying could be construed as being instigation and wanting to instigate violence in our country. They must come to the organization that is responsible and let them deal with this issue,” the president stated.
Several organizations and prominent citizens have condemned the killing of Crum-Ewing, however they have all appealed for calm.
Fingers have been pointing back and forth, even as the police intensify their investigations into the matter.
So far, they have reviewed footage from two surveillance cameras in the area where Crum-Ewing was killed, but it is still unclear if they have unearthed anything significant.
Ramotar emphasised that obviously the focus of attention over the next few weeks will be to ensure that citizens can exercise their right to listen to political parties on the campaign trail without being subjected to threats and intimidation or physical abuse.
“And come May 11th, they will be able to exercise their franchise at polling stations where they are registered, within an enabling environment of peace and stability,” he added.
Ramotar called on all concerned, whether in and out of government, to ensure that the nation’s security is strengthened and not undermined by those who might have hidden agendas.
Police Commissioner Seelall Persaud told those in attendance at yesterday’s opening ceremony that the force is cognizant of its role to provide an enabling environment for the May 11 polls.
“We do recognize the high demand on us to provide security for the upcoming elections. While a lot of preparatory work is being done in the force, this issue is also being addressed at the level of the joint services, where inter-agency collaboration at this time is at its highest,” Persaud stated.
“We intend to deliver adequate security for the conduct, which means the period leading up (to Elections Day), this campaigning period, Elections Day itself and the aftermath of Election Day,” the recently confirmed Top Cop stated.
Persaud, who addressed the conference for the first time as Commissioner of Police, boasted of a reduction in serious crimes so far this year, a trend which he is confident will continue.
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