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SARU seizes Enmore NDC computers after learning of plot to sell them
-PPP demands police probe, charges
The People’s Progressive Party (PPP) is urging a police probe into an incident at Enmore, East Coast Demerara, after a group of men reportedly seized several computers and power packs, from the Neighbourhood Democratic
SARU’s CEO, Aubrey Heath-Retemyer
Council (NDC) office.
According to the opposition party, the incident occurred around 14:00 hours with the men claiming to be from the State Assets Recovery Unit (SARU), Ministry of the Presidency.
However, a top SARU official last evening disputed this. He said that several computers were taken away after credible reports that they were to be sold secretly. The computers belong to the state.
The SARU men reportedly entered the NDC office, located at Station Road, Newtown, Enmore in the company of Deochan Singh, an APNU+AFC Councillor, PPP said.
They took away “without the permission of the NDC or the Community Resource Center, 15 complete desktop computers and eight backup power-packs,” PPP said in its statement.
The equipment, PPP claimed are owned by the Community Resource Center, a non-governmental organisation established by the residents of Enmore that uses these equipment to hold classes for young people in the community.
“The equipment is stored and the classes are held in the upper flat of the NDC building with the permission of the said NDC. When the Acting Chairman of the NDC attempted to intervene, he was assaulted by Deochan Singh. A report of the incident was made to the Police Outpost at Enmore,” the statement said.
PPP explained that it won 16 of the 18 seats on the Enmore NDC at the Local Government Elections held in March, 2016.
“The PPP views this incident as another flagrant abuse of authority and another extreme authoritarian initiative of this Government, again using SARU, as a weapon against innocent citizens and their private property. Currently, SARU has absolutely no law enforcement powers.” PPP said it is emphasizing that the abuses are taking place in broad daylight and without the SARA Bill being enacted.
“One can only imagine the illegal rampages which will take place when this Bill assumes the force of law. The PPP called upon the Commissioner of Police to immediately launch a full investigation into this matter and to institute criminal charges forthwith against those who were engaged in this clandestine, unconstitutional, authoritarian and criminal enterprise.”
PPP said that the Enmore NDC and the Community Resource Center have also been advised to launch civil proceedings against the state claiming monetary compensation for trespass, constitutional violations and deprivation of private property.”
However, SARU’s Chief Executive Officer, Aubrey Heath-Retemyer, last evening made it clear that the accounts of PPP of the incident were furthest from the truth.
He said that SARU received credible information that plans were afoot to sell the computers which belonged to the E-Governance programme.
“We did not go by ourselves. There was an official of the E-Governance office with us.”
The official said that the computers were not in use as claimed by the PPP.
The computers are in the possession of the E-Governance office and will be returned to NDC once there are the necessary assurances that everything is in place to safeguard the equipment, the SARU official said.
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