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Second bomb threat forces UG to cancel classes till Monday
Investigations by the Guyana Police Force [GPF] have found that recent bomb threats made against a number of educational institutions are not only harmless but they are being carried out by individuals who seem bent on disrupting the peace.
But despite this declaration by the Force, the University of Guyana [UG] is not taking the two bomb threats it had in recent days, lightly.
Bomb threats were made against the tertiary institution on two consecutive days this week which forced the institution to announce yesterday that it will postpone its operation until Monday.
The university’s operation was disrupted on Tuesday because of an initial threat. This was followed by another late Wednesday forcing the administration of the institution to cancel its operation for the rest of the week.
On Tuesday after the initial threat, the university in a statement said, “The University of Guyana Turkeyen Campus has been evacuated due to [a] bomb threat that was received at the Alberttown Police Station, Fourth and Albert Streets, Georgetown, at 12:40 h on Tuesday, February 5, 2019.”
“According to Vice-Chancellor Ivelaw Lloyd Griffith, the action was deemed necessary as a precaution, and out of safety concerns for the students and staff members who would use the facility during this time.
“All classes for the rest of the day have been cancelled. Anyone with information regarding the bomb threat is encouraged to contact the Safety and Security Officer on 623-9979.”
The university in a statement yesterday said, “All members of the University and all members of the public are advised that the Turkeyen campus will be closed to the public, students and non-essential emergency University personnel for the remainder of this week to enable a comprehensive assessment of the situation following a bomb threat for the second day in succession.”
UG’s Turkeyen campus had minimal activities yesterday.
It continued by revealing that “officers of the Police Force and the Fire Service conducted a thorough search of the campus on Wednesday afternoon. No explosive of any kind or suspicious object was found during this search.”
The statement said that the closure of the campus will enable the Administration, staff and student leaders to review the situation and enhance preventive and responsive measures for such threats.
Given the plans for the extensive scrutiny of the buildings and surrounding areas of the campus, the statement added that “classes and full operations will resume on Monday 11, 2019.”
It is believed that the bomb threat situation is linked to similar threats made at a few city secondary schools, including the privately operated Nations Secondary School, whose Director was recently shot multiple times by an assailant said to be a former student.
Since the threats which started at the Nations School Police have commenced investigating. In its statement Police said, “Our investigations have revealed so far that students either by themselves or with other persons decided to be mischievous, and endeavored to disrupt the existing peace and calm in society and specifically in the education sector.”
It should be noted, the Police statement added, that the Force through the Commissioner of Police and other dedicated officers, has taken all the necessary actions to date as a responsible organization should in relation to the situation.
To this end, it was noted that the Crime Chief and a team of officers Wednesday evening met with UG Vice Chancellor, Professor Ivelaw Griffith, as well as other senior functionaries including the Public Relations Officer, Ms. Paulette Paul, where the prevailing situation was assessed.
“They were advised that the situation arose from mischievous students…therefore there is no need for panic or any undue concern,” the Police Force statement added.
Nevertheless, the Force said that it continues to investigate and the arrest and detention of persons is very much imminent. The Force also noted that any further development will be similarly communicated even as it reminded persons to “desist from so disrupting the education sector and by extension the calm society, lest they face arrest and criminal charges.”
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