Business people must be extraordinarily cautious at all times

Oct 18, 2019 Features / Columnists, Freddie Kissoon

One night, my wife and I left a wake-house later than we should. As we turned into Clive Lloyd’s Drive heading up to Turkeyen, I told my wife I will show her something about the Guyanese psyche that defies logic.
I told her countless, literally countless couples have been robbed, raped and murdered late at night at desolate spots on the Kitty seawall not far from Clive Lloyd’s Drive, and not far from Sherriff Street. Yet over the long years couples continue in a self-destructive vain on that seawall.
It was a rainy night, the rainy season was on, the seawall was desolate and deserted, the skies were starless. Outside the Russian Embassy, I showed her a couple. Way past D’Augiar’s Turn, there was another couple. The entire citizenry of Region 4 knows that people get robbed on the Georgetown seawall late at night.
Why were those couples there on such a lonely night? Why not by Camp Street where the Eve Leary police head office is and where your screams can be heard? The rainy season comes in December and you should be in absolutely no doubt that on lonely nights, right on those two spots, romantic but foolish people will court their own demise. There has to be something eerie about the Guyanese psyche.
I read the sad case of a woman who has a pawn shop, shot and robbed at the Harbour Bridge mall were her business is located. My condolences go out to her family and I wish her a speedy recovery. But I have some questions. Is she aware which country she lives in? It is a country with a small population where crime is rampant, where a citizen can get robbed anywhere at any time in daylight or early night.
The press reported that as she opened her door, a lone gunman attacked her. Why would someone operate a pawn shop, and take a bag of money, walk out of their gate and jump into his/her car and reach the business place with bag in hand they open their office? Surely, there must be some security measures.
Did this lady say to herself that no one will attack her where she operates a pawn shop where jewelry and money are stored? How could she be so naïve? She must know that unsavoury characters lurk in that area. She has to know that. She must know that.
Two days before the pawnshop owner was shot, a miner got killed right in his car as he went to a gold establishment. The video showed there was no escort car. My condolences to the family of the brave businessman, Deon Stoll. He died fighting for what he worked hard to accomplish.
The obvious question is; why was there no escort vehicle? What the escort personnel do is that they come out of their car and survey the immediate vicinity. If a car was following and you are uncertain then basic security rules kick in. You do not go to your intended location. As you drive aimlessly, and the following car is still following, then, you know that there is a security risk involved.
If a car is tracing you and you drive around Georgetown, since the intention of the criminals is to attack you, they will keep following you. How can you miss the license plate? The video showed that there was no security detail in another car behind Mr. Stoll.
Days before the murder of Mr. Stoll five fishermen were robbed and murdered on the high seas on the Corentyne River. Again the questions are plenty. Fishermen know on the dark seas during uncivilized hours, bandits lurk. Too many have died before and they have to know that. Since it was five of them, then, two had to take turns doing security details. Once a boat is seen in the area, the sleeping crew members should immediately be awaken. Once the strange boat draws closer, then they should flee. I don’t know if they were not armed and the passing boat fired on them.
Finally, at 9.15 last Saturday night, on Church Street, outside of a high security building, the office of the Opposition Leader, a man was robbed and killed. The security guard witnessed the incident but did not have a transmitting set. She ran to the back of the building while the victim was being murdered. Surely, should there not be an armed guard at the office of the Opposition Leader. Should there not be an armed detail at the home of every judge and minister of government? Life is cheap, so, so cheap in Chato’s Land.

(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of this newspaper)