La Parfaite Harmonie police accused of selective COVID-19 arrests

Aug 16, 2020 News

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Some shop owners of Westminster, West Bank Demerara (WBD), have accused the ranks stationed at the La Parfaite Harmonie Police Station of being biased in their arrests under COVID-19-watch.
One of the shop owners, who wished not to disclose his name, told this media house that he is not against police doing their duty to punish individuals for breaking the imposed COVID-19 restrictions.
However, he wants them to be fair in seeking the law breakers.
“What goes for one must go for all”, he said.
The shop owner and some other colleagues were recently arrested and charged for breaching the COVID-19 curfew measure.
He admitted that he had opened his shop a few minutes after the 8pm curfew.
“We had our shops in operation during the curfew hours, a little after 20:00hrs,” said the businessman.
“There was mobile police patrol in the Westminster area and they saw my shop opened for business…they came in…cautioned me and told me to shut the doors before placing me in the pick-up.”
The man said: “The ranks drove around a bit, pointed out a few other shops and arrested three others before driving off to the station.”
While travelling in the tray of the police pick-up, the businessman noticed many other business places in operation, including a drinking spot with a relatively large crowd.
He proceeded to ask the ranks: “What about these businesses, won’t you stop and arrest them too?”
He said that the ranks assured him that they will come back as there is a space constraint in the vehicle.
At the La Parfaite Harmonie Police Station, the businessman and the three other shop owners were held for a few hours before they were released on $10,000 bail and given a court date.
Surprisingly, the businessman said, no one else was arrested that night.
“Even at the station, it was only us for those few hours. The patrol ranks did not bring in anyone else”, he added.
The following night, the owner decided to drive through the La Parfaite Harmonie area in his car, during the curfew hours, just to make sure that all businesses were closed.
“I thought the streets would have been in total silence, but there were businesses opened, including the ones I saw while traveling with the ranks on the night of my arrest,” said the businessman.
He told reporters that he stopped at one of the business to purchase some fast food and inquired of the owner whether or not the cops had warned or arrested them for operating during the curfew hours.
“His response was shocking,” said the man: “…the boss lady said that she has a special permission from the ranks to operate her business.”
He said he stopped at another shop, purchased an item and asked the owner the same question.
“His answer was even more alarming,” the businessman said.
The shop owner claimed that the individual had told him that he pays royalties to the cops, for them to turn a blind eye on his business.
Kaieteur News decided to notify the Region Three Commander, Errol Watts, of the shop owners’ accusations.
Watts said that he is aware that his ranks of the La Parfaite Harmonie Police Station have been making some arrests in the area but cannot verify if they were selective in their operations.
He also made it clear that police do not give special permission for businesses to be opened during the curfew hours.
However, Watts agreed that his ranks must only transport three or four prisoners in one pick-up to maintain social distancing.
“But once the prisoners are dropped off at the station, the ranks must and should return for the other law breakers,” said the Commander.
Watts assured that he will pass on these instructions to the Inspector-in-Charge of the La Parfaite Police Station.
In fact, when this reporter spoke to the Commander, he was in a meeting with the heads of the various police stations across Region Three which included the said inspector.
According to Watts, the reporter was placed on speaker so that his inspectors can hear of the accusations. He also briefed this newspaper of the other instructions he will be giving to the inspectors concerning the COVID-19 enforcement operations.
Watts said it’s the duty of the Guyana Police Force (GPF) to keep people safe. He added that the COVID-19 restriction measures were imposed to protect the citizens of Guyana.
With this being said, the Commander continued that his ranks must ensure that these measures must be followed by all.
He pointed that businesses including bars and rum shops should not even be opened.
“You don’t need rum to survive it…rum shops and bars are not essential services and must be forced to adhere and close its doors,” the Commander pointed out.
Watts assured that in Region Three, his ranks will be strict in ensuring that COVID-19 rules are followed by everyone, so that the spread of the Coronavirus pandemic can be stopped.

 

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