Latest update February 6th, 2025 7:27 AM
Police showed up at Christopher Jones’ home in search of barber chairs, other equipment
Police ranks and others at the scene last evening (Travis Chase photo)
Former Sports Director, Chris Jones
Two vanloads of armed policemen yesterday turned up at the house of former Sports Director under the David Granger-led Administration, Christopher Jones, in search of barber chairs and equipment, said to belong to the state.
According to information reaching this publication, the ranks arrived at Jones’ Tucville, Georgetown home just after 18:30hrs during a power outage.
Jones has been named as a parliamentarian by the Coalition and would have led campaign by the incumbent that the elections of March 2nd were marred by irregularities.
The US had announced visa restrictions on several coalition officials.
It is unclear whether Jones was at home last evening.
Nevertheless, a few Tucville residents came out of their homes in protest against the officers for their actions. In a live video seen by this paper, the angry residents prevented the officers from entering the former Sport Director’s premises.Shortly after, executives from the opposition A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance for Change (APNU+AFC) arrived at the scene in support of their party comrade.
The executives include former parliamentarians, James Bond, Volda Lawrence and Aubrey Norton. They were also accompanied by Attorney-at-law and member of the coalition, Darren Wade.
Bond who was seen conversing with the officers, told media operatives that the armed ranks wanted to search “Mr. Jones’ house”.
He detailed that the ranks are accusing his party comrade of simple larceny which concerned some stolen barber chairs and other equipment.
In an audit document seen by this newspaper it was detailed that almost $5,000,000 was expended by the Ministry of Social Protection for barber shop equipment under the line of Sustainable Livelihood and Entrepreneurial Development (SLED).
The document also revealed that this equipment were never put to use and was stored in a room at the residence of the beneficiary… Christopher Jones.
Nevertheless, Bond said that even if the officers were instructed to search the house, they must use wisdom.
“The police cannot come at a politician’s house with guns at this hour of the night during blackout and in an area where he is supported to carry out a search and expect people to be calm; you need to be wise…there is better ways of doing things,” said Bond.
Meanwhile, Wade called the allegations and police presence an attack on a decent human being. He argued that police could not reveal who reported that Jones had stolen chairs in his possession.
He said: “In order for an allegation to be made there must be a report. There must be a virtual complainant and the police cannot provide that.”
With this being said, Wade speculated that it was the ruling Government the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) which instructed the ranks to search Jones’ house.
Kaieteur News made contact with ‘A” Division Commander, Simon McBean to find out if he had any knowledge of the rank’s presence at Jones’ home.
The Commander said that he was not informed of any such operation from his ranks nor is he aware of the allegations made against Jones. He added that the ranks at Jones’ house were not under his jurisdiction.
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