RSS team to be dispatched to Guyana shortly to assist with probe – VP Jagdeo
WCB murders, aftermath
The Regional Security System (RSS) team will be dispatched to Guyana shortly to assist in the investigation of the murders and unrest that occurred in West Coast Berbice, Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice).
Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo
This was revealed by Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo on Friday evening during an online live forum. He noted that the team will be dispatched to Guyana shortly, to ensure that a transparent investigation is completed. He went on to say that it will put all allegations to rest about coverups or such related claims. Government had sought assistance from the RSS, a defence and security alliance of the eastern Caribbean region, to assist with the recent killings of the Henry cousins along with Singh and Chatterpaul Harripaul which occurred in the subsequent aftermath during a widespread unrest.
“We have already contacted the RSS and they will be sending in a team of people; the regional security group to assist our police with the investigation because we want everybody to know. There’s always a say that there is a coverup. We want this investigation to be done transparently with international help. They will be coming in to assist the police with the investigation,” Jagdeo said.
While the RSS will be working in conjunction with the Guyana Police Force, the Administration has taken a proactive step of contacting the United Nations to identify those who were responsible for fuelling hate and ethnic division among the people. According to Jagdeo, the international Commission of Inquiry (CoI) will look at the series of events holistically and draw much-anticipated answers.
“We are also writing the United Nations because we don’t believe that people who stir up hatred and ethnic fear should go scot-free…Hopefully, the Commission of Inquiry done internationally will look at the killings but they would also look at all the subsequent events thereafter,” Jagdeo said.
RSS Headquarters is located in Barbados and is the Coordinating Secretariat of the Caricom Security Assistance Mechanism. As a result, it has additional responsibilities to the wider Caricom region.
On September 6, the bodies of Isaiah and Joel Henry were found aback Cotton Tree, West Coast Berbice (WCB). They had left their Number Three Village, WCB home last Friday to pick coconuts in the backdam but did not return home. Their butchered bodies were found in clumps of bushes partially covered in mud after relatives went in search of them on Sunday.
Post-mortem examinations conducted on Wednesday, show that the teenagers died from haemorrhage and shock. In the case of 16-year-old Isaiah, he sustained a severed spine, between the second and third vertebrae and a number of chop wounds to his head.
On the other hand, 19-year-old Joel had a total of 18 wounds. He too suffered a severed spine between the first and second vertebrae. It is believed that after sustaining wounds to the head, he fell to the ground and then got the wound that severed his spine.
The news of their deaths sparked protests across several villages on the West Coast Berbice corridor, where commuters were beaten and robbed. With blocked roads, some vehicles were also torched.
On September 9, 17-year-old Haresh Singh was found murdered at the Number Three Village backdam. It is suspected that his death was in retaliation for the murders of Isaiah and Joel since he is related to one of the persons initially held by the police.
The Vice President said he followed the events closely, sharing that only “inhuman” persons could’ve participated in such brutal killings. He insisted that the perpetrators must be found to bring justice to the families.
“We have to find the perpetrators. These are not human beings to kill people, youngsters in that manner. I’ve seen and witnessed how a personal tragedy of the parents and grandparents of the individuals who were killed, who only wanted justice for their kids, who only wanted us to apprehend the killers,” the VP insisted.
He also used the platform to condemn actions from elements within the APNU/AFC camp, who sought to politicise the situation and create havoc.
“Their grief and their tragedy were hijacked by a few persons, particularly Harmon and Granger. They sought to make what is a plain brutal, unconscionable murder a political issue, rather than sympathy…I’ve seen how attempting to make this a political issue has caused circumstances to spiral out of control, that caused numerous people to lose property through the burning of their vehicles, beaten up…I’ve seen other leaders of the PNC take a responsible position on this matter.”
Nevertheless, Jagdeo expressed his confidence in President Irfaan Ali ensuring the matter is resolved and the situation is brought back to normalcy.
He asserted, “The President is very capable. I have great confidence in that capability and he has dealt with the situation. Personally, I believe that we have to deal with this matter. Too much grief has been caused to people. Too many people will use incidents like these to try to constantly polarise our people.”
The President visited the bereaved relatives on Friday and spoke extensively with the parents and family of the dead teens. The President had assured the parents and relatives and to an extent, the residents, that he will do everything in his power to make sure justice is served.
Police have revisited the crime scene several times and up to Saturday, five individuals were in Police custody. The Force had initially picked up the owner of the estate where bloodstains were found, his son, coconut vendors and other employees. However, they have been released on station bail. (G12)