Army, Govt slam APNU/AFC for fearmongering, harmful misinformation

…reject concocted claim of resurrected “death squad”

As the Opposition – A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) – has started rumours that the Government’s creation of a Regional Joint Support Team that will contain members of both the Guyana Police Force (GPF) and the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) is the “death squad”, Government has rejected this notion.

On Wednesday, Home Affairs Minister Robeson Benn slammed the mischievous claim which appeared on the social media page of Opposition Member of Parliament (MP), Annette Ferguson. According to Benn, an article headlined “PPP secures $250 million budget to resuscitation Black Clothes Death Squad” was also appended to her post.

Opposition Leader Joseph Harmon

“It is apt to note that none of the deliberately malicious and incendiary statements were made during the consideration of the matter of the establishment of Regional Joint Support teams, either in presentations or even heckling from the benches,” Benn said in a statement on Wednesday.

“I wish to condemn in the strongest possible terms, the malicious, deliberate, incendiary and delusional attempts to: bring the security forces into disrepute; to target individuals in those services; and to foment mischief and misrepresentations with respect to the policies and programmes of the PPP/C [People’s Progressive Party/Civic] Government in its efforts to improve safety and security throughout Guyana.”

During Monday’s sitting of the National Assembly ,where a supplemental paper was interrogated, Opposition Leader Joseph Harmon had enquired into the allocation of monies to the Regional Joint Support Team. Responding to the questions was Parliamentary Affairs and Governance Minister Gail Teixeira, who had said that the Team was only being set up to support the ongoing crime-fighting work.

Parliamentary Affairs and Governance Minister Gail Teixeira

“The Regional Joint Support Team is a new initiative that was decided on by the Defence Board in April of this year. And it will be an initiative involving the GDF and the Police Force, to develop operational capacity in crime-fighting. So, this is a brand-new initiative to be implemented and the budgetary allocation is to be able to provide resources they would need to be established and to function.”

“It is now being set up. The budgetary allocation cannot accommodate the new initiative and, therefore, the funds being requested is to cover and allow them to get set up. So, we cannot name the places where the buildings are, because we do not have a list of those places,” she said.

Countrywide

She had explained that the Team would be operating in all 10 administrative regions, from multiple bases. Teixeira had further explained that Government buildings would be used wherever possible. In cases where there are no Government buildings and private facilities have to be used, those would be rented.

She added that the teams would need equipment, among other things, to be able to function. “The $84 million can put that team in different regions, to have the capacity to know what is going on, to be able to fight crime. It’s about being able to work in the communities and have information.”

Teixeira was adamant that the unit would not usurp the authority of the Guyana Police Force, noting that both the Police Force and Defence Force operate under statutes and the Constitution. According to her, both GDF personnel and Police Officers will be in the teams, assisting the authorities in fighting crimes, including narcotics trafficking.

Home Affairs Minister Robeson Benn

“Therefore, this is not to become a hysterical thing. These are two properly functioning bodies that will work in collaboration with each other, in a newer and different structure. There would be no interference in the powers of the Police.”

“This is about enhancing coordination between the two forces. And to have a quick response. The structure is clear. The Commissioner of Police, the Chief of Staff, the Defence Board, the Commander in Chief…. These are high-level regional support teams that will include persons of officer ranks,” she had said.

Under further questioning from the Opposition, Teixeira had said that the team would be based at Eve Leary where $2.5 million in rehabilitation works will be undertaken, with a another building being constructed at Eteringbang in Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni) for $22.9 million. According to Teixeira, 32 vehicles will also be acquired for the unit, including pick-ups, All-Terrain Vehicles (ATVs) and a car.

JSSC

Meanwhile, the Joint Services Coordinating Council (JSCC) also denounced the harmful misinformation coming from the Opposition camp. According to them, such commentary could have a damaging effect on society.

“The Council has noted a circulating document which services to implicate members of the Joint Services in illegal activities and wishes to make it clear that operational troops remain under the command and administration of the Joint Services.”

They also noted that claims that a senior officer in the GDF would head this squad were outrageous. The Council urged persons to be responsible and avoid creating public mischief.