Work and other commercial activities ground to a halt Tuesday afternoon as residents of Bartica turned out in their numbers over-spilling the Transport and Harbours Department (T&HD) stelling, scene of the slaying of six of the 12 people who were brutally gunned down by armed men exactly one year ago.

The occasion, an Interfaith Service and Remembrance, was to pay homage to the dead: Lance Corporal Zaheer Zakhir of Tuschen; Constables Shane Fredricks, 35, of 241 Herstelling and Ron Osborne of 198 Robb Street, Georgetown; Dexter Adrian, 37, taxi driver of 581 Conciliation Street, Tucville; Edwin Gilkes, security guard, Banks DIH; Irving Ferreira, security guard, CB&R Mining Enterprise; Ashraf Ally Khan, Essequibo Coast; Errol Thomas, 41, of 810 Tuschen Housing Scheme; Deonarine Singh of Wakenaam, Essequibo River; Ronald Gomes of Kururu, Soesdyke/Linden Highway; Baldeo Singh, 153 Second Street, Montrose, East Coast Demerara; and Abdool Yasseen, 23, of 153 Good Hope, ECD.

Among those present were Adviser to the President on Governance, Ms. Gail Teixeira; Minister of Public Service, Jennifer Westford and Bishop Juan Edghill, Chairman of the Ethnic Relations Commission (ERC); Rev. Pascal Jordan of the Anglican Diocese in Bartica, whose idea it was to host the service and planned the programme; Regional Chairman, Mr. Holbert Knights; Commander E&F Division of the Guyana Police Force, Assistant Commissioner, Nolan Hendricks; Ms Judith David-Blair & Mr. George Norton representing the PNCR; and Bishop Francis Alleyne.

The event which was interspersed with musical offerings by the Guyana Police Force Band under the baton of Director, Cecil Bovell, choruses by representatives of the Vishni Mandir, the Bradford pan Ensemble and a song composed by Rev. Jordan and by Nelta Wyatt and Brentnol Lindore.

It also featured prayers by the Christian, Hindu and Muslim communities, and addresses by Ms Teixeira, representing the Government; Bishop Edghill and Mr. Knights.

Bishop Edghill noted that the barbarity that occurred one year ago is simply unacceptable, and that all must commit themselves to fighting against poverty, crime, terrorism and corruption. He further urged that residents be vigilant for the rule of law and decency, look past differences, embrace each other, and come together as a community.

Ms Teixeira, in saluting the strength and courage of the women-folk of the victims, drew attention to the fact that all of those killed on that day were men.

She also cautioned residents not to harbour any illusion of ethnicity, emphasising that racial tension was not a factor in the massacre.

Knights began his address by making reference to the Biblical text which speaks of Joshua and the Israelites and how the walls of Jericho crumbled through the unified shouts of their voices. He also cited an excerpt of the late Martin Luther King, before urging his fellow Barticians to unite and sound the horns, and with one spirit and with one purpose sound their voices and xbring down the walls of lawlessness and criminality in our society.x

The Regional Chairman in noting that xall is not wellx in the community, made an impassionate plea to mothers to invest in educating their children for their future, and to the youths to seize the opportunities available to them.

And, to culminate the service, a family member of each of the victims was presented with a lighted candle.

Earlier in the day, the Bartica Police unveiled a plaque in the compound of the station, in memory of their three fallen colleagues.

Among those attending this event were Prime Minister Sam Hinds; Commander Hendricks, himself a Bartican; Bishop Edghill; Magistrate Fazil Azeez who presides over the Bartica Magistrate Court and had adjourned a sitting; Officer-in-Charge of the Bartica Station, John Sauers whose initiative it was and his successor Assistant Superintendent Kevin Adonis; other officers and ranks of the station and relatives and friends of the deceased.

It was quite an emotional occasion for Corporal 17313 Dodson, attached to the Immigration Department and Woman Constable 16816 Henry, who unveiled the plaque.

They were both on duty that fateful night.

In an invited comment, Dodson said the occasion was xa sad onex for him, while Henry thanked the Almighty for saving her life so that she could have lived to see yesterday.