MR Clement Rohee, General Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C), has made it clear that no relationship exists between that party and self-confessed Death Squad member Shawn Hinds.During his weekly press conference at Freedom House, Rohee was repeatedly asked about that party’s affiliation with Shawn Hinds, and Rohee’s firm and unequivocal answer to media operatives was “there is no relationship between Shawn Hinds and the People’s Progressive Party/Civic.”

He said: “As far as I am aware, as General Secretary of this party, from the time I assumed the position, I don’t know about any security being provided by Shawn Hinds for the PPP.”

Rohee was then asked to respond to Hinds’s claim of making a number of visits to Freedom House, and as of recent as last week. His response was “I saw him (Hinds) here (at Freedom House) sitting, waiting to see someone, but I did not ask him who he was waiting for.”

Hinds has been on the GPF radar for some time, and has been fingered in a number of murders and robberies.

“Are you not then concerned about the security of Freedom House?” Rohee was asked, and he responded thus: “A man is innocent until proven guilty.”
Moreover, he described the party’s headquarters as “a public building”.

Minister of State, Joseph Harmon, at a press conference held last week, chided Hinds for approaching the media first with his story, rather than engaging the police on the matter.
Harmon has said that the State is interested in Hinds’s revelations, but would not necessarily provide him with an amnesty. However, in clarifying that statement, he has since indicated that Hinds would receive protection from the State in exchange for his information, but the former death squad member would have to face the lawful sequences for his unlawful actions.

Over the weekend, Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo hinted at a possible plot to end his life, and has even reportedly claimed that Hinds had been spotted staking out his home; but Rohee has dismissed the Prime Minister’s claims as “a big joke”.

Rohee had this to say in regard to the Prime Minister’s allegations: “If there is anyone in this country who knows Nagamootoo as best as I do, as best as possible politically and otherwise, I am one of them; so I wouldn’t take Nagamootoo’ statement
(seriously).

“He is good at spinning things, he is good at concocting things, and he has a very wildly imaginative view of things.”

Shawn Hinds has been fingered in an intended hit on Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo. These latest developments were brought to light by Nagamootoo on July 25, during a meeting with reporters, when the Prime Minister related that information which surfaced just a few days ago suggested that Hinds had been identified in a parked car in the vicinity of his residence, and was guaging his activities just about two weeks ago. The event, which reportedly unfolded just after 20:00hrs, forced the PM to take a photograph of the vehicle which was parked just beyond his bridge outside of his Liliendaal, North Sophia home.

“We have alerted the police, and they have been trying to contact Shawn Hinds; and so I think it was out of that event — a heightened police interest in Shawn Hinds — that he might have decided to seek refuge at Freedom House, or (from) whatever other things he did,” the PM said.

By Rebecca Ganesh