– at horrific crime committed by Coast Guard in Essequibo
HEAD of the Presidential Secretariat Dr Roger Luncheon said yesterday that the administration has uttered its “disbelief ” regarding the horrific crime committed by Coast Guard ranks in the Essequibo River.

He expressed this during his weekly post-Cabinet press briefing yesterday at Office of the President, Shiv Chanderpaul Drive, Georgetown.

“’The administration echoes the disbelief of the leadership and the ‘rank and file’ of the Joint Services at the news of the horrific crime committed by ranks in the Coast Guard located in the Essequibo River,” he said.

He said the administration contends that the behaviour is “so unacceptable and unbelievable” that the service must commit to “a dedicated intense examination of underlying factors”.

‘“The administration has urged a comprehensive investigation and the application of the full force of military and criminal law to those ‘rouge elements’ in the service,” Dr Luncheon assured.

Luncheon also said, “Continued faith in the Joint Services is equally urged, especially as it was being demonstrated with the much readier provision of confidential information about crime, criminals and other wrongdoers.”

“Heightened civic responsibility is one constructive outcome of this criminal act and it should not be overturned by the action of those sworn to protect the people,” he stressed.

Replying to questions by the media, he said a Board of Inquiry has been established.

“From the point of view of the administration, the event itself is thought to be a reflection of something that deteriorated, something that went wrong; and it was picked up in time and the investigation is to pursue such a perspective – what it is that happened that particularly led inexorably to this event,” he said.

The three Guyana Defence Force Coast Guards were slapped with a murder charge last Tuesday when they appeared before Magistrate Judy Latchman at Vreed-en-Hoop, West Coast Demerara. (PRIYA NAUTH)