Granger calls for Commission of Inquiry,
police restate no tolerance for breaches of the law
PRESIDENTIAL candidate of A Partnership for National Unity (A.P.N.U), retired Brigadier David Granger, has called for a Commission of Inquiry into events which occurred at a protest march in the city in which the police shot and injured several protestors with rubber bullets on Tuesday, December 6. Condemning as brutality, the actions of elements of the Guyana Police Force (GPF) who shot several demonstrators in that incident, Granger demanded the establishment of an independent Commission of Inquiry into the incident, and for the punishment of officers who breached GPF regulations concerning the use of ‘minimum force’ in internal security.
Police repeatedly fired rubber pellets at near point-blank range into a group of protestors in Hadfield Street during that march. Several persons sustained multiple injuries, and students of the St. Sidwell’s Primary School were rushed to the hospital after they complained of being affected by tear smoke which the police had discharged indiscriminately in their efforts to disperse persons gathered at the Square of the Revolution.
Mr. Granger pointed out that the Youth Coalition for Transformation (YCT) had organised the march, which began at the Square of the Revolution at about 09:30 hrs. The small demonstration of about 300 persons, mainly young people, was aimed at calling on the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) to release for verification the statements of poll (SOP) derived from the November 28 General and Regional elections.
GECOM’s credibility has been eroded by its blasé attitude towards legitimate complaints over unannounced last-minute changes; delays in the counting of votes; mistakes in computation; and failure to make statements of poll available for public scrutiny.
Mr. Granger met Police Divisional Commander, George Vyphuis at the Brickdam Police Station and Police Commissioner, Henry Greene at Eve Leary, to express his distress over the shooting of peaceful demonstrators, and to demand that the police adhere to humane methods of dealing with citizens. He accused the police of employing “excessive force” in their handling of the matter, pointing out that regulations governing the way police operate required the use of “minimum force” to disperse unlawful assemblies.
Mr. Granger condemned the police conduct as a dangerous “overreaction” to the situation. He called on the police to “desist from shooting innocent people and causing injury”, and he accused the police of “creating a crisis where none should exist.”
He pointed out that the YCT march was neither unlawful nor unruly; no one was attacked and no public property was damaged. Marchers were not in possession of weapons or noisy instruments.
Mr. Granger reiterated that citizens have the right to peaceful demonstration and assembly. The right to protest is “a fundamental human right… a constitutional right” which cannot be taken away by the police. That right can be restricted only when there is a clear threat to public order, or to the rights and freedoms of others.
He asserted that it was the police, not the young people, who acted unlawfully. This was the reason why he demanded that an independent Commission of Inquiry be convened to investigate the incident.

Meanwhile, the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) has said that, in pursuance of the directive given at the 349th Statutory Meeting of the GECOM, which was held on Tuesday, December 6, 2011, GECOM has dispatched to the four political parties which contested the 2011 General and Regional Elections the following documents: (i) the documented compilation of the results delineated on each of the relevant SoPs by District, and (ii) a DVD Rom containing all of the SoPs for the entire 2076 polling stations across Guyana in PDF.

THE Guyana Police Force (GPF), in response, said that it was most unfortunate that persons were shot, though not seriously injured, and children were discomfited and inconvenienced in schools in the areas of operation on Tuesday.
The GPF was reacting to reports in the media about the use of rubber bullets and teargas in response to public demonstrations.
The GPF said its intention was always to maintain law and order. However, no teargas was used on Tuesday to disperse the protestors.
The release said: “Our actions are usually in the interest of the maintenance of law and order, and in support of the safety, security and well-being of all Guyanese.”
Police, on Tuesday, fired rubber bullets on A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) marchers after warning them to disperse.
According to the police, at about 09:00 hrs, a crowd of persons had gathered at the Square of the Revolution, purportedly to be part of a march organised by the Youth Coalition for Transformation, the youth arm of APNU, headed by attorney-at-law James Bond.
The police reported that this group had previously applied for permission to use a noisy instrument at the Square of the Revolution on December 4 and 5, with timings stated.
On Tuesday, December 5, at about 14:50 hrs, they made an application for a ‘Youth March for Change’ around the city, but no date or time was stated.
Police said the group later informed that they wanted to march on the same day, which was in breach of the statutory 48 hours’ notice, and no permission was granted for the purpose, and that was communicated to Bond.
The police report continued that persons who had gathered at the Square of the Revolution were warned that they should disperse, as no permission had been granted for any march.
Subsequently, a group of persons headed by retired Brigadier, Edward Collins was seen formed up on Brickdam facing west, and despite being warned, about 300 marched off west along Brickdam.
“The police then engaged them and they turned south into Winter Place and then west along Hadfield Street, and continued despite being warned again, and the police fired rubber bullets at them,” the statement said.
It said another section of the crowd turned north into Winter Place and several persons were arrested.
A number of persons sustained minor cuts and bruises, the police said.
The statement added that shortly after, at about 10:55 hrs, another crowd headed by Collins and Bond was seen heading east along Duncan Street, and they
engaged that crowd and arrested Collins and Bond, who appeared to have had injuries from an earlier engagement with the police.
Police said all the arrested persons were taken to Brickdam Police Station, from where those who were injured were escorted for medical treatment.
“The Guyana Police Force wishes to issue another warning that no unlawful march, procession or meeting will be tolerated, and that it will deal firmly with any person or persons wishing to breach the peace and disobey the laws,” the statement ended.