DURBAN STREET residents are calling on Police Commissioner Leroy Brumell and Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee to immediately launch an investigation to determine why police pick-up PJJ 6129 has been parked in an empty lot at the corner of Vlissengen Road and Durban Street for the past two weeks. Speaking with the Guyana Chronicle yesterday evening, a resident who asked to remain unnamed, said he was not at home when the vehicle was placed at the location. He said that at first he was alarmed that the vehicle was in the area, as he thought the police may have been working on a strategy to nab persons who often jump the traffic lights at the same intersection.

But he became concerned when he noticed that the vehicle had been there for hours, and subsequently days, without the presence of any police personnel. The man said he was later informed that the vehicle was in fact out of order, and may have been dumped there by the police.

Another resident informed this newspaper that the vehicle was first lodged on Chapel Street, Lodge, but was then moved to its present location after City Hall or the Public Works Ministry undertook to rid the area of encumbrances.

One woman told the Guyana Chronicle that she noticed the vehicle in the empty lot across the road, and made several calls to various sections of the Guyana Police Force, but received only promises that the vehicle’s presence in the empty lot would be investigated. She said that as days passed and she noticed that the police had made no effort to retrieve the vehicle, she concluded that the police no longer wanted the it.

Another resident opined that the vehicle may have been sold to the owner of the land, who lives right next door to the empty lot.

When the Guyana Chronicle visited the area yesterday, a man living in a shack on the lot on which the police vehicle has been left, said he was not at home when the vehicle was left there. Residents had directed this newspaper to that man as they believed he may be in a better position to explain the presence of the vehicle at the location, especially since he has his shack on the lot of land on which the police vehicle has seemingly been abandoned.
In examining the vehicle, the Guyana Chronicle found that the trafficators, headlamps, rear lights and all four wheels were still intact, as were the front and rear windscreens. The vehicle, an open-back pickup, has a shed and built-in benches that are commonly used by police on patrol.

Efforts last evening to get a comment from the public relations officer and/or the commissioner of police were futile.  The Guyana Chronicle was also unable to contact Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee.