POLICE said that at about 03:15 hrs on Sunday, August 12, the One-Mile Primary School at Wismar, Linden, was completely destroyed by fire; and three men were injured after the Joint Services were forced to use shotgun pellets to disperse an unruly crowd in an effort to clear blocked roadways following that fire. Investigations have thus far revealed that the security guard on duty at the school was approached by three men armed with cutlasses, who threatened to kill her if she did not remove herself from the location, or if she attempted to raise an alarm.
The guard left the compound, the building was broken into, computers were stolen, and the edifice was later see on fire.
The Guyana Fire Service (GFS) tender could again not get to the scene of the fire because of blockages placed along the roadways by protestors.
Linden residents later arrested and handed over to the Wismar police two men whom they claimed were suspects in the attack on the One-Mile Primary School.
The two are in police custody assisting with investigations.
On Sunday morning, the Joint Services began clearing blockages erected by protestors at the western end of the Wismar-Mackenzie Bridge; along Burnham Drive; at Half-Mile, One-Mile, Wisroc; and along a number of adjoining cross streets in the Wismar area.
During that endeavour, the police had to resort to using tear smoke to disperse large, unruly crowds who were in the process of preventing the Joint Services from removing the obstacles.
While clearing blockages along the roadways in the Wismar Old Housing Scheme and One-Mile areas, large crowds of persons confronted the Joint Services ranks and began throwing at them Molotov cocktails and missiles which contained bricks, bottles and pieces of metal.
The police resorted to the use of tear smoke grenades, but some of those were picked up by the protestors and thrown back at the Joint Services ranks.
Molotov cocktails thrown by protestors damaged one of the machines used by the Joint Services to clear the debris, and a rank’s uniform caught afire, but that fire was quickly put out.
The police were forced to use shotgun pellets to disperse the very hostile crowds, and so far, reports indicate that three men have been injured.
They are Ray Wills, 52, of Wismar Old Housing Scheme, who was injured to his right foot; Marlon Richardson, 19, of Victory Valley Hill, who was injured to his right foot; and Michael Wills, 24, of Wismar Old Housing Scheme, who was injured to his right thigh. They were taken to the Mackenzie Hospital by the Joint Services ranks, where they have been admitted for medical treatment.
In addition, two ranks of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) were accidentally hit by pellets, and received injuries to the face and the hand respectively. They have received medical attention and have rejoined their unit at Linden.
Meanwhile, the National Commission on Law and Order (NCLO) notes, with great concern and distress, the breakdown in law and order in the town of Linden, and the resulting regrettable loss of life of three persons during a confrontation with police, on the Mackenzie–Wismar Bridge on  18th July, 2012.
The NCLO expresses condolences to the relatives of the deceased: Shemroy Bouyea, Ivan Lewis and Ron Somerset, and hopes for a speedy and complete recovery of those persons who suffered injury.
The NCLO welcomes the immediate declaration by President Donald Ramotar of the pursuit of a Commission of Inquiry into the specific and encompassing circumstances related to the tragic incident; and greatly appreciates that the Terms of Reference for the Commission of Inquiry benefited from bi-partisan support and agreement.
The NCLO sees this as the foundation for deferring a national crisis, and supports the right to peaceful protest and the uninterrupted pursuit of social, cultural, and economic activities and secure livelihoods by all Guyanese; but this must be within the parameters of law and order.
It is the Commission’s belief that solutions will be found through continued consultations, resulting in conciliation among all parties.