–Stages high-definition drama for passersby

It was high definition drama as the POLICE, employees of the Public Works Ministry and those of auto sales dealer BM Soat had a stand-off at Success, East Coast of Demerara which lasted from 08:00 hrs till 19:30 hrs on Monday.This high-definition drama was occasioned by the auto sales dealer erecting a fence on Government reserve; and based on reliable sources, the man has the relevant documentation to show that his action had been authorised. However, no one would say from whom the auto dealer had obtained this authorisation.
Last week, the High Court ruled in favour of the Ministry of Public Works and the Government of Guyana after the auto dealer had taken the ministry to court following its attempts to demolish the concrete and steel fence the auto dealer had erected.
The Works Ministry descended on the East Coast of Demerara business place yesterday with intention to demolish the fence, but was met with much opposition from the businessman. BM Soat employees began driving brand new vehicles out from the business show room onto the government reserve in a move to prevent the ministry’s machinery from getting to the fence. And had the Works Ministry equipment managed to get to the fence and effect a tearing down exercise, vehicles would have been damaged in the process.
The standoff became a spectacle to all those who traverse the area as they sought to get an understanding of why the police had a presence at the location all day, and why heavy-duty machinery from both the Public Works Ministry and the auto dealer were lining the road, effectively reducing traffic mobility to a snail’s pace.
Public Works Ministry workers were overheard commenting about the resigned attitude of the police at the location. They claimed the police were reluctant to take the correct action to facilitate the ministry in the execution of its duty, and moreso enforcement of a court order.
However, one police officer who was present at the location related to this publication that the job of the police was to ensure that there was law and order, and that the traffic flowed through the area without hindrance. The police source also indicated that the job to get the vehicles removed and the fence brought down was that of the Works Ministry.
This publication was told that the police turned up almost four hours after the Works Ministry personnel had arrived at the location. The ministry’s workers were of the view that because the businessman hailed from the East Coast of Demerara and was probably very kindhearted to the police in his division, the police were not willing to act against him and his agents.
When the Guyana Chronicle arrived at the location, the businessman’s employees were still driving vehicles out of the show yard onto the reserve and in close proximity to the fence. Among the vehicles used to prevent the ministry from executing its duty yesterday were Mazdas, Allions, canters, front end loaders, ten wheelers, and other vehicles, some with and some without registration numbers.

(By Leroy Smith)