SEVERAL business persons in the Hydronie/Parika area of the East Bank Essequibo are lamenting what they perceive as “naked favouritism” being displayed by officers and ranks of the Parika Police Station, whom they claim target some business people for allegedly disturbing the peace, while others are allowed to blare music to forbidden decibel levels and indulge in all forms of lawlessness.On request yesterday, this publication visited the Hydronie/Parika area and met with several roadside business persons, who all opined that the Parika police practise favouritism in dealing with matters of the public interest.

Businessman Safraz Alli disclosed that some police officers collude with several business persons for favours granted, and, consequently, cannot intervene and represent the law when their business friends’ operations get out of control. Consequently, rabid lawlessness and gross disorder obtains in the Hydronie/Parika community.

Vendors operating in close proximity to the Parika Police Station also attested to these claims, confirming that they suffer the same treatment at the hands of the Parika police. The vendors claimed that while some police officers continue to harass vendors for trading on the shoulders of the road, those vendors who are prepared to be ‘friendly’ with the police and give them ‘donations’ are allowed to sell in whatever manner suits their fancy.

Operators of the elegant A. Nazier and Sons Sports Bar seemed to be sharing the worst fate, since from all that was reported they seemed to be the constant target of the Parika police. This business family revealed that while they would normally play music at a moderate level for the listening pleasure of their customers, someone they deemed a very malicious and envious neighbour would regularly complain to the police about being disturbed by their ‘loud music’, and they would be summoned to the station to be charged and placed before the courts, without the police coming in person to verify the complaint made against them.

They said that the police at Parika have, on several occasions, prevented them from hosting family-oriented entertainment ventures, simply because the said neighbour continues to pen horrid letters to the NDC painting an unpleasant picture of their activities, when the converse situation is what really obtains on their premises.

Consequently, they lose a considerable volume of business, since they are not allowed to entertain customers with music, despite investing millions of dollars to create the sports bar.

They showed this publication a small household-type stereo which they claim is what they use to provide the sports bar with music; and in a walk through the area, this publication was able to observe several roadside businesses blasting music to forbidden decibel levels in alarming proximity to the police station.

Parika/Hydronie business persons are calling on police officers to act fairly in their dealings, and to be neutral in executing their duties.

When the Parika Police Station was contacted yesterday, a male rank there refuted the allegations levelled and declared that the business people were all just out to make trouble for the police, but several residents affirmed the claims of the business persons.
Written By Alex Wayne