–following release of Gov’t statement condemning Kaieteur News

OPERATIONS at the Guyana Chronicle’s newsroom and production department were impeded at approximately 22:35hrs on Monday by a bomb threat minutes after the release of the Government of Guyana statement on the 19-minute recording between a senior Kaieteur News reporter and Attorney-General and Legal Affairs Minister, Mr. Anil Nandlall.

According to Mr. Raschid Osman, the editor-in-charge of the newsroom at the time, he received a call from a male individual whose words to him were, “We gon bomb the f***ing Chronicle.” Mr. Osman said he was so shocked,

he could not recall everything that the person said.
At the time, there were three reporters on duty, along with the production department staff and the editor. One of the reporters was walking into the newsroom when the telephone was ringing and after it rang out, Mr. Osman’s phone started to ring.
The reporter said that after Mr. Osman answered the phone, he called out for one of the reporters whom he thought was in the newsroom but was outside.
“As soon as Mr. Osman shouted for the reporter, I then noticed that something was wrong, so I rushed outside to get some assistance from the other reporters who then notified everyone about the bomb threat,” the reporter said.
All staff members then exited the building and the fire service and the police were notified about the bomb threat.
Six minutes later two fire trucks responded, one from Alberttown Fire Station and the other from the Central Fire Station. Then the police came on the scene with a Canter truck carrying about 30 officers and a jeep with five Tactical Service Unit (TSU) ranks.
Both the police and fire officers began conducting investigations while Chronicle employees remained outside the premises.
Later the entire newsroom staff went home and the police and fire officers were left onboard to continue their investigations.
Meanwhile, the management and staff of Guyana Chronicle would like to thank the Guyana Fire Service- Fire Chief, Marlon Gentle and his officers for their prompt response. Moreover, gratitude is also extended to ‘A’ Division Commander, Senior Superintendent, Clifton Hicken and his officers for their timely response also.

(By Asif Hakim)