RESIDENTS of Walton Hall village, on the Essequibo Coast in Region Two, are calling on the ‘G’ Division police to increase patrols in the village, especially at nights, in light of the recent brutal robbery of Pastor Doreen Edwards of the El Shaddai Pentecostal Church.Several women of the village have said that the police need to do more in hunting down the bandit(s) who robbed and terrorised the pastor, who lived alone. Angry and upset about the incident, the women have declared that despite the presence of lights on the public road, thieves are still attacking and robbing residents.

Walton Hall does not have a vigilante group, and many are calling on Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan to install and equip groups in villages, so as to help protect residents from bandits. They said thieves are taking advantage of single women, especially widows.

The women are also calling on the police to break up gangs of young men, who would normally meet at certain spots in the village and would remain there late into the night, drinking alcohol and “smoking up”.
(Rajendra Prabhulall)