Collusion suspected between police, operators

MINISTER of State, Joseph Harmon, on Thursday told reporters that there is an ongoing investigation into what is believed to be some form of collusion between law enforcement officers and the operators of the illegal Beechcraft Super King Air 350 aircraft found in Region Nine last month.

Responding to questions on the subject, Harmon said, “There is some information that is available to us which is suggesting a certain level of collusion and that information we take very seriously and it will inform the way in which we deal with the actual deployment of ranks in these areas.”

The minister of state did not reveal additional information in the matter but noted that his administration is making every effort to eradicate corruption.
When asked whether he was in possession of information which suggests that the police were paid by those who occupied the aircraft and subsequently fled the scene, Harmon offered no comment.

“I am not sure about ‘paid.’ I understand there was some collusion. That’s what I heard,” the minister of state remarked, while stressing that it is best to await the findings of the investigations.

Last month top security sources told Guyana Chronicle that an aerial survey of the area shows that it would have been very difficult for anyone to escape as the area is surrounded by swamp and a cluster of trees.

“From all appearances someone might have ushered these guys out of the area,” the source said, adding that contrary to initial reports, five men were onboard the aircraft: the pilot, co-pilot and three other occupants.

Commander of ‘F’ Division, Ravindradat Budhram, in an invited comment to the Ministry of the Presidency last month had said that after receiving information from an unnamed source that the airstrip was being used, investigating ranks visited the site and were leaving the area when they observed an aircraft circling some distance away.

The aircraft landed while the ranks were making their way back to the airstrip, Budhram reported. He said the ranks reported that they saw some persons running into the bush.

Commander Budhram said that following the discovery of the plane, an extensive search was mounted by a Joint Services team for the men, who had been observed fleeing. That search continues.

The divisional commander noted too that a search of the area unearthed three abandoned camps, in which canned food and other items were found.

Additionally, 16 ten-gallon containers, which are suspected to have contained aviation fuel, were also discovered.

During the search of the aircraft, several pieces of communication equipment, including cellular phones, flashlights, a quantity of dried ration, medical supplies and an identification card were discovered.

The discovery of the airstrip and aircraft follows the discovery of another illegal airstrip in Yurupukari, Region Nine (Upper Takatu-Upper Essequibo) in September 2015.

VULNERABLE
Investigations later revealed that the CESSNA plane had originated in Colombia. Guyana’s vast land and airspace makes the country vulnerable to transnational security threats.

Budhram also stated that the 5,400-foot long, 45-foot wide airstrip appeared to have undergone recent repairs. The strip in question was destroyed by the GDF only a few years ago.

Furthermore, it is located approximately five miles from another illegal airstrip, which was discovered two weekends ago by a GDF patrol that was on a reconnaissance mission at the time.

The Beechcraft Super King Air 350 bears registration PR-IMG, which is reportedly tied to an investment bank in Brazil. Information suggests that the firm leased the aircraft to a Rio-based company. The official said this is the normal modus operandi of drug traffickers.

Government has since expressed concern over the incident and noted that it is working with local and international partners to build capacity and strengthen security.

“The Government is extremely concerned; we are concerned that these aircraft are utilising our large gaps in the security coverage in the hinterland areas, but we are looking carefully to see how we can have a proper coverage of those areas,” Harmon had said in a statement.

He said, too, that the government has recognised that over a period of years, there are those who have taken advantage of the lack of adequate resources to properly monitor those areas.

He said the administration is taking this matter very seriously, and is making every effort to better equip the security forces, and strengthen their capacity to secure Guyana’s territory.

“It is illegal for any aircraft to land or be in Guyana, unless they have the permission of the government and the GCAA.

“While we have large expanses of land in the Rupununi that can be used for airstrips, it is illegal to have these airstrips,” he added.

Drone Unit
Meanwhile, Harmon disclosed that a drone unit would be established within the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) to monitor the country’s remote communities.

“Drone technology is basically the way the world is going right now. We have been utilising some commercial ones for certain limited use, currently but we are exploring the farther type drones that can stay in the air for longer periods of time and can give you more accurate readings,” he declared.

The minister of state, who also sits on the Defence Board told reporters that the 2018 national budget will cater for the purchasing of drones for the GDF.

“… [drones] allows you to cover greater ground which reduces the number of personnel or troops you’d have to use on the ground. It also gives you coverage of areas that are inaccessible otherwise.

“It is something we are actively considering and we have some proposals made to us and some companies that are coming in making proposals about the quality and type we could use,” Harmon added.