…police say threats to schools not significant

POLICE have reported that the two recent bomb scares at the University of Guyana (UG), Turkeyen Campus are “no significant threat”, even as they call on the perpetrators to desist from disrupting the calm in society.

On Tuesday and Wednesday, threats were made to UG, forcing the cancellation of classes.

“… from our investigations, there is no significant threat [and] our investigations have revealed so far that students, either by themselves or with other persons, decided to be mischievous and endeavoured to disrupt the existing peace and calm in society and specifically in the education sectors,” a police release said.

The police force, through its commissioner, deputy crime chief and a team of officers, met with members of the UG administration to assess the situation and keep the administration abreast with the investigations.

“[Members of UG’s administration] were advised that the situation arose from mischievous students, either by themselves or other persons, therefore, there is no need for panic or any undue concern,” the release stated.

However, the police force also related that investigations will continue and the arrest and detention of persons is “very much imminent”.

Further, the Force urged that persons desist from disrupting the education sector, and by extension the calm of society, lest they face arrest and criminal charges.

Following the second threat, the university closed the campus until Monday, when classes and full operations will resume.

“The closure of the campus will enable the administration, staff and student leaders to review the situation and enhance preventative and responsive measures for such threats,” a notice from UG said.

The threats against the university follow a string of online threats directed at several city schools. These threats were initially made against the School of the Nations and the school’s director was shot shortly after.

Parents from Nations have since called on the police to make available to the public, the information they have gathered from their investigations thus far.

They have also offered a $1M reward for the location and arrest of the perpetrator(s).

On Thursday, the Education Ministry said a group of persons have been visiting homes under the guise of investigators looking into the recent threats against city schools.

“The group of con men are moving around in a white minibus and are pretending to be ranks attached to the Criminal Investigation Department of the Guyana Police Force,” the ministry said in a statement.

It added: “The public is hereby asked to operate with extreme caution if ever faced with such a situation. You are advised to make immediate contact with the nearest police station and do not allow these persons into your yard or property at any time.”