THE Protected Areas Commission (PAC) has slammed Kaieteur News columnist Freddie Kissoon for false accusations that President David Granger and Director-General of the Ministry of the Presidency Joseph Harmon are responsible for the removal of his bicycle from the National Park.

In his column, published on December 29, 2019, Kissoon wrote: “When the PPP was in power, no bigwig in that government ordered the National Park authorities to stop me leaving my bicycle in the park. Because of my criticism of APNU+AFC, I was asked to remove it. The letter was arrogant with threats of legal action. All of this for a bicycle left in the park for the past 15 years. I complained to Dr Raquel Thomas, the board chairman and Ms Ndibi Schwiers, head of the Department of Environment. I was ignored. I believe either Joe Harmon or David Granger is behind this.”

A release in response from the PAC on Thursday stated: “The PAC is making it pellucid that the commission is a semi-autonomous agency, and neither President Granger nor Mr Harmon interferes with its day-to-day operations or management.”
The commission detailed the long-standing issue which showed that the columnist was making a mountain out of mole hill by choosing stubbornness over compliance with the authority of the PAC.

According to the PAC, since in October 2018, the National Park’s Security Manager had made it clear to Kissoon that his bicycle cannot be accommodated in the main security building of the National Park.

He was asked to remove his bicycle and it was explained that this was due to impending security changes. However, Kissoon ignored the authority’s request which saw the involvement of PAC Commissioner Denise Fraser.
Fraser formally wrote Kissoon a letter on July 17, 2019, requesting that he remove his bicycle from the main security building, as it was a security breach and was hampering new measures that were put in place to regularise security operations at the PAC/National Parks Commission (NPC) locations.

Kissoon was also informed that the building in which he claimed to have stored his bicycle for years — without official permission — now houses bicycles for the park’s security patrols, along with other valuable equipment and is therefore now fully secured to prevent unauthorised persons gaining access.

“…National Park Bike Patrols have been in full operation since October 2019 and citizens can expect to feel more secure when utilising the facilities. The bicycles were purchased along with handheld radios, and patrols are conducted both at the National Park and the Botanical Gardens,” the PAC stated.

Being obstinate, Kissoon took to his newspaper column to lay accusations not only against Harmon, but also against the Head of State.
However, the commission has debunked the claims and asserted its position as a body of authority.

It stated: “The PAC is managed by a Board of Directors, comprising technical experts, which oversees its operations in keeping with the Protected Areas Act. This Act gives the PAC the mandate to establish, manage, maintain, promote and expand the National Protected Areas System, including the urban parks.”