— Ramjattan requests public help during tense election period

MINISTER of Public Security, Khemraj Ramjattan, has urged members of the public to keep an eye out for persons seeking to destroy the country’s national landmarks or other properties and to make reports to the police if they have knowledge that such plans are afoot.

His request came on Monday during a press briefing pertaining to the recent fire at the Lusignan Prison, but the minister also addressed the attempt by an unknown man to torch the Umana Yana on Sunday. The act comes as great concern to authorities as, in September 2014, the Umana Yana was gutted by a fire believed to be of electrical origin and was later rebuilt with modern features in 2015.

“We have asked all Disciplined Forces and we are also asking members of the public to have an eye out on all of these mischief-makers who they can then inform the police about,” Ramjattan requested.

“That can help. We just cannot have our 4,000 or 5,000 policemen all across the country just looking after public infrastructure, that requires the help of the citizenry too and whatever information that the citizenry has in relation to potential arson, potential destruction of buildings, malicious damage to property; we would like to hear from them.”

Reports coming out of the attempted arson indicate that a female rank of the Guyana Police Force (GPF) was on duty when she observed a man scaling the north-eastern fence of the compound with what appeared to be a bottle in his hand.

The man was subsequently seen running to the western side of the building where he set the lower branches to the roof of the Umana Yana on fire. The constable, in an attempt to apprehend the man, ran in his direction and subsequently used a fire extinguisher to put out the small flames. However, the suspect made good his escape on foot in the eastern direction away from the building.

The attempted arson follows the successful torching of well-known Journalist Travis Chase’s car and the attempted arson at the Suddie Magistrates’ Court last week where arsonists had set fire to the magistrates’ desk and chair.

Ramjattan said: “The actual security forces are on very high alert and that has been since elections time. Elections have not been completed, we are almost there and, to that extent then, we would just urge members of the public to help in that regard.”