The Ministry of Home Affairs (MOHA) on Wednesday registered serious concern about and condemned a Facebook post by A Partnership For National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) Member of Parliament (MP) Annette Ferguson, in which she insinuated the formation of a “death squad” by the Government.

MOHA in a press release expressed “serious concern” over the contents of the Facebook post made by Ferguson, in which she refers to “setting up of Death Squad and Black Clothes groups” arriving out of the considerations of Financial Paper 2/2021 during the parliamentary session on Monday June 14, 2021.

During the debates on Monday last, Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance, Gail Teixeira told the House that the Regional Joint Support Teams is a new crime-fighting initiative formulated in April, 2021, and the supplementary provision for the period ending December 2021 requested is to allow for the “set up” of the initiative.

She explained that the Regional Joint Support Teams will not denigrate or usurp the functions of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) or the Guyana Police Force (GPF); and is to enhance the capacity of the law enforcement agencies in Guyana to fight crime, regardless of the type of crime, with the support of the GDF.

“This is about enhancing our capabilities as a nation, and being able to have better coordination and collaboration between the different discipline forces in our country, that’s it, nothing to get conspiratorial about, there’s nothing conspiratorial about it,” the Government Chief Whip, Teixeira, told the house.

The MOHA press release noted that appended to Ferguson’s Facebook post was an article from an online news angency “Guyana News Today” with the headline “Exclusive: PPP secures $250million budget to resuscitation Black Clothes Death Squad.”

Further, the press release noted that that none of the “deliberately malicious and incendiary” statements Ferguson shared on her Facebook were shared during the consideration of the matter of the establishment of Regional Joint Support teams, either in presentations or even heckling from the benches in the National Assembly.

“I wish to condemn in the strongest possible terms, the malicious, deliberate, incendiary and delusional attempts to: bring the security forces into disrepute; to target individuals in those services; and to foment mischief and misrepresentations with respect to the policies and programmes of the PPP/C government in its efforts to improve safety and security throughout Guyana,” the press release stated.

The Joint Service Coordinating Council (JSCC) also condemned the content of Ferguson’s Facebook post. In a press release, the JSCC cautioned citizens against “reckless” and “irresponsible” social media commentary which could have a “damaging effect” on society.

The JSCC is headed by Brigadier Godfrey Bess, Chief of Staff, of the GDF, and comprises of the Commissioner of Police, the Director of Prisons, the Chief Fire Officer and other Senior Officers of the disciplined services.

The Council registered that a circulating document, which serves to implicate members of the Joint Services in “illegal activities” was brought to its attention and reminded that Operational Troops remained under the command and administration of the Joint Services.

The press release noted that the Supplementary Provisions approved by the National Assembly is intended to fund the Regional Joint Support Teams, which will be established in the 10 administrative regions of Guyana, and will be headed by Chief of Staff, Bess.

“The allegation that a senior Officer of the Guyana Defence Force is to head a ‘killing squad’ is outrageous. The JSCC reiterates its call for persons to be responsible and stay away from creating public mischief,” the press release noted.

An investigation by this publication on Ferguson’s Facebook page revealed that up to press time, the said post may have been removed, as it was not available to be viewed.