Commission of Inquiry to be established early August – President does not agree with call for Home Affairs Minister to resign
Georgetown, GINA, July 20, 2012 -- Source - GINA
President Donald Ramotar this evening said that Government’s statement issued on Wednesday committed the Administration to a full investigation once order was restored in Linden and that position remains.
He told the media at a press conference that he will be appointing a Commission of Inquiry to examine the events in Linden including the unfortunate loss of three lives on Wednesday during clashes between police and persons protesting the increase in electricity tariff for the town.
TOR
He revealed that during discussions with the opposition parties, Government and A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) agreed to draft the Terms of Reference (TOR) for the Commission and “two leaders from the two sides were designated… to work on the draft TOR. The meeting also agreed to conclude the TOR not later than August 2, 2012, with the objective of establishing the Commission of Inquiry very soon after. I am pleased to inform you that all stakeholders endorsed the approach.”
President Ramotar also stated that consistent with law enforcement norms, once there is a death during the performance of an officer’s duty, he or she is removed from the situation. In this case, the Commanding Officer of E & F Division has been removed. He noted that this move also coincides with the desires of the stakeholders engaged over the last two days.
On the issue of calls being issued for the resignation of Minister of Home Affairs Clement Rohee over the Linden situation, President Ramotar stated quite categorically, “I don’t agree with the call for the Home Affairs Minister to resign… he was not on the ground and was not directing anything. I don’t agree with their call.”
Health
Minister of Health Dr. Bheri Ramsarran has been instructed to pay close and personal attention to the health care delivery system in Region 10 with regards to Linden and persons who were injured during the protest, the President said.
Minister Ramsaran will also oversee persons with totally unrelated emergency medical needs in Linden and the outlying areas who would need to be removed from the area, but due to the blocked roads, cannot.
Restoring services
Minister of Public Works Robeson Benn has received instructions from the President as well, to “bring in heavy - duty equipment to clear the roads of debris and logs so as to ensure that there is ingress and egress to and from and through the township of Linden. I have instructed that serious efforts also be made to restore and maintain water and electricity.”
Today, there were huge logs blocking certain parts of the road and several fires raging as the protestors continued their actions.
The President reiterated that the developments in Linden have placed great and additional stress on the mining community which must pass through Linden as well as the interior regions of 7,8 & 9. These communities rely on passage through Linden to transport food and fuel and other goods to and from the coastal belt.
Businesses hurting
“I wish to stress that these developments are harming the investment and business environment in the region,” he said.
Specially convened meetings of the Cabinet were held to brief Ministers on the developments in Linden and engaged representatives of the Linden business community. President Ramotar also met with the Leader of the Opposition David Granger and his APNU delegation, Speaker of the National Assembly and Leader of the AFC Donald Trotman and his delegation from the AFC, and Sharma Solomon, Chairman of the RDC Region 10 along with Vanessa Kissoon, MP from Region 10.
“My administration wishes to reiterate that it is deeply concerned about the level of unrest which has accelerated over the past two days or so and once again I regret the loss of life and property. The entire township of Linden has been destabilized by these events. In fact the entire region has been also affected,” the President said adding that the communities of Kwakwani and Ituni have been unable to access emergency medical care, fuel and food, since the interior Regions of 7, 8 and 9 have also been affected by what is taking place in Linden.
Noting that Bosai employs more than 500 persons, he said that it has been closed for the last few days and the company has indicated that it is reconsidering further expansion of its business.
“I have been in discussion with Mr. Walker of the Toucan Connections, the call centre in Linden which employs almost 150 persons, and which also has been likewise affected, and which could lose his overseas contracts if this situation continues.”
President Ramotar observed that the domestic business sector in Linden is also being affected since many workers are afraid to come to work and prefer to stay in the safety of their homes.
“In my discussion with the Regional Chairman, Mr. Solomon I have stressed that Linden will suffer a great setback if these developments are not brought to an end soon. I also wish to emphasise that the Linden community is being, and has been terribly and deliberately misinformed by some extremists and well known political activists with regard to the recently introduced tariff increases,” he stressed.
Lindeners began a five- day protest on Wednesday against the increase in electricity tariff introduced with effect from this month. The protest escalated and during clashes with the police three persons lost their lives, several were injured and a number of buildings and vehicles burnt.