President Irfaan Ali announced on Wednesday that he will be seeking the help of the British Government and the Regional Security Service to assist local police in their probe into the recent murders on West Coast Berbice.
“In consultation with the Guyana Police Force, I will be reaching out to the British Government and the RSS, which is the Regional Security System to come to Guyana in support of the Guyana Police Force’s investigative capacity.”
The first murders were those of Isaiah and Joel Henry whose bodies were found on Sunday with their throats slit in the Cotton Tree Backdam.
On Wednesday the grandson of a suspect in the Henry murders was killed in the No. 3 Village Backdam; Later that same day a man was beaten by protesters on the Bath Public Road after firing a shotgun three times into the crowd.
The President has said that no stone will remain unturned in the investigation and that all available tools will be used to gain a comprehensive and holistic view of the events that occurred.
President Ali also thanked the Guyana Police Force and the Guyana Defence Force for their tireless work. He expressed confidence that they would be able to bring about order.
He was assured that all available resources would be utilized, within protocols and guidelines, to keep the situation from escalating.
Additional measures announced by the President included commissioning an International Commission of Inquiry (COI) to look at every aspect of this situation, to look beyond what took place on the ground, to look at the behaviours that came about as a result of statements made and create a comprehensive understanding as to what took place.
He also asked the Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall, to explore all means available within the United Nations system which can hold persons who spread race hate and instigate racial strife accountable for their actions.
The President stressed the importance of getting to the bottom of the situation and that these three steps will be part of bringing those involved to justice quickly.
