By Calvin Marshall
Guyana Chronicle
June 7, 2001

ALBION crowd: a section of the gathering at the Albion Sports Complex to meet President Bharrat Jagdeo yesterday. (Winston Oudkerk photos.) PROTESTS that rocked the Berbice community of Albion Monday and Tuesday and left one dead and three injured, appeared to have ended yesterday afternoon after thousands turned out to meet President Bharrat Jagdeo who spent several hours in the area.

Police reported no incidents and after the President left Albion, there were no signs of protesters who had gathered the previous two days outside the Albion Police Station which some attempted to burn down Monday night.

Police said the area was calm last night after the protests by thousands which had turned violent at times between Monday and Tuesday as residents called for firmer Police action against criminals in the region.

The Albion main road was blocked by burning logs and a magistrate's car was burnt during the violent protests Monday.

After a meeting at the Albion Sports Complex where an estimated 10,000-12,000 turned out, Mr. Jagdeo yesterday afternoon walked about a mile around the district meeting residents and community leaders.

After the meetings, most of the residents headed home.

The President also visited the relatives of Mohammed Shamshudeen, 43, of Albion High Reef, who died after he was reportedly shot when crowds tried to torch the Albion Police Station Monday night.

An official investigation is under way into the death and the wounding of the three others, President Jagdeo assured the widow and relatives of Shamshudeen.

Police Commissioner Laurie Lewis, Divisional Commander Paul Slowe and other senior cops were with the President as he moved around, listened and responded to concerns.

At the mass meeting at the Albion Sports Complex, Mr. Jagdeo announced several anti-crime initiatives and said all ranks from the Albion Police Station were being transferred.

The announcement of the replacement of cops from the station was greeted with a resounding round of applause by the large gathering.

Among the other measures the President outlined to deal with crime in the region was the formation of a representative committee to relate directly to him on all matters of concern to those communities there.

He also said another special crime unit would be deployed, more Community Policing Groups (CPGs) would be formed (one consisting of volunteers and another supported by the business sector) and CPG members would be trained in the use of firearms.

Addressing the thousands at the complex, President Jagdeo expressed concern at what happened and the degeneration of what had started out as a peaceful anti-crime protest Friday.

"I am pretty disturbed; let us see what we can do to solve these problems," the President said, referring to complaints about a spate of kick-down-the-door crimes, Police inaction and the long hours of patrol by vigilante groups as horror stories.

President Jagdeo, who was mobbed by placard-bearing protesters from the Albion Police Station to the Sports Complex, drew loud applause when he told the residents, "Whether the Police are here or not, I am here."

"I know how people feel when they are robbed and raped; I know the anger," he said, indicating that he will be back in Berbice this weekend for more discussions with residents and community leaders.

An official said Mr. Jagdeo is due back in the region from tomorrow.

The President yesterday noted too the need to recruit more qualified persons to the Police Force and to have the stations adequately manned.

He was critical too of some lawmen who do not foster good community/Police relationship saying, "the Police are servants of the people, not lords of the people."

He said protests can be legitimate but warned against excesses, referring to the violent incidents outside the Albion station earlier this week.

President Jagdeo warned the large gathering about some elements within the society who will want to use the occasion for political expediency.

He slammed some television stations in Georgetown for distorting the events, which he said were not political and the gathering greeted this with approval.

There are detractors who are trying to frustrate the development of the country and who want to grab power by other means than through the ballot boxes, the President pointed out.

Mr. Jagdeo told of plans by his People's Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) government to build an airport at Albion to accommodate local and other flights from Caribbean Community (CARICOM) countries and this again brought cheers from the crowd.

He said the government has provided $200M for rural electrification in Corentyne and another $150M for the expansion of the University of Guyana campus in Berbice and noted the recent licensing of a cellular phone company to boost telecommunication.

In response to President Jagdeo's suggestion for the formation of a broad-based committee, some 40 persons representing communities between Canje, Black Bush Polder and Number 46 Village on the Corentyne were selected from the gathering there to hold further discussions with him.

That session took place at the Guyana Sugar Corporation Training Building following the mass meeting.

The Head of State said the committee will work with him between six months to a year in a bid to find redress to their many irritants.

A representative in the grouping will be dealing specifically with traffic issues in relation to mini-buses.

He also said that other regional and government functionaries will monitor the implementation of actions taken.

The protesters on his arrival had given the President a list of measures they wanted implemented urgently.

These include an adequate number of gun licences to be issued to qualified residents, an independent civilian committee to monitor Police activities in Berbice, more vehicles for Police and more Police on night patrols.

At the conclusion of his address at the sports complex, President Jagdeo held informal discussions with hundreds of residents at various sections of the compound.

The crowds, which appeared tense at first, were within an hour transformed and at times a picnic type atmosphere prevailed.

Most present expressed satisfaction at the outcome of the President's visit.