Police witnesses for strike probe
by Wendella Davidson
COUNSEL appearing for the Police in the ongoing probe of incidents during the recent public sector pay strike yesterday indicated that three Police witnesses will testify at today's sitting. They will each give evidence in relation to the involvement by the Police during incidents at the Supreme and Magistrates Courts in Georgetown. Mr. Surijpaul Singh, Principal Clerk of Courts (Acting), attached to the Georgetown Magistrates Court, one of four persons to testify yesterday, spoke of protesters padlocking the Magistrates Court gate on at least two occasions with no action being taken by the Police. Led in his evidence by Counsel for the Commission of Inquiry, Mr. Mortimer Cumberbatch, Singh also named two Supreme Court Registry employees, Blackman and Van Sluytman, and a former clerk of the Personnel Section, as among a crowd of persons who disrupted work at the Georgetown Magistrates Court on June 4, with shouts of "Out de place, no wuk". Singh, the last witness in the box yesterday, testified to having attended a meeting on April 23 with Registrar of the Supreme Court, Ms. Sita Ramlall. Following that discussion, he, on April 29, held a meeting with staff of the Georgetown Magistrates Court, when they were told of their right in relation to an imminent strike planned by the Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU). He told the Commission, too, how a crowd of picketers and protesters converged outside the Magistrates Court on May 11, when three GPSU Executives, Mr Patrick Yarde, Dr Anwar Hussein and Mr Lawrence Mentis, made appearances there to answer charges against them. Responding to a query by Justice Carl Singh, the witness described the crowd behaviour as noisy, when the three GPSU individuals arrived and left the court then and on May 18 and 24. Consisting of staff from the Registry, the crowd shouted "Three per cent can't wuk", he said. On May 24, he recalled the crowd growing bigger on each occasion, marching away from the court precinct, led by senior members of the Bar. Then, on June 4, a crowd of about 40 persons invaded the offices of the Magistrates Court, shouting "Out de place, no wuk" and disrupted work. By 11:45 hours, all the staff, including he himself, had left. The section they invaded is out of bounds to the public, as bail monies, case jackets and other documents relating to Court matters are lodged there, he said in reply to a further query. The witness also remembered no member of staff being able to enter the Court premises on June 7, when the protesters blocked the gates and placed a new padlock with the one belonging to the Court. The Police cut the padlocks on both occasions, but when they left, a male protester replaced it with one of theirs and a chain, in the presence of Policemen who were left on duty, Singh alleged. On June 8, assisted by a Police barricade, employees were allowed to enter the work premises, but Singh told the Commission the staff, with the exception of himself and three others, remained on the pavement outside. As a result of clerks not being on duty, the office did not function June 8 to 23. Singh said new cases were filed in the Georgetown Magistracy, but were sent to the Providence Magistrate's Court to be heard. Singh told the Commission, too, of being accompanied by Corporal James when he visited the residence of Ms Greene, a cashier attached to the Georgetown Magistrates Court. It was to uplift the keys for the safe, but the woman told him she "was legally advised" not to hand them over. He again went to her home on June 22, but no one was there. Earlier, Mr Rashid Mohamed, Judicial Officer; Mr Edward Norman Senior Registry Officer; and Mr Navindra Ewingchow, Office Assistant, all attached to the Supreme Court Registry, collaborated testimony given on Monday by Registrar, Ms Sita Ramlall. She had accused Hussein of repeatedly pointing his finger in her face, and reported a protester threatening to box her and two others tugging at her dress and ripping the sleeves. Counsel for the Police declined to cross-examine the witnesses. 
|