Cop tells of fleeing from rain of bricks
by Wendella Davidson
POLICE witness Inspector Clifton Smith of Impact Base, yesterday related how he and ranks under his command had to run for safety after being pelted with bottles and bricks by an enraged, protesting crowd outside the Supreme Court Building. Testifying before the Commission of Inquiry conducted by Justice Carl Singh at the Public Service Appellate Tribunal Building, Brickdam, about the Police involvement outside the Supreme Court and Magistrates Court during the public service pay strike, Smith remembered an incident of June 14. Led in his evidence by Counsel for the Police, Mr. Denis Hanomansingh, the witness said on that day he, with four trainees from the Felix Austin Police College, Eve Leary, and overall under the command of Superintendent Stuart and ASP Alleyne, were stationed at South Road and Avenue of the Republic. Smith remembered about 10:55 hours seeing about 75 protesters, consisting of males and females, walking past on the western side of the barriers. And, as they were passing, he overhead a female voice saying "Look Brathwaite in police uniform. I know he. He used to work at the Ministry of Education, and is only last month he draw salary there." Another remarked "Laurie got he as a spy, bus he ass." Following these remarks, Smith said the crowd, which became emotional, surged forward to the barrier noisily and began rocking them. The witness said he immediately removed Brathwaite and took him inside the Supreme Court building where he would be safe. However on his return, the crowd started raining bricks and bottles on him and the four constables who were left behind. Smith said he made contact with Stuart, but because he and the men had no protection, they had to run away. The crowd then pushed down the barriers and began advancing towards them. He recalled, too, during the confrontation, that some females had picked up a barrier and were moving away, but he and his men were unable to do anything because of the attack on them with bottles and bricks. The barrier was eventually thrown into the South Road canal. Smith said no arrest could have been effected because the protesters ran away when Stuart arrived on the scene with back-up ranks. At this point, Justice Singh asked about a picture published in the press (appearing in the Chronicle), showing two female protesters and two Policemen tugging at a barrier. Smith confirmed that such an incident did occur. Asked by the Judge why no arrests were made, the Inspector said the incident took place while he was taking Brathwaite away from the angry crowd. Also, the Policemen who were involved in the barrier-tugging scene were recruits. Superintendent of Police, Ronald Stuart, Officer in Charge of `G" Division - Essequibo Coast, said between June 7 and 23, he was stationed at the Brickdam Police Station as Officer-in-Charge of ranks at the Supreme Court. His duty was to ensure that Magistrates Court employees who wished to work were not prevented from so doing and to ensure the safe passage of Judges. The officer testified how he and ranks erected barriers at five points around the Court, three on the southern side and two to the north. Other than on June 14, the witness said there were no other incidents. In response to a query from the Judge, Stuart said employees who passed through the barriers were heckled by persons who assembled outside the barriers. Another witness, Assistant Superintendent Ronald Alleyne, stationed at Alberttown Police Station, said from June 8 to 23 he was attached to Impact Base, Brickdam. He recalled doing duties too at the Supreme Court Registry with five ranks under his command. Alleyne said he and ranks also erected barriers to allow unhindered access to Supreme Court Registry workers, wishing to work during the almost two-month pay strike that ended last month. Asked by the Judge why that action was necessary, the Police officer said it was because of reports that the previous day protesters had blocked the court entrances. He explained that the strategy employed was to place the barricades away from the entrances to prevent the protesters from blocking the entrances. However, when the barriers were set up, the behaviour of the crowd varied, being either boisterous, quiet or noisy. Also giving evidence was Cadet Officer Bertram Toney, who is in charge of Providence Police Station. He said during the months of May and June he was attached to Impact Base. With nine constables from the Felix Austin Police College under his command, the Police Cadet Officer said on June 8 last, he went to the Georgetown Magistrates' Court where they erected barriers on the Avenue of the Republic and Brickdam. Toney said he did duty there from June 8 to 10 and during the period only three of the court staff worked. A group that was outside, while confirming that they were employees, said they were on strike. He said that other than on June 8, when the crowd chanted "We want 40 per cent, Police already got theirs we want ours," in loud tones, he and ranks were involved in no incidents. The hearing continues today.
...first witness cross-examined PRINCIPAL Clerk of Courts (Acting) attached to the Magistrates Court, Mr Surijpaul Singh, who Tuesday identified three persons as being among a crowd that disrupted work at the Magistrate's Court on June 4 last, was yesterday challenged by one of them. Supreme Court Marshal, Mr Walter Blackman, appearing before the Commission on his own behalf, had earlier submitted a statement to the Commission based on reports appearing in the media. But Justice Singh, opting to read his version of the witness' statement, reminded Blackman that such reports are not always correct. It was, however, the first time since the Commission of Inquiry, headed by Justice Carl Singh, began its probe into the violence which plagued the recent Public Service pay strike, that a witness was being cross-examined. Singh, in his testimony the previous day, in relation to incidents at the Georgetown Magistrates Court, had told the Commission that he had recognised Blackman and Ms Van Sluytman of the Supreme Court Registry and Ms Layne a former clerk of the Personnel Section as being among a crowd of persons who invaded the Magistrates Court on June 4 last and disrupted work. It was between 11:00 hrs and 11:45 hrs and the crowd was shouting "Out de place, no wuk". But when questioned by Blackman as to whether he did indeed see him in the office, Singh said no. He repeated the answer when the same question was put to him by the Judge and said that, in fact, Layne was the only person he saw enter the office. He further conceded that his earlier statement to the Commission was untrue. However, when Blackman further put to Singh that he (Blackman) was never around the Magistrates Court between 11:00 hours and 11:45 hours, Singh maintained that he did see him.
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