Army should only play supporting role to police outside state of emergency -PNC/R
Stabroek News
June 19, 2002

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The army should only be playing a supportive role to the police in carrying out its operations in the absence of a declaration of a state of emergency, the People's National Congress REFORM (PNC/R) says.

PNC/R's central executive committee member, Raphael Trotman, said last Thursday that his party had noted the launching of Operation Tourniquet by the Guyana Defence Force to assist in the fight against rising crime in the country. He pointed out the role of the military in Guyana is clearly defined by the Defence Act, Chapter 15:01, to be the defence of the security of the state. He said the PNC/R recognises the need to activate aspects of the military from time to time to fight crime but this must be in a complementary role to the Guyana Police Force.

"In keeping with the doctrine governing the deployment of the military in civilian matters, the PNC/R expects that the current operation remains limited to a supportive role, is curtailed in time and is carried out with due regard to the Constitution and Laws of Guyana," he said.

Trotman said the PNC/R is concerned that the military has been activated to the point of encamping in villages along the East Coast Demerara, having armed attendance at village conferences, carrying out criminal investigative work, and was preparing to carry out house-to-house searches.

He stated this should not occur unless Guyana was in a state of emergency. Trotman stated the soldiers should ensure they are not being used as scapegoats and urged the army to maintain its reputation as a disciplined and professional defender of the state and people of Guyana.