Thieves break into Lincoln Lewis' office
Stabroek News
June 22, 2004

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Some time over the weekend thieves vandalised two offices of the Guyana Trades Union Congress (GTUC) and one at the adjacent Critchlow Labour College (CLC).

The offices were those of General Secretary Lincoln Lewis, GTUC'S Principal Assistant Secretary, Andrew Garnette and the office of the Principal of the CLC.

The doors to a number of other offices at both organisations remained secured, as were several pieces of valuable equipment including a computer and accessories, a portable tape recorder and cash.

Lewis told reporters yesterday that the break-in seemed to be the work of persons either in search of something particular or aimed at performing some unsavoury function.

According to Lewis, although at first glance nothing seemed to have been taken he has his suspicions on what may have been the motive behind the act.

The office and filing cabinet were ransacked but the officials had not been able to determine whether anything was missing, Lewis further said.

The break-in, which this newspaper understands may have taken place some time between Saturday and Sunday night, saw the perpetrator apparently gaining access to the building via a wooden ventilation unit on a corridor at the GTUC head quarters.

When Stabroek News arrived at the scene shortly before midday yesterday, police were said to be investigating.

Several desk drawers in the office of the General Secretary were wrenched open.

Several items, which appeared to have been stored in the drawers were scattered on the desks while the filing cabinet containing several important documents was also disturbed.

According to Lewis, his staff who arrived at the office at 7:50 am yesterday were first to encounter the unlocked door to his office.

Meanwhile, checks to other parts of the two-storey building led to the discovery that similar acts had been perpetrated at Garnette's and the office of the CLC principal, Phillip Walcott who is on a year's leave.

Lewis said the premises, which are secured by 24-hour security, have two guards on duty at night. They reported that nothing suspicious was observed or heard.

According to Lewis, this is the first occasion in his memory that offices at the GTUC had ever been broken into.

Most of the burglaries at the institution took place at the adjacent CLC and had resulted in financial gain for the perpetrator(s), Lewis said.