La Grange, West Bank Demerara farmer Safir Ali Warisali has been plagued by a different kind of pest, which he says has repeatedly looted him of his produce over the last eight months,
A visibly-frustrated Warisali, 56, told Stabroek News that although he has made several repeated complaints to police, no effort has been made to arrest the assailant, whom he says is a “known troublemaker” and “freely roams the area on a daily basis.”
Ali explained that because he made no progress at the La Grange Police Station, he forwarded his complaints to the Chairman of the Police Complaint Authority, retired Chancellor Cecil Kennard and later Commissioner of Police Henry Greene but his efforts have all been in vain.
Efforts by this newspaper to get a comment on the issue from Police Public Relations Officer Ivelaw Whittaker yesterday were unsuccessful.
Warisali said that the perpetrator, whom he knows only as “ Buck,” continues to burglarise his farm and makes constant threats to kill him in the farm and burn his house down if he were to ever return to the police station to make reports. The concerned farmer said that he reported the threats but was eventually forced to abort planting because the police continue to “sweep [the] matter and concerns under the carpet.”
Recounting the incidents, the farmer related that on March 1, after realising that the robber was removing vegetables from his farm, he proceeded to the La Grange Police Station where he lodged a complaint.
He said that on March 21, the said act was repeated by “Buck” and yet another police report was made. The farmer said that the following day the perpetrator told him that his [Buck’s] brother-in-law is a police corporal and as a result he would not be arrested or placed in the lockups or before the courts, and he [Buck] “could do whatever he wanted.”
Ali said that sometime on the afternoon of March 22, Buck went into his [Ali’s] son’s car which was parked in the driveway and removed his cell phone while cursing him as he rode off. Ali said that here again a report was made but to no avail.
The Past Chairman for the Community Policing Group and Past President for the Hire Car Association for the West Demerara district said that on March 24 and 30 Buck was again caught stealing produce from his farm.
A displeased Ali said that he could not understand the reason “for being ignored and continually pushed around by the law men.”
The man emphasised that whenever he made contact with authorities, he would only be given numbers to call only to be repeatedly “told to call back or be given further telephone numbers to call other departments.” “The situation has now become too overbearing, all they would say is that they are looking into the matter” a disturbed Ali said.
Ali related to Stabroek News that he is very afraid for what could happen to him and his property, while emphasising that the assailant continues to threaten him and rob him of his produce.