The University of Guyana Students Society (UGSS) is calling upon the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) to apologize for what it says was its “unprofessional” attempt to remove a soldier who was Absent Without Leave (AWOL) while classes were in session. Attempts made by Stabroek News to elicit a comment from the GDF on this matter failed.
A release from the UGSS stated that three men claiming to be military personnel entered the George Walcott Lecture Theatre (GWLT) on February 12th and announced that they had come to arrest a man by the name of “Mr. Rodney.” The release further stated that the men’s presence as well as their intentions not only disrupted classes that were in session, but caused confusion and panic to spread among the students, several of whom retreated to the extreme corners of the room or fled the lecture theatre all together.
The association stated that the second occurrence, which occurred on February 13th, was more intense than the first since seven men, two of whom were in military fatigues, once more showed up and attempted to arrest “Mr. Rodney.”
The release stated that the men were intercepted at the entrance of the GWLT by UGSS president Ganesh Mahipaul who told them that contact should have been made with campus security before such an endeavour was undertaken. The standoff eventually resulted in the men leaving and the premature conclusion of the class.
Mahipaul and the society have condemned the actions of the GDF and maintained that there must have been a more professional alternative that could have been followed in order to carry out whatever task they were sent to dispatch. Mahipaul suggested that at the very least, the University Administration should have been contacted and involved in their actions.
Stabroek News understands that the man described as “Mr. Rodney” is a GDF rank who reportedly went Absent Without Leave (AWOL) some time ago. The GDF recently published a notice with the names and photographs of soldiers who are AWOL.
