The police today rejected an APNU+AFC press release saying that there was a plan for mass arrests to prevent persons from voting.
The police press release follows:
Cognizant of a media release that was made today Friday May 08, 2015, by the APNU+AFC Coalition in which it was stated that the coalition is in receipt of credible information that there is a plan to detain and arrest an unusually large number of persons over the weekend and on Election Day on spurious grounds in a deliberate effort to prevent these persons from voting, the Guyana Police Force wishes to advise members of the public that the police plan is to act professionally in providing security for the General and Regional Elections.
The Guyana Police Force has been acting professionally during the campaign period so far, and intends to continue until the end of the process.
The APNU+AFC Coalition’s media release came as a surprise, since the Guyana Police Force’s hierarchy met with a delegation comprising senior representatives of the Coalition on March 16, 2015, at the Office of the Commissioner of Police, where the plans for our operations and security for the Coalition’s leaders were discussed.
At that meeting, the delegation was informed that the Police Divisional Commanders have full command of the resources in their respective Division, and that they also have instructions to operate professionally.
The Commissioner of Police also provided a list of contact telephone numbers, including cell phone numbers, for himself and all the Police Divisional Commanders to the Coalition Campaign Manager Attorney-at-Law Mr. Raphael Trotman and advised that they should feel free to call on any issue in which they wish to engage the police.
Several calls were made to the Commissioner of Police and Divisional Commanders regarding various issues, however, the contents of the media release was never raised.
The Guyana Police Force wishes to assure members of the public, including supporters of all political parties, that if they breach the laws they are likely to be arrested; and if they conduct themselves lawfully, they will be protected.
There is no plan neither for any mass arrests nor the illegal arrest of anyone.
The APNU+AFC press release had said:
The APNU+AFC Coalition is in receipt of credible information that there is a plan to detain and arrest an unusually large number of persons over the weekend and on election day on spurious grounds in a deliberate effort to prevent these persons from voting.
Information received suggest that while this plan is a national one it will be particularly intense in the Georgetown area within the A Division.
The Coalition condemns this plan and calls on the officers of the Guyana Police Force to act honourably and resist being used as pawns in a politically motivated move.
Further the Coalition implores citizens to be vigilant, focused and to act with restraint at all times.
