The behaviour of the Police Tactical Services Unit (TSU) on March 5th at the Office of the Returning Officer-Region Four in removing party agents has continued to attract comment and condemnation.
The party agents had remained in the building wanting to protect Statements of Poll (SOPS) following a chaotic scene where a number of persons rushed to the office of the GECOM chairwoman, retired justice Claudette Singh, after receiving reports that she was unwell.
The party agents were brusquely told by GECOM’s Deputy Returning Officer Roxanne Myers that they would need leave and they should take their garbage with them. In response, the party agents said that they were allowed to stay and guard the SOPs. However, after interacting with Myers, a group of ranks from the TSU swarmed the building and entered the tabulation centre.
In video posted on social media, they crudely told the agents they needed to leave and that they were following orders that were handed down to them. They told the agents to collect their belongings and leave. The ranks escorted the party agents, who upon exiting the building stood in the compound but were later told to move beyond the barrier.
The party agents then informed the ranks that they would leave only after they ensured that the building was secured.
During that time a number of representative from the People’s Progressive Party/Civic, smaller parties, international observers and others congregated outside of the office as police stood guard at the office door.
In a video seen by this newspaper, PPP/C General Secretary Bharrat Jagdeo and others were questioning the health of Singh. A relative was also prevented from seeing her.
While this was happening, the locks to another door leading to her office were broken thereby creating an opening for those who stood on the corridor of the top floor of the building to enter.
It was at this point, The New Movement’s, Joshua Kanhai said he was pushed into the room by the persons who were with him on the corridor.
Kanhai was arrested by the police after the accusation that he played a part in breaking the door.
Speaking to Stabroek News after the event, he related that he was released after being questioned by the police.
Kanhai said when persons started to venture to the top floor, he followed behind since he was the only party representative in the building. He explained that by the time he got upstairs he could not have gotten into the room with the other party representatives as it was crowded.
The young politician said he remained on the corridor and was pushed into the office. He stated that it is unclear how the office door was unlocked but he was pushed into it by others who were also trying to get into the room.
Two observers he said were in the rooms with their hands above their heads. The situation was different for him after he explained that he suffered a shoulder injury a few days earlier.
He added that after waiting sometime in the room, he and the observers were escorted to the Brickdam Police Station where they were questioned.
The police, he said could not have given him a definite answer as to what he was being questioned for or if he would face any charge. Kanhai was asked to lodge his phone and told to return. He said when he returned he was unable to speak with any rank since they were out on the road.
