President Irfaan Ali today met with the families of the three youths who were recently killed on the West Coast Berbice.
A release from the Office of the President today said that he assured the families that everything possible will be done to bring the perpetrators to justice.
The killings last weekend of Isaiah and Joel Henry triggered major unrest along the West Coast Berbice. Haresh Singh was murdered on Wednesday.
A statement from the Office of the President follows:
Georgetown, Guyana – (September 11, 2020) His Excellency, President Irfaan Ali, today, met with the families of the West Coast Berbice (WCB) slain teens, Isaiah and Joel Henry and Haresh Singh at their homes, to personally express his condolences and to assure them of his Government’s support in bringing the perpetrators to justice.
The Head of state assured the relatives that no stone will be left unturned to ensure that those responsible for the heinous acts are brought to justice and made to answer for their crimes.
“On behalf of the people of Guyana and my own behalf and that of my family and Government, I want to again express my condolences to you and your family,” President Ali said.
During his visit with each of the families, the President also pledged to work tirelessly to ensure that the resolution of the investigation is given the highest priority.
“I will work day and night to get to the bottom of what happened to those teens,” President Ali vowed.
He also used the opportunity to urge all residents and community members present to work with the members of the Guyana Police Force and the Guyana Defence Force, who are stationed in the communities, to restore peace and stability.
“Safety and security in all of the communities remain a top priority. As you can see, there is more visibility on the ground, more resources on the ground,” the Head of State said.
The President urged the communities to come together and not to allow themselves to be divided. He also asked the residents to cooperate with the Police, who are working to not only conduct their investigations, but to also bring peace to the communities along the WCB corridor. This, he stressed, can be achieved through cooperation and the sharing of critical information, which can assist investigators.
The Head of State reiterated that no forms of criminality will be tolerated.
“We cannot tolerate lawlessness and criminality. We have to fix what went wrong and move forward,” President Ali stated.
Meanwhile, the aggrieved relatives all expressed their hope that justice will be served swiftly and that all leads will be pursued. They expressed too, their appreciation for the President’s visit and his commitment to ensuring that all steps are taken towards achieving justice for the boys.
During his visit, President Ali also met with the family of Prittipaul Hargobin from Bath Settlement, who was also killed, to offer his support and condolences.