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Reader's Response
Jagdeo
should act with firmness, or resign
 MEETING WITH THE AGGRIEVED — President Bharrat Jagdeo with Priya Nandalall (second from the President’s left), aggrieved mother of 20-year-old Non Pariel kidnap victim Vivekanand Nandalall, and other relatives at the Office of the President yesterday. |
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Ms
Nandalall noted that the President was very receptive and sympathetic to the
family and promised to assist wherever possible.
Expressing
her sentiments just after the meeting, she noted, "The President said he
would try his best to help us. He said he already sent out some Police to
Bruche Dam, because I came with that information."
The
woman said she is very appreciative of the gesture by the President, but still
feels her loss immensely, as there is no word about her son's condition or
whereabouts.
The family
was accompanied to the closed-door
meeting by other relatives, friends and concerned neighbours.
Nandalall's
parents have since paid a ransom of $1M, but did not receive their son, as was
promised by the kidnappers.
In an
invited comment to the Government Information Agency (GINA), the mother made
another public appeal for information leading to the whereabouts of the young
man.
The Guyana
Police Force issued a detailed statement on October 20, about
the operations to find Nandalall.
* The recovered taxi was immediately dusted and six sets of fingerprints were
uplifted while between 9:00 and 11:55 hours, the Police teams conducted
searches in Buxton backlands. The teams cordoned off the area and searched
five abandoned houses and one home on Company Road. During this process, one
man was arrested, questioned and subsequently released.
* The
same morning, ranks visited the victim's relatives and spent the greater part
of the day there until late in the evening.
*
Between 12:15 and 13:40 hours, the Police team cordoned off and searched four
houses and one abandoned house between Buxton and Strathspey Squatting Area. A
quantity of clothing, a pair of boots and towels were found at Middle Street
at a residence. One woman was arrested during this search. She is before the
Court on several charges, including indecent exposure and obstructing a peace
officer.
* Eight
abandoned buildings were searched in the Bare Root Area between the hours of
14:25 and 15:50.
*
Following a ransom call, ranks searched a shop at Friendship between 16:15 and
17:00 hours. Seven persons were arrested and subsequently released on bail on
October 18.
* Seven
houses were searched at Brushe Dam, Friendship between 17:10 and 17:50 hours,
when one man was held for questioning and later released.
* Later
in the evening of October 17, the ransom demand was reduced from $5M to $1M.
The following morning (October 18), at approximately 4:00 hours, the money was
delivered but the victim was not seen and there has been no further contact
with the kidnappers.
* The
Police searched three houses and one abandoned building at Watson Street,
North Friendship between 9:15 and 9:55 hours.
*
Between 10:35 and 11:05 hours the Police searched six stalls at Company Road
market following a tip-off that one of the suspects was seen earlier on Buxton
Railway Embankment Road. Three men were arrested, but were later released on
bail.
* Four
houses were searched between Church of God Road and Sideline Dam, this
occurred between the hours of 11:20 and 12:35 hours.
* Ranks
cordoned off and searched four houses between Brushe Dam, Annandale and Golden
Grove between 13:15 and 15:00 hours. A woman suspected of being an
acquaintance of one of the suspects was arrested, and later released on bail
on October 19.
* At
15:35 hours, based on information received, four persons were arrested but no
useful information was obtained.
*
Between 16:30 and 16:35 hours a house at Company Road was cordoned off and
searched.
* Two
persons came to the Police claiming that they were wanted in relation to the
kidnapping between the hours of 18:05 and 18:25. They were processed and later
released on October 19.
* On
October 19, between 11:00 and 13:00 hours, 13 abandoned houses were searched
in the Bare Root Area.
* At
12:00 hours the home of one of the suspects was searched.
* The
Police teams conducted searches in the East Ville Backdam area between the
hours of 13:15 and 14:05.
* At
15:20 hours, Police, acting on information, arrested a woman from Bachelor's
Adventure. She was later released.
* On
October 20, between the hours of 6:00 and 6:15 the Police searched two
abandoned houses at Middle Street, Buxton, an unfinished Church at Paradise
Housing Scheme; two houses and two unfinished buildings at Buxton, and 10
abandoned houses in Buxton, Sideline/East Ville area. A Police beret, a first
aid book and pair of army boots were found.
*
Between the hours of 5:15 and 6:45 on October 21, ranks conducted searches on
six abandoned buildings at Bare Root, Bachelor's Adventure. A piece of duct
tape with hair attached was found on the access road leading to the canefields.
The Police release further stated that from the time of the report of the
kidnapping to October 21, several other activities were conducted, but due to
their nature, information on them cannot be divulged.
Eighty-seven
houses/buildings have been searched and 23 persons have been arrested,
detained and/or questioned. And area searches were conducted in Buxton, East
Ville, Bare Root, Paradise and Enterprise Back Dams.
The
President's meeting with Nandalall's relatives follows an earlier visit to
relatives by the People's Progressive Party/Civic
(PPP/C) Region Four Member of Parliament Neil
Kumar.
Minister of Home Affairs Mr. Ronald Gajraj has been in constant contact with relatives of the kidnapped victim. (Government Information Agency)
November 05, 2003
