Former MP, Region Six health director to be charged over COVID-19 restrictions
Former Member of Parliament, Barbara Pilgrim; Director of Health, Jevaughn Stephens; and several supporters of APNU+AFC are expected to appear in the New Amsterdam Magistrate’s Court to answer the charge of breaching COVID-19 restrictions on gatherings on June 18.
The charges come after APNU+AFC held a protest and march in New Amsterdam last Thursday.
However, Stephens last evening debunked the allegation claiming that he was not a part of the protest. He has since indicated that he intends to contest the charge brought against him
Last evening, Stephens said that more than ten persons from the party had received summons to appear in the New Amsterdam Magistrate’s Court today.
The protest started at GECOM’s office in New Amsterdam, after which the 100-plus persons gathered and marched through the town to the party’s office, where Pil-grim delivered a speech.
Ranks in Region Six were heavily criticised after they were spotted assisting the protesters by redirecting traffic. One rank was even noticed walking in front of the protesters, while a police van was farther ahead diverting the traffic, even on a oneway street.
The Guyana Police Force in a statement had said that no permission was granted for the march and as such it was able to “identify a number of individuals in the gathering,” and was preparing summonses for their appearance in court.
However, the force has failed to give an explanation as to why ranks were seen assisting the protest.
Commander of Region Six, Calvin Brutus, had stated, that he would investigate and take the appropriate action.
Senior sources in the division had indicated that they were written to by Brutus and asked to give their account of what transpired during the march.
The division’s Acting Deputy Commander, Denis Stephens, was in charge on the ground for the protest on that day.