Berbice bride says cops selectively enforcing COVID regulations after wedding halted
A Black Bush Polder bride whose wedding was stopped by lawmen last week is claiming that the Guyana Police Force is selectively enforcing the COVID-19 restrictions as she pointed out that several other weddings by persons with “connections” were successfully held.
Priya Leildhari, a make-up artist, told Stabroek News that she had been hired to do bridal make up for a number of weddings that were not stopped by the police. She said she had postponed her wedding twice but decided to go ahead after she noticed that weddings were being held without any hindrances.
On Sunday last, Leildhari’s father and the Pandit were arrested at her home during her wedding after police arrived on scene to enforce the COVID-19 restrictions.
According to the young woman, while there were a large number of persons at her home it was ensured that persons sat apart and wore masks. She pointed out, that they have several yard spaces which were used to accommodate her invitees and to ensure that the guidelines were met.
In addition to this, she said, they had engaged the Mibicuri Police Station prior to the wedding and were given the go ahead. As a result, she said she did not understand what prompted the police to turn up and demand that the wedding be stopped.
Leildhari said when the police arrived they demanded that the invitees leave and that the sound system be turned off. Even after it was decided that only the bride, groom and Pandit would remain so as to complete the ceremony, police insisted that the sound system be turned off. “We couldn’t hear the mantas while getting married and we couldn’t say our vows,” she lamented.
She added that after the police arrested her father, he was not able to send her off. According to her, it is one of the things her father imagined being able to do one day for her as she is his only child.
“The police and officials are not being fair. I’m a bridal makeup artist. I worked at various weddings during the pandemic, even huge weddings and no police came. On the day of my wedding, there was another really huge wedding — no mask, no distancing or anything — yet it was okay and no police interrupted,” she pointed out.
The young woman was also forced to cancel her reception. “The reception [for] the other wedding was held with singers and a band which was live on Facebook. How is it that these weddings are being done without any trouble but others can’t? I really feel the police choose who they want to cause trouble for,” she added.
Leildhari also said, that based on information she has received, a wedding in March hosted by a very well-known businessman in Region Six had over one thousand people but police said they couldn’t stop it or say a word because they received orders to let it proceed. “According to sources there were police and officials at the wedding,” she claimed, before adding, “What goes for one should go for all but in Guyana it’s all about the links you have in society.”
‘A huge dilemma’
Meanwhile, the Pandit, Dave Sahadeo, who was arrested at Leildhari’s wedding, said that all COVID-19 guidelines were being adhered to.
According to him, when he arrived at the location there was a police rank who was present and ensuring that persons wore masks, that they were sanitised before entering the yard, and also that they sat apart.
In a video provided to this publication, Sahadeo could be seen encouraging persons to wear their masks properly and said that he would ask them to leave the premises if they did not.
The Pandit, who sits as a regional councillor for the People’s Progressive Party/Civic in Region Six, also stressed that religious leaders are facing a “huge dilemma” with deciding if to carry out the religious works, which he maintained are necessary in some instances. “And in some cases they tell you that they are going to invite the required amount and then a lot of people end up showing up,” he noted.
Meanwhile, Regional Chairman, David Armogan on Thursday at the region’s statutory meeting had stated that persons wishing to host weddings have to write to the Regional Task Force to seek permission.
He said if the written permission is granted, then the persons can only have 40 persons present.
He had also pointed out that even if permission is granted, once police determine that the guidelines are not met then they can step in and enforce the law.
Both Sahadeo and Leildhari’s father, businessman Ravi Jainarine, were due to face charges of breaching the COVID-19 restrictions.
However, Region Six Commander Ramlakhan told Stabroek News that when the two men arrived at court and pleaded guilty to the charges, it was discovered that the police’s file was not present. As a result, the magistrate struck out the matters.
The Commander has since transferred the Station Sergeant of the Mibicuri Police Station, who was responsible for ensuring that the file was handed over to the police prosecutor, to the Sisters Police Station, while the Office of Professional Responsibility in the region is conducting an investigation. Ramlakhan said the police were looking at refiling the charges.