The Guyana Police Force (GPF) on Friday evening said deployments at several Georgetown hotels were intended to protect visiting officials attending international conferences, following questions by Opposition Leader Azruddin Mohamed about the prolonged presence of ranks outside the Aiden by Best Western hotel.
In a statement, the force said police personnel and patrols had been stationed at Aiden, the Marriott and Pegasus hotels over recent weeks as part of security arrangements for dignitaries, foreign officials and conference delegates.
Mohamed had questioned the use of police resources at Aiden, alleging that a police vehicle had been stationed outside the hotel for more than a year, with officers present and its engine running around the clock.
The police statement addressed deployments associated with recent conferences but did not specifically respond to his allegation that the presence at Aiden had extended for more than a year.
The force cited the INTERPOL Conference, the Regional Accidents and Incidents Conference and the Caribbean Tourism Organization Conference as events for which hotel security had been provided.
It said its Standard Operating Procedures provide for several layers of security at designated accommodation facilities, including internal controls and operations around their outer boundaries.
“Consequently, Police patrols and perimeter security details were deployed around these hotels as part of established security arrangements to safeguard visiting officials, hotel guests and the general public,” the statement said.
The force maintained that the deployments were consistent with its responsibility to protect international visitors, state guests and dignitaries.
Mohamed raised the hotel deployment while speaking to reporters on Friday following his release on bail. His comments formed part of a wider account of his activities before the October 12 shooting incident on Barr Street, Georgetown, involving Senior Superintendent Prem Narine. Mohamed alleged that he had been examining the use of police resources. Narine said he believed he was under attack when he fired at the vehicle in which Mohamed was travelling.
Mohamed was taken into police custody following the October 12 incident and remained detained until Friday, October 16, when he and two employees, Mario Mohamed and Eugene Thorne, appeared before the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court, were charged and released on bail. As conditions of bail, the three were ordered to lodge their passports and report to police.
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