Police intercept vessel carrying Opposition Leader

Guyana police say a “go-fast” vessel carrying Opposition Leader Azruddin Mohamed and several others was intercepted on Tuesday night after it allegedly failed to stop when ordered to do so by law enforcement personnel.

The Guyana Police Force (GPF) said that around 9:40 p.m., a routine joint maritime patrol involving the Coast Guard and police observed the vessel entering the mouth of the Demerara River at a high rate of speed.

Police said the vessel was signalled by siren to stop but failed to comply, prompting a pursuit. It was subsequently intercepted at a wharf at Friendship, East Bank Demerara.

Three people, including Mohamed, were found aboard the vessel, while five others suspected to have travelled on it were observed at the wharf, police said.

During the pursuit, officers reported seeing a bag thrown from the vessel into the Demerara River but said they could not determine its contents or who threw it.

Efforts are ongoing to locate and recover the bag, while the GPF and Guyana Defence Force Coast Guard are jointly investigating the incident.

However, WIN General Secretary Odessa Primus, who was among those on the vessel, disputed the police account.

Primus said police initially indicated that Mohamed needed to produce documents for the boat. She said Mohamed told officers the boat was docked and he did not have the documents with him.

She said police later searched the vessel and its occupants on suspicion of illegal substances, but nothing illegal was found.

The opposition said another legislator, Natasha Singh, was taken into custody after a bag containing a licensed firearm belonging to legislator Dawn Hastings was found. Hastings had reportedly stepped off the vessel and left the bag behind.

Mohamed and his colleagues were reportedly returning to Georgetown from Region One after meeting survivors and relatives of those who died in the July 18 MV Barima ferry tragedy, in which more than 100 people were reported killed.

(CMC)