School girl

Residents protest following schoolgirl kidnap attempt

THE Strathspey Primary School from where the schoolgirl was kidnapped.

RESIDENTS of Strathspey/Bladen Hall, East Coast Demerara, yesterday morning protested to press demands for the authorities to step up security measures in the area.

The action was prompted by the foiled kidnapping on Wednesday of an 11-year-old schoolgirl by three gunmen who had been acting suspiciously around the village, a spokesperson for the Community Policing Group said.

The armed men who came from the direction of nearby Buxton had been moving around the village on bicycles, residents said.

The girl, who attends the Strathspey Primary School and is the daughter of a businessman, was lifted out of the school by one of the men while her class was in session, residents said.

However, she was rescued after members of the Policing Group who were alerted about the incident, fired several gunshots from their homes to scare off the kidnappers and the driver of a motorcar who was in the vicinity at the time, along with public-spirited citizens gave chase behind them. One of the men was struck down by the car but managed to get up and run away, residents said.

Villagers said the men who attempted to kidnap the schoolgirl are known robbers from the Buxton/Vigilance area.

Residents said they are not satisfied with the way the Army had been responding to security concerns in the area.

They claimed that an Army patrol arrived at the scene while the fleeing men were within range and could have been apprehended but the kidnappers managed to escape.

The Police, with the assistance of an Army patrol pursued the men who ran into the Bladen Hall Multilateral School compound, using a short cut into Buxton, a Police press release on Wednesday said.

While in the school compound the men opened fire on the Police who took cover and returned fire but unfortunately the kidnappers escaped, the release added.

Residents have since placed several logs and other objects across sections of the Bladen Hall School Road in an effort to slow the pace of vehicular traffic through the street to monitor persons going in and out of the village.

The more than 300 protestors yesterday included parents, teachers and students from the Bladen Hall School.

The Community Policing Group intends to mobilise more support from villagers and plans to continue the demonstrations daily until the matter is addressed by the authorities, the spokesperson said.

He said the entire community is saddened by the kidnap attempt and they would be pressing for security to be provided for the school and the children.

Residents believe that `School Road' is often used as an escape route for criminal elements who operate from out of Buxton.

The spokesperson said the Policing group has since intensified patrols around the village to beef up security.

The Government Information Agency (GINA) yesterday said the Home Affairs Ministry and the Police Force are continuing to work with all communities in and around Buxton, including Annandale, Bladen Hall and Strathspey.

It noted that communities near Buxton have suffered from increased criminal activities since the Mash Day jailbreak last year.

GINA said the Government has since implemented several measures to address the situation, including the formation and enhancement of Community Policing Groups in the area.

It recalled that earlier this year Home Affairs Minister, Mr. Ronald Gajraj and senior Police Officers met several times with residents of the East Coast communities to discuss the prevailing crime situation and possible ways to control it.

"At these meetings the officials strongly encouraged members of the communities to come together to help combat the crime situation and to help protect their communities and families", the agency said.

It added that there were calls to increase the number of Community Policing Groups and to enhance existing groups.

GINA said Gajraj had pledged additional support by the security forces to the groups and this has been forthcoming.

Additionally, the Guyana Police Force has established a dedicated unit within the Office of the Commissioner, which now oversees coordination between the Police and the Community Policing Groups at all levels, it said.