Prominent citizens linked to bombing of government buildings

Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee has linked “prominent figures in society” to the fire that gutted the buildings housing the Ministry of Health earlier this month, according to a report on www.cananews.net.



The Guyana government has already said that “channa bombs” caused the fire and Police Commissioner Henry Greene said that five people were still being questioned.



Rohee told reporters that investigations have established that that the fire was “a well orchestrated plan, by a network of persons, some of whom are very prominent figures in society”.



A Government Information News Agency (GINA) statement quoted Rohee as saying that the network consisted “of a hierarchy inclusive of intellectual authors, planners, recruiters, and persons who carried out the act”.



Rohee said that the investigations have revealed that persons were promised sums of money “to carry out errands, such as purchasing bottles, channa explosives and gasoline.



“Investigations have revealed information (on) the actual persons who carried out the act, where the meeting took place to plan the act, and information on when and where they entered the ministry’s compound,” GINA quoted Rohee as saying.



“The Minister also noted that the act of arson on Ministry of Health is believed to be conceived within a political context and investigations revealed names and links of both active and passive “players” that were involved.”



GINA said that Rohee was using the opportunity “to put the alleged network on notice” and that “it is only a matter of time until the truth is uncovered”.

Greene said that six persons had originally been detained and that one had since been released.



The fire on July 17 destroyed the two buildings and President Bharrat Jagdeo has offered a GUY$25 million (US$122,579) reward for information leading to the arrest of the persons responsible for the act.



Greene has confirmed that security had been increased at all government buildings as a result of the fire.