Guyana: Traffic Police and Firefighters Involved in Incident at Guyana National Stadium

An incident occurred on Saturday at the Guyana National Stadium in Providence, East Bank Demerara, involving a fire tender that resulted in damage to a vehicle associated with a government minister. This incident led to a physical confrontation between firefighters and traffic police as they attempted to detain the driver of the fire tender.

Sources indicate that the police may not have had the authority to intervene, as the incident did not constitute a traffic offense and took place on what could be considered private property. It was suggested that a senior police officer should have contacted a senior fire service officer or the Fire Chief to obtain statements from the firefighters at a later time, in accordance with established Joint Services protocol.

The confrontation arose after the fire tender accidentally pulled a cable connected to a floodlight generator, causing a pole to fall onto the vehicle of Junior Housing Minister Vanessa Benn. At the time of the incident, the minister was not present in the vehicle. The driver of the fire tender was reportedly assisting colleagues when the mishap occurred.

Video footage shared on social media depicted firefighters attempting to prevent traffic police from arresting a firefighter who was driving the fire tender. A senior police officer arrived at the scene and was informed that the driver could not leave the stadium as he and his crew were on standby with another fire tender.

Despite the altercation being recorded by several individuals, the police ultimately left the scene without making any arrests. One firefighter sought medical attention, claiming injury during the incident, but left before receiving a doctor’s report to respond to a fire call.

The Guyana Police Force confirmed that the incident took place at 11:41 AM and involved a 50-year-old Leading Fireman driving the fire tender. The fire tender made contact with a portable light pole while exiting a gate, which subsequently struck the parked vehicle, causing damage to its right-side door and fender. The police noted that a commotion ensued involving the driver of the fire tender and police ranks, but the situation was eventually de-escalated.

Source: demerarawaves.com