Authorities are looking to implement stricter sanctions against private security firms for deficiencies following two recent incidents which resulted in the deaths of two individuals who were fatally wounded with guns belonging to the firms.
This disclosure was made by Minister of Home Affairs, Robeson Benn who said that following the incidents, the firearms belonging to both companies were confiscated and it was ordered that their staff be retrained, particularly as it relates to the use of firearms.
“In both cases we required immediate retraining.
“The immediate response was the taking away of weapons and we are trying to find more resorts to sanction them for their deficiencies,” Benn told reporters at the sidelines of an event on Thursday.
On March 19, Ashanti Liverpool was shot and killed by her sister’s ex-boyfriend, who then shot himself.
Stephan Hope, 31, a security guard used an AR-15 Rifle to commit the act.
The firearms belonged to OP Security Service, where Hope was employed.
Reports revealed that Hope went to the Hong Kong Chinese Supermarket located at Good Hope, East Coast Demerara, and collected the firearm and eight live rounds of ammunition from a colleague.
Earlier in the day, Hope had gone to his girlfriend’s house and saw her sitting inside a car with a male. So he left and returned 30 minutes later armed with the gun.
Following the shooting, Hope went another supermarket, at Industry Railway Embankment, where he collected an AR-15 Rifle with six live matching rounds of ammunition from another colleague. He used that weapon to shoot himself.
Hope was recently charged with murder and remanded to prison.
Days after; on March 21, teenager Jared Jaganand was fatally wounded by a security guard at Shaf Auto Sales located at Lusignan West, East Coast Demerara.
That guard, who is attached to the Cerberus Security Service was armed with one 12-guage shotgun, which is owned by the security company.
He claimed that Jaganand was accidentally shot to his left. Jaganand was taken to the Woodland’s Hospital where he subsequently succumbed.
The 20-year-old secutiry guard was arrested and was later released without being charged.
According to Benn, neither of the incidents were ‘accidental’ in nature.
In fact, he said the occurrences raises questions about the character of the persons being employed by these security firms and the level of training.
“If you are a trained security person and you have a precept, it could not be accidental.
“There have been more recent discussions through the Guyana Police Force with the security service providers in relation to the discipline, the hours of works, fatigue maybe a problem and generally their readiness and responsible handling of weapons,” Benn explained.
