By Leroy Smith
Several persons were injured early this morning during a shootout in ‘Club Privilege’ which is operated by the Tower Suites Inc. on Main Street in Georgetown.
The managers of the club never reported the matter to the police but the News Room was told that they instead took the injured persons to the Dr. Balwant Singh Hospital. Added to that, the staff at the club swept the club in an effort to secure the spent shells and later wiped the floor to get rid of blood stains.
The exchange of gunfire was between patrons inside the club but the exact number of suspects is not immediately known to the News Room.
No one was killed or very seriously injured but sources told the News Room that several persons were grazed by bullets which flew among the crowd in the club.
Despite the cover-up tactics by the club’s management, the incident came to light after one of the injured persons contacted the police later this afternoon with the information.
A visit to the club by the police found that although there were no spent shells or blood stains at the location, detectives managed to observe gunshot holes in the walls of the club which confirmed the report of a shooting inside the club.
The police will return on Monday (January 09, 2017) to carry out a full investigation into the matter even as moves are afoot to check other hospitals for injured persons who may have been taken there also.
One police source who spoke with the News Room expressed total disappointment in the management of the Night Club and the fact that the shooting took place way after the curfew deadline. The News Room was told that the shooting took place a few moments before 4 am on Sunday.
Contacted moments ago, Minister of Public Security, Khemraj Ramjattan told the News Room that he is now being made aware of the incident.
He said that if the incident turns out to be true, the management of the hotel would stand a very high chance of having their license for the nightclub revoked with immediate effect.
Minister Ramjattan said any shooting ought to be reported to the police and what makes this development worst is the fact that the management sought to get rid of the evidence, something he said they would have to hand over to the police or the manager of the club could stand the risk of being charged also.
Ramjattan described the development as “lawlessness” and also expressed alarm that nightclubs and other entertainment spots are still flouting the law and entertaining guests and playing music beyond the 2 am curfew period, he promised a full investigation into the development.
