The Guyana Trades Union Congress (GTUC) is refuting claims by police that union leader Lincoln Lewis has gone into hiding after unknown men terrorised him at his Cummings Lodge home.

At a press conference yesterday, acting General Secretary Norris Witter said that at no time was Lewis hiding after the incident in which three men tried to break into his house last week. He said the men tried to follow him using a white car, but he did not report the episode to police saying he did not trust the force. The force subsequently said it made efforts to locate Lewis but reported that it appeared that he had gone into hiding since the incident.

But Witter told reporters that if the police force was interested in locating Lewis all it had to do was contact the union or any union official, but it never did. He added that the only reason why the police could not reach Lewis is because he has returned to Barbados, where he serves as General Secretary to the Caribbean Congress of Labour.

Witter was with Lewis for most of his recent visit and testified that no attempt was made to contact him. Asked if Lewis took the threat seriously and why he did not initiate a meeting with the police, Witter said the GTUC had information of infiltration of the force. However he added that the union is resolved to continue to struggle unreservedly for justice, a living wage and equality for all. Since the attempted break-in at Lewis’ residence, Witter said the union has been mobilising. He mentioned that it has sensitized the local, regional and international communities, established working relationships with prominent individuals and organisations and a series of activities would be undertaken by the union’s executive such as workplace visits and town and village meetings.