President Bharrat Jagdeo has announced that an informant and the joint services will share the $50M+ reward that was put out for the capture of fugitives Rondell `Fineman’ Rawlins and Jermaine `Skinny’ Charles, who were recently killed in a shoot-out with members of the armed forces.
Rondell Rawlins
In a televised interview aired on state-run NCN yesterday, President Jagdeo said the informant would receive a third of the reward, while the police and the army would share the remainder. He added that a mechanism will have to be worked out to channel the money directly to the agencies or into a special welfare fund.
In February, the police announced a $50M (US$250,000) reward for information leading to the arrest of Rawlins. The President did not say whether the $2M reward offered for Jermaine `Skinny’ Charles, who was killed along with Rawlins, would be included in the settlement. Rawlins was blamed for a murderous reign of terror, including the 2008 Lusignan and Bartica massacres in which 23 were killed.
Acting on information about the men’s location, police and army found the men last month at Timehri and they were killed during an extended operation.
The main opposition party yesterday said it was concerned that distributing the money to the forces could create conditions to turn them into “bounty hunters.” PNCR Executive Aubrey Norton told reporters that it was not the way to go. “The armed forces themselves should not participate in rewards,” he said. He called it a dangerous trend and warned that it could encourage forces to overlook capture and simply execute. “If you link it (the reward), welcome back to Texas,” he added.
I do hope that this informant is never named and the money is transferred to him/her in a very discreet manner.No one (only those responsible for giving out the money) should know to wwhom the money went. Even the opposition should not have any knowledge of this. This person should also be told to be very diecreet, and should not go into a spending spree,least he/she becomes t target.
I AGREE WITH U GUYANA IS A SMALL COUNTRY I THINK THE INFORMANT SHOULD BE REHOUSED AND HIS IDENTITY CHANGE IF POSSIBLE LET HIM LIVE IN ANOTHER COUNTRY .
Again let me say that alledge criminals should not be killed but taken to court .
As far as i and the world no is that an alledge criminal was killed
I hope the Joint Services enjoy their ‘blood reward’ money from a government whose hands are soaked in the blood of men alleged to be criminals who were killed by the Joint Services.
This is reminiscent of the Wild West days when the Sheriff would put a bounty on an allaged killer’s head and whoever gets the alleged killer first gets rewarded. But we are living in a modern day with a justice system that is supposed to allow for an investigation, leading to a trial that can prove beyond doubt that the killer is guilty. A corrupt and non-transparent government says Fineman and Skinny are guilty, provides no incontrovertible proof to the people, the people buy government’s story, and now that Fineman and Skinny are dead, the people feel relieved and the government looks good.
What happened to the President’s loud arguments linking the PNC to criminals? If the criminal support network is still there, then it is possible we will be looking at a revival of criminality in time and a new bounty! That’s not how commonsense dictates we approach dangerous criminality in Guyana.
You fail to understant that these men were heavily armed and would always engage the lawmen in gun battle. It was difficult to tell what they are up to next, so the lawmen had to make a judgement call (like when you have to make a split second decision). If it that decision result in capture alive then so be it,on the same token if it result in them (the criminal being killed) then so be it.Anyway the reward was for dead or alive and anyone was free to report them rather to harbour then.
Andy, There is no doubt you are one of those PNC “palm tree card haters” it is sad ( lol) for the holders of the “palm card” who are living in Guyana, Man, I am sorry to say the card is no longer valid (lol). What a situation!
OK, a quick solution to the “palm card holders” is not to panic, but go back to school and at least secure a high school degree, after this has been accomplished, then question yourself as to why you are so emotionally involved in the PNC OR PPP and then view the situation from a neutral perspective.
While I disagree with the government for giving the joint services part of the reward for the death of Fineman and skinny. I think they should be honored in another way for their hard work and putting their lives on the line to bring these thugs to justice.
I think it is not the ones alone that shot these thugs should be commended. Their are many who worked very hard to keep them on the run.
It is a team capture not just a few. You could say their were a few at the right play at the right time.
Well said Mr Aubrey Northon. The joint services is been paid by us,
the tax payers, it is the police “JOB” to go after criminals.
The joint services should not get a penny.
The reward should be paid to the informant.
Encouragement to destroy criminal elements is essential – many of you who do not want to see the government progress – it’s a shame – doing good for the country will bring good to all – just give it a chance.
Yes the informant get all the money and that would encourage people in the future to report any criminal that they know about when rewards are offered, any the members of the joint services should be given citation and bonuses for their brave and good work. They save the tax payers a lot of money,by not having to house and feed these criminals along with a long trial and court proceedings.
MR WEST BANK OUR JOINT SERVICES MUST EARN PART OF THE MONEY,TOO BAD FOR YOU SIR.
I dont berlieve for a second therer is any informant
I agree that the informant is the only person to get the reward, not the joing forces they are getting paid to to their job giving them a reward would make them bounty hunters, Here in the u.sa. when a reward is offered for information to solve a crime it is unheard of the police who takes part in the capture getting a reward. I can see if they get promoted to a higher ranks but not getting a reward for doing their job, if they worked over time then pay them for overtime not give them a reward. I guess that’s what takes place in a dictarorship.
I agree that a reward shuld be paid to persons leading to the capture of wanted persons for whom a reward is offered. However, it it the JS mandate to bring those people in, they are rewarded monthly from the sweat of taxpayers. Why are they being paid extra is mind boggling to me, ………………… unless they are the Phantom Squad & not on the regular Police payroll.
I wonder!!!
The reward was for dead or alive so JF does not have to kill to share on rewards, the JS will be encouraged to go after the criminals and that is not what the PNC wants
Coolieman, those of us who lived through the early 60’s know that both the PPP and the PNC have their criminals and where they live. You sound like the pot calling the kettle black. The JS are public servants and should not be rewarded for doing their job. That’s the issue.
coolieman why is it everything has to be of the pnc, when will we ever move past this party politics, that is why guyana is the way it is, because of our immature politics beliefs.
coolieman and if the govt. dont pay up then what do you expect the
j/s will do ?????
Re: “those of us who lived through the early 60’s know that both the PPP and the PNC have their criminals and where they live…” Guess you must be talking about the incidents like those of “Sun Chapman on the Demerara” River; the “School Bus on the East Coast of Demerara”, the Abraham Family et cetera et cetera. How sad were those days. Is it going to be “Welcome back to the Future”! :’(
I am so glad that people that know me here in the UK does not read or know anything about the Country that I am from,or I would be hanging my head in shame.
I think it would be a disaster to have the joint services involved in recieving rewards for the killing of any criminal/fugitive. This has the making of a mercinary army within the security forces of guyana. The people of guyana needs to voice there opposition to this kind of policy the government is getting into. To publicly announce this is to say come join the forces there is a reward for killing, the accused without a charge or bringing them before a court of law for procecution. Be affraid , be very affraid of what to come.
this should be a one off case . the government and js was desperate at the time , so they made a desperate offer which they should upkeep . too many people died at the hands of these two criminals ; drastic measures had to be taken to either incarcerate or have them killed . let the money be shared ,but please stay away from these offers again . police and army should do their jobs without monetary or gift rewards .
Ow! Oh Beautiful STRANGE Guyana!!
The JS is paid by the tax payers to provide a service.Why should they be given a reward?And if this case was solved using info from a confidential source why aren’t the details made public?After all this is the people’s money.