Can security guards arrest citizens?

Dear Editor,

“A 22-year-old man was fatally shot in his back at Holmes Street, Tiger Bay yesterday allegedly by guards attached to the MMC Security Force”.

I am sitting here having read the above caption and not sure how to begin commenting on this act of violence, yes it is an act of violence from the people who are supposed to protect us from this type of behaviour.
Since when does the MMC Security Force have the same powers as the police? I don’t see anything written in the laws of Guyana which gives then such authority to effect an arrest and or pursue offenders of the laws outside of the environs governing their duties. I was under the impression that they were involved in providing paid services for companies and individuals alike and not services to the Guyana Police Force.

Their actions resulted in the death of a young man and what right do they have to shoot him and leave him there to die! Even if he did commit this alleged crime of “chain snatching” the laws clearly state that the individual is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law as established by the evidence.

I do hope that the appropriate authorities are investigating this incident and will take the necessary actions to bring to justice the individual (s) who were involved in this despicable act of violence.

In the end this young man was faced with vigilante justice which is not in accordance with any government who claim to provide a democratic rule of law.

Yours faithfully,
R Sarran