Georgetown: In the aftermath of junior Minister of Natural Resources Simona Broomes being accused of lying on a security guard and misleading police when she and her driver, on Sunday night attempted to access a restaurant at a Providence business establishment, CCTV footage of what transpired have kept her in silence.
Before the video surfaced, she had told the media that “I was not abusive…Since I took office I really continue to humble myself to serve the people of this country. I have seen how because of the Government our posture is different.” “I want to say to the Guyanese public that I was no threat or anything at all, it is just regrettable. I am really saddened and taken aback by it. It was uncalled for.”
She said too that she was reliably informed that when the gun, which was cocked in her presence, was checked at the police station it had a bullet in the breach. “I believe that I am being targeted,” she said, while noting that prior to the incident she received death threats in recent times. “I feel disrespected as a woman, as a citizen of Guyana, and I feel targeted.”
In video footage, the Minister’s vehicle being driven up to an area that had “no parking” signs. The vehicle stopped and the driver disembarked. He then removed the “no parking” sign and returned to the vehicle.
At the same time, the security guard who the Minister claimed pointed a gun at her could be seen making a gesture to her driver. The security guard was armed with a shotgun that was hanging from his right shoulder by a gun strap.
He walked up to the vehicle and replaced the sign. This caused the vehicle that was just about to move off to come to a halt again. The Minister’s driver exited the vehicle once again and there was some exchange of words between the security guard and the driver.
The driver moved the sign again; the security guard is seen pointing to the New Thriving Restaurant entrance. When asked what the exchange was about, the security guard said he was telling the Minister’s driver that there were no cars at the back there.
The guard said, he also told him he could park where the security can see the vehicle and see the people walking in and out.
While this was going on, another security guard came up. The Minister exited the rear left door of a Black SUV, and proceeded to throw two “no parking” signs to the ground.
The armed security guard proceeded to pick-up the signs. He later explained that he was telling the person who exited the vehicle and threw the signs away that she cannot do that.
The security guard could be seen picking up the signs again, and then the vehicle started to move forward and hit one of the security guards, who was standing in front of the vehicle at this time.
The vehicle stopped once again and the driver exited yet again. This time, the security guard claims that the driver pulled out a gun and threatened to shoot.
The Minister can be seen going around to the driver’s side of the vehicle where the driver was standing at the time. The security guard said the lady told the driver, “No, no, no put the gun away, put the gun away.”
The security guard said after he realized that things were escalating, he decided to move aside and let them through.
The police were called in and they came promptly. The security guard and another worker contracted to the building were taken to the police station and were locked up.
The video does not show the security guard pointing his gun at the Minister at any time as she claimed.
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