Police: We had to stop church service

POLICE yesterday said that their disruption of Easter Sunday service at the St James Presbyterian Church, Tableland Village, could not be avoided.

Acting Assistant Superintendent of Police, Stephen Dilpaul, told Newsday yesterday that the disruption of the early-morning service was due to the fact that members of the congregation had parked their cars on both sides of the roadway. It left a narrow path for vehicles, he added. A policeman from the nearby police station walked into the church and asked a member of the congregation to request presiding lay preacher, Rawle Ramlogan, to announce that members remove their vehicles from the road. The service, scheduled to start at 7:30 am, was delayed for half an hour.

ASP Dilpaul confirmed yesterday that Commissioner of Police Hilton Guy had requested a report on the matter having regard to complaints by church members that the police action was insensitive. Dilpaul yesterday interviewed former Labour Minister and MP for Nariva Harry Partap about the “matter”. Partap, a lay preacher, attended the service. Dilpaul said he was expected to speak to preacher Ramlogan sometime yesterday.  But Dilpaul denied that the request to have the vehicles removed was to facilitate the police conducting a roadblock in front the church.

Vehicles were parked on both sides of the road, he explained, which posed a traffic hazard, “given the amount of maxis and cars; yesterday being Easter Sunday where a lot of people were travelling to and from the Mayaro beach,” Dilpaul said. The policeman, he added, did not go into the church but remained outside. “But I agree, there was some disruption in the church service. And the roadblock did take place, but not in front the church. It took place some distance away,” Dilpaul said.