470 / 494
469
14.133.
At Chapter 8.118
etseq
, we reviewed Lt. Col. Cummings’ evidence
of damage caused to the properties of residents by the Engineers and their
remedial action undertaken in the weeks after 1 June 2010. Accordingly, we do
not repeat that evidence here.
14.134.
DSP Tabannah testified that persons complained on 25 May that
their properties had been ransacked and damaged by the JCF. He saw damage
to furniture, but no windows knocked out or bloodstains in houses.
14.135.
According to DSP Turner, the house clearing in sector 2 took
approximately 2 hours and ended about 11.20 p.m. on the night of 24 May.
Caribbean Search Centre
14.136.
Personnel from the Caribbean Search Centre (CSC) assisted in
conducting searches from 26 May. No evidence was adduced from CSC.
FINDINGS
14.137.
Without prejudice to findings in other Chapters, we desire
to make these additional findings. None of the reasons advanced by
ACP Granville Gause or Insp. Devon Harris for the delay in establishing
or even marking actual or potential crime scenes is acceptable to us,
although we appreciate that Insp. Harris and his unit could only start
to process a scene after he received a request to do so. By 25 May,
Tivoli Gardens was pacified to such an extent that Mr. Witter, Bishop
Blair and Dr. Salmon were able to go into the community and walk
around, speak to residents and observe the general condition of the
community safely. It was not beyond the capacity of the security
forces to make the areas of actual or potential crimes safe and secure
for the operation of Scenes of Crime officers. After all, a large number
of men were in detention. Other residents were confined to their