The government said it will allocate all the necessary resources to ensure that the people of the country are safe despite questions being raised by certain individuals on why the military was involved in the joint operation to recapture the escapees.
United People’s Party Leader, Mick Beddoes is today raising the question on why the military had to be part of the operation and raising concern on the alleged brutality during the arrest of the prisoners.
Permanent Secretary for Information, Sharon Smith-Johns said people should just stop the blame game and realize how the prisoners were terrorizing people last week.
Smith-Johns said people should stop speculating about the arrest.
Meanwhile, Beddoes said that as angry as one might be with the escapees and the alleged violent actions they conducted, he said excessive force should not be used as the members of the joint operation had a huge advantage in terms of manpower, weapons and other resources at their disposal.
Smith-Johns had earlier told Fijivillage that the break-ins and robberies were pre-planned in prison. She stresses that the military’s involvement was to provide security and to protect the people of the nation.
Smith-Johns said these people were carrying cane knives, crowbars and bottles.
She said these things were also used on the officers when the prisoners were arrested off Uduya Point last Friday.
Story by: Vijay Narayan
