Young man admits being paid and transported to be part of Agricola violence

Orville Daniels

A 20 year old youth from East Ruimveldt admitted to a Liveinguyana undercover operative that he was paid to be part of the violence which erupted at Agricola on Thursday 11th October. Orville Daniels said that he and a few others where in front his yard around 2:30 PM the said afternoon when Mark Benschop and several other males pulled up alongside them. He said Benschop asked "ya'll not joining di struggle wid ya black brothers against this racist coolie government". Benschop then told them that if they participated they would be each paid GY$50,000. Tempted by the lure of quick cash Daniels said himself and several of his friends joined the bus.

He said they were taken to a house in Agricola around 3:30 after the vehicle they were in made several other stops around the city picking up other young men and women as it proceeded. At the house they were met by a man whom he didn't know but identified as Nigel Hughes after he was shown several photographs. He said "di man at di house(Hughes) tell we something bout rumble. But i din really paying he no mind cah i did jus waan mek a lil bread(get paid) and guh back home".
According to Daniels they were then instructed to block the Agricola public road with tires, debris and several old vehicles and to disrupt the flow of traffic to send a signal to the government that "we mean business". Daniels said that as the protest began several other persons whom he had never seen before began attacking and robbing only persons of Indo-Guyanese descent.