Political Parties and Red Thread Women Condemn Death of Labourer Gavin Kennard Douglas in Police Custody

Kaieteur News reported on November 04, 2026, that the death of 32-year-old labourer Gavin Kennard Douglas, who passed away while detained at the Vreed-en-Hoop Police Station, has drawn condemnation from two political parties and a group of women under the Red Thread organization. The Alliance For Change (AFC), the Forward Guyana Movement (FGM), and five women linked to Red Thread have independently criticized the events surrounding Douglas' death, characterizing the incident as a serious infringement upon citizens' rights and demanding that authorities take responsibility.

Public concern has intensified following a post-mortem examination, which indicated that Douglas died from a brain haemorrhage resulting from blunt force trauma to his head. Reports also mentioned that two Taser probes were reportedly removed from his body, and relatives who observed the examination stated that his intestines were ruptured and he had sustained other severe injuries.

Douglas was reportedly taken into custody by police ranks and subsequently transported to the Vreed-en-Hoop Police Station. In a prior statement, the Guyana Police Force claimed that Douglas became aggressive, was restrained, and was later found frothing at the mouth within the station's lockups. However, the findings from the post-mortem and accounts provided by his relatives have heightened questions regarding the police handling of the detainee and the specific circumstances that led to his death.

In a statement titled “Enough is Enough,” the AFC asserted that there should be no cover-up and called for the investigation's findings to be made public. The party suggested that Douglas' death was not an isolated event, referencing what it described as repeated instances of police abuse and deaths while in custody. The AFC accused certain police ranks of acting outside the law and called for an end to the alleged culture of impunity. Furthermore, the AFC attributed the decline in police conduct to the politicization of the Guyana Police Force, alleging that some ranks were following political directives instead of established force procedures. The party urged opposition political parties, their supporters, social media influencers, and concerned citizens, both domestically and in the diaspora, to unite in demanding accountability, while maintaining that advocacy must remain lawful.

Concurrently, the Forward Guyana Movement, through its parliamentary representative Amanza O.R. Walton, requested that the investigation be transferred from the Guyana Police Force to the Police Complaints Authority. Walton questioned the validity of an investigation being conducted by the police into the actions of their own personnel, noting that the Office of Professional Responsibility, which is managing the matter, is itself a unit of the Force. She also expressed concerns regarding reports that recordings from the police station might have been altered before senior officers arrived. Walton argued that the situation necessitated an independent inquiry to maintain public trust and safeguard potential evidence. She called upon President Irfaan Ali to refer the matter to the Police Complaints Authority, drawing a parallel to the 2022 shooting death of Quindon Bacchus, when the President had indicated the Police Complaints Authority, chaired by retired Justice William Ramlall, was handling the inquiry. Walton stated that Douglas warranted the same level of independent scrutiny.

The Forward Guyana Movement also emphasized that the State holds a constitutional and legal duty to protect the life, safety, and dignity of every individual in its custody, irrespective of any allegations against them. Separately, five women identified as Joy Marcus, Susan Collymore, Wintress White, Halima Khan, and Maeve Ramsay released a strongly worded statement condemning what they described as the brutal and unlawful treatment of Douglas.

These women demanded the immediate apprehension and interdiction of all ranks involved in his detention, handling, and supervision, and they called for the disclosure of their identities. They also urged the Director of Public Prosecutions to act quickly in determining and initiating the appropriate charges, arguing that the family should not have to wait years for justice. Additionally, they called on the Minister of Home Affairs to issue a comprehensive public account of the events and to implement reforms, including mandatory CCTV coverage in police stations and lockups, independent medical examinations for detainees, and independent investigations into all fatalities in police and prison custody. The group also requested that the Government accept responsibility for the incident and provide suitable compensation to Douglas’ family.

They asserted that the death should serve as a warning that no citizen should face abuse while under State protection, adding that the matter should not conclude with mere expressions of concern or administrative action.