EVEN AT this season of peace and goodwill, the anger expressed by Minister of Transport and Hydraulics, Robeson Benn, over the childish obstruction tactics at the Mandela Landfill by Mark Benschop and Freddie Kissoon, is quite understandable and justified.
The political duo, who have much in common for political theatrics and simulated anger, relishes the attention that sections of the media have provided, consistent with their own anti-government agenda.
When, however, the publicity-seeking duo chose to ignore the health and other problems associated with the eyesore, the utter disgrace that is the Mandela Landfill for not only Georgetown but Guyana in general, then it is time that law-abiding citizens raise their voices against sheer foolish politicking.
It was simply shocking to realise that no sooner had President Bharrat Jagdeo announced yet another financial rescue initiative to help the Georgetown City Council, came the Kissoon-Benschop guys to engage in a cheap politicking stunt.
This time, by illegal obstruction tactics on the site of the landfill, resulting in, among other things, the disruption of traffic at this extremely busy Christmas season.
It may have been a blow to their craving for notoriety that the magistrate, before whom they appeared, decided to place each on a symbolic one-dollar bail.
With their passion for distortions in the media and worse, the duo must have been disappointed that they did not get punishment befitting the martyrs they seemingly wish to be.
One has already benefitted from a Presidential pardon for committing treason. The other appears to relish abusing freedom of speech by a disregard for facts and preference for slander according to varied media reports.
Perhaps, while work continues to rehabilitate, as far as practicable, the disaster that is the Mandela landfill, as a consequence of years of negligence and irresponsibility by what passes for administration by the  city council, the mischievous duo may yet seek to rehabilitate themselves.
In the meantime, less it be forgotten, Minister Benn has made it quite clear that his ministry was authorised, before any protest action, to go ahead with operations at the landfill. It is known that the landfill, created in I994, has long outlived its usefulness
Commenting specifically on the irresponsible action of the political duo at the landfill, Minister Benn noted that while citizens were free to engage in peaceful protest action along the side of the road, what the two obstructionists did were wrong, illegal and harmful to citizens.