THE protest by staffers of state agencies, which started out as a peaceful demonstration, almost ended in opposing protesters clashing outside Public Buildings, on Brickdam, Georgetown. Workers from several government entities and projects that fall under, especially the purview of Office of the President, protested the proposed $20 billion cuts to the 2012 national budget, by the combined Opposition.
The demonstrators included staff from the National Communications Network (NCN),  Government Information News Agency (GINA), One Laptop Per Family Programme (OLPFP) and the Office of Climate Change.
Numbering about 250, they were faced by others who confronted them in a hostile manner.
One man approached several of the demonstrators in a provocative manner and even used abusive language to them. Women were among the opposing group and hurdled abuse at them calling them names.
Those against the protest were identified in their trade mark ‘A Partnership for National Unity’ (APNU) jerseys and badges pinned to their clothes, which also sported photos of the Leader, Mr. David Granger.

PROFANITIES
The APNU members were soon joined by former NCN reporter Nichole Telford, who had no reservations in belting out profanities at the government workers as she hopped around taking pictures.
She also took photos of two Guyana Chronicle reporters and linked them to the protest, causing them to be subjected to verbal abuse on the social network ‘Face Book’.
Despite the presence of the police, the anti-government gathering continued their verbal and provocative attacks on the protesters. The police were urged, several times, to intervene and warn the abusers but this did not happen.
Press Liaison Officer in the Office of the President, Mr. Kwame Mc Coy, pointed out to the police ranks that the actions of the APNU members could lead to a potential clash of the two sides but that, too, did not result in police action.
Former Trades Union Congress (TUC) President, Ms. Gillian Burton, was also at the receiving end of verbal attacks; she was accused  of stabbing workers in the back.
NCN Editor-in-Chief Michael Gordon was  confronted by a protester, as well, but he did not allow the APNU voices to intimidate him and responded to each of their slanderous remarks.
The protesters, disregarding those opposed to them and the attempted intimidation, continued to voice their disapproval of the Opposition move in Parliament to slash the subventions to NCN and other arms of government.