THE combined opposition parties in the National Assembly, with their motion of no confidence against Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee, is seeking to gain power through the back door. This is according to Education Minister, Priya Manickchand in Parliament last evening, as she argued that the motion was null and void.
According to Minister Manickchand, the only way that power will be gained is through national elections that are constitutionally held. She added that there is no evidence that the Minister of Home Affairs was in any way responsible for the actions of the police in Linden on Wednesday of last week.
She said that the motion is one of many the opposition is expected to bring to the National Assembly, and the government is expecting that more motions against more ministers will be brought soon.
Minister Manickchand called on the opposition to show the linkage between the minister and the police at Linden when three demonstrators were shot and killed.
Minister Manickchand said that she, like the government, believes that the right to congregate and protest should never be denied.
Meanwhile Presidential Advisor on Employment, Odinga Lumumba, as he condemned the actions of the police, said that it remains a frightening experience when unarmed and peaceful protesters are faced with police armed with weapons.
Lumumba said that the issue cannot involve Minister Rohee since he made no order to shoot nor did he give any other order. It is against this background that the Lumumba said that impeaching Minister Rohee will not solve the issue in Linden.
According to Lumumba, the opposition is attempting to hang the Home Affairs Minister. He added that Minister Rohee is one of the best politicans in the country and the opposition is trying to lynch him without any evidence.
Lumumba said that when the PNC was in power, they had evidence in the killing of Dr. Walter Rodney and no action was taken.
In closing, Lumumba said that the door of the Office of the President is open and remains open for discussion with the Leader of the Opposition and others who wish to have dialogue with him.
Also speaking last evening was Minister of Public Works, Robeson Benn. He said in his arguments that the situation caused much discomfort to the people of Linden and to the government as well.
He contended that the utterances in the National Assembly when the tariff issue came up a few months have led to the unfortunate situation. Minister Benn said that the acts of blocking roads and bridges are illegal and must be addressed.
The minister said that the actions of the protestors were imposing hardships on the community of Linden and the rest of the country.
He said that at the moment there is a roadmap for the development of the community of Linden. He told the National Assembly that the actions of residents have prevented three ships from coming to Guyana in the interest of Bosai.
At the sitting last night, government members expressed their condolences to the relatives and friends of those killed at Linden and those injured as well.