A dangerous mix of callous, opportunistic opposition politicking and sheer criminality resulted in a sad demonstration of hooliganism, with physical assaults and robberies, as well as the blockading of main transportation routes last Thursday at Agricola village. Disciplined and courageous intervention by ranks of the Guyana Police Force managed to avert threatened human tragedies.
President Donald Ramotar and the Federation of Independent Trade Unions (FITUG), representing the largest group of trade unions, were firm in their respective condemnatory statements. Also welcome, even if expediently limited, was that of APNU’s leader, David Granger. The minority AFC, on the other hand, was on Friday continuing to hurl abuses against the Police Force at another of its pathetic so-called “protest” meetings in Georgetown..
In sharp contrast to the focus highlighted yesterday (Sat) by other daily newspapers, the one that’s identified with the AFC (KN), chose as headline for its page one lead story, “Red Thread, AFC rally against dangerous police”.
The Chronicle focused on the Head of State’s statement with its lead story titled: “Agricola protest was ‘well-planned, centrally-directed’ – President Ramotar”. A similar but shorter version was captured by the Stabroek News in its lead report, headlined: “Agricola unrest well planned—President”. For its part, “Guyana Times” main lead story was featured under the headline: “Agricola mayhem roundly condemned”.
Against the background of tragedies of deaths and millions of dollars in losses through acts of arson, that occurred at the height of last July’s crisis situation in Linden, the primary actors in the AFC’s leadership structure, well recognised for their media-grabbing competition, a mature political response is yet to come from its spokespersons.
Instead, frustrated by its inability to mount a peaceful “mass protest”, threats and falsehoods remain standard political diet from the AFC’s leadership of bloated egos.
There is also the hilarity offered by APNU’s Granger. He sought to score political points by combining a mild rebuke of the grievous disorder at Agricola Village with expressions of concern for the problems suffered by commuters.
He also resorted to the ploy (partnered with the AFC?) in pinning blame on Dr Roger Luncheon, Head of the Presidential Secretariat, for his recent remark about the government’s preparedness to, if necessary, “rumble” in support of Home Affairs Minister, Clement Rohee, against the orchestrated campaign for his dismissal from Cabinet.
Having exploited their one-seat majority in Parliament to pass a “no confidence” motion against Minister Rohee, the constitutionality of which development the Attorney-General has since challenged for a court ruling, both APNU and AFC have been behaving as if unaware, or irrelevant, that a Commission of Inquiry is currently dealing with the Linden crisis that includes claims relating to the shooting deaths of three protesters.
The APNU/AFC coalition cannot seriously expect the PPP/C administration to simply dump the Minister of Home Affairs because of wild allegations made as well as on their own reported activities in Linden prior to and during the shooting deaths of July 18.
Even more disturbing to now link those three deaths at Linden with subsequent and separate fatal shootings by the police in different circumstances, apparently intended to spread hatred against ranks of the Guyana Police Force. Do they understand the implications of such dangerous politics for national security and the rule of law?
It is quite chilling to learn from Head of State Ramotar, based on information at his disposal, that the ugly, painful incidents that occured at Agricola on Thursday were “well-planned and centrally-directed”. All law-abiding citizens, irrespective of political affiliation or persuasion, need to take note.
A democratically-elected government that continues to show respect for the norms of democratic governance, has a moral and legal obligation to uphold the rule of law in the national interest. In so doing its dependence on sound advice and support from the relevant institutions that are constitutionally empowered to ensure upholding of the rule of law, should be clear to all and sundry who want peace and progress for Guyana. Let the rule of law prevail.
President Donald Ramotar and the Federation of Independent Trade Unions (FITUG), representing the largest group of trade unions, were firm in their respective condemnatory statements. Also welcome, even if expediently limited, was that of APNU’s leader, David Granger. The minority AFC, on the other hand, was on Friday continuing to hurl abuses against the Police Force at another of its pathetic so-called “protest” meetings in Georgetown..
In sharp contrast to the focus highlighted yesterday (Sat) by other daily newspapers, the one that’s identified with the AFC (KN), chose as headline for its page one lead story, “Red Thread, AFC rally against dangerous police”.
The Chronicle focused on the Head of State’s statement with its lead story titled: “Agricola protest was ‘well-planned, centrally-directed’ – President Ramotar”. A similar but shorter version was captured by the Stabroek News in its lead report, headlined: “Agricola unrest well planned—President”. For its part, “Guyana Times” main lead story was featured under the headline: “Agricola mayhem roundly condemned”.
Against the background of tragedies of deaths and millions of dollars in losses through acts of arson, that occurred at the height of last July’s crisis situation in Linden, the primary actors in the AFC’s leadership structure, well recognised for their media-grabbing competition, a mature political response is yet to come from its spokespersons.
Instead, frustrated by its inability to mount a peaceful “mass protest”, threats and falsehoods remain standard political diet from the AFC’s leadership of bloated egos.
There is also the hilarity offered by APNU’s Granger. He sought to score political points by combining a mild rebuke of the grievous disorder at Agricola Village with expressions of concern for the problems suffered by commuters.
He also resorted to the ploy (partnered with the AFC?) in pinning blame on Dr Roger Luncheon, Head of the Presidential Secretariat, for his recent remark about the government’s preparedness to, if necessary, “rumble” in support of Home Affairs Minister, Clement Rohee, against the orchestrated campaign for his dismissal from Cabinet.
Having exploited their one-seat majority in Parliament to pass a “no confidence” motion against Minister Rohee, the constitutionality of which development the Attorney-General has since challenged for a court ruling, both APNU and AFC have been behaving as if unaware, or irrelevant, that a Commission of Inquiry is currently dealing with the Linden crisis that includes claims relating to the shooting deaths of three protesters.
The APNU/AFC coalition cannot seriously expect the PPP/C administration to simply dump the Minister of Home Affairs because of wild allegations made as well as on their own reported activities in Linden prior to and during the shooting deaths of July 18.
Even more disturbing to now link those three deaths at Linden with subsequent and separate fatal shootings by the police in different circumstances, apparently intended to spread hatred against ranks of the Guyana Police Force. Do they understand the implications of such dangerous politics for national security and the rule of law?
It is quite chilling to learn from Head of State Ramotar, based on information at his disposal, that the ugly, painful incidents that occured at Agricola on Thursday were “well-planned and centrally-directed”. All law-abiding citizens, irrespective of political affiliation or persuasion, need to take note.
A democratically-elected government that continues to show respect for the norms of democratic governance, has a moral and legal obligation to uphold the rule of law in the national interest. In so doing its dependence on sound advice and support from the relevant institutions that are constitutionally empowered to ensure upholding of the rule of law, should be clear to all and sundry who want peace and progress for Guyana. Let the rule of law prevail.
