RENOWNED Guyanese artist Desmond Alli is calling on the police to speed up their investigations into an attempt on his life by a relative, who allegedly sent a gang to maim him at his home several days ago.

Currently working on art pieces in time for this year’s Golden Jubilee Independence celebrations at the invitation of President David Granger, Alli told this newspaper that on Wednesday last, he was at home in East Ruimveldt with his son and elderly mother when several men came to his yard
in a pick-up bearing the name of a plumbing company and informed him that they were there to carry out electrical works.

After entering his yard, one of the men told him that he had to remove from the property, a small building he has called home for the past 35 years. The man turned out to be a relative.

According to Alli, the man and his heavily built “thugs” ordered him to remove from the house with his belongings, including art pieces he is currently working on as well as mementos.

He said he told the men that the house belongs to his father who died some 30 years ago, and that he has been paying the rates and taxes on the property.

Alli said he suspected the man was working on orders of his (Alli) sibling with whom he had sour relations when she migrated to the United States some seven years ago.

Alli said that after informing the men that he was not moving from the house, his relative reportedly held onto him while one of the men dealt him severe blows to the head with a hammer. He said he collapsed, and his son came to his aid, as the men left, making several threats.

“They said that they will return, and even called the following day with the threats,” Alli said.

According to the artist, he reported the matter at the East Ruimveldt Police Outpost and then sought medical attention. The police are still to visit him to address the medical report. He said he received 18 stitches for the wound to his head. “These men came to kill me,” he said yesterday as he noted that he was fearful for his life, the life of his family members and that of his 91-year-old mother.

He said he has been living at the family house ever since he returned to Guyana some 35 years ago. He noted that the house was on sale at the time, and while he pays the rates and taxes among other fees, he never received the transport, which is in the name of his late father Ivan Alli. He said that he nevertheless ensures all the documents for the property are in order.

“This was not expected, not at all! Because we are family, and for them to do something like this to me at this time is very surprising,” a traumatised Alli noted.

He said this year is a special one for him, since he, along with the group Guyana United Artists, is in the process of creating art pieces for this year’s 50th Independence celebrations.

Alli said he was called last December to meet with President Granger at the Office of the President to discuss what contributions he can make to the Independence celebrations in the arts field. He said the President shared his ideas with him, and after the discussions, he immediately started working on his pieces.

“I have a sketch and some mahogany pieces, but there is the bigger project which will have the national symbols and pictures of the leaders, the Late President Burnham included, when the country received Independence,” Alli noted.

He said he is creating a model which will be submitted to the cultural authorities, after which materials will be provided by government to complete his project in time for May 26th.

Alli said he remains in pain, and according to him, the doctor advised that, at age 62, he may be affected later by the head injury he sustained. He said that he has been trying to gain much-needed rest over the past three days since the incident.

He said the home belongs to his family, and he does not have any plans to vacate the premises anytime soon.

“I wish the police can do their work,” he noted.

Alli has been credited with numerous pieces of art which have stood on these shores as well as overseas. One of his creations stands near Castellani House, the National Unity/ Regional Integration Monument, which was built in memory of the late Dr Walter Rodney.

He has won numerous awards for his works, which have been on display here and overseas. His pieces on the Aztec world were chosen to be a part of the exhibitions at the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) headquarters in Paris.

Some of his powerful pieces are on permanent display in the United Nations headquarters in Washington DC, in the United States.