Dear Editor,
I REFER to “Juan Edghill blasts “compromised’’ civil society and religious groups for silence on early elections” – News Source, August 22, 2019.
Since Edghill has mentioned civil society as his target for criticism, one wonders which civil society he means. Because of this, a distinction must be made.
To the point: Civil society, in its original form, is known to be an independent body of organisations that are representative of both civic and social bodies on various social interests. In other words, their role is to offer constructive views on aspects of national life, often working with government for a betterment of society.

But in Guyana, it is quite different; for the civil society that we have always read about is mostly PPP/C-affiliated, vested interests, and trenchantly anti-government. In fact, this group has been unashamedly part of the PPP/C–led movement that supported the treacherous NCM. This can be deduced from its many public statements/actions which stand as testimony. If there is a genuine civil society, as there should be, it is a very small collective that would have become sidelined by the imposters who boarded the anti-government train since 2015, but who have been part and parcel of the unfair and divisive politics of this country, beginning just after 1992.
I believe it is the former to which this supposed man of the cloth – is he still? – may be referring, as “compromised’’.

But this brings one to Edghill’s wild talk about this ‘civil society’ being “compromised” because of “receiving national awards”, which have caused them not to be able to say “wrong is wrong” and “right is right’’, while they “hide behind their curtains and peep out”. Has he ever confronted his party about their wrongdoings?
First of all, Edghill must know that it is a policy of this government to recognise and honour those citizens who have made sterling contributions to Guyana’s development, and that such is being done without any hint of patronage, party loyalty/support, or asking anything from them in return, except that they continue to serve their country in the same manner that would have caused them to be honoured. Period.

Edghill, as a senior PPP/C spokesperson should tell the nation why, for over a decade, the then PPP/C government abandoned this constitutionally prescribed order, only re-instituting this dispensation when Bharrat Jagdeo was about to demit office. One recalls the over 100 recipients in 2011; an interesting ‘put-together’, most of whom were not convincing as to their merit.

Secondly, and as a reminder to Edghill, this government supports freedom of expression, even from those who have been grossly unfair and disrespectful to its administration. In fact, even those persons who support the latter are open in their criticisms, even published in the state-owned media. And one can point to a well-known private sector consultant, a recent recipient of a national award, who recently was in the news. But, here again, Edghill must be reminded as to the clam-up, and fear among PPP/C supporters who dare not attempt to publicly castigate or question their party leaders openly. They are the ones who are known to be fearful to make any public criticism against their party lest they suffer community victimisation/party vindictive retaliation. Thus, for Edghill’s information, of which he is very much aware, they are the ones who have “to hide behind their curtains and peep out”; they are the ones forced to accept the dictatorial decisions of their party, without dare.

Thirdly, for this man, a supposed disciple of God, who has been aligned with a political party that has committed so many atrocities against this nation, boldly carrying its banner through the years; openly delivering lies and misinformation on its behalf in the public domain, and even acclaiming that if ‘’God had come down, he would support the PPP/C government”, is now calling upon devotees and worshippers to emerge from “our temples”, “our mosques and our mandirs”, accusing them of offering “whispers”. What is most laughable is his claim to be ‘speaking as a man of God’, with the aim that “righteousness must come back to this nation”.

But why only now is Edghill speaking of the “return of righteousness” to this country? One will agree that although such a spiritual quality is needed each and every day in the daily life of every country, one must inquire why he, as God’s high priest, did not see fit to seek such vital input, for all of the twenty-three years of PPP/C rule of Guyana? Surely, Edghill continues to treat his God in a convenient manner which, he should know, has very serious consequences for those guilty of such deliberate spiritual infraction.
Fourthly, by a long way, Edghill cannot be serious, for certainly God does not look upon, salvation, by those who daily continue to desecrate his ecclesiastical office, by propagating a political doctrine which is wholly disreputable; politically divisive; filled with distortions, and aims to disseminate falsehoods, and creating disunity. Emphatically, his political actions have nothing to do with ‘’righteousness’’, but the eand vile will of his political masters.

How can Edghill now claim to be a conveyor of ‘’righteousness”, when he continues to be associated with unrighteousness, carrying out its daily deceptive dictates, this time demanding that civil society, the genuine collective, that understand the laws of our country, especially the constitutional responsibility of GECOM, being the sole determinant when there will be national and regional elections, demand national and regional elections?

Regards,
Carla Mendonca