A LOT has been said over the past two weeks in the media since the government rolled out its programme of assistance to the families of the survivors and victims of the fatal Mahdia blaze.

Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall, SC, went to lengths to explain the government’s decision to provide the families and surviving victims with financial and other assistance during this time of difficulty.

He explained, among other things, that this money must not be seen as “hush money” to shut the families and victims up, telling the state broadcaster, NCN, that the families requested and the government delivered.

According to him, there was no motive and no sinister plot to take pre-emptive action ahead of the Commission of Inquiry (CoI) being put together by the Head of State, President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali.

He believed the disinformation and misinformation were being deliberately set, sowing seeds of confusion primarily by the political opposition using so-called activists and social media.
He said the families and victims all benefitted from independent and private legal advice from at least three law firms.

Apart from this, the persons concerned had social workers and other services such as an interpreter present so they understood the full extent of the documents they were asked to sign.
Nandlall presented a passionate argument for other matters related to the assistance given and the CoI, making it abundantly clear that they had nothing to do with each other.

He was certain that the arguments made were baseless and sounded like the very same arguments put forward by the main opposition on the subject matter. So, he dismissed the fears and posturing that the public may have ahead of the CoI and the entire situation with the victims.

One must delve into the pits of opposition politics being played out here if one must understand the insensitive and cruel war being waged against the interest of these Indigenous Peoples.
Also, one must understand how the public perception can go against the government’s support offered voluntarily to them if it is packaged with a slight twist or information deceitfully coined as ‘news’ or ‘editorials’ for public consumption.

Firstly, there is nothing wrong with the government giving the families and victims aid, assistance or support during the course of this difficult period.

After all, President Ali said that he wants to assure “…that no effort will be spared. Every conceivable help, every conceivable assistance, every conceivable action that is required of the government, we will do, we will support, and we will ensure that we are with you not only this day but through this difficult time.”

The government is living up to its word and has ensured that ministers are in constant contact with those affected by the tragedy in Mahdia.

The families have access to every resource that they may need both socially, psychologically, and economically to start the process of transitioning from grieving to healing when they chose to move on with their lives.

But the political opposition and opposition media seem to be playing and toying with these families and victims’ emotions through their unfounded and unjustified questioning of support given by the government to the families.

Did the government say that money was their “final” instalment of support or the families cannot speak to the circumstances that led to the dreadful inferno which took lives? Hasn’t the government flung itself at the beck and call of these families and victims? Hasn’t it adopted the right tone when talking about Mahdia and what occurred there? What more do the opposition detractors want from the government before it can stop its politicking and shamelessness over this issue?

From all sides, the government has been very transparent from day one and would have been aggressively fighting to ensure the transitional phase is easy and bearable for the victims and families.

Secondly, the AG answered every reasonable question surrounding this financial deal, as far as he can at this point and time. Now, the opposition and media are clutching at straws. They have their own narratives about the CoI before it begins its work.

Why, you may ask? It appears to me that they want the findings of the CoI to solely lay blame at the government’s feet. This is not what the COI is supposed to do primarily. It has to examine the entire situation and all of the events that led to the inferno occurring at Mahdia. It is supposed to take into account all the actions and non-actions that led to the blaze and lives being lost. The core of its work is supposed to focus on recommendations so that it never happens again.

Thirdly, every right-thinking Guyanese should condemn the Stabroek News and all sections of the media that think that in this age of information, the web and education, Indigenous People at Mahdia are slow, uneducated and cannot make the right decisions for themselves given the right circumstances.

This is most disrespectful, as from all indications, the families and survivors understood fully the simplistic language used before signing on to the deal. One must dare the media to investigate and find anomalies in the process instead of guessing.

Finally, the CoI’s work will continue regardless in an impartial and independent manner as the President promised. The other Commissioners, one presumes, will be quickly sworn-in in the coming days and the terms of reference confirmed.

The political opposition must stay away from the families and victims if they will not offer them anything, and they have not to date apart from doing them an injustice by making this tragedy into a purely political battle. This is also insensitive to the still-grieving parties and indigenous people in general. Find another political object to craft statements about other than this tragedy.
Justice must be seen to be done, and justice will be done according to the law as the saying goes. There is a difference between the two processes of assistance and justice. Learn it.