Press Release 17/07/2009
Mark Benschop (l), Norris Witter (c), Lincoln Lewis (r)
GTUC condemns the human rights violations of its General Secretary on Leave, Lincoln Lewis, its acting General Secretary Norris Witter and Journalist Mark Benschop. GTUC holds the Guyana Police Force, Commissioner Henry Green, Minister of Home Affairs Clement Rohee, Head of the Joint Services and President of Guyana, Bharrat Jagdeo, accountable to the people of this land, for this abuse of power and violation of human rights and dignity which these very public figures, engaged in peaceful protest, were made to endure at the hands of a misguided Police Force.
The words of Commissioner of Police Henry Green that guns can “accidently “ be fired during protests are seen as a clear threat to the lives of Lewis , Witter and Benschop. This is intimidation and lays the foundation for defence of the Guyana Police after shooting , maiming or committing extra judicial murder against these three respected activists. GTUC warns that should any harm befall these labour leaders and journalist, this government will be held personally accountable as we hold them responsible right now, for their safety .
GTUC calls on President Jagdeo to desist forthwith the transgressions and bullyism defining his governance and which are fast becoming the staple of Guyanese existence. We call on all law abiding citizens of Guyana to condemn this atrocity and demand that the Jagdeo regime uphold the dignity and respect for, Lewis Benschop and Witter in the same fashion that he and his government seek Caricom to respect the dignity and rights of illegal and undocumented workers who break the immigration laws of Barbados and other Caribbean lands.
GTUC sees the abuse of Lewis , Witter and Benschop in the context of President Jagdeo and the PPP entrenching dictatorship. They are seeking to outlaw protest and limit resistance.
It is seen in the parliamentary bill to limit workers right to protest. It is seen in the uncalled for arrest of Trade Union Leaders Lincoln Lewis, Norris Witter along with journalist Mark Benschop. GTUC also notes that accompanying the three were former Chief Magistrate, Juliet Holder Allen and a Canadian Immigration Consultant, Baldeo Persaud.
It is seen in the activities of the phantom squad which is the sort of tactics Hitler used with the feared Gestapo, where dissenters and other ethnic groups were targeted for annihilation.
It is seen in the destruction of public property and records under investigation, as with the burning of the Ministries of Finance, Labour and Housing, MMA, Ministry of Works and now the Ministry of Health, which Office and its Minister are currently under the microscope for gross financial irregularities and links to Roger Khan.
It is seen in the trend of destruction of evidence: records are destroyed when public buildings are burnt down. So naturally there can be no further investigation or no conclusive findings when the evidence is gone. GTUC calls for an immediate and independent forensic investigation into the recent destruction of the Ministry of Health building and for those responsible to be held accountable . We remind citizens that this is a tax payers loss and that each of us have a responsibility to hold this government accountable for any negligence or criminal act associated with this loss.
Evidence is also destroyed when alleged wanted men and criminals are killed before being placed before the courts. Law and order does not win, Guyana does not win when people are murdered extra-judicially. When this happens, those who need to cover up crimes benefit, as dead men tell no tales. The dictators who seek to drive fear and limit resistance win. They also win when they use these circumstances to create racial nexus and animosity, sacrificing getting to the root of crime, peace and national unity for political expediency.
The state of the Brickdam lock ups have been brought to the fore of this nation before and whereas the Minister of Home Affairs Clement Rohee declared that it was not intended to be a five star hotel, GTUC reminds him that it is supposed to be temporary housing for human beings with constitutional rights. GTUC reminds Minister Rohee and President Jagdeo that these citizens of Guyana need no less treatment than their counterparts in Barbados. This is a matter that the GTUC will be following up more intensely locally and internationally.
The time has come for Civic society and social partners to seriously evaluate the seventeen years of PPP rule. This is more than an adequate marking period to determine the effectiveness of the management of the nation’s resources. What we are seeing before us is score card which shows failure, particularly from 1997 to present and moreso under President Jagdeo.
Under the eyes of Caricom and despite the signing of the Herdmanston Accord, Guyana has become a failing state characterized by many as an immoral , lawless government that has demonstrated it is prepared to have relationships with the criminal underworld, notably Roger Khan , Axel Williams and the Bacchus brothers; It is characterized by President Jagdeo’s transgression of the constitution ; undermining the separation of legislature, Judiciary and Executive powers of the State -a fundamental tenet of democracy. Further it is seen in the abuse of authority, disrespect for the law of the land , the Guyana Police Force and other security forces; the Presidential Office and violation of the rights of citizens even as corruption within its ranks is ignored, covered up even destroyed , and government and PPP officials , enrich themselves with finances, gouged from and redirected away from the government treasury as evidenced in the recent Auditor General’s report. The World Bank’s report showing that 43% of the Guyana Gross Domestic Product is from foreign remittances shows failure and the lack of an effective economic plan and development of the country’s capabilities.
The only ones who are seemingly able to enjoy betterment under this regime are the anointed and well connected criminals such as Roger Khan.
Human rights are being trampled upon and fear is being instilled into the minds of the people to create a state of quietness and compliance that is unreal. Whereas supporters of the government seem prepared to settle for the crumbs off the PPP table it is the role of the GTUC, labour and all people to demand of this government a living wage, workers and human rights, equality, justice, the right to association, freedom of expression and dissent. The people of Guyana are fast being left behind. Even PPP supporters would rather fight and breach another country’s laws than remain to develop Guyana. The writing is on the wall.
The Ministry of Home Affairs has expressed concern about the statement made by International Labour Organisation (ILO) spokesperson who it said appears to be supportive of breaches of the peace and good order by persons, who act contrary to the law.
The Ministry of Home Affairs said it rejects, unequivocally, the statement purportedly made by Sir Roy Trotman of the ILO, concerning the protestations over the past few days, involving Messrs Benschop, Witter and Lewis.
The Ministry noted that the claim by the ILO spokesperson that the rights of the three individuals were violated is without any foundation whatsoever.
Sir Roy Trotman is quoted in last Friday’s edition of Kaieteur News to have said that the; “Picketers were seeking to have the Government commit to its obligations and permit collective bargaining, social dialogue and freedom of association among others”
The Ministry of Home Affairs rejected the assertion and stated that at no time did Messrs Benschop, Lewis and Witter carry placards reflecting anything near what the ILO representative claimed they were seeking to advance.
According to the Ministry, during the picketing exercise, several slogans were used.
These include, “demanding full investigation into the Roger Khan dealings with the Jagdeo Administration”; “Jagdeo Administration must stop its racial discrimination against Guyanese” and “Rohee: Simels spoke with Ramsammy”.
The Ministry described as outrageous the utterances of the ILO representative, claiming that he never sought to find out from the government what its views are in respect to the issues nor the history of the three individuals, who it is well known have a long track record of engaging in anti-government and politically disruptive behaviour.
“Moreover, to issue a threat to the effect that: “The ILO would have to step in if the Government persists in this vein” is objectionable to the Government of Guyana and tantamount to gross eye-pass of the Guyanese Nation,” the Home Affairs Ministry said in a strongly worded statement.
Outlining the sequence of events that led to the arrest of the three demonstrators, the Ministry said that their picketing exercise commenced around Georgetown on Friday, June 26, 2009.
The demonstrators had declared that the exercises were to protest issues they referred to as “matters of national and international interest”.
Prior to last Wednesday’s picketing exercise at Eve Leary, several others were held. One was June 26 outside Office of the President in New Garden Street; another on July 2, outside the Chinese Embassy on Mandela Avenue during the Opening Ceremony of the 30th Regular Meeting of the Heads of Government of CARICOM; then on July 3, outside Police Headquarters, Eve Leary; July 10, outside the Ministry of Education, 21 Brickdam and on July 14, outside the Ministry of Home Affairs, Brickdam.
According to the Home Affairs Minister, on none of these occasions did the Security Forces prevent, obstruct or deny the three individuals from carrying out their picketing exercises in accordance with the law, save for the breach of the peace and good order which took place on Wednesday outside Police Headquarters, Eve Leary.
The Ministry said that this gives the lie to the false claim that the group of three were denied their constitutional right to protest.
It was only during the picketing exercise on July 15, 2009, because the picketers were not proceeding within the confines of the basic legal requirements that the police intervened to bring order to the exercise.
The Ministry said that the protestors refused to comply with police orders and it was only then that the police moved to arrest the picketers and place them in custody.
It was pointed out that only recently, Dr Compton Bourne, President of the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) had cause to correct a number of distortions and falsehoods peddled by Mr. Lincoln Lewis as regards the activities of the Caribbean Development Bank.
“It is obvious, therefore, that Sir Roy Trotman was set up by the threesome to adopt a biased stand based on an orchestrated series of events,” the Ministry of Home Affairs stated.
I said as much on another thread, The ILO does not view it as a matter of trade union freedom when only partisan politics rather than economic policy differences are involved.
GPF unaware of any threat to Benschop
THE Guyana Police Force (GPF) wishes to respond to an article published in the Guyana Times of Friday July 17, 2009, under the caption “Benschop, Lewis, Witter released on bail.”
In statements reportedly made by Mark Benschop in the article, he is quoted as “also alleged being threatened by Police Commissioner Henry Greene, and has brought the matter to the attention of the International Labour Organisation.”
The Guyana Police Force wishes to state that it is not aware of any conversation between the Commissioner of Police and Mark Benschop nor any threat made publicly or privately to Mark Benschop. The Police Force has taken cognizance of the libellous statement being made to the media.
The Police Force reiterates that it is responsible for upholding law and order and persons bent on disorder will face the full force of the law.
IVELAW WHITTAKER
Public Relations and Press Officer
The silence of these Caricom leaders is deafening. How can one of their leaders, and the current leader of the Head of Caricom Committee, be so blatantly dictatorial in his dealings and they keep quiet? How then can we in Barbados and the other effective countries of Caricom feel about the invasion of the citizens from that country? The dislike of guyanese is now turning to hatred, thanks to the Caricom leaders.
<blockquote>Minister of Home Affairs Clement Rohee declared that it was not intended to be a five star hotel, GTUC reminds him that it is supposed to be temporary housing for human beings with constitutional rights. GTUC reminds Minister Rohee and President Jagdeo that these citizens of Guyana need no less treatment than their counterparts in Barbados.</blockquote>
If true the above quote attributed to Rohee Minister of Home Affairs is interesting. Barbados’ reputation is being quartered by Commisiong, Davis, Girvan, Rhamphal, Wickham et al about alleged treatment of Guyanese by the Barbados government but the Guyanese government appears to be insensitive to the matter.
The silence is defending from Roxanne Gibbs, Nation newspaper and Rickey Singh. We will read their columns when there is a blood bath. We hope not!
Typically , the government attacks everyone who dares to question or offer dissenting views. So it is not strange that the respond in the above manner. They will also find means to demonise any one who challenges them . They did this to the UN Independent specialist on race Relations. They did this to the US reports on drugs . But everyone who lives in Guyana knows that drugs permeate the society. The did it when pressure was coming to bear on Roger Khan US narco prisoner. These people try any means neccessary to still the voices of the people.
David,look, what the Guyanese authorities have been saying is that every country has a right to determine who it wants and doesn’t, if a Guyanese enters or reside in Barbados illegally then he has to be subjected to the Bajan laws governing such a scenario. What would be problematic is if all Guyanese who enter or seek to enter Barbados is given the same treatment.
Meanwhile it is the Burkes’ and Kean Gibsons who seek to protract their racists tendencies on the Bajan public by insinuating that Guyanese of Indian ancestry will seek to dominate Barbados in a way that they have done to Guyana. What the Gibsons and Burkes fail to, however, tell us is what did Burke’s Afro-Guyanese dominated PNC party do for Afro-Guyanese while in office?
I will give you an example! An area called Sophia, home of the PNC headquarters remained a squatter settlement for as long as the PNC was in power much to the detriment of its supporters. Burke’s former leader,and past President of Guyana, Desmond Hoyte, sent police with dogs to chase PNC supporters (Black Guyanese) off the land.
It was the PPP who came to power in 1992 and regularized the Sophia area and these former squatters became titled owners to the land which now boasts modern infrastructure etc.
Reference the Guyana Police Force report what else can the people expect when the Police is compromised. The PPP loves this Commissioner Green who the USA and Canada took back their Visa from thus debarring him from the two countries. He is as compromised as they come as are many other members of th Force who sell their skills to drug lords such as roger Khan etc and Thomas Caroll as enforcers.
PPP/C governance has contributed to racial insecurity
By Stabroek staff | July 16, 2009 in Letters
Dear Editor,
Dr Grantley Waldron’s programme ‘Spotlight,’ which was aired on HBTV 9 on Sunday July 5, 2009, hosted two of Guyana’s prominent politicians, PPP General Secretary, Donald Ramotar and former PNCR Chairman Winston Murray, who participated in the seventh of a series of discussions ‘Reconciliation in Guyana for what? How?
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Both gentlemen argued their positions with conviction. While they expressed different views on most issues they had their moments of agreement on some. What was noteworthy was the respect they showed to each other throughout the discussion, which demonstrated that the country’s two main political adversaries can be civil to each other when they choose to. This attitude if it continues is good for the nation.
In this letter I propose to deal only with positions that Mr Ramotar took in the discussions for these reasons: (1) As the General Secretary of the ruling party and with the passing of both Dr Jagan and his wife, he is now the undisputed party leader; and (2) on the vexing issue of national reconciliation it is my opinion for what it is worth, the ruling party has a greater responsibility than the opposition to mend fences.Therefore, the positions of leaders of the government and ruling party on this matter have to be carefully examined.
I wish here to particularly examine the following positions taken by Ramotar: (1) the PPP is the party in Guyana that suffered the most from race; (2) there is need to build trust before we can have shared governance; (3) the PPP/C has made significant electoral gains since 1992 (4) there are better race relations in Guyana since the PPP/C returned to office, there is no serious race problem in the country – only instigators raising the issue of racial problems; and (5) the PPP/C has no Indian plan only a national plan.
It is important to acknowledge that Mr Ramotar, in his opening remarks, had conceded that the country has a history of racial problems which predated the PPP and PNC. Here he was referring to the problems that were endemic in our colonial history. He invoked Dr Jagan’s position on the issue, “Race must not be under estimated or over estimated.” But as the discussion proceeded he moved to the usual PPP/C position of denial.
I strongly, disagree with Mr Ramotar’s contention that the PPP is the party in Guyana that suffered the most from the issue of race in our politics. Any objective review will show that it is the WPA and not the PPP which suffered the most in this regard. History will show that from the early days of Dr Jagan’s entry into Guyanese politics he and his party were the beneficiaries of racial and working class solidarity. The Indian masses saw him as their leader, championing their cause. This remains true to this day. National unity in the ’50s under Dr Jagan’s leadership was in the main, a unity of the major race groups against white colonialism. Here again the race factor helped to bring the PPP to prominence and power. And today it is race solidarity that keeps them in office. To deny this is either playing political games or outright dishonesty.
The PPP/C ‘s position that there is need to build trust between the two major parties before any serious consideration of shared governance, is that party’s way of insisting on the right to one party/one race rule. Shared governance is not a matter between the two parties but the race constituencies in the country. Is Mr Ramotar saying that Africans and Amerindians have to demonstrate to the rulers that they can be trusted before the issue of shared governance is to be seriously addressed with the urgency it deserves? If that is his position it has to be equated to that of a conqueror who will do all at his disposal to hold on to his conquests at all costs. This position of the ruling party was first made public many years ago at a meeting at the University of Guyana. If anyone now takes the PPP/C talk of trust that person has to be naïve, since that party to date has not set out any comprehensive conditions to determine if, how and when the required trust has been achieved, nor has the party fixed a time period for the process.
Over time, whenever PPP/C leaders were asked to deal with the racial divide in the country they did as Ramotar has done, boast about electoral gains the PPP/C has made since the 1992 general elections. Putting aside the ongoing controversy over the reliability of the voters’ list, I am willing to concede that the PPP/C has increased its votes in some Amerindian communities and in a small percentage of African areas. And these cross-over African votes are the result of a systematic policy of the PPP/C to starve Africans economically forcing them to join the ruling party to get economic and social benefits. To cite a good example, at the last PPP/C congress held at Diamond one of the new African recruits from Region 10 took to the floor and made an important outburst. She said if the PNCR was able to look after us we would not have been here – how true.
Are the few cross-over votes enough to justify the PPP/C’s claim that the country has gone past racial voting? My answer is no. The bulk of the voters in our elections cast their ballot along race, the majority of Indians vote PPP/C and the same is true for African Guyanese who vote for the PNCR. This has been the reality since the split of the national movement in the early ’50s.
I now come to the General Secretary’s claim that since the PPP/C’s returned to office there are better race relations and there is no racism in the country, only instigators whipping up the issue of race. Before dealing with that point it is necessary to clarify the race issue in our politics. When the PNC was in government the political opposition influenced by WPA’s theoretical work on race in Guyana, had agreed that our race problem is one of “racial insecurity” and not unfettered racism as was practised in apartheid South Africa. Apart from the ’60s there has been no open communal violence in Guyana. The post-election disturbances which took place in 1992 and after, had political and racial undercurrents, but did not reach the crisis of the ’60s. Is it the absence of open race war which prompts the PPP/C to say that there are better race relations post 1992 in the country? If this is their logic they inherited this form of better race relations from PNCR rule.
The question which should be asked is – has the PPP/C regime reduced racial insecurity in the country? It is only the PPP/C leadership that cannot recognize the obvious. Their continuous denial of the reality is not due to the burying of their collective heads in the sand but it is due primarily to their political dishonesty. Racial insecurity in the country is at its worst in recent history. It has long been established that when the PNC is in office the Indian insecurity becomes high since they feel excluded from power. The same is true of Africans when the PPP is in government. It was true in 1957, in1961and in 1963 and it is true today in 2009 and has been so since the re-emergence of the PPP in government in 1992. One would have expected that all Guyana would by now have come around to accepting this fact of life. But it seems that the PPP/C now that it is in power seeks to deny this. It has long been established that during the cold war political scenario, Africans’ racial insecurity and electoral rigging combined to deny Indian political aspirations.
Similarly, the end of the cold war, Indian superior numbers, racial voting, the Westminster winner-take-all political system, Indian racial insecurity and drug money also combined to deny Africans’ political aspirations. Readers will note that I have not included here the impact of the extra-judicial killings of young African men, the alleged government links with the drug cartels, the criminalization of the state, rampant corruption, or the rape of state funds on deteriorating race relations.
Before addressing Mr Ramotar’s claim that the PPP/C has no Indian plan for the country, only a national plan, I just want to remind the PPP/C leadership that the PNC under Mr Burnham was entitled to make the same claim. In fact everything the then ruling party did, good or bad, they did under the banner of nationalism, not race – something the PPP rejected. Throughout the PNC’s rule the single most important slogan of the PPP and Dr Jagan was, “racial and political discrimination.” What has changed under the PPP? The truth is that racial and political discrimination in Guyana is at its worst level today, since independence. The only difference is that under the PPP/C it is dressed up with electoral legality.
Neither, of the two parties – the PPP and PNC – have ever publicly, put out a race plan as the basis of their political work. It should be noted that when they hold the reins of governmental power they have always denied the existence of race problems in the country. So it should come as no surprise to anyone when Ramotar said that his party has no Indian, only a national plan. Having a national plan, however, does not mean that race considerations are not a major part of the party politics and governmental policies. Yes, we will not be able to go to the national archive and find a PPP/C document entitled, ‘PPP/C Race Plan or Manifesto,’ therefore the test for that party’s racial even-handedness is its practice both in opposition and in government.
A cursory glance will show the extent to which the PPP/C’s national plan is taking hold. When the PPP was in opposition Dr Jagan had always campaigned against the African dominance in the public sector and the security forces. When he became President after the 1992 general elections, one of his early public pronouncements was that his government was committed to correct the racial imbalance in the public sector. He did not give a similar commitment to deal with the racial imbalance in the economic sector where his supporters were and still are the dominant force. The same eagerness was not shown to deal with African and Amerindian marginalization in the economic sector. A new, elite set of Indian contractors were awarded large public works contracts, after 1992. In spite of the fact that some were known to deliver substandard works they continued to garner the bulk of the contracts for governmental works while African contractors got the crumbs. New businessmen with close relationships to the PPP have developed, some of whom are involved in the drug trade.
The party has been doing its utmost to put more Indians in the public sector and the security forces and to ensure that they dominate where possible, all of the senior positions. Almost every aspect of seniority in public life is characterized by an Indian face. In some instances wherever a black person holds office he or she does so in an acting capacity. There is a spin-off to this dominance by Indians in public life. All of the blame for failure and crisis in these areas has, very correctly, been laid at their doors.
The private sector is now more dominated by Indians than at any time in the country’s history. In this sector Africans retain some dominance but with smaller numbers. Access to foreign agencies’ loans is another area where Indians have benefited the most, since government approval of projects was necessary and favours their applications.
Mr Ramotar and his party will be best advised to adopt a proposal made in one of WPA’s election manifestos, for an agency to be responsible for keeping a check on the condition of ethnic groups, and publicly make their findings known, so the government and the nation can come up with solutions. If that recommendation was put in place we would not be having this debate today.
No one is fooled by Mr Ramotar’s statements, since the PPP/C’s record on governance has contributed to the intensification of racial insecurity to a point only surpassed in the early ’60s. Ms Gay McDougal, the independent expert on Minority Rights was not fooled by the regime on the situation in the country.
What gives Mr Ramotar the right to believe he can fool Africans and Amerindians and others? These days Indians make no secret of their domination of the country – that is the result of the PPP’s unwritten plan.
Yours faithfully,
Tacuma Ogunseye
The PPP has no credibility, look how the Ministry burn down. Indeed they have a pattern of burning. For years under Burnham they burnt cane and used the firebug method to undermine the Guyana economy. Now they are burning buildings to blame Lewis and them boys
Lincoln Lewis has the moral authority! He stood up to the PNC, He can stand up to the PPP! Try as they could them can’t stop Mark. Witter said the struggle will continue . It must. enough is enough
Another thing is that these people can only speak or analyse issues in a context of race and politics. That is their best ammunition to keep Indians in check. They know that they Indians frighten the black skin which in their twisted mind and culture is no good. Look at the Dhalits of India how they treat them. They only running to Barbados to carry their drug runnings and corrupt practices.
Get thee hence PPP . Ha ! Ha1 Your stripes are exposed. Look after your own people before you try to export the race divisions to Barbados. PPP corruption, and abuse must stop! Jagdeo is a dictator and a bully indeed.
“The pursuit of protest that this small group has embarked on is long overdue. I want the gathering to know that I will be there at the next point of activity and I will continue my presence.” read t he entire article at
http://www.kaieteurnewsonline.com/2009/07/19/lincoln-lewis-asked-me-to-picket-with-him-i-obliged/
I will participate now and in the future, once elected dictatorship continues, in the politics of protest for the creation of the Velvet Revolution in Guyana.
The level of political degeneracy that this nation is currently witnessing is so appallingly worse than any period of PNC domination that the effort of Lincoln Lewis and others must be emulated. read t he entire article at http://www.kaieteurnewsonline.com/2009/07/19/lincoln-lewis-asked-
” read t he entire article at
http://www.kaieteurnewsonline.com/2009/07/19/lincoln-lewis-asked-me-to-picket-with-him-i-obliged/
One of the lowest points in my human rights career occurred last Monday outside Ramchand’s Auto General Store on Sheriff Street. I ran into a wonderfully brave woman who fought tirelessly for democracy during the reign of President Burnham. Whenever we meet, we would reflect on the comparison between then and now. Our conclusion would always be that the nature of the regime at the moment is worse than what we fought against during the rule of the PNC.
She said to me; “Is this what Walter gave his life for? These criminals!” She was a portrait of mental anguish. But all of us who fought Burnham live with such anguish.
She was referring to the mental confusion that permeates the souls of all those who sacrificed so much to fight down Forbes Burnham. Walter Rodney paid the ultimate price. All of us ask that dreadful question – “Why did we do it when we look at what we have today? Were we right to have changed the Burnham Government back then?”
This is a horribly torturing question to face. You feel in your heart that maybe we were wrong in what we did. Living with what we see all around us, living with forms of dictatorship that exceed the tyranny of Burnham’s rule, it tears you apart to know that Walter Rodney gave his life fighting against a government that was a boy scout act of mischief compared to the ocean of corruption, immoralities, and violations that smother this tragic nation today under the PPP.
Read t he entire article at http://www.kaieteurnewsonline.com/2009/07/19/lincoln-lewis-asked-
” read t he entire article at
http://www.kaieteurnewsonline.com/2009/07/19/lincoln-lewis-asked-me-to-picket-with-him-i-obliged/
The arrest of Lewis, Benschop and Witter over a peaceful picket outside the police office at Eve Leary is just another manifestation of how rotten the exercise of power has become under the PPP. One hopes that as Lewis and others extend their nationalism and love of Guyana all over this large country, Guyanese will cast off their fear, resignation and apathy and join the train of justice as it moves towards its final destination of the Velvet Revolution.
The people of Guyana deserve a better government and what it has. It deserves a government that respects the laws, Constitution and people of Guyana.
Read t he entire article at http://www.kaieteurnewsonline.com/2009/07/19/lincoln-lewis-asked-
” read t he entire article at
http://www.kaieteurnewsonline.com/2009/07/19/lincoln-lewis-asked-me-to-picket-with-him-i-obliged/
Nice info Sas .
I know Lewis, Witter and Benschop can challenge this dictatorship but them boys got to watch their backs cause the PPP would hire the lil hungry boys who can’t get jobs and desperate for money to wipe them off. They PPP will stop at nothing to hold on to power and keep the Indians in ignorance. Guyanese get up and stand up for your rights, once and for all.
Ramsammy need to do a lie detector test. he could not even look the camera in the eye when stood up and lie to the nation.
Jagdeo and the entire cabal need placing in a tar barrel and throw overboard.
Imagine what will happen to Barbados
The saying goes that you can fool some of the people some of the time and some of them all the time but Jagdeo you cannot fool all of the people all of the time.
PPP criminality exposed, Roger Khan, George Bacchus, Axel Williams, Jeewan Chowtie, death squads, narco trafficking , corrupt Police Commissioners, Corrupt Ministers of the Government, Racial strife, Torture, Traficking in people, Arsonist, Murderers, Disrespect for Law and Order, Constitution violators, Presidential misrepresentation of a Jagdeo marriage that never was and the spouse that never was and a facade of a relationship that was not consumated…..and the list goes on
All the PPP can do is bring shame on Guyana and lie! lie!lie! They have no shame.
End game,
You are so right. Even their own supporters tired with them but you have to read through the lines. You know they would never admit it.
Time for standing up to the Jagdeo govenment is now. 17 years is too much. When they finish Guyana has nothing to offer.
They hope to malign Lewis and others with the arson at the Ministry and at the same time destroy the evidence of Ramsammy coruption. Nothing strange with them
If the Ministry of Home Affairs feel that the International Labour Organisation (ILO) spokesperson appears to be supportive of breaches of the peace and good order by persons, who act contrary to the law then what the hell Bajans must think about Jagdeo pronouncement about the Illegal Guyanese who breaking Bajan laws.
It is ridiculous how these people double standard. What is good for the Indians is not good for the Africans and any one who supports them will be condemned. What about Sir Shridat Ramphal who enjoying Bajan hospitality yet encouraging Indians, like himself to break the law. He even accusing Bajans of “ethnic cleansing”.
So what, You guys think that we should place Jagdeo , Ramsammy and the pack of rogues in Brickdam Lock -ups?
I cannot imagine what they would do if Thompy decide to throw Indans in Bajan Jail. But then again they would prefer to even stay in Jail than go home to their beautiful country and the PPP
HA ! ha!
Jagdeo supporters rather get put in Bajan jail than go back to Guyana
HA ! ha!
Jagdeo supporters rather get put in Bajan jail than go back to Guyana! ha! ha! he! he! Maybe they will squat there. Ha! Ha! Keep it up PPP
ha ha ha but looka dis ting. Protest in Guyana, and the Guyanese government will lock you up. Become an illegal immigrant in Barbados, and the Government of Guyana will seek to protect you.
Almost ten years ago I said that only thing that will unite Indic and Afric Gyanese is a military attempt by Venezuela to realize their historical claim two third of the country. I still hold to this view.
No freedom of movement please!
I have it on good accord that Jagdeo does not have clue what to do
Jagdeo needs to do the honorable thing …step down and seek asylum before the cauldron boils over. It is inevitable that there will be a racial conflagration soon, the likes of which would make the sixties look like a picnic. Mark my words!
The same Indian racist agenda is expanding in the Caribbean. Now Trinidad Indians also claiming ethnic cleansing. This has to be a plan to destablise black rule. Every body knows what the term ethnic cleansing connotes. We have to see when the Suriname Indians will start up.
Juan, you right because the PPP will not surrender power without attempting to destroy Guyana. They have prepared for the showdown already. That is why they have community police in every village. That is the means of arming their people for any African rebellion or resistance to PPP rule. They were arming their supporters since under Laurie Lewis’ time….
I wonder what will happen when war breaks out in Guyana. Will barbados send their soldiers down there to fight? Who will they fight for? U.S.A will send their soldiers in to rescue U.S citizens but I don’t see them getting involved in the internal matters. Then there are the heavily armed indians against the blacks. Will our black soldiers expected to shoot down the blacks, since the PPP is going to declare them the agressors. There is lots of fire power in Guyana and it will be advicible of my P.M and the RSS to stay out of that fight. If the Caricom leaders are doing nothing now to stop it, why should soldiers lose their lives over it. For whatever reason the regional leaders seem to be afraid of Jagdeo. If the Barbados soldiers leave to fight in Guyana and “Little Guyana” the bajan guyanese start up, would we, the citizens, then left to protect themselves? The same thing goes for T&T, and Antigua.
Race, drugs , politics and the PPP destroying Guyana and like it want to spread to Barbados. Now Trinidad talking about ethnic cleansing too. Guess who are accusing….Indians.
There seems to be a racist Indian agenda on the upswing in the Caribbean. This is aided by top ranking Indians and the Jagdeo government. Will we see the same claims in Suriname?
Lewis and others are the few lone voices not afraid to stand up to the PPP. Too much corruption in the government, too much crime and the police doing nothing. The police themselves are criminals and on the pawroll of criminals. many of them need the Brickdam lock up themselves.
The police abusing authority , locking up people with no reason and letting the real criminals inthe society entrench themselves
President Jagdeo recently hurled a slur at our authorities by publicly calling them liars over the numbers of deportees/people being asked to leave.
Now we have them telling Sir Roy to butt out!
One big happy family being fostered by the Cairman of Caricom.
It appears that Jagdeo is going to use this period to really drive a nail in Caricom/CSME. My humble suggestion is that Barbados backs out and take up a position like Bahamas, look in from the outside. During Jagdeo’s reign, there will be chaos, especially if coming to the end of his period, he has not acheive his objective. That is when you will see the REAL Jagdeo.
Jagdeo’s resignation does not begin to do anything to bring the Africs and Indics together in Guyana, and nothing short of this unity will help Guyana. I have not seen much to suggest to me that Afric guyanese as leaders would do much to bring about this unity. We should not open our borders to citizens from such a racially devided country.
Adrian
This is how I see a Utopian Caricom/CSME.
ALL of the countries become one nation, with one President, Prime Minister.
Each country designated special functions E.G. Barbados, St.Lucia, T&T , Jamaica becoming the main tourists countries.
Guyana, Suriname, Belize, Dominica and a few others becoming the agricultural countries. I guess you get the drift. One currency, free movement, one wages agreement; in essence one caribbean. Then and only then will there be a true coming together. Hey, sit, relax and watch hell freeze over first before this happens. Maybe we can come together and produce that movie.
This is a dream. Not my dream, and I have no say or stake in it other than to be a plebe, which I am already. There is no utility that I can see nor have I been told whats in it for ME. Therefore trading places i.e. one day to be a citizen of the sovereign state of Barbados and the next to “trade up” to be a citizen of the newly minted Caricom state, is tantamount to playing musical chairs, where the winners will need me to play fuh loser in order to win. We all must win and clearly this cannot be achieve with the current economic inbalance amongst Caricom states, and the racial devide in Trinidad and Guyana.
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I aint care wuh nuh body say bout my spelling and grammar, dis plebe will continue to think for himself, even as the knighted, finally stumble upon the truth and gets publish for the same.
Adrian Hinds on July 9th, 2009 at 5:21 pm
If I do not get to popularly elect those who seek to govern over me, they will have no democractic rights to my taxes, or my submission as a citizen. Such will always be reserved for a government of the people and by the people of Barbados.
Lloyd Erskine Sandiford on July 19 2009
The first thing I know of is taxation and the slogan, no taxation without representation. I don’t want anybody else to be telling us what our levels of taxes should be in Barbados or saying what should be taxes and what should not be taxed, so we should forget this thing about Single Economy, we can build our relations without talk about Single Economy.
http://www.normangirvan.info/a-caricom-executive-mechanism-pj-patterson/#comment-4895
I have solution(s) for the problems in Guyana.
1) divide the country: 1/3 for indians, 1/3 for blacks, 1/3 for ameridians
OR
2) deport all indians to india. there is lots of room for them there and they will blend in with the population
David that is the brassiness of these people. Sir Shridaths comments were welcomed but Sir Roy would be accused of being partisan. That is how the government always respond to criticism or any statement / report contrary to their’s. Everybody has an agenda except them. They have the stabroek news as a supportive media to help them. Stabroek News (SN) which is related to your Barbados Nation ( ownership wise) seems to carry the same agenda. The sensational headlines depicted Guyanese immigrants in Barbados as being violated. They did little to present the situation in an unbiased way and thus the illegality of the whole illegal migrant situation got out of hand and the amnesty was ignored.
We now have to see what D. Thompson will do ……..
Prime Minister of Barbados the ball is in your court!!
It takes time, but I will persist nonetheless. Barbadians need to change their view of the Nation newspaper. It is no longer a Local newspaper. Its ownership and now it’s persistent continued editorial and other content demonstrate this very clearly. It just happens to be located in Barbados, but it is not Barbadian, and bajans need to come to this realization, accept it, and treat to it accordingly.
Reported in the Stabroek News.
“The Barbadian opposition had warned that the new immigration policy had already begun to give Barbados a bad reputation in the region and could possibly affect the economy.
“A government is entitled to implement strong policies. These policies, however, must be applied consistently, fairly and humanely,” Mia Mottley had she said in a statement.
“A hostile environment for immigrants must not be an unwelcome environment for Caribbean visitors. The focus must be simply who have arrived and who have never been documented . . .
“Further, that when people are asked to leave that they are given the time to pack up their belongings and leave in a manner that does not reduce them to feeling like criminals.”
So Bajans who feel they may be better off without Thompson may need to also look at the alternative.
Read enteir article at
http://www.stabroeknews.com/2009/news/local/07/21/fewer-guyanese-deported-recently-from-barbados-reports/
If the BLP has to look at a foreign publishing from Guyana to find revelance on the Immigration issue the BLP has a lot to learn from Barbados citizens.
Hear, hear Rickey Singh breaks his silence on the current state of unrest in Guyana:
As usual, Ricky and his mongoose gang, are pretending that they are not getting the message, thus blaming everyone else. If it was really arson and if it was an anti-government plot then the message is clear. What could also be true is that the very government might have been responsible for the fire, in an effort to hide or destroy criminal evidence in the Min of Health. Which ever way, it shows that country is about to expode and Barbados, T&T, Antigua and St. Lucia are going to recieve the ripple effect.
What Rickey Singh says :
1) Blame the police for not finding the arsonists. This keeps focus away from the PPP and Jagdeo who are responsible for the GPF.
2) Suggests that it is the work of domestic terrorists which is the term that has been used by the PPP and their accolytes to define the PNC and a section of the population.
What Rickey did not say:
That in Guyana there is a trend of burning buildings whenever there is an investigation of corruption. The Ministry of Health has been added to the following list: Ministries of Works; Housing and Labour, Finance, MMA, GECOM,. Prior to this the PPP and record has it, used as their strategy the burning of young sugar canes to disrupt sugar production and destablise the Guyanese economy. Sugar cane has not been burnt since PPP took Office since 1992
In fact the PPP has significantly contribute to the underdevelopment of Guyana by sabotaging the Indian dominated sector which was often paralysed by strikes and burnt estates.
Rickey Singh also did not say that the Channa bomb was the trade mark of the PPP .
The Ministry of Health under Ramsammy had circumvented the tender process in place and had purchased over a billion dollars worth in pharmaceutical over a period. The pharmaceuticals could not be found and most were never delivered to Guyana. this same Minister had problems also accounting for a multi-million dollar equipment to be used in the fight against cancer.
Before he became Minister of Government he was also at one time under investigation for supplying millions of dollars of substandard lab supplies to government. yet he was rewarded with a ministerial post.
All across the world the subject of immigration and how to build/foster an integrated and meaningful society is being discussed. Some like Norman Girvin, Annalee Davis, David Commission (who seems to have gone underground since being shown up as a grasshopper) et al would make Barbadians feel like we are monsters for wanting to shape OUR society the way WE want. The government must know this is a tricky issue 3 year out from the next election. Many Barbadians are watching very carefully. The BLP has pained themselves in a corner on the issue hence their retreat. Here is a sensible commentary on the Guyana situation coming from a Dr. Dr Bertrand Ramcharan, Ph.D (maybe George Brathwaite can give him a call.
re GTUC release and its acolytes…..yaaaaawn.
There was a court case in Guyana for the trio accusesd of disorrderly conduct,etc. Lewis was absent. Is he above the law ? Shouldn’t an APB (all points bullein) be out for him?…
marx
Do you know why he was absent? Do you know if an excuse was given for his absence?. I know you really want to jail this man again but you and the other moongoose gang may be biting off more than you can handle. Don’t you not realise Guyana is on the brink of civil unrest all because of a greedy, dictator call Jagdeo? All that he is trying to do is contaminate the entire region. It’s up to us bajans not to allow that to happen here. I intend to do my part, hopefully in a peaceful but decisive manner.
yaaaaaaaawn.
Marx you just shame! Scout aint lying!
Marx, can yawn all he likes that is because the truth bores him. He would rather be spilling the dirty propaganda of the PPP about 28 years. Just take note of the willful distortion of Lewis not being at court when it was stated in the news papers that he had to read for information. This is the nature of the the people and party which Marx represent
Marx is bored, We are sick and disgusted by the meagalomanic and despot Jagdeo, his dictatorship and evil which engulf Guyana and now threatens Barbados and the Caribbean.
Maybe marx is too busy yawning and sleeping and may be missing how his government busy thieving, burning, and corrupting the laws of the land.
This is what these men are protesting against. This is the handywork of the Jagdeo Regime that is accusing Barbados of harrassing Caribbean citizens. These were not soldiers. These were members of the Indian Government janjaweed Militia based at Freedom House, the PPP Headquarters.
Guyana has now become to the Caribbean, what South Africa, Zimbabwe, Angola and Mozambique was to Africa back in the 80s. The regime in Guyana is comprised of the most nasty and Godless bunch of bastards. Fire bun dem rass
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Ministry fire suspect… BRUTALISED
Thursday, 23 July 2009
Visibly battered, shaking uncontrollably and unable to walk, Troy Small called ‘Cats’ was finally released from the Alberttown Police Station and was immediately rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation for medical attention. Small, an alleged victim of torture at the hands of men believed to be members of the Guyana Defence Force, was released on $10,000 bail around 17:45 hours, after spending two days and nights at the Alberttown Police Station where he was dumped on Monday night. The grimacing man’s legs were strapped with what appeared to be bandages and he was assisted to a waiting car by two male individuals, believed to be relatives.
Police say they are still treating Small as a suspect in the arsonist act that flattened two buildings housing the Ministry of Health on Brickdam.
However, they have not revealed if there is anything incriminating against Small, who works as a labourer building tombs in Le Repentir Cemetery.
Even up to yesterday, senior officials of the Guyana Police Force refused to confirm Small’s detention at the Alberttown Police Station although this newspaper had observed him lying on a bench in the enquiries room on Tuesday.
Small related a harrowing tale of being picked up on Mandela Avenue by the men and being dragged along the road all the way to Le Repentir Cemetery where he was mercilessly beaten.
He recalled that he was with a friend when three men, one of whom was dressed in what appeared to be an army uniform, approached them. According to Small, one of the men asked him where he could purchase $5,000 in Guinness. Small said this aroused his suspicions about the men’s motive since according to him the men were already drinking Guinness when they posed the question to him.
Eventually one of the men gave his friend $1,000 and sent him away.
Small said that unexpectedly, the man grabbed him and forced him towards the car which was already in motion and attempted to force him inside.
“I hold on pon de top of de car and he trying fuh force me in. One inside vice me round me neck and the one jump in and de car drive off with half me body outside. All I know was they driving and me body deh out de car while one holding me neck,” Small related, while trembling uncontrollably.
He said that several persons saw what was happening and he was dragged along Mandela Avenue through Cemetery Road and into the cemetery.
There the men placed a bag over his head and while one of them held a gun to his chest, another placed a gun into his mouth and began asking him questions about the Ministry of Health fire.
“Dey ask me fuh tell dem is who pay me fuh bun down de place and how much I get pay fuh bun it down. I tell dem I ain’t know bout no fire, I does wuk in de burial ground. Then dem ask me whey de thing deh, and I ask dem wha thing. Dey say de thing wah been in de coffin,” Small related. He said that he told the men that he only knew about a dead he had buried recently which had arrived from America and offered to take them to the tomb. But the men continued to beat him and persisted in asking him how much he was paid to burn the Ministry down.
Another vehicle with more men arrived on the scene and Small overheard a voice saying, “shoot him”. The labourer said he begged for his life telling the men that he had a child to live for.
Still blindfolded, Small was eventually taken to a house where the bag was removed from his head and he observed several men. “A man tell dem wha bring me, ‘Y’all gone gat fuh carry dis man to de station and tell dem dat he and two man had a fight’ and that is how I get these injuries.”
He said that that was the eventual report that the men gave to the police when he was finally taken to the police station. This newspaper understands that Small was first taken to the headquarters of the Criminal Investigations Department and then to the Brickdam Police Station.
However, officials there refused to accept him in the condition he was taken there in. He was eventually dumped at the Alberttown Police Station where he stayed until his eventual release.
Yesterday when this newspaper turned up at the Alberttown Police Station, Small was still lying on the bench although ranks there insisted that the man had been sent away.
Reporters from this newspaper and other media houses did not buy that and waited outside the station for several hours as the police played cat and mouse with the man’s release.
Family members are upset that Small was kept in that condition at the station for so long.
They said that had it not been for the media, Small might have been kept in custody until he could walk before he was released. One family member even disclosed that the police had informed her not to engage the media.
Colleagues of the injured man who visited him at the station yesterday said that Small worked up to 15:00 hours on Sunday. “We left shock because we never know that a man like he would have something like that done to he. That is cruelty fuh me,” one colleague said.
Meanwhile, this newspaper understands that the police have invited African Cultural Development Association member, Archie Poole, for questioning. A police source declined to confirm if Poole is wanted in connection with the fire at the Ministry of Health. Kaieteur News understands that members of the security forces had visited Poole’s home on two occasions within the past three days.
The police are also questioning several other persons in connection with Saturday morning’s blaze.
Why would Alberttown Police station accept a person deemed a suspect by the GDF and who obviously needed medical clearance when the CID from Brickdam did not.
Who is the officer at Alberttown ? Sure it is a PPP.
Ruel Daniels
I agree with you, Guyana is becoming an embarrassment to the region, Caricom. It is time the leaders of Caricom nip this in the bud instead of turning their heada in the opposite direction. The excuse is that they don’t want to get into another country’s internal affairs. One day when this escalates they WILL be forced to intervene, by then it may be too late. By then the guyanese refugees would have contaminated many other countries in the region and the epidemic will be worse than Type 1 H1N1, or Sars, or Ebola. We would be doomed, it would take a modern day Christopher Columbus to invade this region again. However, again we will be forced into captivity, modern day indentured servants. This time you would have to be quilfied as of 2010