Dear Editor,
Marvin Gaye asked, “What’s going on?” Quite a pertinent question to ponder given the recent spate of dangerous, damaging, and deadly incidents which have occurred throughout Guyana.
The country is on the verge of uneasiness as some troubling incidents occurred to leave a distasteful taste in the mouth and a sense of uneasiness, as Guyanese recall a troubled past.
Is it an accident that the “Mother of all calamities” in the past, when “The Famous Five” staged a daring shoot out at the Camp Street Prison and killed two prison officers in an escape bid for freedom during a time when Guyana was celebrating Mashramani?
While those criminals were on the streets, a leading newspaper noted, “The crime wave saw several execution-type murders, stabbings, robberies, attacks on police stations, and other criminal activities which in essence, almost crippled Guyana and its economy.”
Is it a coincidence that, “Smallie” Williams, a convicted murderer sentenced to death, escaped from a maximum security Mazaruni prison with the aid of three armed accomplices, when Guyana is on the verge of celebrating her 57th Independence anniversary?
Will he be arrested or will he also pursue a warfare to form another gang to unleash a dose of the monstrosities as experienced during the 2000’s? Those nightmares are still fresh in the minds of many. Once again, the PPP/C Government is faced with a dilemma of preventing a repetition of “The Famous Five,” this time by “The Infamous Four.”
As a trend setter, was it merely an incident that the PNC was evicted again from a Government building in Lethem, Rupununi? Or, was it laying a foundation for other things to follow? It will be recalled that earlier in March 2023, they were removed from that building. Godfrey Williams and Carl Parker, two senior PNC members, have been charged with malicious damage to property.
Laying a trail of mischief, PNC Leader Aubrey Norton a few Sundays ago, urged vendors and the business community to vote for his party or risk being marginalised by the PPP at the upcoming Local Government Election.
He openly apprised the audience that, “I want to warn the vendors. They are out of power in Georgetown and every day they moving vendors. Imagine them in power. You are obligated to vote for the APNU so that you can continue to vend so to don’t vote for us is to give PPP the opportunity to take away your livelihood.”
Recently, a number of PNC supporters have crossed the bench willingly and have since joined the PPP/C team to contest the upcoming election. A perturbed and worried PNC Party, is now scrambling to increase their propaganda campaign.
Continuing a path of attempting to sabotage progress, the PNC Party went to the High Court to order the postponement or cancellation of the June 12 Local Government Election. As noted by the AG, this Party had months to engage a legal process for any challenges but failed to do so and at the last moment, is now desperately trying to stall the holding of election.
The PNC is quite aware that they will be the loser by a wide margin. This dogma of a devious DNA, continues to materialise in different deportment.
The PNC has lost its strangle-hold on GECOM with the absence of Lowenfield, Mingo and Roxanne-Myers, as they are no longer occupying strategic positions. The PNC is also infuriated with the appointment of Vishnu Persaud as Chief Election Officer.
Since the angry, aggressive and annoyed PNC lost the March 2020 General and Regional Elections and were verbally asked to “step aside” after being sanctioned by the US Government for attempted election fraud, the PPP/C legally and legitimately was sworn into power after a five months impasse. Since then, the country has witnessed a series of fire to government buildings, including, police stations and in particular, schools.
Guyanese are left gasping and with eyes turned-up, fingers point in a particular direction. Sadly, another devastating fire occurred Sunday at the dormitory at the Mahdia Secondary School. The death toll stands at 19, with serious injuries to others. Many were lucky to escape this towering inferno which struck in the night. The President and all officials have put a full-scale medical plan into action.
This progression of events have certainly left Guyanese at home and abroad to wonder about an ultimate motive by some evil force in light of Independence celebration coming up this week to be followed by the Local Government Election on the June 12, 2023. Bob Dylan sang, “The answer is blowing in the wind.”
Yours respectfully,
Jai Lall
