Dear Editor,
I HAVE read the most recent iteration of calls for democracy set out in a Letter to the Editor by Roy Beepat in the Stabroek News (Sunday April 26, 2020).
Permit me, as a Guyanese of a different persuasion, to add another perspective.
Prior to the 2015 elections, Shaka Blair was gunned down in front of his wife and children in Buxton (April 2002), before the advent of the crime wave, and before the escape of the five from the Georgetown Prison, by a leading member of the Guyana Police Force, who enjoyed special privileges and protection from the political leadership, and who was never held accountable.
That retired officer is now employed by the same political party, which was democratically-elected and in power in 2002. Prior to 2015, the Head of the Presidential Secretariat testified, under oath, that “No African Guyanese was qualified to represent Guyana as an ambassador”.
Prior to 2015, a leading member of the criminal fraternity took out public advertisements on the advice of his Attorney, announcing his active engagement by and support of the Government of the day in suppressing the crime wave. What followed was the ruthless torture and assassination of hundreds of Afro-Guyanese men and women. All these acts were committed during the democratic reign of a democratic government.
The acts might be seen by some as a matter of excesses, but, for part of the population, it was, day-to-day, a dread-filled time; a matter of life and death.
So now that there are calls to let democracy reign, we, in some parts of the society, understand fully what is meant by the call. There is an old story of a chicken and pig who said that they would personally contribute to the making of breakfast. The chicken suggested to the pig that she brings the eggs and he brings the bacon.
Regards,
Olive B. Sampson
Source: https://issuu.com/guyanachroniclee-paper/docs/guyana_chronicle_epaper_04_28_2020