…operatives threatened, roughed-up GECOM workers
GUYANA Trades Union Congress (GTUC) said it was surprised and disappointed to see footage of an invasion of GECOM by opposition forces on the pretext that their interest was the safety of GECOM’s Chair, Justice (ret’d) Claudette Singh.
At the centre of the invasion was Mr. Bharrat Jagdeo, former president of Guyana, under whose leadership citizens were shot down in the compound of the Office of the President,” the GTUC said in a strongly-worded statement on Friday.
The union noted that Mark Benschop, a journalist and social activist, was subsequently charged with treason. He spent five years incarcerated, most of the time in solitary confinement, for simply being in a crowd on the road. He was subsequently released without a trial. “Mr. Jagdeo today feels he has the right to lead an unruly group in an invasion of GECOM to check on Justice Singh’s safety which is not his job. The safety of Justice Singh is that of the Guyana Police Force and or authorised designated State security operatives,” the GTUC said. Jagdeo had even gone to the media alleging that Justice was being held against her will.
“We remember that those who were brutally gunned down were seeking audience with President Jagdeo. The gates were opened. The President was not in office nor at risk but Mr. Jagdeo government and supporters referred to the group in the most derogatory fashion and claimed the intent was to harm the President. Should this nation, under the watchful eyes of international observers, take note of the Jagdeo-led invasion of GECOM as an intended threat to Justice Singh? Should someone or those persons identifiable by video footage be charged with obstruction or whatever drastic charges possible? Or should we accept their expressed concerns as sufficient to let such behaviours go unchecked?” The GTUC added.
According to the GTUC, at the very least, the people of Guyana should expect that such conduct would be condemned in the strongest possible term. “The laws of this country must be upheld even as the right to protest must be respected. The behaviours tolerated at GECOM must never be allowed to happen again. Due process must prevail and all parties must adhere to the channels through which their grievances can be discussed and reviewed. Outside of that there is judicial recourse. Guyana is not the Wild West and Mr.
Jagdeo must not feel he is the toughest cowboy leading a charge for valour.”
Also noted in another video was the threat meted out by an Opposition local observer to female police ranks during the exercise of their duty. That person turned to PPP presidential candidate Irfaan Ali and said, “Dr. Ali, […] you must mark these police faces when the government change they must know their jobs in jeopardy.”
GTUC is deeply concerned about the attempt to erode law and order and the threat to innocent workers in the course of executing their duty professionally. It is one thing for political leaders to engage in public disagreements. It’s another when public servants and police are either being threatened or prevented from executing their duty in a safe environment.
GTUC calls on all law abiding Guyanese, all community leaders, civil society, political leaders, international observers to condemn the barrage of Jagdeo-led invasion of GECOM and the threat to innocent workers including officers of the Guyana Police Force. Mr Jagdeo cannot want the PPP to lead this nation by invoking anarchy and continued disrespect for the law when he is not in government.
Source: https://issuu.com/guyanachroniclee-paper/docs/guyana_chronicle_e-paper_3-7-2020