Dear Editor,
IT continues to upset me that the calls for democratic values have fallen on deaf ears when it comes to obtaining justice for the alleged past misdeeds under the PPP/C government.
The OAS, Canadian, American, British and EU government and non-governmental organisations have spoken about veiled threats of sanctions and “isolation” as a response with regard to the elections.
However, where were they when journalists such as Mr. Ronald Waddell was murdered for his democratic right to the free press? Was not that a violation of democratic values by murdering a journalist in cold blood for opposing the PPP/C? As far as I know, for the past five years no government official has ordered anyone to assassinate or throw faeces at critics.
If one could argue that such claims are hearsay under the American rule of law, the best paid lawyer in America cannot deny that Mark Benschop was thrown in jail under trumped-up charges for opposing the PPP/C government. Bharrat Jagdeo proclaimed that “I hope that [Benschop] learned his lesson” when he ‘pardoned’ Benschop for the trumped-up charges several years later. Where was the condemnation from the international agencies?
Mr. Freddie Kissoon admitted that President Granger is not corrupt, and that he was being victimised for what he wrote while the PPP/C was in power.
Can any journalist imagine what could happen theoretically if the PPP/C manages to continue where they left off? The extra billions of annual oil and gas revenue will embolden the PPP/C tyrants to suppress dissent in the most undemocratic ways. Journalists will not be safe under a PPP/C government. Mr. Ronald Waddell’s death, and the politically motivated victimisation of Mark Benschop and Freddie Kissoon are testaments to that statement.
Regards,
Riaz Hamid
Source: https://issuu.com/guyanachroniclee-paper/docs/guyana_chronicle_e-paper_3-15-2020