Fire bombing attempt will not stop Carifesta – Minister Anthony

May 18, 2008 News

In wake of Friday night’s attack on his ministry, Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, Dr. Frank Anthony, has given assurances that Carifesta X will be hosted as scheduled and the episode will not stop the event.

According to a GINA release, Dr. Anthony called on law enforcement officials to speedily apprehend the perpetrators of Friday night’s channa bomb and shooting attack on his ministry.

The attack, if intended to discourage Guyana from hosting Carifesta X, has failed, Minister Anthony said.

According to the release, Minister Anthony is adamant that the ministry’s work, which includes among other things spearheading preparations to host the Caribbean Festival of Arts, Carifesta X, will continue.

The ministry came under attack at around 21:30 hours after a channa bomb was hurled into its compound on Main Street, scorching one of the window curtains, GINA said.

Two men armed with firearms also exited a vehicle and discharged a number of rounds at the northern side of the ministry, shattering windows and damaging the walls, a Police release said.

GINA stated that Dr. Anthony recently expressed confidence that, despite the prevailing circumstances in Guyana, the festival will go on, as a large number of visitors are expected.

“If we are going to just shut down everything we do and say we are not going to have anything because of crime… that will be the wrong approach… We have to use these stumbling blocks as stepping stones,” Minister Anthony said.

“Only recently Minister Anthony condemned the unwillingness of the People’s National Congress Reform (PNC/R) Leader Robert Corbin to cooperate so that Guyana could successfully host Carifesta X,” GINA stated.

“To threaten an international event full of socio-economic and cultural benefits for the nation is a virtual abuse of the freedoms guaranteed by this Government,” Minister Anthony had said.
On April 18, Corbin vowed that if the suspension of the Channel Six licence was not lifted, there would be serious protests to make Carifesta “unmanageable.”

During a protest that same day, protestors chanted, ‘No Sharma, no Carifesta’.

Corbin also said that the party would have a ‘difficulty cooperating’ with Carifesta, GINA reported.
Then, on Friday night, gunmen opened fire on a car, PGG 8912, owned by policeman Collis Bristol, 29, of South Ruimveldt. Bristol is stationed at Arakaka Police Station.

Several shots were fired, at around 21:00hours, outside Water Chris Restaurant and Bar, located at Waterloo and Quamina Streets, while the rank was in the restaurant having dinner. No one was hurt in the attack.

And no sooner had the Police begun to investigate the shooting than there were reports of a Molotov cocktail being hurled at the Ministry of Culture Youth and Sports, located at the corner of Quamina and Main Streets, a stone’s throw from the scene of the shooting.

The Police reported that an AT 192 Toyota Carina motor car pulled up in Quamina Street on the northern side of the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports.

Two men armed with firearms exited the vehicle and discharged a number of rounds at the northern side of the ministry, shattering windows and damaging the wall, the Police said.

A release added that they also threw two Molotov cocktails at the building, one of which exploded and scorched a blind at one of the windows.

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Fire bombing attempt will not stop Carifesta – Minister Anthony

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