These are very dangerous times in which we live

Sep 22, 2008 Letters

DEAR EDITOR,
The attempt on the life of Mr. Lincoln Lewis, General Secretary of the Caribbean Congress of Labour, must not be ignored.

These are very dangerous times, and the attempt on Lewis’s life is frightening.
First, Mark Benschop, then Oliver Hinckson. The GTUC made the point that Lewis stood up to the governments of Presidents Forbes Burnham, Desmond Hoyte, Cheddi Jagan and Janet Jagan and now Bharrat Jagdeo. He was never faced with any threat to his life before.

This country is littered with many guns and hired guns, stalking the land looking for ‘employment.’ People have been killed for $20. There is absolutely no opportunity for young people. There is rampant marginalisation, discrimination, criminality and corruption all around, creating the prospect for flight, resistance and/or reliance on primitive instincts.

Lewis has a reputation for being fearless; and observing his resilience after the attempt on his life, I am convinced his fearlessness has not been threatened.

While this fearlessness is admirable, Lewis is a son of the soil, and the Government, PNCR, AFC, PPP and the police must be held responsible for ensuring his safety and rights.

The trade union community must notify its regional and international bodies about the threat to the life of a member. The CARICOM governments must also be apprised of this incident on this Caribbean official.

It needed someone of Lewis’s stature to get up and tell the Government, PNC, AFC and the entire establishment the truth. I have seen the expressed disgust with the AFC and PNC’s tactics of using the voters to get into Parliament then failing to represent their interests, while they enrich their lifestyles on their Parliamentary salaries and duty-free concessions, paid for by the tax dollars of the disadvantaged and oppressed. I have had the opportunity to read Lewis’s Human Rights Address in its entirety in the Guyana Observer online edition. It was a power punch.

Cowards and oppressors will run, duck and attack the frankness and truthfulness of this address. Rights activists and law-abiding citizens will recognise Lewis is on to something legitimate, and will join the call for a return to normalcy, decency and justice in the society.

Lewis promised to take Guyana’s case to the UN Human Rights Conference in Geneva next year. Brother Lewis, I am sure the Labour stalwarts will be proud of you. For me, I applaud your stick-to-it-ness and determination, and I wish you all the best.

Hector Chalmers

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