Why are there peaceful protests in Trinidad, and not Guyana?

Dec 04, 2012 Letters

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Dear Editor,
Compliance during peaceful protests in which the rule of law is respected and paramount seems to be a lost cause in Guyana, where violence inevitably rules. Couldn’t Linden and Agricola’s violence have been avoided and unnecessary deaths prevented?
Let’s contrast two simmering political disagreements in Trinidad and Guyana. The Indian-led UNC People’s Partnership government is constructing a superhighway. snaking through the prominently Indian village of Debe. Even though residents have traditionally supported the UNC, they are actively resisting the highway passing through their village.
Debe protestors fear the invasive highway traffic will completely destroy their village’s ambience and way of living. Concerns have been expressed that it will alter and hurt the nearby catchment environment. They are more so in anguish that not only will the highway attract an influx of outside developers but undergo  an escalated  crime wave similar to that experienced in other Indian villages. The Trinidad government’s response is the highway will create better infrastructure and many jobs.  Debe residents want the highway diverted around their countryside village. But the People’s Partnership government is not budging.
The Peoples Partnership National Security Minister Mr. Jack Warner who is a longtime political heavyweight in the mainly Indian United National Congress (UNC) partnership is in charge of enforcing Trinidad’s security. The protests have been so far peaceful and not blocked any traffic.
Despite Debe residents picketing Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar’s residence, the predominantly black Trinidadian police/army was ordered to remove protestors encamped on land where the highway is to be constructed. Hindu religious icons (murthis)  were disrespectfully seized, altars dismantled  and the heir-apparent-Prime Minister-in-waiting, Dr Roodal Munilal, criticized protestors whom he claimed were only asking to be dragged like a bag of aloo.
The Trinidad Express of 28-11-12 reported  Dr Munilal describing  Dr Kubalsingh as a “fraudster” and “trickster” and taking issue with his family for allowing him to continue his hunger strike.  But the Congress of the People (COP) political leader  Mr  Prakash Ramadhar ( a junior coalition partner ) disassociated himself and COP from  UNC Government officials.
“I’ve received a lot of commendation, calls, text messages, e-mails and endorsement from my constituents and others who believe I did not go far enough, so I intend to go deeper and raise some more issues at (this) week’s meeting,” said Dr Munilal.  Asked what he meant by going deeper into issues, he said, “I will speak more about the rise of small cult movements in the United States and Guyana.”
However shouldn’t the Trinidad government be happy that they are only dealing with a fasting, non-violent protestor compared to Guyana where its opposition’s only solution is a ready resort to violence? The protestors’ leader Dr Wayne Kubalsingh has been on a hunger strike over two weeks to force the Trinidadian government to change course and he was sometimes subjected to police harassment. Minister Warner mocked him as eating a hearty meal at nighttime.
This Debe protest has similar characteristics as those at Linden and Agricola but also many differences. (1) The protestors have not rioted, indulged in arson or blocked traffic; (2) The protestors have not thrown any missiles at the police (3) Protestors have not burnt any buildings, robbed commuters or extended their protests to other villages to incite any racial flare-up. (4) The National Security Minister Warner has not experienced any no-confidence motion against him or sanctioning by the Speaker to temporarily gag him in parliament. (5) Most importantly Debe protestors are not seeking any unfair advantage or privileges from the rest of the entire nation unlike Linden demands for unfair cheaper electricity rates.
Understandably, no one was shot in Trinidad’s Debe, but nothing provoked its occurrence either.
How are the instructions to maintain law and order by authorities in Guyana substantially different from those of their Trinidadian counterparts? Are Trinidadians more civilized or advanced?
If Debe protestors were burning buildings, robbing travellers and disrupting traffic to southern Trinidad should the government have done nothing to their own supporters even when they would have been completely wrong? Would Trinidadians and the official Opposition have automatically supported the Debe protestors?
Until Guyanese can become more civil and compromising during their constitutional  rights of protest  the country’s  march of  progress and development will be seriously compromised. Charting a new course if we are to move on harmoniously has always been an urgent necessity. The challenge is to begin the change with urgency.
Vassan Ramracha

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