A national embarrassment? Police halt Upper Corentyne flag-raising ceremony as Govt, PPP clash

Feb 24, 2018 News

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As people from the Upper Corentyne gathered at the Republic Square, Springlands, Corriverton, Berbice with the Mayor, Krishnand Jaichand; former Mayor Ganesh Gangadin; and PPP parliamentarians, they were greeted by two jeep loads of police.
They had arrived at the venue where a scheduled flag-raising ceremony was expected to take place for the 48th Republic Anniversary, however, this was not the case. Gangadin, who is also a counsellor at the Corriverton Town Council along with Mayor Jaichand was told by the police that they were not allowed to carry on with the scheduled programme. The instructions reportedly came from the Commander of ‘B’ Division, Lyndon Alves.
The Public address systems were seized, the drummers were instructed not to perform; children who had prepared their cultural presentations for weeks prior to the event were prevented from stepping on to the stage to perform and the Mayor was denied the right to address those gathered.
The police were overheard telling a member of the town council that if they proceed with the programme, “they will be arrested”. As the children stood bewildered and some scared, patrons were heard speaking amongst themselves. “This is an embarrassment”; “I will never forget this flag raising”; “Like the police running this place”.
The programme was scheduled to commence at 19:00 hrs. They were expecting the arrival of Minister of Public Security, Khemraj Ramjattan, who was listed on the programme to give greetings together with Member of Parliament, Adrian Anamayah. He was a no-show after an hour of waiting.
People continued to pour into the venue with an expectation that there will be a ceremony like every other year, but they were met with an empty stage, police at the entrance and no music.
Mayor of Corriverton, Krishnand Jaichand, explained that the event normally takes place at Republic Square with the participation of the Guyana Police Force, students from various schools, the council constables and the GuySuCo security personnel.
It is normally planned and discussed at a ‘Pre-planning meeting’ with the National Events Chairman. Winston Roberts, confirmed Jaichand.
He stated, “The council has taken up a position that after writing the Hon Minister of Communities, Mr. Bulkan to deliver the feature address, we did not hear from him so we decided to go on with our programme. We had made up our programme with cultural items and we had asked Adrian Anamayah to bring greetings also”.
Subsequently, he divulged that he received a call from the treasurer that a Minister had confirmed Minister Khemraj Ramjattan will be at the ceremony.
“This was indicated back to the committee and the impression I got immediately is that the Minister wanted Minister Ramjattan to give a feature address. So I told them that I will inform the committee. I did but they held on to the decision that Mr Anamayah and Minister Ramjattan would bring greetings including the Mayor,” Jaichand explained.
The Mayor later received a call some three days before the actual event from Minister Bulkan asking to have Minister Ramjattan give the feature address. This was communicated once more to the committee, Jaichand said, but they stood firm on their decision to have the programme with both Anamayah and Ramjattan giving greetings.
“The issue they had is that Minister Ramjattan should speak. The councillors did not agree with that and afterwards Minister Amna Ally called expressing the same sentiments. I told her the same thing that I told Minister Bulkan. Her words to me in a very rude manner was that she already did what she had to do, to instruct the Commander of Berbice to stop the proceedings.
The police called me and told me the same”, Jaichand disclosed.
Thursday evening as Gangadin made his way to the stage, he was stopped by the police and warned that he was only allowed to carry on with the National Pledge, prayers by the religious leaders and the hoisting of the Golden Arrowhead. The pledge was recited and a Hindu prayer was done. The flag was initially taken away by the police.
However, after some time elapsed, they were eventually given permission to hoist the flag.
The former Mayor stepped on stage at approximately 20:00 hrs in an attempt to make a start.  The police once again called and engaged with him to desist and follow through with the instructions given or he would be removed.
In an effort to allow at least one child to present her cultural item, he called on her but this too was shut down. By this time, the officer in charge instructed his ranks to advance to the stage as the persons shouted for Gangadin to remain at the podium and carry on with the ceremony.
As Gangadin attempted to continue, the officer in the company of two other ranks made their way on stage and forcefully escorted Gangadin off the stage. They all walked towards the flagpole. Adrian Anamayah at the pole, argued, “Why is it that we are not allowed to hear some chowtal music? The band was supposed to be here but they stopped that so we resorted to the chowtal music. They’ve denied that. Your culture is dead now. This is what democracy is coming to.
“Amna Ally is instructing the police to shut down a national event. We are not doing anything wrong; we are not breaching any laws. That is why we are not at the station as yet. We are simply trying to have a programme run as it has been for the past 48 years and now you have a Minister instructing the police to stop it. What are we coming to as a country?”
Mayor Jaichand argued, “For 48 years we have never had to seek permission. The police, the fire service, the constab all march together and we assemble here. We have a cultural presentation and we are merry afterwards. Today, we have been denied this democracy”.
Divisional Commander, Lyndon Alves told media operatives via telephone that Minister Ally did not contact him in relation to the programme. He stated that no instructions were taken from any Minister.
He explained that he was not informed by anyone at the council that a flag raising event will take place at Republic Square. Alves also said that no instructions were given by him to any police officer to execute anything and that “they were just doing their job”.
The people who surrounded the executives and MP’s together with their children were enraged over the events that unfolded over the hour. They expressed shock and disappointment in the actions taken by the police.
At that point, they all collectively decided not to host the Golden Arrowhead. They were of the opinion that events such as the flag-raising ceremonies are expected to take place without political interferences.
The flag was eventually not hoisted and the flagpole was also dismantled and taken away by the council members.
The annual flag raising ceremony held at State House, New Amsterdam kicked off smoothly with the regular marches led by the armed forces and cultural presentation. There were speeches from the Regional Chairman, David Armogan, Mayor of the township and Minister of Education Nicolette Henry.

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