Police deny being instructed to arrest Jagdeo

Apr 17, 2019 News

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The Guyana Police Force has categorically denied being ordered by anyone to arrest and charge Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo, in relations to alleged inciting racial hostility during a speech at Babu Jaan, Corentyne on March 11, 2019.
In a statement yesterday, the force said it has taken note of a press statement by the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) in which the party alleged that the police have been instructed by Congress Place and the Office of the President to arrest, detain, and charge Opposition Leader and General Secretary.
“The Guyana Police Force wishes to clearly refute such statement and to inform all and sundry that the Ministry of the Presidency, the People’s National Congress – Reform or A Partnership for National Unity have not given any such instruction or advice.”
Additionally, the Force insisted that it remains a professional organization and any action previously or currently being taken, is wholly pursuant to legal advice obtained and or to engage in investigations.

According to the PPP, in a statement hours earlier, it is in receipt of information from a usually reliable source that the police have been instructed by Congress Place and the Office of the President to arrest, detain and charge Jagdeo.
“This speech was widely covered in the media. It is devoid of any racial content whatsoever. It simply called upon all Guyanese to reject the Government, including the President and the Prime Minister, after March 21, 2019, “by chasing them”.
“From that date, the Government would have become illegal and the President, the Prime Minister and Ministers of the Government would no longer be lawfully entitled to hold their governmental offices because of the successful passage of a no confidence motion passed against the Government in the National Assembly on the 21st December, 2019, and the ruling of the Chief Justice, which upheld the validity of that no confidence motion.
This speech was delivered before the decision of the Court of Appeal in relation to the no confidence cases.”
The PPP said it that it must be emphasized that the Leader of the Opposition directed his comments to both the President and the Prime Minister and in fact the entire Government and his appeal was to all Guyanese.
“It is therefore bewildering how these comments can be interpreted as conveying any racial sentiments whatsoever. Indeed, on 21st March, 2019, under the stewardship of the Leader of the Opposition, the PPP held protest actions in various regions across the country.
“These protests were peacefully and lawfully conducted and there was not a single reported incident of violence or racial hostility of any kind emanating there from.”
PPP said that it is also aware that television stations that carried a similar statement made by the General Secretary of the PPP at a press conference held on 14th March, 2019, were served with notices dated 11th April, 2019, from the Guyana National Broadcasting Authority (GNBA) urging that they immediately desist from broadcasting such content.
“We maintain that the Leader of the Opposition has done nothing other than exercise his democratic, constitutional and political right to be critical of a Government that has flagrantly violated the constitution and would have been occupying governmental office unconstitutionally, tyrannically and undemocratically.
“In fact, the duties of the Leader of the Opposition include publicly exposing the vulgar constitutional violations being committed by the Government.”
The Opposition party said that Guyana is witnessing the unleashing of state power through the medium of the Guyana Police Force and the GNBA to stifle free speech, to assault democracy and abrogate political rights and freedoms.
“This repeated repressive use of the criminal justice system and the state machinery is intended to restrict the Opposition’s rights and freedom to expose the authoritarian actions of this Government, internationally.
“It is therefore no coincidence that these actions are being taken after the return of the Leader of the Opposition from international travels where he met with important functionaries and spoke widely with the media in both the Caribbean and the United States in relation to the despotic behaviour of the Government.”
The party which was in power for 23 years but lost amid growing unhappiness from citizens in 2015, also called upon the diplomatic and international community to note Guyana’s rapid descent into a police state.
“Needless to say that we will continue to internationalize this issue by writing to the United Nations Commission on Human Rights, CARICOM, the Organisation of American States, the Commonwealth Secretariat and other international human rights organisations informing them of the atrocities taking place in Guyana. Finally, we wish to assure the Government that we will not be intimidated but will continue to work to bring Guyana back to a democratic course as we strive for a better and more united country.”
Meanwhile, the Ministry of the Presidency yesterday said that it is outright rejecting the malicious statements attributed to the executive members and supporters of the PPP.
“The Ministry is making it pellucid that no such instruction was issued by the Head of State, any Minister of Government or any Government official.
“The Government is of the view that the Constitution, to which every Guyanese is subjected, is supreme and if a violation has occurred, then by all means, the law must take its course. The Guyana Police Force must carry out its functions, without fear or favour.”
The Ministry of the Presidency said it is calling on the Opposition and its members who are making the spurious claims without providing any actual evidence or proof, to cease its campaign of spreading untruths and its paltry attempts to create division within the society.
The People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR), which forms part of the coalition government, also waded in, condemning what it says are gross misinformation.
“The PNCR issued no such directive. While the PNCR condemned the inflammatory statements by the Leader of the Opposition Bharrat Jagdeo at Babu Jaan, it is not part of the culture of the PNCR, in or out of government, to issue directives to the Guyana Police Force (GPF) or interfere in the day-to-day operation and administration of the GPF.”

 

 

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