Politicians can either be part of the solution or part of the problem

Sep 10, 2020 Letters

Dear Editor,

The Leader of the Opposition, Mr. Joseph Harmon, and former President Mr. David Granger should be ashamed of the comments they made at Number Three Village earlier this week, following the gruesome murder of two teenage cousins. The fact that such utterances were made by former top-ranking army officials is utterly appalling and leaves much to be desired.
Mr. Granger recommended that the community implement what he described as a “self-defense” mechanism (Guyana Standard, Sept. 7, 2020) since the government is incapable of protecting residents. Editor, this was reckless, to say the least, and a deviation from the position often taken by the former Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces on such matters.
It was Mr. Granger, who condemned vigilantism two years ago when suspected bandits were being killed by residents around the country (Guyana Chronicle, Aug. 21, 2016).
Mr. Granger told the villagers of Number Three Village, that if the PPP/C had condemned the attack on schoolchildren earlier this year during the Bath Settlement protest, then the killing of the Henry cousins could have been avoided.
Editor, the coalition was in office during the Bath Settlement protests. No one was arrested or charged for that attack on the school bus. Mr. Granger and his ministers travelled the country during the campaign trail reminding supporters of that gruesome incident, but no justice was served. Was Mr. Granger’s government incapable of protecting people too?
During the visit, both Mr. Granger and Mr. Harmon applauded the protest action, hailing it as the “right response” to what had happened to the Henry boys. They urged the villagers to continue their demonstrations, as it signals to the government that “we are not going to put up with this nonsense” (Demerara Waves, Sept. 7, 2020).
Mr. Harmon then sought to bind the gruesome murder of the Henry boys to the notion that the PPP/C government is a fraudulent one. I fail to see the relation, but this is rhetoric 101: use the pain of others as a vehicle for your agenda.
The fact remains that Isaiah and Joel Henry, and now another teen, were violently and senselessly murdered. Justice must be served at all costs; whatever it takes.
Our politicians have a role to play. They can either find a solution to the problem, or they can be part of it.
Mr. Harmon and Mr. Granger had an opportunity to quell the situation in West Coast Berbice, but they did not. Now two more persons are dead as protest action intensifies. Both Mr. Granger and Mr. Harmon must call for restoration of order in West Coast Berbice. The people will listen to them, not the PPP/C government. Ministers were chased out two days ago.
Yours truly,
M. Hope

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