Let us rise together, not just in prayer, but in action

Aug 05, 2025 Letters

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Dear Editor,

Kaieteur News – Let me begin by stating clearly that the views I express here stem from a personal conviction, an independent mind, and a deep belief in what the scripture records in Deuteronomy 16:20:

“Justice, and only justice, you shall follow, that you may live and inherit the land that the Lord your God is giving you.”

I have been observing, with growing concern, the developments of recent weeks as we count down to General and Regional Elections (GRE) on September 1, 2025. Many Guyanese, myself included, are anticipating a long-overdue change in government. The frustration, disappointment, and disillusionment with the way our blessed nation has been governed over the past five years under the PPP/C administration cannot be overstated.

In previous letters, I have outlined and highlighted the many failings of this administration since assuming office on August 2, 2020, from unresolved deaths of young, innocent citizens to blatant constitutional breaches. One would have expected some course correction as we approach another electoral cycle, but regrettably, the opposite seems to be true.

Now, as new political movements prepare to contest the upcoming elections, we are witnessing increased victimization of individuals based solely on their political associations. I do not speak on behalf of WIN (the party), but as someone who recognizes and defends the inalienable rights of every citizen. The right to work, speak freely, and associate politically without fear or reprisal is a non-negotiable foundation of democracy.

It is for this reason that I strongly condemn the blatant violation of individuals’ rights—particularly the recent dismissals and account closures reported at Demerara Bank and GBTI. No citizen should be persecuted for exercising their democratic freedom to associate with a political party of their choosing. This is not only unconstitutional; it is morally indefensible.

Article 147(1) of the Guyana Constitution guarantees:

“No person shall be hindered in the enjoyment of this freedom, including the right to form or belong to trade unions or other associations for the protection of their interests, except with their consent.”

This is not a suggestion—it is the law of the land.

Recent reports confirm that individuals have been dismissed from employment and had their bank accounts closed simply for being affiliated with certain political movements. One young Afro-Guyanese man bravely shared that his contract was terminated merely because his name appeared on a party list. This is unconscionable.

Who will be next? Will more employees at these institutions face political retaliation? And now, there is growing speculation that other banks—such as Republic Bank (RBL), Citizens Bank, and Scotiabank, may be preparing to follow suit. If so, we must ask; on what legal or ethical grounds? Are these financial institutions now becoming instruments of political control?

These actions strike at the very core of what it means to live in a free society. When our right to association is met with unemployment and financial exclusion, we are no longer operating as a democracy—we are treading dangerously close to authoritarianism.

Let us be reminded; even individuals who were subject to international sanctions did not face such immediate and public punishments by local banks. Why, then, are ordinary citizens, who have committed no crime, being targeted simply for political expression?

The PPP/C often condemns the leadership of the late President Forbes Burnham and the PNC/R. I now challenge them to produce evidence that Burnham or the PNC/R ever implemented a policy that resulted in mass victimization of Guyanese based on political affiliation, or allowed institutions to carry out such discrimination unchecked.

The reality is clear, the PPP/C is in desperation mode. Their actions signal not strength, but fear—fear of a growing and informed electorate that is no longer willing to be silenced or coerced.

To my fellow; I urge you to reject the PPP/C at the upcoming elections. We must remember that we are not plantation workers, we are citizens of a free nation, endowed with rights and protected by a Constitution. We will not be bullied or shamed into accepting oppression as governance. Since August 2020, we have seen this administration favoring its friends and families while the rest of the nation bears the weight of high cost of living, in an oil-rich economy.

Come September 1, 2025, let our votes speak loudly and clearly, we will not surrender our rights, our voices, or our dignity. Let us rise together, not just in prayer, but in action. Yes, we seek God’s divine intervention, but we too must act and fulfill our civic duty.

God bless our beautiful country.

Yours sincerely,

Annette Ferguson

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• action, Annette Ferguson, Prayer, Rise together

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