Let’s put aside our biases and act

– Trotman tells House as country grapples with killings

Opening the 2020 Budget debates as its first speaker, Opposition Member of Parliament (MP) Raphael Trotman dedicated the first half of his time to addressing Guyana’s heightened racial tensions springing from the recent murders of three teenage boys.

He called on the Parliamentarians to put aside their political biases and to realize that if they do not act collectively to bring closure to the deeps wounds which have been cut open, Guyana will be worse off at their doing.

“Our nation expects that we, the highest decision makers of the land, would not pull it further into darkness but rather provide the much-needed light of reason and leadership that points the way forward,” he said.

“For the moment, I put aside my partisan positions to say that we must take a moment to pause and reflect on our words and actions.”

Only yesterday, teenage cousins Joel and Isaiah Henry were laid to rest by their family and friends as thousands of Guyanese participated in the ceremony both in person and online. Trotman said that the recurring themes that have resonated since their brutal murders and the murder of teenager Haresh Singh are equal rights and justice.

“Yesterday, it was comforting to see the President, Mr. Irfaan Ali; Leader of the Opposition, Mr. Joseph Harmon and other leaders such as Volda Lawrence, Nigel Hughes, Vincent Alexander, Lincoln Lewis, Ubraj Narine, our very own Member, Dr. [Nicolette] Henry and representatives of ACDA and others being present and voicing an opinion that says ‘enough is enough’,” Trotman said.

He said that as he listened to their words — especially that of MP Dr. Henry — he was reminded of the prejudice and inequality that exist in Guyana and the fact that they cannot simply be wished away.

The former Minister of Natural Resources said that Guyana’s leaders have a duty to leave the country in a better place that when they took up leadership. He also said that Guyana’s leaders must take time to understand the true nature of the fear, mistrust, misunderstanding and hatred that exists in its society and work to do more than put bandages on the festering sore.