Last year is behind us but the past informs our present and could shape our future. It is a matter of necessity that we apply a modicum of integrity in reviewing the last year, the impact it had on our lives, the lessons learnt from the issues that affected us, and what we could do to improve our circumstances in 2021. 2020 was a year where the international community in large measure not only failed Guyana but failed the world by undermining the Rule of Law and giving new meaning to democracy.
Five major incidents that rocked the foundation of this nation were the violent attacks on innocent children; the electoral coup; the attack on labour; and the role of the international and regional communities in destabilising Guyana. These incidents do not portend well for a fledgling nation and its diverse people. We cannot have unity and peace unless there is respect and justice, rights and the rule of law, regardless of race, colour, creed, class and political association.
Violent attacks on innocent children
In March, a few days after the General and Regional Elections I watched recordings of the violence inflicted on innocent school children on Bath Settlement, West Coast Berbice (WCB) road. Those children were on their way home in their school bus when they were attacked by PPP/C supporters who felt aggrieved with the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM). Prior to this incident there was an unwritten rule in our society that children were off-limits in political strife. That tenet was broken.
When adults no longer see children deserving of their protection and will attack them to vent their grievance over a matter that has no bearing on the children, this country is losing its soul, its basic decency. That incident in Bath Settlement on 6th March where supporters of the government stoned a school bus with children inside, some of whom were injured and had to seek medical attention, will forever mentally scar the affected and this nation. That bus was later set afire in the street.
Then in September the nation on the 6th learnt of the heinous murders and brutal mutilation of teenagers Isaiah and Joel Henry, followed a few days later (12th September) by the murder of Haresh Singh. Both incidents happened on the WCB. The marks on the mutilated bodies of the Henry boys were akin to the hate crimes of the 1960s in Guyana. I know because I lost relatives during those dark days.
On the 23rd August 1964, my uncle Albert Thompson; and cousins Vivian McKenzie, Donald Wade and William Woodruff were ambushed in the night in their home in the Abary Creek. Their house was set afire, they were shot, and burnt. These men were farmers cultivating the lands they owned. In July 1964, my cousin Richard Carmichael was brutally murdered on Burma road. His penis was cut off and placed in his mouth. Justice was never served for these men who met brutal and horrible deaths.
Violence must never be the way to resolve differences. The stench of blood from the Henry boys and Singh is still hanging in the air. This is not a good sign. Those who know the areas the boys’ bodies were found know they are predominantly Indian populated. The view by some that the Henrys’ crime had to do with their race, and Singh’s was retaliation, or he may have been a material witness smoulder not douse people’s angst.
These incidents had and still have the potential of stoking racial violence. The fact that people may be quiet should not be taken for granted. Quiet does not mean people have forgotten, the pains have disappeared, and people no longer want justice. Quite to the contrary. Neither should it be assumed the evil hands roaming free will not strike again. I fear the next time such an incident occurs we may not be lucky.
My heart pains that justice is not being served for these teenagers. It is unfair that their young lives were brutally snuffed out and their dreams snatched from them by cruel hands and justice eludes the family and society. While the year has changed, evil still resides in our society and we must be watchful. It is informative that the government is not seeking to apply the necessary resources to bring closure.
The election coup
It is not the electoral loss that hurt Guyana, it is the coup that was founded in lies. While a coup is usually seen as a group physically occupying an office either peacefully or through violence, in Guyana’s situation pressure, force and bullying were used to subvert the election results, changed the reality that was evident to a reality that allowed for the declaration of an election in their favour. It is a fact the election was not won fair and square but was a coup pulled off with the help of local and foreign rogues.
Even though the facts are there that the process did not conform to the election laws this nation was forced to accept a result that was tainted. Forces have destabilised the organisation (GECOM) responsible for the election, imposing on the institution an alternate reality which operatives were forced to accept, using the legal pathway to declare an illegal result. We had a coup that was declared legal. They have fine tune and basically introduced or popularised a new mode of coup. A similar one was done to Bolivia’s election in 2019.
We have a government today that was declared a winner on votes whose credibility cannot be proven. Yet still we are being asked to give assent and accept as credible a process that was evidently corrupt and violate the elections laws. For instance, those 47 plus boxes with no statutory documents that we were forced to accept the numbers as credible even when they violated the laws, remain a sore point.
Over in the United States, President Donald Trump was hoping, after testing this new form of removing government in Bolivia and Guyana, he would have succeeded with the help of the media, political allies, electoral bodies and judiciary as was done in Guyana and Bolivia. Thanks to independent media, individuals and other democracy watchdogs in that society that have pushed back. Americans have stood in defence of their institutions and laws which took a battering. Whereas theirs have survived ours are still to recover.
Even as I write, Trump is still trying to derail the electoral process with support from members of Congress and reputable top leaders in society lying to ensure his return.
To be continued…
