Provocation and acts of aggression against opposition members and professionals  

Dear Editor

The People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) remains concerned at the continued harassment, victimisation and dehumanisation of citizens, Opposition Political Party Members and Professional employees by the Guyana Police Force. These acts of aggression, we believe, are led by the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C), who in their trumped-up allegations against officials of the PNCR, attacks on professional Afro-Guyanese and perceived supporters of the APNU+AFC seeks to vilify innocent citizens and working Professionals. The most recent act of aggression was meted out to the Vice Chairman of the PNCR and former Minister of Health, Dr. George Norton.

On Tuesday 14th April, Dr. Norton was dragged before the courts and charged with misconduct in public office, where he was not required to enter a plea to the indictable charge. He was, however, granted bail in the sum of $400,000.  These actions by the Guyana Police Force (GPF), which we believe are instigated by the PPP/C regime, are intended to cause provocation. The PNCR notes that these actions will only encourage obstruction to good governance and further aggravate racial and political tensions across Guyana. It is a clear trend that has developed whereby Guyanese citizens are targeted and trumped-up charges leveled against them.

The PNCR wishes to reiterate that this is an abuse of power and mockery of Guyana’s entire legal system. The targeting of Christopher Jones, Volda Lawrence, James Bond, Carol Smith-Joseph, David Patterson, Guyana Election Commission employees and the Chief Elections Officer, former Commissioner of the Guyana Lands and Surveys and hundreds of citizens of Guyana who were either targeted and charges dismissed or/are in the legal system must be addressed by every right thinking organisation. Hundreds of professionals and perceived supporters of the PNCR were dismissed from their jobs for no apparent reason. The PNCR notes that these acts are indications of harassment and human rights abuses which lead to dictatorship.

The PNCR will continue to call on the Guyana Police Force to carry out their duties without bias; we call on the Guyana Human Rights Association to look into these issues and we encourage the legal authorities to be fair in their administration of the laws of Guyana.

Regards

People’s National Congress Reform

Congress Place, Sophia

Georgetown, Guyana