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“We have been too quiet for too long. There comes a time when you have to say something. You have to make a little noise. You have to move your feet. Now is the time” U.S Representative John Lewis.
The May 18, 2022, statement by Shawnette Bollers, via her lawyer, Eusi Anderson on the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) dismissal of criminal charges brought against accused Nirvan Singh is another sign of the times we are in. The DPP, Shalimar Ali-Hack, would find it hard to shake the perception that her reason for dismissing the case had nothing to do with political and/or ethnic sympathy.
Equally she is aware perception would be hard to dislodge given her pass decisions, notably of which are the withdrawal of fraud charges against the former Minister of Housing, Irfaan Ali, when he became president and dropping the charges against Anil Nandlall for alleged theft of law books when he returned to his previous position as Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs.
The statement by Ms. Bollers, that the “DPP’s letter is absolutely silent on the reasons for the exercise of her power to discontinue [and being] silent on the status of the police file which is allegedly before her for advice,” only serves to compound perception of political loyally and the PPP undermining the integrity of our systems of good governance and accountability from the core.
Guyanese have reasons to be concerned that the PPP is capable of obstructing justice at any and every stage, on any and every matter that piques their interest. How then can we stop this cancerous rot in law and order, in our governance and social sphere that makes us so vulnerable under the PPP? Where do we begin? Who leads? Are our formal leaders even monitoring and addressing these issues and seeing the need to rally aggressive legal and political responses?
It is truly sickening and disgusting reading, hearing, talking, seeing, thinking and everything about seemingly unstoppable PPP excesses. There is chronic failure at the core of the PPP opposition which over the years has slowly impacted the potential of individuals and groups to respond. Those who traditionally would have responded are left vulnerable and are also undermined in various ways.
Where are the outraged middle-class voices? Where are the angry disgusted masses? Where are the learned and respected academics contextualizing and breaking down the PPP atrocities for public consumption? Where are the local and international lobbyists, the affected business interest, and other group interests?
The churches and religious bodies to guide and defend principles of basic human rights whilst addressing the moral and social decay that is becoming more and more evident? Thus, this case going all the way to the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ), the court of last resort, is being looked forward to. At least it presents a sliver of resistance to the PPP.
As former U.S Secretary of State, Madeleine Albright noted, “The temptation is powerful to close our eyes and wait for the worst to pass, but history tells that for freedom to survive, it must be defended, and that if lies are to stop, they must be exposed.”
