Support Village Voice News With a Donation of Your Choice.
The rule of law holds that all citizens, including lawmakers, leaders, and institutions within a country, state, or community are ALL accountable to the law. This is sacrosanct in political philosophy.
Regrettably, the PPP has constantly demonstrated scant regard for this philosophy and has unlawfully and disrespectfully misused political power to halt the prosecution of high-ranking government and state officials, whilst encouraging the police to prosecute their political opponents.
A classical case in point is the court matters of Messrs. Ashni Singh and Winston Brassington, both charged in relation to the purportedly illegal sale of several plots of state land, and Attorney General Anil Nandlall, charged with the theft of law books. It must be noted that these gentlemen were vindicated by the DPP devoid of solid reasoning or explanation. Such self-serving actions are totally disrespectful and absolutely disregard the citizens at large.
Decent Guyanese subscribe to the principle of rule of law which clearly establishes that a man is innocent until proven guilty. Logically, we believe that ‘every man, irrespective of rank or status, is subject to the supreme laws of the land and is amenable to the jurisdiction of the ordinary tribunal.
Further, actions taken by the government under this principle must have a legal foundation. Hence, it is prudent that the prosecutorial arm informs Guyanese on the basis of such a withdrawal. Instead, there has been deafening silence that naturally encourages wild, unguided assumptions on the part of the uninitiated.
It must be noted also, that the principle of the rule of law is fundamental to peace, security, political stability, economic and social progress, and the protection of rights and freedoms. As such, it is a serious issue and should not be taken lightly.
It is unfortunate that Guyana is deeply divided along racial lines and perhaps, this anomaly has shaped the prosecution’s attitude towards a particular ethnic group. Over the past two years, we have witnessed the skewed policy of the hierarchy of the Guyana Police Force to prosecute members of a specified ethnic group including scores of GECOM employees, opposition politicians, and civil servants.
These groups are being harassed and charged for what are perceived to be drummed-up accusations that are, in most cases, thrown out by the courts because of their triviality. One then reasonably assumes that the actions of the police and DPP are collaborative and are influenced by the executive.
What about the oil money and the promise that every Guyanese will benefit from these proceeds? We have witnessed the overt discrimination by the Ali administration where it has consistently, albeit unequally, allocated financial grants and other relief to various sections of the Guyanese society. Though the grants are commendable, the entire process lacks transparency and accountability.
Further, though these measures seek to alleviate the economic distress of ALL Guyanese, there seems to be an obvious bias in the distribution process in predominantly PPP constituencies. Regrettably, Afro Guyanese who are largely employed in the public sector, government pensioners, and other categories of workers, are yearning for similar financial reliefs, but to no avail.
It is my considered opinion that these problems can only be solved through good governance since it assures that corruption is minimized, the views of minorities are considered and the interests of the most vulnerable are respected and attended to. Moreover, such salient and impartial decisions embody the present and future needs of society. This view is as simplistic as can be. The complexity of the statement arises after it is read by partial minds and conniving brains.
