Georgetown Mayor Pt. Ubraj Narine was today charged with the offence of obstructing traffic in relation to placing a wooden pallet on New Market Street; the indictable offence of using a computer system to attempt to excite ethnic divisions on the ground of race, contrary to the Cybercrime Act; and the offense of attempting to excite hostility or ill will on the ground of race, contrary to the Racial Hostility Act.
A Partnership of National Unity and Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) Member of Parliament (MP) Sherrod Duncan was charged with the indictable offence of using a computer system to attempt to excite ethnic divisions on the ground of race, contrary to the Cybercrime Act; and the offense of attempting to excite hostility or ill will on the ground of race, contrary to the Racial Hostility Act.
Each was placed on $200,000 bail on the race-related charges and gagged from speaking about the cases, said their attorney-at-law Roysdale Forde SC. Other members of the legal team are attorneys- at-law Amanza Walton-Desir and Darren Wade.
Speaking with reports at the Georgetown Magistrates Court, Forde said his clients have not committed the offences and the charges are efforts by the government to shut the Opposition down.
The gag orders, he said, are an unprecedented move and unconstitutional, and hinted they may likely be challenged in the High Court.
Leader of the Opposition, Mr. Aubrey Norton, speaking to the issues accused the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) government of using the Guyana Police Force to target and harass Opposition supporters.
Leader of the Alliance For Change (AFC) and MP Khemraj Ramjattan, a lawyer by profession, also weighed in on the situation. According to him, little by little, drip by drip, the government is becoming authoritarian and the situation is getting very dire. Ramjattan also said the AFC, yesterday, engaged the United States Embassy.
Also present around the court and providing support were PNCR executive and MP Volda Lawrence, Working People’s Alliance executive members Dr. David Hinds and Kidackie Amsterdam, councillors, party supporters and scores of vendors showing their solidarity with Mayor and Duncan.
