The government in addition to slapping cybercrime, racial hostility and traffic violations charges against Georgetown Mayor Pandit Ubraj Narine and Opposition Member of Parliament Sherrod Duncan, has also gagged them from speaking about the matter in public.
Narine stood with the Thomas Street vendors against the Ministry of Public Works’ arbitrary decision to remove them. Under the Municipality law the City Council is responsible for vending on the streets of Georgetown, a matter, the mayor, via letter and in public brought to the Government’s attention.
The vendors are also the mayor’s constituents and according to him the City Council’s efforts to amicably work with Central Government have been rebuffed.
The charges and gag orders that followed the mayor participating in protest against government’s action saw him shortly after the charges returning to the streets and firing up his constituents.
According to Ubraj:- “we want peace, and we must always maintain peace, but we must fight for democracy. We must fight for democracy in this country. Today we have been silenced, myself and MP Sharon Duncan have been silenced. We have been caged by this present administration. We will continue to struggle with you, the people. You are the democracy. When the day comes where you have to go and mark your X to vote for the government, remember this day. Remember this today. But I will not give up. I’m fearless, because you the people, I have to protect your bread and butter.
Ubraj and Duncan were charged on Wednesday December 14, 2022 in the Georgetown Magistrates Court. They were each placed on $100,000 bail. The duo were represented by attorneys-at-law Roysdale Forde SC, Amanza Walton Desir and Darren Wade.
The charges have attracted widespread criticism and seen as measures by the government to silence dissent and further divide the country along racial and political lines.
Listen to the mayor below
