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Shadow Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Mr. Roysdale Forde S.C, in an invited comment, said it is even more important now for there to be an inquiry into the demolition of the People’s National Congress Reform’s (PNCR’s) Lethem office.
Last Thursday, in the wee hours of the morning, members of the Regional Democratic Council, Region Nine, accompanied by labourers, who the PNCR said were Venezuelans, under the protection of the Guyana Police Force demolished the party’s office and reportedly took away documents belonging to the party.
The party also stated some of the documents in their possession belonged to the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) that is presently conducting a Claims and Objection exercise for upcoming Local Government Elections. Those documents were due to be submitted Thursday afternoon.
General Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C), Vice President (VP) Bharrat Jagdeo at a press conference last Friday denied the government had anything to do with the destruction of the office.
Jagdeo, whose statement came a day after Forde accused the PPP/C of declaring war on members and supporters of the PNCR with the destruction of their building and confiscation of documents said, “There was no direction on the part of the People’s Progressive Party to have APNU [A Partnership for National Unity] evicted from the building that they were illegally occupying. There was no direction from the Central Government to have this done.” The VP blamed the REO whom he said was responsible for the operation.
Forde told this publication he is not accepting the VP’s statements which sound “like a poor excuse to divert attention from their attack, their declaration of war on the PNCR.”
According to the Member of Parliament (MP), Guyanese are not easily fooled and would not believe Mr. Karl Singh, the Regional Executive Officer (REO), Region Nine, acted on his own and he could have commanded the Guyana Police Force to be present and provide protection for unlawful acts.
“The destruction of the PNCR’s building had to have the approval of high officials in the central government. However, if Mr. Jagdeo wants Guyanese to believe otherwise, let the government carry out an investigation and discipline those behind the lawless act, including the REO.”
The investigation, he said, should also include who issued the order for the police, at midnight, to provide security and protection for those destroying the building.
Jagdeo said the PNCR received several letters from the REO, asking that they vacate the property. According to the VP the REO heeded the recommendations of the Auditor General, contained in his reports, about the illegal occupancy of government property.
Forde is contending, even if the property is a matter of dispute, the Government by its actions is in breach of the law of trespass and the related bundle of rights associated therewith and possession.
“This is a matter of law and due process which are the domain of the court, not heavy-duty vehicles, not the lawless exercise to bulldoze people’s property and steal their possessions,” he contended.
It is rather strange Mr. Jagdeo is seeking to implicate the Auditor General, Mr. Deodat Sharma, said the shadow minister. According to him, “even if the Auditor General may have reported an irregularity in the system, due process dictates the government takes appropriate legal action.” And this was not done, he has contended.
I believe Mr. Sharma and his office are now being made scapegoats for these breaches and look forward to Mr. Sharma publicly distancing himself and office from any recommendation that countenance lawlessness, that would result in the destruction of property and stolen items, charged the senior counsel. “Furthermore, Mr. Jagdeo or Mr. Sharma must make available to the nation the recommendation in the reports supporting what happened on Thursday.” Forde said it is important for law-abiding Guyanese to see the evidence.
Forde said “President Irfaan Ali and Vice President Jagdeo are notoriously known for their disregard for law and due process, a practice pervasive throughout society. They feel they are a law unto themselves and the final arbiter of due process, ignoring the court of law.” Governing this beloved country using executive bullyism and cantankerous behaviours must stop, Forde added.
