Standing in front of the Lethem Magistrate’s Court, former Regional Executive Officer, People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) official, Mr. Carl Parker, said the authorities will have to arrest them “10 thousand more time until our objective is achieved.”
Last Thursday morning, around 1:00 am, officials of the Region Nine Regional Democratic Council (RDC), under protection of the Guyana Police Force, demolished the PNC’s office in Lethem. The party said it has occupied the land and building unhindered since 1975.
The government said the land belongs to the state and the Party is engaged in illegal occupation. Government also said the land is identified for the construction of a health care facility.
The party is adamant the land is theirs. Parker said the objective is to fight until the matter is amicably resolved, so that there will be no doubt who the owner of the building is.
He was arrested Wednesday and slapped with two charges. Parker and caretaker of the building, Mr. Geoffrey Wilson, were arraigned before Magistrate Wilson on Wednesday.
The two were charged for damage of property belonging to contractor, Mr. Dale Kennedy, who was given the job to construct the health care facility.They were each placed on $30,000 bail.
According to Parker, Kennedy was the one seen destroying the Party’s building.
The second charge is for threatening behaviour towards the complainant. On this charge the men were placed on their own recognisance.
The matters were put down for March 22.
Parker has since called on the PNCR leadership, both at the regional and national levels, to mobilise party supporters. “We have to come out, they can’t lock all of us up,” he stated.
He said he wants the world to see what “bully” the People’s Progressive Party government is, even as he challenged the “defenders of democracy” for their silence. According to him, “you’re not hearing any word” from them.
Vice President (VP) Bharrat Jagdeo last Friday, at a press conference, said the building was occupied illegally and the RDC acted on recommendation in the Auditor General Report.
Party member, Shadow Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs Roysdale Forde, S.C. has since challenged the VP to provide the evidence such a recommendation was made by the Auditor General.
According to the senior counsel matters of dispute must be dealt with in an orderly manner, respecting of laws, rights and due process, which he said the government failed to heed.
Parker, was one of the Party’s vocal officials who spoke out against the demolition of the Lethem office and was at the scene of the incident last Thursday.
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