The Working People’s Alliance (WPA) Executive Member, Dr. David Hinds, said the Wanted Bulletin issued by the Guyana Police Force for fellow Executive Member, Mr. Tacuma Ogunseye, is politically motivated.
On Thursday the Police issued the bulletin citing Ogunseye is wanted for “several serious offences and attempting to excite racial hostility or ill-will on the ground of race, contrary to Section 3 of the Racial Hostility Act, Chp 23:01.”
The WPA has fired back, claiming the charges are not only politically motivated but the police never contacted Ogunseye prior or after issuing the bulletin. The WPA said the charge is an attack on free speech, the party, and the people of Guyana to give voice to their feelings of what is happening in their country.
According to Hinds, who on Thursday chaired the press conference, the WPA will make the charge against Ogunseye a test whether this government is democratic or prepared to govern in fear, muzzling whoever comes out to speak, and bullying the opposition.
The party said it is prepared to take the matter wherever it ends up and that will be determined by the government. Charging the bulletin suggests the police is acting on the matter as a political nature, Hinds noted the alleged offending statements made by Ogunseye occurred more than three weeks ago.
Statements made by Ogunseye at the public meeting held at Buxton, East Coast Demerara on Thursday, 9th March, created a stir by sections of the society, notably leaders of the governing People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C), who labelled the remarks terrorist and racist.
The WPA has rallied around Ogunseye. Speaking at the party’s press conference Tuesday, Ogunseye said his statements at that meeting were not referring to violence. At that press conference he also called for civil disobedience and announced the party’s preparedness to use civil disobedience as an effective political weapon for the upcoming Local Government Elections, scheduled for June 12, 2023.
In calling for a boycott of the Elections, Ogunseye said “we believe that since the government in its own wisdom summons the nation to a Local Government Elections, which by its very nature the government is asking the country and the populace to engage in intense political activity, we felt the appropriate response to the government entrapment is to turn the June 12 into a day of Guyanese resistance and African uprising.”
Hinds at Thursday’s press conference said the issuance of the bulletin points to the fact that the government intended to suppress the voice of all people. He stated the WPA has been trying to dramatise the social, economic and political situation in Guyana under the PPP/C’s leadership and in many regards the party has been vindicated by the police’s bulletin.
The executive member warned that the party expects, if Ogunseye is arrested, he will be treated as a political prisoner. A political prisoner, according to the Encyclopaedia Britannica is “a person who is imprisoned because that person’s actions or beliefs are contrary to those of his or her government.”
It was also very instructive Ogunseye was not contacted by the police prior to or after the issuance of the bulletin in as much as he is well known, Hinds pointed out.
Hinds informed that the WPA, whilst engaging its lawyers, is prepared for any eventuality on the government’s part and the party will continue to dramatise the type of government Guyana has. “We will fight both at the legal and political level,” he declared.
Responding to the question whether Ogunseye will turn himself in, Hinds said the question will be answered shortly and the media should stay tuned. Asked if the WPA will continue its public meetings, he responded in the affirmative.
